New Testament Lit Exam 1 Study Guide

apocalyptic

"to reveal" visions of the future and destruction to come.

What are the distinctive features of "apocalyptic"?

-Stress on the sovereignty and transcendence of God -Description of the cosmic struggle of good and evil, God and Satan, angels and demons. -Dominance of a mood of strain and tension, with permission concerning the present. -Expectation of the ultimate triumph of God, seen as imminent, future, and wholly supernatural -Deemphasis on human wisdom and strength in the declining world situation-this age is passing away. The age to come will arrive by divine intervention and according to the divine plan. Nothing can stop it. (page 59)

Sadducees

A group of Jews in Jesus' day comprised primarily of the priestly aristocracy, who relied only upon the first five books of the Bible. The rejected the idea of angels, life after death, providence, and the resurrection. They were willing to cooperate with the Romans to preserve the nation.

manuscript

A handwritten copy of the whole bible or a part of it.

Zealots

A jewish party of extreme nationalism in Jesus' day that advocated armed rebellion to usher in the kingdom of God. Their actions precipitated the Jewish war of A.D. 66-70 that culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem by titus, the Roman general and future emperor. One of Jesus' disciples, Simon, was a former Zealot.

form criticism

A method of literacy analysis (especially of the Gospels) that classifies the written material by form and attempts to work back through the various "life-situations" in an assumed earlier oral period to the original form of saying of Jesus. This method was supposed to help sort between what is primary an secondary in a text and aid the process of exegesis.

essences

A monastic group who built a community in the wilderness near the dead sea to escape civilization.

papyrus

A paper made from reeds and used in ancient times. Th earliest New Testament manuscripts were written on papyrus.

tephillin

A small leather box containing Scripture. It was to be worn by Jewish men when they prayed.

In order to identify the date of Luke, it is essential to fix the date of_____.

Acts

The Middle East first was influenced by Europe during the military campaigns of.....?

Alexander the Great

Diadochi

Alexander the Great's military successors.

When was the gospel of Mark most likely written?

Between A.D 44-50s

lectionaries

Books containing brief selections (or pericopes) of New Testament scriptures (except the book of Revelation) for use in worship services or private devotions organized in accordance with the church year.

Apocrypha

Books that are not in the canon of scripture. Many catholics and a few other denominations believe in the validity of the Apocrypha.

When Jesus was at the city of____he announced that he would build his church.

Ceasarea Philippi

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, and so that they will have the appropriate historical foundation for understanding and applying its teachings.

Talmud

Collection of Jewish traditions that forms the basis of Judaism's life and thought. It developed over several centuries and was codified in two collections, the Palestinian and the Babylonian collection is by far the longer and more complete, both versions consist of two main parts. 1) the Mishnah, interpretations of Torah, and 2) the Gemara, commentaries on the Mishnah and related material.

polytheistic syncretism

Combining the beliefs of different religions. This combination results in a new religion that includes the worship of many gods.

midrash

Commentary on the Hebrew text of the Old Testament by the rabbis. Such commentary began as early as 50 B.C. Midrash falls into two major categories: Halakic, dealing with legal matters, and Haggadic, moral homilies on the text.

Matthew introduces Jesus to his readers as the son of____and the Son of____, two Old Testament figures.

David, Abraham

mezuzah

Doorpost of a city gate, sanctuary, or private home. In Judaism, the term eventually denoted the container affixed to a doorpost in which scriptural passages were placed.

The Gospel of Mark was written for an audience of_____.

Gentiles

The four major kinds of writings in the New Testament are the...?

Gospels, Acts, letters, prophecy

gospel

Greek word meaning "good news" that described the message preached by the early Christians concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is also used to designate any of the first four books in the new testament.

kerygma

Greek word meaning "proclamation" used in New Testament theology to designate the message of the early church concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as preached to those who had yet to receive Christ.

Dead Sea Scrolls

Group of Jewish documents written between 250 B.C. and A.D. 68 found in caves near the dead sea in the late 1940s. Fragments from over 800 volumes are represented ranging form old testament texts to current blessings, hymns, and prayers.

Feast of Dedication

Hanukkah. An eight day celebration.

Hasidim

Hebrew term used to designate those pious Jews, who would not abandon their faith even if it meant heir death, during the persecutions of Antichus IV, Epiphanes in the second century.

Torah

Hebrew word meaning "guidance," "law", or "teaching: most commonly used to refer to the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. "Torah" is also used broadly to mean all of God's teachings combined to form a way of life.

Before the crucifixion, Pilate sent Jesus to the ruler of Galilee named.....?

Herod Antipas

2 Maccabees

History of the Maccabean revolt written form a different perspective then 1 Maccabees. Whereas 1 Maccabees is concerned with praising Judas, Jonathan, and Simon for their role in the liberation of the Jews form selected oppression. 2 Maccabees focuses on the insult to the temple and its cult blaming the Jewish hellenizers.

Gentiles

In Jewish thought, one who is racially a non-jew and who, theologically speaking, is not in covenant.

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

In the old testament the word "testament" means solemn declaration but in the new testament it means the "testament" of God's saving work.

_____,_____,and ____ all identified Matthew as the author of the Gospel bearing his name.

Irenaeus, Origen, Eusebius

John's writings shows that Jesus fulfills the hopes of_____and_______ ________.

Israel, all humanity

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

It was divided into there regions between Herod's three sons. Archelaus Idumea was given Judea and Samaria. Anipas was given Galilee and Perea. Phillip was given Bantanea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis. The rule of Archleaus was "brutal and tyrannical" and was strongly resisted from the very beginning. 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. Agrippa was a vain and arrogant ruler, who was also weak in times of moral crisis. (pages 50-51)

Matthew's purpose in writing his Gospel was to preserve the truth about the ____and ____ of Jesus.

Life, words

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 material in an orderly manner

The opponent of the church who affirmed Luke's authorship of this Gospel was_____.

Maricon

It is possible that Luke may have obtained information about the early life of Jesus from_____.

Mary his mother

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

Matthew's basic purpose in writing his Gospel was to preserve what he knew about Jesus' life and words.

internal criticism

Method of textual and literary criticism that examines a text on the basis of elements internal to it.

Mark obtained the information about Jesus in his Gospel from the apostle____.

Peter

The_____were the most well known religious group in Jesus' time.

Pharisees

praeparatio evangelium

Term used by many Church Fathers and contemporary theologians; it means "preparation for the gospel" and is used to convey the idea that all prior history was a prelude leading up to the coming of Christ.

Uncials

Term used by the text critics to define a large group of Greek biblical manuscripts written in large, carefully formed letters, something like our capital letters. Uncials manuscripts date from the third to about the ninth centuries A.D.

Second Temple Judaism

Term used to describe the society and culture of the Jews after they returned from exile in Babylon and built the second temple. This era ended with the temple's destruction in A.D. 70.

monotheistic

Th belief that there is only one God.

Why was the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. significant for Christianity?

The Christians realized that they must move out from Jerusalem; the center of Christianity would have to 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. (page 54)

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 there is extensive evidence supporting it, the authors of the books wrote them within living memory of Jesus' life, and ancient versions of the text were widely distributed.

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

The New Testament, then, announces the arrival of the Savior that the Old Testament awaits.

Who was Mark?

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

Concursus

The complementary interworking of God and human writers in the compassion of the bible.

Trinity

The doctrine that God is both one and three-the one and only god exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The revelation unfolds through the OT and is most clearly seen in Jesus Christ, the son of God.

Luke wrote an orderly account of Christ especially for_____.

Theophilus

What were the main theological beliefs of the Pharisees?

They believed in God (in almost a deistic fashion), angels and spirits, providence, prayer, the necessity for faith and good works, the last judgement, a coming messiah, and the immorality of the soul. (Page 57)

Who were the Hasmoneans and why were they important?

They were a group of pious warriors, they waged war against the Syrians. (pages 47,48)

In A.D 70 Vespasian sent his son____to destroy Jerusalem.

Titus

The five books of Moses are called the...?

Torah

The fact that there is unity and diversity within the Divine being eventually produced Christian doctrine of the_____.

Trinity

An authoritative collection of documents is called a...?

canon

The working together of God and the human writers in the composition if the Bible is called...?

concursus

The Gospel of Mark begins and ends with a____.

confession

Apart from spiritual reasons, the Bible is also significant for...?

cultural literacy

The only group that rejected Jesus" divine nature was the____.

religious leaders

The Gospel of Mark contains____chapters?

sixteen

The central theme if the Gospel of Mark is the____nature of Jesus.

supernatural

In regard to sin, demons, and nature, Jesus was the____.

supreme authority

Religion was so important to the early Jews that every town had a.....?

synagogue

The word that means solemn declaration is..?

testament

What are the major geographical regions of Palestine?

the coastal plain, the Shephelah to foothills, the central mountain range, the wilderness and the Jordan valley, and the eastern mountain range.

Diaspora

the scattered Jews

Of the four Gospels, how many were directly linked to the apostles?

three

The Gospel of John covers a period of____years in the life of Christ.

three

In the ancient times the three major sections of the Old Testament were...?

torah,prophets,writings

Initially Judaism was primarily a____rather than a set doctrines.

way of life

Extrabiblical sources written before A.D._____attest to the gospel of Mark.

325

mishnah

A collection of Jewish legal teachings dating from the second century B.C. to the second century A.D. when they were codified by Rabbi Judah ha-nasi (the patriarch). They are Pharisaic in tone, designed to draw out the full meaning of the law (torah). Together with the Gemara (commentary upon it) it.

The gospels can best be described as what form of literature?

biography

Gnosticism

An esoteric blend of Christian, Jewish, and Greek ideas that was vigorously opposed as heresy by the church during the second and third centuries after Christ. It taught salvation through special knowledge, a complicated series of divine emanations from a hidden "One",and (in a few versions) a divine deliverer who showed the secret path back to the divine Ground of being.

What special place did women play in Jesus' ministry?

Answer on page 103

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

Answer on page 104

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

Answer on page 109.

How does John emphasize Jesus' divine essence?

Answer on page 110-111

How did Jesus fulfill Israel's hopes?

Answer on page 112

How is Jesus' humanity emphasized in John?

Answer on page 112

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

Answer on page 113

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

Answer on page 70 under The content of the message.

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

Answer on page 81&82

In what ways was Jesus the supreme authority?

Answer on page 82

How does Matthew depict Jesus as the Teacher?

Answer on page 83

Describe how Jesus' divine sonship is developed in Mark.

Answer on page 90-91

In what ways was Jesus a servant?

Answer on page 93

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

Answer on pages 101-102

Why did the Jewish war of A.D. 66-70 take place?

Answer on pages 52-54

Cite five reasons why the Gospels were written.

Answer on pages 73-75 of book

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

Answer on pages 91-92

Why did Jesus command people to silence about his identity?

Answer on pages 94-95

Who was Luke?

Answer on pages 98-99

When was the Gospel of Luke written?

Answer on pages 99-100

Pharisees

During the New Testament times one of the dominant groups of Jewish thought. The Pharisees accepted both scripture and traditions 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; and opposed Jesus and early Christianity, for, among other reasons, the Christians' apparent disregard of key Jewish rules. Although small in number (estimated at 6,000) their influence was widespread and in many ways typified Jewish thinking at that time.

The most likely place for John to have written his Gospel is____.

Ephesus

The Dead Sea Scrolls were produced by a religious group called the_____, who lived at Qumran.

Essenes

What is the "gospel form"?

Find answer on pages 72-73 of book.

targums

Free translation of Hebrew Old Testament into Aramaic at a time when Hebrew was no longer fully understood by most Jews. Aramaic, language related to Hebrew, had become the common language of the Middle East by the intertestamental period when many of the targums arose. Many are still extant.

The district where Jesus lived as a boy is called....?

Galilee

In what ways did Jesus fulfill God's intention?

Jesus' coming was the supreme event of history and very circumstance of his birth, life, teaching, death and resurrection was a fulfillment of prophecy.

The date for Matthew has been placed at A.D. 40 by the New Testament scholar____.

John Wehham

The Jewish historian who confirmed a unified and recognized body of writing known as the Old Testament...?

Josephus

presbyter

New Testament term that refers to a church official or elder.

magi

Non-jewish religious astrologers who, form their observations of the heavenly bodies and probably the Old Testament, inferred the birth of a great Jewish king. They came to Bethlehem to do homage to Jesus.

pseudepigrapha

Often fanciful religious books written between 200 B.C and A.D 200 falsely ascribed to well-known figures of the past, such as Elijah, Moses, or Enoch. Such books sometimes have points of contact with the Old or New Testament but were never accepted as part of the Bible.

All the references that emphasize that Jesus is the embodiment of transcendent divine attributes have roots in the____.

Old Testament

The body of literature that is most important for understanding the New testament is the ......?

Old Testament

By the time three of the Gospels were written, the Word of God had spread across the___?

Roman Empire

______and_____were two elderly figures who recognized the special status of Jesus as an infant.

Simeon, Anna

Mark highlight parts if Jesus' life that prove him to be the____.

Son of God

Christology

Study of the person and work of Christ Jesus, covering all aspects of his divine and human natures, both before, during, and after his incarnation, death, and resurrection.

The three locations suggested as the place where Matthew was written are _____,______,and _____.

Syria,Antioch, of Syria Palestine

Synoptic

Term applied to Matthew,Mark, and Luke because they contain similar material and look at Jesus' life from roughly the same perspective, emphasizing the Galilean ministry. The gospel of John relates primarily to Jesus' Jerusalem ministry.

Vulgate

Term derived from the Latin vulgates meaning "common" or "popular." It refers to the Latin translation of the Bible made by Jerome near the end of the fourth century A.D. which became the authorized Roman Catholic version.

canon

Term meaning standard or basis for judgement. In theology it refers to the scriptures received by church as authoritative for its life and thought

How is Gospel of John different from the synoptics?

The Gospel of John differs from Matthew, Mark,and Luke because 90 percent of i has no direct parallel with theses three:It postulates a ministry of three years rather than one, it focuses no different parts of Jesus's teachings and it emphasizes Jesus's ministry in a different manner.

Why may the Gospels be trusted?

The Gospels are trustworthy because they were written when those who knew Jesus were still alive, they are directly linked to the apostles, and God guided the authors.

Septuagint

The Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. it arose between approximately 250 B.C. and A.D. 50. It was used by diaspora Jews who no longer spoke Hebrew as their native language. It is sometimes called "the Seventy" because according to tradition scholars translated it in 72 days.

hasmonean

The family name of those Jews (the Maccabees and their descendants who instigated the revolt against the Syrians in 167 B.C.)

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.

The Prophets

The second division of the Hebrew bible. It contains longer world like Isaiah along with very short ones like Joel and Obadiah.

What factors unified Judaism in Jesus' day?

The single most important idea that unified the Jews related to God and their own sense of uniqueness in the history of the world. Allied to this conviction regarding their historical uniqueness and their fierce monotheism was the idea that God had placed them in a particular place. There was also a messianic fervor at that time. There was a widespread belief that God would send a Chosen One, a Messiah, who would defeat the Romans and usher in a time of universal peace. (Pages 54-55)

Sanhedrin

The supreme judicial council of Judaism. It began around the fourth century B.C. and in Jesus' day consisted of seventy-one members, divided into three categories: the high priests, the elders, and the scribes. The council arbitrated matters of Jewish law, and its decision was final.

Writings

The third division of the Hebrew bible. It contains some historical books, Psalms, Proverbs, and other poetic books.

inspiration

The truth that the bible has as its origin God himself. Behind each human author of scripture is divine initiative and activity that gives that author's words a reference beyond himself. A classic New testament text for this doctrine is 2 Timothy 3:16-17

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

a) A canon is a authoritative collect of documents. b) the torah, the prophets, and the writings

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

a)Cultural literacy is the acquaintance with at least the broad aspects of science, the humanities, and the fine arts. We also mean familiarity with the beliefs, social organization, and moral traits of a society will influence what society looks like. b) Renewed attention to the New Testament is sure to be an important part of a better tomorrow.

The books that provide useful historical and religious information but are not inspired are called...?

apocryphal/deuterocanonical

The supreme acts of establishing God's kingdom were Jesus'____and_____.

death, resurrection

The New Testament records___(number) Old Testament prophecies.

eighty

Fundamental to the Gospel of John is the principle of_____.

faith

The land of Palestine divides into_____main regions?

five

The message that Jesus died and rose again for our salvation is the____of the gospel but not the____of it.

heart,whole

Luke wrote to show that faith in Jesus rests on_____ ______.

historical facts

Luke makes Jesus an essential figure in human_____>

history

The first thing that was questioned about Christ was his______.

humanity

The core content of the preached word is called the____?

kerygma

ethnarch

local governor or prince.

The earliest description of the Gospels refers to them as____?

memoirs

In writing his Gospel, mark did not attempt to have a connected____.

narrative

One of the reasons that Luke wrote his Gospel was so there would be an account that was_____?

orderly

The earliest manuscripts of the New Testament were written on...?

papyrus

Every event in the life of Christ was a fulfillment of Old Testament___

prophecy