The Old Testament in the Heart of the Catholic Church
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One example of this is that even the pope has no ability to make a man not a priest. Under special circumstances a priest can be 'laicized,' (released from his promises as a priest and forbidden to act as a priest), but he remains a priest.

Christ himself spoke a new 'name' for that man on the day he was ordained, and now, it is literally true that even the pope can't change that 'name.'

One day, a bishop laid hands on that man and said, ''You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.'' From then on, part of that man's 'name,' part of his essence and identity, part of the meaning of his life, became 'priest.' No one can ever change that, not even the pope.

So, even if some horribly sick or evil future pope said (for example) that there were only six sacraments, that still would not make it so. A long time ago, Christ spoke the 'name' of the number of his sacraments. If even a pope can't make a priest not a priest, if even a pope can't change the 'name' of even one man whom Christ has given the name priest, then a pope can certainly not change the 'name' of the number of the sacraments. Christ has spoken that 'name,' and it is forever.

Throughout the centuries, popes and bishops make many judgments that are NOT solemn and forever. They also make judgments that might one day be declared to be solemn and forever but aren't yet. Both kinds of judgments may well be changed by future popes and bishops - or they might not.

Remember also that while Christ, Truth Himself, who always speaks truly, will never, ever turn his back on a single part of the specific truth of the New Covenant as we have it and know it now, nonetheless, Christ is also the font of all the good surprises that will ever be. Thus, we may put no limits on what Christ might teach us in the future.

After all, the apostles were absolutely flabbergasted by the resurrection. That was the greatest, most beautiful surprise that they had ever experienced. So, more great, beautiful surprises may await us as Christ works by the power of his Holy Spirit in and through the Catholic Church to draw us closer to him.

Christ can deepen our understanding of himself and of his union with his Catholic Church. The reality of that union is staring us in the face, but we will never grasp it completely. There's no telling what wonderful surprises await us as Christ leads us to a deeper understanding. >>


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Still, it is important to remember: the reality of the New Covenant as we specifically have it and know it now is forever. One day, you might wake up in a very bad mood and say that the Old Testament is not part of the ''real'' Bible. Even I might say that.

Our saying that won't make it so. It won't change the reality of Christ's very specific physical and spiritual union with his one and only Bride and Body, the Catholic Church. Whatever any of us says, there the Old Testament will still be, still part of that forever reality. <<


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In any particular passage in the Old Testament, there

a.   can be a meaning that contradicts the meaning the human author intended to convey.
b.   can be more meaning there, even beyond the meaning the human author intended to convey.
c.   can not be more meaning there, beyond the meaning the human author intended to convey.


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Often, there is more meaning in a particular passage in the Bible, even beyond the meaning the human author intended to convey, particularly as seen in the light of the reality of the sacraments and the truth of the New Testament. For example, look at Gen 1:1 and compare it to Jn 1:1, as you did in a previous question. (Yes, you do have to go back and do that now). But all meaning starts with the truth of the literal sense of the passage. <<


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Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy || Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings || 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah || Tobit* Judith* Esther 1 Maccabees* 2 Maccabees* Job

Psalms

Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Wisdom* Sirach* || Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Baruch* Ezekiel Daniel || Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah >> Nahum << Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

The Old Testament books with a star * are not any more or less important than the others. The star indicates that the Catholic Church definitively professes and knows these books to be part of the sacred writings, the inspired Word of God [cf. CCC 120], but that they are specifically rejected by the Jewish people, and called ''apocryphal'' (of doubtful inspiration) by Protestants.

Read Nahum, Nah 1:1. Read Nah 3:1-3. Read Nah 3:18-19. The book of Nahum prophesies the utter destruction of Nineveh, the powerful and merciless capital of the kingdom of

a.   Assyria.
b.   Babylon.
c.   Egypt.



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Nineveh was utterly destroyed in 612 BC, just as Nahum had prophesied. The Lord speaks to Jerusalem in Nah 1:12. Read Nah 1:12. However, despite this promise, Jerusalem was more than humbled, it was leveled to the ground in 586 BC by the Babylonians. This means that

a.   God was plainly not speaking through the prophet Nahum.
b.   Nahum foresaw the end of Assyria, but not the rise of Babylon.
c.   prophecy is just wishful thinking by a pious person.


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Read Gen 5:26-27 (chapter 5, verses 26-27). Is the literal sense of that passage that Methuselah actually lived nine hundred sixty-nine years?

a.   Maybe.
b.   No.
c.   Yes.


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Have the pope and bishops united with him firmly decided that anyone who thinks that Methuselah actually lived nine hundred sixty-nine years is by that fact alone moving farther from Christ?

a.   Maybe.
b.   No.
c.   Yes.


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Have the pope and bishops united with him firmly decided that anyone who thinks that Methuselah did not actually live nine hundred sixty-nine years is by that fact alone moving farther from Christ?

a.   Maybe.
b.   No.
c.   Yes.


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It is likely that millions of Catholics, for century upon century, thought that Methuselah actually lived nine hundred sixty-nine years. This judgment

a.   by itself moved them farther from Christ.
b.   did not by itself move them farther from Christ.
c.   may by itself have moved them farther from Christ.


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It is likely that millions of Catholics today think that Methuselah did not actually live nine hundred sixty-nine years. This judgment

a.   by itself moves them farther from Christ.
b.   does not by itself move them farther from Christ.
c.   may by itself move them farther from Christ.


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A Catholic priest who is a Bible scholar teaches a class on the Old Testament and informs you that the Fall is ''perhaps best understood not as a personal sin committed by a historical first man and first woman (Adam and Eve). Rather, the point of the Adam and Eve narrative in Genesis - and the concept of 'original sin' - is to acknowledge and explain the mystery of evil in human existence and in the world and its impact on us.''

After having this statement translated into English, you realize that he's just told you that Adam and Eve were not real, and that the Fall was not a real event. If you moved toward that judgment expressed by that Catholic priest and scholar,

a.   by itself that would move you farther from Christ.
b.   by itself that might not move you farther from Christ.
c.   by itself that would not move you farther from Christ.


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A Catholic priest who is a Bible scholar teaches a class on the Old Testament and informs you that the age given for Methuselah in Gen 5:26-27 ''should be interpreted in the light of the saga/genealogy-form in which the passage occurs.''

After having this statement translated into English, you realize that he's just told you that Methuselah's age should be interpreted as part of a story told about the history of a long line of great heroes descended from one another, doing great deeds in the ancient past. If you moved toward that judgment expressed by that Catholic priest and scholar,

a.   by itself that would move you farther from Christ.
b.   by itself that might not move you farther from Christ.
c.   by itself that would not move you farther from Christ.


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''Christ is everywhere'' means that

a.   Christ is equally available to us in every single situation and in every single idea.
b.   in this life, there is no place we can go, from which Christ can not call us to him.
c.   whatever we think or do, Christ will not allow us to turn away from him.


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We can move our thoughts and actions closer to an idea. For instance, we can say that we believe it. We can act differently because of it. We can try to persuade others to think the same way. We can move our thoughts and actions closer to the idea that the Old Testament doesn't belong in the ''real'' Bible. If we do that, then

a.   Christ will keep us close to him.
b.   we are moving closer to Christ.
c.   we are moving farther from Christ.


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Historically, disagreements about religious ideas have

a.   had little effect on world affairs, but have sometimes torn families apart.
b.   prompted men to persecute, torture, kill, and make war on other men.
c.   quickly led to productive dialogue and greater harmony among all men.


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Over the last few centuries, people in many countries (such as the United States) have finally agreed that

a.   a religious difference is not a valid reason to injure someone.
b.   religious differences should be ignored at all times.
c.   there are no real religious differences among men of good will.


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In many countries today, if (for example) you think that the Old Testament doesn't belong in the ''real'' Bible, that's ''fine,'' in the sense that

a.   everyone agrees that the Old Testament doesn't belong in the Bible.
b.   it doesn't really matter whether the Old Testament belongs in the Bible.
c.   no one is going to put you in jail, or injure you, if you think and say that.


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The fact that many countries now make it against the law to injure someone because of a religious difference means that

a.   deep down, everyone now has the same religious beliefs and practices.
b.   no one can force you to believe the truths of the Catholic faith.
c.   there is no 'right answer.' It's all a matter of opinion.


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Heresies (ideas that clearly conflict with what the Catholic Church solemnly teaches)

a.   can exist, and do matter.
b.   can exist, but don't matter.
c.   can't exist, and don't matter.


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