The Four Gospels

Question 1

Details From Mark
Authorship?
Written when?
Reader?
Focus?
extra details

Answer 1

authorship is Mark
written about 55AD(earliest Gospel)
Readers are the Romans
Focuses on Jesus as Deity
Extra Main character is Peter, speaks of Christs' final week, talks about his ministry, and miracles, He's in continual movement, Jewish customs being explained to Roman readers.

Question 2

Details From Matthew
Authorship?
Written when?
Reader?
Focus?
extra details

Answer 2

probably Matthew
written about 70 AD
Readers Jews
Focus Jesus as Messiah
Extra He is apart of the 12

Question 3

Details From Luke
Authorship?
Written when?
Reader?
Focus?
extra details

Answer 3

authorship is Luke
written about 59-63 AD
Readers Gentiles
Focus is Jesus as Son of Man
Extra: could have written Acts too, talks about the birth of Jesus(chpt 2)

Question 4

Details From John
Authorship?
Written when?
Reader?
Focus?
extra details

Answer 4

authorship John
Written in 85AD
readers the Church
Focus as Jesus the Son of God
Extra John knew Jewish life. Clarify things.

Question 5

Persian Period

Answer 5

450-330BC
Cyrus defeated the Babylonians
had thousands of Jews exiles to return and build the temple

Question 6

Hellenistic Period

Hellas- Greek way of saying Greece

Answer 6

330-166 BC

• Alexander the great
• Believed in multiple gods

Question 7

Hasmonean Period

Answer 7

166-63BC

• Jew were oppressed
• kingdom divided into four of his four generals.
• Ptolemy (tolerant of Jewish practices)
• Seleucus(forces Hellenism on Jews)

Question 8

Roman Period

Answer 8

63-430BC

Pompey(Roman general) captures Jerusalem.

Question 9

why study the 400 year period?

Answer 9

because for better understanding in those 400 years

Question 10

Political Capitol:

Answer 10

largely a Gentile city near Caesarea, on the Mediterranean coast.

Question 11

Religious Capitol:

Answer 11

Jerusalem, as far as the Jews were concerned.

Question 12

Pharisees

Answer 12

• focused on the requirement to be a holy nation.

- Both Torah and the material of Oral Tradition were equally inspired.

Question 13

Sadducees

Answer 13

• Denied Oral Law was binding and authoritative.
• Interpreted Mosaic Law more literally than the Pharisees.
• Opposed idea of a spiritual world.
• Theological role was not as important as their political one.

Question 14

Sanhedrin

Answer 14

The national council of the Pharisees from Salome Alexander onward.
a.k.a. council, body of elders, senate.

Question 15

Essenes

Answer 15

Probably originated among the Hasidim, along with the Pharisees.
 Later separated from the Pharisees, who weren’t strict enough.
 Very strict and zealous Jews.

Question 16

Zealots

Answer 16

• Originated during the reign of Herod the Great c. 6 BC.
  Fierce nationalists, opposed to all things Roman.
   Opposed payment of taxes to pagan emperor.
   Allegiance due only to God.
   Fierce loyalty to the Jewish traditions.
   Opposed to the use of the Greek language.
   Prophesied the coming time of salvation
   Fiercely anti-Roman; almost as hostile to the Jewish establishment.
   Responsible for the war of 66-73 AD.

Question 17

Samaritans

Answer 17

Mixed race (Jew and Gentile) living in the province of Samaria.
( Later people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, were sent to Samaria, where they
intermarried with the Jewish remnant. The result was the Samaritans, a race in existence in Jesus’ day.)

Question 18

Galileans

Answer 18

 Group which arose in northern Palestine.

 Were followers of Judas of Galilee, w

Question 19

Scribes

Answer 19

 Students, interpreters or teachers of the Old Testament scripture.
 Held in high esteem by the people.
 Opponents of Christ and were denounced by Him

Question 20

Priests

Answer 20

 Group which goes back to the time of Moses.

Function was strictly religious.

Question 21

Levites

Answer 21

 Another group which goes back to the time of Moses.
 Their group was made up of first-born Israelites.
 Had charge of the Tabernacle.
 Only mentioned twice in the Gospels: Lu. 10:32; Jn. 1:19.

Question 22

Herod The Great

Answer 22

• known as a great builder.
• built temples in Athens, Sparta, Rhodes
• Greatest work was rebuilding the Temple

Question 23

Pilate

the Naturally inflexible, blend of self-will and relentlessness

Answer 23

• Clashed with Jerusalem authorities over an aqueduct built to Jerusalem.
• Pilate raided the Temple treasury

Question 24

Epicureans
(Name comes from Epicurus
341-270 BC).

Answer 24

• 306 BC opened a school in the garden of his home in Athens, The Garden
  of Epicures.
• Rejected the fear of the gods and the idea of an afterlife.
• Reputation suffered greatly with the debased teaching of later followers.

Question 25

Stoics

Answer 25

-Obtained their name from the Stoa Poikile, the Painted Portico where they met
- Founded by Zeno (335-265 BC) who followed the philosophy of Socrates after having examined other
schools.
- Held to a pantheistic conception of God.
- No doctrine of immortality; soul survived death of the body, but
disappeared when the next world conflagration took place.

Question 26

Population in

Jerusalem & Palestine

Answer 26

25,000 - 30,000 in Jerusalem

500,000 – 600,000 in Palestine

Question 27

Languages
Greek: 
Hebrew:
Aramaic:
Latin:

Answer 27

Greek: Language of culture and business
Hebrew: Language of religious observance.
Aramaic: Local language/unique dialect.
Latin: Language of government
correspondence with Rome.

Question 28

Latin:

Answer 28

Language of government

correspondence with Rome.

Question 29

Aramaic:

Answer 29

Local language/unique dialect.

Question 30

Hebrew:

Answer 30

Hebrew: Language of religious observance.

Question 31

Greek:

Answer 31

Greek: Language of culture and business