quiz 1

Question 1

textual criticism

Answer 1

Is an academic discipline that aims to recover the original wording and meaning of ancient texts based on surviving manuscripts. It is relevant to a historical analysis of the new testament because scholars have dedicated substantial efforts to recover the original wording of the bible from surviving manuscripts. Although some subtle changes have relatively small bearing on theology, some can strongly effect interpretation and practice.

Question 2

printed edition (of the New testament)

Answer 2

All contemporary modern translations of the new testament are based on the Nestle-Aland printed greek editions, which began in 1898. These greek editions are based on some 5700+ hand copied manuscripts. The first printed copy of the new testament was printed by Desiderius Erasmus in 1516. The printed edition is significant because it draws from historical manuscripts and serves as the basis for modern translations and interpretations.

Question 3

manuscript

Answer 3

Before the invention of the printing press in the 16th century, the bible were copied via handwritten copies known as manuscripts. Through the copying process, additions were made and content was corrected, leading to the version of the book we have today. Some 5700+ greek manuscripts contributed to the Nestle-Aland version of the bible.

Question 4

Papyrus

Answer 4

Papyrus is an Egyptian reed whose stalk was used to form a writing surface in antiquity. New testament manuscripts prior to Emperor Constantine were written on Papyrus. Several of the oldest discovered manuscripts were written on papyrus, including P52 (containing fragments of gospel of John) and P45 (containing fragments of the gospel of Luke).

Question 5

Codex Sinaiticus

Answer 5

Is one of the oldest single-volume bibles, written on vellum. It contains approximately 1400 pages (or 35 goats worth) of parchment. It was discovered in the library of the monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai in the mid 19th century. It is relevant to a historical survey of the new testament by representing one of the first times several books of the bible were compiled in a singular volume.

Question 6

Codex Vaticanus

Answer 6

Is one of the oldest single-volume copies of the bible dating back to the mid 4th century, written on vellum. It has been registered in the Vatican library since the mid 1400s. As with Codex Sinaiticus, it is significant to the modern study of the bible as it represents one of the surviving cases where several books of the bible where compiled into a single volume.

Question 7

parchment

Answer 7

parchment is animal skin that has been treated and stretched out. following emperor constantin’s rule, copies of the bible were copied onto parchment, highly costly at the time. some of the first single-volume editions of the bible were copied onto parchment. contemporary analysis of parchment documents informs our contemporary study of the bible.

Question 8

papyrus 52

Answer 8

refers to the oldest found scrap of a manuscript containing an excerpt from the new testament, dated from the 2nd to the 3rd century. It is roughly the size of a credit card, and contains an excerpt from the Gospel of John. Chronological analyses of the copies of manuscript currently begin from papyrus 52.

Question 9

lectio difficilior potior

Answer 9

lectio difficlior potior is a principle used by scholars to determine which copy of a text came first, translating to “the more difficult reading is preferable.” The principle reflects the fact that copyists tend to fix mistakes over time. This principle guides scholars as they designate certain copies of a books of the new testament as emerging earlier than others.

Question 10

first temple era

Answer 10

The first temple era, from about 900 to 586 BCE, is an early period in Jewish History. During this period, the first temple was erected under King Solomon, and the monarchy divided between the North and South between 800s and 700s BCE. In 772 BCE, the Assyrian empire conquered the northern kingdom; and an invasion from Babylon followed ending in 586 BCE. This period is relevant for understanding the contents of the New testament with an appropriate historical context.

Question 11

Babylonian Empire

Answer 11

The Babylonian empire was an eastern empire that conquered Israel after the Assyrian empire. Their invasion marked the end of the first temple era, and was also marked with the destruction of Soloman’s temple. This period also contained the babylonian exile, in which a substantial proportion of the Jewish population was forced to relocate to Babylon.

Question 12

Persian empire

Answer 12

The Persian empire was another eastern empire that ruled over Israel. They first conquered Babylon and gained rule over the Jewish people as well. The Persians were characterized by a tolerant view of conquered people. The Jews that had been forcibly relocated during the Babylonian exile were allowed to return. The second temple was also built, ushering in the second temple era. The torah was also instituted as the constitution of Yehud.

Question 13

Day of the LORD (YHWH)

Answer 13

The Day of the Lord (YHWH) is a upcoming event referenced in Zechariah 14 and Isaiah 2 that represents a day of divine intervention and retribution. This concept emerged when the Jews were under foreign rule. During this day, Zechariah anticipates that the lord will become sovereign over earth, and all of Israel’s former enemies will be smited away.

Question 14

the province of Yehud

Answer 14

The Persian province of Yehud, also known as Judea, was the region that Jews that lived in Babylon during the Babylonian exile were permitted to return to under Persian rule. The torah was later instituted as the constitution of Yehud.

Question 15

the Second Temple era

Answer 15

The second temple era extends from roughly 516 BCE to 70 BCE, and it is the era under which some scholars say that Jewish identity really started to emerge. During this period, the torah was instituted as the constitution of Yehud. Alexander the Great conquered the Persian empire, the Jewish diaspora occured. The septuigent was also created as a Greek translation of the scripture for diaspora jews, and it is this version that is referenced in the new testament. This period also included the Maccabean revolt and Hasmonean rule.

Question 16

TaNaK

Answer 16

is an acronym that refers to the tripartite canon of scripture, including the torah (teaching, law), the nevi’im (prophets), and the kethuvim (writings). The criteria for inclusion in the TaNaK was whether or not the original book was written in hebrew.

Question 17

Hellenistic world

Answer 17

The hellenistic world describes the time period during and after Alexander the Great’s conquest. During this time Greek ideas and language proliferated throughout the Ancient world. As the jewish diaspora occurred during this time period, a large proportion of the Jewish population learned Greek. The seleucid rulers aggressively attempted to hellenize Judea, leading to resistance.

Question 18

the Septuagint

Answer 18

the Septuagint was the Greek translation of the bible produced for diaspora jews in the 3rd century BCE. It included the TaNaK, as well as several other books that were not included in the tripartate canon. It is the copy of the old testament referenced by the new testament. It is also the version included in early single-volume renditions of the bible.

Question 19

Son of Man

Answer 19

The son of man was both a general idiom used to refer to a human being (Daniel 1), as well as a possible messianic figure to come (enoch 1). In the New Testament, the son of man is used in reference to Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy.

Question 20

Hasmoneans

Answer 20

The Hasmoneans is an alternative name for the Maccabeans, the family of Jewish priests that began the revolt against the Seleucid emperior Antiochus IV in 167 BCE. They ruled Israel as an independent Jewish kingdom prior to the roman conquest.

Question 21

Antiochus IV Epiphanes

Answer 21

was the ruler of the Seleucid empire prior to the Maccabean revolt. He attempted to hellenize the region, leading to substantial resistance.

Question 22

Apocalyptic literary genre

Answer 22

A genre characterized by prophecy ex eventu (written after the events it describes but set in an ancient time to make it look anticipatory of the future), pseudopigraphy (an attribution to a famous author), symbolic imagery, angelic interpreters, and a division of history into epochs. An example would be the book of revelation.

Question 23

Apocalypse

Answer 23

translates to Greek as “unveiling,” later referred to in latin as “revelation.” During Jesus’ time, it was regularly thought that the present age was controlled by forces of evil. However, an imminent apocalypse would occur such that God would usher in his kingdom.

Question 24

Ex eventu prophecy

Answer 24

Ex eventu prophecy refers to prohetic texts written after the events they describe, but are set in ancient times such as to appear like a prediction of the future. An example of this is the Book of Daniel.

Question 25

Pharisees

Answer 25

The pharisees were a Jewish sect in Jesus’ era, frequently referenced through the Gospel of Matthew. They believed in a strict following of adherence to the torah, and believed in resurrection.

Question 26

Sadducees

Answer 26

The Sadducees were a Jewish sect in Jesus’ era. In contrast to the Pharisees the believed in following only written scripture. They were associated with the temple cult and Jewish aristocracy

Question 27

Essenes

Answer 27

The Essenes were a Jewish sect in Jesus’ era. Essenes lived in communes and were required to maintain celibacy. All members were expected to maintain priest-level purity. An offshoot of the essenes were thought to be responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Question 28

Qumran Sect

Answer 28

The Qumran sect were a group of Essenes believed to have been responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls. They believed in eschatological war and messianic figures.

Question 29

Dead Sea Scrolls

Answer 29

The Dead Sea scrolls were a series of texts attributed to the Qumran Sect, thought to have been an offshoot of the essenes. The scrolls contained evidence of a belief in eschatological war and messianic figures, and are dated roughly to the time period of the Jewish war.

Question 30

war scroll

Answer 30

The war scroll was a scroll contained within the Dead Sea Scrolls that details a final war between good and evil that is anticipated to take place at the end of time. It indicates the Qumran’s sects apocalyptic beliefs.

Question 31

Herod the Great

Answer 31

Herod the Great was King of the Jews from 37-4 BCE as appointed by the Roman Senate. He often was accused of being not authentically Jewish. He is known in Christian history as attempting to kill all of the baby boys in bethlehem in the Book of Matthew.

Question 32

Athrongaeus

Answer 32

According to Josepheus Athrongaeus was a leader of a popular uprising in Judea that occurred between 4 and 3 BCE, roughly around the time Jesus was born. This revolt occurred under the son of Herod the Great.

Question 33

Josephus

Answer 33

Josephus was a first-century Jewish historian, appointed by the Roman Emperor Vespasian. His works, which contained detailed accounts of Jewish sects and uprising, inform scholar’s understanding of the historical context surrounding events in the New Testament