Modern approaches to the new testament

What were the strengths and weaknesses of Herod the Great?

Strengths >Accomplished some good for his territory.. >Quite generous when the occasion demended it. >Often sensitive to the religious feelings of the Jews. >Master builder of cities. >He rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. >Built a port city at Caesarea. >Beautified and refortified other important cities. >Kept Rome satisfied. Weaknesses >His jealousy that caused him to listen to court gossip. >Executed Mariamme and her mother. >Killed Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II. >Mental condition deteriorated. >His reign was filled with political intrigue ,plots, murders, wars and brutality.

Why are Irenaeus's reflections on his childhood important for understanding John?

>Because much of what he says is from Polycarp, who was a follower of John the apostle and other of the apostles.

Who was Luke?

> A gentile evangelist likely from Greece, who was well educated and wealthy physician who wrote the Gospel of Luke and a close friend of Paul.

What were the main theological beliefs of the Pharisees?

> Accepted both scripture and tradition as authoritative. >Affirmed the traditional theological doctrines of God's providence, angels, resurrection and the afterlife held to a strict observance of jewish legal rules. >Opposed Jesus and early Christianity for among other reasons.

How does Matthew emphasize that Jesus is Savior of both Jews and Gentiles?

> Emphasizes that Jesus is the final Word of God to his people.

What is the Apocrypha?

>A collection of fourteen Jewish books written mainly between 200 BC and 100 AD, not found in the Hebrew Old Testament but included in the Roman Catholic Bible. >Sometimes called the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament.

What is a canon? What are the ancient divisions of the Old Testament canon?

>An authors collection of documents. Torah, prophets, writings.

Why may the Gospels be trusted?

>Be trusted because they were written when those who knew Jesus were still alive, they are directly linked to the apostles , and God guided the authors.

How does Matthew depict Jesus as the Teacher?

>Because his whole public ministry is directed toward instructing the people. He takes advantage of every opportunity to lead them into a deeper understanding of God.

Why does the bible need interpretation?

>Because it was written in a different time, culture, and language. Its message is foreign to us, so we must carefully interpret it in order to avoid imposing our own views on it. Maturing believers should develop a more advanced understanding of the New Testament based on extensive study, careful analysis and logical explanation in view in the full range of relevant evidence.

Describe how Jesus's divine sonship is developed in Mark.

>By beginning his Gospel with his own confession and closes it with the confession of the Roman centurion, that Jesus is no ordinary human, He is the Son of God.

How is the Holy Spirit emphasized in Luke's Gospel?

>By continuesly showing how the Spirit guides the lives of the believers and empowers them for service.

How did Jesus fulfill Israel's hopes?

>By fulfilling the work of God that begun in ancient times, promised and mediated through God's people. >As fulfiller of the larger world's dream. >As the Savior of the world.

How do the people confirm that Jesus is the Son of God?

>By recognizing that Jesus is divine - John the Baptist, the demons, disease, the wind and the waves , the disciples, even God himself - except the religious leaders.

How did Jesus prepare his followers to continue after he was gone?

>By training his followers for the future by setting an example for them. >By gathering disciples with twelve apostles to lead them. >By sending them out with his own power. >By teaching them things they need to know.

What other subjects have you found it necessary to study in order to master? What differences are there, if any, between study of those subjects and study of the New Testament?

>Christians should study the New Testament so that they will avoid misinterpretation based on preconceived ideas and misplaced reliance on the Holy Spirit,. > So that they will have the appropriate historical foundation for understanding and applying its teachings.

What does testament mean in the titles Old Testament and New Testament?

>Covenant or agreement

How is the Gospel of John different from the Synoptics?

>Differs from Matthew, Mark and Luke because 90% of it has no direct parallel with these three: it postulates a ministry of three years rather than one, it focuses on different parts of Jesus's teachings, and it emphasizes Jesus's ministry in a different manner.

What special place did women play in Jesus's ministry?

>Exceptional. He accords them a dignity and respect that is virtually unknown among the rabbis of Palestine.

Look up the references related to the chronology of Jesus's life and work out for yourself what you think it should be.

>First - Luke 3:21-23, Jesus was about 30 years old when he was baptized and began his ministry. >Second - There are three Passovers and one unnamed feast mentioned in the Gospel of John. Allows the time needed for a three-and -a-half-year ministry. >Third - The Passover when Jesus began his public ministry. >Fourth - In AD 30 Nisan 14 of the Jewish calendar, the day on which Jesus died, fell on a Friday, satisfying the account of John.

In what ways was Jesus a servant?

>First, is by portraying himself as a teacher-preacher. >Second, Jesus is depicted as a worker of miracles with power over disease and demons.

When was the gospel of Luke written?

>Gospel of Luke was written earlier than Acts. It must have been completed somewhere in the late 50s or early 60s AD.

Cite some contribution of historical criticism.

>Has pioneered methods that can prove useful when grounded in a worldview that leaves room for the truth of cardinal Christian doctrines.

What is the relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament

>Inversely proportional

What are the distinctive features of apocalyptic writings?

>It often took the form of some extravagant vision, highly symbolic in nature, that mapped out events to come.

What are some of the things that help us to understand Jesus as a communicator?

>Jesus came primarily as a preacher-teacher who communicated his message so that people would be able to build their own knowledge based on his teachings and would also be challenged to apply the teachings to their lives.

In what ways did Jesus fulfill God's intention?

>Jesus came to fulfill the destiny mapped out for him in advance by God. >The birth, life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus is seen as the fulfillment of prophecy.

What do you think is Jesus's true significance?

>Jesus is alive and promises to be with us now and to the end of the age.

In what ways was Jesus unique?

>Jesus is unique because he has a special relationship to God and to the human race and a special sense of mission here on earth.

In what ways was Jesus the supreme authority?

>Jesus practices supreme authority countless times throughout the book of Matthew over people, over demons, over leprosy, over sin, over the individual destinies of all human beings, etc. >Also makes use of titles or comments that are used either by Jesus or with reference to him stressing his supreme authority.

What did Jesus teach about human life and sinfulness?

>Jesus taught that even though God is a judge, the world is not ruled by a despotic judge, he's a Heavenly Father. He cares for us and gives us meaning. If they were caught in sin, Jesus would forgive them and tell them to sin no more.

Work out a sequence of events from Jesus's burial to his ascencion.

>Jesus's side was pierced with a spear to ensure that he was dead. >Joseph of Arimathea requested Jesus' body from Pilate,and he together with Nicodemus, prepared Jesus's body for burial. >Seal was then placed on the tomsus the Nazareneb. >Early Sunday morning, the women who followed Jesus went to the tomb to anoint his body. >Surprised to find the tomb empty. >A shining angel told them that the Jesus of Nazarene, who was crucified has risen.

How is Jesus's humanity emphasized in John?

>John emphasizes Jesus's human nature in many incidents including traveling with his mother and brothers, asking for a drink of water in Samaria, crossing the Sea of Galilee in a boat, spitting on the ground to make mud for the blind man's eyes, weeping over Lazarus's death, washing his disciples' feet, and dying and being buried.

What is the importance of faith in John's Gospel?

>John represents the principle of faith in his Gospel and makes clear that only those who believed in Christ will receive the gift of eternal life.

Discuss the ministry of John the Baptist as Jesus's forerunner.

>John the Baptist burst on the scene in the wilderness east of Jerusalem to call people to repentance in the face of imminent divine judgment. His message was as startling as he was. He preached that the end of the age, the coming of Messiah and the final judgment were at hand. >Jesus is linked with the ministry of John the Baptist in all of the Gospels.

How does Luke describe his writing of his Gospel?

>Luke's procedure in writing his Gospel included gathering information, checking the evidence, verifying the sources, evaluating critically, and arranging the material in an orderly manner.

How does Luke emphasize the universal nature of Jesus's work?

>On the universal or comprehensive nature of God's dealings with the world. >Focuses on Jesus's as the Savior of the world. >Special interest in the events of Jesus's early life and of Mary, Jesus's mother. >The place of women in Jesus's ministry. >Shows a special interest in the work of the Holy Spirit.

According to Jesus, what will the end of the age be like?

>Only God knows when the second coming will be. It will be unexpected sudden like a thief in the night. It will be powerful, glorious, personal and visible. Jesus will descend from the clouds with angels and gather the saints to himself.

Discuss Jesus's Perean and Judean ministry.

>Perean Ministry begins with his departure from Galilee and ending with the anointing by Mary in Bethany or his journey towards Jerusalem. Began in Perea but was not spent entirely in Perea. Because of conflicts, Jesus found it necessary to leave Jerusalem and Judea and travel east into Perea. The Perean Ministry represents the close of Jesus' itenerant ministry. Among the most memorable events of this time was Jesus's raising Lazarus from the dead. >Judean Ministry begins with Festival of Tabernacles and concluded with an attempt in Jesus' life during the Festival of Dedication. The Feast of Dedication commemmorated the rededication of the temple. The Feast of Tabernacles took place six months before the Passover. Jesus indicated that he would not attend the celebration that marked the end of the harvest, but chose to go secretly, and this marks the beginning of the Judean ministry to fulfill the purpose of his life, which was to die and rise again for the sins of the world.

What are the major elements of Jesus's ministry in the north (Galilee and travels outside Galilee)?

>Preaching the good news. >Calling people to repentance. >Healing various kinds of diseases or other maladies. >Teaching about his coming death and resurrection. Also about humility, forgiveness and service. >Casting out demons. >Performed astounding miracles. >His triumph over the evil forces of Satan and the demons.

What is the meaning of the word hermeneutics?

>Term derived from a Greek word meaning to interpret. It designates the science and art of interpreting a text. It includes exegenesis and concerns both what the text meant originally and what it means today.

Why was the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 significant for Christianity?

>The Christians realized that they must move out from Jerusalem; the center of Christianity would have to be elsewhere, in fact everywhere. > The fall of Jerusalem also contributed to the Christians' developing a new theological vocabulary and worship styles designed to reach the Gentiles, who now became their primary mission.

What are the bases of our high level of certainty regarding the text of the New Testament?

>The New Testament text we have is secure because extensive evidence supports it, the authors of the books wrote them within living memory of Jesus's life, and ancient versions of the text were widely distributed.

Recount in detail the events of Jesus's last thirty-six hours on earth.

>The Thursday plan for Jesus's last Passover meal with his disciples. > The Lord's Supper. >Late in the evening: He agonized in prayer over his coming death in the garden of Gethsemane. >Betrayal. >Captured for interrogation' >Charged with blasphemy. >Taken to the execution grounds called Golgotha. >He was crucified. >His first words from the cross. >Suffered the agonies of dying for six hours. >Mysterious darkness shrouded the earth. >Jesus died with a dramatic suddenness at 3:00 p.m. after crying out in quick succession his 2nd last words. >An earthquake shook the earth, split rocks in half,and tore in two from top to bottom the curtain in the temple that separated the holiest place from the rest of the building after his 7th last words. >And so, Jesus died, offering his life in payment for our sins.

Reconstruct for yourself the events that preceded and surrounded the birth and early years of Jesus.

>The announcement to a virgin named Mary that she would bear a son, who would be the Son of the Most High and whose kingdom would never end. >The conception of Jesus. A census was proclaimed by Caesar Augustus, sent Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. >Birth of Jesus. >Ancient rites of circumcision and presentation in the temple. >Returned to Bethlehem. >Escaped for security to Egypt. >Guided and led by God to Nazareth to fulfill the prophecy where the Messiah would live. >Astounded the teachers of the law with his knowledge and wisdom when he was twelve years old wherein they are in Jerusalem with his family. >Jesus grew up as any normal child would, obeying his parents and developing physically and maturing spiritually, intellectually and socially surrounded by both divine glory and human opposition.

Who was Mark?

>The author of the Gospel of Mark was John Mark, who worked with Peter and recorded his recollections of the life and work of Jesus.

What elements of the life of Jesus were included in the preached gospel message of the early church?

>The essence of the gospel as preached includes God's offer of salvation, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and the call to faith in light of the coming judgment.

How does John emphasize Jesus's divine essence?

>The fact that Jesus is God incarnate in human flesh is found in passages that emphasize his divine qualities, focus on Jesus as God's unique divine representative and show Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's and all humanity's hopes.

Who were the Hasmoneans ,and why were they important?

>The family name of those Jews and their descendants who intisgated the revolt against the Syrians in 167 BC.

Give three reasons for special study of the New Testament canon.

>The first is that after his departure, the Holy Spirit would teach the disciples and remind them of what Jesus had told them. > Second, we should note that Jesus' words point to what theologians call inspiration. The holy spirit worked together with the minds and hearts of Jesus' followers to produce trustworthy understanding, recollections, and ultimately writings. > A third reason we recognize the importance of the New Testament writings lies in the preeminent role they gradually assumed in the ancient church.

When was the Gospel of Mark most likely written?

>The gospel of Mark was most likely written in Rome with a gentile audience in mind. Mark wrote while Peter was still alive, in this time range the 40's - 60's AD.

What issue did Kummels review of Albertz's New Testament introduction raise?

>The issue that his books assume that a great deal is known for sure about the rise and proper understanding of the apostolic interpretation. We should not only focus on the current but we must certainly bear in mind important considerations of hermeneutics and background factors.

Discuss Jesus's teaching on the kingdom and how he related himself to it.

>The kingdom is God's not man's. God validates human existence by being creator, sustainer and redeemer. Jesus thought from the top down. God is supremely father, a Heavenly Father a is everything a father should be in comparison and concern for his children here on earth. Jesus referred to what God is and what he's like. Jesus came to offer the kingdom. We should be changed and act the way Jesus did here on earth to carry the kingdom of god with us on earth. Jesus helped us bring in the kingdom.

How was the land of Palestine divided after Herod the Great, and what was the rule of his sons like?

>The land was divided in three ways, between Herod's three sons. > Archelaus Idumea was given Judea and Samaria, and the title of ethnarch rather than king. The rule of Archelaus was brutal and tyrannical and was strongly resisted from the very beginning. > Antipas was given Galilee and Perea, and the title of tetrarch. He was a vain, arrogant ruler who was also weak in times of moral crisis. > Phillip was given Batanaea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis, as well as other territories to the northeast and was also titled tetrarch. We know little about the reign of Phillip except that he was universally praised. He limited personal ambition and kept extravagant building to a minimum.

What was Jesus's favorite teaching device? Describe how Jesus used this form to communicate his message.

>The parable, which was a short, compact saying to a complete, almost allegorical story. It reveled just enough truth raise intense curiosity, promising more if listeners followed but also concealing enough of the truth so that complacent could walk away uninspired.

Write a brief essay on the supernatural events of Jesus's life (miracles, healings, expulsion of demons).

>The story of Jesus is uniquely supernatural, it challenges us to believe and commands us to follow him, and it teaches us that death is not the end but rather the beginning of a new existence.

What factors unified Judaism in Jesus's day?

>Their relationship to God and their sense of uniqueness in world history. >The idea that God had placed them in Palestine forever. >The messianic fervor of the time. >The synagogue. >The Torah and tradition which included Sabbath keeping and circumcision. >The temple. >The priesthood. >The festivals.

Why did the Jewish war of AD 66-70 take place?

>There was enermous religious unrest, which the Romans never really understood because their polytheistic syncretism did not involve such unshakeable convictions.

What are some of the ways Jesus used language when he preached?

>To bury his meaning below the surface, graphic language, paradoxical or self-contradictory language and overstatements.

What is the Gospel form?

>To describe them would be to call them expanded biographical sermons. They tell the story of Jesus's life and teaching. They also contain the elements found in early Christian sermons.

How and why did Jesus relate himself so directly to his message?

>To offer himself to the people. His words were offered not as general moral axioms or eternal truths open to the unaided insight or human thought, but as the gospel message of faith, obedience and acceptance of the kingdom he offered.

What was Matthew's basic purpose in writing his Gospel?

>To preserve what he knew about Jesus's life and words.

Why did Jesus command people to silence about his identity?

>To relieve the pressure of the crowds on Jesus's total ministry. >About his messiaship :Because they simply do not understand it and will not understand it until after the resurrection.

What is cultural literacy? What part does the New Testament play in acquiring it?

>Understanding the knowledge, beliefs, moral traits, and social organization of a society. Jesus is a dominant figure of western culture history, and the New Testament is our primary source of information about Him.

What are the major geographical regions of Palestine?

>Viewed north to south, Palestine consists of five regions: the coastal plain, the foothills, a central mountain range , the wilderness and the Jordan Valley and the eastern mountain range.

Cite five reasons why the Gospels were written?

>Were needed because it was impossible to disseminate the message quickly, widely and reliably via the spoken word alone. >As time went on the apostles aged and passed from the scene. Most of the apostles had perished for their faith. >Early believers were looking to the future. >Inauthentic or perhaps distorted accounts were beginning to make their appearance. >The need for factual material to use in the instruction of new converts.

Give 5 characteristics of a sound hermeneutic for interpreting scripture.

a) Emphasize Classical knowledge and teaching w/o feeling the need to subordinate it to Christian moralitie

How does a historical-theological approach differ from a historical-critical one?

subjects are placed into risk factor groupings based on data collected from the past, then measured in the present/future to determine who develops outcome of interest