Religion Test 10/4

Judea

The wealthiest of the regions and the center of worship. The temple was located here in the city of Jerusalem. This made it the political and spiritual capital of the country and for all Jewish people. The people living here were orthodox and nationalistic.

Samaria

Conquered by Assyria in 721. The people left behind were mostly poor. Many intermarried with foreign people. Because of this they were despised by many people in Judea.

Galilee

This is the northernmost region on the map. Jesus grew up here. The people of the South looked down on this land because they were encircled by non-Jewish people. Because of this, their culture was different.

Bethlehem in Judea

Which city and region was Jesus born?

Nazareth in Galilee

What town and region did Jesus grow up in?

Pharisees

They were the most influential religious sect during the lifetime of Jesus. As well-educated religious leaders, they focused on keeping the Jews faithful to the law. They also acknowledged the oral traditions of the elders.

Sadducees

They did not believe in anything that was not mentioned in the Torah. As part of the wealthy, conservative aristocratic ruling class, many actively worked with the Romans. They also were important to Temple worship, as most of the priests were of this group.

Scribes

They were the interpreters and the teachers of the law most closely affiliated with the Pharisees but also associated with the Sadducees. They were not a religious party; rather, they were the Jewish scholars who assisted in writing and telling Jews about their religious traditions.

Essenes

This group withdrew completely from the world and political activity to prepare for the imminent coming of the Messiah. They typically avoided all contact with foreign cultures and follow the Law of Moses to the last detail. They also believed in two messiahs, one a king and the other a priest who would rule Judea.

Zealots

They formed a rebellious movement of militant Jews who yearned and battled for the recovery of Jewish independence. They considered the acceptance of foreign government and the subsequent payment of taxes to Rome as blasphemy against God.

Sanhedrin

A council of Jewish leaders headed by the High Priest, which played an advisory role in matters of religious and civil policy.

Josephus

He was a Jewish historian who referred to Jesus in his writings. A Jew who later became a Roman citizen. He writes about

Jesus' works, death and Resurrection. His writings are called into question as to their legitimacy. However, they remain the earliest writings about Jesus outside of the New Testament.

Gospel of Matthew

This Gospel is written by Jewish Christians to Jewish Christians. The image of Jesus is that of a Rabbi/New Moses.

Gospel of Mark

This Gospel is written by a friend of Peter to Gentile Christians. The image of Jesus is that of a suffering servant.

Gospel of Luke

This Gospel is written by a friend of Paul to a Greek audience and has the image of Jesus being a compassionate savior.

Gospel of John

This Gospel is written by the disciple of John to all Christians. The image of Jesus is that of a Divine Savior. This is not a synoptic gospel.

Textual criticism

Seeks to establish, according to fixed rules, a biblical text as close as possible to the original.

Source criticism

The study of which written and oral traditions an author incorporated into his/her larger work.

Form criticism

The study of materials originally shaped in pre-history, oral stages of transmission. There is a dual interest in comparing analogous literary micro-genres (e.g., parables, miracles stories) and in tracing the history of a form before it became part of a longer 'gospel' narrative.

Genre criticism

seeks to identify literary genres, the social milieu that gave rise to them, their particular features and the history of their development.

Tradition criticism

situates texts in the stream of tradition and attempts to describe the development of this tradition over the course of time.

Redaction criticism

The study of how authors modified or edited their sources in view of their own vested interests and concerns. *Here we can especially see an evangelist's theological independence of sources material in patterns of change made to source materials. studies the modifications that these texts have undergone before being fixed in their final state, it also analyzes this final stage, trying as far as possible to identify the tendencies particularly characteristic of this concluding process.

What were the stages of New Testament development?

-Historical events: Jesus Life around 4 AD-34 AD

-Oral tradition: Oral Stage around 30- 65

-Written texts: Written Proclamation around 65-110

How did the gospels come to be written down? (New Testament development)

Timeline of New Testament

1. Conquest of Palestine (Judea) by Alexander the Great

*Greek culture is spread to the Jewish people

2. Antiochus IV Epiphanes Seleucid Ruler

*Antiochus IV Epiphanes received his name because he claimed tobe god (Zeus) manifest (theos epiphanies)

3. Profanation of the Temple by Antiochus IV

4. Leadership of Judas Maccabeus (Jewish Hero)

5. The Jewish people have full autonomy (freedom)

6. Conquest of Palestine (Judea) by Roman general Pompey

*Although Rome now rules Judea, Greek ideas still were the norm

7. Herod the Great King of Judea

*Herod was the king who, according to the Gospel of Matthew, killed the infants in an effort to kill Jesus

8. Herod Antipas ruler of Judea

*This Herod is the one mentioned most in the New Testament.

9. Pontius Pilate, a Roman, governs directly over Judea with Herod Antipas over Galilee being a puppet ruler

Alexander the Great

son of Philip II; received military training in Macedonian army and was a student of Aristotle; great leader; conquered much land in Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Mesopotamia; goal was to conquer the known world; Macedonian king (Hellenization a result of his death)

Antiochus IV Epiphanes

The Seleucid king who tried to force Hellenism, including Greek religion, on his Jewish subjects. Captured Jerusalem in 167 BC and desecrated the Temple (profanation of the Temple) by offering the sacrifice of a pig on an altar to Zeus.

Judas Maccabeus

The Jewish General who led a Jewish family in revolting against the Greek Empire (Antiochus IV), resulting in the Jews taking back control of The Temple for some time.

Roman General Pompey

Conquered Palestine (Judea); Conqueror of the Jews, thus establishing Roman rule; Although Rome now ruled Judea, Greek ideas still were the norm

Herod the Great

king of Judea who (according to the New Testament) tried to kill Jesus by ordering the death of all children under age two in Bethlehem (73-4 BC)

Herod Antipas

Ruler of Galilee. Second son of King Herod, orders the death of John the Baptist.

*This Herod is the one mentioned most in the New Testament.

Pontius Pilate

The Roman governor of Judea. Although he found Jesus guilty of nothing, he sentenced him to death by crucifixion. Governs directly over Judea with Herod Antipas over Galilee being a puppet ruler.

What were the Romans concerned with when governing a conquered territory?

1) collecting taxes

2) preserving the peace of Rome (Pax Romana)

The Immaculate Conception and why it's important

Definition: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. (Simply: Mary being conceived without sin)

Why it's important? They affirmed that the Blessed Virgin was, through grace, entirely free from every stain of sin. Therefore, she was entirely a fit habitation for Christ, not because of the state of her body, but because of her original grace.

The Incarnation and why it's important

Definition: From the Latin, meaning, "to become flesh," referring to the biblical Revelation that Jesus is both true God and true man. (Simply: When the word became flesh)

Why it's important (Why did the Word become flesh)?

- To save us by reconciling us with God, who loved us and

sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins

-To help us understand the depth of God's love for us

-To be our model of holiness

-To make us partakers of the divine nature

-To destroy the power of the Devil

By taking on a united divine human form, God the Father enabled His Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to rescue the world from it's broken disarray. Bonding of heaven and humanity together

What are the infancy narratives?

Stories about Jesus' conception, birth, and early life

What are the differences between the infancy narratives about Jesus' conception?

The Angel

Matthew

- In a dream

- Speaks to Joseph

- Joseph willing to help but does not converse with the angel.

Luke

- Speaks directly

- Speaks to Mary

- Mary fully willing to do the will of God and says so.

What are the differences between the infancy narratives about Jesus' birth?

Jesus' Birth

Matthew

- Stays/visited in a house

- Visited by Magi

- Receives Gifts

- Jesus as King with similarities to Moses

Luke

- Census taken

- Born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes

- Visited by Shepherds

- Jesus as Savior, Messiah, and Lord

What are the differences between the infancy narratives about Jesus' life after birth?

Jesus' Life

Matthew

- Jesus hunted by Herod

- Joseph receives a message to flee to Egypt.

- Then returns to Nazareth

Luke

- Jesus is circumcised

- Goes to the Temple and is met by Anna and Simeon

- Return to Nazareth

Hellenization

Refers to the spread of Greek culture shortly before and after the death of Alexander (323 B.C.), who himself had been a student of Aristotle. The Jewish people resisted the Greek culture because it had many aspects which were contrary to their own.

Where is the city of Jerusalem on the map?

City designated as #8

Where is the city of Nazareth on the map?

City designated by #3

Where is the city of Bethlehem on the map?

City designated as #9

Where is the region of Galilee on this map?

Region outlined in yellow

Where is the region of Samaria on this map?

Region outlined in red

Where is the region of Judea on this map?

Region outlined in green

Where is the Dead Sea on this map?

Small sea bottom right of Palestine

Where is the Sea of Galilee on this map?

Geographic feature #5

Where is the Jordan River on this map?

Geographic feature #6

Where is the Mediterranean Sea on this map?

Geographic feature #1

Theotokos

The God Bearer or Mother of God

The Word

This refers to God the Son at the beginning of the Gospel of John.

Jesus Christ

Who is the Word who became flesh?

The wealthiest of the regions and the center of worship. The temple was located in here. This made it the political and spiritual capital of the country

The wealthiest of the regions and the center of worship. The temple was located in here. This made it the political and spiritual capital of the country

The wealthiest of the regions and the center of worship. The temple was located in here. This made it the political and spiritual capital of the country