Encounter with The New Testament

magisterium - The official teaching authority of the Church that resides in the pope Tradition - Literally comes from a word that means "handed on" Scripture - Sacred ____ is a library of divinely inspired writings King - Jesus was ____, the rightful ruler of the universe Mercy - The "Jesus Prayer": Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have ____ on me, a sinner." Deposit - The Church teaches that there is a single sacred "____" of the Word of God which Christ entrusted to the Apostles John the Baptist - He baptized Jesus prior to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry Jesus - Means "God saves" Christ - Comes from the Hebrew word for Messiah or "anointed one" Divine - ____ Revelation is God's self-communication whereby he makes known the mystery of his divine plan Incarnation - A core Catholic teaching that the Son of God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christy Nazareth - The city of Jesus' life. Prayer - We can meet the living Lord in ____ by the grace and help of the Holy Spirit Revelation - Literally means "unveiling" Lord - A title for Jesus which translates the Hebrew word for God Resurrection - This event in Jesus' life shows he is the Messiah Dogma - A central truth of Revelation that Catholics are obliged to follow Church - Christ entrusted the ____ the important task of interpreting God's Word Prophet - Jesus was a ____ who spoke for his Father Docetism - A heresy which taught that Jesus only seemed to be a man Augustine - He said: "You have made us for yourself an our heart is restless until it rests in you." Eternal - John's Gospel connects belief in Jesus as God's Son to our achieving ____ life Sacred - ____ Tradition is the living transmission of the Church's Gospel message of Jesus Christ Gospel - Literally, "Good News" Salvation - ____ History is the story of God's saving activity in human history Covenant - A sacred agreement between God and humans Blasphemy - Jewish officials found Jesus guilty of this because he claimed to be God's Son Trent - A Council in 1274 which prescribed a devotion to the holy name of Jesus Faith - This is a gift of God Harod - He ruled Palestine during the time of Jesus' birth Pliny - He wrote a letter asking the emperor how to deal with the Christians Synoptic - The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke Torah - Another name for the Pentateuch Israelites - God chose the ____ and formed them into his chosen ones New - The ____ Covenant is the climax of salvation history Old - The ____Testament was written to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ Septuagint - A Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible David - Jewish king who symbolized the hope that one day Yahweh would send a Messiah Sinai - At Mount ____, Yahweh promised the Hebrews a land in return for their obedience Romans - The canonical writings needed to reflect the traditional ____ of the early Church Palestine - The main city in Judea Gentiles - The nations of people who were not circumcised Peace - The Pax Romana describes the state of ____ and security in the Roman Empire Pharisees - they believed in strict observance of the Law Christ - The Greek word for Messiah Passover - The most important Jewish feast celebrating liberation from Egypt Taxes - Most Jews hated anyone who worked for the Romans collecting these Angel - Heavenly messengers AD - Description of time deriving from the Latin anno Domini, "in the year of our Lord," using the birth of Christ as the point of reference. Some prefer to use CE (Common Era) as its equivalent. See BC. apostle - Term meaning "a messenger" or "one who is sent," applied to the twelve leaders appointed by Jesus (Mark 3:13-19). Qualifications for apostleship included seeing the risen Lord (Acts 1:13-14). Paul could claim apostleship for this reason (1 Cor. 9:1). They are sometimes called simply "the Twelve" (John 20:24; 1 Cor. 15:5). BC - Abbreviation meaning "before Christ." Some prefer BCE, "before the Common Era." See also AD. canon - Term meaning standard or basis for judgment. In theology it refers to the Scriptures received by the church as authoritative for its life and thought. See Bible. Christ - "Christ" is derived from the Greek word for Messiah and quickly became a proper name for Jesus (see, e.g., Gal. 3:14, 16, 22, 24, 26). church - Translation of the Greek word ekklesia (assembly), referring to the congregation of believers in Christ, whether as a whole (the universal church) or in particular (e.g., the church in Ephesus, Rev. 2:1, or the church in Corinth, 1 Cor. 1:2). Paul calls the church the "Body of Christ," those who are organically united to him (1 Cor. 12:27-28; Eph. 5:29-31). concursus - The complementary interworking of God and human writers in the composition of the Bible. Dead Sea Scrolls - A group of Jewish documents written between 250 BC and AD 68 and found in caves near the Dead Sea in the late 1940s. Fragments from more than eight hundred volumes are represented, ranging from Old Testament and possibly New Testament texts to current blessings, hymns, and prayers. See also Qumran. disciple - From the Latin discipulus (Greek, mathetes) meaning "learner, pupil," a term used more than 250 times in the New Testament to refer broadly to those who follow Christ and learn from him (Matt. 14:26; Acts 6:1). It is sometimes used narrowly to refer to the twelve apostles (Matt. 10:1-2; 11:1). See also apostle. fall (the) - Humankind's loss of original righteousness by deliberate disobedience to God's express command, resulting in physical and spiritual death, alienation from God, and universal human sinfulness (Gen. 3; Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:22). gospel - Greek word meaning "good news" that describes the message preached by the early Christians concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-8). It is also used to designate any of the first four books in the New Testament. Inspiration - The truth that the Bible has as its origin God himself. Behind each human author of Scripture is divine initiative and activity that gives that author's words a reference beyond himself. A classic New Testament text for this doctrine is 2 Timothy 3:16-17. lectionaries - Books containing brief selections (or pericopae) of New Testament Scriptures (except the book of Revelation) for use in worship services or private devotions organized in accordance with the church year. 2 Maccabees - History of the Maccabean revolt written from a different perspective than 1 Maccabees. Whereas 1 Maccabees is concerned with praising Judas, Jonathan, and Simon for their role in the liberation of the Jews from Seleucid oppression, 2 Maccabees focuses on the insult to the temple and its cult, blaming the Jewish Hellenizers. manuscript - A handwritten copy of the whole Bible or a part of it. minuscule - Term used by textual critics to define a large group of Greek biblical manuscripts, dating from the ninth to early sixteenth centuries AD. They were written in a running script of smaller letters. The term "minuscule" (Latin, minusculus) means "somewhat small." See also textual criticism; uncial. papyrus - A paper made from reeds and used in ancient times. The earliest New Testament manuscripts were written on papyrus. prophet - One called to proclaim the will of God. The prophet's task was to denounce sin, call to repentance, remind the people of God's deeds in the past, preach warnings of judgment to come, predict future events, and offer mercy to those who responded in faith. There were New Testament as well as Old Testament prophets, and both men and women prophesied. Prophets (the) - The second division of the Hebrew Bible. It contains longer works like Isaiah along with very short ones like Joel and Obadiah. Qur'an - Sacred text of Islam, believed by adherents to contain Allah's (God's) revelation to Muhammad. rabbinic - Found in the writings of the rabbis (Jewish religious teachers and leaders) active before and during New Testament times. redemption - Term meaning "to purchase" or "to buy back." Theologically it is the doctrine that God saves, liberates, and delivers his people (Isa. 49:26; 60:16). In the New Testament the foundation of God's redeeming activity is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24, 25; 1 Pet. 1:18-21). resurrection - To be brought to life again after death. Central to New Testament theology is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the promise that believers will be resurrected at the end of the age to newness of life (1 Cor. 15:1-57). The resurrected body will not be subject to decay but will be a spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:42-44, 49). Unbelievers will be raised to condemnation (John 5:28, 29). revelation - To make known, lay bare, uncover. In general, we have knowledge of God only because he chooses to make himself known, that is, reveals himself. Sometimes God reveals specific things he wants us to know (Gal. 1:12; 2:2; Eph. 3:3). Because the Scripture is the Word of God in its entirety, it is the revelation of God, as is Jesus Christ, who supremely makes God known. "Revelation" also refers to the last book of the New Testament, because John began it "The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him" (Rev. 1:1). righteousness - That quality of God (and derivatively of humans) that consists of moral uprightness, totally just actions, and proper relationships. God is absolute moral perfection in all that he is, does, and establishes between himself and the created order. Humans are righteous through faith in Jesus Christ and the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. salvation - The action of God, who alone is Savior, whereby humans are delivered from the power and consequences of sin, death, and the devil through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. We may experience the benefits of salvation in the present by faith in Christ; ultimate salvation is the believer's future hope. Scripture - See Bible. Bible: Term derived from the Greek biblion (book) designating the sixty-six books (thirty-nine OT, twenty-seven NT) that constitute the Christian Scriptures as the church's ultimate rule of faith and life. Roman Catholics add fourteen apocryphal books to the Old Testament. See Apocrypha; canon. sin - Any thought, act, word, or state of being that is contrary to the law or will of God. Sin thus breaks one's fellowship or communion with God. According to the New Testament all humans are sinners (Rom. 3:23), but they may be forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection secured remission of sin (Rom. 5:12-21). textual criticism - The study of the ancient texts and versions of the Bible to determine what the original writer or scribe is most likely to have penned. Currently there are more than five thousand portions of the New Testament in Greek, and thousands more in other ancient languages. Together they contribute to the understanding of the process underlying the copying and transmitting of the original text. Torah - Hebrew word meaning "guidance," "law," or "teaching," most commonly used to refer to the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. "Torah" is also used broadly to mean all of God's teachings combined to form a way of life. uncial - Term used by text critics to define a large group of Greek biblical manuscripts written in large, carefully formed letters similar to our capital letters. Uncial manuscripts date from the third to about the ninth centuries AD. See also minuscule; textual criticism. Writings (the) - The third division of the Hebrew Bible. It contains some historical books, Psalms, Proverbs, and other poetic books. Am ha-Aretz - Hebrew term meaning "people of the land" and referring to the common, uneducated masses, who were looked down on by the upper levels of society. They are probably referred to in John 7:49. The Greek equivalent is hoi polloi. apocalyptic - Term describing both a theological movement and its literature. It postulates the increase of evil in the world, the near end of the age, and the decisive intervention of God to inaugurate the age to come. Both Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature exists, and its characteristic motifs are to be found in the New Testament (Matt. 24-25; Revelation). Apocrypha - Specifically, a collection of fourteen Jewish books written mainly between 200 BC and AD 100, not found in the Hebrew Old Testament but included in the Roman Catholic Bible. These books are sometimes called the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament. More generally, the term means "inauthentic" or "false" and refers to a large body of writings, both Old and New Testament, such as the Psalms of Solomon (OT) and the Gospel of Thomas (NT). See also apocalyptic; pseudepigrapha. Aramaic - A Semitic language related to Hebrew commonly spoken in Palestine during Jesus's day and used by him in ordinary discourse. It dates back to ancient Syria (biblical Aram). Part of the Old Testament is written in Aramaic. Diadochi - Military successors to Alexander the Great who fought among themselves as they carved up his empire following his death. Antigonus Cyclops seized Asia Minor; Ptolemy took Egypt and North Africa; Seleucus Nicator took the territory stretching from Mesopotamia east to India; others took less significant portions. Diaspora - Terms designating those Jews who were living outside Palestine, scattered or dispersed among the gentiles. Essenes - A sect of Judaism at the time of Jesus that emphasized apocalyptic, asceticism, and strict obedience to the law. The Qumran community by the Dead Sea was probably Essene. See apocalyptic; Dead Sea Scrolls; Qumran. ethnarch - A subordinate ruler. The term's precise meaning varied throughout the Greco-Roman era during which it was used. Feast of Dedication - An eight-day Jewish festival, beginning on the twenty-fifth of Kislev (November/December), commemorating the rededication of the temple by Judas Maccabeus in 164 BC and the relighting of the temple candles (1 Macc. 4:52-59). It was also called the Feast of Lights and today is known as Hanukkah. Jesus attended this feast (John 10:22-39). Gemara - The second major part of the Jewish Talmud, consisting primarily of extensive commentary on the Mishnah. See Mishnah; Talmud. gentiles - In Jewish thought, one who is racially a non-Jew and who, theologically speaking, is not in covenant relationship with God. Typically, gentiles were considered "unclean" by the Jews of Jesus's day. Hasidim - Hebrew term used to designate those pious Jews who would not abandon their faith, even if it meant their death, during the persecutions of Antiochus IV, Epiphanes, in the second century BC (1 Macc. 2:42). Hasmoneans - The family name of those Jews (the Maccabees) and their descendants who instigated the revolt against the Syrians in 167 BC (1 Macc. 14:25-45; Josephus, Ant. 20.8.11). See also Maccabee(s). Herodians - Jewish party of Jesus's day that sought to keep Herod's dynasty in power. Their theological views were similar to the Sadducees', but they aligned with the Pharisees in trying to discredit Jesus with the question of paying taxes to Caesar (Matt. 22:16; Mark 12:13). Some actually wished to kill Jesus after a miracle in Galilee (Mark 3:6). incarnation - Latin word meaning "having become flesh." Theologically, it is the doctrine that the Second Person of the eternal Trinity became a human being by taking on human flesh in being born of the virgin Mary (John 1:14; Phil. 2:6-8; 1 Tim. 3:16). Judaism - General term denoting the religious system upheld by the Jews: their theological, ethical, and social beliefs and practices based on their authoritative writings, which currently includes the Old Testament and above all the Talmud. Judaism began during the captivity in Babylon/Persia (586-539 BC). There were many divergent forms of Judaism during New Testament times. See also Jamnia. Law - Term with several meanings in the New Testament. It can refer to the legal and moral teachings of the Old Testament (John 7:19) or to the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch (Matt. 7:12). It can denote a general principle or standard at work within people (Rom. 7:23, 25; James 2:12) or Jewish rules generally (Acts 25:8). Logos - In John 1:1-14 and Revelation 19:13 Jesus is referred to as the Word (Greek logos). Hence, Christians often speak of Jesus as the Logos or the Word of God. Just as human words express the innermost depths of one's heart and mind, so Jesus is the perfect expression of what God is really like. The Scriptures are also referred to as the Word of God because they too infallibly make known the mind and heart of God. Maccabees - Nickname meaning "the Hammer" that was applied to Judas, son of Mattathias, who led his brothers and others in a successful war against their Syrian oppressors in about 167 BC. Their family, called the Hasmonean dynasty, ruled in Judah until the Roman occupation of Palestine in 63 BC. See also Hasmonean. mezuzah - Doorpost of a city gate, sanctuary, or private home. In Judaism the term eventually denoted the container affixed to a doorpost in which scriptural passages were placed. midrash - Commentary on the Hebrew text of the Old Testament by the rabbis. Such commentary began as early as 50 BC. Midrash falls into two major categories: halakic, dealing with legal matters, and haggadic, moral homilies on the text. See also haggadah; halakah. Mishnah - A collection of Jewish legal teachings dating from the second century BC to the second century AD, when they were codified by Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi (the Patriarch). They are Pharisaic in tone, designed to draw out the full meaning of the law (Torah). Together with the Gemara (commentary on it), it constitutes the Talmud. See also Gemara; Talmud; Tosefta. monotheistic - The belief that there is only one God. oral traditions - Traditions of a group that are passed from person to person or from generation to generation in oral form before they are written down. In the New Testament period, the time when tradition was passed on by word of mouth was very short. Eyewitnesses were still alive during the process (see Luke 1:1-4). Pharisees - During New Testament times one of the dominant groups of Jewish thought. The Pharisees accepted both Scripture and tradition as authoritative; affirmed the traditional theological doctrines of God's providence, angels, resurrection, and the afterlife; held to a strict observance of Jewish legal rules (their name means "separated"); and opposed Jesus and early Christianity, for, among other reasons, the Christians' apparent disregard of key Jewish rules. Although small in number (estimated at six thousand) their influence was widespread and in many ways typified Jewish thinking at that time. polytheistic syncretism - Combining the beliefs of different religions. This combination results in a new religion that includes the worship of many gods. See also religious syncretism. praeparatio evangelium - Term used by many church fathers and contemporary theologians; it means "preparation for the gospel" and is used to convey the idea that all prior history was a prelude leading up to the coming of Christ. priest - Person authorized to offer ritual sacrifices and make intercession before God in a specially designated place of worship. In Jesus's day such sacrifices were offered in the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus predicted the destruction of the longstanding sacrificial system (Matt. 24:1-2). Early Christianity taught that all believers are a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:9), that their bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), and that the whole of life is "a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God" (Phil. 4:18). Everyone, not just a priestly class, should make supplications, prayer, and intercessions (1 Tim. 2:1). pseudepigrapha - Often fanciful religious books written between 200 BC and AD 200 falsely ascribed to well-known figures of the past, such as Elijah, Moses, or Enoch. Such books sometimes have points of contact with the Old or the New Testament but were never accepted as part of the Bible. rabbis - Found in the writings of the rabbis (Jewish religious teachers and leaders) active before and during New Testament times. Sabbath - The seventh day (Saturday) of the Jewish week, set apart by God for rest and as a sign of the covenant made with Israel (Exod. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15). Jesus said the Sabbath was made for the benefit of the human race (Mark 2:23-28). The book of Hebrews sees in the Sabbath a foreshadowing of our rest in heaven (Heb. 4:9-11). Christians worship on the first day of the week (Sunday) in honor of Jesus's resurrection from the dead. sacrifice - An offering of value made to God in recognition of his glory and of our dependence on him. In the Old Testament an elaborate system of animal sacrifices was established. This was fulfilled by the death of Jesus, who offered himself as the final sacrifice, once for all (Heb. 9:11-14; 10:10). Believers are to offer themselves as living sacrifices to be used by God in his service (Rom. 12:1, 2). Sadducees - A group of Jews in Jesus's day comprised primarily of the priestly aristocracy, who relied only on the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch). They rejected the idea of angels, life after death, providence, and the resurrection. They were willing to cooperate with the Romans to preserve the nation. saint - Word derived from the Latin sanctus meaning "holy." In the New Testament Christians are called to be saints (holy) because they serve a holy God, should live holy lives, and are filled with the Holy Spirit (Rom. 1:7). Because of this believers are sometimes called simply "saints" (Col. 1:4; 1 Tim. 5:10 NRSV). Samaritans - Resident of a region roughly equivalent to Israel in the Old Testament, lying west of the Jordan River between Galilee to the north and Judea to the south. The Samaritans separated from the other Jews in about 400 BC and had their own Bible (Torah), temple on Mount Gerizim, sacrifices, and worship. They were bitterly resented by the Jews as apostates. Most Jews would have nothing to do with them (John 4:9). Sanhedrin - The supreme judicial council of Judaism. It began in about the fourth century BC and in Jesus's day consisted of seventy-one members, divided into three categories: the high priests, the elders, and the scribes. The council arbitrated matters of Jewish law, and its decision was final. Jesus (Matt. 26:59), Stephen (Acts 6:12-15), Peter and John (Acts 4:5-21), and Paul (Acts 22:30-23:10) were all tried, in one way or another, by the Sanhedrin. Second Temple Judaism - Term used to describe the society and culture of the Jews after they returned from exile in Babylon and built the second temple. This era ended with the temple's destruction in AD 70. Seleucid Empire - The dynasty founded by Alexander the Great's general Seleucus after Alexander's death in 323 BC. It ruled Syria from approximately 312 BC until Roman times. The Seleucids' capital city was Antioch. They controlled Palestine in the second century BC until they were driven out by the Maccabees after the defeat of Antiochus IV. Septuagint - The Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. It appeared between approximately 250 BC and AD 50. It was used by diaspora Jews who no longer spoke Hebrew as their native language. It is sometimes called "The Seventy" (hence LXX) because, according to tradition, seventy (or seventy-two) scholars translated it in seventy-two days. See also Apocrypha; Diaspora, dispersion; Jamnia. Shema - The supreme Jewish confession of belief as found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21; Numbers 15:37-41, expressing Judaism's monotheistic faith. It was recited at home and in the synagogue in Jesus's day. Jesus referred to it when formulating the two great commandments (Mark 12:28-31). "Shema" is the first word of Deuteronomy 6:4 in Hebrew, "Hear . . ." synagogue - Local place of worship and teaching in Judaism. Synagogues developed during the intertestamental period, beginning after the destruction of the temple in 587 BC, as places where Jews could study the law, meet together, worship God, and administer justice according to the law. When the temple was rebuilt during Herod's reign, synagogues continued to exist because many people could not travel to the Jerusalem temple to worship. There were numerous synagogues throughout the Roman Empire, with many in Palestine itself. Early Christian worship paralleled the synagogue service in many respects. Talmud - Collection of Jewish traditions that forms the basis of Judaism's life and thought. It developed over several centuries and was codified in two collections, the Palestinian and the Babylonian, in the late fourth and fifth centuries AD. The Babylonian is by far the longer and more complete. Both versions consist of two main parts: (1) the Mishnah, interpretations of the Torah, and (2) the Gemara, commentaries on the Mishnah, as well as other tractates, or chapters. Targumim - Free translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Aramaic at the time when Hebrew was no longer fully understood by all Jews. Aramaic, a language related to Hebrew, had become the common language of the Middle East. Targumim arose during the intertestamental period. Many are still extant. tephillin - A small leather box containing Scripture. It was to be worn by Jewish men when they prayed. tithe - The contribution of a tenth of one's income, in money or in possessions, to the Lord for use in supporting the nation's religious activities (Lev. 27:30-33; Deut. 14:22-29; Neh. 10:37, 38). Jesus spoke against distorting the emphasis of tithes (Matt. 23:23), and Paul writes of giving as one is able (2 Cor. 8:3), according to the decision of one's own heart (2 Cor. 9:7). Tosefta - A collection of Jewish legal writings that parallel the Mishnah. This material was written roughly the same time as the Mishnah, but it was not deemed as authoritative, so it was excluded from the Mishnaic canon. The word "Tosefta" means "supplement." See also Mishnah. tractates - A literary subdivision of the Mishnah, like a book or chapter of the Bible. traditions - Religious teachings that run parallel to the canonical Scriptures, in some instances considered equally authoritative with those canonical Scriptures. The Pharisees in Jesus's day honored their traditions along with the Old Testament Scriptures; the Sadducees did not. Today's Roman Catholics base their doctrine on Scripture and tradition, while Protestants seek to base their doctrine on sola scriptura, or Scripture alone. Vulgate - Term derived from the Latin vulgatus, meaning "common" or "popular." It refers to the Latin translation of the Bible made by Jerome near the end of the fourth century AD that became the authorized Roman Catholic version. Word - In John 1:1-14 and Revelation 19:13 Jesus is referred to as the Word (Greek logos). Hence, Christians often speak of Jesus as the Logos or the Word of God. Just as human words express the innermost depths of one's heart and mind, so Jesus is the perfect expression of what God is really like. The Scriptures are also referred to as the Word of God because they too infallibly make known the mind and heart of God. Zealots - A Jewish party of extreme nationalism in Jesus's day that advocated armed rebellion to usher in the kingdom of God. Their actions precipitated the Jewish War of AD 66-70, which culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the Roman general and future emperor. One of Jesus's disciples, Simon, was a former Zealot (Mark 3:18; Acts 1:13). baptism - The Christian ceremony whereby a person is publicly received into the church by application of or immersion in water (Acts 2:38-41). A type of baptism was practiced by John the Baptist and other Jews before the church adopted it. Hades - The place of the dead, equivalent to the Old Testament Sheol (Acts 2:27, 31). The Septuagint translated "Sheol" as "Hades." In some instances, it comes close to meaning "hell" (Matt. 16:18; Luke 16:3). See also gehenna; hell. magi - Non-Jewish religious astrologers who, from their observations of the heavenly bodies and probably the Old Testament, inferred the birth of a great Jewish king. They came to Bethlehem to pay homage to Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). Messiah - Hebrew word meaning "Anointed One." In the Old Testament it refers to one who was specially designated by God to perform a particular task. The prophets announced the coming of a Messiah who would restore the kingdom to Israel (Ps. 110; Dan. 9:25-26). Jesus Christ fulfilled those prophesies, bringing in the kingdom of God (Matt. 16:13-20; Acts 17:3). "Christ" is derived from the Greek word for Messiah and quickly became a proper name for Jesus (see, e.g., Gal. 3:14, 16, 22, 24, 26). transfiguration - The transformation of Jesus on a high mountain in Palestine (probably Mount Hermon) during which his essential deity was glimpsed by Peter, James, and John. Moses and Elijah were also there, conversing with Jesus. God the Father closed the revelatory scene with the words "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matt. 17:1-13). bishop - A leader in the early church, sometimes called an "overseer" or "elder." Qualifications for office are listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-10 and Titus 1:5-9. form criticism - A method of literary analysis (especially of the Gospels) that classifies the written material by form and attempts to work back through the various "life situations" in an assumed earlier oral period to the original form of a saying of Jesus. This method was supposed to help distinguish between what is primary and secondary in a text and aid the process of exegesis. See exegesis; Sitz im Leben. Last Supper - The final Passover meal that Jesus held with his disciples on the night he was betrayed. He established a ceremonial meal consisting of bread (commemorating his body) and wine (commemorating his blood) confirming the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34; Matt. 26:27-28). It became the central ceremony of fellowship of the Christian church (1 Cor. 11:17-32). It is also called "communion" and "the Eucharist." presbyter - New Testament term that refers to a church official or elder. See also bishop. Twelve - Refers to the twelve apostles. "Apostle" means "a messenger" or "one who is sent," applied to the twelve leaders appointed by Jesus (Mark 3:13-19). Qualifications for apostleship included seeing the risen Lord (Acts 1:13-14). Paul could claim apostleship for this reason (1 Cor. 9:1). They are sometimes called simply "the Twelve" (John 20:24; 1 Cor. 15:5). Christology - Study of the person and work of Christ Jesus, covering all aspects of his divine and human natures, both before, during, and after his incarnation, death, and resurrection. gnosticism - An esoteric blend of Christian, Jewish, and Greek ideas that was vigorously opposed as heresy by the church during the second and third centuries after Christ. It taught salvation through special knowledge (gnosis), a complicated series of divine emanations from a hidden "One," and (in a few versions) a divine deliverer who showed the secret path back to the divine Ground of Being. internal criticism - Method of textual and literary criticism that examines a text on the basis of elements internal to it (e.g., level of Christology, word order of Jesus's sayings). Synoptic Gospels - Term applied to Matthew, Mark, and Luke because they contain similar material and look at Jesus's life from roughly the same perspective, emphasizing the Galilean ministry of Jesus. The Gospel of John relates primarily to Jesus's Jerusalem ministry. Trinity - The doctrine that God is both one and three—the one and only God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The revelation of this mystery unfolds through the Old Testament and is most clearly seen in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Matt. 3:16, 17; 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2). The Father is God (1 Cor. 8:6), the Son is God (John 1:18), and the Spirit is God (Eph. 4:4-5). The Trinity is central to the Christian faith, and upon it virtually every major doctrine is logically dependent. ascension - Term used to describe the return of Jesus to heaven forty days after his resurrection (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9). covenant - An agreement established by God with his people, binding the two together. Several covenants are mentioned in the Old and the New Testaments. Jesus establishes a New Covenant based on the promise of God (Gen. 12:1-3; Jer. 31:31-34) and sealed with his sacrificial blood (Mark 14:22-25; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). Gethsemane - An olive grove and garden on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem where Jesus customarily took his disciples. On the night before his crucifixion, he prayed there in agony and was arrested (Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-11). Golgotha - Aramaic word meaning "skull," designating the place outside Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified (John 19:17). The term "Calvary" designating this place is derived from the Latin word for skull, calvaria. Feast of Tabernacles - An eight-day Jewish festival, beginning on the twenty-fifth of Kislev (November/December), commemorating the rededication of the temple by Judas Maccabeus in 164 BC and the relighting of the temple candles (1 Macc. 4:52-59). It was also called the Feast of Lights and today is known as Hanukkah. Jesus attended this feast (John 10:22-39). Nisan - The first month of the year in the Hebrew calendar; it corresponds to March/April. Jesus died on the fourteenth of Nisan. Passover, Feast of - Annual Jewish festival held on Nisan 14 (March/April of the Jewish calendar) that begins the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread. The original Passover meal included roast lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (Exod. 12:14-30; 13:3-10) and commemorated the night before the exodus from Egypt, when the angel of death "passed over" the children of Israel because of the blood of the sacrificial lamb smeared over the doorposts (Exod. 12:12, 13). Jesus celebrated a last Passover with his disciples. Paul calls Jesus "our Passover lamb" who was sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7-8). virgin birth - This doctrine is perhaps better stated as the virginal conception of Jesus. It holds that Mary conceived Jesus by a miraculous act of God, independent of any human involvement (Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35). allegory - A literary device wherein the details of a story are given symbolic meaning. Philo of Alexandria interpreted much of the Old Testament this way. Jesus (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23, 24-30, 36-43) and Paul (Gal. 4:21-31) sometimes make use of allegory-like methods. corban - Term used to declare something dedicated to God (Lev. 1:2; Num. 7:13). In Mark 7:11-13 Jesus castigates the Jews for the practice of pronouncing something corban and thus unavailable for the lawful support of aging parents. heresy - A false teaching, one that does not conform to the official standards of the religious community. Christianity was called a heresy ("sect," NIV, Acts 24:14) by some of the Jewish leaders. Paul warns Timothy (1 Tim. 1:3-7) and Titus (Titus 3:10) against the false teaching of heretics. intertestamental - General term denoting the period of time from the completion of the Old Testament to the writing of the New Testament. kingdom of God - The sovereign reign or rule of God; it was the essence of Jesus's teaching. It was inaugurated by Jesus's first coming and will be consummated at his second coming. It refers to the full sweep of God's redemptive activity. mystery - Term used to describe some non-Christian religions whose rites and doctrines were secret. Used in the New Testament by Jesus and Paul to speak of spiritual truths no longer secret but revealed. Jesus speaks of the mystery of the kingdom that is made known to the disciples (Matt. 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10), and Paul explains the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:3, 4), of the gospel (Eph. 6:19), of God's will (Eph. 1:9), and of godliness (1 Tim. 3:16). It is, in essence, the saving will of God now made known to the world through the gospel. Nicene Creed - A short statement of Christian belief drafted in AD 325 by the Council of Nicea. The creed emphasized the proper relationship between the Father and the Son as well as the humanity of Jesus. parable - Story used by ancient teachers and prophets and frequently by Jesus to convey a profound spiritual truth. It usually has points of contact with everyday life and sometimes contains elements of hyperbole or surprise to arrest one's attention. Parables frequently require some significant decision on the hearer's part. Their fundamental point in Jesus's ministry was to change lives, not just to entertain or provide information. proverbs - A short and compact saying that expresses a well-known truth or idea. In the Scriptures proverbs usually relate theological truth to practical living, but abstract doctrinal ideas can sometimes be found. second coming - The visible return of Jesus Christ to earth at the end of the age as Lord of all (Acts 1:11; Rev. 11:15; 19:11-16). Jesus prophesied his second coming (Matt. 24:29-31), as does the rest of the New Testament (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Pet. 3:3-13). It is also called the parousia, from a Greek word meaning "presence" or "coming." Some Christians distinguish between a coming of Christ for believers and a subsequent coming again with his believers to earth. Son of Man - Jesus's favorite self-designation, drawn from Daniel 7:13-14. The term was not a common messianic title in Jesus's day; hence he could fill it with his own understanding of the Messiah's task, which he defined as bringing in the kingdom of God, dying and rising again, and returning in glory at the end of the age (Matt. 16:13-28; 26:62-64; Mark 10:32-34; 13:24-27). Testament - Solemn Declaration Canon - an authoritative collection of documents 2 Macabees - Tells of the torture of seven sons and the murder of their mother, resulting from their refusal to break the law of Moses during the tyrannical reign of Antiochus Epiphanes Gospel - The News of Jesus Kerygma - preached message Magi - Non-Jewish religious astrologers who inferred the birth of a great Jewish king. They came to Bethlehem to do homage to Jesus Jesus Goes up Home to Galilee and Nazareth - -Announces the Kingdom of God -Supports the message with all kinds of Actions, like miracles, parables, etc. -Urgency of the Message -Popularity Explodes -Highest point is when he feeds the 5 thousand -Miracle of the 5000 is every gospel, so it is really important Capernaum - -Headquarters for Jesus Tyre and Sidon - Gentile Ministry Caesarea Philippi - Simon Peter calls Jesus the Messiah Transfiguration - -Another Confirmation for Jesus of who he was -His Father is speaking to him again -Prepares Jesus for what lies ahead of him Bethany - -2 miles from Jerusalem, becomes Jesus' home base down south -Resurrection of Lazarus (John 11)- High point of Jesus' miracles "Son of Man" - -Jesus uses the title for himself -Jewish way of saying human being "Kingdom of God" - - One way to "take" the Kingdom of God: 1. Accept the kingdom of God as a child, trust 2. Always keep seeking the Kingdom of God -We don't build God's kingdom- we build the Church for God's kingdom Soteriology - The Study of Salvation Job of the Body of Christ - To bear witness to the kingdom of God Jesus' Baptism - -Baptism by John the Baptist was a sign of repentance but Jesus didn't have to repent, he was God and he had no sin Three Reasons for Jesus' Baptism 1. The Identification with Sinful Humanity 2. The Receiving of the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit ministers to him in a new way) 3. Confirmation of who He was: The Trinity: Jesus baptized, God speaking and the Holy Spirit ministers (He definitely knows who he is now) Jesus' Temptation - -Nature of his temptation: Tempted to let go of God and do his own thing -Jesus didn't try to overcome the temptation in the desert by himself, he relied on the word of God that was inside of him and that gave him strength -Tempted 3 times -Jesus refers to himself as God in the last temptation -Only way to overcome sin is to allow the strength of God inside of us to help us Zechariah and Elizabeth - Parents of John the Baptist Ministry of John the Baptist - -First part: A call to the judgment of God upon the people of Israel -Second Part: Call of repentance: Calling the people to turn around and face towards God -3rd Part: A Call for Ethical Living -4th part: baptism:as a sign of something mainly of purification Matthew Genealogy - Starts with Abraham Luke Genealogy - Begins with Adam Mark Genealogy - None (and John) Christology - -The Study of the two natures of Christ:His full divinity and his full humanity -Study of how those two natures relate to each other Kiddushim - -"Marriage" or "Sanctification" or "Holiness" -Couple coming together, from that point on they are married but have sexually consummated the marriage -Lasts about 6 months to a year -So the man can learn a trade so he can provide for the family Nissuim - -When the couple sexually consummates the marriage Pliny - -113 AD- wrote a letter to his emperor, he says there are people called Christians, followers of Christ, how should I handle it? -Trajan (emperor)- his answer was just let them be, if they aren't causing any trouble don't persecute them Suetonius - - Makes some references to Christianity in his writing -Wrote about people in Rome, hearing the story of Christ, and they had to be thrown out of Rome because the emperor (Claudius) didn't want them there -Also wrote about Christians being persecuted by Emperor Nero Tacitus - -Mentions the punishment of Christians under Nero Synoptic - -"Looking together" or "Seeing together" Two Document Theory - -Q & Mark -When Matthew and Luke wrote they had 2 sources: Mark and Q -93% of the Gospel of Mark is repeated in Matthew and Luke -John- 90% is New material -Q: scholarly way of identifying a lot of writing and oral sources that were around during Jesus' time -Luke 1:1-2: Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Matthew - -60 A.D. -Purpose: Say to the Jewish People that the Messiah that the OT talked about has come -Sermon on the Mount -"Our Father in Heaven" Mark - -First Gospel Written (probably): 50 A.D. -Purpose: Wants to reach a Roman audience & Shortest of the Gospel- wants to get the story out as quickly as he can -Five Different Endings: Short ending at verse 8 & Long Ending at verse 20 Luke - - Around 62 A.D. Possibly after the book of Matthew - Purpose: Written for a broader Greek audience - Jesus' ascension of Jesus -Features:Reaching Out to All People, Especially gentiles, social outcasts (people with diseases, Samaritans, poor) and women -"Gospel of Prayer": Jesus only had 2 parables on prayer, both are mentioned in Luke John - -Around 90 A.D. -Purpose: Evangelistic, Reach the widest audience- wrote to everybody, not a specific group, Wants to reach especially Greeks and Godfearers, Supplement what the other Gospels wrote on -90% is new material, 10% are in the other Gospels Flavius Josephus - -Jewish historian of the First Century -Wrote History of the Jewish War -Primary source of information about those days and the events Pharisees - -"Separated out people" -Legalists: Torah and the Mishnah -Good Jews- Highly respective -Trying to live by God's covenant law -Problem: equated being a believer and legalism -Believed in angels, demons, general resurrection (end of the world), heaven and hell, Messiah Sadducees - -Opposite of the Pharisees -Business People- traders, merchants, etc. -Believe in the Torah but not the Mishnah -Do not believe in Angels, spirits (demons), general resurrection, heaven or hell, Messiah Sanhedrin - -Jewish counsel, Jewish affairs -70 people -Not allowed to appose Rome -High Priest -Chief Priests: People who had been high priest or member of the high priest family -Elders:Members of very influential families -Scribes Yom Kippur - -highest holy day -day of atonement -High Priest went into the holy of holies and repented of all of Jewish sins Herodians - -Followers of Herod the Great and his family (successors) -Some thought that Herod the Great would be the Messiah Essenes - -Decided to leave Jerusalem and go into the desert (Qumran) -Try to model themselves as the covenant people God originally wanted -Dead Sea Scrolls Zealots - -Take shape just before the Death of Herod the Great -Because Herod erected an eagle in the temple- upset the Jews and they tried to take it down -Group of Jews trying to overthrow Rome by force: guerilla warfare -Offended by Jews who paid taxes to Rome -Died after Jerusalem and the 2nd temple was destroyed -Disciple was a Zealot (Simon the Zealot) -Some believe that Judas was a Zealot- to start a revolution -Jesus Was crucified for being a zealot even though he was not one Nazarenes - -Jews who became believers -Followed the Law strictly Am ha-Aretz - - people of the land -the masses that Jesus ministered to, Mainly Jews Synagogues - -A Greek Word: Congregation of People -Started after the destruction of the temple -Board of Elders: ran the synagogue, Responsible for the spiritual life of the members -Ruler: Would chose who would read the scripture and organized public things -Hazzan: Janitor and teacher of the male children -Minyan: Core of 10 or more Adult men (13+), needed it for a service -Order of Service: 1. Shema(here): statement of monotheism 2. Prayer 3. Singing 4. Reading from the Scripture (OT) and Torah(Major event) 5. Sermons- short sermon 6. Blessing and Benediction Godfearers - -Pious gentiles -Loved certain parts of Judiasm: especially the 10 commandments, often went to the synagogue, but don't agree with certain parts of Judiasm -When Jesus comes many become Christians- loved monotheism 922 B.C - Death of Solomon; the division of the Kingdom (Israel (Nthrn) and Judah (Sthrn)) 515 B.C. - second temple finished Cyrus the Great - -Conquers Babylonia -allowed his people to practice any religion -Jews in exile were allowed to go back home Zerubbabel - Began reconstruction of the 2nd temple 586 B.C. - -Fall of Judah -Period of Exile -Beginning of Judaism -Temple destroyed -Jewish Religion became more internal (praying) Ezra - Helped reestablish the convenant with God Nehemiah - Rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem Samaritans - -Jews that married Assyrians -treated by Jews as traitors -Good Samaritan Parable Civil Leadership - -Religious leader (high priest) and civil leader (king) -When exile ended position became one person Torah - -First five books of the New Testament -Way you should live your life Mishnah - -Spoken interpretation of the Torah -Just as importnat as the Torah -How they should govern themselves Rabbi - -"my lord" -People who were learned in the law -Applied the law to every aspect of living -"Top of the heap" of the social ladder -Jesus is often referred to as Rabbi Talmud - -200 A.D. -Mishnah written down -Were then interpretations of the Talmud Scribe - -Originally the person who made the copy of the Torah -Started to interpret the things they were interpreting -Became the theologians of Judaism Alexander the Great - -Died in 323 B.C. -Inaugurated the Greek period -Conquered the known world Hellenization - -Process of being Greek Septuagint (LXX) - - Greek Old Testament - 200 B.C. Maccabean Revolt - -168 B.C. - Syria tries to take over Palestine -Mattathias Hasmonean (Maccabeus) Began a revolt against Syrians -Sons helped the revolt: Judas, Simon & Jonathan -Pushed the Syrians back up North -165 B.C.- recaptured Jerusalem and the temple -Hanukkah: feast of lights Pompey - -Roman General who conquered Palestine -End of Greek Period Antipater - -From Idumean but proud of the fact that he's a descendant of Abraham -Romans put Antipater in charge of Palestine -Father of Herod the Great Palestine - Galilee, Samaria and Judea Herod the Great - -In charge of Palestine -Built the 2nd Temple -Vicious person -Created the Slaughter of the Innocent: Every boy child under the age of 2 Order of Service - 1. Shema(here): statement of monotheism 2. Prayer 3. Singing 4. Reading from the Scripture (OT) and Torah(Major event) 5. Sermons- short sermon 6. Blessing and Benediction Who was Tacitus? - Roman historian Who was Suetonius? - Roman biographer Who was Pliny the Younger? - letter writer in ancient Rome; supported Christians who openly rejected Christ and condemned Christians to death Who was Josephus - Jewish historian (closest writing to truth) How many books are in the NT? - 27 books What are the most important books of the NT? - Gospels What does Testament mean? - covenant What is Septuagint? - a 2nd century BC Greek Translation of the Hebrew Bible; means 70 How is the OT a Prep for Jesus? - OT prepares for the NT NT fulfills the OT What are the four "sections" of the OT? - Pentateuch Historical Books Wisdom Books Prophetic Books How many books are in the Pentateuch? - 5 books How many books are in the Historical books? - 18 books How many books are in the Wisdom Books? - 7 books How many books are in the Prophetic Books? - 16 books Who are the three major prophets? - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel What are the minor prophets referred to as? - "The Twelve" What do the Protestant Bibles call the separate section in back of the Bible? - Apocrpha ("hidden") What is inspiration? - The guidance given to the human authors of Sacred Scripture What is an evangelist? - A person who proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ What is the canon? - The official list of the books of the Bible What other two religions besides Catholicism accept the same canon of the NT books? - Orthodox and Protestant What was the criteria that the Church used to decide what writings should go into the canon? - Apostolic origin, Widespread acceptance, Conformity to the rule of faith What are the three Stages of the Gospels? - Stage 1: Public Life and Teachings of Jesus Stage 2: Oral Tradition Stage 3: The NT Writings What were the three forms that the oral preaching took? - Kerygma (preaching to unbelievers) Didache (teaching) The worship of Christians Why did oral preachings had to be written down? - End of the world was coming quickly then thought, distortions were setting in, more instruction was needed What is ment by the historical- literary method? - Looking at the biblical texts carefully in their historical and literary contexts What are the 5 subcategories of history- literary method? - Source Historical Form Redaction Textual What are the two senses in Scripture? - Literal Spiritual What is ment by the literal sense? - foundational What is ment by the spiritual sense? - Refers to how the texts, realities, and events in the Bible can be signs What is source criticism? - Tries to determine what source or sources the Gospel and other NT writers used to compare their works What are the synoptic Gospels? - Matthew, Mark, and Luke What does "Q" stand for and used by? - Quelle and is used by the the Evangelists Matthew and Luke What two sources do the Gospel writers Matthew and Luke pull from? - Q (Quelle) and Mark What is historical criticism? - The attempts to discover what evangelists wanted to say What are the four things historians have developed to study about the historical Jesus? - language originality convergence consistency What is ment by form criticisms? - literary differences What are the three form criticisms? - Miracle story: healing or exorcism Miracle story: nature miracle Parable What does redaction criticism focus on? - the Evangelists as editors What is textual criticism? - Translation of the Bible Who translated the Bible into Latin? - St. Jerome What is the translation of the Bible into Latin called? - vulgate Where did Jesus do his public ministry? - The Holy Land What are the four major terrains of the Holy Land? - Coastal Plains Great Rift Valley Mountains Transjordan What were the three regions/ cities of the Holy Land? - Galilee Samaria Judea What was Galilee known for? - rich lands for growing What was Samaria known for? - center of the Holy Land What was Judea known for? - being dry and barren Who are Gentiles? - non- Jews What was the language Jesus spoke? - Aramaic Where does the Jewish faith practice their religion? - Synagogue What are the three main purposes of the Synagogue? - Teaching Prayer Legal Agreements What is the most important part of the synagogue? - Ark of the Covenant What does the Ark of the Covenant contain? - Torah and scrolls containing the writings of the prophets What is the most important day of worship for the Jewish? - Sabbath (Saturday) What are the three major Jewish feasts? - Passover Pentecost Tabernacles What does Pax Romana mean? - Peace of Rome What are the four Good effects of the political climate? - common language good road system faire and just legal system strong military force What are the four Religious Sects? - Sadducees Pharisees Essens Zalots Who were the four groups of people whom Christ considered friends but were considered outcasts? - Poor/ common people Tax collectors Women Gentiles non-jews - gentiles the majority of jesus' contemporaries who were removed from the issues of the major sects - common people name means instruction or guidance - torah the supreme legislative and judicial body of the jewish people - sanhedrin festival that celebrates the liberation of the temple from the greeks - hanukkah promise land, holy land, land of Jude's, land of Israel - palestine the love of greek culture - hellenism feast that recalls the israelites wandering the desert - tabernacles was responsible for the execution of john the baptist, ruled Perea/Galilee, spied on Jesus - herod antipas the first five books of the bible - pentateuch the shrine built to hold the 10 commandments - ark of the covenant "anointed one" - messiah feast that recalls the freedom of the israelites from egypt - passover seen as property and had few political rights - women the cruel procurator tied to jesus' crucifixion - pontious pilate feast that recalls moses receiving the 10 commandments on mt. sinai - pentecost the center of jewish sacrifice to yahweh - temple god desires that everyone come to knowledge of the truth, that is... - jesus christ what were the 3 main purposes of a synagogue in jesus' day? - it was a house of prayer and worship, and place for settling legal issues, and the local school. name some of the atrocities committed by antiochus against the jewish religion. - robbed the temple of its gold, massacred protesters, outlawed the torah what did antiochus' actions lead to? - the maccabean revolt in which the temple was recaptured in 164 BC. describe herod the great. - he was a cunning, crafty, and bloodthirsty ruler. he ordered the massacre of the baby boys under 2 in the hopes of killing jesus. he slaughtered several sons, one of his wives, and several other relatives because he feared they might try and take his power. the hebrew word messiah translates to Greek - christos educated, read Hebrew, prayed in synagogue, observer of ord. ppl, came from Nazareth - Jesus of Nazareth hated ruler of Seleucids dynasty, committed atrocities - Antiochus controlled lands to North East of Sea of Galilee, fairest ruler - Phillip gained most of Samaria/Judea, Idemea - Archelaus name form sadok, only accepted Torah, collaborated with Romans, 1/4 important religious seas during New Testament, stressed free Weill and responsibility - Sadducees "separated one", existed during Hasmoneon dynasty sep. from ordinary religious practices of that day - Pharisees apocalyptic group, believe god would usher in the kingdom by dramatic event - Essenes 4th branch of Jewish philosophy, Joseph credits judas hauled as the messiah by his followers to be author - zealots Jews who worked for Romans: collect taxes, cheaters who tried to line their own good at expense of other Jews - tax collectors most of Jews contemporaries we common ppl that lived their lives - common people Arabic term of endearment "daddy" Jesus used to teach about God - abba Aramaic, expresses two things in two different ways but saying the same thing - parallel statement except for Aramaic, don't have special way to express comparative/superlative degrees - comparisons geek word for "assembles" where Jesus read his Jewish - synagogue "revelation" "unveiling" dramatic event pointing t the messiahs identity and a glorious establishment of Gods kingdom - apocalypse "messengers" of God, created beings that possess free will and intelligence but are spirits without bodies - angels descendants of the Maccabees who ruled Judea after ousting last of Syrians - Hasmonean Dynasty ancient scrolls containing oldest known manuscripts of book of Old Testament in Hebrew - Dead Sea scrolls ancient monastery of NW that share of dead seas. Dead Sea scrolls found near it - Qumran gospel - Greek word meaning "good news" that describes the message preached by the early Christians concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-8). It is also used to designate any of the first four books in the New Testament. kerygma - Greek word meaning "proclamation" used in New Testament theology to designate the message of the early church concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as preached to those who had yet to receive Christ. baptism - The Christian ceremony whereby a person is publicly received into the church by application of or immersion in water (Acts 2:38-41). A type of baptism was practiced by John the Baptist and other Jews before the church adopted it. Hades - The place of the dead, equivalent to the Old Testament Sheol (Acts 2:27, 31). The Septuagint translated "Sheol" as "Hades." In some instances, it comes close to meaning "hell" (Matt. 16:18; Luke 16:3). See also gehenna; hell. magi - Non-Jewish religious astrologers who, from their observations of the heavenly bodies and probably the Old Testament, inferred the birth of a great Jewish king. They came to Bethlehem to pay homage to Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). Messiah - Hebrew word meaning "Anointed One." In the Old Testament it refers to one who was specially designated by God to perform a particular task. The prophets announced the coming of a Messiah who would restore the kingdom to Israel (Ps. 110; Dan. 9:25-26). Jesus Christ fulfilled those prophesies, bringing in the kingdom of God (Matt. 16:13-20; Acts 17:3). "Christ" is derived from the Greek word for Messiah and quickly became a proper name for Jesus (see, e.g., Gal. 3:14, 16, 22, 24, 26). transfiguration - The transformation of Jesus on a high mountain in Palestine (probably Mount Hermon) during which his essential deity was glimpsed by Peter, James, and John. Moses and Elijah were also there, conversing with Jesus. God the Father closed the revelatory scene with the words "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matt. 17:1-13). bishop - A leader in the early church, sometimes called an "overseer" or "elder." Qualifications for office are listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-10 and Titus 1:5-9. form criticism - A method of literary analysis (especially of the Gospels) that classifies the written material by form and attempts to work back through the various "life situations" in an assumed earlier oral period to the original form of a saying of Jesus. This method was supposed to help distinguish between what is primary and secondary in a text and aid the process of exegesis. See exegesis; Sitz im Leben. Last Supper - The final Passover meal that Jesus held with his disciples on the night he was betrayed. He established a ceremonial meal consisting of bread (commemorating his body) and wine (commemorating his blood) confirming the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34; Matt. 26:27-28). It became the central ceremony of fellowship of the Christian church (1 Cor. 11:17-32). It is also called "communion" and "the Eucharist." presbyter - New Testament term that refers to a church official or elder. See also bishop. Twelve - Refers to the twelve apostles. "Apostle" means "a messenger" or "one who is sent," applied to the twelve leaders appointed by Jesus (Mark 3:13-19). Qualifications for apostleship included seeing the risen Lord (Acts 1:13-14). Paul could claim apostleship for this reason (1 Cor. 9:1). They are sometimes called simply "the Twelve" (John 20:24; 1 Cor. 15:5). Christology - Study of the person and work of Christ Jesus, covering all aspects of his divine and human natures, both before, during, and after his incarnation, death, and resurrection. gnosticism - An esoteric blend of Christian, Jewish, and Greek ideas that was vigorously opposed as heresy by the church during the second and third centuries after Christ. It taught salvation through special knowledge (gnosis), a complicated series of divine emanations from a hidden "One," and (in a few versions) a divine deliverer who showed the secret path back to the divine Ground of Being. internal criticism - Method of textual and literary criticism that examines a text on the basis of elements internal to it (e.g., level of Christology, word order of Jesus's sayings). Synoptic Gospels - Term applied to Matthew, Mark, and Luke because they contain similar material and look at Jesus's life from roughly the same perspective, emphasizing the Galilean ministry of Jesus. The Gospel of John relates primarily to Jesus's Jerusalem ministry. Trinity - The doctrine that God is both one and three—the one and only God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The revelation of this mystery unfolds through the Old Testament and is most clearly seen in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Matt. 3:16, 17; 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2). The Father is God (1 Cor. 8:6), the Son is God (John 1:18), and the Spirit is God (Eph. 4:4-5). The Trinity is central to the Christian faith, and upon it virtually every major doctrine is logically dependent. canonical criticism - One of several interpretive approaches concerned with the nature, function, and authority of canon. It takes as its starting point the