Exam 1

Question 1

Key Ideas of Leviticus

Answer 1

1. Holiness of God
2. Purity of Covenant community
3. Principle of substitution in sacrificial ritual
4. Principle of mediation in service of Priests
5. Redeeming of time by means of liturgical calendar

Question 2

Key Ideas of Exodus

Answer 2

1. Supremacy of Yahweh over pagan deities
2. Exodus as redemptive event for Israel
3. Mosaic law as religious and social charter for Israel
4. Presence of God symbolized in Tabernacle

Question 3

Key ideas of Genesis

Answer 3

1. God created and creation was Good
2. Disobedience separated people from God
3. God instituted a program of revelation called covenant

Question 4

Key ideas of Pentateuch

Answer 4

1. Abrahamic covenant as unifying theological theme
2. Diversity of literary types and distinctive literary features
3. Issues related to historicity of narrative

Question 5

Key ideas of Numbers

Answer 5

1. God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises
2. Divine testing of human motives
3. God communicating his truth through the medium of culture
4. God’s sovereign rule of the nations

Question 6

Key ideas of Deutronomy

Answer 6

1. The importance of a central worship place
2. The emphasis on the name of God
3. The organization of laws with reference to the Ten Commandments
4. The centrality of loving and obeying the covenant God

Question 7

The ten commandments

Answer 7

1-4 (pertain to relationship with God) 5-10 (Relationship with other humans)

1. You shall have no other Gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself and idol
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God
4. Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy
5. Honor your mother and father
6. You shall not murder
7. You hall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor
10. You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor

Question 8

Five Geographical Zones of Palestine

Answer 8

1. Coastal Plain (coast of Mediterranean)
2. Hill Country (where most of Israelites lived), Jerusalem, Samaria
3. Rift Valley- Dead sea, Jordan river. Rift btwn two geographic plates.
   4.Transjordan plateau- Moab located and mountain range
   5.Desert
   Listed West to East
   Called land of Honey and Milk- rich in honey and farming.

Question 9

Documentary Hypothesis Pillars (Support)

Answer 9

1. Textual references to Moses- If he wrote it why in 3rd person. Specific proportions attributed to Moses- others shouldn’t be
2. Anacrhonism or Chronological lapses- Philistines not in land during time of Moses. Caldeans later in history. Camels not domesticated until 1000BC.
3. Differences in divine name- certain sections use different names, some E source etc. Different sources they claim of writers
4. Difference in languages and style- differ forms of name used in text. Different sources again argued. Some passages vivid and others dull/technical.
5. Differences in conception of God and human beings- see active contact others times distant. Difference ins Abraham’s potrayl (Hero and then liar)
6. Duplicate narratives or dublets- see on creation account and then second creation account. Distribution of single incidents in differ contexts.

Question 10

Arguments against Documentary Hypothesis

Textual reference

Answer 10

• This is a common practice in style of writing. It is possible Moses was referring to person in 3rd person, even Julius Caesar did this in history. Does not approve or disprove. It at least shows possibility Moses might have employed same technique. Other issues specific portions attributed to Moses. This is more for his authorship then against. You have places where it says Moses wrote this…so why did he not write other parts. It helps cast a light in things he wrote down and possibility he wrote it all down. Not everyone states they wrote it all. Death of Moses always comes up. Betts believes Joshua wrote this since at time they had associates write stuff like this. He also believes Moses could have written it if God revealed it. Betts inclined to believe Joshua wrote Deutornomy section which is typical of historians.

Question 11

Argument against
Doc Hypo
Chrono lapses

Answer 11

philistines (issue they are traders and trade goods). Betts doesn’t see It as impossibility that Phillistines were around since they travel. No permanent settlements of them at this time, does not eliminate them from trading. Goods have been discovered from around that time period which could suggest trade. Camels were not widely domesticated but there is a tablet from 18th century BC that there were camels domesticated. Betts personally believes only rich people had these which fits with Abraham context in scripture. Could be similar to a person in now age jumping into a jet and people looking back. Only rich with ability to do so. Statement of Caanites in the land, it is spoke of because difficulty they would have in context.

Question 12

Argument Against
Doc Hypo
Differences in divine name

Answer 12

Differences in divine name common, various titles back then. A way of worship, make it seem like Yahweh and Elohim are separate but they are not. Near as clean as scholars argue

Question 13

Argument against Doc Hypothesis

Differences in language and style

Answer 13

Content changes just like we see in Shakespeare. Alternate styles based on alternate genres. Circumstances change context of writing.

Question 14

Argument against Doc Hypothesis

Difference in Gods relationship and human beings

Answer 14

God is not a stone and very complex nature, ex: Trinity.. Humans don’t even express themselves same time in prayer. God has personality and diversity in way things expressed. People are not always good when faithful

Question 15

Argument against Doc Hypo

Duplicate Narratives

Answer 15

Way things are communicated include parallelism. Sometimes we see a general statement and then following of more specific. Inscriptions have been found with two different names on same documents. Within document can be two names recognized including people.

Question 16

Genesis Purpose Statement

Answer 16

Begin story of Covenant. God created everything right, sin drew people away so much that they no longer had accurate idea of what God was like. This is why God decided to make covenant, with chosen people, Abraham and his family. Relationship was to allow him to use Israel to give people accurate picture of what he was like. Tells us how Covenant was established despite obstacles.

Question 17

Exodus Purpose Statement

Answer 17

Explain how Israelites became slaves in Egypt and their deliverance from Egyptian oppression. Book also reveals the God whose name is Yahweh and relates how his divine presence came to dwell among his people, Israel.

Question 18

Leviticus purpose Statement

Answer 18

Provide a manual or handbook on holiness designed to instruct Hebrew Community in holy worshiop and holy living so they might imitate God’s holiness and enjoy presence and blessing of God

Question 19

Numbers purpose Statement

Answer 19

Contrast faitfhulness of God with faithlessness and rebellion of Israelites. The former is seen in God’s keeping of his covenant promise to make Israel a numerous people. Latter is tested by record of Israel’s grumbling about their living conditions, rebellion against God’s leadership, and refusal to enter the land. Thus, the people tested God at every level even while God was providing their every need.

Question 20

Deuteronomy

Answer 20

To summarize and renew covenant in preparation for entering into the land. In process it organizes laws in a way that the spirit behind the 10 commandments will be understood. It is the charter document of Israel that emphasizes there is one God, one people of God, one sanctuary, and one law.

Question 21

Genesis Major Themes

Answer 21

1. Covenant and Election- His electing of Abraham (grace). God chose Israelites as instrument of revelation.
2. Monotheism- Abraham was a practical monotheist worshipping El, who had revealed himself to Abraham through several epithets. Yahweh eventually came to be understood as primary name of Israel’s covenant God.
3. Sin- introduction to sin in world thorough many instances. God mercy and justice shown.
4. Origins- We see God’s creation. Spoken word of God. Seven day structure. Text is to reveal nature of God not scientific answer.

Question 22

Exodus Major Themes

Answer 22

1. Yahweh- revelation of God’s name to Moses as divinely appointed deliverer of Israel, new step in self-disclosure of God to Hebrew. Revealed his nature and person many ways.
2. Ten Plagues- Cosmic struggle between true God, Yahweh and false gods. Better to see as judgement against whole pantheon of Egyptian Gods. Miracles represent God’s power.
3. Passover- Last plague against Pharaoh. Forced Hebrew flight from bondage/oppression. Precursor for Jesus’s death later on.
4. Ten Commandments- Decalogue, patterned after literary format of Hittite suzerain-vassal treaty. Expression of Yahweh grace to Israel. Justice, mercy and faith essence of OT law. Express eternally moral character of Yahweh.
5. Presence of God- God accompanies Hebrew on journey from Egypt to plains of Moab via MT Sinai (cloud / pillar of fire). Tabernacle structure active presence of Lord.

Question 23

Leviticus Major Themes

Answer 23

1. Holiness - how to approach Lord, Holy. Notion of separation. clean and unclean. sanctification process. All humans unclean because of sin.
2. Sacrifice- rituals. Five basic types (grain offering, peace offering, burnt offering, sin offering, guilt or trespass offering). To purify. Not intended to save but restore relationship with God and people.
3. Sabbath rest and Sabattical year- reminder of Israel God is creator. Covenant sign between God and his people. covenant principles : thanksgiving for past provision and faith in God’s sustenance, forgiveness in remission of debts, and respect of person created in image of God in manumission or release of slaves, and practice of generosity and idea of stewardship in redistribution of covenant land.

Question 24

Numbers Major Themes

Answer 24

1. Census numbers- 3 primary functions during time: ascertaining and recruiting manpower for war, allotment of work assignments- forced labor gangs- religious cult, establishing basis for taxation. It led as instructions for ordering Hebrew tribes in marching and camping formations, census takings had practical effect of contributing to the organization of former slaves into a unified people of God.
2. Testing by Yahweh- testing major theme in this book.
3. Revelation of God in human culture- Represents differ ways God reveals himself in culture. Mosaic legislation (involuntary crimes). Haven protection of manslayer. Women’s status elevated in contrast to others. Utilization of human language and human agents to convey divine truth, command for census taking, and legislation regarding Nazirite vows. Yields two important principles : God demonstrates respect/appreciation human culture by working through, and higher goals of cov obed and personal/corp holiness may necessitate supracultural approaches to relational ministry carried out in name of Yahweh.

Question 25

Deuteronomy Major Themes

Answer 25

1. Law- revealed by God what is expected (revelation)- right behavior in God’s eyes.
2. Central sanctuary- One legitimate temple different cities in Eastern culture had more deities and temples.
3. History as theology- Evidence of Israel’s election. History is revelation and requires response; that is why crucial to covenant. Fact God acted in history on their behalf served as clarion call for Israelites to accept Lord’s good rule. History of Israel is unique as special vehicle of God’s self-revelation.
4. Retribution principle- following God expectation reward, disobedience punishment. How he deals with nations and people.