bib lit exam # 1

Which of the following is NOT true about Yahweh's covenant with his people at Mt. Sinai? (a) It focuses on the individual rather than the group. (b) It requires obedience to a lengthy set of laws. (c) It concerns both religious and social behaviors. (d) It spells out what Yahweh will do for his people if they obey (or disobey) his laws.

A) "it involves a group of people from the start, not an individual and his family."

Which of the following would NOT be studied by academic scholars who investigate "the world behind the text"? (a) Where the author(s) of the Exodus story got their material (b) Whether the biblical book of Jeremiah was revised and/or edited over time (c) Whether the biblical narrative of king David's reign is historically accurate (d) How and when the biblical book of Esther became part of the biblical canon (e) How biblical texts have been used to justify the treatment of women and slaves

E) this would be the world in front of the text; the world behind is studying: where the text came from, what really happened, and what the life of ancient times was like

Which of the following countries share a common border with the contemporary nation of Israel? (circle all that apply) (a) Saudi Arabia (b) Jordan (c) Syria (d) Turkey (e) Egypt (f) Iraq (g) Lebanon (h) Iran

Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan

T/F: Most religious communities view religion as a private matter that has little to say about how social activities such as government and economics should be carried out.

False

T/F: Jews, Christians, and Muslims share many common religious beliefs and values.

False "At its core, then, each of these groups holds to beliefs that are fundamentally incompatible with the other two."

T/F: Jews, Christians, and Muslims use the same calendar for both secular and religious purposes.

False "For Jews, the system commenced with the creation of the world... Muslims number the years from the date of Muhammad's move from Mecca to Medina, where Islam first gained a broad following... The B.C./A.D. system of dating that is used by most of the world today was developed by a Christian monk in the sixth century."

T/F: Like English poetry, Hebrew poetry can be identified by the presence of rhyme and meter.

False "Hebrew poetry lacks the elements of rhyme and rhythm that English speakers are accustomed to using to identify poetry."

T/F: Muslims read and study the Old Testament alongside the Qur'an.

False "In practice, Muslims make no direct use of the Hebrew Bible, even those parts that they approve, since they believe that they have the fullness of God's revelation in the Qur'an."

T/F: Religions that have Scriptures value them more highly than other aspects of their religion.

False "Religions differ in the amount of weight that they grant to Scriptures in comparison with other aspects of their religion."

T/F: Historians are fairly certain about when and why most of the books of the Hebrew Bible were written.

False "Scholars are equally divided over the origins of the stories in the so-called Historical Books of the Bible."

T/F: Yahweh is the only deity named in the Hebrew Bible.

False "Several of the major deities acknowledged by the people of Palestine are mentioned in the Hebrew Bible."

T/F: Books must be approved by a formal religious authority before people will accept them as "Scriptures."

False "Sometimes this judgement is expressed through a formal vote or declaration by the members or leaders of the group, but usually the process is more gradual and informal"

T/F: The canon of the Hebrew Bible was officially closed by a group of Jewish rabbis who met to define its boundaries in the 4th century BCE.

False "The boundaries of the canon and the text of the books that were included in it had been largely finalized by the end of the first or the beginning of the second century C.E.

T/F: The land of Israel/Palestine lacked natural borders to distinguish it from surrounding lands.

False "The land of Palestine is marked off from the surrounding territories by a series of natural borders that played a key role in the social, economic, and the political history of the region."

T/F: Scholars who practice "biblical criticism" invariably hold a negative view of the Bible and are seeking to disprove its authenticity.

False "The word criticism here means "careful analysis and evaluation as in the practice of literary criticism; it says nothing about the critic's attitude toward the bible"

T/F: Most of the biblical authors believed that humans possess an immortal soul or spirit that goes to be with God after death.

False "biblical rulers... did not regard this inner self as immortal."

T/F: The Hebrew Bible often expresses a negative view of the human body and teaches its readers to look forward to being freed from the body

False "both the physical world and the human body are portrayed as gifts from God to be enjoyed."

T/F: As a rule, the biblical authors attempt to present an objective, unbiased account of the past.

False "many of the biblical narratives have a theological or social agenda that affects the way the stories are told."

T/F: All of the biblical authors were strictly monotheistic, denying the very existence of other gods.

False "there are statements in the Hebrew Bible that do not accord well with the traditional definitions of monotheism."

T/F: Abraham is the first person in the Hebrew Bible with whom Yahweh enters into a covenant.

False Noah is the first person.

T/F: In ancient Palestine, women were allowed to practice polygamy, but men were not.

False: "men were allowed to have multiple wives (polygamy)"

T/F: All religions use Scriptures to guide their lives.

False; "Not all religions have Scriptures, and those that do often view and use them in different ways"

T/F: The Jewish and Protestant canons of the Hebrew Bible contain the same books in the same order, though some of the books are divided differently.

False; same books different order

Which of the following is NOT true about housing and rural life in ancient Palestine? (a) Most towns and villages were located in valleys where people could be close to their crops. (b) Most people lived in four-room houses with flat roofs and few windows. (c) Winter was the primary growing season for most crops. (d) Hillside terraces were used to capture precious rainwater for agricultural use.

A) "In the mountainous regions, villages were normally located on hilltops, requiring the residents to climb up and down the hillside whenever they wished to go anywhere."

T/F: People in the ancient Near East associated gods with particular territories, so that one was expected to worship the local gods when one moved from place to place.

True "For the most part, the gods were envisioned as being tied to a particular territory... humans were expected to honor the gods of the land by performing required rituals of worship and obeying the wishes of the gods."

T/F: Male followers of Yahweh were required to be circumcised to show that they were members of the covenant people of Yahweh

true

T/F: Polytheism was very common in the ancient Near East.

true

T/F: Religion has played a vital role in shaping the worldviews of people throughout human history. True

true

T/F: Some of the biblical authors accepted the possibility that the people of Israel might legitimately worship other gods alongside Yahweh.

true

T/F: The Hebrew Bible claims that the material prosperity of the people of Israel (healthy children, good harvests, victory in war, etc.) is contingent upon their living up to the terms of their covenant with Yahweh.

true

T/F: The followers of Yahweh were unique in the ancient world in believing that they had a special relationship with a deity who watched over their welfare.

true

which of the six dimensions: Women required to be virgins when they marry

social

1. Arrange the following events according to their order in the biblical narrative by placing the proper number (starting with "1" for the earliest, "2" for the next earliest, etc.) in the space next to each term. - David reigns as king. - The people of Judah return home after the Exile. - The kingdom of Israel is divided. - Israel is conquered by the Assyrians. - Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt. - Judah is conquered by the Babylonians. - The judges rule Israel. - Abraham moves to Canaan. - The temple is rebuilt. - Solomon builds the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem.

4,9,6,7,2,8,3,1,10,5

What is the difference between absolutist, exclusivist, and syncretistic views of other religions? Which of these views seems to be most common among the authors of the Hebrew Bible?

Absolutist is a view in which Yahweh is seen as the only true god meaning that all other deities are human made. This way of thinking completely rejects views of other religions because it is very strong in the disapproval of people worshipping other gods. An exclusivist attitude is Yahweh is the only god that should be worshipped but it does not deny the existence of other gods. Syncretistic views are the most excepting of other religions. Within this view, elements are combined to form a new religious system. Religious traditions may be incorporated into each other. Throughout the beginning you see a more exclusivist view point. Then towards the end there is an absolutist view. This shows the gradual change and acceptance of monotheism.

Which of the following is NOT true about family life in ancient Palestine? (a) The oldest male exercised authority over the entire extended family. (b) Both women and men played a vital role in providing for the basic needs of the family. (c) Both women and men were expected to be virgins when they married. (d) Only the wealthy received schooling that enabled them to read and write.

C) "Fathers were expected to guard the virginity of their daughters until they were married. No such duty applied to their sons."

Which of the following would NOT be studied by academic scholars who investigate "the world within the text"? (a) How God is depicted in the Genesis creation stories (b) How figures of speech are used in the book of Psalms (c) Whether the story of Jonah being swallowed by a fish is fact or fiction (d) How poetic parallelism works in the book of Proverbs (e) How the book of Hosea makes use of the Exodus story

C) the world within the text is not about fact or fiction (not about if its history or how it should be used); it's studying what the text means, how it works, and why other texts the text relates to.

How do Jews and Christians differ in their understanding and interpretation of the Jewish Scriptures/Old Testament?

Christians interpret the Hebrew Bible as a prelude to the New Testament, in which Jesus renewed laws given in the Old Testament. The name 'Old Testament' shows how Christians see the books as somewhat outdated. Testament comes from a Latin word meaning covenant. This represents the Christian belief of there being an old covenant and the new covenant. This is different from how Jews believe in the Hebrew Bible as containing the only covenant that people have made with God. Because of this, Jews follow the laws of the Hebrew Bible devoutly as apposed, to the Christians who ignore most of the laws while still looking to the Scripture for guidance of morals.

Which of the following was NOT a common belief in the ancient Near East? (a) The forces of nature are controlled by a variety of gods and goddesses. -- (b) Gods and goddesses are closely linked to particular territories. -- (c) The proper observance of religious rituals is vital to agricultural success. -- (d) There is one supreme god who watches over everything that happens in the world.

D

Which of the following is NOT true about life in the towns and cities of ancient Palestine? (a) Even the largest cities of Palestine were small by ancient Near Eastern standards. (b) The area just inside the city gate was a popular area for meetings and court proceedings. (c) The great majority of people who lived in the cities were wealthy elites. People in the cities had access to many luxury goods that were unknown in the countryside

D ) "The elites also had servants (or slaves) to handle their daily chores, giving them ample leisure time to indulge in music, drinking, and revelry."

Why is it necessary to be cautious about using the Hebrew Bible as a source for uncovering the religious beliefs and practices of people in ancient Palestine?

It is necessary to be cautious because the Hebrew Bible was written by Yahweh followers who were trying to be persuasive in telling the readers about Him. In doing this, the writers, more times than not, show anyone with contrary beliefs and traditions in a bad light. There is an obvious bias within the text that gives little insight to the actual beliefs and practices of these polytheistic people. Because of this, scholars have to look closely at the writings and decide which parts are bias and which can be used as evidence for what the ancient Palestine people practiced and believed.

What did the biblical authors believe happened to people after they died?

Most of the authors seemed to believe that the human existence ceased at death. Other passages in the Hebrew Bible suggest that there is a nebulous realm called Sheol that souls may go to once the body dies. In this realm, it was believed that the souls would have no contact with the Yahweh. In other parts, it also mentions the idea of one day all the souls being resurrected or transitioned into heaven with God.

What role did the Babylonian Exile play in the development of the biblical canon?

Once the Babylonians invaded Egypt, most or the elites were exiled to Babylon. People lost everything including their homes, land, and temples. The elites preserved all of the oral and written traditions they could. They composed narratives of their people's past and told events and practices that led to their downfall. These writings were laws and lessons; how to avoid being taken over again. This event sparked the formation of the canon.

What did the inhabitants of ancient Palestine believe about the relation between the gods and the land?

The beliefs of the inhabitants of ancient Palestine were similar to the most common beliefs among people of that time. This was the belief in multiple deities that each controlled different parts of nature. Lesser deities then resided, over specific pieces of land. They would perform certain rituals to appease the deities in hope of a good harvest.

What was the economic relationship between cities, towns, and villages in ancient Palestine?

The cities in ancient Palestine, were where the elites lived. This was a generally more populated and richer environment. Villagers were forced to pay taxes to the surrounding urban areas. These taxes were paid in crops; most of the farming was done in villages. Overall, the towns and cities had more money than the villages and they would use this to force the villagers to do things and give things to the residents of these urban areas.

How does the image of the physical universe in the Genesis creation stories compare with the views held by other people in the ancient Near East?

The creation stories of other religions in the Near East and in the Hebrew Bible have many similarities. Starting with before the creation of the earth; the Hebrew Bible tells of the chaotic sea. In the creation stories from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Canaan this same detail is mentioned except with a different deity. A couple of other parallels include the order in which things were created, and how the physical universe is described. The physical universe described in the Hebrew Bible is identical to what is seen in surrounding cultures. The creation story in the Hebrew Bible describes the world the way the people of the ancient Near East saw it verses how we see it now through the lenses of science.

How does the recognition that most ancient people were illiterate (i.e., unable to read or write) affect our understanding of Scriptures?

The recognition that most ancient people were illiterate helps us to realize that the Scriptures were written by elites and priests that were literate. This means that the Scriptures are not universally valid, but instead they contain biases of the people who wrote them. Gender and class bias are seen throughout Scriptures. This means that most of the writings show a minority viewpoint of upper class, men; this does not make the works invalid but these are things that readers should be aware of when studying them.

Name the three major sections of the Jewish Bible and give a brief summary of what each section contains.

The three major sections of the Hebrew Bible are the Torah, Prophets, and Writings. The Torah contains the first five books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Prophets is split up into former prophets and latter prophets. It tells the story of Abraham's descendants to the time of them reentering the promised land until the conquering of Mesopotamia. Writings contains books that did not fit into the frit two categories. This includes wisdom books, stories of Israel's past, and Daniel (a composition work that links to the prophetic books).

What is meant by the term "covenant" as used in the Hebrew Bible? How does it relate to the laws that are spelled out in the Torah?

The various covenants between Yahweh and His people were agreements between the two. These covenants included how the people should behave and worship Yahweh to please Him and in return He would do good by them. If the people did not hold up their part of the covenant then God could punish them. These covenants were supposed to represent a personal relationship with mutual love and commitment. The laws of the Torah are the terms that God's chosen people are supposed to abide by within the covenant.

How do conservative, maximalist, and minimalist scholars differ in their approach to the stories in the Hebrew Bible?

They each have a different idea of how credible the Hebrew Bible has as a historical source. Conservative thinkers see the Hebrew Bible as a very credible historical source. They believe that the narratives should be seen as accurate unless solid evidence proves otherwise. Conservatives take the Hebrew Bible as it is and often do not believe in any error in it. Maximalists, on the other hand, see the Hebrew Bible as having significant amount of historically trustworthy data. They believe that the texts were written long after the actual events but that the oral and written traditions used to write them contained enough factual information. Maximalists tend to look at various historical evidence that can prove events from the Hebrew Bible. Minimalists see the Hebrew Bible as mostly fictional works. They hold the belief that because the texts were written so late after the time of the events that they do not have historically factual information.

What kinds of patterns or themes do you see in the "grand narrative" of the Hebrew Bible?

Throughout the 'grand narrative' of the Hebrew Bible you see Yahweh choosing people for things and then they turn their backs on Him. When Yahweh has Moses lead His people out of Egypt and out of slavery, they eventually disobey Him by making a golden calf to worship while Moses is taking too long on Mount Sinai. These people were impatient and went against Yahweh's wishes for them to not worship idols (even if they were using it to worship Yahweh Himself). Then you see various kings, whom God chooses and raises up, that sin greatly and turn their backs on Him. For example, when David commanded that a specific woman was to be brought to him for sexual pleasure. He got her pregnant and then puts the woman's husband on the first line of defense so that he is killed. Even after Yahweh has given him so much he still turns his back on Him. Same with Saul who is chosen by Yahweh, through Samuel, to be king and he eventually is rejected by God when he does not obey His instructions for battle.

T/F: Archaeological excavations have turned up materials that both support and undermine the historical reliability of the Hebrew Bible.

True

T/F: Both and the Jewish and the Christian canons contain a relatively continuous historical narrative that runs from the creation of the universe to the end of the "biblical" period.

True

T/F: The Christian Old Testament ends with the books of the prophets because Christians believed that these books point ahead to the coming of Jesus in the New Testament.

True

T/F: The Hebrew Bible claims that Yahweh directs even the most mundane activities of nature; there are no "forces of nature" that operate independently of his control.

True

T/F: The Catholic and Orthodox canons of the Hebrew Bible contain books that are not in the Jewish canon.

True because the Jewish canon was not set before Christians broke off and started the old

T/F: The biblical authors provide very little information about where they got their material.

True "Apart from a few scattered references to materials that are no longer available, none of the narrative books in the Hebrew Bible mention any specific sources that the authors or editors might have consulted when preparing their stories about Israel's past."

T/F: Both Jews and Christians believe that faith is an important aspect of religious life.

True "Christian stereotype of Judaism as an inherently legalistic religious represents a gross misunderstanding of Judaism...Judaism allows no disjunction between faith and obedience to the rules of Torah."

T/F: The biblical authors often describe Yahweh using language associated with one or more of the gods of the Canaanites.

True "Elsewhere Yahweh is portrayed in language normally associated with the gods of Canaan."

Maximalist, conservative, or minimalist: There is little reason to doubt the historicity of the biblical stories of Abraham and his family.

conservative

T/F: Muslims believe that the Jewish and Christian Scriptures contain many errors that were introduced into the text over the centuries by their ancestors.

True "Over time, however, all of these earlier books were corrupted as people lost or forgot portions of the original revelation, confused other parts, and added their own ideas to the text. Thus all of the books used by the various world religions (including Judaism and Christianity) contain mixtures of divine truth and human error."

T/F: In the Hebrew Bible, Yahweh is described using both male and female imagery.

True "The Hebrew Bible also contains a number of passages in which Yahweh is portrayed using feminine imagery, though these are vastly outnumbered by the masculine images."

T/F: The Hebrew Bible views the human body as inherently good, but also insists that certain kinds of bodily activities must be curtailed as contrary to the will of Yahweh.

True "The body is not itself a source of temptation or sin, but if left unregulated it can become a channel through which sinful and harmful actions are carried out."

T/F: Unlike today, individuals were expected to subordinate their wishes and dreams to those of the family and the community in ancient Palestine.

True "The high value the modern societies place on self-discovery, self-expression, and individual rights is foreign to these kinds of cultures."

T/F: The "closing" of a canon of Scripture is usually associated with some kind of crisis in the life of a religious community.

True "The move from an open canon to a closed canon is usually associated with some sort of crisis in the life of the community during which the Scriptures come to be seen as the primary guarantor of the group's identity in the face of external or internal threats."

T/F: The Hebrew Bible holds humans in higher regard than other ancient Near Eastern texts.

True "The vision of humans as God's vice-rulers over creation distinguishes Genesis from other ancient Near Eastern texts, where humans are commonly depicted as slaves of the gods who are charged with satisfying the needs and whims of their divine rulers."

T/F: Much of the material in the Hebrew Bible circulated in oral form before it was finally written down.

True "Virtually all scholars agree that at least some of what eventually became the Hebrew Bible began as oral tradition"

T/F: The Hebrew Bible claims that Moses wrote most of the books of the Hebrew Bible.

True "Yahweh told Moses to write down some of the laws that he has received."

T/F: The Bible contains conflicting statements about how many of each animal God told Noah to take onto the ark to avoid the great flood.

True "contradictions can be found throughout the Hebrew Bible, including conflicting statements about how many of each type of animal God told Noah to take into the ark before the flood."

T/F: The idea that humans are bound by "original sin" and thus lack full freedom of the will finds little or no support in the Hebrew Bible.

True "the Hebrew Bible contains no doctrine of original sin"

T/F: The exile of the elites of Judah to Babylonia played a crucial role in the development of the biblical canon.

True Babylonians invaded which exiled elites to Babylonia; people where losing documents so this prompted the elites to gather the oral stories and write them down.

T/F: The study of history is an inexact science that deals primarily in relative probabilities, not absolute facts.

True How can we really know what historical events behind the Bible really happened? "The simple answer is that we cannot. Historians are limited in what they can accomplish, especially when dealing with events as distant as the ones depicted in the Hebrew Bible."

T/F: Academic biblical scholarship is unable to answer questions about the divine authorship or inspiration of the biblical text.

True They can't prove or disprove it

T/F: The word "canon" refers to a list of books considered authoritative within a religion.

True "The list of books that are regarded as authoritative Sciptures within a religious community is called the canon."

How does academic study of the Bible differ from the way the Bible is studied and used in churches and synagogues?

When scholars study the Bible from an academic standpoint, they commonly study the Scripture through one of the three worlds. These include, the world behind the text, the world within the text, and the world in front of the text. This form of study is objective and looking at what is written and the history behind it or how people use the texts today. When the Bible is studied in churches and synagogues, people study the meaning behind the words; what God might be teaching them through the writings as apposed, to looking for facts or history within the writing.

Which of the following statements is NOT true about how people in the ancient Near East (including Palestine) viewed the physical universe? (a) The gods live in a heavenly realm that is separate from the world inhabited by humans. (b) The gods regulate the movements of the heavenly bodies, including the changing seasons. (c) The sky is a vast dome across which the sun, moon, and stars pass on their regular journeys. (d) The earth is flat and rests on huge pillars that keep it from sinking into the waters beneath it.

a) "For people in the ancient Near East, as for most other traditional cultures, what we call the supernatural was just as real and present as the natural... there was no separation between the two realms"

Which of the following would NOT be studied by academic scholars who investigate "the world in front of the text"? (a) Whether the people of ancient Israel were sufficiently literate to read biblical texts (b) How Christian readers have made sense of the erotic imagery in the Song of Solomon (c) What biblical texts are cited by pro-life Jews and Christians in support of their views (d) How modern women should handle the patriarchal ideas and language of the Bible How the book of Psalms is used in contemporary Jewish prayer books

a) Studying the world in front of the text: how do readers make sense of the text? How do readers evaluate the text? How do readers use the text?

Which two ancient peoples battled off and on for imperial control over the land of Israel/Palestine? (a) Phoenicians and Philistines (b) Egyptians and Mesopotamians (c) Ammonites and Syrians (d) Edomites and Moabites

b) "Thus, the rulers of Mesopotamia and the Egyptian Pharaohs both believed that it was important for them to control the strategic land bridge of Palestine

Which of the following regions was NOT part of the land of Israel/Palestine in biblical times? (a) The Galilee (b) The Coastal Plain (c) The Sinai Desert (d) The Central Highlands

c

Why were the peoples to the north and south of Israel/Palestine so eager to control this territory? (a) Because it had lots of oil and other minerals. (b) Because it had fertile soil and could therefore provide food for their people. (c) Because it was a strategic land bridge for transporting goods and armies. (d) Because its inhabitants were closely related to their own people.

c) "If residents of Mesopotamia or Egypt wanted to move goods or armies across the region, the easiest route ran along the coast of Palestine... Thus the rulers of Mesopotamia and the Egyptian Pharaoh's both believed that it was important for them to control the strategic land bridge of Palestine."

Maximalist, conservative, or minimalist: The biblical narratives should be given the benefit of the doubt unless they are disproved by solid historical evidence.

conservative

which of the six dimensions: Injunctions to avoid the company of fools

social

which of the six dimensions: Laws prohibiting exploitation of the poor

ethical

which of the six dimensions: Prophets receiving messages from Yahweh

experiential

Maximalist, conservative, or minimalist: The biblical account of the kings of Israel and Judah contains a substantial amount of historically reliable material.

maximalist

Maximalist, conservative, or minimalist: The historicity of each biblical story must be evaluated on its own merits

maximalist

Maximalist, conservative, or minimalist: Not until the "postexilic" period do the biblical narratives begin to provide any reliable evidence for the history of ancient Palestine.

minimalist

Maximalist, conservative, or minimalist: The biblical narratives were written so long after the events that they purport to narrate that there is little likelihood that they have a historical foundation.

minimalist

which of the six dimensions: Belief in a covenant between Yahweh and Israel

mythological

which of the six dimensions: Stories about the conquest of Canaan

mythological

which of the six dimensions: Animal sacrifices to atone for sin

ritual

which of the six dimensions: Refraining from work on the Sabbath

ritual