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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How did Mark portray Jesus?
(a) As a backdrop to Jewish scripture.
(b) As a teacher.
(c) As a powerful authority figure.
(d) As a God.

2. What does Mack claim both Marcion and Valentinus offered?
(a) A revised way to view God.
(b) A new way to view God.
(c) An ancient way to view God.
(d) A way to avoid God.

3. Why does Mack argue Jesus' death is qualitatively different from all other deaths of the prophets?
(a) Jesus was the son of God.
(b) Jesus was a martyr.
(c) Jesus was the enemy of the state.
(d) Jesus was immortal.

4. How many miracles occur in the Gospel of John?
(a) Seven.
(b) Three.
(c) Five.
(d) Ten.

5. Whose conversion eventually led to the creation of the New Testament?
(a) Constantine.
(b) Caesar.
(c) Jerome.
(d) Eusebius.

6. What did the Centrists seek to prove to the challengers?
(a) That God cared only for the Jews.
(b) That the Christian God was the same as the Jewish God.
(c) That the Christian God was not the same as the Jewish God.
(d) That God did not exist.

7. How does John portray Jesus, according to Mack?
(a) As a cosmic Lord.
(b) As a powerful ruler.
(c) As a teacher.
(d) As the spirit of God.

8. What was the first act in Valentinus' cosmic drama?
(a) The world was created.
(b) Man was destroyed.
(c) The world was destroyed.
(d) Man was created.

9. What did Clement argue about the "new song" of Christianity?
(a) It was a new, vibrant way to view God.
(b) It was an incorrect theory.
(c) It was not new at all.
(d) It was based on Judaism.

10. What collection of early Christian texts does the Didache now belong to?
(a) Acts of the Apostles.
(b) The Apostolic Fathers.
(c) Revelations.
(d) The Dead Sea Scrolls.

11. What two sources does Mack claim Matthew used for his gospel?
(a) The book of Q and the gospel of Luke.
(b) The gospel of Mark and the gospel of Luke.
(c) The book of Q and the gospel of Mark.
(d) The book of Q and the gospel of the Christ cult.

12. What does Mack claim is Mark's greatest achievement?
(a) That he succeeded in converting the Jews.
(b) That he succeeded in creating the origins for Christian imagination.
(c) That he succeeded in tying Jesus with Moses.
(d) That he succeeded in publishing his work.

13. What is Ignatius' second appeal in his letters to the churches?
(a) For the congregations to obey their bishops.
(b) For the congregations to rise up against Rome.
(c) For the congregations to pray for Ignatius.
(d) For the congregations to become martyrs.

14. Who is the star from Chapter 13 to the end of the Acts of the Apostles?
(a) Peter.
(b) Paul.
(c) John.
(d) Jude.

15. What did the temple at Jerusalem serve as, in terms of a symbol?
(a) It was the symbol of God.
(b) It was the symbol of peace.
(c) It was the symbol of Jewish presence.
(d) It was the symbol of Jesus.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do the sermons in the Acts attempt to do?

2. What does Mack argue the author of the letters to the Hebrews is saying?

3. What word is used to imply the significance of the miracle stories in the Gospel of John?

4. Why are the Epistles of Peter and Jude called the Catholic epistles?

5. Who does Mack claim most of the sermons in the Acts of the Apostles are written for?

(see the answer keys)

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