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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was contained in the "Jefferson Bible"?
(a) Only the creation myths.
(b) Only the teachings of Jesus.
(c) Only the Books of the Prophets.
(d) Only the sections prior to the New Testament.

2. Why does Mack claim the Bible was important by the end of the fourth century?
(a) It gave the Church credentials in the eyes of early Christians.
(b) It gave the Church credentials for a role in the history of Israel.
(c) It gave the Church credentials for a role in Jewish history.
(d) It gave the Church credentials for a role in Constantine's empire.

3. What do the pillars in the Jerusalem group do that other Jesus movements do not?
(a) Believe in the creation myth.
(b) Adhere to the Jewish purity codes.
(c) Disobey Jewish purity codes.
(d) Believe in the concept of Jesus as a god.

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

5. Where does evidence for the Christ cult come from?
(a) The Dead Sea Scrolls.
(b) The Gospel of Thomas.
(c) The Sayings of Q.
(d) Letters of Paul written in the 50s.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. What did Paul's argument do to Jews and Christians?

3. What are sophists?

4. What happened at Corinth that made Paul nervous?

5. What did Paul stress was important, since they were "members of Christ"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What myths did the concept of the death and resurrection of Christ draw upon?

2. Explain why Mack believes Galilee was the perfect place for social experimentation.

3. What were Paul's arguments against the concept that Christians had to follow Jewish law, if they were claiming to be Jewish?

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

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

6. Describe the two major aspects in which the Christ cult differed from the Jesus movements.

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

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

9. What three factors surfaced as questions to answer that would help the different culture's relate to one another, and why were they important?

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

(see the answer keys)

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