General Knowledge/Definitions

Question 1

Where was Jesus born?

Answer 1

Bethlehem, West Bank

Question 2

4 places associated with Jesus

Answer 2

• Nazareth
• Caesarea Philippi
• Cana of Galilee
• Capernaum

Question 3

Who was in power at the time?

Answer 3

Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect

Question 4

4 places associated with Jesus

Answer 4

• Nazareth (place where Jesus grew up)
• Cana (place at which miracle of water to wine took place)
• Jerusalem (holy to the three major Abrahamic religions)
• Bethlehem (birthplace of Jesus)

Question 5

What language did Jesus speak?

Answer 5

Aramaic

Question 6

Who were the religious groups during the time of the NT?

Answer 6

• Pharisees
• Sadducees
• Essenes

Question 7

Name one religious festival that Jesus would have celebrated

Answer 7

Passover

Question 8

What were the three main sources of information at the time of Jesus?

Answer 8

• the Bible
• the Jewish historian, Josephus
• the Dead Sea Scrolls

Question 9

When was literature such as the NT & works of Josephus written?

Answer 9

between 30 & 70 years after the death of Jesus

Question 10

What problems may literature written after the death of Jesus cause - is it possible to be objective & scientific about the events recorded?

Question 11

What are the synoptic gospels?

Answer 11

• synoptic coming from the Greek word similar
• contains the writing of Matthew, Mark & Luke

Question 12

What is the significance of John’s gospel?

Answer 12

• very different to the synoptic gospels in terms of style, language, structure & content
• there are many layers of symbolism & theology
• it is the most intriguing gospel because it is surrounded by mystery

Question 13

What is John’s gospel often referred to?

Answer 13

the ‘spiritual Gospel’

Question 14

Why was nothing written down for over 20 years after Jesus’ death & resurrection?

Answer 14

• Jesus did not command anybody to write, as well as this he left no trace of any solo writing
• early followers were Jewish Christians - they didn’t see themselves as the beginnings of a new religion so therefore didn’t need new scriptures
• early Christians assumed Jesus would come again soon so they just kept traditions alive by word of mouth

Question 15

What was significant about Jesus during the mid 60’s (CE)?

Answer 15

• was clear that Jesus’s second coming was not certain & many witnesses of the resurrection had passed away (including Peter & Paul)
• therefore, they decided to write a structured account of Jesus’s words & deeds

Question 16

What four things contributed to the formation of the Gospels?

Answer 16

• the first generation & the apostles died
• the local communities grew stronger
• the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed in AD 70
• the importance of the Gentile Christians increased

Question 17

What is the significance of the first generation & the death of the apostles?

Answer 17

• Paul, Peter & James were executed between AD60 & AD64
• this created a conflict of authority so people wrote letters on behalf of the dead apostles
• in comparison, early Christian letters were meant to guide the communities directly, the Gospels exercised authority indirectly in that they defined Jesus’s life
• additionally, it was becoming clear that Jesus’s Second Coming was not imminent & that it seemed right to write a logical account of Jesus’s words & actions

Question 18

What is the significance of

Question 19

What is Hellenism?

Answer 19

spreading of Greek culture & language around the known world by establishing cities across Alexander the Great’s empire which attempted to emulate Athens

Question 20

How did Hellenism affect the Jews?

Answer 20

• Hellenism spread Greek culture everywhere
• being a member of the empire provided security & power
• if you wanted power & influence as a Jew you had to understand & pretend to appreciate the culture of the ruling powers
• however, if you were in the lower classes, these new influences were despised & hated
• Jews wanted to define their own culture rather than do what the pagans did
• they therefore hated the “gentiles”

Question 21

Define synagogue

Answer 21

the building where a Jewish assembly or congregation meets for religious worship & instruction

Question 22

Define Herodian

Answer 22

(in NT) a member of a Jewish sect associated with the Pharisees in opposition to Jesus, & assumed to be supporters of Herod the Great’s dynasty

Question 23

Define scribe

Answer 23

• a Jewish recordkeeper
• more recently; a professional theologian & jurist

Question 24

Define Sanhedrin

Answer 24

the supreme council & tribunal of the Jews during post-exilic times headed by a High Priest & having religious, civil & criminal jurisdiction

Question 25

Define post-exilic

Answer 25

relating to the period of Jewish history between the end of the exile in Babylon in 538 BC & 1 AD

Question 26

Define jurisdiction

Answer 26

the official power to make legal decisions & judgements

Question 27

Define exile

Answer 27

the state of being barred from one’s native country for political or corrective reasons

Question 28

Who is Caiaphas?

Answer 28

the high priest at the beginning of John the Baptists’s preaching & during the trial of Jesus

Question 29

Define rabbi

Answer 29

a Jewish scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law

Question 30

Who is Pontius Pilate?

Answer 30

the Roman procurator (treasury officer) of Judaea who ordered that Jesus be crucified

Question 31

Who is Quirinus?

Answer 31

a god of war, who came to be identified with the holy Romulus

Question 32

Summarise Isaiah 53

Answer 32

• the Messiah never stood out as a young man; people didn’t think he looked important/special