View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What two systems helped define the temple-state?

2. What does Mack note causes some of the differences between the stories of the New Testament?

3. What two Gods from different cultures were seen to be the same?

4. How many books of the New Testament is Paul responsible for, according to Mack?

5. What is a Christ hymn?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the findings of Carsten Thiede, Mack's response, and what this argument shows.

2. What is the fifth Jesus movement discussed in the book, and what is/are the primary components of the movement's teachings?

3. Explain why social tension began to mount within the new mixed society of Greco-Roman times, and how these groups tried to keep their culture.

4. Explain why Paul is so important to views of Christianity, according to Mack.

5. What does Mack say about the Bible in early American history?

6. Why does Mack believe early Christians were excited about the concept of the kingdom of God?

7. What is the fourth Jesus movement discussed in the book, and what is/are the primary components of the movement's teachings?

8. Explain Mack's view of how the writings of the New Testament were chosen, and why these choices created centrist Christianity.

9. How did Paul link Christianity to the Greek concept of self control?

10. What did Paul mean by "freedom from the law", according to Mack?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the ideas of Marcion of Sinope to the ideas of Valentinus. Who were these individuals? What were their arguments against the centrist concept of Christianity? How do their arguments differ? How are they similar? Combined, how did their ideas influence the rest of the world? How did their ideas lead to the concept that the Jewish scriptures were "really" about Christians?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the letter by Paul to the Galatians. Why is it important? What happened to entice the letter from Paul? What question was Paul trying to answer? What was his argument, in terms of how the Christians could receive the same blessings as the Jews? Explain that argument in detail. What issues does Mack see, in terms of the validity of the argument? Was this argument continued by Paul in later letters? Why or why not? What does this say about Paul's own opinion of his argument?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast two of the following Gospels. Be sure to include the time of the writing, the location, the portrayal of Jesus, the use of other documents to form a basis, and the individual additions of each author to the main story line. How are the two similar, and how are they different?

• The Gospel of Mark

• The Gospel of Matthew

• The Gospel of Luke

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,257 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample