Term
The Canon and Text of the New Testament
Step #1 |
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Definition
-God worked through the writers of the New Testament so that what they wrote was the inspired Word of God.
*inspired: "God breathed" ;; involves the work of God in which: He influenced & guided the human writers of the Bible so that what they wrote was the Word of God. |
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Term
| Jesus answered the question of authority by pointing to: |
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Definition
1)the Old Testament
2)His own teaching
3)the teaching of his apostles |
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Term
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Definition
| Christians wrote copies of the difference books of the New Testament |
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Term
| Types of Greek manuscripts (handwritten copies) |
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Definition
1)Papyri: written on papyrus (paper made out of a reed plant that grew in the delta of the Nile River). Most came from the 2nd-4th century.
2)Uncial: written on parchment & were written in capital letters w/o any spaces b/t words. Most date from 4th-9th century
3)Minuscule: written on parchment & written in small or cursive letters. most date from 10th-15th century.
4)Lectionaries: include scripture readings from the NT organized according to how they were read in the church calendar. used in church worship |
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Definition
| Scholars who examine manuscripts to make educated decisions a/b what was originally written |
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| Rules for deciding b/t differences in manuscripts |
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Definition
1)the reading found in the oldest & most carefully copied manuscripts
2)the most difficult reading
3)the shortest reading (except for accidental omissions) |
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Definition
The church identified the books that should be included in the canon ("measuring stick") of the NT
*canon refers to those books accepted by the church to serve as the standard for judging proper Christian belief & conduct |
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Term
| Two important people in the history of the formation of the NT canon |
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Definition
1) Marcion (mid 2nd century); heretic who taught that the God of the OT and God of Jesus were diff Gods; seems to have been the 1st to come up w/ the idea of having a set canon of Christian book, but his canon only included some of Paul's epistles & a chopped up copy of Luke's Gospel
2)Origen (early 3rd century): well-known church father who encouraged believers to think through the limits of the canon; kept track of which books were accepted by all Christians as part of the canon, which were rejected by all, & which were disputed |
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Term
| The most important criterion for determining which books were included in the NT canon |
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Definition
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| The New Testament was translated into English |
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| Two important translators who initially brought the Bible into English |
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Definition
1) 1382: John Wycliffe completed his translation of the Bible from Latin to English
2)1525: William Tyndale completed the 1st translation of the NT from Greek to English; executed before he was able to finish his translation of the OT |
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Term
New Testament Backgrounds: People & Events
Greek Rule (333-166 BC) |
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Definition
1) The Jewish people at the end of the OT (Back in the land): OT history closed w/the Assyrian exile of the n.kingdom of Israel,subsequent Babylonian exile of the s.kingdom, & return to the land by some of the exiles under Persian rule
2) Alexander the Great (world conqueror): Greek ruler who became master over the Middle East by conquering the Persian empire; spread Greek culture & language throughout his empire(included Israel); was called Hellenization
3)The Ptolemies (Egypt tolerant rulers) & Selucids (Syria harsh rulers): empire of AG was divided among his 4 leading generals; came through a process of infighting among them; the 2 parts of the divided empire that were important for the NT history were the kingdom of Ptolemy & Seleucus.
4) Antiochus Epiphanes (cruel persecutor): oppressive Seleucid king; encouraged hellenization of the Jewish ppl, dominated Jewish priesthood, demanded higher taxes; eventually forced hellenization & pagan religion; outlawed Judaism, desecrated the temple, slaughtered many Jews who resisted; Jews finally revolted against Greek rule |
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Term
| Maccabean Revolt & Hasmonean Rule (166-63 BC) |
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Definition
1) Maccabean Revolt (the fight for independence): revolt against the authority of the Seleucid kingdom & its ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes; led to religious freedom, rededicated temple, & political freedom in Israel.
2)Mattathias (started revolt) & the Hasmoneans or Maccabees (Jewish leaders in revolt): began w/ Mattathias' refusal to sacrifice to pagan gods; this family was called Hasmoneans after Hasmon (great-grandfather of Mattathias) or the Maccabees after the nickname Maccabeus which was given to Judas (one of Mattathias' sons)
3) Judas Maccabeus ("the hammer") (religious freedom): won a series of surprising victories over the Greek armies & was able to gain religious freedom & a rededicated temple; died in battle
4) Hasidim (the pious): religious Jews who resisted hellenization; wanted religious freedom but were less concerned a/b political freedom; forerunners of the Pharisees |
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Term
| Maccabean Revolt & Hasmonean Rule (166-63 BC) continued |
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Definition
5) Hanukkah (temple rededicated): Jewish festival celebrating the cleansing & rededication of the temple to God (under leadership of Judas Maccabeus)
6) Simon Maccabeus (political freedom): gained political freedom for the Jews & proclaimed by the ppl to be the political leader, military commander, & high priest until a faithful prophet should arise
7) The Hasmonean Dynasty (disappointment): marked by internal strife & ambition for power; many Jews were alienated from their own gvt b/c of the misrule of Hasmonean leaders
8) Pompey & the Victory of Rome (loss of political freedom): ppl of Jerusalem were so dissatisfied w/ their rulers that they welcomed the Roman general Pompey into the city to take control in 63 BC; next time Jews had political independance was in 1948 |
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Term
New Testament Backgrounds: People & Events Continued
Roman Rule (63 BC-AD 135) |
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Definition
| 1)The Roman Empire: led to absence of war & a time of peace (Pax Romana); normal policy of the Romans was to leave local leaders in charge of conquered territories; most prominent: Herod the Great |
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Term
Match the Herod
Herod the Great |
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Definition
| Herod receives the wise men |
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Term
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Definition
| Herod helps Jesus move to Nazareth |
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Definition
-Herod the fox wants to kill Jesus
-Herod beheads John the Baptist
-Herod tries Jesus |
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Definition
-Herod is struck down by an angel
-Herod executes James
-Herod arrests Peter |
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Definition
| Herod is almost persuaded by Paul |
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Term
Roman Rule (63 BC-AD 135)
2)Herod the Great (Paranoid Ruler) |
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Definition
ruler over Israel at the time Jesus was born; not Jewish, he was Idumean (Edomite); efficient ruler, clever politician, great builder, but cruel & paranoid; killed many for fear of his throne being taken, including some of his own wives & sons
Act I: consolidation of power
Act 2: building projects
Act 3: family problems
-kingdom divided among 3 of his sons; Archelaus-Judea,Samaria, Idumea; Herod Antipas-Galilee, Perea; Philip-area n.e. of Sea of Galilee |
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Term
| 3) Herod Antipas(bad women problems) |
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Definition
| ruled in Galilee during the earthly ministry of Jesus; beheaded John the Baptist & participated in the trial of Jesus; faced many difficulties b/c of his wife Herodias |
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Term
| 4)Herod Agrippa I (wanted to please the Jewish leaders) |
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Definition
| grandson of Herod the Great (brother of Herodias); ruled over a territory similar in scope of his grandfather; executed James & imprisioned Peter |
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| 5) Herod Agrippa I (not persuaded) |
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Definition
| ruler over only a small portion of his father's kingdom; listened to Paul's defense before the Roman governor, Festus |
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Term
| 6) Pontius Pilate (quick to cave in) & the Governors over Judea |
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Definition
| Archelaus's rule over Judea was so bad that he was removed from his office & banished to France by Caesar Augustus; Roman governors were in charge of Judea for most of the 1st century; most famous: Pontius Pilate; NT also mentions Felix & Festus both served as governor while Paul was in prison in Caesarea |
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Term
| 7) The First Jewish Revolt against Rome (destruction of the temple) |
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Definition
| began in AD 66 when the Roman governor raided the temple treasury; climax of the war came in AD 70 when the Roman army under the general Titus destroyed Jerusalem & its temple |
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Term
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Definition
| the fortress was the last holdout for Jewish rebels during the 1st Jewish war; all committed mass suicide (over 900) just before being conquered by the Romans |
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Term
| The School at Jamnia (the reworking of Judaism) |
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Definition
| after the destruction of the temple, Jewish rabbis set up a learning center; emphasized the serious study of the Law as a replacement for temple worship & the sacrificial system |
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Term
| 10) Bar Kochba & the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome (destruction of the nation) |
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Definition
| many considered him to be the Messiah; Romans crushed the rebellion in AD 135; banished from Jerusalem, nation destroyed, Israel as a political entity ceased to exist until 1948 |
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Term
New Testament Backgrounds: Religious and Philosophical Movements
Religious Movements in the Jewish World |
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Definition
1) The Pharisees or separated ones (oral traditions of the rabbis): jewish religious group that grew out of hasidim; came mostly from middle class; taught strict observance of Law of Moses & the oral traditions of the rabbis; traditions came to be written down in the Misnah (basis for Talmud)
*scribes were Pharisees; teachers who interpreted & taught the OT Law
2)The Sadducess (only accepted the authority of the law of Moses) (Rejected supernatural ideas): grew out of Hasmonian leaders; came from among wealthy landowners & priestly families; active in politics & in administration of the temple; only accepted the Law of Moses; when the temple was destroyed in AD 70, they disappeared from history
3)The Essenes: grew out of Hasidim; beliefs similar to Pharisees except they isolated themselves from society; produced the DSS |
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Term
| Religious Movements in the Jewish World Continued |
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Definition
4) The Zealots: Jewish revolutionaries that were dedicated to the overthrow of Roman rule; willing to use any means including violence to advance the cause of freedom for God's people
5) The Samaritans: descendants of those from n. kingdom of Israel; held to certain distinctive beliefs
6)The People of the land: common people; Pharisees looked down on them; Jesus had compassion on them
7) The Jews of the Diaspora: Jews that lived outside the land of Israel; during the 1st century AD, majority of Jews lived outside Israel
-syangogue: center of Jewish life; served as a place for Sabbath worship; education of Jewish boys; study of the Law; administratin of justic; social & political gatherings |
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Term
| The Jewish World: General Observations |
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Definition
1)The Jewish people were devoted to one God & to His law
2)Many Jews longed for Messiah
3)Most Jews were influenced by Greek culture
4)Before the destruction of the temple, Judaism was diverse |
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| Religious and Philosophical Movements in the Gentile World |
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Definition
1) The old gods: were part of the general culture but no longer received real religious devotion from most of the people
2)Mystery Religions: widely popular before & after the time of Christ; included a basic myth, public festivals, & secret initiations & rites; promised more personal relationship w/a god & better life after death; most popular: Demeter, Isis, Dionysus, Cybele, & Mithra
3)Asclepius: one of the more popular gods in 1st century; god of healing; many cities had a temple
4)Emperor Worship: most ppl considered this patriotic duty; refusal of Christians to participate brought increasing persecution |
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Term
| Religious and Philosophical Movements in the Gentile World Continued |
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Definition
5)Philosophy...
-Epicureanism: nothing beyond the material world
no life after death; pleasure is the chief good in
life
-Stoicism: chief good in life is the dutiful
acceptance of one's fate as it is determined by the
impersonal reason that controls the universe
-Cynicism: emphasized personal freedom &
ridiculed those who felt bound to common social
behaviors and standards
-Skepticism: refused to accept the idea of universal
truth. each individual has his own experience &
his own individual truth that works for him
6) Gnoticism: taught that the material world was evil; trapped in material world & need to return to heaven (true home); at death, person can move from earth to heaven through secret knowledge & passwords
7) Gentile Proselytes & God-fearers: gentile proselytes were full converts while God-fearers were gentiles who practiced Judaism in part but were unwilling to undergo circumcision or to follow the whole Law |
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Term
| The Gentile World: General Observations |
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Definition
1)people were ready for chance
2)people care a/b their personal destiny
3)people were becoming less ethnic & more universal in their religious belifs
4)people saw little need to be devoted to just one god |
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New Testament Backgrounds: Literature
Jewish Literature from around the Time of the New Testament |
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Definition
1) The Old Testament: Two Translations: a) The Septuagint (very literal) - oldest translation; Greek translation; 72 Jewish scholars began translation work in Egypt around 250 BC
b) The Targums (loose paraphrase) - oral translations or paraphrases of the Hebrew OT into Aramaic
2) The apocrypha & pseudepigrapha
-group of 14 Jewish books; came to be regarded
as noncanonical by Jews and most Christians
- written under falsely assumed names of long-
deceased OT figures as a way of lending authority
to their work |
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| Jewish Literature from around the Time of the New Testament Continued |
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Definition
3)Apocalyptic literature: seeks to reveal the end of present history & the coming of God's kingdom on earth, through highly symbolic & visionary language
4) The Dead Sea Scrolls: discovered in caves in Qumran; probably produced by members of the Essenes
Why are the Dead Sea Scrolls important?
a) they confirm the reliability of the OT text
b)they give us a picture of what life was like for one Jewish group at the time that Jesus & the apostles lived
5)The Mishnah: oral tradition of the Jewish rabbis
6)The Writings of Josephus: Jewish historian; history of Jews concerning the 1st Jewish revolt against the Romans which he himself participated in
7)The Writings of Philo: Jewish philosopher; sought to reconcile Greek philosophy & the Bible by interpreting the OT allegorically |
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