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Choose 3 questions from the PDF provided. All 3 questions must be from different sections in the PDF. Each response must be 450-500 words (answer three questions x500 words each =1500 words total).
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FINAL EXAM
Covered;
Ancient Near East Comparisons
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Question 1
Pentateuch Comparisons
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Question 5
Law and ritual
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Question 12
FINAL EXAM
1
Final Exam
Student's Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name and Number
Professor's Name
Assignment Due Date
FINAL EXAM
2
Ancient Near East Comparisons
Question 1
Two of the most revered ancient laws are the biblical laws and the laws of
Mesopotamia. The biblical laws, popularly known as the Law of Moses or Torah, form the
basis of the Christian and Judaism worldview today. The ancient people of Mesopotamia had
their own laws and codes to govern society. One of the most comprehensive laws of the
Mesopotamic era is the Hammurabi laws conceptualized around 2250 BC in the sixth
Babylonian reign (Barmash, 2018). Thus, a reading of the two sets of the statute indicates
some striking similarities and some stark differences.
One of the most significant similarities between biblical and Mesopotamic laws is the
focus on justice. Both sets of law are inclined to provide justice to those who have been
wronged and offer retributions for wrongdoing (Barmash, 2018). The second similarity
between the two sets of laws is an emphasis on civil order. Both aim to provide a recipe for
creating respectful and harmonious societies (Morrow, 2019). They focus on varied aspects
like conflicts among people, accidents, universal wrongs like adultery, theft, slander, among
other social ills. The third similarity between these two sets of law is the principle of Lex
Talions, which claims that a person who has injured another should suffer similar retribution
(Barmash, 2018). For instance, Exodus 21:16, Leviticus 20: 10, and the Hammurabi code
statues 129 and 14 impose a death penalty on those convicted of adultery and kidnapping.
Another example of the similarity between Mesopotamic and Biblical laws is that people are
responsible for treating those they injure unwittingly (Exodus 21: 18-19 and Statue 206 of the
Hammurabi Code). Overall, there are numerous other examples of similarities between
Mosaic laws and the laws of ancient Mesopotamia. The similarities reinforce the shared
virtues of justice, civic order, and retribution.
FINAL EXAM
3
As much as they are some significant examples of similarities between biblical and
Mesopotamian laws, some fundamental differences make them quite unique to each other.
One of the primary differences between these two sets of law is that the Biblical view is
based on understanding one true God, Yahweh. In contrast, Mesopotamian laws do not have
an exact reference to a single God (Greengus, 2019). In Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Biblical laws
aver they are hinged on the worship of God. On the other hand, Near East laws are primarily
hinged on enforcing civic and criminal statutes to protect wealth, property, and transactions.
The two laws are distinct since Mesopotamian consider the status of a person while meting
punishments. In contrast, Mosaic laws do not distinguish between slaves, masters, rules, men,
or women (Greengus, 2019). The two sets of law are also quite distinct in that biblical laws
emphasize justice and sanctity of life, while most Near East laws appear harsh and punitive.
Overall, there are some significant similarities between Biblical and Mesopotamic
laws. Perhaps, the similarities may have been influenced by social and cultural factors due to
close proximity and the similarity in social issues. The rules are, however, quite distinct since
the biblical view primarily focuses on spiritual aspects, while Mesopotamic laws mainly
focus on civil and criminal matters.
Pentateuch Comparisons
Question 5
There are two main types of laws in the biblical world and the civil world that is
apodictic laws and casuistic laws. These distinctions between laws can be seen in both the
new and old testament. Apodictic laws are considered absolute truths; they provide
commands from above with little focus on the environment in which actions occur (Barmash,
2018). Most often, apodictic laws do not imply punishments for breaking the law. The ten
commandments are generally considered apodictic laws since they provide direct commands
FINAL EXAM
4
from God. Provisions lik...