Using Exodus 12 (the “Passover”) as your text, write an eight-page paper interpreting this passage using the three-step method of interpretation consistently employed by Dr. Pratt in the video lectures: 1) determine and explain the literary structure of the passage; 2) determine and explain the original meaning of the passage. This step includes both a discussion of the passage’s meaning within its immediate context, and a consideration of how Moses’s inclusion/arrangement of the material was intended to function for his original audience, the Israelites redeemed from Egypt and headed to the promised land; and 3) a discussion of modern application. This final step should follow Dr. Pratt’s specific approach to modern application closely, namely, identifying the ways in which the New Testament writers used themes/ideas/motifs, etc., in the Pentateuch to explain the significance of the inauguration, continuation, and consummation of Christ’s kingdom. See video lesson 2 (“A Perfect World”) for a detailed discussion and application of this threefold approach to interpretation.
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
Title: The Passover: A Three-Step Interpretation of Exodus 12
Introduction:
Exodus 12 recounts the significant event of the Passover, a pivotal moment in the history of Israel. This paper will employ Dr. Pratt’s three-step method of interpretation to analyze Exodus 12. Firstly, it will determine and explain the literary structure of the passage. Secondly, it will explore the original meaning and intended function within the context of the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the promised land. Lastly, it will discuss the modern application of the passage, specifically focusing on how the New Testament writers used the themes and motifs from Exodus 12 to highlight the inauguration, continuation, and consummation of Christ’s kingdom.
Step 1: Literary Structure
The literary structure of Exodus 12 can be divided into several sections:
Instructions for the Passover (Exodus 12:1-13)
The Institution of the Passover (Exodus 12:14-20)
The Plague on Egypt and Israel’s Exodus (Exodus 12:21-28)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:29-32)
The Israelites Depart from Egypt (Exodus 12:33-42)
Additional Passover Regulations (Exodus 12:43-51)
Step 2: Original Meaning and Intended Function
Within its immediate context, Exodus 12 serves several purposes for the Israelites:
Establishing the Passover as a perpetual commemoration (Exodus 12:14)
Demonstrating God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:17)
Instituting the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a reminder of their haste in leaving Egypt (Exodus 12:18-20)
Prescribing specific instructions for the Israelites’ preparation and participation in the Passover (Exodus 12:1-13)
The inclusion and arrangement of these materials were intended to function as a reminder of God’s faithfulness, a call to obedience, and an affirmation of their identity as God’s chosen people.
Step 3: Modern Application
The New Testament writers draw upon themes and motifs from Exodus 12 to illuminate the significance of Christ’s kingdom:
Inauguration of Christ’s Kingdom:
Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, connecting it to the Passover meal (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-23).
Just as the Passover lamb provided redemption and deliverance for Israel, Jesus becomes the sacrificial Lamb who brings salvation to all who believe in him (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29).
Continuation of Christ’s Kingdom:
The concept of redemption from slavery is expanded to include freedom from sin and spiritual bondage through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:13-14).
Believers are called to live a holy and unleavened life, symbolizing their separation from sin and conformity to Christ’s image (1 Corinthians 5:8).
Consummation of Christ’s Kingdom:
The ultimate fulfillment of the Passover is seen in Revelation, where the Lamb’s redemption is celebrated by a multitude (Revelation 5:9-10; Revelation 7:9-17).
The Passover imagery emphasizes the final victory over sin and death, as believers partake in the eternal feast with Christ in his kingdom (Revelation 19:6-9).
Conclusion:
Through the three-step method of interpretation, we have gained a deeper understanding of Exodus 12. The passage not only provides historical context for the Israelites but also serves as a significant foreshadowing of Christ’s redemptive work. The New Testament writers draw upon the themes and motifs from Exodus 12 to illustrate the inauguration, continuation, and consummation of Christ’s kingdom. As believers today, we are called to remember God’s faithfulness, embrace our identity as His chosen people, and participate in the ongoing celebration of our salvation through Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb.
