RELIGION FINALS

Josephus

Jewish historian

• wrote 60 years after death of Jesus

• explains that he is wise and a teacher of men

• that the man is crucified by Pilate and of the disturbances during the reign of Pilate

Tactitus

Wrote historical accounts of how the Christians are blamed for Nero burning Rome

that Nero would crucify the Christians by day and light them on fire a

Pliny the Younger

governor of Romance province, wrote letters tothe emperor asking what should be done with the Christians and their “weird” customsw

“Weird” customs:

• believing in a “criminal”

• “cannibals” - last supper

Christians had to go underground to avoid persecutions

“gang symbols”- the infinity fish to identify each other

Suetonius

historian and lawyer who wrote biographies

• in one he explained that the group of Christian were led by a man named Christos

Tax collectors

Jewish people who are seen as traitors bc they collect money from Jewish people and give it to Romans

Pharisees

wealthy teachers (upper class)

received pay in exchange for services

focused on following the law, believed in resurrection

strict religious leaders

name = set apart- saw themselves as those who remained with true law

Sadduccees

priestly sect in Judaism that acted as scribes and the social elite

• responsible for the temple and all responsibilities of temple priests

• connects w Sanhedrin

didn’t believe in life after death

worked w Romans

Zealots

group of Jews who resisted Roman rule and wanted to fight for Jewish freedom

used violence to try to free Israel

Sanhedrin

Jewish council of 70 leaders

made decisions about religion and law

played a role in Jesus’s trial

Essenes

group that decided to leave civilization to live in the wilderness to purge themselves of the sins of the material world.

ritually would wash to be redeemed by not falling into the same pitfalls as other Jews

Nero

burned down Rome in 64 AD and blamed it on the Christians

• would persecute Christians and execute them.

• originator of 666 (number of the beast)

64 AD

the year Nero burned down Rome and blamed the Christians

70 AD

Herod’s temple is destroyed by the Romans and never rebuilt

Herod

king of the Jews (Israel); subordinate to Rome,

he was a paranoid schizophrenic

Catholic

means universal

• first used in the gospel of Luke because he addressed everyone

Christ

comes from Greek “Christos”

means “anointed one” or “chosen one”

Messiah

Hebrew

means “anointed” or “deliver”

Gospel

good news

Synoptic

the same similar

seen together

Synoptic Gospels

Matthew, Mark, Luke

they’re all the same idea

Gospel of Matthew

Gospel of Matthew: audience was Jewish-Christians, portrays Jesus as the Messiah and the New Moses

Gospel of Mark

earliest Gospel; audience was Gentiles. Portrays Jesus as a suffering servant to relate to others that Jesus also suffered. 

Gospel of Luke

wrote to Gentiles, portrays Jesus as savior/healer, Jesus died for everyone

Gospel of John

(not synoptic) wrote to Christians and Greeks; portrays Jesus as the Divine Son of God. John is talking about Jesus like he is the Word. 

Incarnation (Acts of the Apostles)

refers to the belief that a divine being takes on a human form

refers to God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ

Jesus’s Infancy

Mary and Joseph were going to Bethlehem bc of census (counting to see how many ppl there are)

• King Herod discovers that a King is born in Israel; so he orders that all the first born male children are to be slain (parallel to Moses) 

• Magi: men from the east (persian astrologers) followed a special star to find baby Jesus; brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Represent rich and powerful, recognizing Jesus as King. 

• Shepherds: poor people told by angels that Jesus was born. They went to see him showing that Jesus came for everyone not just rich

• Matthew:  tells story of Jesus’ birth for Jewish audience. Includes the magi to show that Jesus is the promised King and the Messiah of Jewish people

• Star of Bethlehem: special star the Magi followed to find Jesus. Sign a new king had been born. 

Baptism of Jesus

• John the Baptist: a prophetic figure that baptized people in the Jordan River as a symbol of repentance preparing them for the coming Messiah. 

• The baptism begins Jesus’ public ministry by being baptized by John. During the baptism the skies opened, God declared Jesus as His beloved Son and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. John says Jesus should be baptizing him not the other way around, Jesus says it has to go this way. 

• God is speaking from heaven “This is my Son in whom I am proud of” 

• Dove represents: 1. Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus 2. Israel 3. Noah’s dove returning with an olive branch at the end of the storm→ arrival of peace and comfort. 

Temptation of Jesus

•   in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. 3 temptations were conducted by Satan/Devil. 

  • 1st temptation: Devil tells him to transform some rocks into bread and indulge. Jesus replies: humans cannot live on bread alone but on the word of God

  • 2nd Temptation: in a deep cavern; the devil tells him to throw himself off the ledge and the angels would catch him. Response: it is wrong to test the Lord your God. 

  • 3rd Temptation: Devil says if Jesus prays before him the world shall be his. Jesus refuses and says the world is God’s and he cares not for political control. 

Sin

transgression of the law

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father

summary of all of Jesus’s teachings and a good summary of gospels

Beatitudes

one of the ways Jesus taught

translates to supreme happiness

Jesus provided them a sermon on the mountain, seem like contradictions

ex. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
→ People who are humble and know they need God, not just money or power, will be part of God’s kingdom.

• "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."
  → Those who help others stop fighting, bring peace, and work for unity are showing God's love and are part of His family.

Miracle

when Jesus/God correct something that was supposed to work but didn’t

4 types:

1. Nature ex. Jesus calms the storm

2. Raising of the Dead ex. raising of Jairus’s daughter

3. Healing ex. bleeding women

4. Exorcism: legion (the name of a group of demons in a man that Jesus healed)

Parable

a comparison

Jesus compares a simple complex to one more complex, forgiveness, heaven, relationship with God and others

4 themes

1. Nature of God

2. Forgiveness

3. Love

4. The Kingdom

ex. Lost Sheep, Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son

Jesus of History vs. Christ of Faith

Jesus of Nazareth:

• real historical figure

• described by Josephus, Tacticus, Suetonius

Christ of Faith

• Christ- Greek anointed one

• Messiah- Hebrew savior

• Brought up the new covenant between God and humanity

• spiritual understanding of Jesus

Theodicy

explaining why bad things happen if God is good

Gehenna

valley outside Jerusalem (Valley of Hinnom) that became a symbolic representation of divine punishment or hell in Jewish and later Christian thought

Tekton

a stone mason (carpentry) job

Eucharist

the first time was during the Last Supper, when he took bread and wine and transformed it into his body and blood

Transubstantiation

doctrine that teaches that during the Eucharist the bread and wine become the acc Body and Blood of Jesus Christ while still appearing like bread and wine

Transfiguration

changing from one form to another

Jesus meets Moses and Elijah on a mountain and looks different

Trinity

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Mary Magdalene

used to be possessed by evil spirits but became very faithful to Jesus

was one of Jesus’s followers, was there at his crucifixion, and later found his empty tomb after he rose

Judas Iscariot

one of Jesus’s twelve apostles

betrayed Jesus by telling the authorities where to find him for 30 pieces of silver

he felt guilty after and died by hanging himself

Pontius Pilate

Roman governor who put Jesus on trial

didn’t think that Jesus was guilty but he let the crowd decide

allowed Jesus to be crucified

Joseph of Arimathea

follower of Jesus who helped after the crucifixion

asked Pilate for Jesus’s body and placed it in his own tomb, showing respect and care for Jesus

Peter

one of Jesus’s closest apostles, leader among the disciples, though he denied knowing Jesus 3 times he became very faithful later and helped spread Jesus’s message

Matthew

one of Jesus’s twelve apostles

used to be a tax collector before following Jesus, wrote one of the four Gospels

Paschal Lamb

symbol of Jesus

Lamb was sacrificed during Passover in the Old Testament

Christians believe that Jesus is like that lamb bc he gave his life to save others

Jesus’s Greatest Commandments

1. Love God

   “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

   This is the first and greatest commandment.

2. Love Your Neighbor

   • “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

     
     — This is the second commandment, and it is like the first.

     Both of these laws summarize everything that God wants from us.