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BT501 BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION FINAL EXAM

___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________
Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry

NAME

I. Biblical Narrative (10 points)


A. What insight does God as Hero bring to narrative interpretation?
B. What impact might God as Hero have on the contemporary reader?
C. What are the negative consequences of omitting God as Hero in interpretation?
Answer:
The biblical narratives tell us that it is Gods story, and it becomes ours as he
writes us into it. Thus the biblical narratives tell the ultimate story, which even
though often complex, is utterly true and crucially important. It is a magnificent
story, grander than the greatest epic, richer in plot and more significant in its
characters and descriptions than any humanly composed story could even be.
We could read Biblical story that God is the protagonist, Satan(or evil
people/powers) are the antagonists, and Gods people are the agonists.
To know the God as Hero helped us to see the grand perspective of the Bible
narrative. The metanarrative has to do with the whole universal plan of God
worked out through his creation. We will read it as the story of redemption.
To the contemporary readers, knowing God as Hero will help them to understand
Bible and apply the Bible narratives. For example, when Jesus taught that the
Scriptures testify about me(John 5:39), he was speaking the ultimate, top level
of the narrative, in which his atonement was the central act, the subjection of all
creation to him is the climax of its plot.
To miss this dimension of the narrative is to miss the perspective of the narrative
altogether. And precisely because of these explicit statements about Gods
presence in the narrative, we should constantly be aware of Gods presence in
more implicit ways(e.g. the source of Jospephs dream)
II. OT Narrative (5 points)
A. What level of OT narrative is most likely to contain history without precedence?
B. What is the importance of the lowest level of OT narrative?
Answer
The top (third) level of the OT narrative is most likely to contain history without
precedence. It has to do with the whole universal plan of God worked out through his creation.
The key aspects of the plot at this top level are the initial creation itself, the fall of humanity,
the power and ubiquity of sin, the need for redemption, and Christs incarnation and sacrifice.
The lowest level of OT narratives makes up the other two levels. The smaller units
make up the larger narrative. As we read the Biblical narratives, we should keep in mind that
these first level narratives fit into the second and third levels of the biblical story.
III. HISTORICAL PRECEDENCE (5 points)
A. What is the importance of historic precedence in descriptive truth?
B. Cite examples of historical precedence in descriptive truth.
Answers:
The historic precedence in descriptive truth does not function in a normative way, only
the prescriptive truth does. However, the importance of historic precedence in descriptive
truth is that it helps us to know the Christian experience and Christian practice.
Examples of historical precedence in descriptive truth are: frequency of The Lords
Supper, the mode of the baptism, frequency of Christians meeting together
IV. SCRIPTURE EXERCISES (60 TOTAL points)
Interpret the three scriptures below.
Produce one or two sentences, stating the central proposition (meaning) of each text.

BT501 BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION FINAL EXAM


___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________
Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry
For each selected scripture:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

NAME

Show lexical-syntactical work (meaning of the text)


Apply cultural-historical contextualization (meaning in the context)
Compare the results with your personal biblical theology (meaning toward us)
Demonstrate historical precedence where applicable
Consider the concepts of God as Hero and Powerful Grace where appropriate
Beware of personal prejudice, assumption, and presupposition

Hebrews 4:12-16 (20 SECTION points)


The literary form of Hebrews is epistle, the development of the authors theme is through
the comparing Jesus with the angels, Moses, pointing out God prepared a Sabbath-rest for
the people of God, declaring the Jesus is Son of God, greater than the High Priest, calling
the believers to approach the throne with confidence. We can see the natural division of
therefore to show the authors conclusion. The word sympathize means to
understand, know.
The writer is not given in the biblical text itself, however it was speaks of Timothy as
brother, it was written to the Hebrew Christians who may have been considering a return
to Judaism, to present the sufficiency and superiority of Christ.
It tells us that Jesus was both God and human.
Because the word of God can know our hearts, God can know everything including our
attitude and heart, and he already told us in the Bible he will give us another Sabbath-rest, we
should be confident come to God because of Jesus the son of God who is our sinless high
priest, who can understand our weakness because he also has been tempted.
Psalms 41: 10&11 (20 SECTION points)
It is a psalm of David, the purpose of Psalms is to provide poetry for the expression of praise,
worship and confession of God.
the Psalmist asked Gods mercy and revenge over the enemies, and declaring Gods favor on
him.
The context told us the psalmist was surrounded by the enemies and his own sins, he
admitted God was his help and his deliverer , He admitted that God will protect those who are
caring for the weak, he first counted and remind himself that Gods favor on those who cared
for the weak, and then he shared his difficulties , then he called help from God, and finally he
gave praise to God.
God is a righteous God, he will help those who search him in Truth and spirit. He will finally
judge and punish the evil.
Though in this world, there were unjust, however God is the final judge, in the end, he will
judge the evil . Those who are waiting for the LORD and expecting his salvation will be saved.
In this Psalms, David showed Gods favor on him, not because he is more righteous than
others, but because he was depending on God. we could see this through Gods eternal plan
to save the human beings through Jesus Christ. He chose Israel and David because of his own
goodness and plan.

Romans 12:1&2 (20 SECTION points)


Romans was written by Paul to introduce Paul to the Romans and to give a sample of his
message before he arrives in Rome. It was written about 57AD from Corinth, as Paul was

BT501 BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION FINAL EXAM


NAME
___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________
Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry
preparing for his visit to Jerusalem. it was written to the Christians in Rome and believers
everywhere.
The text called for the Christians to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to worship God and to
renew their mind to be transformed so that they will know Gods will is perfect and good for
them.
The context showed us that Paul first explained Gods grace to all the human being in the
salvation of Jesus Christ. Then He called us who know Gods mercy and love to live a life to
worship God.
We are responsible to renew our mind with the knowledge of Gods love through Christ, to be
transformed according to his image to give glory to God.
V. THE LORDS SUPPER (20 points)
Identify the major biblical texts concerning the Lords Supper. Then, identify the important
hermeneutical issues and principles that must be addressed and employed in interpreting
them.
Write a brief theological conclusion of your thought.
Answers :
Major Biblical texts:
Exodus 12:1-30, Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:15-17, 1
Corinthians 11:24-34
To interpret them, readers should be aware of their own presuppositions. There are many
disagreement caused by different interpretations. Their own cultural and historical
background will surely influence their interpretation of the texts. Almost all the people bring
themselves into the text when we read and interpret them, which is so called eisegesis. All
of us read the Texts from our own background, social class, formal knowledge and influences
of other books and authors. We are all influenced by the historical interpretation of the texts
also.
For example, In the history, Thomas Aquinas formulated a formal doctrine of
transubstantiation largely by means of appropriating the philosophical categories of Aristotle.
The complete substance of the bread is converted into the complete substance of Christs
body, and the complete substance of the wine into the complete substance of Christs blood.
But the change is not in form but in substance. Thus the visible accidents remain bread and
wine.
Luther, more than Calvin, Zwingli, emphasized that in the Holy Communion the bread and the
wine is the real flesh and real blood of Christ, but against Aquinas he maintained that it also
remains real bread and real wine. In his critique of Zwingli, Luther maintains that this is my
body is the is of synecdoche, namely that the reality of Christ is so nearly identical with the
vehicle of bread and wine that these may be identified with the latter without
misrepresentation. Lither believed that he did not dissent from Rome about the real presence
of Christ in the Eucharist, only on whether the mode of Christs presence could be so
specifically described as a required doctrine.
Most Christians interpret the Lords Supper as a Christian Ordinance. They already have
brought presuppositions into this sacrament. It is actually a sacrament that was continued on
by Christ from the OT. In Exodus 12, there is written the rules regarding the Passover. Jesus
himself commanded it when they celebrated the Passover festival, therefore it is clearly that
Jesus himself continued the observance of the Passover, however with his own interpretation.
Jesus was telling that He is the Passover Lamb. The Passover of the OT was physical and
temporal, however the Passover that Jesus shared with his disciples that night and for all that

BT501 BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION FINAL EXAM


NAME
___Chenbing_______2009122252_________________
Drs. M. Chung and K. Quesinberry
came after established more than a physical partaking. He established an identity. By taking
in the bread and wine the partaker of the sacrament now forever holds with themselves the
sacrifice of the lamb. The Blood of Lamb of the doorpost of their hearts, the blood of Jesus
split for them on the cross.
Here for the interpretation of the Lords Supper, it is very crucial to decide whether to treat
the texts literally or metaphorically. When Jesus said this is my body, the readers need to
determine whether He means physical, spiritual or just a representation.
The Synoptic Gospels make direct reference to the Lords Supper but John only indirectly
made a reference in Chapter 6:53-59. Paul makes note of this sacrament in 1 Corinthians.
The difficulties in the application of the Sacrament are that whether the laity can administer it
or only the ordained. And also the issues who can partake and what kind of elements are to
be used.
Therefore, in my thought, to interpret the Lords Supper correctly, one needs to consider and
wise to see the connection between the OT and NT, How the theme of the Passover fits and
continues in to the NT. I myself read it that Jesus was not telling the disciples that he became
the bread and wine when they celebrate the Lords Supper, but just as he said, do this in
memory of me, and knowing that He has shed his blood for our sins.

EXTRA CREDIT: DEFINE GENERAL HERMENEUTICS


General hermeneutics is the study of those rules that govern interpretation of the entire
biblical text.

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