Answers

Session 1

  1. What is the technical term for the culture introduced by Alexander the Great?
    bulletHellenism
  2. Where and when did Alexander win his decisive battle against the Persian King [Darius III]?
    bulletBattle of Issus. 333 BCE.
  3. List at least three important characteristics of Hellenism
    bulletGreek Language becomes the second language for everyone
    bulletPublic life organized around Symposia -- shared suppers.
    bulletGreek Mystery Religions become popular
    bulletAthletic games
  4. Why and how did Hellenism affect Judaism?
    bulletWhy? More Jews were living outside of Palestine than in Palestine (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Asia Minor)
    bulletHow? Sacred Scriptures are translated into Greek. The Septuagint achieves high authoritative recognition among law observing Greek speaking Jews.
  5. List at least three areas of conflict between Hellenism and traditional Judean ethics based on the Law of Moses?
    bulletJewish opposition to inter-marriages
    bulletSabbath: earns Jews the prejudice of being lazy.
    bulletDietary rules: make it difficult to participate at symposia.
    bulletAthletic games: Problems with nudity in public. Issues around circumcision.

  6. List the three parts of the Gospel titles in the manuscripts of the New Testament.
    bulletGospel (euangelion) according to (kata) name (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
  7. What are the first four Greek words Mt 1:1?
    bulletBiblos (book) geneseos (from: genesis, the beginning of a development) Iesou Christou. The original title therefore could be translated as: The book about how Jesus became Christ.
  8. Who is Matthew according to the first Gospel? Whose voice are we hearing?
    bulletMt 9:9: tax collector, who became a follower
    bullet10:3: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus
    bullet28:16ff: commissioned to spread the word (and write his book) by the resurrected Christ.
  9. What is a "Midrash"?
    bulletPlural: Midrashim. An explanation of Jewish Scripture. Commentary. Often in narrative form.

Session 2

  1. What is the narrative perspective of Matthew? Through whose eyes are we seeing the action? Give three examples to demonstrate this perspective.
    bulletOmniscient perspective (Eye of God perspective): narrator can be in several places at the same time, knows the past and the future of the action, can read the mind of the characters in the story, experience their dreams, report on their secret plans.
    bulletExamples: Knows the dreams of Joseph; how Mary got pregnant (Holy Spirit); sex life of the couple; how each event fulfills a specific promise in the scriptures.
  2. According to Matthew: Where do Joseph and Mary live, when Jesus is conceived?
    bulletBethlehem (no other place is mentioned, so this can safely be implied by a benevolent reader; cf. 2:1)
  3. Name at least two difficulties with the genealogy of Jesus as it is presented in Matthew.
    bulletDifferent from Luke
    bulletThe 14 generations from the Babylonian deportation to Jesus only contain 13 generations.
    bulletThe 14 generations from David to the Babylonian deportation do not agree with OT parallels. Three names have been skipped possibly because of a scribal error.
    bulletThe genealogy goes to Joseph, who then is introduced as not being the biological father of Jesus.
  4. What is the difficulty with Mt 2:23: There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
    bulletNo such verse in the Jewish Scriptures.
  5. Which questions first readers may have had does the birth narrative Mt 1-2 answer? List at least two.
    bulletHow could Jesus of Nazareth be the Messiah promised by Scripture?
    bulletHow was Jesus related to the House of David?
    bulletWho is the father of the Son of God?

Session 3

  1. According to the myth, how many scholars translated the Septuagint?
    bullet72
  2. How is the term "Septuagint" often abbreviated in scholarly literature?
    bulletLXX
  3. How is the text of the Septuagint transmitted to us (Manuscript evidence)?
    bulletMostly as copies of the Christian Old Testament
    bulletSome manuscripts of the Dead Sea Scrolls
  4. Name at least three differences between the Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint
    bulletDifferent number of writings
    bulletArrangement
    bulletVolumes (historical, poetic, prophetic writings)
    bulletNames of God: nomina sacra replace the practice of writing the Tetragram in Hebrew letters
  5. List at least three reasons why the study of the Septuagint is relevant to New Testament sutdies
    bulletChristianity grow out of Hellenistic Judaism
    bulletThe title "New Testament" indicates that it wants to be read together with the "Old Testament"
    bulletOld Testament is an edited version of the Septuagint
    bulletNew Testament authors understand the story of Jesus as a fulfillment of prophecies, which they know through the LXX

  6. Assuming the theory is correct that Matthew knew and edited Mark, list at least three typical editorial changes Matthew makes.
    bulletDeletes details like geographical names, names of persons (example: introduction to miracle stories is much shorter)
    bulletStreamlines dialogue to highlight Jesus' sayings
    bulletAdds transitions between stories
    bulletCorrects possible theological misunderstandings (example: baptism of Jesus not because Jesus was a sinner and needed repentance)
  7. How do oracles in antiquity usually work?
    bulletPeople ask assistance from the Divinity in difficult situations of life and before important decisions (business transactions, marriage, sickness, war etc.)
    bulletThe oracle they receive is usually a Divine saying (the Judeo-Christian expression "Word of God"), which is open to many different interpretations. The correct meaning is only clear after the fact.
    bulletAn oracle site in the OT is for example Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:3) where prophet Eli is in charge of the oracle of the Lord of hosts.

Session 4

  1. List the four volumes of the New Testament in the order of their popularity measured in the number of existing copies.
    1. MssVolumes.gif (20502 bytes)Gospels 58%
    2. Letters of  Paul 19%
    3. Apostolos (Acts and General Letters) 16%
    4. Revelation of John 7%
  2. What is the literary character of the Canon Muratori?
    bulletreads like an introduction to the NT writings
    bulletnot a list
  3. In which year did Athanasius write his famous Easter Letter concerning the canon of the Christian Bible?
    bullet367
  4. What kind of evidence has replaced the study of Canon Lists and the study of quotations in Early Christian writers in order to describe the form of the Christian Bible in the second and third century?
    bulletManuscripts of the Christian Bible found in the 20th century.

  5. According to Matthew, which event triggers Jesus' move from Nazareth to Capernaum?
    bulletthe arrest of John the Baptist (not Lutheran, Methodist etc)
  6. Comparing the beatitudes in Luke and Matthew, list three differences and communalities.
    bulletmuch is exactly the same wording
    bulletMatthew tends to "spiritualize" (example: the poor 'in the spirit')
    bulletsame basic sequence of sayings of Jesus but not identical
    bulletLuke has "Woe.." as well, not just "blessed are..." .

Session 5 (Questions for Test 2 begin)

  1. When did Rabbi Judah ha Nasi live?
    bullet135-220 CE
  2. What is his most important achievement?
    bulletRedaction of the Mishnah
  3. Name at least three parallels between the redaction of the Mishnah and the redaction of the Four-Gospel-Book
    bulletMore than one authoritative opinion is quoted // four gospels instead of one
    bulletAbout the same time period -- middle of the second century
    bulletTrying to give a foundation of the movement based on spirituality without the need of the temple
    bulletBoth acknowledge and canonize Jewish Scripture: TNK // Old Testament

  4. Draw a chart of the Two-Source-Theory.Slide7.GIF (30254 bytes)
  5. In Matthew 10:5-8 Jesus charges the disciples he sends out (sending out = apostello, the person sent = apostolos) with four instructions. List them.
    1. Don't go to the Gentiles, go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
    2. Proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.'
    3. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. 
    4. You received without payment; give without payment.
          [Note: Paul only fulfills (b)]
  6. Which of the four charges does Paul fulfill?
    bulletProclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' All the others he fails to comply with.
  7. Assuming Matthew takes poetic license formulating the "Great Commission" Mt 28:16-20 at the end of the Gospel (a theory that cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt), how did the author proceed?
    bulletHe/she takes seriously Jesus promise to meet the disciples in Galilee after his resurrection (cf. 16:31 Then Jesus said to them, "You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' 32 But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."). Although the author may not have had a tradition on such an event, he/she thinks it proven beyond doubt because Jesus promised it.
    bulletMuch of the "words" of Jesus are quotes or close allusions to the speeches recorded in Matthew.
    bulletTaking up the first words of the gospel (biblos geneseos), which refer to the first book of the Jewish Bible, Genesis, the structure and wording of the last passage reflects structure and wording of the last sentence of the Jewish Scriptures (2Chronicles 36:23).

Sessions 6

  1. List at least three editions of Jewish scriptures, which competed with the Christian Old Testament during the second century.
    bulletAquila
    bulletTheodotion
    bulletLXX
  2. Which letters of Paul were missing in Marcion's edition?
    bulletHebrews, 1 Timothy, 2Timothy, Titus
  3. What kind of material did Papias of Hierapolis collect?
    bulletUnpublished oral tradition only.

  4. What are the first words of the Gospel according to Mark?
    bulletΑΡΧΗ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
  5. Some interpreters point out that the Gospel of Mark uses the narrative perspective of Peter. We are told the story as if seeing the events through Peter's eyes. Give three examples to support such a theory.

Session 7

  1. How do papyrologists distinguish between "documentary" and "literary" papyri?
    bulletit depends on the situation of communication, in which the papyrus functions: if it is necessary that the document is and original (tax statements, letters etc.) it is considered adocument. If the text is copied and distributed to fulfill its communicative purpose (like novels, hymnals etc.) it is classified as literature.
  2. Is the New Testament a document or literature?
  3. What is the function of autographic subscriptions if found in published letters.
    bulletThey indicate to the readers that the publishers had access to the original
    bullet"Historical" information in literature is often fictitious. Autographs in literature function to create credibility with readers.

  4. Assuming that the New Testament is a literary unit: Who is Mark in the New Testament according to Acts, 1Peter, Colossians, 2Timothy, Philemon?
    bulletActs: connected to Peter, who visits Mark's mother in Jerusalem // accompanies Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary trip // is the reason for a quarrel between Barnabas and Paul, Barnabas continues with Mark, Paul continues with Timothy.
    bullet1Peter: close relationship to Peter, who calls him his "son"
    bullet Colossians: Mark is the cousin of Barnabas
    bullet2Timothy: mentioned together with Luke as a co-worker.
    bulletPhilemon: mentioned together with Luke.

Session 8

  1. The emerging Catholic Church displays three essential characteristics. Name them
    1. Christian Bible comprising of Old Testament and New Testament
    2. Hierarchical organization: Monarchic Episcopate
    3. Three-fold creed (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
  2. Name three Christian movements competing with the emerging Catholic Church in the second century.
    bulletMarcion (no Old Testament)
    bulletGnosis (no episcopate)
    bulletEbionites (no Hellenistic Jews)
  3. What is the New Testament basis for the Easter Controversy of the second century?
    bulletThe different dating of Easter in the Western (Rome) and Eastern (Asia Minor) Church is founded on the different dating of Jesus' death in the Synoptics (Jesus dies the day after the passover meal) and the Gospel according to John (Jesus dies in the afternoon before the passover meal).

  4. Who does Jesus call as his first disciple in the Gospel according to Mark?
    bulletPeter
  5. What do interpreters of Mark refer to with the term "Messianic Secret"?
    bulletThe observation that Jesus asks people not to speak of their healings and not to propagate what they think of him.

Session 9

  1. How are books copied in antiquity?
    bulletBy dictation
  2. How do publishers maintain their copyright in antiquity?
    bulletby contracting with authors in case of contemporary literature or with editors in case of older literature.
  3. One of the gospels may give the name of its publisher. Which gospel and what name?
    bulletLuke. Theophilus.

  4. What is the last sentence of the Gospel According to Mark?
    bullet16:8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
  5. Who is Luke in the New Testament?
    bulletName not mentioned in the gospels.
    bulletWe-passages in Acts place Luke as a travel mate of Paul, who accompanies Paul to Rome.
    bullet2Tim 4:11 places Timothy with Paul in Rome.
    bulletCol 4:14 Luke is a physician
    bulletPhm 24 Luke is a co-worker of Paul
  6. How does Luke 1:1-3 explain the "Synoptic Problem" (literal agreements and discrepancies between Mt, Mk, and Lk) to readers of the New Testament?
    bulletMany have written about Jesus before Luke
    bulletLuke knows Mark (Luke and Mark are mentioned together Col 4:14; 2Tim 4:11; Phm 24).
    bulletLuke is not an eyewitness but relies on sources

Not relevant for the test (but for life)

Session 10

  1. Try to describe the difference between a parable of Jesus and the story of the Prodigal Son or the Good Samaritan
    bullettough one -- you figure it out.
  2. In the story of the Father and Two Sons (Prodigal Son): who is the older brother? Read it on three levels: when Jesus speaks, when Luke writes, when the Four-Gospel-Book is published in the second century?
    1. Jesus: the lost sheep of Israel (cf. Mt 10 and parallels: the sending out of the 12)
    2. Luke: Hellenistic Jews.
    3. Catholic Church: the Jews as opposed to Christians.
  3. How does the Marcion's gospel begin? What is missing?
    bulletJudge for yourself

Session 11

  1. According to the Gospel of Luke: When does the ascension of Jesus happen?
  2. According to the Gospel of Luke: Where does the ascension of Jesus happen?
  3. According to the Book of Acts: When does the ascension of Jesus happen?
  4. According to the Book of Acts: Where does the ascension of Jesus happen?

Session 12

  1. Literary Approach: The title tells us that we are reading the Gospel According to John. Who is "John" according to John 21, the last passages of this gospel?
  2. What is the narrative perspective of this gospel? [Remember we had: Eye of God, eye-witness, journalist.]

Back