FoxChild@Learn
Paper 2B Perspectives on faith (textual studies)
June 2022
Q1.1: Which one of the following events in the life of Jesus took place in the wilderness?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A The Arrest B The Crucifixion C The Temptation D The Trial before Pilate
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: C The Temptation
Q1.2: Give two statements Jesus made to his disciples on the way to Jerusalem when he
predicted his passion.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Mark 10: 32–34 The Son of Man will be handed (betrayed) over to the chief priests / and the scribes / and they will condemn him to death / then they will hand him over to the Gentiles / they will mock him / and spit up him / and flog him / and kill him / and after three days he will rise, etc.
Q1.3: Explain two contrasting views in contemporary British society about Jesus’ actions
and words in Gethsemane. • You must refer to a Christian view. • Your contrasting view may come from Christianity or from another religious or non-religious tradition.
Question 1 continues on the next page
Answer:
similarities and differences within and/or between religions and beliefs First contrasting view Second contrasting view If similar views are given, only one of them may be credited up to 2 marks. Contrast may mean opposing or mean different views in terms of either belief or issue Mark usually stresses Jesus’ authority, but on this occasion Jesus is depicted as vulnerable, isolated and weak / Mark’s account shows his humanity / he left his disciples to be alone, a sign of someone frightened to be with others / he said to Peter, James and John ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake’, etc. Jesus was clearly distressed and uncomfortable / he ‘threw himself on the ground’ / he prayed to be released from what was going to happen / he asked that the ‘hour might pass for him’ / he asked God (Abba) to take the cup away from him / he showed weakness and a lack of trust in God’s power to he him / he did not practise what he preached, etc. Jesus showed weakness when he asked the disciples to stay awake / he was probably looking for support in his fears but they slept / Jesus said, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?’ / he shou not have been so dependent on his disciples / his faith should have carried him through, etc. Jesus showed weakness when he went willingly to his arrest / he just gave himself up / ‘Get up, let u be going; see my betrayer is at hand’ / he put up no fight, etc. The way in which Jesus admitted to his fear of the imminent suffering shows an honesty and openne that Christians can emulate / they feel free to speak to God in the same way / despite his fear, Jesus was ready to do God's will / he prayed that he would do 'God’s will not his own’ / this shows courage and commitment not weakness, etc. Jesus was not angry with his disciples when he found them sleeping / he showed compassion and understood that the spirit was willing / but the flesh was weak / he understood that the disciples were human and probably tired, etc. Jesus faced up to his arrest with courage and calmness not weakness / he did not run away / or use violence / he could have avoided going to Gethsemane / but he accepted his fate / Jesus knew that h had to die / it was God’s plan / Jesus had predicted his death himself on three occasions, etc.
Q1.4: Explain two teachings about service that Jesus gave to his disciples when James and
John asked for seats of honour in God’s Kingdom. You must refer to St Mark’s Gospel in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to St Mark’s Gospel – 1 mark Jesus explained that the disciples must not seek power and authority, but instead serve / the values the Kingdom of God were the opposite of those in the secular world / in the Roman Empire, greatnes was all about power, dominion and status / in the Kingdom of God it was about self-giving service / Jesus is teaching that in order to be 'great' the disciples need to earn that place through service rathe than gaining it by lording it over people / this was in stark contrast to the society of the time / those w wanted to be truly great must be a servant to all / they must follow the example of Jesus whose whol life had been based on serving others / ‘Son of Man came not to be served but to serve’ / through preaching, teaching, healing, etc. / those who want to be first or a leader must be a slave of all / meaning they need to put themselves with the lowest people in society and serve and help others as though slaves, in other words without counting the cost / in those days a slave was lower than a servant, so Jesus’ comments would have had a very dramatic effect / he describes his death as a ‘ransom for many’ / his death would save humanity / Jesus understood the price he would pay for the sin of all people / the Son of Man refers to the Suffering Servant (Isaiah) / that Suffering Servant wou be hated, despised by others and undergo a humiliating death / yet, eventually, people would recogn that his suffering and death had been for them, and he would be honoured / Jesus taught his disciple to focus on helping other people, rather than seeking the best places in heaven, etc. Sources of Authority: Mark: 10–35–45 The request of James and John 35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the c that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is those for whom it has been prepared.”41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with Jame and John. 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those who they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it i not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Accept all other sources of authority that correctly support the teachings given.
Q1.5: ‘The miracles recorded in St Mark’s Gospel actually happened.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you: • should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement • should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • should refer to St Mark’s Gospel • may refer to non-religious arguments • should reach a justified conclusion.
Extra space
Q2 Theme E: St Mark’s Gospel as a source of spiritual truth
Answer:
In your answer you: • should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement • should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view and understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. relevant evidence and information.
Arguments in support:
Some Christians believe that Mark was directly inspired by God therefore, his account of Jesus’ life given in his Gospel is inerrant / they believe God would want Christians to be absolutely sure about Jesus so they accept the accounts of Jesus’ miracles as historically reliable / and happened just as they are described by Mark / eg Jairus’ daughter was dead and Jesus raised her to life / Jesus fed 5000 people with five loaves and two fish / as well as divine inspiration Mark used other reliable sources for his Gospel accounts / he got his information from eyewitnesses, eg Peter, who was a clo disciple of Jesus / Peter, along with James and John and the child’s parents, was present at the healing of Jairus’ daughter, indicating the accuracy of Mark’s account of this miracle / Mark’s Gospe thought to be the earliest of the Gospels and is the Gospel that is nearest to the events it describes contains the actual words of Jesus, written in Aramaic, the language Jesus would have spoken / eg ‘Talitha cum’ - in the healing of Jairus’ daughter / the miracles reveal the power of God at work in Je / they show Jesus’ divine status / throughout Mark’s Gospel miracle stories people questioned Jesus authority but his replies gave answers which helped them to accept his authority / eg the paralysed man (Mark 2 :1–12)……. 'they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 'We have never seen anything like this!' / to question the historicity of the miracles is to question God’s power and authorit it encourages questions about the truth of the rest of Mark’s Gospel / and in particular about Jesus’
Arguments in support of other views:
Some Christians believe that not everything in Mark’s Gospel may have happened precisely as it is recorded / eg Mark’s Gospel was written 35 years after the events happened / there was a long peri of oral tradition / memories might not be entirely accurate / different people remember different thing Mark was not an eyewitness himself / some Christians believe that although the writers of the Bible were guided by God, they were human, and humans could make mistakes / Mark or the Early Churc may have elaborated on or even created some of the stories to convey spiritual truths / Mark’s storie are challenged by science which demands empirical proof and miracles are difficult to verify / miracl break the laws of nature / and some Christians believe that there will be a scientific explanation for everything sometime / some Christians believe that the miracles are exaggerated / they are impossi events, eg 5000 people cannot be fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish / modern medical understanding has shown that some of the miracles were not miracles / and that there may be natural explanations for some of them / eg the paralysed man’s condition was psychosomatic / Jairus’ daughter was in a diabetic coma, etc. Q2 Theme E: St Mark’s Gospel as a source of spiritual truth
Q2.1: Which one of the following statements did Jesus make to the
Greek (Syro-Phoenician) woman after she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A ‘Give her something to eat.’ B ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ C ‘All things can be done for the one who believes.’ D ‘Do not fear, only believe.’
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: B ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’
Q2.2: Give two statements that Jesus, at a meal in Levi’s house, made to the scribes of the
Pharisees when they criticised him for eating with sinners and tax collectors.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Mark 2: 13–17 Those who are well have no need of a physician / but those who are sick / I have come to call not the righteous / but sinners, etc.
Q2.3: Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about how people
might respond to the word of God according to Jesus’ Parable of the Sower. • You must refer to a Christian belief. • Your contrasting belief may come from Christianity or from another religious or non-religious tradition.
Question 2 continues on the next page
Answer:
similarities and differences within and/or between religions and beliefs First contrasting belief Second contrasting belief Contrast may mean opposing or mean different views in terms of either belief or issue Mark 4: 1–9, 14–20 The seed that falls on the path represents the people who take notice of the message of Jesus but Satan or temptation takes it from them / people who hear the Gospel but do not respond to it / the Gospel makes no impact on them / they hear the news but are not committed enough to do anything about it / it is taken away from them, etc. The seed that falls on rocky places represents the people who welcome the message of Jesus, but a soon as it becomes difficult for them or they are persecuted, they will give up / people who are very excited about the Gospel when they first hear it / they are full of enthusiasm but the novelty wears off and they lose interest / people who are delighted to hear the news, but their faith is not deeply rooted them so when trouble or persecution comes, they give up / the message is lost, etc. The seed that falls in the thorns represents the people who are too interested in worldly goods and pleasures to become true disciples / they hear the message of Jesus but it is choked by greed for materialistic pleasures / the desire for possessions and money will become more important to them a they give up / they are so absorbed with all sorts of everyday problems and interests that they do not find the time or the motivation to take the Gospel seriously / so the hearer does nothing, etc. The seed that falls on the good soil represents the people who hear and accept the message of Jesu and act upon it / the Gospel becomes one of the most important things in their lives / they in turn pas on to other people / their lives will bear ‘fruit’ / they become disciples and spread the word to others / thus making God’s rule or Kingdom grow / the Kingdom of God can only grow if the message is hear however, the Kingdom grows abundantly once it is heard and acted upon / Christianity will spread, et Other people would interpret this parable in relation to the different ways people listen to any speake and hence the relative success of their message, etc.
Q2.4: Explain two teachings of Jesus which suggest that the Kingdom of God is here on
earth now. You must refer to St Mark’s Gospel in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to St Mark’s Gospel – 1 mark Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God in parables, some of which suggest that it is in the present, e the parable of the mustard seed is concerned with the growth of the Kingdom of God now / the meaning of the parable of the sower clearly implies this, as it is concerned with how people respond now / Jesus told the scribe that he was not far from the Kingdom of God when he said that loving Go and loving your neighbour were the greatest Commandments / eg there are many signs of Christians showing love of God and neighbour in the present / eg people showing love and helping others / eg charity work / visiting the sick / sacrificial generosity / prayer / communal and private worship / visiting prisoners / obeying the commandments / eg keeping holy the Sabbath Day / receiving the sacramen eg confirmation / in the Commission Jesus told the disciples to go throughout the world and preach th good news therefore, the Kingdom of God is in the present as people become Christians / eg through baptism / and work as a community to spread God’s message over the world / eg evangelism / missionary work, etc. NB maximum level 2 for answers that simply narrate the text. Sources of Authority: Mark 4: 30-32 The Parable of the Mustard Seed Mark 12: 28-34 The Greatest Commandments Mark 16:14-20 The Commission Mark 4: 1-9, 14-20 The Parable of the Sower Mark 10:17-27 The Rich Man Mark 4:26-29 The Parable of the Growing Seed Accept all other sources of authority that correctly support the teachings given.
Q2.5: ‘Jesus’ teachings about the rewards of discipleship are more important for Christians
today than his teachings about the cost of discipleship.’ Evaluate this statement. In your answer you: • should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement • should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • should refer to St Mark’s Gospel • may refer to non-religious arguments • should reach a justified conclusion.
Extra space
Question . number .
Question . number . Copyright information For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet is published after each live examination series and is available for free download from www.aqa.org.uk. been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team. Copyright © 2022AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
226G8063/2B
Answer:
In your answer you: • should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement • should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view and understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. relevant evidence and information.
Arguments in support:
The rewards of discipleship were outlined by Jesus to his disciples after Peter had asked if the disciples had done the right thing by giving up everything to follow Jesus / Jesus taught that those w whole-heartedly decide to follow a Christian way of life will be rewarded many times over in this life a in the life to come after death / he reassured his disciples that sacrifices would be more than compensated for in the Kingdom of God / they would receive more than they had given up / what the have given up they will receive one hundredfold in return / eg houses, brothers, etc. / these teaching are very important and relevant to Christians today as they feel that by following the example of Jesu their lives are enriched / if a close relationship with God is established in this life the greatest reward all is the promise of eternal life in the next life / this promise gives Christians a way of life / the promi of a reward can act as an incentive to remain faithful / it inspires faith for the future / it offers guidanc on how to live / Jesus taught that being a disciple does not mean accepting a life of misery and constant suffering / people are aware of difficulties but will persevere / persecutions would be part of life / but just as Jesus forgave his disciples when they failed, Christians are forgiven when they fail / Jesus taught that status in the Kingdom of God would be vastly different from how it was on earth / ‘many who are first will be last, and the last will be first‘ / referring to the transformation that faith in Christianity will bring, etc.
Arguments in support of other views:
Some Christians believe that focussing on rewards gives a false perspective, people may follow Jes for the wrong reasons / perhaps for prosperity but then fall away when they encounter difficulty and rewards promised do not materialise / it is about being a faithful disciple not about rewards / it should be a pleasure to do the Father's will regardless of what one may encounter / some Christians believ that the teachings of Jesus about the costs of discipleship are more important for Christians today a they feel that the demands of discipleship are very great and they need Jesus’ guidance / eg. Jesus taught that disciples must ‘deny self’ / ‘take up the cross’ / and ‘follow him’ / Jesus’ life was centred i self-giving service of others rather than in being wealthy or famous, so in following his example, Christians show that his teaching on the costs of discipleship is more important / Jesus taught that ‘Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save this means that those who fear mockery or suffering or declaring their faith in public risk losing what matters, eternal life / Jesus also taught ‘What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit soul’ / those putting material wealth, power, comfort etc, before God will not receive eternal life / Jes also taught that ‘If anyone is ashamed of me and my words…. The Son of Man will be ashamed of him….’ / rejection of Jesus through word or action will be returned on Judgement Day / however, for many Christians today both teachings are equally relevant and important / many Christians today ar willing to make the sacrifices that Jesus stated to achieve his promised rewards in the next life, etc.