New Testament Flashcards

Flashcards from New Testament lecture notes.

Historical-Critical Method

A tool for interpreting the Bible that emerged in the late nineteenth century, aiming to make biblical interpretation more of a scientific discipline.

Source Criticism

Examines the origins and sources of biblical texts, attempting to distinguish between original materials and later additions or modifications.

Form Criticism

Seeks to classify units of scripture into literary patterns (such as love poems, parables, sayings, elegies, legends) and attempts to trace each type to its period of oral transmission to determine the original form and thought of the period to the development of the literary tradition.

Historical Criticism

Literary criticism in the light of historical evidence or based on the context in which a work was written, including facts about the author’s life and the historical and social circumstances of the time.

Redaction Criticism

Method of criticism of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament that examines the way the various pieces of the tradition have been assembled into the final literary composition by an author or editor.

Literary Criticism

Involves analyzing biblical texts as literary works, focusing on their structure, style, and themes to understand their meaning and significance.

The Land (Context of New Testament)

Geography, landscape, geology, climate, water resources, roads, settlement patterns, and political boundaries.

The History (Context of New Testament)

Hellenistic culture under Alexander the Great and the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 63 BC.

The Culture (Context of New Testament)

Social habits, religious traditions, political interests, even music and art contribute to values shared by generations.

Honor/Shame Culture

A society where the highest virtue was honor and the thing to avoid above all else was shame; generally collectivist, where acquiring honor and avoiding shame are the highest goals.

Piety for Jewish Faithful After Temple Destruction

Expressed through study, obedience, and prayer.

Significance of Alexander the Great

Introduced the Greek way of life and the Greek language (Koine) into Palestine, deeply affecting Jewish life and thought during the New Testament era.

Jewish Leadership During the Time of Jesus

Essenes, Pharisees, Scribes, Zealots, and Sadducees.

Essenes

A small ascetic group that likely had communities throughout the country.

Pharisees

Originally called Hasidim, with power localized in synagogues, focused on separation from corruption.

Zealots

A generic grouping of those who resisted Rome violently.

Sadducees

The educated elites, landowners, and members of a Jerusalem urban class who had learned how to profit from the Roman occupation.

Scribes

Professionals who could read and write—and interpret the law—served as secretaries, chroniclers, taught the law, or adjudicated legal disagreements.

Synagogue

Likely originated as a gathering of Jews who debated the Scriptures, prayed, and formed community centers after the destruction of the Temple.

"Barbarians" in the Roman Empire

Those both within and outside the empire who did not speak Greek.

Roman Society

Society was highly stratified, and the Romans recognized that every person had their place within the established order.

Four-Source Hypothesis

Suggests that each gospel saying and story can be attributed to one of four sources: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Q.

Reasons for trusting the Gospels

Stylistic forms, terminology of the tradition, the function of the apostles, the cultural role of memory, eyewitnesses and the lapse of time.

What marked the teaching of Jesus

Rarely used technical theological speech, liked to tell stories, used overstatement and gross exaggeration, used puns, images from culture, simile and metaphor, proverbs and paradoxes, and parabolic acts.

Five Discourses in Matthew

Sermon on the Mount, Missionary Discourse, Parabolic Discourse, Discourse on the Church, Discourse on the End Times.

Messianic Secret in Mark

Jesus frequently conceals his true identity to avoid becoming a pawn of militant Jewish groups or inciting a violent revolt against Rome; the cross, not power, is the gateway to understanding Jesus.

God-fearers

Gentiles who sympathized with Judaism and adopted some but not all Jewish theology and practice, without becoming full proselytes.

Significance of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)

Addressed whether discipleship of Christ first entails conversion to Judaism and how Jewish Christians can have fellowship with Gentiles who are ritually unclean.

Important Titles of Jesus

Messiah, Son of God, and Son of Man.

Five Contexts of the New Testament for Interpretation

Historical, cultural, biblical, canonical, and contemporary.

Three-fold Ministry of Jesus

Preaching, teaching, and healing.

Three Questions Gospels Answer

Who is Jesus? What did Jesus say and do? Why did Jesus come?

Unique Features of Mark

Shortest gospel, possibly written for a Gentile audience, no birth narrative, emphasizes following Jesus, Passion narrative, concentration of parables, and intercalations.

Interpretive Challenges of the Gospel of John

the number of times that Jesus was in Jerusalem, the timeframe for the cleansing of the Temple, and the timing of the institution of the Lord’s Supper.