New Testament Course Vocabulary
Chapter 1 Pentecost- the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.

Hebrew Scriptures- the books of the Bible that come from the Jewish people before the time of Jesus; the part of the Bible that deals with God's covenant with the Jews.

Old Testament- all of the Hebrew Scriptures plus the deuterocanonical books of Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 of Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and additions to the books of Esther and Daniel.

salvation history- the saving action of God through human history.

Gospels- the first four books of the New Testament, which present Jesus' teachings.

evangelists- the Gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Chapter 2 Hellenistic- relating to Greek history, culture (Hellene), or art after Alexander the Great.

Pax Romana- (Peace of Rome) peace that resulted from the understanding that a conquered people must bow to a foreign master and its occupying forces.

Judea, Samaria, and Galilee- major provinces noted in Scripture.

Jerusalem- both the political and spiritual capital for the Jewish people.

Gentile- a person of non-Jewish faith or origin.

polytheistic- belief in many Gods.

monotheistic- belief in one God.

Jews of the Diaspora- the Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire.

Pharisees- well educated, lay, religious Jewish leaders whose main focus was keeping the Jews faithful to the Law.

scribe- the interpreters and the teachers of the Law; could be a Pharisee or Sadducee.

Sadducee- many of this group were priests who saw no harm in compromising the Jewish laws with the Greek and Roman laws in order to keep peace.

Torah- the Law in Judaism; the first part of Jewish Scripture- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Essenes- members of a Jewish sect that thought they were among God's elect and were waiting for the end of the world to claim their place with God.

Zealots- a rebellious movement of militant Jews who yearned and battled for the recovery of Jewish independence.

Qumran- the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in eleven caves immediately west and north of this dry riverbed.

Chapter 3 anti-Semitism- a hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.

countercultural- values, thinking, and actions not normally accepted by society as a whole.

YHWH- Hebrew name for God, sometimes translated "I AM" or "The One Who Is," or "The One Who Causes to be What Is".

Chapter 4 Sanhedrin- in Jesus' time, a group of seventy-one people made up of the chief priests, scribes, and elders; they made decisions regarding actions of the people of the Jewish community.

apostle- from the Greek word apostolos, which means "one who is sent."

Chapter 5 shema- a Hebrew word meaning "hear," the first word of Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel..."

anawim- a Hebrew word referring to those who are materially or spiritually poor and are seeking God.

parousia- A Greek word used in the New Testament and other Greek literature which can refer to the official visit of a ruler or to the appearance of a god. In the New Testament the reference is to the second coming of Christ at the end of time.

Chapter 6 persecution- the effort by one group to suppress or hinder the freedom of another by harming or threatening them.

martyrdom- dying for one's faith.

Hellenists- Greek-speaking Jews.

The Way- name for the movement that followed the ways of Jesus.

conversion- to change from one belief or action to another.

Apostolic Community- faith group begun by the apostles.

Christian- (A.D. 64), Rome's official name for followers of Jesus.

missionaries- people who bring the gospel to thoose who have not heard it and who help further educational, social, and medical developments in underdeveloped areas.

Chapter 7 allegory- an expression of truths or generalizations of human experiences through use of symbolic fictional figures or actions.

Incarnate- the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ.

Chapter 8 Paschal Mystery- The saving mystery of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection.

blasphemy- proclaiming oneself as God; claiming to have the attributes of God; insulting God, or God's name.

treason- an attempt or desire to overthrow and replace the head of government to which one owes allegiance.

Chapter 9 attitude- a measure of acting and feeling which shows our inner and outer disposition.

epistle- taken from the Greek word epistole which means "message" or "letter."