Biblical Studies #1

Question 1

Do Jewish and Christian Bibles have different texts in their bibles?

Answer 1

Yes, foundational texts, total number of biblical books, arrangement, and categorization are different

Question 2

Do Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox Christians share the exact same bible?

Answer 2

No, difference pertaining to Old Testament

Question 3

Does translation require interpretation?

Answer 3

Yes, requires a thorough understanding of text

Question 4

When did chapter and verse divisions first start appearing in a bible?

Answer 4

1200 BCE

Question 5

Torah

Answer 5

Hebrew name for the first five books of Jewish and Christian bibles (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy in English); aka the Pentateuch.

Question 6

Pentateuch

Answer 6

Another name in English for the first five books of Jewish and Christian bibles, also known as the Torah in Hebrew (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).

Question 7

Tanakh

Answer 7

The term Jewish people give their scriptures because it is an acronym for the Hebrew names of the three main parts of the Jewish bible, which consists of the Torah/Pentateuch, Neviim (the “prophets”), and Ketuvim (the “writings”).

Question 8

Hebrew Bible

Answer 8

A term used to reference those texts that are shared by Jewish and Christian bibles, though it can be a misnomer since not all the writings are in Hebrew (same as Christains’ Old Testament)

Question 9

Old Testament

Answer 9

The traditional English-language Christian term for the first large part of the Christian canon. Although texts vary between Christian traditions and their order is different, this section of Christian bibles shares much overlap with the Jewish bible.

Question 10

Apocrypha

Answer 10

The term for books found in Christian bibles that are not part of the Protestant Old Testament or the Jewish Tanakh.

Question 11

New Testament

Answer 11

The English-language term for the specifically Christian scriptures found in the latter part of most Christian bibles.

Question 12

Qur’an

Answer 12

The central text of Muslim communities for whom it represents the final divine revelation and is seen as the ultimate part of a long lineage of divine revelation that includes Jewish and Christian biblical traditions. It is not neatly parallel with Jewish and Christian bibles, as it has quite different contents, but it does share key stories and traditions (albeit with important differences).

Question 13

Semantic dimension of scriptures

Answer 13

has to do with the meaning of what is written, and thus includes all aspects of interpretation and commentary as well as appeals to the text’s contents in preaching and other forms of persuasive rhetoric. It conveys a sense of authorization

Question 14

Performative dimension of scriptures

Answer 14

has to do with the performance of what is written

Question 15

Iconic dimension of scriptures

Answer 15

finds expression in the physical form, ritual manipulation, and artistic representation of scriptures. It conveys a sense of legitimation

Question 16

Ritualization

Answer 16

calls attention to and makes intentional the ordinary practices of everyday life

Question 17

Language world

Answer 17

a way of understanding the Bible (particularly in African American histories and contexts) as a repository of stories—of heroes and heroines, of heroic peoples and their pathos and victory, sorrow and joy, sojourn and fulfillment…a place with which people could identify, draw strength from, and turn to for self-affirmation.

Question 18

Race

Answer 18

a completely modern category, with no actual biological basis, that differentiates human groups according to certain physical features and supposedly biological characteristics

Question 19

Ethnicity

Answer 19

a practice of human differentiation focused on claims to shared genealogy, values, beliefs, behaviors, experiences, traits, and traditions

Question 20

Historical Criticism

Answer 20

an approach to studying biblical texts that employs a variety of methods to try to understand the development and meaning of the Bible in its ancient context

Question 21

What “criticism” means in Historical Criticism

Answer 21

Not that scholars find fault with the biblical texts that they study, but rather they use academically critical analysis to arrive at their conclusions rather than starting on the basis of faith assumptions

Question 22

Textual Criticism

Answer 22

methodology for deciding which wording should be followed in cases where ancient manuscript copies disagree

Question 23

Archaeology

Answer 23

The excavation of ancient sites, and the comparative study of ancient material cultures

Question 24

Tradition Criticism

Answer 24

a methodology for trying to identify early oral traditions and broader source material that stands behind the biblical text

Question 25

Source Criticism

Answer 25

methodology for determining the literary sources that were used to create a particular biblical narrative. Many narratives contain repetitions, contradictions, and gaps indicating that multiple sources have been combined in the text

Question 26

Rhetorical and Form Criticism

Answer 26

Paying attention to genre and the form of the text and the role of that form in comparative ancient contexts

Question 26

Reader-Response Criticism

Answer 26

an approach that focuses on the interactive relationship between the reader and the text

Question 27

Reception History

Answer 27

an approach that examines all the different ways that people have received, appropriated, and used biblical texts throughout history

Question 28

Do Conway and Carr or Coogan think archaeology supports claims that a mass exodus of hundreds of thousands of Israelites took place before 1200 BCE?

Answer 28

FALSE

Question 29

What is the date of the Merneptah stele, and why is it considered archaeologically important?

Answer 29

Around1209 BCE. It’s considered archaeologically important because it is the earliest reference of Israel that confirms their presence. It adds to the understanding of the historical context of the region during Pharaoh’s Reign.

Question 30

Is the proper name of the LORD, as found in Exodus 3:14, attested elsewhere in archaeological evidence? If so, where?

Answer 30

Yes, Some Egyptian texts and inscriptions from the time of the Merneptah Stele (late 13th century BCE) and later periods refer to groups of people known as the “Shasu of Yahweh” or similar variations.

Question 31

According to scholars, does Exodus contain a mix of oral traditions and written sources?

Answer 31

Yes, according to many biblical scholars who use the historical-critical method, the book of Exodus is believed to contain a mix of oral traditions and written sources that were compiled and revised over time. The theory of multiple sources and the existence of oral traditions are key aspects of the documentary hypothesis

Question 32

According to scholars, does Exodus evidence one of the oldest oral traditions in the Hebrew Bible?

Answer 32

Yes. The Exodus story has been shared through oral tradition for a very long time, until it was formally written down

Question 33

What does “Dayeinu” mean?

Answer 33

it would have been enough for us

Question 34

When is the “Dayeinu” sung during Jewish ritual practice?

Answer 34

It is traditionally sung during the Passover, a central Jewish ritual and meal held on the first two nights of Passover.

Question 35

Which parts of Exodus does the song “Go Down Moses” focus upon?

Answer 35

The song highlights Moses as the central figure who leads the Israelites out of slavery..The repeated phrase “Go down, Moses” is a call for Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of those enslaved.

Question 36

Is Codex Boturini a Nahua representation of the biblical Exodus?

Answer 36

No. It is not associated with the Exodus story, but similarly it shows a mass migration of the Aztecs.