Midterm

Question 1

What is historiography?

Answer 1

The study of the authenticity, or truthfulness, of an historical documents.

Question 2

Speak of the Bible’s reliability from the first component of the bibliographic test as discussed in class.

Answer 2

In terms of how close we can get the manuscript to the original autograph, no other work of antiquity compares. The Bible stands alone; nothing is even close to it.

Question 3

Speak of the Bible’s reliability from the second component of the bibliographical test as discussed in class.

Answer 3

The Bible is number one in terms of manuscripts, nothing else can compare.

Question 4

How does the Bible compare to other books of antiquity in the two basic components of the biographical test?

Answer 4

It is far better. It has many more manuscripts and a better time from the original.

Question 5

Was the Word of God preserved and assessable in the OT times?

Answer 5

Yes. It was put in the charge of the priests.

Question 6

How many times were the priests to read the OT to the people.

Answer 6

every 7 years.

Question 7

Who were commanded to make correct copies of the OT?

Answer 7

The Priests.

Question 8

Who had copies on the Law according to the OT before the exile?

Answer 8

Priests, kings, rulers, and all of Israel.

Question 9

Who took copies into the exile?

Answer 9

Daniel and Ezekiel

Question 10

How do we know the Law was present in the post-exilic times?

Answer 10

Ezra taught it in Jerusalem

Question 11

Who preserved the Word until Jesus’ time?

Answer 11

Ezra and his successors collected and preserved it til Jesus earthly ministry

Question 12

In Romans 3:2, who does Paul say had the Word committed until them, and what underlying claim does that make?

Answer 12

non-gentile jews, these scribes persevered the Hebrew Masoretic Text

Question 13

Prove how careful the copying and preservation of the OT through the Tannaim, the
Amoraim, and the Masorites was.

Answer 13

They counted letters and marked the middle one. They counted words. If it didn’t match and wasn’t correct then they destroyed it and restarted.

Question 14

Where is the best preservation of the OT today?

Answer 14

The Hebrew Masoretic Text

Question 15

Why were the Jews careful to bury or “reverently inter” copies of the Hebrew OT?

Answer 15

So that there were not worn copies used that could cause misreadings or erroneous copying.

Question 16

What is the LXX or Septuagint?

Answer 16

A poor Greek translation of the Hebrew Masoretic text

Question 17

17. Why was a Greek version of the OT Scripture needed?

Answer 17

Because the Jews in Alexandria were no longer speaking Hebrew

Question 18

18. Is the dating of the LXX to 285-246 BC incontrovertible?

Answer 18

Some people say it is a 2nd century document

Question 19

19. What are the three styles of Greek language in the LXX?

Answer 19

Some good, some bad, some worse

Question 20

20. What does the LXX do with Greek notions of God in the Hebrew OT?

Answer 20

It shifts the textual understanding from the OT hebrew notion toward Greek philosophy

Question 21

21. Can we know what was original in the LXX? Why or why not?

Answer 21

No. It was revised by men with heretical stances: Aquila, Theodotion

Question 22

22. What did the Jews change the feast to celebrate the LXX into?

Answer 22

A fast to mourn that it was ever created

Question 23

23. What always accompanied the LXX?

Answer 23

The Apocrypha

Question 24

24. Who was the most important person that dismissed the Apocrypha as viable and how do we know?

Answer 24

Jesus. Because he commended only the “law, prophets, and writings”

Question 25

25. Do the Apostles and Jesus quote the LXX?

Answer 25

NO

Question 26

26. How many times does the NT quotes of the OT match the Hebrew exactly?

Answer 26

71

Question 27

27. How many times does the NT quotes of the OT match the Hebrew nearly?

Answer 27

69

Question 28

28. How many times does the NT quotes of the OT match the Hebrew in their intended

Answer 28

37

Question 29

29. How many times does the NT quotes of the OT combine Hebrew scriptures?

Answer 29

5

Question 30

30. How many times does the NT quotes of the OT make it difficult to know what OT passage
    is being quoted?

Answer 30

5

Question 31

31. Show how Mt. 23:2-3 demonstrates Jesus’ view of the OT Scripture?

Answer 31

He is saying scripture is the Masoretic text because that’s what the scribes copied.

Question 32

32. Show how Rom. 3:1-2 demonstrates Paul’s view of the OT Scripture?

Answer 32

The Jews preserved the masoretic text

Question 33

33. Show how Mt.5:18 demonstrates Jesus’ view of the OT Scripture.

Answer 33

Jot and tittle is in reference to the Hebrew letters of the Alphabet. Jesus preserved the Hebrew Masoretic text

Question 34

34. What do textual critics mean when they say “older & better manuscripts”?

Answer 34

They mean the Greek, not all witnesses

Question 35

35. How is the “older & better manuscripts” claim a limitation of evidence?

Answer 35

It does not consider earlier translations and quotations of the early church fathers.

Question 36

36. What criterion should age have in evaluating a passage of Script?

Answer 36

It should not be all-consuming, it has to be compared to all of the evidence and witnesses

Question 37

37. How many layers of correction are in codex Sinaiticus?

Answer 37

9

Question 38

38. What is Codex Vaticanus missing?

Answer 38

numerous books

Question 39

39. How many times does Codex Vaticans and Codex Sinaiticus disagree in the Gospels?

Answer 39

over 3,000