Bible crossword puzzle: The world of the New Testament

Based on material in chapter 18, Discovering the Bible by Alex Varughese

Challenge: Can you solve this puzzle even if you do not have the book by Varughese?

"I found this fun, and I learned while doing it." -- Joshua H., Nazarene Bible College student

ACROSS

2 A Jewish religious movement which built a community at Qumran and wound up hiding their scrolls in jars in nearby caves during a Roman invasion
6 Religious institution established during the Babylonian Exile which became the center of the study and teaching of the Torah
9 When Paul said in Galatians 4:4 that the coming of Jesus into the world took place
10 A Jewish religious group which required strict adherence to both written and oral Law, including the interpretations handed down by generations of great rabbis; they believed in the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead
11 Center of Jewish sacrificial worship destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70

DOWN

1 A fanatical revolutionary political movement that opposed the foreign rule of Judea by the Romans
3 These descendants of Assyrian colonists and Israelites were viewed by most Jews as a mixed and defiled people who did not belong to their nation
4 The spreading of Greek language and culture
5 A king of Judea who was a skillful and cunning diplomat, a military strategist and a ruthless and murderous ruler (he was in power when Jesus was born)
6The Jewish supreme court that handled all religious violations and breaking of the rules of the Torah
7A Jewish religious group which considered the Books of Moses as their central authority; they promoted the Temple as necessary for the existence of Judaism while also rejecting concepts such as resurrection, angels, demons and future reward
8 Festival of Lights which celebrates the cleansing and re-dedication of the Jerusalem Temple at the end of the Maccabean war (during the period between the Old and New Testaments)

This crossword puzzle was created for use in the course Introduction to Biblical Literature. The words and clues come from the textbook Discovering the Bible: Story and Faith of the Biblical Communities edited by Alex Varughese and published by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, now called The Foundry.

-- Howard Culbertson,

Afterword: The World of the New Testament

The world of the New Testament was one of diverse cultures, religions, and political realities. Set in the Mediterranean basin during the first century AD, the New Testament world included the bustling cities of Rome, Jerusalem, and Alexandria, as well as the quieter villages and towns dotting the countryside. It was a time of political upheaval, with the Roman Empire dominating much of the known world while local rulers and religious leaders wielded influence in their respective regions. For most of the original readers of the New Testament books, Judaism served as a predominant religious system that guided daily life. With this backdrop, a new movement emerges. It is centered around the teachings of Jesus Christ. That movement, which we now call Christianity, spread rapidly across the Mediterranean basin, challenging existing power structures and offering hope to the oppressed and marginalized.