Term
| What is the definition of history? |
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Definition
| History is a *selective* and *interpretive* retelling of past events. |
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Term
| What two elements make history selective? |
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Definition
| Historians (1) condense and (2) simplify their accounts. |
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Term
| What five elements make history interpretive? |
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Definition
Historians:
(1) use subjective sources
(2) select which events to include
(3) decide what constitutes an event
(4) write for a specific purpose and intention
(5) are not objective |
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Term
| The Bible has what two components? |
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Definition
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Term
| What key passage in Luke/Acts demonstrates the use of sources? |
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Definition
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Term
| What four steps occur in the formation of a Biblical book of history? |
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Definition
(1) Event Occurs
(2) Preservation of Event
(3) Transmission of Event
(4) Inclusion of Event in Biblical Book |
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Term
| What causes traditions to change through time? |
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Definition
| People witness the original event (full of detail), then transmit the story by mouth in condensed form. A writer than adds descriptive detail to the story to make it more interesting or relatable. |
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Term
| How did ancient historians feel about accuracy? |
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Definition
| Their standards of accuracy were different than today's historians, but they still wanted to preserve the "true" story (i.e. the core meaning of what happened). |
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Term
| What is the four source hypothesis? What are the four sources? |
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Definition
| The four source hypothesis maintains that Matthew and Luke came from four sources. Both Matthew and Luke draw from (1) Mark and (2) Q, an unknown sayings gospel. Matthew additionally draws from (3) M, Matthew's special source, and Luke additionally draws from (4) L, Luke's own research. |
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Term
| What is the relationship between Luke and Acts? |
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Definition
| Both are written by the same author (most likely Luke the physician), and they are two volumes of the same story. |
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Term
| What evidence do we have regarding the authorship of Luke/Acts? |
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Definition
| Luke is mentioned in the Bible and the Muratorian Fragment as Paul's traveling companion, and several passages in Acts are written from the perspective of "we," suggesting that Luke's presence in the story. |
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Term
| What are the "we" sections? Why are they relevant to understanding the authorship of Luke/Acts? |
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Definition
| The "we" sections are portions of Acts written from the "we" perspective, suggesting that the author is present in the story. This is relevant because it suggests that Luke, who was one of Paul's closest companions, was present in these "we" sections and wrote the text. |
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Term
| How is geography used as a structuring element in Luke and Acts? How does the Temptation story illustrate this? |
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Definition
Jerusalem acts as the Center of the Story - Luke focuses on the journey to Jerusalem, while Acts focuses on the spreading out from Jerusalem to the world.
The Temptation story illustrates this because the Temptations end on the Temple in Jerusalem. |
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Term
| What broad genre of literature does Luke/Acts represent? |
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Definition
| History - more specifically, Apologetic Literature |
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Term
| What is Apologetic literature? How does Luke/Acts fit this category? |
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Definition
| Apologetic literature is a type of literature written as a defense of something. Luke/Acts fits in this category because it acts as a defense for Paul (the truth of his testimony), for Christianity's political harmlessness, and for Theodicy of God for Insiders to the faith. |
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Term
| What are the five major themes of Acts? |
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Definition
(1) Salvation - God as Savior
(2) Universalism - extension of call to Gentiles
(3) Holy Spirit
(4) Prophecy and Fulfillment
(5) The church as the restored Israel |
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Term
| What is literary prophecy? |
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Definition
Prophecy that is predicted and fulfilled within the same writing.
For instance, Luke prophesies that the apostles will be baptized in fire and the Holy Spirit, and this occurs in the 2nd chapter of Acts. |
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Term
| What sources do we have for reconstructing the history of the church? |
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Definition
(1) Acts (a mixture of primary and secondary accounts)
(2) Letters (primary sources)
(3) Historians' writings (secular and Christian)
(4) Archaeology |
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Term
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Definition
| The person to whom the books of Luke and Acts are addressed. It translates to "lover of God" - it could refer to an actual person or to anybody who loves God. |
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Term
| How is the ascension account of Acts different from that of Luke? |
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Definition
| Jesus's stay is condensed in Luke, seeming to be only a few days - whereas Acts reveals that Jesus's stay lasted about 40 days. |
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Term
| What is the central element of the early church's message? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the disciples to wait for in Jerusalem after Jesus's ascension? |
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Definition
| "The promise" - the baptism of fire and Holy Spirit prophesied earlier in Luke. |
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Term
| What did the "restoration of Israel" mean when spoken of by the prophets? |
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Definition
| It meant that God would act as he did in the story of Exodus, freeing Israel from slavery and oppression |
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Term
| How did the understanding of this "restoration of Israel" change over the years? |
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Definition
At the time of the Maccabean revolt, it came to mean that after death (once everyone had been resurrected), there would be reward for the righteous and punishment for the wicked.
In Jesus's time, it came to mean God would bring Israel to its former glory and bring about some kind of decisive reversal, resulting in a renewed earth or heavenly realm. |
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Term
| What two developments happen during the Maccabean crisis? (concerning the idea of the "restoration of Israel") |
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Definition
The ideas of:
(1) Resurrection (life after death)
(2) Judgment (reward for the righteous, punishment for the wicked) |
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Term
| What is the programmatic statement found in Acts 1? |
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Definition
| "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." |
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Term
| What is the primary role of the apostles? |
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Definition
| To be Jesus's witnesses (of his death, burial, resurrection, etc.) |
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Term
| What does the ascension tell us about first-century Jewish cosmology? |
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Definition
| It implies the Jews thought of heaven as up and hell as down. Jesus ascended up into the clouds so the Jews would understand he was ascending to heaven. |
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Term
| What other Old Testament characters have "ascended" to heaven? |
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Definition
| Enoch and Elijah (outside of the Bible, Apollonius also ascended) |
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Term
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Definition
| The advent or second coming of Jesus, the end of days. |
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Term
| How many believers are there in the upper room as they decide who should replace Judas? Why is the number significant? |
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Definition
| There were about 120. The number is significant because 12 is a symbol of Israel (particularly a whole and well Israel) |
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Term
| What members of Jesus's family are there at the replacement of Judas? |
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Definition
| Mary and Jesus's brothers |
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Term
| Why must Judas be replaced? |
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Definition
| They need to restore the number of apostles to the all-important 12 |
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Term
| What happens to Judas? How does Luke's account differ from Matthew's? |
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Definition
| He dies - how exactly is unknown. In Matthew, he hangs himself. In Acts, he falls headlong in the field he bought with the blood money so his guts gush out. |
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Term
| What is the criterion for Judas's replacement? |
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Definition
| He had to have witnessed Jesus's ministry at every point since his baptism. |
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Term
| How is Judas's replacement ultimately chosen? |
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Definition
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Term
| Who is Judas's replacement? |
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Definition
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Term
| During what festival did the Holy Spirit come? |
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Definition
| Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks) |
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Term
What two signs mark the coming of the Holy Spirit?
(when the disciples receive it in Acts 2) |
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Definition
(1) Sound like a violent blowing wind
(2) Appearance of something like tongues of fire |
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Term
| The tongue-speaking of Acts 2 most likely refers to what kind of speaking? |
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Definition
Most likely ecstatic speech.
It could also mean heavenly languages or foreign languages |
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Term
| What possible Old Testament echoes are reflected in the coming of the Holy Spirit? |
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Definition
(1) A reversal of Babel
(2) A giving of the law, as Moses did on Mt. Sinai |
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Term
| What function of the Holy Spirit do we see in the tongues of flame episode? |
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Definition
| It serves as a sign that God is at work |
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Term
| What are the 5 key elements of Peter's first speech? |
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Definition
(1) Time of Fulfillment
(2) Death, Burial, Resurrection (it was all God's plan)
(3) Provides Scriptural Proof (in defense of Jesus)
(4) "We are witnesses" of God raising Jesus
(5) "Repent and be baptized" |
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Term
| What two titles does Peter use to describe Jesus? Which would be most scandalous and why? |
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Definition
Lord and Messiah
(?) Messiah would be most controversial, since many false messiahs had come before. In addition, the religious leaders would look bad if they had killed the actual Messiah instead of a false one. |
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Term
| What are pagan antecedents to baptism? |
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Definition
(1) Sacred sites had fountains and pools for cleansing, used by both worshipers and priests.
(2) Purification practices at healing sanctuaries
(3) Washing as preliminary preparation for an initiation into Mystery Religions |
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Term
| What are the Jewish antecedents to Christian baptism? |
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Definition
(1) Mikvah - a ritual bath designed for purification
(2) Jewish practice of purification (from all types of bodily discharges and other sources of uncleanness)
(3) John's baptism (a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins) |
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Term
| What different functions are described for baptism in the New Testament? |
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Definition
(1) Forgiveness of sins
(2) Becoming a disciple of Jesus
(3) Reception of the Holy Spirit
(4) Death to sinful nature/old self
(5) New birth
(6) Appeal of/for a good conscience
(7) Being united with other Christians
(8) Baptism as assumed promise
Forgiveness
Disciple
Holy Spirit
Death to Self
Rebirth
Conscience
Christian Community
Promise |
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Term
| What does the Didache indicate about the method of baptism? |
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Definition
| Do what you have to - dunking, sprinkling, whatever - just be baptized! |
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Term
| What was the typical method of baptism in the New Testament and in the 2nd century? |
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Definition
| Fast a day or two beforehand. Then baptize in cold, running water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If this isn't possible, pour water three times on the head in the same name. |
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Term
| How does baptism in the 3rd century compare with the earlier evidence? |
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Definition
| It is much longer and more detailed |
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Term
| What is clinical baptism? |
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Definition
| Baptizing those who are too ill to get out of bed, typically performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the baptizee's head. |
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Term
| What was the typical confession used in 3rd century baptism? |
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Definition
| Those being baptized were asked if they believed in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, receiving one baptism for each part of the trinity before moving on to the next one. |
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Term
| What passages in the New Testament have been used to argue for infant baptism? |
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Definition
| Passages referring to the baptism of entire households. Since certainly infants were part of the "household", they must also have been baptized. |
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Term
| What was Tertullian's position on infant baptism? |
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Definition
| He opposed it, believing that they should be able to know Christ before being baptized. |
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Term
| What was Irenaeus's position on infant baptism? |
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Definition
| He supported it, noting that God came to save all, even the infants. |
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Term
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Definition
| A ritual chosen by God by which people can receive God's grace |
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Term
| What is the Catholic view of baptism? |
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Definition
- Baptism is the only one of the seven sacraments needed for the reception of God's grace
- No one enters heaven without baptism
- Infant baptism
- Baptism can occur in one's mind shortly before death
- Unbaptized infants go to Limbo |
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Term
| What did the Anabaptists teach regarding baptism? |
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Definition
They rejected infant baptism, only baptizing those who consciously believed.
Baptism is a sign of forgiveness already received (it's symbolic). |
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Term
| What did Alexander Campbell say about the unimmersed? |
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Definition
| (?) Whether they are immersed or not has no real bearing on their virtue or faithfulness as Christians. |
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Term
| What was the response to Peter's first sermon? |
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Definition
| 3000 people became believers |
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Term
| To what four things did the converts of Peter's first sermon devote themselves? |
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Definition
(1) Apostles' teaching
(2) Fellowship
(3) Breaking bread
(4) Prayers |
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Term
| How does Luke describe the ideal church? (5 elements) |
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Definition
(1) Living out Jesus's teachings
(2) Performing signs and wonders
(3) Sharing all their belongings amongst themselves
(4) Breaking bread in their own homes (i.e. home groups)
(5) Always growing |
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Term
| Where do the early believers gather together? (as described in Acts 2) |
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Definition
| In the Jewish Temple, or in their homes breaking bread (Solomon's Colonnade may be another possible answer) |
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Term
| Where are Peter and John when they heal the lame man? Why are they there? |
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Definition
| They are going to the Temple, because it's the Jewish time of prayer |
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Term
| What is the purpose of the healing of the lame man? |
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Definition
It serves as an undeniable sign that God is at work, and that Jesus (by whose name he is healed) really is who he said he was.
It also draws a crowd, allowing Peter to deliver his second sermon. |
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Term
| Who is the prophet like Moses? |
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Definition
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Term
| How does healing in the name of Jesus support Peter's message? (in his second sermon) |
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Definition
| It illustrates that Jesus is the way to access God, no one else |
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Term
| Why are the leaders annoyed at Peter's sermon? (the second one) |
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Definition
Because they're Sadducees and disagree with Jesus's teachings about the resurrection of the dead.
Also, it makes them look bad since they were the ones who killed Jesus. |
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Term
| How does the crowd respond to Peter's second sermon? |
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Definition
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Term
| Why do the religious leaders ask by what power Peter healed the lame man? |
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Definition
| If it's by Jesus's name, it would substantiate Jesus's claims, opposing the Sadducees' beliefs and making them look bad for killing him. |
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Term
| Where does Peter get his wisdom? |
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Definition
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Term
| What different figures were called Savior in the first century? |
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Definition
(1) Divinities
(2) Honorable people
(3) Emperors |
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Term
| What was the primary model of salvation in the Old Testament? |
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Definition
| The Exodus (rescue, deliverance from enemies) |
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Term
| What does "inaugurated eschatology" mean? |
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Definition
| The coming of the kingdom has started, in a sense, but in another sense is incomplete or yet coming. Already but not yet. |
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Term
| What four key elements are involved in salvation as described by the New Testament? |
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Definition
(1) Reconciliation to God
(2) Restoration to wholeness
(3) Restoration of community
(4) Resurrection, eternal life, renewed creation |
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Term
| Why were the religious leaders amazed at Peter and John? |
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Definition
| Because they were uneducated men |
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Term
| What warning to the religious leaders give to Peter and John? |
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Definition
| They warn them not to speak in Jesus's name (or else they would arrest them again, try them, perhaps execute them) |
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Term
| What function of the Holy Spirit do we see as Peter and John confront the religious leaders? |
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Definition
| The Holy Spirit provides boldness |
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Term
| How were possessions handled by the early church community? |
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Definition
| They share everything - they won't claim private ownership, but sell what they have to support others in the community. |
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Term
| How is the early church community's policy on possessions connected with the teachings of Jesus? |
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Definition
| It hearkens back to Jesus's call to not worry about possessions, but be prepared to give or sell all you own away to follow God (in other words, having the most stuff is not the top priority) |
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Term
| What did Ananias and Sapphira do that was so wrong? |
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Definition
| They sell property for the community but keep some of it for themselves (they want to appear generous, but greed wins out). It is primarily the dishonesty that is so bad about it. |
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Term
| What is the function of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? |
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Definition
| It serves as a negative example, a warning to early followers not to lie against God |
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Term
| Where were the early believers meeting? (as described in Acts 5) |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| An early believer named Joseph, nicknamed Barnabas ("son of encouragement") for his great generosity |
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Term
| What kinds of signs were happening among the early believers? |
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Definition
| The sick are healed and possessed are freed |
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Term
| What message did the early believers' signs communicate? |
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Definition
| The Kingdom of God is here |
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Term
| What is the response of the high priest and Sadducees to the early believers? What motivation is ascribed? |
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Definition
| They arrest the apostles, motivated by jealousy. |
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Term
| How do the apostles escape their (second) arrest? |
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Definition
| God sends an angel to release them |
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Term
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Definition
| High priest, chief priests, and elders (the High Council in Jerusalem) |
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Term
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Definition
| A well-known rabbi and teacher of Paul |
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Term
| Who are Theudas and Judas the Galilean? |
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Definition
| They are past rebels who gathered armies and tried to start rebellions, but to no avail. |
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Term
| What is Gamaliel's counsel concerning the apostles? |
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Definition
| He advises to leave them alone. For if they are not of God, they will die out - but if they are of God, nothing will be able to stop them. |
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Term
| What is Luther's view of baptism? |
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Definition
- Baptism doesn't save us; God saves us *through* baptism and faith
- Infant baptism (God *gives* them faith at baptism)
- Conscious rejection of baptism is rejection of God |
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Term
| What is Zwingli's view of baptism? |
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Definition
- Baptism is a covenant sign, like circumcision
- Baptism is non-sacramental and symbolic; does not directly result in forgiveness of sins |
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Term
| What is Calvin's view of baptism? |
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Definition
- Baptism is a covenant sign, like circumcision
- Baptism represents:
(1) Proof of our cleansing
(2) Our union with Christ (joining God's family)
(3) Testimony of our faith |
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