Assignment for Week 14: USA and General Epistles

Read Hebrews, 1 Peter, Ephesians, 2 Timothy; and pp. 1-11 of “USA and the Apocrypha” available in the file “Second Century Christianity: USA” in the folder “Comments on Selected NT Texts” in Course Documents on Blackboard

1.Describe the apostolic tradition.

2.What features of the canon support the USA?

3.What is the golden age myth? How does it differ from the apocalyptic myth? Which best suits an institution?

4.Describe 2 ^ndcentury Christianity. See question #13 as well.

5.What are the so-called “General Epistles”?

6.What is the general demand made on followers of Jesus in the General Epistles?

7.Why are followers of Jesus to be righteous sufferers in 1 Peter? What HB scripture does this demand depend upon?

8.Why is Melchizedek important to Hebrews?

9.What kind of Jesus does Hebrews imagine?

10.What is Hebrews’ relationship to Jewish Christianity?

11.What HB passages are particularly important to Hebrews?

12.How do the post-Paulines and Acts domesticate Paul?

13.Who are the Ebionites, Marcionites, and Gnostics? What kind of Pauls do they envision? How does the institutional Paul combat these alternative Pauls?

14.How does the church of Ephesians differ from churches usually addressed by Paul?

15.What is the “mystery” in Ephesians?

16.What is a household code?

17.How might Ephesians introduce Paul’s thought/letters?

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