Questions for Study
| 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| a) True | b) False |
#. (1.0)
The New Testament is composed of (#)________ documents (books).
____ #. (1.0) The New Testament contains ______ documents, or “books.”
| a) 27 | b) 39 | c) 66 |
____ #. (1.0) One of the defining
labels of the New Testament from a Christian view is that it is
| a) a collection of myths & fables | b) the Word of God | c) an interesting ancient history |
#. (1.1) List one synonym of the word testament in its concrete meaning referring to documents: _________________.
____ #. (1.1) One synonym of the word ’testament’ is
| a) covenant | b) Torah | c) Pentateuch |
____ #. (1.1.) The Greek word
diatheke
is normally translated into English by the word covenant, rather
than by the word testament.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.1) The exclusive
motivation leading various individuals to read the New Testament is the
quest to hear the voice of God speak to them through the pages of the New
Testament text.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.1) The central person in the New Testament is
a) -------------------b)
| a) Moses | b) Jesus | c) Paul |
____ #. (1.1.1) The English
word testament does not occur in English translations of the New Testament
except at the institution of the Lord’s Supper in the synoptic gospels.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.1.1) The English
word testament comes from the Latin word testamentum.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.1.1) The English
word testament in a religious usage can refer to either the covenant agreement
between God and humanity, or one of the two collection of documents that
together comprise the Bible.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.1.2) While Jesus
is the center of the main covenant in the Hebrew Bible, Abraham is the
center of the new covenant in the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
a) -------------------b)
| a) The Gospels | b) The Book of Acts | c) The Letter to the Hebrews |
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.2) The modern Hebrew
term for the Old Testament is
| a) Tanak | b) Torah | c) Pentateuch |
#. (1.2)
List the three sections of the Hebrew scriptures:
____ #. (1.2) The book of Genesis belongs to which section of the Bible?
(1) (2) (3)
| a) Old Testament | b) Apocrypha | c) New Testament |
____ #. (1.2) The book of Psalms
belongs to which section of the Bible?
| a) Old Testament | b) Apocrypha | c) New Testament |
____ #. (1.2) The book
of 1 Esdras belongs to which section of the Bible?
| a) Old Testament | b) Apocrypha | c) New Testament |
____ #. (1.2) The book
of 1 Maccabees belongs to which section of the Bible?
| a) Old Testament | b) Apocrypha | c) New Testament |
____ # (1.2.1) Which of the
following pictures is taken from the Hebrew text of the OT, according to
the online Wikipedia
article?
____ #. (1.2.2) Christians meeting for worship in the first Christian century used the New Testament as their Bible.
a) -------------------b)
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.2.2) Christians meeting
for worship in the first Christian century used the ____ for their Old
Testament scriptures.
| a) the Hebrew text | b) the Septuaging text | c) the Peshitta |
____ #. (1.2.2) The term Septuagint
refers to the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament scriptures.
| a) True | b) False |
#. (1.2.2)
Why did first century Christians want their sacred writings written in
Greek rather than in Hebrew?
____ #. (1.2.2) According to one tradition, the Septuagint translation was the work of seventy Hebrew scholars who labored seventy days to produce seventy identical translations.
| a) True | b) False |
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.3) Only Christianity
values its ancient writings as sacred scripture.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.3) One of the common
links among the scared writings of the major world religions is that each
religion views its writings as a divine revelation to mankind.
| a) True | b) False |
| a) Hebrew | b) Greek | c) Aramaic |
#. (1.5.1.2) List the four literary forms that serve as categories for grouping the various documents of the New Testament:
____ #. (1.5.1.2.1) Which of the following literary forms did early Christian writers create?
1) 2) 3) 4)
| a) Gospel | b) History | c) Letters | d) Apocalypse |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.1) All of the
Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry were written within a decade
of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.1) None of
the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry were written within a decade
of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.1) The span
of history covered internally by all four canonical gospels is the years
| a) 4 BC - AD 30 | b) AD 27-30 | c) AD 30-62 |
#. (1.5.1.2.1)
Name the two gospels that cover only the years AD 27-30 in their treatment
of the life of Jesus: _________ and _________.
#. (1.5.1.2.1) Name the two gospels that cover the years 4 BC - AD 30 in their treatment of the life of Jesus: _________ and _________.
____ #. (1.5.1.2.1) Which part of the story of Jesus’ life and ministry receives the primary emphasis in each of the four Gospels?
| a) His birth | b) His childhood | c) The last week of his life |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.1) Which New
Testament writer wrote both an account of Jesus’ life and ministry as well
as a history of the early church?
| a) Matthew | b) Mark | c) Luke |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.2) The history
of early Christianity described in the NT book of Acts covers the years
of
| a) 4 BC-AD 30 | b) AD 27-30 | c) AD 30-62 |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.2) The history
of early Christianity descirbed in the NT book of Acts begins with the
ascension of Jesus back into Heaven and ends with the imprisonment of the
Apostle Paul in Rome.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.2) When the
NT book of Acts is measured against the standards of good writing of history
in the first Christian century set forth by Dionysius of Halicarnassus,
Acts is rated as
a) a very well-written ancient history.
b) full of deficiencies and thus not very useful.
c) a rather mediocre history with limited value.
____ #. (1.5.1.2.3) The book
of Romans in the New Testament is which literary form?
| a) Gospel | b) History | c) Letters | d) Apocalypse |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.3) Which New
Testament writer wrote more letters contained in the New Testament than
anyone else?
| a) Peter | b) Paul | c) James | d) John |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.3) Which NT
writer is the book of Romans attributed to?
| a) Peter | b) Paul | c) James | d) John |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.3) Which NT
writer is the book of 1 Corinthians attributed to?
| a) Peter | b) Paul | c) James | d) John |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.3) Which NT
writer is the book of 1 John attributed to?
| a) Peter | b) Paul | c) James | d) John |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.3) The letters
in the New Testament basically adhere to styles of ancient letter writing.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.4) The feature
that especially helps define the book of Revelation as an apocalypse is
a) The story line of the triumph of good over evil.
b) It’s unusual imagery graphically emphasizing the supremacy of God over evil.
c) The letters to the seven churches in chapters two and three.
#. (1.5.1.2.4)
The Greek word apokalypsis, which is translated as ’revelation,’
literally means:
____ #. (1.5.1.2.4) Apocalyptic literature in the ancient world, like the Book of Revelation, tended to be written in times of
| a) peach and prosperity | b) persecution and hardship |
____ #. (1.5.1.2.4) The Book
of Revelation is the only New Testament book to contain the apocalyptic
literary form of writing.
| a) True | b) False |
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6) Our present day
New Testament contains all the books written in the early church and used
as authoritative writings.
| a) True | b) False |
_____#. (1.6) The canon of the
New Testament was established by the end of the first Christian century.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6) In religious usage,
a canon is the official list of books that a religious community judges
to be its authoritative source of doctrinal and ethical belief.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6) Early Christians
meeing in the 60s and 70s of the first century had a New Testament virtually
identical to ours for use in worship and Bible study.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6) Jesus and the
apostles made the decision about what books would be included in the canon
of the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6) All of the books
in the New Testament were written by members of the original group of twelve
apostles whom Jesus brought together in his earthly ministry.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6) All the
books in the New Testament were composed within a decade of the death of
Jesus Christ.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6) None of
the books in the New Testament were composed within a decade of the death
of Jesus Christ.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.1) The list
of recognized authoritative writings for Christians remained the same from
the time of the Muratorian Canon (appx 174 C.E.) to the list of Athanasius
(367 C.E.).
| a) True | b) False |
#. (1.6.1)
Name the two church fathers who discussed the formation of the New Testament
canon emphasizing the three levels of acceptability: __________ and ________.
____ #. (1.6.1.5) Bishop Athanasius’ list in 367 C.E. of authoritative books acceptable in the early church is the first known list that corresponds to our present day list of books in the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
#. (1.6.2.1)
Explain what is meant by the term ‘apostolicity’ as a guiding principle
of the formation of the canon of the New Testament.
____ #. (1.6.2.1) Mark and Luke were among the original group of the Twelve Apostles whom Jesus brought together in his earthly ministry.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.2.1) Because of
the importance attached to the principle of apostolic origins of acceptable
documents among Christians in the early centuries of Christianity, it is
important for Christians today to seek to determine the issue of authorship
of the documents of the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.2.2) The term “inspired
writings” in the religious sense of the term means that such writings
a) were written by individuals in a moment of deep excitement.
b) contain profound insights about certain aspects of life.
c) were brought into being in a mysterious but wonderful joint effort between God and the human writer.
____ #. (1.6.2.3) A some point
in the study of the formation of the NT canon a Christian begins to realize
that the providential hand of God had to be guiding this process of selecting
the documents to be incluced in the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3) What motivated
the formation of a list of authoritative writings in the second century
of the Christian movement?
a) A general sense that early Christians needed their own Bible separate from the Jewish synagogue.
b) Conflicts among early Christians.
____ #. (1.6.3) Early Christians
in the second through four centuries had to choose as authoritative writings
from a large number of gospel writings claiming to accurately represent
the teachings and deeds of Jesus.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3) The large number
of writings that at one time or another were used as sacred scriptures
by various Christian groups in the second through fourth centuries, but
were eventually rejected are referred to as the New Testament Apocrypha.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3) The majority
of the documents listed as New Testament Apocrypha advocate a Christian
belief system known as
| a) Western orthodoxy. | b) Gnosticism. | c) Eastern orthodoxy. |
____ #. (1.6.3.1) Marcion vigorously
defended the use of the Old Testament scriptures in second century Christian
experience and worship.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3.1) Marcion allowed
only the Gospel of Luke and the Pauline letters to be recognized as accurately
expressing the Christian faith.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3.2) Gnosticism
produced a number of writings which were used as sacred scriptures within
this movement in the second century C.E.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3.2) The early
Christian belief system especially dependent upon Platonic dualism for
its organizing struct was known as Gnosticism.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3.3) Once a generally
accepted list (canon) of New Testament books developed, it became easier
for church leaders to fight heresy.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.3.3) The general
acceptance of a New Testament canon helped to unify Christian belief and
practice.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.6.4.1.1) Which of
the following was the first group of NT documents to be considered authoritative
writings for the early church?
| a) the four gospels | b) the Acts of the Apostles | c) the writings of Paul |
| d) the catholic epistles | e) the Revelation of John |
____ #. (1.6.4.2.2) What translation
of the New Testament writings played the most important early role in establishing
the canon list of books in the New Testament?
| a) The Syriac Peshitta | b) The Latin Vulgate | c) The Bohairic Coptic |
| a) Textual Criticism | b) Redaction Criticism | c) Source Criticism |
____ #. (1.7) The procedure
of evaluating ancient manuscripts for NT text determination involves looking
only at ancient Greek manuscripts, not any ancient translations into other
languages.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7) The science of
textual criticism when applied to the New Testament results in great uncertainty
about the wording of most all the text of the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
#. (1.7)
What is the basic goal that textual criticism seeks to accomplish in analyzing
all the available manuscripts of the Greek text of the New Testament?
____ #. (1.7.1) Only a very small number of Greek manuscript copies of the New Testament have survived.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.1) The first copies
of the New Testament manuscripts were written on _____ writing material.
| a) papyrus | b) parchment (vellum) | c) typewriter paper |
____ #. (1.7.1) What is
the oldest surviving fragment of a New Testament book?
| a) Papyrus 457 (=P52) appx. 125 C.E. | b) Codex a (Sinaiticus) appx. IV C.E. |
#. (1.7.1)
List the three types of ancient Greek manuscripts:
____ #. (1.7.1) The ancient process of copying the documents in the New Testament was a relatively quick and simple procedure.
(1) (2) (3)
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.1) Currently
we have access to the original manuscripts of all the books of the New
Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.1) What is
the earliest century in which we have access to manuscripts containing
only fragments of the New Testament?
| a) II | b) III | c) IV |
____ #. (1.7.1) What is
the earliest century in which we have access to manuscripts containing
the entire New Testament?
| a) II | b) III | c) IV |
____ #. (1.7.1) Which
Roman emperor was the first one to become a Christian and thus change the
direction of Christianity forever?
| a) Nero | b) Diocletian | c) Constantine I |
#.
(1.7.1)
Name the Roman emperor who made Christianity the official state religion
of the Roman Empire: _______________.
____ #. (1.7.1) Most ancient manuscripts of the New Testament have been found in
| a) Egypt | b) Palestine | c) Greece |
#. (1.7.1)
Why do we have more complete textual copies after the time of emperor Constantine?
____ #. (1.7.1) More complete copies of the New Testament from the time of Constantine onward are available today because
a) Christians started writing more
b) Better ways of preserving writings were created
c) Christians and their writings were no longer targets of persecution by the Roman government
____ #. (1.7.1.1) Which type
of ancient Greek manuscript surfaces at the earliest period of time after
the original writing of the New Testament?
| a) papyri | b) uncial | c) minuscule |
____ #. (1.7.1.2) Which type
of ancient Greek manuscript that we have access to is the earliest to contain
a complete copy of all of the 27 documents of the New Testament?
| a) papyri | b) uncial | c) minuscule |
____ #. (1.7.1.2) Unlike modern
English translations, one type of the earliest Greek manuscripts called
uncials was written without punctuation marks as reflected in the following
example from John 1:1:
ENARCHHNOLOGOSKAIOLOGOSHNPROSTONQEONKAIQEOSHNOLOGOS.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.1.2) Which
type of early Greek manuscripts are the most important basis of the text
form which modern translations into English are made?
| a) papyri | b) uncial | c) minuscule |
____ #. (1.7.1.2) Of the ancient
uncial manuscripts the most important one for textual criticism is
| a) Codex Sinaiticus | b) Vaticanus (B) | c) Alexandrinus (A) |
#. (1.7.2)
Identify a basic reason for the need of a standardized Greek text of the
New Testament for Bible translation:
____ #. (1.7.2.1.1) The first widely used printed Greek text of the New Testament was
a) Erasmus’ Greek NT
b) The first edition of the Nestle Greek text
c) The United Bible Societies 4th ed Greek New Testament
____ #. (1.7.2.1.1) When Erasmus
first produced a printed Greek New Testament in 1511, he compared over
5,000 Greek manuscripts of parts or all of the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.2.3) The most widely
used standard Greek text today in the English speaking world is
a) Erasmus’ Greek NT
b) The first edition of the Nestle Greek text
c) The United Bible Societies 4th ed Greek New Testament
____ #. (1.7.3) One of the reasons
for needing new English translations of the Bible is because the English
language itself is constantly undergoing change.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3) The English
language is the only modern Western language to have so many translations
of the Bible.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3) The first version
in an European language of the entire Bible to be based on Hebrew and Greek
manuscripts rather than the Vulgate was the
| a) Luther Bible | b) Coverdale Bible | c) Bishops’ Bible |
____ #. (1.7.3) Why did the
Church in the beginning so vigorously oppose the translation of the Bible
into the vernacular languages of Europe?
a) It wanted to guarantee that it could make all the profits from the sale of Bibles.
b) The exclusive use of the Vulgate in worship gave the priests great control over the laity.
c) The Church leaders didn’t think the early translators were qualified.
____ #. (1.7.3) Where modern
translations differ from the long-familiar readings in the King James Version
of the Bible, it is commonly because contemporary translators work from
a far better Greek text than was available to the King James editors in
1611.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3) Jerome was one
of the first Christian scholars to translate the New Testament from Greek
into Latin.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3) Jerome was an
early Christian translator of the New Testament who lived and worked in
the Eastern Orthodox Church.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3) Jerome’s translation
of the New Testament is called the
| a) Peshitta | b) Sahidic Coptic | c) Vulgate |
____ #. (1.7.3) The Roman Catholic
Church still uses the Vulgate as its primary text of the New Testament.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3) Which of the
following is taken from John 1:1 in the Vulgate?
a) En arche en ho logos, kai ho logos en pros ton theon, kai theos en ho logos.____ #. (1.7.3.1) One of the major motivations for doing Bible translation early on by Wycliffe and others was to create pressure on the Church to reform itself from the corruption that has become present.
b) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
c) in principio erat Verbum et Verbum erat apud Deum et Deus erat Verbum
| a) True | b) False |
#. (1.7.3.1)
Name
the two primary historical events that triggered the translation of the
Bible into the English language:
(1)____ #. (1.7.3.1.2) The first Christian scholar to translate the entire Bible into the English language was(2)
| a) Venerable Bede | b) John Wycliffe | c) Martin Luther |
____ #. (1.7.3.1.3) When William
Tyndale translated the New Testament into the English language in 1525,
he was given great honor by the church for his work.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3.1.3) When William
Tyndale translated the New Testament into the English language in 1525,
he was executed by the church for his work.
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3.1.8) The English
translation of the Bible which has had the greatest influence continuously
in the English speaking world is the
| a) Coverdale Bible | b) Great Bible | c) King James Version |
#. (1.7.3.1.8)
Name two of the strengths of the King James Version:
(1)#. (1.7.3.1.8) Name two of the weaknesses of the King James Version:(2)
(1)____ #. (1.7.3.2) The modern period of the English Bible is(2)
____ #. (1.7.3.2) Every English translation of the scriptures is equally reliable translation of the original Greek and Hebrew texts.
a) 1778- 1898 b) 1881-1957 c) 1881- present
| a) True | b) False |
........#. (1.7.3.2.1)
Using chapter five of the History
of the Bible, list one weakness and one strength of the committee approach
to making a translation of the Bible.
............Weakness:
............Strength:
........#. (1.7.3.2.1) Using chapter five of the History of the Bible, list one weakness and one strength of the individual approach to making a translation of the Bible.
............Weakness:
............Strength:
#. (1.7.3.2.1) Two ways in which translations are produced are those done by
(1)(2)
____ #. (1.7.3.2.1.2) The Revised
Standard Version of the Bible was produced by
| a) a single individual translator. | b) a committee of scholarly experts in the field of translation. |
#. (1.7.3.2.2)
Name the two basic methods
used to translate the New Testament into English:
| (1) | (2) |
___ #. (1.7.3.2.3) Translations
used as Childrens Bibles
are normally produced using
#. (1.7.3.2.2) Using the chart, English Translations, identify the dominant translation method used to produce the following English translations:
a) Formal English b) Contemporary English c) Simplified English
____ 1) American Standard Version____ #. (1.7.3.2.3) Which of the following translations is the easiest to read and understand according to the Fleich-Kinkaid readability measurement?
____ 2) Revised Standard Version
____ 3) New American Standard Bible
____ 4) New Berkley Version
____ 5) New International Version
____ #. (1.7.3.2.4) One should only read the translation of the Bible that his/her pastor or priest tells them to use.
a) American Standard Version b) English Revised Version c) New International Reader's Version
| a) True | b) False |
____ #. (1.7.3.2.4) One should
seek to find a single English translation and use just that one for study
and devotional reading.
| a) True | b) False |
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