Religion chapter 21
What format do the letters in the New Testament follow?
1) The letter begins with a greeting saying who wrote the letter and to whom it is written; 2) The letter continues with the body, or message, addressing the writers main concerns; 3) The letter ends with personal messages to people in the community, followed by a blessing.
What are the themes from Saint Paul's letters?
1) emphasized the importance of Jesus' death on the cross; 2) Paul also taught about the resurrection of the body - everyone who believes in Christ will be raised to new life. He taught that not just our souls but our bodies will be resurrected, and our resurrected bodies will be perfect and immortal; 3) Jesus came to save all people - not just God's Chosen People - the Jews
Who wrote the letters in the New Testament?
13 were written by Paul or his followers. 7 more were written by James, Peter, John, and Jude (or by their followers). The Letter to the Hebrews is by an unknown author, and it reads more like a sermon than a letter.
How many letters are in the New Testament?
21.
Why is it challenging to understand the New Testament letters?
Because we only have 1 side of the story. We do not have the original messages that prompted them to write the letters. Many Bibles have introductions to each book. Reading these introductions can help you understand the concerns a letter is responding to.
Who was Saint Paul?
He was an early Church leader and missionary. He traveled from city to city to begin new communities and preach about saving work of Jesus. When 1 of his communities had problems, he would write a letter to its people, giving them advice and encouragement.
What formed the New Testament?
Letters between communities, the 4 Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Book of Revelation
When are the New Testament letters read?
Mass. On most Sundays and special feasts, the 2nd reading during the Liturgy of the Word comes from the New Testament - usually one of the Epistles. The New Testament letters are read somewhat continuously from Sunday to Sunday, which means that the 2nd reading each Sunday begins near where it left off the previous Sunday.
Are the 4 Gospels the oldest books in the New Testament?
No, the oldest book is the First Letter to the Thessalonians.
Are the letters of the New Testament just for Christians in the first century?
No, their message is for people of every time and culture. They tell us how to live as Christians
Who are Catechists?
Religious educators who transform the beliefs and customs of different groups of people so they reflect God's Kingdom more clearly. They do this through the power of the Holy Spirit
Who wrote the First Letter to the Thessalonians?
Saint Paul
When was the First Letter to the Thessalonians written?
Saint Paul wrote this letter around AD 50, about 20 years after Jesus' death and Resurrection.
Gentiles
The first Christians were Jewish, just as Jesus was. Many of them believed that the Messiah came only to save Jewish people. They believed that Gentiles (those who were not Jewish), had to become Jewish in order to be Christians. But God revealed to Paul that his saving plan is for all people and that no one has to become Jewish to be saved.
Paul's letters provided ________________ and ________________ to communities that had problems.
advice and encouragement
Paul explained that Jesus came to save not just the Jews but _________________.
all people
We have to make __________________________ about the concerns that prompted the letters.
an educated guess
The letter concludes with personal messages, followed by a ____________________.
blessing
The body of the letter addresses the writer's main __________________.
concerns
Paul helped Christians understand that Jesus' death by _________________ was necessary for the __________________ of sins.
crucifixion--- freedom
What's another name for the New Testament letters?
epistles (a Greek word meaning "letter")
The New Testament letters usually begin with a __________________ that includes the names of the writer and recipient.
greeting
The Letter of James concerned living our faith with ___________________.
integrity
When the Church was just beginning, the only way to communicate over long distances was:
messenger on a horse
People had ________________ and different _______________ about how to live as a Christian
misunderstandings---- opinion
The whole First Letter of John talks about the importance of _____________________.
not believing people who deny jesus
Letters were often used to communicate when a community was having:
some kind of trouble
Peter's first letter addressed the _______________ the first Christians experienced for living their __________________.
suffering---faith
What did the letter of James address?
the concern of living our faith with integrity. It seems that some early Christians were saying one thing and doing another. The letter warns against judging other people, against boasting, and against ignoring the poor and hungry.
The letter writers of the New Testament helped ______________
the early Christians to respond to the misunderstandings and different opinions about how to live as a Christian.
Many of the early letters of Saint Paul and other Church leaders are now part of:
the new testament
What is enculturation?
the process of introducing the Gospel of Christ into diverse human cultures
What did Peter's first letter address?
the suffering the first Christians experienced for living their faith. He told them to remember how Christ suffered and to imitate him. The letter reassured them, "If you endure suffering when you have done right, God will bless you for it."
The New Testament letters provide guidance for people of every ___________________ and ________
time----culture
What did the first letter of John address?
warns us not to believe people who deny that Jesus is the Messiah, even though they might sound convincing. It tells us to live in the light of God's revealed truth. The letter could be called the "love letter" of the New Testament because the whole letter talks about the importance of love.