ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment 5–1
Photocopy this passage (Neh. 1:1–11) and make as many observations as you can:

The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev

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in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,

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Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men,

and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant

that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

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They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back

in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of

Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

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When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days

I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

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Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God,

who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep

his commandments,

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let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer

your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants,

the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including

myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.

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We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the

commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

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Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying,

‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

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but if you return to me and obey my commands,

then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon,

I will gather them from there and bring them to the place

I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

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They are your servants and your people,

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whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.

Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant
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and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your

name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the

presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.

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Assignment 5–2
Read Mark 5:21–43, which contains two stories. The first story is about Jairus and his daughter,
the second about a bleeding woman. Note that the second story interrupts the first; that is, the
bleeding-­woman story is presented right in the middle of the Jairus episode. This is suggestive
to us. Look at the two stories and list as many direct comparisons and contrasts between the
two as you can find. Read carefully! Look hard! There are many to find.

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When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd
gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus,
came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daugh-
ter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24So Jesus
went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject
to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had
spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about Jesus, she
came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, “If I just touch his
clothes, I will be healed.” 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was
freed from her suffering.
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At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and
asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
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“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who
touched me?’ ”
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But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had
happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34
He
said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
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While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue
leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”
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Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
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He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38When
they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and
wailing loudly. 39He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not
dead but asleep.” 40But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with
him, and went in where the child was. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which
means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around

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(she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43He gave strict orders not to let
anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Just to get you started:

Jairus Bleeding woman

1. a man 1. a woman
2. goes to Jesus for help publicly 2. goes to Jesus for help privately

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Assignment 5–3
Read the story below from Mark 11. Photocopy this page and make as many observations as
you can on the text. Notice that the text has two encounters with a fig tree (vv. 12–14, 19–21)
sandwiched around an event in the temple (vv. 15–18). In addition to making observations,
explain how the fig tree relates to the episode in the temple.

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The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.

13
Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it

had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves,

because it was not the season for figs.

14
Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you

again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

15
On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts

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and began driving out those who were buying and selling there.

He overturned the tables of the money changers and

the benches of those selling doves,

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and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise

through the temple courts.

And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written:

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‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’?

But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ”

18
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this

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and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him,

because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

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When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

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In the morning, as they went along, they saw

the fig tree withered from the roots.

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Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look!

The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

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CHAPTER 6

THE HISTORICAL-­
CULTURAL CONTEXT

LIST OF BIBLE HANDBOOKS

Achtemeier, Paul, Joel Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.
Arnold, Bill, and Bryan Beyer. Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey. 3rd ed.
Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015.
Berding, Kenneth, and Matt Williams, eds. What the New Testament Authors Really Cared
About. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2008.
Burge, Gary M., and Gene L. Green. The New Testament in Antiquity. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan Academic, 2020.
Carson, D. A., and Douglas J. Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament. 2nd ed. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.
Dearman, J. Andrew, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr. Introducing the Old Testament. Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 2018.
deSilva, David. An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation.
2nd ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2018.
Elwell, Walter, and Robert Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament. 2nd ed. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 2005.
Goldingay, John. An Introduction to the Old Testament: Exploring Text, Approaches & Issues.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015.
Gundry, Robert H. A Survey of the New Testament. 5th ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012.
Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. 4th ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1990.
Hagner, Donald A. The New Testament: A Historical and Theological Introduction. Grand
Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
Harrison, R. K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2004.
Hess, Richard S. The Old Testament: A Historical, Theological, and Critical Introduction.
Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016.

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