Sandlin BNEW1030 Test 2 Material: 1+2 Thessalonians, Galatians, Romans.

Author of Romans?

Paul

Date of Romans?

57 CE

Purposes of Romans?

There are three purposes: a pastoral purpose, a missional purpose, and an apologetic purpose,

Pastoral Purpose?

Paul writes to address a church struggling with Jew/Gentile divisions

Missional Purpose?

Paul hopes to gain the Roman churches' support for his trip to Spain.

Apologetic Purpose?

He hopes to clarify and defend his understanding of the gospel which had been attacked many times.

What was the Claudian Edict?

In 49 CE, Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome because of disputes over "Chrestos," which leaves an entirely Gentile church in Rome. Later when the Jews return there are disputes about how things should be done.

Literary features of Romans?

It's Paul's longest letter, it's the fullest presentation of Paul's theology, it is a well-organized and logical argument, and Paul quotes the OT more in Romans than in any other of his letters.

Key themes in Romans?

Justification by faith, freedom in Christ, the continuity between Israel and the Kingdom, and unity between Jews and Gentile Christians.

What is righteousness by faith?

"The one who is righteous by faith shall have life."

General Revelation?

That which may be known about God through the created world (God is invisible, God is eternal and powerful, and God is divine). **And Only 1 God (singlular)

God's response to willful ignorance?

He gave them up to idolatry, immorality, and unnatural passions.

Why are the Jews condemned in chapter 2?

Because they may not judge Gentiles or they themselves will be condemned (but they do so)

Special Revelation?

What may be known about God through His word, which is not available to all people.

How are the Jews and Gentiles condemned?

The Jews are condemned by the Law they received by a revelation, while the Gentiles are condemned by the "law on their hearts."

How are all people sinful and worthy of death (Ch. 3)?

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Therefore all are justified, not by works of the law (either the Law of Moses or the law on the heart), but by God's gift of grace. God forgave sins so that he might justify the world through Christ. God's grace is a means of exalting Jesus.

When was Abraham credited with righteousness?

When he believed (rather than when he was circumcised).

The promise of Abraham?

The promise to Abraham was that the world would be blessed through him. This promise was rooted in his faith. His heirs are heirs according to faith and promise, not physical birth

Why can we rejoice in the hope of glory and suffering?

Suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.

What does justification give us?

Peace with God (5:1), freedom from wrath (5:9), salvation (5:10), and reconciliation (make friends again).

Things attributed to Adam?

-Sin entered through Adam (5:12).

-In him, all sinned (5:12)

-His disobedience made many sinners (5:19)

-His sin led to the death of the many (5:15a)

Things attributed to Jesus?

-Grace entered the world through Jesus (5:15)

-In him many are justified (5:16)

-His obedience made many righteous (5:19)

-His death led to the life of many (5:17)

Paul's logic problem?

-As sin increased grace increased all the more.

-The more we sin, the more grace we get

-The more grace God gives, the greater He is

-Therefore, should we sin more in order to increase God's grace?

-EMPHATICALLY NO!!

-We are dead to sin

What is the purpose of baptism?

-To enter into Christ's death and thereby to enter into his resurrection and eternal life. (6:3-5)

-To free us from sin (6:6; 11)

Mode of baptism?

-Immersion was the normative mode of baptism in the early church

-The point of the sacrament is to imitate death, burial, and resurrection

Baptism as a sacrament (miraculous vehicle of grace)?

We are "united" with him in death and thereby united with him in resurrection

Freedom from sin?

-We were formerly slaves to sin

-Now we are free from sin and slaves to righteousness

-Paul acknowledges that this is an imperfect metaphor (5:19)

What is the purpose of the Law?

-The law's goal was to identify sin and righteousness

-This could lead to guilt and death, but it could not bring righteousness

-Though Paul loves the Law, he recognizes that it results only in death

-Example: the Law is like the rumble strips on the side of the highway: they are there to remind you what not to do, they don't enforce anything.

What does the Spirit do?

-Resurrects the dead (both Christ and our bodies)

-Leads to our adoption as sons of God (the Spirit testifies that we are God's children and by the Spirit we are co-heirs with Christ)

-Acts as a guarantee of the resurrection to come (for all the creation and for we who are the sons of God)

-Intercedes for us in prayer

What have we overcome through Christ?

-The Sufferings of this world (8:35)

-Life and death (8:38)

-All powers (8:38)

-Everything in creation (8:39)

What are the blessings given to Israel?

Adoption as sons, Glory, Covenants, The Law, Worship, Promises, Patriarchs, The lineage of Christ

Why is not all of Israel, Israel?

-The children of Abraham's flesh are not the true Israel, but those who are the children of God's promise to Abraham.

-God chooses whom He will

-It is not our place to answer back to God (the emphasis here is on those who are included-the Gentiles-not on those who are excluded).

God has not rejected Israel?

Israel is redefined, not rejected.

-The remnant of Israel (according to the flesh) will be saved (this is what God has always done; there are always a faithful few by whom God preserves his promises)

-God used the failure of Israel (according to the flesh) to make room for the Gentiles

What is the parable of the olive tree?

-The tree represents God's promises

-It's root is Israel

-Many original branches have been cut off (Israel has rejected God)

-Other new branches from a wild olive tree were grafted onto the old tree (Gentiles have been brought into the Kingdom)

-Both groups must be humble

toward each other

Moral aphorisms in Romans 12?

-Paul begins a discussion of what it looks like to live out lives justified by faith

-The theme for Paul's moral theology, both here and elsewhere in his writings, is self-sacrifice and service to others.

-Paul's list of aphorisms is reminiscent of Jesus' teachings

What is orthodoxy? (Ch 1-11)

The right beliefs

What is orthopraxy? (Ch 12-15)

The right behaviors

What are the three duties a Christian owes to the civil government according to the NT?

Pray, pay (taxes), and obey

What are Paul's thoughts on subjection to authority?

-Paul continues a long Jewish tradition of identifying political identities as actors within God's plan.

-Paul speaks generally here of

governments in saying that they are instituted and appointed by God, a force for goodness and justice in the world, and worthy of honor, taxes, and obedience

What is the problem with the matter of conscience?

There are issues about which God has not spoken but which nonetheless affect the conscience of Christians. Paul's examples: meat sacrificed to idols and celebration of special days

What is Paul's solution to the matter of conscience?

-Give into the weaker brother (the one with more scruples i.e. less freedom of conscience).

-Those who eat should not look down on those who don't. Those who don't shouldn't judge those who do.

-The goal is not for him to remain weaker and have his weakness spread throughout the church

What are Paul's closing remarks?

-He returns to his theme of Jew/Gentile unity

-He mentions his missionary plans and his hope that the church in Rome will be a financial help to him on his trip to Spain.

-He greets a large number of members in the church at Rome by name.

-Though he had never been there, Paul clearly knew a lot of folks at the church in Rome.

-He hits his theme of unity and Jew/Gentile reconciliation one more time and closes.

Author of I and II Thessalonians?

Paul

Date of I and II Thessalonians?

51-52 CE

What is the occasion for the writing of I and II Thessalonians?

Paul's expression of relief that the church had survived the persecution that sprang up at its founding (Acts 17:1-10)

Key themes of I and II Thessalonians?

The Second Coming of the Lord and the Resurrection of the dead.

The parousia of Christ?

It is mentioned in every chapter in I Thess., where Paul has several different uses of it: Christ's coming, descent from heaven, the day of the Lord, and revelation

What will the parousia of Christ look like?

Christ will descend from the heavens, the dead in Christ shall rise (resurrection, not just a soul. At the command of Christ, like an archangel and a trumpet), and the living will be changed and will rise to meet the resurrected saints and Lord in the air.

When will the parousia of Christ happen?

-Early Christians believed that the parousia was so imminent that they were even quitting their jobs (which Paul discouraged. Be prepared, but be busy in the world as well).

-No one knows (it will come "like a thief in the night")

What does the parousia of Christ mean for us?

-Christians do not grieve like those who have no hope.

-Christians do not fear death

-Christians are not at home here.

Gifts in Romans 12?

Prophecy, serving, teaching, exhorting, generosity, leadership, and mercy

Which of Paul's letters are the "pastoral epistles"?

Timothy and Titus

Which of Paul's letters are the "prison epistles"?

Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon

What is an amanuensis?

An assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts

Which letters were specifically from Paul (i.e. minus Timothy, Sylvanus, etc.)

..Not sure

Books of the New Testament?

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation

With what does Paul associate life?

The Holy Spirit

What is the purpose of circumcision?

It is a sign and a seal of your faith

How are we free from God's wrath?

Through Christ's blood

What does reconcile mean?

To make friends again

What are the two theories in Galatians?

North Galatia (old Galatian kingdom) and South Galatia (new Roman providence)

What is the outline of Galatians?

-Introduction

-Divine right of Paul's gospel

-Has relationship with other apostles

-Justification by faith

-Law and grace are opposites (sin is an abuse of freedom)

-Conclusion

Advantages of Jews?

Adoption as sons, glory, covenant, law, worship, lineage of Christ, patriarchs, and promises

What is the goal of Christianity?

To become like God and to love Him and to be with Him in heaven

What is a covenant?

A contract, or a promise

According to Paul in Galatians 5, what is the only thing that counts?

Faith working through love

How will people be judged on the day of judgement?

According to what they know

Why should we rejoice in our sufferings?

Because sufferings produce perseverance, perseverance produces character, character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame

Divisions of the NT books?

Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

History: Acts

Pauline Epistles: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon

General Epistles: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude

Apocalyptic: Revelation

Divisions of Pauline Epistles

Pastoral: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus

Prison: Philemon, Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians

Other (?): Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians

What are the "twin epistles"?

Ephesians and Colossians

What is the yoke of slavery in Galatians 5:1?

Circumcision

What is the form of an Ancient Epistle?

Author

Recipiant

Salutation/Blessing

Body:

Doctrine--> What is true

Ethics--> What is good and ought to be done

Greetings

Final Blessing /Benediction

Another word for personal scribe or letter writer

Amanuensis

Parousia is what?

Advent/Coming/Revelation

The Parousia of Christ is mentioned in every chapter of 1st Thessolonians

Paul calls it:

Christ's Coming

Descent from heaven

The day of the Lord

Revelation

Christians have hope and dont need to fear death

1st Thessolonians

Written 51 or 52 CE

Occasion is pauls expression of relief that the church (there) survied its persecution

Works of the Law are...

Catholic View: God is Just and merit for doing good things (but not enough for salvation)

Reformed:

"Doin Stuff" = Works of the Law

TULIP: Total depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresitable Grace, Perserverance of the saints.

New Perspective (Sanders, Dunn, NT Wright) :

Boundary Markers, aka the differences between Jews & Gentiles (Circumcision, Sabbath & Kosher)

Paul + The Gift/Power of Grace (Barclay = most well respected NT scholar today):

Works arent an exhance but sorta like gift giving-- a cycle of some sort.

What are the Fruit of the Spirit

Love, Joy, Peace, Paitence, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Self Control

Who are the Patriarchs

"Fathers"

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob