Jesus: Yeshua (Joshua), meaning “God saves” (Yahweh).
Emmanuel: God is with us.
Christ: Christos (anointed one).
Synagogue: Greek for assembly, local Jewish place of worship.
Temple: Only 1 place of worship, led by priests, taxes, destroyed in 70 CE.
Pharisees: Made up of educated laymen, strong focus on Mosaic Law, accepted both Writings and Prophets as Scripture, focused on prayer, almsgiving, and fasting, helped preserve Judaism after Temple destruction.
Sadducees: Made up of priests and aristocrats, based in Jerusalem focused on Temple, only accepted Torah.
Zealots: Willing to use violent methods to overthrow Roman Empire, revolted against taxation.
Great Sanhedrin: Governing body and supreme court for Jews, composed of 70 members and high priests (elders, priests, Sadducees, Pharisees).
Unit 2 – Understanding The Bible
Divine Inspiration: Guidance of the Holy Spirit to human authors so they wrote what God wants written for our benefit.
Evangelist: Writer of a Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).
Canon: Official list of inspired/authorized books.
Covenant: Agreement between 2 parties, usually between God and God's people in the Bible.
Oral Tradition: Verbal passing down of stories, teachings, and history from generation to generation.
Source Criticism: Identifying and analyzing the sources biblical authors use.
Synoptic Gospels: Seen together, refers to Mark, Matthew, and Luke (shares similar stories and passages).
Q Source: Used by Matthew and Luke, not Mark, hypothetical source said to contain Jesus’ sayings.
Unit 3 – Gospel Essentials
Kingdom of God: The process of God’s reconciling and renewing all things through Jesus to the point where God’s will is manifested through every individual and throughout the entire social order and world (AKA: reign of God of of kingdom of heaven).
Miracle:
Modern Understanding: A suspension of laws of nature.
NT Understanding: Powerful signs of God’s kingdom worked by Jesus and disciples.
Parable: A vivid story drawn from ordinary life that conveys religious truth.
From Greek= to throw beside
Parables compare something familiar to an unfamiliar idea about the KOG
Unit 4 – Mark
Messianic Secret: Jesus instructed people (and demons) to not tell others his identity.
Framing/”Markan sandwich”: Mark starts with one story and interprets it with another, then goes back to the first story (A-B-A), second story gives deeper meaning to the first story.
Docetism: Early heresy stating Jesus is only divine, only appeared human.
Disciple: “Learner”, follower of Jesus.
Apostle: “One is sent” those sent by Jesus (Mary Magdalene, Paul).
Unit 5 – The Gospel of Matthew
Infancy Narrative: Accounts of Jesus’ conception, birth, and infancy.
Epiphany: Holiday in Christmas celebrating the Magi’s visit to Jesus.
Beatitude: “Supreme happiness”, teaches us joy, knowing God is near us.
Apostolic Succession: The uninterrupted passing on of apostolic preaching and authority from apostles to bishops (successor of apostle).
Eschatological: Having to do with the end of times.
Corporal Works of Mercy: Feed the hungry, give water to thirsty, clothe naked, welcome strangers, take care of sick, visit imprisoned.
Unit 6 – Luke
Annunciation: Gabriel visits Mary and tells her she is favored and will conceive Jesus.
Visitation: When Mary visits Elizabeth.
Canticle: Song/hymn praising God.
Magnificat: Mary’s canticle praising God.
Unit 7 – The Gospel of John
Incarnation: When God the son became man, took on human flesh (in carne=flesh).
Unit 8 – The Passion
Pentecost: An ancient Jewish Holiday 50 days after Passover
Paschal Mystery: The mystery of how Jesus’ life, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension saved us from sin and death.
Passion: In Latin means “suffering”, refers to Jesus' suffering before his death.
Unit 9 – Easter
Unit 10 – Paul
Vocation: The call from God for a person to fulfill a specific and significant purpose.
Conversion: A significant change of heart especially in terms of your attitude toward God or religion.
Pseudepigrapha: Practice of writing a text under someone else’s name.
Justification by Faith: We are saved not through works of the law, but simply through God’s grace and our faith in God.