Due to the fact that Sacred Scripture is not a purely natural creation of man and is inspired by the Holy Spirit, there are three criteria that the Church provide us with to interpret the Bible. First, we must be attentive to the content and unity of the whole Scripture. This is necessary because of God’s plan borne out in Salvation History. This unifying plan unites the different passages and books of Scripture. Second, we must read the Scripture within the living Tradition of the whole Church… because Scripture was written in the heart of God’s covenant family, the Church, which lives and moves through time, ever retaining the Apostolic Tradition in her memory. Finally, we must be attentive to the analogy of faith, which is the coherence of the truths of divine revelation. God does not reveal mutually contradictory truths. This final criterion is taken from a piece of advice relayed by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans 12:6.

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The Book of Revelation is meant to be read as if it were written in the year 68 A.D. during the course of the Jewish-Roman War, which culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and its central edifice: the Temple. Structured after both the Book of Daniel and the Eucharistic Liturgy of the early Christian Church, it reveals how this destruction of the holy city of Jerusalem is indeed the realization of divine judgment, the vindication of Christ and the Church, the end of the visible manifestation of the Old Covenant, and the appearance of God’s kingdom foretold by Daniel in the form and ministry of the Church.

In addition, we take a close look at Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, which foretells the impending destruction of Jerusalem as well as the “signs” that will precede this horrible event. Indeed, these signs were fulfilled before the advent of the Roman soldiers and the ensuing war.

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Second, we build upon the previous discussion of Peter from prior sessions with a quick review of Peter’s primacy throughout the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles.  This is a fast-paced sketch of how the Gospels present Peter as the head and representative of the group of Jesus’ apostolic disciples.  Often, we read the Gospels without noticing just how prominent Peter is, which says something of his successors in the life of the Church: the bishops of Rome.

Third, we look at the methodology by which the Church resolved a doctrinal dispute in Chapter 15 of St. Luke’s Acts of the Apostles.  How did the early Church handle differences in interpreting Scripture and understanding Christian doctrine?  Did they allow for these divisive differences to remain unsettled… did they leave it up to the individual believer to determine by himself… or did they convene in an ecumenical council to hash it out and close the debate with a pronouncement by Peter and then accept the decision as binding upon all of the regional churches?  Of course, the latter is the case, and so this is the Biblical basis for the ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church throughout history.

Fourth, and finally, we discuss the seven sacraments – especially those sacraments that are distinct to Catholicism – from the pages of Scripture.  We focus in on the efficacy of baptism, the need for confirmation, the reality of holy orders, the call for the anointing of the sick, and the command for auricular (that is, audible) confession.  Since we have already covered marriage and the Eucharist in depth in previous episodes, they are briefly mentioned.

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The Catholic Church is the Davidic Kingdom redeemed, restored, and transformed. It primarily resides in heaven with the Church Triumphant centered upon her king: Jesus the Anointed One (Messiah/Christ). The Church on earth or “the Church Militant” is the Kingdom in transit. She is in a pilgrim state as her members are purified and as they shed their sin by the means of transforming grace.

The 12 Characteristics of the Davidic Kingdom:

1. A Monarchy governed by its representative head: the King
Jesus is our King, and the Church is a monarchy, not a democracy.

2. The Davidic Covenant is made with David’s seed (Hebrew: zera’h)
This is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus who is a direct descendant of David.

3. The King is anointed by a Levite, making him Messiah or Christ
Jesus is anointed by the Holy Spirit when baptized by John the Baptist, a Levite.

4. The Son of David is the Son of God
Jesus bears both of these titles throughout the Gospel narratives.

5. Jerusalem is the capital city with its own center located at Mount Zion
The Redemption begins in the Upper Room on Mount Zion; the Church is the New Jerusalem

6. The Temple is the architectural symbol of the Davidic Covenant
Both Jesus and his Mystical Body (the Church) are the New Temple

7. It is worldwide in scope, incorporating other nations.
“Catholic” means “according to the whole” or “universal” – composed of every nationality.

8. It is everlasting in duration, according to God’s promises
It continues in the Church, which is the Kingdom restored: a Kingdom without end.

9. Its Law is found in the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament
The Psalms play a central role in Catholic worship

10. The King’s personal representative was the Majordomo or Prime Minister
Jesus establishes this office by giving Peter “the keys of the kingdom”

11. The King’s own mother reigned as Queen
Jesus’ mother, Mary, was assumed into heaven where she reigns as Queen Mother

12. Principal sacrifice is the Todah or “Thanksgiving” sacrifice in the Temple
The Eucharist (which means “Thanksgiving”) fulfills this sacrificial offering.

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Before his monumental conversion to Christianity, Paul was a zealous persecutor of the Catholic Church. Why? What did he care if other Jews embraced the Christian Faith.. of what concern was that to him? Only by looking at the nature of first century Judaism and the sect of Judaism that Paul embraced – Pharisaism – we can understand why Paul was concerned about whether or not and how other Jews kept the Mosaic Law. On his way to persecute the Church in Damascus, Paul met the risen Jesus face to face, and that experience changed his life forever. Paul came to discover that his view of the Mosaic Law, his interpretation, was askew. This supernatural event turned one of the most formidable foes of the early Christians into their most powerful advocate.

Finally, in this episode, we look closely at St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans and discover a look at a new way of reading this famous text. This advance in Biblical studies is known in scholarly circles as The New Perspective. Join us as we take upon ourselves the mind of first century Judaism and read Paul’s words afresh.

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There is no need now for those ceremonial precepts as dictated by the Mosaic Law. Those precepts or commands served a temporary (albeit over a long period of time) purpose: to root out idolatry from the heart of Israel and to separate Israel from the Gentiles so as to rehabilitate Israel. God knew that Israel could not be ultimately be rehabilitated unless God gave this firstborn son of his a new heart (See Deuteronomy 30:1-8), and so the Law revealed Israel’s sinfulness, showing Israel that it could not be holy without the gift of grace. Jesus Christ fulfills the message of the Prophets – especially Isaiah – by bringing about the possibility of worldwide blessing to all the families/nations of the earth as promised to Abraham in Genesis 22:18. His work of redemption results in the gift of the Holy Spirit, that grace Israel needed from the beginning to live in right relationship with its covenant bridegroom: the Lord God.

Plus, in order to restore all 12 tribes under the Messiah, the Gentiles must be incorporated, for the lost tribes of Israel are now indistinguishable from the Gentiles. When the Gospel goes out to the Gentiles, it is not going out just to non-Israelites, but to Israelites as well who have lost their national identity.

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When we look carefully at the details, we discover that Luke presents Jesus in royal Davidic terms to show that he is none other than the promised descendant of King David who will take up David’s throne!  Then, we discover that he subsequently presents the Church as the restored Davidic kingdom, united under her enthroned king: Jesus the Christ!  This Church is governed by Jesus’ vice-regents: the apostles who “sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:30) and their successors, the bishops.  She renews her covenant with God by celebrating the royal sacrificial meal that Jesus instituted at the Last Supper, a meal Luke aptly describes as “the breaking of the bread” (Acts 2:42).

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You will learn how Jesus is the New Adam, the New Noah, the New Moses, the New Israel, the New Isaac, the New David, and the New Solomon.  The major characteristics of these prominent figures are mirrored in our Savior, as the authors of the Gospels are careful to point out.  Throughout the course of Salvation History, God has prepared humanity for the climactic revelation of his Son.  We are granted the blessing of 20/20 vision as we look back in hindsight and discover this gradual and beautiful divine work of preparation.

Jesus summed up the Sermon on the Mount with these words: “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (Mt 7:24-25).  Jesus’ audience knew well of a famous wise man (Solomon) who built the most famous house of all (the Temple) upon the stone of foundation, which today is housed under the golden capped Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.  Like Solomon of old, Jesus builds his Church – the New Temple – upon Peter, the Rock.  Almost two-thousand years later, that kingdom continues to thrive as it is united around the successor of St. Peter: the pope.

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We look at passages such as John 20:21-23, Acts 2:22-33 and 22:1-16, Matthew 9:1-8 and 18:15-20 and 28:18-20, and Chapter 15 of St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians.  As we examine these passages one by one, you will see how Jesus is present in the episcopal authority of his Church, how he restores Israel with the Gentiles in his Church by giving his apostles the authority to forgive sins.  Ecclesiology (study of the Church), soteriology (study of salvation), pneumatology (study of the Holy Spirit), and eschatology (study of the end of time) are shown in unison as they are bound up with one another.  We are saved corporately as we become members of the Church, and this salvation is none other than incorporation into the resurrected body of Jesus by means of the Holy Spirit, which will resurrect our bodies at the end of time to be like that of Jesus Christ’s own resurrected body.  This is the plan of God, his plan of Salvation History.  Join us as we unravel the beautiful treasures buried deep in the riches of Sacred Scripture.

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We look closely at the Gospel accounts of the Passover and discover that Jesus the Passover meal unfinished with his apostles to go out to the Mount of Olives, for he had not yet partaken of the final cup, the 4th cup of wine, which is the cup of consummation.  It isn’t until the moment before Jesus gives up his spirit from upon the cross that Jesus partakes of wine.  John tells us that Jesus said, “I thirst” from upon the Cross and partook of wine given to him from upon a reed; then, Jesus said, “It is finished,” indicating that the Passover meal concluded with his death.

In the sixth chapter of his Gospel, Saint John faithfully records Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse where Jesus tells his audience that they must indeed eat his flesh and drink his blood.  His audience interprets him literally, and Jesus explains what he meant by reaffirming this literal interpretation no less than six times!  Not only that, but in four of these six re-affirmations, Jesus switches from the usual Greek word for “to eat” {fag-oh} to a rare literal Greek word {troh-goh} that cannot be interpreted figuratively.  John then only uses this word in one other place in his Gospel: at the Last Supper.  John does this in order to tie the Bread of Life discourse to the institution of the Eucharist, to teach us that it is in the celebration of the Eucharist that we fulfill Jesus’ command to partake of his very own flesh and blood, which gives supernatural life to members of the Church, the New Israel.

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