Behind | Workbook: Colossians 2:8 and Ancient Near East Writings, Part 2

There are several ways that gaining exposure to ancient Near Eastern writings can be a great advantage to believers. Here’s just a few:

1. Increased awareness of the cultural context of the region into which the Bible was speaking
2. Knowledge of other events happening at the same time and in the same region as events described in the Bible
3. Confirmation from sources outside the Bible of certain details found in the Bible, including references to Israel/Judah and their monarchs

Grab your Workbook Journal!

[Record your answers in the workbook provided at the beginning of this course.]

7. Complete the table in your workbook with your best guess to this question: Was this type of writing found in both the Old Testament and other ancient Near East writings?

The only type of literature from the list in this exercise found in ancient Near East writings but not found in the Bible is mythical writings. While the Bible includes accounts of visions and dreams that are highly imaginative, they do not include writings that are mythical. Studies of ancient Near East literature, in contrast, have discovered many mythical (and magical) texts.