CRE Paper 1 Questions and Answers - BSJE Mock Exams 2023

• This paper consists of six questions.
• Answer any five questions in the spaces provided at the end of question 6.

1.  
   1. State seven reasons why the Bible is called the word of God.        (7 marks)
   2. Outline the translation of the Bible from the original languages to the present local languages.        (7 marks)
   3. Identify six ways in which the Bible is misused in Kenya today.        (6 marks)
2.  
   1. Outline the background to the call of Abraham.        (8 marks)
   2. Give instructions given to Abraham by God concerning the Jewish circumcision.    (6 marks) 
   3. Explain six reasons why circumcision was important to the Jews.        (6 marks)
3.  
   1. Give seven reasons why Prophet Samuel was against kingship in Israel.                   (7 marks)
   2. Describe Mount Carmel contest between Prophet Elijah and prophets of Baal.          (7 marks)
   3. Identify lessons learnt about the nature of God from the contest at Mount Carmel.   (6 marks)
4.  
   1. Give ways in which prophetic messages were written.                   (6 marks)
   2. Explain four visions of prophet Amos.        (8 marks)
   3. Identify ways in which God speaks to Christians today.                   (6 marks)
5.  
   1. Explain four promises that the Israelites made when they renewed their covenant with God during the time of Nehemiah.
       (8 marks)                              
   2. Identify final reforms carried out by Nehemiah to restore the worship of God in Judah. (5 marks)
   3. Give seven reasons why Nehemiah carried out the reforms.        (7 marks)
6.  
   1. Outline seven methods used in choosing marriage partner in Traditional African Community.    (7 marks)                                       
   2. Explain the African understanding of hierarchy of beings.        (7 marks)
   3. Outline six moral values acquired during initiation in African Traditional Community.   (6 marks)

                                                                               MARKING SCHEME

1.  
   1. Reasons why the Bible is called the word of God 
      • The authors were inspired by God
      • The messages contained in the Bible were revealed to the Prophets through dreams, visions and natural phenomena.
      • It portrays the nature of God
      • It contains predicted prophecies, some of which have come to pass.
      • God Himself took part in the writing of the Bible e.g. the Ten Commandments.
      • It contains the will of God for daily living.
      • It is about Jesus Christ who is referred to as the word of God.
      • Contains God’s self-revelation to human beings.  (7X 1)
   2. Outline the translation of the Bible from the original languages to the present local languages.
      • The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew.
      • The New Testament was originally written in Greek
      • The Old Testament Bible was translated by 70 scholars from Hebrew to Greek  (Septuagint)
      • The entire Bible was translated into Latin by Jerome – (The vulgate)
      • The Bible was translated directly from Hebrew and Greek into English from Hebrew and Greek into English by William Tyndale.
      • The Bible was translated into National languages of European countries during the period of reformation.
      • It was translated from English into Kiswahili by Dr. Kraft.
      • The Bible has been translated into other local languages by the Bible Society of Kenya.  (7X 1)   
   3. Identify six ways in which the Bible is misused in Kenya today. 
      • It is used to take oaths in Court/Offices by people who may not be saying the truth/not be believers.
      • It is kept in places associated with evil
      • Distortion of some Bible teaching/using specific verses to fulfill individual demands.
      • Some people use the Bible as an ordinary text book.
      • Some people use it in witchcraft/cults to mislead people.
      • Some use it to enrich themselves
      • Some Bible translations have changed the original meaning of the Bible.
      • Some people keep the Bible for display and not reading it for spiritual growth.
      • Some may use the Bible to administer curses/curse to others.  (6X 1)
2. 1. Outline the background to the call of Abraham.
      • Abraham was the son of Terah who lived in the city of Ur
      • He had two brothers i.e. Nahor and Haran
      • He had a nephew called Lot.
      • Abraham was an Amorite/Asemitic tribe who occupied the Middle crescent of the Middle East
      • Abraham migrated to Haran with His family
      • Their religion was Polytheistic/Moon worshippers
      • After the death of Terah, Abraham was left in charge of the family.
      • Abraham was married to Sarai but they had no child.
      • Abraham lived with Lot, his nephew, a nomadic pastoral ways of life.
      • Terah died in Haran and God spoke to Abraham.           (8X 1)
   2. Give six instructions given to Abraham by God concerning the Jewish circumcision
      •  Every male among Abraham’s descendants had to be circumcised.
      • They would be circumcised by the flesh of their foreskins.
      • Circumcision was required of all the male servants of Abraham.
      • Circumcision would take place when a male was 8 days old.
      • Would be a mark/symbol of an everlasting covenant between God and Abraham’s community.
      • Any man who was not circumcised would be cut off from Abraham’s descendants because he had broken the covenant. 
         (6X 1)
   3. Explain six reasons why circumcision was important to the Jews.
      • It was an outward sign of Abraham and his descendant’s covenant relationship with God.
      • It was a sign of membership to the Jewish community/Identity
      • It was a sign of inner faith for Abraham and His descendants.
      • It was a sign of purity.
      • It was a physical badge for all male children among the Jews.  (6X 1)
3.  
   1. Reasons why Prophet Samuel was against kingship in Israel.
      • It was against theocratic rule of God
      • It was going to be a dictation rule
      • Their land/harvest would be grabbed by the king.
      • They would lose their identity as a covenant people
      • In the hereditary system, it would be hard to replace oppressive rulers.
      • Their daughters would be enslaved in the palace.
      • The people would be taxed heavily.
      • Their sons would be forced into the army   (7X 1)
   2. Mount Carmel contest
      • Elijah asked King Ahab to assemble all the people at Mt. Carmel.
      • The king summoned all the people including the prophets of Baal to Mt. Carmel.
      • Elijah told the people to choose between worshipping God and Baal.
      • He suggested to the people that two bulls be brought and each party to offer the sacrifice to their God.
      • He challenged their God burn the sacrifice will be true God.
      • The prophet of Baal was given a bull which they prepared and called upon the name of their god.
      • Elijah mocked them/asked them to shout louder to their God.
      • He placed the sacrifice on the alter and asked the people to pour water on it.
      • The people threw themselves on the ground and worshipped the Lord as the true God.
      • Elijah killed the prophet of Baal.     (7X 1)
   3. Lessons learnt about the nature of God from the Mt. Carmel contest.
      • Yahweh is the only God
      • Yahweh is a living God who controls forces of nature.
      • Yahweh is a powerful God.
      • Yahweh is a merciful God who wins backward hearts.
      • Yahweh is a jelous God who will have no other God beside Him
      • Yahweh is a God of justice who punishes Idolaters and other sinners.
      • Yahweh answers prayers.   (6X 1)
4.  
   1. Ways in which prophetic message were written.
      • The prophets wrote themselves e.g Isaiah
      • God dictated to the prophets what was to be put down.
      • The disciples of the prophets preserved their master’s teachings as oral traditions and passed it over to subsequent generations.
      • The disciples of the prophets treasured recollections of the prophet’s life as well as  their oracles and incorporated them in the historical books of the Bible.
      • The scribe re-organized the prophets’ teachings according to the subject matter.
      • The collection, compiling and writing of prophetic messages was accomplished over a long period of time.
      • Some prophets dictated their messages to scribes to write down e.g Baruch for Jeremiah.  (6X 1)
   2. Visions of prophet Amos.
      1. The vision of the Locusts
         • Amos saw God sending a great swarm of locusts on the land of Israel.
         • The locusts destroyed all the plants and food in the land.
         • Amos cried to God to have mercy on the people and God heard him.
      2. The vision of Fire
         • Amos saw God preparing to consume the earth with fire.
         • The fire burnt up part of the earth and the ocean was completely dry.
         • He pleaded with God not to punish the people and God listened.
      3. The vision of Plumb line
         •  Amos saw God standing next to a crooked wall with a plumb line.
         • He told Amos that he was going to measure his people using the plumb line.
         • God told the prophet that he would never overlook the sin of his people.
         • Amos remained silent.
      4. The vision of a basket of summer or ripe fruits
         • The prophet was shown a basket of fruits.
         • God told him that time was new ripe for the Israelites to be punished for their sins.
         • God was not going to spare them anymore and the songs of the temple would become wails and bodies would be everywhere.
      5. The vision of the destruction of the altar
         •  Amos saw God standing by the altar.
         • It seemed as if he had commanded an angel to strike the altar and destroy it completely.
         • God said that no one would escape His punishment and He would follow those escaping and destroy them. (8X 1)
   3. Ways in which God speaks to Christians today.
      • Through the bible/scriptures
      • God speaks to Christians through church leaders.
      • Through every/day experience/occurrences
      • Through dreams/visions seen by some Christians.
      • Through personal experiences
      • Through miracles by church leaders.   (6X 1)
5.  
   1. State four promises that the Israelites made when they renewed their covenant with God during the time of Nehemiah.
      • They were to live according to God’s law/obey all his commandments/requirements.
      • They would not intermarry with the foreigners living in their land.
      • They promised not to farm every seventh year/ they were to cancel all the debts
      • They would make annual contribution towards temple expenses/not to neglect the house of God.
      • They were to provide wood for burnt sacrifices.
      • They were to offer the first fruits of their harvest/dedicate their first born sons/flocks as acquired by the law.
      • They would pay their titles in accordance with the law.
      • They will not do any business on the Sabbath day.   (8X 1)
   2. Reforms carried out by Nehemiah.
      • Cleansing of the temple
      • Reinstating of the levites and other temple workers.
      • He ordered the closure of Jerusalem for proper Sabbath observance. 
      • He separated the Jewish from the foreigners
      • He purified the priesthood.
      • Throwing out the household of Tobia out of the chamber
      • Cleansing the chamber in the temple
      • Returning the vessels of the house of God
      • Appointing treasures over the store houses
      • Stopping the buying and selling of wares on the Sabbath day.
      • He ordered and ends to mixed marriages/foreigners.    (5X 1)
   3. Reasons why Nehemiah carried out the reforms.
      • To preserve the identity of the Jews as people of God.
      • To separate the Jews from foreign influence
      • To purify the temple which had been defeated by keeping a foreigner
      • To reinstate the services of the levites as priests of the temple.
      • To restore the tidily system that had been forgotten for the up keep of the temple.
      • To ensure that the Sabbath day was free from business activities.
      • In order to cleanse the Jews who had intermarried with foreigners/exposed to Idolatry. (7X 1)
6.  
   1. Outline seven methods used in choosing marriage partner in Traditional African Community.
      • Parents make the decision and inform their children.
      • The youth make decision and inform parents for approval.
      • A go between such as Aunt is used
      • A girl is way laid followed by formed arrangements.
      • The first wife chooses for the husband another wife.
      • Through the inheritance of widows.
      • Leaders acquire wives as gifts.
      • One is offered a bride to offset debts.     (7X 1)
   2. Explain the African understanding of hierarchy of beings.
      • God – Top of the hierarchy
      • Divinities – below God and above the spirits
      • Spirits – link God to human beings
      • Living dead/ancestors – spirits of the living dead intermediaries between God and the people.
      • Human beings – They include those who are physically alive and not yet born.
      • Living things i.e plants and animals. Used by human beings in their natural and Religious life.
      • Non-living things – they include physical features such as hills, lakes, rocks etc. (7X 1)
   3. Six moral values acquired during initiation in African Traditional Community.
      •  Value of respect
      • Loyalty
      • Endurance/perseverance
      • Sharing
      • Chastity
      • Self-control
      • Solidarity
      • Courage/bravery