(Brians 33-51)

* Library assignment, step 2 due

Questions about the Hebrew Creation Narrative:
*The introduction to the section called “Creation and Fall” lists several questions answered by it. Choose one of these questions and explain what in the story tries to answer the question you have chosen. What image from the story of the Fall influenced later images of the Virgin Mary?

Questions about the “Story of Abraham:”
*What significance does this story have for Muslims?

Questions about the Law: *In what ways are the laws on slaves different from those of Hammurabi’s Code? What restriction is placed on men who marry more than one wife? What does the law have to say about the proper treatment of enemies and aliens?

Question about “The Passover Haggadah:” What does the Haggadah say is the function of the statutes which God has given the Jews?

Question about “The Shema:” *What does the Shema say Jews should believe?

Question about Proverbs: *How does Proverbs say enemies are to be treated?

Questions about Psalm 19: What image is used in Psalm 19 to describe the rising of the sun? According to Psalm 19, in what way is knowing the law not sufficient to protect the believer?

Question about Psalm 137: How do the Jews react when the Babylonians ask to be entertained with some of their exotic folk songs? *What vengeance is hoped for against the Edomites who sided with the Neobabylonians when they conquered Judah?

Question about “Song of the Suffering Servant:” What are the main characteristics of the “suffering servant” described in Isaiah 42: 1-9?

Lecture topics:
The Covenant
Monotheism
The Law
Concept of History
Transforming Role of the Prophets
Humane Ethics
The Messianic Ideal
Influences on Later History

Supplementary materials:

Return to syllabus