Textbook Theissen/Merz [answers are on page 12]
 | The textbook structures the Quest for the historical Jesus in five stages. Name the five stages. |
| Give one main statement for every stage. |
| Which stage do the following scholars represent: Reimarus, Vermes, Crossan, Schweitzer, Strauss. |
| What are the three characteristics of the 'third quest' (p.10-11) |
Compare Mark 16 with 1Corinthians 15:3-8
| List at least five differences (events not mentioned by Paul, events not mentioned in Mark) |
Where does Paul describe his "revelations and visions" and how does he describe it?
| 2 Cor 12:1-10. |
| (Describe the spiritual experience in your own words.) |
What is a literary approach?
| Questions are answered without introducing information from outside the text |
| Face value reading |
| Interpreters are interested in design and function of the text (for example: didactic, entertaining) |
| Attitude of trust toward the authorial voice |
What is a historical approach?
| Questions are answered exclusively by checking details in the text against information outside of the text |
| Skeptical attitude. Nothing is taken for correct unless it is supported by independent evidence. |
| Interpreters are interested in original author and readership, dating and placing and understanding the original intent of the text. |
| Attitude of distrust toward the authorial voice |
Textbook
| Draw the diagram of the 2-Source Theory (25) |
| List the three observations that indicate that Mark at one time existed in more than one edition (26) |
| How is Q to be described form-critically? (28) |
| List the two narratives in Q. (28) |
| Give at least three reasons why Q should be dated before the Jewish War [according to the text book]? (29) |
| How is Matthew structured? (30) |
| What are the sources of Luke? (31-32) |
| How much of Luke is 'special' material not found in any other gospel? (31) |
| Explain the term "Semeia Source"? (35) |
| When was the Nag Hammadi library discovered? (37) |
| How is the Gospel of Thomas described form critically? (37-38) |
| What is the latest possible date of composition of the Gospel of Thomas? (38) |
| What is the most important indication that the Gospel of Thomas has not copied material from the Synoptic Gospels? (39) |
| Give at least three central theological motives of the Gospel of Thomas that indicate a Gnostic origin? (40) |
| Give two examples of "Dialogue Gospels". (42-3) |
| What is the date proposed for the Egerton Papyrus 2? (44) |
| What are "Ebionites"? |
| List two examples of theological differences between the Gospel of the Ebionites and canonical Gospels. (53) |
| Give three examples for Paul quoting words of Jesus. (54-5) |
| Give three examples of late additions of words of Jesus to New Testament manuscripts. (56) |
| Who is Papias? Where and when did he live? Why is he an important source? (56) |
NT texts (text in [...] are answers)
| Who is the narrator of Matthew's gospel? How does the gospel introduce him to the readers? (Mt 9:9; 10:3) |
| What is the narrative perspective of this gospel? [Omniscient, eye of God] |
| Find three examples for this perspective from Matthew [look for passages] |
| Who is Mark according to the whole New Testament? [Phm 24; 1Peter 5:13; Col 4:10; Acts 15:37.39] |
| What is the narrator's perspective? [Mark reports what Peter sees, reported eye-witness account] |
| Who is Luke according to the whole NT? [Acts 1:1; we-passages; Col 4:14; Phm 24; 2Tim 4:11; doctor who travels with Paul and is with him in Rome at the end] |
| What is the perspective of the gospel? [Luke 1:1-3; scholar, reporter, historian] |
| Who is the audience of Luke? [Believers] |
Textbook
| What does Josephus have to say about Jesus? He mentions him twice. (64-5) | ||
| Give the name of the three Roman historians who mention Christians or
Jesus. (79-84)
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