Lesson Thirty-Three: John Bunyan’s Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis

C. Having weak or gentle eyes D. Thought to oneself E. None of the above

11. He gathered up his feet. (Gen. 49:33) A. Stretched out his feet and breathed his last breath B. Restored to honor C. Struggled with something D. Captured cities E. None of the above

12. Laying on of hands (Gen. 14:48) A. Blessed B. Rebuked C. Forgot D. Befriended E. None of the above

13. The way of women (Gen. 31:35) A. Beauty B. Childbirth C. Marriage D. Menstruation E. None of the above

Directions: Write down if the following statements are (A) CORRECT or (B) INCORRECT.

14. In biblical text, the expression “wrestling with angels” (Gen. 32:24) means that one is struggling with something as Jacob wrestles with an angel in Genesis. 15. A “coat of many colors” refers to Joseph’s multicolored coat in Gen.37:23. 16. “He gathered up his feet into the bed” means that he died. 17. To “possess gates” means to capture cities. 18. “Said in heart” (Gen 27.41) means that one thought to own self. 19. “Unstable as water” (Gen. 49:4) means that someone is undecided. 20. “Fire and brimstone” (Gen. 19:24) refers to the destruction the wicked cities

Sodom and Gomorrah. 21. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9) relates to a person’s responsibility to care for someone else. 22. “By the sweat of your brow” (Gen. 3:19) concerns hard labor. 23. “Old as Methuselah” refers to the oldest man in biblical text, Methuselah, age 969 years old. 24. “To dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19) is a part of funeral rituals referring to the cycle of life. 25. “Fall from grace” (Gen. 3) means that one has lost an honorable state in life. 26. “Forbidden fruit” (Gen. 3) is something that is desired but not allowed.

27. An “Adam’s apple” (Gen. 3:6) refers to the protrusion in the human neck formed by the angle of the thyroid cartilage surrounding the larynx. 28. “Adam’s apples are most visible in men. 29. “Extending an olive branch” ( Gen. 8:11) is a symbol of peace. 30. A dove carries an olive branch in the story of Noah and the Great Flood. 31. “The expression “Adam knew his wife” (Gen. 4:1) refers a sexual relation. 32. Adan “knew his wife” after Cain kills Abel and the couple has a third son. 33. “The mark of Cain” is associated to public disgrace. 34. The “mark of Cain” causes his death in the “Cain and Abel” narrative. 35. The expression, “Go to your fathers in peace” (Gen. 15:15) refers to dying.

For Reflection:

Find at least five (5) more idioms from the Book of Genesis. Tell how the expressions relate to the context of the Scriptures. How relevant are the idioms today? (Write five-eight sentences. Edit your writing to correct errors. Post your response on the discussion board. Label the post: “Genesis Idioms.”)

A Closing Thought:

The Hebrew Bible contains multiple provisions to ensure that no one would go hungry. The corners of the field, forgotten sheaves of grain, gleanings that drop from the hands of the gleaner, and small clusters of grapes left on the vine were to be given to the poor. -Jonathan Sacks

LESSON THIRTY-TWO SHAKESPEARE’S ALLUSIONS TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS

Lesson Overview:

The renowned English bard, William Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. Translated in eighty languages, the words, phrases, and lines from his works have helped shape modern English. Heavily affected by the Hebrew Bible, his famous plays are known for their universal themes and insight into the human condition. At times, Shakespeare quoted the biblical text directly, but more often he included a partial quote or an allusion. The influence of the Bible on Shakespeare’s plays is so deep that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between biblical language and the writer’s own word choices. In this lesson, students will examine biblical allusions in Shakespeare’s writings.

Key Concepts: allusions, universal themes, direct and indirect quotations

Objectives:

Students will:  apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts. to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to understand more fully when reading or listening.  understand the influence of the Hebrew Scriptures on Western literature.  find the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings.  initiate and take part in collaborative discussions.

Expected Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, students are expected to be able to:  compare translations of the English Bible.  understand the meaning of biblical allusions.  recognize biblical allusions in the works of William Shakespeare.  understand the influence of the Hebrew Bible on the works of William Shakespeare.

Duration: 2-3 hours

Materials:

 Study Guide: Shakespeare and the Bible by Michael J. Cummings

 (http://www.shakespearestudyguide.com/Shake2/Bible.html)  Article: “Shakespeare and the Geneva Bible” by Leland Ryken  (https://www.reformation21.org/articles/shakespeare-and-the-geneva-bible.php)

Procedure:

 Respond to the study questions by using the resource Shakespeare and the Bible (http://www.shakespearestudyguide.com/Shake2/Bible.html).  Reflect on the question(s), write a response, edit writing, and post your response on the discussion board. Label the post: Shakespeare Use of Biblical Allusions.

Study Questions:

Directions: Based on the information in the study guide, are the following statements (A) CORRECT or (B) INCORRECT?

1. The English Bibles versions available during William Shakespeare’s times included:

The Tyndale Bible (New Testament, Part of Old; first English Bible), The Coverdale

Bible, The Great Bible, The Geneva Bible, The Bishops' Bible, The Douay-Rheims

Bible (Catholic), and The King James Bible. 2. Scholars guess that Shakespeare read the Geneva Bible more often than other Bibles. 3. In general, Shakespeare did not quote a Bible passage directly, but he paraphrased or summarized it. 4. None of Shakespeare’s poetry alludes to biblical characters or stories. 5. In The Tragedy of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth compares to Eve (Genesis 3) in that she compels her husband to commit a forbidden act. 6. In the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth suggests that her husband imitate the subtle serpent in Genesis 3, saying, “Look like the innocent flower / But be the serpent under it” (1.5.63-64). 7. A reader can assume that “the serpent” in Shakespeare’s play alludes to the serpent in

Genesis, Chapter 3 in that it appears innocent to Eve, but proves to be evil. 8. In the Bishops' Bible, Genesis, 1:1 reads: “And the serpent was suttiller then every beast of the fielde …” 9. Shakespeare had a deep knowledge of both the Old and New Testaments. 10. His works have hundreds of allusions and references to Hebrew Scriptures. 11. In Henry V, 1.1.28-33, the lines: “…like an angel, came And whipp'd the offending

Adam out of him, Leaving his body as a paradise” alludes to the first human, Adam, who offends God by eating fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:4-3:24). 12. The lines in the play Richard III, 4.3.45, “The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham's bosom” alludes to the Hebrew patriarch Abraham (Genesis 12) as a place of resting for the righteous after death. 13. Shakespeare alludes to the biblical Adam in As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors,

Hamlet, Henry IV Part I, Henry VI Part II, Love's Labour's Lost, and Much Ado

About Nothing.