 |
| 1 | |
The Nicene Creed, an early statement of orthodox Christian belief, repeatedly stresses ____________________ in its description of Jesus Christ. |
| | A) | Jesus' absolute equality with God |
| | B) | Jesus compassion for sinners |
| | C) | the reality of Jesus' miracles |
| | D) | the fulfillment of prophecies in the Hebrew Bible about the Messiah |
|
|
|
| 2 | |
The earliest non-Christian reference to the life of Jesus in ancient literature comes from the writings of ________________. |
| | A) | Flavius Josephus |
| | B) | Joseph of Arimathea |
| | C) | Tacitus |
| | D) | Julius Caesar |
|
|
|
| 3 | |
According to Albert Schweitzer, the historical Jesus was _______________________. |
| | A) | a wisdom teacher who spoke in brief sentences or phrases. |
| | B) | an apocalyptic prophet who hoped his death would usher in the day of final judgment. |
| | C) | a Zealot who was crucified for inciting rebellion against Rome. |
| | D) | a magician who earned his living performing healings and nature miracles. |
|
|
|
| 4 | |
This New Testament scholar believed that, although it is impossible to recover the real information about the historical Jesus, the universal concept for which Jesus stands still calls persons to an important moment of ethical commitment. |
| | A) | Albert Schweitzer |
| | B) | Rudolf Bultmann |
| | C) | H. J. Holtzmann |
| | D) | John Dominic Crossan |
|
|
|
| 5 | |
According to the criterion of ______________, the historical Jesus was more likely to have uttered brief, easily memorable sayings than long, rambling discourses. |
| | A) | dissimilarity |
| | B) | orality |
| | C) | embarrassment |
| | D) | form |
|
|
|
| 6 | |
Many scholars believe the historical Jesus was fond of speaking in _______________ or brief, snappy pronouncements that typically overturned conventional wisdom. |
| | A) | aphorisms |
| | B) | discourses |
| | C) | parables |
| | D) | discourses |
|
|
|
| 7 | |
According to the criterion of dissimilarity, a saying attributed to Jesus is likely to be authentic if ____________________________. |
| | A) | it contains Greek words or phrases. |
| | B) | it differs from parallel sayings in the writings of other philosophers. |
| | C) | it is found in more than one gospel |
| | D) | it is different from both first-century Jewish attitudes and those of the later Hellenistic church. |
|
|
|
| 8 | |
According to the criterion of multiple attestation, a saying attributed to Jesus is likely to be authentic if _______________________. |
| | A) | it contains Greek words or phrases. |
| | B) | it differs from parallel sayings in the writings of other philosophers. |
| | C) | it is found in more than one Gospel. |
| | D) | it is different from both first-century Jewish attitudes and those of the later Hellenistic church. |
|
|
|
| 9 | |
When it was formed in the late 1980s, the stated purpose of the group called the ____________________ was to screen all the Gospels and other documents composed during the first three centuries of Christianity for reliable data about the historical Jesus. |
| | A) | Institute for Advanced Study |
| | B) | Society of Biblical Literature |
| | C) | College Theological Society |
| | D) | Jesus Seminar |
|
|
|
| 10 | |
Which of the following types of sayings of Jesus is the Jesus Seminar most likely to accept as historically authentic? |
| | A) | Jesus' briefer parables and aphorisms |
| | B) | Jesus' eschatological predictions about his return |
| | C) | Jesus' metaphysical statements about his divine origin |
| | D) | Jesus' teachings about his birth and early life |
|
|
|
| 11 | |
Most scholars agree that Jesus was born during the reign of _____________________ sometime around 6-4 B.C.E. |
| | A) | Herod Antipas |
| | B) | Julius Caesar |
| | C) | the apostle Paul |
| | D) | Herod the Great |
|
|
|
| 12 | |
Jesus often referred to God by the Aramaic word _____________, which means "father." |
| | A) | Kepha' |
| | B) | Talitha |
| | C) | Basileia |
| | D) | Abba |
|
|
|
| 13 | |
Which of the following is NOT one of the ways that Jesus uses the term "kingdom of God" in the Gospels? |
| | A) | to express the kingdom's preeminence |
| | B) | to defend his personal authority to represent the kingdom and interpret the divine will |
| | C) | to speak of the future reality of heaven as a place for all believers |
| | D) | to proclaim the kingdom's radical demand for total commitment |
|
|
|
| 14 | |
The Roman government's first official recognition of the new faith of Christianity was when |
| | A) | Jesus was crucified. |
| | B) | Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. |
| | C) | Nero persecuted the Christions in Rome. |
| | D) | John's Gospel was banned. |
|
|
.