3 chapters · 4 video commentaries · covered in 4 courses
The Book of Joel is a prophetic text that describes a devastating locust plague and drought, interpreting these events as a sign of God's impending judgment. It calls for national repentance and foretells a future day of the Lord when God will pour out his Spirit and judge the nations.
AuthorThe book is attributed to the prophet Joel, though little is known about him. Critical scholarship generally views the authorship as anonymous, with the name 'Joel' serving as a literary attribution.
WrittenLikely post-exilic, between the late 5th and early 4th centuries BCE.
GenreProphetic oracle, apocalypse
AudienceThe people of Judah and Jerusalem, facing hardship and anticipating divine intervention.
PurposeTo call the people to repentance, warn of impending judgment, and offer hope for future restoration and the outpouring of God's Spirit.
Covered inJudaism Before Jesus · The Genius of the Acts of the Apostles · Why I am Not a Christian: How Leaving the Faith Led to Life of More Meaning and Purpose · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube
What our scholars get into
Our commentary on Joel explores how the book fits into the pervasive biblical theme of suffering as divine punishment for sin, a concept found throughout the Hebrew prophets (Bart D. Ehrman). We examine Joel 3's vision of judgment in the 'valley of Jehoshaphat,' where God judges nations for their treatment of Israel, reflecting a desire for justice against foreign rule. A significant focus is Peter's sermon in Acts 2, which quotes Joel's prophecy about God pouring out his Spirit. Bart D. Ehrman highlights how Peter's quote in Acts 2 alters Joel's original text, changing 'afterwards' to 'in the last days' and adding 'they shall prophesy,' demonstrating the interpretive license ancient authors employed. We also discuss how apocalyptic imagery in Joel, such as the sun turning dark and the moon to blood, functions as rhetorical symbolism rather than literal prediction, similar to the 'zombies' in Matthew (Bart D. Ehrman).
Introduction drafted from the lecture transcripts by AI, pending the team's edit.
Many Old Testament prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, explain suffering as divine punishment for the sins of the Israelites. They assert that God is powerful and loving, and that repentance will lead to an end of suffering. This perspective frames suffering as a direct consequence of wrongdoing.
Summarized by AI · Why I am Not a Christian: How Leaving the Faith Led to Life of More Meaning and Purpose · Lecture 2: My Leaving the Faith | Going Where the “Truth” Leads You · watch the clip
Prophetic Warnings and Repentance
Ancient prophets, when predicting future events like 'the day of the Lord,' did so to encourage present-day change. The Hebrew word 'shuv,' often translated as 'repent,' means to 'return' or change behavior. Unlike modern interpretations focused on individual salvation, ancient prophets aimed to avert corporate punishment for Israel by calling for a change in collective conduct.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Why Were the Hebrew Prophets So Weird? · watch the clip
Courses that cover Joel
Judaism Before Jesus
The Genius of the Acts of the Apostles
Why I am Not a Christian: How Leaving the Faith Led to Life of More Meaning and Purpose
