Chapter 6: Revelation The thoughts of God in the words of men

Chapter 6: RevelationChapter 6: RevelationChapter 6: RevelationChapter 6: Revelation

The thoughts of God in the The thoughts of God in the words of menwords of men

Church has 1 deposit of faith = the truths we

believe• Transmitted to us in 2 ways

• Sacred Scripture = Bible

• Sacred Tradition = oral tradition

Def. of Bible = the books Def. of Bible = the books which contain which contain God’s God’s RevelationRevelation and were and were

composed by composed by human authorshuman authors inspired by inspired by the Holy Spiritthe Holy Spirit

Def. of Bible = the books Def. of Bible = the books which contain which contain God’s God’s RevelationRevelation and were and were

composed by composed by human authorshuman authors inspired by inspired by the Holy Spiritthe Holy Spirit

• Also called Sacred Scripture

• A library of books – many different styles, many different stories

• Name comes from Greek word biblia meaning books

Divided into Old Testament and New

Testament

• Testament – means covenant– Scripture all about the covenants God

makes with His people

• Old Testament = 46 books

• New Testament = 27 books

Old Testament divided into 4 sections

• Pentateuch, historical books, prophetic books, and wisdom books

• The pre-history of Jesus promises the Messiah to come

New Testament divided into 4 sections

• Gospels, Acts of Apostles, epistles or letters, and Book of Revelation

• Life and preaching of Jesus, early Church, and Heaven

We believe that Scripture We believe that Scripture is inspired by Godis inspired by God

We believe that Scripture We believe that Scripture is inspired by Godis inspired by God

Scripture is written by Scripture is written by human human authorsauthors and inspired by and inspired by Holy Holy

SpiritSpirit

Holy Spirit chose certain people to pass on the revealed truths of God – He inspired them to

write

• Biblical Inspiration = gift of the Holy Spirit given to a human author to completely and truthfully write the Revelation of God

• All authors of Scripture were inspired

Through Through Apostolic TraditionApostolic Tradition and and SuccessionSuccession the Church the Church

determined which books were determined which books were inspired and those that were inspired and those that were

notnot

Through Through Apostolic TraditionApostolic Tradition and and SuccessionSuccession the Church the Church

determined which books were determined which books were inspired and those that were inspired and those that were

notnot

List of books in Bible called Canon

• Church’s complete and official list of books in the Bible

• 46 books in OT, 27 books in NT, 73 Total

393 AD Council of Hippo declared the OT we have

today as canonical

• Canoncial means included in official list of books of Bible; All canonical books are inspired by the Holy Spirit

Protocanonical books = books in Bible that were always accepted

as canonical• There were doubts about some books, but

upon further investigation it was found that they were in the canon

• Had to determine their apostolic origin and authenticity

• Called Deuterocanoncial– 7 books of OT: 1 and 2 Maccabbees, Judith,

Tobit, Baruch, Sirach, Wisdom– 7 books of NT: Hebrews, Revelation, James, 2

Peter, 2 and 3 John, Jude

Books considered non-canonical are called

apocryphal – means not genuine and lacking canonicity

• Book of Enoch, Assumption of Moses, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Thomas

• We believe they are not divinely inspired, therefore they don’t belong in the Bible

5 step process of how the Scriptures were

developed

• Events occurred• Oral Tradition

– The story was told, the truths passed down

• Written pieces• Edited books

– Things written collected and revised

Canonical Status• Recognized as inspired by God and

revealing His truth• Had to meet 3 criteria• Apostolicity = origin traceable to the

Apostles• Orthodoxy = conformity to Jesus’

teachings• Catholicity = used in the universal Church• Holy Spirit guided this process• Bible we have today was declared at

Council of Trent in 1546

Church takes Scriptures Church takes Scriptures and Tradition together and Tradition together as the supreme rule of as the supreme rule of

our faithour faith

Church takes Scriptures Church takes Scriptures and Tradition together and Tradition together as the supreme rule of as the supreme rule of

our faithour faith

Sacred Scripture is written in several different but

complementary senses (ways)

• Often the writers wrote a deeper meaning into their text

• Example = Isaiah 7:14 “A virgin will conceive and bear a son” = Mary

To interpret Scripture must take into account

• The nature of the document, the character of the author, author’s way of expression, context and time of the author, setting in which the text is to be read

Must always remember the Must always remember the dual dual authorshipauthorship of Scripture: of Scripture: God God

and Manand Man

Must always remember the Must always remember the dual dual authorshipauthorship of Scripture: of Scripture: God God

and Manand Man

Must always remember the Must always remember the unity and unity and contextcontext of Scripture – includes of Scripture – includes TraditionTradition and and the Magisteriumthe Magisterium

Scripture Scripture interpretation is a interpretation is a scholarly task and scholarly task and

workwork

Scripture Scripture interpretation is a interpretation is a scholarly task and scholarly task and

workwork

Difference between Revelation and private

revelation• Revelation is for the whole Church,

contained in Scripture and Tradition• Private revelation are events of a

miraculous nature when God or Mary appear to a person or group to relate a message

• Doesn’t add to the deposit of faith nor change it

Conclusion

• Bible contains truths that God wants us to have

• Holy Spirit breathed into the writers what they were to write

• God gave the Church the authority to interpret Scripture so we can understand it and Him