NEW TESTAMENT STUDY
Students of New Testament studies are often puzzled by terms and abbreviations found in books they study. Here are some of the more common ones.
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to this list.
Apoc
Abbreviation for Apocalypse ie Book of
Revelation or less likely apocalyptic literature.
Apocalyptic
A specific type of literature found in
Jewish and Christian writings. Lurid, pictorial imagery.
Apocrypha
A term used to denote books not regarded
as authoritative scripture
Apologetics
A reasoned argument to show the value
of a concept or philosophy.
Apostle
Literally - a messenger - First followers
of Jesus who spread Christianity were known as this.
Aramaic
The language or dialect spoken by Jesus
in Israel.
Augustine of Hippo
354-430AD North African Bishop. Prolific
writer.
Canon
A list of books. eg Canon of Old Testament
- those books found in the Old Testament
Clement of Alexandria
Head of Catechetical School in Alexandria.
Philosopher. Died 215 AD.
Clement of Rome
Early Church Father a leading presbyter
in Rome around the end of the 1st century AD.
Codex
A bound book, favoured by Christians for
their scriptures. Many were made of vellum.
Diaspora
Refers usually to those Jews who lived
as groups outside Israel.
Didache
Greek word for teaching material. Early
Christian writing of 2nd century.
Disciple
Follower or learner. Often used of Jesus'
close followers.
DSS
Dead Sea Scrolls found in the region of
Wadi Qumran 1947.
Ecclesiasticus
A book found in the Old Testament apocrypha.
Also known as "Sirach"
Epistle
A letter - may refer to the letters of
Paul or other writers in the New Testament.
Eschatology
Teachings about what would happen at the
end of time
Essenes
Jewish sect - followers probably found
at Qumran.
Eusebius
c 260-340 AD First writer of a Church
history from the time of the Apostles to his own day.
Evangelist
Popular use in theology - meaning the
writer of a Gospel. Hence "Four Evangelists".
ex eventu
Written as a prediction, where the author
has a knowledge of the consequences.
Exegesis
A detailed examination of a passage of
scripture. A commentary.
Existentialism
A philosophy of Kierkegaard - became popular
as a means of interpreting the New Testament.
Exorcist
One who casts out demons
f or ff
f means and the verse or page following.
ff means a number of verses or pages following.
Gentile
A term used by Jews for someone who was
not a Jew
Gospel of Thomas
A 4th or 5th century "gospel"
containing sayings of Jesus but no narrative. Gnostic work.
Gnostics
A heretical Christian sect who based belief
in Christianity around a secret knowledge.
Hasidim
Pious ones. Jewish sect in Maccabean period.
Pharisees & Essenes grew out of these.
Hellenistic
Greek influence.
Herodians
Political party designating those who
were supporters of Herod's regime.
ibid
In the same book, chapter or passage.
Ignatius
A Bishop of Antioch in Syria 110-117AD.
A writer of letters to churches.
ipissima verba
The precise words spoken.
Irenaeus
Bishop of Lyons until around 200AD. Wrote
books against Gnostics.
Jamnia
Council of Jews held at the end of the
first century AD. Decided Canon of Old Testament.
Jerome
Educated in Rome. Became a Christian -
early monk. Translated Bible into Latin 405AD
Josephus
Jewish Roman historian who lived at the
end of the first century AD
Justin Martyr
A philosopher who became a Christian,
defender of Christianity against Jews - Martyr AD165.
kerygma
Word - taken from the Greek - used to
denote the preaching. Often used of early church.
Koine Greek
Common Greek. The form of Greek in which
the New Testament is written.
L
Material found only in Luke's Gospel
Logia
A saying - from the Greek "logos"
a word.
Logos theology
Popular among Greeks - developed form
of wisdom literature. Also present in John's Gospel.
LXX
Used to denote the Septuagint. The official
translation of the Old Testament into Greek
M
Material found only in Matthew's Gospel
Maccabees
Books in O.T. apocrypha. Maccabean revolt
in Judaism 167BC.
Marcion
A Christian heretic ca 144AD. He rejected
the Old Testament and its God but accepted Jesus.
Masoretic Text
The standard text of the Hebrew Old Testament.
It is very carefully transcribed.
Midrash
Biblical texts (Old Testament usually)
retold to provide help for believers.
Mishnah
Written codification of Jewish oral law,
completed around 200AD
MSS
Term used for a manuscript or document
of any description
Oral tradition
The period of time between the events
in the life of Jesus and the writing of the first Gospel
Origen
Famous Christian scholar. Head of Catechetical
School in Alexandria. Died 254 AD
Papias
c 60-130 AD Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia
Minor. His writings are lost but quoted by Eusebius.
Papyri
Refers to papyrus finds of post apostolic
era. Oxyrhyncus, Nag Hammadi.etc.
Parousia
Christian technical term for the return
of Christ to the earth - second advent.
Passion
Account of the suffering and death of
Jesus.
Pentateuch
First five books of the Old Testament
Pericope
A unit of tradition in a Gospel. It can
be a story, a parable, a miracle etc.
Pharisee
Jewish religious teacher (not a priest)
at the time of Jesus. Worked throughout Israel.
Philo
Early Jewish interpreter of scripture.
Live at the same times as Jesus, in Alexandria. AD2-50.
Pirke Aboth
Ethical and religious sayings of Jewish
teachers from 3rd century AD.
Pseudepigrapha
Writings with a false attribution of authorship.
Esp Jewish religious works 200BC-200AD.
Q
The name given to a possible sayings source
used exclusively by Matthew and Luke.
Qumran
Geographical location. Site of the community
who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Sadducee
Priestly aristocracy centred on Jewish
Temple in Jerusalem.
Sanhedrin
Highest Jewish Council at the time of
Jesus. 71 members. High Priest was in charge.
Sirach
A book found in the Old Testament apocrypha.
Also known as Ecclesiasticus
sitz im leben
German - usually untranslated. "The
life situation or situation within the life of …" eg early church.
Synopsis
A comparison of documents by placing together
parallel material.
Synoptic Gospels
Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Talmud
Codification of Jewish oral law in its
final form. Grew out of Mishnah. Date from 300AD.
Tatian
Writer of middle 2nd century. Wrote a
"Diatessaron" - four gospels woven into one narrative.
Tertullian
Christian apologist, one of first to use
Latin. Wrote against Marcion. Died around 223AD.
Thaumaturge
Greek term for a wonder worker or miracle
worker - non Christian
Torah
Books of Law in the Old Testament.
Typology
Of people or events. Each is shown to
be of a similar type to its predecessor.
Vulgate
Jerome's translation of the Bible into
Latin in 4th century AD.
Zealots
Those who treasured the Law.
Jewish extremists who used force against their opponents.
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