NEW TESTAMENT BACKGROUNDS

 

Read a Brief Historical Introduction to the New Testament, at http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/ntintro/History1.htm

See also E. Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity; J. Jeffers, The Greco-Roman World; M. Tenney, New Testament Survey, chs. 1-5; Exploring the New Testament, ch. 1.

 

Jewish State

 

            Seleucid dynasty ruled Syria and fought Egyptian Ptolemies for Palestine.  To make the Jews mad, Antiochus IV Epiphanes set up a statue of Zeus in the temple and sacrificed a pig on the altar.  Ca. 168 BC, Mattathias and his sons revolted against him.  They cleansed the temple, and even though there wasn’t enough oil to burn the lamps in the temple, they kept burning for a week.  Judas Maccabeus and his brothers continued to fight until they were completely independent of Syrian rule in 142 BC.

            Herod the Great ruled as a vassal king over Judea (Palestine) when Jesus was born?  He had some wives and many sons executed.  He built strongholds all over Palestine to protect him if needed.  His three remaining sons each wanted to be sole ruler, but the Roman emperor divided Palestine among them. 

Herod Agrippa I lived under strict Jewish law and opposed all pagan practices. 

 

Jewish Religion

 

            Judaism’s monotheism and morality stood in sharp contrast to other religions.

 

Synagogue.  Synagogues probably arose in the exile/dispersion in the absence of the temple, which had been destroyed.  Jewish Christians still attended synagogue for a generation, until their expulsion became widespread.

 

Sacred Year. 

            Sabbath (Saturday). 

            Passover celebrated deliverance from Egyptian slavery.  Barley harvest. 

            Pentecost/Feast of Weeks was 7 weeks (50th day) after the sheaf offering at the end of Passover.  The church was established and began its spread on this feast day.

            Feast of Tabernacles/Booths.

            Feast of Lights/Dedication.  Observed for 8 days; established in 164 BC.

            Purim. 

            Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur.  Lev. 16.  The high priest took the blood of one goat into the Holy of Holies.  The other goat was taken outside the camp and given to Azazel.  Both bore the sins of the people for the year.  This was the most important and solemn day of the Jewish year.

 

Literature. 

            a. LXX.  LXX began to be translated under Ptolemy II Philadelphus in 3rd cent. BC Alexandria.  See the story from Letter of Aristeas (70 identical translations of Pentateuch).

b. Apocrypha.  Jewish books written between the Old and New Testaments.  Josephus claimed that no Scripture was written after the reign of Artaxerxes (d. 424 BC).  Apocryphal books were greatly revered, but were never included in the Hebrew Bible.  2 main messages of Apocrypha: 1) Sacredness of law and call for fidelity to it.  2) Apocalyptic ideas that give hope in the present and look to future salvation.

c. Josephus was a Jew who wrote several historical books about the Jewish people, including his own autobiography.  In the war against Rome in AD 70, Josephus, a very well educated man, was captured and became a friend of the Roman emperor, the Flavian dynasty (Vespasian, Titus, Domitian).  Thus, Flavius Josephus.  His most famous works are Antiquities of the Jews (a history of Jewish people and OT), and Jewish Wars.  He gives valuable insight into 1st cent. Jewish life, as well as how 1st cent. Jews interpreted their history and the events of the 1st cent.

d. Mishnah (AD 200+), part of the larger Talmud, is the gathering of the oral laws that had been developing among rabbis for centuries. 

 

Sects of Judaism.

            a. Pharisees.  Prominent Jewish group in gospels.  Theology founded on entire canon of OT (Tanak). 

b. Sadducees.  Composed almost entirely of aristocracy and well-to-do elite.  Controlled priesthood, but faded away in their conflict with Rome after 70. 

            c. Essenes.  Perhaps to be identified with Qumran community.  Some of their characteristics:

                        1. Interpretation of Scripture by pesher (interpretation), looking to current application.

                        2. Doctrine of salvation included faith in the Teacher of Righteousness and obedience to the law. 

                        3. Strict separatism. 

                        4. Highly disciplined life intended to protect purity of community.  In NT, there is similar emphasis on holiness, but Christian freedom also pervades NT. 

                        5. Strong eschatological orientation.  Expectation of coming prophet and priestly and lay Messiah.

                        6. Highly structured, hierarchical society: Priests, Levites, laymen, proselytes.

            d. Zealots.  Cf. Sikarioi (cf. Acts 21:38), violent political assassins (like terrorists).

            e. Samaritans.  Jew/Gentile mixture.

 

 

Greco-Roman

 

Hellenistic Kingdoms.  Alexander conquered the eastern Mediterranean as far as the Indus River.  Hellenism (from Hellas) is the attempt to understand and structure the civilized world based on principles developed in ancient Greece.  Hellenization set the tone for the Gentiles and even some Jews who first responded to the gospel.  It also meant that Greek was the dominant language of the Roman Empire.

           

 

The Roman Empire.  Know select emperors, and be able to say something intelligent about them.

            Julius Caesar- assassinated in 44 BC.

            1. Octavian, Augustus- Nephew of Julius Caesar.  Reigned when Jesus was born. 

            2. Tiberius- With Tiberius, the “temporary” imperial power of Augustus was transferred to Tiberius for life.  Reigned when Jesus was crucified.

            3. Claudius- Had a strong antipathy for foreign cults. 

            4. Nero- Good emperor at first.  Rome burned under his reign.  Blamed and burned Christians.  Paul and Peter were probably killed under him at Rome. 

            5. Vespasian- Was a career military man who suppressed revolts in the north. 

            6. Titus- Vespasian’s son, finished the destruction of Jerusalem in 70.  Was emperor when Mt. Vesuvius erupted.

            7. Domitian- Another son of Vespasian.  He demanded emperor worship during his lifetime.  Revelation was probably written in response to his persecution.

 

The Social World.  Social and economic conditions had an impact on the diversity of the church itself, and sometimes caused problems and divisions within congregations (e.g., 1 Cor. 11).

            The ancient Mediterranean world was characterized more by its corporate personality than our rugged individualism.  What one person does affects the whole community, good or bad (e.g., Adam’s sin).  This corporate personality extended to the past, too. 

 

 

The Religious World.

 

            There was a cornucopia of religious options.  Romans distinguished between religio and superstitio.  Christianity did not link any particular nation of people with God and had little to do with the political state, so it was considered superstition (or “cult”).  Early Christians were despised for their cultural inferiority, accused of appealing only to the lower classes of society.

 

The Mystery Religions.  Mystery cults offered cleansing from sin, security from evil forces, and immortality.

           

Philosophies. 

            In classical Greek philosophy, represented by Plato and Aristotle, there is a tentative move toward monotheism. 

            Epicureans.  Founded by Epicurus (b. ca. 342 BC).  Made pleasure the goal of life. 

            Stoics.  Founded by Zeno, who taught at the Stoa.  Stoics believed in determined fate and providence, which they equated with God.  The most famous Roman Stoic was Seneca (d. AD 65), who was Nero’s tutor and advisor, and contemporary with Paul, who pursued philosophy as a means to virtue.  Epictetus (50–138) (former slave) emphasized human ability to will virtue and victory over sin.  Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–80) persecuted Christians because of his zeal for polytheistic worship, which he saw as the duty of a good citizen.

            Both Epicurean and Stoic philosophies were dominant in the 1st cent., after the decline of Platonism and Aristotelianism. 

 

 

Textual Criticism

 

            This discipline is called “lower criticism.”  You have to know what the correct text is before you start trying to understand and interpret it.

            Manuscript Evidence.  Homer’s Iliad is probably the most well attested document of classical antiquity (ca. 650 mss).  The NT has over 5,000 Greek manuscripts that contain all or part of the NT, and over 15,000 early translations. 

Putting all these together, we can be sure of the accuracy of the text we have. 

 

-Copying errors

            1. “Unintentional” errors-

a. Copying from one manuscript.  Examples?

b. Copying from dictation.  Similar sounds.  Examples?

            2. « Intentional » changes-

a. Forced agreement.  Why would someone want to force agreement like this?  Examples?

b. Clarified doctrine.  Examples?

-What are text critics looking for?

            -Prefer older over newer readings (like 1 Jn. 5:7).

            -Prefer the shorter over longer readings (e.g., Mt. 6:13).  Why? 

            -Prefer the more difficult over easier readings (Mk. 1:2- some omitted “Isaiah”).

            -Prefer quality over quantity of witnesses. 

-Accuracy?

            -The oldest surviving manuscripts of the OT are the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back to ca. 150 BC.  Oldest manuscript of OT before this was ca. AD 850.  Dead S. S. proved they were transmitted quite accurately.

-The oldest surviving papyrus of the NT is known as “p52,” the John Rylands papyrus, which is a portion of the Gospel of John that dates back to c. AD 100-125.  What does this prove?

 

 

Story of the Bible

 

5 components.

 

  1. God. 

 

  1. Creation.  Creation is God’s first act of grace. 

 

  1. Fall.  In the fallen world, we learn dependence on God in the wilderness. 

 

  1. Re-Creation/Redemptive History.  God seeks to redeem, not scrap it all and start over, although he could have done that.  Jesus’ death and resurrection mean atonement for sin.  His resurrection is eschatological. 

 

  1. Eschaton.

 

 

 

Hermeneutics

 

2 Tim. 4:13; 1 Cor. 11; Jn. 13:14-15.

 

2-step method: Text à Today

 

3-step method: Text à                                                            à Today

 

 

ACTS OF APOSTLES

HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION

 

19th century Church of Christ.

            1. Canon within the canon.

 

 

            2. Alexander Campbell.

 

 

            3. Walter Scott.

 

 

            4. J. W. McGarvey.

 

 

           

 

            5. Strict patterns for Church life and organization.

 

 

 

 

6. Problems?

 

 

MAIN THEME OF ACTS

 

What the main theme is not: 

 

Criteria for main theme:

            Anticipated in Gospel of Luke.

 

            Makes sense of the whole story of Acts.

 

Theme: Bearing witness to the restoration of God’s people through the Holy Spirit.

 

I. Bearing witness (1:8).  The Gk. root marturevw, diamartuvromai, mavrtu~ (testify, witness) occurs fairly steadily from ch. 1 to ch. 28.

 

II. Restoration of God’s people. 

A. Restoration includes continuity.  Examples? 

 

B. God’s people.  It becomes evident that Gentiles are a part of God’s larger purpose.  Lk. 4:18-30.  When we speak of restoration, the pattern/paradigm is: 1) the restoration of Israel, and then 2) bringing in of Gentiles.  Gentiles become part of Israel.  Ac. 1:8- Start with Jews (ch. 1), then Samaritans (ch. 8), then God-fearing Gentiles (ch. 10).  Was this the expectation of the OT?  James thinks so.  Ac. 15:14-20- When the question about Gentiles becoming Christians is brought up, James gives Scriptural rationale of restored Israel bringing in Gentiles. 

 

More evidence of continuity.  Christian Pharisees!  No need to abolish the Mosaic law for Jews.  Jewish Christians saw Christianity as the true fulfillment of Judaism.

 

Emphasis on continuity- not a whole new thing.  The church, composed of Jews and (to use Paul’s language in Romans) ingrafted Gentiles, is not the new Israel, but the true Israel, restored Israel. 

 

There are 4 components of restoration in OT/Acts (prophecy/fulfillment).

            1. Promises and fulfillment are Davidic (2 Sam. 7:8-16; Is. 11; Eze. 39; et al.; Ac. 2).

            2. Jews returning from all over to Jerusalem (Is. 27:12-13; 44:26-28; Eze. 11:17; Ac. 2).

            3. Representatives from 12 tribes (Israel and Jacob; Jer. 31:1; apostles in Ac. 1-2).

            4. Outpouring of Holy Spirit.  Apostles understood the connection (Ac. 1:5-6). 

 

III. Holy Spirit is the one who brings restoration.

A. OT.  Is. 44:1-5- Metaphor of liquid being poured out on Israel and Jacob (north and south).  What is the point of the dry bones story (Eze. 37)?  Eze. 37:14.  Eze. 39:25, 28-29- Restoration theme again includes the HS.  True restoration entails HS.  The Restoration of Israel is not a literal restoration of land, for Paul says his citizenship is in heavenly Jerusalem.  It is a restoration of close communion with God, not of land. 

 

B. Luke-Acts.  Lk. 3:15-16- People understood that part of the messianic package is that he brings the HS.  John: “I don’t give HS; Messiah does.”  HS is what was promised in OT.  Messiah brings it.

 

 

PAUL – A CHRONOLOGY

 

33-35      Conversion, time in Damascus

 

35-47      Spent time in Arabia and Damascus (Gal. 1:17)

Barnabas introduced Paul to Jerusalem church

Went to Tarsus, Syria-Cilicia area

Was with Barnabas in Antioch

 

47-48      First missionary journey

 

49        Jerusalem Council

Galatians written (early, South Galatian theory?)

 

49-51      Second missionary journey

 

50        1-2 Thessalonians written

 

52-56   Third missionary journey

            1-2 Corinthians and Romans written

 

58-60   Caesarean imprisonment

 

59-60   Appeals to Caesar, sent from Caesarea to Rome

 

60-62   Paul under house arrest in Rome

            Prison letters written

 

62        Paul’s release; possible trip to Spain

            Paul goes to Crete

            1 Timothy and Titus written

 

64-68   2 Timothy written

Paul’s death

 

 

ACTS – REVELATION

QUIZ 1—STUDY GUIDE

 

Pay close attention to Textual criticism, Roman history, Jewish feast days, and Jewish literature.  Study the web reading, “Brief Historical Introduction to the New Testament,” the handouts, and your lecture notes.

 

Here are some sample questions:

 

1. The discipline of textual criticism seeks to answer what question?

 

2. What is another name for the discipline of textual criticism?

 

3. How many Greek manuscripts containing parts of the NT have been discovered?

 

4. Describe ways that a scribe might unintentionally alter a manuscript text.

 

5. When comparing variant readings, what do text critics often prefer?

 

6. What collection contains the oldest surviving copies of the OT?

 

7. The oldest surviving portion of the NT comes from what book?

 

8. During the NT period, who ruled the Mediterranean world?

 

9. In correct order, name the six most important Roman emperors of the first century.

 

10. Who was emperor when Jesus was born?

 

11. Who was emperor when Jesus was crucified?

 

12. Which early Christian leaders were martyred at Rome?

 

13. Who completed the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70?

 

14. Under which emperor was the book of Revelation written?

 

15. Which Greek general conquered the known world as far east as the Indus River?

 

16. What does Pax Romana mean?

 

17. What did the Epicureans believe?

 

18. What did the Stoics believe?

 

19. Who was the vassal king over Palestine when Jesus was born?

 

20. Which Jewish sect controlled the high priesthood and Sanhedrin?

 

21. What worship institution arose in the Jewish dispersion and absence of the temple?

 

22. What is the NT name for the Jewish Feast of Weeks?

 

23. What is another name for the Feast of Lights?

 

24. What is the translation of Yom Kippur?

 

25. What is the Apocrypha?

 

26. What mainstream Jewish sect only accepted the Pentateuch?

 

27. The Essenes are often associated with what location?

 

28. What was the purpose of the Essenes’ strict separatism?

 

29. What Jewish group advocated violence to overthrow the Romans?

 

 

DEALING WITH CONSUMERISM:

A CASE STUDY USING ACTS

 

The Piney Slab Church of Christ is located in Dugger, a town of about 80,000.  This congregation has been a well-respected part of the community for about 100 years.  Although the church has faced its share of hard times, this close-knit church has always weathered the storms.  The church enjoyed a time of prosperity and optimism in the 1950s-70s, when its numbers grew from about 200 to 500, and a spacious auditorium was built to accommodate over 500.  In the last 30 years, however, the church’s membership has steadily declined while the town’s population has steadily increased.  Some members have moved to different cities, but other members have left the congregation to join the larger churches in nearby Springfield, which tend to have much larger youth programs.  The Piney Slab church is largely unsuccessful in attracting new members to replace those who have left.  The church is now approaching an average attendance of about 200—dispersed throughout the large auditorium—a number they have not seen since 1959.

            The church, its five elders, and the preacher are concerned about the numerical trend, and it is often the subject of elders’ and staff meetings, and sometimes of sermons.  But the church has never articulated a clear vision or goal that addresses this issue.  In the last few years, though, they have implemented some changes in order to attract new and younger people to the church.  The church has added several new looks and programs to its repertoire.  The most obvious is the addition of a full-time youth minister ten years ago and a part-time worship minister five years ago.  When several young families threatened to move their membership if the worship did not become more exciting, the church added a praise team.  The church has also been more intentional about offering classes and services that they think should appeal to outsiders.

            The latest attempt to reach out was at the church’s Family Day, the highlight of which was a Saturday carnival free to the community.  The most discussed event, however, was the raffle which included two separate prizes: a big-screen TV, and a cruise for two to the Bahamas.  The drawing was open to any registered visitors at the carnival who listened to a fifteen-minute presentation about the church.  The drawing then took place after worship on the following Sunday morning, and the winners had to be present.  The attendance that morning was 253.  The first two names drawn were not present, but the next two were.  They received their prizes and a prayer was said over them.

            Two of the elders were very pleased with the outcome.  The pulpit minister and the three other elders, however, have been growing increasingly uncomfortable with what they were calling a spirit of “consumerism,” and this latest event convinced them that something had to be done.  Among the many strategies they planned in order to confront this danger, they decided to call you (and your team) in as a consultant.  Since their recent Sunday sermon series has been focused on the book of Acts, they asked you, in addition to the private consultations, to present two lessons to the congregation, publicly addressing this problem from the book of Acts.

            How would you address this issue appropriately, based on the book of Acts and other sound theological principles?

 

 

 

ACTS – TEST 2 (Geography Component)

 

Know the locations of the following cities, especially according to their regions, on which journey each was visited, and in geographical relation to one another.  (For maps, see http://www.ccel.org/bible/phillips/CN092MAPS1.htm .)

 

Jerusalem

Antioch of Syria

Rome

 

1st Journey

Cyprus

Antioch of Pisidia

Iconium

Lystra

Derbe

 

2nd Journey

Philippi

Thessalonica

Berea

Athens

Corinth

 

3rd Journey

Ephesus

Troas

 

 

REVIEW – TEST 3

ROMANS – 2 THESSALONIANS

 

Memory verses.  Rom. 1:16-17; 6:23; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:20; 3:26-28; Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 2:3-11; Col. 1:15-20.

 

1. What is an amanuensis?

 

2. Describe the genre of the epistles.

 

3. How does Paul describe people outside of Christ?

 

4. Know the background of the book of Romans.

 

5. What groups are in conflict within the Roman church?

 

6. What does Paul say about this conflict in Romans 9-11?

 

7. What was the main problem in the Corinthian church?

 

8. What was the source of most of the problems in the Corinthian church?

 

9. Know the chapter topics in 1 Corinthians.

 

10. How does 1:18–2:5 fit into the overall purpose of 1 Corinthians?

 

11. When was 2 Corinthians written?

 

12. How do you explain the change of tone beginning in 2 Corinthians 10?

 

13. What is the “gospel” in Galatians?

 

14. What is Paul’s emphasis in Galatians?

 

15. What was the issue for Paul’s opponents in Galatia?

 

16. With whom was the covenant of circumcision first made?

 

17. Know the chapter topics in Ephesians.

 

18. What key word does Paul use in Philippians to describe their attitude of unity?

 

19. Describe Paul’s opponents in Colossae.

 

20. What kind of rules did they stress?

 

21. Who is Philemon’s runaway slave?

 

22. When did Paul write 1-2 Thessalonians?

 

23. How does Paul emphasize pastoral care in 1 Thessalonians?