Exam 1

Question 1

Short Answer Question

What major historical events led to the Babylonian Exile for the kingdom of Judah?

Answer 1

After the death of Salomon, his son Rehoboam ascended to the throne and began to rule over the nation of Israel. During Rehoboam’s reign, there is a conflict of authority on who is in charge between Jeroboam and Rehoboam. Jeroboam was the general of the military and he was also general during King Salomon’s reign. Rehoboam did not like this so they began to fight against each other. In response, Jeroboam uses his military power and rules over the North, which would be called Israel. Rehoboam rules over South which is Judah. Because the nation split, the surrounding nation’s noticed their vulnerability and took the opportunity to conquer them. The Assyrians attacked Israel practically eliminating it, and the Babylonians conquer Judah and exiling them to Babylon. The Babylonian exile for the kingdom of Judah lasted for 40 years.

Question 2

Short Question

What do we need to know about ancient Jewish history in the OT in order to understand Matthew Chs. 1-4?

Answer 2

-Who is in power throughout the story of of Israel
-King Herod
-The prophecies in the OT: Isaiah, Elijah (2 Kings), Malachi
-The genealogy of Jesus
-The Jew religion, and traditions
-The Jewish concept of the Temple

Question 3

How does Matthew’s use of OT citations influence our understanding of the kind of character Jesus is in the Gospel?

Answer 3

Matthew often refers to OT books, like Isaiah, in order to prove Jesus’s identity as the promised Messiah. Matthew’s intended audience is the Jews, so by providing texts from the OT he is reminding them of the prophecies of the Messiah to come. So as he explains the life of Jesus and specific events, he paralleling it to what the OT says that the Messiah would do and how he would be like.

Question 4

Why was Jesus’s baptism important in his life? What are the features of Matthew’s portrayal of this event?

Answer 4

It marked the beginning of his public ministry and God declared Him as His Son in public.

-John the Baptist baptized Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, and a voice from the heavens (God) declared him as His Son.

Question 5

What is the meaning of the temptations Jesus faces and what does his refusal of these temptations communicate about the kingdom he is commencing?

Answer 5

-bread
-temple
-power in kingdoms

Question 6

How does the political climate and power sttruggle around the nation of Israel influence the ways that we read the story of Jesus in Matthew 1-4?

Answer 6

It gives insight to who is in power at the time
Helps understand Jewish religion and concepts mentioned in Matthew
And impacts how we understand Jesus’s ministry (upside down kingdom)

Question 7

Who are the important people listed in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus and what does this tells us about Jesus’ identity?

Answer 7

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel), Judah, King David, Solomon, Rehoboam, (exile to Babylon, Joseph (Father of Jesus).

-Son of Abraham
-Son of David
-Jesus is the promised Messiah

Question 8

Historical world

Answer 8

“World behind the text”
-WHAT is the original AUDIENCE
-WHO is in power/control
-WHAT major events in biblical history shape this text

Question 9

Literary World

Answer 9

“World in the text”
-audience & author
-genre
-characters
-plot
-prose composition

Question 10

Contemporary world

Answer 10

“World beyond the text”
-how do I read the text
-relevance
-ethnicity, race, culture, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.

History and literary world are to be understood first before applying the text to just yourself.

Question 11

Gospel

Answer 11

Word with Greek origin that means “good news”

There are 4 gospels: Mark (#1), Matthew (#2), Luke (#3), and John (#4)

Question 12

Genre

Answer 12

Tells us about the intention, how to read it, and how to interpret it

Gives us guidelines for the intended message

Question 13

Patriarchs-Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

Answer 13

1. Abraham: God makes covenant with him and becomes the father of all nations
2. Isaac: Is the father of Esau and Jacob
3. Jacob: Has a personal encounter with God so God changes his name to Israel. He has 12 sons= 12 tribes of Israel

Question 14

Exile

Answer 14

The Israelites (Nation of Judah) were exiled by Babylon for 40 years

Question 15

Babylon

Answer 15

Babylonians conquered Judah (South) and EXILES the Israelites for 40 years.

Question 16

Assyria

Answer 16

They conquered the North (Israel; led by Jeroboam), and wiped them out of the face of the earth forever.

Question 17

Persia

Answer 17

-King Darius
-conquer Babylon
-allow the people to return to Jerusalem
-Rebuild the temple
-2nd temple period (intertestamental period)

Question 18

Macedonia

Answer 18

Macedonians conquer the Persian empire; Alexander the Great is from Macedonia

Question 19

Greece

Answer 19

The Greeks are in power after the death of Alexander the Great. Their kingdom is divided into the Selucids and Ptolemies.
-Seleucid Empire
-they enforced Greek religion and dedicated the Jewish temple to Zeus
-They were overthrown by the Maccabees

Question 20

Rome

Answer 20

Jesus is born into Roman occupation and the Book of Matthew occurs while Rome is in power.
-Romans used the idea of having the same language and culture, but implied imperial religion.

Question 21

Alexander the Great

Answer 21

He institutes hellenization (peace and everyone spoke the same language)
-Macedonia

Question 22

The Maccabees

Answer 22

The Maccabees led a rebellion against the Greeks because Antiochus IV who enforced Greek religion that violated God’s law. The rebellion led by Matthaias (father) and his three sons: Simon, Judas, & Jonathan. Judas Maccabeas kicks out the Greeks and rededicates the Temple to God; Hanukkah (in memory of the rededication of the temple)

Question 23

King Herod

Answer 23

-He is Idumean. He converts and becomes a Jew. Gets into the royal family by marrying the Hasmonean princess Miriam. Due to his ambition he kills his sons, kills Miriam, and others just to stay on the throne.
-when the magi told him about the birth of the new “king”, King Herod is frightened and then kills every baby under the age of 2 in Bethlehem

Question 24

Hasmonean Dynasty

Answer 24

They had both Kings and High priests (combined)
-Come from the Maccabees family
- Miriam the Hasmonean princess is the one King Herod marries in order to enter the royal family.

Question 25

Messiah

Answer 25

Means the “Annointed One”
-set apart for a specific purpose that is seen in a role
-“saves His people from their sins”
-Jesus is referred to as the Messiah
-promised in the OT

Question 26

Sypnoptic

Answer 26

-Source “Q”

the gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke are synoptic gospels: meaning they used the same sources (“Q”)

Question 27

Covenant

Answer 27

When God calls Abram, He makes a covenant with him and changes his name to Abraham. Abraham means father of all nations (Israel).
-Covenant: God’s promise that He would bless those who bless him, and curse those who curse him so that he would be a BLESSING TO OTHERS.

Question 28

Idumean

Answer 28

-Idumeans come from Esau
-King Herod is idumean

Question 29

Jewish

Answer 29

Those who are descendants of Jacob (Israel), specifically from the tribe of Judah

Question 30

Israel (north)

Answer 30

After the split of Israel, Jeroboam ruled the north territory (Israel). Later on, Israel is wiped out by the Assyrians, completely eliminating Israel

Question 31

Judah (south)

Answer 31

After the nation split, Rehoboam reigned over the territory in the south, which became known as Judah. The Babylonians the conquer Judah and lead them to exile

Question 32

John the Baptist

Answer 32

-Cousin of Jesus
-Baptized Jesus with water
-paves the way for Jesus (the Lord)
-preached about repentance
-hairy, wore a leather belt, and is Tishbite
- “repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near”
-eats locusts and wild honey

Question 33

The Magi (wise men)

Answer 33

They followed the star that led to Jesus. They believed that Jesus is the king of the Jews according to the prophecies and the stars. They gave Jesus frankincense, gold, and myrrh.

Question 34

Mary

Answer 34

The Mother of Jesus,
Conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit as a virgin

Question 35

Joseph

Answer 35

Father of Jesus and husband of Mary
He stays with Mary and doesn’t allow her to go through public disgrace

Question 36

Review of Biblical History in OT and NT

Answer 36

OT: Genesis (garden of Eden, creation of Adam and Eve, SIN), Calling of Abraham (father of all nations, God makes a covenant with him, he’s from Ur (Mesopotamian), has 2 sons -> (1) Ishmael (father of his own nation), and (2) Isaac. Isaac has 2 sons -> Esau (own nation) and Jacob (encounters God, name changes to Israel). Jacob (Israel) has 12 sons=12 tribes. Joseph (#11 of the tribes) goes to Egypt
NT: