Final Exam Study Guide Flashcards
0
Q
How early Jewish apocalypticism started
A
Began in second temple period
Apocalyptic writing in apocrypha, pseudoprigrapha, and Dead Sea Scrolls
Part of biblical interpretation and reflection
Influenced by Persian, Greek, and Roman apocalyptic religions
Came out of need for increased hope in political turmoil
1
Q
Josephus
A
Wrote history of Jews from creation to contemporary
Hired by Romans, so from roman point of view
BEST SOURCE FOR UNDERSTANDING THE SECOND TEMPLE PERIOD
2
Q
Influence of Alexander the Great on Christianity
A
- 1st multiculturalist– intermarriage
- Myoptic about religion (wanted 1 combination religion for everyone)
- Wanted 1 government
- Imposed 1 language (koine)
3
Q
Rome’s 4 major changes to the Jewish religion and Christian world
A
- Pax Romana (MVP)= peace of Rome, immunity for roman citizens out of fear of Rome (ex. Paul)
- Power from ability to administrate= est. Of governors and the 1st man in Rome (Pilot)
- Engineering= aqueducts, roads, bath houses, sewage systems, ect.
- Communication through ROADS
4
Q
Rome’s influences on Christianity
A
Crucifixion= MVP sign of roman power
In 2nd Temple Period, Jews wanted to define themselves AGAINST Greco-Roman religion
Manna: primitive belief that there were powers in world not meant to be messed with
Philosophical: believed gods were fickle, began trusting in the mind
Mystery cults
5
Q
Features of early Jewish apocalypticism
A
- Binary (good v. evil)
- Pervasive (present everywhere)
- Corresponds with political domination of Israel by foreign powers
- Transition: vision of future described through dreams of God’s glorious intervention
Hope for world only from God’s divine intervention
Looking for dramatic reversal by God
6
Q
2nd Temple Period sources
A
Apocrypha
Pseudoprigrapha
Dead Sea Scrolls
Shows Jews were reflecting on scripture to establish their identity
Needed to establish an identity because of loss of sovereignty (through loss of land and loss of temples)
Reflection= new way to “go home”
7
Q
3 types of divine agents
A
- Patriarchs and matriarchs back from the dead
- Special agents
a. Ex. Grpabriel, Michael, Angels (even made random words Angels)
b. Developed in 2nd Temple Period along with beliefs in hell, multiplicity of being, and Satan - Personified attributes of God
a. MVP examples: glory, power, holiness, wisdom
8
Q
Hardest divine agent to understand
A
Personified attributes of God
9
Q
What do divine agents do?
A
- Helped create the world
- Help in times of need
- INSTRUMENTS THROUGH WHICH GOD DESTROYS EVIL AND ESTABLISHES THE KINGDOM OF GOD
10
Q
Problem associated with divine agents
A
Because they are described like God, people thought they were God
Problem of worshipping divine agents contradicted monotheism
Ex. Luke 9 with transfiguration and Moses and Elijah
11
Q
Relationship between Jewish view of divine agents and Jesus
A
Jesus was pictured similar to a divine agent BUT CHRISTIANS WORSHIPPED HIM AS GOD
Jesus breeched a new wall
12
Q
Crux of the New Testament
A
Christians worshipping Jesus as God
Is the transformation from Judaism to Christianity
Jesus breeched a new wall
Ex. In a hymn before Jesus’s resurrection
13
Q
Effect of the shift from Alexander the Great’s reign to roman rule
A
More change, more communication, dislocation
Tumultuous time period
Led to people seeking a guide for life with “experience” religions
Experiences became cure for social anxiety
14
Q
Reflection of “experience” religions on Jews in 2nd Temple Period
A
Experiences= cure for social anxiety under roman rule AND from the tension between prophetic hope and apocalyptic hope Learned from Persians =People claiming PERSONAL revelations New experiences= NEW REVELATIONS =throne visions
15
Q
2nd Temple Period apocalypses were basically stories of…
A
How Jews were going to be NEWLY purchased by GOD
16
Q
Throne visions
A
Like seeing a movie
Interpreted by DIVINE AGENTS (to usher in the Kingdom of God)
17
Q
Tension between prophetic hope and apocalyptic hope came from…
A
The apocalyptic belief that God would bring about a NEW world, not a remade world
Old Testament looks to Day of the Lord
Apocalyptic writings look to God’s agent and judgement of evil
18
Q
How was the tension between prophetic hope and apocalyptic hope increased?
A
Because Jesus “drank deeply” from both prophetic hope and apocalyptic hope, and, consequently, Christianity did too
19
Q
How is the death and resurrection of Jesus apocalyptic
A
It’s a cosmic judgement of the old age AND an inauguration of the new age
“A kick in the pants”
20
Q
Cultural anxiety affects…
A
BOTH prophetic hope and apocalyptic hope
= quest for solace
Spoke to the spirit
21
Q
Images of Jesus
A
An improbable moment
22
Q
The moment of divine revelation of Jesus’s true identity
A
His resurrection
23
Q
_________ redeemed the cross
A
Jesus’s resurrection
Est. Christianity
Transforms the improbable to the focus of points to God’s purpose
Looks to sacrificial system of the Old Testament
24
Baptism in early Christianity
Was practiced by Jews already, BUT NOW it represented the death and resurrection of Jesus
Became symbol of God's people
WAS AN EXPERIENCE
Crazy-- like praying in the name of Allah in chapel
25
The Lord's Supper in early Christianity
Symbol of a CHOICE to maintain a RELATIONSHIP with God
Recurring event
Bread= body
Wine= blood
BINDS PEOPLE TOGETHER
An intimate EXPERIENCE (a risky experience)
26
What binds the 2nd Temple Period and Christianity?
Jesus
27
Christians claimed that the Jewish story reached its climax with...
Jesus
28
Jesus's deeds and words
They interpreted each other
Deeds: miracles and enacted parables
Words: parables, wise sayings, sermons
29
Exodus 3:14
"Yaweh"= "I am who I am"= "kurious" in Greek= "Lord"
Jesus (the) Christ (is) Lord
Earliest confession about Jesus
30
Philippians 2:5-9
Early Christian hymn that predicts the second coming of Christ
31
Best account of what we know about Jesus
Paul's letters
| Not the gospels.., = problem
32
2nd best account of life of Jesus
The Gospels
33
Synoptic gospels
Matthew
Mark
Luke
*not original disciples and not all present with Jesus
34
Synoptic problem:
Comes from the attempt to explain the similarities and differences between Matthew, Mark, and Luke
35
Markan priority
Belief that Mark= source of Matthew and Luke
Preferred hypothesis
Scholars assume Q is another source for Matthew and Luke
36
Q
Is german for "quella"
Assumed supplementary source for Matthew and Luke to support the Markan priority hypothesis
Agreed upon by 85% of scholars
Refers to content in Matthew and Luke only
SAYINGS ONLY
Was written after Mark
May have been written near time of Jesus
NOT the gospel of Thomas
37
Matthean Priority
Belief that Matthew= source for Mark and Luke
Because belief that Matthew was written first
Mark= "reader's digest" version of Matthew
38
Gospel criticisms
1. Source criticism
2. Form criticism
3. Redaction criticism
4. Literary criticism
5. Canon criticism
39
Source criticism
Explains sources of the gospels
MVP: Markan priority with Q
Segue to form criticism and synoptic problem
40
Form criticism
Form is appropriate to social location
Analogy: wedding invitation (the form is always the same)
Scholars saw the parables, wise sayings, miracles, controversial stories, travel narratives, and long sermons of the New Testament as DIFFERENT FORMS
Form relates to the life of the CHURCH
41
Church relates to ____, but does NOT relate to _____
Forms; Jesus
42
Redaction criticism
EDITORIAL
Because scholars saw synoptic problem and measured changes and differences between Matthew, Luke, and Q
Argument that Matthew and Luke wrote about things they were partial to
PURPOSE: to say what each gospel writer's THEOLOGY is
43
Purpose of redaction criticism
To say what each gospel writer's THEOLOGY is
| Makes authors of the gospels theologians (like Paul and Jesus)
44
Characteristics of Luke's Gospel
```
Longest and has a literary preface
Is a prequel to Acts
Focuses more on women, Holy Spirit, and a specific view of time specific view of time
Prioritized prayer
Has MOST PARABLES
Fewer sermons and miracles
Chronological
Imaginative, not nonfiction
GENTILE audience
Believed what Jesus said and did MATTERED
```
45
Literary criticism
Study of Matthew for Mark's sake
| NOT to study the changes Matthew made
46
Canon criticism
Looks at ways in which the books of the New Testament form a choir
47
Interpretations of who Jesus was?
1. Apocalyptic prophet who predicted binary end of the world
2. Miracle worker (magician) like those in Greco-Roman culture
3. Wise teacher
4. Political revolutionary
5. Figure seeking individual enlightenment (gnostic view)
*truth in all but only one image will suffice
48
3 word summary of Jesus's identity
1. Prophet
2. Messiah
3. Lord
49
Jesus as a prophet
Beginning category of understanding
Gives message of renewal for Israel
Tells Israel to be Israel and not to fall because Kingdom of God is HERE
Renewal is present from birth to last week of His life
50
Jesus as Messiah
Spoke openly of it in last week of His life
Jesus EMBODIES THE DESTINY OF ALL
"Messiah" does not necessarily mean "divine" (ex. Cyprus)
51
Jesus as Lord
Jesus spoke of it on the last day of His life
Not focused on prophet or messiah definition
CAUSES CHAOS
In Jesus, God becomes king (but God is still consistent in Old Testament and New Testament)
Jesus is God's return to Zion
God raises Jesus
52
Luke's claims in Luke 1:1-4
1. Aware that there are many accounts of the gospel
2. Wrote is with care and intention
3. His account is 100% truth (believes that other accounts "suffer" with getting the truth right)
4. He got his info from primary sources
5. Is in chronological order
6. Writing to a GENTILE audience
7. Writing to a church/believers
8. Recognizes that he WROTE it, not just part of oral tradition
9. His sources are coherent with the church's
53
Implications of the chronological order of Luke's Gospel
Consecutive
Easy to understand
Teachable
Precise
54
Anomaly of the Gospels
Generally think they tell the life of Jesus BUT 40% of the Gospels are just about the last week of His life with a main focus on the last day and about 60% covers the first 3 years of His life
Gospels were likely written backward
55
2 defining characteristics of Christ's story
1. Is a Jewish narrative (with parables, teachings, and the Kingdom of God)
2. Is an apocalypse (COSMIC, not national)
56
12 points to the life of Jesus according to the Gospels
1. Miraculous birth
2. Childhood (only one story: Jesus rebuking teachers at the temple)
3. Call to ministry
4. Early ministry in Galilee
5. Turning point (transfiguration)
6. Journey to Jerusalem
7. Last week
8. Last Supper
9. Garden of Gethsemane
10. Arrested, trials and beatings
11. Cross and crucifixion
12. Quickly buried and risen
57
Luke's account of Jesus miraculous birth
Luke 1-2
```
Mary
Angels
Nazareth
Shepherds
Temple
```
58
Matthew's account of Jesus miraculous birth
```
Matthew 1-2
Joseph
Dreams
Egypt
Magi
```
59
3 aspects of Jesus's call to ministry
1. John the Baptist
2. Jesus is baptized
3. Jesus's temptation
60
John the Baptist told the Sadducees and Pharisees...
"Do not presume to say to yourselves that 'we have Abraham as our father'"
Attack on the claim that they were saved by genetics
APOCALYPTIC
Not all of Israel is Israel-- the wheat is beaten and the useless parts are separated and burned
Need REPENTANCE and BAPTISM for salvation
61
Jesus's baptism
Matthew 3:16
1st powerful experience of God by Jesus
God calls Jesus His Son
Part of prophetic call in ministry (as prophet, Messiah, and Lord)
Language central to apocalyptic vision
Confirmed by His temptation in the wilderness
Why?
Jesus has OUR sins
A reference to Genesis
JESUS IDENTIFYING WITH US
62
Through His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus affirms that...
Evil is:
1. Real
2. Personal (concentrates down into a figure)
3. Cosmic (present everywhere)
4. What is wrong with the world
63
4 MVPs to Jesus's early ministry in Galilee
1. Kingdom of God
2. Kingdom enacted through miracles
3. Training disciples
4. Rising opposition
64
4 dimensions of the Kingdom of God
1. Political: Rome is not the true ruler of the world
2. Spiritual: evil is present BUT is being defeated
3. Social: Israel is called to stop messing around and be the people of God
4. Personal: calls for a TRANSFORMATION of the human heart
65
Pharisees
Jewish group in Jerusalem
Origins in the purity movement led by Judas Macabaes
Believed in resurrection and apocalyptic notion that you get your body back after death
Focused on religion
Ex. Saul (Paul before his conversion)
66
Sadducees
Jewish group in Jerusalem
Origins in the purity movement led by Judas Macabaes
Ambivalent about afterlife
Kiss ups to Romans for political power
67
Zealots
Wanted to kill Romans
Zealous for Jewish independence
Saccari= murders and assassins
68
Essenes
"Pharisees on drugs"
Radicalization of purity movement
Believed Jews and Sadducees were the problem, not the Romans
Built Qumran community
Described by Josephus
Preserved and interpreted the bible apocalyptically
Believed God would judge Romans AND Jews
69
Qumran
Community in inhospitable, desolate place
Est. By Essenes
Joined through baptism
70
Transfiguration
"Turning point" in Jesus's life according to the gospels
Jesus takes his 3 favorite disciplines to a mountain and they fall asleep
Tells them about his upcoming death
Transfiguration
3 disciples want to worship Jesus AND Moses and Elijah
Peter calls Jesus "Messiah"
Peter is told to keep quiet
71
Jesus's religious experiences
1. His baptism
| 2. Garden of Gethsemane: "let this cup pass from me if it is Your will"
72
Reasons for Jesus's ARREST
Romans feared revolution
| Jesus was preaching the Kingdom of God, not the kingdom of Caesar
73
Jesus's trials
1. Brought to Annas
2. Chiaphus (high priest) Sanhedron= high Jewish council of mainly Sadducees
3. Pilot (Roman governor)
4. Herod (sent to Herod because of citizenship)
5. Back to Pilot
6. Given out to Jews out of bargain
74
Jesus's convictions
Pilot found Him guilty of nothing
Pharisees and Sadducees remind Pilot that He's not a "friend of Caesar"
Jews convicted him of BLASPHEMY (what really crossed the line)
75
Meaning of the cross
1. Death= exodus
2. Life= ransom
3. Is a remission of sin (sacrificial interpretation)
4. Jesus substitutes sacrifice
5. Voluntary
6. Apocalyptic: discover deepest mysteries
76
Characteristics of John
1. Home at Jerusalem (home is Galilee in synoptic gospels)
2. Jesus is enigmatic and cannot be pinned down (Jesus is linear in synoptic Gospels)
3. "I am sayings"
4. Miracles= signs
5. Up and down (Jesus from above returns upwardly-- apocalyptic)
6. ETERNAL LIFE IS MVP instead of the Kingdom of God/Heaven
7. Episodic
77
Misinterpretations of Jesus
1. Miracle worker
2. Charismatic leader
3. Social/cultural critic
4. Political revolutionary
5. Wisdom teacher
6. Church's Jesus
78
Characteristics of Matthew
1. Church believed it was written first because Eusebius wrote about it in the 4th century and said it was first
2. Most JEWISH (proof: citation formulas on the life of Jesus)
3. Links Jesus with Old Testament promises
4. 5 long sermons (like the 5 books of the law)
5. Jesus= 2nd lawgiver
6. Uses Kingdom of Heaven language (to avoid blasphemy)
7. Traces genealogy back to David
8. Jesus= rabbi/teacher
9. Jesus refers to 2nd coming as an appearance ("parousia")
79
5 long sermons in Matthew
1. Sermon of the Mount
2. How to be on a mission as disciples when they're without Jesus
3. Parable sermons (a collection)
4. Community life
5. Future
80
Characteristics of Mark's Gospel
1. Intended for GENTILE audience
2. Mark was disciple of Paul and Peter
3. Shortest Gospel with only 1 long sermon
4. Contains most MIRACLES ("per sq. ft.")
5. Not Genesis 12
6. Very few parables
7. Loves "eueus " ("immediately")-- is a Gospel of action
8. Only Gospel with Latin words (to explain Jewish custom, proof of gentile audience)
9. Works backwards
10. Not very apocalyptic
11. Ends with Mark 16:8 and extended footnote
81
Types of miracles
```
1. Healing
Ex. Fish and loaves
2. Exorcism
Ex. Blind seeing
3. Nature
Ex. Casting out demons
```
82
Messianic secret
Emphasized in Mark
| After every healing, someone always cries, "You are the Christ, the Son of David," and Jesus quiets them
83
Peculiar is of Mark
Ends with Mark 16:8 and extended footnote
Looks like longer ending was added by the church to establish a more climatic ending
Harder/shorter ending is preferred
ONLY PLACE WITH MANUSCRIPT CONTROVERSY
84
Luke focuses on
1. Graciousness of God
2. Dangers of disobedience
3. Demands of discipleship
85
Definition of miracles
Occurrence/deed that defies the laws of nature
86
3 defining characteristics of miracles
1. Faith= cooperation with the power of God (human/God interaction)
2. Act of mercy by Jesus
3. Confound and anger religion opposition
87
3 purposes behind miracles
1. Become living parables, defining who and what the Messiah is
2. Demonstrate God's power in Jesus
3. Confirm that the Kingdom of God IS PRESENT
88
Approaches to interpreting miracles
1. Judge past by present (but is premature-- like judging without evidence)
2. Judge past (and present) by future (wait until end to judge)
89
Relationship between words and deeds
Jesus teaches AND heals (teaches first)
| Miracles reflect Kingdom of God
90
Words
Sermons
| Parables
91
First sermon
```
Luke 4:14-30
Jesus and why God sent Him
Isaiah 61 fulfilled
Like jubilee
Jewish narrative
Apocalyptic (eschatological)
```
92
Sermon on the Mount
```
Matthew 5
Law on steroids
Challenging (loving your enemies)
3 focuses on growth:
1. Who you are
2. What you do
3. What you really care about
Full of paradoxes
Beatitudes are internal and personal
```
93
Approaches to understanding parables
1. Allegory: one meaning per parable
| 2. Modified allegorical approach: 1 point per main character
94
Types of parables
1. 1 point: ex. Lost coin
2. 2 points: master/servant, servant/servant
3. Simple 3 point: master/author figure, 2 shaves, 2 sons
4. Complex 3 point
95
The Kingdom of God is both:
1. Present and future
2. Power and place
3. Personal and social
96
EVERY parable is...
God announcing God's self in and through text in way that demonstrates world, assumptions, and critical approach of the reader
WAY in which God breaks in and through is a microcosm of the Bible as a whole
97
Parables call for...
A response ONLY
Breaks preconceptions to change them
NOT asking you to suspend intellect, heart, soul, mind, or strength
98
Biblical themes that drive the gospels
1. Scandal of particularity
2. Narrative v. Apocalypse
3. Retracing
4. Exile
99
Scandal of particularity
1 God, 1 creator, 1 people, 1 Jesus carries the world
Creates tension between the 1 and the many
Bible sides on the 1 AND says it's universal
100
Narrative v. Apocalypse
```
Narrative:
Left to right, beginning to end, a story,
Deals with people; social, familial
Apocalypse:
Binary
Deals with cosmos and powers
```
Jesus deals with both
101
What is the turning point in the Gospels
The transfiguration
102
Luke 9:51
Jesus steadfastly turned his face and headed to Jerusalem
| Yahweh returned through Jesus
103
Episodic nature of the Gospel of John
1. I don't know Jesus
2. Discover Jesus
3. Jesus is revealed
4. Some believe and others don't
Repeat
104
The book of Acts is a...
Chronological, continuous account of the resurrected Jesus
*acts in and through all of His followers (INCLUDING WOMEN)
Summary in Acts 1:8
When you receive the Spirit, you will my my witness TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
105
Acts 2
Pentecost
Coming of the Spirit
50 days after Passover/Jesus's crucifixion
Disciples still mourning
Comparative language
SAME TONGUES= BABEL IN REVERSE
Peter defends THIS IS THAT (Joel, apocalyptic)
106
Plot of Acts
Expansion from Jerusalem
107
Subplots of Acts
1. External pressure (persecution and martyrdom)
| 2. Internal deceit (misunderstanding that Jesus is key to salvation)
108
Acts 15
Summary decide whether circumcision is necessary
NO
Do NOT have to become Jewish first to become christian
Way to get in for gentile Christians (Pauline group) is through cross and resurrection
Way to stay in for gentile Christians (Pauline group) is through cross and resurrection
Makes cross and resurrection the beginning, middle, and end (impossible for church to form without this mentality)
Footing in Acts 15:28 about no extra requirement
109
Home base for Paul
Antioch
110
Correlation between locations and Paul's focuses
1. Jerusalem ➡️ bring collection
2. Spain ➡️ his dream
3. Rome ➡️ get funding for Spain
111
Why Paul was taking a collection from his gentile church to the Jewish church in Jerusalem
1. Jerusalem was suffering with a famine
2. Showed Jewish church AND gentile church are ONE
3. Showed that the gentile church knew it was indebted to the Jewish church
112
Where Acts ends
Paul appealing to have the case for his arrest heard by Caesar in Rome
Because of his roman citizenship
113
Why early Christians were persecuted
HERESY
Jews believed they breached monotheism by calling Jesus "Lord"
Same reason why Jesus was crucified
114
Paul's missionary strategy
1. Would travel to CAPITAL CITY of each roman providence
2. Go to leading synagogue (wanted to appeal God-fearers)
3. Establish church houses
4. Convert and train co-workers
5. Put co-workers in leadership positions
6. Leave to repeat
7. Send someone to check on the churches (always got a bad report)
8. Dedicated letters to correct the problems in the churches
9. Revisit the churches
115
Commonality between Paul's views on the stories of the world, Jesus, himself, and every man; Paul's theology
The cross and resurrection
Is the most important thing in the bible
Is the great reversal
116
The story of every man according to Paul
(3 frames)
1. Is under sin-- a tragedy
Born into darkness
Sin is who we are
Leads us to death
Makes you become what you never intended to be
2. Cross and resurrection
While we are still sinners, God TRANSFERS us through the Spirit and TRANSFORMS us
Jesus is what saves and renews us
Is a call to dies and be reborn every day
Core: fully Jewish, fully apocalyptic, all Jesus
2. Come to live in the Spirit
Follow the light in the smallest way & become overwhelmed by real life that sustains
117
Book of Hebrews
```
Ties New Testament with Old Testament
A recapitulation
Goes back to Genesis
Uses sacrificial terms
Ties in creation all
It and revelation go stag to the party
```
118
Difficulties in reading Revelation
1. Combination of 4 genres
a. Apocalyptic
b. Letter
c. Narrative
d. Apocalyptic
2. Recapitulation
3. Is NOT just a map to be deciphered
4. Violent language desires how violence is defeated (through suffering)
119
3 approaches to reading revelation
1. Predictive (problematic)
2. Historical (problematic)
3. Theo-poetic
120
Predictive approach to reading Revelation
Problematic: text does not completely correspond with future
Most common (and important) way that it has been read
Everyone wants it to be predictive
Modern America has essentially made it the only way to be read
121
Historical approach to reading Revelation
Problematic: it pushes Revelation into the past
No predictive value at all
Only about the original audience
Mirrors past politics
122
Theo-poetic approach to reading Revelation
Story space in which readers are asked for imaginative participation
Can't read it passively
You're either on the side of the Lamb or not
Implies belief that it was written for the 1st century but should not be decoded by 1st century politics
Images of Revelation unmask the perennial power politics of dark forces and whatnot
123
Keys to reading Revelation
1. Recapitulation (ex. Seals, trumpets, cups)
2. Nesting: characterized by containment within and intensifies the text (concentrates everything into one critical point)
3. Inauguration: is the beginning, not the end
124
The future is....
THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION
125
The life of Jesus research
1. Worshipping Jesus as God
2. "Eating flesh and drinking blood" (Old Testament as references, not resumé)
3. Emptying through incarnation (kenosis)
4. Humbling
5. Death on cross
6. Resurrection
7. Jesus at right hand
8. Jesus reigns as Lord
9. Return of Jesus
126
The book of James
James was not an apostle but referred to as the "brother of the Lord"
Led first Christian community in Jerusalem
Almost exclusively ethical
127
Suetonius
Roman biographer and historian
| Source for understanding 2nd Temple Period
