READING THE BIBLE GOD MATTERS XS IB CLE 2013-2014

WORKSHEET 5

Reading the Bible as Literature

ON THE PRINCIPLES OF LITERARY INTERPRETATION

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: Use the three principles of literary interpretation to come up with a full reading of a Biblical passage.

SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS: 1. As a group, agree on which text i.e. passage each of the members is going to read. 2. Individually, research about your passage. Make sure that your sources are valid and legitimate. 3. After gathering enough data, discuss among yourselves the passage you have chosen. Agree on the genre of the text. Cite evidences to support your claim (genre). Then articulate the Author Meaning and Text Meaning of the passage. When you do these, make sure that you employ the big ideas of the three principles on literary interpretation. 4. When your group is done, work individually for the Personal Meaning of the text. Elaborate on it i.e. articulate your context so that any reader would clearly understand your reading. 5. Complete the table on the next page. 6. When you are done, upload your worksheet to Scribd, and embed it to your PLW.

BIBLICAL PASSAGE:
NAME:

Dexter Yu
LC NO.: DATE:

1
PASSAGE

August 5, 2013

The Potters Vessel

JEREMIAH 18, 1-12

LITERARY GENRE

Narrative
AUTHOR MEANING

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The author, Jeremiah, was one of the major prophets of Israel during the Old Testament. As a prophet, he appealed to the Jews to change their own ways, reconcile with God and repent. His teachings were focused on the personal relationship between God and Man- that the tribulations experienced by the Jews were caused by indelity. With this, the passage tells the audience to acknowledge and submit to the power of the real God- that he is omnipresent and omniscient, whilst we are merely like clay which he molds. He appeals to the reader to submit to God since the destruction of Judea was caused by the sins of the people. TEXT MEANING Jeremiah establishes the relationship between Man and God through the symbolic imageries of clay and a potter; that the potter, God, shapes the clay, Man, into His wishes and desires. He thus relates that Man is inferior to God since we are merely a product of His creation and under His dominion. through these, The passage The Potters Vessel appeals to the reader to humble himself and repent to the all powerful God to restore the relationship of the covenant. PERSONAL MEANING In my opinion, this poem talks of humility-- that we are to only stay within our bounds and follow the path God has molded us to observe. The story tells me to live Gods will in everything I do, and do everything for Gods will since he is our potter.

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