Ch.21 Christians and the Cosmos: The Book of Exam Prep 4e

Chapter 21

Test Bank

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 01

1. The word “revelation” means _____.

a. unveiling

b. reasoned defense

c. secret teaching

d. heavenly journey

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 02

2. Chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation are _____.

a. a vision of Christ

b. a tour of hell

c. letters to churches

d. descriptions of the destruction of the world

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 03

3. In Revelation, all of the following initiate disasters in the world except _____.

a. the seven seals

b. the seven trumpets

c. the seven bowls

d. the seven horses

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 04

4. All of the following are true of the genre of apocalypse except _____.

a. they are first-person narratives

b. they are among the oldest books of the Hebrew Bible

c. they contain symbolic visions

d. they explain the realities of the world

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 05

5. One way that Revelation is different from most apocalypses is _____.

a. it is not pseudonymous

b. it is pseudonymous

c. it has many repetitions

d. it uses symbolic animals to explain current conditions

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 06

6. Which of the following is an apocalypse in the Hebrew Bible?

a. John

b. Adam

c. Daniel

d. Isaiah

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 07

7. The author of Revelation _____.

a. wrote no other books in the New Testament

b. wrote the Gospel of John

c. wrote the Johannine epistles

d. was Jesus’ brother

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 08

8. The Revelation of John was probably completed around _____.

a. 45 CE

b. 80 CE

c. 95 CE

d. 105 CE

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 09

9. In the book of Revelation, Christ is depicted as all of the following except _____.

a. the Son of Man

b. a slaughtered lamb

c. a king

d. a Roman emperor

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 10

10. The number of the beast, 666, most likely refers to _____.

a. Satan

b. Nero

c. Herod

d. Pilate

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 11

11. Jewish apocalypses are written in the names of all the following figures except _____.

a. Adam

b. Moses

c. Abraham

d. David

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 12

12. Name the “great city” referred to in Revelation that was built on seven hills and ruled the world in John’s day _____.

a. Constantinople

b. Rome

c. Ephesus

d. Jerusalem

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 13

13. By writing pseudonymously in the name of a famous person of the past, the author of an apocalypse is able to do which of the following?

a. receive some funding

b. seemingly predict the future with accuracy

c. gain a pagan audience

d. confuse his readers

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 14

14. The number of the beast in some manuscripts of Revelation is _____.

a. 616

b. 116

c. 661

d. 667

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 15

15. The book of Revelation is all of the following except _____.

a. an apocalypse

b. anonymous

c. written in Greek

d. clumsy and even ungrammatical at times

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 16

16. The author of Revelation addresses his book to seven churches of Asia Minor; these are located in all of the following cities except _____.

a. Pergamum

b. Laodicia

c. Philippi

d. Ephesus

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 17

17. Which of the following is not addressed by the author of Revelation?

a. the present situation of the churches

b. the Synoptic Problem

c. his vision of the final cosmic battle

d. his vision of Christ

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 18

18. How many sets of seven major disasters are depicted in Revelation?

a. one

b. two

c. three

d. four

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 19

19. Which of the following serves as evidence that author of Revelation did not write the Gospel of John?

a. different writing styles

b. different sources

c. the fact that the author of the Gospel of John was Jewish

d. the fact that the author of Revelation remains anonymous

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 20

20. Which ancient Christian recognized that the book of Revelation was not written by the author of the Gospel of John?

a. Paul

b. Athanasius

c. Dionysius

d. Peter

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 21

21. Which of the following texts narrates a first-person guided tour of heaven and hell?

a. Apocalypse of Peter

b. Ecclesiastical History

c. Apocalypse of John

d. Apocalypse of Nero

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 22

22. In early Jewish traditions, Babylon is code for _____.

a. the book of Daniel

b. the chief political enemy of God

c. Jesus

d. heaven

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 23

23. Apocalypses often take the form of _____.

a. historical sketches

b. epistles

c. ancient biographies

d. psalms

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 24

24. The book of Daniel appears to be written approximately how many years after it alleges?

a. one hundred

b. two hundred

c. three hundred

d. four hundred

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 25

25. The bizarre symbolic visions in apocalypses are often interpreted by all of the following except _____.

a. the author

b. a heavenly being

c. the reader

d. God

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 26

26. To six of the churches, Jesus gives both praises and admonitions. Which is the only church to which Jesus gives no praise to any of its members but only admonition?

a. Laodicea

b. Philadelphia

c. Smyrna

d. Ephesus

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 27

27. In the book of Revelation, the number seven appears to symbolize _____.

a. divinity

b. virtue

c. the author

d. evil

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 28

28. The book of Revelation was probably completed during the reign of which Roman emperor?

a. Caesar Augustus

b. Nero

c. Domitian

d. Tiberius

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 29

29. The book of Revelation depicts the Christian church as _____.

a. wealthy

b. persecuted

c. favored by the Romans

d. thoroughly Jewish

Type: multiple choice question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 30

30. The book of Revelation is meant to do all of the following except _____.

a. admonish Christians who are tempted to abandon their views

b. encourage believers that God will soon vindicate their suffering

c. portray John’s visions

d. encourage the church to join forces with Rome

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 01

1. Discuss how the book of Revelation is both like and unlike other ancient apocalypses.

Feedback: Revelation is like other apocalypses in many ways. It includes the following typical features: It encourages Christians who are suffering; it is a first-person narrative that combines features of a heavenly journey and historical sketch (two common types of apocalypses); it includes bizarre symbolic visions, violent repetitions, and a triumphalist tone. Unlike most apocalypses, Revelation is not pseudonymous. Students should be able to offer specific details related to many of these elements.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 02

2. Who or what appears to be the primary opponent of Christianity in the book of Revelation? How is the opposition portrayed and revealed in the narrative?

Feedback: The primary opponent of Christianity in the book of Revelation appears as Rome; though Rome itself is in the service of the cosmic forces of evil, including Satan. Rome is depicted symbolically, though some of the symbols, such as the “great whore of Babylon,” are not so heavily veiled; they would have been easily understood by early Christians familiar with the Roman Empire. The number of the beast, 666, also seems to reference Nero, the first Roman emperor to persecute Christians.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 03

3. Discuss why apocalypses were written during times of suffering or distress. What purpose did they serve within such communities? How might this apply to the circumstances of the audience of Revelation?

Feedback: Apocalypses promise their audiences that the present world order, under which they suffer, will change soon, and God will establish his perfect kingdom. This genre explains that righteous people suffer precisely because they are righteous, not because they have sinned. Their suffering, therefore, is understandable and should be expected, but it will end very soon when God defeats Satan and eliminates evil and suffering in the world. These texts encourage people to retain their faith to be rewarded when the judgment comes.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 04

4. Interpret the following symbols of Revelation in light of your knowledge of the book’s historica context: the twenty-four human elders; the whore of Babylon; and the number of the beast, 666 context: the twenty-four human elders; the whore of Babylon; and the number of the beast, 666.

Feedback: The twenty-four human elders appear to represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles; the whore of Babylon represents Rome, who persecutes “the saints” (in Jewish tradition, Babylon is typically code for the enemy of God’s people; the reference to seven hills also implies Rome); the number of the beast, 666, most likely refers to Nero, whose name, whe spelled out in Hebrew letters (which also have numerical value) totals 666 spelled out in Hebrew letters (which also have numerical value) totals 666.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 01

1. Be able to summarize the basic narrative of the book of Revelation.

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 02

2. How is the term “apocalypse” distinct from the term “apocalypticism.”

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 03

3. What are the typical literary characteristics of apocalypses?

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 04

4. What is meant by “violent repetitions”?

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 05

5. In what ways is the book of Revelation like and unlike other apocalypses?

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 06

6. How, in your judgment, does understanding Revelation in terms of other apocalypses help you to interpret the meaning of the book, including its bizarre symbolism?

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 07

7. Who wrote the book of Revelation? What do we know about the author?

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 08

8. Do you think the same author wrote the Gospel of John and Revelation? Why or why not?

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 09

9. To whom was Revelation written? What can be determined about the book’s social context?

Type: essay/short answer question

Title: Chapter 21 Question 10

10. When was Revelation likely written? What evidence supports the dating of the book?