1a)
Pharaoh’s Dreams
When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk.
After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up—scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. But even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
“In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.”
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.
“It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt,
but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”
The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God ?”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
Joseph in Charge of Egypt
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way !” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt.
Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh
and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.
When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”
When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine.
(8A)
According to James all Christian must avoid
partiality. He admonished them saying " For if
a man with gold rings and in fine clothing
comes into ur assembly and a poor man in
shabby clothing also comes in and you pay
attention to the rich and say "have a seat here
please" whiles you say to the poor man "stand
there" or "sit at my feet". James advised that
when this happens, the members have
discriminated against the poor man and
honoured the rich. He advised them saying "
God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and
heirs of the kingdom which he has promised.
He further wrote that, they would b fulfilling
the royal law which says "love your neighbour
as yourself" if they avoid partiality and
favoritism.
B)
1. discrimination create division in the church
2. It retards spiritual and numerical growth of
the church
3. It leads to lack of commitment
4. It discourages people from accepting the gospel
5a)
According to mattew Jesus was taken by the spirit into the wilderness to fast for 40days.After the fasting Jesus was angry and so satan,the temper,got an opportunity to tempt him.First satan told him "if you're the son of God command the stone to be bread".Jesus answered him by quoting the scriptures, "Man shall not live by bread alone but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
When satan failed in this he took jesus to the holy city sent him on a pinnacle of the temple and commanded Jesus to throw himself down from there that it was written that Angels would take charge of him.Jesus replied that it was written, "You shall not tempt the lord your God.
On the third temptation the devil took Jesus to the high mountain and showed him all the city and the glory and promises to give all these to Jesus only if he would fall down and worship him.Jesus asked him to go that it is only the lord,God should be worshipped and served.
when Jesus defeated the devil,It left him and the Angels came and ministered unto Jesus
6a)
(i) The two robbers: They were crucified along
side Jesus Christ,one on his right hand and the
other on the left. One showed the act of
repentance.
(ii)Joseph Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus
Christ,he went to Pilate and asked for the body
of Jesus. Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean
linen and laid it in his own new tomb. He rolled a
great stone at the entrance of the tomb and
departed. He showed that act of a faithful
christian
(6b)
(i) It tells us as Christians to have a repentance
spirit.
(ii) It also teaches us that Jesus has Power to
save a sinner
(iii) It shows that God is a merciful God
(7a)
First, they devoted themselves to the teaching of
the apostles. This instruction is for new converts
who may not have heard Jesus teach. The
apostles are witnesses passing along the things
which they have seen and heard. It is entirely
possible that the apostles had common set of
instruction which they regularly passed along to
new converts. If this is the case, then there was
a basic body of tradition within months of the
death of Jesus which could be called the
“teaching of the apostles.”
Secondly, they devoted themselves to fellowship.
Since this word has the connotation of sharing
common. At the very least this includes alms and
care for the poor.
Thirdly, they devoted themselves to “breaking of
bread.” While this phrase can be used of sharing
a meal together, it is likely that Luke is
describing the community as celebrating some
form of communion. Jesus’ practice of common
meals was the foundation for this practice —
they all ate and drank together as one group.
Fourthly, they devoted themselves to prayers. It
would not be unusual for Jewish men to go to
the Temple several times a day to pray, so the
community continues to worship at the Temple
regularly.
(7b)
(i) Christians Were Bound and United By A
Common Truth
(ii) Christians Were Known By Their Love
(iii) Christians Gave Sacrificially to the Needy
9a) peter accknowledges christians to be submissive to constituted authority becuz being submissive to man automatically means being submissive to God becua it is through man that God speaks to his people.Peter emphasizes that all christians who r obedient to God should also be obedient to any constitued authority established in a state. In the present day society christians who work in government established offices should obey the authority because that is what is said in the bible and one obeying man always means obeying God our sole creator.peter emphasized that all christians should always work toward perfection towards being obedient to civil authorities
( 9bi) civil authorities are the agents through which God speaks to his people,so submission to the civil authorities also means submission to God
(ii) submission to civil authorities potrays our obedience to both God and man.so complete submission to constituted authority potrays our love towards God our creator
( iii) God loves submissive children because one who is submissive always listens to advice.so one being submissive attracts Gods glory towards he/she
