Lesson 4

Question 1

The Bible was originally written in in which three languages

Answer 1

Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek

Question 2

For hundred of years, the official language of the church was _____________

Answer 2

Latin

Question 3

__________ was the first to translate the entire bible into English

Answer 3

John Wycliffe

Question 4

Which approach to translation is more concerned with word for word equivalency?

Answer 4

Formal Equivalency

Question 5

Which translation approach is more concerned with accurately conveying the meaning (as opposed to a “word-for-word” approach)?

Answer 5

Dynamic Equivalency

Question 6

Following the Apostolic Age, the dominant method of interpretation was ___________

Answer 6

Allegory

Question 7

The reformers battle cry was ______________

Answer 7

“to the sources”

Question 8

The __________________ Period gave birth to antisupernatural bias and skepticism.

Answer 8

Enlightenment

Question 9

“____________ is the best interpreter of scripture”—– meaning the context of the whole Bible is important to understand any individual part.

Answer 9

Scripture

Question 10

____________ is the most fundamental form of interpretation.

Answer 10

Translation

Question 11

True or False. The bible was originally written in two languages.

Answer 11

F

Question 12

True or False. NT authors were influenced by the Jewish Midrash and injected it into their writings.

Answer 12

F

Question 13

True or False. Allegory is used extensively throughout the Bible.

Answer 13

F

Question 14

True or False. The ESV is a Dynamic Equivalent translation.

Answer 14

F

Question 15

True or False. The NASB is a Formally Equivalent translation

Answer 15

T

Question 16

True or False. The Bible indicates that there is not a wrong way to interpret the Bible.

Answer 16

F

Question 17

True or False. John Wycliffe died because he was burned at the stake.

Answer 17

F

Question 18

True or False. Antisupernaturalists believe in the miracles of the Bible.

Answer 18

F

Question 19

True or False. Martin Luther prayed, “Oh, Lord open the eyes of the king of England.”

Answer 19

F

Question 20

True or False. The New Living Translation is a paraphrase.

Answer 20

F

Question 21

Describe the life and work of John Wycliffe

Answer 21

John Wycliffe was the first person to translate the entire Bible into English. He translated from the Latin Vulgate, which was the official Church Translation. His translation eventually helped spark a reformation in the church of England, thus prompting t he officials to banish the translation and anyone who was caught reading it or translating it was punishable by death. Wycliffe died of natural caused never seeing the full effects of his seminal work.

Question 22

Describe the life and work of William Tyndale

Answer 22

William Tyndale published the first printed English New Testament, which was translated from the Greek. His assistant Miles Coverdale would finish the OT and help smuggle the Bible into England, because it was still illegal to own. Tyndale was eventually caught, and executed but as died he prayed “O Lord, open the eyes of the king of England.” A year later, an English Bible translation was officially licensed by the king.

Question 23

Describe the difference between the between the Dynamic Equivalent Translations and the Formal Equivalent Translations.

Answer 23

The dynamic equivalency approach is more concerned with conveying the accurate meaning from the original into English or another language, while the formal equivalency approach is more concerned with word for word accuracy and preserving the original grammatical structures.

Question 24

What four observations does Plummer make about the NT authors’ citation of the OT?

Answer 24

[a] OT citations were seen as reliable accounts of God’s revelation to His people and to the world, [b] NT authors respected the context in which the citations originally appeared, [c] the OT was employed in a typological messianic way, [d] The NT authors did not us the OT in allegorical ways.

Question 25

List three reasons who allegory became popular in the church.

Answer 25

[a] Allegory has a limited presence in the Bible, [b] Human nature is often enamored with secretive meanings and hidden agendas, [c] Greco-Roman world used allegory to help with difficult religious text.

Question 26

List Augustine’s fourfold approach to scripture.

Answer 26

Literal, Moral, Spiritual, and Heavenly

Question 27

What is the name of the professional society of evangelical scholars that has helped promote sound interpretation?

Answer 27

Evangelical Theological Society

Question 28

What is the Reformers battle cry and how did it affect interpretation?

Answer 28

Their battle cry was “To the sources” and it brought awareness that the church had gone astray from the a faithful interpretation of Scripture and were heavily depending on church fathers and tradition.

Question 29

Name the languages that the Bible was quickly translated into after the rise of Christianity.

Answer 29

Latin, Coptic, Syrian, Ethiopian

Question 30

What are the differences between a Paraphrase Bible and a Dynamic Equivalency?

Answer 30

A Dynamic Equivalency is one in which the committee wans to convey accurately the meaning of the text and is not overly concerned about word-for-word equivalency. A paraphrase is usually a one-person project intending to put the Bible into the language of a certain subculture.

Question 31

Based on the study what is the best English translation? [If someone in your church asked you this question what would you tell them?)

Answer 31

The best English translation are those translated by a committee. A Dynamic Equivalency is one in which the committee wans to convey accurately the meaning of the text and is not overly concerned about word-for-word equivalency, while the formal equivalency approach is more concerned with word for word accuracy and preserving the original grammatical structures.

Question 32

Give the details of Philo’s allegorical interpretation of Gen 9 and Noah’s drunkenness. Then give pros and cons of the interpretation.

Answer 32

The story of Noah’s drunkenness is one that was very puzzling to the early church, because throughout the Bible, God warns his children not to become drunk. Yet, one of God’s favored individuals planted his own vineyard and became drunk off of it.
Philo who was a famous Jew living in Alexandria during the time of Christ often employed allegory in his approach to the Hebrew scripture. This is a hard passage because God does not condemn the behavior of Noah, but allows Noah to condemn his children for seeing his nakedness. Philo decided to focus on the action of Noah sobering up and explained it as a lesson on how a sober and drunk man acted. The man who is sober in intellect is able to to accurately to discern things both present and in the future without any hinderance, and one who sees the present and not the future is not cautious like one who is drunk. On the other hand the one who is able to look all around him and comprehend and discern, both future and and present things is like one who is sober.
What Philo says is true, and we know that a person that is sober minded is one who is stable and think through things, just as one whose intellect is strengthened or one who is intelligent. Just like a drunk person is not able to think through things, just as an ignorant person. But, this story is not put into canon for a morality lesson. There are several other passages both in the OT and the NT that speak against drunkenness. This particular story of Noah is put in the canon to show historical details in the life of God’s people. God worked through flawed and sinful people to accomplish saving purposes.