Faith & Revelation BB JC-SJC Ch.3

Knowing God Knowing God Through Sacred Through Sacred

ScriptureScripture

Faith and Revelation

The Church Transmits the Revelation of Jesus Christ Through Sacred Tradition

and Sacred Scripture

Chapter 3Chapter 3

Chapter ObjectivesChapter Objectives

•Christ established a Christ established a ChurchChurch

•The MagisteriumThe Magisterium•Ecumenical CouncilsEcumenical Councils•Apostolic successionApostolic succession•Sacred Tradition and Sacred Tradition and

Sacred ScriptureSacred Scripture•Sacred human traditionsSacred human traditions•Sources of Sacred Sources of Sacred

TraditionTradition•The authorship of The authorship of

Sacred ScriptureSacred Scripture

•Sacred Scripture is Sacred Scripture is free from errorfree from error

•The holiness of The holiness of Sacred ScriptureSacred Scripture

•The literary forms in The literary forms in the Biblethe Bible

•The four senses of The four senses of ScriptureScripture

•Global factors in Global factors in interpreting the Bibleinterpreting the Bible

•How to read the BibleHow to read the Bible

The student will be able to understand:

Keys to Chapter 3Keys to Chapter 3

• Christ entrusted Revelation to his Church, Christ entrusted Revelation to his Church, which has a Magisterium, or teaching which has a Magisterium, or teaching authority, guarded by the Holy Spirit.authority, guarded by the Holy Spirit.

• The living Sacred Tradition of the Church The living Sacred Tradition of the Church has produced Sacred Scripture, written by has produced Sacred Scripture, written by God and human authors.God and human authors.

• Sacred Scripture should be interpreted Sacred Scripture should be interpreted according to its literary forms and the according to its literary forms and the literal and spiritual sense its human and literal and spiritual sense its human and divine authors put into it.divine authors put into it.

In This Chapter We Will Discuss:In This Chapter We Will Discuss:

• How Jesus intended his message of salvation How Jesus intended his message of salvation to be transmitted until he comes again.to be transmitted until he comes again.

• The role of an Ecumenical CouncilThe role of an Ecumenical Council

• The role of the Magisterium in the The role of the Magisterium in the transmission and interpretation of Sacred transmission and interpretation of Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture.Tradition and Sacred Scripture.

• The Deposit of FaithThe Deposit of Faith

• The different literary forms in Scripture.The different literary forms in Scripture.

• How to read the Bible, and the role of Sacred How to read the Bible, and the role of Sacred Scripture in the Christian life.Scripture in the Christian life.

The Church Transmits the The Church Transmits the Revelation of Jesus ChristRevelation of Jesus Christ

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives•Christ established a ChurchChrist established a Church•The MagisteriumThe Magisterium•Ecumenical CouncilsEcumenical Councils•Apostolic SuccessionApostolic Succession


Why did Christ establish a Church?•By the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ established a Church under St. Peter and the Apostles so his Revelation could be preserved in its entirety and reach all nations without corruption.

Basic Questions


What is the Magisterium?•The Magisterium is the name given to the universal teaching authority of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him, which guides the members of the Church without error in matters of Faith and morals through the interpretation of Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

Basic Questions


What is an Ecumenical Council?•One way the Church has exercised her Magisterium is through Ecumenical Councils.

What is Apostolic Succession?•The Magisterium is preserved through Apostolic Succession, the lineage of Catholic bishops through the ages, in which each holds his office in direct link to one of the Twelve Apostles.

Basic Questions

Anticipatory SetAnticipatory Set

Create a bullet-point summary of salvation

history from the first five paragraphs of this

chapter (p. 56, “God is not an aloof…”)

Focus QuestionFocus Question

What key instrument has God used to transmit salvation history?•He has used Sacred Scripture.


What should be each person’s response to what God reveals?•The proper response is faith.


How is the Church a motive of credibility for the truth of Divine Revelation?

•It has been faithful to Christ for two millennia despite severe trials.


How is the faithfulness of the Church promised by Christ?•When Christ made St. Peter the head of the Church, he said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18).

Guided ExerciseGuided Exercise

Review the objectives (p. 57, “In This Chapter…”)

What objective do you understand the

best?


Why are the following questions of utmost importance?

How has the Good News revealed by Jesus Christ been transmitted

through the generations?

How can we be sure his message has been handed on faithfully?


Why is it logical to think God would provide a means by which his Revelation should be fully preserved and transmitted in the future?•Since the Good News is for all people and all times, it makes sense he would provide a way for all people to have access to this Revelation.


How did Christ guarantee his Revelation would reach all nations unadulterated?•He established his Church and granted his teaching authority to the Apostles.


What guarantees the Church can infallibly transmit the Faith?

•The Holy Spirit guarantees it.


With respect to his message, when was Christ’s guarantee fulfilled?•It was fulfilled on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles.


When was the infallibility guaranteed to the teaching of the Apostles first seen?•In the Council of Jerusalem, the Apostles decided the Gentiles did not have to follow the Mosaic Law: “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28).


What is a model for Ecumenical Councils?

•The Council of Jerusalem is a model.


What is an Ecumenical Council?

•An Ecumenical Council is a meeting at which bishops from around the world convene to discuss and debate matters of concern to the whole Church.


Why are these Councils called ecumenical?

•The Greek oikoumene means the inhabited world.


What kind of issues have Ecumenical Councils addressed?

•They have addressed theological issues and matters of worship and Church discipline.


What is the role of the Ecumenical Council in the history of the Church?•These councils served as the primary means by which bishops discussed and made definitive decisions about issues facing the entire Church.


Who presides over an Ecumenical Council?

•The Pope or his delegate presides.


What is the effect of decrees of the Magisterium emanating from an Ecumenical Council?

•If ratified by the Pope, they are binding on all Christians.


How many Ecumenical Councils have there been?•There have been twenty-one (Nicaea I through Vatican II).


What is the Magisterium?

•It is the teaching office of the Church; safeguarded from error by the Holy Spirit, it transmits Christ’s Gospel faithfully and correctly.


Who constitutes Magisterium?

•The Apostles and their successors comprise it.


What is the sensus fidelium?•The sense of the faithful is “the whole body of the faithful who have an anointing that comes from the holy one cannot err in matters of belief. This characteristic is shown in the supernatural appreciation of the faith (sensus fidei) of the whole people, when, ‘from the bishops to the last of the faithful’ they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals.”


Who guides the People of God in knowing the Faith?•The sacred teaching authority, or Magisterium, guides them.

Graphic OrganizerGraphic Organizer

Complete the following table about the two ways the Magisterium exercises the charism of infallibility.

Exercise of Infallibility

Explanation

The Pope alone

The bishops with the Pope


What is the infallibility of the Magisterium?•The Church cannot teach error in matters of Faith and morals.


What ensures the infallibility of the Magisterium?

•The Holy Spirit ensures it.


What should be the response of the faithful to a teaching of the Magisterium when it proposes a doctrine for belief as divinely revealed?•The definitions “must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.”


Where can examples of the teaching of the Magisterium be found?•It can be found, among other places, in creeds and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.


What is the Deposit of Faith?

•It describes the whole content of Divine Revelation.


What are the twin sources of the Deposit of Faith?

•Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture are its sources.


How does St. Paul witness to the twin sources of the Faith?•He wrote, “Brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thes 2:15). •Extension: The phrase word of mouth refers to Sacred Tradition; by letter refers to Sacred Scripture.


How are Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium of the Church connected?•They work together and none can

stand without the other two.


Discuss the following question:

What does St. Matthew teach

about St. Peter’s authority (16:18-

29)?


How do the contemporary terms priest, bishop, and Pope apply to the Apostles?•The Apostles were what we would call the first priests and bishops for the Church, and St. Peter is regarded as the first Pope.


What is Apostolic Succession?

•The office of bishop has been passed along in an unbroken continuity from the Apostles to the present day.


How can a person know the present Pope traces his authority directly to the Pope?

•There is a record of the 266 Popes from St. Peter through Pope Benedict XVI.


How did most of the early Popes show their fidelity to the Gospel?

•They were martyrs for the Faith.

Tradition and ScriptureTradition and Scripture

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives• Sacred Tradition and ScriptureSacred Tradition and Scripture

• Sacred and human traditionsSacred and human traditions

• Sources of Sacred TraditionSources of Sacred Tradition

• The authorship of Sacred ScriptureThe authorship of Sacred Scripture

• Sacred Scripture is free from errorSacred Scripture is free from error

• The holiness of Sacred ScriptureThe holiness of Sacred Scripture


What is the relationship between Sacred Scripture and Tradition?•Sacred Scripture is the part of Tradition that was written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

What is the relationship between Sacred Tradition and human traditions in the Catholic Faith?•The Catholic Faith includes both Sacred, unchangeable Tradition and human, changeable traditions. The Church’s human traditions grow out of her Sacred Tradition.

Basic Questions


Where can Sacred Tradition be found?•Witnesses of Sacred Tradition include the Church’s liturgies, the writings of the Church Fathers, and archaeology.

Who is the author of Sacred Scripture?•Sacred Scripture has two authors : God, its primary author, and inspired human writers, who faithfully wrote what God desired.

Basic Questions


Is Sacred Scripture free from error?•The Scriptures are both veracious and inerrant.

Why is Scripture sacred?•The Scriptures are holy because of their sacred origin, purpose, and precepts.

Basic Questions


Read Chapter 67 of St. Justin Martyr’s First Apology

www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm and discuss what this passage

reveals about how the early Church worshiped God.

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm


What is Sacred Tradition?•It is the Word of God received from Christ through the Apostles that has been handed on without alteration by the Church under the protection of the Holy Spirit.


Why is Tradition sacred?•The Church receives supernatural assistance from God to transmit the Gospel.


What Scriptural evidence indicates God gives the Church supernatural assistance?•Before his Ascension, Christ promised his Apostles, “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20), and he told St. Peter, “The powers of death shall not prevail against [the Church]” (Mt 16:18).


How does St. Paul witness Tradition in 2 Timothy?•He exhorts his disciple St. Timothy to hold fast to the truth he has been given by the Holy Spirit. St. Timothy should then entrust this truth to other faithful men who will be able to pass it on to others.


Why is it erroneous to argue Revelation should be based on Sacred Scripture alone?•Tradition is both logically and chronologically prior to Scripture. The teachings of Christ were first passed on orally and later written down.


What is the difference between Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture?•Sacred Tradition encompasses the entire Deposit of Faith, while Sacred Scripture refers to the part of Tradition written down.


Did St. Paul commend the Corinthians for keeping Tradition?•Yes; he praised them because they maintained the traditions he delivered to them.


What are some examples of Sacred Tradition?

•The Divinity of Christ and the Blessed Trinity belong to Sacred Tradition.

Graphic OrganizerGraphic Organizer

Complete the following table about some of the Fathers of the Church and why they are famous.

Father of the Church

Famous

St. Gregory the Great

St. Athanasius

St. Justin Martyr

St. Augustine

St. John Chrysostom

St. Clement of Rome

St. Jerome

St. John Damascene

A. Being the fourth Pope.B. Defending the icons.C.Being a great Christian

teacher (died in the fifth century)

D.Preaching eloquentlyE. Being a medieval Pope.F. Translating the BibleG.Defeating ArianismH.Converting from his life

as a pagan philosopher.


How was Christ critical of human traditions?•He accused the Pharisees of being too concerned about traditions of men and neglecting the Sacred Traditions of God’s Law; “You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the traditions of men” (Mk 7:8).


Are there legitimate human traditions in the Church?

•Yes.


What is the value and permanence of human traditions in the Church?•They have a temporary value and

can be developed or modified. •Extension: For example, the Church developed the tradition of plainchant in her liturgy. This did not mean that polyphonic or other forms of song could not be introduced in later times.


What are some examples of human traditions in the Church?

•Architectural forms and artistic treasures are human traditions.


How do human traditions relate to Sacred Tradition?•The Church’s theological disciplinary, liturgical, and devotional traditions were born in the local churches over time and express Sacred Tradition in particular circumstances. In the light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified, or abandoned under the guidance of the Magisterium.


Complete a focused reading on the paragraphs “As Pope Leo XIII taught…” and “The divine action of inspiration…” (p. 68) and then discuss:

What is meant by the word inspired in these

paragraphs?


What are three sources of Sacred Tradition from the early Church?•Sources include the Church’s liturgies, the writings of Church Fathers, and archaeological remains.•Extension: Here source refers to a witness to Sacred Tradition found in these places; Tradition was not created there.


What are the criteria used to recognize someone as a Father of the Church?•He must be of antiquity, exemplify holiness of life, and be orthodox in his belief.


Who are the Apostolic Fathers?

•They are the earliest Fathers of the Church; they wrote during the first and at the beginning of the second century and were disciples of the Apostles.


Who are some of the Apostolic Fathers?

•The text names Sts. Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Polycarp of Smyrna.


Why do the Fathers of the Church have exceptional doctrinal authority?•The handed on the Faith received from the apostolic Church.


How does Sacred Scripture relate to Sacred Tradition?

•Sacred Scripture is the part of Sacred Tradition written down because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.


Who is the principal author of Sacred Scripture?•God the Holy Spirit is its principal author.


To whom is Sacred Scripture entrusted?•It is entrusted to the Church.


Who are the two authors of Scripture.•God and the human writers are both true authors of the Scriptures.


Complete a bullet-point summary of the section “The Truth of Sacred

Scripture” (p.68).


What does it mean to say God is the author of Scripture?

•The Holy Spirit did not simply assist the human writers but actually authored what they wrote. Inspiration is nothing less than divine authorship.


What effect did God’s inspiration (or divine authorship of Scripture) have on the Sacred Authority?•It did not in any way diminish the role of the human writers; rather, it enabled them to write the truths revealed by God, who preserved them from error.


Which Person of the Blessed Trinity is the author of Sacred Scripture?•Although it is attributed to the Holy Spirit, like all the words of God, the inspiration given to the writers was an action of all three divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity.


What does it mean to say a Gospel is “according to St. Mark”?•God used St. Mark as an instrument to write a Gospel.


Why is the Bible supernatural?

•It has a supernatural origin, God, and it has supernatural content, the wisdom of God.


What are the two types of truth revealed in the Bible.•God has revealed supernatural truths about his intimate life and the eternal decrees concerning human salvation. He has also revealed natural truths people could reach through reason but which he wished to make known easily, with absolute certainty, and without error.


To what does the sanctity of the Bible refer?

•It refers to the moral perfection of the doctrine contained it it.


What are the three aspects of the sanctity of the Bible?

•They are its divine origin, its purpose, and its precepts.


How is the Bible holy in its divine origin?

•In Scripture, evil is rejected and good is upheld.


How is the Bible holy in its purpose?•Its purpose is the salvation of all. The New Testament explicitly reveals the channels of grace Christ instituted by which man can become holy.


How is the Bible holy in its precepts?•The Old Testament reveals

precepts of the natural and moral law. In the New Testament, Christ perfects the moral precepts of the Old Testament by declaring their true meaning, establishing the best way of fulfilling them, and teaching his disciples how to achieve greater sanctity.

Fundamentals of Fundamentals of Interpreting the Interpreting the

ScripturesScriptures

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives•The literary forms in the BibleThe literary forms in the Bible•The four senses of ScriptureThe four senses of Scripture•Factors in interpreting the BibleFactors in interpreting the Bible

Fundamentals of Interpreting the Fundamentals of Interpreting the ScripturesScriptures

What literary forms are found in the Scriptures?•One factor to understanding the Bible is the literary form in which a passage is written, for example, history, law, prophecy, apocalyptic, wisdom literature, poetry, or an epistle.

Basic Questions


In what four senses may a scriptural passage be interpreted?•Every passage of Scripture has a literal meaning. Many passages can also be read in a spiritual sense: allegorical, moral, and anagogical.

Basic Questions


What global factors must be considered in interpreting the Bible?•In interpreting Scripture, one must keep in mind the intention of the human divine authors, the content and unity of the whole Scripture, the Tradition of the Church, and the analogy of faith.

Basic Questions


On what principles should a ‘literalist’ (as

opposed to literal) interpretation be

rejected?

Read aloud the following passage from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:28-30) and discuss the following question:


Why can there be no contradiction among the passages of Sacred Scripture?

•God is the author of the whole Bible.


What is the nature of an apparent contradiction between two passages of Scripture?

•It is improperly interpreted or understood; otherwise, there is no contradiction.


What aspects of history does Scripture reveal?•The Bible narrates historical events as well as the divine meaning and theological purposes of those events.


The Bible is free from error. What does this not guarantee?•It does not guarantee individuals can interpret it correctly.


What are some factors to be considered to understand the intent of the human author of a book of the Bible?•The conditions of the time and culture; the literary forms used at the time; and the customary and characteristic patterns of perception, speech, and narrative must be considered.


What is a literary form?•It is a style of writing that communicates a message through particular creative means.


What are some literary forms found in Sacred Scripture?•They include historical, juridical, prophetic, apocalyptic, wisdom, poetic, and epistles.


Why is it necessary to know the Catholic Faith in

order to interpret Scripture properly?

Complete a focused reading of the paragraph “Since Sacred Scripture..” (p. 69) and keep in mind the following question:


Is Genesis a collection of fictional stories?•No. These event occurred; however, they are told to us in a way that makes the importance of the meaning of what happened most apparent.


What is the difference between a literal and a literalistic reading of a

text?

Using the vocabulary at the end of the chapter, answer the following question:


What is a good method to begin to understand a book of the Bible?•It is best to try to understand the literal sense first. The literal sense is the meaning intended by the Sacred Author.


What are some literal questions to ask of a story?•Who is in the story? What happens in the story? Why does the action happen? What is the result of the action?


How does a literal approach to the Book of Revelation help the reader understand the use of lampstands and bowls?•We do not know if these objects exist in Heaven, but their use in the context of the book shows they figuratively draw connections in the minds of the readers to the most sacred elements of religious worship.


How does a literal approach to the creation stories in the Book of Genesis help the reader to understand the author’s intentions?•The unfolding of creation indicates creation itself is to be seen as a temple for the worship of God.


What are the two literary senses of Sacred Scripture?

•They are the literal and the spiritual.


Which literary sense is primary?

•The literal is primary because every passage has a literal sense.


What is the literal sense?

•It is everything the Holy Spirit intended to express through the words themselves.


Give an example of the literal sense of a biblical passage.

•“God created the heavens and the earth: (Gn 1:1) means God made everything out of nothing.


What is the literal sense proper?

•It is the direct or ordinary meaning of the words.


What is the literal sense improper?•This sense understands words when taken in their figurative (or metaphorical) meaning.


What is the spiritual sense?

•This interpretation of Scripture sees people and events as signs of something beyond themselves.


Why is it possible for the Old Testament to have a spiritual sense even though it was written over thousands of years by different Sacred Authors?•Because God is the author of both the Old and New Testaments and he is infinetly wise, he could have disposed the events and words of the Old Testament so things of the past typified (or prefigured) those to come in the New Testament.


Are all senses present in every passage in the Bible?

•The literal sense proper is always present. The literal sense improper and the spiritual senses may or may not be depending on the passage.


How can a reader discover a Sacred Author’s intention?

•The reader must take into account the conditions of the Sacred Author’s time and culture, the literary genres in use at his time, and his modes of feeling, speaking, and narrating.


What three criteria did the Council of Fathers of Vatican II indicate to help interpret Scripture correctly?

•One should pay attention to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture, the living Tradition of the Church, and the analogy of faith.


What is the analogy of faith?

•It refers to the coherence of the truths of the Faith among themselves and within the whole plan of God’s Revelation.

How to Read the How to Read the BibleBible

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives•How to read the BibleHow to read the Bible

How to Read the BibleHow to Read the Bible

How should one read the Bible?•One should read the Bible under the Church’s guidance—beginning with the more accessible books—in a spirit of prayer and with faith.

Basic Questions


Why might the Gospel of St. Luke be a good place

to begin to read and study the Bible?

Read the prologue to St. Luke’s Gospel (1:1-4) and discuss the following question:


How does the Bible reveal how it should be interpreted?

•Christ granted his teaching authority, or Magisterium, to the Apostles; they passed on this authority to their successors, the bishops. Therefore, the Scriptures indicate people should look to the Magisterium to help interpret the Bible.


What twofold apostolic authority do bishops possess to understand the Bible?•This authority consists of:1.The Church’s long study of the truths of the Faith; and2.The supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit as the teachers of the Church.


Can each bishop interpret the Scriptures without error?

•No; this authority belongs to the Church as a whole, not an individual bishop.


Complete a paragraph shrink on the paragraph “Genesis and Exodus…”

(p. 75).


What is one of the best resources available to understand how the Church interprets Scripture?•In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the doctrines of the Church are explained; it is replete with quotations from Sacred Scripture and the Fathers, council, and saints of the Church.


Why is it true to say the more familiar a reader is with the many parts of the Bible, the richer his or her reading of it becomes?•Every part of the Bible exists in reference to other parts of the Bible.


Where is a good place to start to study the Bible?

•St. Luke’s Gospel is a good place to start because he is a great storyteller and his Gospel was written especially for people who knew little about Jewish customs and traditions.


Why is it important to pray before reading the Bible?

•God is the perfect guide when one comes into contact with his Word.


In what context is Scripture best understood?

•It is best understood within the context of a life of prayer.


Why is faith the essential condition to read the Bible?

•Faith provides the right dispositions to read the Bible because of the Fall and the resultant pride and darkened intellect, a person may not want to understand what the Bible really teaches.


How does attending Mass regularly help a person

understand the Scriptures?

Complete a focused reading of the paragraph “The Church allows…” (p. 77) and discuss the following question:

ConclusionConclusion

Compose a bullet-point summary of the

Conclusion (p. 77-78) proving no more than

one point per paragraph.

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Faith & Revelation BB JC-SJC Ch.3