New Testament Unit 1 and 2

Some of the "I am" speeches in the Gospel of John appear to be anchored in the worship life of the community. Which of the following images is most strongly associated with communion (also known as the Eucharist or the Last Supper."

I am the Bread of Life.

John 3:16 is often presented as a summary of John's Gospel. Which of the following statements best captures John's theology?

If you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, then you will go to heaven.

One of the most influential gospels that did not become part of the Christian canon in the fourth century is the Gospel of Thomas. What is the most significant difference between the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mark?

While both gospels include many of the same teachings, the Gospel of Thomas does not tell the story of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Which of the following events is described in Matthew's birth narrative?

Wise men from the East followed a star until it brought them to the house of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in Bethlehem.

Why do Christians have so many versions of the Bible?

Because we do not have the original of any of the 27 books of the New Testament, and the oldest copies we have were already changed by scribes.

What is the most obvious difference between the intentions of the "modern historian" and the intentions of the Gospel writers?

"Modern" historians attempt to be objective, neutral, dispassionate, and/or indifferent; whereas the Gospel writers were not neutral, dispassionate, or indifferent. They proudly proclaimed the "good" news that Jesus is Christ. The Gospel writers would never say, "Some people believe he is the messiah, others do not, but I do not care what you think."

According to Ehrman, a modern biography would differ significantly from an ancient biography? How?

Ancient biographers tended to assume that one's character is constant, whereas modern biographers tend to show how one's character develops over time in response to specific life events.

What percentage of people in the Greco-Roman world could read and write?

10%

Which of the following Mosaic Laws would have led to a tremendous conflict between Jewish subjects and their Roman conquerors?

A day of rest every seven days, the remission of debts every seven years, and the redistribution of land every fifty years.

What does Ehrman mean by the term "pagan"?

A gentile, a person who is not Jewish or Christian.

Use audience criticism to help explain WHY Mark wrote his Gospel this way.

About forty years after Jesus' death, Mark is proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the messiah to an audience that questions whether Jesus can be the Jewish messiah since the Romans have defeated the Jews and destoyed the Temple. Mark offers the consolation that Jesus' own lifetime companions had misunderstood him.

What parallel does Ehrman draw between Jesus and two of his Jewish contemporaries: Honi the Circle Drawer, and Hanina ben Dosa?

All of them were identified as miracle-workers by their followers. None of them were capable of converting all Jews to their worldview. All of them were identified as sons of God by their followers.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is not found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, so what is the probable source for this parable?

Although this pericope is not found in Matthew, it is quite possible that this story was present in Q. Since Matthew portrayed Jesus as a proponent of Torah piety, he could have intentionally chosen to omit this story since it portrays the priests in a bad light for following Mosaic Law. However, we could not know for certain if this passage is in Q unless we were to discover a copy of Q.

According to Ehrman, who penned the first New Testament book?

Paul

Alexander the Great is arguabley the "most significant world conqueror in Western civilization." Who was his famous teacher?

Aristotle

Drawing exclusively upon Luke's account of Jesus in Luke 12:49-53, how would you describe Jesus' attitude toward the traditional family unit?

As we find throughout the Gospels, this passage emphasizes Jesus' commitment to the universal family where we are all brothers of the one Father. For Jesus, loyalty to family cannot hold a candle to obedience due to God.

Why does the Book of Acts begin with the election of a disciple?

Because Judas betrayed Jesus, and the "twelve disciples" symbolically represent the "twelve tribes of Israel," Judas must be replaced. They elect Matthias, who is never mentioned again.

Why does Ehrman suggest that the New Testament Gospels are anonymous?

Because the oldest known copies of the Gospels do not include chapter and verse numbers, footnotes, or headings like "Gospel According to Mark." Moreover, the author's names do not actually appear in the text.

Of all the gospel writers, the author of the Gospel of Matthew goes to the greatest effort to emphasize the Jewishness of Jesus. Which of the following events would NOT emphasize the Jewishness of Jesus?

By tracing Jesus' ancestry back to Adam

Whose face appeared on coins throughout the Greco-Roman empires with the inscription, filius divi, Son of God?

Caesar

How does the resurrected Christ appear to Paul on the road to Damascus in the Book of Acts?

Christ appears as a bright light that blinds Saul, and then Saul hears a voice, "Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me?"

How does Ehrman describe Christianity?

Christianity is the largest religion in the world with 2 billion adherents. (Roughly one-third of the world's population.)

How large was Christianity at the end of the first century?

Christianity was growing steadily, but it was still so small that scholars can find no Greek or Roman references to Jesus or his followers by the end of the first century.

What is the relationship between the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament?

Christians call the Jewish Bible the Old Testament. Though Christians have changed the order of the books, putting the prophets last, it is basically the same material.

Ehrman includes a picture of the oldest surviving manuscript of the entire New Testament. What does he call this document?

Codex Sinaiticus

Which of the following Rules of Thumb appears to rule out the possibility that Jesus attracted a large Jewish crowd by preaching, "Worship me or go to Hell!"

Contextual credibility. It is unlikely that first century Jews would be attracted to such a message.

When Mark is writing his Gospel around 70 C.E., what did most Jews expect a messiah to do?

Defeat the Romans and restore Israel's independence.

What is the significance of footnote "f" in reference to Luke 24:51 in the Oxford Study Bible.

Drawing upon text criticism, this footnote points out that some of the oldest known copies of the Gospel of Luke do not include this reference to Jesus being carried up into heaven.

How does Ehrman explain "repetitions" in books like the Gospel of John?

Ehrman suggests that John may have woven together multiple sources. Rather than choosing one version, John included more than one wording of the same event.

What is Ehrman's conclusion about the historical accuracy of the Book of Acts?

Ehrman suggests that when the book of Acts and Paul's undisputed letters disagree about the details of Paul's missionary journeys, Ehrman would consider Paul's letters to be more historically accurate. Ehrman concludes that the apologetic speeches presented by Paul in Acts are about as historically accurate as the apologetic speeches presented by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Ehrman concludes that Paul is not presenting an objective history of all the acts of all the apostles; rather, Paul is focusing upon the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome under the influence of Paul.

Which branch of Judaism withdrew from Jerusalem in protest of Roman colonization and Jewish collaboration? John the Baptist most likely came from this community.

Essenes

What does Ehrman mean by a "literary seam"?

Evidence that an author has woven together two (or more) sources, perhaps by nesting one story within another story.

What is the central event of the Torah?

Exodus. The Torah focuses upon Moses taking God's chosen people out of slavery in Egypt and leading them to the Promised Land.

Which of the following images best describes the first-century church?

Followers of Jesus started movements in Egypt, Judea, Syria, Italy, Spain, and elsewhere. These communities often developed different beliefs and practices.

For whom did Bart Ehrman write this brief introduction to the New Testament?

For undergraduate students at a broad range of colleges and universities who wish to understand the assumptions, methods, and conclusions of contemporary biblical scholars.

After reading John's Gospel, who appears to be his primary audience?

Gentile Christians who were far more familiar with Socrates and Greek philosophy than with Moses and Jewish theology.

Which Gospel includes a cross that speaks?

Gospel of Peter

Which of the following statements about Greco-Roman religions is NOT accurate?

Greek and Roman Empires had a strict separation between "church and state." They kept religion and politics separate.

When Greeks and Romans colonized a new civilization, how did they respond to the traditional religions of these people?

Greeks and Romans tolerated other religions, so long as their subjects also performed sacrifices to the Greek and Roman gods.

How does Ehrman describe the notion of a suffering messiah, who died for the sins of the world and was vindicated by God in a glorious resurrection?

He describes this as a uniquely Christian notion that probably developed after the crucifixion.

How does Ehrman attempt to reconcile miracle accounts with the methods of modern historians?

He points out that the assumptions of modern history are biased against supernatural explanations. He seems to suggest that it would be absurd to impose the assumptions of 21st century historians on first century writers.

According to Ehrman, how is Luke's account of Jesus' birth different from Matthew's account?

In Matthew, Bethlehem is the hometown of Joseph and Mary until Herod's slaughter of the innocents forces them to flee to Egypt, but in Luke, Nazareth is the hometown of Joseph and Mary who just happen to be in Bethlehem because of a census at the time of Jesus' birth.

Which of the following Roman sources can be used by biblical scholars to corroborate events described in the New Testament?

In a book written about 115, Tacitus, the Roman historian, mentions that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate.

According to Ehrman, why would Paul and Luke want to demonstrate the continuity between Judaism and Christianity while simultaneously rejecting Jewish teachings about animal sacrifice in the Temple, Jewish dietary law, the importance of circumcision (the mark of the covenant), etc.?

In a world where new religions were suspect, Paul and Luke could proclaim that the Jesus movement had roots that predated the oldest Greek philosophers and poets by several centuries.

According to Ehrman, what is the difference between Matthew's account of Jesus' birth and Lukes' account of Jesus' birth?

In both accounts, Jesus is born to a virgin to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, but Matthew and Luke explain this miraculous event quite differently. Matthew's version inspires the notion of immaculate conception whereas Luke's version sounds more like the stories familiar in Greek religions. If Matthew traces Jesus' ancestry back to Abraham to emphasize his Jewishness, Luke traces Jesus' ancestry back to Adam to portray Jesus as the savior of all humanity. While these two motivations are not mutually incompatible, the actual genealogies differ from Joseph through David. In both accounts, Jesus is born in Bethlehem to fulfull the prophecy in Micah 5:2, but Matthew assumes Bethlehem is Mary and Joseph's hometown until they flee from Herod and Luke constructs the story about a census to explain why Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem.

How is Judas portrayed differently in the Book of Acts than in the Gospel of Matthew?

In the Gospel of Matthew, Judas regrets his decision to betray Jesus and returns the thirty pieces of silver, but in the Book of Acts, Judas uses the thirty pieces of silver to buy some land.

When did Christians agree upon the 27 books of the New Testament while excluding other books like the Gospel of Thomas, the Shepherd of Hermas, or the Epistle of Barnabas?

In the year 367, Athanasius was the first Christian to include all 27 books of the New Testament while excluding other books. He did not have the authority to impose this view on others, but a consensus was reached by the end of the fourth century.

If you were not familiar with the stories of Jesus from the synoptic Gospels, what conclusion would you draw from the Gospel of John? (1:29-42)

It appears as if two of Jesus' disciples had originally been disciples to John the Baptist. John does not actually say that John baptizes Jesus. By calling Jesus the "Lamb of God," it appears as if John the Baptist expects the messiah to suffer and die like the lambs led to slaughter in the Temple.

Biblical scholars suggest that Luke's Gospel is part of a two-volume series. What happened to the second volume.

It became part of the Christian Bible and is more commonly known as the Book of Acts.

What is the Acts of Thecla?

It is a noncanonical book that was recognized as a sacred text by some early Christians.

How does Luke describe the Kingdom of God?

It is both now and not yet. Even now one can experience a foretaste of the heavenly banquet by following the teachings of Jesus about feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and welcoming the stranger.

For centuries, Jews had observed Pentecost fifty days after Passover. According to the Book of Acts, what was so unusual about the first Pentecost after Jesus' death?

It was during Pentecost that the Holy Spirit appeared to Jesus' followers as a strong wind and a tongue of fire which imparted to them the ability to transcend barriers of language and culture.

Mark 8:27-9:1 provides an essential turning point in the Gospel of Mark? Which of the following statements about this passage is NOT accurate?

Jesus explains that the messiah suffers so that his followers never will. Mark promises that if you believe Jesus died for your sins, you will be blessed with health, wealth, and prosperity now and eternal life later.

Although there is some controversy about the testimony of Josephus, what "facts" does Ehrman derive from The Antiquities of the Jews?

Jesus had a group of followers who considered him a wise man and attributed miracles to him. Surprisingly, to Josephus, this community survived long after its leader had been condemned and crucified under Pontius Pilate.

According to Ehrman, why does Lazarus die before Jesus is able to heal him? (John 11:1-44?)

Jesus intentionally waits until Lazarus is dead so that people will recognize his power.

Immediately before his arrest, Jesus prays to God that "this cup be removed." What does this mean?

Jesus is referring to the cup of suffering. He is asking that his own suffering and death be prevented if possible.

After reading John 15:12-17, how would you characterize John's theology?

Jesus reveals God's love and motivates us to love other people in a similar way.

After reading John 2:1-11, which of the following statements about Jesus seems most absurd?

Jesus warns that all who drink alcohol will go to Hell.

How does Ehrman describe the relationship between Jesus and Judaism?

Jesus was a Jew who worshiped the Jewish God, kept Jewish customs, and learned the Jewish Scriptures.

Three of these claims are found only in Luke's Gospel. Which claim can be found in multiple gospels?

Jesus' cross is adorned with a plaque that mocks, "King of the Jews."

What event, found only in the Gospel of Matthew, is described in Matthew 27:52-53?

Jesus' death liberates the saints who had died before him.

What is the relationship between Paul and Jesus' lifetime companions in the Book of Acts?

Jesus' disciples originally question Paul's commitment to Christianity, but they ultimately support his missionary work to the Gentiles.

How does Mark portray Jesus' followers?

Jesus' followers abandoned, denied, and betrayed him when he was arrested.

Why does William Wrede introduce the concept of "messianic secret" to help explain Mark's Gospel?

Jesus' true identity is hidden so that even the disciples misunderstand him until after the crucifixion.

Three of the Gospel writers suggest that Jesus shared a Passover meal with his disciples, the basis for communion, and then he was crucified the day after Passover. One Gospel writer changes the story, perhaps to show that Jesus is the Lamb of God. Which Gospel writer suggests that Jesus was crucified during Passover?

John

Ehrman believes that Jesus (wrongly) assumed that the apocalypse would occur in his lifetime. Which famous biblical scholar, who was on the campus of Culver-Stockton College for the 2009 Robison Lecture, insists that Jesus' followers, not Jesus, were wrong about these apocalyptic expectations?

John Dominic Crossan

After reading John 14:1-7, what conclusion would you draw about John's attitude toward non-Christians?

John assumes that God will reject all people who reject Jesus Christ.

Most scholars believe that the Gospel of John was written ten to fifteen years after Matthew and Luke, but it does not include a birth narrative. Why would John begin with the prologue instead of the story of Jesus' birth?

John insists that Jesus is ONE with the Creator, before creation. No birth, not even a miraculous birth, can make Jesus ONE with God before creation.

What seems to be John's point behind the story of doubting Thomas? (John 20:24-29)

John is telling this story as evidence that Jesus really did rise from the dead.

Which of the following does Ehrman deny as a source for the Gospel of John?

John was an eyewitness to the events described in his Gospel.

Who is the best source of information about first-century Palestine? His writings provide insights into the diversity of Jewish views in Jesus lifetime.

Josephus, a Jew who survived the Jewish war against Rome.

What is the central focus of Jesus' parables throughout the Gospel of Matthew?

Kingdom of Heaven

What is Luke's source for Luke 4:16-20?

L

What did most Jews in the first century expect a messiah to do?

Liberate them from their enemies, the Romans.

How does Ehrman describe the education of Jesus' lifetime companions?

Like most people in the ancient world, the disciples appear to be uneducated peasants who were illiterate.

Given Luke's emphasis on social justice, which of the following passages is most surprising?

Luke 16:1-10 (The Parable of the Shrewd Manager)

What is the relationship between the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke?

Luke adds a birth narrative, a resurrection account, and some teachings of Jesus not found in Mark, but for the most part he follows the story as presented by Mark. On occasion he will change the story so it makes more sense to his audience or to fit his own theology.

After reading all three of the synoptic Gospels, which of the following conclusions about the Gospel of Luke seems ridiculous?

Luke emphasizes the Jewishness of Jesus. When copying from Mark, Luke often adds an explanation to show how Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish messianic expectations.

What is so ironic about the ending of the Book of Acts?

Luke ends the Book of Acts with Paul preaching the Gospel freely in Rome, even though Luke knows that Paul had been killed by the Romans twenty years earlier.

Why does Luke write this Gospel?

Luke has apparently read earlier Gospel accounts and found them inadequate. He implies that his version will be more orderly and/or true.

What is the source for Jesus' teaching about the Law in Matthew 5:17-20?

M

Drawing upon Ehrman's first rule of thumb, the earlier source the better, which gospel should you consider to be most historically accurate?

Mark

All of the following event are found in the New Testament, but only one of them is found in the Gospel of Mark. Which of the following events is found in Mark's Gospel?

Mark describes Jesus as a healer and a miracle-worker.

Mark begins his Gospel by talking about Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist. Mark quotes the Hebrew Bible, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." What is Mark's source here?

Mark is combining passages from Exodus 23:20, Malachi 3:1, and Isaiah 40:3.

Mark tells us that Jesus' followers flee after he is arrested, but then Mark goes on to tell us what Jesus' said and did during his trial and crucifixion. Look at the footnotes to determine Mark's most important source for telling this story.

Mark is drawing upon Psalms, Isaiah, Exodus, and other books of the Old Testament.

Which of the following statements best describes the date of composition of the Gospels?

Mark was written first, about 40 years after Jesus' crucifixion, followed by Matthew, Luke, and John.

What is the relationship between the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew?

Matthew adds some materials, but he generally follows the story as presented by Mark. On occasion, he appears to change the story so it makes more sense for his particular audience or to reflect his own theology.

Only Matthew's Gospel describes Mary and Joseph fleeing to Egypt during the "slaughter of the innocents." According to Ehrman, what is Matthew's source for this account?

Matthew appears to interpret Hosea 11:1, "Out of Egppt I have called my Son," as a reference to Jesus' journey to Egypt, though most Jews would have simply interpreted this passage as a reference to the Exodus.

If Mark blames the chief priests and the Romans for killing Jesus, who does Matthew ultimately hold accountable for Jesus' death?

Matthew blames the Pharisees, perhaps because his Jewish Christian group around is feeling persecuted by the Pharisees. (The Sadducees had lost power to the Pharisees when the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70.)

How does Matthew summarize the Jewish Law and Prophets?

Matthew insists that God offered the Law out of love and that the point of the entire Mosaic Law is to inspire us to love God and neighbor.

According to Ehrman, Matthew 5:17-20 presents a different image of Jesus than found in the other Gospels or the Pauline epistles, and the key is to understand Jesus' teaching, "Do not think I have come to abolish the law . . ." Why does Matthew include this passage according to Ehrman?

Matthew is talking about the 613 commandments of Mosaic Law. Whereas most Christians follow the example of Paul who insists that the new covenant replaces Old Testament laws, Matthew portrays Jesus as an adherent of Torah piety.

How would Ehrman explain the difference between the beatitudes in Luke and Matthew? (In Luke, Jesus proclaims, "Blessed are the poor," but in Matthew, Jesus proclaims, "Blessed are the poor in spirit. In Luke Jesus proclaims, "Blessed are those who thirst," but in Matthew, Jesus proclaims, "Blessed are those who thirst for righteousness.")

Matthew is writing for an audience that feels persecuted by the Pharisees and Luke is writing to an audience that is literally hungry and thirsty.

How does Matthew change Mark's story of Jesus' trial?

Matthew places more responsibility for Jesus death on the Jewish leaders and portrays the Roman prefect, Pontius Pilate, in a more favorable light.

How does Matthew draw parallels between Moses and Jesus?

Matthew traces Jesus' ancestry back to Abraham through Moses. The story of King Herod slaughtering the infants in a failed effort to destory his future rival, Jesus, parallels the story of the Pharoah slaughtering the infants in an effort to destroy his future rival, Moses. Interestingly enough, no other Gospel writer ever mentions the "slaughter of the innocents," nor is it recorded by any first-century Jewish or Roman sources. Just as Moses delivered the Five Books of Torah from Mount Sinai, Jesus offers five sermons, including the famous "Sermon on the Mount." No other Gospel writer emphasizes Jesus' preaching from "a mountain."

Using audience criticism, how do modern biblical scholars explain Matthew's emphasis on the Jewishness of Jesus?

Matthew's Jewish Christian audience is feeling persecuted by Pharisaic Jews who question whether Jesus could have been the Jewish messiah if he wasn't even faithful to the Jewish tradition.

What is Gnosticism?

Meaning, "to know," Gnosticism is based on secret knowledge that will liberate us from this earthly condition. A dualistic worldview coming out of Greek philosophy that distinguishes between evil flesh and divine spirit. A view labelled heresy by church fathers in the third and fourth centuries who feared that this movement would undermine the full humanity of Jesus Christ and dislodge the centrality of Jesus Christ's suffering and resurrection within the Church. (If Christ was not really human, but only appeared so, the Gnostics concluded, then he did not really suffer, die, or rise from the dead.)

What is the central focus of Jesus' teachings in the Gospel of Mark?

More than anything else, Jesus preaches about the Kingdom of God.

Most modern biblical scholars embrace the Four Source Theory of the synoptic Gospels. Which of the following conclusions would be INCONSISTENT with the Four Sourch Theory?

Most biblical scholars conclude that Matthew used Luke's Gospel as a source.

What conclusion have biblical scholars drawn about the twenty-first chapter of John?

Most scholars consider this chapter to be an addition to the original Gospel of John.

Which of the following Jewish sources is used by biblical scholars to corroborate events described in the Gospels?

NONE OF: Sanhedrin records, written when Jesus was on trial in the Temple, provide a transcript of Jesus' conversation with Caiaphas. Temple records, written the year Jesus was born, describe the "slaughter of the innocents" under King Herod .Hundreds of surviving first-century Jewish tracts insist that Jesus was a false messiah.

Which of the following miracles reported in the Gospel of John is also found in the synoptic Gospels?

NOT turning water into wine, healing of the lame man by the pool of Bethzatha, or raising Lazarus from the dead.

Which of the following events occurs in the Garden where Jesus is arrested?

NOT when Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, Jesus prays that God removes this suffering if possible, or Jesus gets agitated with the disciples for falling asleep.

Does Jesus keep his identity a secret in the Gospel of John?

No, Jesus is the self-proclaimed messiah in John with 46 "I am" statements.

According to Ehrman, how many direct references to the Trinity are found among the oldest Greek copies of the New Testament?

None

Which conclusion would you draw after comparing the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke?

Of all the Gospel writers, John presents the most divine image of Jesus.

How does Mark portray Jesus' attitude toward his own death?

Of all the gospel writers, Mark paints the most human image of Jesus. Jesus prays that God would remove the suffering, if possible, and even questions God. Jesus' last words are, "My God, why have you forsaken me."

Where does the resurrected Christ meet his eleven disciples at the end of Matthew's Gospel?

On a mountain in Galilee.

If the same parable appears in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, how many independent sources do we have? (Note Ehrman's second "Rule of Thumb.")

One

Which branch of Judaism survived the destruction of the Temple, the sack of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jews after the Second Revolt? They serve as the basis for modern Judaism.

Pharisees

Using text criticism, what event appears to be added to the Gospel of Luke by later scribes?

References to Jesus' bloody sweat during the Passion

Mark says the chief priests turned Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. Who were these chief priests?

Sadducees

Which branch of Judaism ran the Jewish Temple? They collaborated with the Romans and had no messianic expectations?

Sadducees

How might audience criticism help to explain Matthew's portrayal of Jesus in Matthew 5:17-6:1

Since Matthew's Jewish Christian community is fighting with Pharisaic Jews about Jesus' credentials, Matthew portrays Jesus as a stronger advocate of Torah piety than the hypocritical Pharisees.

Why did Dr. Walsh ask his New Testament students to skip 50 pages in Ehrman to read the Book of Acts before finishing the fourth Gospel?

Since the Book of Acts is the sequel to the Gospel of Luke, Dr. Walsh wanted us to read these two accounts together before moving onto the next author.

Throughout the Gospel of Mark, which of the following terms is used most often by Jesus to describe himself?

Son of Man. Drawing upon language from the book of Daniel, Jesus portrays himself as God's suffering servant.

Ehrman describes non-canonical gospels discovered in Nag Hammadi in 1945. What are non-canonical gospels?

Stories about Jesus that had circulated as scriptures among some groups of early Christians as scripture.

Luke describes the resurrected Christ meeting two of his followers on the road to Emmaus. What is so unusual about Luke's telling of this story?

Surprisingly, Jesus' followers do not recognize him at first. They think he is a stranger, so they tell Jesus about his own death. They share a meal with the stranger. It is not until the breaking of the bread that they recognize the resurrected Christ in their midst.

What is the most significant discovery about the Gospel of Mark by historical, critical scholars who use text criticism?

Text criticism shows us that the oldest known copies of this book end with the empty tomb. The resurrection appearances were added by later scribes.

What is the relationship between Greek and Roman mythology?

The Greeks came first. After the Romans conquered the Greeks militarily, they borrowed much of their culture. They even embraced similar gods but gave them Greek names.

Which of the following parables is found in other Gospels and not unique to the Gospel of Luke?

The Mustard Seed

Which book of the Bible describes Mary's miraculous birth and serves as the source for later teachings about the "perpetual divinity of Mary"?

The Proto-Gospel of James

What title do Christians commonly give to Matthew 5:1-7:27?

The Sermon on the Mount

How does the Gospel of Mark begin?

The adult Jesus appears to have a mystical experience while he is baptized by John the Baptist. This experience appears to inspire Jesus' own ministry.

Which of the following conclusions about the Gospel of Matthew would be embraced by historical, critical scholars?

The author of this book uses Mark as his primary source, incorporating about 90% of the Gospel of Mark into his own account.

Why does Ehrman think it is extremely likely that John the Baptist actually did baptize Jesus?

The criterion of dissimilarity. Ehrman cannot think of ANY reason that the Gospel writers would make this story up since it seems to imply that Jesus is in an inferior position to John the Baptist.

How does Mark portray Jesus' followers throughout the Gospel of Mark?

The disciples abandon, betray, and deny Jesus. Perhaps Mark is writing to provide consolation to his own audience who has begun to question the image of the messiah as a warrior hero as the Romans are destroying Jerusalem.

Ehrman uses text criticism to suggest that scribes may have changed some of the books of the New Testament. What example does he cite?

The last twelve verses of the Gospel of Mark, which describe Jesus' resurrection, are not found in the oldest copies of Mark.The references to Jesus sweating blood are not found in the oldest copies of Luke. The story of the woman found committing adultery is not found in the oldest copies of the Gospel of John.

What is the meaning of the term "Hellenization"?

The spread of Greek influence

Which of the following statements best captures the differences between Jesus in the Gospel of John and Jesus in the synoptic Gospels?

The synoptic Gospels portray Jesus as a Jewish peasant who speaks in parables, but the Gospel of John makes Jesus look more like a Greek philosopher who speaks in long discourses.

Which of the following statements best captures Ehrman's reconstruction of the historical Jesus?

The teachings of the historical Jesus are best understood in the context of the first-century conflicts between Jewish and Roman civilizations.

How does Ehrman describe the Christian canon?

The term canon, meaning measuring rod or ruler, is used to describe a collection of sacred texts. There are 66 books in the Christian canon (with some debate about the authority of the apocrypha).

What are the last words of the oldest known copies of the Gospel of Mark?

The women "went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid."

In what way are the stories of Jesus Christ in the Gospels similar to the stories of the Pythagorean teacher, Apallonius, in The Life of Apollonius?

They both developed reputations for healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. They both were brought before the Romans under trumped up charges of crimes against the state. They both insisted that people should be concerned with eternal matters rather than material comforts.

How would most people around the Mediterranean in the first century have interpreted the expression "Kingdom of God"?

They would have assumed you were talking about the Roman Empire.

Why does Judas betray Jesus according to the Gospel of Matthew?

To fulfill a Jewish prophecy

According to Ehrman, what is the relationship between Jesus and the Golden Rule?

Variations of the Golden Rule had been articulated by Herodotus, Isocrates, Confucius, Tobit, Rabbi Hillell, and other teachers who predate Jesus.

Most biblical scholars today believe that Mark wrote his gospel about the same time that the Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple, 70 CE. Which of the following events described in the Gospel of Mark seems to support the conclusion that Mark is proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the messiah in spite of the destruction of the Temple?

When Jesus is crucified, the curtain of the Temple is destroyed, foreshadowing the destruction of the Temple itself. When Jesus approaches Jerusalem for the last time, he prophesies that the Temple will be destroyed. When Jesus is on trial, he is falsely accused of saying that he would destroy the Temple.

How does Luke emphasize the point that Jesus' healings are not just physical, but also social and spiritual?

When healing a paralytic (Luke 5:17-26), Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees who assume this man is sick because he is a sinner. In Jesus' day, the sick man's disease was compounded by the condemnation of the community. When exorcising demons, Jesus affirms the dignity of people who had been considered crazy and ostracized by the community. When healing a man with leprosy (Luke 5:12-16) and the bleeding woman (Luke 8:43-48), Jesus is challenging the traditional teaching that leprosy and menstruation make one spiritually unclean.

How might audience criticism explain Luke's distinctive emphasis in reconstructing the life of Jesus?

Writing to people in the Roman Empire, the vast majority of whom were slaves (or worse--peasants), Luke portrays Jesus as a social prophet who feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, and liberates the oppressed.

Which branch of Judaism expected God to destroy the Romans and restore Israel's independence? Romans considered these people to be terrorists. When Jesus was crucified for being an insurrectionist, the Romans probably associated him with this movement.

Zealots