Follow outlines for essay questions below

1. Use literary ethnography to interpret the parable of the prodigal son, identifying the important conventions of behavior that point to its meaning and ending with a revised name for the parable.

2. Use literary ethnography to interpret the hymn to Christ (Phil 2:6-11), identifying its literary form and features, its structure, and the conventions of behavior that inform what it says about Jesus and why he is important for Christians' lives.

3. Explain why the apostle Paul is probably the most important Christian of the first century.

4. Trace the history of the story of Jesus' birth from Gal. 4:4 to the Infancy Gospel of James.

5. Explain why the central Christian virtue change from courage to self-control once Christianity is the religion of the Roman Empire, and who embodied these two virtues.

6. Free choice.
 
1. Use literary ethnography to interpret the parable of the prodigal son, identifying the important conventions of behavior that point to its meaning and ending with a revised name for the parable.

Your tasks: 
a. Literary ethnography means: 1) rich examples from other literary texts 2) strong analysis of these examples that presents conventions of thought and behavior.
b. A revised title for the parable

You want to cover these things:
1) What is the story of the prodigal son? Who are the characters? 
2) Which are the parts that demonstrate conventions of behavior? (underline your reader if possible).
3) Explain thoroughly the conventions you have mentioned. 
4) Cite other texts as examples to explain the conventions, both in literature and the New Testament. (make use of the related text(s) provided by the professor in the reader.)
5) What is the meaning of the parable? Explain it along the lines of the conventions you observed.
2. Use literary ethnography to interpret the hymn to Christ (Phil 2:6-11), identifying its literary form and features, its structure, and the conventions of behavior that inform what it says about Jesus and why he is important for Christians' lives.

Your tasks: 
a. Literary ethnography means: 1) rich examples from other literary texts 2) strong analysis of these examples that presents conventions of thought and behavior.
b. Discuss the form, features, structure of the hymn.
c. Discuss the conventions of behavior

You want to cover these things:
1) What is a hymn? A) At which stage of education is this literary form learned? B) How is it different from an encomium? C) What are the two features of a hymn? 
2) What is the structure of this hymn?
3) How are the features of a hymn manifested in this particular text? 
4) What is/are the convention(s) of thought that inform(s) this hymn? Explain thoroughly and clearly. Use other examples to support your explanation.
5) What does the hymn says about Jesus? How is Jesus portrayed as important? 
3. Explain why the apostle Paul is probably the most important Christian of the first century.

Your tasks: 
a. Identify what Paul has done that in a way redefined Christianity.

You want to cover these things:
1) Briefly introduce who Paul is
2) What are the significant events or names that are associated with Paul? Here are some examples (and you should be able to name more in order to be thorough):
a) Christian identity
b) The Jerusalem Debate/Council
c) Antioch Church v.s. Jerusalem church
d) Christ is the end of law
e) Jewish law
f) Gentiles
g) Letters
h) Break with Jerusalem
i) Spirit
? There are quite a few texts in the reader that provide information about Paul. Read through those texts and think about how you could use those texts to describe the significant role Paul plays in early Christianity. 
4. Trace the history of the story of Jesus' birth from Gal. 4:4 to the Infancy Gospel of James.
Your tasks:
a. Analyze each passage you can find in the New Testament and other Christian writings that have to do with Jesus' birth.

You want to cover these things (at least):
1. Galatians 4:4 (attributed to Paul)
a. Discuss the significance of Paul's mention of Jesus Christ
2. Mark 1:1
a. Discuss why Mark mentions Jesus as son of God
3. Matthew (chapter 1 & 2)
a. Compare the birth stories in Matthew and Luke
b. Discuss the literary techniques/conventions Matthew uses to write a story about a very significant/special figure
4. Luke (chapter 2)
5. The Infancy Gospel of James (in the reader)
a. Discuss how Mary is portrayed in the Gospel and how the praise of Mary becomes important for the praise of Christ. You might want to briefly mention the structure of this gospel in the literary tradition of an "encomium." 
6. Explain why the central Christian virtue change from courage to self-control once Christianity is the religion of the Roman Empire, and who embodied these two virtues.