The Bronze Bow

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What is Judaism? Who first conquered Judah? What is Monotheism? What is the Talmud?

Teaching Suggestion: The protagonist, Daniel, is a Galilean Jew in the historical setting of Roman-occupied Israel during Jesus’ ministry. Depending on your particular class’s familiarity with this setting, with Judaism, and with these general knowledge questions, you may want to continue with additional questions such as these for review, discussion, or investigation based on the resources linked below.

• Which Roman ruler captured Jerusalem in 63 BCE?
• Who was the client king of Judah in 40 BCE?
• What did Herod do to the Jewish temple?
• Who permitted the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem?
• Who put Jesus to death?

The video on Judaism might help to increase your understanding of Jewish customs, beliefs, and ties to the land of Israel. If sharing with students, it might be beneficial to discuss these ideas and the Roman capture of Jerusalem before the birth of Jesus.

• This 17-minute video (consider watching to 13 minutes) describes the history of Judaism. (Content Warning: Animations may not be appropriate for all classes.)
• This article describes the capture of Jerusalem by the Roman Empire.

2. Why is the land of Jerusalem and Israel important to the Jewish people? What is the  significance of the temple in Jerusalem? Explain Alexander the Great’s role in Jewish history. What is Hellenism?

Teaching Suggestion: Protagonist Daniel is a zealot who believes that Israel should be taken from the Romans because it belongs to the Jewish people as part of the covenant of the coming kingdom of God. It might be helpful to use the article below or a similar resource to discuss the historical and religious significance of Judaism today. The 4-minute video describes some of the cultural attitudes at the time of Jesus’ birth and into his adulthood.

• This article explains why Jerusalem is important to the Jewish people.
• This 4-minute video describes the culture of Jerusalem when Jesus was born.

Short Activity

Locate and highlight important locations from the novel.

• Highlight Galilee Yellow.
• Highlight Judah Pink.
• Circle the Sea of Galilee.
• Highlight Capernaum Blue.
• Highlight Jerusalem Orange.

Then determine the distance to travel to these cities by foot.

Teaching Suggestion: Many people in Jesus’ day traveled by foot to different cities. Students may find the attached map helpful. Ask students to locate and highlight the map with the suggested colors. Students may wish to refer to the map as they read the novel. Then consider allowing students to explore the cities through online mapping sites to determine distances and develop an understanding of what travel was like in the Middle East during the Roman Empire.

• This map depicts the area in which the novel takes place.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Describe a time when you had an overwhelming emotion like hatred or jealousy. What was the cause of that emotion? Did it linger longer than it should have? Why is it difficult to control behavior when there is an overwhelming emotion? What situations or life circumstances can spark these emotions? What strategies can be used to correct overwhelming emotions?

Teaching Suggestion: In the novel, Daniel battles an uncontrollable hatred for the Romans because some Roman soldiers killed his father. Daniel’s reaction to the soldiers’ brutality is to join a group of outlaws who fight against Rome. It isn’t until Daniel meets Jesus that he begins to humanize the Roman soldiers and understand that love is more important than hate. Discussing the questions above and the causes of intense feelings like hatred may help to elicit empathy with Daniel as students begin the reading.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who demonstrate a particular interest in the topic or others in need of historical enrichment, it may be beneficial to research outlaws and religious zealots who resisted Roman rule in Israel. Consider asking students to make connections between the hatred of the zealots and the Romans who occupied Israel.