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Catholics and The Catholic Bible
Welcome friends to our period of Mystagogy
On behalf of God and a grateful Church, we thank you and congratulate you on you’re Confirmation!
Having more than a “simple understanding” of the Catholic Bible is an essential element of defending and explaining our Catholic Faith.
Some key points:
It is a fact that “The Bible” is a “Catholic Book.” This may come as a shock to some.
Catholics wrote the entire New Testament under Divine Inspiration.
The Catholic Bible was the ONLY Bible for about 1,500 years.
All non-catholic bibles use the Catholic Bible as their base, and nearly all of what they have in their bibles can be also found in our bible. Of course some changes were made to support their “new positions,” so always use the Catholic Bible when quoting verses.
The Original Entire Bible in a single language was the Latin Vulgate, translated from Greek, Aramaic, and Latin around the year 350 AD by St. Jerome, into the first complete bible in a single language. Latin, the official language of the RCC was selected, and this was the only Bible until about the year 1600. The Douey Rheims, bible was the Original bible published in English in the very early 1600’s. The name is derived from the two people credited with it’s Latin to English translation. It is the “go to bible for verifying actual verbiage used by the original authors.”
This was done in reaction to the Protestant Revolution, Led by Luther, and then John Kelvin, who were preparing there “own bible versions but in common language [language of the people]” of the once only Catholic Bible. The Church, was “forced” to publish its Catholic Version, also in “common language,” so as to prevent, or at least not make it necessary for the “flock of Christ” to turn to the Protestant Bibles, in search for biblical understanding.
King Henry the Eighth separated from the RCC around 1500 AD, and had his own version of the Anglican Bible, but it never really caught on, as this was before the invention of the printing press.
His “State” religion was really only practiced in England where it was forced on the populace.
Prior to this the RCC did not want people to be reading the bible by themselves, fearing that it was too easy to error in self-interpretation. That fear is valid, and continues to exist today. The RCC is the only fully authorized source for a proper translation.
Luther’s idea for private interpretation is why today there are in excess of 30,000 denominations world-wide that each teach and share their own version of the One Single truth which resides in the RCC. And this is precisely what the RCC feared!
I strongly urge each of you to GOOGLE “Holy Family Catholic Community-Bible Search” and when you pull it up, right click you’re mouse and add an icon to you’re startup page.
If you go to the second drop down box, you can select “The NIV [New International Bible] version, which is what I use.
You can search words, phrases, Verses easily. For example just type in “wisdom”, and see what it pulls up for you. You can also “cut and paste” from this site. Neat!
Now try a phrase. See if you can find “I am the vine?”
Recommendation: The fewer words you use, “always in quotation marks” the faster will be your search, but also the more “hits” you’re likely to get.
You can search for example: “vine”
“I am”
“I am the”
“I am the vine”
This will be a great benefit for you and you’re study. Also on the same page, you can access Young’s Literal Translation, which is a reliable source, when someone try’s to tell you something you do not agree with. I had Father Barry check it out, and I have used it my self often.
A second site you may wish to add to you’re desktop is a Catholic Commentary called: ”Haydock’s Catholic Bible Commentary” [1859] This will explain in detail any verse you do not understand. It is a thoroughly Catholic site and can be trusted by you for accuracy. Again GOOGLE it and right click it to add an icon to you’re start up page.
With these tools, you need not memorize the entire bible; you simply can know “what is say’s” and find what you’re seeking by a word or phrase search. However you must still read the bible to be sufficiently aware of it general content.
At minimum you should read the entire New Testament. No hurry, but very important to gain an understanding of biblical content, and the flow of events.
Now here is another tip on using the bible.
Protestants typically do not expect Catholics to be “Bible Savvy” and are often surprised that we even own a bible much less read it.
So just how do Protestants appear to be so knowledgeable about the bible? Truth is, most aren’t. They memorize bits and pieces that that can quote pretty much at will.
It’s a trick you too should learn, and towards that end I am supplying a list of verses, with comments and statements that you may encounter.
I continually update my list, and review it every month. In the beginning I read it in its entirety everyday for about a month, so I could recall what was on the list. It did not require a lot of effort, and now I to can quote the bible.
A question for you.
In truth how is our Faith spread?
Is it because of us? No, it is actually despite our efforts, but nevertheless through us. Don’t get hung up on what you don’t know. If you’re walking with God, He’ll guide and assist you. That is why a solid prayer and Sacramental life is so very important. Come Holy Spirit Come!
God will use you IF you allow Him, but in His way and His time. It takes effort and a bit of sacrifice, but then what good doesn’t? Seek and expect God’s assistance.
Here are some problems that Protestants have with the bible.
For reasons beyond [common] logic, a great many Protestants do not use [or seemly even accept the ENTIRE Word of God], John Chapter 6 and James Chapter 2 are examples of this.
When they do read these verses, they will often add words or ignore words that conflict with their limited understanding to accommodate their position. Mt. 16:18 for example.
At times they will simply not accept what the bible and Jesus clearly say. Mt. 16:18-20, Mt. 18:18, Jn. 20: 23-24, 1 Jn. 5: 16-17 and John Chapter 6 are all examples of this.
One of the most important things that I can share with you is always pray to the Holy Spirit for assistance before responding to questions. Always, always with charity, NEVER allow yourself to become so engrossed that you become angry. “They will know that we are Catholics by our LOVE!”
The Bible is always true but not always factual. Also the fact that there are varying accounts of the same story are to be understood that while the Old Testament is largely Historical and or Prophetical, the New Testament fulfills Prophecy, introduces a New Religion, and other expanded teaches such as the new Teaching on Adultery, in Mt. 5:27-31.
Varying New Testament accounts of the same event can be explained in that the Bible is God’s “inspired word” (and thus has to be true) BUT it is not God’s dictated word, that each account is a “personal-historical account,” except John’s Gospel which is a Teaching and explanation document and highly Theological.
What do I mean?
Ask any police detective questioning eyewitnesses at a crime scene. If twelve people saw the same crime, no two will recount in it the same identical manner, yet they are all telling the truth; explaining what “they saw (or thought they saw.)
Such is the case with the Apostles and Gospel writers. Their personal lives experience’s and level of education, as well as their emotional state all pray into how they perceived each recorded event.
Each is true, factual but different.
All people react somewhat differently to what is seen or heard or experienced.
One can hear but not comprehend
Hear and comprehend but not accept
Or can even be “opposed to the message”
BIBLE QUOTES: to be memorized “ * ”
*John 3:16 “ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17* For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
*John 3:5 “Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.
*2nd. Tim. 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
*2nd. Cor. 9: 13 “Under the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ,”
2nd. Cor.11: 12 “And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.”
*Mt. 19: 16 And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" 17 And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments."
1st. Cor, 13: 1 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2* And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” GOD REQUIRES CHARITY ON OUR PART
2nd. Peter Chapter One verse 20 “First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. “
*John Chapter 15: 16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 This I command you, to love one another. “
Phil. 1:29 “29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake”
*Phil. 2:12 “12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Eph. 4: 17 “Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; 18 they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart;”
*Luke 10:16 "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
*Mt. 25:31 “31"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? …45 Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." [Clearly these are “works.”]
Gen. 9: “5 For your lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning; of every beast I will require it and of man; of every man's brother I will require the life of man. 6 Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image.”
Rev. 1: “17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
Isaiah 22: Re: PETER(and Jesus)“22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23 And I will fasten him like a peg in a sure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house. 24 And they will hang on him the whole weight of his father's house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. 25 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a sure place will give way; and it will be cut down and fall, and the burden that was upon it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken."
**Mt. 16: RE: PETER “15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, * and on this rock * I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." This is the single most important set of verses to memorize and to be able to explain, as it deals with the founding of the RCC and the Primacy of Peter, on which every other teaching rest.
Use this in conjunction with Mt. 16:19!
John 10: 1"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”
*Rev. 3: RE: PETER “ 7. "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts and no one opens.
2 Thes. 2: “9 The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, 12 so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. “
* Tim 2: “3 This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
*2 Cor. 13: “8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.”
John 8: 31”Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
*Gal. 2: “5 to them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
2 Tim. 4: “3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. 5 As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
*2 Tim. 1: “13 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; 14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.”
John 16: “12 "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14* He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. “
James 5: “19 My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sin”
John 5: “6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. 7 And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 8 There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has borne witness to his Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne to his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life.”
Col. 1: “5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing--so among yourselves, from the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth,”
John 14: “6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
*John 17: “9 I am praying for them; I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine; 10 all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12* While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. * 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. 18 As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth.
Isaiah 43: 7 “every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
Isaiah 43: 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.
Eph.11: “13 In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. “
1 Peter 1: “12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things which have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.”
*John 14: 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. “
*John 14: 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
*Jn.12: 34 This is in the context of the last Supper discourse “20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."
Jn. 12: 34 “The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law [ Torah Law] that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?"
2 Thess. 2: 13 “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 14 To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.
*Jn.14: 21 1 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23* Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
** Luke Ch.1: 26 “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" * 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 33 And behold, you be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. “ This is the most important Marian Doctrine passage’s in the Bible.
Luke Ch. 2: “And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14* "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" NOTE: Keep in mind “Bethlehem means “House of Bread” and a “manger” is a place for food. 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
This ought to get you started. I suggest you keep this lesson for reference.
One final note: You were given a soft-cover blue book entitles “Unabridged Christianity” it deals with using the bible to explain and defend our faith and is a terrific reference book, so I suggest you keep it handy and use it for guidance on how to respond.
As always I am here to assist you in any way possible.
Love and prayer’s and welcome to your period of Mystagogy!
Patrick
Here is a recent defense of the Catholic Bible from the CAF site:
Originally Posted by jean8
I don't understand the two choices, What do you mean by the Bible Mary? Catholic Mary?
I am interjecting myself into this conversation as I am a "Catholic Marian Catecheist," and hold Mary is a special reverence in my heart and personal prayer life.
What is meant by this is that some hold the view that "The Mary [Mother of Jesus] in the bible" is not the Mother of God. How one is able to reach this conclusion is a mystery, if they accept the Word of God, and clearly there are those who do not.
If Jesus is God, and Mary is the Mother of Jesus; Mary has to be the "Mother of God." Amen! Jesus is God Mary is the Mother of Jesus and therefore "The defacto "Mother of God." This Mary "of the Bible" is Mary, the Mother of God.
Quote:
Don't you read the Bible? In this case Lu.1: 26-38. I like verse 49 also.
At times Catholics say things about non- catholics which aren't true. And the reverse of this is true also.
While I agree with you're statement without a specific example I am unable to respond to it.
Quote:
As a Lutheran I believe Mary is blessed and I say the Rosary. It's a beautiful, biblical prayer. I think every Christian should pray the Rosary.
Amen! Thank you!
Quote:
Catholics wrote the New Testament? Would you care to explain this statement?
As an FYI, Martin Luther himself acknowledged that "we must thank the Catholics for the bible."
The statement is further validated by super-abundant historical evidence.
Christ founded only one Church, [Mt.16: 18-20] that which we now identify as the RCC. St. Peter, the first Pope in 2 Peter, used the term “Christian” 4:16 and by St. Paul in Acts 4: 26-27. It was not until the early part of the Second Century that the term "Catholic" was first used, and this took place in Antioch.
The Bible was written in a variety of languages until about the year 350Ad, when St. Jerome,
took the Greek, Aramaic [the language Jesus spoke] and Latin Books and translated the entire Bible into Latin, the "common language of the then "Catholic Church."
As their was until the mid 1500's only ONE Christian faith, the RCC, and all of the Apostles and authors of the bible were (had to be it was the only Denomination at the time) members of that "One Church" they by default were Catholic, and thus the statement that the entire New Testament was authored by Catholics inspired by the Holy Sprit is accurate and the only possible scenario.
Additionally, the Catholic Bible was the only Bible in existence until about the year 1650 when the KJV became published.
King Henry The Eighth did have a very limited edition of the Anglican Bible published in about 1560, but it had very limited exposure and was uses primarily in England with His new "State Religion."
To this very day upwards of 90% of what is found in the Catholic Bible can be found in all other "new and self-edited" bibles. That is why Catholics insist on using "the Original" Bible, the Actual Entire and actual Words of God, in defense of our Catholic Faith.
It was Luther’s and John Calvin’s desire to make the "bible public" and to publish it in a multitude of "common languages" that led to "self interpretation" of the bible, which in turn is the precise reason their are now some 30,000 Christian denominations, each proclaiming their personal version of the "One Single truth" that God originally divulged to the Catholic Authors of the Bible. One TRUTH told 30,000 ways, can't be "the truth!"
Jean my friend, I hope this helps you're understanding?
Love and prayer's
Indeed: "holy is His name!"
