___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________ Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry
NAME
I. Biblical Narrative (10 points)
A. What insight does God as Hero bring to narrative interpretation? B. What impact might God as Hero have on the contemporary reader? C. What are the negative consequences of omitting God as Hero in interpretation? Answer: The biblical narratives tell us that it is Gods story, and it becomes ours as he writes us into it. Thus the biblical narratives tell the ultimate story, which even though often complex, is utterly true and crucially important. It is a magnificent story, grander than the greatest epic, richer in plot and more significant in its characters and descriptions than any humanly composed story could even be. We could read Biblical story that God is the protagonist, Satan(or evil people/powers) are the antagonists, and Gods people are the agonists. To know the God as Hero helped us to see the grand perspective of the Bible narrative. The metanarrative has to do with the whole universal plan of God worked out through his creation. We will read it as the story of redemption. To the contemporary readers, knowing God as Hero will help them to understand Bible and apply the Bible narratives. For example, when Jesus taught that the Scriptures testify about me(John 5:39), he was speaking the ultimate, top level of the narrative, in which his atonement was the central act, the subjection of all creation to him is the climax of its plot. To miss this dimension of the narrative is to miss the perspective of the narrative altogether. And precisely because of these explicit statements about Gods presence in the narrative, we should constantly be aware of Gods presence in more implicit ways(e.g. the source of Jospephs dream) II. OT Narrative (5 points) A. What level of OT narrative is most likely to contain history without precedence? B. What is the importance of the lowest level of OT narrative? Answer The top (third) level of the OT narrative is most likely to contain history without precedence. It has to do with the whole universal plan of God worked out through his creation. The key aspects of the plot at this top level are the initial creation itself, the fall of humanity, the power and ubiquity of sin, the need for redemption, and Christs incarnation and sacrifice. The lowest level of OT narratives makes up the other two levels. The smaller units make up the larger narrative. As we read the Biblical narratives, we should keep in mind that these first level narratives fit into the second and third levels of the biblical story. III. HISTORICAL PRECEDENCE (5 points) A. What is the importance of historic precedence in descriptive truth? B. Cite examples of historical precedence in descriptive truth. Answers: The historic precedence in descriptive truth does not function in a normative way, only the prescriptive truth does. However, the importance of historic precedence in descriptive truth is that it helps us to know the Christian experience and Christian practice. Examples of historical precedence in descriptive truth are: frequency of The Lords Supper, the mode of the baptism, frequency of Christians meeting together IV. SCRIPTURE EXERCISES (60 TOTAL points) Interpret the three scriptures below. Produce one or two sentences, stating the central proposition (meaning) of each text.
BT501 BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION FINAL EXAM
___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________ Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry For each selected scripture: A. B. C. D. E. F.
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Show lexical-syntactical work (meaning of the text)
Apply cultural-historical contextualization (meaning in the context) Compare the results with your personal biblical theology (meaning toward us) Demonstrate historical precedence where applicable Consider the concepts of God as Hero and Powerful Grace where appropriate Beware of personal prejudice, assumption, and presupposition
Hebrews 4:12-16 (20 SECTION points)
The literary form of Hebrews is epistle, the development of the authors theme is through the comparing Jesus with the angels, Moses, pointing out God prepared a Sabbath-rest for the people of God, declaring the Jesus is Son of God, greater than the High Priest, calling the believers to approach the throne with confidence. We can see the natural division of therefore to show the authors conclusion. The word sympathize means to understand, know. The writer is not given in the biblical text itself, however it was speaks of Timothy as brother, it was written to the Hebrew Christians who may have been considering a return to Judaism, to present the sufficiency and superiority of Christ. It tells us that Jesus was both God and human. Because the word of God can know our hearts, God can know everything including our attitude and heart, and he already told us in the Bible he will give us another Sabbath-rest, we should be confident come to God because of Jesus the son of God who is our sinless high priest, who can understand our weakness because he also has been tempted. Psalms 41: 10&11 (20 SECTION points) It is a psalm of David, the purpose of Psalms is to provide poetry for the expression of praise, worship and confession of God. the Psalmist asked Gods mercy and revenge over the enemies, and declaring Gods favor on him. The context told us the psalmist was surrounded by the enemies and his own sins, he admitted God was his help and his deliverer , He admitted that God will protect those who are caring for the weak, he first counted and remind himself that Gods favor on those who cared for the weak, and then he shared his difficulties , then he called help from God, and finally he gave praise to God. God is a righteous God, he will help those who search him in Truth and spirit. He will finally judge and punish the evil. Though in this world, there were unjust, however God is the final judge, in the end, he will judge the evil . Those who are waiting for the LORD and expecting his salvation will be saved. In this Psalms, David showed Gods favor on him, not because he is more righteous than others, but because he was depending on God. we could see this through Gods eternal plan to save the human beings through Jesus Christ. He chose Israel and David because of his own goodness and plan.
Romans 12:1&2 (20 SECTION points)
Romans was written by Paul to introduce Paul to the Romans and to give a sample of his message before he arrives in Rome. It was written about 57AD from Corinth, as Paul was
BT501 BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION FINAL EXAM
NAME ___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________ Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry preparing for his visit to Jerusalem. it was written to the Christians in Rome and believers everywhere. The text called for the Christians to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to worship God and to renew their mind to be transformed so that they will know Gods will is perfect and good for them. The context showed us that Paul first explained Gods grace to all the human being in the salvation of Jesus Christ. Then He called us who know Gods mercy and love to live a life to worship God. We are responsible to renew our mind with the knowledge of Gods love through Christ, to be transformed according to his image to give glory to God. V. THE LORDS SUPPER (20 points) Identify the major biblical texts concerning the Lords Supper. Then, identify the important hermeneutical issues and principles that must be addressed and employed in interpreting them. Write a brief theological conclusion of your thought. Answers : Major Biblical texts: Exodus 12:1-30, Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:15-17, 1 Corinthians 11:24-34 To interpret them, readers should be aware of their own presuppositions. There are many disagreement caused by different interpretations. Their own cultural and historical background will surely influence their interpretation of the texts. Almost all the people bring themselves into the text when we read and interpret them, which is so called eisegesis. All of us read the Texts from our own background, social class, formal knowledge and influences of other books and authors. We are all influenced by the historical interpretation of the texts also. For example, In the history, Thomas Aquinas formulated a formal doctrine of transubstantiation largely by means of appropriating the philosophical categories of Aristotle. The complete substance of the bread is converted into the complete substance of Christs body, and the complete substance of the wine into the complete substance of Christs blood. But the change is not in form but in substance. Thus the visible accidents remain bread and wine. Luther, more than Calvin, Zwingli, emphasized that in the Holy Communion the bread and the wine is the real flesh and real blood of Christ, but against Aquinas he maintained that it also remains real bread and real wine. In his critique of Zwingli, Luther maintains that this is my body is the is of synecdoche, namely that the reality of Christ is so nearly identical with the vehicle of bread and wine that these may be identified with the latter without misrepresentation. Lither believed that he did not dissent from Rome about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, only on whether the mode of Christs presence could be so specifically described as a required doctrine. Most Christians interpret the Lords Supper as a Christian Ordinance. They already have brought presuppositions into this sacrament. It is actually a sacrament that was continued on by Christ from the OT. In Exodus 12, there is written the rules regarding the Passover. Jesus himself commanded it when they celebrated the Passover festival, therefore it is clearly that Jesus himself continued the observance of the Passover, however with his own interpretation. Jesus was telling that He is the Passover Lamb. The Passover of the OT was physical and temporal, however the Passover that Jesus shared with his disciples that night and for all that
BT501 BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION FINAL EXAM
NAME ___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________ Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry came after established more than a physical partaking. He established an identity. By taking in the bread and wine the partaker of the sacrament now forever holds with themselves the sacrifice of the lamb. The Blood of Lamb of the doorpost of their hearts, the blood of Jesus split for them on the cross. Here for the interpretation of the Lords Supper, it is very crucial to decide whether to treat the texts literally or metaphorically. When Jesus said this is my body, the readers need to determine whether He means physical, spiritual or just a representation. The Synoptic Gospels make direct reference to the Lords Supper but John only indirectly made a reference in Chapter 6:53-59. Paul makes note of this sacrament in 1 Corinthians. The difficulties in the application of the Sacrament are that whether the laity can administer it or only the ordained. And also the issues who can partake and what kind of elements are to be used. Therefore, in my thought, to interpret the Lords Supper correctly, one needs to consider and wise to see the connection between the OT and NT, How the theme of the Passover fits and continues in to the NT. I myself read it that Jesus was not telling the disciples that he became the bread and wine when they celebrate the Lords Supper, but just as he said, do this in memory of me, and knowing that He has shed his blood for our sins.
EXTRA CREDIT: DEFINE GENERAL HERMENEUTICS
General hermeneutics is the study of those rules that govern interpretation of the entire biblical text.