Intro to New Testament - Exam 4

Dr. Champagne

What book contains the most classical style Greek in the New Testament?

Hebrews

What does the book of Hebrews say is an issue concerning authorship?

They are traditionally associated with Paul in the early church

Who is the best candidate as an author of Hebrews if the author is an associate of Paul?

Luke

When was Hebrews most likely written?

AD 60s

Who is the best option for the audience of Hebrews?

Hellenistic Christians, likely in Rome

What is the occasion of Hebrews?

They are a community in crisis

What is the external problem that led to the writing of Hebrews?

The audience was persecuted by secular society - humiliated, rejected, and marginalized

What was the internal problem that led to the writing of Hebrews?

Spiritual immaturity caused some in the audience to be tempted to give up persevering in the faith and meeting together

What was the purpose for writing Hebrews?

To motivate Christian commitment and maturity (perseverance) by presenting the superiority of God’s Son over all Jewish ritual

What book begins like a sermon and ends like a letter?

Hebrews

What does Hebrews begin like?

A sermon

What does Hebrews end like?

a letter

What is the major theme of Hebrews?

God’s word spoken by and through His Son

What does it mean that God’s word is spoken through his son in Hebrews?

The content shows the superiority of the son, there is an invitation to believe and persevere in your faith, and the consequences are fiery judgement of heavenly blessings

What are the theological emphases of Hebrews?

Christ’s perfection, christian perseverance, the superiority of the Son, the Son as the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek

What is the meaning of Melchizedek?

King of Righteousness

What seven epistles make up the General Epistles?

James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude

What is another name for the General Epistles?

Catholic, or Universal Epistles

Why are the General Epistles called “general?”

They are addressed to Christians at large rather than a specific church

Which James is the best option for authorship of James?

James the Brother of the Lord

When was James most likely written?

AD 40

What is the best option regarding the audience of James?

Diaspora Jewish Christians

What is the occasion of James?

Internal worldliness and external persecution

What is the purpose of James?

Pastoral encouragement to live lives fully committed to Christ’s lordship

What does Jewish ethical wisdom teaching found in James related to?

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount

What in James is Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount related to?

Jewish ethical wisdom teaching

How does James begin and end?

like a letter, like a sermon

How does James begin?

Like a letter

How does James end?

Like a sermon

What is the major theme of James?

Living Faith

Do James and Paul contradict each other on the subject of faith and works?

No, they addressed two related but distinct issues; both understand that believers demonstrate their faith by their works

What are the theological emphases of James?

The relationship between faith and works, wisdom and ethics, Lordship of Jesus Christ

What is the theological emphasis of the relationship between faith and works in James?

James believed that faith without works was dead

What is the theological emphasis of wisdom and ethics in James?

His ethical teaching is similar to Jewish Wisdom literature, and firmly grounded in the teaching of Jesus, especially the Sermon on the Mount

What is the theological emphasis of the Lordship of Jesus Christ in James?

He only mentions the name of Jesus twice, but uses the term “Lord” interchangeably between God and Jesus, Jesus is not only the present Lord but the coming Lord and Judge, therefore believers must conduct their lives with respect to His return

What does 1 Peter demonstrate “dependence” on?

Pauline letters

What book is dependant on Pauline letters?

1 Peter

When was 1 Peter written, if it was written by the apostle Peter?

Pre-AD 64

Where was Peter when he wrote 1 Peter?

Rome

What metaphor did Peter use to describe the city of Rome in 1 Peter?

“The church in Babylon” as in Rome, Jewish terms are primarily referring to Gentiles

Was Peter’s audience in 1 Peter primarily Jewish or Gentile?

Primarily Gentile

What is the occasion of 1 Peter?

His audience was experiencing some type of localized persecution.

What is the purpose of 1 Peter?

To remind believers who they are as the people of God, To encourage believers to live godly lives in public and private settings, to encourage believers to stand firm in their faith while suffering

What is the theme of 1 Peter?

Glorifying God in the Midst of Suffering

What are the theological emphases of 1 Peter?

Christian Suffering and the End Times, Identity of Believers and their Witness to the World, Christ’s Proclamation to the Spirits in Prison

What is the best option for Christ’s proclamation to the spirits in prison?

Preflood humans - Christ preached repentance through Noah “by the Spirit” to those living in Noah’s day.

How is the style of 2 Peter different than 1 Peter?

The Greek

What is the style of Greek of 2 Peter significantly different than?

1 Peter

What does second Peter explicitly “mention?”

Paul and his letters

What does 2 Peter demonstrate literary dependence on?

Jude

If the author of 2 Peter is the apostle Peter, when did he write?

AD 64

If the author of 2 Peter is the apostle Peter, where did he write from?

Likely Rome

What is the occasion of 2 Peter?

Itinerant false teachers had infiltrated the church promoting a lifestyle of licentiousness and Christian antinomianism (lawlessness).

What is the purpose of 2 Peter?

To remind the audience of apostolic teaching concerning godly living, to warn the audience to remain in that teaching lest they suffer the same eternal destruction as the false teachers

What is the theme of 2 Peter?

True Knowledge of God is Living in Godliness

What do 2 Peter and Jude share?

A strong literary connection

What book has a strong literary connection with 2 Peter?

Jude

In 2 Peter, there is significance of..?

Being firmly grounded in apostolic eyewitness testimony

Which Jude is the best option for authorship?

Jude, the brother of the Lord and brother of James

Where was Jude possibly writing from?

Palastine

Who was Jude’s audience?

It was general, but possibly a predominantly Jewish congregation

What is the occasion of Jude?

Similar to 2 Peter, Itinerant false teachers had infiltrated the church promoting a lifestyle of licentiousness and Christian antinomianism (lawlessness)

What is the purpose of Jude?

To encourage believers to contend for the faith against false teachers who had crept in the church, to warn believers of God’s impending judgment of false teachers

What is Jude?

A Jewish sermon in the form of an epistle

What is the theme of Jude?

Contending for the Faith

What does Jude use, literature wise?

Pseudepigraphical literature

What Pseudepigraphical literature does Jude use?

1 Enoch and the Assumption of Moses

What are the theological emphases of 2 Peter and Jude?

Pursuit of Godliness verses Licentiousness, Apostolic Eyewitness Testimony versus Heresy

Who is the best option for authorship of 1-3 John?

John the Apostle

Why did 2 John and 3 John struggle with canonization?

They weren’t preserved side by side or evaluated on the same level as 1st John, are the shortest books in the New Testament, so there is little occasion to cite them, and they describe the author as the “elder” which led many to judge that he was not the apostle to whom 1 John was attributed

When was 1-3 John written?

AD 90-100

Where was the author when he wrote 1-3 John?

Ephesus

Who was 1 John written to?

General, various groups addressed and pictured throughout as the Children of God

Who was 2 John written to?

Unspecified, likely a local Johannine church somewhere in Asia minor

Who was 3 John written to?

Gaius, possibly an elder or pastor of a local Johannine church somewhere in Asia Minor

What was the general historical situation of the churches to which John wrote in 1-3 John?

After the Gospel of John was written, the Johannine Community became increasingly divided over the implications and applications of Johannine thought (gnosticism, antichrists, confusion)

How does the author of 1-3 John label the adversaries?

Antichrists

What is the occasion of 1 John?

Heresy (false christology, unrealistic ethics, overhyped pneumatics)

What is the purpose of 1 John?

Polemical and Pastoral

What is False Christology in 1 John?

Denying Jesus is the Christ, denying the Father and the Son are one, not confessing Jesus as Christ come in the flesh

What are Unrealistic Ethics in 1 John?

Claiming sinlessness, intimacy with God without corresponding walk, love God but not some believers

What are overhyped Pneumatics in 1 John?

Claiming deeper insight, knowing God, being in the light, special prophetic insight or anointing of the Spirit

What is the Polemical purpose of 1 John?

To combat the heresy by exposing the Christological error and by challenging its ethical libertinism

What is the Pastoral purpose of 1 John?

To assure believers by calling them back to apostolic teachings and reminding them of the evidence of their personal relationship with Jesus (abiding, loving, overcoming)

What does first John lack?

The typical feature of a letter

What is 1st John most likely to be?

a circular sermon

Is first John a circular sermon?

yes

In what style does the author of 1st John teach?

cyclically

In 1 John, the author teaches…

In a cyclical manner

What is the occasion for 2 John?

Heresy, heretical teachings have grown worse

What is the purpose of 2 John?

Polemical and Pastoral

What is the Polemical purpose of 2 John?

to restate warning against heretics and to urge the rejecting of heretical missionaries

What is the pastoral purpose of 2 John?

To reinforce abiding in the truth about Jesus and keeping the love commandment

What is the occasion of 3 John?

Heresy, there is a crisis in the church hierarchy and authority (power struggle)

What is the purpose of 3 John?

To commend Gaius, condemn diotrephes, and recommend demetrius

Who is Gaius?

a new house patron or pastor who loves and supports the brethren

Who is Diotrophes?

A self-appointed church leader who slanders the brethren, refuses to welcome them, and excommunicates them.

Who is Demetrius?

An orthodox itinerate preacher or letter carrier who should be loved and supported

What is the theme of 1 John?

True Children of God walk in the light

What is the theme of 2 John?

Walking in Truth and Love