Genesis Study Plan Genesis & Exodus Ignatius Catholic Study Bible by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch Kick-Off Lesson 1 Lesson 2 I. Distribute Books and Materials Get Organized II. Ice Breaker Get Acquainted Introduction to the Ignatius Study Bible (page 7) Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath (page 17) Introduction(s) Lesson 3 1. The Roman Catholic Church and all major Christian churches make mighty claims for the Bible. What is the meaning of "inspired"? What is the meaning of "inerrant"? 2. Are each individual word, verse and chapter of "inspired" and "inerrant" in a standalone sense? How do the concepts of 1) authentic context, 2) out of context and entire corpus affect that question? 3. Describe in your own words the two theories about the authorship of Genesis; the traditional and the modern scholarship. Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath (page 17) Cain and Abel (page 23) Gen 1 thru 3 Page 81 see Chapter 1 Chapter 3 Lesson 4 Cain and Abel (page 23) Gen 4 thru 8 The Covenant with Noah (page 29) Page 82 see Chapter 4, Chapters 5-6:10 and Chapters 6:11 8 Lesson 5 Lesson 6 The Covenant with Noah (page 29) God s Covenant with Abram (page 37) Pages 82 and 83 see Chapter 9, Chapters 10-11, Chapter 12 and Chapters 13-14 God s Covenant with Abram (page 37) The Birth of Isaac (page 43) Pages 84 and 85 see Chapter 15 Chapter 20 Gen 9 thru 14 Gen 15 thru 20
Lesson 7 The Birth of Isaac (page 43) Isaac and Abimelech (page 51) Pages 85, 86 and 87 see Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapters 23-24 and Chapter 25 Gen 21 thru 25 Lesson 8 Isaac and Abimelech (page 51) Jacob Flees with His Family and Flocks (page 57) Pages 87 and 88 see Chapters 26-27, Chapter 28, Chapter 29 and Chapter 30 Gen 26 thru 30 Lesson 9 Jacob Flees with His Family and Flocks (page 57) Jacob Returns to Bethel (page 62) Pages 88 and 89 see Chapter 31, Chapter 32 and Chapters 33-34 Gen 31 thru 34 Lesson 10 Jacob Returns to Bethel (page 62) Joseph Interprets Pharaoh s Dream (page 68) Pages 89 and 90 see Chapter 35, Chapters 36-37, Chapter 38 and Chapters 39-40 Gen 35 thru 40 Lesson 11 Lesson 12 Joseph Interprets Pharaoh s Dream (page 68) Jacob Brings His Whole Family to Egypt (page 74) Pages 90 and 91 see Chapter 35, Chapters 42-44 and Chapter 45 Jacob Brings His Whole Family to Egypt (page 74) The End (page 80) Pages 91 and 92 see Chapter 46 Chapter 50 Gen 41 thru 45 Gen 46 thru 50
Study Plan Ignatius Catholic Study Bible by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch Exodus Lesson 1 Introduction to Exodus (page 13) The Sons of Israel (page 17) Introduction 1. Who wrote Exodus? What is the traditional answer? And what is the answer modern bible scholars would give? 2. Exodus may not be a History Book but isn t it probable that the Book of Exodus rests on the firm foundation of history? Why or why not? What kinds of details make it highly unlikely that the Exodus account is simply fiction composed many centuries after the setting of the story? 3. Consider the importance of the Ten Commandments not in a theological sense but in a legislative sense. Isn t it true that the code of social ethics contained in the last seven Commandments are found in some form in the law books of all nations of the earth today? Can you think of examples where this is not the case? Lesson 2 The Sons of Israel (page 17) God Gives Moses Help for His Mission (page 21) Pages 73 and 74 see Chapter 1 Chapter 3 Ex 1-3 Lesson 3 God Gives Moses Help for His Mission (page 21) Moses and Aaron Obey God's Commands (page 25) Page 74 see Chapter 4 and Chapters 5-6 Ex 4-6:27 Lesson 4 Moses and Aaron Obey God's Commands (page 25) Warning of the Final Plague (page 30) Ex 6:28-10
Pages 74 and 75 see Chapter 7, Chapter 8 and Chapters 9-10 Lesson 5 Warning of the Final Plague (page 30) The Feast of Unleavened Bread (page 34) Pages 75 and 76 see Chapters 11-12 Ex 11-12 Lesson 6 The Feast of Unleavened Bread (page 34) Manna from Heaven (page 38) Page 76 see Chapter 13 and Chapters 14-15 Ex 13-15 Lesson 7 Manna from Heaven (page 38) The Ten Commandments (page 42) Pages 76 and 77 see Chapters 16-17 and Chapters 18-19 Ex 16-19 Lesson 8 The Ten Commandments (page 42) Offerings for the Tabernacle (page 48) Pages 77 and 78 see Chapter 20, Chapters 21-22 and Chapters 23-24 Ex 20-24 Lesson 9 Offerings for the Tabernacle (page 48) The Golden Calf (page 56) Pages 78 and 79 see Chapter 25, Chapters 26-27, Chapters 28-29 and Chapters 30-31 Ex 25-31
Lesson 10 The Golden Calf (page 56) Sabbath Regulations (page 63) Pages 77 and 78 see Chapter 32, Chapter 33 and Chapter 34 Ex 32-34 Lesson 11 Sabbath Regulations (page 63) The End (page 68) Pages 80 and 81 see Chapters 35-39 and Chapter 40 Ex 35-40 Psalms (a small taste) Study Plan Psalms, Old Testament Daily Bible Study Series by George A. F. Knight Lesson 1 Introduction (page 3) Psalms (page 10) Psalms Intro 1. Our Study of Psalms begins with the opening statement of the introduction, To open the book of Psalms is to open the door into the worship of all believers in all countries of the world in all centuries from 1, 000 B.C. till the present time. This is a tremendously broad statement coving 3000 years of theology (study of theo God.) How can this possibly be accurate? 2. What does the word psalm mean? 3. Who wrote (composed) the psalms? 4. As Christians we need to read the Psalms in a number of ways at once.
Lesson 2 Psalm 1 The Two Ways (page 11) Psalm 22 The Lonely Deer Finds Rest (page 14) Psalms 1 & 23 1. The commentary about Psalm 1:1-6 states that to the Jews of the B.C. era Wisdom meant the teaching of God about what? And further says that Wisdom and Religion are related in what way? 2. The Hebrew word Torah means what? 3. On p. 37 or commentary says, But those who opt out of the Covenant are useless, hollow, empty people. Are we doing ourselves, family, friends, or society, any favors by letting them opt out? 4. Does the type of company you keep, things you watch/ read/ surf, or do with your free time bring you closer or further from God? 5. Besides bible study-what other formation are you working on? 6. What special distinction does Psalm 23 in relation to popularity 7. Do you truly believe that God is with you during the good times and bad? Share, if you are so inclined some examples of his presence in your life. Lesson 3 Psalm 22 The Lonely Deer Finds Rest (page 15) Psalm 51 I am Guilty (page 22) Psalms 22 1. In today s world it is not uncommon to hear of people giving up their belief in God because of some dreadful event (If there is a God how could he allow?) In Psalm 22 the psalmist experiences God-forsakenness but never, never even considers There is no God. Why the difference in these two views? 2. It is easier to do the right thing when we feel God actively participating in our lives and sending his grace but at times he diminishes his presence to see if we will continue to love and serve him. When you are in a spiritual dry spot do you think God has abandoned you and give up or do you resign yourself to do God s will and carry on? 3. Do you see this as foreshadowing of Christ s crucifixion? Why or why not? 4. Our author says that as we study Psalm 22 we should be aware that in all probability Jesus repeated not just the first line of the psalm but the whole of it in his agony. (see Matthew 27:46) Lesson 4 Psalm 51 I am Guilty (page 23) Psalm 8 How Great Thou Art (page 32) Psalms 51 & 130 1. Our author says that in the Old Testament all sins could be atoned for through the Jewish sacrificial system except two? Which two sins were excluded? When Nathan, the prophet, visits David in 2 Samuel 11 & 12 he tells David a parable he points out exactly these two sins. Can you see these facts, inability to atone sacrificially and David s conscious, woven throughout this psalm? Give examples. 2. We are all sinners due to our fallen nature. Do you work to overcome your sinful tendencies by taking advantage of the tools the church has to offer through formation, examination of conscience, confession, prayer and asking for grace?
3. Have you identified your root sin and actively practice the opposing virtue? (see Program of Life at www. Spiritualdirection.com for more info.) 4. In Old Testament times it was believed that a person s sins could and did affect their offspring. We tend to discount this now as silly ancient thinking (see John 9:2.) In this psalm David recognizes that 1) even though God s in his infinite compassion can and does horrendous sins, 2) the effect of those sins is still felt by decedents. Is this again silly ancient thinking or might there be truth to this even today? If a son learns that his father had raped a woman, how might this affect the son s behavior? If a daughter becomes aware that her father or mother arranged to have a person killed would that have no impact on her or her future behavior? 5. Page 31. God does not merely resist evil, for evil is not a thing to be resisted. Evil is an activity that has gone wrong. God sees an opportunity to pour on more grace, to forgive, to bring good out of the evil in question. This says that evil is not a noun but a verb, an action, energy and we have a tendency to act more on our emotions than on our well formed will. Do you take the time to care for yourself so that you are not as easily subjected to your emotional highs and lows and more /less resistant to evil/sin? 6. It has been said that Psalm 130 could have been written by St. Paul of Tarsus. What similarities do you see between this Psalm and The Epistles? Lesson 5 Psalm 8 How Great Thou Art (page 33) The End OF HANDOUT (page 44) Psalms 8, 118 & 150 1. Verse 4 of Psalm 8 has the familiar term son of man in it. Does that term have the same meaning we are familiar with? What is the meaning of the son of man in this Pasalm? 2. Psalm 8 uses two Hebrew words, adam and enosh for the English word man. Why? How are they different? 3. God has given us dominion over the earth but due tour sinful nature we have inflicted various kinds of destruction upon God s world and his people. What do you think needs to change to bring us more in-line with God s intention of that responsibility? Do you think this is what the Pope is currently referring to in his new encyclical? 4. Verse 4 of Psalm 118 says, Let those who fear the Lord. Who does it mean by those who fear the Lord? 5. Many Gentiles who wanted to lead a moral life had been greatly attracted to the faith of the synagogue, to the mishpat of God revealed through Moses. Are our times so different? What are people turning to now? 6. Save us, we beseech thee (verse 25, Psalm 118) is often translated into a single word. What is that word? Where else of particular note do we see this word in the Bible? 7. Psalm 118 gives pause for some serious self reflection: Do you thank God for your blessings, as well as, your crosses? Do you call upon him first or rely on yourself or others? Do you realize that all your accomplishments and victories come from the Lord? Do you give credit where credit is due? 8. In our text s discussion of the final Psalm it says, And more and more climactic have we found the theology of the Psalter to be. Using your own words what is our author saying? 9. God does so very much for each and every one of us, each and every day. Do you give him praise quietly and in private or do you shout from the rooftops and share those blessing with others? Do we pause to give him praise at all?