Saint Paul is more in the spotlight than any other figure in the early Church. Of many others, even the apostles who were closest to Jesus, we know very little. In some cases we know nothing more than their name. This is to some extent true of Jesus who left no writings and whose historical account has been clouded […]
Who Was Paul of the New Testament? Read More »
The Catholic New Testament canon is identical to that of the Protestants other than some minor translation differences. Our difference lies in the contents of the Old Testament where we have Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch and additions to Esther and Daniel. These books were called apocryphal by the Protestants and deuterocanonical (Second
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Editor’s note: All Scripture references are from the Gospel of Mark unless other wise noted. The first writings of the New Testament were the letters of St. Paul. The author of Mark’s gospel ventured into new territory when he wrote his proclamation of the good news. Nothing in this genre had been written before. The gospel
Mark, the First Catechism Read More »
Until recently the Gospels were thought to be biographies of Jesus. However scholars now agree that they are catechisms of teachings concerning the risen Lord written to increase the faith of the readers. Each writer chose special material for different audiences in different decades which account for some of their variances. Who wrote the Gospels? They were
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Editor’s note: All Scripture references are from the Gospel of Luke unless other wise noted. The Gospel of Luke appears as part one of a two volume work, Luke-Acts, dedicated to someone named Theophilus (1:3; Acts 1;1) Today they are separated. Critics acclaim the author’s style as one of the best in the New Testament.For its
Luke, the Gospel of Social Justice Read More »
Mary in the Old Testament She appears as a prototype of the second Eve in the creation narrative. After human-kind sins in the Garden of Eden, God says to the serpent (Satan), “I will put enmity you and the woman and between your offspring and hers. He will strike at your head, while you strike at his
Mary in the Scriptures Read More »
Recently an archeological find of great importance to Bible scholars was announced in the press. An ossuary (bone box) surfaced as part of a private collection with the inscription “James the son of Joseph, the brother of Jesus.” In June 2003 the Israel Antiquities Authority declared it a forgery. In the New Testament there are passages referring
Brothers of Jesus? Read More »
The books of Daniel and Revelation are of the apocalyptic genre, a unique literary form peculiar to the age in which they were written. Often described as crisis literature, they clearly were spawned during times of great stress in history when the only solution seemed to call for God’s intervention in the affairs of humankind. The first
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The Bible is a library of some of the religious literature of ancient Israel and of the Christian Church. Like any library it contains a great variety of literary forms. There is history, saga, tales of tribal heroes, and legends about the beginnings of the world. There are poetry, drama, parables, allegory, prophecy, maxims, proverbs, and
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Throughout the New and Old Testaments of the Bible, one may detect, among others, three major themes: Particularity and Universality; Nature and the Natural Law; and Grace. All three topics permeate the Bible, and yet may also be perfectly demonstrated in one single text: the first chapter of the Gospel of John. As in all the teachings
Truths of the Bible Read More »