NT Couser Exam 2 Review

What is the theme of Colossians?

Christ is supreme and sufficient. He is more than just the beginning

How does the theme [of 2 Cor] address the problems at Corinth?

Corinthians were used to evaluating a performance more than the actual message. Paul wants them to see the super apostles for their words, not delivery [Through God's eyes]

Why does Paul go back to creation to re-orient the household?

Creation shows God properly depicted as playwright, with humans in their rightful places

What is Paul's already/not yet view of the Christian life?

Even though we are transformed and are already Christians, we are not yet fully what we should be in Christ [Resurrected, but not yet -- Still can be tempted etc., but we can still powerfully serve God]

What do we mean when we say Paul is Theocentric?

Everything is about bringing in a right relationship with everyone under Christ

What does it mean to be a people of hope?

It is to let the reality of the future shape the present, giving strength and direction for the present.

To be armed with the armor of Eph 6 is to do what? How would you explain it?

It is to put on Christ-likeness, be filled by the spirit, and using aspects of Christ's character to resist the evils of the world

Who is oppressing the churches in Galatia?

Jewish Christians

What was the primary influence that shaped Paul and the Greco-Roman world?

Judaism

What is the message of Philemon?

Let the love of God in Christ penetrate your relationships

What was the heresy that had the effect of diminishing Christ?

Saying anything more than His death and resurrection is needed to pay for sins is to say Christ's sacrifice was not enough

Why does Paul refer to Christians as citizens of heaven [Philippians]?

Several members of the church at Philippi were former Roman soldiers, which meant there was a relatively diverse ethnic representation between them and the Greeks. To refer to them as citizens of heaven was to make the analogy between that church and a colony outpost from the Kingdom of God

How does the phrase "food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both," relate to the issues in 1 Cor 6?

Sex is for the body, the body is for sex, and God will destroy them both [It doesn't matter: God will destroy them both in the new age, and you should show contempt for these appetites]

What is the problem in 2 Thess?

Some of the people were convinced the resurrection had already occurred

Why are some of the people idle in 2 Thess?

Some thought the resurrection would occur in their lifetime, so they disengaged from anything they deemed trivial

What is the relationship between the Super Apostles and 1st century rhetoric?

Super Apostles were first century rhetors whose following was based on the quality of their speech, not what they were actually saying

Is the imprisonment in 2 Tim the same as that in the "Prison Epistles"?

This imprisonment was his last before his impending death

What do we mean when we say that for Paul, theology interpenetrates ethics?

- "Godliness"—Someone who has a right understanding of God that gives shape to the way they live and think - Rooted in a deep understanding of who God is, and matched by a life that conforms to those standards

How do we explain the relationship between Paul and Jesus?

- Both Paul and Jesus agree on their theology - He borrows all his ideas from Jesus, but extends rather than restates them

What are some of Paul's theological distinctives?

- Christ is his centerpoint - Already/Not yet tension - Interpenetration of theology and ethics - Corporate/Personal balance with spirituality and witness [the Church]

What is the main problem at Philippi?

- Disunity, envy, and fighting especially as a result of Euodia and Syntyche fighting - People were antagonizing Paul to benefit their reputation

What were the benefits of Roman citizenship?

- Exempt from military duty - Right to Roman trial - Right of appeal - Exempt from flogging/crucifixion - Required proof

Who is the householder/despot, who is the house, and what are the house rules?

- God is the householder - The church is the house - The scriptures are the house rules

In Titus, how does Paul designate the Christians and what is its significance?

- God's elect - This means God both chose and enlisted them in His mission

How does Paul respond to this problem?

- He advised widows to get married - Paul told them not to restrict their diets as much - He suggested not completely restraining from alcoholic drinking

What are the things that Paul asks Philemon and the addressees of the letter to do that is so startling with regard to Onesimus?

- He asks Philemon to elevate Onesimus' status and forgive him for running away - Paul uses family words like "brother" to describe Onesimus, something that would have been surprising to the readers

Why is Timothy not "timid Timothy"?

- He was emboldened and strengthened by Paul - It was unusual for someone his age to have leadership over a church or tell the authority figures what to do

Why does Paul write to Timothy?

- In order to effect change in the church at Ephasus [He doesn't directly address the church in his intro] - The church leadership is the problem, so he can't trust them to get the message through

What three dimensions are in the plan of God laid out in Ephesians?

- Individual - Corporate - Cosmic

What are the marks of genuine ministry that arise for chps. 1-3?

- Integrity - Proper treatment of money

What s the basic structure of a letter in the first century?

- Introduction - Body - Conclusion [greetings to other people, etc.]

What is the effect [of oppression] on the churches in Galatia?

- Jew/Gentile division - Attacks on/Distrust of Paul - Legalism [work vs. grace, bondage vs. freedom]

What do we need to know about the background of the book [1 Thess] from the book of Acts?

- Largely Gentile population - Culture threatened by Christianity, since it essentially undermines the deities the population worshipped

Would Paul be happy with "homogeneous" churches?

- No... - The Church grows in love with each separate member joining one body - Engaging fellow members from the perspective of the truth

What do we know about life in Corinth?

- Notorious for sexual immorality - Head goddess was Aphrodite - Port city in Greece

How did Onesimus come to be with Paul and why would he do that as a slave?

- Onesimus is following an accepted way of dealing with master/slave problems. This meant going to the boss' social superior [Flee upward], who was Paul in this case.

What had happened since 1 Cor. had been read?

- Paul made a "painful visit" - Paul's previous letter had limited impact - "Super Apostles" had arisen and now plagued the church - The integrity of Paul's ministry is now questioned - The Corinthian church ceased giving to Paul's Jerusalem collection

Why does Paul defend himself [1 Thess]?

- Paul only had a short amount of time to minister to the Thessalonians before being rushed out - There was a danger of his gospel and ministry being perceived as superficial or greedy

What is Paul trying to re-configure in the Corinthians?

- Paul wants the Corinthians to see he speaks truth - He wants them to focus on God, not the rhetors

How does this theological aberration [central tenant] relate to the behavior of the people?

- Physical/social is irrelevant [Spiritual everything leads to a contempt for the physical] - "All things are fitting for me" - Arrogance

How does the conscience relate to Paul's teaching on the weaker brother?

- Potentially, it could destroy their faith if they refuse to answer it - The stronger brother should not disregard the weaker, but encourage him to wrestle with why he is fighting with himself on these issues - "Professional weaker brother" -- The one who tries to make others guilty for exercising freedom within the church

Ephesians has two significant prayers. What did we suggest about Paul's prayers?

- Prayer to prepare for every day's life challenges - Prayer for experience of and insight into God's transforming power - These prayers are in hopes that the believers will prevent rather than treat sin

What did Paul do that was unique regarding letter structure?

- Rather than greeting with "blessings from Zeus, etc." he addresses people by identifying them and voicing a prayer - Ends with a doxology

What was going on with regard to personal ministry?

- Request for prayer [Going to Spain] - Prepare Roman church for visit and support to him - Edify

What are the "three foci" of Paul's letter to the Romans?

- Roman Church - Jerusalem Church - Personal Ministry [Gain support]

Which books extensively treat Paul's concern for the church to embrace God's desire to heal the relationships between Jews and Gentiles as a central aspect of his redemptive plan?

- Romans - Galatians - Ephesians

What does Paul do in his Introductory Thanksgiving sections?

- Sets the theme - Sets the tone - Always teaches by example

What are the types of crises the church is facing?

- Spiritually immature [I follow Apollos, I follow Paul, etc.] - Fractured into cliques [You should be doing the same things as me] ["I follow Christ" was potentially the worst: Means they didn't need anyone else's help, but God gave certain people to the church as a gift for its instruction] - Abusing the Lord's table [Rich people bringing in potluck food, essentially shaming the poor who couldn't afford a meal] - Notorious immorality [Contempt for the body and its appetites: "Let's be harsh on the body because it's bad": Misunderstanding] [Proudly displayed an incestuous relationship in the church] - Internally litigious - Marriage problems - Cultural accommodation questions - Gifts: mode over essence - Resurrection: Already, not yet, both?

What do we mean by syncretism with regard to Colossians?

- Syncrotism is the mixing of Christian and non-Christian elements, perverting the true nature of the religion - The Colossians tried to add works and tradition to the necessary items for salvation

How did this all come into play [Super apostle/1st century rhetoric relationship] in the attitudes of the Corinthians toward Paul?

- The Rhetors belittled/harassed Paul - The Rhetors preached a false gospel for the sake of a larger following

Ephesians is a "prison epistle", what imprisonment is Paul writing from?

- The Roman imprisonment - First imprisonment

What is the theme and key verse for the book [Romans]?

- The just shall live by faith: God's program in Christ defended, explained and applied - 1:16-17

What is over-realized eschatology?

- The life that you have in Christ is experienced as if you are fully glorified [Confused resurrection with Christ at salvation compared to future resurrection] - Leads to indifference to creation and God's intended design for life in the created world

What is the "false gospel" the Galatian oppressors spreading?

- They add conditions to what it means to be a Christ follower -- Circumcision, eating habits, etc. - Done to alleviate social pressure

Who is the "weaker brother" and how does he differ from the "professional weaker brother"?

- They are the ones who are less spiritually mature. - Professional weaker brothers attempted to make others feel guilty for not having the same dietary restrictions, etc. as them

What happens to Jewish practices [like circumcision] when the gospel is understood aright?

- They become meaningless in the light of salvation [The only thing that ultimately matters is being transformed by Christ]

What is the "central tenant" of the false views being promulgated in the church?

- They feel as if they've largely arrived spiritually in the reality of the resurrection [Over-realized eschatology] - Romans 6 confused with 1 Cor 15:20 [Between being alive to God in Christ Jesus and moving from perishable to imperishable] - Indifference to creation in the sense of God's intended design

What about the 1st century understanding of gods and spiritual forces makes sense of Paul's stress on God's sovereignty and their need to know just who this God is that they have come to know in Christ?

- They had a god for every aspect of their lives - Paul emphasizes the idea that our God is the core and head of every aspect of our lives

How does the situation of Titus differ from that of 1 Tim?

- Titus was written to a church with no leadership [Tim was to one with bad leadership] - Titus written to a newer, less established church

What was going on with regard to the Roman Church?

- Was growing away from other Christians - Introduction establishing credentials - Edification - Reconciliation [Jewish and Gentile believers] - Gain as a base of support

How is it that sexual sin is somehow uniquely "against the body"?

- Your body was designed by God to be an instrument of love and commitment within marriage [Full embodiment of love with another person]

What are the two studied aspects of integrity in 2 Corinthians?

-Integrity is the currency of ministry - Integrity is a prerequisite to effective ministry

What is the key verse that relates to the theme [of Galatians]?

Galatians 5:13

What is it that is so reliable in 2 Tim?

God's word

What in Acts 19 is especially significant for understanding Ephesians?

It gives a background for why Paul has to defend himself and clarify his motives

Why does God lay out his all-encompassing plan for the Ephesians?

He does this to re-situate the Ephesian believers so they can see God for who he is and themselves for who they are

Why does he wait until chp 4 to start exhorting them to do something?

He wants to reestablish his integrity and credibility as an apostle first

What is important about the history of the church in Rome for our understanding of Romans?

History shows: - Why there was Jew/Gentile tension - Why the Roman church needed to be reminded of the law [Mainly Gentile congregation by the time the Jews returned] - The relationship between the law and Christ's grace

To whom is the book of Philemon addressed?

It is addressed to both Philemon AND the church that met at his house

For Paul what is the relationship between ministry and integrity? Relate this to the first two major sections in Corinthians.

Integrity is seen through ministry. For Paul, this means preaching the truth at the expense of being unpopular and having few followers

What does the conscience [of the weaker brother] do?

It convicts them about eating food offered to idols

Would the early church think it acceptable to convey the truth through pseudepigraphy?

No, considering Paul's warning about false teachers and the church's reaction to finding out about the falsehood of the document

Does this theological aberration [central tenant] show up in another community later on in Paul's writings?

Over-realized eschatology - Indifferent to creation and trying to live as if the future resurrection with its completion of salvation had been fully realized. For this reason, they restrained from certain things such as sex and certain foods (very similar to situation in 2 Thessalonians)

Why does Paul choose and emphasize this theme [of Galatians]?

Paul can see the level of danger associated with getting this idea wrong [undermining the theme of the gospel]

How does Paul address the problem in 2 Thess?

Paul gave several reasons why the resurrection had not yet happened and encouraged the church

What is Paul doing in chps 9-11 where he breaks into the book's flow of thought before returning to the "new life in Christ in practice" in chps. 12-16?

Paul is defending God's faithfulness. At this point, it may seem to the reader like either God is weak or apathetic due to the state of the Jewish people

How is it that "God is on trial" in Romans?

Paul is defending God's goodness. - Jesus showed his victory over death through the resurrection, so he is not weak [Despite what the Jews being in captivity would suggest] - This is also evident in looking at OT patterns. In the face of most Jews rejecting God, a faithful remnant always existed

What had Paul done that the Corinthians were pointing to as an indication of his character?

Paul spoke harsh words against the Corinthians, which made his visit "painful" since it hurt his reputation with them

How does "strength in weakness" relate to Paul and the Super Apostles?

Paul's thorn became something he embraced, whereas super apostles clung to their "stats", etc.

What was going on with regard to the Jerusalem Church?

Prayer concerning reception of the gift from the Gentile churches [Esp. with regard to prayer]

How did Judaism influence Paul and the Greco-Roman world?

The law permeated almost every aspect of their day-to-day lives, and Jews had a lot of influence in the empire

How does the key verse [of Romans] relate to the structure of the book?

The Roman church needs to know the values they should uphold before knowing the specifics of their actions

What caused the problem in 2 Thess?

The church was discouraged by a forged document stating the resurrection had already occurred

How do the commands of 4:2-9 promote and strengthen community?

The commands give a practical example of how to form Christ-like relationships

Why is that [who Philemon is addressed to] significant?

The conversation is not private to just Philemon, but meant to also show those in the church how to act

How does the portrait of Christ in Philippians 2, as well as those of Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus address the problem at Philippi?

These models are in hopes that the Philippians can adopt a 'servant attitude' that keeps Christ at the core of their lives

How does Paul's emphasis on "redeemed, soul and body," relate to the bad theology at Corinth?

This emphasis means the people in Corinth should not live in immorality, since their souls and bodies belong to the same God they should be serving

What does the problem in 2 Thess say about the church and pseudepigraphy?

This implies the Thessalonian church did not do well in identifying authorship of important documents

What is this "paradox of strength in weakness"?

We're most able to glorify God at our weakest.

How did over-realized eschatology affect the church?

[They lived as if already in the future resurrection] - No marriage - Strange diets - No role distinctions - No concern for effect of behavior on outsiders, they're a law to themselves]