Prelims

Question 1

Differentiate faith from believing and trust.

Answer 1

Faith is a personal relationship with God (knowing, loving, and following Him).

Believing is an act of having faith. Our faith is manifested in our beliefs.

Trust is relying and having confidence on God.

Question 2

What are the characteristics of Christian faith? Explain each.

Answer 2

1. Total and Absolute
   Our lives must be totally surrendered to God as a sacrifice. We ought to follow Him wholly.
2. Trinitarian
   We commune with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
3. Loving, Maturing, and Missionary
   Love must manifest in us through maturity and service.
4. Informed and Communitarian
   The more we know God, the more our communion with Him will deepen.
5. Inculturated
   It must be our culture, a part of our daily lives, the words of God.

Question 3

What are the 3 essential dimensions faith? Explain each

Answer 3

1. Believing
   This is an act of faith. We do this because we have faith.
2. Doing
   Our beliefs must be manifested in our actions.
3. Entrusting/Worshipping
   We bring God the glory and honor.

Question 4

This Latin word is where faith came from. What does it mean?

Answer 4

Fidere it means to trust.

Question 5

What is the Latin origin of the word Bible? What does it mean?

Answer 5

Biblia which means books

Question 6

What is the Greek origin of the word Bible? What does it mean?

Answer 6

Byblos which means a collection of books.

Question 7

What are the roles of the Bible according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17?

Answer 7

Teaching
Refutation
Correction
Training in righteousness

Question 8

What does Biblical inspiration mean?

Answer 8

Breathed in

Question 9

Explain: God is the principal author of Scripture.

Answer 9

It was God who worked in the lives of the real authors whom He entrusted to write His Word. The Holy Spirit was in those real persons who acted as authors.

Question 10

What does the Greek word canon mean?

Answer 10

Rule or norm.

It has also came to mean list.

Question 11

What are the 2 versions/canon of the scripture? Differentiate.

Answer 11

Alexandrian Canon or Septuagint
-the Greek canon of the Scripture
-has 46 books

Palestinian Canon
-the canon accepted by Jews today
-has 39 books

The Palestinian Canon has 7 books less compared tot he Alexandrian Canon.

Question 12

What are deuterocanonical books?

Answer 12

These are the 7 books not included in the Palestinian Canon that are included in the Alexandrian Canon. They are called apocrypha (unaccepted canon) by the Jews.

Question 13

What are the books in the Hebrew Bible?

Answer 13

The Hebrew Bible is called Tanakh or Mikra. It contains:
> Torah - the books of Moses
> Nevi’im - books of prophets
> Ketuvim - additional writings

Question 14

What are the books in the Catholic Bible?

Answer 14

The Catholic Bible is based on the Alexandrian Canon. It contains:
> Pentateuch - book of law
> Historical Books
> Wisdom books
> Books of prophets

Question 15

What is the Latin origin of the word testament?

Answer 15

Testamentum which means formal agreement or covenant between two parties.

Question 16

Tertullian introduced the Old Testament to refer to what Scripture? And the New Testament to refer to what Scripture?

Answer 16

Jewish Scripture, Christian Scripture (respectively)

Question 17

What are the two approaches of interpreting sacred scriptures? Differentiate.

Answer 17

Exegesis
-to lead out of
-objective
-the interpreter interprets based on the text itself
-an act of love which means stopping to listen to God’s Word

Eisegesis
-to lead into
-subjective
-the interpreter injects his own ideas in his interpretation making it mean whatever he wants to

Question 18

Who is Abraham?

Answer 18

-our father in faith
-model for all christians
-channel of grace

Question 19

What are the 3 promises of God to Abraham?

Answer 19

Land
Heirs
Blessings

Question 20

What are the 2 signs God’s benevolence?

Answer 20

1. Abraham (father of a multitude) and Sarah (Queen)
2. Circumcision

Question 21

What is the circumcision of the heart?

Answer 21

Walking in faith before God and living purely.

Question 22

What does the name Moses indicate?

Answer 22

drawn from water

Question 23

Explain the episode and meaning of the burning bush.

Answer 23

The burning bush is a bush on fire however not consumed by flames. This is where God talked and revealed Himself to Moses.

This episode is a reminder of God’s undying love for us.

Question 24

What is the bedrock experience of the crossing of the Red Sea?

Answer 24

The Israelites were delivered and saved by God.

Question 25

Elaborate the covenant at mount sinai.

Answer 25

When the Israelites have escaped Egypt, crosses the Red Sea, they were then at the foot of Mount Sinai where they made a covenant with God.

Question 26

What are the two important points about the covenant?

Answer 26

1. It is God who takes the initiative
2. God requires that the people keep their part of the covenant

Question 27

In which passage can you find the Ten Commandments?

Answer 27

Exodus 20:1-17