FoxChild@Learn
Paper 2B Perspectives on faith (textual studies)
June 2023
Q1.1: Which one of the following was where Jesus was crucified?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A Bethany B Caesarea Philippi C Jerusalem D Nazareth
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: C Jerusalem
Q1.2: Give two things Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me / one who is eating with me / it is one of the twelve / one wh is dipping bread into the bowl with me / for the Son of Man goes as it is written of him / but woe to tha one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed / it would have been better for that one not to have been bo / take; this is my body / this is my blood of the covenant / which is poured out for many / truly I tell yo will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God,
Q1.3: Explain two contrasting views in contemporary British society about the miracle of the
feeding of the five thousand. • 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 Contrast may mean opposing or mean different views in terms of either belief or issue. If similar views are given, only one of them may be credited up to 2 marks max. Some Christians believe that if Jesus was the Son of God, then nothing was impossible for him / and that he fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, etc. They also believe that Mark’s Gospel was divinely inspired / it always tells the historical truth / and th miracle, therefore, occurred exactly as Mark recorded it, etc. Others think that a miracle did happen, but that the number of those fed has been exaggerated, etc. It has been suggested that because of their strict food laws, most people in the crowd would have taken food with them / when they saw that Jesus and the disciples were prepared to share what they had, these people were shamed into doing the same, etc. Some Christians look for a symbolic meaning in the story / some Christians believe that something o of the ordinary did happen but that it is not possible to know exactly what / some see similarities with the Old Testament story of God providing ‘manna’ in the wilderness to Moses and the Israelites / eac day there was enough / it became a symbol of God’s generosity / many looked for the coming of a Messiah who, like Moses, would again feed people with ‘manna’, etc. Some Christians point to the Old Testament where it is promised that the Messiah would ensure that were fed / it describes an image of a Messianic Banquet that all could share / the feeding of the 5000 can be seen as a symbol of this Messianic Banquet / it shows Jesus as the Messiah / he demonstrat God’s power by miraculously feeding 5000 people with a small amount of food / ensuring that their physical, as well as spiritual, needs were met, etc. Some Christians point to the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist / the words used to describe Jesus’ actions with the loaves are similar to those spoken at the Last Supper / some Christians think that Jesus himself had in mind the sacred meal that he would one day institute / that what each person received here was a tiny fragment of food, etc.
Q1.4: Explain two ways in which Bartimaeus showed faith in Jesus when he was healed.
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 Bartimaeus, even though he was blind, could see that Jesus was the Messiah better than the crowds gathered around him / this was recognised when he shouted ‘Son of David’, thus declaring his faith Jesus as the Messiah / this public declaration of Jesus’ identity was dangerous and the crowd tried to silence him but Bartimaeus shouted even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me’, again showing his faith in Jesus’ identity / when Jesus stopped and called him Bartimaeus’ faith was shown the way he abandoned his cloak to go to Jesus / at this time the outer garment would have been very important as it would have been spread on the ground to collect his begging money / he was so anxious to see Jesus that he left the little he had / he showed his faith in Jesus’ power to heal when h said , ‘My teacher, let me see again’ / Jesus rewarded his faith and said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well’ / Mark tells us that Bartimaeus’ sight was restored and that he followed Jesus on the way showing his faith as a disciple / 'the Way' was the name given to the early Christian community, Mark may have intended his readers to see a deeper meaning than the obvious one in the statement that Bartimaeus followed Jesus on the way, etc. NB maximum two marks for answers that simply narrate the text. Sources of Authority: Mark 10: 46–52 Bartimaeus 46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeu son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Tak heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50 So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” 52 Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediate he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Q1.5: ‘Jesus’ baptism was a more important event than his temptation.’
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:
The baptism of Jesus was a more important event because it was the beginning of his entire ministr it was a turning point for him in his life / he left his old life behind / Jesus’ focus for the rest of his life was on his ministry / it was a public event which identified him to others / Mark gives a more detailed account about Jesus’ baptism / eg Jesus was baptised by John in the Jordan / Mark included Old Testament symbols to help his readers understand the significance of Jesus’ baptism / eg water / Jo was offering a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins so water was a sign of new life and cleansing / ‘heavens torn apart’ is a sign of God’s presence (the prophet Isaiah spoke of the heaven being opened to allow for the coming of the Messiah) / ‘the Spirit descending like a dove on him’ indicates the presence of God in the form of the Holy Spirit / a symbol of the Trinity / ‘a voice came f heaven’ indicates the presence of God / the words spoken (‘you are my Son, the Beloved, with you am well pleased’) are confirmation that Jesus is the Son of God (Psalm 2: 7 the Messiah was regard as God’s son) / and is an endorsement that Jesus was receiving direct divine approval / the lack of detail in Mark’s account of the temptations of Jesus makes the event seem less important than his baptism / there is no detail about the wilderness / its location / or the temptation Jesus faced there / that Jesus was there for forty days / was tempted by Satan / and that wild beasts were with him / ma churches today use baptism as the beginning of a person’s Christian commitment / some practise infant baptism / others adult [believers] baptism / both in the belief that the person now belongs to G / water is used in baptism today and is a direct link with the baptism that John was offering / and with Jesus’ experiences, etc.
Arguments in support of other views:
The temptation of Jesus was a more important event as it was a deeply personal experience for Jes he was alone in the desert / the disciples had not been called so Mark was dependent on fewer sources of information / the few words that Mark uses about the temptation indicate that Jesus really suffered / and that this was a testing time for him / the fact that Jesus was ‘driven out’ to the wilderne points to the seriousness of the temptation / and the 40 days suggests it lasted a long time / Jews thought of Satan as an evil power in opposition to God trying to lead humans astray / and the referen to ‘wild beasts’ was thought by Jews to represent demons opposing the will of God / Mark states tha ‘angels waited’ on Jesus’, indicating they were God’s messengers, who gave him support / and help him overcome the difficulties he faced / the fact that Jesus triumphed over these temptations of Sata with God’s help and continued with his ministry makes the temptation a more important event / Christians today remember the temptation during the period of Lent in the Church’s year / the 40 day before Easter / it is seen as a time of prayer / spiritual reflection / and self-discipline / which is what Jesus would have experienced when in the wilderness / many Christians fast / give up something / o do something extra during Lent / eg raising money for charity / however, both events were equally important and significant as according to Mark the baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his publ ministry and the temptation prepared him for what lay ahead / both events indicate that Jesus had a deep religious experience, etc. NB Allow relevant references to Gethsemane as ‘temptations’. Q2 Theme E: St Mark’s Gospel as a source of spiritual truth
Q2.1: Which one of the following commandments did Jesus say was the second most
important commandment, in his reply to the scribe?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A You shall honour your father and your mother. B You shall not steal. C You shall love your neighbour as yourself. D You shall not murder.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: C You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
Q2.2: Give two ways in which Christians understand the ‘Kingdom of God’.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority A present reality / a future hope / a personal inner state / a vision of how life should be lived / a community / a time not a place / heaven / is like a mustard seed / a state of being with God, etc. NB credit reference to parables, as students might write, for instance, that the Kingdom starts off sm but will become very large, etc./ do not credit simply the ‘parable of the mustard seed’
Q2.3: Explain two contrasting views in contemporary British society about Peter’s denials of
Jesus. • You must refer to a Christian view. • Your contrasting view 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 view Second contrasting view Contrast may mean opposing or mean different views in terms of either belief or issue. If similar views are given, only one of them may be credited up to 2 marks max. Most people would see Peter’s actions as wrong / cowardly / at Jesus’ most vulnerable moment not only had Peter left him to his fate, but he had denied even being with him / some people might think less of Peter because he denied his friend, and not only his friend but the person through whom he hoped Israel would be saved / Peter’s first two denials were to a servant girl whose recognition of him posed absolutely no threat as a woman’s evidence was not valid, and she was just a servant / he denied all knowledge of Jesus to her but when the bystanders commented that he was a Galilean his courage left him and he denied Jesus for the third time / this is not the example expected of a good friend and role model, etc. Some would exonerate him because of the danger he faced / it is possible that Peter was afraid that too would be arrested and perhaps thought that the mission was ended now that Jesus was arrested at that time, the friends and followers of those who were found guilty of treason were often imprisone or even executed and Peter would have known this / his discipleship may not have been secure, despite all that had happened / he had the courage to follow Jesus to the courtyard, but he reacted li someone who was afraid and alone / there is no mention of the other disciples at this point so he had no support / he should not be judged too harshly for this, the danger to his life was real, etc. Some would take heart that even one of Jesus’ closest disciples could make a mistake / it is possible judge a situation wrongly and make an error like Peter as human beings are not perfect / Peter’s feelings of guilt and despair immediately after the incident are obvious and his tears show that he repented for his mistake / he had failed the greatest test of discipleship, and he had failed a close frie / however, he had the courage to follow Jesus when he was arrested and to tell this story so that oth would learn from it, etc. Some would be encouraged because Jesus forgave Peter for his denial / when the angel of the Lord told the women at the empty tomb that Jesus had risen from the dead, he particularly told them to tel Peter the Good News, etc. Some believe that the eye witness account of events had to come directly from Peter as Mark states that no other disciples were present / all of them deserted Jesus and fled when Jesus was arrested, Some believe it was not an eye witness account but a story that developed to encourage people faci persecution and opposition / it encourages believers to persevere even if they feel they have failed, e Some would see the account of Peter’s denials as a lesson for Christians today / some Christians fee they can take comfort in Mark’s story of Peter’s denials / being a disciple of Jesus is not easy in any generation / all Christians experience anxiety and even despair when they feel that they have let God down in some way / Peter’s story is seen as an example of how to deal with such a situation / he did not give in to his despair / he picked himself up to become a leading figure in the Church after the Resurrection of Jesus / he went on to become the leader of the Jerusalem Church and eventually found himself in Rome / there he led the Roman Church and is described as the first Pope / he is credited with writing the Letters of Peter in the New Testament, etc.
Q2.4: Explain two teachings about Jesus which can be learnt from Mark’s account of the
man with leprosy (a skin disease). 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 According to Mark the desperate situation of the man with leprosy aroused Jesus’ human emotions when he fell on his knees and begged Jesus for help / Mark states that Jesus was ‘moved to pity’ for the man / he shows his compassion and responded to the needs of the man by stretching out his han and touching him / Jesus often used touch in healing, but in this situation it was a surprising action – not only did those at the time believe he ran the risk of contracting the disease, but physical contact also contaminated him according to the Law / but for Jesus, this did not matter; the man’s needs wer what mattered / by his touch Jesus had given back to the man a sense of being human and being cared about, and restored his dignity / Mark also shows Jesus’ divine qualities / and his authority and power to heal / when he said to the man with leprosy ‘be made clean’ immediately the leprosy left him and he was made clean / according to Mark, Jesus not only healed the man, but also made sure he would be able to take part in society again by sending him to the priest to be declared clean, as was Jewish Law / Jesus showed his commitment to the outcast and the rejected / he demonstrated that th things could be changed, and a different approach was necessary, showing love and care / Mark als gives a glimpse of Jesus as the Messiah in this story / he told the man he had cured of leprosy to tell no-one as he did not want attention drawn to his powers / however, the man ignored this request and according to Mark ‘people came to him from every quarter’ – such was the impact of the cure on tho who heard it, etc. Sources of Authority: A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choos Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But he we out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. NB maximum two marks for answers that simply narrate the text.
Q2.5: ‘The teachings of Jesus are not important for Christians today.’
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
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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:
Jesus’ teachings are outdated / they are from another time / there is no historical basis for them so there is no reason for heeding them / the background at the time of Jesus’ teachings was very differ to life today / he taught in parables about sowing seeds on different soils / they do not fit in with mod society / many new issues face Christians today which can test their faith / eg contraception, abortio euthanasia / people want the best of everything today and to be the best at everything / they have to deal with materialism / advances in technology / power / greed / poverty / drugs / Jesus told the rich man to sell what he owned and give the money to the poor / selling everything and giving to charity would reduce a person to absolute poverty / Jesus told the disciples to leave ‘self behind, take up th cross and follow me ’/ Christians with family commitments would harm their families if they left just le them / some of the ideas in Mark 16 such as picking up snakes or drinking poison seem foolish / it is hard for modern day Christians to relate to these teachings / life is busy today and people have no ti to think about others, etc.
Arguments in support of other views:
Even though the world has changed the teachings of Jesus are still important to Christians today / Jesus’ teachings are the word of God and many Christians today still listen to it, preach and follow it their daily lives / Jesus taught that Christians should love God and love their neighbour and there are many examples of this in today’s world / many do give up families and possessions in order to follow Jesus and help others / eg monks, nuns, priests, missionaries, evangelists / many Christians give generously to charities and support agencies which help the poor / eg CAFOD, Trócaire / there are many examples of rich people who have and continually support the Christian Church / eg Bill Gates David Green / many stand up for the rights of the unborn / highlight discrimination / prejudice / injust / many Christians join together for worship, prayer or to learn about their faith / many work with the homeless on the streets, providing food and shelter / peoples’ lives are still being changed by the teachings of Jesus as Christianity is spreading throughout the world, etc.