SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH:  1.  Compare the characters of the three brothers, Judas, Jonathan, and Simon. 2.  The guilds of temple singers.  Hastings, D.B., IV, 92-3; Wellhausen, The Book of Psalms (in S.B.  O.T.), 217-9. 3.  The evidence that many of the psalms come from the Maccabean period.  Hastings, D.B., IV, 152-3; Cheyne, Origin of the Psalter.

Section CXIII.  The Rule of John Hyrcanus and Aristobulus.  GENERAL QUESTIONS:  1.  Describe the intrigue that resulted in the death of Simon. 2.  The Syrian invasion under Antiochus Sidetes. 3.  The character of John Hyrcanus. 4.  His military policy. 5.  His conquests in the north and south. 6.  The reasons why he lost the support of the Pharisees. 7.  The significant events in the reign of Aristobulus.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH:  1.  Contemporary conditions in the Syrian kingdom. En.  Bib., IV, 4356-60; Gardner, The Seleucid Kings of Syria. 2.  The history of the Idumeans.  Hastings, D.B., I, 644-6; En.  Bib., II, 1181-8; Buhl, Edomites. 3.  Compare the policy of John Hyrcanus with that of David.

Section CXIV.  The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.  GENERAL QUESTIONS:  I. Describe the influences that gave rise to the party of the Pharisees. 2.  Of the Sadducees. 3.  The characteristics and beliefs of the Pharisees. 4.  Of the Sadducees. 5.  The political influence of these parties. 6.  The characteristics of the sect of the Essenes. 7.  Their beliefs.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH:  1.  The party of the Pharisees.  Hastings, D.B., III, 821-8; En.  Bib., IV, 4321-9. 2.  The Sadducees.  Hastings, D.B., IV, 349-51; En.  Bib., IV, 4234-40. 3.  The points of contact between Essenism and Christianity.  Hastings, D.B., I, 767-72; En.  Bib., II, 1396-1400; Thomson, Books which Influenced Our Lord, 75-122; Cheyne, Origin of the Psalter, 418-21, 446-9.

Section CXV.  The Life and Faith of the Jews of the Dispersion.  GENERAL QUESTIONS:  1.  Describe the life of the Jews in Antioch and Asia Minor. 2.  The privileges granted them by the Syrian king. 3.  The number of the Jews in Egypt. 4.  The privileges granted them by the Ptolemies. 5.  The founding of the Jewish temple at Leontopolis. 6.  Its significance. 7.  The occasion of the translation of the Hebrew scriptures into Greek. 8.  The important apologetic Jewish writings. 9.  The theme and date of the Wisdom of Solomon. 10.  Its important teachings. 11.  Its reflections of Greek and Jewish thought.

SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH:  1.  Characteristics and value of the Greek translation of the Old Testament.  Hastings, D.B., IV, 864-6; Swete, Introd. to the Old Testament in Greek; En.  Bib., IV, 5016-22. 2.  The history and contents of the Wisdom of Solomon.  Hastings, D.B., IV, 928-31; En.  Bib., IV, 5336-49; Deane, The Book of Wisdom, 1-41; Gregg, The Wisd. of Sol.