Unit 1's Intro (class notes)

Question 1

Describe our Working Model of the 4 Gospels

Answer 1

4 portraits, not photographs. Interpretive aspect for each artist.

Question 2

How many miracle stories does John’s gospel have? What does this have to do with the ‘working model’?

Answer 2

7 miracle stories. He chose the stories to put in his gospel.

Question 3

What two types of answers are there to the question: why did Jesus die?

Answer 3

A historical answer (because of blasphemy/disturbance and tried by Roman gov.)
and
A theological answer (for our sins)

Question 4

What did Matthew add to the Baptism of Jesus?

Answer 4

An explanation of why Jesus should be baptized (not because of sin, but to fulfil all righteousness)

Question 5

Matt and Luke vs. Mark (Baptism of Jesus) when addressing Jesus

Answer 5

Matt and Luke: “This is my son.”
Mark: “You are my son.”

Question 6

What’s a big theme in Luke and Acts about Jesus?

Answer 6

Praying. Luke is more descriptive.

Question 7

Genre of gospels

Answer 7

Ancient biography

Question 8

What is a Gospel in old days?

Answer 8

A proclamation of “good news” (it wasn’t something written/read until 2nd century).

Something to do with proclaiming good news from winning war battle = gospel

Question 9

Ancient vs. Modern biography

Answer 9

Ancient has no character development (it’s who they are already)

Ancient is less objective (there’s a goal or interest)

Question 10

When were names attributed to authors of the gospels?

Answer 10

around 125 AD

Question 11

When were the gospels written?

Answer 11

35-70 years after death of Jesus

Question 12

What were the gospels based on?

Answer 12

Probably not eyewitness, but rather oral tradition or earlier written sources.

Question 13

Synoptic problem

Answer 13

Who used who’s material? Explaining the relationship between the 3 synoptic gospels.

Question 14

Two-Source Theory (Markan Priority with Q) 3 main elements

Answer 14

1) Markan priority
2) Matt and Luke are independent
3) A hypothetical source Q (Quelle = source)

Question 15

What does Q mean and what’s contained in Q?

Answer 15

Quelle (German for source). A collection of Jesus’ sayings

Question 16

Farrer Theory

Answer 16

Markan priority without Q (Luke used Matthew’s stuff)

Mark –> Luke, Matthew
Matthew –> Luke

Question 17

Diachronic methods (getting behind the texts) 3 types

Answer 17

Source criticism (sources of a text), form criticism (oral traditions of a text), and historical Jesus studies (what happened historically).

Question 18

Synchronic methods (final form)

Answer 18

Redaction criticism (the editing done by author, similar to form crit),
narrative criticism (critique as narratives),
rhetorical criticism (how text persuades),
audience criticism (how audiences reacted or responded)

Question 19

Symbolic Reading (4 Living Creatures)

Answer 19

Human (matt), Lion (mark), Ox (luke), Eagle (john)

Question 20

Political timeline before 1st Century Judaism

Answer 20

Northern and Southern Kingdom split (Israel/Judea). After solomon.

Assyrians destroy Israel
Babylonians destroy Judea
Persians take over
Greek (Alexander the Great)
Alexander the Great dies (332BCE), Ptolemy and Seleucid
Under Seleucid rule, Maccabean Revolt (142BCE. relates to Hanukkah)

Hasmonean Dynasty: an independent Jewish kingdom (142 till 63 BCE)
Romans take over (63 BCE)

Question 21

When did Herod the Great rule?

Answer 21

40-4 BCE. As a client king

Question 22

Ethnarch

Answer 22

A ruler from that region (like how Herod Archelaus was ethnarch of Judea after Herod the Great died)

Question 23

Who was king when Jesus born?

Answer 23

Herod the Great (end of his reign)

Question 24

What was the Jewish conflict (which groups) happening in Jesus’ time?

Answer 24

Jews vs. Samaritain

Question 25

Where was Jesus’ ‘territory’?

Answer 25

Galilee (where nazareth is)

Question 26

Who was Pontius Pilate?

Answer 26

A governer of Judea

Question 27

Who was Joseph Caiaphas?

Answer 27

High Priest in Jerusalem (politically like a mayor)

Question 28

Where did Pilate live in?

Answer 28

Caesarea

Question 29

When does Pilate go to Jerusalem?

Answer 29

During passover or big festivals (eg. Jesus’ trial)

Question 30

Which role in Rome had day-to-day control?

Answer 30

High priest

Question 31

Is it true that there was an edge of revolt when Jesus was executed?

Answer 31

No

Question 32

Did Jews expect Davidic Messiah?

Answer 32

Little did. Jews just wanted freedom from Rome.

Question 33

Central beliefs of 1st Century Judaism

Answer 33

Monotheism, divine election, Torah practice, Temple is house of prayer

Question 34

5 Diverse Sects of Judaism in 1st Century

Answer 34

Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Samaritans

Question 35

Pharisees

Answer 35

Concerned purity for daily life, interpretation traditions were authoritative, believed in demons, angels, resurrection.

There was a fence around the Torah. The fence was oral tradition.

Question 36

Sadducees

Answer 36

Aristocrats, Roman corroborators (liked Romans),

Rejected Pharisees’ oral tradition (Torah authority)

Question 37

Essenes

Answer 37

Stricter than Pharisees, connected to Dead Sea Scrolls, critical of the temple

Question 38

Zealots

Answer 38

Revolutionary group against Roman rule (60s), First Jewish Revolt

Question 39

Samaritans

Answer 39

Israelite descendants (northern kingdom), Mt. Gerazim

Question 40

Purity meaning in 1st century

Answer 40

Not necessarily moral, but how group boundaries happen

Question 41

How each Jewish group looked at ‘purity’

Answer 41

Pharisees privatized purity (extended priestly regulations to the home)

Zealots politicized purity (engaged in conflict with outsiders)

Sadducees institutionalized purity (architectural space in temple)

Essenes isolated purity (made an alternative community)

Question 42

How was Early Christianity viewed in relation to Judaism?

Answer 42

It was a sect within Judaism (eg. “The Way”)

Question 43

What were Messianic Expectations in 1st century?

Answer 43

Some didn’t have expectations. Christ referred to a royal figure who would act on behalf of God.

Question 44

Misconceptions of Jesus’ view of Judaism

Answer 44

That Jesus wanted to abolish purity laws.

That Jesus wanted to do away with Judaism.