THEO I - Notes for Finals

F I N A L S 14

A. Genesis Beginning (Gen 1: 1 – “In the beginning…)
B. Exodus Centers on the Departure of the Jews from their captivity/slavery in Egypt).
C. Leviticus Is about the life of the Levites (priestly clan) &the Liturgical laws (worship). Levi – one of the sons of Jacob and leader of the priestly tribe.
D. Numbers Revolves more on number like census on the population (male only) and census on these for military purpose (soldiers).
E. Deuteronomy is more on the interpretation and deepening of the laws in Exodus and other books.
Deuteros – Nomos – means second law
(2nd) ( Law )

F. Joshua
A military man of the tribe of Benjamin and companion of Moses during the Exodus, Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Jewish people.

(from Yehoshua Joshua Jesus)
(savior)
YHWH is Salvation or YHWH saves or God saves

Joshua: Commissioned by God (through Moses) as the new leader
Assumed the title of Moses - “Servant of the Lord”
God’s assurance ----“I will be with you” (as I was with Moses)
YHWH – “Gods assurance that God will accompany you”


a. The Conquest of the Promised Land (Canaan)
Canaan is already occupied by the Canananites (e.g. Hittites, Amorites, Jebuzites, etc.)
1. Land of flowing milk and honey
2. Rolling Hills
3. Land of hope (hope for good life).

Baal: god of the Canaanites / god of fertility.

They crossed the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant (God’s help) and they reached Gilgal and they put 12 memorial stones to remember and tell the next generations that they crossed the Jordan River with God’s help. When the Ark entered the river the waters stopped running, and the people crossed as in dry land. Once the Ark passed to the other side the waters kept running as before.
They sent 2 spies to Jericho and they were saved by a prostitute called Rahab who hid them in her house. As a reward they spared Rahab’s family when they conquered the land of Jericho.
Rahab’s message: anyone can join (can become) the people of God If one believes in God / YHWH and follow God’s Law (not only the Jews).

After that Joshua attacked Jericho. The mighty wall collapsed at the sound of the priest’s trumpets, and the city wall was easily taken. Then he took one after the other all the other cities of Canaan. When the conquest was complete he divided the land among the 12 tribes of Israel. Here begins their nomadic life once again.
Message of a Nomadic Life – we are Nomadic if our mission from God demands
– put your trust in God and not in materials, riches.

They made Jericho an anathema for God. Joshua implemented anathema to preserve the faith of Israel from paganism (Believing/ worshiping other gods).
Anathema: sacrifice to God; Later on the meaning changed,
One who bears the curse of God
e.g. of Anathema: sacrifice – the killing and burning of Achan and his family.
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b. Renewal of the covenant at Shechem
Joshua reminded them of God’s fidelity (faithfulness) despite their infidelity (unfaithfulness).
Maintain your fidelity to God or else you will perish
e.g. defeated in war by enemies or eaten by the beasts

G. Judges (The Book)
This book follows that of Joshua and covers the same period of Jewish history, up to the establishment of the monarchy by Saul (1051 B.C.).
Throughout this book the Israelites are settled in villages, united only in a religious way, worshipping the one God. They were not troubled by the great powers to the east (Mesopotamia) or to the west (Egypt). There were, however, intermittent periods of oppression by neighboring tribes; when these came, God sent brave and talented leaders to vindicate the just claims of His people. From this judicial function (which they enforced militarily), the “judges” are so called.
The book relates the events surrounding the temporary leaders of Israel called “judges.” It recounts the history of Israel from the death of the Hebrew leader and prophet Joshua to the time just before the birth of the Hebrew prophet Samuel.
Judges has considerable historical value as a source, the only biblical one, for determining both the events and the social conditions of the period between the Israelite conquest of Canaan and the time of Samuel.

a. Pattern of life of the Israelites during the time of the judges:
1. Faith in God
2. Unfaithfulness (committing of sins)
3. They are punished (ex. defeated by enemies)
4. They cry to God for help / ask forgiveness
5. God saves them (through the leaders like the judges)
Greatest Sin: __________________.

Factors that Unite the Israelites:
1. Faith in God
2. Ark of the Covenant in Shiloh

b. Judges
The judges are: Othniel, Ehud, Deborah and Barak, Gideon, Abimelech, Jephthah, Samson, Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon.
1. Leaders from different tribes, instruments for justice
e.g. To settle disputes among the tribes
2. Charismatic Leaders (leadership)
e.g. To save Israelites from oppressors (enemies)
3. Gifted with wisdom and power – to rule/lead, to decide/judge

c. Gideon – The champion /Mighty/Valiant
Gideon (Hebrew, “hewer” or “warrior”), in the Old Testament, a hero of Israel. During Gideon's youth the people of Israel were oppressed by the Midianites, nomadic people who had invaded Palestine from the Arabian Desert.
Acting on a divine exhortation, Gideon summoned the Israelites and, with a small band of followers, attacked the Midianites at Mount Gilboa, pursuing them to the Jordan River. Following the victory, the Israelites offered Gideon a crown as a reward for his leadership, but he refused the symbol of power because of his belief that God was the king of Israel (see Judges 6-8).
Gideon asked only for the many golden earrings captured from the enemy. From them he made an ephod, or ceremonial garment. Under his rule Israel enjoyed 40 years of peace.
His error was: He asked for gold from the people instead of authority and power (to rule). He misguided the people. They were focused on materials (gold) instead of God. Like leading the people to sin.
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His initial response to God’s call – "But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
He was called Jerubbaal, which means “let Baal take action against him.”
He destroyed the altar of Baal made by his father and built an altar for God
Sign that Gideon will win the war: a dream, and in it a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell; it turned upside down, and the tent collapsed.”
He defeated the enemies (thousands) with only 300 soldiers.

Abimelech (usurper, tyrant)
Gideon's son, who “ruled over Israel for three years” (9:22) and then was killed for “the crime ... he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers” (Jud 9:56).

The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, worshiping the Baals and the Astartes, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. Thus they were delivered into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, and they crushed and oppressed the Israelites that year. So the Israelites cried to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against you, because we have abandoned our God and have worshiped the Baals."
“I will deliver you no more. Go and cry to the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress." And the Israelites said to the Lord, "We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you; but deliver us this day!" So they put away the foreign gods from among them and worshiped the Lord; and he could no longer bear to see Israel suffer.

d. Samson
In the Old Testament, Hebrew hero and for 20 years 12th judge of ancient Israel (see Judges 13-16). It is stated that he was the son of Manoah of Zorah, of the tribe of Dan. Manoah's wife was barren, but an angel appeared to her and promised a son and said the boy should be a Nazarite, that is, a consecrated person. No razor was to touch the boy's head, and it was through the supernatural strength with which his hair endowed him that Samson performed his great feats, including the strangling of a lion and the slaying of a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass.
Finally he was betrayed by a Philistine woman, Delilah, who had his head shaved and then handed him over to the Philistines. His eyes were put out, and he was forced to perform servile labor. Later, at a festival in honor of Dagon, the Philistine deity, Samson was exhibited as a public spectacle (see Judges 16:23-30). By this time, however, his hair had grown back; he exerted his great strength and pulled down the pillars of the house in which 3000 Philistines had assembled, burying the multitude and himself in the ruins.

- son of Manoah (sterile)
- reigned for 20 years
- his gift: exceptionally strong
- enemies: Philistines (Canaanites)
- he killed a lot of enemies and he killed more enemies before his death
- his downfall: he married a woman who betrayed him (he did not maintain his chastity or purity of life)

Nazarite – one who is consecrated to God (maintains his holiness of life)
– has vows like: not drink wine/liquor
– Not cut hair (e.g. Samson)
– No (illegal) sexual activity
– Usually isolated / separate from the community

“Samson” (light “the sunny one,” strength) ------- “Delilah” (darkness)

e. The establishment of the Kingdom of Israel 17
The Israelites were clamoring for a king to stand as a kingdom / Nation. They would like to have a Ruler-King just like their neighboring nations/tribes.
The Kingdom of Israel came into existence under King Saul in the 11th century BCE, and reached its height under his successors, David and Solomon. After Solomon's death in 922 BCE, the country was divided into two parts. The name Israel was retained by the northern kingdom, with its capital at Samaria. It was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BCE. The southern kingdom, known as Judah, continued to exist until the 6th century BCE.
After the reign of Solomon, king of Israel and Judah, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin formed a separate, southern kingdom (1 Kings 12-2 Kings 25).

Mashiah – messiah: Anointed one of God.

King: the anointed one of God (one will become a king by being anointed).
So more of a savior – from the enemies,
more of a military leader.
King of Israel: His mission is to unite the Israelites as a Kingdom, or nation and as people of God – Maintain people’s faith to YHWH
Condition for a King: – he must acknowledge YHWH as the supreme King/ ruler (King of Kings) &
– be faithful to the covenant and the law

Kingdoms of Judah and Israel: Despite his desire to unify and improve the vast empire of his father, King David, King Solomon’s oppressive rule caused much dissension among the Israelites and eventually led to the division of the kingdom following his death. The northern part of his realm became the kingdom of Israel, while the southern became the kingdom of Judah.

H. Ruth
Ruth is an ancient Hebrew short story. The book tells of a family from the ancient town of Bethlehem in Judah that takes refuge in the country of Moab during a famine. While there, the sons of the Judean family marry Moabite women (Orpah and Ruth). When the father and the two sons die, Naomi, the bereaved mother, determines to return to her home in Bethlehem. She urges her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab with their own people, but one of them, Ruth, insists on returning with Naomi (1:16-17).
In Bethlehem, Ruth's devotion and kindliness soon attract the attention of Naomi's near kinsman Boaz (2:1-4:12). Despite the fact that Ruth is a foreigner, Boaz, a Jew, marries her, and she gave birth to Obed, the grandfather of David. Thus, she becomes the great grandmother of King David, of whose family Jesus Christ was born. This is noted in the genealogy given at the beginning of Saint Matthew's Gospel.

The book of Ruth has been variously interpreted. It has been regarded as: a. literary protest – against the restrictive marriage reforms instituted in the time of the postexilic Jewish leaders Ezra and Nehemiah;
b. pure entertainment – as an idyllic romance; as a retelling of an ancient fertility myth; and as an example of the ideal convert.

As a story, it provides an entertaining account of the series of events that led up to the inclusion of a Moabite in the ancestry of King David. The emphasis on the fact that Ruth is a foreigner, her acceptance by the people of Bethlehem despite this fact, her place in the genealogy of King David, and the acceptance of the book as part of the Hebrew canon all suggest a deeper and more complex purpose than entertainment or protest.
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I. 1st& 2nd Samuel
It contains the history of Samuel, the last judge of Israel and the first of the prophets after Moses, and the history of the two kings Saul and David.
The books of Samuel relate the history of the Israelite people from the end of the period of the Judges to the last years of King David's life and reign. This relatively short period is a significant one in Jewish history, for during it the first Hebrew monarchy was established & the Israelite tribes unified into one kingdom with its capital at Jerusalem.

a. Samuel: - parents of Samuel: Hannah (mother) + Elkana (father)
- Nazarite
- miraculously born
- last judge of Israel and the first of the prophets after Moses
- lived with the priest Eli
- spiritual leader
- mission: to look for a king of Israel

The Calling of Samuel
One day, in sorrow and distress, Hanna entered the Sanctuary of God in Shilo and made avow. She said: Yahweh! If you give me a child, I will offer him to you. She conceived and gave birth to Samuel.
Hanna brought Samuel to the Sanctuary in Shilo and offered him to the Lord. The priest Eli took Samuel under his care. Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
One night, Samuel was sleeping in the sanctuary, near the Ark of God, and for three times he heard a voice calling: Samuel, Samuel. Every time, he thought it was Eli’s voice and ran to him. Finally Eli understood that it was the voice of Yahweh, and instructed the boy how to answer the next time.
Again God called: Samuel, Samuel. This time he answered: Speak, Yahweh, your servant is listening. Thus Samuel became a great and holy prophet in the eyes of God and of all the people.
Sometime later, the people of Israel complained with Samuel because they had no king; so God told him to anoint Saul as king over his people.

End Notes:

1. Development of the Old Testament (as a book) – By no means did all the books of the Old Testament originate at the same time and in the same place; rather, they are the product of Israelite faith and culture over a thousand years or more. For most Old Testament books it was a long journey from the time the first words were spoken or written to the work in its final form. That journey usually involved many people, such as storytellers, authors, editors, listeners, and readers. Not only individuals but different communities of faith played their parts.
2. The Authorship of Pentateuch - According to Jewish and Christian tradition, Moses was the author of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Nowhere in the books themselves, however, is this claim made; tradition stemmed in part from the Hebrew designation of them as the books of Moses, but that meant concerning Moses. As early as the Middle Ages, Jewish scholars recognized a problem with the tradition: Deuteronomy (the last book of the Pentateuch) reports the death of Moses. The books are actually anonymous and composite works. On the basis of numerous duplications and repetitions, including two different designations of the deity, two separate accounts of creation, two intertwined stories of the flood, two versions of the Egyptian plagues, and many others, modern scholars have concluded that the writers of the Pentateuch drew upon several different sources, each from a different writer and period.
3. Old Testament and History – On virtually all its pages the Old Testament calls attention to the reality and importance of history. The Pentateuch and the historical books contain salvation histories; the prophets constantly refer to events of the past, present, and future. As the history of Israel was told in the Old Testament, it came to be organized in a series of pivotal events or periods: the exodus (including the stories from the patriarchs to the conquest of Canaan), the monarchy, the exile in Babylon, and the return to Palestine with the restoration of the religious institutions.
4. Early History and Development of Israel ¬– A considerable body of information concerning the history of the ancient Near East is available from the 3rd millennium BC on, but a detailed history of Israel can begin only about the time of David (1000-961 BC). This does not mean that nothing at all can be said about the preceding eras, or that all the reports of events before David are inaccurate. Israel’s life was a part of the history of the ancient Near East. Like the other small nations of the eastern Mediterranean, Israel was at the mercy of the major powers of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylonia and could prosper independently only when they were in decline or preoccupied with struggles among themselves.

KINGS OF ISRAEL 19

A. Saul - from the tribe of Benjamin – anointed by Samuel as the first “King”
- Not a king technically; more of a military leader
- was good in the beginning but a failure in the end – did not achieve his –
mission because he did not fulfill the condition, i.e., to be faithful
(he became unfaithful)
- he became self – centered
- he died in a war at Gilbaoh with his son Jonathan.

B. David: - a young shepherd (who killed a bear) with a sling shot
- harp player and psalmist
- killed Goliath, a giant Philistine (this raised his popularity)
- Jonathan (Son of Saul) - Best friend of David
- _____________ (daughter of Saul) - married David
- Saul wanted to kill David out of envy/jealousy but was not able to till his
death
- Saul died in a war with his son Jonathan

Why did David not kill Saul despite the many given chances?

- The people went to anoint David as their second king
- David was successful in his mission as a King
- He captured Jerusalem – and he made it: City of David
- City of God (Ark of the Covenant is put in Jerusalem)

David: “I will build a house for God”
God: “I will build a house for my faithful servant David

King = David
King = Son of David (Jesus :eternal King)

Sins of David:
1. Adultery – he married Batsheba, the wife of Uriah, an Israelite soldier.
2. Greed – was not contented with what he has.

The prophet Nathan – told David’s sin through a parable – man who owns many sheep taking away a poor man’s only sheep. (“Carabaos”)

David Repented and accepted the punishment – Death of the first son with Batsheba

Trouble in David’s Family:
- Ammon – raped his half sister (Tamar)
- Absalom – killed Ammon
- Absalom rebelled against David, his father
- Absalom wanted to be the king but was killed in the end

David + Batsheba = Solomon

C. Solomon
- anointed as the new King by:
Zadok - priest
Nathan - prophet
- man of wisdom:
- to judge /rule the people
- managed the economy
- engage in trade with other kingdoms
- has 700 wives and 300 concubines

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- applied forced labor
- he built the temple
for 7 years

Tempe - 90 ft. long
- 30’ wide - 45’ high

Parts of the Temple
Vestibule: Smallest area
Sanctuary: temple proper – holy place
Holy of Holiest: where the ark is - The high priest enters it once a year

Sin of Solomon:
- Idolatry - he built shrines (temples) for the Gods of his pagan wives.

Punishment of Solomon:
- The Kingdom will be divided

The Divided Kingdom
A. North - with 10 tribes (10 “lost tribes of Israel”)
- Ruled by Jeroboam – servant of Solomon
-Jeroboam: he built shrines in Bethel and in Dan for the northern people to
worship God so they will not go to the south (Jerusalem)
- he presented YHWH/God in the form of a bull -sacred animal of the Canaanites
- There was a religious syncretism (mixture of beliefs) of Israelites & pagan beliefs
- There was religious formalism (hypocrisy) - worship God but your life is sinful
e.g. - the rich cheating the poor, cruel treatment of servants,
selling the poor for slavery and prostitution,
politicians attend masses before election,
corrupt government employees, etc.

B. South - ruled by King Rehoboam: Son of Solomon
- with only two tribes - for the sake of David’s fidelity to God (dynasty)
- he increased the tax and forced labor (people hated him)
- The Kings of the south followed the lineage of David
- Later the South people will also follow the immorality, sinfulness and infidelity of
the North
- Even the monarchy were unjust and unfaithful


PROPHETS OF ISRAEL

Prophet – “Nabi” (Hebrew) – one called to be a speaker (of God), “mouth of God”
– not to predict the future nor fortune tellers

Introductory words of the prophet: “Thus says the Lord…”
– which means that the words they utter is not theirs but God’s.

A. North
1. Amos
- from the south but prophesied in the Northern kingdom.
- From Tekoa in Judah, a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores
- attacked the injustices of the rich to the poor, their hypocrisy, and infidelity.
- condemned also the immoralities of other kingdoms (accountable to God)
Which means all the nations are accountable to God. God is the God of all.

Message – Repent and reform – God will protect those who remain faithful
2. Hosea – Married Gomer (a prostitute) unfaithful to Hosea 21
“Drama”
Hosea ------------ loves ---------- Gomer
--cleansed---
God (gave you promise land) Israelites ( sinful, infidels)

Message – God is a loving and merciful father (Divine mercy) – so repent and change.

B. South
1. Isaiah
- from the royal/aristocratic family
- Attacked, Condemned the rich and monarchy without fear
- he prophesized the coming of the Messiah – “a virgin shall conceived and
have a son and call him Emmanuel means “God is with us.”
- he will restore the Kingdom of Israel (love, justice, peace, fidelity)
- King during his time was ____________

2. Jeremiah – from priestly family (Tribe of _____________)
Used Images:
a. husband and wife
God – loves (faithful) – Israelites(infidels)
b. Potter’s Vessel
Molder Potter
c. Temple Sermon (judgement of Israel)
- the temple will be destroyed because of your infidelity
- people’s belief : the temple will never be destroyed
- people wanted to kill Jeremiah

Assyrians Conquered the North (721 BC)
King Sargon II
Babylonians defeated Assyria and conquered the North and South
King Nebuchadnezzar
- destroyed the temple
- made the Israelites slaves in Babylon (Babylonian Exile/Captivity – 586/587 BC)

Israelites: “This is a punishment from God”
Their exile in Babylon transformed their pride into a total surrender to God
They longed for God (for a liberator like the patriarchs of old, they long for a Savior.

They worshipped God in places and houses. Beginning of Synagogues (like our chapels)
Jews of Diaspora (started in Babylonian exile)
Contribution of the Jews of Diaspora: Non-Jewish culture and practices.

Persia defeated Babylon
King Cyrus the Great freed the Israelites and allowed them to rebuild their
kingdom and also their temple

Ezra : prophet during and after the exile, he prophesied to the despaired Israelites
: he prophesied the return of God/YHWH to the temple,( temple will be reconstructed)
: he has a vision of dry bones rising from their graves and are enjoined together and
enfleshed and given the spirit if he prophesy to them.

Prophets during the reconstruction of Jerusalem /temple: Zechariah and Malachi

Greece defeated Persia (Time of helenization: language and philosophy)
Rome conquered Greece.
• God allowed the destruction of Jerusalem / Israel to build a new kingdom.
FINALS - GOD BLESS YOU!

THEO I - Notes for Midterm

M I D T E R M 7
hiSTORY of SALVATION
I. OLD TESTAMENT
GENESIS
A. Creation story – (God put order and light in the chaotic world)
Adam and Eve – Wo/Man is the peak of God’s creation – because they are I+LoG! Created in the Image and (+) Likeness of God.
1. Adam
In Genesis 2:4b-4:25 Yahweh forms “Adam” (Hebrew, 'adam) from “earth” (Hebrew, 'adamah). The term in Hebrew refers to the first man/human (Gn 4:1-25; 5:1-5; Tb 8:6) but also to humans in general (Job 14:1; 1 Kgs 8:46; Ps 105:14; Hos 11:4; Ps 94:11).
Just as the first Adam was a man of clay, whose fall into temptation unleashed an enormous rupture in his relationship to God and his spouse and which smashed the “image of God” from within, so also the New Adam, drawn from the clay of Mary's virgin flesh, Christ the Lord (1 Cor 15:45-49; Rom 5:12-21) conquers sin and its powerful effect on the human, brings life, rejuvenates and restores our relationship to the Father and to one another.

2. Eve
The name given to the first woman by Adam, the first man (Gn 3:20).
According to the biblical narrative, Eve is the mother of Cain and Abel. As mother of these two sons, she is referred to as “the mother of all the living.”
She and Adam lost the happiness of the Garden of Eden through Original Sin. Through her primordial disobedience, Eve suffered sin and loss along with her husband Adam. Eve's disobedience, though, was supplanted by the New Testament obedience of Mary, the Virgin of Nazareth, and the New Eve.
St. Irenaeus, puts it this way: “The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her unbelief, Mary loosened by her faith.” It was Mary who reversed Eve's disobedience by her obedience.

B. Patriarchs – (earliest fathers)
- founders of the Hebrew nation
Abraham *Revelatory aspect—God is the one who took the initiative to Isaac call men.,;God is the one who makes the first move.
Jacob and The 12 sons of Jacob who ruled the 12 tribes of Israel.

Those nineteen leaders of the Israelite tribes and heads of prominent families who appear in Genesis from Adam to Joseph. Honored as especially significant patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the patriarchal narratives in Genesis associated with them constitute the prologue to Israel's salvation history, and the period during which they lived is known as the Age of the Patriarchs.
The title patriarch used for David (Acts 2:29) was simply one of honor.

1. Abraham – The Model of Faith
He is the son of Terah (Gn 11:26) and the father of Ishmael (Gn 16:15) and lsaac (Gn 21:1-3; and cf. Gn 25:1-2).
Abraham's story is presented in Genesis 12-25.
The collection of Abraham stories in Genesis 12-25 can be outlined as follows:


12:1-9: Abram's call and migration from Ur
12:10-20: Abram and Sarai in Egypt
13:1-18: Abram and Lot
14:1-24: Abram and the kings
15:1-21: God's promise to Abram
16:1-16: The birth of Ishmael
17:1-27: The covenant of circumcision with
Abraham
18:1-16a: Abraham and the three guests at
Mamre
18:16b-33: Abraham intercedes on behalf of
Sodom
19:1-29: Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed
20:1-18: Abram and Abimelech
21:1-7: The birth of Isaac
21:8-21: Hagar and Ishmael are expelled
and rescued
21:22-24: The agreement between Abraham
and Abimelech at Beersheba
22:1-19: Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac
22:20-24: Nahor's descendants
23:1-20: The death and burial of Sarah
24:1-67: Isaac and Rebekah
25:1-11: Abraham's death

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The name Abra(ha)m itself is a theophoric name meaning “God [Ab, Father, a divine title] is exalted [ram].” The transition from Abram to Abraham marks the divine promise that Abraham is to become “the father of a host of nations.” The bestowal of a new name marks the beginning of a new moment in life, as in the bestowal of a new mission. (Remember the Popes?)
Abraham's place at the beginnings of Israel's faith is suggested in Exodus 3:6, 15, 16, where Yahweh reveals Himself to Moses as “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

“Abram”
As a reference to Abraham, this name occurs only in the Genesis narrative from 11:26 through 17:4 and in 1 Chronicles 1:27 and Nehemiah 9:7. The name is a composite of two Hebrew roots, ab (father) and ram (great, exalted). It may be a shortened form of “Abiram” (“My father is exalted”).

a. The Call (Gen. 12:1-4)
God said “Go Forth from you fathers’ land to the land that I’ll show you, I will make you a great nation. . . I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you . . . all the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you. . . .” Abraham was from the city of Ur of the Chaldees.

Abraham went without knowing / asking God where to go, implies faith (Hebrews 11:18)
Abraham responded immediately with the three H’s of faith.
Head - believe
Heart - trust
Hands - obey

God’s promises to Abraham
1. Land flowing with milk and honey
2. Numerous Descendants
3. Nations/Peoples will be blest through you (Abraham) – (All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you). Ultimately through Jesus Christ (Mt1:1ff)

b. Covenant – a common practice during the time of the patriarchs
a. a commitment freely entered into
b. based on faith, love, and trust ( not a contract – legal basis)
c. made between two equal parties
d. permanent (not temporary)

Gen. 15:7-21 - God made a covenant with Abraham
– (I will be your God, and You shall be my people)
The covenant was sealed or ratified by
a. cutting five animals into two and they walked in between
b. All males should be circumcised (Gen. 17:10)
c. God changed their names
Abram – Abraham
Sarai - Sarah


Abraham’s faith Tested – (went to Egypt, the three visitors, showing of the stars, the sand) - the ultimate was the offering of his son Isaac
Abraham’s Faith: mixture of faith and doubt, certainty and confusion

Faith: Loving, trusting commitment of the whole self to God.
a. Faith as believing – conviction of the truth
b. Faith as doing- - obeying, doing God’s will (commandments)
c. Faith as trusting - trust in God

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2. Isaac – The Fulfillment of a Promise

Hebrew name meaning “he laughs” (He [God] laughs). The word is believed to be a shortened form of a word meaning “God laughs.”
In Genesis (17:17f. and 18:11-15) the name is explained in terms of Sarah and Abraham's laughter at the promise of a son to be born of them in their old age in fulfillment of the promise made by God that Abraham would become the father of many nations.
Isaac is the half-brother of Ishmael (Gn 16), the husband of Rebekah (Gn 24), and the father of Esau and Jacob (Gn 25:19-26).
In Genesis, Isaac remains a hazy figure who never comes into the forefront of the patriarchal stories.
Isaac then means laughter

Isaac + Rebekah –> the twin – Esau and Jacob

3. Jacob – The Beginning of a Nation
Hebrew ya'aqob: seizing by the heel, a supplanter). The name is believed by some to be a shortened form of the Hebrew Jacobel, “let God protect,” or Jacobhar, “let the God of the mountain protect.”
Genesis 25:26 gives a popular etymology of the name, viz., “he will trip by the heel.”
Jacob was the son of Rebecca and Isaac. He was the younger twin of Esau, from whom he purchased the rights of the firstborn.

Esau – reddish hairy, and hunter (elder)
Jacob – named Jacob because he was gripping his brother’s heel during their birth
Elder (or eldest) entitled to a birthright – with that right, one will inherit the blessings whether spiritual or material.
Esau – has the birthright (entitled to receive the blessings)
(sold)
Jacob – received the blessings by deceiving his father, with the help of Rebekah.

* Message: God’s blessing is a pure gift, not obtain by any human condition like right

Jacob fled to his uncle Laban (in Haran) because Esau wanted to cut his head

Jacob married: - Leah - - -(7 years of work for Rachel)
- Rachel

(struggle with Laban)

Jacob went back home with family. Along the way, he wrestled with a “man” who gave him a new name. On the occasion of this epic struggle with the “divine stranger,” his name was changed to “Israel” which means strong with God. The twelve tribes of Israel are said in Scripture to take their origin from his twelve sons.


Jacob had 12 sons with Leah and Rachel, and their handmaidens, Zilpah and Bilhah.

Names of the twelve who became the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel:

Leah bore Issachar, Judah, Levi, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun;
Rachel bore Joseph and Benjamin;
Zilpah bore Gad and Asher; and
Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali.

Joseph – was his favorite son.

10
a. Israel

The name given to Jacob, according to Genesis 32:22-32. The word came to apply as well to the descendants of Jacob, the Hebrew nation. The family of Jacob is variously referred to as “sons of Jacob” and “sons of Israel.”
It may be noted that the expression “sons of (a particular man)” embraced more than the lineal descendants of the man named. The word appears to designate not only the immediate family of Jacob but his more remote descendants also.
“Israel” generally refers to the Ten Tribes of the Northern Kingdom as distinguished from Judah in the south. After the Exile, the word at times identifies the Jewish laity, vis-à-vis the clergy.
In the Synoptic Gospels (Mt, Mk, and Lk), Israel denotes the religion and the people. Paul makes a distinction between the physical descendants of Jacob, “Israel according to the flesh” and the Christians, “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16). In the late B.C. and early A.D. periods, outside the Bible, Israel surfaces as a designation of Jews used only by Jews themselves.
In recent times, this is the name for the modern Jewish state which came into existence on May 15, 1948, following upon the United Nations partition of Palestine. The state of Israel borders on the Mediterranean to the west, Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east and southeast, and Egypt to the southwest.

*Firstborn (FERST-bawrn): 1. In Hebrew thought, the eldest son and the privileges and blessings which are his by right.




b. Joseph – the Dreamer
Out of jealousy, his brothers sold him to a merchant and the merchant sold him to Potiphar.
Potiphar – worker in the Pharaoh’s palace
- His wife attempted to “rape” Joseph and in the process told a false story. - Joseph was imprisoned

Joseph – a man of wisdom, God fearing
- interpreter of dreams
- interpreted Pharaoh’s dream
- was promoted as Governor of the Land (Egypt) - (acting Pharaoh)
- managed Egypt to reserve food / grain for the time of famine

• The famine affected Canaan, and his brothers went to buy food supply in Egypt where they discovered Joseph. That made Jacob’s family settle in Egypt until they grow in number.

Two sons of Joseph:
1. Manasseh – means God has made me forget entirely the sufferings I endured from my family.
2. Ephraim – God has made me fruitful in the land of may afflictions

* The Israelites grew in big number, and a new Pharaoh (who does not know Joseph) rose into power and made the Israelites slaves (because of his “suspicious prediction” or his own world view).

The New Pharaoh:
- made the Israelites slaves
- lessen the male
- kill all male babies
Moses – was saved from the killing & soon became a great leader of his People.
11
C. Exodus – The Journey and Formation of God’s People (Exodus: Departure)

1. Moses – I “drew him out of the water” or “saved from the water.”
- son of Amram and Jochebed.
- adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh
- grew in the palace (as a prince)
- fled to Midian. Took refuge in the house of Jethro (Reuel) – the priest of Midian
- Married Zipporah, the beautiful daughter of Jethro. She gave birth to a son, which Moses named Gershom, which means “I’m a stranger in a foreign land.”

The figure or person we know as Moses appears for the first time in Exodus 2. Here the birth of Moses is recorded, along with his much-storied discovery by Pharaoh's daughter among reeds on the riverbank (Ex 2:3-10).
After growing up as the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter, Moses killed an Egyptian (Ex 2:12). Knowing he would be the victim of Pharaoh's wrath, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he married Zipporah. Together, they had a son whom they named Gershom.

a. The Call of Moses: Exodus 3: 7-8 (burning bush)
While Moses was tending his father-in-law Jethro's flock, the Lord appeared to him in the form of a burning bush (Ex 3:2). At this point, God revealed His plan for Moses to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. But Moses considered himself a poor candidate to lead the Israelites to freedom; therefore, God gave Moses an assistant, his brother Aaron (Ex 4:16).

God called Moses for a mission:
One day Moses led his flock to the far side of the desert, and came to Sinai, the mountain of God,. There he saw a mysterious bush, which was burning without consuming.
God called to him from the middle of the bush and said: Moses! Take off your sandals, for the place on which you stand is a holy ground… I have experienced the afflictions of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry. . . therefore I have come down to rescue them. . . and lead them into a good and spacious land . . . a land of flowing milk and honey… I send you to pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt.”

- God’s assurance: I will be with you”
- Name? YHWH: “I am who am”
- Aaron: Eloquent Speaker – will accompany you
- Moses (& Aaron) went to Pharaoh – “Let my people go and worship our God
in the wilderness”
- Pharaoh: “Who is Yahweh that I should listen to Him?
I will not let your people go!”
Pharaoh: Ramses, or Ramesis which means “son of the sun god.”
Ra: sun god
Ses: son
b. The 10 Plaques
(God hardened Pharaoh’s heart for God to show him his wonders, for them to believe in Him)
1. Nile River turned to blood
2. the Frogs
3. Gnats / lice
4. Flies
5. Pestilence
6. Boils
7. Hails
8. Locust (eat green leaves)
9. Darkness
10. Death of all first-born male
12
c. Passover Meal/preparation for Exodus towards the promised land.
- Passover meal: prepare the following:
1. Sacrificial lamb/roasted lamb – each family must take a lamb
male, one year old, and without defect.
2. Unleavened bread (no ingredients, mixture)
3. Bitter herbs (to remember their suffering in Egypt)
- Put the blood of the lamb on the lintel and post of the door.
- Eat the Passover meal in a hurried manner with your belt around your waist, with bags, sandals, staffs, like you’re preparing for a journey.
- Then the 10th plaque happened:
“The angel of death will passover your house because of the blood.”
- The exodus happened (Pharaoh allowed them to go)
d. From Red Sea to Mount Sinai
From the Red Sea the Israelites went to Marah, from Marah thety went to Elim, from Elim to Rephidim. Then finally, after three months after going out of Egypt, they came to the desert of Sinai, and pitched their camp in front of Mount Sinai.

Pillar of cloud guided the Israelites at day time
Pillar of fire guided them at night

While on the journey, God asked the following:
1. Offer a sacrificial lamb
2. Unleavened bread
3. Consecrate all the first born to God
(dedicate)
*They do this for every year to commemorate the Exodus event which they believed happened with God’s Help.
- they crossed the Red Sea (“reed sea”)
- they are now in the dessert (“stayed there for “40”years”)

Some food/miracles in the dessert:
- “Manna from heaven (“manna” – bread)
- food from quails (eggs)
- water purified by God (with Moses’ staff)
- They keep on complaining to Moses like murmuring (means lack of faith in God)
- God sent serpents to bite them and when they asked forgiveness.
- Moses lifted a bronze serpent to cure them.
- Moses went to Mt. Sinai (40 days/nights)
- They made a golden calf as their god.

e. The giving of the Decalogue (10 Commandments)
Under the direction of Moses, the Israelites crossed over the Red Sea and eluded the pursuit of Pharaoh's charioteers. Following their heroic escape, the Israelites made their way to the Promised Land. But, while out in the desert, Moses was summoned to the top of Mt. Sinai, where God gave him the Decalogue (Ex 20:1-17).

I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt
1. You shall not have other gods besides me.
2. You shall not take the name of God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house/goods.
13
True or False. Following the 10 Cs is enough for one to be a good Christian? ________
The 10 Cs is just a minimum / minimal boundary / guidelines, for us to be good
Ex: The rich young man in N.T. – be charitable

f. Sealing of the Covenant: (Renewal and sealing of the covenant between God and the Israelites)
Moses: mediator between God and the people.
He reiterated all the words of God to the people, and they answered with a solemn oath: “we will do everything that the Lord has told us”
They offered sacrificial lambs on the altar with 12 pillars representing the 12 tribes of Israel. - Half of the blood of the Lambs was splashed on the altar ---means God’s gracious forgiveness and acceptance of the offerings.
- Half of the blood splashed on the people, which means, they are bound by blood oath: life’s oath/ (pledge)

The Ark of the Covenant - Symbol of God’s presence
-Placed on the Holy tent

g. Forty (40) Years into the Desert
The Israelites’ life in the dessert was a period of “purification” since they were unfaithful, stubborn, kept on complaining like murmuring, golden calf, etc.
After 40 years of wandering all that generation died, with the exception of Moses, Joshua and Caleb. Then Yahweh said: Moses, climb the Mount Nebo and view the land of Canaan which I am giving to the sons of Israel. You may see the land only from afar but you cannot enter because you broke faith with me at Meribath-Kadesh.

Moses died in Moab: to have a view or glance at the Promised Land

*In the New Testament, Christ is presented as the New Moses, especially in St. Matthew's Gospel. Christ is the New Lawgiver, the One who establishes the definitive covenant between God and man – a covenant sealed in the Blood of the Lamb.


Aaron
Aaron was the brother of Moses, and three years his senior. With Moses, Aaron sought release of the Israelites from Pharaoh (Ex 5:1), and was confirmed by God as partner to Moses (Ex 7:1-2). Indeed, Aaron was to be the “prophet” of Moses, and was called to speak publicly, an endeavor in which Moses' skill was lacking. Thus Aaron was a prominent figure in Israel's liberation. It is he who, at God's instruction, brought plagues upon Egypt by stretching out his hand (Ex 7:19-20, 8:1-7, 12-13).
Aaron was the first priest of the Israelites, having been anointed as such by Moses (Ex 28:41, 29:9, 29:21; Lv 8); yet it was he who engineered the Golden Calf, and constructed an altar before it in response to the Israelites' request to “make us gods, who shall go before us” (Ex 32).
When the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron at Meribah, both prayed. But for doubting God's mercy to His people, Aaron was forbidden to enter the Promised Land (Nm 20). He died on Mount Hor, and “all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days” (Nm 20:29). Deuteronomy places his death and burial at Moserah (Dt 10:6).

Miriam (MIH-ree-uhm): Sister of Moses and Aaron (cf. Ex 15:20; Nm 12:1,15; 20:1; Mi 6:4) from whose name the N.T. name Mary is derived.

Decalogue Etymologically, a Greek word meaning “ten sayings.” Normally, it refers to the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God at Mt. Sinai (cf. Ex 20), inscribed on two tablets of stone (cf. Dt 4:13). In the New Testament, Jesus accepted them as the basis of His teaching and promised to carry them to completion (cf. Mt 5:18). (Cf. Commandments of God.)

THEO I - Notes for Prelims

P R E L I M S Theology I 1
MAN’S SEARCH AND GOD’S REVELATION

THEOLOGY: (from two Greek words: Theos and Logos/logy)
Theos=God
Logy=Study / reason / science
Logos=meaning

Theology:
a. a science thatdeals about God (study of God)
b. Faith seeking understanding (by St. Anselm)
- systematic and organic study of what God has revealed and what believers have accepted.
c. Study of things related to God

One method of Theologizing / See – Discern – Act
or process how to do Theology (judge)

See – we perceive the reality around us through our human experiences
Discern – we judge with the use of our reason, guided by our conscience
Act – we use our freewill to do good and avoid evil.

Two Poles of Theology:
1. Human Experience
2. The Judeo-Christian Tradition

THE HUMAN PERSON - A Searcher
Human person –The Questioner ( homo –sapiens)
He asks existential questions such as Meaning of Life? Purpose of Life? Man’s Existential Questions:
Who am I? (identity)
What am I doing here? (mission)
Where do I go from here? (destiny)
He tries to find ANSWERS in Science (experimentation), Philosophy (reason), Human answers, Christian faith and others
The Christian Faith – leads us to the meaning of life.


JUDEO-CHRISTAN TRADITION – source of Christian Faith.

1. Judaism – Religion of the Jews Jews – people living in Judea (Judah)

Oral Tradition – handing down of their faith and traditions from one generation to generation.
Oral tradition continues to be passed on through the life of the Church.

Written Tradition – when some of these oral traditions came to be written down.
The Sacred Scriptures/ Bible is now a rich deposit of these traditions.
Thus, the Sacred Scriptures is not the only source of tradition.
The Sacred Scriptures does not contain all tradition.
What it contains is the written tradition.

Some Basic Considerations About the Jews

1. They are people in covenant with YHWH. (They are the chosen people of God)
2. They are Theocratic (people ruled by God; Ruler is God. Their Kings are Mashiah- anointed by God)
3. Their lives are centered on the Covenant and The Law. (The covenant – YHWH is their God, Israelites are His chosen people)
4. They have a strong Apocalyptic Expectation (The coming of the promised 2 Messiah at the end of time)

NOTE: For Judaism – Jesus Christ is not the Messiah. They are still waiting for the coming of the Messiah. (We Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah.)

2. Christianity – a religion inspired by the Words and Deeds of Jesus

Words – ex: preaching
Public Ministry of Jesus -- Shows that Jesus is Deeds – ex. healing the Son of God,
The Messiah.

Jesus is fully human and fully divine, the mediator between God and men.
Jesus is the fullness or peak of God’s self – revelation to man.

Christianity – founded by the Incarnate Word, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christians – sons and daughters of God (based on the new covenant)
Condition – baptism

God’s Revelation – God revealed Himself in Creation, in the Sacred Scriptures, in the Church, in other Religions, and in our Human Experiences.

I. God’s will for man as revealed in the Old Testament

1. Creation – the first sign of God’s revelation
- human – peak of God’s creation (God’s image)
- Stewards of creation
- Task – develop himself and the world. (complete creation) through Work (perfect himself and the world).
2. God entered man’s history and made a covenant with His people
- began with Abraham – renewed by the prophets.
- Finally renewed by the Jesus Christ.
- Covenant – requires obedience to God’s law. (sign of fidelity to God).

II. God’s will for man as revealed by Christ (New Testament)
- Christ revealed and preached the KINGDOM. This was the center of His message and ministry. (build or spread the Kingdom).
- Jesus Christ is the agent, content, and goal of revelation.

Introduction to the Sacred Scriptures

Bible -- Biblia (Greek) – books
-- mini – library (contains many books)
-- collection of sacred books which Jews and Christians believed were written under God’s inspiration.
-- Collection of books written under the positive influence of God (Inspiration of the Holy Spirit) by men chosen by God at various times and places, and is recognized by the Church as Word of God.
-- “Word of God in words of men, written for us and for our salvation.” (by Pope John Paul II)

Word of God – must be treated with reverence
For our salvation – must be read, and lived

* God has spoken His final words in/through Jesus Christ.
(Jesus – is the “fullness” of God’s revelation)

* God’s self – revelation and offer of salvation is perfectly found in Christianity.
1. Authorship of the Bible 3
Main Author = God
Human authors – they wrote with God’s influence / inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
-- instruments of God. (they used fully their human powers. Their world-view and background also influenced their writings. The Bibile was not dictated by God.)

2. Inspiration of the Bible
- the human authors were chosen by God, inspired by God, (Holy Spirit) directed by divine presence (God’s power) to write that God wanted them to write – the truth
- The Truth – truth about our salvation
- called salvific truth/ message or religious truth/message.

3. Inerrancy of the Bible
- The Bible is free from formal error – the Bible has no error in terms of its Salvific Message / truth (or religious message /truth.
- No errors in terms of faith and morals
There may be errors but in terms of science (scientific errors).
Ex. in literary form like in spelling, ( ex. O.T. – no vowel.)
word – view (cosmology) – ex. the world is flat etc.

4. Canon of the Bible / Biblical Canon
- Canon – (from the Hebrew word – qaneh means measurer (standard)
- The list of books which passed the criteria or standard to be recognized as Inspired by the Holy Spirit or by God.
- List of books which the Church recognized as Inspired by God (Holy Spirit) and are standard / norm of faith and morals.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit
List of Books

Norms of Faith and Morals

a. Proto-canonical books – first list of books which were universally accepted as Inspired by the Holy Spirit (no difficulty in accepting its being inspired)
Proto=Greek means first
39 books of O.T. and 27 books of N.T.

b, Duetero – canonical books – second collection of books who’s inspired character were only accepted later (studied, disputed before accepted)
Deutero (Greek) means second
- There are seven
1. Tobit – parts of Esther 10:4 – 16-24
2. Judith
3. Sirach - parts of Danniel - Story of Susanna
4. Wisdom - Bel and the Dragon
5. Baruch - Song of the 3 young men
6. I Maccabees
7. II Macabees
• The Deutero – canonical books are considered by the Protestants as apocryphal

c. Apocryphal (hidden)– non-canonical books or uninspired
Ex - I Esdras
- II Esdras
- Prayer of Manasseh
Two apocalypse / apocalyptic books in the Bible
- Daniel – figure her is Nebu _______________________
- Apocalypse / Revelation - - Criticizing the Roman Occupation
TaNak – has 24 Books 4

Catholic Bible: 73 books Protestant Bible 66 Books

1. O. T. - - - -- 46 - - - 39
2. N.T. - - - - -27 - - - 27
----- -----
73 66
- Pseudo-epigrapha (false writings) – somebody is writing in place of another.
e.g. 1 Esdras

Archbishop Stephen Langton ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬-¬¬¬¬- in 1226, divided the Bible into chapters
Sanctes Pagnini -- in 1528 – divided the O.T into verses
Robert Stephanus -- in 1551 – divided the N.T into verses
Robert Estienne -- (Protestant editor)
Rev. Fr. Bernard Le Frois -- “Most deutero-canonical books were preserved in Hebrew but survived in Greek”
The Council of Trent (1545 – 63) -- defined all the books of O.T – 45 and N.T – 27 “

*The Protestant followed the canon of the Jewish Bible! They have the seven books but only as additional reading materials.

* Two proofs for the canonicity of the deuteron-canonical books --- Septuagint and
-- the Dead Sea Scrolls. ( 1947- 1950)


The Jewish Bible
The Books of the TaNak - 24
1. Torah (Law)
- Genesis 3. Kethubim – ( Writings )
- Exodus - Ruth
- Leviticus - Esther
- Numbers - Ezra - Nehemiah
- Deuteronomy - I Chronicles,
- II Chronicles
- Daniel
2. Neviim (Prophets) - Lamentations
A. Former Prophets - Job
- Joshua - Psalms
- Judges - Proverbs
- I Samuel, - Song of Songs
- II Samuel - Ecclesiastes
- I Kings,
- II Kings
B. Latter Prophets
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Ezekiel
- The twelve minor prophets


The Catholic Christian Bible – 73, or 72, or 71
1. The Old Testament
a. Pentateuch -(Penta-- means five)
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
b. The Historical Books d. The Prophetic Books 5
- Joshua - Isaiah
- Judges - Jeremiah
- Ruth - Lamentations
- I Sammuel - Baruch*
- II Sammuel - Ezekiel
- I kings - Daniel
- II Kings - Hosea
- I Chronicles - Joel
- II Chronicles - Amos
- Ezra - Obadiah
- Nehemiah - Jonah
- Tobit* - Micah
- Judith * - Nahum
- Esther - Habakkuk
- I Maccabees* - Zephaniah
- II Maccabees* - Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
c. The Wisdom Books
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Songs
- Wisdom*
- Sirach*

2. The New Testament
a. The Gospels d. Catholic Letters/Epistles
- Matthew - James
- Mark - I Peter
- Luke - II Peter
- John - I John
- II John
b. Acts of the Apostles - III John
- Jude
c. Apostolic Letters - Pauline and other Letters
- Pauline and other Letters e. Revelations
- Romans
- I Corinthians
- II Corinthians d. Catholic Letters/Epistles
- Galatians - James
- Ephesians - I Peter
- Philippians - II Peter
- Colossians - I John
- I Thessalonians - II John
- II Thessalonians - III John
- I Timothy - Jude
- II Timothy
- Titus e. Revelations
- Philemon
- Hebrews

Autographs – original materials (document) written by hand (no autographs has come down to us).

Scrolls – first written material (rolled and kept in jars), sheets of papyrus (6-9 inches, 50 ft. or ten meters. The words were written from right to left).
Language of the Bible 6
1. Hebrew (+ Aramaic) – O.T.
2. Greek – (Koine) – N.T

Versions of the Bible (compiled) (like the hexapla)
1. Massoretic Text – Hebrew text of the Bible (O.T. or the TaNaK.)

Translations:
2. Targum – Aramaic version of the O.T. (needed after the Babylonian exile)
551 BC

3. Septuagint – (LXX) Greek translation of the O.T.
(including the Deutero – canonical books)
– 300 to 100 BC -- greatly used by the Early Church
 by 72 scholars (Jews) in Alexandria, Egypt. There was a sort of miracle in the translation (Scholars worked independently but came up with exactly the same texts). (Ptolemy) – O.T. and N.T)
4. Vetus Latina – the old Latin translation
5. Vulgata – the revised Latin translation -- by St. Jerome

“Ignorance of the Bible is Ignorance of Christ.” (St. Jerome = Patron Saint of Biblical Scholars)

6. The English translations – ex. Douoay Rheims version – 1582 to 1610 – old English translation (antiquated).

Other English Versions:
NAB – New American Bible
RSV – Revised Standard Version
NRSV – New Revised Standard Version
KJB – King James Bible
CCB – Christian Community Bible
JB – Jerome Bible
ESV – English Standare Version
CEV – Contemporary English Version
TEV – Today’s English Version
LB – Living Bible

Filipino Bibles:
Y Dana anna Bagu nga Pakkasinabban anna Salmo Ira (Ybanag)
Ti Baro a Naimbag a Damag (Ilocano)
Ti Santa Biblia (Ilocano)
Marahay na Bareta (Bikol)
Maung a Balita (Pangasinan)
Ing Maayap a Balita (Pampango)
Baraan nga Balita (Samarenyo)
Maayong Balita nga Biblia (Hiligaynon)
Ang Biblia (Hiligaynon)
Ang Bag-ong Maayong Balita (Cebuano)
Maayong Balita (Cebuano)
Ang Biblia – Bugna (Cebuano)
Ang Biblia – Pinadayag (Cebuano)
Ang Biblia (Tagalog)
Magandang Balita (Tagalog)

* The Sacred Scriptures is not the only source tradition. It does not contain all tradition.
What it contains is the written tradition; the Church’s oral tradition continues to be passed on through the life of the Church.

THEO III - Notes for Finals (The Seven Sacraments)

Introduction to the Sacraments
 What is a Sacrament
A sacrament is a saving symbolic act, arising from the ministry of Christ, continued in and through the Church, which, when celebrated in faith, draws us into likeness to Christ in his Paschal Mystery, through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Christian Life Education Series, C)

 Theology of the Sacraments


 Requirements for a Valid Sacrament
1. the one to be given the sacrament is freely disposed
2. the sacrament is administered by a validly ordained minister (deacon, priest or bishop)
3. the sacrament is administered with and through validly recognized signs and symbols, words and actions
4. the sacrament of baptism is a pre-requisite for valid reception of the other sacraments
5. the celebration of the sacrament is assisted by a least two other baptized faithful who stand witness to the reception of the sacrament

I. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Historical Development
New Testament:

John the Baptist - Baptism of repentance-the baptized express his/her change of heart
Acts of the Apostles - Baptism-for adults who expressed their faith in Christ
Ritual: Immersion
Immersion in water - dying to sin
Coming out of the water - entering a new life with Christ

*The church grew in number
-Test seriousness of those who are interested to be a Christian
-Need for Sponsor, Sponsor – presents person for baptism after a period of preparation
- guarantee reliability of a candidate and acting as a witness to their lifestyle
Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus
-Three years Period of Catehumenate

Third-Century:

Baptism - annual celebration usually linked with Easter, thus, strengthening the theological linked with the idea of death and resurrection to new life through the sacrament.
Preparations intensified as the celebration approached

*Some weeks before the baptism candidates are presented to the bishop, and the bishop accepts them.

*Doctrinal preparation-instruction on Scripture and creed; exorcism of the evil spirit of the past every Sunday

*A week before baptism. Instruction is on a daily basis; Lord’s Prayer taught and Apostles Creed memorized.

*Two days before Easter-fasting by the candidates

Baptism Proper

*Easter vigil-community gather and listen to the Word of God
*At dawn candidates gather at the baptismal pool, recited Creed and Lord’s Prayer, renounce devil, anointed with baptismal oil.
*Water is blessed by the bishop
*Candidates went down naked into the pool
*Candidates are immersed three times
*Candidates climbed up and anointed in Christ’s name
*Candidates presented with a white garment
*Bishop laid hands on he candidate praying that they might be filled with the Spirit
*Eucharistic celebration follows

380 C.E

Christianity-official religion of the Roman Empire
Custom: The priest baptized candidates of his own community and wait for the bishop’s visit for the laying on of hands

End of 5th Century

Infant baptism-norm; not necessarily reserved for Easter vigil
- need for faith-supplied by the sponsors who spoke on the infant’s behalf
- sponsor-guardian of child’s faith after baptism; responsible for Christian upbringing
Ritual: pouring of water over the child’s head with the words “I baptize you in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

6th Century

Baptism-washing away of original sin and promising eternal life
- private ceremony with parents and godparents in attendance and standard baptismal formula and triple pouring
*Complete separation of Baptism and Confirmation

12th and 13th Century

Scholastic theologians defined: Matter-materials and gestures of the rite
form-significance
Aquinas: Matter-water
Form- Trinitarian formula

16th Century

Martin Luther-Sacrament are signs of God’s grace but they did not have any effect until grace is consciously accepted in faith.
Forgiveness of sin-Baptism brought God’s forgiveness even though the baptized might continue to sin

Mid-16th Century

Council of Trent-No doctrinal statement on baptism was issued but the heretical positions of Luther, Calvin, and other reformers were condemned.

Baptism of Desire
This is developed by scholastic theologians
It may not welcome people into a specific community, but it does reflect the idea that all holiness and goodness is rooted in God.

Vatican II
Baptism of desire referred to those people, who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and moved by grace by their actions to do His will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience. The notion being expressed is that baptism is necessary for joining the church but not necessarily for salvation

Infant Baptism
Reasons for Infant Baptism
According to history, infants were being baptized because:
1. Parents wanted to pass on good things to their children.
2. They wanted them to be nurtured in the life of conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ and in the life of Christian Community.
3. There was a high mortality rate during that time in history. Infant baptism would assure salvation.
4. Infant baptism was the path to salvation, removing the original sin of infants and bring them into a sate of grace.

Protestants deny infant baptism, particularly the Anabaptist, adopting a fundamental biblical position and arguing that the new Testament only spoke of adult baptism. For them, infant baptism is meaningless because:
1. an infant cannot profess the faith,
2. cannot make a pledge of allegiance to Jesus Christ,
3. cannot understand what it means to live a life of conversion as a member of the community of faith, and
4. cannot participate in any kind of catechesis to prepare for baptism

The Council of Trent, however reaffirmed infant baptism and the need for catechesis as infants grew through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

This protestant view against infant baptism is still a critical issue today. The obvious problem was how to ensure that children baptized as infants grew in discipleship. The pastoral challenges therefore are:
1. to nurture children in the faith
2. retrieval of Augustine’s notion of original sin

Reponses to the Challenges
1. delay the baptism of infants and children until they can make their own commitment of faith
2. only infants and children of practicing Catholics shall be baptized
3. enroll children in the catechumen ate, then full initiation will follow when they reach the age of reason

Rite for the Baptism of Children

I. Introductory rites
A. Reception of Children
- parents name their child
- State their intention to have their child baptized
- The presider informs parents of their responsibility, then verifies the willingness of the godparent to assists the parents
B. Sign of the cross on the Forehead of the child by all those who are present

II. Celebration of the Word of God
A. Scriptural Readings
B. Homily
C. Prayers of the Faithful
D. Prayer of Exorcism
E. Anointing with the Oil of Catechumens

III. Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism
A. Blessing of the water
B. Renunciation of sin and profession of faith
C. Baptizing with water
D. Anointing with chrism
E. Clothing with a white garment
F. Giving of a candle lighted from the easter candle
G. Special prayer
H. The Lord’s prayer
I. Special blessing for parents and all those present

The rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
Period of evangelization and pre-catechumnate
First step: Acceptance into the order of catechumens

Period of Catechumenate
Second step: Election or enrolment of the names

Period of Purification and Enlightenment
Third step: Celebratiion of the Sacrament of Initiation

Period of Post-baptismal Catechesis


II. SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

A. Confirmation Defined
It is the Sacrament in which Christians receive the Holy Spirit and enables them to give a personal witness to Jesus and to all people. It is not much by word but all the testimony of their daily lives and deeds. Christ instituted it when he said, “As the Father sent me so I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-22)

B. Two Essential Characteristics (Vatican II)
1. Closer union with the Church as we become soldiers for Christ.
2. Strengthening and empowerment by the Holy Spirit to actively spread the faith.

C. Some Historical Information:
1. Confirmation did not exist as a separate ritual from Baptism before the 3rd Century.
2. Confirmation did not become a regular practice until after the 5th century.
3. The precedents of Confirmation are the apostles laying in of hands and the Bishop’s imposition of hands on initiating candidates.
4. The action is often associated with the Holy Spirit descending on the Apostles at the Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4
5. In the middle ages, Confirmation was definitely separated from Baptism.
6. While reformers rejected confirmation as a sacrament, the Catholics retained its medieval form and scholastic explanation.

D. Scriptural Basis (Acts 8: 14-17; 19:6)
1. In the Old Testament, anointing signified leading, purification, and strengthening.
2. In the New Testament, Christ is the Anointed one perfectly fulfilling through the power of the Holy Spirit in his role as priest, prophet, and king.

E. Rite of the Sacrament of Confirmation
The Sacrament of Confirmation is conferred by the “anointing of the Holy Chrism on the forehead, while imposing the hands with the words, “…N… be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

F. Effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation
The main effect of Confirmation is to strengthen and confirm the grace of Baptism, which means a
more intense sharing in the mission of Christ and of the Church empowering the confirmed to be a public witness of the faith.
1. Witness to the Kingdom of God and of God’s power present in the new age began by Christ.
2. Witness to Jesus Christ as the unique savior of all.
3. Witness to the freedom from slavery of sin brought by God’s presence through Christ and the spirit.
4. Witness to the love of the Father, the Incarnate Word and the Spirit by loving service of others in the Spirit.
5. Witness to Christ real presence in the Christian community, the people of God, the Church.

G. Age of Confirmation
Confirmation should only be given to persons who have the use of reason. The Age of DISCRETION is necessary to ensure that there is knowledge, understanding and experience of one’s faith.

H. Basic Norms Required upon Parents/Sponsors
1. Sufficiently Matured Person (not less than 16 years old)
2. Good living Catholics whom had been initiated with the Sacraments of Initiation.
3. Capable and can truly help the newly confirmed to faithfully live up to all the duties inherent in the Christian life.

I. Qualities of Christian Witness
1. Personal Knowledge, awareness and experience of Christ in their daily lives.
2. Strong and enthusiastic Christian convictions and active commitment to Christ and the Church
3. Basic foundation in the scriptures, the Church teachings and fundamental human experience.
4. The Human leadership qualities of honesty and integrity that inspire confidence.
5. The communication skills needed to present Christ challenge to the Filipinos today in an attractive and persuasive manner.
6. The Courage to suffer and witness for the sake of the Kingdom.

J. Minister and Matter of Confirmation
The minister of Confirmation is the bishop. Only in danger of death or special cases can a priest administer confirmation. The matter is the laying on of hands and the anointing of sacred chrism, which makes us prophets and kings and priests like Jesus. Sometimes, the bishop slaps the cheek of the candidate to signify that we must endure all kinds of trials.

* The names Christ and Christians come from Chrism, which means anointed. It is a mixture of olive oil and perfume being consecrated by the bishop during Holy Thursday.

III. HOLY EUCHARIST

A. Names given to the “Eucharist”
1. Eulogy
• the term to designate the celebration during the first century CE
• it means blessing
• a term which came from that part of the liturgy where Jesus blessed the bread and broke it and gave it his disciples (Mt. 26:26)

2. Lord’s Supper
• Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist during the Last Supper. The Eucharist as the Lord’s Supper because we remember the supper of Christ with his apostles

3. Agape
• means “Love Feast’
• term used during the post-Apostolic period
• term to emphasize the unity, sharing and love which the early Christians experienced in their gatherings

4. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
• from the Latin term “missa” which means sent
• “Ite missa est,” meaning “go you are sent”

5. Eucharist
• Greek word which means “thanksgiving”
• used as early as the Didache and St. Ignatius regard to the observance of the Last Supper

B. Biblical and Historical Background
1. Jesus, the Bread of Life: John 6:25-35, 51-58
a. The Bread of Life (v. 35)
• Jesus is the Word that God spoke to man and woman to fully make himself and his offer of life known
b. The Living Bread (v.51)
• Jesus made clear that the life-giving bread is his own flesh, his own body

2. Meal Aspect of the Eucharist: Luke 22: 7-8, 14, 19-20
a. According to the Last Supper Account, Jesus instituted the Eucharist in this Passover meal in Four solemn actions:
1) He took bread and wine
2) Gave thanks and praise to the Father
3) He broke the bread
4) Gave it to His disciples
b. Jesus gave meaning to the Passover Meal
1) He ate it with His friends (literally, a reminder to his friends that he loved them)
2) He took the unleavened bread and transformed it into his body
a) Bread, symbol for the food that sustains life
b) Body of Christ, bread of Live for living a real life
3) He blessed the wine and transformed it into his Body
a) Wine, symbolizes life and a sign of joy
b) Drinking of the cup of Wine, participating in the great saving deeds of Christ.
c. Jesus Established a New Covenant
“ I want to remind you that I am the true life and that you can have life if you receive me.”

C. Theology of the Eucharist
1. Eucharist as a Meal
a. Sign of Friendship and Forgiveness
• In the “meal ministry” of Jesus, he brought salvation to those who opened their hearts to him in loving communion.
b. Sign of Unity and Bond of Charity
• Because we partake of the same Lord, we are united as one people.
• we encouraged to share food and drink
c. Breaking of Bread
• This meant that all who ate the One Blessed, Broken Bread that is Christ, were drawn into communion with him and with one another, to form one single body with Him.

2. Eucharist as a Sacrifice
a. The Eucharistic celebration makes present and real the saving deeds that Jesus accomplished on the cross.
b. The Eucharistic sacrifice makes us Holy, joins us to God the Father and frees us from the sin that keeps us separate from God and others.
c. Jesus calls us to commit ourselves to His mission of giving life to the world.

3. Eucharist as a Memorial
a. The Eucharist is a memorial of Christ’s Paschal mystery.
b. Jewish Memorial meal of Passover
• Primarily the action of God, making present to later generations his saving power in the exodus event
c. Christian Memorial of Jesus Passover
• Remembering Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection
• in the Eucharist , we not only experience the saving power of Christ’s past act, but also are brought into the actual personal presence.

4. Eucharist as a Sacrament
a. In the fulfillment of Christ’s Promise “I am with you always”
b. In the Eucharist Christ is present in:
• In the assembly
• The person of the minister
• The Holy Scriptures
• The Eucharistic Species
c. In the Eucharistic change effected by the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine become the symbols of “the already but not yet complete” universal redemption of all creation

5. Eucharist as a Ritual
Structure of the Mass
a. Introductory Rites
• Entrance Hymn
• Greetings
• Penitential Rite
• Gloria
• Opening prayer
b. Liturgy of the Word
• Scripture Readings
• Homily
• Creed
• Prayers of the Faithful (Intercessory Prayers)
c. Liturgy of the Eucharist
• Preparation of the Gifts
• Eucharistic prayers
 Preface
 Invocation (Epiclesis) of the Holy spirit
 Last Supper’s Narrative of Institution and Acclamation
 Commemoration (Anamnesis), 2nd invocation of the Holy Spirit.
 Intercessions
 Great Amen
d. Communion Rite
• The Our Father
• Prayer for Deliverance
• Prayer for Peace
• Breaking of the Bread
• Communion
• Prayer after Communion
e. Concluding Rite
• Final Blessing
• Dismissal

6. Eucharist as a Celebration
a. Because the Church worships God the Father in Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, the Eucharist is a celebration of Christian life and Identity formed by, in and through Jesus the Lord.
b. A pledge of Future Glory
• Viaticum (with-you-on-the-way)
- The Christian is endowed with the pledge of the resurrection in his passage from this life.
• Fruits and Effects of Receiving Communion
- Union with Christ > communion with Christ bring us true life
- Liberation from Sin > the Eucharist is the remedy to free us from our daily faults and preserve us from mortal sin
• Reconciliation > the Eucharist brings us around the table of the Lord.

IV. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
A. Different Names Given to the Sacrament
1. Confession
 Stresses the importance of acknowledging our sins while asking for God’s forgiving grace
2. Sacrament of Penance
 Emphasizes the whole process of conversion, including contrition, repentance and satisfaction, which the penitent enters into, both personally and as a member of the Church community
3. Sacrament of Reconciliation
 Brings out the inner relationship between being reconciled with God and being reconciled with out neighbor
4. Sacrament of Forgiveness
 The penitent is granted forgiveness and grace by God through the forgiveness of the priest and neighbor
5. Sacrament of Conversion
 A change of heart and mind (metanoia)

B. Parts of the Sacrament
1. contrition
2. confession
3. penance/satisfaction
4. absolution

C. Effects of the Sacrament
1. reconciliation with God and the Christian community
2. source of strength to overcome daily weaknesses
3. moves one to more fervent service of God and neighbor

D. Other Means for Conversion:
1. Jewish forms: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting
2. Filipino ways: daily acts of sympathy, kindness, persevering patience, and works of mercy (acts of loving service)

V. ANOINTING OF THE SICK
A. Definition
1. The Sacrament which through the laying of the hands, the prayer of faith, and the anointing with Blessed Oil, provides the sick with Christ’s healing grace of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Sacrament of Christ’s healing touch.
3. The Sacrament that demonstrates Christ loving concern not only to the needy but even to the sick members of the Christian community
B. Scriptural Passage
James 5:13-15

C. Emphasis
Healing and Strengthening rather than forgiveness of Sins

D. Recipients
Not only those who are dying are ministered to, but all who are suffering, those who are chronically ill, the aged, and those who are about to go surgery even if there is no imminent danger of death. The anointing consist of:
1. anointing
2. counseling
3. praying with the sick
4. reading of the scriptures
5. bringing them communion regularly
6. listening to their confession
E. Ministers
1. Lay persons are invited to take part in the sacramental ministry of the priest.
2. Relatives, friends, nurses, doctors, ministers in terms of support, encouragement and physical care.
F. Purpose of the Sacrament
1. It brings spiritual strength to the physically ill by reminding them of god’s love and forgiveness and by reassuring them of God’s concern for their physical well being.
2. Healing refers to the holistic care that touches the body, mind and spirit of the said person.
3. Cure refers to the medical eradication of disease or defect

G. Christian Attitude
The Christian is called to look at sickness as:
1. a sign of the oppressive presence of evil in the world.
2. a struggle against all sickness and seek good health.
3. recognize the need of the sick for special help and comfort from family, community and God’s grace.

H. Rites of the Sacrament
1. Greeting
2. Penitential Rite similar to the one used in the Mass
3. Three distinct actions:
a. Prayers of the faithful in which the community, the people of the Lord represented by the priest, the family, friends and others pray for those anointed.
b. Laying on of Hands - inviting Jesus’ on gesture of healing (cf. Luke 4:40) and involving the coming of the HS who brings the blessing of God’s healing grace upon the sick.
c. Anointing oil made holy by Lord’s blessing, signifying the strengthening and healing that comes from the spirit.
I. Effects of the Sacrament
1. The sick person is provided with the grace of the holy spirit by which the whole person is brought to health, trust in God is encouraged, and strength is given to resist he temptation of evil and anxiety about death.
2. Sometimes even physical health is restored after receiving the sacrament.
3. The sacrament also offers the sick person forgiveness of sins and completes the salutary penance.
4. If the sacrament of anointing of the sick has been renewed it shall include the following:
a. Changing its aim from serving not the dying but the sick, and hence its name from extreme unction to anointing of the sick.
b. Stress on Christ the healer, who transforms the meaning and significance of the sick person’s illness into a sharing in his saving work.

VI. SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
Marriage is a unique sacrament in that the vocation of marriage itself is a foundational human reality built into the very created nature of man and woman, with its own profound meaning, even before the teaching of any specific religion (CCC, 1602-5).
A. The Three Goods of Marriage
1. Marriage as Sacrament
a. marriage in the Church is the solemn entry of the spouses into a binding commitment before God and the Christian community, declaring: we love one another and want our love to last forever. We ask you to respect this commitment, and help us to keep it
b. the ongoing-life of the couple: marriage is a process, not a state, a beginning, not an end; a threshold, not a goal
c. marriage is the sign of Christ
d. Christian marriage and family life are said to constitute the “domestic Church.” Thus, marriage is the sacrament of the Church

2. Conjugal Love and Fidelity
a. married love is eminently human because it is an affection between the two persons rooted in the will and embraces the whole person (GS, 49)
b. married love as friendship
c. through married love, the partners can: work at fostering unity between their real selves; grow in faith in each other; respond maturely to on-going changes; and enable them to communicate to each other.
d. Permanent conjugal love IS possible

3. Serving Life: Offspring

B. The Ministry of Marriage
1. forming a community of persons;
2. serving life through the procreation and education of offspring;
3. participating in the development of society; and
4. sharing in the mission of the Church. (PCP II, 575)


VII. SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

Marriage and Holy Orders are the sacraments that confer a particular mission in the Church and help in the building of the people of God.

The sacrament of Holy Orders is appointed to nourish the Church with the Word and grace of God in the name of Christ.
There are two kinds of priesthood.
1. Common priesthood- Vatican II greatly stressed on the priesthood of all the faithful. All of us have this priestly mission to accomplish once we are baptized.
2. Ministerial priesthood- sets apart a member of the community for a special mission/ function of service to God’s people.

ORIGIN AND MEANING

Every Christian has a vocation to respond to Christ’s call “Come follow me”. This vocation derives from the Church and her mediation, finds fulfillment in the Church, and it is the service to the Church. This vacation is TRINITARIAN in a way that it is a free gift of God, grounded in the Father’s free loving choice to bless us in his Son and seals us in the Holy Spirit.
Jesus instituted the Sacrament during the Last Supper when he said to his apostles, “Do this in memory of me”.

Jesus has promised three things to those who would follow him:
1. Hundredfold on this earth
2. His cross
3. Eternal Life

HOLY ORDERS: sacrament of apostolic ministry
It empowers men to exercise in a special way Christ’s mission entrusted to the
Apostles

ORDERS in the Church usage, it simply means the group or body of those who carry a certain
Function

ORDINATION -sacramental act by which one is integrated into the order of the bishops, or priests
and of deacons.
Fruits of Ordination
-it confers either the diaconate, the priesthood or the episcopacy
-it communicates the grace of the Holy Spirit making the priests, deacons and bishops able to
fulfill their three main duties.
a. teaching by means of catechesis and preaching
b. Sanctifying through the Holy sacrifice of the mass and liturgies
c. Governing by taking care of the people in their parishes
-It impresses the character, which consecrates us to the Lord. (That is why ordination can not be
repeated nor revoked)

A. Diaconate- Ordination of a person to the ministry of being a deacon. There are two kinds of deacons:
a. permanent- can be married and will be deacons forever
b. in preparation for priesthood- they must be celibate
• Deacon means servant because of their first duty which is to serve the Church.

B. Presbyterate- Ordination of a person to the ministry of being a priest. There are two kinds of priests:
a. Diocesan- those belonging to a diocese and make the promise of obedience and chastity to their bishop.
b. Religious- those who belong to a religious congregation and make the vows of poverty, obedience and chastity.
- Dimensions of Christian priestly ministry
a. Priest is disciple- to folow Jesus in total commitment
b. Priest is Apostle- to be sent to serve in the mission of Jesus and for the Church
c. Priest is Presbyter- as elders, they are responsible for pastoral care of the Church members.
d. Priest is presider- to gather the community together for prayer and in particular for the breaking of the bread.

C. Episcopate- Ordination of a person to the ministry of being a bishop. The bishops are the successors of the Apostles to guide the diocese as holy shepherds. The pope as elected by the cardinals (bishops who have outstanding human and spiritual talents), is the head of the Church

• The minister of the ordination is the Pope and the Bishop.
• The matter of the sacrament of ordination is transmitted by means of the imposition of the hands.

THEO I - Notes for Finals (Kings, Prophets)

God’s Pleasing Kings
JOSIAH
2 Kings 22-23:30, 2 Chronicles 34-35
Repaired the temple.
Found, read, and obeyed the
book of the law.
Tore down idols.
Destroyed Jeroboam’s calves!
Loved God with all his heart.
Walked in the way of David.
2 Kings 23:25
Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

HEZEKIAH
2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32
Restored the temple.
Held Passover.
Trusted God’s protection.
Angels killed 185,000 of the enemy.
Prayed for healing.

Hezekiah was ill, and God told him, through
the prophet Isaiah, he was going to die.
Hezekiah prayed with all his heart that he might
live. God granted him another 15 years. As a sign
that this was true, God moved the shadow on the
sundial back ten marks. That means God moved
the sun backwards!
2 Kings 18:5
He trusted in the Lord the God of Israel; so that there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah after him, or among those who were before him.

ASA

1 Kings 15:8-24, 2 Chronicles 14-16
Destroyed all idols.
Deposed Queen Mother for making an idol.
Repaired the altar of the temple.
Depended on God’s help in war.

2 Chronicles 14:11a
Asa cried to the Lord his God, .O Lord, there is no difference for you between helping the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude.


AMAZIAH
2 Kings 14:1-22, 2 Chronicles 25
Obeyed God.
Pursued justice.
Trusted the prophets.
2 Chronicles 25:2
Amaziah did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a true heart.

JEHOSHAPHAT

1 Kings 22:41-46, 2 Chronicles 17-20
Trusted God’s prophets.
Prayed for help in war.
Defended Judah.
Sent teachers of the law to the people.
Appointed honest judges.

2 Chronicles 17:3,4
The Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father; he did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the ways of Israel.

UZZIAH

2 Kings 15:1-7, 2 Chronicles 26
Studied God’s law.
Built cities.
Enlarged the nation.
Had a mighty army.

JOASH

2 Kings 11:21-12, 2 Chronicles 24
Repaired the temple.
Destroyed idols and their
priests.

Joash was hidden from
his grandmother, queen
Athaliah. He was raised in
the temple by the priest
Jehoida. He was made
King at age 7.
2 Chronicles 24:2
Joash did what was right in the
sight of the Lord all the days of
the priest Jehoida.
JOTHAM

2 Kings 15:32-38, 2 Chronicles 27
Obeyed God and prevailed in war against his
enemies.
Built many cities and defenses.
Defeated the Ammonites.
2 Chronicles 27:2a
He did what was right in the sight of the Lord just as his
father Uzziah had done.

Good Kings Go Bad
UZZIAH
2 Chronicles 26:16
God gave Uzziah so much success that he became
proud and arrogant. He thought he could
break the rules by offering incense in the temple.
God struck Uzziah with leprosy, and he had to
give the Kingship to his son.
JOASH
2 Chronicles 24:22
Joash honors God as long as his mentor, Jehoida,
is alive, but rejects him after Jehoida’s death. He
ungratefully kills Jehoida’s son and the prophet
Zecheriah. He is eventually killed by his own
servants.
JEHOSHAPHAT
2 Chronicles 20:35
Jehoshaphat allied with the wicked King Ahab,
even arranging for their children to marry.
ASA
2 Chronicles 16:12
When he was ill, Asa depended only on physicians
for help. He did not trust God to heal him.
AMAZIAH
2 Chronicles 25:2,14
Amaziah failed to completely remove the high
places from Judah. Eventually he even worshipped
the idols of the people he defeated.
Bad Kings
Jeroboam (Israel)
1 Kings 11:26-12:20, 12:25-13:10, 13:33-14:19
Built the high places in Dan and Bethel that
caused Israel to sin from then on.
Appointed priests from any tribe, not just Levi.
When Jeroboam established his altars in
Bethel, a prophet came to tell Jeroboam
that decades later, Josiah would tear the altars
down. When Jeroboam cried to have the prophet
seized, the king’s arm withered! The altar broke,
and the ashes poured out of it. The king asked
the prophet to have God heal his arm. It was
healed, but Jeroboam learned nothing from this
and rebuilt the altar at Bethel.
When Jeroboam’s child became ill, the king told
his wife to disguise herself and ask the prophet
Abijah if it would live. Abijah immediately knew
who she was, and delivered God’s judgment on
Jeroboam to her.
1 Kings 14:16
God will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam,
which he sinned and which he caused all Israel to commit.

Ahab (Israel)
1 Kings 16:29-34, 18:17-19:2, 20-22:40,
2 Chronicles 18

Promoted worship of Baal with his wife,
Jezebel.
Caused a three-year drought in Israel.
Allowed his wife to kill Naboth for a vineyard.
Persecuted Elijah, God’s prophet.
Refused to listen to God’s prophets.
Sacrificed his children to idols.
1 Kings 21:25
There was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel.


Omri (Israel)
1 Kings 16:16-28

Made king by popular rebellion.
Built Samaria to be the capital of Israel.
Established idolatry in Israel.
1 Kings 16:26
For Omri walked in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and in the sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols.

Rehoboam (Judah)
1 Kings 12:1-24, 14:21-31, 2 Chronicles 10-12

Ignored the council of wise men.
Treated the people harshly, causing the division
of Israel from Judah.
Adopted pagan worship.
Judah was plundered by Egypt because they
abandoned God.
2 Chronicles 12:14
Rehoboam did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.

Athaliah (Judah)
2 Kings 11:1-16, 2 Chronicles 22:10-15

Destroyed her whole family to have control.
The Levites and the commander of the guard
conspired to make her surviving grandson,
Joash, King.
Jehoshabeath, daughter of Jehoram and wife of
Jehoida, hid Joash from Athaliah in the temple.

2 Chronicles 22:10
Now when Athaliah, Ahaziah.s mother, saw that
her son was dead, she set about to destroy all the royal
family of the house of Judah.

Ahaz (Judah)
2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28
Sacrificed his son to Molech.
Replaced God’s altar with one like Assyria’s.
His army was defeated and his people subjected
to other nations because of his evil.
Plundered the temple dishes to bribe Assyria.
Worshipped idols of the nations around him.
building high places in every city.
2 Chronicles 28:19
For the Lord brought Judah low because of King Ahaz of Israel, for he had behaved without restraint in Judah and had been faithless to the Lord.
Manasseh (Judah)
2 Kings 21:1-18, 2 Chronicles 33:1-20
Rebuilt the altars to Baal and other idols.
Put idols’ altars in the temple.
Sacrificed his son.
Practiced sorcery.
Killed innocent people.
Was taken away in shackles to Babylon.

2 Chronicles 33:9
Manasseh misled Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that
they did more evil than the
nations whom the Lord had
destroyed before the people of
Israel.
Hoshea (Israel)
2 Kings 17:1-6

Hoshea did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, yet not like
the kings of Israel who were before him.

Was a traitor to his master, king of Assyria.
Israel was completely defeated and its people
taken to other lands because of its sins.

Zedekiah (Judah)

2 Kings 24:18-25:7, 2 Chronicles 11-16
Followed the idolatry and disobedience of
his ancestors.
Mocked and disregarded God’s prophets.
Was taken to Babylon and blinded.
Judah suffered a great siege and famine,
and the temple was destroyed. Judah was
destroyed for its sins.

2 Kings 24: 20
Indeed, Jerusalem and Judah so angered the Lord that he expelled them from his presence.

Bad Kings Can Repent
Jehoahaz
2 Kings 13:1-9
When God punished Jehoahaz by making him
lose to his enemy several times, Jehoahaz
begged the Lord to help them. Since the people
were suffering greatly, God provided a mighty
soldier to give them victory.
Ahab 2 Kings 21:27-29
When Ahab heard God’s pronouncement of the
punishment that would come upon Ahab and his
family, the king tore his clothes, put on the
mourning robe of sackcloth, and fasted in sorrow.
Because he humbled himself before God,
God spared Ahab from seeing the judgment
come to pass.
Manasseh 2 Chronicles 33:10
When Manasseh was held captive in Babylon, he
humbled himself and admitted his sin before
God. God accepted him and let him return to
Jerusalem. There Manasseh removed the idols,
fixed the temple, and obeyed God. But the
people were still influenced by the disobedience
of his early reign.
What Makes a King Good?
You shall love the Lord with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.
The Kings that loved God tolerated no other
Gods. They destroyed idols and deposed pagan
priests.

They worshipped God according to his will,
studying his Word to learn how to please Him.

They trusted God to help them in all things,
from winning battles to being healed.

They listened to wise men and prophets, and
learned from them.


Young People Can Make a Difference.
Both Joash (7) and Josiah (8) were very
young when they were made Kings. They
had true hearts and withstood all the
temptations of others.
What Makes a King Bad?
Selfishness
Idolatry
Ruthlessness
Violence
Pride
What influence did these kings have?
Israel and Judah were destroyed and
taken captive because they followed
their kings into idolatry, false worship,
and harsh treatment of each other.


Israel and Judah Were Destroyed for their Sins
2 Kings 17:7-17
All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had
brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped
other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as
well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.
The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower
to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns. They set up sacred stones and
Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. At every high place they burned
incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done.
They did wicked things that provoked the Lord to anger. They worshiped idols, though the Lord
had said, "You shall not do this." The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and
seers: "Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire
Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the
prophets."
But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the Lord
their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings
he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They
imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, "Do not do as they do," and
they did the things the Lord had forbidden them to do.
They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in
the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped
Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and
sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger.


Prophets
Isaiah

Preached to Judah during reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah. He was contemporary to Hosea and Micah.
He was an educated member of the nobility.
Preached justice and obedience.
Saw visions of heaven.
Predicted the nature of the Messiah, a sufferer,
but also Prince of Heaven.

Isaiah 53:6 .All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way; and the
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all..

Amos
Shepherd and vinekeeper.
Born in Judah but preached to Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II. Contemporary of
Isaiah, Micah, and Hosea.
Denounced the rich who oppressed the poor.
Taught that ritual sacrifices were not as fruitful as
obedience

Amos 4:12
.Prepare to meet thy God, oh Israel..

Micah
Preached to Judah during the reign of Jotham, Ahaz & Hezekiah.
Denounced the injustice and the suffering of the
people by misuse of power.

Micah 6:8 .He has showed you what is good; and what
does the Lords require of thee, but to do justly, and to
love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Hosea
Preached to Israel during reigns of Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah and from
Jeroboam II to the last kings of Israel. Contemporary of Amos, Isaiah & Micah.
Lying, stealing and adultery were common.
His own unfaithful wife is a symbol of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God.

Hosea 4:6 .My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge:because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you..




Joel
Preached to Judah during reign of Joash.
Explains the meaning of a horrific locust plague.
Repent from trusting in wealth instead of trusting in God.
Prophesied of Acts, when the spirit would be upon the people.

Joel 2:11
.The day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?.

Zephaniah
Preached to Judah during the reign of Josiah.
Condemned the idolatry and sins of previous kings.
Prepared the country for Josiah’s reforms.

Zephaniah 2:3 .Seek the Lord, all the meek of the earth, which have done his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the
day of the Lord.s anger..
Jeremiah
Preached to Judah during the reign of Josiah,
Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and was contemporary to Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Daniel, and Ezekiel.
Known as the weeping prophet, Jeremiah sorrowed
over the harsh judgement Judah had brought upon
itself.
Warned the kings not to rebel against Babylon, or
they would lose the land.
Warned against false prophets that predicted success.
Wrote the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations.

Jeremiah 7:23 .Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people: and walk in the ways
that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you..

Nahum
Predicts the downfall of Ninevah because they
did not continue in their repentence from Jonah’s
time. Preached during reign of Josiah.

Nahum 1:7-8 .The Lord is good, a stronghold in the
day of trouble; and he knows them that trust in
him. But with an overrunning flood he will
make an utter end of the place, and darkness shall
pursue his enemies

Obadiah
Preached to Judah during reign of Jehoram
and comteporary with Elisha.
Delivered God’s judgement on Edom (Esau’s descendents) for their treatment of
Judah.

Obadiah 15b
.As you have done, it shall be done unto you..

Habakkuk Preached to Judah during
the reign of Jehoiakim.
The Babylonians will come to punish Judah
for its sins.
When the wicked thrive, remember God
is in control.

Habakkuk 2:4 .Behold, his soul which is lifted
up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by faith..

What is a Prophet?
Definition
Prophet: spokesman or messenger for God.
Deut. 18:18-22
I will raise up from among them a Prophet, a Hebrew like you. I will tell him what to say, and heshall be my spokesman to the people. I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to
him and heed his messages from me. But any prophet who falsely claims that his message is from
me, shall die. And any prophet who claims to give a message from other gods must die.' If you
wonder, 'How shall we know whether the prophecy is from the Lord or not?' this is the way to
know: If the thing he prophesies doesn't happen, it is not the Lord who has given him the message;
he has made it up himself. You have nothing to fear from him.
What Prophets Do?
Reveal God’s messages to man.
Warn and advise the leaders and people to follow God.
Explain the judgments of God.
Give hope, by explaining the benefits of repentence.
Foretell the bessings and judgments of God in the future.
False Prophets
Told lies for money, power or popularity.
Were always defeated by true prophets.
Misled and deceived the people.

Why study the prophets today?
They reveal God’s feelings and thoughts to us.
The sins they condemned are still wrong.
Fulfilled prophesies provide confidence in God’s word.
They teach us how God uses nations to do his will.