Bible 11: Intertestamental Period and Gospels Review – Flashcards
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Give some information about the Diaspora.
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began during Babylonian exile, but was accelerated during the intertestamental period
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Who was in power from 450-330 BC?
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Persians
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Who was in power from 330-166 BC?
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Greeks (spread of Hellenism)
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Who was in power from 166-63 BC?
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Hasmoneans
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Who was in power in 63 BC?
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Romans
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true or false: When the Old Testament closes, the Persians controlled Judah, and the Jews were under harsh servitude as in the days of the Egyptian bondage.
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false; the people were controlled by Persia, but there was no slavery; period of tolerance (ended in 476 AD)
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What 'great' conqueror and leader defeated the Persians and spread the Greek culture in an attempt to unify the world?
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Alexander the Great
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The Greek conquest prepared the way for the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, beginning around 250 BC. What is this translation called?
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Septuagint (LXX)
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When the unified kingdom of Greece was divided, who were the ruling kingdoms north and south of Israel?
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Seleucids and Ptolemies; named after Alexander's generals
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true or false: The Jews enjoyed a measure of religious freedom under the reign of the Ptolemies of Egypt, but that all changed when the Seleucid rulers of Syria attempted to 'Hellenize' them.
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true
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When the oppressed Jews revolted against Antiochus Epiphanes, who led the charge?
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Judah (Judas) the Hammer
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true or false: When John the Baptist becomes high priest, he established the Hasmonean Dynasty and Israel is an independent Jewish state.
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false; not John, it is Simon (Judas' brother)
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In the year 63 BC, which Roman general captures Jerusalem, making Israel a Roman vassal state?
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Pompey
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Which Jewish general turned Roman historian is our primary source for the intertestamental period?
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Josephus
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What did John Hyrcanus do during the Maccabean Revolt?
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enlarged the Jewish state/territory
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Give some information about Hellenism.
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- worldview based on the belief that human beings are the ultimate source of truth and authority in the universe - believed in human supremacy and accomplishment - Greek language, education, and literature was spread throughout the world - appealing to people of other nations: they saw success and good education and wanted it for themselves - Hellenists saw themselves as gods
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true or false: Piles of ancient cities layered on top of each other over many years, which are uncovered by archaeologists, are called ziggurats.
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false; not ziggurats, they are tels
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What was he palace fortress of Herod known as?
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Herodian
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true or false: The highest tower of the palace located on the eastern side was the residence for Caesar Augustus and his family.
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false; residence for Herod, not Caesar
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What sea was on the eastern side of the palace?
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Dead Sea
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What town could be seen in the valley below the palace?
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Bethlehem
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What area was Herod from?
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Edom
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Who was the 'father' of Herod's people?
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Esau
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Who was the 'father' of Christ's people?
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Jacob
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What is the prophecy that is fulfilled?
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'the older will serve the younger'
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Pertaining to the prophecy, with what significant words does Matthew 2 open?
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Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of Herod
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What was Caesarea Maritima? Who lived there? What historical events took place there?
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- large port city - headquarters of Pontius Pilate (governor) - events- Jesus' condemnation and Peter+Paul's preaching
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Give some information about Herod's ambitions, both in power and building projects.
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- had any known threats to his power assassinated - used Caesarea Maritima, Masada, and other building projects to demonstrate his 'power' over nature and engineering of the time
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true or false: We know everything we know about Herod the Great from the Bible.
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false; we know a lot from historians such as Josephus
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Which magnificent harbor city that Herod built was headquarters of Pontius Pilate?
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Caesarea Maritima
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Which family led the Maccabean Revolt and became a dynasty in Israel?
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Hasmonean
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Herod flees Galilee to Rome and convinces the Senate to make him King of the Jews. What does not happen when he returns?
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Herod gains the respect and love of the people through kindness and grace
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Where did Herod rebuild his winter palace that was first built by the Hasmoneans? It was here that Herod killed Aristobulus in his palace swimming pool.
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Jericho
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true or false: Herod the Great connects himself to the Hasmonean dynasty when he marries Cleopatra.
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false
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What is Herod the Great's most extraordinary building project, destroyed in 70 AD?
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temple
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Which Roman emperor did Herod the Great honor, even as he competed with him in his building projects?
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Caesar Augustus
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What was Herod's pleasure palace that will later become his tomb?
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Herodium
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Which Jewish historian records that Herod the Great was a master ruler, master builder, master of intrigue, and a madman?
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Josephus
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true or false: The Samaritans and the Jews were 'good neighbors'. In fact, they shared the same Temple.
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false; lots of animosity between Jews and Samaritans
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How is Jesus connected to the Zealots?
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- viewed as a Zealot leader (crucified as a criminal) - same fate as Barabbas, a Zealot (seen as insurrectionist) - Simon the Zealot, Peter (possibly a Zealot)
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Which group became the professional 'tax farmers' for the Roman government?
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Publicans
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What do the Publicans and Samaritans have in common?
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hated by the Jews for various reasons, primarily because they were 'half breeds' and 'foreigners', frequently excommunicated
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true or false: Both Pharisees and Sadducees believed in resurrection from the dead
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false
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What happened to the Zealots following the Temple destruction?
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held off Romans at Masada for over a year before finally being overtaken
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Give some information about Gamla and Masada
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- protection for Zealots, then fell to the Romans - Gamla seen as Masada of the North
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What happened to the Sadducees following the Temple destruction?
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they disappeared because their identity was grounded in the temple; no temple meant no foundation for the Sadducees
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What happened to the Pharisees following the Temple destruction?
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continued to function through preservation and continuation of faith teachings
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What does it mean to build a 'fence around the Torah'?
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wanted to bend the law to fit their 'holy' way of life and make themselves look more 'righteous'; oppressive rules to make the actual rule harder to follow
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true or false: Many beliefs and practices of the Essenes were similar to John the Baptist, Jesus and later the church
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true
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The focus of Jesus' ministry was in the 'orthodox triangle'. What city was his headquarters?
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Capernaum
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What were the other 2 cities in the orthodox triangle?
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Corazin and Bethsaida
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What event in the ministry of Jesus to his disciples occurs in Caesarea Philippi?
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Peter's confession and transfiguration
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What is our most direct witness to the existence of Jesus?
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Canonical Gospels
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What does the Greek word euangelion mean?
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Good News
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true or false: Prior to the NT, the Greek word theopneustos usually referred to good news of a political or military victory.
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false; euangelion referred to good news
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First and foremost, the Gospels are stories, but what kind of stories are they?
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biographies- telling the key points and features of Jesus' life and ministry; written with a specific purpose; drawn from personal experience of apostles (memoirs)
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true or false: The Gospels devote a large amount of space to the childhood of Jesus.
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false; small amount devoted to childhood
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Which Gospel is not one of the Synoptic Gospel?
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John
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As ancient biographers, the Gospel writers felt free to _______________ or __________ what Jesus said and to arrange the events according to a _______________ ____________ rather than according to strict chronological sequence.
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paraphrase or summarize; particular theme
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true or false: The goal of the Gospel writers was to tell the story of Jesus in a faithful, yet relevant and persuasive manner for their readers.
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true
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How would you respond to someone who said there were 'errors in reporting' among the Gospel accounts?
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all material was selected and arranged in a way that communicated theological truth to the audience; Gospels operate under ancient rather than literary rules; theological interpretation of a historical event
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What does it mean to say that the Gospels are Christological biographies?
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they focus on Jesus' life and teachings; identity as Messiah (Anointed One) and Christ
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true or false: The Gospel writers are saying something about Jesus in each episode and they are saying something by the way they link the smaller stories together to form the larger story.
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true
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true or false: stories in the Bible never use repetition to convey theological truth
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false; repetition frequently used
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What are the 2 simple interpretive questions for reading the Gospels?
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1. What does this small story tell us about Jesus? 2. What is the Gospel writer trying to say to his readers by the way that he puts the smaller stories together?
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What are the basic interpretive guidelines for discovering theological principles in specific stories?
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1. ask standard questions: who? what? when? where? why? how? 2. look for interpretive instructions from the author himself 3. take special note of anything that is repeated in the story 4. be alert for places where the story shifts to direct discourse
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true or false: The most important thing to do when reading a series of stories is to look for connections.
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true
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true or false: The chapter and verse divisions always accurately define the unites intended by the Biblical authors.
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false; divisions placed much later
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true or false: When seeking to apply truths from the Gospel stories, always keep the larger context in view.
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true
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As a master teacher, Jesus commonly used hyperbole. What is hyperbole?
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exaggeration
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What is narrative irony?
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what is expected vs. what actually happens
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true or false: With metaphor, a comparison is implicit while with a simile, it is explicit.
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true
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true or false: When Jesus asks a rhetorical question, he expects an answer!
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false
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A ________________ is a story with 2 levels of meaning, where certain details in the story represent something else.
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parable
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What are the 3 main types of parallelism?
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- synonymous - contrastive - developmental
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What is a balanced approach to interpreting the parables?
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1. look for 1 main point for each main character and group of characters 2. the main points you discover musty be one that Jesus' original audience would have understood
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What is the theme of Matthew?
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Jewish Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament hopes
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What is the theme of Mark?
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suffering son of God who offers himself a sacrifice for sins
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What is the theme of Luke?
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Savior for all people
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What is the theme of John?
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divine son who reveals the Father
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What is the Gospel genre of history?
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1. history of composition 2. set in a particular time and place 3. meant to recount accurate history
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What is the Gospel genre of narrative?
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1. historical narrative 2. Gospels include characters, plot, setting
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What is the Gospel genre of theology?
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1. written with a specific purpose in mind 2. euangeliz- 'to announce good news'
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What is the summary of the Gospel genre?
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historical narrative, motivated by theological concerns
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What is the geographical direction of the Synoptics?
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emphasize Galilean setting of Jesus' ministry, later to Jerusalem (Judea)
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What is Jesus' teaching style in the Synoptics?
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parables and short sayings
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What is the content of Jesus' teachings in the Synoptics?
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kingdom of God; healings and exorcisms as proof of power
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What is the geographical direction of John?
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movement between Galilee and Judea
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What is Jesus' teaching style in John?
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longer interviews with individuals; debates
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What is the content of Jesus' teaching on John?
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points to identity and Godhood through miracles (no exorcisms)
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What are the theological reasons for 4 Gospels?
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Spirit wants to give 4 unique perspectives
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What are the historical reasons for 4 Gospels?
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different Christian communities; broader audience and small churches/communities
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Why are there only 4 Gospels? Why are the apocryphal Gospels not included?
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1. evidence of late composition (earliest during 2nd century for apocrypha) 2. pseudepigraphic authorship (falsely ascribed- author vs. actual author) 3. teaching contrary to Jesus and the apostolic church (Gnostics) 4. lack of confirmation by the Holy Spirit
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How should we read the Gospels?
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1. vertically 2. horizontally 3. don't read harmonistically
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What is a helpful and legitimate way to read the Gospels harmonistically?
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historical questions about Jesus' life (trials, resurrections, etc.); piece events together, figure out chronological order
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true or false: Rabbi means Anointed One.
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false; means 'teacher' or 'great one'
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What city is the location where many Jews returned in the exile from Babylon?
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Gamla
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What Jewish sect made up the majority of Gamla?
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Zealots
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true or false: In 66 AD, a Jewish revolt failed when Greek soldiers attacked Gamla. Many Jews died while escaping from the sides of the cliffs.
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false; attack by Roman soldiers
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The _____________ was a community center for the Jews as well as their center of worship
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synagogue
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What is a mikvah?
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baptismal
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The _________ seat is the place where the person who read the Torah scroll in the synagogue was to position himself.
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Moses
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What was the reminder on a prayer shawl to the Jew to remember Yahweh, the Torah, and the Commandments?
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tassels
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What healing miracle did Christ perform while wearing a garment like the prayer shawl?
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healing the bleeding woman
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true or false: The faith lesson is that we, like Jesus, need to be sensitive and concerned for others and to minister to their hurts and needs.
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true
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What pagan territory was east of the Sea of Galilee called 'the other side'?
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Decapolis
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What does Decapolis mean?
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ten cities
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What did Jesus communicate about himself in feeding of the multitudes?
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he is the new Moses giving manna
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What do the waters of the sea or lake represent; the wind and the waves?
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the abyss and power of evil
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Who did Christ and the disciples meet 'on the other side'?
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demon possessed man
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What was the name of the evil spirit?
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legion
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What animals were sacred to the pagans which were symbols of Baal?
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pigs
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true or false: After Jesus healed the main back to wholeness (shalom), he told the man not to tell anyone what had happened.
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false; only time Jesus says this
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To what Old Testament prophet does the 'calming the storm' narrative allude?
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Jonah
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How does the title of this video (Piercing the Darkness) teaching relate to the faith lesson?
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we are to confront evil in our culture
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What does Beelzebub mean?
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Lord of the Flies
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What was Herod Philip's title?
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Tetrarch
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true or false: Though Baal worship, during the time of Jesus was basically non-existent, the Greeks continued to worship the Greek fertility god, Peter Pan.
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false; Greek god, Pan
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What is the 'rock' Jesus will build the church upon?
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defeating Hellenism and the pagan world; Pan had his rock (Panyas), and Jesus declared that one day, His kingdom would triumph ultimately
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Give some information about Matthew.
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Key feature- most structured Key focus- Messiah's kingdom Key theme- teaching Torah Key word- fulfilled Key distinctive- traces history of Israel Major prophet- Isaiah and Jeremiah
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Give some information about Mark.
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Key feature- most dramatic Key focus- suffering servant Key theme- person of the son of God Key word- immediately Key distinctive- dramatically emphasizes Messianic secret Major prophet- Isaiah
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Give some information about Luke.
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Key feature- most thematic Key focus- Savior of all Key theme- compassion of the Son of Man Key word- salvation Key distinctive- travelogue narratives Major prophet- Isaiah
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Give some information about John.
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Key feature- most theological Key focus- God the Son Key theme- dwelling presence Key word-believe Key distinctive- temple replacement Major prophet- Ezekiel
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Each of the Gospels is a ______________ ____________ from the _______________________________________ to his ____________________ _________________ of _____________ ________________. To accurately grasp the meaning and the theology of the Gospels, we must read ____________, __________________, and within their _______________ setting.
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theological interpretation; perspective of each Gospel writer; perspective audience; historical realities; read vertically, horizontally and in contextual setting
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Who is Matthew? Who is his audience?
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former tax collector and disciple of Jesus from Jerusalem or Syrian Antioch; written to Jewish Christians who knew the Old Testament well (50-60 AD)
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Who is Mark? Who is his audience?
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traveling partner with Paul and Barnabas (companion of Peter?) during a time of persecution; written from Rome to Gentile Christians (50-60 AD)
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Who is Luke? Who is his audience?
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"beloved physician" and traveling partner with Paul ("we" sections in Acts); to his patron "most excellent" Theophilus (one who loves God) and other Hellenized Jewish and Gentile Christians (late 60s AD)
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Who is John? Who is his audience?
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"beloved disciple of Jesus" (inner circle of disciples with James and Peter); from Ephesus to Hellenized Jewish and Gentile Christians after the destruction of the temple (late 80s- early 90s AD)
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Key features of Synoptic Gospels
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- emphasizes the Galilean setting of the 1st part of Jesus' ministry - little information given to determine the length of Jesus' ministry (single year?) - Jesus teaches mostly in parables, short sayings, and epigrams (pithy saying)
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Key features of John.
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- considerable movement between Galilee and Judea (Jerusalem) - mentions at least 3 different passovers (3 year ministry?) - relates long speeches by Jesus, dialogues and interviews
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How does Matthew begin and end?
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Immanuel (God with us)- Great Commission (I will be with you)
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How does Mark begin and end?
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Gospel of the Son of God- Roman centurion (Surely, Son of God)
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How does Luke begin and end?
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kingdom proclaimed in context of Roman rule- kingdom of God reaches Rome preached boldly and unhindered
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How does John begin and end?
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benefits of belief (born again)- benefits of belief (eternal life)
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The Johannine Prologue alludes to 2 OT events. What are they?
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1. In the beginning was the Word- Creation in Genesis 1 2. Jesus as the tabernacle in our midst
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true or false: In John 1, Jesus is given 12 titles to communicate that the fully human Jesus from Nazareth is the Messianic King, Teacher of Israel and the Son of God who will die for the sins of the world.
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false; 7 titles
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true or false: If the temple is the place where heaven and earth come together, then John reveals early in his Gospel that Jesus Christ is the 'new temple'
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true
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In John 5-10, John selects sacred days and feasts to make claims about who Jesus is. Which is not one of the 'symbolic feasts'?
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Purim
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What narrative (sign) in the Gospel of John connects the first half of the Gospel (ch. 1-10) to the 2nd half (ch. 13-20)
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raising Lazarus from the dead
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There are 2 sets of 7 instances where Jesus uses a certain phrase in the Gospel of John that alludes to Exodus 3:14. What is the phrase?
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"I AM"
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In John's Gospel, what is the 7th and greatest sign?
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Jesus raises Lazarus
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In the epilogue of his gospel, how does John offer a picture of discipleship?
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John tells his readers that simple obedience is one of the best ways to honor God
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The witness of John is likely written by John, son of Zebedee, 'the disciple whose Jesus loved'. What is the purpose of his gospel?
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John 20:31- "these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name"
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What does Gethsemane mean?
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olive press
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true or false: Olive oil was used in Israel for various petroleum products, but was never used in a sacred, religious way for anointing priests and kings.
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false
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What means "Anointed One"?
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Messiah
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What town is 'shoot town' or 'branch town'?
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Nazareth
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true or false: Jesus is the shoot out of Jesse to whom we are engrafted and are able to bear fruit.
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true
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What was basalt stone donut called used to roll the lives and the bowl in which is was rolled?
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sea and millstone
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true or false: Jesus' "children's sermon" was a warning that those who caused a "little one" to stumble, ought to have a boat anchor tied around their neck and be thrown into the sea.
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false; millstone instead of boat anchor
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What is the centerpiece of John's Gospel? Give references.
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- Lazarus and Jesus' Anointing (John 11:1-12:8) - Jesus' final plea in Jerusalem (12:9-50)
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What is the chiastic structure of the Johannine prologue?
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1:1-5- Word (logos) was with God- the Word was God 1:6-8- Witness of John the Baptist 1:9-11- negative response to the Word 1:12-13- Benefits of Belief- Born of God 1:14- Positive response to the Word 1:15- Witness of John the Baptist 1:16-18- Jesus Christ at the Father's side is the Word
