Sixth Grade Religion Text book by Gary

WELCOME! …..to sixth grade religion class at St. Anne’s Episcopal School! We are going to have a great year together! How to use this book I wrote this workbook after teaching this class for two years because I wanted to put all of the readings and questions I like to use in one place so that it would be easier for you to do your homework. You will have something due for EVERY class period: usually it will be to read and complete the next lesson in this text; sometimes your work will be to complete a project; sometimes your homework will be to study for a quiz or test. Generally, you will be asked to read a passage and to answer some questions based on that reading. Each question you have to answer will be marked with an arrow symbol….  like this. Some of the questions will be simple “what did the passage say?” questions. Some of the questions will be “what did the passage imply?” questions. Some of the questions will be invitations for you to write about what you think about the topic. Some of the questions will ask you to write about your own life experiences and your opinions. Some of the questions will ask you to research some information not contained in this book. You are expected to answer every question, even if you have to make your best guess. o Write in full, grammatically accurate sentences. Some answers will require only one sentence; others might need several sentences or a paragraph. It should be obvious how much is required. o Be sure your answer actually answers the question! Grades My hope is that everyone gets an A in religion class. Mostly your grade is a reflection of your effort. About half of your grade is based on whether or not you do the daily homework. I will check your homework for completion each day and occasionally collect it to read thoroughly. Unless you are absent from class, late homework earns no credit because we discuss the homework in class each day. There are also projects for almost each unit that will be graded. Late projects may be submitted, but you lose 10% for every class day it is late. We also have occasional tests and quizzes, all of which will be announced in advance. A word about research For this class you may need to find out some information on your own that you don't already know. There are many sources of information that you can use: 1. Other people - Unless I specifically tell you otherwise, you may ask your parents, teachers, or friends for information. However you MAY NOT ask someone else in sixth grade at St. Anne's without special permission from me! 2. The Internet - Always a handy source of information, the Internet is sometimes WRONG! Your best bet is to find a fact in two or three different places on the Internet before you start to accept it as true! 3. The Bible itself is the BEST source of research for this class. There is great web site for the bible at

http://bible.oremus.org/ This site allows you to call up any book, chapter, and verse from several different translations.

It also allows you to search the Bible for a word or phrase.

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YOU If this class is to be any good at all, it must be about YOU. My hope is that you will bring the genuine YOU, the best YOU that you are to class every time. My pledge is that I will try to do that too: bring my best self, fully engaged, to class every time. So tell me about YOU!  What is your full name? ____________________________________________  Is there a story behind your name? (Like a relative or friend with that name?)

 Describe your family:

 What is your favorite thing to do?

 If you could have one wish, what would it be?

 What else would someone need to know about you to begin to know who you really are?

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GOD My hope is that in this class you will have the opportunity to think about and connect with God, however you might conceive God to be. If you already think about and connect with God often, GREAT! You will be a big help to us all. If you don't think about God much and aren't even sure that you believe in God, that's OK too.

We're on this journey together!  Describe God as best you can. If you don't think God is, explain why.

 Try to identify where your answer for #1 came from - what makes you think so?

 If you think God and people interact, describe some of the ways you think that can/does/did happen.

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THIS CLASS This is YOUR class as well as my class. I have GOALS for the class and I hope you do too. Here are some of mine:  We will all think more carefully about and talk/write about our own religious beliefs and spiritual self.  You will learn better how to read the Bible and apply it to your own religious and spiritual journey.  You will become familiar with the structure of the Bible and many of the stories, ideas, and themes of the Christian Old Testament and the story of Jesus in the Gospels.  You will improve your student skills of meeting obligations, reading, writing, and presenting.  You will develop thinking skills of comparing, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating.  You will develop interpersonal skills of listening, discussing, and collaborating.  What are your GOALS for this class? Describe at least two. You may use some of the above if you want.

     

I have some EXPECTATIONS of you in this class too: You must always be kind to one another and to me in what you say, write, and do. You must always be honest, especially about your own thoughts and feelings. When being honest with another might sound unkind, silence is often the right choice. You must be on time and ready for class with your homework done and on your desk with a pen. You are to try your best every day. What are your EXPECTATIONS for me? Be as honest as you can.

I have some HOPES for this class too: I hope that you will always feel safe in this class to be yourself. PLEASE let me know if that is ever not the case!!!! o I hope that you will be willing to take some risks in this class: to speak in class even when you are not sure if you are right or if you think some people (including me!) might disagree with you, to try out new ideas honestly and fairly, to ask questions even if you think other people know the answer. o I hope that you will grow spiritually in this class as well as intellectually. o I hope that you will like this class.  What are your HOPES for this class? o

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"SO WHAT?" This class is not intended to be only an academic exercise in reading the Bible. Part of the mission of St. Anne's is to help you grow spiritually as well as intellectually, and so my goal in this class is to get you to think about what the stories and ideas we encounter together in this class mean to you. Please read the following, by one of my favorite spiritual writers, Frederick Buechner: If God speaks anywhere, it is into our personal lives that He speaks. There is no event so commonplace but that God is present within it, always hiddenly, always leaving you room to recognize Him or not to recognize Him. He speaks not just through the sounds we hear, of course, but through events in all their complexity and variety, through the harmonies and disharmonies and counterpoint of all that happens. To try to express in even the most sophisticated terms the meaning of what God speaks is as precarious a business as to try to express the meaning of the sound of rain on the roof or the spectacle of the setting sun. But I choose to believe he speaks nonetheless, and the reason the words are impossible to capture in human language is of course that they are ultimately always incarnate words. They are words fleshed out in the everydayness no less than the crises of our experience. Life itself can be thought of as an alphabet by which God graciously makes known his presence and purpose and power among us. Like the Hebrew alphabet, the alphabet of grace has no vowels, and in that sense His words to us are always veiled, subtle, cryptic, so that it is left for us to delve their meaning - to fill in the vowels - by means of all the faith and imagination we can muster. from, Listening to your Life, F. Buechner  Restate the main idea of this passage in your own words

 Define "precarious":  Define "incarnate":  Write another word or a phrase that means "veiled, subtle, and cryptic":

 Think of an event in your life, or a story you have heard or read, that taught you a lesson or "said" something to you about life. Give that story a Title or Headline that can remind you of the story for years to come. Now, in the space below write that Title and briefly what that story meant to you (that is, what it "said" to you or taught you.)

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"TRUTH" Read the following two passages: A) I have seen its beauty bright colors, reds, orange, yellows, pinks like a painting but moving, swelling. I have seen a mystical glow shedding warmth like a campfire or a lover. I see it from a field of dandelions, a rising sphere of flaming yellow-orange, distant in the morning, high and blinding at noon, a reflector of pastels at sunset. As the warm colors flow over my body liquid light, and suddenly awe, peacefulness, life, freedom overcome me. This, I can never forget until tomorrow; when the moment of the sunrise begins again. based on a poem by C.L. Austin Burns

B) The sun is a star, just like the other stars we see at night. The difference is distance -- the other stars we see are light-years away, while our sun is only about 8 light minutes away -- many thousands of times closer. Officially, the sun is classified as a G2 type star, based on its temperature and the wavelengths or spectrum of light that it emits. The sun is composed of gas. It has no solid surface. However, it still has a defined structure. The three major structural areas of the sun are the core (the center of the sun, comprising 25 percent of its radius), the radiative zone (the section immediately surrounding the core, comprising 45 percent of its radius) and the convective zone (the outermost ring of the sun, comprising the 30 percent of its radius.) All of the major features of the sun can be explained by the nuclear reactions that produce its energy, by the magnetic fields resulting from the movements of the gas and by its immense gravity. from the web site HomeStuffWorks.com http://science.howstuffworks.com/sun1.htm

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What do the two passages have in common?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What is different about the perspective of the two passages? Describe each perspective.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC;

Which one do you think is more "true"? Explain.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Which one do you like more? Why?

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THE BIBLE The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, so every version you read is actually a translation into English. There are MANY translations of the Bible.  Do a little research and see if you can name FIVE of the English translations of the Bible: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.  Which translations do you have in your house?

 FILL IN THE BLANKS The Christian Bible can be broken into two halves. The first half is about the time before Jesus' birth. This is called the _________ Testament. This first half is used as the holy scripture by what other religion? _______________ The second half of the Christian Bible is about the time since Jesus' birth. This second half is called the _________ Testament. The Bible is really more of a collection of many different books than a single book. How many books does the first half of the Bible have? __________ How many books does the second part of the Bible have? _________  Besides what you have learned at St Anne's School, how much do you know about the Bible? Briefly describe what you know. How did you come to learn it?

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The Christian Bible can be broken down into eight sections: THE OLD TESTAMENT (from the time BEFORE Jesus) 1. THE TORAH or PENTATEUCH 5 books 2. HISTORY 12 books 3. WISDOM 5 books 4. THE PROPHETS (which some people divide into "major" and "minor" prophets) 17 books THE NEW TESTAMENT (beginning with Jesus' birth) 1. THE GOSPELS 4 books 2. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1 book 3. THE LETTERS or EPISTLES 20 books 4. THE REVELATION TO JOHN 1 book

There is also a ninth group of books that many Christians refer to as the "Apocrypha" These books are not accepted as part of the Bible by some Christians and accepted as Biblical by others< these books include: 1 and 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach, not to be confused with Ecclesiastes, which is in the Old Testament), Baruch, Bel and the Dragon, 1 and 2 Maccabees Notice that some of the books in the bible are broken into TWO books: 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, 1 and 2 Peter. The letter from John is actually broken in THREE books: John 1, 2 and 3 (not to be confused with the Gospel of John which is the fourth book in the New Testament.) At our next class on ___________we will have a QUIZ on the structure of the bible and its translations. For the quiz you should know: 1) The answers to the blanks on page 7 of this workbook. 2) At least two of three languages in which the Bible was originally written (see page 7). 3) The name of three translations of the Bible (see page 7). 4) The name of the eight sections of the Bible as listed on the right at the top of this page, in order.

5) The name of one book from each of the eight sections.

There will also be a bonus question or two based on other information from this page.Page #9 Due in class on _____________________

NAVIGATING THE BIBLE To find a passage in the Bible, just like finding a house in Delaware, it helps to know its "address." The Bible is divided into BOOKS. The BOOKS are divided into CHAPTERS. The CHAPTERS are divided into VERSES. SO to find anything in the Bible, we need the Book, the Chapter, and the Verse. [You should know that dividing the Bible into chapters and verses did not happen until the 13th century; originally the different books of the Bible were each just long passages, sometimes broken into smaller sections but not really numbered.] Thus, one verse of the Bible is "Genesis 5: 27" Genesis is the BOOK. 5 is the CHAPTER. 27 is the VERSE. Typically we don't use page numbers to find a biblical passage because different translations and even different printings of the same translation have different pagination. Let's practice navigating the Bible. To do this, you need a bible. If you don't have a bible at home, do this homework at school during a study hall, or ask me to lend you a Bible of my own. Please do not take one of the school's bibles home or even put one in your locker!  How old was Methuselah when he died? (Genesis 5: 27)

 What kind of wood was Noah to build the Ark from? (Genesis 6:14)

 What did God say when Moses asked Him His name? (Exodus 3:14)

 There is a talking animal in the Bible. What kind of an animal is it? (Numbers 22:28 and 30)

 What does God urge people to choose? (Deuteronomy 30:19)

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Whom does Moses choose to lead the people after he is gone? (Deuteronomy 31:7)

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THE TORAH Gen Exo Lev esis dus itic us

Nu mb ers

or The Pentateuch

Deu tero no my

The Torah is the first five books of the Christian Bible. It is also the most important part of the Jewish holy scriptures. Some people

believe that the Torah was written by Moses, the great Law Giver of Judaism. This is hard to accept because the end of the Torah describes Moses' death and burial. The Torah really has three different sections 1. The stories of Genesis. 2. The story of Moses including the great exodus from Egypt 3. The Law of the Israelites, including the ten commandments This lesson is about the first section: Genesis  What does the word "Genesis" mean?  What is the first sentence of the Bible?

 What "story" does that first sentence introduce?

If you were at St. Anne's last year, you studied Genesis with Mrs. Stevens. If not, do the best you can with this last question:  List as many characters from Genesis that you can (at least 10):

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PROJECT #1 - Genesis Due in class on _______________ Throughout the year, you will complete some projects on various units we are studying. For these projects you have two options: OPTION 1: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just completed, [in this case, Genesis, which includes everything up to but NOT including Moses] and in an essay of (at least) three paragraphs write about a. The background of the episode or idea – What book or books of the bible does this come from? What is the context/circumstances in which it appears? Who is involved? b. Retell the event or express the idea in your own words. c. Explain the “SO WHAT?” of the episode or idea. In other words, what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? Through a personal story or general description, apply that episode or idea to your own life. OR OPTION 2: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just completed [in this case, Genesis, which includes everything up to but NOT including Moses] and create an artistic depiction (painting, drawing, sculpture, diorama, graphic novelette, song, video) that captures what you think is/are the most important parts. Then, write at least one paragraph to explain the “SO WHAT?” of the event: what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? It is usually a good idea to tell me what you plan to do your project on before you start to make sure you are not working on something outside of our unit, or trying to tackle a bigger topic than you need to.

DON’T FORGET: you MAY NOT ask for help from someone else in sixth grade at St. Anne's without special permission from me!

Michelangeloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creation of Man. He painted it on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican in Rome.

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ABRAHAM Please read the following passage from Genesis 17: 1- 9, 15 -21 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.’ God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.' God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, ‘Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’ ... God said, ‘Your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.’  What does the word "patriarch" mean?  What does the word "covenant" mean?  What two things does God promise Abraham?

 What do you think God asks of Abraham in return? (Give more detail than just “Keep the covenant.”)This is implied but not directly stated in the passage.

 Why does Abraham laugh in this passage? Page #13 _____________________

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MOSES The story of Moses has many exciting twists and turns. By recalling what you learned last year (if you were at St. Anne's) or by doing some research, see if you can match the episodes on the left with the details on the right.  Fill in the blank with the letter of the word or phrase that most closely relates to each prompt. 1. Moses is born _____

A. The Passover

2. Moses is raised in the king's house _____

B. Mount Sinai

3. Moses flees to the country because of a crime he commits _____

C. The Promised Land

4. God calls Moses _____

D. The Red Sea

5. God sends a helper along with Moses _____

E. A golden calf

6. God tries to convince Pharaoh to "let his people go." _____

F. Midian

7. The "last straw" that pushes Pharaoh to agree to God and Moses' demand _____

G. The burning bush

8. Moses and the Israelites narrowly escape Pharaoh's army _____

H. A basket

9. God provides food for the Israelites in the desert _____

I. The plagues

10. Moses receives the law from God, including the ten commandments _____

J. Aaron

11. The Israelites make a bad mistake while Moses is receiving the law _____

K. Pharaoh's daughter

12. The destination toward which Moses leads the Israelites _____

L. Manna

 What this is a picture of? (Hint: read Exodus 25: 10 - 22)

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THE LAW ď&#x192;&#x2DC; You will be assigned one of these passages. Come to class prepared to explain what it says in regular words. 1. Exodus 20: 2 - 4 2. Exodus 20: 7 3. Exodus 20: 8 - 11 4. Exodus 20: 12 5. Exodus 20: 13 - 15 6. Exodus 20: 16 7. Exodus 20: 17 8. Exodus 21: 28 - 29 9. Leviticus 19: 18 10. Leviticus 5: 17 11. Leviticus 11: 3 - 8 12. Leviticus 11: 9 - 12 13. Leviticus 13: 9 - 13 14. Leviticus 16: 29 - 31 15. Leviticus 19: 33 - 34 16. Leviticus 23: 9 - 10 17. Leviticus 24: 17 - 21 18. Leviticus 26: 3 - 7 19. Leviticus 26: 14 - 17 20. Leviticus 18: 3 - 5 ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Can you name something that you think is morally wrong but not illegal in this country?

 Can you name something that is illegal but that you think is not morally wrong? Page #15 _____________________

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LEADERSHIP  Read the following two passages. The Lord said to Moses, "Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus you shall bring water out of the rock for them; thus you shall provide drink for the congregation and their livestock." So Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he had commanded him. Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the Promised Land." - Numbers 20: 8 - 12 Why Moses is denied the Promised Land by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin The punishment that God metes out to Moses and Aaron is clear: they will not enter the Promised Land. But why? Was it that Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God had commanded? Does not the punishment seem to be rather severe for so minor an infraction? When the people are complaining for water, God tells Moses to take the staff and speak to the rock. The rock symbolizes the Israelite nation, hard and obstinate as a rock. "Speak to it," says God, "and you will extract life-giving and Torah-true waters even from this stubborn nation." Moses misses the point. He sees a willful band of upstarts and shouts, "listen now you rebels," (Numbers 20:10) striking out against the rock - the nation - instead of loving them. Moses underestimates his people, refusing to recognize their objective suffering as well as their ability to repent. Now God punishes him, divinely understanding that a shepherd who underestimates his flock, who loses proper love and appreciation for them, cannot continue to lead them.  Summarize Rabbi Riskin's argument in one or two sentences.

 Name a leader from your own life experience that you admired. Describe her or him.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What qualities do you think make a good leader? Name at least five.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; There are different kinds of leaders. For example the President of the United States would not be a good captain of the St. Anne's soccer team. What might this truth have to do with Moses not going to the Promised Land?

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HISTORY REMEMBER... The Bible can be broken into EIGHT sections: THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. THE TORAH or PENTATEUCH - 5 books 2. HISTORY - 12 books 3. WISDOM - 5 books 4. THE PROPHETS - 17 books

Jos hua

Jud ges

Rut h

1 Sa mu el

2 Sa mu el

1 Kin gs

2 Kin gs

1 Chr oni cles

2 Chr oni cles

THE NEW TESTAMENT 1. THE GOSPELS - 4 books 2. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - 1 book 3. THE LETTERS or EPISTLES - 20 books 4. THE REVELATION TO JOHN - 1 book

Ezr a

Neh Est emi her a

We are now beginning the HISTORY section.

The History books can be thought of in three pieces 1. The conquering and settling of the Promised Land 2. The establishing of the Kingship and the rise and fall of the kingdom 3. Other stories of the people of Israel  Briefly retell a significant story from the "history" of your family (but not just about you). It can be an old story or a recent one. Explain why it is a significant story.

 Why do you think so many books in the bible are dedicated to the history of the people of Israel?

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JOSHUA First, a little geography:

 Draw an ARROW from each name to the correct place on the map. If you are careful, your lines don't have to cross o England o Spain o Italy o Turkey o Israel o Saudi Arabia o Egypt o India o Africa

From the book of Joshua 1:1 - 5 After the death of Moses the servant of God, God spoke to Joshua, Moses’ assistant: “Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I’m giving to the People of Israel. I’m giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised Moses. It’s all yours. All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way I was with Moses, I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you.

2: 1 - 18 Joshua secretly sent out two men as spies: “Go. Look over the land. Check out Jericho.” They left and arrived at the house of a woman named Rahab and stayed there. When the king of Jericho was told, “Some Israelite men arrived tonight to spy out the land," he went to Rahab but she denied harboring them. She had actually taken them up on the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax that were spread out for her on the roof. She said to them, “I know that God has given you the land. We’re all afraid. Everyone in the country feels hopeless. We heard how God dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan whom you destroyed. We heard it and our hearts sank. “Now promise me by God. I showed you mercy; now show my family mercy. Save our souls from death!” “Our lives for yours!” said the men. “Don’t tell anyone about our business. When God turns this land over to us, we’ll do right by you in loyal mercy.” She lowered them down out a window with a rope because her house was on the city wall to the outside. The men told her, “Here is what you must do: Hang this red rope out the window through which you let us down and we will spare you when we conquer this city." 6: 1 - 5 Jericho was shut up tight as a drum because of the People of Israel: no one going in, no one coming out. God spoke to Joshua, “I have already given Jericho to you. Here’s what you are to do: March around the city, all your soldiers. Circle the city once. Repeat this for six days. Have seven priests carry seven ram’s horn trumpets in front of the Ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, the priests blowing away on the trumpets. And then, a long blast on the ram’s horn—when you hear that, all the people are to shout at the top of their lungs. The city wall will collapse at once. Then, all the people are to enter, every man straight on in.”

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #18 10: 7 - 14 Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and took the Amorites by total surprise. God threw them into total confusion before Israel, and gave them a major victory at Gibeon. Israel chased them along the ridge to Beth Horon and fought them all the way down to Makkedah. As they ran from the People of Israel, God pitched huge stones on them out of the sky and many died. More died from the hailstones than the People of Israel killed with the sword. The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening: ‘Sun, stand still at Gibeon, Halt, Moon, over the Aijalon Valley.” And the sun stopped, and the moon stood stock still until he defeated his enemies. The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day. There’s never been a day like that before or since when the Lord heeded a human voice. Truly, God fought for Israel. 12: 9 - 24 The following are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated west of the Jordan, the king of Jericho, the king of Ai, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, the king of Gezer, the king of Debir, the king of Geder, the king of Hormah, the king of Arad, the king of Libnah, the king of Adullam, the king of Makkedah, the king of Bethel, the king of Tappuah, the king of Hepher, the king of Aphek, the king of Lasharon, the king of Madon, the king of Hazor, the king of Shimron-meron, the king of Achshaph, the king of Taanach, the king of Megiddo, the king of Kedesh, the king of Jokneam in Carmel, the king of Dor, the king of Goiim, the king of Tirzah; thirty-one kings in all.  Of whom was Joshua the successor? In other words, who came right before Joshua as leader?

 Why did Rahab betray her king and hide Joshua's spies?

 The battle of Jericho is famous for the way the Israelites won. In one sentence summarize how they defeated that strong city.

 Why do you think God make the sun stand still during the battle of Gibeon?

 Why do you think the bible lists every one of the 31 kings that Joshua conquered?

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The JUDGES After Joshua led them into the Promised Land, the Israelite people were settled based on their tribes.  Do some research to find out the names of the 12 tribes of Israel.

 Where else have you heard the names before?

The leaders of the groups of Israelites at this period were called JUDGES because an important part of their role as leader was to adjudicate or make judgments about conflicts that arose between people in the normal course of life, like modern day lawsuits. Some of the ones described in the Bible were faithful leaders who helped the people, but when they passed away, the folks that followed them were not faithful and the people's fortunes declined. This cycle of good, faithful leadership running its course followed by disloyalty to God and catastrophe for the people followed by repentance followed by deliverance and the arising of a new good judge is repeated many times in the book of Judges.

 What do you think is the message of this cycle? In other words, why does the bible include this part of history?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What could be the way out of this cycle for the people of Israel?

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Some Judges Othneil: Judges 3: 7 - 11

Deborah: Judges 4

Jephthah Judges 11:29 – 40

Sampson: Judges 14 – 16

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GIDEON (One other Judge) Please read the following from Judges 7: 1 - 21

Gideon and all the Israelite troops that were with him rose early and encamped beside the camp of Midian. The Lord said to Gideon, ‘The troops with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand. Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, “My own hand has delivered me.” Now therefore proclaim this in the hearing of the troops, “Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.” ’ Thus Gideon sifted them out; twenty-two thousand returned, and ten thousand remained. Then the Lord said to Gideon, ‘The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and I will sift them out for you there. So he brought the troops down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, ‘All those who lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, you shall put to one side; all those who kneel down to drink, putting their hands to their mouths, you shall put to the other side.’ The number of those that lapped was three hundred; but all the rest of the troops knelt down to drink water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, ‘With the three hundred that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others go to their homes.’ So he took the jars of the troops from their hands, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of Israel back to their own tents, but retained the three hundred. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley. That same night the Lord said to him, ‘Get up. Attack the camp; for I have given it into your hand. But if you fear to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah; and you shall hear what they say, and afterwards your hands shall be strengthened to attack the camp.’ Then he went down with his servant Purah to the outposts of the armed men that were in the camp. The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the east lay along the valley as thick as locusts; and their camels were without number, countless as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling a dream to his comrade; and he said, ‘I had a dream, and in it a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell; it turned upside down, and the tent collapsed.’ And his comrade answered, ‘This is no other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel; into his hand God has given Midian and all the army.’ When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshipped; and he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, ‘Get up; for the Lord has given the army of Midian into your hand.’ After he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars, he said to them, ‘Look at me, and do the same; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets around the whole camp, and shout, “For the Lord and for Gideon!” ’

So Gideon and the hundred who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. So the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, and they cried, ‘A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!’ Every man stood in his place all around the camp, and all the men in camp ran; they cried out and fled. When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and Midianite the army fled as far as Beth-shittah.

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Page #22  How did Gideon (and God) shrink the number of soldiers in the Israelite army?

 WHY do you think God wanted to diminish the number of soldiers in the Israelite army?

 What did Gideon hear when he went to spy on the Midianites before the battle?

 Why was what he heard important? What did it tell him about the upcoming battle?

 How did the Israelites win the battle against the Midianites? (what did they do?)

 That was as strange way to pick troops and to win a battle... what do you think the story "means"? What message is the story trying to convey?

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SAMUEL Please read the following from 1 Samuel: There was a certain man who had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Peninnah used to tease Hannah severely, because the Lord had given her no children. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. Hannah went to the temple. Now Eli, the priest at the temple at Shiloh where Hannah went to pray, was sitting on his seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord and observed Hannah. Hannah was sad and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: ‘O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on my misery, and remember me, and give to me a male child, then I will set him before you as a servant in your temples.’ And the Lord remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’ When he was old enough, she took him up to the house of the Lord at Shiloh and brought the child to Eli. And she said, ‘Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.’ She left him there for the Lord. Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord or for the duties of the priests to the people. The sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord; for they treated the service of the Lord with contempt and kept much of the offerings for themselves. Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how evil they were as priests. But the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people. He was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him.

Samuel Learning from Eli by John Singleton Copley (1738 – 1815)

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Page #24  What problem did Eli have?

 How was Samuel a solution to that problem?

 What does this have to do with the cycles we learned about in the book of Judges?

 Why did Samuel not recognize God's voice when he called to him at first?

 What role did Eli play in Samuel's destiny? What did he do to play that role?

 Name someone who has helped you understand something meaningful and/or strange that happened to you and briefly retell the story.

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SAUL CHOSEN AS KING Please read the following from 1 Samuel 8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel, and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ But this displeased Samuel. He prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’ So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘The king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself some to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves.’ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! We are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’ The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to their voice and set a king over them.’ A man named Kish had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else. Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had strayed. So Kish said to his son Saul, ‘Take one of the boys with you; go and look for the donkeys.’ So Saul and his servant passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find the donkeys. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them. When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the boy who was with him, ‘Let us turn back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and worry about us.’ But the servant said to him, ‘There is a man of God in this town; he is a man held in honor. Whatever he says always comes true. Let us go there now; perhaps he will tell us about the journey on which we have set out.’ So they went to the town where the man of God was. Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: ‘Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel.’ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, ‘Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. He it is who shall rule over my people.’ So Saul ate with Samuel that day. Later as they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, ‘Tell the boy to go on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.’ Samuel took a phial of oil and poured it on his head, and

kissed him; he said, ‘The Lord has anointed you ruler over his people Israel. You shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their enemies all around.

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #26 Seven days later Samuel summoned the people to the Lord at Mizpah and said to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.” But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said, “No! but set a king over us.” Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.’ Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and held a lottery to select the king. The tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Samuel brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of the Matrites was taken by lot. Finally he brought the family of the Matrites near man by man, and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, ‘Did the man come here?’ and the Lord said, ‘See, he has hidden himself among the baggage.’ Then they ran and brought him from there. When he took his stand among the people, he was head and shoulders taller than any of them. Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.’ And all the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’  Why do the Israelites want a king?

 Why is Samuel opposed to the idea?

 What are the arguments Samuel gives to the people against establishing the kingship?

 What happened that brought Saul and Samuel together in the first place?

 Why do you think Samuel has the power to run the process to select the first king?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Why do you think Samuel used a lottery to select the first king?

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SAUL'S KINGSHIP + Saul had many successes in battle + Saul had a son named Jonathan who was also a good leader and beloved by the people. - But Saul made two key mistakes: 1) A reading from 1 Samuel 13: 3- 13 Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, ‘Let the Hebrews hear!’ When all Israel heard that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become the enemy of the Philistines, the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal. The Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude; they came up and encamped east of Bethaven. When the Israelites saw the huge army arrayed against them they were filled with fear. Saul waited for seven days for Samuel to come to make the sacrifices and bless the troops as Samuel had promised; but Samuel did not come, and the people began to slip away from Saul. So Saul said, ‘Bring the offerings here to me’ And he performed the religious sacrifice. As soon as he had finished, Samuel arrived; and Saul went out to meet him and salute him. Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ Saul replied, ‘When I saw that the people were slipping away from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines were mustering against us, I said, “Now the Philistines will come down upon me, and I have not entreated the favor of the Lord”; so I offered the sacrifice myself.’ Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded you. The Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom will not continue. 2) A reading from 1 Samuel 15: 2- 9 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did in opposing the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” ’ So Saul summoned the people, two hundred thousand foot-soldiers, and ten thousand soldiers of Judah. Saul came to the city of the Amalekites and defeated them. Saul and the people spared King Agag of the Amalekites, and kept the best of the sheep and of the cattle and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was valuable; all that was despised and worthless they utterly destroyed.  What were the two ways Saul disobeyed what God wanted?

 Pick one and explain why you think that was such a big deal that Saul would lose his kingship over it.

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The Witch of Endor Please read the following from 1 Samuel 28: 3 - 25: Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. The Philistines assembled, and came and encamped at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, his heart trembled greatly. When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, not by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek out for me a magician, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ His servants said to him, ‘There is a magician at Endor.’ So Saul disguised himself and went there, he and two men with him. They came to the woman by night. And he said, ‘Consult a spirit for me, and bring up for me from the dead the one whom I name to you.’ The woman said to him, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ He answered, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.’ She said, ‘An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe.’ So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground. Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ Saul answered, ‘I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; so I have summoned you to tell me what I should do.’ Samuel said, ‘Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you just as I told you said He would; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbour David, because you did not obey the Lord. Moreover, tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me.’ Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him.  What caused Saul to seek out a magician (otherwise known as a "medium" or "witch")?

 Why do you think he chose Samuel as the person to help him?

 Why do you think Saul disguised himself when he went to see the magician?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Summarize in one sentence what Samuel said to Saul.

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YOUNG

DAVID

Please read the following from 1 Samuel 16: 1 - 13: The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him and he said, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab, Jesse's oldest son, and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before us.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Please read the following from 1 Samuel 16: 14 - 23: The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit tormented him. Saul said to his servants, ‘Provide for me someone skilful in playing the lyre who can play well, and bring him to me.’ One of the young men answered, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse who is skilful in playing, a man of valor, a warrior, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence; and the Lord is with him.’ So Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, ‘Send me your son David who is with the sheep.’ And David came to Saul, and entered his service. Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And whenever the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand, and Saul would be relieved and feel better, and the evil spirit would depart from him.  What did God mean when he said to Samuel, "The Lord does not see as mortals see."?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What skill did David had that made Saul love him? Can you guess how that becomes important later on?

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DAVID and Goliath Please read the following from 1 Samuel 17: The Philistines gathered their armies for battle. Saul and the Israelites gathered and formed ranks against the Philistines. The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armored with a coat of mail. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening. Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, who had eight sons. The three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. David was the youngest; the three eldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. Jesse said to his son David, ‘Take for your brothers this grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers fare, and bring me some token from them.’ David rose early in the morning, left someone in charge of the sheep, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very much afraid. David said to the men who stood by him, ‘Who is this Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? Who will take away the reproach from Israel?” His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking and his anger was kindled against David. He said, ‘Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?’ David said, ‘What have I done now? It was only a question.’ When the words that David spoke were repeated before Saul he sent for him. David said to Saul, ‘Let no one’s heart fail because of him; I will go and fight with this Philistine.’ Saul said to David, ‘You cannot go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’ But David said to Saul, ‘I used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. I have killed both lions and bears; and this Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.’ David said, ‘The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw

of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the Lord be with you!’

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Page #31 Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul’s sword over the armor, but then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot even walk with these; for I am not used to them.’ So David removed them. Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones, and put them in his shepherd’s bag. His sling was in his hand, and he approached Goliath. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth. He said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.’ But David said to Goliath, ‘You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.’ Goliath stepped forward to meet David, and David ran quickly to meet the Goliath. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking him down and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped Goliath’s sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.  Why did Goliath challenge Saul’s army of Israelites?

 Why was a boy like David anywhere near the battle site?  Why do you think David’s brothers got mad at his questions?  Why did David not wear armor to fight Goliath? Try to give a practical reason and a religious reason.

 Write a few sentences about a time you encountered a “Goliath” in your life.

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DAVID as King The transition from Saul to David was filled with conflict; Saul tried to kill David out of jealousy. There is a story we will discuss in class in which David spares Saul’s life to show him he is not someone to be feared. In the end Saul dies in battle and David become king. David achieved many things as King of Israel. He is considered perhaps their greatest king ever. His three most important achievements were 1. He finally united the north and south kingdoms to make a unified country; 2. He brings the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem and establishes that city as the capital and the future site of the Holy Temple; 3. He, and those working under him, began writing and compiling a hymn book for worship which is the book of Psalms – a book we will be studying later. But David was not perfect. Please read the following from 2 Samuel 11 & 12: Late one afternoon, when David was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David wanted her for his wife. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, ‘This is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of your soldiers.’ David wrote a letter to Joab who was commander over Uriah. He wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.’ As Joab was besieging a city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors. The men of the city came out and Uriah was killed. When Bathsheba heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. The lord sent Nathan, Samuel’s successor, to David. He came to him, and said to him, ‘There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.’ Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, ‘As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’ Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. Why have you done what is evil in my sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife. David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’  How did David arrange to have Uriah killed?

 What did Nathan mean when he said to David “You are the man?”

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MEMORIZE (part of) A PSALM

You will be assigned one of the following portions of a Psalm to memorize. In class on ____________________ you will perform the psalm from memory for your classmates AND you will need to explain in regular words what it means. Your grade will count as a quiz. To earn an A, you need not only to speak the words accurately but to say them in a meaningful style and then explain well what you psalm is trying to say. Psalm 1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. Psalm 19 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Psalm 20 I know that the Lord will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand. Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God. They will collapse and fall, but we shall rise and stand upright. Give victory to the king, O Lord; answer us when we call.

he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his nameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me. Psalm 23b Your rod and your staffâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 42 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God... Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

Psalm 43 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you cast me off?... O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; Psalm 22 let them bring me to your holy hill My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? and to your dwelling. Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of myThen I will go to the altar of God, groaning? to God my exceeding joy. O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. Psalm 46a Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. God is our refuge and strength, In you our ancestors trusted; a very present help in trouble. they trusted, and you delivered them. Therefore we will not fear, To you they cried, and were saved; though the earth should change, in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; Psalm 23a The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;

though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

Psalm 46 b Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Page #34 Psalm 51 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin... Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Psalm 89 O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;you have founded them... Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Psalm 90 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. from everlasting to everlasting you are God. For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night. You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. Psalm 95a O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.

Psalm 95b The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed. O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!

Psalm 98 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. Psalm 100 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name. Psalm 119 Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.. Let your steadfast love become my comfort according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. Psalm 103a Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103b As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; Page #35 _____________________

for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant. Due in class on

SOLOMON Solomon was David’s second son with Bathsheba; the first died as a baby after Nathan had come to point out to David his evil deed against Uriah. Solon was known for his wisdom; in fact the book of Proverbs is often attributed to him. After some other sons of David tried to rise up against him to become king, and were defeated, Solomon became king of Israel. Solomon’s major accomplishment as king was to build the great Temple in Jerusalem, as had been foretold. We will examine this Temple in class. There are two famous stories about Solomon found in 1 Kings 3: 1. Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David. And now you have made me king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Therefore give me, your servant, wisdom to govern your people, the ability to make good choices and discern between good and evil; for who can govern this, your great people?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you.’ …………. 2. Two women came to the king and stood before him. One woman said, ‘Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house. Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. There was no one else with us in the house. Then this woman’s son died in the night. She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while I slept. She laid him in her bed, and laid her dead son in my bed. When I rose in the morning to nurse my son, I saw that he was dead; but when I looked at him closely in the morning, clearly it was not the son I had borne.’ But the other woman said, ‘No, the living son is mine, and the dead son is yours.’ The first said, ‘No, the dead son is yours, and the living son is mine.’ So they argued before the king. So the king said, ‘Bring me a sword,’ and they brought a sword before the king. The king said, ‘Divide the living baby in two; then give half to one, and half to the other.’ But the woman whose son was alive said to the king—because compassion for her son burned within her—‘Please, my lord, give her the living boy; certainly do not kill him!’ The other said, ‘It shall be neither mine nor yours; divide it.’ Then the king responded: ‘Give the first woman the living boy; do not kill him. She is his mother.’ All Israel heard of the judgment that the

king had rendered; and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to execute justice. ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Why do you think Solomon asked God to grant him wisdom?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; How did the second story show that Solomon had great wisdom?

Page #36 _____________________

Due in class on

Wrapping up the History Section At our class on __________________________ we will have a test on the History unit of the Bible. The test will include matching, short answer, and an essay. You will have some choice on which questions you will answer. Here is a list of the things you should know about for the test: o

Be able to name the eight sections of the Bible we have discussed several times.

Understand the place of the History books in the Bible. What story comes before this section? How many books are the in it? What comes after it?

Be able to write a bit about each of these: o The Promised Land o

The Ark of the Covenant

Joshua

The cycle of judges

Othneil

Sampson

Deborah

Jephthah

Gideon

The battle of Jericho

The battle against the Midianites

Samuel’s call

Eli

Saul’s (two) appointments as king

Jonathan

Saul’s mistakes

The Witch of Endor

David appointment as king

David and Saul’s relationship

David and Goliath

David’s achievements as king

David, Uriah, Bathsheba, and Nathan

Solomon

The Temple in Jerusalem

Page #37

PROJECT #2 – The History Books Due in class on _______________ As before, for this project you have two options: OPTION 1: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just completed, [in this case, History, which includes everything after Moses through Solomon] and in an essay of (at least) three paragraphs write about a. The background of the episode or idea – What book or books of the bible does this come from? What is the context/circumstances in which it appears? Who is involved? b. Retell the event or express the idea in your own words. c. Explain the “SO WHAT?” of the episode or idea. In other words, what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? Through a personal story or general description, apply that episode or idea to your own life. OR OPTION 2: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just [in this case, History, which includes everything after Moses through Solomon] and create an artistic depiction (painting, drawing, sculpture, diorama, graphic novelette, song, video) that captures what you think is/are the most important parts. Then, write at least one paragraph to explain the “SO WHAT?” of the event: what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God?

It is usually a good idea to tell me what you plan to do your project on before you start to make sure you are not working on something outside of our unit, or trying to tackle a bigger topic than you need to.

Solomon asks God for wisdom in The Dream of Solomon by Luca, Giordano (1632- 1705, Napoli, Italy) Page #38 Due in class on _____________________

WISDOM REMEMBER... The Bible can be broken into EIGHT sections: THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. THE TORAH or PENTATEUCH - 5 books 2. HISTORY - 12 books 3. WISDOM - 5 books 4. THE PROPHETS - 17 books

Job

Psal Pro ms ver bs

Ecc lesi aste s

Son g of Sol om on

THE NEW TESTAMENT 1. THE GOSPELS - 4 books 2. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - 1 book 3. THE LETTERS or EPISTLES - 20 books 4. THE REVELATION TO JOHN - 1 book

We are now beginning the WISDOM section. No section of the Bible makes it more clear that the Bible is a collection of many different books, because each book in the Wisdom section is of a different genre:   

Job is a folktale about the questions of suffering and “theodicy.” Psalms is a collection of songs used for worship and prayer. Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings or “aphorisms.”

 

Ecclesiastes is a poetry and prose essay on the meaning of life. Song of Solomon is a love poem.

 Explain, in everyday terms, what the word “genre” means.

 Name ten other “genres” besides those found in the Wisdom section. Try to think of a few that are in the Bible.

 Define “wisdom.”

 Who is someone you know whom you consider “wise.” Why do you think so?

Page #39

Due in class on _____________________

JOB The book of Job is one long folktale about a man named Job who is utterly blameless, completely innocent. But the story describes that many terrible things happen to Job. Job spends most of the book talking to his friends and trying to understand why such tragedy has befallen him. The issue at stake in Job is called “theodicy” which is the philosophical question that can be put this way:

“If God is entirely good and completely powerful, why does God allow (or cause)bad things to happen to good (or at least to innocent) people?” People who have seriously pondered this question have come up with a number of different “answers,” any of which might be considered “wisdom.”  What is YOUR answer to the Theodicy problem? Explain your thinking as thoroughly as you can.

While we are getting all philosophical, a related question is: “Do people have entirely free will?” Theologians have debated how the existence of free will can combine with the idea of God making things happen in the world.  What are your thoughts about free will? Is everyone entirely free to make any choice at any moment?

In class we will read together the story of Job (Chapters 1, 2, 38, and 42). For that tale we will need ten readers: Job, God, Satan, Narrator for chapter 1, Narrator for chapter2 (chapter 2), Messenger 1, 2, 3, and 4, & Job’s Wife Page #40 Due in class on _____________________

PSALMS The book of Psalms, as we learned before, was probably written under the kingship of David, and served as a kind of hymn book for worshipping God. The word “psalm” is derived from a Greek word originally meaning "music of the lyre" or "songs sung to a harp.” Most scholars believe that originally the psalms were songs people would sing. The book of Psalms in its current, most commonly used form consists of 150 songs and prayers. Together the psalms are called “The Psalter” (pronounced “salt-er.”) The psalms are famous for capturing the wide variety of emotions people feel at different times in their lives. There are psalms for joy and sorry, fear and excitement, anger and disappointment. The message is that you can share any emotion with God; God will be there with you, even if you are mad at God, even if you are celebrating your good life. Some of the most common types of palms are:  Songs of thanksgiving (e.g., Ps 30)  Hymns of praise (e.g., Ps 117)  Instructional psalms with references to Jewish law (e.g., Ps 1 and 119).  Royal psalms, which may have been used in coronations and weddings (e.g. Ps 45)  Prayers (e.g. Ps 72)  The largest category is psalms of lament (complaining) with pleas for help from God (e.g. Ps 13) Psalms frequently use a form called “parallelism” in which one line says something and then the next line says almost the same thing in a different way. Here are two examples: The Lord is merciful and gracious, he is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!  On a separate piece of paper that you will turn in at class, you are to write your own Psalm. 1. Think of this exercise as a little like praying. What do you want/need to talk to God about? Spend a little quiet time opening your heart to God to hear what needs to be said. The best psalms come from deep within. 2. Pick a topic. It could be an emotion, an object, an event, a lesson, or even a simile about something else. The only requirement is that it be something spiritual & meaningful to you in your life’s journey. 3. Write at least 8 lines.

It does not have to rhyme. Try to use parallelism NOTE: You will NOT be required to read your psalm out loud to the class. In fact, I will not show your psalm to anyone else unless you give me permission to do so.

Page #41

Due in class on _____________________

PROVERBS Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings, traditionally attributed to Solomon. Sometimes the "wisdom" is easy to understand and sometimes it is more subtle. Please read the following from Proverbs 1: 1 - 7 For learning about wisdom and instruction, for understanding words of insight, for gaining instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; to teach shrewdness to the simple, knowledge and prudence to the youngâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. ď&#x192;&#x2DC; According to the writer of Proverbs, what is the most important thing for a person to have as the foundation of all wisdom and knowledge? Explain your answer in everyday language.

Please read the following from Proverbs 6: 6 - 11: Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise. Without having any chief or officer or ruler, it prepares its food in summer, and gathers its sustenance in harvest. How long will you lie there, O lazybones? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior. This proverb is like an extended metaphor or analogy, that is, something everyone knows something about is used to "stand for" or represent something else the writer wants the reader to think about in a new way. ď&#x192;&#x2DC; To whom is the writer comparing the ant? What message or lesson is he trying to teach in this proverb?

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #42 “Wisdom” in Proverbs is both good judgment (being wise as opposed to being foolish) and ethical virtue (being righteous instead of wicked). According to the author, fools and evil doers deserve their fate. For this author of Proverbs, wisdom is the result of considered experience rather than something revealed by God, which most of the rest of the Bible suggests.  Read through these short Proverbs and mark the ones you find interesting: 10:1 A wise child makes a glad father, but a foolish child is a mother’s grief. 10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. 10:9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out. 10:10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but the one who rebukes boldly makes peace. 10:17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray. 10:19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech. 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but an accurate weight is his delight. 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. 11:12 Whoever belittles another lacks sense, but an intelligent person remains silent. 11:17 Those who are kind reward themselves, but the cruel do themselves harm. 11:22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without good sense. 11:23 The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in wrath. 11:25 A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water. 11:29 Those who trouble their households will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise. 12:10 The righteous know the needs of their animals, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. 12:15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to advice. 12:16 Fools show their anger at once, but the prudent ignore an insult. 12:19 Truthful lips endure for ever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. 13:11 Wealth quickly gotten dwindles away, but amassed little by little, it grows. 13:24 Those who spare the rod hate their children, but those who love them are diligent to discipline them 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 16:31 Grey hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. 17:22 A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones. 18:24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. 21:26 All day long the wicked covet, but the righteous give and do not hold back. 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. 26:11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly.  Choose one of the proverbs on this page and explain in everyday words what it means. Do you agree? Relate the proverb to your own life with a story if possible.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Optional extra credit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; come up with your own proverb and display it nicely on its own paper for mounting. Page #43 Due in class on _____________________

ECCLESIASTES The word "Ecclesiastes" is traditionally translated as "Teacher" or "Gatherer." The book reads like collections of essays and poems about the meaning of life. This is the most famous passage, found in Ecclesiastes 3: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Try to state in one sentence what you think this poet is saying about leading a wise life.

Ecclesiastes also talks a lot about "vanity." This passage is from Ecclesiastes 1: All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever. The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south, and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind,

and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.  What do you think Ecclesiastes means by the word "vanity?

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #44 The following is a poem written by Percy Bysshe Shelley, published in 1818. (Note it is NOT from the Bible!!) I think it shares a theme with Ecclesiastes.

OZYMANDIAS I met a traveler from an antique land Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed. And on the pedestal these words appear: `My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings: Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!' Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away".  What do you think is the message or point of Shelley's poem?

If you have time, read this passage from Ecclesiastes 8 & 9, One time I saw wicked men given a solemn burial in holy ground. When the people returned to the city, they delivered flowery eulogies—and in the very place where wicked acts were done by those very men! More smoke. Because the sentence against evil deeds is so long in coming, people in general think they can get by with murder. Even though a person sins and gets by with it hundreds of times throughout a long life, I’m still convinced that the good life is reserved for the person who fears God, who lives reverently in his presence, and that the evil person will not experience a “good” life. No matter how many days he lives, they’ll all be as flat and colorless as a shadow—because he doesn’t fear God. Here’s something that happens all the time and makes no sense at all: Good people get what’s coming to the wicked, and bad people get what’s coming to the good. I tell you, this makes no sense. It’s smoke.

So, I’m all for just going ahead and having a good time—the best possible. The only earthly good men and women can look forward to is to eat and drink well and have a good time—compensation for the struggle for survival these few years God gives us on earth. They say, “A living dog is better than a dead lion.” The living at least know something, even if it’s only that they’re going to die. But the dead know nothing and get nothing. Their loves, their hates, yes, even their dreams, are long gone. There’s not a trace of them left in the affairs of this earth. So seize life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure! Dress festively every morning. Don’t skimp on colors and scarves. Relish life with the spouse you love Each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange For the hard work of staying alive. Make the most of each one! Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!  If you have time, explain why the author thinks enjoying life is the best thing one can strive for. Page # 45 Due in class on _____________________

PROPHETS REMEMBER... The Bible can be broken into EIGHT sections: THE OLD TESTAMENT THE NEW TESTAMENT 1. THE TORAH or PENTATEUCH - 5 books 1. THE GOSPELS - 4 books 2. HISTORY - 12 books 2. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - 1 book 3. WISDOM - 5 books 3. THE LETTERS or EPISTLES - 20 books 4. THE PROPHETS - 17 books 4. THE REVELATION TO JOHN - 1 book

Isai ah

Jere La Eze mia me kiel h ntat ions

Dan Hos Joel Am iel ea os

Oba Jon dia ah h

Our next unit is Mic Nah Hab Zep Hag Zec Mal about the ah um akk han gai hari achi last set of uk iah ah books in the Old

Testament: The Prophets.

Many people divide the prophets into two categories: • The MAJOR prophets are the first five, from Isaiah through Daniel

•

The MINOR prophets are the other 12.

.... the difference is how long the books are.

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF THE PERIOD OF THE PROPHETS The nation of the Hebrews fell onto hard times after king Solomon died. The biggest problem was that the kingdom split under different leaders: the northern kingdom (called Judah) and the southern kingdom (called Israel, and including Jerusalem and the all-important temple there.) Separately, each kingdom was weak. In 719 BC, the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrian army. In 597 BC Jerusalem and the southern kingdom fell to the Babylonians and king Nebuchadnezzar, and in 587 they sacked Solomon's temple and deported many of the ruling class (including the priests) to Babylon. This has been called "The Babylonian exile." In 583 the Persians under Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and let the Hebrews return home. They rebuilt the temple. The period from 520 BC - 70 AD is called the "second temple period." In 70 AD, the Romans, who were at that point in charge of most of the western world, attacked Jerusalem when the Hebrews rebelled, and destroyed the second temple for good. THE ROLE OF THE PROPHETS Most importantly, prophets speak for God. They speak truth even when it is hard to listen to. A clever and true saying is:

Prophets comfort the troubled, and trouble the comfortable. The prophets we will study in the bible are called by God to speak about what is going on in the course of history, to interpret the situation at hand in light of God's will. That is why I gave you the tiny history lesson just now, to understand what the biblical prophets were talking about. We will focus on three of the main messages the prophets:  Before the fall of Israel: JUDGMENT - "You are not living as God wants. Get ready for disaster!"  During exile: COMFORT - "Don't worry! Even though things are going badly, God is still with you."  After the loss of the temple: EXPECT A MESSAIH - "God will send someone to rebuild God's kingdom."  Think about the phrase "Prophets comfort the troubled, and trouble the comfortable" and be ready to discuss what you think it means in class. Page #46 Due in class on _____________________

ISAIAH Probably the most famous prophet is Isaiah. Not only is this the longest of the prophet books, but scholars think it is actually (at least) three separate books combined into one because it seems the writer(s) were writing before, during, and after the exile period. It is also famous because it is very beautiful writing. ISAIAH'S CALL STORY from Isaiah 6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the hem of his robe filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, and they called back and forth one to the other, "Holy, Holy, Holy is Lord of hosts! Earth is full of his glory!" The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said, “Woe is me! I’m as good as dead! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look. Now that this coal has touched your lips your guilt is gone, your sins have been wiped out.” And then I heard the voice of the Master: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ He said, “Go and tell this people: LISTEN."  What feelings did Isaiah have before his mouth was touched by the coal? (Identify at least two.)

 Why do you think he felt this way?

We are most familiar with Isaiah from when we hear it read around Christmas time. This is from Isaiah 9: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. For unto us a child has is born s, unto us a son is given; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.

This is from Isaiah 11: A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. The wolf shall live with the lamb, and a little child shall lead them.

 Although the Jews wouldn't think so, can you guess about whom Christians think Isaiah was prophesying, even though this was written between 900 and 500 BC ? What clues from the text make you think so? Page #47

Some other key texts from Isaiah We will look at these together in class; you may read them tonight if you'd like. This is from Isaiah 2 In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

This is from Isaiah 25 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death for ever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

This is from Isaiah 53 He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity. He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

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JEREMIAH Jeremiah is another of the "major" prophets. He also has a memorable call story, found in Jeremiah 1: The word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.' says the Lord. Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’  What did Jeremiah mean when he said, "I am only a boy" when in fact he was a grown man?

 Recall a time in your life when you felt that way. How did it turn out?

God gave Jeremiah a heavy message to deliver to the people. This is from Jeremiah 7: God said to Jeremiah: “Stand in the gate of the Temple and preach this message. Say, ‘Listen, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship God. Clean up your act! —the way you live, the things you do—so I can make my home with you in this place. Don’t for a minute believe the lies being spoken here—“This is God’s Temple, God’s Temple, God’s Temple!” That's total nonsense! Only if you change the way you live and treat your neighbors, only if you quit exploiting the poor and orphans and widows, no longer taking advantage of innocent people on this very site and no longer destroying your souls by using this Temple as a front for other gods—only then will this country I gave your ancestors be my permanent home, my Temple.

 What "lie" is God through Jeremiah trying to have the people stop believing?

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #49 Jeremiah stayed behind in the Holy Land during the Babylonian exile, so he offered messages of comfort. This is from Jeremiah 30: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. For the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their ancestors and they shall take possession of it. Have no fear, my servant Jacob, says the Lord, and do not be dismayed, O Israel; for I am going to save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you, says the Lord, to save you.  Describe a time when someone gave you a promise that helped you deal with a tough situation.

The book of Jeremiah is also famous for its description of the so-called New Covenant. This is from Jeremiah 31: The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.  Explain what the old covenant was and how this one is different than the old one.

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EZEKIEL The other "major" prophet we will study is Ezekiel. This prophet wrote from Babylon, living among the exiles. This is his call story from Ezekiel 2 & 3 The Lord said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, I have something to say to you.” And when he spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and put me on my feet. He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me. They’re a hard case, these people to whom I’m sending you—hardened in their sin. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ Whether or not they listen, at least they’ll know that a prophet’s been here. But don’t be afraid of them, son of man, and don’t be afraid of anything they say. Don’t be afraid of their mean words or their hard looks. They’re a bunch of rebels. Your job is to speak to them. Whether they listen is not your concern. He said to me, "Open your mouth and eat what I give you.” I looked, and a hand was stretched out to me, and a written scroll was in it. He spread it before me; it had writing on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of mourning and woe. He said to me, "O mortal, eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey. He said to me: Mortal, go to the house of Israel and speak my very words to them. For you are not sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel. Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God’; whether they hear or refuse to hear. Then the spirit lifted me up, and as the glory of the Lord rose from its place, I heard behind me the sound of loud rumbling. The spirit lifted me up and bore me away. I came to the exiles who lived by the river Chebar. And I sat there among them, stunned, for seven days. Ezekiel had two famous visions. The first is in Ezekiel 1: As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber. In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings, and they sparkled like burnished bronze.... In the middle of the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire. The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning. As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside each of the living creatures. The rims of the wheels were tall and awesome; all four were full of eyes all round. When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved

beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #51 The second of Ezekiel's famous visions is the Valley of the Dry Bones found in Ezekiel 37: The Lord set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, only you know.’ Then he said to me, ‘Say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’  What did God ask Ezekiel to do to become his prophet? Why do you think God chose this unusual task?

 Many think the animals in Ezekiel's vision represent the power of God. What do you think the wheels in his vision might mean? Consider especially the last line of the passage.

 Some Christians have interpreted Ezekiel's Valley of the dry Bones story as describing Jesus' resurrection and God's ability to raise Christians from death. Jews read this differently. In the context of Ezekiel's circumstances, for what do you think "raising the dry bones back to life" is a metaphor? There is a hint in the passage itself.

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DANIEL The last prophet we will study is Daniel. Daniel grew up in exile in Babylon and was an example of how some Jewish people there remained faithful to God. Here are two memorable stories from the book of Daniel. Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the Fiery Furnace from Daniel 3 King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue, ninety feet high. A herald proclaimed in a loud voice: “Attention, everyone! When you hear the king's band, fall to your knees and worship the gold statue that our King has set up. Anyone who does not kneel and worship shall be thrown immediately into a roaring furnace.” The band started to play, and everyone—every race, color, and creed—fell to their knees and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Just then, some Babylonian fortunetellers stepped up and accused the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “There are some Jews here—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have placed in high positions in the province of Babylon. These men are ignoring you, O king. They don’t respect your gods and they won’t worship the gold statue you set up.” Furious, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought in. When the men were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t respect my gods and refuse to worship the gold statue that I have set up? I’m giving you a second chance—but from now on, when the big band strikes up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I have made. If you don’t worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace, no questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t worship the gold statue you set up.” Nebuchadnezzar, his face purple with anger, ordered the furnace fired up seven times hotter than usual. He ordered some strong men from the army to tie them up, hands and feet, and throw them into the roaring furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, bound hand and foot, fully dressed from head to toe, were pitched into the roaring fire. Because the king was in such a hurry and the furnace was so hot, flames from the furnace killed the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it, while the fire raged around Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm and said, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound hand and foot, into the fire?” “That’s right, O king,” they said. “But look!” he said. “I see four men, walking around freely in the fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a son of the gods!” Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the roaring furnace and called in, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the High God, come out here!” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire. Everyone gathered around to examine them and discovered that the fire hadn’t so much as touched the three men—not a hair singed, not a scorch mark on their clothes, not even the smell of fire on them!

Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him! They ignored the king’s orders and laid their bodies on the line rather than serve or worship any god but their own. “Therefore I issue this decree: All must worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. There has never been a god who can pull off a rescue like this.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. CONTINUE Page #53 Daniel and the Lion's Den from Daniel 5 King Darius was tricked by his vice-regents and governors who were jealous of Daniel, a Jew whom Darius had put him in charge of the whole kingdom. The vice-regents and governors tricked him into making a decree that no one was allowed to pray to any god or mortal except the king. Anyone who disobeyed was to be thrown into the lions’ den. When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help. They went straight to the king and said, “Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles, ignores you, O king, and defies your decree and prays to his God.” At this, the king was very upset and tried his best to get Daniel out of the fix he’d put him in. But the decree was final and so he ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions’ den. But he said to Daniel, “Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of this.” A stone slab was placed over the opening of the den. The king sealed the cover with his signet ring and the signet rings of all his nobles, fixing Daniel’s fate. The king then went back to his palace. He refused supper. He couldn’t sleep. He spent the night fasting. At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?” Daniel replied “My God sent his angel, who closed the mouths of the lions so that they would not hurt me. I’ve been found innocent before God and also before you, O king. I’ve done nothing to harm you.” When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. When he was hauled up, there wasn’t a scratch on him. He had trusted his God. Then the king commanded that the conspirators who had informed on Daniel be thrown into the lions’ den. Before they hit the floor, the lions had them in their jaws, tearing them to pieces. King Darius decree that Daniel’s God was to be worshiped and feared in all parts of the kingdom. From then on, Daniel was treated well during the reign of Darius, and also in the following reign of Cyrus the Persian.  Compare and contrast these two stories. Identify at least three important things that are the same about the stories and three important things that are different about them.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Which story do you like best? Why?

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Wrapping up the sections on WISDOM and PROPHETS At our class on __________________________ we will have a test on our Wisdom and Prophets units. The test will include matching, short answer, and at least one essay. You will have some choice on which questions you will answer. Here is a list of the things you should know about for the test: o Be able to name the eight sections of the Bible we have discussed several times. o

Understand the place of the Wisdom books in the Bible. Be able to name all five.

What is "wisdom," according the Bible? There are two different answers

Understand the word "genre" and be able to name several from the Bible.

The story and meaning of the book of Job

Define "Theodicy" and explain some possible answers to it.

Psalms - how many? what were they used for? understand "parallelism."

Proverbs - written by whom? how do they define wisdom?

Ecclesiastes - "vanity;" Ozymandias; the author's best advice for life

Understand the place of the Prophets books in the Bible. Know there are 17 and be able to name 4.

Know "A little bit of history" about the fall of the Israelite kingdom

Prophets' role and their three main messages

Isaiah - his call; his messiah predictions,

Jeremiah - his call; the loss of the Temple; the "new covenant"

Ezekiel - his call; the wheels; the Valley of the Dry Bones

Daniel - Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the Fiery Furnace; Daniel and the Lion's Den

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PROJECT #3 – The Wisdom Books & the Prophets Due in class on _______________ As before, for this project you have two options: OPTION 1: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just completed, [in this case, Wisdom or Prophets, which includes everything between Job and Daniel] and in an essay of (at least) three paragraphs write about d. The background of the episode or idea – What book or books of the bible does this come from? What is the context/circumstances in which it appears? Who is involved? e. Retell the event or express the idea in your own words. f. Explain the “SO WHAT?” of the episode or idea. In other words, what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? Through a personal story or general description, apply that episode or idea to your own life. OR OPTION 2: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just [in this case, Wisdom or Prophets, which includes everything between Job and Daniel] and create an artistic depiction (painting, drawing, sculpture, diorama, graphic novelette, song, video) that captures what you think is/are the most important parts. Then, write at least one paragraph to explain the “SO WHAT?” of the event: what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God?

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THE GOSPELS REMEMBER... The Bible can be broken into EIGHT sections: THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. THE TORAH or PENTATEUCH - 5 books 2. HISTORY - 12 books 3. WISDOM - 5 books 4. THE PROPHETS - 17 books We are now beginning death, and resurrection.

THE NEW TESTAMENT 1. THE GOSPELS - 4 books 2. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - 1 book 3. THE LETTERS or EPISTLES - 20 books 4. THE REVELATION TO JOHN - 1 book

the GOSPEL section. This is the story about Jesus' life, Mat Mar Luk Joh the k e n w

"Gospel" means "good news;" the word was sometime used in Jesus' time to describe what a herald would tell to report a victory in a far-away battle to the folks back home. There are FOUR Gospels, all of which tell the story of Jesus, but not in the same way. Some of the versions include the same episodes, but told in different ways, and some episodes appear in only one or two of the versions.

 Why do you think there are four different Gospel versions in the Bible?

Here is a familiar episode that appears in all four versions, but told differently. Read each carefully: Matthew 14: 13 - 21 When Jesus learned that his friend John had been killed by Herod, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-theway place by himself. But someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick. Toward evening the disciples approached him. “We’re out in the country and it’s getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper.” But Jesus said, “There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper.” “All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said. Jesus said, “Bring them here.” Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed. Mark 6: 30 - 44 Jesus and the disciples they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them. When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.” Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.” CONTINUED Page #57 They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?” But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory.” That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus two fish.” Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate their fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five thousand were at the supper. Luke 9: 10 - 17 Jesus took the disciples away, off by themselves, near the town called Bethsaida. But the crowds got wind of it and followed. Jesus graciously welcomed them and talked to them about the kingdom of God. Those who needed healing, he healed. As the day declined, the Twelve said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.” “You feed them,” Jesus said.

They said, “We couldn’t scrape up more than five loaves of bread and a couple of fish—unless, of course, you want us to go to town ourselves and buy food for everybody.” (There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.) But he went ahead and directed his disciples, “Sit them down in groups of about fifty.” They did what he said, and soon had everyone seated. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread and fish to the disciples to hand out to the crowd. After the people had all eaten their fill, twelve baskets of leftovers were gathered up. John 6: 1- 15 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (some call it Tiberias). A huge crowd followed him, attracted by the miracles they had seen him do among the sick. When he got to the other side, he climbed a hill and sat down, surrounded by his disciples. It was nearly time for the Feast of Passover, kept annually by the Jews. When Jesus looked out and saw that a large crowd had arrived, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread to feed these people?” He said this to stretch Philip’s faith. He already knew what he was going to do. Philip answered, “Two hundred silver pieces wouldn’t be enough to buy bread for each person to get a piece.” One of the disciples—it was Andrew, brother to Simon Peter—said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” There was a nice carpet of green grass in this place. They sat down, about five thousand of them. Then Jesus took the bread and, having given thanks, gave it to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish. All ate as much as they wanted. When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted.” They went to work and filled twelve large baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves. The people realized that God was at work among them in what Jesus had just done. They said, “This is the Prophet for sure, God’s Prophet right here in Galilee!”  Which Gospel is the most different from the others? How would you describe its difference overall?

 Identify at least three things that are not the same in any of the Gospel versions of this episode.

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THE BIRTH NARRATIVES OF JESUS Perhaps nothing is more different between the Gospels than the story leading up to and including Jesus' birth, which is sometimes called the Nativity. We can learn a lot about what was important to each Gospel from studying these differences. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW Chapter 1 The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah: Abraham -> Isaac-> Jacob -> Judah .... -> (Tamar) ... -> (Ruth) -> Jesse -> David. David -> Solomon -> Rehoboam ... -> Hezekiah -> Manasseh -> Amos -> Josiah ... [the deportation to Babylon. ] And after the deportation to Babylon: ..... Eleazar -> Matthan -> Jacob -> Joseph the husband of Mary of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. The Birth of Jesus the Messiah Mary found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. An angel of the Lord appears to Joseph who did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took her as his wife. She had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. Chapter 2 The Visit of the Wise Men Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem... and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet." (Micah 5:2) Then Herod learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem. They set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. They offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Escape to Egypt An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream to warn him. Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’ The Massacre of the Infants When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children, she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’ The Return from Egypt When Herod died, Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’ Chapter 3 The Proclamation of John the Baptist

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK Chapter 1 The Proclamation of John the Baptist The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Page #59 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” ’, John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ The Baptism of Jesus In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ The Temptation of Jesus And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’ Jesus Calls the First Disciples As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE Chapter 1 Dedication to Theophilus I decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed. The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold Then there appeared to Zechariah an angel of the Lord. The angel said to him, ‘Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.' After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived. The Birth of Jesus Foretold In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to Mary, a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. He said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. You have found favor with God and you will bear a son, and you will name him Jesus' Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Mary Visits Elizabeth When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Mary’s Song of Praise And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, .... The Birth of John the Baptist On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’

Zechariah’s Prophecy Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: ‘You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways..."

Page #60 Chapter 2 The Birth of Jesus In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered... Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. .... While they were Mary gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger... The Shepherds and the Angels In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them and said to them, ‘I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord... When the angels had left them the shepherds went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. Jesus Is Named After eight days had passed, it was time to dedicate the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN Chapter 1 The Word Became Flesh In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. And the Word became flesh and lived among us... The Testimony of John the Baptist John confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord” ’, as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ The Lamb of God The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom

you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’ The First Disciples of Jesus The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).

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JESUS There is probably no more important - and complicated! - figure in all of human history than Jesus. Except for a few very small references to him in other historians' writings, almost all of the information we have about him comes from the books in the Bible. Most scholars believe the Gospels were written 40 or more years after Jesus' death because until then, the stories were just passed on orally. As can happen with oral stories, things might have been changed or added before they were written down. We are going to study Jesus through four lenses or perspectives: The life story of the man Jesus from Galilee; The teachings he offered through his words and through his life as an example; The miracles he is reported to have performed; The stories he told.

Jesus’ Life Story:

Childhood Besides the actual Nativity of Jesus, there are two stories about his childhood in the Bible: The story of Simeon and Anna from Luke 2: 25 - 38 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when Jesus' parents brought him in, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised; for my eyes have seen your salvation, whom you have prepared for all the world to see, a light to enlighten the nations and the glory of your people Israel.’ Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’ There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eightyfour. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came and also recognized

who Jesus was, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Why was Simeon waiting for someone like Jesus? CONTINUED

Page #62 The story of Jesus left behind in the Temple from Luke 2: 25 - 38 Now every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.  Why do you think Mary and Joseph "not understand" Jesus' answer to them in the temple.

 Write a little story from your own imagination from Jesus' childhood. It should be at least 8 sentences long.

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Jesus’ Life Story:

Baptism & Temptation John the Baptist: The Gospel According to Mark 1: 4 - 11 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ Jesus' Baptism: The Gospel According to Mathew 3: 13 - 17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ Jesus' Temptations: The Gospel According to Luke 4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was starving. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’ Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’ Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.  In one or two sentences, describe what kind of a guy you think John the Baptist was, besides his appearance.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What do you think Jesus meant when he said to John. "[You should baptize me because ] it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness."?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; About what three things did Satan tempt Jesus? Try to think symbolically rather than literally.

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Jesus’ Life Story:

Calling the Disciples Matthew 4: 18 - 22 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him Luke 5: 27 - 32 After this Jesus went out and saw a tax-collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up, left everything, and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax-collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax-collectors and sinners?’ Jesus answered, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.’ Luke 19: 1 - 10 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but because of the crowd he could not, because he was a short man. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because Jesus was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’  What similarities do you notice between these three stories?

 What kind of people were the people Jesus spoke to and called to be his particular helpers in ministry?

 Look up definitions for the words "disciple" and "apostle." What is the difference?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Research and write here the names of Jesus' original 12 apostles.

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Jesus’ Life Story: Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem & Cleansing the Temple Matthew 21 & Luke 19 Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’ Jesus Cleanses the Temple Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers.’ Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.  Why is the Sunday before Easter called "Palm" Sunday?

 Why do you think the Pharisees told Jesus to order his disciples to stop shouting?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; We hardly ever see Jesus angry, except in the second story here. Why was Jesus so mad?

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Jesus’ Life Story:

The Last Supper John 13 & Luke 22 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, Jesus directed the disciples to prepare the Passover meal. Now, Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Master, you wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.” Peter persisted, “You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!” Jesus said, “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I’m doing.” “Master!” said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!” Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. Afterwards, Jesus took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’

 Why were Jesus and the disciples celebrating the Passover?

 Why do you think Jesus washed his disciple's feet?

 What did Jesus mean by, "Do this in remembrance of me."?

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Jesus’ Life Story:

Betrayal & Arrest Matthew 26 The chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, ‘Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.’ Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I betray him to you?’ They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. Back among the disciples, Jesus said to them, ‘You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’ Peter said to him, ‘Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ Peter said, ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And so said all the disciples. Then Jesus went to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing me. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want, but what you want!” When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stay awake with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” He then left them a second time. Again he prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done." When he came back, he again found them sound asleep. They simply couldn’t keep their eyes open. This time he let them sleep on, and went back a third time to pray, saying the same words. When he came back the next time, he said, “Are you going to sleep on and make a night of it? My time is up, the Son of Man is about to be handed over to the hands of sinners. Get up! My betrayer is here.” The words were barely out of his mouth when Judas showed up, and with him a gang from the high priests and religious leaders brandishing swords and clubs. Judas had worked out a sign with them: “The one I kiss, that’s the one—seize him.” He went straight to Jesus, greeted him, “How are you, Rabbi?” and kissed him. Jesus said, “Friend, do what you are here to do.’ Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. One of those with Jesus pulled his sword and, taking a swing at the Chief Priest’s servant, cut off his ear.

Jesus said, “Put your sword back where it belongs. All who live by the sword are destroyed by the sword.

Then Jesus addressed the mob: “What is this—coming out after me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I CONTINUED Page #68 have been sitting in the Temple teaching, and you never so much as lifted a hand against me. You’ve done it this way to confirm and fulfill the prophetic writings.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. Later, near the prison was Jesus was being kept for questioning, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus the Galilean.’ But he denied it before all of them, saying, ‘I do not know what you are talking about.’ When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, ‘This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ Again he denied it with an oath, ‘I do not know the man.’ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.’ Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know the man!’ At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: ‘Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.  Lots of people betrayed Jesus in this story, abandoning him in his time of need. Identify at least three of them and describe how they let Jesus down.

 Have you ever felt betrayed, abandoned, or let down by someone you were counting on? wrote about it in at least five sentences.

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Jesus’ Life Story:

The "Passion" Luke 23 and Matthew 27 The assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, all took Jesus to Pilate and began to bring up charges against him. They said, “We found this man undermining our law and order, forbidding taxes to be paid to Caesar, setting himself up as Messiah-King.” Pilate asked him, “Is this true that you’re ‘King of the Jews’?” “Those are your words, not mine,” Jesus replied. Pilate told the high priests and the crowd, “I find nothing wrong. He seems harmless enough to me.” It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd. At the time, they had the infamous Barabbas in prison. With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?” He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him. While court was still in session, Pilate’s wife sent him a message: “Don’t get mixed up in judging this noble man. I’ve just been through a long and troubled night because of a dream about him.” Meanwhile, the high priests and religious leaders had talked the crowd into asking for the pardon of Barabbas and the execution of Jesus. The governor asked, “Which of the two do you want me to pardon?” They said, “Barabbas!” “Then what do I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?” They all shouted, “Crucify him!” He objected, “But for what crime?” But they kept shouting back, “Crucify! Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was imminent, he took a basin of water and washed his hands in full sight of the crowd, saying, “I’m washing my hands of responsibility for this man’s death. From now on, it’s in your hands.” Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion. As they led him off, they made Simon, a man from Cyrene who happened to be coming in from the countryside, carry the cross behind Jesus. A huge crowd of people followed, along with women weeping and carrying on. Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution. When they got to the place called Skull Hill, they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they’re doing.”

Dividing up his clothes, they threw dice for them. The people stood there staring at Jesus, and the ringleaders made faces, taunting, â&#x20AC;&#x153;He saved others. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CONTINUED

Page #70 see him save himself! The Messiah of God—ha! The Chosen—ha!” The soldiers also came up and poked fun at him, making a game of it. They toasted him with sour wine: “So you’re King of the Jews! Save yourself!” Printed over him was a sign: This is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!” But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.” By now it was noon. The whole earth became dark, the darkness lasting three hours—a total blackout. The Temple curtain split right down the middle. Jesus called loudly, “Father, into your life I commend my spirit!” Then he breathed his last. When the centurion there saw what happened, he honored God: “This man was innocent!”  How does this story make you feel? Why?

 Why did the assembly of the elders want Jesus executed? Why did the people (loudly) agree?

 Why did Pilate decide to have Jesus executed?

 I suspect you knew this story before, or at least part of it. What parts of the story were the biggest surprise for you? That is, which parts did you know the least about before you read this?

 Which character in the story, besides Jesus, seems the most interesting? In other words, which character do you wish you knew more about? Why that character?

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Jesus’ Life Story:

The Resurrection Jesus' Burial: Luke 23 A man named of Joseph of Arimathea (not Mary's husband) was a member of the Jewish High Council who had not gone along with the plans and actions of the council. His hometown was the Jewish village. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Taking him down from the cross, he wrapped him in a linen shroud and placed him in a tomb newly chiseled into the rock, a tomb never yet used. The women who had been companions of Jesus from Galilee followed along. They saw the tomb where Jesus’ body was placed. Then they went back to rest quietly on the Sabbath, as commanded. Two versions of the Resurrection Story Luke 24 On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the same women came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. John 20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know CONTINUED Page #72 where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.  What is most similar about the two versions of the resurrection story given here?

 What difference do you think is most important? Why?

 Why do you think Mary Magdalene did not recognize Jesus at first?

 What happened that caused her to recognize him?

 Which version do you like best? Why?

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Wrapping up the sections on The Gospels & The Life of Jesus At our class on __________________________ we will have a test on our Gospel overview and our Life of Jesus unit. The test will include matching, short answer, and at least one essay. You will have some choice on which questions you will answer. Here is a list of the things you should know about for the test: o

Be able to name the eight sections of the Bible we have discussed several times.

Understand the place of the Gospel books in the Bible. Be able to name all four.

What does the word "gospel," mean?

Understand the advantages of having four different gospels.

The story of Simeon and Anna

The story of when Jesus was left behind in the Temple.

Jesus' Baptism (including John the Baptist)

The temptation in the wilderness

The disciples and their call (you should know the names of three of the apostles, and that there were 12)

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem ("Palm" Sunday)

The "Cleansing" of the Temple

The Last Supper

Jesus' betrayal and arrest (Judas and Peter)

The "Passion" (Pilate, Barabbas, Simon of Cyrene, the two thieves)

The Resurrection

Christ driving the traders from the temple

by El Greco, completed in1576

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PROJECT #4 – Jesus' Life Story Due in class on _______________ As before, for this project you have two options: OPTION 1: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just completed, [in this case, something from the life of Jesus - NOTE you may NOT choose the birth narrative or the crucifixion] and in an essay of (at least) three paragraphs write about a. The background of the episode or idea – What book or books of the bible does this come from? What is the context/circumstances in which it appears? Who is involved? b. Retell the event or express the idea in your own words. c. Explain the “SO WHAT?” of the episode or idea. In other words, what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? Through a personal story or general description, apply that episode or idea to your own life. OR OPTION 2: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just [in this case, something from the life of Jesus NOTE you may NOT choose the birth narrative or the crucifixion] and create an artistic depiction (painting, drawing, sculpture, diorama, graphic novelette, song, video) that captures what you think is/are the most important parts. Then, write at least one paragraph to explain the “SO WHAT?” of the event: what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? It is usually a good idea to tell me what you plan to do your project on before you start to make sure you are not working on something outside of our unit, or trying to tackle a bigger topic than you need to.

The Crucifixion by Giotto, completed 1320

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Jesus as a Teacher We have considered the story of the life of Jesus from the Bible looking mostly at the events as described in the Gospel. Now we are going to consider the teachings he did through his words and through the example of the way he led his life. Leading by Example: Mark 2: 15 - 17 As Jesus sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax-collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. When the scribes and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax-collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’ Matthew 19: 13 - 15 One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.” After laying hands on them, he left.  What is Jesus trying to teach us through these two experiences? Give an answer for each story.

 Have you learned something by someone else's example? Describe what happened and what you learned.

The Greatest Commandment: Matthew 22 The Pharisees gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked Jesus a question to test him. ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ Jesus said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What does Jesus mean by "All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments?

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Jesus’ Teachings about

LOVE Matthew 5:38 - 42 Jesus said, ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. Luke 6: 27 - 33 Jesus said, ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. Matthew 7:1 - 5 Jesus said, ‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. When Jesus talks about "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" he is recalling Leviticus 24: 17 - 21: Anyone who kills a human being shall be put to death. Anyone who kills an animal shall make restitution for it, life for life. Anyone who maims another shall suffer the same injury in return: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; the injury inflicted is the injury to be suffered.  Express in other words what "an eye for an eye" means.

 Why is "an eye for an eye" actually a pretty good legal code? How is it, in fact, somewhat merciful?

 With what is Jesus replacing the "eye for an eye" code here?

 Which code do you think is better? Why?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What does the word "hypocrite" mean?

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Jesus’ Teachings about

PRAYER Luke 11 Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Abba, Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.’ And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’ Luke 18: 1- 8 Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” ’ And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’  Identify three main ideas in the prayer Jesus taught, called "The Lord's Prayer."

 What does "persistence" mean, and how is it relevant to what Jesus is teaching here about prayer?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Jesus compares God to two different people in these passages. What qualities do both the people have in common?

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Jesus’ Teachings about

MONEY Matthew 6: 19 - 21 Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 22: 17 - 22 To try to trap Jesus, the Pharisees said to him, "Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius coin. Then he said to them, "Whose head is on this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor’s." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s." When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. Matthew 19: 16 - 26 Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Jesus said, “Why do you question me about what’s good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you.” The man asked, “What in particular?” Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.” The young man said, “I’ve done all that. What’s left?” “There is one last thing,” Jesus replied, “go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.” That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go. As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom? Let me tell you, it’s easier to pass a camel through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom.” The disciples were staggered. “Then who has any chance at all?” Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”

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Page #79 Mark 12: 41 - 44 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’

 Explain in your own words what "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" means.

 Explain in your own words what "Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are God’s " means.

 Why do you think Jesus thought that, "It’s easier to pass a camel through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom." ?

 Do you think that is true? Why or why not?

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Jesus’ Teachings:

The Beatitudes The most famous teachings of Jesus came from a section of Matthew called "The Sermon on the Mount" which begins with this somewhat cryptic list of "blessed are...." statements. Together they are called the Beatitudes: Matthew 5: 1 - 11 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 ‘Blessed are those who thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  What do you think Jesus meant by "the poor in spirit" in verse 3?

 What does "meek" (verse 5) mean? Do you think meekness is a good thing? Why or why not?

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Do you think all of the "reward" for being meek, merciful, pure in heart, persecuted, a peacemaker, or one who thirsts for righteousness comes after death - or is there an earthly advantage to these things?

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Jesus as a Miracle Worker We have considered the events of Jesus' life as described in the Gospel as well as his teaching. Now we are going to consider the miracles described in the Gospel stories.  Here are three words used to describe these amazing acts. Explain what each word means, in your own words: MIRACLES: WONDERS: SIGNS: In this class we will be interpreting the miracles not simply as events but as signs or messages about God, about Jesus, and about our relationship with them. Jesus' first reported miracle in the Gospel of John is found in chapter 2: The Wedding at Cana Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also. When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus’ mother told him, “They’re just about out of wine.” Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.” Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim. “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host,” Jesus said, and they did. When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!”  Why do you think this is the first miracle? What message or sign did Jesus deliver?

Earlier we read about another famous miracle: The Feeding of the 5000. Turn back to page ___ in this book to review it. ď&#x192;&#x2DC; What message or sign do you think Jesus was trying to deliver in performing that miracle?

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Jesus’ Miracles:

On the Sea Two of Jesus miracles are reported to have occurred on the sea of Galilee. Calming the Storm: Mark 4: 35 - 41 Late one day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the sea of Galilee.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?” Awake now, he told the wind to calm down and said to the sea, “Silence!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?” They were in absolute awe. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Even the wind and sea obey him!" Walking on Water: Matthew 14:22-33 As soon as dinner was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side on the sea while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their wits. “It's a ghost!” they said, crying out in terror. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Don’t be afraid. It is I” Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come to me, Peter.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” Jesus immediately reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, “‘Truly you are the Son of God!”  What is different about these two stories? What is the same?

 Why do you think Peter wanted to join Jesus on the water?

 What message or sign do you think Jesus was trying to deliver in performing these miracles? Page #83 Due in class on _____________________

Jesus’ Miracles:

Healing Jesus is said to have healed many different people of many different diseases: blindness, leprosy, "fits", bleeding, and many more. Here are three stories of healing: Healing the Paralytic: Mark 2 Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. Some people brought a paralyzed man to him, carried by four men. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paralytic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paralytic, “I forgive your sins.” Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, “He can’t talk that way! That’s blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins.” Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, “Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking’? Turning to the man before him, Jesus said, “Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home.” And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this! The Demoniac and the Swine. Mark 5: 1 - 20 Jesus and the disciples arrived on the other side of the sea of Galilee, in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones. When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—then bellowed in protest, “What business do you have with me, Jesus, Son of the High God?” Jesus asked him, “Tell me your name.”

He replied, “My name is Legion. I’m a rioting mob.” Then he desperately begged Jesus not to banish them from the country. A large herd of pigs was browsing and rooting on a nearby hill. The demons begged him, “Send us to the pigs so we can live in them.” Jesus gave the order. Crazed, the pigs stampeded over a cliff into the sea and drowned. Those tending the pigs, scared to death, bolted and told their story in town and country. Everyone wanted to see what had happened. They came up to Jesus and saw the madman sitting there wearing decent clothes and making sense, no longer a walking madhouse of a man. CONTINUED Page #84 Those who had seen it told the others what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs. At first they were in awe—and then they were upset. They demanded that Jesus leave and not come back. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn’t let him. Jesus said, “Go home. Tell your people your story, what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.” The Woman with the Hemorrhage: Mark 5: 21 - 34 After Jesus crossed over by boat, a large crowd met him at the seaside. A Jesus walked along, the whole crowd tagging along, pushing and jostling him. A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before— had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well.” The moment she did it, the she was healed. She could feel the change and knew her sorrow was over and done with. At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” His disciples said, “What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you’re asking, ‘Who touched me?’ Dozens have touched you!” But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, stepped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed.”  Think about the three people in these stories who were healed. What did they all have in common?

 Describe the thoughts and feelings you had when you were once very sick. If you haven't been, imagine it.

 Which story do you like best? Why?

 Do you know of another Jesus healing story? Identify it here:

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Jesus’ Miracles:

Raising the Dead On two occasions, Jesus is credited with bringing dead people back to life. Raising Jairus' Daughter: Mark 5: 21 - 43 and Luke 8: 40 - 56 On his return from across the sea of Galilee, Jesus was welcomed by a crowd. They were all there expecting him. A man came up, Jairus by name. He was president of the meeting place. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his home because his twelve-year-old daughter, his only child, was dying. Jesus went with him, making his way through the pushing, jostling crowd. [It is here that the story of the woman with the hemorrhage we read last class appears.] While Jesus was still talking, some people came from the leader’s house and told him, “Your daughter is dead. No need now to bother the Teacher .” Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, Don’t be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right.” Going into the house, he wouldn’t let anyone enter with him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s parents. “ They entered the leader’s house and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: “Why all this busybody grief and gossip? This child isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.” Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. But when he had sent them all out, he took the child’s father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child’s room. He clasped the girl’s hand and said, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up.” She was up in an instant, up and breathing again! He told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were ecstatic, but Jesus warned them to keep quiet. “Don’t tell a soul what happened in this room.” Raising Lazarus: John 11 A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany. He was the brother of Jesus' friends, Mary and Martha, and known to Jesus. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Master, the one you love so very much is sick.” When Jesus got the message, he said, “This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son.” Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, but oddly, when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed on where he was for two more days. After the two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.vOur friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I’m going to wake him up.” The disciples said, “Master, if he’s gone to sleep, he’ll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine.” Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap. Then Jesus became explicit: “Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn’t there. You’re about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let’s go to him.”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE Page #86 When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house. Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.” Jesus said, “Your brother will be raised up.” Martha replied, “I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time.” “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all." Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, “Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing. He said, “Where did you put him?” “Master, come and see,” they said. Now Jesus wept. The Jews said, “Look how deeply he loved him.” Others among them said, “Well, if he loved him so much, why didn’t he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man.” Then Jesus arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, “Master, by this time there’s a stench. He’s been dead four days!” Jesus looked her in the eye. “Do not fear; only believe.” Then, to the others, “Go ahead, take away the stone.” They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, “Father, I’m grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I’ve spoken so that they might believe that you sent me.” Then he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him loose.”  What is the same about these two stories, besides that Jesus brought each person back from death?

 What is different?

 What message or sign do you think Jesus was trying to deliver in performing these miracles? Page #87 _____________________

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Jesus as a Story Teller:

The Parables The stories Jesus told are called parables. A parable is a particular kind of story that  uses familiar things in the telling like a vineyard or a pearl or two brothers  teaches one or more lessons or morals  includes a twist or surprise in which the most important lesson is usually contained One thing is very important about parables: There is NO SINGLE "correct" meaning of a parable. In fact, parables are intended to be complicated so that figuring them out for you is part of their purpose, part of how they help you grow. In fact, the Gospels almost never explain the parables. One exception is The Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13 Jesus he told the crowds that followed him many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’ The disciples came and asked Jesus, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: “You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.  What do you think the seeds might represent in this story?  What were the four different things that happened to the different seeds and what might each represent?

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #88 Jesus continued, "Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’"  What did Jesus say the seed was?

 Who do you think the sower is supposed to represent?

 What is the "surprise" or "twist" in this parable?

 Can you think of a different interpretation of the parable than the one Jesus gave?

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Jesus as a Story Teller:

The Kingdom of Heaven Please read the following five short parables from Matthew 13: Jesus put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.  What is yeast? Do a little research to find out.

ď&#x192;&#x2DC; Pick one of these parables and explain what you think it means.

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Jesus as a Story Teller:

Finding the Lost Please read the following three parables from Luke 15 The Lost Sheep Jesus told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. The Lost Coin ‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’ The Prodigal Son Then Jesus said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, give me now the share of the property that will belong to me.”’ “So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There he wasted everything he had with parties and fast living. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he grew very hungry. He finally got a job slopping the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any. “That brought him to his senses. He said, ‘All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father. “When he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. His heart pounding with joy, he ran out, embraced his son, and kissed him. The son started his speech: ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.’ “But the father was too happy to listen to apologies. He was calling to the servants, ‘Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to feast! For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!”’ And they began to celebrate.

“All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast because he has him home safe and sound.’ CONTINUED Page #91 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on fast living shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and now he’s found!’”  The Gospels depict Jesus telling these three parables in a row. What do they have to do with each other?

 What is the surprise or twist common to all three stories?

 What overall message do you think Jesus is trying to teach with these parables?

 What do you make of the older brother in the Prodigal Son story - do you agree with him? Why or why not?

 Why do you think he is in the story?

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Jesus as a Story Teller:

What is due? Please read the following parables from Matthew: The Parable of the Talents Matthew 25: 14 - 30 Jesus said, ‘A man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ‘The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ‘After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ‘The one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ‘Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” ‘But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  What do you think the word "talent" means in the context of this story?

 What does the word "talent" mean to us today?

 What meaning can you make about this parable based on the double meaning of "talent"?

CONTINUE TO NEXT PAGE Page #93 The Parable of the Wicked Tenants: Matthew 21: 33 - 41 Jesus said, ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ Jesus' listeners said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’  Explain what you think each of the following might represent in this parable and explain why:  the landowner



the vineyard



the wicked tenants

ď&#x192;&#x2DC;

the landowner's son

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Jesus as a Story Teller:

Who is my neighbor? Please read the following two parables The Parable of the Good Samaritan: Luke 10: 25- 37 A religion scholar stood up with a question. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?” Jesus answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?” He said, “Lord your God with all that you are, and that you love your neighbor as yourself.” “Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you shall live.” Looking for a loophole, the scholar asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?” Jesus replied. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also crossed the street to avoid the injured man. “A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’ “What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?” “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, “Go and do the same.” The Sheep and the Goats: Matthew 25: 31- 46 Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. “Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. ’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was

it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? ’ "And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of my children, you did it to me.’ "  Identify the surprise or twist in each of these parables and explain what message you think they are trying to teach.

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Wrapping up the sections on

Jesus as Teacher, Miracle Worker, and Story Teller At our class on __________________________ we will have a test on our Jesus as Teacher, Miracle Worker, and Story Teller The test will include matching, short answer, and at least one essay. You will have some choice on which questions you will answer. Here is a list of the things you should know about for the test: o

Why did Jesus hang around with and eat with sinners?

What was Jesus' attitude toward children?

According to Jesus, what is the Greatest Commandment?

Explain how Jesus taught mercy to temper justice.

Understand the important themes of the Lord's Prayer

What was Jesus' attitude toward money?

What were the Beatitudes? Name three.

Name three different words for Jesus' miraculous deeds and know what each means.

o Be familiar with the stories of The Wedding at Cana, Feeding the 5000, Calming the Storm, Walking on Water, Healing the Paralytic, The Demoniac and the Swine, The Woman with the Hemorrhage, Raising Jairus' Daughter, and Raising Lazarus. Have an idea what you think each is trying to show about Jesus, about God, and/or about our relationship with God. o

Know the three characteristics of a parable

o Be familiar with the parables of The Sower, The Mustard Seed, The Yeast, The Buried Treasure, The Pearl of Great Price, The Net Full of Fish of Every Kind, The Lost Sheep and Coin, The Prodigal Son, The Talents, The Wicked Tenants, The Good Samaritan, The Sheep and the Goats.

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PROJECT #5 – Jesus' Message Due in class on _______________ As before, for this project you have two options: OPTION 1: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just completed, [in this case, choose a miracle, teaching, or parable] and in an essay of (at least) three paragraphs write about d. The background of the episode or idea – What book or books of the bible does this come from? What is the context/circumstances in which it appears? Who is involved? e. Retell the event or express the idea in your own words. f. Explain the “SO WHAT?” of the episode or idea. In other words, what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? Through a personal story or general description, apply that episode or idea to your own life. OR OPTION 2: Select one episode or idea from the unit we have just , [in this case, choose a miracle, teaching, or parable]and create an artistic depiction (painting, drawing, sculpture, diorama, graphic novelette, song, video) that captures what you think is/are the most important parts. Then, write at least one paragraph to explain the “SO WHAT?” of the event: what do you think the episode or idea means to you? What is God trying to say to you in it? Why is it important to you? Why should anyone know about this? What does it say about our relationship with God? It is usually a good idea to tell me what you plan to do your project on before you start to make sure you are not working on something outside of our unit, or trying to tackle a bigger topic than you need to.

The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834–1890)

Sixth Grade Religion End of Year Essay Due on class on ________ As our year together draws to a close, let us remember what our goals for this class were:  To think more carefully about and talk/write about our own religious beliefs and spiritual self.  To learn better how to read the Bible and apply it to your own religious and spiritual journey.  To become familiar with the structure of the Bible and many of the stories, ideas, and themes of the Christian Old Testament and the story of Jesus in the Gospels.  To improve your student skills of meeting obligations, reading, writing, and presenting.  To develop thinking skills of comparing, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating.  To develop interpersonal skills of listening, discussing, and collaborating. I hope you feel, as I do, that you have made progress towards these goals. You might also return to page 4 of this book to see your hopes and expectations for the class.

As a conclusion to the year, I would like for you to write an essay reflecting on what you have encountered in this course. You are to write an essay of at least 350 words (which is about one side of a page typed, double spaced, or two sides if handwritten) that reflects on your learning, your growth, and/or your spiritual journey. You might find one or more of the following questions helpful, but you need not answer any of them. 

What stories, events, characters, and ideas were most meaningful to you? Why?



Has what you have learned that has informed, guided, or supported some of your own religious thinking? How so?



What surprised you of the things we read from the bible? What surprised you in the things we discussed in this course? What did that surprise cause you to think about more deeply?



What questions do you have about things you learned in religion this year?

There are no “right” answers here; your grade for this assignment will be based on how thoughtful you are in your paper.