Humanities Bible Worksheet

Bible Stories Discussion Worksheet

Caitlin Havener

1. Explain the Dilemma posed to Abraham by God’s command regarding Isaac. The dilemma that occurred regarding Isaac was that he was Abraham’s only son that he loved very much, and God asked him to sacrifice his son. Yet when he was about to perform the act, an angel stopped him and pretty much told him that he passed the test. God just wanted to make sure that he feared him.
2. Summarize the actions of God in the Exodus story. God appears to Moses in a burning bush as an angel of the Lord. He tells him to take off his shoes because it is holy ground. God is concerned about how the Egyptians are oppressing the Israelites and commands Moses to lead them out. God gives Moses a few “magic tricks” to prove that he has come from God. He can throw his staff and it will turn into a snake, and when he reaches into his pocket his skin becomes Leprous. He can also turn water into blood. The Lord goes with Moses and helps him perform this feat.
3. What dilemma of belief in the Israelite God does the book of Job illustrate. This one was a difficult passage. Yet I would say that God is trying to display his power and knowledge upon Job. Job complains about his life assuming that he knows all, and God pretty much puts him in his place. In my eyes, it seems that he reminds him of how small he is compared to God. God knows and controls all the mysteries of the world, while Job knows nothing.
4. Summarize the principle events in Mark’s passion narrative from the entry into Jerusalem until the women in the tomb. In Mark’s narrative after approaching Jerusalem, they untie a colt and throw their cloaks over it. When Jesus entered Jerusalem into the temple and for some reason it was too late, so he went with Bethany and the other twelve. Jesus was hungry and went to a fig tree. It was not the season for figs, yet he told the tree it would never bear fruit again. Jesus found people trying to sell in the temple and overturned their tables. The next morning, the fig tree was withered. Jesus says that if you ask for something in prayer and believe you have received it, then you have. As well you must forgive those who have wronged you in prayer, for God to forgive you for your sins. The authorities of the temple ask Jesus by what authority is he making the actions he is taking. Jesus asks them whether it was god or people that baptized John. When they told him they did not know, he replied with a similar answer to their question. Jesus then spoke to them in parables, and in the end they walked away for fear of the crowds if they turned against Jesus. Some other men ask Jesus if they should pay takes to Caesar or not. On the premises that the coins have Caesars picture on them, he says that the money belongs to Caesar, therefore they should pay it. When asked what commandment was the most important, Jesus replied with “Love the Lord with all your heart” first and second, “love your neighbor.”
5. Define the unifying idea of the Sermon on the Mount and illustrate with one of Jesus’ ethical instructions or directives. The Sermon on the Mount was intended to point out how to live in order to enter the kingdom of heaven and how to live as to be raised up in the kingdom of heaven. First, Jesus describes who is most blessed in God’s eyes via the Beatitudes. Then he goes into depth about what sort of things would be sins against him and describes them all, such as: murder, adultery, divorce, holding an oath, an eye for an eye, love of enemies, giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, as well as other topics of how to live great.
6. How do the parables of the Good Shepherd and the Prodigal son illustrate aspects of the covenant between God and Israel? How does this compare to the evidence in the book of Job and the Exodus? The parables shown here are stories used to make a bigger point. All three parables are trying to exhibit that the sinner that wanders but comes back to repent is worthy of much celebration. Yet those who have never wandered should be humble in the good they have done, and not expect special attention. They already inherited the kingdom of heaven. This shows the covenant because it illustrates how one should be worried for the other to not sin against God so that he too can enter heaven. This is exhibited in Exodus, because God does not want to leave his fellow Israelites behind with the Egyptians living a life of oppression. In Job, God is seemingly pointing out how to live.

1. The underlying principles of rightful action are made very clear especially in the story of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus goes into detail and tells stories about each point he is trying to convey of how to live righteously. He explains the Ten Commandments, which are God’s underlying rules for how to live. The Beatitudes also assist these in direction toward rightful living. I found it very contradictory that Jesus would make the fig tree whither. Why would he want to rid his followers of more to eat? It just seemed pointless to me. This was in Mark’s narrative. I guess if I were a Christian and I were in the situation where I might want to cheat on my husband, I would consider the Ten Commandments, “Do not commit adultery.” Yet I am not, but I still find it wrong because I know that if he were to do the same to me, it would hurt. Therefore I live by having compassion for others. I have compassion because I know that treating others unfairly may very well come back around to me. Not by karma or chance, but because it is a very likely result of cause and effect.
2. ⁹"This, then, is how you should pray:
   " 'Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name,
   ¹⁰your kingdom come,
   your will be done
   on earth as it is in heaven.
   ¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
   ¹²Forgive us our debts,
   as we also have forgiven our debtors.
   ¹³And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one.^[j]' ¹⁴For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

This quote has become a very important quote from the Bible. The Catholic’s especially use this prayer during every mass. They also pray with it as penance for post confession. It is the most popular prayer, I think. Other prayers, such as the “Hail Mary” are not agreed upon by all Christian denominations.

3. I guess I would like to know why God found authoritativeness to be the best route as to keep humans “in line?” It is often expressed that God is a loving God, but much of what we hear from him is very authoritative.
4. I was already quite familiar with many of these passages, yet haven’t read the direct text in quite a while. I would say that the more I read of Christian religion, the less I am convinced of its validity. There are many good points made here as far as how to live, yet I do not like that, for example, God tricked Abraham into thinking he had to sacrifice his only son just to test him. I do not like the Christian God, especially in the Old Testament and wouldn’t care to live by this authoritativeness even if I did believe it.