Copy of New Testament Exam 1 Couser Cedarville University

What were the various sects of the Jews

Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots

Pharisees

Religious leaders

Sadducees

priestly aristocracy that rejected most jewish theology especially about angels and spirits, the resurrection, and life after death

Essenes

led a strict and legalistic life of simplicity

Zealots

tried to advance the cause of God through violence

How did the OT relate to the canonization of the NT

OT canon served as a precedent and analogy for the New Testament canon. Jesus fulfilled prophecies from OT so if the OT canon was inspired text pointing a savior it could be expected that the NT canon would be inspired texts to explain the savior.

what were the three qualities the NT books possessed that served as the "standard" against which all other claimants would be judged

1. The books in it possessed the marks of apostolic authorship (Jesus' hand picked followers, the apostles, or their close aides)

2. They bore evidence of their first century origin

3. They contained the apostolic message of the true gospel of Jesus Christ

What factors shaped the making of a gospel?

The death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah

Did any gospel writer(s) make use of any of the other written gospels in writing their gospel?

Matthew and Luke both used Mark as a resource

Which gospel is described as "historically compatible but stylistically unique"?

The Gospel of John

How are the synoptic gospels alike?

Their order of events

Parenthetical material

OT quotations

How are the synoptic gospels different?

The events/discourses that take place

Point of view

What event marked the inauguration of Christ's ministry and what did it say about Jesus?

Jesus' baptism marked the inauguration of Christ's earthly ministry

His baptism clearly shows that He was the Christ. He was of the line of David as seen by the anointing of the Spirit and the Son of God because of the divine testimony

His baptism was a symbolic identification with humanity that He is going to enter into death and overcome it

What was Satan trying to do in the temptations?

Jesus was tempted to step outside the will of the Father by getting the crown without having to go to the cross. Satan is trying to get Jesus to go on a different path than the one God's will had for Him. However, Jesus overcomes the temptations and will follow the will of the Father by going straight to through the cross.

One of the real struggles in the study of Jesus (and in discipleship) is accepting Jesus in all of his complexity. In particular, how does Jesus' cleansing of the temple challenge predominant conceptions of Jesus?

The people thought he was going to destroy the Roman Empire, but he turns around and attacks the Jews

What does OT prophecy and apocalyptic thought lead us to expect from the coming King?

Davidic King

Arrival marked by judgment and submission of Gentiles

Earthly rule over Israel and the world

How is the ministry of Jesus an advance over the OT?

The King has showed up: Jesus is here

"I am the King, and therefore the kingdom is near"

What were the material marks of Jesus' kingship?

Healings

Bodily resurrection

Natural miracles

What were the spiritual marks of Jesus' kingship?

Jesus is the Son of God

Jesus is the Davidic King

Jesus is the Divine Son

New covenant blessings - forgiveness of sins, Holy Spirit, law on the hearts, exorcisms

What are the characteristics of the present "mystery kingdom"?

The kingdom is not a socio-political thing; it is a group of people who are inhabited and empowered by the Spirit

Christians will be hated by the world because Jesus was hated by the world

The King returns in judgment

Judgment and earthly reign over all nations

Everlasting, immortal kingdom

The kingdom is extended through the church but not fully recognized

Growing populations on earth —> King in Heaven —> Creation groans —> Much opposition

What is the "new intimacy" Jesus offered to his followers?

Intimacy with "Abba Father"

What makes Jesus' baptism different than John the Baptist's?

"Baptizes with fire" the One who who bestows the Spirit

What does first-century writing practices have to do with the authorship of the gospels?

Writing practices mitigates against anonymity — the Christian community would never accept a text as Scripture without knowing who the author was. Unanimous support of authorship must have occurred

What within Mark corroborates what we know from church tradition concerning their authorship?

Peter is Mark's main resource which is why the Gospel of Mark sounds very harsh towards disciples and puts Peter in a bad light

What within Matthew corroborates what we know from church tradition concerning thier authorship?

content very focused on financial transactions and is self-deprecating

What within Luke corroborates what we know from church tradition concerning their authorship?

there is no question as to who the author is, because it is addressed to Theophilus. Luke is a companion to Paul because of the "we" sections

Who was the audience of Matthew?

Jewish audience

Who was the audience of Mark?

Gentiles, possibly in Rome.

Who was the audience in Luke/Acts?

Theophilus and Jews who needed to know how to include the Gentiles

What are the distinctive literary patterns of Matthew?

pattern of narrative and then discourse

What are the distinctive literary patterns of Mark?

fast-paced, transitional sections

What are the distinctive literary patterns of Luke/Acts?

movement! Very interested in Jerusalem.

What is the theme of Matthew?

Jesus, the promised Messiah

What is the theme of Mark?

the suffering Messiah and the cost of following Him

What is the theme of Luke/Acts?

God the Savior

What are the distinctive contributions of Matthew?

large blocks of Jesus' teaching, birth narrative from Joseph's perspective with strong ties to the OT, the Church as a brotherhood (only Gospel to explicitly mention the Church)

What are the distinctive contributions of Mark?

action-oriented, little teaching but frequent designation of Jesus as teacher, realistic portrayal of the disciples and discipleship, 1st Gospel, Messianic Secret

What are the distinctive contributions of Luke/Acts?

John the Baptist's birth and Jesus' boyhood, prayer (accompanies critical moments that Luke wanted to emphasize), Holy Spirit

What authorial purposes seem to emerge from a careful reading of Acts?

Edify and evangelize through demonstrating the church as the culmination of God's redemptive plan

Reconcile Jews and Gentiles

What cautions do we need to observe before developing our theology from Acts?

The book is not a straight-forward doctrinal treatise or text, however, it provides much of the historical-cultural framework within which the great doctrines of the church developed and functioned

Assuming Mark ends at 16:8, what evidence supports this and how does 16:8 function as an ending?

Evidence is in the early church copies that don't include 9-20 and it

Fits Marks motif of astonishment/reverential awe

Mark leaves us at the empty tomb so that the reader is in awe of who the Christ really was