Research the context of each of these passages and write your first draft of your paper for each passage. Then review Bock’s article on “The Use of the Old Testament in the New,” and make sure you understand his categories for the use of the OT in the NT, especially (1) Prophetic Fulfillment and the two subcategories under Typological Fulfillment, (2) typological-PROPHETIC fulfillment and (2) TYPOLOGICAL-prophetic fulfillment. A good resource for your study, if you can access it, is Beale, G. K. and D. A. Carson. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007. ISBN: 978-0801026935
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
“The Use of the Old Testament in the New.”
For each passage, you can follow these steps to write your first draft:
Research the Context:
Read and analyze the specific passage from the Old Testament and its surrounding verses.
Study the historical background, cultural context, and authorship of the Old Testament book.
Consider the original audience and purpose of the Old Testament passage.
Examine any relevant commentaries or scholarly articles that provide insights into the context.
Formulate a Thesis Statement:
Based on your research, identify the main idea or theme of the Old Testament passage.
Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that presents your interpretation or analysis of the passage.
Write the Paper:
Start with an introduction that provides an overview of the Old Testament passage, its historical context, and the purpose of your paper.
Present your thesis statement and provide a brief outline of the main points you will discuss.
Develop each paragraph with supporting evidence, such as specific verses, historical facts, or cultural references.
Use relevant scholarly sources to strengthen your arguments and provide additional insights.
Analyze how the passage connects to other biblical themes, characters, or events.
Conclude by summarizing your main points and reinforcing your thesis statement.
As for understanding Bock’s article on “The Use of the Old Testament in the New,” here is a brief overview of his categories:
Prophetic Fulfillment:
This category refers to instances where the New Testament authors explicitly cite or reference Old Testament prophecies that are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
It demonstrates how Jesus fulfills the messianic expectations and promises found in the Old Testament.
Typological Fulfillment:
Typological fulfillment involves seeing certain people, events, or institutions in the Old Testament as foreshadowing or prefiguring Christ or His work.
Bock identifies two subcategories within typological fulfillment: a) Typological-Prophetic Fulfillment: This occurs when an Old Testament figure or event is seen both as a type (foreshadowing) and as having direct prophetic significance for Jesus Christ. b) Typological-Prophecy Fulfillment: In this case, an Old Testament type is seen as pointing forward to Jesus without explicitly functioning as a prophetic prediction.
Bock’s article provides a comprehensive analysis of how the New Testament authors understand and interpret the Old Testament. It explores different ways in which the writers of the New Testament engage with and apply Old Testament passages to their theological arguments and teachings.
While Beale and Carson’s Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament is considered a valuable resource for studying this topic, I am unable to access it directly. I recommend consulting this book for more in-depth analysis and insights into how the New Testament authors draw on the Old Testament.
Remember to carefully review Bock’s article and use it to inform your understanding of how the Old Testament is used in the New Testament. Incorporate relevant concepts and categories from Bock’s article into your analysis of each passage to provide a comprehensive study on the topic.
