Christian Scriptures Exam 1 Study Guide
Key Terms:
Deuterocanon: Sacred text for Catholic and Eastern Orthodox that tells the story of the
Maccabean Revolt
Textual Criticism: the work of reconstructing the earliest forms of a text through analyzing and
comparing diverse manuscripts
Formal correspondence: a literal approach to translation that stays super close to the original
language form in both grammar and word order
Dynamic equivalence: a translation approach that focuses on the function of the original
language and tries to recreate that reading experience in the target language so that the meaning
is faithfully expressed
Canon: the identification and listing of texts that are scriptures (sacred)
Exegesis: the critical examination of a text. (comes from the Greek word “to lead out”) Its goal is
to accurately interpret the biblical text from the author’s point of view
Eisegesis: the opposite of exegesis, act of reading in our own interpretations into the Bible
BCE: Before the Common Era (BC)
CE: The Common Era (AD)
Original sin: the state of sin that characterizes all human beings as a result of Adam’s fall in
Genesis
Polytheism: worship of many Gods
Monolatry: worship of one God
Monotheism: belief in only one God
Primeval History: tells stories of Genesis up until Abraham (first 11 chapters)
, Ancestral Narratives: tells the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and how God keeps his
promise to Abraham (Genesis 12-50)
Imago Dei: value of humanity, made in image of God
Cosmogony: a myth, story, or legend about the creation of the world
Noahic covenant: God’s promise to Noah to never destroy the whole earth by a flood again
(rainbow)
Etiology: a story that describes why things are the way they are. (Ex: origins of the nations, the
existence of cities, way things are done)
The Mixed Model: Most likely theory for settlement of Israel that states the tribes of Israel likely
came from both the outside as conquerors and inside Canaan as the city states fell during the
Late Bronze Age (in both peaceful and violent ways)
Pentateuch: first 5 books of the Bible (Torah)
Covenant: a formal agreement that binds two parties together in a relationship
Birthright: inheritance goes to eldest son
Hyksos: a Semitic group who came to power in Egypt between 1700-1550 BCE
Tetragrammaton: four letters (YHWH) that make up the divine name
Passover: A special one day feast that celebrates God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt
(spring)
Tabernacle: the mobile wilderness sanctuary that the Israelites built after the exodus event. It
served as a site of worship and was the home of the Ark of the Covenant
Ark of the Covenant: the most important visible symbol of Yahweh’s divine presence w/ the
Israelite community. Decorated w/ winged cherubs and contained the Ten Commandments
Key Terms:
Deuterocanon: Sacred text for Catholic and Eastern Orthodox that tells the story of the
Maccabean Revolt
Textual Criticism: the work of reconstructing the earliest forms of a text through analyzing and
comparing diverse manuscripts
Formal correspondence: a literal approach to translation that stays super close to the original
language form in both grammar and word order
Dynamic equivalence: a translation approach that focuses on the function of the original
language and tries to recreate that reading experience in the target language so that the meaning
is faithfully expressed
Canon: the identification and listing of texts that are scriptures (sacred)
Exegesis: the critical examination of a text. (comes from the Greek word “to lead out”) Its goal is
to accurately interpret the biblical text from the author’s point of view
Eisegesis: the opposite of exegesis, act of reading in our own interpretations into the Bible
BCE: Before the Common Era (BC)
CE: The Common Era (AD)
Original sin: the state of sin that characterizes all human beings as a result of Adam’s fall in
Genesis
Polytheism: worship of many Gods
Monolatry: worship of one God
Monotheism: belief in only one God
Primeval History: tells stories of Genesis up until Abraham (first 11 chapters)
, Ancestral Narratives: tells the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and how God keeps his
promise to Abraham (Genesis 12-50)
Imago Dei: value of humanity, made in image of God
Cosmogony: a myth, story, or legend about the creation of the world
Noahic covenant: God’s promise to Noah to never destroy the whole earth by a flood again
(rainbow)
Etiology: a story that describes why things are the way they are. (Ex: origins of the nations, the
existence of cities, way things are done)
The Mixed Model: Most likely theory for settlement of Israel that states the tribes of Israel likely
came from both the outside as conquerors and inside Canaan as the city states fell during the
Late Bronze Age (in both peaceful and violent ways)
Pentateuch: first 5 books of the Bible (Torah)
Covenant: a formal agreement that binds two parties together in a relationship
Birthright: inheritance goes to eldest son
Hyksos: a Semitic group who came to power in Egypt between 1700-1550 BCE
Tetragrammaton: four letters (YHWH) that make up the divine name
Passover: A special one day feast that celebrates God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt
(spring)
Tabernacle: the mobile wilderness sanctuary that the Israelites built after the exodus event. It
served as a site of worship and was the home of the Ark of the Covenant
Ark of the Covenant: the most important visible symbol of Yahweh’s divine presence w/ the
Israelite community. Decorated w/ winged cherubs and contained the Ten Commandments
