Sacred Scripture midterm
1. Which book of the Pentateuch describes Israel’s wanderings in the desert for 40 years?
Numbers
2. Which book of the Pentateuch describes Moses’ final exhortations to Israel?
Deuteronomy
3. Which book of the Pentateuch includes the purity code, holiness code, and instructions
for sacrifices?
Leviticus
4. In the documentary hypothesis of the literary composition of the Pentateuch, what do
the letters J, E, D, and P represent?
Jahwist, Eulogist, Deuteronomist, priestly
5. What was the four-fold harmony Adam and Eve had in the garden?
Man and God, Man and Man, Man and Nature, Man and Himself
6. Why is Genesis 3:15 called the protoevangelium?
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed” Theologians call
it the protoevangelium –or first gospel because these words spoken by God contain the first promise
of redemption in the Bible. That’s when God promised to send a savior to save humanity. Means first gospel.
7. Who are the three children of Noah? Which is cursed? Which one is forefather of
Abraham and the Israelites?
Shem, Ham, Japheth. Ham. Shem.
8. What does God promise in the Abrahamic covenant?
Make nations great, bless him, and make his name great. Give him descendants and land.
9. How does the promise to Abraham link the primeval history to the patriarchal history in
Genesis?
This links the primeval to patriarchal because the primeval was blessed in the beginning, but then the fall
happened. This promise recovers the blessing and a “people of God”
10. Who do the three angels that visited Abraham represent in Christian iconography?
The Trinity.
11. What three religions look to Abraham as a father? How is each related to Abraham?
Judaism, Christianity, Muslims. Judaism: Children of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. Christianity:
spiritual children of Abraham through faith of Christ. Muslims: Children of Abraham through Ishmael.
12. What does Abraham model in the New Testament?
A model of faith and righteousness
13. Who were the twin children of Isaac? Which was born first? Which received the blessing
of the first born?
Esau and Jacob. Esau. Jacob.
14. Why was Jacob’s name changed to Israel?
He was willing to let God prevail in his life, Israel means “let God prevail”
15. What was Pharaoh's dream and what was Joseph’s interpretation of the dream?
There would be seven good years in the land of Egypt followed by seven years of famine.
16. What does the story of Joseph teach about divine providence?
It teaches that God always has a plan for our lives.
17. What is the 3-fold thematic structure of Exodus?
Liberation, legislation, liturgy
18. What is the tetragrammaton?
YHWH God’s Sacred name
19. According to Holy People Holy Land, what is the relationship between the covenants
with Abraham and Moses?
That the Abrahamic covenant needs to be understood in light of the covenant with Moses. It shows how the
covenant with Abraham is fulfilled by Moses’ covenant narrowing the road from a broad universal blessing
to particular people
20. What is the relationship between the ten plagues and the mythology of Egypt?
Each plaque is making fun of their gods. Each stands for one of the Egyptian gods.
21. Why does Holy People Holy Land describe Moses as a mediator?
Moses brought the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel at a time when their conduct warranted a need
for the laws to be codified on tablets. Mediator between the Israelites and God.
22. How does the tabernacle symbolize the encounter with God at Mount Sinai?
The Tabernacle has ten commandments which came from Mt. Sinai. The ten commandments were placed in
the Ark of the Covenant.
23. Which feast of Israel is a reminder of their travels in the wilderness?
Feast of Sukkot
24. In which sacrifice of ancient Israel is the entire animal burnt?
Burnt Offering
25. What are the three categories of Old Testament laws and what is the relevance of each
today from a Christian perspective?
Moral, civil, ceremonial. Moral laws are rooted in ten commandments and natural law (very important
we need to follow, they are confirmed and deepened by Jesus’ example: don’t kill, don’t hate). Civil
law is for leading/ruling Israel (not quite as important, Christians don’t have to follow). Ceremonial
Law: laws of cleanliness, ceremonies, and feasts (a little more important, but they are fulfilled in Jesus)
26. What are four ways of explaining the kosher food laws in Leviticus?
Kosher defines which foods a person can and cannot eat, and also how they should produce and handle certain
Foods. Health and hygiene (some of the forbidden things would have made them sick). Distinction from Pagan
practices (so that they are not connected to the Pagans and are not like them). Maintaining divine order (not
eating animals that seem unnatural such as crabs who walk but live in the sea). Ethical (making all of life
about God) and (unclean animals historically represent vices such as pigs: laziness)
27. What is the Year of Jubilee?
The year when people get family property back and slaves are freed every seven times seven years
28. What is the relationship between the ten commandments and the covenant code in
Deuteronomy?
They are both laws given. Each of the points on the code has a parallel to one of the laws on the ten
commandments (the deuteronomic code on sacrifice/central worship is parallel on no other God)
29. What are two ways of understanding the structure of Deuteronomy?
Remembering Exodus and Wilderness. The homiletical structure and the covenant structure.
30. Which book of the bible describes the cycle of sin and repentance in the days before
Israel was ruled by a king?
Judges
31. Which books of the Bible describe the reign of king David?
1st and 2nd Samuel
32. What is promised in the Davidic covenant?
(1) David is to have a child, yet to be born, who shall succeed him and establish his kingdom.
(2) This son (Solomon) shall build the temple instead of David.
(3) The throne of his kingdom shall be established forever.
33. Which books of the Bible describe the histories of the divided kingdoms of Israel and
Judah?
1st and 2nd Kings
34. Which books of the Bible describe the rebuilding of the temple and wall of Jerusalem
after the return from exile?
Ezra and Nehemiah
35. In which book of the Bible does Raphael the healing angel appear?
Tobit
36. Which book of the Bible describes the origins of the Jewish holiday of Purim?
Esther
37. Which book of the Bible describes the origins of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah?
1st Maccabees
38. What is a Psalm of Lament?
Cry for help
39. In the book of Psalms what are the songs of Zion?
About the Temple
40. What is an imprecatory Psalm?
Asks for forgiveness on enemies
41. Which book of Wisdom symbolizes the love between God and His people?
Song of Solomon
42. Which Wisdom books were written in Greek and belong to the Deuterocanonical books?
Wisdom and Sirach
43. Which books describe the ministry of the prophets Elijah and Elisha?
1st and 2nd Kings
44. What is the difference between the major and minor prophets?
The length of the prophecies
45. Which prophet left Judah to prophesy against Israel and was particularly noted for his
message of social justice?
Jeremiah
46. Which prophet wrote about the messiah as a suffering servant?
Isaiah
47. Which prophet described God as the husband of an unfaithful wife (and lived that
message out in his own marriage)?
Hosea
48. Which prophet saw the glory depart from Israel but also spoke of a new temple to
replace the one that was destroyed?
Ezekiel
49. Which prophetic book tells a story that shows God’s mercy toward pagan nations?
Jonah
50. Which prophet announced the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians and lived to see the
fall and write a lament about it?
Daniel
Part 2: Essay question. You will be asked one of the following questions to answer in a 300-600
word essay. (10 points)
Based on the book Holy People Holy Land:
Theme: land and law, temple and covenant. Christ fulfills the Law, establishes perfect justice, and is the
True Temple.
1. How is the theme of holy people and holy land developed from creation through the
successive covenants with Noah and Abraham? The theme of land and law, temple and covenant is developed
From creation to the covenants made with Noah and Abraham. This is shown by
- Land: God saved Noah and his family from the flood and told them to “be fruitful and multiply” and “to
Go there forth and subdue the earth”. He promised Abraham that he would be the father of nations
2. How is the theme of holy people and holy land developed in the history of Israel from
the time of Moses through the kingdoms of David and Solomon?
3. How is the theme of holy people and holy land developed by the prophets?