Scriptures final exam

Order of Empires

Assyria – Babylon – Persia (538-333 BCE) – Greek (starts 332 BCE with Alexander the Great) – Roman Empire.

Intertestamental Period

The period from 400 BCE – 0 BCE marked by historical, cultural, and religious shifts, including the translation of the Septuagint and the writing of the Apocrypha.

Antiochus IV

The Seleucid King who ruled from 175 BCE and whose persecution sparked the Maccabean Revolt.

Maccabean Revolt

A Jewish rebellion that began in 167 BCE, led by Mattathias and his family, against Antiochus IV.

Hanukkah

The festival celebrating the re-dedication/purification of the Temple in 164 BCE following the Maccabean victory.

Hasmonean Dynasty

The independent Jewish state that ruled from 142-63 BCE after the success of the Maccabean Revolt.

Apocrypha

Other Jewish writings produced during the Intertestamental Period.

Septuagint (LXX)

The Greek translation of the Old Testament, done during the 3rd-2nd C. BCE.

Canonization of the OT

The order in which the sections of the Old Testament were accepted as authoritative: Torah (400 BCE), Prophets (200 BCE), Writings (100 AD).

Sadducees

Associated with the temple and priestly class; upper class; did not believe in resurrection or afterlife; accepted only the Torah.

Pharisees

Pursued virtuous living by the Mosaic law; gathered around synagogues; accepted the whole OT and oral traditions; believed in afterlife and bodily resurrection.

Essenes

Criticized the Temple and other sects; lived separately in communal settings (e.g., Qumran); emphasized pure worship; believed in an afterlife and resurrection.

The Diaspora

The dispersion of Jews outside of the traditional Jewish homeland.

Divisions of the NT

1. 4 Gospels; 2. History; 3. Letters; 4. Apocalypse/Prophecy.

Gospel Composition Dates

Mark (65-70 CE, earliest) – Matthew & Luke (70-80s CE) – John (80-90s CE, latest).

Synoptic Gospels

Matthew, Mark, and Luke; they can be 'seen together' due to striking verbal similarities.

Synoptic Problem

The question of the literary relationship among the Synoptic Gospels.

Scholarly Consensus on Synoptic Problem

Markan Priority: Mark was written first, and Matthew and Luke expanded upon it.

'Q' (Quelle)

A suspected source shared by both Matthew and Luke.

Gospel of Mark's Characteristics

Earliest and shortest; no childhood of Jesus; fast-paced and portrays Jesus as the suffering servant.

Gospel of Matthew's Characteristics

Most Jewish-oriented; presents Jesus as a new Moses; includes the Magi's visit.

Gospel of Luke's Characteristics

Written for a general audience; emphasizes the marginalized; unique genealogy.

Gospel of John's Characteristics

The latest and most theological gospel; emphasizes the divinity of Jesus.

Importance of women in the Gospels

Women were faithful witnesses to Jesus’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.

Pentecost (Acts 2)

The event that marks the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church.

Spread of Christianity in Acts (1:8)

From Jerusalem – Judea – Samaria – to the ends of the earth.

Peter (Matching)

The prominent Apostle; main character of the first half of Acts.

Paul (Saul) (Matching)

The Apostle to the Gentiles; a converted persecutor; main character of the second half of Acts.

Barnabas (Matching)

Sent from the Jerusalem Church to lead the Antioch Church; traveled with Paul.

Paul’s Conversion

A mystical encounter with Christ near Damascus.

Jerusalem Council (Topic)

Discussed Gentile conversion and whether they needed to follow the Mosaic Law.

Jerusalem Council (Conclusion)

Approved Paul’s ministry and affirmed justification by faith.

Purpose of Pauline Letters

Pastoral dispatches written to address specific issues faced by local churches.

Paul's Major Theological Themes

Justification by faith; unity of Jews and Gentiles in the Church.

Amanuensis (Authorship Issue)

The practice of using a scribe to write a letter.

Pseudonymity (Authorship Issue)

The practice of writing under a false name.

Tone of Galatians

Emotional and polemical; Paul rebukes the Galatians.

Judaizers (Galatians)

Those who insisted that Gentile converts must follow the Mosaic Law.

Simple Structure of Galatians

Chapters 1-4: Paul's defense; Chapters 5-6: urge Galatians to live by the Spirit.

Reformation/Martin Luther (Relation to Galatians)

Galatians' core message—Justification by faith was foundational for the Reformation.

General Letters

Non-Pauline Letters sent to a general audience, including Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude.

Catholic Epistles

An alternative name for the collection of seven General Letters.

Hebrews

A General Letter regarded as anonymous, included in the Canon.

Traditional Author of James

James, the younger brother of Jesus.

Traditional Author of Jude

Jude, the brother of James.

Revelation: Genre

Apocalypse and prophecy.

Revelation: Literary Features

Use of visions and symbols including numerology.

Revelation: Historical Context

Written by John during a time of suffering and persecution to the seven churches.

NT Canonization Process

The process by which the 27 books were recognized as authoritative.

Marcion and Irenaeus

Contributors to the canonization process.

332 BCE

Alexander the Great gains control of Judea.

167 BCE

Beginning of the Maccabean Revolt.

164 BCE

Re-dedication/purification of the Temple (Hanukkah).

142-63 BCE

Reign of the Hasmonean Dynasty.

30 CE

Jesus’s Crucifixion and Pentecost (50 days after).

46-49 CE

Jerusalem Council.

50s-60s CE

Paul’s Letters were written.

64 CE

Nero’s persecution; Death of Paul and Peter.

70 CE

End of the Second Temple Period.