Question 1

What about Paul's "radical" gospel was so appalling to the Christian Jews?
A)that even unbelievers could become Christians
B)that Paul was advocating anarchy
C)that the Sabbath was suspended
D)that the Gentiles were not obligated to obey the Torah obligations

Accepted Answer

Paul's gospel included the idea that Gentiles did not have to abide by Jewish laws and customs, known as the Torah obligations. This was a departure from traditional Jewish beliefs and practices, and many Christian Jews found it appalling. They believed that adherence to the Torah was necessary for salvation, and viewed Paul's teachings as undermining this important aspect of their faith.

Question 2

To which two religions did Judaism pass its monotheism?
A)Christianity and Islam
B)Christianity and Hinduism
C)Hinduism and Buddhism
D)Zoroastrianism and Hinduism

Accepted Answer

Judaism passed its monotheism to Christianity and Islam through the historical and religious connections between them. Christianity emerged out of Judaism and shares the belief in one God. Islam also recognizes the God of Abrahamic faiths, including Judaism, as the only God. Both Christianity and Islam are considered Abrahamic religions that have a monotheistic tradition.

Question 3

Scholars had almost no Jewish literature dating from the centuries immediately before or during the formative period of Christianity until
A)the discovery of parchment fragments in Syria,which still have not been translated.
B)the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.
C)Rabbi Shammai's death,and with it the exposure of several scrolls of that period that he had kept secluded.
D)the Mt.Zion Papers were dug up at the base of Mt Zion.

Accepted Answer

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947 and contained Jewish literature dating from the centuries immediately before and during the formative period of Christianity. This discovery was significant for scholars studying the historical context of both Judaism and Christianity. The other options are incorrect as they refer to hypothetical scenarios or events that did not occur.

Question 4

The prophet Jeremiah and the authors of the books of Kings blamed the Babylonian captivity (587-538 BCE)on
A)Babylon's idolatry.
B)Israel's collective failure to honor their covenant vows.
C)Yahweh's fickleness in sticking to his side of the covenant.
D)Israel's misunderstanding of the commandments.

Accepted Answer

The prophet Jeremiah and the authors of the books of Kings blamed the Babylonian captivity on Israel's collective failure to honor their covenant vows. They believed that the Israelites had strayed from God's commands and become unfaithful, leading to their punishment by God through the Babylonians.

Question 5

"Hallelujah" means
A)"wonderful."
B)"sing praises to heaven."
C)"hail to the king."
D)"praise Jah," where "Jah" is a shortened form of Yahweh.

Accepted Answer

The word "Hallelujah" comes from the Hebrew phrase הַלְּלוּ יָהּ‎ (hallelu yah), which means "praise Jah," where "Jah" is the shortened form of Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God. Therefore, choice D is the best choice as it accurately reflects the origin and meaning of the word.

Question 6

In what way was first-century Judaism unique in religions of antiquity?
A)It demanded various rituals.
B)It involved animal sacrifices.
C)It was fiercely monotheistic.
D)It taught that everyone had God within.

Accepted Answer

First-century Judaism was unique in its fierce monotheism, in contrast to many other religions that believed in multiple gods and goddesses. The concept of a single, all-powerful God was central to Jewish faith and practice. While animal sacrifices were an important part of Jewish worship, this practice was not unique to Judaism and was common in many ancient religions. The idea that everyone had God within them was not a central tenet of first-century Judaism, whereas it is a common belief in some other spiritual traditions.

Question 7

The scattering of Jews forced to live outside Palestine among foreign nations was called the
A)Diaspora.
B)Epiphany.
C)Doxology.
D)Midrash.

Accepted Answer

The scattering of Jews forced to live outside Palestine among foreign nations was called Diaspora. This term refers to the dispersion of Jews from their ancestral homeland, particularly as a result of the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE and the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Question 8

With the Temple destroyed,Jews no longer had the means of making atonement to cleanse people's sin.Ben Zakkai suggested a new ritual to replace the old system of animal sacrifice.What was it?
A)confession of sins to the rabbis
B)On a small scale and on the same time table as the old system,each family would sacrifice a small animal in their own home.
C)Behave correctly in the first place (if you don't commit any sins,then you won't have anything to be forgiven for).
D)"deeds of love" and humanitarian service

Accepted Answer

Ben Zakkai suggested that "deeds of love" and humanitarian service could replace the old system of animal sacrifice for atonement of sins. This emphasized the importance of personal responsibility and good deeds instead of relying solely on animal sacrifice.

Question 9

The "greatest" commandment,given by Yahweh in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament,is to
A)hate sin.
B)love yourself.
C)love others.
D)worship Yahweh exclusively.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The "greatest" commandment,given by Yahweh in the...

Question 10

"Circumcision" means
A)the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis,done as a physical sign of the covenant between Yahweh and his people.
B)the ritual practice of walking around the Temple seven times before entering.
C)to cover the head when in the presence of the Lord.
D)figuratively,to go around obstacles.

Accepted Answer

Circumcision refers to the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis, often done for cultural or religious reasons, such as as a physical sign of the covenant between Yahweh and his people in Judaism.

Question 11

The name of Israel's Deity,Yahweh,means
A)"The Alpha and Omega."
B)"I Rule."
C)"I Am."
D)"The Holy One."

Accepted Answer

The name Yahweh is derived from the Hebrew verb "to be" and can be translated as "I Am," indicating God's eternal and self-existent nature.

Question 12

Together,the Mishnah and the Gemara make up the immense compendium of rabbinic scholarship that serves as a guidebook for daily living.It is called the
A)Torah.
B)Talmud.
C)Hebrew Bible.
D)Apocrypha.

Accepted Answer

The Mishnah and the Gemara together form the Talmud, which is a comprehensive collection of Jewish law and tradition. The Talmud serves as a guidebook for daily living and contains discussions and interpretations of the Hebrew Bible, as well as commentary on various topics and issues.

Question 13

Which is not something that Yahweh vowed to Abraham?
A)to make his descendents a source of blessing for all people on earth
B)to multiply his descendants and create a line of kings from them
C)to give his descendents the land of Canaan
D)to make him wealthy

Accepted Answer

Yahweh never vowed to make Abraham wealthy.

Question 14

Which Jewish group dominated the Sanhedrin?
A)Essenes
B)Pharisees
C)Zealots
D)Sadducees

Accepted Answer

The Sadducees were the Jewish group that dominated the Sanhedrin. They were a wealthy and politically powerful group who believed in a strict interpretation of the Torah and rejected the notion of an afterlife.

Question 15

Who is credited with protecting the early Jesus movement from repression by the Jewish authorities?
A)Gamaliel
B)Hillel
C)Shammai
D)Judah ha-Nasi

Accepted Answer

Gamaliel is credited with protecting the early Jesus movement from repression by the Jewish authorities. In Acts 5:34-40, Gamaliel is depicted as a respected Jewish leader who advises caution towards the fledgling Christian community. He argues that if the movement is from God, it cannot be suppressed, but if it is not, it will fail on its own. His advice is followed, and the early Christians are spared persecution.

Question 16

Among the various parties cited in Josephus,which was the only group (apart from what became rabbinical Judaism)to survive to the present day?
A)Pharisees
B)Samaritans
C)Sadducees
D)Zealots

Accepted Answer

The only group mentioned in Josephus apart from rabbinical Judaism that survived to the present day is the Samaritans. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and Zealots were all either destroyed or became obsolete after the Jewish Revolt in 70 CE. However, the Samaritans still exist today as a small community in Israel and the West Bank, with around 800 members.

Question 17

Why didn't the Sadducees,as a group,survive beyond the first century?
A)The Romans dispersed them in the Diaspora.
B)Their narrow focus on Temple ritual could no longer be practiced after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.
C)They converted to Christianity.
D)They were shown the error of their ways by King Herod,and converted to emperor worship.

Accepted Answer

The Sadducees were primarily associated with the Temple in Jerusalem and their priestly functions focused on Temple rituals. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, their power and influence significantly declined, and their narrow focus on Temple ritual could no longer be practiced. This led to their eventual demise as a group.

Question 18

What was one of the first major issues to divide the early Jewish Christian community?
A)eschatological differences
B)disagreements over which book to include in the canon
C)that under Mosaic Law it was virtually impossible for Christians with a Jewish background to worship,socialize,eat,etc.with Christians with a Gentile background
D)the Roman laws prohibiting integration

Accepted Answer

The early Jewish Christian community was divided over whether or not Mosaic Law should apply to Gentile converts. Some believed that Gentiles must first become Jews and follow Mosaic Law before becoming Christians, while others believed that Gentile converts did not need to follow Mosaic Law. This led to a major disagreement and division within the early Christian community.

Question 19

Who is considered the chief progenitor of the Jewish people?
A)Moses
B)Abraham
C)Melchizedek
D)Adam

Accepted Answer

Abraham is considered the chief progenitor of the Jewish people as the first person to be promised by God to become a great nation and to inherit the land of Israel. He is also seen as the father of monotheism, having faith in and obeying the one true God.

Question 20

The one day a year,in the autumn,when Israel's High Priest entered the Temple and presented sin offerings for the people so that their sins could be forgiven was called
A)Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
B)Rosh Hashanah.
C)Passover.
D)Hanukkah.

Accepted Answer

Yom Kippur is the Jewish holiday known as the Day of Atonement, which is a day of fasting and prayer. On this day, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple and present sin offerings on behalf of the people of Israel, asking for their sins to be forgiven. This was considered the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people.

Quiz 3: The Diverse World of First-Century Judaism

What about Paul's "radical" gospel was so appalling to the Christian Jews?

To which two religions did Judaism pass its monotheism?

Scholars had almost no Jewish literature dating from the centuries immediately before or during the formative period of Christianity until

The prophet Jeremiah and the authors of the books of Kings blamed the Babylonian captivity (587-538 BCE) on

"Hallelujah" means

In what way was first-century Judaism unique in religions of antiquity?

The scattering of Jews forced to live outside Palestine among foreign nations was called the

With the Temple destroyed,Jews no longer had the means of making atonement to cleanse people's sin.Ben Zakkai suggested a new ritual to replace the old system of animal sacrifice.What was it?

The "greatest" commandment,given by Yahweh in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament,is to

"Circumcision" means

The name of Israel's Deity,Yahweh,means

Together,the Mishnah and the Gemara make up the immense compendium of rabbinic scholarship that serves as a guidebook for daily living.It is called the

Which is not something that Yahweh vowed to Abraham?

Which Jewish group dominated the Sanhedrin?

Who is credited with protecting the early Jesus movement from repression by the Jewish authorities?

Among the various parties cited in Josephus,which was the only group (apart from what became rabbinical Judaism) to survive to the present day?

Why didn't the Sadducees,as a group,survive beyond the first century?

What was one of the first major issues to divide the early Jewish Christian community?

Who is considered the chief progenitor of the Jewish people?

The one day a year,in the autumn,when Israel's High Priest entered the Temple and presented sin offerings for the people so that their sins could be forgiven was called