
Anyone care to take a stab at them? This was just one part of the exam (pick two essays for 20 points each).They aren’t the best, I know, so I would be interested in any suggestions you all might have for additional questions. The goal was to have one per canonical section (Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim) and to have them be rather broad, requiring the students to bring together many different strands and thoughts from across the Hebrew Bible and their studies.
1. Discuss how Genesis 1-3 forms a “theological preface” to the Tanakh (i.e., the whole Bible) and demonstrate through examples how other passages of the Bible exemplify this. E.g. Isaiah’s assertion that the Lord God is god of all creation.
2. In what way do prophets like an Amos and Hosea assume that the Lord is God of all people and creation? Cite passages to demonstrate your assertions. You may refer prophets other than Amos and Hosea (by all means!). HINT: this is an essay about monotheism and its effects on one’s world view.
3. What are the two main sections of Daniel, what kind of literature is found in each, and what is the primary message of each section? (Hint: this will involve a discussion of the possible dates of composition.)
3 thoughts on “Final exam essay questions”
Ummm, is the answer to #3 Hebrew and Aramaic? ha!
After just finishing my Ph.D. comps (see my blog, click my name), my mind is a little mush.
I would say the answer to Q 3 is visions and dreams and the kind of literature is Narrative and the message: Fleeting world empires will be replaced by a permanent Messianic Kingdom
Off the top of my head: 1) order, 2) idolatry, 3) apocalyptic.
What’s my grade? 🙂
These are good questions though. It makes the student tie the crux of the Hebrew bible together. I see the central conflict as between God’s ordering activity which includes righteousness, holiness, etc. and humanity’s rejection of that order through idolatry. That shoots right through the NT making Daniel and Revelation a nice complement to each other.