The aim of this paper is to help candidates to an understanding of one of the key factors in the maintenance of the religious faith of Ancient Israel, and to introduce them to the study of a significant part of the Jewish and Christian Bibles. Candidates need a basic overall view of the history of Israel from the Conquest to circa 400 BCE. They should understand the context of the events and people they are studying, and how they relate to parallel accounts of the same periods in other parts of the biblical literature. Throughout, they should be aware of the views of modern scholars.

The paper is divided into three sections.

Candidates are required to answer four questions. One question is the compulsory comment question in Section C, where four passages must be chosen out of a possible eleven. They must also choose one question from Section A, one question from Section B, and one further question from either Section A or Section B.

Section A: Pre-canonical prophets and general questions

Candidates are expected to show knowledge of the earliest manifestations of prophecy in Israel, and to be aware of the views of modern scholars on its origins. They should also be able to show the significance of (pre-canonical) prophets of the 10th and 9th centuries BCE, including their roles, functions and impact. General questions are also asked on the characteristics of Israelite prophecy and prophetic literature; the roles and activities of prophets and their relationship with the social and religious institutions of their day; methods of communicating their message; the collection and preservation of prophetic writings; the kind of issues addressed in prophecy; the significance of Moses for the prophecy of Israel, and also Samuel and Elijah. Candidates may be asked to compare the prophecy of one period of Israel’s history with another. There are passages in Section C, prescribed with particular reference to Section A, which should be given detailed study.

Section B: Pre-exilic prophets, with special reference to Amos, Hosea, Isaiah of Jerusalem, and Jeremiah

Candidates should be familiar with the main contents of Amos; Hosea; Isaiah 1–12, 28–39; Jeremiah 1–45. They should also have detailed knowledge of the relevant passages prescribed in Section C. Questions are set on the life and/or work and message of individual prophets, but comparative questions and general questions on pre-exile canonical prophets may also be included.

Section C: A compulsory question with passages for comment.

These passages are drawn from the following passages for detailed study, relating to the other sections of the syllabus:

(A) Numbers 11:14–17, 11:24–29

Deuteronomy 18:9–22

1 Samuel 3, 9:1–10:13, 28:3–25

2 Samuel 7

1 Kings 19:1–18, 21:1–29, 22:1–38

(B) Amos 2-4, 7-9

Hosea 1–4, 6:1–6, 11, 14

Isaiah 1, 2, 5–9, 11, 31

Jeremiah 1–2:13, 7, 11–13, 15:10–16:15, 17–20, 23–24,

27–29, 31–32

The aim of this paper is to encourage and develop a scholarly understanding of the life and teaching of Jesus as contained in the four gospels. A good working knowledge of the gospel text is required.

• Candidates are expected to know and comment upon differences between the gospels where these are plainly relevant to this understanding, but they will not otherwise be asked for detailed comparison of parallel narratives.

There are fourteen optional questions on this paper, one of which contains passages for comment.

• Candidates are required to answer any four questions. The breakdown of the paper is as follows:

• The comment question contains eight short texts (gobbets), two from each gospel. Candidates should state the context of any four gobbets (but not rewrite the story) and then comment on points of interest (religious, historical, political or social) or difficulties that arise from that text.

• There are at least two questions on the paper directly concerned with each gospel.

• There are five further questions on main gospel issues and themes.

Answers to all questions should demonstrate a thoughtful mixture of scholarly opinions, textual evidence and personal evaluation.

In preparing for this paper candidates should study the following:

• The relevant gospel texts

• the historical, social and religious background to the gospels

• the main questions and ideas raised by biblical criticism

• authorship, date, provenance and main themes of the gospels

• the main events in the gospels: birth narratives, John the Baptist and his relation to Jesus, baptism,

• temptations, confession of Peter, transfiguration, miracles and mighty works, entry into Jerusalem, last supper, trials, crucifixion and resurrection

• the teaching of Jesus (especially by means of parables and miracles) with special attention to: salvation, forgiveness, the kingdom of God, future judgement, discipleship and commitment, wealth and possessions, prayer, ethics, discussions with Jewish authorities and his self-understanding

• the main events and teaching peculiar to John’s Gospel (e.g. the Prologue, Nicodemus, the Samaritan

• woman, the ‘signs’, the “I am” sayings)

• the Christological titles (son of God, son of man, son of David, etc.)

• the views of contemporary scholars.