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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Based on the academic demands that Augustine places on his students, it is clear that Augustine believes what?
(a) That those who sought Augustine as a teacher will need to have conviction and determination to take on the challenges he puts before his students.
(b) That learning as much as possible is the best way to separate the individual from the common population.
(c) That God is the master of all creation and language and the more you know of each the better you understand what God passed on in Scripture.
(d) That personal discipline and focusing on things outside of the body helps build chastity and humility.

2. What does Augustine state signs are regardless of whether they want to be?
(a) Given signs.
(b) Signs that are words.
(c) Signs that are things.
(d) Natural signs.

3. 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 compares them to his own set of principles to point out differences and similarities.
(d) Augustine uses them to prove what he considers misguided thinking of Donatists.

4. If Augustine sets a standard for how to interpret Scriptural characters literally, and he applies the converse of that standard for interpreting Scriptural character's figuratively, how would that standard be articulated?
(a) A figurative interpretation of a holy Scriptural character will be applied to language and speech that embraces evil and condemns love or kindness.
(b) A figurative interpretation of a holy Scriptural character will be applied to language and speech that defines how a sign is a thing.
(c) A figurative interpretation of a holy Scriptural character will be applied to language and speech that embraces evil and condemns love or kindness.
(d) A figurative interpretation of a holy Scriptural character will be applied to language and speech that describes condemnations on the chosen of God.

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

6. How can recommendations Augustine makes from Book Three prevent students from falling into the trap that misleads them?
(a) Augustine recommends that students learn the culture, language, and history from the periods that Scripture was written to develop the skill to interpret Scripture intelligently.
(b) Augustine devotes much of Book Two to detailing the demands on the serious student of Scripture.
(c) Augustine painstakingly differentiates between signs and things to guide students away from misapplying both.
(d) Augustine warns against allowing the increased knowledge of students from developing into pride.

7. What is the most important step Augustine's students must take to avoid the trap he sees in interpretation?
(a) Students need to differentiate the love for God from the love for things common among the pagans.
(b) Students need to submit themselves to the process of purging their selfish desires.
(c) Students need to submit themselves to the scrutiny of a wise teacher who can dissuade them from becoming prideful.
(d) Students need to devote themselves to studying the subjects Augustine recommended in Book Two.

8. According to Book Two, what is the most important knowledge a student of scripture can have?
(a) He must know the difference between things and signs.
(b) He must know the canon of Scripture well.
(c) He must know how to use the inner eye.
(d) He must the difference between things that are used and things that are enjoyed.

9. What are subjects that Augustine identifies that 'must be learned'?
(a) Dietary laws of Israel, miracles of the Pentateuch, and the sermons of Christ.
(b) The miracles of the Church immediately after the ascension of Christ, the languages of the Roman Empire, and the laws of Israel.
(c) The manifestations of creation throughout Scripture, every perspective of eschatology, the application of minor prophets to community.
(d) Measurements of all kinds, alphabets, history, medicine and astronomy.

10. 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 those who recorded God's law directly from the source.
(b) They were taken by those who clearly understood God's signs.
(c) They could not be done without sinful intent at the time of Augustine's writing.
(d) They were taken by people to whom God gave his orders directly.

11. What does Augustine say the student pass through if he/she will be able to understand Scripture?
(a) The purging of unclean spiritual occupations that are too common in the pagan cultures.
(b) Stages of spiritual purification and understand the need for God and Christian virtues.
(c) Rigorous physical and mental challenges to prove to God the seriousness of the desire to learn.
(d) A 40-day period of seclusion and fasting so they can better know the mind of Christ.

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

13. What does Augustine state an interpreter sometimes looks to to get the right meanings and right number of meanings from a passage?
(a) The author's intentions.
(b) The original manuscripts.
(c) The history of the period that the Scripture was recorded.
(d) The original language.

14. What Augustine accomplished with his first three books from "On Christian Doctrine"?
(a) He left out important details that could be useful in the interpretation of Scripture.
(b) He established a beginning set of exegetical principles.
(c) He identified the difference between his line of reasoning and those who criticize his views.
(d) He set out an intimidating course of study that only the serious student of Scripture will be willing to consider.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. According to Augustine in Book Three, what is the purpose of Scripture in reporting the condition that affects holy men?

2. What does Augustine call the types of grammar used through Scripture?

3. What is an important omission that Augustine commits as it applies to moral rules in Scripture?

4. What was the topic of Book Three?

5. According to Augustine, to whom are commands from Scripture intended?

(see the answer keys)

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