RLGN 1302--NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY
STUDY GUIDE FOR FIRST UNIT
1. What is the New Testament? What does "New Testament" mean?
2. Who wrote the NT? When? In what language?
3. Why do we study the New Testament? How can we decide whether or not to believe it?
4. What are the major divisions (literary forms) of the NT? In what sort of order do its books now appear?
5. Define, as related to the Bible:
"revelation"
"inspiration"
"preservation"
"illumination"
"faith"
6. Describe the geography and climate of Palestine.
7. What is the Intertestamental (aka "Interbiblical") period?
8 Name in order the Empires and Kingdoms that ruled Palestine between the Fall of Jerusalem (587 BC) and the birth of Jesus (ca. 5 BC).
9. What is Hellenism and how did the Hebrew people respond to it?
10. What was the attitude of the Ptolemies toward the Jews (how did they treat them)? What was the attitude of the Seleucids toward the Jews (how did they treat them)?
11. What is the Septuagint ("LXX")? Why is it important to New Testament studies?
12. Who was the ruler who tried to stamp out Judaism in the 2nd century BC? What was the result of his attempt?
13. Who was Mattathias? For what is he famous? Who was Judas Maccabee?
14. What does "Maccabee" mean?
15. What does the Jewish Festival of Hanukkah ("Lights") celebrate?
16. What was the political structure of the Roman Republic? How was it changed in the Imperial period?
17. What did the word "Emperor" originally mean? How did a Roman Emperor become one?
18. What Roman agency held the true power in the empire?
19. Describe the religious life of the Romans in NT times: (Paganism, State Religion, Emperor Worship, Mystery religions, Philosophies, Gnosticism, Superstitions).
20. What is Platonism? Epicurianism? Stoicism? Cynicism? Scepticism?
21. Who were Herod the Great, Herod Antipas, and Herod Agrippa I and II? What part did they play in the NT story?
22. What were the common languages of Palestine in NT times? Which language was most common in the Roman world?
23. What are the Old Testament Apocrypha (Rom Cath: "Deuterocanonical"), Pseudepigrapha (RC: "Apocrypha"), and Dead Sea Scrolls?
24. What was the political structure of the Jewish people in NT times?
25. What was the Sanhedrin, and what did it do?
26. What was/were the Diaspora? How did it/they come about? What part did it/they play in the NT story?
27. Who were the Sadducees,
the Pharisees,
the Essenes,
the Herodians, and
the Zealots? What did each believe?
28. Who were the Scribes (KJV: "Lawyers"), and what did they do?
29. Describe the major features of Judaism: Temple worship, Synagogue worship, Torah, Talmud, major beliefs.
30. What did the festivals of Passover and Tabernacles and the fast of Yom Kippur commemorate?
31. What was the common Jewish understanding of the Messiah (Christ)? What is the meaning of the word "Christ"?
32. What major movements of history prepared the way for the coming of Christ and the spread of Christianity across the Roman world?
33. What does "canon" mean in NT terms?
34. Why did the Early Church need to produce a canon? What was the process? What were the criteria for including a book into the canon?
35. What is papyrus? Parchment? Vellum? What is a scroll? A Codex?
36. What is a NT Autograph? How many of them have been located?
37. What is a NT Manuscript? How many of them have been located?
38. What are "Textual Variants"? How did they occur, and what effect do they have on Christian beliefs and practices?
39. Outside the NT, are there any secular sources for the life of Jesus? Why would this be expected?
40. What is the "Synoptic Problem?" What solutions have been proposed?
41. What is "Form Criticism?" What is its basis and conclusion? How valid is that conclusion?
42. What is the Kerygma of the NT? What are its primary elements?
43. Who was the author of the Gospel of Mark? What were his qualifications to write it? What are its theme, purpose, date, audience, and characteristics?
44. Who was the author of the Gospel of Matthew? What were his qualifications to write it? What are its theme, purpose, date, audience, and characteristics?
45. Who was the author of the Gospel of Luke? What were his qualifications to write it? What are its theme, purpose, date, audience, and characteristics?
46. Who was the author of the Gospel of John? What were his qualifications to write it? What are its theme, purpose, date, audience, and characteristics?
47. What are the "Synoptic Gospels?" How is John different?
