1. As a guide for living/ moral advice
We have already looked at how the Psalms can be useful. We are now going to evaluate how the Bible is: - Authoritative for daily life (moral advice/ guide to living) - As teaching on meaning & purpose of life - As a source of comfort and encouragement
As a guide for living/ moral advice
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Luke 6:36-37
Ps. 119:9-16
Ps.119:
Also other texts, eg Laws, Proverbs, Jesus’ teachings.
Read the commentaries, and on your table, fill in how these 4 set texts could be useful as a source of moral advice. Use work from the previous lesson on the Psalms.
*What are some weaknesses, why going to the Bible for moral advice might not be useful?
“Within the covers of the Bible are the answers to all the problems that men face” R.Reagan, former US President

2. Here are two stories. How do they contradict each other
Here are two stories. How do they contradict each other? Can they be harmonised?
Noah’s Ark God appears to Noah and tells him to do something that will save him and his family & animals, while the rest of the human race drown for their sinfulness
Abraham negotiating with God at Sodom
God takes Abraham to show him a city he will destroy for its sin. God allows Abraham to persuade him that for the sake of 10 good men in the city, he will not do it (after a lot of bargaining) .
Different ways of interpreting a passage: strength or weakness?
We should let others drown?
God cares about creation more than humanity?
We can bargain with God?
We should stand up for others?
God has favourites?

3. Evaluating the Bible as authoritative for life:
QUOTES FROM SET TEXTS
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every hidden thing to judgement” Ecc.12:13-14
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.…Lk 6:36-37
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” Ps.119:9
different interpretations: Vary depending on culture/ individual. How do you know if you have the “right” interpretation? Contradictory messages: God is wrathful/ forgiving??
it’s mostly narrative! Stories don’t give clear commands or guidance…We may be invited to see ourselves in the flawed characters...but this isn’t guidance, is it?
For Christians, Jesus is the one to have faith in, and to be guided by, in a living way, by His Spirit. He set an example, not detailed rules. Acts 15 Peter is told in a dream that he can kill and eat any animal for food – Jewish dietary laws don’t apply to those who have freedom in Christ.
Jesus himself broke OT stipulations on how to live – Mk 3:2 Cure man withered hand Mt15:1-3 not washing ritually Luke 6:1-4 picking grain on the Sabbath.
JESUS
Yet Jesus said to the rich young man “Keep the Commandments”.
Jesus wants perfect following of Scripture: “I have not come to abolish the Law but to fulfil it” – & “unless your righeousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, you will never enter the KoH).
The Pharisees were criticised by him, not for keeping the Law,but keeping it wrongly - as hypocrites –in letter, not in spirit eg refused to give parents things of help because they had been vowed to the temple Mk 7:11.
RICH VARIETY WAYS IN WHICH IT CAN BE USED: private meditation, political inspiration, social action, absolute moral guidance vs general philosophic insight/ reflection.

4. Purpose & Meaning of Life
Homework
Using the commentaries, fill in your table.
Source of Comfort & Encouragement
Using the commentaries, fill in your table.
Add two more texts of your own choosing explain their relevance.

5. Essays…can be on any of the four aspects Expectation is the you refer to the relevant set texts.
To what extent is the Bible a useful source of moral advice/ source of comfort and encouragement/ guide for living? “The Bible is mostly stories and ancient Jewish sayings. It is not a useful guide to Christian living”. Evaluate this statement. “The Psalms are not useful as a guide for a modern Christian.” Evaluate this statement.

6. How the Bible is authoritative for daily life
Mrs. Thatcher was invited to speak to the Scottish Church in 1988 in what became mockingly known as “The Sermon on the Mound”. It was – incredibly enough for a public politician - a devout statement of Christian belief. She selected bible texts to illustrate some of her most cherished principles of social, economic and political life. Read the extracts from her speech, and identify her use of bible texts (what she quotes, for what point)

7. In what ways was she reading the Bible? Identify from the following.
How do you think ordinary Christians read the bible today (and wouldn’t)?
Do you have any parts you consider “inspiring” for you?
Instruction manual – picking out and following only clear rules and teachings that you do find. Stories etc of dubious value.
Socially important – use the laws and teachings of the bible to construct society, eg to legitimise forms of authority, forms of ownership, social duties, ideas of personal responsibility.
Selective – find and keep those parts you find helpful/ inspiring. Consider the rest to be outdated.
Fundamentalist – consider all the bible to be objectively the word of God as it stands. Absolute interpretations, no negotiation about non-literal meanings. Reject modern scientific world, as bible is textbook of all knowledge.
Historical text – interesting ancient document that help us to understand the circumstances in which God revealed himself. Descriptions of an ancient society.
Reader-Response –reflect on how the text itself affects us, today. Too easy to “read in” our own points of view and ideologies into it? Is there any correct “reading” of it?

8. The Bible as authoritative for daily life
What does it mean to say that the Bible has “authority”? How does it get this authority?
The Bible as authoritative for daily life
as a source of moral advice(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Luke 6:36-37);
as a guide to living (Psalm 119:9-16; Psalm 119: );
as teaching on the meaning and purpose of life (Genesis 1:26-28; Ecclesiastes 9:5-9);
and as a source of comfort and encouragement (Psalm 46:1-3; Matthew 6:25).
Divinely inspired in its origin “divine authority”
God’s spirit inspires the writers of the Bible
The Church declares certain texts to be “authoritative” – it recognises by the Spirit certain texts as coming from God – and canonises them as “scripture”
Canonised as “authoritative” by the Church
God’s spirit inspires the readers as they read & interact with the Bible text
Effective in the lives of believers “authoritative”

9. The Psalms as a Guide to Living
Each person has one Psalm extract /4
Each one is followed by a commentary
Answer
What the Psalm is about, in general
How is it useful for a Christian – what does it teach them?
Is it functioning as a good guide for living (or not really useful/ clear?)
Swap Psalms so you have analysed at least 3
Compare answers
To what extent are the Psalms an effective guide for living for Christian?

10. To what extent are the Psalms an effective guide for living?
Analyse & discuss the 3 psalms in the spec.
Evaluate how clear they are as a guide/ usefulness
You could include discussion of another Psalm, to give a fuller discussion/ in conclusion
eg Ps.23 “The Lord is my shepherd..” (often said at funerals)
Or Ps.139 “O Lord you search me and you know me..” (reassurance that God knows your life in every moment and has plans for)
Or Ps.50 “Have mercy on me O God” (grief for sin & repentance)

11. Other Bible Texts for authoritative for Daily Life
General points: Jesus’ teachings, the 10 C’s
More specific texts – in the spec.
Genesis
Ecclesiastes x2 – wisdom tradition
Matthew 26
Luke 6
Read the texts + commentary
Summarise on the table what each text could teach you about living
How is the Bible authoritative in the daily life of Christians?
The exam board expects you to discuss the set texts as part of your answer.

12. Essay
“The Bible is mostly stories and ancient Jewish sayings. It is not a useful guide to Christian living”. Discuss. “The Psalms are not useful as a guide for a modern Christian.” Discuss.