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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What facts of Scripture does Augustine set as the foundation for understanding it?
(a) The context of the miracles so they can understand the purpose of God in delivering them.
(b) All the teachings of Christ.
(c) All Scriptural history starting from creation.
(d) Objects, times, places and people referred to in Scripture and the spiritual realm of the people in Scripture.

2. Of the areas that Augustine emphasizes, what area receives the most intense focus?
(a) Dietary law and moral law in creating stable, healthy judges, and teachers.
(b) The foundations of Israelite history and the influence of prophecy on the Christian Church.
(c) The role of Mosaic Law and Biblical social law in founding Israelite society.
(d) History, culture and languages of Biblical peoples.

3. Since Augustine regards his disciples as "divinely instituted," what responsibility falls on his students?
(a) They have the duty to develop their "inner eye."
(b) They have the duty to apply good social and intellectual practices.
(c) They have the duty to know the difference between things and signs.
(d) They have the duty to discover their "special gift."

4. What does Augustine recommend as methods for handling the topic in Book Three?
(a) Strict adherence to the dietary laws of Israel and understanding of prophecy as methods of handling the problem of book two.
(b) Theological virtue and great learning as methods of handling the problem of Book Two.
(c) Exclusive study of Scripture and submission to the proper guidance from church officials as methods of handling the problem of book two.
(d) Seclusion from secular temptations to allow for the maturation of the "inner eye" as methods of handling the problem of book two.

5. According to Augustine, of the different forms through which the grammar types show themselves, which is, by definition, the most difficult to interpret?
(a) The catachresis because of its "misuse or strained use of words, as in a mixed metaphor, occurring either in error or for rhetorical effect."
(b) The sarcasm because it is often undetectable unless the intended tone of the writer is examined.
(c) The riddle because it often requires an answer that was even hidden in the day it was given.
(d) The poem because it relies heavily on metaphor, hyperbole, and enigma.

6. What are the two different ways a Scriptural passage can be considered, according to Book Three?
(a) They can be considered culturally or historically.
(b) They can be considered linguistically or grammatically.
(c) They can be considered as details of things or details of signs.
(d) They can be considered figuratively or literally.

7. How does Augustine treat Tyconius' rules that he cites in his book?
(a) Augustine merely illustrates Tyconius' rules as one of several approaches for interpreting Scripture of the day.
(b) Augustine applies them to particular cases to the end of Book Three.
(c) Augustine uses them to prove what he considers misguided thinking of Donatists.
(d) Augustine compares them to his own set of principles to point out differences and similarities.

8. What is a major challenge in dealing with the topic addressed in Book Three?
(a) The sinful nature of the human filter can interfere with the interpretation of Scripture at any stage of investigation.
(b) The meanings of Scriptural phrases that contain ambiguous signs can often be changed with misplaced punctuation.
(c) Often figurative language is used to represent both God and angels and this language must be investigated in its original form, not translations.
(d) Understanding the difference between signs given to groups and signs given to individuals can only be achieved after study of the languages in which languages were written.

9. Why does Augustine claim this knowledge is required to understand what Scripture teaches?
(a) Because knowing the demands of the law of Israel helps to understand the freedom that Christians have through the atoning death of Christ.
(b) Because knowing the history of Israel and the prophecies concerning Christ makes a full connection between Israelite and Christian Scriptures.
(c) Because knowing the dietary and moral laws of the Nazarites aids in understanding the life and miracles of Christ.
(d) Because knowing the language, culture, and settings of the Scriptural record guides in making correct interpretations of Scripture.

10. What are some of the practices of these categories in which humans must not participate?
(a) Attempting to reconcile truth with heresy.
(b) Teaching literal spheres as figurative spheres.
(c) Superstition and astrology.
(d) Using special gifts to attempt to convert things to signs.

11. Why does Augustine claim that Christian students fall into the trap that prevents them from separating themselves from pagans?
(a) They read Scriptural passages according to their own cultural and historical biases.
(b) They consider their ability to absorb knowledge as a special gift that makes them closer to God.
(c) They do not have the discipline to understand that seclusion is intended for purging human weakness and not for self-absorption.
(d) They are too eager to misapply signs to inappropriate events and situations.

12. What is an important omission that Augustine commits as it applies to moral rules in Scripture?
(a) Augustine omits standards for interpreting Scripture.
(b) Augustine omits grammatical techniques for interpreting Scripture.
(c) Augustine does not guide students to understand whether the moral rules of Scripture are universal or particular.
(d) Augustine omits examples of grammatical forms from Scripture.

13. What hazard does Augustine state must one keep in check as they learn of the fields pertaining to Scripture?
(a) The accuracy of translations against original manuscripts.
(b) The consistency of what are considered to be signs against traditional interpretations.
(c) The pride develops with great learning.
(d) Eschatology against Scriptural language to prevent heresy.

14. According to Augustine, how can signs become ambiguous?
(a) By being words that appear as things.
(b) By containing misunderstood words or expressions.
(c) By being used things that are also enjoyed.
(d) By being things that don't appear as signs.

15. What is the difference between the time that God might deliver what seems to be an evil command in the Old Testament and the current time, according to Augustine?
(a) They were taken by people to whom God gave his orders directly.
(b) They could not be done without sinful intent at the time of Augustine's writing.
(c) They were taken by those who recorded God's law directly from the source.
(d) They were taken by those who clearly understood God's signs.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Augustine state signs are regardless of whether they want to be?

2. How will studying this subject help in understanding Scripture?

3. Of Tyconius' rules for interpreting Scripture that Augustine examined, which two relate to the subjects that Augustine recommended for study in Book Two?

4. What does it mean that Augustine requires his students to have such broad knowledge to master his course?

5. Based on the academic demands that Augustine places on his students, it is clear that Augustine believes what?

(see the answer keys)

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