Overview

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Student eSources for Reading the New Testament as Christian Scripture include study questions, videos, and flashcards of key terms. Professors can access additional materials on the downloads page.

Chapter 1: The New Testament as Christian Scripture

Study Questions

• How does the NT relate to the OT? How is this understanding different or similar to the way you thought about the two Testaments before reading this chapter?
• Why is it important that we call the OT and NT “Scripture”? How does this influence the way we read them?
• What is the definition of “canon”?
• Memorize Matthew 5:17.

How to Read Scripture Well

Core Beliefs

New Testament vs. Old Testament

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 2: The New Testament as a Book

Study Questions

• Discuss the diverse genres of writing in the New Testament. Why do you think this diversity adds value to the New Testament?
• How has textual criticism increased our confidence in the accuracy of the New Testament that we read today?
• How is the New Testament organized?
• Which books of the New Testament letters were written to a specific church? A general audience?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 3: The World Around the New Testament

Study Questions

• How does understanding the “symbolic world” of the New Testament impact your reading of the New Testament? Give a specific example of a particular passage that opens up when you understand it within its “symbolic world.”
• This chapter mentions many texts written within several hundred years of the Bible (the OT Pseudepigrapha, the Talmuds, Josephus, Philo, Greek philosophy, etc.). Why do you think it is important to have a knowledge of these texts in addition to the Bible?
• Read the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matt 20:1-16) in light of the cultural values of Honor-Shame and Patron-Client relationships. How does this cultural information inform your reading?
• What is the “Second Temple” period?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 4: Jesus’s Life and Teaching

Study Questions

• Why does it matter to understand Jesus’ historical life?
• Which Gospels start with Jesus’ childhood? Which ones start with his adult ministry?
• What does “Christ” mean in Greek?
• What is the significance of Pentecost?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 5: The Fourfold Gospel Book

Study Questions

• Why do you think it is important to understand the genre of the Gospels?
• Compare and contrast the four types of criticism discussed in this chapter (Form, Source, Redaction, and Literary). What do you think are the pros and cons of each?
• What does the word “gospel” mean?
• What were the Four Symbols of the Evangelists, based on the four winged creatures surrounding God’s throne in Ezekiel 1:4–14?

How to Read the Gospels Well

How to Read the Gospels as Christian Scripture

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 6: The Gospel according to Matthew

Study Questions

• Read the Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6:7-15) and answer the following questions: (1) How is this poem structured? What are its different parts and how do they relate to one another? (2) Where else in Matthew do the themes in the Lord’s Prayer appear? Where else in the NT? (3) If the Lord’s Prayer is central to the Christian life, how does this affect how Christians should live and what the Church’s priorities are?
• What theme can be seen in chapters 1 and 2 of Matthew?
• In Matthew, what marked the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry?
• What is righteousness, according to Matthew?

The Gospel according to Matthew

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 7: The Gospel according to Mark

Study Questions

• Trace the theme of the disciples’ reactions to Jesus, noting how Jesus responds to them.
• Read through Mark and make a list of the enemies of Jesus (demons and people) and what happens in their interaction? What does Mark teach us through this?
• The book of Mark can be divided into two main parts. Know what these are, and what the turning point between them is.
• Memorize Mark 10:45.

The Gospel according to Mark

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 8: The Gospel according to Luke

Study Questions

• Read through Luke 1-2 and note themes and ideas that Luke is trying to communicate. Then note ways in which these themes appear in other places in Luke’s Gospel.
• Read Luke 4:16-30. What did Jesus mean by saying that the Scripture he read had been fulfilled today? What echoes of the Scripture Jesus quotes here do you see throughout the rest of Luke’s Gospel?
• Which parables did Jesus introduce while the Pharisees grumbled about His welcoming sinners and eating with them?
• Luke traces Jesus’s genealogy all the way back to which Old Testament figure?

The Gospel according to Luke

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 9: The Gospel according to John

Study Questions

• Define the term Amphibology, and identify some examples from the book of John.
• What does John state his purpose is for writing his Gospel in chapter 20?
• Read through each of the Seven Signs of John. How do you think each of these signs reveals different aspects of Jesus’ character and divine power?
• Why do you think John’s Gospel is so different from the Synoptics? What value does it add to the Fourfold Gospel?

The Gospel according to John

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Chapter 10: The Acts of the Apostles

Study Questions

• Consider the note “description vs. prescription” near the beginning of this chapter. Brainstorm the pros and cons of each position.
• Define cessationism vs. continuationism.
• Why are the resurrection and ascension of Jesus so important in Acts?
• What is the definition and origin of the word “martyr”?

The Acts of the Apostles

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Chapter 11: The Apostle Paul’s Life and Teaching

Study Questions

• Create a mental image of Paul’s three missionary journeys and his final journey to Rome. Find a map of the Mediterranean region and attempt to draw the route of each journey.
• Now make a list of Paul’s thirteen New Testament letters. Can you connect each one to the journeys you’ve drawn? Think of the destination of each letter as well as where Paul was when he wrote each one.
• Scan Paul’s Letters for every time he mentions the “gospel” that he preaches. How does he describe this gospel?
• How does the term “Union with Christ” reflect Paul’s theology in his writings?

The Letters of Paul

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Chapter 12: Romans

Study Questions

• Most interpreters break the letter up into four sections. What are these sections, and what are their main themes?
• Read Romans 6 carefully. Put into your own words why it is not appropriate for believers just to keep on sinning.
• According to Romans 8 (and other passages in scripture), what do we know about Paul’s view of the fate of creation?
• Trace the theme of love through Chs. 12–16. Why is it such an important theme in the letter?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 13:1 Corinthians

Study Questions

• What is a predominant theme in the book of 1 Corinthians, that can account for its structure?
• Read 1 Corinthians 3–4. Note all the characteristics of Paul’s ministry among the Corinthians.
• What principles in 1 Corinthians 8–10, addressing food sacrificed to idols, might apply to contemporary issues within the church?
• In 1 Corinthians 13, take note of all the qualities Paul lists out that a person can possess besides love that is “all for nothing.”

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 14: 2 Corinthians

Study Questions

• In 2:14, how does the explanation of “captive” in its historical context enlighten your understanding of the surrounding verses?
• In 2 Corinthians 8, what church does Paul give a testimony for their generosity?
• Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:21.
• What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 15: Galatians

Study Questions

• What differentiates Galatians from the rest of Paul’s letters, especially at the introduction?
• Put into your own words the argument of chapter 3. Give special attention to how the promises to Abraham relate to the law of Moses and how Jesus’ death fits in.
• What is the difference between “the present Jerusalem” and “the Jerusalem above” (4:25–26)?
• What does it mean to “walk by the Spirit” (5:16)? Pay attention to the wider context of chapter 5.

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 16: Ephesians

Study Questions

• Read the doxology of 1:3–14 and contemplate how each spiritual blessing mentioned there is mediated to believers through Jesus Christ. How do the blessings come “in him”?
• Articulate the logic driving the argument from 2:1 to 4:16. How does “salvation by grace through faith” construct the body of Christ?
• What is ecclesiology?
• Memorize Ephesians 5:1-2.

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 17: Philippians

Study Questions

• Read 2:1–11, 2:19–30 and 4:10–19 and reflect on what it means to demonstrate true humility in our relationships with others.
• What might be modern equivalents of Paul’s “reasons for confidence in the flesh” (3:4–6)?
• Trace the theme of partnership throughout the letter. What exactly is partnership, according to Paul, and what does it involve?
• What does the word “kenosis” mean?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 18: Colossians

Study Questions

• Articulate in your own words what Paul means by the “mystery of Christ.”
• How can the whole letter to the Colossians help to prepare someone to know how to answer each person (4:6)?
• Review the differences between Colossians and Ephesians.
• What does the phrase “the firstborn of/over creation” mean?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 19: 1 Thessalonians

Study Questions

• Describe the characteristics of Paul’s ministry among the Thessalonians as seen in chapter 2. What does he compare his care for them to?
• List all the descriptions of the Thessalonian believers found in 1 Thessalonians 1–2.
• How does 1 Thessalonians describe what is commonly referred to as the rapture? How does this differ from the “left behind” idea?
• Describe what the word “prophecy” or “prophesying” has meant throughout church history.

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 20: 2 Thessalonians

Study Questions

• Interpretations of who “the man of lawlessness” might be (2:3–4) abound throughout church history. Who do you think it might be? Does it refer to an actual person, or a “type” of person?
• What exactly is wrong with idleness (3:6–15)? Why should believers work, and what about those who can’t work for reasons of health, age, or situation?
• Do you find the idea of Jesus’s vengeance difficult to accept (2 Thess. 1:7–8)? Why or why not?
• Define eschatology.

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 21: The Pastoral Letters

Study Questions

• Search Titus for all its references to good works and godly living. If God saves people because of his mercy, not because of our works (Titus 3:4–5), why does Paul stress the importance of good works so much in this letter?
• Find all the references to suffering in 2 Timothy. Why is suffering such a significant element in this letter?
• Scan 1 Timothy for direct instructions to Timothy about his ministry. Summarize his responsibilities in your own words.
• What common thread ties these pastoral letters together?

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 22: Philemon

Study Questions

• Search this letter for all the references to Paul’s relationship with Philemon. How would you characterize it? What about his relationship with Onesimus?
• Trace throughout this letter each “hint” that Paul makes to Philemon about what he should do with Onesimus.
• What does this letter say about Paul’s attitude toward slavery?
• Memorize verses 8-9.

There are no flashcards for this chapter.

Chapter 23: Hebrews

Study Questions

• Put into your own words why Christians no longer sacrifice animals, no longer need priests, and no longer need a temple. Support your conclusions with relevant texts from Hebrews.
• What encouragements does Hebrews offer to help believers endure until the end? How do they apply to believers today?
• Be able to define substitutionary atonement, Levitical priesthood, and deliberate sin in context with this chapter.
• What examples of faith are included in Hebrews 11? What do you know about their stories that qualify them to be included in this “cloud of witnesses”?

The General Epistles

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Chapter 24: James

Study Questions

• Read the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. What major themes do you see of the Sermon throughout James?
• Make a list of the places in James that deal with wealth and poverty. Then consider and write down situations in which you are tempted to honor the wealthy and dismiss the poor. How can you pursue wholeness in this area of your life?
• Know the definitions for encyclical, orthodoxy, and Paraenesis.
• Memorize James 2:26.

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 25: 1 Peter

Study Questions

• First Peter focuses intently on the identity of God’s people. How does he describe their identity throughout his letter, and how does this understanding change the way you think about yourself as a Christian?
• How would you explain being an “elect exile” to an unbeliever?
• What examples does Peter give of what humble submission looks like?
• Memorize 1 Peter 1:2.

Flashcards of Key Terms

Note: The flashcards for chapters 25 and 26 are combined.

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Chapter 26: 2 Peter

Study Questions

• Read the whole letter. Write up a list of the characteristics of false-teachers and compare them to the characteristics that Peter expects believers to exhibit.
• Memorize 2 Peter 3:8-9.
• What Old Testament examples does Peter (or the author) use in his letter?
• How does the day of the Lord affect your own life? Is it something you think much about? Why or why not?

Chapter 27: 1-3 John

Study Questions

• What is the connection between the 1, 2, and 3 John?
• How is the intro to 1 John similar to the intro of the Gospel of John?
• What is the difference between propitiation and expiation?
• How does 2 John define hospitality? How would this definition impact our churches today?

The Letters of John: 1-3 John

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 28: Jude

Study Questions

• Make a list of all the references to Old Testament characters and stories in Jude’s letter. Then read all the relevant Old Testament texts. How do you think these stories support Jude’s argument?
• Memorize verse 21.
• If you were to preach the Letter of Jude, how would you avoid sounding overly negative?
• How would you explain Jude’s use of noncanonical texts to someone disturbed by the fact that he uses texts not found in the Bible?

There are no flashcards for this chapter.

Chapter 29: Revelation

Study Questions

• Summarize the message of Revelation in one sentence.
• If you were to explain the genre of Revelation to someone, what would you say?
• What are the significance and symbolism of numbers in Revelation?
• Explain the different opinions about the millennium (Amillennialism, Premillennialism, and Postmillennialism) that have shaped Christian eschatology throughout the centuries.

The Book of Revelation

Flashcards of Key Terms

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Chapter 30: Reading the New Testament in the 21st Century

Study Questions

• How would you explain the “gospel” in three sentences?
• In what ways has learning how to read the Bible as Christian scripture brought more wisdom into your life?
• How do you plan to continue prayerfully studying and obeying Holy Scripture throughout your life?
• Has your view of Jesus changed or been affected at all as you have learned more about the New Testament? How so?

There are no flashcards for this chapter.