Theology - Bible Books

Question 1

Give a summary of God the Creator

Answer 1

Day 1 - Light + day & night

Day 2 - Sky​

Day 3 - Land, Sea & vegetation

Day 4 - Sun, moon, stars

Day 5 - Land and Sea Animals: multiply and fill sea/sky

Day 6 - Land Animals + Humans : rule the earth

Day 7 - Rested

Question 2

What are some ideas about God the Creator

Answer 2

• In the beginning, there was only God, meaning God was always there
• As God gives names to everything and when he says something it happens, it shows his authority
  *Light symbolises life and truth in the bible
• In the old testament, the seas were said to have powerful creatures lurking in them and if God made the sea, it shows his power
• He has human characteristics as he rests on a Sunday. He feels triumphant - ‘And it was good’. He is there to protect them as he is hovering over them.

Question 3

The Call of Moses Summary

Answer 3

Moses was stending Jethro’s sheep. He led them to Horeb. God’s angel appeared in the flames of a bush. The bush was not destroyed by the flames. God called to Moses from the bush ‘Moses! Moses!’. Moses then said ‘Here I am’. God told Moses to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. God said He was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses hid his face; he was afraid to look at God. God said He had seen the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt and had come to rescue them. He promised to lead them to a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’. Moses was to go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses asked why he should do it and God answered that He would be with him the whole time. Moses asked what he should do if the people asked for God’s name and he replied ‘I am who I am’.

Question 4

some Key ideas from the Call of Moses

Answer 4

• Moses learn of his mission as prophet and leader.​
• God reveals his name for the first time​. God’s name is a statement that God exists as a being above all.
• Taking one’s shoe off is a sign of respect for God and he does this as Moses recognizes that it is a holy place.
• Moses is shown as questioning and unsure; he need reassurance from God. Moses was persuaded after God said he was the Son of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• God is compassionate as he said that he had seen the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt ​and wanted to bring it to an end
• God is powerful as the bush didn’t light up. God is Generous as he promises the Jews a land flowing with milk and honey.

Question 5

Give a summary of The Passover

Answer 5

God told Moses that every Israelite family should slaughter a 1 year old male lamb on the 14th day of the first month at twilight.
The blood of the lamb should be painted on the sides of the door frames where the family lived.

The meat had to be roasted and eaten with bitter herbs. The Israelites had to eat unleavened bread and all of the meat had to be eaten be before sunrise.

That night, God killed the first born except those of the families who had painted their door frames with blood.

Question 6

What are some key ideas from The Passover?

Answer 6

*The Passover teaches us that freedom comes with a price. Freedom brings hardship, but we should face it bravely and go ahead in life​
*We need to have faith in God, despite being in a difficult situation.​
*God’s passing over the Israelites is a sign of God’s love and generosity which the later prophets considered to be a characteristic of is His relationship with Israel.
*They had to eat the lamb with bitter herbs as it reminded them of the bitter time they had as slaves.

Question 7

What is a summary of the Garden of Eden?

Answer 7

Before any shrub had appeared, God created Adam. God made Adam from the dust of the Earth and breathed life into him. God planted a garden in Eden. In the middle of Eden, there were two trees: the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. A river watered the garden. God placed Adam in Eden and told him to care for it but not to eat from the tree of knowledge. God created the animals from the ground and brought them to Adam to name them. God said it was not good for Adam to be alone, so he took ribs from Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they were not ashamed of the nakedness.

Question 8

some Key ideas about the Garden of Eden

Answer 8

*This story shows that every man is God’s child.​
*Life is given and sustained by God’s spirit.​
*That God is kind and giving to the extent that he gave life to us.​
*That humans are all in the image of God, as in that we all were created by him.​
*That we should respect and love God for giving life to us.
*God treats us like his family as he creates a heaven for everyone (Eden)

Question 9

What is a summary of The Fall

Answer 9

The serpent tempted Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge. The serpent told Eve that she would not die if she ate from the tree but she would become like God and know good and evil. Eve took some fruit from the tree and ate it. She gave some to Adam. When they ate it, they realized they were naked. When they heard God walking in the garden, they hid. Adam said to God that they hid themselves as they were naked. God asked him whether he had eaten from the tree of knowledge. Adam said that Eve had given him fruit from it and Eve said that the serpent told her to eat from it. God punished the snake by making it crawl on its belly and made humans be scared of him and try to kill him. God punished women by making childbirth 9 months and the her husband will rule over her. God punished men by making work painful. He then expelled both of them from the Garden of Eden.

Question 10

What are some Key Ideas about the Fall

Answer 10

*Eve’s act symbolises the human desire for power.​ Adam’s act symbolises human weakness because he gives in to Eve.​
*Only God can be self-made without creating evil. Humans are unable to have this knowledge and remain good and unsinful.​
*The serpent symbolises the devil as well as the human desire and rebelliousness and God symbolises justice, compassion and mercy
*The punishments symbolise the pain and suffering of ordinary life, the inequality of relationships between men and women, and the struggle that humans have with nature.
*The humans realise they are wrong as they are ‘naked’
*Humans are greedy and God is merciful

Question 11

Give a summary of Cain and Abel

Answer 11

Cain and Abel were Adam and Eve’s children. Cain, the first son, was a farmer. His brother Abel, who was the second son, was a shepherd. The brothers made sacrifices to God, but God favoured Abel’s sacrifice instead of Cain’s. Cain then murdered Abel, God heard the blood of Cain crying from the ground and sentenced Cain to a life of wandering, but he was protected by him.​

Question 12

What are some key ideas about Cain and Abel

Answer 12

*Cain and Abel show gratitude and kindness to God by offering sacrifices.​
*When God hears Abel’s blood, it shows how Abel was innocent; in addition, the blood represents life.​
*We learn a lot about God and his human traits. He appreciates genuine kindness and punishes with understanding because he could have killed Cain for his murder.​
*We see Cain show several traits as well as he begins jealous and angry and then lies. This shows the development of human emotion.​
*The punishment of endless wandering proves to be the worst punishment as Cain wishes to die instead.

Question 13

What is a summary of the Good Samaritan

Answer 13

Many people refused to help someone who was injured and lying on the side of the road, but when the Samaritan saw the man, he took pity on him. He bandaged him and cleaned his wounds. He then put him on the back of his donkey and took him to an innkeeper, whom he paid to look after him. The parable ends with Jesus giving a commandment to go out and do the same as the Samaritan had done.

Question 14

What are some key ideas about The Good Samaritan

Answer 14

*A neighbour could be anyone.
*You should be kind to everyone.​
*You should always help people.
*Prioritise other people’s need before you.​
*No Matter anything, Everyone is equal.​

Question 15

what is a summary of the prodigal/lost son

Answer 15

A man has two sons. The younger son asked to have his inheritance immediately rather than waiting for his father’s death. The younger son set off to a distant land and spent everything having a good time. When famine struck, he had to work looking after pigs. He was extremely hungry and could have easily eaten the pigs’ food. He realised his father’s servants were better off than he was so he decided to return home. He would say ‘I have sinned against God and against you’. While the son was still some distance from home, his father saw him and rushed to meet him; his heart was filled with compassion. His father told the servants to get a ring, a robe and sandals for the son and kill the fatted calf and prepare a feast. He then said ‘he was lost and now is found’. the elder son was angry and told his father that he had never been given a party like this and the father told him not to skip the party, but to be happy that his brother had returned.

Question 16

what are some key ideas about the prodigal/lost son

Answer 16

*Repentance - he is sorrowful about his actions and about what he has done
*Humility - he knows he did something disrespectful and so he asks his dad for a bad job as he feels he owes his dad
*Forgiveness - his dad is so happy to see his son that he celebrates the fact he came back and greeted him with open arms
*Somebody who was lost finding himself again - the son comes back to his dad
*pigs are unclean to jews and to work with them sybolises the lowest level a job can have

Question 17

summary of Crossing the Sea

Answer 17

After the Pharoah told them that they could leave, he regretted his decision and chased after them. The Israelites started to question Moses and wanted to go back. Moses comforted them and told them that God was with them and so they were safe. Then when they reached the sea, God told Moses to put his hands and staff over the sea and then it would part. After the last Israelites crossed the sea, it came back in and killed all of the Egyptians.

Question 18

Main Ideas from Crossing the Sea

Answer 18

*God is powerful as he parts the sea.
*God protects them with the pillar of cloud (defending from behind) and fire (leading the way).
*God provides them food and water when they are in the desert as he is kind and caring.

Question 19

The transfiguration summary

Answer 19

Jesus goes up the mountain with Peter, James and John. Jesus was transfigured and his clothes became dazzling white. Then, Elijah and Moses appeared. A cloud appeared and said ‘this is my son! Listen to him!’. Jesus was asked why Elijah must always come first and Jesus replied ‘to restore society’.

Question 20

The transfiguration ideas

Answer 20

• The transfiguration means the change in appearance
• God appears as a cloud (as if he reaches out and shakes them and says ‘he is my son!’
• Elijah and Moses appear. Elijah represents prophets and Moses represents the law.
• Jesus knows what is going to happen (when going down the mountain he says ‘don’t tell anyone what you have seen’
• Happens after the Messiah is chosen

Question 21

Calming of the storm summary

Answer 21

Jesus want to cross the sea of Galilee by boat. A storm came and filled the boat with water. Jesus was sleeping and was woken by his disciples and started to ask whether he cared if they drowned. Jesus then told the storm to stop and asked his disciples why they lacked faith and didn’t trust him.

Question 22

Calming of the storm ideas

Answer 22

*Jesus sleeping is a human characteristic
*The wind represents the forces of heaven and the waves are the earth’s forces
*Deep waters and storms were associated with human suffering and evil
*The story symbolises our inner fears (the storm) and how we can overcome them (in God’s care)
*The calming symbolises the power of Jesus

Question 23

Summary of the Paralysed Man

Answer 23

Jesus went to Capernaum. He was in a house that was crowded with supporters and haters. A man was lowered in by 4 friends through the roof. Jesus saw the 4 friend’s faith and forgave the paralysed man’s soul. Jesus then said to his haters ‘is it easier to forgive sins or to heal’. Then, he told the man to pick up his mat and go home and he did.

Question 24

Ideas from the paralysed man

Answer 24

*Illness was considered punishment for sin
*Jesus healed the man because of the faith of the 4 friends.
*By calling himself ‘Son of Man’, he doesn’t act as God’s son, but rather acting with God’s blessing
*The people were even more amazed as the criticizers had no reply to Jesus

Question 25

The Crucifixion summary

Answer 25

Jesus was brought to Golgotha. He was offered wine and myrrh (a pain reliever) but he declined it. He was crucified with 2 other people who were robbers. He was taunted and told he didn’t have any power as he could not get down from the cross. then he shouted ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachtani’ (My God, My God, why have you foresaken me’. When a centurion saw how he died he said, ‘Surely this is the Son of God’.

Question 26

Ideas from the Crucifixion

Answer 26

• He was crucified for treason.
• He did not take the myrrh to show that he isn’t scared of anything.
• His death was an atonement for sin by making humans ‘atone with God’.
• The atonement is symbolised by the tearing down of the temple curtain, which shows the barrier between man and God had been removed.
• When he died in darkness, it symbolises the sin of the world
• The centurion thinking that he is the Son of God shows how moving Jesus’s death was that one of his opponents thinks that he is the Son of God

Question 27

Elijah at Zarephath summary

Answer 27

Go commanded Elijah to go to Zarephath where he would meet a widow who would give him food. Elijah did as he was commanded and met the widow at the town gate, where she was picking up sticks. Elijah asked her to give him a drink and some bread to eat. She replied that she had no bread and only had a handful of flour in a jar and some oil in a jug and that it was enough to feed her son and then die. Elijah told her that the flour and oil would not run out until the drought in Israel had ended. The widow did as he said but then a while later, her son was very ill and stopped breathing. The widow blamed Elijah and said the reason he died was because of judgement of her sin. Elijah carried the body to his room and cried out to God and streched himself over his body 3 times. Elijah then sad ‘Look, your son is alive!’ and the widow responded that she knew that Elijah was a man of God and words he spoke from God were true.

Question 28

Elijah at Zarephath Ideas

Answer 28

*The miracles of the flour and oil symbolises God’s care, love and generosity and demonstrates that he is far greater than Baal who has non of those qualities.
*The miracle of the bread is also a reminder of God’s generosity in the wilderness when he provided manna (bread) for Moses and the Israelites.
*The second part of the story shows that the miracle of the flour and oil is not enough for the woman to believe but also trust that Elijah is a prophet of the true God and not Baal.
*The miracle of the widow’s son’s return to life symbolises the power of God to bring life out of death and hope out of despair - God forgives her sins.

Question 29

Elijah at Carmel summary

Answer 29

Elijah challenged 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of God to a contest at Mount Carmel. Elijah told the people that they had to choose between the worship of God and the worship of Baal. Two bulls were cut in pieces and placed on two piles of wood but not set alight. Whichever God set the pile alight would be the true god. The prophets of Baal called on their God, but nothing happened. Elijah teased them and told them to shout louder to wake Baal up, but nothing happened. Elijah built an altar of 12 stones (one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel) and then poured four jars of water on the wood three times. Elijah prayed to God and he sent fire to consume the sacrifice and then everyone started to shout ‘The Lord- he is God! The Lord - he is God!’

Question 30

Elijah at Carmel Ideas

Answer 30

• The 12 stones Elijah used symbolised the whole nation (the 12 tribes of Israel)
• Elijah’s prayer was simple and direct compared to other prophets.
• The people’s cry that God is one is contained in the most important Jewish prayer which is called the Shema

Question 31

The Feeding of the Five Thousand Summary

Answer 31

Jesus’ disciples reported to him all that they had done and taught. There were so many people that they hadn’t a chance to eat. Jesus took them in a boat to a quiet place to be alone, but many people knew where he was going and they got there before him. As it was late, the disciples told Jesus to send the crowd away. Jesus told the disciples to feed the crowd. They said they hadn’t enough money to buy food for that many people. Jesus asked them what food they had. They replied five loaves and two fishes. Jesus sat the people down in groups. He took the bread and looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to the disciples to distribute. He did the same with the fish. Everyone ate and was full. The disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread and fish. There were 5,000 men there

Question 32

The Feeding of the Five Thousand Ideas

Answer 32

*Jesus’ disciples are presented in very human terms. They are tired at the end of a long day and want to send the crowds away. Jesus challenges them - it is never too late to enter the Kingdom of God
*The meal is a reminder of the way that God fed the Israelites in the wilderness with manna or bread
*The meal is a foretaste of the heavenly messianic banquet, the fulfilment of the Kingdom of God - the time of peace, justice and contentment.
*The five loaves symbolise the five books of the Torah; the 12 baskets symbolise the 12 tribes of Israel. Both illustrate that the Kingdom of God is the fulfilment of the Torah and the birth of a new community (the church)
* People were all full because in the Kingdom of God everyone will be mentally and spiritually satisfied.
* Jesus’ actions of blessing, breaking and giving point towards the Last Supper and Holy Communion. Holy Communion is also a foretaste of the Kingdom of God.

Question 33

The Resurrection summary

Answer 33

Thomas had not been with the disciples when they met the risen Jesus. He said he would not believe unless he had seen Jesus’ marks of Crucifixion. A week later, Jesus passed through the locked doors and said, ‘Peace be with you’. He told Thomas to put his finger in the marks on his hands and side. He said, ‘Stop doubting and believe’. Thomas said, ‘My Lord and my God’. Jesus said that those who believe without seeing are also blessed.

Question 34

The Resurrection Ideas

Answer 34

*Various people before Thomas had encountered the resurrected Jesus. Each recognized him in different ways.
*Mary Magdalene thought at first he was a gardener until he spoke her name and then she realized who he was.
*Then the disciples experienced the resurrected Jesus in a locked room and knew it was him because he showed them the crucifixion marks on his hands and side.
*The purpose of the story of Thomas is to show that Jesus was not a ghost but real. The resurrected Jesus teaches Thomas that belief in the Resurrection has to be based on experiencing God’s presence and the accounts of others, not on direct physical proof.
*Jesus’ resurrected body is not like an ordinary body because it can appear and disappear. It is hard to know exactly what this means. Some people believe that the resurrected Jesus has a special spiritual ‘body’.
*For Christians, the Resurrection is the climax of Jesus’ life and mission and shows how death, sin, evil and suffering can be overcome.

Question 35

The Near Sacrifice of Isaac Summary

Answer 35

God decided to test Abraham. Abraham was told to take his son Isaac to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Early in the morning, Abraham set off with wood to make the fire for the burnt sacrifice. He left the servants behind and took Isaac to worship God. Isaac carried the wood and Abraham took the knife. Isaac asked why, when they had wood and fire, there was no lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham said God would provide the lamb. Abraham built the altar, bound Isaac and put him on top of the wood. As Abraham was about to kill Isaac, an angel told him to stop and that God now knew of Abraham’s faith. Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush and he offered the ram as a sacrifice instead. The angel spoke for a second time and said that God would bless Abraham and make his descendants as numerous as stars in the sky and sand on the seashore. God also promised that he would give Abraham Land.

Question 36

The Near Sacrifice of Isaac Ideas

Answer 36

*An animal sacrifice was the greatest because its blood represented life.
*An atonement sacrifice was a special sacrifice to God in the hope that he would forgive the sins of a person or people.
*God’s command to Abraham was a test: it tested his obedience to God; it tested whether he was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice of his son as a form of animal sacrifice.
*The action of the angel shows that atonement sacrifices should be based on genuine faith. God’s agreement or covenant with Abraham is a promise that he will reward faith by making them a great nation with their own land to live in.
*God’s voice might be explained today as human conscience.