QUESTIONS BRINGING OUT THE BIBLE'S LITERARY VALUE
1. The Poetry of the Bible
| What is the difference between the rhythm of Hebrew poetry
and that of English poetry? | [11 S.A.] |
| What three forms does this rhythm take? | [12 S.A.] |
| In the words quoted from Jesus are any of these forms used? | [13 S.A.] |
| What is the richest part of Biblical poetry? | [13 S.A.] |
Rhythm and Feeling
What form of rhythm illustrated on page [12 S.A.] is used in the psalms:
The Psalms a Collection of Lyric Poetry
| For what purpose was the Book of Psalms written? | [17 S.A.] |
| What is the leading theme of the Psalms? | [17 S.A.] |
| Mention some of the other themes. | [17 S.A.] |
| Name the Psalm in which every verse, it is said, contains a reference to the law of God. | [505 S.A.] |
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| In what way is Psalm 119 ([143 S.A.]) an alphabetic Psalm? | [505 S.A.] |
Ruskin says that, among others, Psalms 1, 8, 15, 19, 23, 24, well studied and believed, are sufficient for all personal guidance. What principles of conduct are enjoined in:--
| The Righteous Man. | [19 S.A.] |
| Little Lower than God. | [22 S.A.] |
| The Upright Man. | [23 S.A.] |
| Song of the Earth and Sky. | [30 S.A.] |
| The Good Shepherd. | [35 S.A.] |
| The Earth is the Lord's. | [36 S.A.] |
| Ruskin says that Psalm 72 contains many principles of just government.
State in modern terms some of the principles of government enjoined in
"The Righteous King". | [88 S.A.] |
| Ruskin says that Psalm 104 anticipates the triumphs of natural
sciences. From the reading of the Psalm can you suggest those
anticipated? Read note [503 S.A.] | [120 S.A.] |
| Compare Manasseh's prayer, [320 T.J.], with the Prayer of Repentance. | [75 S.A.] |
| Can you suggest an act of David to which this Psalm is probably related? | [75 S.A.] |
Job a Dramatic Poem
| What characteristic makes Job a dramatic poem? | [180 S.A.] |
| What is the distinction between Hebrew drama, as illustrated in Job, and the Greek and English drama? | [180 S.A.] |
| What is the central theme of the book of Job? | [179 S.A.] |
| What are the characters of the book of Job? | [178 S.A.] |
| Trace the dramatic climax in the messages brought to Job. | [182 S.A.] |
| Locate Job's two sublime statements of faith, often quoted. | [194 S.A.], [200 S.A.] |
| What description of man, noted in literature, does Job give? | [195 S.A.] |
| What great question asked by Job is the theme of many poems, such as Tennyson's "In Memoriam"? | [195 S.A.] |
| Give the summary of the thought contained in the first cycle of speeches. | [195 S.A.] |
| Give the summary of the thought contained in the second cycle. | [204 S.A.] |
| Give the summary of the thought contained in the third cycle. | [213 S.A.] |
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| What does Elihu add to the thought of the poem? | [221 S.A.] |
| What reply does the book of Job give to the question, "Why do good people suffer?" | [231 S.A.] |
The Apocalypse a Rhapsody
| Dr. Richard G. Moulton calls the Apocalypse a rhapsody, or a fusion of
all other styles of Hebrew writing. Can you discover evidences of the
dramatic lyric and narrative styles used? | [456-478 S.A.] |
| The proper preparation for appreciating the Apocalypse, it is said, is
the study of other Hebrew rhapsodies, in particular Isaiah and
Zechariah. What similarity can you find in "Visions of the Heavenly
City" and Isaiah's "Awake, O Zion"? | [286 S.A.] |
| What similarity can you find both of style and content in the
Apocalypse, [456-478 S.A.], and Zechariah's "Vision Rhapsody"? | [401-407 S.A.] |
Hero Poems
2. The Oratory in the Bible
| Compare the opening sentences of the speech on Mars Hill with those of Paul's sermon at Antioch; how, or in what characteristic, does the contrast show that Paul was a great speaker? | [380 L.J.], [407 L.J.] |
| Senator Albert J. Beveridge says Paul's speech on Mars Hill has never been excelled in brevity of statement and in force of thought, and that in these regards it compares favorably with Lincoln's speech at Gettysburg. How does Paul gain his audience's attention? How does he compliment the Greeks in the course of his speech? What is the substance of his argument against paganism? What thoughts form the principal message of this speech? | [407 L.J.], [408 L.J.] |
| It is said that Moses' speeches to the children of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness are examples of fine oratory, sometimes producing upon the people all the effect of drama. In his speech on pages [271 H.T.], [272 H.T.], what do you think of his methods of swaying his audience as compared to the modern orator's? |
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| Daniel Webster's customary preparation for the delivery of an oration was to read Isaiah's magnificent address, "Comfort Ye My People." What oratorical beauties can you discover from a reading of this address? | [284 S.A.], [285 S.A.] |
3. Other Literary Forms Found in the Bible
| What is the nature of the book of Ecclesiastes and the author's view of life? | [242-246 S.A.] |
| What is the nature of the book of Proverbs? | [248 S.A.] |
| Give the gist of the teachings of the Proverbs. | [248 S.A.] |
| Give in modern terms three principles of conduct taught in "Enter not into the Path of the Wicked" | [255 S.A.] |
Wisdom Literature
| Dr. Richard G. Moulton says there are three characteristic methods
employed in stating the Proverbs: antithesis, comparison, and
imagery. In the selection, "Praise of the Wise and Virtuous
Woman," can you find examples of these three methods? | [256 S.A.] |
| The literary forms of the Proverbs are fourfold: the single couplet;
clusters of couplets, where several independent sayings are gathered
about a common theme; the epigram; and wisdom sonnets. Note these four
forms. | [501 G.B.] and [249-257 S.A.] |
Letters
| In what literary form are the writings of Paul? | [413 S.A.] |
| What can be said of the style of Paul's letters? | [413 S.A.] |
| How did Paul's wide experience contribute to his writings? | [414 S.A.] |
Varied Styles
| What type of story common to-day is told by one of the brothers of Abimelech? | [333 H.T.] |
| Do you think Nathan's method of bringing David to repentance peculiarly effective? Give three literary devices used by Nathan in support of your opinion. | [432 H.T.] |
| What three stories in the Bible are recognized as among the most charming love stories in the world? | [49 H.T.], [60 T.J.], [35 T.J.] |
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| What is the circumstance of the only riddle in the Bible? | [173 T.J.] |
| What literary form did Jesus most often use in speaking to the people? | [133 L.J.] |
4. The Literary Value of the Books of Prophecy
Isaiah
| In what literary form are many of Isaiah's prophecies written? | [277 S.A.] |
| What qualities in Isaiah's poetry give it a high place in literature? | [277 S.A.] |
| Dr. Richard G. Moulton says that in Isaiah's poetry, men's thoughts are
directed toward the great idea of a universal spiritual dominion. In
"Comfort Ye My People," what passages do you think have this
purpose? | [284 S.A.], [285 S.A.] |
| Isaiah is said to be a master of satire and pathos, of proverb and
parable, of simile and metaphor. In his sublime words, "The Triumph of
the Man of Sorrows," can you find evidences of these literary
forms? | [288 S.A.], [289 S.A.] |
Jeremiah
| What was the theme of Jeremiah's prophecy? | [297 S.A.] |
| What symbolic use did Jeremiah make of the potter and his clay? | [301 S.A.] |
Hosea
| Through what personal experience was Hosea able to interpret the love
of God? Can you discover in "The Longing of God for His Children" the
strong feeling due to this experience? | [365 S.A.], [366 S.A.] |
Amos
| Because of the circumstances of his early life Amos drew most of his
figures from nature and agricultural occupations. How many such
allusions can you find in the selections here
given? | [354-362 S.A.] |
Micah
| In the prophecy of Micah appear probably the most striking words ever
written predicting world peace. Locate them. | [367-369 S.A.] |
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Nahum
| In what regards do you consider the description of war in "The Doom of
Nineveh" an adequate picture of modern day warfare? | [387-391 S.A.] |
Habakkuk
| Compare the theme of the prophecy of Habakkuk with the theme of the book of Job. | [179 S.A.], [392 S.A.] |
| The prayer of Habakkuk is said to be a composition unrivaled for
boldness of conception, sublimity of thought, and majesty of diction.
After reading can you pick out passages that confirm this estimate of it? | [393-396 S.A.] |
Haggai
| What is said of the style of Haggai's writing? | [397 S.A.] |
Zechariah
| What is the meaning of the prophecy of Zechariah? | [401 S.A.] |
5. The Bible-an Inspiration to Writers
| Compare Victor Hugo's account of the Fall of Jericho with the Bible account. | [293 H.T.], [287-292 H.T.] |
| Show how the wilderness journey of the children of Israel is traced out in the poem, "Lead Me On". | [238 H.T.] |
| How many of the twenty and more allusions to the Bible in Whittier's
poem, "Palestine," can you pick out and
explain? | [15-17 H.T.] |
| To what event of Israelitish history does the
"Song of the Manna Gatherers" refer? | [198 H.T.] ([196 H.T.]) |
Poems Inspired by the Bible
The following well-known poems were inspired by passages in the Old Testament. Bring out some of the beauty and power which the poets saw in these passages by comparing them with the poems.
| The Finding of Moses. | [134 H.T.] ([138 H.T.]) |
| The Seventh Plague of Egypt. | [162 H.T.] ([166 H.T.]) |
| The Burial of Moses. | [274 H.T.] ([272 H.T.], [273 H.T.]) |
| Saul and David | [395 H.T.] ([396 H.T.]) |
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| Cave of Adullam. | [437 H.T.] ([438 H.T.]) |
| Ruth. | [49 T.J.] ([35 T.J.]) |
| Belshazzar. | [211 T.J.] ([201-206 T.J.]) |
| The Destruction of Sennacherib. | [315 T.J.] ([271-276 S.A.]) |
| Hymn by the Euphrates. | [316 T.J.] ([346 T.J.], [347 T.J.]) |
| How does Dante, in his "Divine Comedy," use Psalm 114 ([134 S.A.], [135 S.A.])? | [504 S.A.] |
| What famous writer at the age of fifteen composed a hymn founded on Psalm 136 ([162 S.A.], [163 S.A.])? | [506 S.A.] |
| What Psalm has been most often translated into English verse? | [35 S.A.] |
| Name some poets who have translated the Shepherd Psalm into verse. | [498 S.A.] |
| Consider the passages descriptive of the relation of the Eastern shepherd to his sheep, on pages [200 L.J.] and [201 L.J.] and [285 S.A.], and study the pictures, noting the inscription on back, on pages [210 G.B.] and [288 G.B.] What qualities had this relationship peculiar to the East? State the peculiar qualities of this relationship that make the figure of the shepherd used in the first three lines of Psalm 23 particularly appropriate as applied to God. | [35 S.A.] |
| Find the lines in Psalm 72 ([88 S.A.]) on which is based the tradition, evidenced by many poems, that the three Wise Men from the East were Kings. | [501 S.A.], [29 L.J.], [41 L.J.] |
| What lines of Psalm 80 ([91 S.A.]) underlie Elizabeth Barrett Browning's, "The Measure," stanza 2? | [501 S.A.] |
| What lines in Psalm 86 ([98 S.A.]) are beautifully used by Tennyson in the verse quoted from "Rizpah"? | [502 S.A.] |
| What lines in Psalm 87 ([100 S.A.]) furnished the motto for Augustine's great work, "The City of God"? | [502 S.A.] |
| What well-known tune derived its name from the number of the Psalm which was used with it? | [116 S.A.], [503 S.A.] |
Story Suggested by the Bible
| Can you name a popular modern story that has its inspiration
in "The Wise Men"? | [41 L.J.] |
Read the following stories from the volume, "The Life of Jesus," with your reading of Van Dyke's beautiful story, "The Other Wise Man," and note the interesting correspondence. Alternate Van Dyke's story with THE BIBLE STORY and read as follows:--
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| The Other Wise Man | The Sign in the Sky By the Waters of Babylon |
| THE BIBLE STORY | The Wise Men, [41 L.J.] |
| The Other Wise Man | For the Sake of a Little Child |
| THE BIBLE STORY | A Journey to the Land of the Pharaohs, [45 L.J.] |
| The Other Wise Man | In the Hidden Way of Sorrow |
| THE BIBLE STORY | The Crucifixion, [281 L.J.] |
| The Other Wise Man | A Pearl of Great Price |
Book Titles Taken from the Bible
The fact that many books of every style and content bear names taken from the Bible and develop themes suggested by the Bible is a tribute to the beauty and picturesqueness of Bible diction and indicates the extensive scope of its writings. What would you expect the theme of each of the following books to be, judging by the thought which the titles suggest?
| "The Inside of the Cup" | Winston Churchill |
| "The Fruit of the Tree" | Edith Wharton |
| "All the Days of My Life" | Margaret Sangster |
| "From My Youth Up" | Amelia Barr |
| "Titus" | Florence Morse Kingsley |
| "Following the Star" | Florence Barclay |
| "Barabbas" | Marie Corelli |
| "The Yoke" | Elizabeth Miller |
| "The Wages of Sin" | M. S. Harrison |
| "The Sins of the Father" | Bertha M. Clay |
| "The Eternal City" | Hall Caine |
| "A Voice in the Wilderness" | Grace Livingston Hill Lutz |
| "The Thirteenth Commandment" | Rupert Hughes |
| "The Hands of Esau" | Margaret Deland |
| "A Certain Rich Man" | William Allen White |
| "The Promised Land" | Mary Antin |
| "Prince of the House of David" | J. H. Ingraham |
| "The Far Country" | Winston Churchill |
| "Unleavened Bread" | Robert Grant |
| "Judas Iscariot" | L. N. Andrew |
| "These Twain" | Arnold Bennett |
| "The Good Shepherd" | John Roland |
| "Prodigals and Sons" | John Ayscough |
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| "The Lost Boy" | Henry Van Dyke |
| "God's Remnants" | Samuel Gordon |
| "The Foolish Virgin" | Thomas Dixon |
| "The Heritage of Cain" | Isabel Ostrander |
| "Behold the Woman" | T. Everett Horre |
| "If Any Man Sin" | H. A. Cody |
| "The Crown of Life" | Gordon Arthur Smith |
| "The Clean Heart" | A. S. M. Hutchinson |
| "The House of Bondage" | Reginald Wright Kauffman |
| "The Mark of the Beast" | Reginald Wright Kauffman |
| "The House of the Lord" | J. E. Talmage |
| "Where the Laborers are Few" | Margaret Deland |
| "The Old Adam" | Arnold Bennett |
(These are only a few of the many books that have drawn their titles from the Bible.)
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