Christian Scriptures Exam 3

Mr. Nessler's Christian Scriptures Exam #3

Alexander the Great

-Overtook the Persian Empire

-Associated with Hellenism

Hellenism

The rise and spread of Greek culture associated with the conquest of Alexander the Great.

-entailed spread of language and cultural forms

Judea

The Greek-era province of Jerusalem and its surroundings.

Ptolemies 

-one of the two generals and their descendants that will control Judea after Alexander 

-centered in Egypt but extending to the region of Jerusalem  

Seleucids

--one of the two generals and their descendants that will control Judea after Alexander 

-centered in Syria (northwest), seizes control from the Ptolemies  

Antiochus IV Epiphanes

Seleucid king; forced worship of Greek gods and outlawed Jewish practices (e.g., circumcision and Sabbath) 

-Devoted Jerusalem temple to Zeus (cf. Daniel) 

-Tortured/killed Jews who resisted. 

Judas Maccabaeus

-Son of Matthias who with his brothers leads guerilla warfare against Seleucids and wins. 

Hasmonean Dynasty

-Maccabean leaders that established control over Judea through merging offices of “high-priest” and “ruler” (ethnarch) 

-Independence short-lived and characterized by instability 

Herod the Great

-installed as a puppet king by the Romans  

-Idumean (Edom); father was close with Julius Ceasar  

-Refurbishes and expands the Jerusalem Temple 

-Includes temple base and western wall 

-Decrees the slaughter of newborn boys upon hearing of Jesus’ birth (ca. 6-4 BCE) 

Judaism

-the culture of Judea and its worship of YHWH, as established and developed in the Hellenistic era and beyond; very diverse. 

Synagogues

Local worship spaces for scripture reading, interpretation, and debate.

Halakha

Pharisees 

-teachers/interpreters; sought to embody Mosaic laws 

-Written scripture and oral traditions authoritative 

-Oral traditions -> e.g., Mishnah, Talmud 

-Resistant to accommodating Rome; aligned with poor 

-Believed in afterlife and resurrection of dead for judgment 

Saducees 

-mostly Temple personnel; must decide what is good/wise 

-Written scripture only authoritative 

-Supported status quo under Rome; aligned with wealthy 

-Did NOT believe in afterlife or resurrection of dead for judgment 

Essenes 

-isolationist approach; sought holiness apart from societal ills  

-criticized temple establishment 

many abstained from marriage (cf. Later Monasteries) 

-Dead sea scrolls may come from this group 

Destruction of the Second Temple 

-70CE

-Romans destroy the Temple due to continued unrest in region; never rebuilt again 

Bar Kochba Revolt 

-Simon bar Kochba leads revolt; crushed by Rome 

-Rome destroys Jerusalem completely 

-Rome forbids Jewish inhabitants in Syria-Palestine region 

-Scattering of Jews not already living in diaspora 

 

Gospel (term) 

-Lit. “good news” (rel. To evangelion); wide –range use  

-Esp. “good news” when a new Roman heir is born. 

Gospel (genre) 

-biographical narration of the ministry of Jesus; present unique “portraits” of Jesus 

-Does NOT include entire life story – mostly ministry  

-Four canonical gospels: Matthew. Mark, Luke, and John 

The Synoptic Gospels 

Matthew, Mark, and Luke only; share numerous accounts/verses in commo

Two-Source Hypothesis 

the dominant hypothesis that Mark is not only oldest, but influenced the other synoptic gospels. 

-Adheres to “Markan priority” 

-Q  - short for quelle (“source”); purely hypothetical source material for sayings of Jesus found in Matthew and Luke but NOT Mark 

Jesus, Christ and Son of God 

-Christ (Χριστός) → Messiah (משיח) → “anointed one” (king/liberator)
- Son of God – theologically and politically provocative if meant literally (it is)

Baptism and temptation 

-John the Baptist’s ministry “prepares the way,” baptizes Jesus

-Jesus baptized → Spirit descends → tested by Satan in the wilderness

Galilean ministry 

Jesus’ ministry begins in Galilee – teachings,healings, etc.

Entry into Jerusalem 

Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem

Crucifixion and resurrection 

Pilate (Roman governor) pronounces the
death sentence for Jesus

-Jesus crucified under sign labeling him as “King of the Jews”
-Jesus “gave up [his] breath/spirit” on the crucifixion cross
-Jesus’ body is laid in a cave tomb; closed with a stone
-Mary Magdalene (and other women?) find Jesus’ tomb empty

John the Baptist 

-His ministry “prepares the way” and he baptizes Jesus

- Elijah-like prophet calling for repentance/baptism 

The Twelve Disciples 

Jesus’ closest followers who were chosen to be his primary companions and trained to spread his teachings.a

Parables 

short, fictional stories meant to provoke interpretation and teach something; often “riddle-like” and not always clear (synoptics only) 

Gospel of Mark 

-Dated to time period of destruction of the second temple (70 CE) 

-Authorship: anonymous, traditionally John Mark (cf. Acts 12) 

-Acts associate him with Paul, but early Christian writings do not....?  

-Early Christian writers associate him with Peter (central to gospel story) 

-Major emphasis on suffering of Christ

-roman society increasingly hostile towards Jewish people 

-Jewish followers of Christ not really “fitting in” with other Jews anymore 

Gospel of Mark audience

Audience : probably Jewish followers of Christ living/persecuted in Rome 

Gospel of Mark unique styles and themes

Style and Themes:

- very light on details; very rapid transitions 

-No birth narrative – begins with ministry 

-Repetition of “immediately” throughout 

-No lengthy descriptions – bare essentials only 

 -Messianic Secret

-Intercalation

-Twelve disciples depicted very negatively 

-Narration repeats that disciples “not understanding” Jesus 

-Burdensome to Jesus at nearly every turn 

Gospel of Mark overall emphasis and “portrait” of Jesus

Overall Emphasis:

-Jesus as the suffering servant of God, healer/liberator of all kinds of afflictions, enduring all manners of hardship “immediately” w/o rest 

-Opposition from Jewish leadership, scribes, family, hometown 

-Twelve disciples are not getting it – even Peter 

-Pharisees conspire with Herodians to “destroy” Jesus 

-Sadducees (chief priests) send Jesus to Pilate (Roman governor) to die 

 - likely meant to express solidarity with Jewish followers of Jesus in Rome experiencing similar circumstances

Messianic Secret 

unique to Mark; refers to Jesus’ repeated insistence that no one divulge his identity as Messiah

Intercalation 

(aka “sandwiching”) – the placement of one story in the middle of another, resulting in an ABA format 

Gospel of Matthew 

Date: Likely derives from the late first century (ca. 80-100 CE) 

-Lengthier renditions of Markan stories -> written/compiled post 70 CE. 

-Author: anonymous – trad. Matthew (Levi; one of twelve disciples) 

- depicted as tax-collector – record keeper, educated?) 

-Reflects concerns about Jesus’ relevance and continuity with Jewish heritage -Explanation for why Christ nevertheless appeals to the Gentiles 

Gospel of Matthew audience

Audience:

- hypothesized Jewish Christ-followers in dialogue/debate with other Jews. 

Gospel of Matthew unique styles and themes

Unique styles and themes:

expanding Mark’s narrative(s) 

-Matthew retains approx. 90% of Mark 

-Answers lingering questions w/ more details 

-Providing Jesus’ genealogical credentials 

-Gentile Inclusion – the gospel theme of Jesus’ teachings extending to non-Jewish people, likely over time 

-Ripple effect: Jerusalem -> Judea etc. -> “all peoples” 

-Balances Jesus’ Jewish identity/continuity and Jesus’ appeal with the Gentiles 

-Apocalyptic imagery (especially. Eternal life/punishment) 

-” Weeping and gnashing of teeth” as punishment locale 

-Lots of fire imagery – emphasis on final judgement carried out by God/Jesus 

-Early Trinitarian theology 

-Commanded to baptize in the name of the “Father, the Son, and the Holy spirit” (28:19 

-Most explicit reference to God as a triune (i.e., one God, three persons) 

Gospel of Matthew overall emphasis and “portrait” of Jesus

Overall Emphasis:

-Jesus as teacher, the new Moses, master of divine instruction, and ultimate apocalyptic judge/mercy-bringer 

-Jesus’ pedigree as the master-teacher on display 

-Jesus’ role in justice (judge) and mercy (sin-forgiveness) is supreme 

-Jesus is a continuation, and even culmination, of Israelite/Jewish history, and his teachings address (resolve? complicate?) the major debates within Judaism of the late first century CE. 

Matthew - Genealogy of Jesus 

-3 sections of 14 descendants: Abraham -> David -> Babylonian Exile  

-Logical to assume another major event – Jesus' birth as culmination of Jewish history 

-Inclusion of 4 women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, “wife od Uriah” (Bathsheba) 

Matthew - Infancy Narrative 

-Focus on Joseph, the father of Jesus and carpenter 

-Angel appears – recites Emmanuel oracle (Isa 7) with slight difference (?!) 

-Magi from East seek “king of the Jews” 

-Herod intends to kill firstborn sons -> Joseph and fam. Flee to Egypt -> return from Egypt when Herod dies 

-Joseph (father of Jesus) informed by dreams (cf. Joseph, son of Jacob; Gen 37) 

Matthean Discourses 

-five major textual units recording longform teachings of Jesus; interspersed between narrative passages 

-Teachings re: Torah laws and instructions for “church” 

-Apocalyptic imagery of final days

Matthew - Sermon on the Mount 

-given by Jesus toa. crowd, teaching and interpreting Torah and teaching lessons (cf. Moses at Sinai) 

-The Beatitudes: “Blessed are those who...” 

-Strengthening of Torah laws (impossible?) 

-Teachings concerning worries, judging others, love for enemies 

Matthew - The Great Commission 

- the final commands given by Jesus to the disciples and assurances given to the disciples according to Matthew only 

-Jesus meets remaining “eleven” remaining disciples in Galilee 

Gospel of Luke 

-Date: ca. 80-100 CE (i.e., same period as Matthew) 

-Author: anonymous; traditionally, Luke (companion of Paul?) 

-Hinges on whether Paul anchored Col and 2 Tim (disputed) 

-Hypothesized as the writer of the book of Acts 

Gospel of Luke audience 

Audience: Theophilus, the patron of the Lukan account 

Gospel of Luke unique style and themes

-Salvation history

-Gentile Inclusion

-Economic concerns (rich/poor dichotomy)

-Prayer as centraal practice'

-Anticipation of the Holy Spirit

Gospel of Luke overall emphasis / “portrait” of Jesus

-Overall Emphasis: Jesus as the savior for everyone, refuge for the disenfranchised peoples of the world, and prophetic voice for an “upside down” kingdom of God 

1)caution the upper class in maintaining their division and wealth from other/different/disliked adherents of Jesus (and beyond) 

2) communicate God’s special favor for those unfavored in Greco-Roman (and Jewish) societies: women, the poor, and the “hopeless” (e.g., tax collectors) 

Luke - Theophilus

-patron of the Lukan account 

-Patron – provides financial support to a writer or artist 

Luke - Infancy Narrative 

-Focus on Mary, mother of Jesus (cf. Joseph in Matt) 

-Mary and Joseph travel: Nazareth -> Bethlehem for census 

-Jesus born in Bethlehem stable = emphasis on poverty 

-Shepherds receive “good news” from angelic chorus 

- “Savior” language -> Augustus Caesar called “savior” 

“Peace on earth” -> Roman proclamations of Pax Romana (peace of Rome/the -world) 

-Later, 12-y.o. Jesus amazes at Temple among teachers 

Luke - Genealogy of Jesus 

-Extends all the way back to Adam (cf. Gen 1-3) 

-Emphasis on Jesus’ place in humanity, rather than Israelite history only (cf. Matt) 

Luke - Sermon on the Plain 

-Shorter than Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7) 

-Less overt engagement with Torah law/interpretation 

-Similar but with significant variations 

Luke - Travel Narrative 

Jesus expresses urgency to reach Jerusalem – must make it 

-Jerusalem killed prophets → salvation must being there

-Parables emphasize God’s care for outcasts (esp. poor) 

-Climax: Jesus Dines with Zacchaeus, the Chief Tax-Collector 

-Zacchaeus gives half of all possessions to poor, repays defrauded parties 4x over -> receives salvation 

-Jesus: “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10) 

- Triumphal Entry in Jerusalem (19:28-21:38) 

-Crowds on arrival: “Peace in heaven!” (19:29) 

-Angels at birth: “Peace on earth!” (2:14); i.e., call and response 

-Jesus weeps over Jerusalem (cf. Matt 23) 

 

Luke - Salvation History 

(i.e., concept of God’s plan to save humanity from sin/oppression) extends beyond Israelite history into all of human history 

-All may receive salvation and participate in following Jesus regardless of heritage 

-HB/OT covenant promises and oracle fulfillments relevant to all peoples 

-Emphasis on Abraham and Elijah (cf. Moses in Matt) 

-Broadening perspective on who is a “child of Abraham” (controversial) 

Luke - Gentile Inclusion 

-theme permeates all of Luke 

-Matthew explains how this came to be; Luke explains how this has always been 

-Luke’s genealogy places Jesus in continuity with human existence (Adam) 

-Jesus emphasizing divine care for Gentiles early (i.e., in HB/OT) 

-Focus on “outsiders” in Greco-Roman (and Jewish) life 

-Women highlighted for steadfast faithfulness and patronage 

-E.g., Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna cited as patrons (8:1-3) 

-Poor peoples assured of God’s care and justice 

-Even Samaritans included in heritage of salvation 

Gospel of John

-Date: ca. 110CE or later (early-2nd cent. CE) 

-Last of the Gospels written 

-Emphasis on theologically interpreting Jesus 

-Greek writing style (i.e., grammar, syntax) is very easy/approachable 

-Emphasis on Christology rather than particular historical circumstances 

-Christology – theology regarding Jesus, especially the nature(s) of his humanity and divinity; present in all gospels, but especially John 

Gospel of John audience

Audience: Seemingly everyone; a sort of “open invitation” 

Gospel of John unique styles and themes

Unique Style and Themes;

-Deep theological orientation 

-Emphasis on the preexistence of Jesus 

-Simple language, complex theological concepts 

- Belief and love as fundamental aspects of following Jesus 

-Eternity perspective for Jesus and followers 

 -Jesus’ impartation of the Holy Spirit 

-No exorcisms of demons 

-Dialogues and speeches favored over parables 

-Lots of terminology specific to John (esp. “love,” “believe”) 

-Emphasis on Jesus’ revelation of God (rather than “kingdom of God”) 

Gospel of John overall emphasis / “portrait” of Jesus

-Overall Emphasis: Jesus is a mystery, God-incarnate yet the Son who reveals the Father, and the eternal ruler of eternity 

 

-While other gospels seek to identify Jesus on earth and what happened around him (informative), he seeks to identify who Jesus has always been and what that means (interpretive)  

-Extreme transcendence (divinity) meets extreme immanence (humanity) through the “Word made flesh.” 

John - “The one whom Jesus loved” 

Written by “the one whom Jesus loved” - claims to be eyewitnesses 

-Who this gospel was supposedly written by

John - supersessionism

-(aka replacement theology) – the incorrect belief that Christians have “superseded” (replaced) Jewish people and earlier covenants 

-Nullifies the relevance/importance of Judaism, the HB/OT, and Jewish people overall 

-Often serves as pretext for Christian persecution of Jews (e.g., the Crusades; early Protestantism, 20th cent. Germany) 

John - Logos

(lit. “word,” “thought,” “matter”) – concept from Stoicism (philosophy) in which the term refers to the logic of the universe 

John - The book of signs

-Organized as seven signs/miracles that anticipate Jesus’ glorification 

 

-7th Sign: Raising Lazarus (11:38-44) 

-Jesus waits upon hearing of death -> raises Lazarus on third day 

-Jesus knows outcome – weeps for Lazarus anyways 

John - Lazarus

-7th Sign:

-Jesus waits upon hearing of death -> raises him on third day 

-Jesus knows outcome – weeps for him anyways 

John - “I Am” Statements

Across both the Book of Signs and the Book of Glory, Jesus makes seven mysterious statement, comparing himself to theologically-charged symbols: 

1) “I am the bread of life” 

2) “I am the light of the world” 

3) “I am the gate” 

4) “I am the good shepherd” 

5) “I am the resurrection and the life” 

6) “I am the way, the truth, and the life” 

7) “I am the true vine” 

John - The Book of Glory

-Farewell Address 

-Jews and Gentiles both blamed for Arrest and Trials

- Crucifixion on preparation day for Passover

-Resurrection and Appearances

-First fake ending

John - Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene informs disciples →“the one whom Jesus loved” beats Peter to the tomb 

-Mary M. stays after they leave -> Jesus reveals self to Mary M. 

John - Restoration of Peter (addendum) 

Disciples fishing -> Jesus causes huge catch → breakfast 

-Jesus restores him following denials 

-He denied Jesus (3x) → Jesus asks if he loves him (3x) → “Feed/Tend my sheep” (3x) 

Acts of the Apostle

-Date: ca. 80-130 CE (late-1st/early-2nd cent.) 

-Audience: Theophilus (i.e., Gentile-orientation?) 

-Author: anonymous; trad. Luke 

-Dedicated to Theophilus – ref. “first book” 

-Uses “we” language w/ Paul 

-Prologue (Acts 1) 

-Proclamation Among the Jews (Acts 2-12) 

-Focus on Jerusalem leadership of Peter 

-Proclamation Among the Gentiles (Acts 13-28) 

-Focus on missionary journeys of Paul 

-outward movement to the “ends of the earth” 

Apostle

(lit. “one sent”) – one closely associated with Jesus (especially his resurrection) and sent to continue ministry (req. encounter w/ Jesus)

Pentecost 

Called Shavout or Festival of Weeks; harvest feast day associated with torah given to Moses atop Mt. Sinai (Exod) 

 

-Holy Spirit as “tongues like fire”; violent wind 

-Theophany imagery (cf. Sinai) 

-Disciples speak in many languages 

-May relate to Tower of Babel (cf. Gen 11) 

-God accommodates cultural particularities 

-Peter steps up to call for repentance 

Peter

The first major leader: 

-One of the Twelve disciples 

-Looks a lot like Jesus in Acts 

-Interprets scripture and Jesus’ relation 

-Heals people “in the name of Jesus” 

-Raises woman from the dead 

-Ministry mostly focuses on Jewish population 

-Plays major role in advocating Gentile inclusion 

Peter’s vision

-God commands him to eat unclean animals – says no (3x) 

-Peter called to Cornelius (faithful Gentile centurion) 

-Holy Spirit descends on the Gentiles → speak in tongues 

Paul (Acts)

-Devout Jew, but persecutor of “the Way” 

-Encounters Jesus on road to Damascus 

-Blinded for days → “something like scales” fall from eyes 

-Continues to Damascus → proclaims good news of Jesus Christ 

-Partnered with Barnabas at Antioch (modern-day Syrian/Turkish border) 

-Ministry focuses on Gentiles – but continues to preach among Jews as well 

-Preaches good news and performs miracles (a la Jesus and Peter) 

 

-Immediately contributes to trajectory of Christianity 

1) Role in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) along w/ Peter and others 

2) Undertaking of three extensive missionary journeys 

The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15; Gal 2) 

(Acts) an early meeting between various followers of “the Way” regarding the extent to which Gentiles must follow Torah laws 

-Determination: Gentiles NOT beholden to ritual laws (Acts 15:6-21) 

“remember the poor” (Gal 2:10)? , private affair

Broadening Community of Acts 

Paul’s missionary trips and the Jerusalem council

Epistle

(lit. “sent upon”) – Greek terminology for a letter 

Pauline Epistles

(lit. “sent upon”) – Greek terminology for a letter 

-those attributed to Paul (cf. Acts) 

The Collection 

a facet of Paul’s ministry in which he actively collected money from Gentile congregations for the poor in Jerusalem  

-Purposes:

-To meet physical needs 

-To strengthen Jewish-Gentile relations 

-To fulfill mandate to “remember the poor

Pauline Epistle structure 

1) Greeting – identification of self, coauthors, and salutations 

2) Prayer/Thanksgiving – offered for recipients; thanks for what recipients are doing or (hopefully) will do 

3) Body – (re)establish credibility, persuasion, advice, travel plans 

4) Closing remarks – well-wishing, specific greetings, benediction 

 

Nature of Pauline Epistles 

Pauline Epistles are occasional; snapshots of the earliest Christianity: 

1) Paul was writing letters to real and specific congregations (esp. re: flaws) 

-Highly unlikely that Paul considered his writings as more than letters 

2) Paul NOT writing systematic theologies (i.e., not “Christian textbooks”) 

3) Paul may have expected circulation or even compilation – not canonization w/ HB/OT 

Soteriology 

theology regarding the nature of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus  

Pseudonymity 

(lit. “false name”) – the common Greco-Roman era practice of writing a text under an assumed name, esp. among students/disciples of a particular school of thought 

Disputed Pauline Epistles / Pseudo-Paul 

The Greco-Roman world complicates author identification 

-Oral dictation of letters to a “secretary” very common 

-This is about authorship, not importance; early Christians canonized and recognized the “disputed” epistles as scripture, too 

First Letter to the Thessalonians 

-Oldest document in the NT canon 

-Audience: -Thessalonian believers 

-Persecution of Christ-followers in 1st cent. CE 

-Thessalonian Christ-followers grappling with deaths of believers 

 

- Paul’s only concern is “sexual immorality” (4:3) 

-Paul gently addresses a faithful, yet oppressed community in Thessalonica with lingering questions about their brothers and sisters who have died. 

-Answer: Increase in righteousness while awaiting the (immanent) return of Christ, to whom will be called the faithful from the deceased and the living. 

-Greeting, prayer/thanksgiving, body, closing remarks

The Parousia 

(lit. “arrival”) – the apocalyptic expectation of the return of Jesus at the end of time (see, e.g., 1 Thess 4:13-5:11) 

-Paul describes the Parousia as it pertains to both the living and the dead 

-Dead will rise → living will ascend to meet Christ and the risen dead in the clouds 

-Encouragement for the living whose siblings in Christ have died – addresses concern that they have missed out on the Parousia 

Immanent Eschatology 

-the belief that the end of the present age and return of Jesus is very near (i.e., immanent) 

Letter to the Galatians 

-Date: ca. 50-56 CE 

 

-From: Ephesus or Macedonia (depending on date) 

-To: North-central (near Ancyra) or south Galatia (Antioch, Lystra, Derbe) 

Audience:

-Galatian believers 

-Missionaries after Paul suggest he gave them a truncated gospel 

-Requirement emerges to follow Mosaic laws (including circumcision) 

-Paul reinforces claims with HB/OT evidence 

Argument: All are deemed/made righteous by faith, not lawfulness (“false gospel”) 

-Paul seeking to undo teachings of more recent missionaries to Galatia 

-No need for Gentile circumcision (i.e., bodily sign of Abrahamic covenant) 

Paul’s Final Advice 

-Live according to the Holy Spirit and bear fruit (singular) 

-Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control 

-Seek restoration of brother and sisters w/ “spirit of gentleness” (!) 

-Bear on another’s burdens – this is the “law of Christ” (6:2) 

-Final emphasis that “new creation” > (un)circumcision (6:15) 

Paul furiously addresses a Galatian (i.e., Gentile) community led astray by subsequent missionaries who seem to have taught that circumcision is a necessity to follow Christ and become righteous before God.  

-Answer: Circumcision or not, followers of Christ are not (or are no longer) beholden to the Mosaic law as a means for righteousness, but rather like Abraham are only counted as righteous on the basis of their reliance upon the redemptive work of God in Jesus. 

 -Greeting, REBUKE, body, closing marks 

Polemic 

a text intended to strongly argue against (attack?) opposing ideas 

First Letter to the Corinthians 

Prooftexting

Canonical criticism 

Second Letter to the Corinthians 

Composite document