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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was Paul's first argument against the idea that Christians should practice Jewish law?
(a) That the Jewish were unreasonable in their laws.
(b) That the Christians were immune to the law of Jewish tradition.
(c) That he has already won his position with the pillars of Jerusalem.
(d) That the Christians were Jesus' children.

2. What became the sign of belonging to the new fellowship that became the Christ cult?
(a) Singing together.
(b) Fighting together.
(c) Praying together.
(d) Eating together.

3. What was Paul's view on circumcision for the Gentiles?
(a) Paul felt there was no need to circumcise the Gentiles.
(b) Paul never answered the question of circumcision.
(c) Paul let the pillars of Jerusalem answer the question of circumcision.
(d) Paul felt the Gentiles should be circumcised.

4. Why does Mack claim Columbus studied the Bible?
(a) To strengthen his faith.
(b) To plan his voyages.
(c) To teach the natives of Jesus.
(d) To teach his men of its teachings.

5. Why does Mack claim the Bible is constantly consulted?
(a) People require it for their faith.
(b) It is the only book of God.
(c) It is important to our politicians.
(d) It is highly important to religious institutions.

6. What does Mack claim is the reason for the many portrayals of Jesus?
(a) Different people changed the true description for political gain.
(b) Different groups developed his image to support their movement.
(c) There is no difference in the portrayals of Jesus.
(d) Different groups saw him differently, based on his age.

7. What did Paul's Jewish sensibility place high value on?
(a) Divinity.
(b) Community.
(c) Holiness.
(d) Honor.

8. What does Mack claim the Jews had done since the time of David and Solomon?
(a) Recounted their original epic history to retain truth.
(b) Lied about their origins to gain social standing.
(c) Participated in social change.
(d) Revised their epic history.

9. What two words came to represent the debate between power and the divine law of nature?
(a) Priests and rulers.
(b) King and tyrant.
(c) Power and nature.
(d) Nature and tyrants.

10. What way did ethnic or cultural groups create small social units within the larger culture they found themselves in?
(a) They met in government.
(b) They met in educational institutions.
(c) They created fellowships and associations.
(d) They worked with one another.

11. In the temple-state model of civilization, what system does the priest represent?
(a) Power.
(b) Purity.
(c) Logic.
(d) Salvation.

12. When would eternal life be obtained, according the Mack's depiction of Paul's letters to the Thessalonians?
(a) At the end of time.
(b) In death.
(c) Never.
(d) In accepting Christ.

13. What does Mack claim about the authors of the sections in the New Testament?
(a) They are the people each section is attributed to.
(b) They were descendants of Jesus.
(c) They are not the people each section is attributed to.
(d) They were uneducated militants, rebelling against the Church.

14. Where was Jesus from?
(a) Greece.
(b) Galilee.
(c) Israel.
(d) Italy.

15. Who did Paul argue was the seed of Abraham?
(a) Paul himself.
(b) God.
(c) Matthew.
(d) Jesus.

Short Answer Questions

1. What problem did Paul define as the human problem?

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

3. What does Mack note is mythmaking on a cosmic scale, in terms of the Christ hymn in Philippians 2:6-11?

4. What was contained in the "Jefferson Bible"?

5. Why does Mack claim groups are forming outside the boundaries of religion to study the Bible?

(see the answer keys)

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