Dr. Black’s Fun-Filled Questions Over the Gospels to See What We Know (and Don’t Know!)

 David Alan Black 

1. The end of the OT saw Judea as part of the Greek Empire.  T  F
2. Who spread Greek culture throughout the ancient world?
3. The Ptolemies were rulers of Syria.  T  F
4. What does “LXX” literally mean?
5. The Maccabees regained Jewish independences after defeating the ____________.
6.  “Pax Romana” literally means ____________________.
7. Who was the Roman Emperor when Jesus died?
8. Herod the Great was not a Jew but a/an ____________ by birth.
9. Which of the Herods ruled Galilee during Jesus’ ministry?
10. Graeco-Roman religion was nonexclusive.  T  F
11.  “Gnosticism” derives from a Greek word meaning “pride.”  T  F
12. The Stoics emphasized pleasure.  T  F
13. What was the largest Jewish sect during Jesus’ day?
14. The Jewish synagogue was led by a body of men called _______________.
15. Originally, the NT books were written on what kind of material?
16. What are the “agrapha”?
17. Name the three geographical divisions of Palestine from North to South.
18. What modern scholar launched the “Quest for the Historical Jesus”?
19. Rudolph Bultmann separated the “Jesus of history” from the “________________.”
20. Jesus’ birth occurred sometime around ____ B.C.
21. The word “synoptic” comes from a Greek word meaning ___________________.
22. What are the two sources of the “Two-Source Theory”?
23. Luke addressed his Gospel to a man named ___________________.
24. Luke’s genealogy goes back not to Abraham but to ____________.
25. Name John the Baptist’s father.
26. Name the angel who announced that Mary would give birth.
27. Jesus’ birth is linked to a census being taken by a man named _______________.
28. Whose Gospel presents information about Jesus boyhood?
29.  “Messiah” is the translation of a Hebrew/Aramaic word meaning ______________.
30.  “Cephas” and “Peter” both mean ______________.
31. The expression “born again” may also mean _________________.
32. How many Beatitudes does Luke’s Gospel record?
33.  “Jot” and “tittle” refer to what?
34. An a fortiori argument argues from the __________ to the _____________.
35. In the Parable of the Sower, the seed represents the ____________.
36. The “fourth watch of the night” refers to what time?
37. The story of the Good Samaritan is found in what chapter of Luke?
38. The Feast of Dedication (John 10) is also known as ______________.
39. The Raising of Lazarus is found in John chapter ________.
40. The “Olivet Discourse” is found in what chapters of Matthew?
41. Jesus and the disciples ate the Passover on which day?
42.  “Golgotha” means ___________________.
43. Jesus’ first and last “words” from the cross began with what expression?
44. Matthew and Mark mention only one angel at the tomb; Luke mentions ______.
45. During crucifixion, nails were driven though the victim’s hands.  T  F
46. Eternal life is both an “already” and a/an “___________.”
47. Whose Gospel alone has the word “church”?
48.  “Decapolis” literally means ___________________.
49. Palestine in Jesus’ day was about the size of what U.S. state?
50. What are the three major “text types” in New Testament textual criticism?

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Answers

1. False. It was the Persian Empire. 2. Alexander the Great. 3. False. They ruled Egypt. 4. 70. 5. Syrians/Seleucids. 6. Roman Peace. 7. Tiberius. 8. Idumean. 9. Antipas. 10. True. 11. False. The Greek term means “knowledge.” 12. False. It was the Epicureans. 13. The Pharisees. 14. Elders. 15. Papyrus. 16. Unwritten sayings of Jesus (e.g., Acts 20:35). 17. Galilee, Samaria, Judea. 18. Albert Schweitzer. 19. Christ of Christianity/faith. 20. 5. 21. Seeing together. 22. Mark and “Q.” 23. Theophilus. 24. Adam. 25. Zachariah/s. 26. Gabriel. 27. Quirinius. 28. Luke’s. 29. Anointed One. 30. Rock. 31. Born from above. 32. 4. 33. Jot is the smallest Hebrew letter; a tittle is a short extension of a letter. 34. Lesser, greater. 35. Gospel. 36. 3-6 a.m. 37. 10. 38. Hanukkah. 39. 11. 40. 24-25. 41. Thursday. 42. Place of a skull. 43. Father. 44. 2. 45. False. The wrists were used. 46. Not yet. 47. Matthew’s. 48. Ten Cities. 49. Vermont. 50. Western, Byzantine, and Alexandrian.  NOTE: These answers are taken from Thomas Lea and David Alan Black, The New Testament.

Count up each correct answer, multiply by two, and you have your final score (based on a scale of 100).  How well did you do?