Chapter 7 - vocabulary and questions PDF

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Chapter 7: Apostolic Missions KEY TERMS Paul – a first century C.E Jew who embraced belief in Jesus Christ after a visionary experience on the way to Damascus. He became a missionary for the Christian way, establishing churches throughout Asia Minor. Several of his letter are preserved in the New Testament. God fearers – from acts of the Apostles, people who were attracted to to Judaism but who were uncertain whether to become fully Jewish (perhaps because of other Jewish requirements, such as circumcision and the kosher dietary restrictions). Biblical scholars believe that some of the early Jesus followers came from among these people. Jerusalem Conference - a meeting of Christian leaders held in Jerusalem in 48 or 49 C.E. According to the acts of the Apostles it was attended by Paul and Barnabas and the leaders of the Jerusalem church, and its purpose was to determine whether Gentile converts to Christianity needed to follow all of the requirements of Judaism. Pseudonumity - the practice of writing a document with a false name attached to it. These types of writings were quite common in the ancient world, in part as a way of honoring famous people in a particular culture or religious tradition and in part as a way of increasing the authority of the document. Justification - (1) generally making straight that which is crooked or ragged; (2) in theology, being set in right relationship with God. Justification is closely related to the notion of sin as a severing of humanity's relationship with God. Justification by works - the belief that humans cannot achieve right relationship with God can be achieved by avoiding sin and atoning for any transgressions with good deeds. Justification by faith - the belief that humans cannot achieve right relationship with God through their own actions, but that humanity is justified by God as a free gift to those who trust in Jesus Christ. Grace - free, unmerited assistance given to human beings by God for their salvation.

Sacrificial atonement - making up for one's sins with a sacrificial offering; specifically, in Christianity, the idea that our sins are forgiven through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Glossolalia - a Greek term meaning "speaking in tongues" one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Patriarchal sees - the head or leading seats of early Christianity.

QUESTIONS FOR READING 1. Why was there so much diversity in early Christian beliefs and practice? What elements of early Christianity would later be used to unify the church? a. There was so much diversity in early Christian beliefs and practice because Christianity grew so rapidly in its first decades with missionaries spreading the word of the crucified and risen Jesus and with so little institutional control, the religion quickly began to mean different things to different people. This caused all sorts of people calling themselves "Christians" but having some very different beliefs and practices. b. Unifying elements of early Christianity would later by used to unify the church: i. The apostles of Jesus held a place of authority within churches as teachers for the Christian communities. These communities regarded Peter as the first apostle. Later, bishops and leaders of the church would trace their teaching to Peter and the apostles. ii. Early churches believed Jesus was the messiah and Son of God, the one who was crucified, but also raised from the dead by God's power, so that all who believe might have eternal life. These church leaders used this to develop doctrine (teaching) about the nature of God and the relationship between God and Jesus. Christian communities believed in the Holy Spirit acting in their midst as a comforter, inspiration, and guide in Christian life. ii. During this period the books that make up the New Testament were written. These would compose the canon,

or the list of religious documents that are authoritative, for defining the Christian faith and governing its way of life. 2. Give an account of Paul’s activities prior to his becoming a follower of Jesus Christ and explain how he eventually came to follow Jesus. a. Paul was a Jewish missionary/a person who is sent to a foreign country to convince people to join a religion or to help people who are sick, poor, etc. It is possible that Paul learned of the message about Jesus Christ in synagogues where JewishChristian missionaries might have gone to spread the belief that the messiah had come. Paul was ill-disposed/unwilling to receive the message about Jesus Christ. In the Acts of the Apostles, we learn Paul was present in the killing of a Christian leader named Stephen, who was accused of speaking against the Temple and against Jewish law, Paul was harassing Jesus followers, breaking into their homes and hauling them off to prison, and he asked for/solicited a letter from the high priest of the Jerusalem Temple to authorize/to give Paul power to arrest any synagogue members in Damascus who "belonged to the Way." b. Paul became a follower of Jesus Christ on his way to Syria. The conversion experience is described in the Acts of the Apostles when Paul was blinded by a bright light and he heard a voice from heaven that said, "Saul, Saul, [Paul's Jewish name] why do you persecute/treat me unfairly especially because my religious beliefs?" Paul answered, "Who are you, Lord?" The voice replied, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting/treating unfair because of my religion." This experience convinced Paul that Jesus was the messiah. Paul went to Damascus, where his blindness was cured, and he was baptized a Christian by the name of Ananias. 3. What was the issue addressed at the Jerusalem Conference, and how was it resolved? a. Paul and Barnabas attended the conference and defended the position that Gentiles did not need to follow the Law and become circumcised. Opposed to them was a group of conservative Jewish Christians who supported requiring all Christians to keep the requirements of Judaism. b. Resolved - Paul felt that he had been given a mandate/command by God to preach a gospel without the Law and circumcision to the Gentiles. After the conference he began a series of

missionary journeys to Cyprus, Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece. These journeys were a stunning success. Paul founded numerous churches and made thousands of converts, becoming probably the greatest missionary Christianity has ever seen. 4. Define the term apostle, distinguishing it from the term disciple, and explain why Paul had difficulty being accepted as an apostle in his lifetime. Is he ever recognized as an apostle by the church? a. The word apostle comes from the Greek word apostello, which means "to send out." An apostle is "one who is sent out." For early Christians apostle meant "one who is sent out by Jesus to preach the word about him." It was presumed by many early Christians that in order to be an apostle, one must have known Jesus and been sent out by him to preach during his lifetime. A Disciple is a learner or a follower. b. Paul had difficulty being accepted as an apostle because he never knew Jesus during his lifetime. Paul claimed to be an apostle because he had been sent out from a mission given to him in a revelation that took place after Jesus's death and resurrection by Jesus to preach the gospel. c. He was recognized an apostle was eventually accepted by the church because Paul's letters are in the New Testament. 5. Explain the difference between justification by works and justification by faith. Which does Paul prefer? Why? a. Justification by faith is the belief that humans cannot achieve right relationship with God through their own actions, but that humanity is justified by God as a free gift to those who trust in Jesus Christ. Justification by works is the belief that humans cannot achieve right relationship with God can be achieved by avoiding sin and atoning for any transgressions with good deeds. b. It seems that Paul prefers justification of faith because believed good works were necessary for eternal life, but specifically he believed that faith is an active trust, or trust that manifests itself in the way believer lives his or her life. 6. Explain Paul’s understanding of the Church as Body of Christ. a. For Paul, God’s grace-filled gift, which is affected through Christ’s death and resurrection, both reconciles sinners to God and unites

all baptized Christians with Christ and with each other to form Christ’s body. 7. Name the four major non-Pauline Christian churches of the first and second centuries C.E. and the New Testament apostles or preachers associated with them. Which, if any, originated as Jewish Christian communities? a. Ethiopia, Edessa, Adiabene and Beyond. The Ethiopian church was baptized by Philip. The Christian church at Edessa also claimed Addai as its founder....