First Copy of Nehemiah Found in Unpublis - Unknown

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First copy of Nehemiah found in unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls! First copy of Nehemiah found in unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls!
First copy of Nehemiah found in unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls!
Posted by Dr. Michael Barber on 05.22.12 | mran Cave 4, Bar-Kokhba caves and Wadi ed-Daliyeh. The publication, Gleanings from the Caves (forthcoming from T&T Clark) will feature enhanced photographs of the scrolls by Bruce Zuckerman and his team, as well as artifacts from the Judean Desert such as a scroll jar, a palm fiber pen, a bronze altar and inkwell.
Exciting news! Anyone familiar with the Dead Sea Scrolls can tell you that portions of nearly every book in the Hebrew Bible are represented in these ancient texts discovered in caves near the Dead Sea. The only exceptions were the Book of Esther and the Book of Nehemiah; scholars assumed the latter had been written on the same scroll as the Book of Ezra (as was common) but simply hadnt surviveduntil now. In a recent blog post, Norwegian scroll scholar Torleif Elgvin of Evangelical Lutheran University College in Oslo, Norway, announced that he and colleague Esther Eshel of Bar-Ilan University will be publishing a collection of more than two dozen previously unknown scroll fragments, including the first known fragment of Nehemiah. The scrolls in the new book come from Qu-
Journey Through Scripture
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Hearing the Call: Reflections on the Ascension of the Lord

In todays first reading, St. Luke gives the surprising news that there is more of the story to be told. The story did not end with the empty tomb, or with Jesus appearances to the Apostles over the course of forty days. Jesus saving work will have a liturgical consummation. He is the great high priest, and he has still to ascend to the heavenly Jerusalem, there to celebrate the feast in the true Holy of Holies. The truth of this feast shines forth from the Letter to the Hebrews, where we read of the great high priests passing through the heavens, the sinless intercessors sacrifice on our behalf (see Hebrews 4:14-15). Indeed, his intercession will lead to the Holy Spirits descent in fire upon the Church. Luke spells out that promise in the first reading for the feast of the Ascension: in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). Ascension is the preliminary feast that directs the Churchs attention forward to Pentecost. On that day, salvation will be complete; for salvation is not simply expiation for sins (that would be wonder enough), but it is something even greater than that. Expiation is itself a necessary precondition of our adoption as Gods children. To live that divine life we must receive
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the Holy Spirit. To receive the Holy Spirit we must be purified through baptism. Readings: Acts 1:1-11 Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Eph 1:17-23 Mk 16:15-20 The Responsorial Psalm presents the Ascension in terms familiar from the worship of the Jerusalem Temple in the days of King Solomon: God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord (Psalm 47). The priest-king takes his place at the head of the people, ruling over the nations, establishing peace. The Epistle strikes a distinctively Paschal note. In the early Church, as today, Easter was the normal time for the baptism of adult converts. The sacrament was often called illumination or enlightenment (see, for example, Hebrews 10:32) because of the light that came with Gods saving grace. Saint Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks in terms of glory that leads to greater glories still, as Ascension leads to Pentecost: May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, he writes, as he looks to the divinization of the believers. Their hope is his inheritance among the holy ones, the saints who have been adopted into Gods family and now rule with him at the Fathers right hand. This is the good news the Apostles are commissioned to spreadto the whole world, to all nations, beginning from Jerusalemat the first Ascension. Its the good news we must spread today.
and the New Evangelization

Honored & humbled to receive the Fr. Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization here at FUS: STEUBENVILLE, OHRecognizing him as a singular gift to the Catholic Church, Franciscan University of Steubenville awarded the Father Michael Scanlan, TOR, Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization to world-renowned Scripture scholar, theologian, author, and speaker Dr. Scott Hahn. Father Terence Henry, TOR, University president, made the announcement during Franciscan Universitys 64th annual commencement ceremonies, held May 12. A professor of theology and Scripture at Franciscan University since 1990, Hahn plans to utilize the chair to advance the mission of the New Evangelization launched by Pope John Paul II and his successor, Pope Benedict XVI. Through his work at Franciscan University, his scholarly research and publications, his popular writing and countless speaking engagements, Dr. Scott Hahn has done the very thing the Fathers of Vatican II called upon Catholic scholars to do, said Father Terence Henry, TOR. This new appointment will aid him in his ongoing work in teaching sacred Scripture and the New Evangelization, which is so close to his heart. Hahns work in the New Evangelization has been praised by many Church leaders including Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archdiocese of New York, who said Hahns teaching brings people closer to Sacred Scripture, and William Cardinal Levada, prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, who hailed Hahn for helping to create a new apologetics
Fr. Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology

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to counter both the new atheism and anti-Catholic fundamentalism. On hearing the announcement of the new chair, Dr. Hahn stated: I am deeply grateful for the appointment, and humbled by the honor of holding an endowed chair named after Father Michael Scanlan, one of my personal heroes in the faith, as well as a spiritual father and dear friend for over 20 years. We share a holy passion to go deeper into Gods Word and to make it more understandable and accessible to others. For over a generation, Father Mike has shown us how to combine academic study and spiritual fervor in a way that changes lives our own and othersand thus how to advance the New Evangelization, which is at the heart of the Churchs mission. This chair will allow Hahn to deepen his impact in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and evangelization. He will have more opportunities to mentor both undergraduate and masters students by teaching on campus and developing online courses for graduate students. He will continue to produce scholarly and popular works on biblical theology and the New Evangelization in print, audio, video, and online; appear as a regular panelist on Franciscan University Presents and other EWTN programs; and continue his speaking engagements at conferences, pilgrimages, and retreats for scholars and the laity, both on the Franciscan University campus and worldwide. Hahn is the founder and director of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. From 2005 to 2011, he held the Pope Benedict XVI Chair of Biblical Theology and Liturgical Proclamation at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The author or co-author of more than 40 books, his newest titles include Many Are Called, Covenant and Communion, The Catholic Bible Dictionary, and The Kingdom of God as Liturgical Empire.
Scott Hahn received his BA degree with a triple major in theology, philosophy, and economics from Grove City College, Pennsylvania, in 1979. He earned his MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1982, and in 1995, his PhD in theology from Marquette University (Phi Beta Kappa). He is also a visiting professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, where he has been formally granted a canonical mission. A former pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia and professor at Chesapeake Theological Seminary, Hahn entered the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, 1986. He and his wife, Kimberly, have six children and six grandchildren. The new chair is named in honor of Franciscan Universitys fourth president, Father Michael Scanlan, TOR, who transformed Franciscan University from a small regional college struggling to keep its doors open, into a world-renowned leader in Catholic higher education. A fervent evangelizer himself, it was Father Scanlan who hired Hahn in 1990 to teach for the University, which now has the largest undergraduate theology and catechetics program in the nation.
The Dead Sea Scrolls
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The Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaA), Copied c. 125 B.C. Continuing the series on the text of the Bible: *** Of great interest to textual scholars are the Dead Sea Scrolls, the remains of an Essene library found in caves at the north-west end of the Dead Sea in the late 1940s at a site called Qumran. The scrolls provide our oldest copies of any portion of Scripture, including a few manuscripts that date to the third century (200s) BC. The majority, however, were copied in the period 150 BCAD 68. All of the protocanonical books of the Old Testament are represented at Qumran except for Esther and Nehemiah; however, apocryphal books like 1 Enoch and Jubilees are better represented than most biblical books, and just as many copies of the deuterocanonical Tobit (six) were discovered as of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, or Job. For this reason, as mentioned above, most scholars believe the Essene canon was significantly different than that of the Pharisees and modern Rabbinic Judaism. Fragmentary remains of about a thousand scrolls were found at Qumran, of which about a quarter (~222) were copies of biblical books, almost all in Hebrew. Many of the Hebrew biblical texts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls appear to follow the textual form that we now know as the Masoretic. (Scholars give figures between one-fifth to onehalf, depending on the method used to categorize the manuscripts.) The other biblical texts display differences in wording, including some that agree closely with the Septuagint (about 5% of the texts), others that agree with the form of the Pentateuch used by the Samaritans (also about 5%), and a large number that had unique readings (differences of wording) in many biblical passages. The Dead Sea Scrolls changed how scholars viewed the history of the text of the Old Testament. It became clear that in antiquity, around the time of Jesus, the text of the Old Testament varied slightly from
Hebrew manuscript to Hebrew manuscript. Over time, the Jewish rabbinical tradition, culminating in the work of the Masoretes, settled on a standard form of the textan ancient and generally good form of the text, to be sure, but only one of those that circulated in antiquity. The discovery among the scrolls of Hebrew biblical texts that agreed closely with the Septuagint Greek also changed the way scholars viewed that translation. Certain books of the Old Testament, notably Jeremiah and 1 Samuel, had long been known to have some significant differences from the Hebrew Masoretic Text. Many suspected the Septuagint translators as being responsible for these differences. The Scrolls clarified, however, that the Septuagint translators had, for the most part, translated the Hebrew in front of them straightforwardly. The more significant differences between portions of the Septuagint and the Masoretic Text were due to differences in different Hebrew editions of the biblical books, not the activity of the translators. While the Dead Sea Scrolls did change the way scholars understand the development of the Hebrew text of the Bible, it has not fundamentally changed the translations in use among modern believers, whether Christian or Jewish. The variant readings found in the Scrolls wereand areof great interest to biblical scholars who specialize in textual criticism (the study of the exact wording of Scripture), but other theologians and lay people find them of less interest. The vast majority of variations in wording are trivial (a few missing or additional words; the substitution of synonyms; changes in declension or conjugation), and of those that are significant, it is usually easy to identify which manuscript represents the more original reading, and which contains an error or intentional change.
Begotten By Love: Reflections for the
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Sixth Sunday of Easter

God is love, and He revealed that love in sending His only Son to be a sacrificial offering for our sins. In these words from todays Epistle, we should hear an echo of the story of Abrahams offering of Isaac at the dawn of salvation history. Because Abraham obeyed Gods command and did not with-hold his only beloved son, God promised that Abrahams descendants, the children of Israel, would be the source of blessing for all nations (see Genesis 22:16-18). We see that promise coming to fulfillment in todays First Reading. God pours out His Spirit upon the Gentiles, the non-Israelites, as they listen to the word of Peters preaching. Notice they receive the same gifts received by the devout Jews who heard Peters preaching at Pentecostthe Spirit comes to rest upon them and they speak in tongues, glorifying God (see Acts 2:5-11). Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 Psalm 98:1-4 1 John 4:7-10 John 15:9-17 In his love today, God reveals that His salvation embraces the house of Israel and peoples of all nations. Not by circumcision or blood relation to Abraham, but by faith in the Word of Christ, sealed in the sacrament of baptism, peoples are to be made children of Abraham, heirs to Gods covenants of promise (see Galatians 3:7-9; Ephesians 2:12). This is the wondrous work of God that we sing of in todays Psalm. It is the work of the Church, the good fruit that Jesus chooses and appoints His apostles for in todays Gospel.
As Peter raises up Cornelius today, the Church continues to lift all eyes to Christ, the only one in whose name they can find salvation. In the Church, each of us has been begotten by the love of God. But the Scriptures today reveal that this divine gift brings with it a command and a duty. We are to love one another as we have been loved. We are to lay down our lives in giving ourselves to othersthat they too might find friendship with Christ, and new life through Him
To the Ends of the Earth

To the Ends of the Earth
Posted by Matthew Leonard on 05.09.12 |
Now that the jet-lag is a fading memory and Im no longer a nocturnal creature haunting the halls of my house, I thought Id briefly share with you about my recent trip to New Zealand. First of all, I dont know how anyone can live in a place of such natural beauty and not know there is a God. Everywhere you look could serve as a postcard. Even the gas stations are picturesque!
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I traveled to the Southern Hemisphere (almost 30 hours!) at the request of the Institute for World Evangelization (ICPE), where I taught theology for their Catholic Week. The ICPE, which includes locations in Malta, Poland, Italy, Singapore,
Indonesia, and Korea, is a pontifically recognized evangelization school that serves to train missionaries for the New Evangelization. Theyre a wonderful group of people and are on fire with the love of the Spirit. In addition to speaking at the school during the day, I was also invited by Archbishop John Dew (who came to part of the training) to present Genesis to Jesus for the Archdiocese of Wellington. It was a smashing success.
We had about 120 people from more than 10 different countries represented (including some Missionaries of Charity, which is always great to see). Looking out at the participants I couldnt help but feel like we were witnessing the gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). And the great part is that theyll be taking Journey Through Scripture back to their home countries and continuing to spread the story of our salvation. I have to admit that it was hard to leave the incredible natural beauty down under. Before I left to catch my interminable flight home, I stood in the parking lot of St. Gerards monastery on a hill overlooking a gorgeous bay, thanking God for the beauty of his creation and the people I met. Instead of sadness, though, it filled me with hope, knowing that all of this is but a foretaste of what is to come. Thanks for your prayers and may God bless all of you as we work together for His kingdom.
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Journey Through Scripture is the St. Paul Centers dynamic parishbased Bible study program designed to help ordinary Catholics to grow in their knowledge of the Scriptures while deepening their understanding of the riches of our faith. LEARN MORE
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Bride and Joy

There was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there (John 2:1). Its May, Marys month, and the month when I am giving away my daughter in marriage. Its hard for a dad, especially the dad of such a daughter, because I know no one deserves her. But Ben comes close. Hannah is the third of my children to walk the aisle, but shes my only daughter, and the preparation is different this timemore intense, more involved. I think Ive come to understand yet another reason why St. Johns Gospel never reveals the names of the couple who got married at Cana. Its a providential consolation for parents, even two millennia later, as we prepare to accompany our children to the altar. We remember: There was a wedding and the mother of Jesus was there. The Blessed Mother was there when Jesus took something that was very good, the natural institution of the family, and elevated it to something supernatural: a sacrament of the Church, Holy Matrimony. Theres so much to think aboutrehearsals and purchases and reservations and invitations. My wife, Kimberly, is doing much of the work in our household, but I still feel overwhelmed. Its such a relief to know that, when there is a wedding, the mother of Jesus is there. If we run out of wine, so what? There is a wedding. Its May. And Mary is there. I know how much I want the best for my Hannah that day and ever after. But I know that Mary wants it even more, and she is in the best position to get the best the bride and groom could wish for. Why? Because Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding (John 2:2). It was in Cana, through the sign of long-ago nuptials, that Jesus revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him (John 2:11).
This is the story of every Catholic wedding, or it should be. Lord, open our eyes to see the sign, and beyond it to the truth. With Hannahs wedding so close, October seems as far away as the next millennium, but I know it will be here before Im well prepared for it. If you can manage it, please consider joining us for the St. Paul Centers Mediterranean Cruise and Pilgrimage, In the Footsteps of St. Paul, October 25 to November 3. With stops in Greece, Turkey, and Italy, well retrace the journeys of our apostolic patron. Well stand in the very places where he preached the Gospel to the Gentiles. Well venerate the sites of his martyrdom and burial. And all this will happen just as the worlds bishops are wrapping up the Churchs synod on the New Evangelization and Pope Benedict launches the Year of Faith. How good it will be for us to start anew in the places where it all began, so many years ago, where Paul announced a new Evangel and a perpetual year of favor and faith. It will be so much better if youre there with us in Marys other month, the month of the Rosary. In the meantime, I am, as always, a beggar. I beg your prayers for our work in a challenging year. I treasure your encouragement and all the contributions youve made and will make.
On the Vine: Reflections on the Fifth Sunday of Easter

In todays Gospel, Jesus tells us that He is the true vine that God intended Israel to bethe source of divine life and wisdom for the nations (see Sirach 24:17-24).
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In baptism, each of us was joined to Him by the Holy Spirit. As a branch grows from a tree, our souls are to draw life from Him, nourished by His word and the Eucharist. Paul in todays First Reading seeks to be grafted onto the visible expression of Christ the true vineHis Church. Once the chief persecutor of the Church, he encounters initial resistance and suspicion. But he is known by his fruits, by his powerful witness to the Lord working in his life (see Matthew 7:16-20). We too are commanded today to bear good fruits as His disciples, so that our lives give glory to God. Like Pauls life, our lives must bear witness to His goodness. Readings: Acts 9:26-31 Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32 1 John 3:18-24 John 15:1-8 Jesus cautions us, however, that if were bearing fruit, we can expect that God will prune usas a gardener trims and cuts back a plant so that it will grow stronger and bear even more fruit. He is teaching us today how to look at our sufferings and trials with the eyes of faith. We need to see our struggles as pruning, by which we are being disciplined and trained so that we can grow in holiness and bear fruits of righteousness (see Hebrews 12:4-11). We need to always remain rooted in Him, as todays Epistle tells us. We remain in Him by keeping His commandment of love, by pondering His words, letting them dwell richly in us (see Colossians 3:16), and by always seeking to do what pleases Him. In everything we must be guided by humility, remembering that apart from Him we can do nothing. As we sing in todays Psalm, we must fulfill our vows, turning to the Lord in worship, proclaiming
his praises, until all families come to know His justice in their lives.
Father of Orthodoxy, St. Athanasius

Father of Orthodoxy, St. Athanasius
Posted by Mike Aquilina on 05.02.12 |
Todays the feast of St. Athanasius, the Father of Orthodoxy, the man who stared the world down when it awoke to find itself Arian. In his own lifetime, Athanasius was known as the Father of Orthodoxy.
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Get to know this guy, and youll always stay on the straight and narrow. Listen Here! Audio File
Journey Through Scripture is the St. Paul Centers dynamic parishbased Bible study program designed to help ordinary Catholics to grow in their knowledge of the Scriptures while deepening their understanding of the riches of our faith. LEARN MORE
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Old Testament Manuscripts

In this follow up to the last post, we discuss important manuscripts (hand-written copies) of the Old Testament. ***
and letters in each biblical book. Subsequently, every newly-written copy was carefully counted to verify its accuracy. Leningradensis is almost universally regarded as the oldest and best copy of the Masoretic Text, the name given to the precise form the Hebrew developed by the Masoretes as their standard. When translating or studying the Old Testament today, scholars typically begin from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text, usually a printed (or increasingly, an electronic) edition of Leningradensis.
The Oldest Manuscripts of the Old Testament

The original manuscripts (the autographs) written by the sacred authors themselves are no longer extant for any book of the Bible. The oldest partial copies of the text of any biblical book are to be found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (treated in next post). However, the oldest complete manuscript of the Hebrew of the protocanonical books of the Old Testament is a codex (a book formed by leaves of paper stitched on one side; i.e. the form of book most familiar to us) called Leningradensis, held in the Imperial Russian Library in St. Petersburgh (formerly Leningrad). Leningradensis is a complete copy of the Masoretic Text written in Galilee around AD 1000.
The Septuagint
When translating the Old Testament, scholars also consult the readings of the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament books. According to a semi-legendary account in a document known as the Letter of Aristeas, the Septuagint translation was begun when the Hellenistic king of Alexandria in Egypt, Ptolemy II, brought Jewish scribes from Jerusalem to Alexandria in order to translate the sacred books of the Jews into Greek for the Library of Alexandria in the third century BC. According to the legend, seventy scholars were commissioned for this project: thus the name Septuagint, meaning seventy, and the commonly used abbreviation LXX, the Roman numeral for seventy. Although the accounts of the translation of the Septuagint in the Letter of Aristeas, Philo, Josephus, and other ancient authors sound embellished, the historical kernel of the story seems plausible and fits known data: Ptolemy II commissioned a Greek translation of the Pentateuch for his library. The translation of the Pentateuch was the first and perhaps best, and dates to c. 250 BC. The remaining Old Testament books were translated progressively over the next two centuries. The Septuagint translation began to circulate in a collection that was broader than the Hebrew canon mentioned by Josephus [discussed many posts ago], and did not have a clear limitin other words, the Septuagint had
The Masoretic Text

The Masoretic Text is the standard Hebrew form of the books of the Jewish Bible, the form used for chant and proclamation in traditional Jewish synagogues to this day. It takes its name from the Masoretes, a school of Jewish scribes who flourished between AD 700 to AD 1000. The Masoretes raised the reproduction of the Hebrew Scriptures to a high art. Among other innovations, they devised a system of markings (called points) placed above and below the Hebrew consonants to indicate the vowel to be pronounced after the consonant. In this way, they were able for the first time to record in writing the Jewish oral tradition of the pronunciation of Scripture. The Masoretes also introduced various quality control measures for the reproduction of manuscripts: they tabulated the number of words
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an open canon, including deuterocanonical works and some apocrypha. The quality and style of translation exhibited in the LXX can vary quite widely from book to book. The rendering of Daniel in the LXX, for example, was so loose that the Church replaced it with a better translation executed by Theodotion, a Hellenistic Jew of the second century AD. Other books, such as Genesis, were much more literal in translation. The LXX translation carried enormous prestige in the ancient world. Jewish scholars like the philosopher Philo and the historian Josephus regarded it as virtually inspired, a view shared by some Church Fathers. For the millions of Greek-speaking Jews living in the Roman Empire outside of Palestine, it was the only form of the Scriptures they used. The majority of the Old Testament quotations in the New Testament are taken from the LXX, since the Apostles and other New Testament authors typically wrote for a broad audience, rather than just the Jews of Palestine. In the fourth century A.D., the Church, with the newly-acquired support of the Roman government, had the resources to produce codices (bound books, not scrolls) of the entire bible for use in major churches (e.g. Cathedrals). Our oldest more-or-less complete manuscripts of the entire Bible, consisting of the Septuagint plus the New Testament in Greek, come from this century. The three most important are named for the places they were found or now reside: Vaticanus, the best manuscript of the complete Greek Bible, Old and New Testaments, stored in the Vatican Libraries at least since the middle ages; Alexandrinus, an excellently-preserved Greek Bible from Alexandria, now stored in the British Library; and Sinaiticus, another Septuagint + Greek New Testament discovered in the nineteenth century in St. Catherines Monastery on Mt. Sinai, and now also residing in the British Library. The Septuagint remains the official version of the Old Testament in use by the Greek Orthodox Church.
Revisions of the Septuagint

Before the rise of Christianity, Jewish authors like Philo and Josephus had high praise and reverence for the Septuagint translation. As Christianity grew and became the leading religion of the Roman Empire, however, a reaction set in, especially among Jews in Palestine. Increasingly, Jews rejected the Septuagint, calling it inaccurate and misleading. At least three Greek-speaking Jewish scholars published recensions (revised versions) of the Septuagint which were closer to the Hebrew in use in Palestine: Aquila (c. AD 130), Theodotion (c. AD 150?), and Symmachus (c. AD 170).
The Latin Vulgate

Also of some value to Bible scholars and translators is the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Catholic Bible executed (largely) by St. Jerome in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. St. Jerome translated most of the biblical books of the Old Testament directly from the best Hebrew copies he was able to procure. However, the Hebrew available to St. Jerome tended, by and large, closely to resemble the Masoretic Text we now have. For that reason, when the Masoretic Text is itself unclear or appears disturbed, St. Jeromes Vulgate is usually not helpful in resolving the issues.
Other Ancient Versions and the Cairo Geniza

Scholars also consult other ancient versions (that is, translations) of the Old Testament, such as the Syriac translation (known as the Peshitta), the Coptic (Egyptian), and Ethiopic versions. Fragments of biblical books dating to the medieval period were also found in the genizah (a store room for worn biblical scrolls) of the oldest synagogue in Cairo in the nineteenth century. Many of these Cario genizah texts have been published and are of some interest to biblical scholars. Important Ancient Texts of the Old Testament
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Name
Date Translated
Date of oldest surviving complete copies
Masoretic T e x t (MT) S e p tuagint (LXX) Vulgate
Not a translation; 11th cent. AD (c. standardized AD 1000) 700-1000 250100 BC 4th cent. (late 300s) AD
Readings: Acts 4:8-12 Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 29 1 John 3:1-2 John 10:11-18 Peter tells Israels leaders that the Psalm we sing today is a prophecy of their rejection and crucifixion of Christ. He tells the builders of Israels temple, that God has made the stone they rejected the cornerstone of a new spiritual temple, the Church (see Mark 12:10-13; 1 Peter 2:4-7). Through the ministry of the Church, the shepherd still speaks (see Luke 10:16),and forgives sins (see John 20:23), and makes His body and blood present, that all may know Him in the breaking of the bread (see Luke 24:35). It is a mission that will continue until all the world is one flock under the one shepherd. In laying down His life and taking it up again, Jesus made it possible for us to know God as He didas sons and daughters of the Father who loves us. As we hear in todays Epistle, He calls us His children, as He called Israel His son when He led them out of Egypt and made His covenant with them (see Exodus 4:22-23; Revelation 21:7). Today, let us listen for His voice as He speaks to us in the Scriptures, and vow again to be more faithful followers. And let us give thanks for the blessings He bestows from His altar.
AD 382405
8th cent. AD (mid-700s) 6th-7th cent. AD (500s600s)
Peshit- Sy- AD 100s ta
The Shepherds Voice: Reflections on the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Jesus, in todays Gospel, says that He is the good shepherd the prophets had promised to Israel. He is the shepherd-prince, the new Davidwho frees people from bondage to sin and gathers them into one flock, the Church, under a new covenant, made in His blood (see Ezekiel 34:10-13, 23-31).
His flock includes other sheep, He says, far more than the dispersed children of Israel (see Isaiah 56:8; John 11:52). And He gave His Church the mission of shepherding all peoples to the Father. In todays First Reading, we see the beginnings of that mission in the testimony of Peter, whom the Lord appointed shepherd of His Church (see John 21:15-17).
The Text of the Old Testament

This is part of a series of posts on fundamental Catholic teaching on Scripture. In this post, we delve into some of the specifics of the human dimension of Scripture: in this case, the original language(s) of the Old Testament.
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The original language of large majority of the Old Testament books is Hebrew. Hebrew is the ancestral language of the people of Israel. It is a Semitic language, that is, one of a family of Near Eastern languages that share certain features such as tri-literal word roots (most words are formed from a root consisting of three consonants), the absence of true verbal tenses, and a paratactic syntax. In ancient times, Hebrew was (and continues to be) written from right to left without consonants, using a form of script now called paleo-Hebrew, an example of which is illustrated here, from a ninth-century BC inscription found in northern Israel.
priests and scribes. There is some theological significance in this fact, inasmuch as it demonstrates the reciprocal, complementary relationship that has always existed between sacred Scripture and sacred tradition. The Hebrew language did change during the centuries that the books of the Bible were being composed, so not all biblical books are written in the same kind of Hebrew. The distinction between Classical or Standard Biblical Hebrew (CBH or SBH) and Late Biblical Hebrew (LBH) is widely recognized by scholars. Classical Biblical Hebrew is a pre-exilic form of the language; Late Biblical Hebrew reflects the influence of Aramaic and other linguistic changes introduced during the trauma of the exile. A good contrast between the two forms of the language can be seen between the Classical Biblical Hebrew of the historical books GenesisKings (the primary history) and the Late Biblical Hebrew of the Books of Chronicles, which employs the earlier books as a source. Since, however, it may have been possible for ancient scribes to write documents in an older form of the Hebrew language (a procedure called archaizing), and conversely, it was possible systematically to rewrite an older document in a more contemporary form of the language, the use of linguistic data to assign the composition date of biblical documents is hotly contested among biblical scholars. Besides Hebrew, two other languages are employed in the Old Testament: Aramaic and Greek. All of Tobit and portions of Daniel and Ezra were originally written in Aramaic. The Wisdom of Solomon and 2 Maccabees were originally written in Greek. All other books of the Old Testament, including 1 Maccabees, were first written in Hebrew.
A radical linguistic and literary shift occurred for the people of Israel when much of the population of Judah was deported to Babylon in 597 and 587 BC. During the decades the Judeans spent in Babylon, they began to speak Aramaic, the international language of the day. Aramaic is the mother tongue of ancient Aram (modern Syria), and it is closely related to Hebrew. The two languages are almost mutually intelligible. Not only did the Jews begin to use Aramaic as their spoken language, they also adopted the Aramaic square script, which continues to be the font used for copying and printing the Hebrew Scriptures to this day. Since ancient Hebrew was written without vowels, it was not possible to interpret the ancient texts of Scripture properly without learning the oral tradition of the community from those responsible for the preservation of the documentsusually the
Perspectives Principles And Criteria: John Bergsma on the

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Bible in Catholic Theology

Perspectives Principles And Criteria: John Bergsma on the Bible in Catholic Theology
Posted by Dr. Michael Barber on 04.24.12 | John Bergsma and Michael Barber discuss the role of the Bible in Catholic Theology, highlighting a new document from the International Theological Commission.
while deepening their understanding of the riches of our faith. LEARN MORE
Journey Through Scripture is the St. Paul Centers dynamic parishbased Bible study program designed to help ordinary Catholics to grow in their knowledge of the Scriptures
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Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 Psalms 4:2, 4, 7-9 1 John 2:1-5 Luke 24:35-48 John, too describes Jesus in Old Testament terms. Alluding to how Israels priests offered blood sacrifices to atone for the peoples sins (see Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9-10), he says that Jesus intercedes for us before God (see Romans 8:34), and that His blood is a sacrificial expiation for the sins of the world (see 1 John 1:7). Notice that in all three readings, the Scriptures are interpreted to serve and advance the Churchs mission - to reveal the truth about Jesus, to bring people to repentance, the wiping away of sins, and the perfection of their love for God. This is how we, too, should hear the Scriptures. Not to know more about Jesus, but to truly know Him personally, and to know His plan for our lives. In the Scriptures, the light of His face shines upon us, as we sing in todays Psalm. We know the wonders He has done throughout history. And we have the confidence to call to Him, and to know that He hears and answers.
Understanding the Scriptures: Reflections on the Third Sunday of Easter

Jesus in todays Gospel, teaches His apostles how to interpret the Scriptures. He tells them that all the Scriptures of what we now call the Old Testament refer to Him. He says that all the promises found in the Old Testament have been fulfilled in His passion, death, and resurrection. And He tells them that these Scriptures foretell the mission of the Church - to preach forgiveness of sins to all the nations, beginning at Jersusalem. In todays First Reading and Epistle, we see the beginnings of that mission. And we see the apostles interpreting the Scriptures as Jesus taught them to. God has brought to fulfillment what He announced beforehand in all the prophets, Peter preaches. His sermon is shot through with Old Testament images. He evokes Moses and the exodus, in which God revealed himself as the ancestral God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Exodus 3:6,15). He identifies Jesus as Isaiahs suffering servant who has been glorified (see Isaiah 52:13).
Pauls Strange Mention of CoSenders: What It Might Mean

This quarter I am teaching a graduate course on the Pauline Epistles. Today we began working through 1 Corinthians. Here I wanted to touch upon something we examined in class today: Pauls co-workers.
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Paul begins 1 Corinthians by doing something he often does in his epistles: he mentions a co-worker. Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God which is at Corinth (1 Co 1:12). The question of Sosthenes identity is an extremely interesting one. Is he the same figure who gets beaten in Acts 18? Is he the amanuensis of 1 Corinthians? Frankly, we just cant know the answers here. What we do know though is nonetheless fascinating: Paul mentions him. In fact, the letters attributed to Paul frequently include his co-workers in the opening addresses; they are thus listed as co-senders: Timothy, 2 Cor. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Col 1:1; Phlm. 1; Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy in 1 Thess. 1:1 and 2 Thess. 1:1. Why is this worth mentioning? Because this is almost unheard of! As scholars such Anthony Thiselton and Ernest Richards explain, this hardly ever happens! The mention of a co-sender in the opening of an epistle is exceedingly unusual in ancient Greek letters outside of the Pauline corpus. In his book, The Secretary in the Letters of Paul (Tbingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 1993), Richards finds only six instances of this in 645 papyrus letters! [p. 47, n. 138]. So why does Paul include a mention of co-senders? I think Anthony Thiselton makes the best suggestion:
In short, Paul is an ecclesial thinker. Paul is not a lone ranger, but works as a member of the household of faith, the community of believershe is one member of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church. As Paul explains later in 1 Corinthians, For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. . . . Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. (1 Cor 12:12, 2728). Paul may be the apostle (1:1), but Sosthenes is a valued co-worker (a helper?)as such, he deserves mention as well.
EWTN Live Benedict XVI and Verbum Domini - Fr Mitch Pacwa, SJ with Dr. Scott Hahn - 03-02-2011
EWTN Live - Benedict XVI and Verbum Domini - Fr Mitch Pacwa, SJ with Dr. Scott Hahn - 03-02-2011
Posted by St. Paul Center on 04.19.12 |
Paul does not perceive himself as commissioned to lead or to minister as an isolated individual, without collaboration with co-workers. (The First Epistle to the Corinthians: A Commentary on the Greek Text [NIGTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000], 69).
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help ordinary Catholics to grow in their knowledge of the Scriptures while deepening their understanding of the riches of our faith. LEARN MORE
Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ annd Dr. Scott Hahn discuss Benedict XVI and Verbum Domini from March 2011.

Journey Through Scripture is the St. Paul Centers dynamic parish-based Bible study program designed to
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We encounter Him as the apostles did - in the breaking of the bread on the Lords day (see Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10). There is something liturgical about the way todays Gospel scenes unfold. Its as if John is trying to show us how the risen Lord comes to us in the liturgy and sacraments. In both scenes it is Sunday night. The doors are bolted tight, yet Jesus mysteriously comes. He greets them with an expression, Peace be with you, used elsewhere by divine messengers (see Daniel 10:19; Judges 6:23). He shows them signs of His real bodily presence. And on both nights the disciples respond by joyfully receiving Jesus as their Lord. Isnt this what happens in the Mass - where our Lord speaks to us in His Word, and gives himself to us in the sacrament of His body and blood? Let us approach the altar with joy, knowing that every Eucharist is the day the Lord has made - when the victory of Easter is again made wonderful in our eyes.
The Day the Lord Made: Reflections for Divine Mercy Sunday
Three times in todays Psalm we cry out a victory shout: His mercy endures forever. Truly weve known the everlasting love of God, who has come to us as our Savior. By the blood and water that flowed from Jesus pierced side (see John 19:34), weve been made Gods children, as we hear in todays Epistle. Yet we never met Jesus, never heard Him teach, never saw Him raised from the dead. His saving Word came to us in the Church - through the ministry of the apostles, who in todays Gospel are sent as He was sent. He was made a life-giving Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 15:45) and He filled His apostles with that Spirit. As we hear in todays First Reading, they bore witness to His resurrection with great power. And through their witness, handed down in the Church through the centuries, their teaching and traditions have reached us (see Acts 2:42). Readings: Acts 4:32-35 Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 1 John 5:1-6 John 20:19-31
The Splendor of Eschatology: Highlights from Matthew Leverings Jesus and the Demise of Death
(This post is part of the Patheos roundtable discussion of Matthew Leverings latest book from Baylor University Press.)
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What happened to Jesus when he died? And what will happen to me when I die?
These two perennial Christian questions are the foci of Matthew Leverings new book, Jesus and the Demise of Death: Resurrection, Afterlife, and the Fate of the Christian (Baylor University Press, 2012). In this deceptively brief but remarkably rich study of Christian eschatology, Levering puts contemporary scholarship on the fate of Jesushis descent into hell, bodily resurrection, and ascension into heavenand the fate of the Christianthe existence and immortality of the soul, resurrection from the dead, and beatific visioninto dialogue with the profound and subtle eschatology of St. Thomas Aquinas. The result is a fascinating entre into what Scripture, tradition, and contemporary exegetical, theological, and philosophical discussions have to say about the mystery of the grave and what lies beyond it. Although the book is replete with flashes of insight, several highlights stand out.
more or less questionable authenticity for answers to questions about what lies beyond the grave. Rather, a robustly Christian eschatology looks first and foremost to Jesus Christ as the one whose Passover from death to life (John 5:24)the descent of his living (but disembodied) soul to the realm of the dead, his resurrection to bodily but unending life, and his bodily ascension into the heavenly glory of the Trinityreveals the truth about the fate of the Church as a whole and the individual Christian in particular. In a word, authentic Christian eschatology must be a Christological eschatology.
Jesus Descent into Hell and the Life of the Spiritual Soul
Second, given this Christological framework, Leverings book is significant for the stress that it puts on two particular doctrines: the descent of Jesus disembodied soul into hell (as professed in the Apostles Creed), and the existence of the spiritual soul of the individual Christian after death. As Levering demonstrates, both of these doctrines have fallen on hard times of late, with modern theologians proposing profoundly incompatible theses about what Jesus did or not do while in the realm of the dead (e.g., N. T. Wright, Hans Urs von Balthasar) and contemporary philosophers and exegetes casting doubts about the very existence of the individual soul, much less whether it continues to exist in the intermediate state between death and resurrection (Nancey Murphy, Joel Green). With regard to the fate of Jesus soul, Levering argues that his descent into hell is not merely about the eschatological triumph over death. In a remarkable convergence of modern scholarship and medieval theology, Levering shows how Aquinas theology of Jesus descent corroborates the emphasis of contemporary exegetes on the hope for the eschatological restoration of Israel. For Aquinas, Jesus descends to the dead precisely in order to liberate the holy Israelites of the old
The Fate of Jesus as the Paradigm of Christian Eschatology

First, Leverings fundamental contribution is to show that when it comes to the question What happens to me when I die?, Christian eschatology must not take its eyes off Jesus of Nazareth. In order to know what will happen to us after death, we must look carefully at what Scripture reveals about the paschal mystery of Jesus. This connection between the fate of Jesus and the fate of the Christian, though basic, is of critical importance. For one thing, it acts as a corrective to those currents of thoughtespecially popular in modernitythat are overly apophatic (if not agnostic) about personal eschatology. When it comes to the mystery of death, Christian theology is by no means left in complete darkness. Nor does it need to turn primarily to the anecdotal evidence of Near Death Experiences or to private mystical phenomenon of
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covenant era and lead them to the heavenly promised land. Using the language of N. T. Wright, Jesus descent truly begins the end of exilebut not by means of a geographical restoration to the earthly land of Canaan. Rather, Jesus descent is about the eschatological return of Gods people from the spiritual realm of the dead to the Paradise once lost. In the words of the prophet Zechariah: Because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your captives free from the waterless pit (Zech 9:11). With regard to the fate of the Christian, Levering draws once more on the anthropology of Aquinas to show why it is eminently reasonableand profoundly scriptural, to say nothing of traditionto continue affirm the existence of the spiritual soul after death. In one of the most fascinating chapters in the book, Levering shows that the growingly popular idea that the New Testament does not teach the existence and/or continuation of the human soul as distinct from the body is not on terra firma, either metaphysically or biblically (see Matt 10:28; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Rev 6:9-11; Phil 1:21-23, etc.)
already experienced now by the disembodied souls of the faithful departed in heaven. By contrast, Levering, following Aquinas, refuses to choose between bodily resurrection and beatific vision, but holds them (eternally) together. By means of his insistence on placing Christian eschatology within a Christological framework, Levering emphasizes that the climax of Jesus paschal mystery was not his resurrection but his bodily ascension into heaven. As the ascension of Jesus makes clear, the resurrection of the body is not an end in itself, just as this worldeven made newis not an end in itself. Instead, both humanity and cosmos are ultimately ordered toward the life of the Trinity, of the one God who is spirit (John 4:24) and yet who will restored the material cosmos in such a way that it is not annihilated but made new in a new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1-5). To be sure, at this point, we reach the threshold the ineffable, even with the aid of the inspired language of Scripture. But that is precisely where the pages of the New Testament are designed to lead usto the threshold of the eschatological promised land. In this way, by following the path of Jesus and contemplating the mysteries of the end, Levering helps his readers to taste something of the splendor of Christian eschatology and, God willing, to grow in the hope of the life of the world to come.
Bodily Resurrection, Beatific Vision, and the Bodily Ascension of Jesus

Third and finally, Leverings book is commendable for the way in which it holds together the distinct hopes for the beatific vision of the souls in heaven and the bodily resurrection of the dead. In keeping with is method so far, Levering interprets both of these in the light of Jesus bodily ascension into heaven and the ultimate restoration of the redeemed to bodily life and beatific vision at the end of time. Indeed, the final discussion of bodily resurrection and beatific vision in Chapter 7 is worth the price of the book. It is one of the more curious aspects of modern Christian eschatology that it often tends to choose to emphasize either the resurrection of the bodyas a restoration to a life not unlike the life of this world, though perfectedor the beatific visionwhich is
Catholic Exegesis: A Streamlined Overview

This is part of a continued series of posts on fundamental issues in Catholic doctrine of Scripture. Building on previous discussions of Catholic inspiration and interpretation, we propose here a sixstep streamlined overview of the process of Catholic exegesis. Comments are welcome below. ****
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The points made above about the interpretation of the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture may be integrated into a six-step process representing an idealized picture of the method of Catholic exegesis: the interpreter, with proper spiritual and intellectual formation, should analyze the text from historical, grammatical, rhetorical, canonical, liturgical, and magisterial perspectives in order to arrive at a comprehensive view of the literal and spiritual senses of a given textual unit of Scripture. At the historical stage of analysis, the interpreter seeks to learn as much as possible about the history, geography, literature, customs, and culture of the time and place in which the text was composed, so far as this may be determined, in order better to understand the realia referred to by the words of the text. The results of archeology are incorporated at this stage of analysis. The grammatical stage of the textual analysis looks at the lower-level dynamics of language, such as the meaning of words and phrases (semantics) and their arrangement (syntax). The rhetorical stage analyzes higher-level dynamics of language, such as the use of literary or rhetorical devices, the genre(s) of the whole textual unit (form criticism), and its structure (if significant). It may also consider how the textual unit has been intentionally edited, thus including the disciplines of source and redaction criticism. Although all stages of analysis may be relevant to both the literal and spiritual senses, these first three analytical stageshistorical, grammatical, and rhetoricalintend primarily to establish the literal sense, while the next threecanonical, liturgical, and magisterialintend primarily to establish the spiritual senses. The canonical stage of analysis considers the role of the textual unit within the canon as a whole, beginning with its role in the immediate textual context
(the units preceding and succeeding), then its role within the larger section of the book of which it is a part, then its role within the book as a whole, and finally its function within the entire canon of Scripture. Canonical analysis aims to fulfill the exhortation of Vatican II to consider each text within the content and unity of Scripture. This often involves the study of biblical intertextuality, the web of various forms of textual reference (quotation, allusion, re-use, etc.) that typically link documents in the biblical tradition together. For example, consider the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2:
Is. 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORDs favor We immediately note, on the one hand, an allusion (through the reuse of keywords) to an earlier Scripture: Leviticus 25:10, the legislation of the sacred Jubilee Year:
Lev. 25:10
And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you The speaker of Isaiah 61:1-2 seems to be identifying himself as one who comes to fulfill the expectations of the ancient law of the year of liberation. On the other hand, Isaiah 61:1-2 is itself quoted by later Scripture, namely in Luke 4:16-21: And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him
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the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And he began to say to them, Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. Thus, Jesus identifies himself as the mysterious voice of Isaiah 61:1-2: he is the one come to inaugurate the eschatological Jubilee Year. Proper Catholic exegesis of Isaiah 61:1-2, therefore, must be aware both of the reference within Isaiah 61:1-2 to earlier Scripture (Lev 25:10) and its subsequent re-use in Luke 4:16-21, in order to situation Isaiah 61:1-2 within the content and unity of the canon, and to grasp its significance within salvation history. Canonical analysis is succeeded by liturgical analysis, which examines how the text is used within the Churchs liturgical tradition. This is justified on the premise that the liturgy is the primary vehicle for the transmission of the Churchs living tradition, which the Council urges us to take into account when interpreting the text. Therefore, one examines the use of the subject passage in the Lectionary, where the juxtaposition of texts often suggests a spiritual interpretation of the First Reading and the Psalm. One also examines the use of the text in the various liturgical prayers, and in the liturgy of the hours, again always attentive to the other readings and prayers that accompany the text and what they suggest about the way the mind of the Church has received and understood the text. Finally, one considers the textual unit from the perspective of magisterial teaching, looking first for any conciliar or pontifical definitions of the interpretation of the text. However, since the interpretation of relatively few texts has been defined by magisterial
authority, one also looks at non-infallible yet authoritative sources of the Churchs tradition, such as the fathers, doctors, saints, and papal writings. Thus, this stage of analysis aims to consider the text both within the living tradition and the analogy of faith. Our proposed system of six stages of exegesis in the Catholic tradition intends to enable to interpreter to determine the literal and spiritual senses of the text, in light of the Vatican Councils three criteria of (1) content and unity, (2) the living tradition, and (3) the analogy of faith. While idealized, it may nonetheless serve as a useful paradigm for exegetical exercises for students of theology and biblical studies in the Catholic tradition.
Aquinas Five Reasons Christ Rose from the Dead

Aquinas pores over the New Testament and comes up with five reasons it was fitting for Christ to rise from the dead (ST IIIa, q. 53, art. 1). Here they are.
1. It reveals Gods justice.

Because Christ humbled himself and died on the cross out of love and obedience to the Father, God lifted him up by a glorious resurrection.
2. It was necessary for the confirmation of our faith in Christ.

Thomas cites Paul, who explains that the resurrection attests to the power of God (2 Cor 13:4).
3. It gives us hope for the resurrection of our bodies.

This, of course, is the whole point of 1 Corinthians 15. As Paul writes, Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how do some among you
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say, that there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Cor 15:12)
6.; also see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 654). HallelujahHe is Risen!
4. It means death to sin and new life in Christ for us.

Since we are united with Christ we have not only died with him but been raised with him to newness of life. Thomas cites Romans 6:4, 11: We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Eighth Day Dawning

April began with Palm Sunday this year, and Easter Sunday falls on the eighth day. In so many ways, this brings us Christians back to our roots. The early Church Fathers marked every Sunday as the eighth day. Creation was complete in six days, and God rested on the Sabbathbut at the Resurrection He began something new The first-century Epistle of Barnabas presents the matter in a prophetic oracle. With the Sabbath with Saturday the epistle tells us, God set all things at rest. With the new dawn, however, he will usher in the Eighth Day, the beginning of a new world. So here we are, at the beginning of a new world. On Easter, God did not merely resuscitate a corpse. That would have been merely miraculous. Nor did he merely vindicate His Son. That would have been merely triumphant. No, on Easter Sunday we mark the moment when he who sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new (Revelation 21:5). We are living in that moment. We are already living in a day when heaven and earth are full of His glory. Christ is risen. He has been vindicated. He reigns triumphant. But the Good News is even better than all of that. Through his rising he has glorified our poor flesh and taken it to heaven. Through our share in his death and resurrection, we have become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Through
5. It completes the work of salvation.

This is an especially important point that is far too often overlooked. Christs death is not the only aspect of his work for our salvation. Again, Thomas cites Paul, who explains that Christ was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification (Rom 4:25). Most people forget about this verse and simply profess that Jesus died for our salvationbut thats only part of it! Notice that Thomas pays very close attention to Pauls language in particular here. Salvation involves two elements: (1) the payment of the debt due to sin, which is accomplished on the cross (e.g., he was put to death for our trespasses) and (2) he is raised for our sakes as well (e.g., for our justification). Ultimately, Jesus resurrection wasnt for his sake but for ours. The goal of salvation was not simply to save us from sin, but to unite our humanity to God. Peter explains that we are called to become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4). Christs resurrection then is the cause of our sharing in the new life of gracethe unity of our humanity with divinity. Salvation isnt just a matter of being delivered from the punishment due to sin, namely, hellit also means being delivered to life in God (cf. also ST IIIa q. 56, art. 2; cf. also IIIa q. 57, art.
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the sacraments he empowers us to live that life, not just when we go to heaven, but even now. Those early Fathers loved the Easter season because it was the time the Church admitted new members through the sacraments of initiation. Easter was the season of a special preaching the Church calls mystagogy: the explication of the mysteries. Through the grace of the sacraments, Christians receive eyes to see the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:3). A new Christian, newly healed and unaccustomed to such vision, might look out and say, I see men; but they look like trees, walking (see Mark 8:24). But the mystagogical teaching of the Fathers leads us to see the world aright, as God has created it to be, and as He has redeemed itas He is redeeming it even today. Mystagogy leads us to see Gods new world awash in the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1). Mystagogy reveals the hidden manna of the Holy Eucharist. By the light of the Easter Candle we can see so much we could not otherwise apprehend, because we are looking now with eyes of faith. Lets live this season as our most ancient ancestors did. Lets make it a moment of celebration of the mysteries the sacraments Christ instituted for us and entrusted to the Church. Lets live Easter in prayerful study of the Scriptures, in the company of the Fathers. Let us come to see this new world the Church and her sacramentsfor all that God has made it to be. The ardor of Easter is different from the rigors of Lent. It is pure joy, pure praise, a pure stream of Alleluia and Gloria flowing at last in a life we had laid waste. You are good to share this moment of joy with me and my colleagues at the St. Paul Center. I promise
you our prayers, on the Eighth Day and beyond. For our mission is mystagogyor, as I put it in the title of a book for the Easter season, Living the Mysteries.
Catholic Interpretation of Scripture

This is part of an on-going series discussing the fundamentals of Catholic doctrine of Scripture. The topic for this post is interpretation. Click here to read the previous post. *** Self-conscious reflection on the proper methods of interpretation of Scripture began already with the early Church Fathers. One of the most definitive patristic statements on interpretation is St. Augustines De Doctrina Christiana, On Christian Doctrine. While its title might lead the modern reader to expect a treatment of Church dogma in systematic form, De Doctrina is in fact a handbook for the interpretation of Scripture. This fact in itself is significant: for Augustine and the other fathers, Christian doctrine was the interpretation of Scripture. This truth continues to be affirmed by the Second Vatican Council: the study of the sacred page should be the very soul of theology (DV 11), and by Pope Benedict XVI: Dogma is by definition nothing other than an interpretation of Scripture (Ratzinger 1983, 178). Augustines De Doctrina represents a synthesis of patristic thinking on the interpretation of Scripture, and it continued to be used as a handbook for exegesis throughout the medieval period. In the following discussion of the Catholic interpretation of Scripture, we follow St. Augustines basic framework, fleshed out with more recent teachings of the Church and developments within biblical studies. None of the Church Fathers was so nave as to believe that interpretation could be reduced to a certain
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method which would yield consistent results regardless of the character of the interpreter applying it. Augustine was no exception: therefore his discussion of the exegesis of Scripture falls essentially into two parts: the preparation of the interpreter, and the principles of interpretation
The Preparation of the Interpreter

The fathers were quite conscious of the fact that there is no purely objective mode of interpretation. The character and dispositions of the interpreter will invariably shape the interpretation; thus he needs both spiritual and intellectual formation.
Scripture and prayer which constitutes a kind of hermeneutical circle that brings the interpreter into contact with Gods word. As St. Jerome remarks, Prayer should follow reading, and reading follow prayer, so that we may learn to be detached from the world and to love the divine books (Epistula 107, 9, 12). It should go without saying that the interpreter needs to participate in the life of the Church, which is the privileged hermeneutical context for the interpretation of Scripture. The interpretation of sacred Scripture requires the full participation on the part of exegetes in the life and faith of the believing community of their own time, since the primary setting for scriptural interpretation is the life of the Church. (Verbum Domini 29). The Churchs faith creates in the heart of the interpreter the necessary sympathy and affinity for the biblical texts that enables proper exegesis: Access to a proper understanding of biblical texts is only granted to a person who has an affinity with what the text is saying on the basis of life experience (Verbum Domini 44). Participation in the life of the Church also protects against the idiosyncratic interpretations that can arise when the autonomy of the individual interpreter is stressed over against communal and ecclesial interpretation: When Scripture is disjoined from the living voice of the Church, it fall prey to the disputes of experts (Benedict XVI, 2005)
The Spiritual Formation of the Interpreter

The good interpreter should have made some progress in growth in the theological virtues: faith, hope, and especially love. He must understand that God is to be loved above all things, and all created thingsincluding the Scripturesare to be used to attain to the love of God: Whoever things that he understands the divine Scriptures or any part of them so that it does not build up the double love of God and of our neighbor does not understand it at all (DDC 1:36). On the other hand, the one who has made progress in faith, hope, and love is ready to begin to contemplate Scripture: Anyone who knows the end of the commandments to be charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith and has related all of his understanding of the Divine Scriptures to these three, he may approach the treatment of these books with security (DDC 1:40).
Intellectual Formation
While acknowledging that the interpretation of Scripture is a spiritual and not merely intellectual endeavor, the Church has never held that piety substitutes for study and intellectual labor. The interpreter also requires intellectual formation. First, he must have an adequate philosophical worldview to provide a framework within which to understand revelation. To this end, the Church has frequently proposed the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas as a sound basis from which to interpret
The interpreter needs to maintain communion with God through a life of prayer, seeking the grace of God without which no true understanding of Scriptures can be attained: To understand and explain [the Scriptures] there is always required the coming of the same Holy Spirit; that is to say, His light and His grace; and these are to be sought by humble prayer and guarded by holiness of life (ProvD 5). There is a reciprocal relationship between the reading of
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Scripture as well as pursue other theological subdisciplines. The interpreter should also be liberally educated: since the words of Scripture address such a wide range of realities, the interpreter should have at least familiarity with all the branches of learning, and competence in certain areas that are of particular relevance to the Scriptural text, such as the biblical languages with their unique literary and rhetorical features; literary criticism and hermeneutical theory; and the history, geography, and culture of the ancient Near East. Finally, the interpreter should have a solid knowledge of the content of the Scriptures themselves, together with their history of their interpretation within the Church as recorded in the writings of the fathers, doctors, and saints, and perpetuated in the Liturgyand the body of Church dogma, which is nothing other than authoritative interpretation of revelation. In the next post in this series, we will discuss the process of interpretation.
No Place Like Rome

Teaching is like fatherhood. In fact, in the ancient world, it was considered a form of fatherhood. In the Oath of Hippocrates, medical students promised to take care of their aging teachers who had fathered them in the healing arts. In early Judaism, the rabbis were considered fathers to their disciples. And, of course, the Church came to look upon its first teachers as the Fathers. A teacher gives away a part of himself to his students, and they carry it forward into the future just as my sons and daughter will carry forward my genetic material. In the natural order, its as close as we come to immortality. Yet, because Im teaching theology, this intimation of immortality comes with a touch of the supernatural
as well. As I prepare this issue for press, Im packing my bags for a most exciting transatlantic trip. Im flying to Rome to sit as witness as my first doctoral student defends his dissertation. His name is Vincent DeMeo, and he has completed a carefully researched and argued manuscript on covenant kinship in chapters 13-17 of St. Johns Gospel. An American, Vince was my student years ago, as he pursued his undergraduate degree. Now hes assistant professor of Scripture and theology at the International Theological Institute in Gaming, Austria. His colleagues and students tell me that hes one of the most popular and effective teachers on that schools very distinguished faculty. As a teacher Ive felt a certain fulfillment as I guide Vince through these last stages of his formal education. Once through the gate, he will have the credentials to teach the very subject I teach just about anywhere in the world. Again, this satisfies something parental in a teachers nature. For parents dont raise children to be good children. We raise them to be good adults, who will, in their turn, raise up a new generation of good adults. So a teacher is overjoyed when his student, the child of his intellect, goes into the family business. The ancient Fathers delighted in their sense of continuity in the Church. They passed on what they received from the Apostles, and it pleased them to do so. Now I can say with certainty: I know how they feel. But the work isnt over. While Im in Rome Ill also be teaching an intensive course on Scripture, Liturgy, and Eschatology to a class mostly made up of seminarians. So well begin the process all over again, lighting a new fire, exciting the intellect, inspiring the heart. By the time you read this, Ill have returned home (God willing) and Ill be packing for another trip to Rome, this time with my wife, Kimberly, and my three youngest sons. Its the first time Ill be in the city for Holy Week. I promise to take your intentions with me. Please remember me and the St. Paul Center in your prayers and alms as you enter this holy moment, this season of joy.
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Darkness at Noon: Reflections on Passion Sunday

Crowned with thorns, our Lord is lifted up on the cross, where He dies as King of the Jews. Notice how many times He is called king in todays Gospel - mostly in scorn and mockery. As we hear the long accounts of His passion, at every turn we must remind ourselves - He suffered this cruel and unusual violence, for us. He is the Suffering Servant foretold by Isaiah in todays First Reading. He reenacts the agony described in todays Psalm, and even dies with the first words of that Psalm on His lips (see Psalm 22:1). Listen carefully for the echoes of this Psalm throughout todays Gospel - as Jesus is beaten, His hands and feet are pierced; as His enemies gamble for His clothes, wagging their heads, mocking His faith in Gods love, His faith that God will deliver Him. R Are we that much different from our Lords tormenters? Often, dont we deny that He is king, refusing to obey His only commands that we love Him and one another? Dont we render Him mock tribute, pay Him lip-service with our half-hearted devotions? In the dark noon of Calvary, the veil in Jerusalems temple was torn. It was a sign that by His death Jesus destroyed forever the barrier separating us from the presence of God. He was God and yet humbled himself to come among us, were reminded in todays Epistle. And despite our repeated failures, our frailty, Jesus still humbles himself to come to us, offering us His body and blood in the Eucharist.
His enemies never understood: His kingship isnt of this world (see John 18:36). He wants to write His law, His rule of life on our hearts and minds. As we enter Holy Week, let us once more resolve to give Him dominion in our lives. Let us take up the cross He gives to us - and confess with all our hearts, minds, and strength, that truly this is the Son of God.
The Hour Come: Reflections on the Fifth Sunday of Lent

Our readings today are filled with anticipation. The days are coming, Jeremiah prophesies in todays First Reading. The hour has come, Jesus says in the Gospel. The new covenant that God promised to Jeremiah is made in the hour of Jesus - in His death, resurrection, and ascension to the Fathers right hand. The prophets said this new covenant would return Israels exiled tribes from the ends of the world (see Jeremiah 31:1,3-4,7-8). Jesus too predicted His passion would gather the dispersed children of God (see John 11:52). But today He promises to draw to himself, not only Israelites, but all men and women. The new covenant is more than a political or national restoration. As we sing in todays Psalm, it is a universal spiritual restoration. In the hour of Jesus, sinners in every nation can return to the Father - to be washed of their guilt and given new hearts to love and serve Him. In predicting He will be lifted up, Jesus isnt describing only His coming crucifixion (see John 3:14-15). Isaiah used the same word to tell how the Messiah, after suffering for Israels sins, would be raised high and greatly exalted (see Isaiah 52:3). Elsewhere the term describes how kings are elevated above their subjects (see 1 Maccabees 8:13).
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R Troubled in His agony, Jesus didnt pray to be saved. Instead, as we hear in todays Epistle, He offered himself to the Father on the cross - as a living prayer and supplication. For this, God gave Him dominion over heaven and earth (see Acts 2:33; Philippians 2:9). Where He has gone we can follow - if we let Him lead us. To follow Jesus means hating our lives of sin and selfishness. It means trusting in the Fathers will, the law He has written in our hearts. Jesus hour continues in the Eucharist, where we join our sacrifices to His, giving God our lives in reverence and obedience - confident He will raise us up to bear fruits of holiness.
the work of the human author. It does not diminish the human authors freedom, personality, or responsibility for what is written. On the contrary, the activity of the Divine and human authors are cooperative and complementary, such that the Church can affirm, whatever is asserted by the human author is asserted by the Holy Spirit (DV 11) The manner in which inspiration took place can be described as organic, meaning that God guided the human authors in a natural and internal way, such that he made use of their powers and abilities to compose everything and only those things that he wanted, while they remained true authors. Thus, the style of the biblical authors is distinctively their own: Ezekiels priestly training is clearly reflected in his scrupulous recording of dates and his extensive knowledge of liturgical law; his style is distinct from the simple boldness of Amos, the shepherd of Tekoa. Nonetheless, their words are inspired by God, and are in fact the words of God. This organic view of inspiration is to be contrasted with a mechanical view, in which God overrides the human faculties of the inspired author, or simply dictated, audibly or mentally, the words that were to be written. Although a few portions of Scripture may have been composed in this fashion, the Church does not embrace this view for the Bible as a whole. It is true that a mechanical view of inspiration has been part of popular pietyseen, for example, in icons which portray an angel whispering in the ear of one of the evangelistsand some of the Church fathers and doctors have spoken of Scripture as dictated by the Holy Spirit. However, such expressions of the fathers typically were intended hyperbolically, to emphasize the truth that the Scriptures composed by the human author were so fully inspired that the resulting documents may as well have been dictated by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, dictation by the Holy Spirit is more a patristic affirmation of the complete inspiration of final form of Scripture than a description of the manner in which the Scriptures were composed.
Inspiration and the Relationship of Divine and Human Authorship

This is part of a continuing series of posts on the fundamental Catholic doctrines of Scripture. It picks up from my last post in inspiration, only dealing now with the relationship between human and divine in the composition of Scripture. ****
Divine and Human Authorship

The Catholic doctrine of inspiration is commonly understood to entail that God is the primary author of Scripture, and the sacred writer is the secondary author. Phrased differently, it is sometimes said that God is primary cause and the sacred writer the instrumental cause of Scripture. Gods action as author is not opposed or contrary to
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The Extent of Inspiration

If organic describes the manner of inspiration, the term plenary describes its extent. Plenary means full or complete, that is, inspiration extends to all the Scriptures, in all their parts, and not limited to some parts only (DV 11). Plenary inspiration is to be contrasted with partial or limited inspiration, which would describe the views of those who, in ancient as well as modern times, would limit full inspiration only to certain portions of Scripture (such as the protocanonicals, or the New Testament) and reduce other parts (such as the deuterocanonicals, or the Old Testament) to the status of uninspired or only partially inspired. Another form of partial inspiration theory would limit inspiration only to portions of Scripture that pertain to certain topics (such as faith and morals) and withdraw it from those that that pertain to others (such as history).
cause should could not then trust that the concepts intended by God had been formulated adequately in human language.
Inerrancy
Inerrancy, meaning the quality being without error, describes the truth of Scripture and follows inescapably from the doctrine of inspiration of Scripture. One of the most definitive statements on inerrancy was given by Pope Leo XIII: For all the books which the Church receives as sacred and canonical, are written wholly and entirely, with all their parts, at the dictation of the Holy Ghost; and so far is it from being possible that any error can co-exist with inspiration, that inspiration not only is essentially incompatible with error, but excludes and rejects it as absolutely and necessarily as it is impossible that God Himself, the supreme Truth, can utter that which is not true. This is the ancient and unchanging faith of the Church, solemnly defined in the Councils of Florence and of Trent, and finally confirmed and more expressly formulated by the Council of the Vatican. (Providentissimus Deus) In making this statement, Pope Leo XIII was summarizing and affirming the constant faith of the Church, expressed by the fathers and doctors. On an issue of such significance, it is best to let one of the more prominent of these speak for himself: If we are perplexed by an apparent contradiction in Scripture, it is not allowable to say, The author of this book is mistaken. Rather, either the manuscript is faulty or the translation is wrong, or you have not understood it. But in consequence of the distinctive peculiarity of the sacred writings, we are bound to receive as true whatever the canon shows to have been said by even one prophet or apostle or evangelist. Otherwise not a single page will be left for the guidance of human fallibility, if contempt
The Specification of Inspiration

In addition to organic and plenary, inspiration is verbal, meaning that the inspiration of Scripture is specific to the choice of words: For as the substantial Word of God became like to men in all things, except sin,[31] so the words of God, expressed in human language, are made like to human speech in every respect, except error. (Divino Afflante 37) Therefore, Benedict XV, expounding on the thought of St. Jerome, affirms that inspiration extends to every phrase - and, indeed, to every single word of Scripture (Spiritus Paraclitus 19). Verbal inspiration is to be contrasted with conceptual inspiration, the view that God merely communicated concepts to the sacred author, who was at freedom to employ whatever words he wished to communicate those concepts, without the assistance and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Such a conceptual view would introduce an unacceptable dichotomy between the divine and human nature of Scripture, and would undermine the Churchs confidence in the written Word, be-
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for the wholesome authority of the canonical books either puts an end to that authority altogether or involves it in hopeless confusion. (St. Augustine, Contra Faustum, 11, 5) While affirming plenary inspiration as well as full inerrancy, the popes and council fathers are also at pains to insist that care must be taken to distinguish what the human author is truly asserting, which is not always simple to determine. The manner of speech of the sacred authors needs to be understood according to its genre and its literary devices. Morever, the genres and literary devices of antiquity are not always the same as those of our own. Thus, certain hyperbolic expressions found in both Testaments might be considered erroneous if taken literalistically, but are in fact idioms characteristic of the sacred authors own times and culture. For example: And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:5) The human author employs a hyperbolic idiom, and does not mean to assert that every single citizen of Jerusalem was baptized by John, which clearly was not the case (Luke 7:30). It has become a commonplace to teach that Vatican II, in Dei Verbum, expressly limited the inerrancy of Scripture only to matters that pertain to salvation, which in practice means: faith and morals. This limitation of inerrancy was expressly excluded by Leo XIII, Benedict XV, and Pius XII, as anyone may see by reading the encyclicals Providentissimus Deus, Spiritus Paraclitus, and Divino Afflante Spiritu.
of Scripture in Theology
Today[March 8th 2012] has been an extremely exciting day! The International Theological Commission has a new document out, Theology Today: Perspectives, Principles and Criteria. This is an incredibly helpful guide to doing Catholic theology. To be sure, this is not a magisterial documentan official document from the Churchs teaching office. Nonetheless, this is important reading for Catholics interested in theology. Even non-Catholics I think will find it illuminating. It contains some rather strongeven surprising statements. Something that will surely surprise nonCatholics (and even Catholics!) is the stress put on the centrality of Scripture in Theology! Indeed, as Ill explain, some of the statements are downright shocking! But more on that in a minute. Consider this a basic introduction to the document and then some words the stress it puts on Scripture. Ill close here with a shameless plug for my school, JP Catholic, which offers a graduate program in Biblical Theology. I have cited certain sections and put certain passages in italics to highlight key ideas.
Theology after Vatican II

Theology Today begins by discussing some of the advances made in theology since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). However, it also notes certain challenges that have arisen in the post-Conciliar era: [The period after Vatican II] has also seen a certain fragmentation of theology, and in the dialogue just mentioned theology always faces the challenge of maintaining its own true
BREAKING!: New Document Promotes Priority

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identity. The question arises, therefore, as to what characterises Catholic theology and gives it, in and through its many forms, a clear sense of identity in its engagement with the world of today.(no. 1)
Or, perhaps, to put it more carefully: To some extent, the Church clearly needs a common discourse if it is to communicate the one message of Christ to the world, both theologically and pastorally. It is therefore legitimate to speak of the need for a certain unity of theology. However, unity here needs to be carefully understood, so as not to be confused with uniformity or a single style. The unity of theology, like that of the Church, as professed in the Creed, must be closely correlated with the idea of catholicity, and also with those of holiness and apostolicity. The Churchs catholicity derives from Christ himself who is the Saviour of the whole world and of all humanity (cf. Eph 1:3-10; 1 Tim 2:3-6). The Church is therefore at home in every nation and culture, and seeks to gather in everything for its salvation and sanctification.[3] The fact that there is one Saviour shows that there is a necessary bond between catholicity and unity. As it explores the inexhaustible Mystery of God and the countless ways in which Gods grace works for salvation in diverse settings, theology rightly and necessarily takes a multitude of forms, and yet as investigations of the unique truth of the triune God and of the one plan of salvation centred on the one Lord Jesus Christ, this plurality must manifest distinctive family traits. (no. 2) The document therefore describes its purpose as follows: The present text seeks to identify distinctive family traits of Catholic theology.[5] It considers basic perspectives and principles which characterise Catholic theology, and offers criteria by which diverse and manifold theologies may nevertheless be recognised as authentically Catholic, and as participating in the Catholic Churchs mission, which is to proclaim the good news to people of every nation, tribe, people and language (cf. Mt 28:18-
Diversity in Unity and Unity in Diversity
This document then addresses this this question, recognizing that Catholic theology involves both unity and diversity. Of course, this is one of the things I love most about the Catholic Churchwe have a unity in diversity. We include Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, not to mention members of Eastern riteseach of these groups have their own distinctive approach to theology. And make no mistake about it, there are some profound differences! Yet the Church maintains a unity!
Why such diversity? The sheer fulness and richness of that revelation is too great to be grasped by any one theology, and in fact gives rise to multiple theologies as it is received in diverse ways by human beings. (no. 5)
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20; Rev 7:9), and, by enabling them to hear the voice of the one Lord, to gather them all into one flock with one shepherd (cf. Jn 10:16). That mission requires there to be in Catholic theology both diversity in unity and unity in diversity. Catholic theologies should be identifiable as such, mutually supportive and mutually accountable, as are Christians themselves in the communion of the Church for the glory of God (no. 3)
not of a written and mute word, but of the incarnate and living Word.[11]
The Priority of the Word of God

Going on, Theology Today beginsfollowing the document Dei Verbum from the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Churchby emphasizing the centrality of the Word of God. We read: Theology, in all its diverse traditions, disciplines and methods, is founded on the fundamental act of listening in faith to the revealed Word of God, Christ himself. Listening to Gods Word is the definitive principle of Catholic theology; it leads to understanding and speech and to the formation of Christian community . . . . The unity of theology, therefore does not require uniformity, but rather a single focus on Gods Word and an explication of its innumerable riches by theologies able to dialogue and communicate with one another. Likewise, the plurality of theologies should not imply fragmentation or discord, but rather the exploration in myriad ways of Gods one saving truth. (nos. 4-5)
Nonetheless, though the Word of God is a Person, not reducible to Scripture, Scripture must remain the soul of Catholic theology. In fact, the document describes Scripture as the normative witness to the truth theology must explicate:
The Importance of Scripture in Catholic Theology

The Word of God is, of course, Christ (John 1:1). Thus, Catholics do not believe in sola Scriptura. The Church greatly venerates the Scriptures, but it is important to recognise that the Christian faith is not a religion of the book; Christianity is the religion of the word of God,
The study of the sacred page should be the very soul of sacred theology.[29] This is the Second Vatican Councils core affirmation with regard to theology. Pope Benedict XVI reiterates: where theology is not essentially the interpretation of the Churchs Scripture, such a theology no longer has a foundation. [30] Theology in its entirety should conform to the Scriptures, and the Scriptures should sustain and accompany all theological work, because theology is concerned with the truth of the gospel (Gal 2:5), and it can know that truth only if it investigates the normative witness to it in the canon of sacred Scripture,[31] and if, in doing so, it relates the human words of the Bible to the living Word of God. Catholic exegetes must never forget that what they are interpreting is the word of God. They arrive at the true goal of their work only when they have explained the meaning of the biblical text as Gods word for today.
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Did you catch all that? Thats a paragraph that merits reading and re-reading. Lets put these points in bullet form: The core affirmation (!) the Second Vatican Council made regarding theology is that the study of Scripture should be the very soul of sacred theology! Theology must essentially be the interpretation of the Churchs Scripture! Theology in its entirety (not just biblical theology!) must conform to the the Scriptures! Scripture must sustain and accompany all theological work! The normative witness to the truth theology seeks to expound is found in the canon of Scripture! Exegetes must explain the meaning of the biblical text as Gods word for today! Going on the document reiterates that the importance of Scripture applies to all the theological disciplines (e.g., systematic theology, moral theology, etc.): In saying that the study of sacred Scripture is the soul of theology, Dei Verbum has in mind all of the theological disciplines. This foundation in the revealed Word of God, as testified by Scripture and Tradition, is essential for theology. Its primary task is to interpret Gods truth as saving truth. Urged on by Vatican II, Catholic theology seeks to attend to the Word of God and thereby to the witness of Scripture in all its work.[41] Thus it is that in theological expositions biblical themes should have first place, before anything else.[42] In fact, when the document lists the different fields of theology, biblical theology, is listed first: The various forms of theology that can basically be distinguished today (e.g., biblical, historical, fundamental, systematic, practical, moral). . .
The centrality of the Bible in Catholic theology is emphasized over and over again. A criterion of Catholic theology is that it should draw constantly upon the canonical witness of Scripture and should promote the anchoring of all of the Churchs doctrine and practice in that witness, since all the preaching of the Church, as indeed the entire Christian religion, should be nourished and ruled by sacred Scripture.[45] Theology should endeavour to open wide the Scriptures to the Christian faithful,[46] so that the faithful may come into contact with the living Word of God (cf. Heb 4:12). (no. 24). Sacred Scripture is not simply a text but locutio Dei and verbum Dei, testified initially by the prophets of the Old Testament and ultimately by the apostles in the New Testament (cf. Rom 1:1-2). Having arisen in the midst of the People of God, and having been unified, read and interpreted by the People of God, sacred Scripture belongs to the living Tradition of the Church as the canonical witness to the faith for all time. This process is sustained by the Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice of the Gospel rings out in the Church and through her in the world. Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit. . . (no. 30)
One Last Plug!

I just have to mention that at John Paul the Great Catholic University, weve been trying to do exactly what this document is calling for! Our graduate Catholic theology program focuses on integrating Biblical Studies with the other theological disciplines and aims at teaching students Biblical Theology. Unfortunately, many Catholics go on to earn advanced degrees in theology without ever learning Scripture; oftentimes programs only require 1 or 2 courses in Scripture, and thats about it as far as
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the Bible goes! Theologians can name obscure Russian theologians and talk about intricate theological debates from the 14th century, but often cant tell you much about the book of Ezra or Nehemiah, the significance of the book of Psalms being divided into five books, the meaning of Old Testament feasts, e.g., Tabernacles, that form the background for New Testament texts, such as John 7, etc. If Scripture is really to be the soul of Sacred Theology, this is tragic! Scripture should be the soul of sacred theologynot supplemental reading! At JP Catholic we offer courses in Catholic philosophy, in all of the major theological disciplines, etc.but the heart of our theological program is Scripture. You even get to take courses in Hebrew and Greek! Interested in a M.A. degree in Biblical Theology? Wed love to have you on campus! We have scholarships for graduate students that can involve getting a full-ride for the second year of your program. But we also give you the option of taking courses online through our state of the art e-Learning program! Not ready for a full M.A. degree? Check out our undergraduate degree in New Evangelization, which involves a heavy concentration in Scripture courses, with philosophy and theology as well as a mix of media courses. Or you can check out our certificate programstake a few courses in Scripture and earn a certificate, and if you pull all the certificates together youll finish the M.A. in Biblical Theology. For more information, call Justin at 858-653-6740 or go here for more details.
Third Sunday of Lent

Jesus does not come to destroy the temple, but to fulfill it (see Matthew 5:17) - to reveal its true purpose in Gods saving plan. He is the Lord the prophets said would come - to purify the temple, banish the merchants, and make it a house of prayer for all peoples (see Zechariah 14:21; Malachi 3:1-5; Isaiah 56:7). The God who made the heavens and the earth, who brought Israel out of slavery, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands (see Acts 7:48; 2 Samuel 7:5). Nor does He need offerings of oxen, sheep, or doves (see Psalm 50:7-13). R Notice in todays First Reading that God did not originally command animal sacrifices - only that Israel heed His commandments (see Jeremiah 7:2123; Amos 5:25). His law was a gift of divine wisdom, as we sing in todays Psalm. It was a law of love (see Matthew 22:36-40), perfectly expressed in Christs self-offering on the cross (see John 15:13) This is the sign Jesus offers in the Gospel today the sign that caused Jewish leaders to stumble, as Paul tells us in the Epistle. Jesus body - destroyed on the cross and raised up three days later - is the new and true sanctuary. From the temple of His body, rivers of living water flow, the Spirit of grace that makes each of us a temple (see 1 Corinthians 3:16), and together builds us into a dwelling place of God (see Ephesians 2:22).
Spiritual Sacrifices: Reflections on the

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In the Eucharist we participate in His offering of His body and blood. This is the worship in Spirit and in truth that the Father desires (see John 4:23-24). We are to offer praise as our sacrifice (see Psalm 50:14,23). This means imitating Christ - offering our bodies - all our intentions and actions in every circumstance, for the love of God and the love of others (see Hebrews 10:5-7; Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:5). Listen Here! Audio File
Dei Verbum 11 - For holy mother Church, relying on the belief of the Apostles (see John 20:31; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-20, 3:15-16), holds that the books of both the Old and New Testaments in their entirety, with all their parts, are sacred and canonical because written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author and have been handed on as such to the Church herself. The word inspiration is, in fact, derived from the Latin inspiratus (breathed into), the word with which St. Jerome translated the Greek theopneustos (God breathed) in 2 Timothy 3:16. Inspiration is, then, an affirmation of Divine authorship of Scripture: For the Sacred Scriptures contain the word of God, andsince they are inspiredreally are the word of God (Dei Verbum 24) This view of inspiration needs to be distinguished from at least three other inadequate views that have achieved popularity in modern times. Among liberal Protestants and secular scholars of religion, the concept of inspiration, if it is employed at all, is reduced to an affirmation that the Bible, at least in parts, is inspiring, the product of human genius which enriches the lives of others, in a way similar to how one may remark of an exceptional piece of art: Thats inspired! This, however, may be said without affirming any supernatural participation of God. Among other theologians, sometimes characterized as neo-orthodox, it has been held that the Bible is not revelation itself, but a witness to revelation. God is understood as revealing himself not through propositions but through actions, and the Scriptures record and describe the self-revelatory deeds of God in history. Such a view does not endorse God as author of Scripture, and cannot describe Scripture as the Word of God in a direct sense. Other neo-orthodox theologians, among whom we may mention Karl Barth and Emil Brunner, the act of revelation or inspiration did not take place in the
Inspiration of Scripture in the Catholic Tradition

This is part of a series of posts on the fundamental doctrine of Scripture within the Catholic Church. ***
Inspiration
The fundamental conviction of the Church, relying on the faith of the Apostles, is that the Scriptures, in all their parts, are inspired or breathed by God, in such a way that God can truly be said to be their author. 2 Tim. 3:16 - All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness
Dei Filius 7 - These books the Church holds to be sacred and canonical not because she subsequently approved them by her authority after they had been composed by unaided human skill, nor simply because they contain revelation without error, but because, being written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and were as such committed to the Church.
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composition of the Scriptures themselves; however, the reading or especially the proclamation of Scripture may become the occasion for revelation to occur, which is always a direct, immediate encounter between God and the individual believer. So the Bible is not the Word of God, but becomes an occasion for the Word of God to be experienced. The congregation is encouraged to listen for the Word of God, not listen to the Word of God. Both neo-orthodox views of revelation has obviously been influenced by existentialist philosophy, and ultimately reject the notion that Gods revelation of himself can be communicated with propositions. Instead, revelation is understood as experiential and non-verbal. Neither of these neo-orthodox conceptions of the Scripture are able to affirm inspiration in the sense intended by the Church, in which the Bible is neither merely a witness to, nor an occasion for, the Word of God, but it truly is the Word of God.
In the Gospel today, too, we hear another echo. Jesus is called Gods beloved Son - as Isaac is described as Abrahams beloved firstborn son. R These readings are given to us in Lent to reveal Christs identity and to strengthen us in the face of our afflictions. Jesus is shown to be the true son that Abraham rejoiced to see (see Matthew 1:1; John 8:56). In His transfiguration, He is revealed to be the prophet like Moses foretold by God - raised from among their own kinsmen, speaking with Gods own authority (see Deuteronomy 18:15,19). Like Moses, He climbs the mountain with three named friends and beholds Gods glory in a cloud (see Exodus 24:1,9,15). He is the one prophesied to come after Elijahs return (see Sirach 48:9-10; Malachi 3:1,23-24). And, as He discloses to the apostles, He is the Son of Man sent to suffer and die for our sins (see Isaiah 53:3). As we sing in todays Psalm, Jesus believed in the face of His afflictions, and God loosed Him from the bonds of death (see Psalm 116:3). His rising should give us the courage to face our trials, to offer ourselves totally to the Father - as He did, as Abraham and Isaac did. Freed from death by His death, we come to this Mass to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and to renew our vows - as His servants and faithful ones. Listen Here! Audio Fileadings: Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18 Psalm 116:10, 15-19 Romans 8:31-34 Mark 9:2-10
Bonds Loosed: Reflections on the 2nd Sunday of Lent

The Lenten season continues with another story of testing. Last Sunday, we heard the trial of Jesus in the desert. In this weeks First Reading, we hear of how Abraham was put to the test. The Church has always read this story as a sign of Gods love for the world in giving His only begotten son. In todays Epistle, Paul uses exact words drawn from this story to describe how God, like Abraham, did not withhold His only Son, but handed Him over for us on the cross (see Romans 8:32; Genesis 22:12,16).
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24/05/2012 03:54
e a Exodus Psalm 1 John e a Jeremiah Psalms Hebrews John e a Isaiah Psalms Philippians Mark
i Corinthians
s : 20:1-17 19:8-11 1:22-25 2:13-25 s : 31:31-34 14-15 5:7-9 12:20-33 : 50:4-7 23-24 2:6-11 14:1-15:47 s
g 12-13,
51:3-4,
g 17-20,
22:8-9,
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First Copy of Nehemiah Found in Unpublis - Unknown

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