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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Biff's father do for a living, so it is generally expected he will do the same thing?

2. While other children play normal games, Biff and Joshua used to pretend to be _____________.

3. Who is the other character who argues with Joshua about who the real Messiah is?

4. Following tradition, many Jews congregate at _______ for Passover, including the boys, their families, and Maggie.

5. Biff's father talks with the ____________ who has hired him to build the house where the stonecutting takes place.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Joshua do for the killed Roman legionnaire in the presence of the crowds in Sepphoris?

2. What does Biff do in order to help Joshua begin to understand the idea of sex and what happens?

3. What is ironic about the man who delivers pizza to Raziel and Biff when they are staying in a hotel room?

4. What happens when Joshua's attempts to save a thief from death fail after the thief is resurrected once?

5. Why does modern day Biff believe Raziel will not want him to read the Bible that is in the hotel room?

6. What is Joshua's reaction to the statue of Venus they find at the gate of Sepphoris?

7. What did Joshua know how to do as a young child growing up in Nazareth?

8. What does Raziel ponder when he finally obtains a copy of the Soap Opera Digest in the hotel room?

9. What does Ancient Biff try to persuade Joshua to do as they are beginning their apprenticeships?

10. What addiction does Raziel seem to have that Biff wants to use against him in order to read the Bible?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Telling the whole story of Joshua, aka Jesus, is important enough to Raziel that he raises Biff from the dead to write his own gospel.

Part 1: Why do you think Raziel is so invested in getting this story told by Biff?

Part 2: What might happen if Biff were never to write the gospel as Raziel wants him to?

Part 3: How does Raziel know that Biff is telling the truth as he is writing out the gospel?

Essay Topic 2

The concept of marriage is quite different in this book, with the custom being that most marry at 14.

Part 1: What do you think about people being married at the age of 14? Why was this acceptable at the time?

Part 2: Do you think Maggie and Biff would have been a successful couple if they were able to marry?

Part 3: Why do you think marriages were arranged during this time? What was the value of arranging marriages?

Essay Topic 3

What's most curious to a reader is that Joshua might be the Messiah, but he is not without flaws. He does make mistakes and has to learn lessons.

Part 1: Why do you think Joshua blinds the guard? What were his motives?

Part 2: What is the value in showing that Joshua is not without flaws? Would it have been better to show that he was perfect? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why do you think Moore kept Joshua slightly human-like in terms of his emotional behaviors?

(see the answer keys)

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