## SECTION A: BACKGROUND TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
**Answer one (1) question from this section**
1. Advance literary argument for Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch
2. Define Canon and give reasons for the first century Christian canon
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## SECTION B: HISTORY AND RELIGION OF ISRAEL
**Answer three (3) questions from this section**
3. "They sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals". Show how this statement fits Amos as a prophet of social justice
4. Examine the lessons to be learnt from the behaviour and judgments on the sons of Eli.
5. Explain the effects of Solomon's marriage to many wives
6. Discuss the unconditional love Hosea showed to his wife, Gomah
7. Examine God's charges against Judah according to Prophet Isaiah.
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Full Answers
# SECTION A: BACKGROUND TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
## Question 1: Literary Arguments for Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch
Despite scholarly objections, there are strong literary arguments supporting the traditional view that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible.
**i. Direct Biblical Claims**
The Pentateuch itself contains numerous references to Moses writing. Exodus 17:14 records God commanding Moses: "Write this as a memorial in a book." Deuteronomy 31:9 states that "Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests." These internal claims provide direct literary evidence of Mosaic authorship.
**ii. Testimony of Other Old Testament Books**
Several other Old Testament books attribute the Pentateuch to Moses. Joshua 1:7-8 refers to "the Book of the Law which Moses my servant commanded." 1 Kings 2:3 refers to "what is written in the Law of Moses." This consistent attribution across multiple books strengthens the literary case for Mosaic authorship.
**iii. New Testament Testimony**
Jesus Himself repeatedly attributed the Pentateuch to Moses. In John 5:46, He declared: "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me." In Mark 12:26, He referred to "the book of Moses." The apostles and New Testament writers consistently followed this attribution. The literary authority of these testimonies is significant.
**iv. Moses' Unique Qualifications**
As a prince educated in the royal court of Egypt — "educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (Acts 7:22) — Moses possessed the literary skills, historical knowledge, and intellectual capacity to compose the Pentateuch. No other figure in Israel's early history was as uniquely qualified to write such a comprehensive work.
**v. Eyewitness Knowledge**
Large portions of the Pentateuch — particularly Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy — describe events in which Moses was the central human participant. His firsthand knowledge of the Exodus, the wilderness journey, the giving of the Law, and the organization of the Israelite community makes him the most natural and credible author of these accounts.
**vi. Consistent Literary Style and Unity**
Despite scholarly claims of multiple authorship, the Pentateuch displays a fundamental literary unity — a coherent narrative arc from creation to the death of Moses, consistent theological themes, and a unified presentation of God's covenant relationship with Israel. This literary cohesion is more easily explained by a single gifted author than by multiple editors working centuries apart.
**vii. Ancient Near Eastern Parallels**
Archaeological discoveries have shown that writing, law codes, and historical records were well established in the ancient Near East long before Moses' time. The Code of Hammurabi and Egyptian literary traditions demonstrate that the kind of sophisticated writing found in the Pentateuch was entirely possible in the second millennium BC — Moses' era.
**viii. The Deaths and Post-Mosaic Passages**
Sections like the account of Moses' death (Deuteronomy 34) can be explained as editorial additions by Joshua or another contemporary — a common literary practice in the ancient world. Such minor additions do not undermine the essential Mosaic authorship of the work as a whole.
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## Question 2: Definition of Canon and Reasons for the First Century Christian Canon
**Definition of Canon:**
The word "canon" comes from the Greek *kanon* meaning "rule," "standard," or "measuring rod." In biblical studies, the canon refers to the **official collection of books recognized by the Church as divinely inspired, authoritative, and normative for Christian faith and practice.** The canon is the standard by which all Christian teaching and doctrine is measured.
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**Reasons for the Formation of the First Century Christian Canon:**
**i. The Need to Distinguish Authentic Apostolic Writings**
As Christianity spread rapidly in the first century, numerous writings circulated among the churches — some genuinely apostolic, others spurious or heretical. The early church needed a recognized standard to distinguish authentic apostolic teaching from false or fabricated writings. The canon provided this essential criterion of authenticity.
**ii. The Threat of Heresy**
False teachers — particularly Gnostics — produced their own gospels and letters claiming apostolic authority (e.g., the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip). The church needed to establish a clear boundary between genuine Scripture and heretical writings that misrepresented the Christian faith. The formation of the canon was a direct response to the challenge of heresy.
**iii. The Influence of Marcion**
Around AD 140, the heretic Marcion produced his own reduced canon — rejecting the entire Old Testament and accepting only a modified version of Luke's Gospel and ten of Paul's letters. His action forced the orthodox church to clarify and define which writings were truly canonical, accelerating the formal process of canon formation.
**iv. Apostolic Authority**
The first century church recognized that writings produced by or directly connected to the apostles — eyewitnesses of Jesus' ministry and resurrection — carried unique divine authority. Apostolic origin became a primary criterion for canonical inclusion, and this principle drove the identification and collection of authoritative writings.
**v. Universal Acceptance by the Churches**
Writings that were widely accepted and used across multiple Christian communities — in Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Alexandria, and elsewhere — were recognized as carrying divine authority. The universal reception of a text by the churches was a key criterion for its canonical status.
**vi. Consistency with Apostolic Teaching**
Books were judged by whether their content was consistent with the core apostolic gospel — the teaching about Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and the meaning of salvation. Writings that contradicted or distorted this core message were excluded regardless of claimed authorship.
**vii. Liturgical Use**
Writings that had been consistently used in Christian worship — read in assemblies, used in baptismal instruction, and quoted in sermons — gained recognition as Scripture through sustained liturgical practice. The canon emerged partly from the living worship experience of the early church.
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# SECTION B: HISTORY AND RELIGION OF ISRAEL
## Question 3: Amos as a Prophet of Social Justice
The statement "They sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals" (Amos 2:6) is one of the most powerful indictments of social injustice in the entire Old Testament. It perfectly captures the heart of Amos' prophetic ministry as a champion of the poor and oppressed.
**Background:**
Amos was a shepherd and fig tree dresser from Tekoa in Judah, called by God to prophesy in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II (circa 760 BC). This was a period of great material prosperity in Israel — but the wealth was concentrated in the hands of a corrupt elite who exploited the poor mercilessly.
**i. Condemnation of Economic Exploitation**
The statement itself describes the buying and selling of human beings — the righteous and the needy — for trivial sums. The rich were using the legal system to reduce the poor to slavery for petty debts. Amos exposed this practice as a fundamental violation of God's covenant law, which had specifically prohibited the exploitation of the poor and the perversion of justice.
**ii. Denunciation of Corrupt Courts**
Amos 5:10-12 records God's charge: "You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain...you oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts." The judicial system that should have protected the vulnerable had been corrupted by the wealthy. Amos called for justice to "roll on like a river" (Amos 5:24) — a vision of impartial, abundant, unstoppable justice.
**iii. Condemnation of Luxury Built on Oppression**
Amos 6:4-6 attacks the wealthy elite who "lie on beds of ivory...dine on choice lambs...strum on their harps" while being unconcerned about the ruin of their nation. Their luxurious lifestyle was built directly on the exploitation of the poor, and Amos declared God's judgment on such callous indulgence.
**iv. Condemnation of Dishonest Commerce**
Amos 8:4-6 denounces merchants who could hardly wait for religious observances to end so they could resume "skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals." Commercial fraud and dishonest trading practices were direct targets of Amos' social justice message.
**v. God's Identification with the Poor**
Central to Amos' message is the theological conviction that God is on the side of the poor and powerless. To exploit the needy is not merely a social wrong — it is a direct offense against God. This made social justice inseparable from true worship and authentic religious life.
**vi. Rejection of Empty Religion**
Amos 5:21-24 records God declaring that He hates and despises Israel's religious festivals, offerings, and songs — because they were performed by people who simultaneously oppressed the poor. True religion, for Amos, was inseparable from social justice. Worship without justice is an abomination to God.
**Conclusion:**
Amos stands as the great Old Testament prophet of social justice — declaring that God measures religious authenticity not by the splendor of worship but by the treatment of the vulnerable. His message remains powerfully relevant in any society where the rich exploit the poor while maintaining religious observance.
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## Question 4: Lessons from the Behaviour and Judgments on the Sons of Eli
The account of Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli the priest, is found primarily in 1 Samuel 2-4 and contains profound moral and spiritual lessons.
**The Behaviour of Eli's Sons:**
Hophni and Phinehas were priests who "had no regard for the LORD" (1 Samuel 2:12). They took for themselves the best portions of sacrificial meat before the fat was burned — a direct violation of priestly law. They also "slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting" (1 Samuel 2:22), committing sexual immorality in the very house of God. Eli heard of their behavior but only gave them a mild rebuke, failing to restrain them.
**The Judgment:**
God sent a man of God to Eli with a message of judgment — his entire priestly lineage would be cut off. Both sons would die on the same day. The Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines in battle, and both Hophni and Phinehas were killed. When Eli heard the news of the Ark's capture, he fell backward off his seat, broke his neck, and died.
**Lessons:**
**i. Religious Privilege Does Not Guarantee Godly Character**
Hophni and Phinehas were born into the priestly family — they had every advantage of religious upbringing and spiritual opportunity. Yet they were among the most corrupt figures in Israel's history. Being raised in a Christian home or serving in religious office does not automatically produce genuine faith and godly character.
**ii. Sin in Sacred Office is Especially Serious**
The sins of Hophni and Phinehas were particularly grave because they were committed in the context of holy service. Their contempt for God's offerings and their immorality in the sanctuary caused the people to "abhor the offering of the LORD" (1 Samuel 2:17). Those who hold positions of spiritual leadership bear greater responsibility — and face greater judgment — for their sins.
**iii. Parental Responsibility Must Not Be Neglected**
Eli knew about his sons' wickedness but failed to discipline them effectively. God charged Eli: "You honor your sons more than me" (1 Samuel 2:29). This teaches parents that love without discipline is not true love. Parents — especially those in religious leadership — have a sacred responsibility to correct and discipline their children.
**iv. Sin Has Consequences That Extend Beyond the Individual**
The sins of Hophni and Phinehas brought judgment not only on themselves but on their father Eli and their entire priestly lineage. The entire nation suffered the loss of the Ark. Personal sin rarely remains personal — it has ripple effects on families, communities, and nations.
**v. God's Patience Has Limits**
God sent multiple warnings — through the young Samuel and through a man of God — before judgment fell. This shows God's patience and mercy. But it also shows that continued, unrepentant sin will eventually face divine judgment. God's patience should not be mistaken for indifference to sin.
**vi. True Service Requires Integrity**
The contrast between the corrupt sons of Eli and the young Samuel — who "continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people" (1 Samuel 2:26) — illustrates that God seeks servants of genuine integrity. Outward religious service without inward holiness is ultimately rejected by God.
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## Question 5: Effects of Solomon's Marriage to Many Wives
Solomon's polygamy — marrying 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3) — had catastrophic consequences for his personal life, his reign, and the entire nation of Israel.
**i. Spiritual Apostasy**
The most devastating effect of Solomon's many marriages was spiritual. His foreign wives "turned his heart after other gods" (1 Kings 11:4). He built high places for Chemosh the god of Moab, Molech the god of Ammon, and the gods of his other foreign wives. Solomon — the man who had built the Temple and prayed one of the greatest prayers in the Bible — ended his life as an idolater. This was a catastrophic personal and national spiritual failure.
**ii. Direct Violation of God's Command**
God had specifically warned Israel's kings: "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods" (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Solomon's marriages were a deliberate and sustained act of disobedience. They demonstrated that even the wisest man in the world is capable of foolish disobedience when lust and political ambition override obedience to God.
**iii. Divine Judgment and the Division of the Kingdom**
God appeared to Solomon and declared judgment: "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates" (1 Kings 11:11). This judgment was executed after Solomon's death — the kingdom was divided into the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) under Rehoboam, a division that proved permanent and ultimately led to both kingdoms' destruction.
**iv. Political Enemies Raised Up Against Solomon**
As a direct consequence of his apostasy, God raised up adversaries against Solomon — Hadad the Edomite, Rezon of Syria, and Jeroboam the son of Nebat. These enemies destabilized Solomon's kingdom and foreshadowed its eventual disintegration.
**v. Economic and Social Burden**
Maintaining 1,000 wives and concubines placed enormous economic demands on the kingdom. The resources required to sustain such a large royal household — food, clothing, accommodation, servants — contributed to the heavy taxation and forced labor that made Solomon's reign a burden to the people and fueled the rebellion that followed his death.
**vi. Neglect of True Wisdom**
Solomon's descent into idolatry represents the greatest possible contradiction — the wisest man in the world acting most foolishly. His marriages demonstrate that intellectual wisdom and spiritual faithfulness are not the same thing. True wisdom, as Proverbs teaches, begins with the fear of the LORD — and Solomon ultimately abandoned that foundation.
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## Question 6: Hosea's Unconditional Love for His Wife Gomer
The story of Hosea and his wife Gomer is one of the most remarkable and theologically profound narratives in the Old Testament — a lived parable of God's unconditional love for unfaithful Israel.
**The Background (Hosea 1-3):**
God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer, a woman described as a prostitute or one prone to unfaithfulness. They married and had children, but Gomer was unfaithful, eventually leaving Hosea to pursue other lovers. She sank so low that she ended up as a slave, sold in the marketplace. Despite everything, God commanded Hosea to go and take her back — to love her again as the LORD loved Israel.
**i. Marriage Despite Known Unfaithfulness**
Hosea married Gomer knowing her character — God had described her as a "promiscuous woman" before the marriage. This act of deliberate, foreknowing love mirrors God's choice of Israel despite foreknowledge of their future unfaithfulness. True love is not based on the perfection of its object but on the commitment of the one who loves.
**ii. Continued Love Through Betrayal**
When Gomer was unfaithful and left him for other lovers, Hosea did not pursue revenge or divorce her with contempt. His enduring love — painful as it was — reflected God's continued love for Israel even as the nation "went after her lovers and forgot me" (Hosea 2:13). Love that survives betrayal is love of an extraordinary quality.
**iii. Redemption at Great Personal Cost**
Hosea was commanded to buy Gomer back from slavery — paying fifteen shekels of silver and barley for her (Hosea 3:2). He paid the price of a slave to redeem his own wife. This act of costly redemption is a powerful foreshadowing of Christ's redemption of sinful humanity — paying the ultimate price to restore those who had wandered far from God.
**iv. Restoration Without Condemnation**
When Hosea brought Gomer back, he did not punish her or shame her publicly. Instead he spoke of restoring her to a relationship of faithfulness and dignity. He told her: "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you" (Hosea 3:3). This restoration without condemnation powerfully mirrors God's grace.
**v. The Theological Meaning**
Hosea's unconditional love for Gomer was never merely a personal story — it was a living sermon. His marriage was a prophetic sign of God's relationship with Israel. Israel had been unfaithful, chasing after Baal and foreign gods as Gomer had chased after other lovers. Yet God — like Hosea — refused to abandon His people, promising to allure them back, speak tenderly to them, and restore them to a covenant of love and faithfulness.
**Conclusion:**
Hosea's love for Gomer stands as one of the most powerful illustrations of grace in the entire Bible — love that is unconditional, costly, redemptive, and restoring. It anticipates the ultimate expression of such love in Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for a wayward humanity that had abandoned God.
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## Question 7: God's Charges Against Judah According to Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah prophesied in Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (approximately 740-700 BC). While he brought messages of hope and comfort, he also delivered God's devastating charges against Judah's sin and unfaithfulness.
**i. Spiritual Rebellion and Ingratitude (Isaiah 1:2-4)**
God opened His case against Judah with a charge of fundamental rebellion: "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand." Judah had rejected the God who had nurtured and sustained them — a sin more shameful than the instinctive loyalty of animals to their owners.
**ii. Empty Religious Worship (Isaiah 1:10-17)**
God declared that He was "fed up" with Judah's sacrifices, offerings, festivals, and prayers — not because worship was wrong but because it was performed by people living in unrepentant sin. "Your hands are full of blood," God charged (Isaiah 1:15). Religion without righteousness is an offense to God. He demanded that they "stop doing wrong, learn to do right, seek justice, defend the oppressed."
**iii. Social Injustice and Exploitation of the Poor**
Isaiah 1:23 charges that Judah's leaders were "rebels, companions of thieves" who loved bribes and "do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them." Isaiah 3:14-15 adds that the elders and princes had "ruined" the vineyard by "grinding the faces of the poor." The exploitation of the vulnerable was a central charge against Judah.
**iv. Pride and Arrogance**
Isaiah 2:6-18 delivers an extended charge against Judah's pride — they were "full of silver and gold...full of horses and chariots...full of idols." Their material prosperity had produced arrogance and self-sufficiency, causing them to forget God. Isaiah declared that "the LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty" when human arrogance would be brought low.
**v. Idolatry**
Despite being God's covenant people, Judah was filled with idols — "the work of their hands" (Isaiah 2:8). They had bowed down to what their own fingers had made, abandoning the living God for lifeless images. This spiritual adultery was at the root of all their other sins.
**vi. Corrupt Leadership**
Isaiah 3:1-15 pronounces God's charge against Judah's leaders — political, religious, and social. The leaders who should have guided the nation in righteousness had led it astray. "Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray" (Isaiah 9:16).
**vii. The Charge Summarized — The Song of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7)**
In one of Isaiah's most poetic passages, God presents Judah as a vineyard lovingly planted and tended, from which good grapes were expected — "but it yielded only bad fruit." God had done everything for Judah, yet Judah had produced only injustice and oppression. This parable summarizes the entire indictment — Judah had failed to fulfill the purpose for which God had chosen and blessed them.
**Conclusion:**
God's charges against Judah through Isaiah were comprehensive — spiritual rebellion, empty religion, social injustice, pride, idolatry, and corrupt leadership. Yet throughout these charges, Isaiah also held out the possibility of repentance and restoration: "Come now, let us settle the matter...though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18). Judgment and grace stand together in Isaiah's prophetic message.