WAEC SSCE - Christian Religious Studies - 1991

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Jesus made this statement "Your brother will rise again" at Bethany, in the house of Martha and Mary. Martha and Mary were the sisters of Lazarus, who had recently died. When Jesus arrived, Martha went to meet him and expressed her faith that her brother would rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus responded with the statement, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die." Jesus then went to the tomb of Lazarus and raised him from the dead, fulfilling his promise to Martha that her brother would rise again.

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When Paul used the phrase "died to sin" in his letter to the Romans, he meant that a person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their savior has undergone a transformation. This transformation involves a change in their nature, from being a slave to sin to being dead to sin. It means that the power of sin over their lives has been broken, and they are no longer controlled by it. This transformation does not mean that the person will never sin again, but it does mean that sin no longer has dominion over them. In simple terms, "died to sin" means a complete renewal of life without sin.

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According to the Bible, God rested on the seventh day after completing the work of creation. He blessed and sanctified that day, setting it apart as holy. Therefore, the correct option would be that God blessed and hallowed the seventh day.

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When the Israelites decided to return to Egypt after the spies gave a disheartening report, they were opposed by Joshua and Caleb. Moses and Aaron were not opposing them; rather, they were trying to convince the Israelites to trust in God and move forward. However, Joshua and Caleb were the only two out of the twelve spies who gave a positive report about the land of Canaan, encouraging the Israelites to have faith in God and conquer the land. Despite their efforts, the majority of the Israelites were swayed by the negative report of the other ten spies and were afraid to enter the land.

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The contest on Mount Carmel was to decide whether the people of Israel should follow Yahweh, the God of Israel, or the false god Baal. The prophet Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a test, where both groups would offer a sacrifice to their respective gods. The true God would be the one who answered with fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. The prophets of Baal prayed and shouted for hours, but nothing happened. When Elijah prayed to Yahweh, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. This proved that Yahweh was the one true God, and the people of Israel should follow Him alone.

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According to St. Luke, the first three disciples of Jesus were Peter, James, and John. In Luke 5:10-11, it is recorded that Jesus called Peter, James, and John to follow Him after they had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Jesus then performed a miracle by causing a large number of fish to be caught, which left the fishermen astonished. In Luke 6:14, it is mentioned that these three were among the twelve apostles whom Jesus chose to be His closest followers and to continue His work after He ascended to heaven. Throughout the New Testament, Peter, James, and John are frequently mentioned together, and they are often depicted as being closest to Jesus among the apostles.

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According to Paul, all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but we have been justified by God's gift of grace. In Romans 3:23-24, Paul says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Here, Paul is saying that all humans have sinned and therefore, have fallen short of God's perfect standards. However, God has provided a way for us to be made right with Him through His grace. Paul goes on to explain in Romans 5:8 that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, demonstrating God's love for us. By accepting Christ's sacrifice on our behalf and believing in Him, we can be justified, or made right with God, and receive eternal life. This justification is a gift of grace that we receive through faith, not through any works or efforts of our own (Ephesians 2:8-9). In summary, Paul teaches that all humans have sinned, but we can be justified and made right with God through His gift of grace, which is received by faith in Jesus Christ.

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Peter, in his letter to the early Christian church, refers to the suffering of Christians as a "fiery ordeal." This phrase means that suffering is a characteristic of Christian life in the world, and it tests the reality of Christian faith. It is also a way for Christians to share in Christ's suffering, which brings them closer to God. However, Peter does not suggest that suffering is a reason for joy or something that Christians must struggle to attain. Instead, he acknowledges that suffering is difficult but encourages Christians to persevere through it, knowing that God will ultimately reward them for their faithfulness.

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The people of Israel said "To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your house, David" because Rehoboam, who was the son of King Solomon and the new king of Israel, had refused to ease the burden of the people. The people felt that their taxes and labor had become too heavy, and they wanted relief from the new king. When Rehoboam refused their request, the people decided to rebel against him and turn to David's house for leadership. David was a beloved and successful king, and the people hoped that his descendants would be more compassionate and just rulers than Rehoboam.

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In the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, God's promise to Abraham and his descendants to inherit the world was through the righteousness of faith. This means that the promise was not based on their hard work or obedience to the law, but rather on their faith in God and His righteousness. Paul argues that it is not our own works that make us right with God, but rather our faith in Jesus Christ as the one who paid for our sins and made us righteous before God. Therefore, our inheritance of the world is not something we can earn through our own efforts, but is a gift of grace received by faith in Christ.

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When Amos said "they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes," he meant that there was no justice in the land of Israel. In the Bible, specifically in the book of Amos, the prophet Amos was sent by God to pronounce judgment on Israel for their sins. One of the sins that Amos condemned was the mistreatment of the poor and needy. The statement "they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes" was a metaphor for the exploitation of the poor by the wealthy and powerful. The wealthy were willing to sell even the innocent and righteous people for their own gain, and the poor were forced to sell themselves or their possessions for even the most basic needs such as shoes. Amos was pointing out the injustice in this situation, where the rich were benefiting from the suffering of the poor. Overall, Amos' statement reveals God's concern for the oppressed and marginalized in society and His desire for justice and righteousness to prevail.

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The statement of Jesus, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple," means that being a disciple of Jesus requires a complete and total commitment to Him. It means that his followers must be willing to bear their own crosses, which symbolize the trials, hardships, and sufferings that they will face for their faith in Him. It does not necessarily mean that they will physically die on a cross, but rather that they must be willing to endure whatever difficulties may come their way because of their faith. In other words, a true disciple of Jesus must be willing to put Him above everything else, even their own comfort and safety.

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God sent His son, Jesus Christ, at the perfect time to save those who were under the law, which means those who were bound by sin and unable to fulfill the requirements of the law on their own. Through Jesus, they can receive adoption as sons and daughters of God, which means they become part of God's family and receive all the blessings that come with it. This includes a new status that is higher than even the angels, and access to all the spiritual gifts that God has for His children. So, in summary, Jesus came to redeem us so that we can become children of God and receive all the blessings that come with that relationship.

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Jeremiah's statement "I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts, and will be their God" implies that the law of God will become permanent in the people's minds. In the Bible, specifically in the book of Jeremiah, God promises to make a new covenant with His people, a covenant that will be different from the old one. In this new covenant, God will write His law not on tablets of stone or in a book, but in the hearts of His people. This means that the law of God will become a part of the people's very being and will guide their thoughts and actions. This promise also implies that the people will have a personal relationship with God, with God as their God and they as His people. Overall, Jeremiah's statement highlights the transformational power of God's love and grace in the lives of His people.

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According to Paul's letter to the Romans, a citizen owes all of the following duties to the government: payment of taxes, obeying all good laws, respect for those in authority, and an attitude of non-resistance. However, Paul does not mention the duty to support all anti-Christian regulations. In fact, throughout the New Testament, there are examples of Christians who disobeyed unjust laws or regulations that conflicted with their faith. For example, the apostles Peter and John were arrested for preaching the gospel, but they continued to preach despite being ordered to stop. Similarly, Daniel in the Old Testament refused to obey a law that conflicted with his worship of God. Paul's emphasis is on the importance of living in peace with the governing authorities, as much as possible. This means paying taxes, obeying good laws, and showing respect for those in authority. However, when a law or regulation conflicts with our faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to follow Jesus above all else, even if it means disobeying the government. In summary, while Christians are called to be good citizens and obey the government as much as possible, we are not called to support all anti-Christian regulations. Our ultimate allegiance is to Jesus Christ, and we are called to follow him above all else, even if it means disobeying the government.

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The evangelist who took the gospel to Samaria after Stephen's martyrdom was Philip. According to the Bible in the book of Acts chapter 8, Philip was one of the seven deacons chosen by the apostles to serve the community of believers in Jerusalem. When persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem after Stephen's death, Philip went to Samaria and preached the gospel there, performing many miracles and baptizing many people. His preaching was very successful, and many Samaritans came to believe in Jesus. Later in the same chapter, we also see that Peter and John visited Samaria to pray for the new believers and to lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit.

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The statement means that physical bodies, which are perishable and mortal, cannot enter the kingdom of God. Instead, our perishable bodies need to be transformed into imperishable bodies that are immortal to inherit the kingdom of God. In other words, mortality must put on immortality. This transformation happens through spiritual rebirth and accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. So, is the correct interpretation of the statement.

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According to the creation story in the Bible, man became a living being because God gave him the breath of life. God formed man out of dust and then breathed life into him, which made him a living being. God also gave man a woman to live with him, as a companion and helper. Additionally, God gave man the responsibility to care for and control the animals and birds. However, God did not give man the tree of knowledge until later, and when man disobeyed God's command not to eat from it, it led to the fall of humanity.

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The statement "Who made you a prince and a judge over us?" by the two Hebrews to Moses signifies a rejection of Moses' leadership by his own people. The Hebrews were questioning Moses' authority and demanding to know why he had the right to be their leader. They saw him as an outsider, an Egyptian prince, and not one of their own. This statement shows that Moses had to work hard to gain the trust and respect of his people and prove himself as a worthy leader.

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Peter and John were arrested for the second time by the Jewish authorities because they preached in the name of Jesus. They were spreading the message of Jesus and this was seen as a threat to the authority of the Jewish leaders who did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The authorities wanted to put a stop to their preaching and so they arrested them. It was not because they healed the lame man, performed signs and wonders or plotted against the council, but simply because they were preaching in the name of Jesus.

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According to Paul in 1 Corinthians, the order of importance in the manifestation of spiritual gifts is apostles, prophets, and teachers. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, Paul lists various gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit for the common good of the church. He then goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30 that not all have the same gifts, and not everyone has the same level of importance within the church. In 1 Corinthians 12:31, he encourages the Corinthians to "eagerly desire the greater gifts," and then in 1 Corinthians 14:1, he says that they should pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. Based on these passages, it can be concluded that Paul believed that the gifts of apostleship, prophecy, and teaching were the most important in terms of building up the church and spreading the gospel. However, he also acknowledged that other gifts were important and necessary, and encouraged the Corinthians to seek after them as well.

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Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem was to manifest that He was the humble Messiah of peace. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, which was a symbol of peace, instead of a horse, which would have been a symbol of war. By doing this, Jesus was showing that his kingdom was not of this world, and that he came to bring peace, not war. The people of Jerusalem were expecting a conquering Messiah, someone who would overthrow the Romans and establish a Jewish kingdom. But Jesus had a different plan. He came to establish a spiritual kingdom, where people could find peace with God. During his triumphal entry, the people of Jerusalem shouted "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" This was a Messianic greeting, which means "save us now." The people were acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, but they had a different understanding of what that meant. Jesus' triumphal entry was also a fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, which says, "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." In summary, Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem was to manifest that he was the humble Messiah of peace, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. He came to establish a spiritual kingdom, not a physical one, and to bring peace between God and humanity.

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Ezekiel was ordered to eat a written scroll at his call. In the Bible, specifically in the book of Ezekiel, God instructed the prophet Ezekiel to eat a scroll that contained words of lamentation, mourning, and woe. This act symbolized Ezekiel internalizing God's message and making it a part of himself. The written scroll represented the word of God that Ezekiel was called to share with the people of Israel. By consuming the scroll, Ezekiel was demonstrating his willingness to obey God's commands and to proclaim His message to the people.

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In the parable of the weeds, the enemy who sowed weeds among the wheat is Satan, the devil. Jesus tells this parable in Matthew 13:24-30 to explain how evil exists alongside good in the world, and how they will be separated at the end of time. The man who sowed good seed is Jesus, and the field is the world. The weeds represent the sons of the evil one, and the wheat represents the sons of the kingdom. The enemy who sowed the weeds is identified as the devil in verse 39. Thus, Satan is the one who tries to sabotage the good work of Jesus by sowing evil in the world.

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(a) Paul's list of nine spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10) - six manifested in the church today

Paul teaches that the same Spirit distributes a variety of gifts for the common good. The nine gifts are: the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, ability to distinguish between spirits, various kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.

Six of these that are manifested in the church today are:

1. The gift of prophecy.
2. Gifts of healing.
3. Various kinds of tongues (speaking in tongues).
4. The interpretation of tongues.
5. The utterance of wisdom.
6. The utterance of knowledge.

(Other acceptable ones include faith, working of miracles, and discernment of spirits.)

(b) How any three of them are seen in action

• Gift of prophecy: Spirit-filled members and ministers speak forth God's word for edification, exhortation and comfort, foretelling and forth-telling God's will, guiding, warning and encouraging the congregation.
• Gifts of healing: Through the laying on of hands and prayer, the sick, the blind, the lame and those with various diseases are restored to health, confirming the power of God at work in the church.
• Speaking in tongues and its interpretation: During worship a believer utters a message in an unknown tongue as the Spirit gives utterance, and another with the gift of interpretation explains its meaning so that the whole church may be built up.

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Behavioural patterns Peter recommended for Christian servants living among non-Christians (1 Peter 2:18-25)

Peter addressed Christian servants (household slaves) who served under both believing and unbelieving masters, and set out how they should conduct themselves:

• Submission and respect: "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect," not only to those who are kind and gentle, but also to the overbearing (harsh) ones.
• Patient endurance of unjust suffering: It is a credit before God when, being mindful of God, a servant endures pain while suffering unjustly. There is no credit in enduring a beating deserved for wrongdoing, but if a servant suffers for doing right and takes it patiently, that has God's approval.
• Doing what is right and avoiding evil: They should be conscious of God and behave uprightly, giving no cause for punishment through wrongdoing.
• Following the example of Christ: Christ suffered for us, leaving an example that we should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, no deceit was found in His mouth; when reviled He did not revile in return; when He suffered He did not threaten, but trusted (committed) Himself to God who judges justly.
• Bearing wrong without retaliation: Like Christ who bore our sins on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, they should not repay evil for evil but bear injustice patiently, having returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of their souls.

In summary, Peter urged Christian servants to be submissive, respectful, patient in unjust suffering, upright in conduct, non-retaliatory, and to imitate the meek and enduring example of Christ.

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(a) The circumstances that led to the gift of manna and quails (Exodus 16)

• After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Sinai, in the second month after leaving Egypt.
• There the whole congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron because they had no food. They complained, Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
• The Lord told Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people were to gather a day's portion every day to test whether they would walk in His law.
• On the sixth day they were to gather twice as much and prepare it, so that they need not gather on the Sabbath.
• Moses and Aaron told the people that in the evening they would know that the Lord had brought them out of Egypt, and in the morning they would see His glory, for the Lord had heard their grumbling, which was not against Moses but against the Lord.
• That evening quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, a fine, flake-like thing lay on the ground. The people said, What is it? (manna), and Moses told them, It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.
• They gathered it each morning, an omer for each person; it bred worms if kept overnight except on the Sabbath, and it fell for forty years until they reached the border of Canaan.

(b) What this episode reveals of the nature of God

1. God is a faithful provider who supplies the daily needs of His people even in a barren wilderness.
2. God is patient and merciful, feeding the Israelites despite their grumbling and ingratitude.
3. God is holy and orderly, using the manna to teach obedience, trust and reverence for the Sabbath.
4. God is all-powerful, able to bring bread from heaven and quails from the sky, showing His control over nature.
5. God is a keeper of covenant who cares for His chosen people continually throughout their journey.

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(a) How James dealt with the problem of partiality in the church (James 2:1-13)

James warned believers, "My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory." He illustrated the fault: if a man with gold rings and fine clothing enters the assembly, and also a poor man in shabby clothing, and the church pays attention to the rich man, saying, "Have a seat here, please," while telling the poor man, "Stand there," or "Sit at my feet," they have made distinctions among themselves and become judges with evil thoughts.

He corrected them with the following arguments:

• God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom; to dishonour the poor is to despise those whom God has honoured.
• It is often the rich who oppress believers, drag them into court, and blaspheme the noble name by which they are called.
• The royal law of Scripture, "You shall love your neighbour as yourself," must be fulfilled; if they show partiality they commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
• Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point is guilty of all; therefore favouritism is a serious breach of God's law.
• They should speak and act as those who will be judged under the law of liberty, for judgement is without mercy to one who shows no mercy, yet mercy triumphs over judgement.

(b) Two ways the church today falls short of James' standard

1. Respect of persons based on wealth and status: The church today often gives special seats, titles, recognition and honour to rich and influential members, while the poor are neglected or looked down upon.
2. Neglect of the poor and needy: Instead of caring for the poor, widows and the disadvantaged, many churches concentrate resources and attention on the wealthy, contrary to the impartial love James demanded.

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The miracle of healing at the pool of Bethzatha (Bethesda) - John 5:1-18

Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. By the Sheep Gate there was a pool, called in Hebrew Bethzatha, which had five porches (porticoes). In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame and paralysed, waiting for the moving of the water; for it was believed that an angel of the Lord came down at certain times to trouble the water, and whoever stepped in first after the troubling was healed of whatever disease he had.

One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been in that condition for a long time, He asked him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet (bed), and walk." At once the man was healed, took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. Later Jesus found him in the temple and said, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

The two reasons why Jesus was criticized by the Jews:

1. He healed and told the man to carry his bed on the Sabbath day. The Jews accused Him of breaking the Sabbath law, since carrying a burden and healing were regarded as work forbidden on the Sabbath.
2. He called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. When Jesus said, "My Father is working still, and I am working," the Jews sought all the more to kill Him because He was claiming a unique relationship with God and thus blaspheming in their view.

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Peter's defence of his role in the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 11:1-18)

When Peter returned to Jerusalem, the apostles and the brethren of the circumcision party criticized him, saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" Peter then explained the matter to them step by step:

• While praying in the city of Joppa he fell into a trance and saw a vision: something like a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners, containing all kinds of animals, reptiles and birds.
• A voice said, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." Peter refused, saying nothing common or unclean had ever entered his mouth. The voice answered, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common." This happened three times, then all was drawn up again into heaven.
• At that moment three men sent from Caesarea by Cornelius arrived at the house, and the Spirit told Peter to go with them, making no distinction.
• Peter went with the six brethren to the man's house. Cornelius told how an angel had directed him to send for Peter to hear a message of salvation.
• As Peter began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on the apostles at the beginning. Peter remembered the word of the Lord, "John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
• He concluded, "If then God gave the same gift to them as He gave to us... who was I that I could withstand God?"

On hearing this the critics were silenced and glorified God, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life."

Use made of the incident at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:7-11)

At the Council of Jerusalem, when there was sharp dispute over whether Gentile converts must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses, Peter rose and appealed to the Cornelius experience as proof of God's will. He reminded the assembly that God had chosen him to preach to the Gentiles, that God who knows the heart bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did to the Jews, and that God made no distinction between Jew and Gentile, cleansing their hearts by faith. He therefore argued that they should not put a yoke on the Gentiles which neither they nor their fathers were able to bear, concluding that both Jews and Gentiles are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. His testimony helped the Council to decide that Gentiles need not be circumcised.

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(a) The teaching of Jeremiah and Ezekiel on the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:24-28; 11:19-20)

Jeremiah's teaching:

• The Lord promised, Behold, the days are coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
• It would not be like the old covenant made at the Exodus, which they broke, though the Lord was a husband to them.
• Under the new covenant God would put His law within them and write it on their hearts, so that obedience would spring from an inward change rather than external commands on tablets of stone.
• He would be their God and they would be His people.
• They would all know the Lord personally, from the least to the greatest, so that no one would need to teach his neighbour to know Him.
• God would forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.

Ezekiel's teaching:

• God promised to gather His people from the nations and bring them back to their own land.
• He would sprinkle clean water on them to cleanse them from all their uncleanness and idols.
• He would give them a new heart and put a new spirit within them, removing the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh.
• He would put His own Spirit within them and cause them to walk in His statutes and obey His rules.
• Then they would be His people and He would be their God, dwelling in a renewed relationship of obedience and holiness.

(b) Ways our society has deviated from this teaching

1. Widespread disobedience to God's laws, with many living in sin, injustice and immorality despite outward religion.
2. Idolatry in the form of love of money, materialism and worship of pleasure, wealth and power in place of God.
3. Formal, heartless religion, keeping outward ceremonies while the heart remains unchanged, contrary to the inward law God desires.
4. Lack of true knowledge of God, so that many claim His name yet neither know Him nor obey Him.
5. Unforgiveness, hatred and division among people, instead of the reconciled, holy community the covenant envisions.

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David spares the life of Saul (1 Samuel 24; a similar episode in 1 Samuel 26)

• King Saul, jealous of David, pursued him with three thousand chosen men to seek him in the Wilderness of En-gedi.
• Saul went into a cave to relieve himself, not knowing that David and his men were hiding in the innermost parts of that very cave.
• David's men urged him, saying this was the day the Lord had promised to deliver his enemy into his hand, that he might do to Saul as he wished.
• Instead of killing Saul, David arose stealthily and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Yet afterward David's heart smote him for even doing that.
• He restrained his men and would not allow them to attack Saul, saying, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
• When Saul had left the cave, David went out and called after him, bowing to the ground. He showed Saul the corner of his robe as proof that he could have killed him but spared him, declaring, See, there is no evil or treason in my hands. He appealed to the Lord to judge between them.
• Saul was moved to tears and admitted, You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. He acknowledged that David would surely be king, and asked David to swear not to cut off his descendants. Then Saul went home.

Three significant lessons

1. Respect for God-given authority. David refused to harm the Lord's anointed, teaching reverence for rightful leadership and leaving judgment to God.
2. Returning good for evil. David repaid Saul's hatred with mercy, showing that we should not take revenge but overcome evil with good.
3. Trust in God's timing and justice. David waited patiently for God to make him king rather than seizing the throne by murder, teaching us to trust God to defend and vindicate us.

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(a) The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares and its interpretation

Jesus told His disciples a parable about a man who sowed good wheat seed in his field. While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares (weeds) among the wheat and went away. When the wheat began to grow and produce grain, the tares also appeared. The servants asked the master whether he had not sown good seed in the field and how the weeds came about. The master replied that an enemy had done it.

The servants then asked whether they should go and uproot the tares. The master refused, saying that while uprooting the tares they might also uproot the wheat. He instructed them to allow both wheat and tares to grow together until harvest time. At the harvest, the reapers would first gather the tares, bind them in bundles and burn them, while the wheat would be gathered into the barn.

Jesus explained that the sower of the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed represents the children of the kingdom; and the tares represent the children of the evil one. The enemy who sowed the tares is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age or judgement day, while the reapers are the angels.

Just as the tares are gathered and burnt with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels to gather all evildoers and those who cause sin and cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

(b) Application of the parable to the church today

(i) In the church today, good and bad people, true believers and false believers, may live and worship together.

(ii) The church should not hastily condemn, destroy or finally judge members, because human beings may wrongly judge or harm innocent people. Final judgement belongs to God.

(iii) The church should, however, teach, correct and discipline erring members in love, with the aim of repentance and restoration, while leaving eternal judgement to God.

(iv) Christians should remain faithful and righteous, knowing that God will reward the righteous and punish the wicked on the day of judgement.

(v) The parable warns the church to be watchful, since the devil continues to sow evil and false teachings among God’s people.