New Testament Exam 2 Flashcards
The word “canon” means….?
A reed - it refers to a measuring rod, or standard
What is the earliest example of an “‘official” list of New Testment books called?
The Muratorian Canon
Which Bishop had the first list containing our modern list of 27 books as the canon?
Bishop Athanasius
Who formalized the list we recognize today
The Council of Carthage in 397 AD
What era brought about new inquiries into the canonicity of scripture?
The Reformation period
Who called the book of James’ “an epistle of straw”
Martin Luther
Who rejected the authoriship of Hebrews and 2 Peter, and never accepted all 27 books into the canon?
Calvin
List the criteria used for Canonicity by the early Church Fathers
- Must conform with the teachings handed down from disciple to disciple
- Must be authored by an Apostle (Apostolicity)
- Must have widespread usage and acceptance among the churches
Name the three synoptic gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke
What does the term “synoptic” mean?
Seeing together
Are the synoptics identical?
No - they maintain different emhasis, themes and arrangements
What is the “Synoptic Problem”?
A set of questions surrounding the relationship between these three Gospels
Why is it referred to as a Synoptic “PROBLEM”?
In an academic setting it simply refers to something yet to be adequately solved and needing more study
How does John’s gospel differ from the synoptics?
His perspective is different - he views more of heavan coming down rather than earth going up
What are the four areas identified in the Synoptic Problem?
- Similarities in arrangement
- Similarities in vocabulary and style
- Similarities in two gospels only
- Divergences
What five areas must be addressed in moving toward a solution to the Synoptic Problem?
- The need to account for external testimony
- A place for personal reminiscence
- The distinction between authorship and editorship
- The value of simplification
- The role of the Holy Spirit in overseeing the entire process
Name the four theories provided as options for a solution to the Synoptic Problem.
- The Orginal Gospel Hypothesis
- The Oral Tradition Theory
- The Written Fragment Theory
- The Interdependence Hypothesis
What is the Orginal Gospel Hypothesis?
The four gospels were all based off of an original gospel that is now lost
What is the The Oral Tradition Theory?
Oral tradition was used for each Gospel and accounts for the differences among them