宿务亚典耀圣心学校

SACRED HEART SCHOOL – ATENEO de CEBU

H. Abellana St., Canduman, Mandaue City
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
School Year 2022 - 2023

A LEARNING MODULE for G7 CHRISTIAN LIFE FORMATION

MODULE # 4: GOD REVEALS HIMSELF IN SALVATION HISTORY

(THE BIBLE)

I. CALLING TO MAGIS (Introduction)

MAGIS DAY, Ateneo Hearters. Welcome to your 4th module in JHS-CLF (Grade 7 Second Term
Lesson # 2)!

I.1 OVERVIEW
In the previous modules, we have learned that we can encounter God in many ways, such as
through prayer, worship, and in silence. Today, we shall focus on appreciating God’s presence in
His Living Word as recorded in Scriptures or salvation history.

I.2 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

▪ Describe how the Bible is the sacred, inspired, and inerrant Word of God and record of
“salvation history”.

▪ Discuss how the Bible was formed.

▪ Distinguish the books of the Bible by category.

▪ Distinguish the ways to use the Bible meaningfully.

▪ Compose resolutions on the importance of reflecting habitually on the Word of God /

seeking God’s Will through Scriptures and translating these into real-life applications / good
deeds, most especially in facing the challenges of the COVID crisis.

I.3 EXPECTED OUTPUT

At the end of this module, you are expected to submit the following:

▪ REVIEW QUIZ
▪ SHORT INSIGHT (on the Bible Text)
▪ SHORT RESPONSE
▪ CAPSTONE
LET’S BEGIN!
II. SHAPING THE MIND (Content)
[*SYNCHRONOUS / ASYNCHRONOUS]
Stages of Formation of the Bible (“How was the Bible made?”)

The Bible did not fall from heaven by thunder or lightning, nor was it found in some mysterious
places. The formation of the Bible took centuries and many groups and persons were involved in
its process of binding.

FOUR STAGES OF FORMATION OF HEBREW SCRIPTURES

st
1 STAGE: RELIGIOUS OR FAITH EXPERIENCE 2nd STAGE: ORAL TRADITION

Everything found in the Bible is based on religious or faith Much of the contents of the Bible
experiences of human authors (such as a prayer, a reflection came from oral traditions (word of
about God or about their experiences of God). For the mouth) handed down from one
Israelites, our ancestors in faith, the Exodus event led them to generation to the next – songs,
believe in God as their Lord and Savior. For the early Christians, narratives, prayers, and poems
the Resurrection confirmed their belief in Jesus. This led them memorized, proclaimed, and
to proclaim truth about Jesus throughout the whole world. preserved by the people.
 Categories of Books of the Bible
The Bible has two parts – Old and New Testaments. The word “testament” comes from the Latin word
testamentum, which means “covenant.” (It is different from our use of the word today – a “will.”)

OLD TESTAMENT NEW TESTAMENT

The Old Testament (also known as the Hebrew Bible The New Testament is the
/ Hebrew Canon / Hebrew Scriptures) is the first continuation and fulfillment of the Old
covenant by God to man through Moses – saving his Testament, whereby God sent Jesus to
people, the Israelites, from slavery and they became save humanity from sin. It has
God’s chosen people. Called tanakh (ְ‫ )תַּ ַּנְ"ך‬in Hebrew, narratives and writings about Jesus’
the Old Testament is revered as the Bible of Judaism life and deeds and the beginning of the
and was originally written in 3 languages – Hebrew Christian communities. The categories
(most), Aramaic (few), and Greek (7 books). of books are:

The Old Testament has 46 books in Catholic edition 1. Gospels – four faith accounts of
of the Bible, while 39 for Protestant edition of the Jesus’ life and deeds, passion,
Bible. Christians regard it as important since its main death, and resurrection
themes and stories are preparatory and linked to the
mission and redemption of Christ, the fulfillment of
salvation and of all prophecies. It is subdivided into
three groups:

1. The Torah (ְ‫תֹורה‬ ָ or “Laws”) or

the Pentateuch (penta – five) –
the first five books and most
sacred since it tells how God 2. Acts of the Apostles –
made a covenant with the Jews. (Genesis, Exodus, records the beginning
Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) and spread of the early
Christian communities
2. The Prophets or Prophetic (the Church) after
Books (‫יאים‬ ִ ִ‫ נְ ב‬or Nevi’im [“the Jesus’ Ascension and
prophets”]) – section of the Pentecost.
writings and speeches of
prophets to the Israelites. 3. Apostolic Letters or Epistles –
letters about the teachings or
Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, instructions of Paul,
Ezekiel, Daniel (also, apocalyptic) Peter, John, and
James to the early
Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, (or 1st century)
Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Christian
Zechariah, Malachi communities.

3. The Writings (ְ‫ כְ תּובִ ים‬or Ketuvim) – are either

historical or wisdom books. 4. Book of Revelation
(“Apocalypse”) – records John’s
 a. Historical Books – elaborate how visions of the triumph of good over
the Israelites built their nation evil and Christ’s second coming.
.
Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1
Kings, 2 Kings, Ruth, Baruch, 1 Chronicles, 2
Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, 1
Maccabees, 2 Maccabees

b. Wisdom Books – wise saying

(proverbs) and prayers
(psalms) of praise and
thanksgiving to God.

Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom,

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Job

Meaningful and Proper Use of the Bible

… and,
MOST

IMPORTANTLY - live out its message

in our everyday life and experiences!
Biblical Referencing

The biblical reference is the key to search any Biblical texts. It contains the book, chapter, and
verse.

Example: Typical Bible Reference: Jn 1:1-18

- “Jn” is an abbreviated title for the Gospel of John

- The first number is the chapter number; the verse number follows the colon (:)
- The hyphen (-) indicates several chapters or verses. Example: Gn 1-2 (Genesis, chapters 1 and
2)
• A semicolon (;) separates two distinct texts or references; (ex. Jn 3:16; 10:10)
• A comma (,) separates two verses in the same chapter Is 9:1,3,8 (Isaiah, chap. 9, verses 1,3, &
8)
• The “f” means the following verse; “ff” means several verses
Prv 6:6f (Proverbs, chapter 6, verses 6 and 7)
Prv 6:6ff (Proverbs, chapter 6, verses 6 and several verses after that)
• Be familiar whether a Book belongs to either the OLD TESTAMENT or NEW TESTAMENT.
• Be familiar with the ABBREVIATION of titles of Biblical Books
• If you are confused, refer to the Table of Contents of your Bible. Or try to locate a book through
the marker found along the edges of the Bible.

WHY/HOW IS THE BIBLE IMPORTANT FOR CHRISTIANS?

1. TO GET TO KNOW GOD

• The Bible is not really a book; it’s a library. Its 73 books were composed
over the course of many centuries by a variety of authors with different
backgrounds, personalities, and purposes. Each book explores who God is
from a slightly different point of view. As readers of Scripture, we discover
new truths about God at every turn of our life.
• Through His words as recorded in Scriptures, God speaks through human
beings, telling us what he most wants us to know about himself. Just as in
our human relationships we spend time with others to get to know them
better, in Scripture we are given the opportunity to spend time with God
and, in doing so, become his friend.

2. TO GET TO KNOW YOURSELF

• St. Gregory the Great wrote that Scripture “is set before the eyes of the
mind like a mirror, that we may see our inward person in it; for therein we
learn the deformities; therein we learn the beauties that we possess.”
• The more time we spend with the Bible, the more we will discover
ourselves within its pages. We will recognize ourselves as made in God’s
image; we will see our sins in the stories of selfishness of some of God’s
people; we will experience the emotions of the Psalms; we will stand by
while Christ is crucified; and we will rejoice to find him risen. We must
never think the Bible is just about God. Rather, it is a book about Him and
about human beings.
 3. TO IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
OTHERS
• Because the Bible reveals both God and humanity, it is a precious tool for us
to learn and deepen our dealings with God and others. Relationships are the
foundation of human life. They give life purpose, they bring us meaning, and
they have the potential to remain anchors for us in a world that is constantly
changing. The wisdom of the Scriptures can guide us as we learn to sacrifice,
forgive, and love one another.

4. TO BE HOPEFUL AND COMFORTED/ASSURED

As the centuries pass and the words of Scripture become ever more
ancient, the comfort they bring to believers never changes. Whether it is
the proclamation of the psalmist that God is near (see Psalm 139) or the
promise of Christ that even every hair on our heads has been counted
(see Luke 12:7), the words of Scripture proclaim to us a God who will
never leave us nor forsake us (see Deuteronomy 31:6), hides us faithfully
in the shadow of his wings (see Psalm 17:8), and will finally wipe every
tear from our eyes and declare an end to death, depression, disease, and
all the things that plague us (see Revelation 21:4).

5. TO BE CHALLENGED
If we don’t feel challenged in our lives, one possible solution might be to
read more Scripture! In both his word and our consciences, God prods us
forward. He asks more of us than we thought possible. He loves us just as
we are, but at the same time, he challenges us to be more. He does not just
want us to acknowledge that we are sinners, but also invites us to a genuine
"change of heart" or transformation of character for the better.
If we aren’t feeling that push, that challenge, on a regular basis, we can
open our Bibles and sincerely ask God to speak to our hearts. Try reading
the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5—7) from start to finish; there is
certainly something here to challenge every reader!

PRAYING WITH THE BIBLE – THE IGNATIAN WAY OF “LECTIO DIVINA”

Scripture can help us to pray better as we reflect on stories or lives of characters in the Bible. We see
ourselves reflected in the sorrow, pain and faithfulness of Job. We understand Jonah’s reluctance to do the
job God has set before him. We rejoice, laugh, cry and challenge God with the psalmist. To enter into God’s
word helps us to see, hear, feel and understand basic human responses … and then do better. We rise above
our fears, our sorrows, our difficulties, because we know God is with us. He never abandons us, and this is
what Scriptures are all about – the story of God’s eternal love and faithfulness.

We can relate to that story through a loving relationship with God. As you learned in Module 3 (God Reveals
Himself in Prayer), prayer is more than simply communicating with Him, but relating to Him out of love and
commitment. Saint Ignatius offers us basic steps on how we can dialogue with God in prayer with the
inspiration we draw from reflecting on a Bible text. We call this IGNATIAN MEDITATION or the IGNATIAN
WAY OF SACRED READING.

Ignatian Meditation is allowing God’s word to speak to us through intimate encounter with the Scripture.
One way this could be done is through Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina, or “Sacred Reading”, is a slow, rhythmic
reading, and praying with scriptures. It is a very powerful way of encountering the living Word of God and
a form of prayer that invites you to read the scripture multiple times, taking note of words and phrases
that capture your heart.

For Personal Reflection and Discussion

Read the Bible. The Word of God will give you strength to face the challenge of living.
Read the Bible. Open it, feel it, understand it. It is the source of our hope. When life is too heavy to bear, when
all seems lost and unclear, read the bible and its message will wipe away your fear.

- From the lyrics of the song POWER TO UNITE – READ THE BIBLE
(Official Hymn, National Catholic Family Bible Quiz Bee, 2006)
 Let’s recall the basic concepts in the module. Answer the activity below. 😊

QUICK SELF-CHECK: CROSSWORD PUZZLE (10 points)

 III. INFLAMING THE HEART (Scripture)
[*ASYNCHRONOUS]

MATERIALS FOR REFLECTION

SCRIPTURES: Read
Psalm 119:10-11
Psalm 119:103-114

OPTIONAL: VIDEO – Watch and reflect on the message of these songs:

“READ THE BIBLE: THE POWER TO UNITE” by Elvira Go and Charo Unite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hId7lH5gU34

1. There’s a desperation that exists in the world, 2. Gather all the families of the world
a growing helplessness we’re at a loss to solve. We yearn and read with one voice. Let God’s
for peace yet fight for selfish reasons; we search for words fill you with hope and heal
meaning but fooled by illusions. your divisions. Increase your faith
What went wrong? Why does every day seem to get with the promise of salvation.
worse? In the midst of doubt and temptation, God gives Remove your doubts and heal the
us the simple solution. wounds. (r.)

*R: Read the Bible. The word of God will give you 3. Wake up, listen! See the world
strength to face the challenge of living. with new eyes. Walk in sunshine;
Read the Bible. Open it, feel it, understand it. It is the wipe the sadness; unite the colors of
source of our hope. mankind.
When life is too heavy to bear, when all seems lost and Peace is elusive, but with God we
unclear, read the bible and its message will wipe away can achieve it. His words have the
your fear. power to unite the human race. (r.)

“WITH ONE VOICE” by Fr. Ricky Manalo, CSP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDGumPUmMas

1. Take the Word and go out to ev'ry land: 2. Take the Word to our neighborhoods and
shine the light of Christ for all to see! streets: shine the light of Christ for all to see!
May the lives of those we touch May we all set out to live in peace and
sing praise to God above. harmony. They will see and sing: (r.)
Let us sing, we'll sing:
3. Take the Word to the people in despair:
*R: With one voice we'll pass the Word along; shine the light of Christ for all to see!
with one voice, bring justice to the world. May our actions and our deeds
And with all the angels bring comfort to their needs.
we'll spread the goodness of God. And they'll know and sing (r.)
With all power and glory, the Word of God
shall reign. 4. Take the Word to the nations ev'rywhere:
shine the light of Christ for all to see!
May the witness of our lives
transform the world anew.
And we'll shine, we'll shine: (r.)
 IV. ROWING INTO THE DEEP (Reflection)
[*ASYNCHRONOUS]

REVIEW QUIZ 2.1

For each item, read the statement and provide what is asked for based on our class discussion.
(1 point each x 10 items = 10 POINTS; Passing is 6)

_______________________ 1. The Bible is ___x___ . It has no mistakes regarding

truths of salvation. Although there may be
seemingly DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS of the same
story (example: Did King Saul kill himself according
to 1 Samuel 31:4 or did an Amalekite kill him
according to 2 Samuel 1:10? or the infant Jesus
was visited by different visitors (wise men in
Matthew 2:1-12, while shepherds in Luke 2:8-20),
the Church teaches that these different accounts
do not make the Bible event erroneous, but
rather, they form different yet complementary
perspectives of the same story.

_______________________ 2. Jesus did not leave a specific instruction for the

Apostles to gather all manuscripts of the Bible, nor
did he pronounce a list of which books should be
part of the Bible. While the Old Testament was
compiled starting during the time of Ezra and
lasting until the 2nd century C.E., it was the
Catholic Church, through councils convened
between 325 and 397, that defined the official list
or ___x___ of Scriptures.

_______________________ 3. GOD did NOT possess, dictate, or control the

minds of the authors of the books of the Bible.
Rather, these people were ___x___ or enabled by
Him to write down His message or their
reflections about Him through their life-
experiences and prayers. Each writer wrote
according to his own literary style, personality,
and cultural backgound.

_______________________ 4. The Bible is a book about ____x____

_______x______ [two words], or the story of
God’s plan of salvation which began with the
 Israelites and reached its highest point in Jesus,
and continues to our present time in the Church,
and will go on until the end of time.

_______________________ 5. The third stage in the compilation of the books of

the book was ____x____ _______x______ [two
words]. At first, God’s messages or stories about
saintly people in the Bible were first transmitted
to different people and generations by word of
mouth, before they were gathered and put into
writing so that these would not be forgotten.

_______________________ 6. There are __x__ [number] books in the Catholic

edition of the Bible.

_______________________ 7. Everything should not be taken from the Bible

literally because the Bible has numerous literary
genre or types of literature. For one, Jesus spoke
about the Kingdom of God through stories called
“parables” which are full of deep meanings and
___x___ that lead the audience/readers to a
spiritual truth.

_______________________ 8. The Catholic Church teaches that the Bible is not

self-interpreting and interpreting the Bible does
not mean one has to read the Bible with teary
eyes, believing that “the Holy Spirit touched
him/her”, in order to understand perfectly a given
Bible passage. 2 Peter 1: 20-21 and 1 Timothy 3:15
teach us that the ___x___ is the final authority in
the interpretation and discernment of meanings
from the Bible. If we need clarification or help
about certain questions in the Bible, we need to
consult the “right persons” – priests, nuns,
religious brothers, catechists, graduates or
teachers of theology (such as CLF teachers). Of
course, any Christian may have his or her own
meaning of a Bible text reflected on or prayed
upon, for as long as it is not contrary to the
teachings of the Catholic faith.

_______________________ 9. The Bible is a holy or ___x___ book – meaning to

say, it leads readers to the reality of the divine
[God]. We should take care of our Bibles and
handle it with care. For Catholics, Bibles are
 encouraged to be placed within their prayer space
or family altar at home.

_______________________ 10. Some people think it is enough to close our eyes

and wait for the “Holy Spirit” to come down upon
to understand a Bible text. However, the Catholic
Church also teaches that, aside from the
importance of seeking the guidance of the Holy
Spirit before we read a Bible text, we need to
understand its ___x___ - the culture during the
time it was written, the concerns or needs of
people during that time, the intention or purpose
of the author, and the kind of audience for whom
it was originally addressed. Consulting a priest,
catechist, CLF teacher, or any competent teacher
of the faith will be helpful for one to better
understand the meaning of a Bible story/text.

REFLECTION 2.2

Choose which reflection point from Inflaming the Heart (either of the two Bible texts or either of
the two songs) struck you the most and write a 4-6 sentence reflection and explanation.

RUBRIC FOR SCORING PER ITEM

HOLISTIC (10) – Main ideas are properly related to the lesson with holistic synthesis, with no error in logic/flow of ideas.
COMPETENT (8-9) – Main ideas are properly related to the lesson with simple integration, with minor flaws in flow of ideas.
AVERAGE (6-7) – Main ideas are related to the lesson but discussed “play safe,” minimal, or with some errors in ideas.
LIMITED (1-5) – Main ideas lack unity, have some errors, sound awkward, or are difficult to follow,
OR… the answer is just a rearranged or “parroted” copy from the module content used.

(10 POINTS; Passing is 6)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
JOURNAL 2.2

Choose TWO items to answer from the choices below and provide a 5-7 sentence reflection or
explanation based on your overall understanding of the module.

CHOICES

A. How can the Bible give meaning and value to our life? (SAY SOMETHING MORE / JUSTIFY
/ EXPLAIN / EXPOUND YOUR ANSWER in 5-7 sentences.)

B. How should the long and complex history of writing the Bible affect our way of reading it?
(SAY SOMETHING MORE / JUSTIFY / EXPLAIN / EXPOUND YOUR ANSWER in 5-7 sentences.)

C. Does memorizing all Bible passages serve as a guarantee to become a true Christian? Why
or why not? (SAY SOMETHING MORE / JUSTIFY / EXPLAIN / EXPOUND YOUR ANSWER in
5-7 sentences.)

D. How can Ateneo Hearters concretely show appreciation of the Bible in their simple ways?
(SAY SOMETHING MORE / JUSTIFY / EXPLAIN / EXPOUND YOUR ANSWER in 5-7 sentences.)

E. Do you think the Bible can be a helpful reading material even for non-Christians or non-
believers? How or why do you think so? (SAY SOMETHING MORE / JUSTIFY / EXPLAIN /
EXPOUND YOUR ANSWER in 5-7 sentences.)

F. Do you think it is fair for a Bible reader to insist on his/her own interpretation or "giving
of meaning" to a Bible text without understanding the original purpose of the writer? (SAY
SOMETHING MORE / JUSTIFY / EXPLAIN / EXPOUND YOUR ANSWER in 5-7 sentences.)

G. There is a quote: "Proper reading of the Bible is like seeking proper medical advice from a
doctor. Self-medicating is dangerous." Agree or disagree. (SAY SOMETHING MORE /
JUSTIFY / EXPLAIN / EXPOUND YOUR ANSWER in 5-7 sentences.)

RUBRIC FOR SCORING PER ITEM

HOLISTIC (10) – Main ideas are properly related to the lesson with holistic synthesis, with no error in logic/flow of ideas.
COMPETENT (8-9) – Main ideas are properly related to the lesson with simple integration, with minor flaws in flow of ideas.
AVERAGE (6-7) – Main ideas are related to the lesson but discussed “play safe,” minimal, or with some errors in ideas.
LIMITED (1-5) – Main ideas lack unity, have some errors, sound awkward, or are difficult to follow,
OR… the answer is just a rearranged or “parroted” copy from the module content used.

(10 x 2 = 20 POINTS; Passing is 12)