Midterm 2.4 Flashcards
What were some major social groups in Jewish communities in the first century?
Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots.
What were the features of the Pharisees?
They emphasized strict observance of the Law, oral traditions, and believed in the resurrection of the dead.
What were the features of the Sadducees?
They were a priestly and aristocratic group that rejected oral traditions and the resurrection, focusing on Temple worship.
What were the features of the Essenes?
A separatist group that lived in isolated communities, emphasized purity, and awaited the end times.
What were the features of the Zealots?
A revolutionary group that opposed Roman rule and sought to restore Jewish independence through force.
According to N. T. Wright, what did Jewish people in exile expect the Messiah to accomplish?
The Messiah was expected to restore Israel’s political independence, bring about peace and justice, and rebuild the Temple.
What would Jewish people recognize as the sign of the beginning of a new era?
The end of exile, the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel, and God’s presence returning to the Temple.
How would a Jewish person in the first century know that the “Messiah” they followed was not the real one?
If the person did not fulfill the expected Messianic tasks, such as restoring Israel and rebuilding the Temple, or if their mission failed (e.g., death without resurrection).
Why did some Jewish people, like Jesus’ disciples and friends, recognize Jesus as the Messiah?
They believed his teachings, miracles, and resurrection confirmed his divine mission and fulfillment of Messianic prophecies.
What does N. T. Wright give as historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus?
The empty tomb, the transformation of Jesus’ disciples, and the rise of the early Christian movement focused on the belief in Jesus’ resurrection.
How did Jesus fulfill the twofold Messianic expectation of restoring the Kingdom of Israel and restoring the Temple?
Jesus redefined the Kingdom of Israel as the spiritual reign of God and presented himself as the new Temple, the dwelling place of God.
