New Testament
Exam 3 Study Guide
Acts, Paul, Pauline Epistles
Acts
§ What is the central theme of Acts and in what verse is it found?
§ How is “kingdom” language refocused by Luke in Acts?
§ Who are the two central characters in Acts and what are the four epic events in Acts?
§ How do Peter’s sermon’s function in Acts?
§ What is the concluding theme of Acts?
§ What are the theological emphases of Acts? (Hint: same as Gospel of Luke)
§ What is the difference between the Alexandrian and Western Texts of Acts?
Paul
§ Who was Paul? (What was his original name? Where was he from? What happened to him that transformed his
life?)
§ How many missionary journeys did Paul complete? What church/city sent Paul out on his first two missionary
journeys? What church/city served as his missionary base during his third missionary journey?
§ In what city were the disciples of Jesus first called “Christians?”
§ What was the major issue addressed by the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15?
§ What were Paul’s three core beliefs?
§ What were the three major implications of the gospel for Paul?
§ What is the difference between Jewish eschatology and Paul’s eschatology?
§ What is the difference between the “Old Perspective” on Paul and Judaism vs. the “New Perspective?”
§ How did Paul’s letters compare to normal letters written in antiquity? (Hint: think of length, adaptations)
§ What is an amenuensis? How are Paul’s letters ordered in the New Testament canon?
§ What is the Hauptbriefe and what does it include?
§ Be able to categorize Paul’s 13 epistles - Eschatological, Soteriological, Prison, Pastoral Epistles (See Handout)
Galatians
§ On what missionary journey did Paul plant the Galatian churches?
§ What is the best theory concerning the date and audience (North vs. South Galatia) of the letter?
§ What is the occasion of the letter?
§ What is the best option concerning the identity of Paul’s opponents?
§ What was Paul’s purpose for writing Galatians? (Hint: What were Paul’s opponents teaching? What was the
main issue?)
§ Know that there is no thanksgiving section in this letter
§ What are the theological emphases of the letter?
1 & 2 Thessalonians
§ On what missionary journey did Paul plant the Thessalonian church?
§ What is the best option concerning the order of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians?
§ When and from where did Paul write the letters to the Thessalonians?
§ Know that there are many verbal similarities between 1 & 2 Thess that provide evidence for both authentic
Pauline authorship and pseudonymous authorship of 2 Thess
§ Why did Paul write these letters? What similar issues does he address in both letters?
§ What assumptions did Paul correct with regard to Jesus’ second coming in 1 Thess vs. 2 Thess?
§ What are the theological emphases of these letters?
1 & 2 Corinthians
§ On what missionary journey did Paul plant the Corinthian church?
§ What was the order of Paul’s correspondence (visits and letters) with the Corinthian church? (See Handout)
Exam 3 Study Guide
Acts, Paul, Pauline Epistles
Acts
§ What is the central theme of Acts and in what verse is it found?
§ How is “kingdom” language refocused by Luke in Acts?
§ Who are the two central characters in Acts and what are the four epic events in Acts?
§ How do Peter’s sermon’s function in Acts?
§ What is the concluding theme of Acts?
§ What are the theological emphases of Acts? (Hint: same as Gospel of Luke)
§ What is the difference between the Alexandrian and Western Texts of Acts?
Paul
§ Who was Paul? (What was his original name? Where was he from? What happened to him that transformed his
life?)
§ How many missionary journeys did Paul complete? What church/city sent Paul out on his first two missionary
journeys? What church/city served as his missionary base during his third missionary journey?
§ In what city were the disciples of Jesus first called “Christians?”
§ What was the major issue addressed by the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15?
§ What were Paul’s three core beliefs?
§ What were the three major implications of the gospel for Paul?
§ What is the difference between Jewish eschatology and Paul’s eschatology?
§ What is the difference between the “Old Perspective” on Paul and Judaism vs. the “New Perspective?”
§ How did Paul’s letters compare to normal letters written in antiquity? (Hint: think of length, adaptations)
§ What is an amenuensis? How are Paul’s letters ordered in the New Testament canon?
§ What is the Hauptbriefe and what does it include?
§ Be able to categorize Paul’s 13 epistles - Eschatological, Soteriological, Prison, Pastoral Epistles (See Handout)
Galatians
§ On what missionary journey did Paul plant the Galatian churches?
§ What is the best theory concerning the date and audience (North vs. South Galatia) of the letter?
§ What is the occasion of the letter?
§ What is the best option concerning the identity of Paul’s opponents?
§ What was Paul’s purpose for writing Galatians? (Hint: What were Paul’s opponents teaching? What was the
main issue?)
§ Know that there is no thanksgiving section in this letter
§ What are the theological emphases of the letter?
1 & 2 Thessalonians
§ On what missionary journey did Paul plant the Thessalonian church?
§ What is the best option concerning the order of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians?
§ When and from where did Paul write the letters to the Thessalonians?
§ Know that there are many verbal similarities between 1 & 2 Thess that provide evidence for both authentic
Pauline authorship and pseudonymous authorship of 2 Thess
§ Why did Paul write these letters? What similar issues does he address in both letters?
§ What assumptions did Paul correct with regard to Jesus’ second coming in 1 Thess vs. 2 Thess?
§ What are the theological emphases of these letters?
1 & 2 Corinthians
§ On what missionary journey did Paul plant the Corinthian church?
§ What was the order of Paul’s correspondence (visits and letters) with the Corinthian church? (See Handout)
