Week 21 Ancient Near East and Pentateuch Comparisons Questions

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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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INTRODUCTION TO BIBLICAL LAW Aryeh Amihay Final Exam 1. Choose one question from three different sections, three questions total. Identify the question number at the top of each response. 2. Each response should comprise of ~450-500 words. The total word count of the exam (excluding titles, bibliography, and block quotes) should be no less than 1000, and should not exceed 1650. Please double-space when formatting your essays. 3. The exam should cover more than one legal code. In other words, it’s not enough to choose three different sections, but your exam can’t be only about Deuteronomy or only about Leviticus. A single essay can address only one legal code, but don’t choose two prompts that address a single code (e.g., two questions that are only about the Covenant Code, or two questions that are only about the New Testament). If you’re not sure if your choices are sound, consult with Prof. Lanahan-Kalish. 4. Since this is a take-home exam, you are free to consult any course material: all the assigned readings, PowerPoint slides, lecture and section notes, etc. You will be graded on the precision, knowledge, and insight of your responses to the exam questions. You should strive for specificity in your answers mentioning concrete examples to illustrate your interpretations. 5. Citations: students do not need to include a bibliography or a Works Cited page. As long as you cite only readings from the syllabus or the slides, you can assume those as your bibliography, or Works Cited. Students who cite works outside of the syllabus, will need to supply their details in a Works Cited page, and include citations for all secondary sources (including those from the syllabus). Scriptures and other ancient texts are never included in a bibliography or Works Cited list. 6. Consult the Guidelines for Scholarly Writing to improve your writing. 7. Exam should be submitted by Tuesday, March 16th, 2021 at 10:30pm on GauchoSpace. Ancient Near East Comparisons 1. Discuss theological and ethical worldviews reflected in biblical law and Mesopotamian law. Note both similarities and differences. 2. Compare and contrast the law of the goring ox in the Covenant Code with the Mesopotamian law codes. 3. Discuss laws of slavery in biblical law in conjunction with Mesopotamian law. 4. Discuss the law of the rebellious son in comparison to other laws on sons and parental authority in Deuteronomy, the Covenant Code, and Mesopotamian Laws. Pentateuch Comparisons 5. Explain the difference between casuistic and apodictic laws. Provide a variety of examples. 6. Describe the differences between the versions of the Decalogue in Exod 20 and Deut 5, offering some explanation for them. 7. Discuss the various ways in which Deuteronomy reforms and subverts the slavery law of the Covenant Code. 8. Describe different ways in which the Deuteronomic Code adapts laws from the Covenant Code. Provide at least two examples. 9. Discuss how Leviticus 25 reforms previous laws in the Covenant Code and the Deuteronomic Code. Law and ritual 10. Describe the Sanctuary, its three main elements, its installations, and the priestly vestments. Provide examples of specific materials and their symbolic significance. 11. Discuss the uniqueness of Passover sacrifice: its connection to myth and ritual in ancient Israel, its peculiar elements, and the contradicting evidence of how it was practiced. 12. Describe the five types of sacrifices in the Levitical catalogue. 13. Discuss differences of ritual and moral impurity, providing at least one example of each. 14. Survey sources of ritual impurity and their means of purification. 15. Discuss the main differences of approaches to non-sacrificial slaughter in Deuteronomy 12 and Leviticus 17. What are people allowed to eat in each system? Include in your discussion some motifs or worldviews in each of these laws. 16. Survey the dietary laws in the Covenant Code, the Deuteronomic Code, and the Priestly Code. Note similarities and differences, and describe the main principles of the dietary laws. 17. Discuss the relationship of ritual and ethics in Paul’s thought. Law and Society 18. What are some aspects of social welfare in biblical law? 19. Is the law of the Slandered Bride seeking to prevent divorce or to discourage false accusations? Make the case for both these possibilities and offer your own interpretation. 20. Describe the various ways in which gender norms and gender hierarchy are advanced and protected in the Deuteornomic code. 21. Are laws of ritual impurity equally applied to men and women? Consider more than one option. 22. Discuss the laws of premarital sex in Deuteronomy 22, in light of main aspects of the Deuteronomic code, such as its relation to the Covenant Code, the role of the father, etc. 23. Who are the weak according to Deuteronomy? How does Deuteronomy seek to improve their conditions? Offer an explanation for their joint grouping. Law and ethics 24. Discuss ways in which ethical duties towards fellow humans are described in religious terms in biblical law. 25. Describe the deuteronomic view of warfare through a variety of laws. Consider both religious and secular aspects. 26. Assess the law of the Beautiful Captive: in what ways does the law seek to protect her, and how does it fail to do so. Consider the various elements of the law in Deut 21:10-14, in conjunction with other laws in Deuteronomy. 27. Describe some ethical problems in biblical law, drawing examples from both Jesus and Paul. Law and theology 28. Describe some theological and ethical views found in the Covenant Code. Consider possible contradictions or tensions within the code. 29. Describe the various ways by which the tabernacle law parallels the account of creation. What is the theological significance of this parallel? 30. Discuss the theology behind the purity laws? What is their rationale and what is their purpose? 31. Discuss the idea of holiness in H, and how it differs from the understanding of holiness in P. Consider the significance of purity, ritual, and ethics in your response. 32. Describe some explanations offered for the dietary laws, and how they relate to broader religious views in the Hebrew Bible. Law and history 33. Survey opinions regarding the centralization of worship. Describe different types of explanations and consider some strengths and weaknesses of the common explanations offered. 34. Discuss processes of secularization in the Deuteronomic Code. 35. Discuss the various groups that have judicial roles: elders, judges, priests. Consider various indications for the allocation of power between them. 36. Discuss the law of the king in its context of the books of Samuel and Kings. How do you view the relationship between these texts? 37. Explain how the dietary laws complicate the question of the relationship between D and P. What are the differences between the priestly view of ritual purity, and the view of animal purity, and in what ways are they similar. Learn and Enjoy!
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FINAL EXAM
Covered;
Ancient Near East Comparisons


Question 1

Pentateuch Comparisons


Question 5

Law and ritual


Question 12


FINAL EXAM

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Final Exam

Student's Name
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Course Name and Number
Professor's Name
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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.

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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

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from God. Provisions lik...

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