Question 1

The letter to Philemon was a personal letter addressed to
A)Philemon,Epaphroditus,Euodia,and Syntyche (who all lived together).
B)Philemon.
C)Timothy.
D)Philemon,Apphia,and Archippus (who were probably a husband,wife,and son).

Accepted Answer

The letter to Philemon was addressed to Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus, who were likely a family unit, with Philemon being the primary recipient.

Question 2

What does the author of 2 Peter say will happen to the "ignorant and unstable" who misinterpret Scripture (in this case,Paul's Gospel)?
A)They will burn in hell.
B)They do so to their own ruin.
C)They are guaranteed the chance to learn the correct interpretation before they die.
D)They are forgiven.

Accepted Answer

The author of 2 Peter states that those who are "ignorant and unstable" and misinterpret Scripture do so to their own ruin. There is no mention of burning in hell, guaranteed chance to learn the correct interpretation, or forgiveness.

Question 3

Early church tradition held that Paul wrote four of the canonical letters (Ephesians,Philippians,Colossians,and Philemon)while in a Roman prison.These are known as
A)the pseudepigrapha.
B)the epistles.
C)the captivity letters.
D)the apocrypha.

Accepted Answer

The four letters that tradition holds were written by Paul while in a Roman prison are collectively known as the "captivity letters." They include Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Options A and D are not applicable as they do not refer to these specific letters, and Option B is too generic to be considered the best choice.

Question 4

In the second of the six parts of Philippians,Paul meditates on
A)his prison experiences.
B)the authority of the Twelve.
C)the practice of circumcision.
D)the dualistic nature of humanity.

Accepted Answer

In Philippians 1:12-26, Paul reflects on his imprisonment and how it has actually furthered the spread of the gospel. He also discusses his own personal struggle between living in the flesh and desiring to be with Christ.

Question 5

In the third chapter of Philippians,Paul denounces circumcision as
A)mutilation.
B)self-aggrandizement.
C)vain.
D)fastidious.

Accepted Answer

In Philippians 3:2, Paul refers to those who “mutilate the flesh” as dogs, evoking the image of the practice of dog circumcision in Greco-Roman culture. Paul is clearly denouncing circumcision as a form of mutilation, suggesting that it is unnecessary and harmful rather than beneficial.

Question 6

With whom did Paul establish the church at Philippi?
A)Saul
B)Titus
C)Peter
D)Timothy

Accepted Answer

Paul established the church at Philippi with Timothy, as stated in the New Testament book of Philippians 1:1-2.

Question 7

What characteristic of Jesus does Paul most encourage his readers to emulate?
A)the warrior spirit
B)compassion
C)humble servitude
D)omniscience

Accepted Answer

Throughout Paul's letters, he emphasizes the importance of imitating Christ's example of humble servitude. In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul writes, "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!" Therefore, the best choice is C, humble servitude.

Question 8

What was the "Ephesian theory?"
A)the theory that archeologists will eventually find Noah's arc buried under the city of Ephesus
B)the theory that the Parousia would happen in Ephesus
C)the theory that Paul actually wrote Philippians from Ephesus rather than Rome
D)the theory that Paul had his revelation in Ephesus rather than on the road to Damascus

Accepted Answer

The "Ephesian theory" suggests that the Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians from Ephesus, not Rome, challenging the traditional belief that he penned it while under house arrest in Rome. This theory is based on various historical and textual analyses.

Question 9

Onesimus was a runaway slave who was converted to Christianity by Paul.Paul later sent him back to his master,telling the master
A)to treat Onesimus as a servant with pay,but to kept him segregated.
B)to keep better control over his property.
C)to treat Onesimus "no longer as a slave,but ....as a dear brother."
D)to flog Onesimus for disobedience.

Accepted Answer

Paul instructs Onesimus' master to treat him no longer as a slave, but as a dear brother in Christ. This indicates that Paul believes in the equality of all Christians regardless of their social status, including slaves.

Question 10

Paul compares his life to a race,running to win
A)the ultimate prize of life after death and union with the Lord.
B)the crown of glory.
C)a place at the right-hand of God upon death.
D)the apostleship.

Accepted Answer

Paul often uses the metaphor of a race to describe the Christian life, emphasizing the goal of achieving eternal life and union with the Lord. This imagery is meant to encourage perseverance and dedication to living a life in accordance with Christian teachings.

Question 11

Which of the four works (Ephesians,Philippians,Colossians,and Philemon)do all scholars still accept as genuinely Pauline?
A)Ephesians,Colossians
B)Ephesians
C)Philippians,Philemon
D)Colossians

Accepted Answer

While there is some debate among scholars about the authorship of Ephesians and Colossians, most agree that Philippians and Philemon were written by Paul. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 12

What is the most important theological concept in Philippians?
A)the directive to place others' welfare above your own
B)the freedom from further ritual
C)the freedom to worship in any manner one chooses
D)the directive to tithe

Accepted Answer

Throughout Philippians, the idea of placing others' welfare above one's own is emphasized, particularly in Philippians 2:3-4 where it says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." This concept is not only important for individual behavior but is also seen in the example of Christ, who humbled himself for the sake of others.

Question 13

In Paul's view,God created the universe through what agent?
A)the host of angels
B)the Holy Spirit
C)the Son,i.e.Jesus
D)Adam

Accepted Answer

According to Paul, in Colossians 1:15-17, "He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him, all things hold together." Therefore, it was Jesus who served as the agent of creation in Paul's view.

Question 14

What does Paul consider to be a piece of evidence that his contemporaries were living in the "last days?"
A)the series of plagues they were experiencing
B)the gifts of the Spirit
C)meteors that began hitting the earth
D)that believers' souls were beginning to separate from their physical bodies

Accepted Answer

Paul considers the gifts of the Spirit to be evidence that his contemporaries were living in the "last days." In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, he describes how people will become lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. He then follows it by saying, "having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people," and in 2 Timothy 3:5 he says these are people who are "having a form of godliness but denying its power." Paul believed that the gifts of the Spirit evidenced the power of God, and that they were necessary to be an effective witness for Christ.

Question 15

How does the Torah handle the issue of slavery?
A)with detailed regulations about the maximum length of time a master is allowed to keep the slave,what to do if the slave wants to be with his family but they are also slaves,the differences regarding Hebrew or Gentile slaves,etc.
B)with outright condemnation
C)delicately,with implicit assumptions about the "natural order" of things
D)by ignoring the subject

Accepted Answer

The Torah provides detailed regulations about slavery, including how long a master can keep a slave, what to do if a slave wants to be with their family, and differences between Hebrew and Gentile slaves. This shows that the issue of slavery was acknowledged and addressed in the Torah.

Question 16

When was Christianity introduced to Egypt?
A)unknown
B)50 CE
C)62 CE
D)88 CE

Accepted Answer

The answer of When was Christianity introduced to Egypt?
A)unknown
B)50 CE
C)62...

Question 17

When was the doctrine of the "Trinity" officially adopted by the church?
A)first century CE
B)fourth century CE
C)1852
D)1955

Accepted Answer

The doctrine of the Trinity was officially adopted by the church in the fourth century CE at the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE and solidified at the Council of Constantinople in 381 CE.

Question 18

What does Paul tell Philemon to do about the money Onesimus may have stolen?
A)forgive and forget
B)make Onesimus work to repay the debt
C)allow Paul to reimburse him
D)ask the church for reimbursement

Accepted Answer

Paul, in his letter to Philemon, offers to repay any debt or financial loss that Onesimus may have caused, emphasizing the principle of restitution and personal accountability.

Question 19

What did Paul mean by "Justification?"
A)security in God's bosom
B)approval by the Twelve
C)right standing with God
D)obeying the Torah

Accepted Answer

Justification, according to Paul, refers to being declared righteous by God through faith in Jesus Christ. It involves being forgiven of one's sins and given a new standing before God as if one has never sinned. This concept is at the heart of Paul's theology and is a key theme in his letters.

Question 20

Euodia and Syntyche were
A)a husband and wife evangelical team.
B)two active opponents of Paul.
C)two estranged women with whom Paul urged reconciliation.
D)Paul's jailers.

Accepted Answer

Euodia and Syntyche were two women named in the Bible in Philippians 4:2-3. They were members of the Philippian church who seemed to have had a disagreement or conflict with each other, and Paul urged them to reconcile and be of the same mind. There is no indication that they were opponents of Paul, a husband and wife team, or his jailers.

Quiz 16: Letters From Prison

The letter to Philemon was a personal letter addressed to

What does the author of 2 Peter say will happen to the "ignorant and unstable" who misinterpret Scripture (in this case,Paul's Gospel) ?

Early church tradition held that Paul wrote four of the canonical letters (Ephesians,Philippians,Colossians,and Philemon) while in a Roman prison.These are known as

In the second of the six parts of Philippians,Paul meditates on

In the third chapter of Philippians,Paul denounces circumcision as

With whom did Paul establish the church at Philippi?

What characteristic of Jesus does Paul most encourage his readers to emulate?

What was the "Ephesian theory?"

Onesimus was a runaway slave who was converted to Christianity by Paul.Paul later sent him back to his master,telling the master

Paul compares his life to a race,running to win

Which of the four works (Ephesians,Philippians,Colossians,and Philemon) do all scholars still accept as genuinely Pauline?

What is the most important theological concept in Philippians?

In Paul's view,God created the universe through what agent?

What does Paul consider to be a piece of evidence that his contemporaries were living in the "last days?"

How does the Torah handle the issue of slavery?

When was Christianity introduced to Egypt?

When was the doctrine of the "Trinity" officially adopted by the church?

What does Paul tell Philemon to do about the money Onesimus may have stolen?

What did Paul mean by "Justification?"

Euodia and Syntyche were