Continuing Catholic Education

2010-2011

The Word Of God

• What is the Word of God?

– Is Bible the word of God?

– Is Bible the only Word of God?

– Is it Man speaking about God?

– Is it God speaking about himself?

What is the Word of God?

• • • • • The word of God is God’s revelation In the Beginning, was the Word – John 1:1 – What was this Word ?

The word of God is Christ himself The word became flesh and dwelled among us, John 1:14 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” 1 John 1:1

God’s Word – Devine Revelation

• • • Christ is the Sum of God’s Revelation God’s Revelation in two forms – Sacred Scripture • Written word-Bible – Holy Traditions • • Apostolic Traditions Ecclesial Traditions One Common Source, two modes of transmission

Study of Word of God

• • • Study the Plan of Salvation – From Genesis – Revelation Study the Word of God that was in the beginning, and was with God and God himself Study the Revelation of Trinity – Revelation of the Son by the Father – Revelation of Father and Spirit by the Son – Revelation of Father and Son by the Spirit

The Bible- The Written Word of God

• • • • • Authored by God Centered on The Son Inspired by the Holy Spirit Old Testament – Genesis – Malachi (46 books) – Creation – Promise - Anticipation New Testament – – Mathew – Revelation (27 books) Incarnation – Fulfillment of Promise- Omega

What great recent converts say about Biblical Christians??

• Biblical Christians, Who are they?

– Are we Roman Catholics biblical Christians?

– Or, Is there any other Christian denominations are more biblical Christians than us?

– Are we following some pagan practices which are not biblical?

So called, Biblical Christians explains?

• • • Martin Luther, John Calvin – Protestant Christian thinking Sola Fide - Faith Alone Sola Scriptura – Scripture contains everything

So called Biblical Christians, ? us

• • • • Show us in the bible all the pagan practices followed in your church… You just need to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord and that’s all you need. Lorraine Weithner – Roman Catholicism [Anti Catholic Doctrine] Book Contraversial Topics – Holy Eucharist, Mary, Saints, Saints, Pope, Purgatory etc…

For us Roman Catholics….

• If the way the catholic worship in alter is not God, they are to be just idolater, nor pagans. They are to be pitied and opposed. So are we…?

• If the pope in Rome is not infallible vicar of Christ, who can bind hundreds and millions of catholics in their believes and practices, then he is a tyrant. He is a spiritual dictator.

Studies by Scott Hahn

• • • • Roman Catholics are the only Christians rooted in scripture. His study on God’s covenant explained in scripture.

Catholic view on Covenant Protestant view on Covenant – synonym with a Contract (Interchangeable)

God’s Covenant

• • Protestant World – new covenant with God means You give God, your sin; he gives you christ and everything is a fair deal for salvation.

Reality this covenant means – sonship or kinship.

What Bible Is

• A History book – History of Salvation, God’s relationship with mankind – History told from God’s point of View rather than author’s point of view – Even historical accounts are within the context of salvation history – Story of salvation was begun with specific people in a specific time, place and culture

What Bible Is

• • Family Story – God is a family of three person – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – God’s desire to share this family with creation – Biblical Covenants resulting from this desire A Love Story – A History of God’s Love for His creation – The Fall of the creation to sin – God’s Mercy through a covenental Love

What Bible is Not

• • • • Fictional literature that are the results of author’s imagination World History with narrations of events and Leaders of Nations Scientific Book containing theories Myth

Bible a Book of Covenants

• • • • • • Covenant with Adam-Family Covenant with Noah – Household Covenant with Abraham and his tribe Covenant with Moses and Israel Nation Covenant with Jesus and all humanity Final Covenant is for all eternity in heaven

Categories of Books in Bible

• • The Old Testament (46 books) – The Historical Books (21 books) – The Wisdom or Poetic Books (7 books) – The Prophets (18 books : 4 major and 12 minor plus Baruch and Lamentations) The New Testament (27 books) – Historical Books – 4 Gospels, Acts of Apostles – Wisdom Books 21 Epistles/Letters – 1 Prophetic Book - Revelation

Bible Timeline

• • • • • • 1. The Early Word 2.The Patriarchs 3.Egypt and Exodus 4.The Desert Wanderings • • • • 5.Conquest and Judges 6. The Royal Kingdom • • 7. The Divided Kingdom 8. The Exile 9. The Return 10.

The Maccabean Revolt 11 . Messianic Fulfillment 12. The Church

Historical Books in Bible

• • The Pentateuch (The Law) – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy – – Time Period 10,000 BC – 1,400 BC From Beginning – Formation of nation of Israel Historical Books – Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings,1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judit, Esther, 1&2 Maccabees – Time Period 1,400 BC – 160 BC – From the formation of Israel – Emergence of Roman Empire

Genesis

• • • • • • • • • Greek for “beginning” Story of Creation The Fall from God’s presence The Promise Noah’s Ark The Flood The Promise to Noah The Call of Abraham and other Patriarchs Formation of Joseph’s sons as 12 Tribes of Israel

Genesis – Act1 - Creation

• • • • • • • In the Beginning God Created man and woman Did God create man differently?

In the likeness and Image of God How God has united man and woman?

Covenant between God and Mankind Marriage and Family How about Theory of Evolution? Did Genesis get it wrong?

Genesis – Act 2 – The Fall

• • • • • The Fall – Broken Relationship The Fall of Adam and Eve Who are Adam and Eve?

Serpant as a symbol Two States of Human Beings – Be with God – Stray Away from God, needing salvation

Genesis – Seen from NT

• • • • • • Man made in God’s Image and Likeness, sons - OT Son made in father’s image, incarnated - NT Man Stray Away from God By Evil Spirit – Disobedience - OT Man Lead by the Spirit -Complete Obedience NT Do not Eat from the fruit of the Tree, or else you shall die – OT “This is my body, eat it and you shall live”, and that body is raised on a tree - NT

Genesis Outline

• • Primitive History (1:1-11:32) – Creation of the World – Creation of man and woman: Their fall – Cain and Abel – God’s covenant with Noah – The tower of Babel History of Patriarchs (12:1- 50:26) – Abraham (12:1-25:18) – Isaac (25:19-26:35) – Jacob (27:1-37:1) – Joseph sold into slavery; down to Egypt (37:2-50:26)

Purpose of Creation Story

• • Providing radically new notions of – God – Nature – Human Beings and Human Life Not scientific/Mathematical/Historical

Primitive History in nutshell

• • • • • • • • • •

“In the Beginning” CREATION: A covenant with the universe Creation is GOOD.

Creation of Human Beings in the Image of God The Fall Spiritual Death Where are You?

The Curse Evil Righteous line of Seth

Creation in Spiritual Sense

• • Placing God in the beginning of our lives Avoiding the death traps of deadly sins – Pride (Adam/Eve/tower of Babel) – Envy (Cain) – Anger (Cain) – Sloth (Refers to Relativism of today’s world)

Forgiving and Merciful God

• • • • Descendents of Cain through Lamach’s evil in its completeness.

Descendent of Seth through Noah grace coming through.

Noah’s Arc and flood symbolizes the Christian church in God’s plan and our baptism.

Rainbows of our life.

Genesis- Act2 – The Fall Contd.

• • • • • • • Cain and Abel What did Cain and Abel Offer?

Why did God not accept Cain’s offering?

Perfect Offering, Liturgy, How to Pray?

Forgiving God Seth – Geneology – Salvation Plan

Genesis – Contd.

• Marriage – What Jesus said :Mathew 19:3 – Creation of Man and Woman – Why does the story say that woman was made out of man?

– “Bone of my bones and Flesh of my Flesh” – “What God has Joined together, let not man put asunder”

Marriage – What we hear today

• • • • • • • A spirit of Domination Infidelity Jealousy Conflicts escalating into hatred Statistics Culture Media

Marriage – Replica of Eden

• • With God – After Creation – Perfect Communion: “bone of bones and flesh of flesh” – – Call the helpmate ‘Woman’ since she came from Man.

Mutual attraction, God’s gift – Vocation to be fruitful and multily Without God _ After the Fall – Blame each other – ‘The woman you gave me’ – Lust and domination – Pain of Childbirth and toil of work

Marriage -What Jesus Meant

• • In The Beginning (Matt 19:3) – Special emphasis on the need for God in Marriage – Corrects the teaching from Moses on the hardness of their hearts.

As a Sacrament – Celebrants are Bride and Groom – Priest is only blessing the Sacrament – The sacrament continues everyday in our lives

Marriage – As a Covenant

• • • • • What is a Covenant?

How is Covenant established in Bible?

How is Marriage becoming a Covenant?

What is our Call?

Seventh Day for Marriage?

– Man and Woman resting with God on Seventh Day – Children as God’s Gift, Raised for God – Family, A Sanctuary of God

Marriage – What Church Teaches

• • Church teachings on Marriage Encyclicals – Humane Vitae – Paul VI – Evangelium Vitae – John Paul II – Theology of Body – John Paul

Genesis – Contd.

• Chapter 4- The Fall of Man continues – God’s warning Gen 4:7 – Man ignores the warning – Man kills his brother in the field when they were alone – “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?“ – Value of Life – Thou Shall not Kill – Stand Firm to protect Life

Life –Breath of God

• • • • • • Gen 2:7 “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” “Am I my brother's keeper?“ or “Am I the keeper of God’s breath?” Culture of Death continues with Cain’s son(s) (4:23-24) Cain kills Abel in the field, where he had no defense of his parents-most vulnerable place.

Today, Lives of many are threatened when they are the most vulnerable-Inside wombs and during the old-age.

“The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to be from the ground”:Gen 4:10

Marriage and Life

• • • • • • • • • Marriage and Life are inseparable Intimate community of Life and Love Marital Love is Life-Giving.

Sacrificial and Self Giving Love to each other St. Paul equates this as the Love of Christ to Church.

CCC equates of this as Love of God to Man Procreation-Husband and wife becomes partners in God’s Creation Marriage – A Call to Holiness Family – A Sanctuary of Life

God’s Mercy

• • • • • Genesis paints picture of a Merciful God God searching for Man 3:9 God becoming a Taylor to clothe the naked Man 3:21 Promise of Savior after Man’s Fall to save them from Sin Forgiving Cain even after he became the first murderer

Genesis – Act3 – The Flood

• • • • • • • • What is the story of Flood?

Why did Noah escape the flood?

Creation – Take 2 What does the flood symbolize?

Baptism What does the Ark represent?

What does the rainbow represent?

Covenant with a Family

Genesis- Act 4- Tower of Babel

• • • • • What is the story?

Who built the tower and why?

Mankind refuting against God Symbolism of Babel to Pentecost End of Genesis Early Word Section

Exodus

• • • • • • Greek for “Going out” Escape from slavery Journey (and wanderings) to the promised land Ten Commandments Failure to keep commandments Providence of God in Israel’s daily lives including food, shelter etc.

Leviticus

• • • • • • • Talks a lot about Levitical Priests of Israel Book of Laws, mainly for religious observances Sacrifices and offerings (1-7) Duties of Priests (8-10) Cleanliness and Holiness (11-22) Feasts (23) Promises and warnings (25-27)

Leviticus

• • • • • The character of God The fundamental conditions of true religion The principles that should guide human legislators The work of Christ The prophecies in types of things to come in the kingdom of Christ.

Numbers

• • • Gives a census of all Tribes in Israel Story of 40 years in the desert Israel’s Constant rebellion against authority of God and his prophet Moses

Deuteronomy

• • • • • Greek for “Second Law” Repeats the First Law – Ten Commandments Gives guidelines on how to live in the promised land New Constitution of the State of Israel Gives Prophetic roadmap for Israel’s history

Pentateuch – Bible in a capsule

• • • Pentateuch tells the whole message of Bible The main message is – Obedience of God + True worship will give peace and permanent possession of the promised land; and will bring salvation – Disobedience results in its loss Do we see a corollary for this in new testament?