Final Exam

Question 1

what is a disadvantage of interpreting Luke-Acts as one book?

Answer 1

a. The separation is legitimate for genre w/ other 3 gospels, emphasizes Jesus’ person and work while on earth
b. Otherwise, emphases would be muted if luke-acts (i.e. concern for disadvantaged is much higher in Luke than Acts)
c. If one, could this reduce our interest and affect our conclusions on the emphases? (i.e. scholars could over-stress plan-of-God theme and downplay Jesus’ person and work)

Question 2

What are the 6 summary statements about Acts

Answer 2

Acts 6:7 “so the word of God”
Acts 9:31 Church grew, enjoyed peace, walking in fear of the lord
Acts 12:24 “but the word of god grew and increased”

Acts 16:5 “churches were strengthened in faith and grew”
Acts 19:20 “thus the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily”
Acts 28:30-31 “boldly and w/o hindrance he preached and taught about Christ

Question 3

What is general outline of Acts?

Answer 3

Acts 1:1-8:1 Church in Jerusalem
Acts 8:2-12:25 Church in Judea, Samaria, Antioch
Acts 13:1-14:28 1st missionary journey of Paul to NE Med
Acts 15:1-35 Jerusalem council
Acts 15:36-18:22 2nd mission to Aegean Sea
Acts 18:23-21:16 3rd mission of Paul Aegean sea
Acts 21:17-28:31 Jerusalem to Rome

Question 4

What secondary purposes of Acts does Cara agree with?

Answer 4

i. Shows relationship of Christ to Holy Spirit
ii. Confirms that the Church is for Gentiles
iii. Shows that Christianity is a continuation of OT Israel
iv. The Word of God spread despite opposition
v. Encourage Christians to spread the gospel
vi. Gives ex of how present church is to act by imitating the early church
vii. Shows God’s divine guidance over history

Question 5

What secondary purposes does Cara dislike?

Answer 5

i. Defends Paul to Jewish Christians
ii. Defends Paul to roman authorities who were deciding his fate
iii. Shows roman authorities that Christianity is different from Judaism and not responsible for the disturbances, it is a peaceful religion
iv. Explains the delay in the Parousia (2nd coming)
v. Gets peter and Paul party together

Question 6

Acts 1:1–11 supports the idea that another title

Answer 6

a. Acts of the Holy Spirit

Question 7

Peter’s imagery of “Lord” and “Christ” is rooted in what from Acts 2:36?

Answer 7

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” ESV

a. Jesus is referred to as YHWH from Joel
b. Implied as Christ and contrasted with YHWH from Psalm 16
c. Called Adonai and implied as Christ from Psalm 110

Question 8

what is the rationale for concluding that the meaning of “Lord” is some combination of master and Yahweh?

Answer 8

a. Rom 10:9, 13 specifically connect Lord and Yahweh
b. 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
c. 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f]

Question 9

what is meant by “the filling of the Holy Spirit” in Acts 4:8

Answer 9

a. Special occasion for a particular task

Question 10

what is the propositional content of the Word of God in Acts?

Answer 10

a. OT plus apostolic tradition/scripture and its implications

Question 11

Acts gives justification for equating “the word of God” with what?

Answer 11

a. Core of the gospel, “whole counsel of God”

Question 12

what are the TWO problems addressed in Acts 10:1–11:18

Answer 12

a. How jewish Christians shd interact with gentile converts (food and hospitality laws)
b. Jewish Christians are not convinced gentiles are part of God’s plan

Question 13

what is the primary reason for the tongues event in Acts 10:45–46?

Answer 13

a. Confirm that gentiles are part of the church

Question 14

what are the reasons for Luke’s repetition of events in Acts 10–11

Answer 14

a. Emphasis and persuasion that Gentiles are a part of God’s church

Question 15

what are the THREE arguments presented at the Jerusalem Council in favor of Gentile inclusion

Answer 15

a. Peter recalls Acts 10 w/ Gentiles, Cornelius, holy spirit
b. Paul & Barnabas recall Acts 13-14 signs and wonders done among Gentiles
c. James quotes Amos 9:11-12 “and all the gentiles who are called”

Question 16

what rationale explains Paul’s decision to circumcise Timothy immediately after the Jerusalem Council?

Answer 16

a. Cara relates to Paul’s “all things to all men” 1 Cor 9:19-23 so this is not a stumbling block

Question 17

what explains the differences in vocabulary in style between Paul’s speeches in Acts 13 and Acts 20

Answer 17

a. Paul was speaking in front of different audiences in 13 vs 20.

Question 18

16. When Paul wrote Romans, what problem was most likely affecting the congregations in Rome?

Answer 18

a. Claudius expelled all jews from Rome
b. Not one Roman congregation but several
c. Likely no synagogues but house churches
d. Jews would have taken positions of authority
e. Paul appealed for unity

Question 19

17. What was Paul on the way to do when he wrote Romans?

Answer 19

a. Wrote during 3rd missionary trip, going to Jerusalem to deliver collection of money
b. This fund raising was a cementing of good will bt Jews & Gentiles

Question 20

18. What aspect of the righteousness of God was most important for Martin Luther’s influential interpretation of Romans 1:16–17

Answer 20

a. Instead of God’s righteousness being withheld to punish the unrighteous, Luther realized that God gives his righteousness to those who believe, thereby giving them the ability to go free in judgement.

Question 21

19. What does God do in response to human rebellion in Romans 1:18–32?

Answer 21

a. Paul says truth about God is observable and we should recognize it. 1:18-20
b. Rejection of truth leads to idolatry 1:21-23
c. In response, God gives them over to their lust 1:24-31
d. Those guilty are worthy of death 1:32

Question 22

20. What is the effect of the shift to “you” in Romans 2:1?

Answer 22

a. While Paul’s audience is in judgement of gentiles, he turns the tables and “suddenly they becomes you” (Beverly Gaventa)
b. God reveals his wrath against sin

Question 23

21. What is the point of Romans 3:1–8?

Answer 23

Jews have advantage of direct revelation from God’s law but they face same exact measure of judgement.
God is impartial and possession of the law will not help

The plight of the Jews does not nullify God’s integrity. They do have benefits but their inability to follow the law makes them unrighteous like all others.

Question 24

22. What concept does “propitiation” refer to in Romans 3:25?: “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood”

Answer 24

a. Jesus is a sacrifice of atonement. 3 metaphors are used 1) law court 2) slave market 3) sacrificial atonement.
b. Propitiation releases us from bondage.

Question 25

23. What is Paul’s aim in chapter 4?

Answer 25

a. To show that Abraham—the father of the Jewish nation—is the primary ex of justification by faith not by works

Question 26

24. Summarize Paul’s argument in Romans 5:1–11 in a sentence

Answer 26

e. God justified us in the past while sinners (5:9a) and now justified, God will certainly deliver us in the future (5:9b). God reconciled us in the past as enemies (5:10a) and now that we are reconciled, God will certainly deliver us in the future (5:10b).
f. What God has done in the past is assurance of what he will do in the future.

Question 27

what is the overall function of Romans chapters 5–8?

Answer 27

a. While Paul focuses on the individual in 1-4, chapters 5-8 focus on God’s redemptive acts throughout all history.

Question 28

26. What does Paul mean when he says believers have “died to sin” (6:2)?

Answer 28

a. If you are in Christ, you are beyond the reach of sin’s power, rule, and authority bc Chris has broken that power and ushered in a new reign of life. Sin is no longer Lord for the believer.

Question 29

27. What are the four benefits of the Holy Spirit from Romans 8:1–39?

Answer 29

a. Power to defeat sin.
b. Testifies to our adoption
c. Promises redemption
d. Intercedes in prayer

Question 30

what is the main reason that Romans 9–11 is relevant to the main argument in Romans?

Answer 30

God is righteous in his character and dealings with humanity. He didn’t change his mind or use Plan B w/ Gentiles or contradict the OT plan of salvation. He is impartial and true to promises.

Paul: what god is doing with Israel vindicates the Gospel. Not a violation of what happened, but a fulfillment. his sovereign purposes have never changed.

As E. Johnson
sums it up: “This balanced tension between divine impartiality toward all and faithfulness
to Israel drives not only chapters 9–11 but the entire argument of the letter to Romans.”

Question 31

29. What is the point of Romans 10:14–21 in its context?

Answer 31

Israel is responsible for her own failure because (a) she was aware ahead of time that God would call the Gentiles (promised in Scripture), and (b) she has rejected God’s offer of righteousness through Christ. God was faithful in sending preachers, so that Israel could hear and believe; but they simply failed to do so.

His reference to belief comes from hearing and hearing comes from a preacher is all to develop the point that Jews have heard, and they did understand. God used gentiles to stir up Israel’s anger (10:19), God woud be found by Gentiles (10:20), and Israel has repeatedly rejected God’s offer (10:21)

Question 32

what are the four answers to the problem of Jewish unbelief?

Answer 32

a. 9:6-29 past: not all Israel is true Israel
b. 9:30-10:21 present: Israel is responsible for her fall
c. 11:1-10 present: God is saving a remnant now
d. 11:11-32 future: God will save “all Israel”

Question 33

Romans 9:25–26 Paul quotes from the prophet Hosea. In the original context, “my people” refers to Israel, but Paul applies this term to the Gentiles. What rationale explains this change?

Answer 33

a. Paul is showing that the pattern that applied to Israel also applies to the Gentiles.

Question 34

what makes the commands in Romans 12:1–21 so radical?

Answer 34

a. “transformed by renewing of your mind” means Christians adopt new attitudes and actions that could destabilize your social status and alienate you from surrounding culture. This is a radical change of values and relationships motivated purely by Christian love that reflects God’s own love, which is given freely.

Question 35

33. What is most likely the issue behind Paul’s exhortations in Romans 14:1–15:7?

Answer 35

a. In issues that do not affect the heart of the gospel, Christians must accept one another. Likely caused by strained relationships bt Jews and Gentiles about how to worship and live Christian life.

Question 36

what characterizes those who are “weak in faith” (Romans 14:1)

Answer 36

a. Their faith is tied to one specific cultural expression, and they find it hard to disentangle their faith from their cultural identity.

Question 37

35. What is the significance of the diversity of individuals mentioned in Romans 16?

Answer 37

a. Example of diversity embodies what Paul has been teaching that we are a diverse body of believers who have accepted one another despite differences, in order to build one another up in love and service. Gospel of Jesus Christ is what they all have in common and this creates a new community.