UCBF 7b

Question 1

Synoptic gospels

Answer 1

“Synoptic” means “view together,” and is applied to these writings because they, unlike John, can be readily compared.

Question 2

Makarism

Answer 2

a statement of blessing or an attribution of happiness to one who follows the exhortation of the speaker; the Beatitudes (Mt 5.3–11) are makarisms, perhaps following the form of many Psalms such as Ps 1.1, “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked. . . .”

Question 3

Scribe

Answer 3

In general, one who could write, especially official documents, and take down dictation for letters, legal proceedings, etc. In the New Testament, a scribe was a lawyer, one who was expert in the requirements and meaning of Jewish law, especially the Torah.

Question 4

Covenant

Answer 4

a contract or treaty. Some covenants have specific conditions or treaty stipulations, while others are covenants of grant; often used of the relationship between God and Israel

Question 5

Tablet

Answer 5

a slab, typically of clay, with a smoothed surface that can be inscribed with a text

Question 6

Testament

Answer 6

a final disposition of one’s personal property, but used
in LXX to translate Heb berith, “covenant,” and therefore applied to the “new covenant” or “new testament” as inaugurated by Jesus (recalling Jeremiah’s promise of a “new covenant” in 31.31–34); testament therefore came to mean the collection of writings (the Hebrew Scriptures or the Christian Scriptures) that presented the covenant of God with the people of God.

Question 7

Twelve, the

Answer 7

Conventional designation for Jesus’ closest followers (Mk 3.14–16 and parallels; Mk 10.32)