NEW TESTAMENT

Canon

A collection or list of sacred books accepted as genuine.

Hebrew canon

The collection of books that form the sacred scripture for Judaism.

Septuagint

The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Apocrypha

Writings not included in the canonical Bible.

Greek canon

The collection of books accepted as scripture in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Oral tradition

Cultural material and traditions transmitted orally from one generation to another.

Pentateuch

The first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

Torah

The central reference of the religious Judaic tradition.

Tanak

An acronym for the Hebrew Bible, consisting of the Torah, Nevi’im, and Kethu’bim.

Nevi’im

The second section of the Tanak, consisting of the Prophets.

Kethu’bim

The third section of the Tanak, consisting of the Writings.

Biblical criticism

The scholarly study of the Bible to understand its origins and meanings.

Textual Criticism

The study of manuscripts to determine the original text of a document.

Source criticism

The study of the origins of biblical texts.

JEDP

A scholarly hypothesis about the authorship of the Pentateuch.

Redaction criticism

The study of how and why a text was edited and compiled.

Documentary hypothesis

A theory that the Pentateuch is derived from several sources.

Primeval History

The early narratives of Genesis covering creation to the Tower of Babel.

Patriarchs

The founding fathers of the Israelite people, including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Jerusalem

A city with significant historical and religious importance in Judaism and Christianity.

Land of Canaan

The ancient region located in the Near East, promised to the Israelites.

Fertile Crescent

A region in the Middle East where agriculture and early civilizations flourished.

Enuma Elish

The Babylonian creation myth.

Tiamat

The Babylonian goddess of the ocean, portrayed in the Enuma Elish.

Marduk

A principal god in Babylonian mythology, known for defeating Tiamat.

Yom

Hebrew word for 'day' used in the context of creation.

adam / adamah / ish / ishah

Hebrew terms related to humanity and human relationships.

Creation stories

Narratives that describe the origin of the world and humankind.

Sin / the Fall

The biblical concept of humanity's disobedience to God leading to a state of estrangement.

grace

Unmerited favor from God towards humanity.

Utnapishtim

The character in the Epic of Gilgamesh who survived a great flood.

Gilgamesh epic

An ancient Mesopotamian poem that explores themes of friendship, mortality, and divine intervention.

ziggurats

Massive structures built in ancient Mesopotamia, serving as temples.

Circumcision

A physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham.

Covenant

An agreement or promise between God and His people.

El Shaddai / Elyon / Olam / Roi

Different names or titles for God in the Hebrew Bible.

Bethel

A significant biblical location associated with Jacob's dream.

Israel

The name given to the nation descended from Jacob.

Peniel

The place where Jacob wrestled with God, marking a pivotal moment in his life.

Adam

The first human created by God according to the Genesis creation narrative.

Eve

The first woman created from Adam’s rib, considered to be his companion.

Serpent

A creature that tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.

Cain

The firstborn son of Adam and Eve, known for murdering his brother Abel.

Abel

The second son of Adam and Eve, who was killed by his brother Cain.

Noah

The righteous man chosen by God to survive the Flood and build the Ark.

Babel

The city where humanity attempted to build a tower to heaven, resulting in God's confusion of their languages.

Abraham

The patriarch who made a covenant with God, promised to be the father of many nations.

Sarah

Abraham's wife, who bore him a son, Isaac, after initially being barren.

Isaac

The son of Abraham and Sarah, who carried on the covenant promises.

Rebekah

The wife of Isaac, known for her kindness and for selecting him among many suitors.

Esau

The elder twin son of Isaac and Rebekah, known for trading his birthright to his brother Jacob.

Jacob

The younger twin son of Isaac and Rebekah, who later became Israel after wrestling with God.

Rachel

Jacob's beloved wife, whom he worked fourteen years to marry.

Laban

The brother of Rebekah and father-in-law of Jacob; known for his trickery.

Joseph

The favored son of Jacob, sold into slavery by his brothers, who later rose to power in Egypt.