Chapters 8 & 9 (Context & Essay Questions)
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Context Questions
1 (a) “Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, where it was stepped on and the birds ate it up.” Luke 8 : 5
What did the seed represent in this parable ? [1m]
The seed represented the word of God.
On what other types of ground did the seed fall and what happened to the plants that grew from them ? [4m]
- some fell along the path where it was stepped on birds ate it up.
- some fell on rocky ground, and when the plants sprouted, they dried up because the soil has no moisture.
- Some seeds fell among bushes, which grew up with the plants and these choked them.
- some fell in good soil and the plants grew and bore many grains.
(b) One day when Jesus was praying alone, the disciples came to him, “Who do the people say that I am?” Luke 9:18
What answer did the disciples give Jesus? [1m]
- “some say you are John the Baptist, others say you are Elijah or you one of the prophets of long ago who has come back to life.”
What was Peter’s answer? [1m]
- You are God’s Messiah.
What was Jesus’ response to Peter’s statement? [4m]
- he told them about his coming death.
- he told them not to tell this to anyone
- he said that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and the teachers of the Law.
- He will be put to death but 3 days later will be raised to life.
(c) And Jesus said, “who touched me?” Luke 8:45
What had happened to make Jesus ask this question? [2m]
- Jesus was on his way to Jairus’s house and he felt someone touched him and the power flowed out from him.
- A woman who had been suffering from severe bleeding for 12 years came up in the crowd and touched the edge of Jeus’ cloak.
How did the person concerned admit her action? [2m]
- The woman came trembling and threw herself at Jesus’ feet.
- She told Jesus why she had touched him and how she had been healed at once.
What did Jesus say to reassure her? [1m]
- Jesus called her “My daughter” and told her that her faith had made her well and asked her to go in peace.
(d) “Master, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah…” Luke 9:33
Who were Peter’s companions when he said this? [1m]
- John and James
What had they seen happen to Jesus just before this? [2m]
- they saw Jesus’ face changed in appearance while he was praying and his clothes dazzling white.
- Also 2 men were talking with him who were Moses and Elijah.
How was Peter’s suggestion answered? [2m]
- a cloud above covered them and a voice from above spoke.
- God told them in that voice, “This is my Son whom I have chose – listen to Him.!”
Essay Question (choose one)
2 (a) Relate the incident of the stilling of the storm. [10m]
- one day Jesus and his disciples were sailing across the Lake of Galilee.
- Jesus fell asleep.
- Suddenly a strong wind blew and the boat began to fill with water.
- They were in danger and the disciples became terrified.
- They went to wake Jesus up telling Him that they were going to die.
- Jesus woke up and ordered the wind and the storm to quiet down.
- At once, the winds and stormy waters obeyed him and everything became calm.
- Disciples were amazed and afraid and wondered what kind of a man Jesus was to be able to command winds and waves to obey Him.
- Jesus asked them where their faith was.
- They realized Jesus must be someone very different bcos He gave orders to the winds and waves and they obeyed Him.
(b) What does this incident show about Jesus’ nature?
- this incident shows that Jesus had authority over the forces of nature and that He must be the Son of God.
Mention another miracle involving nature ( Chp 5:5-7) [5m]
- Jesus was on the shore at Lake Gennesarat. He saw 2 boats and got into one which was owned by Simon.
- He sat down and started to teach the crowd.
- He asked Simon to push boat out into the deep and let their nets down for a catch.
- Simon was reluctant bcos he tried the whole night and had caught nothing.
- But when he obeyed Jesus, he found that his nets were almost breaking and had caught many fish until he had to call James and John to help.
- Simon recognized the miracle was something to do with the power of God.
OR
3 (a) Describe the parable of the sower. [4m]
- The parable of the sower was about a man who went out to sow see.
- As he scattered the seeds in the field, some fell along the path where it was stepped on and eaten up by the birds.
- Some fell on rocky ground and when plants grew up, they dried up bcos the soil had no moisture.
- Some fell among bushes and were choke by them
- Some fell in good soil and plants grew and bore a hundred grains each.
(b) How did Jesus explain this parable to his disciples ? [5m]
- He told them that seed represents the word of God.
- Seeds that fell along path stand for those who hear the word of God, however when the devil comes, he takes the message away from them to keep them from believing and being saved.
- The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who hear the word and receive it gladly. But the word does not sink deeply into them. They believe only for a while and when testing comes, they fall away.
- Seeds that fell among bushes stand for those who hear the word but the worries and riches and pleasures of life crowd in and choke them and their fruit never ripens.
- Seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the word and retain it in a good and obedient heart. They persist until they bear fruit.
(c) what point was Jesus making when he told this parable? [3m]
- Jesus wanted the crowd to know that it was important to have the right response to hearing the word of God as taught by him.
- If they receive it like the good soil, then they will bear a rich harvest in their lives.
- However, if their hearts are like that of the path, the rocky soil or the thorn bushes, then they will not bear any fruits in their lives.
(d) Why did Jesus speak in parables? [3m]
- Bcos parables contain hidden truths
- and Jesus used them to test whether people genuinely wanted to find out about the Kingdom of God.
- The sincere seekers will persist in asking for the meaning of the parables while those who just listen would not bother to pursue the meaning.
Chapter 7 (Long Questions) 25 minutes
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Choose 1 (one) out of the following 2 (two) questions:
1) a) Give an account of the healing of the Roman officer’s servant at Capernaum. [9]
Chp 7:1-10
- Jesus was in Galilee. After teaching on the plain, he went to Capernaum.
- There was a Roman officer who had a servant who was very dear to him. This servant was sick and about to die.
- When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent Jewish elders to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant.
- They begged Jesus to help the Roman officer and said to Jesus that the officer was worthy to have Jesus help him.
- So Jesus went with them. But he was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell Jesus not to trouble himself by coming. The Roman officer considered himself unworthy to have Jesus enter his house nor to meet Jesus in person. The officer was a humble man.
- He compared Jesus’ relationship with God to his relationship with his soldiers. As a soldier who was under authority and one who had others under his authority, he knew that commands would be obeyed immediately by those who were under authority.
- The officer told Jesus to just give the order and his servant would be healed.
- Jesus marvelled at the officer’s faith and told the crowd that he had never found anyone with faith like this, not even among God’s own people.
- When the officers’ messengers went back, they found the servant healed becos of the master’s faith.
b) State four differences between this healing and the raising of the widow’s son at Nain. [4]
| Healing of the Roman officer’s servant | Healing of the Widow’s son |
| 1. He was sick and about to die | The man was already dead. |
| 2. Roman officer himself sent people to ask Jesus to help heal his servant. | Jesus himself took the initiative to help the widow. |
| 3. The Roman officer had faith in Jesus to heal his servant. | The widow did not have to exercise any faith on her part. |
| 4. Jesus did not even go near the servant but healed him from a distance | Jesus spoke to the young man and asked him to get up. |
c) With reference to both incidents, how did Jesus act in a way contrary to Jewish Customs? [2] (SPM 1993)
Despite the fact that the Roman officer was a Gentile, Jesus readily agreed to go even though entering a Gentile home would defile him. Normally Jews would have nothing to do with Gentiles.
Touching a coffin would defile a person and make him ceremonially unclean. Thus when Jesus came up to the coffin and touched it, he probably shocked the coffin bearers and they stopped. According to the ceremonial law, he would thus be unclean and would need to undergo certain rites in order to become clean again.
OR
2) Jesus often used a physical touch to show compassion to people.
Describe the 2 incidents in which this is clearly seen in his
a) healing of a leper and…. (5:12-15) [4]
- Jesus was in a town where there was a man who was suffering from a dreaded skin disease. When the man saw Jesus, he threw himself down and begged Jesus to heal him saying, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
- Jesus reached out, touched him and answered, “ I do want to. Be clean!” Immediately the man was healed.
- Jesus ordered the man not to tell anyone but to go to the priest and let the priest examine him. Then he was to offer the sacrifice as ordered by the Law of Moses to prove to everyone that he was cured.
- However, the news about Jesus continued to spread all the more widely and crowds of people came to hear him and be healed from their diseases.
b) raising of a young man who had died. (7:11-17) [7]
- Jesus was in Nain and a funeral procession came out just as he arrived at the gate of the town. The dead person was the only son of a widow who was all alone without any male protector or provider.
- When Jesus saw her, he was filled with compassion for the woman. He told her not to cry.
- Jesus walked over and touched the coffin.
- The people carrying the coffin stopped.
- Then Jesus spoke to the dead man and asked him to get up. Immediately the man sat up and began to talk, Jesus gave the man back to his mother.
- Those who saw what happened were filled with fear and praised God. They saw Jesus as a great prophet who had come into their midst.
- As a result, Jesus’ fame continued to spread throughout the whole country and the surrounding territory.
Briefly comment on why His touch in each case went against the social
or religious customs of His day [4]
(SPM 1995)
refer pg A27
Healing of the leper
- The Levetical or ceremonial law considered skin disease as something that defiled a person and made him unclean before God. Thus anyone who touched a person suffering from the disease would be considered unclean as well. Socially, someone suffering from leprosy was impure and separated from others. They were considered physically unclean because the disease was infectious and sufferers were forbidden to approach other people. Thus by touching the man, Jesus was going against both the social and religious customs. And this was something that now Jew would do intentionally.
Raising a young man who had died
- Touching a coffin would defile a person and make him ceremonially unclean. When Jesus came up to the coffin and touched, he probably shocked the coffin bearers and they stopped. According to the ceremonial law, he would thus be unclean and would need to undergo certain rites in order to become clean again.
However, for Jesus, following the “law” of love and responding to the need of the widow in this case was more important than being restricted by a ceremonial law regarding outward cleanliness.
