Catholic Doctrine
in ScriptureVolume IV
Contents
MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD
Mary as Ark of the New Covenant
Catholics do not 'worship' Mary, for the simple reason we do not believe her to be God. We do certainly love her, though, and we are grateful to her, for through her -- quite literally -- came our salvation. She is shown by scripture to be the ark of the new covenant. As such, she is due greater esteem than the 
old ark, which was viewed by the ancient Israelites as the most precious and revered object in creation apart from the Creator himself. So we see that treating her as 'just another Christian' is unbiblical, since even an angel of God pays homage to her (Lk. 1: 28).
Indeed, by venerating Mary, we are fulfilling the clear New Testament prophecy, specifically:
Lk. 1: 48 -- "...behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed." For two thousand years now, her prophecy has been in a state of constant fulfillment.
Lk. 1: 28 -- Gabriel praises Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Greek word translated as, "full of grace," is actually a verb construction meaning, "One who has been perfected in grace." Nowhere else does an angel give tribute to a human in this way.
Indeed, in Rev. 19: 10, even John the Evangelist falls on his face in adoration before an angel because he is so overwhelmed by its presence: "I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Don't! I am a fellow servant of yours...'" And John repeats the same blunder just three chapters later, in Rev. 22: 8, and has to be corrected again by the angel.
Incredibly, Mary, a simple country girl of 13 or 14, makes no such mistake; instead, the angel is the one who pays homage to her! This is more than astonishing, it is unparalleled in salvation history.
Lk. 1: 43 -- Elizabeth's greeting, "'Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?'" isn't just unusual, it is absolutely radical. Elizabeth was "well advanced in
years," far older than Mary. For her to address a younger relative in this way would have been completely unheard of in a culture with such rigidly hierarchical family customs.
Further, Elizabeth's greeting clearly establishes Mary as the new ark of the covenant, since the phrase Elizabeth uses obviously refers to the following verse:
2 Sam. 6: 9 -- David asks, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" This passage parallels Elizabeth's greeting in Lk. 1: 43 (above). Thus, Mary is shown to be the onew ark of the covenant, the bearer of God, or 'Theotokos'. When David, in fear, sends the ark to the house of Obededom, it stayed there three months (2 Sam. 6: 11).
Mary remained with Elizabeth for the same period of time -- three months (Lk. 1: 56).
1 Kings 2: 13-25 -- Solomon bows to Bathsheba his mother; kills Adonijah for plotting to come between him and his mother.
1 Kings 2: 20 -- Solomon the king cannot refuse his mother.
2 Kings 11: 3 -- The King's mother rules after king dies.
Lk. 1: 35 -- Gabriel tells Mary: "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." The Greek word for 'overshadow' is 'epischiadze,' which is the same word used in reference to the ark of the covenant in the following passage. There it is translated as 'settled down upon.'
Thus, once again, Mary is shown to be the new ark:
Ex. 40: 34-35 -- "The cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. Moses could not enter the meeting tent because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling." Mary is
associated with the old ark to show she is the new ark of the covenant.
Lk. 1: 38 -- Mary's assent was required before God would fulfill his Word. Think about this for a moment: God deigns to ask a humble human being's permission before he redeems the world. Also think about this: She had the power to say no.
Of course, she does not say no. Instead, she utters her beautiful 'fiat', which is an exquisite one-phrase summation of the ultimate meaning of faith:
"May it be done to me according to your word." Our salvation can be traced to this moment.
Lk. 1: 42 -- Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, makes this radical, almost blasphemous statement: "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." She applies the same word, 'blessed,' to the Son of God, and
to a mortal human, Mary. And, just as surprising, she refers to Mary first.
In a culture so steeped in hierarchy and tradition, and so sensitive to desecration, this cannot have been an accident, either of Elizabeth's, of the Holy Spirit's, or of St. Luke's. This is not, of course, blasphemy, but a measure of the esteem in which the Holy Spirit holds his spouse.
Lk. 2: 51 -- "He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them." Mary determines when Jesus' ministry begins; he left the temple and returned home with them.
John 2: 4 -- "My hour has not yet come..." Mary determines when Jesus' ministry begins; it is here, at the wedding feast of Cana, that he first reveals himself, and he does so at Mary's request.
John 19: 26-30 -- Mary also determines the end of Jesus' ministry; his final act was to place John into her care: "'Woman, behold your son.' Then he said to the disciple,
'Behold your mother.'" Then, "...aware that everything was finished..." he gave up his spirit.
Rev. 12: 17 -- Mary referred to as mother of the faithful: "...her offspring, those who keep God's commandments and bear witness to Jesus." Reaffirms that from the cross Jesus gave his mother to all of us, not only to the apostle John (John 19: 26-27, above).
Lk. 2: 34-35 -- Simeon ties Jesus' suffering -- and his revelatory power -- to Mary's:
"'Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'"
Ps. 45: 7-18 -- In this Messianic prophecy, we see a queen standing at the right hand of Jesus. This can only refer to Mary: "Your throne, O god, stands forever; your royal scepter is a scepter for justice... a princess arrayed in Ophir's gold comes to stand at your right hand... In embroidered apparel she is led to the king... I will make your name renowned through all generations; thus nations shall praise you forever." Of course we know this prophecy refers to Mary because in her Magnificat (Lk. 1: 48, cited in the first verse above), the Evangelist has Mary herself proclaim:
"...behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed." Again, this reference cannot be a mistake. Luke is letting us know, in terms that any Jew of his day would have instantly recognized, that Mary is the fulfillment of this beautiful prophecy.
Please note: For the Marian sections of this booklet, the Douay-Rheims translation is used, since its translation is more literal than modern versions and so captures
nuances of the writers' intentions that broader translations do not.
Mary as the New Eve
Judges 5: 24 -- "Blessed among women be Jahel..." Twice in Luke 1 is Mary described as 'blessed among women' -- once by Gabriel, in vs. 28, and once by Elizabeth, in vs. 42. Their words are a reference to this Old Testament verse which describes an incident in which Jahel, a woman of Israel, entices the leader of the opposing army into her tent, lulls him to sleep, then pierces his skull by pounding a tent peg into it. This reference to Jahel speaks of the fulfillment of the following divine prophecy:
Gen. 3: 15 -- "'I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her head.'"
The Hebrew pronoun is indefinite as to gender. The passage could be translated, "she
shall crush," referring to Mary, or "he shall crush," referring to Jesus. Jerome, in translating his Latin Vulgate, used the form, "she." Most modern translators use, "he."
However, even the fact that it is not definite is of interest. Luke's dual references to Jahel seems to make clear his interpretation. The 'enmity' between Mary and Satan
becomes all too clear in Revelation 12:
"And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman, water as if it were a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river... And the dragon was angry against the woman..." (verses 15, 17).
All these passages of scripture -- and so many more -- come together in the person of Mary.
John 2: 3-4 -- Jesus refers to his mother with the word for woman, rendered in the Greek Septuagent as "Gune," a term of high rank; the same word which was used to refer to Eve in Gen. 3: 15 (see above reference).
John 19: 26 -- Greek word, "Gune," as above, again used in reference to Mary.
Gal. 4: 4 -- Greek word, "Gune," as above, used to refer to Mary.
Devotion to Mary
As we saw in the previous section, the scripture writers are clear about the status of Mary: She is the queen who stands at the right hand of the Messiah; she is the ark of the new covenant, Jesus Christ. In a unique and marvelous way, she was the Dwelling of the Lord, his sanctuary. Now, if the old ark was the archetype of the new ark, we need only examine the way the Israelites regarded the old ark to discern how we should regard the new ark:
1 Chr. 16: 4 -- "He (David) now appointed certain Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to celebrate, thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel." Priests 'ministered before' the ark, showing it a special reverence.
1 Chr. 16: 37-38 -- "Then David left Asaph and his brethren there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark regularly according to the daily ritual; as he also left there Obed-edom and sixty-eight of his brethren, including Obed-edom, son of Jeduthum, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers." More than seventy people specially assigned to 'minister before' and protect the ark -- an impressive display of devotion.
1 Chr. 29: 20 -- "...David besought the whole assembly, 'Now bless the Lord your God!' And the whole assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, bowing down and prostrating themselves before the Lord and before the king." Those who
bow while addressing Mary are simply bowing down and prostrating themselves before the Lord and before the queen.
Lev. 19: 30 -- "Keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary. I am the Lord."
Mary is the sanctuary of the Lord in a sense far truer and far more intimate than the Old Testament temple ever was his sanctuary. Mary actually gave him his human nature and sustained his human life.
Ps. 134: 2 -- "Lift up your hands toward the sanctuary, and bless the Lord." We are directed to take a worshipful posture before the 'sanctuary' -- i.e., before Mary.
Ps. 138: 2 -- "I bow low toward your holy temple; I praise your name for your fidelity and love. For you have exalted over all your name and your promise." We are instructed to 'bow low' before the temple, which contains the old ark. How much more ought we reverence the new ark herself. Thus we see that 'bowing down' before Mary is not only acceptable, it is expected of those who are subject to the new covenant -- that is, Christians. In other words, if we were to refuse to
acknowledge Mary, it would be as if the Israelites, in professing their love of Yahweh, nonetheless refused to pay homage to the Dwelling of the Lord. But of course, such a thing would have been totally unthinkable.
Ps. 45: 13 -- In Psalm 45, the prophetic passage referring to Mary as "a princess" who stands at the right hand of the Messiah, we find these words: "Then the richest of the people will seek your favor with gifts." This is a reference to the faithful who seek Mary's intercession.
1 Sam. 4: 22 -- "'Gone is the glory from Israel.'" Eli's daughter-in-law makes this astounding statement after the army of the Israelites is defeated, and the ark is captured by the Philistines. Note that the glory of God departed when the ark was captured. To our minds, this doesn't make a lot of sense. God is everywhere, right?
Isn't he the glory of Israel? Didn't all this fuss about a golden box detract from the people's devotion to God? No. God, in his mysterious and inscrutable ways, gave himself to the nation through the Ark. When the Ark was taken, Israel's glory was gone. This is the mystery and majesty of the Incarnation: that physical existence -- including of course our own human lives -- has real and tangible meaning. This
reality is not a mere reflection or illusion, as Buddhism propounds, but it is the arena where the struggle between good and evil takes place, where eternal souls are lost or found.
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception refers to the birth of Mary without original sin.
Ex. 25: 10-16 -- The old ark was prepared with great care at the direction of the Lord. As we saw above, Mary is the new ark; would she have been prepared with less care?
Gen. 1: 27 -- "God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them." Eve, the Old Testament archetype, was created without original sin; so too Mary, who is the New Testament fulfillment of Eve and who therefore is far greater than Eve, must have been created without original sin as well.
Lk. 1: 28 -- Gabriel praises Mary: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Greek word translated as, "full of grace," is actually a grammatical construction meaning, "One who has been perfected in grace."
Nowhere else does an angel honor a human in this way. He could not have used these words if she had been touched by sin in any way. Therefore, she must have been born without even original sin.
Lk. 1: 49 -- "'The Mighty One has done great things for me...'"
Mary's Virginity
John 19: 27 -- From the cross, Jesus gives Mary to John's charge; Jesus could not have done this if he'd had brothers. This gesture would have been highly disrespectful to them.
2 Sam. 6: 7 -- Uzzah was killed for simply touching the ark, even though he intended no harm; he only wanted to save it from tipping over.
Mary is the new ark; Joseph could not have defiled her without suffering the same punishment.
Ex. 40: 34-35 -- "The cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. Moses could not enter the meeting tent because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling." If no one, not even Moses, could enter into the meeting tent; what man could have entered into the new ark?
1 Cor. 7: 29 -- "I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them..."
1 Cor. 7: 37-38 -- The one who stands firm in his resolve, however, who is not under compulsion but has power over his own will, and has made up his mind to keep his virgin, will be doing well. So then, the one who marries his virgin does
well; the one who does not marry her will do better.
Rev. 14: 2-5 -- "These are they who were not defiled with women; they are virgins and these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been ransomed as the firstfruits of the human race for God and the Lamb. On their lips no deceit has been found; they are unblemished."
Jesus' brothers
Mk. 6: 3 -- Most of the confusion regarding Mary's virginity stems from liberties taken with this verse: "Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?" The misunderstanding is exacerbated by
the fact that the mother of James and Joses is also named Mary:
Mt. 27: 56 -- "There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses..."
Clearly, however, this Mary is not Jesus' mother, since the evangelist would not have failed to identify her as such on Calvary. As is evident as well in the following passage:
Mk. 15: 40 -- "There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome. These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to
him."
Again, the fact that this Mary is not Jesus' mother is quite clear.
Lk. 6: 15-16 -- This verse clarifies the matter further, since the 'younger James' spoken of in the passage above is said to be "the son of Alphaeus" -- not of Joseph.
Mt. 10: 3 -- Again, James is listed as "the son of Alphaeus."
John 19: 25 -- The Evangelist John identifies this additional Mary at the cross as, "...his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas..." So apparently both Mary's -- Jesus' mother and the mother of James and Joses -- were close blood relatives.
This is an important clue about the Mk. 6: 3 verse, above, which lists James and Joses as Jesus' "brothers." Close blood relatives -- including cousins and nephews -- were frequently called "brothers." (See the elaboration on the Biblical usage of the word, "brother," in the passages below.)
Lk. 2: 41-51 -- In the account of the child Jesus in temple, no mention is made of siblings.
Mk. 6: 3 -- "Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary..." Verse does not say, "a son of Mary," or "one of the sons of Mary."
2 Sam. 1: 26 -- "I grieve for you Jonathan, my brother!" Jonathan was not David's brother in the literal sense. This is an example of the usage of the word 'brother' to denote a close, non-filial relationship.
1 Kings 9: 13 -- Hiram refers to Solomon as 'brother' when they are not even blood relatives. Hiram is king of Tyre.
1 Kings 20: 13 -- Ahab calls Ben-hadad 'brother.'
Amos 1: 9 -- "...pact of brotherhood..." Allies of no blood relation were referred to as brothers.
A remaining objection to this scenario is, of course, the question of why James and Joses are identified as sons of Alphaeus, while their mother is said to be the wife of
Clopas. Two possibilities exist: Either the mother of James and Joses re-married Clopas after the father of her sons died, or Alphaeus and Clopas were the same individual -- since men in Hebrew society were at times known by more than one name.
In ancient Israel, it was disrespectful for younger brothers to advise older brothers, but Jesus' "brothers" do advise him -- most irreverently in fact. So if Jesus had
brothers by blood, they must have been older. But scripture is absolutely explicit that Jesus was firstborn. Therefore he could not have had brothers by blood:
John 7: 3-4 -- "So his brothers said to him, "Leave here..."
Mk. 3: 21 -- "...they said, 'He is out of his mind...'"
Mary's 'until'
Mary's virginity is most often attacked by citing Mt. 1: 25, where we find this reference to Joseph and Mary: "He had no relations with her until she bore a son…"
This is a misreading of the term 'until' as it is used in the scriptures. In the Bible, the word 'until' is used in a specific way to imply only the fulfillment of certain
conditions. It implies nothing about what will happen after those conditions are fulfilled. Thus, it does not in any way imply that Joseph and Mary had relations after Jesus' birth. It only states that they did not up till that point. The following examples will doubtless help clarify the point:
Mt. 28: 18-20 -- "'… behold, I am with you always, until the end of the world.'" Who would conclude from this that Jesus will no longer be with the faithful after the end of the world? Yet we must interpret it thus if we also conclude that Joseph and Mary had relations after Jesus' birth.
1 Cor. 15: 25 -- "...he must reign until he puts his enemies under his feet." Clearly, Jesus reigns after that as well.
2 Sam 6: 23 -- Michal is said to be childless "until" the day of her death; it is hardly possible to conclude from this text that after her death she had children. Yet we must make that assumption if we are to be consistent with the position that Joseph and Mary had relations after Jesus was born.
Dt. 34: 6 -- "...but to this day no one knows the place of his burial..." They still don't, of course.
1 Mac. 5: 53 -- "Judas kept... encouraging the people the whole way, until he reached the land of Judah." It is not likely such encouragement ceased upon arrival in the land of Judah.
John 5: 9-18 -- "...Jesus answered them, 'My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.'" Jesus was not saying that his Father stopped working upon the birth of the Messiah.
Assumption
Acts 2: 27 -- "...nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption." Refers to:
Ps. 16: 10 -- "...nor wilt thou give thy holy one to see corruption." The body's eventual decay is caused by sin.
Gen. 5: 24 -- "Then Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him."
Heb. 11: 5 -- "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death... he was attested to have pleased God."
Gen. 3: 19 -- "...Until you return to the ground from which you were taken..." Death is the punishment resulting from original sin. Mary had no original sin, so she must have been spared corruption of the body.
2 Kings 2: 1-13 -- Elijah taken to heaven in a chariot.
Ps. 132: 8 -- "Arise, Lord, come to your resting place, you and your majestic ark."The Old Testament resting place of God is the Dwelling within the temple sanctuary in Jerusalem. The New Testament fulfillment of Jerusalem, seen in Revelation, is heaven. The New Testament fulfillment of the temple is the sanctuary of heaven.
Since the New Testament fulfillment of the ark, as we saw above, is Mary's body, we can conclude that Mary's body must be in heaven. Otherwise this passage of scripture would not be true.
Rev. 11: 19 -- 12: 1 -- Ark described in the sanctuary of Heaven; refers to Mary, who is the new ark, being present in body: "Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple... A sign appeared
in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet..."
Note that the chapter-and-verse notations were not added until a thousand years after the New Testament was written. So the separation between the passages is an unbiblical, altogether modern, conceit.
The early Church fathers recognized the parallel between Eve and Mary, upon which much of the Church's teachings about Mary are based. At the end of the second century -- still more than 100 years before the canon of the New Testament was pronounced -- we find St. Irenaeus writing: "Thus, the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. What the virgin Eve had bound in unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosed
through faith" ('The Faith of the Early Fathers,' Vol. 1, Jurgens, p. 93).
COMMUNION OF SAINTS
The Church believes that the perfection achieved by the faithful is not extinguished at
death, but lives on in heaven, as the holy ones take their places as newly perfected members of the Mystical Body.
1 Cor. 12: 12-27 -- "But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy."
Gal. 1: 22-23 -- "And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way."
Eph. 4: 15-16 -- "Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into
him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by
every supporting ligament, with the proper functioning of each part, brings about the
body's growth and builds itself up in love."
Eph. 5: 21-29 -- "For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the
church, he himself the savior of the body."
Gal. 3: 28 -- "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Col. 1: 18 -- "He is the head of the body, the church."
Rom. 12: 4-8 -- "For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another."
Rom. 8: 35-39 -- Paul is clear. Not even death can separate the faithful from Christ or one another: "What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?... No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us."
Col. 3: 15 -- "And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body."
1 Cor. 10: 17 -- The Church is one in Christ in the Eucharist: "Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf."
In 350 A.D., St. Cyril wrote a remarkable and exquisitely detailed description of the Mass, which clearly corresponds with today's Mass. In it we find this beautiful statement
on the family of God which we all belong to, and which even today we pray for in every Mass: "...upon completion of the spiritual Sacrifice, the bloodless worship, over that
propitiatory victim, we call upon God for the common peace of the Churches, for the welfare of the world, for kings, for soldiers and allies, for the sick, for the afflicted,
and in summary, we all pray and offer this Sacrifice for all who are in need. Then we make mention also of those who have already fallen asleep: first, the patriarchs, prophets, Apostles, and martyrs, that through their prayers and supplications God would receive our petition; next, we make mention also of the holy fathers and bishops who
have already fallen asleep, and, to put it simply, of all among us who have already fallen asleep; for we believe that it will be of very great benefit to the souls of those for whom
the petition is carried up, while this holy and most solemn Sacrifice is laid out" ('The Faith of the Early Fathers,' Vol. 1, Jurgens, p. 363).
NEW COVENANT FULFILLS OLD
2 Cor. 3: 3 -- "You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all, shown to be a letter of Christ administered by us, written not in ink but by the
Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets that are hearts of flesh." The Catholic Church treats scripture the way Jesus treated scripture. We believe that, to plumb the depths of the Holy Writ, we need to study, to pray, to trust in the Holy Spirit. For much of the truth there is hidden and not easily or automatically grasped by all. Jesus himself had to open the truth of the scriptures for his followers before they
could fully understand the truth of what was found there. The Protestant doctrine of 'sola scriptura' is not really about scripture at all. It's about the claim that each person who picks up a Bible will be unerringly guided to the truth The following works served as resources for both the scripture references and the
ideas represented in this booklet. Each is excellent in its own way. Tim Staples'
tapes, listed first, were particularly instructive. But you will have no trouble finding
dozens of books and tapes which will provide you with valuable information in far
greater depth and detail than can be included in this modest volume.
The new covenant is living and vital, not legalistic and dead.
2 Cor. 3: 7-9 -- "Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, was so glorious that the Israelites could not look intently at the face of Moses because of its glory that was going to fade, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit be glorious?" Refers to Ezek. 36: 26-27.
Heb. 8: 13 -- "When he speaks of a 'new' covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing."
Heb. 9: 23-28 -- "Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified by these rites, but the heavenly things themselves by better sacrifices
than these. For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf."
Heb. 10: 1 -- The Old Testament is fulfilled in New Testament truths. The Old Testament personages are "types" which point to their New Testament fulfillments:
"Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of them..."
INTERPRETING SCRIPTURES
Lk. 24: 13-35 -- Jesus had to teach his disciples the meaning of the scriptures before they could understand. 'Scripture alone' was not enough for them to grasp the truth:
"Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures." Although they had access to these scriptures, the disciples needed an authoritative interpretation of what they had read so many times before they could see the truth. Are we so different that we believe we can come to a full and complete understanding of these difficult passages on our own?
Lk. 7: 18-23 -- Even John the Baptist, who was filled with the Holy Spirit from before his birth (Lk. 1: 15), could not discern Jesus' true nature from 'scripture alone.' He sent his
followers to query Jesus. And this is important: Jesus did not answer them with any direct claim. Instead, he interpreted the hidden truths in scriptures for them, "'Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.'" John's followers get no new information here. Only an authoritative interpretation of scriptures. If 'sola scriptura' were true -- that we need no authority to interpret scriptures for us -- John and his followers would not have required this clarification from Jesus.
Acts 17: 11 -- "These Jews were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all willingness and examined the scriptures daily to determine whether these things were so." This is probably the primary proof text used to support 'sola scriptura.' However, it actually supports the dual authority of Sacred Tradition and Scripture, since nowhere does it suggest that the Bereans, without Paul's presence and the help of his oral teachings, could have ever concluded
that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Indeed, they could not have.
Eph. 3:8 -- "To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, and to bring to light [for all] what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things."
This is what Paul did for the Bereans (Acts. 17: 10-12); they needed Paul to teach them before they understood the hidden truths of the scriptures. The Spirit did not directly enlighten each individual. (See passage directly above.)
1 Cor. 2: 7-8 -- God's truths are not instantly grasped by all; we need teachers like Paul to unlock them: "...we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age
knew..."
1 Cor. 2: 12-13 -- "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God."
Heb. 10: 1 -- The Old Testament is fulfilled in New Testament truths. The Old Testament personages are 'types' which point to their New Testament fulfillments:
"Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of them..."
Heb. 9: 23-28 -- "Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified by these rites, but the heavenly things themselves by better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf."
Typology is specifically referred to here.
1 Peter 3: 20-21 -- Another reference to typology: "...God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now."
NOT BY SCRIPTURE ALONE
by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is, in short, a claim of infallibility -- not for one faithful and learned man sitting in Rome, who has been anointed by the authority of Christ and his apostles, but for millions of individuals regardless of their education, their sensitivity, their prayer life or their spirituality -- or even the nature of their intentions. It is an exceedingly dangerous doctrine, since it leaves good and faithful Christians vulnerable to unscrupulous, unaccountable leaders. In the words of Robert
Sungenis,
"Fallible men will invariably produce fallible interpretations of Scripture."
Our Lord and Savior loves his flock too much to leave us under the dangerous influence of "false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves." (Mt. 7: 15.) Which is why he established his Church, directing
Peter to... "Tend my sheep." (John 21:16), and promising to send his Spirit to guide us to "all truth." (John 16: 13.)
2 Thes. 2: 15 -- "...hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours." Paul is exceedingly clear as he upholds both tradition and oral teaching and commands the faithful to preserve them. If 'sola scriptura' were true, he would have been required to urge his readers to hold fast to scripture and to leave everything else behind. Of course nowhere does he -- or any other apostle, or any Church Father -- make any such statement. Thus, the principle of 'sola scriptura' is self-negating. It says, in effect, "Scripture alone is the supreme authority in every
principle of faith except this one."
2 Thes. 3: 6 -- "We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the
tradition they received from us."
1 Cor. 11: 2 -- "I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions, just as I handed them on to you." Apostolic tradition seems to be worth
preserving, at least according to St. Paul.
Acts 8: 30-31 -- Scripture itself tells us that it is in fact not self-revealing. The Holy Spirit does not infuse wisdom or knowledge of scripture to individuals simply through
the act of picking up a book: "Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' He replied, 'How can I unless someone instructs me?'"
James 1: 4 -- "And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Refutes -- or, better, balances -- 2 Tim. 3: 16-17, which is usually cited as the primary proof of 'sola scriptura.'
1 Cor. 2: 12-13 -- In addition to his writings, Paul's speech is also inspired by the Holy Spirit when he speaks: "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that
is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms."
Acts 17: 11 -- "These Jews were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all willingness and examined the scriptures daily to determine whether these things were so." This is probably the primary proof text used to support 'sola scriptura.' However, it actually supports the dual authority of Sacred Tradition and Scripture, since nowhere does it suggest that the Bereans, without Paul's presence and the help of his oral teachings, could have ever concluded
that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Indeed, they could not have.
Eph. 3:8 -- "To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, and to bring to light [for all] what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things."
This is what Paul did for the Bereans (Acts. 17: 10-12); they needed Paul to teach them before they understood the hidden truths of the scriptures. The Spirit did not directly enlighten each individual. (See passage directly above.)
3 John 13-14 -- "I have much to write to you, but I do not wish to write with pen and ink. Instead, I hope to see you soon, when we can talk face to face." John equates the authority of the apostles' spoken word with the authority of the written
word. They are one and the same.
2 Peter 1: 20 -- "Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation..." Personal interpretation alone can lead us astray.
2 Peter 3: 16 -- "...there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures."
Scripture may be distorted, even unintentionally. God has given us no guarantee that our insights into the scriptures will be without error.
1 Cor. 11: 34 -- "Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that your meetings may not result in judgment. The other matters I shall set in order when I come."
St. Paul is explicit: On this serious matter -- the abuse of the Eucharist, which is actually resulting in the physical death of some of the abusers -- Paul says he has teachings
he wishes to impart in person, outside his written message. But 'sola scriptura' would not have us consider those oral teachings binding.
2 Thes. 2: 5 -- In referring to the "lawless one," Paul refers to oral teachings and prophesies he made at an earlier date which he expects his readers to recall and to heed: "...do you not recall that while I was still with you I told you these things?"
He expects his readers to consult his oral teachings in order to discern the truth. He intends his writings to support and reinforce his teaching and preaching, not simply to stand alone.
Lk. 24: 13-35 -- Jesus had to teach his disciples the meaning of the scriptures before they could understand. 'Scripture alone' was not enough for them: "Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures."
Lk. 7: 18-23 -- Even John the Baptist, who was filled with the Holy Spirit from before his birth (Lk. 1: 15), could not discern Jesus' true nature from 'scripture alone.'
He sent his followers to query Jesus. And this is important: Jesus did not answer them with any direct claim. Instead, he interpreted the hidden truths in scriptures for them, "'Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.'"
John 5: 39-40 -- If 'sola scriptura' were true, the Holy Spirit would have inspired the temple leaders to discern the fullness of truth through the scriptures which they so scrupulously searched. Instead, Jesus condemns them for relying on scripture alone:
"'You search the scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life.'"
John 16: 12-13 -- Jesus tells us he is not able to disclose "all truth" during his time on earth. He says he will send the Holy Spirit who is to come; this is a clear statement concerning inspired teaching and the deepening of our understanding of the faith:
"'I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.'"
Eph. 3: 3 -- "...the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier." Paul has not fully imparted the entirety of his revelation through his writings. He also imparts them verbally. He intends his writings to support and reinforce his preaching, not to simply stand alone.
Eph. 3: 10 -- Paul tells us the Church -- not scripture -- instructs even the angels:
"...so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens."
Lk. 10: 16 -- "Whoever listens to you listens to me..." Jesus upholds oral teaching, tells followers to go out and preach. In fact, Jesus never instructed his followers to write a single word.
1 John 4: 6 -- "...anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and
the spirit of deceit." Submitting to apostolic authority -- which exists in only one church -- is the hallmark of the truth of our beliefs, not 'scripture alone.'
Heb. 13: 17 -- "Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you..." The writer upholds Jesus' command by urging believers to obedience.
2 Tim. 2: 2 -- Nowhere does Paul teach 'sola scriptura.' On the contrary, we see him invoking apostolic succession. Paul is Jesus' contemporary, and he is writing to the younger Timothy about sharing the Truth with the generations to come. Butthe written word is not mentioned: "So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well."
1 Thes. 2: 13 -- "And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe." Paul's speech is as inspired and authoritative as his writings.
Rom. 10: 14 -- Again, we do not see Paul invoking the authority of the scripture, but the authority of those who preach: And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How
beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!'"
Dt. 19: 15 -- Scripture itself requires more than one witness to establish truth: "One witness alone shall not take the stand against a man in regard to any crime or any offense of which he may be guilty, a judicial fact shall be established on the
testimony of two or three witnesses."
John 8: 17 -- Jesus affirms the fact that a single witness is not sufficient: "'Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified. I testify on my
behalf and so does the Father who sent me.'"
2 Cor. 13: 1 -- Paul reinforces the above passage: "This third time I am coming to you. 'On the testimony of two or three witnesses a fact shall be established.'"
'Sola scriptura' would have us believe that a single witness -- scripture -- is sufficient.
Eph. 4: 11-16 -- "And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God... so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery..."
Scripture writers alone are not enough "for building up the body of Christ..."
Rom. 10: 17 -- "...faith comes from what is heard..." Oral tradition upheld.
Ex. 28: 30 -- Oracle of God spoken through high priest via the Urim and the Thummim. These mysterious oracular devices were in no way scripture. Yet the Israelites consulted them.
Dt. 17: 8-12 -- Old Testament form of magisterium; isagreements settled by priests and judges: "Any man who has the insolence to refuse to listen to the priest... shall die."
2 Tim. 3: 14 -- "...you remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it..." i.e., authority is derived from apostolic succession, not 'scripture alone.'
1 Cor. 15: 11 -- Again Paul upholds oral tradition: "...so we preach and so you believed."
Acts 2: 42 -- Luke upholds oral teaching: "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles..."
Mt. 2: 23 -- Oral tradition cited as authoritative: "...so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled."
Mt. 10: 19-20 -- Jesus testifies to the fact that the Holy Spirit inspires more than scripture alone. He can also inspire our speech: "'When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.'"
John 21: 25 -- Not everything Christ did and said is in scripture: "There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think
the whole world would contain the books that would be written..."
Is. 59: 21 -- Inspired oral tradition passes from generation to generation: "...my words... shall never leave your mouth , nor the mouths of your children."
1 Cor. 14: 3 -- Not all of God's truth is imparted through scripture. Paul says prophets also are prompted by the Spirit for the benefit of the faithful: "...one who prophesies
does speak to human beings, for their building up, encouragement, and solace."
2 Peter 3: 1-2 -- "...I am trying to stir up your sincere disposition, to recall the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and savior through your apostles." The key word is 'spoken,' not 'written.'
2 Chr. 19: 6-10 -- When God instructs the priests on how to settle disputes, he does not mention consulting scripture: "...and he said to them: 'Take care what you do, for you are
judging, not on behalf of man, but on behalf of the Lord; he judges with you. And now, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Act carefully, for with the Lord, our God, there is no
injustice, no partiality, no bribe-taking.'"
Mal. 2: 7 -- "...the lips of the priest are to keep knowledge, and instruction is to be sought from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." The priest has the authority to instruct, not just read from scripture.
Rom. 6: 16-17 -- "...you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted." Paul is explicit. Our obedience is to apostolic teaching, not to scripture. Indeed, scripture was never intended to teach the faith at all, but only to strengthen believers in their faith.
Gen. 17: 14 -- "If a male is uncircumcised, that is, if the flesh of his foreskin has not been cut away, such a one shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
The apostles did not adhere to 'scripture alone' when they failed to heed this clear teaching. They felt they had the authority to receive inspiration in addition to the scriptures -- specifically, the Holy Spirit's guidance of Sts. Peter and Paul to accept uncircumcised Gentiles into the Church -- which cast the scriptures in a new light.
Some references to scripture by New Testament writers are not actually found in our Old Testament; this proves the existence of oral tradition in Jesus' time:
2 Tim 3: 8 -- Jannes and Jambres
Mt. 2: 23 -- "...he shall be called a Nazorean."
The Church's authority determined scriptural canon; if scripture is inerrant, Church authority must be infallible.
Only five apostles wrote; were the others without authority because they did not?
When prophets spoke, were they without authority? Nathan never wrote a single word of scripture, but his words were still binding upon David:: "Thou art the man."
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Biblical Apologetics Course, and All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed, both by
Tim Staples. These are tape series published by St. Joseph Radio, Orange,
California. Mr. Staples, now a celebrated Catholic apologist, is a former evangelical
whose intellectual integrity and hunger for the truth drew him -- despite some
'kicking and screaming' -- to embrace the Catholic Christian faith. In the tapes he
provides stirring, scripture-based explanations of the Church's teachings in a variety
of areas.
Radio Replies, by Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble and Rev. Charles Carty, published in
three volumes by TAN Books, Rockford, Illinois. Fascinating answers to incredibly
wide-ranging questions fielded during a long-running radio program dedicated to
apologetics.
Faith of Our Fathers, by James Cardinal Gibbons, published by TAN Books,
Rockford, Illinois. A simple, concise, understandable explanation of the Catholic
faith by one of the giants of 19th century American Catholicism.
Surprised By Truth: 11 Converts Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons for
Becoming Catholic, by Patrick Madrid, published by Basilica Press, San Diego,
California. Intimate portraits of the sometimes joyful, sometimes anguished journeys
of a number of serious, seeking Christians to the Catholic faith.
The Faith of the Early Fathers, edited by William Jurgens, published in three
volumes by The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota. An eye-opening digest of
the writings of the early Church fathers. Provides clear, unequivocal confirmation
that the Catholic Church's doctrines -- the priesthood, the sacraments, the primacy of
the bishop of Rome, reverence for the Blessed Mother, in fact virtually everything
the Church teaches today -- actually date back to the very earliest community of
Christian believers; in fact all the way back to the communities of faith who were
taught by the apostles themselves.
Catholicism & Fundamentalism, by Karl Keating, published by Ignatius Press, San
Francisco, California. A detailed discussion of the attacks by fundamentalist believers
on the teachings of the Church.
Not By Scripture Alone, by Robert A. Sungenis, et al, published by Queenship
Publishing, Santa Barbara, California. An exhaustive, enlightening -- and, to my
mind anyway, decisive -- exploration of this key issue between Catholic and
Protestant believers.
Glad You Asked: Scriptural Answers for our Times, by John H. Hampsch,
C.M.F., published by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Huntington, Indiana.
A basic, succinct, scripture-based compendium of Catholic theology and apologetics,
written for the layman. Written in a Q&A format, it discusses cultural as well as
doctrinal issues.
By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition, by Mark P.
Shea, published by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Huntington, Indiana. A
clear and powerful look at the arguments for and against 'sola scriptura' and Church
authority. Rich in both scripture and history, it presents a compelling, clear and
rational case.
Upon This Rock: St. Peter and the Primacy of Rome in Scripture and the
Early Church, by Stephen K. Ray, published by Ignatius Press, San Francisco,
California. An impressive compendium of texts -- from both scripture and the
writings of the Early Fathers -- which establish beyond question the fact that the
entire community of the faithful, from the earliest times, acknowledged Peter's office
and authority. Ray's assiduous scholarship has rendered this issue virtually beyond
disputing.
On Being Catholic, by Thomas Howard, published by Ignatius Press, San
Francisco, California. A prominent former Evangelical scholar and author provides a
personal witness to the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith. Makes complex
concepts accessible.
Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, by David B. Currie, published by
Ignatius Press, San Francisco, California. A scripture-steeped exploration of one
believer's struggle to accept his increasing conviction -- prompted by careful study of
scripture and history -- that the Catholic Church is the one, true and apostolic
Church founded by Jesus Christ.
Thanks, too, to Carl Olson, Brent Arias, Fr. Fred Barr, Martin Beckman, Jamie
Gilcrest, Dave Keene, Joselyn Schutz, Dave Turner, John Hellman, John-Paul
Ignatius, Andrew Holt, Patrick Sweeney, Patrick Madrid, Jay Damien and the rest of
the cinapol network contributors, 1998 and 1999, for their wisdom and their
perspicacity. And thanks, too, to the various Protestant believers -- particularly
Michael, Sharon and Liz -- whose questionings and disputations prompted the
research into many of the matters contained here. Finally, thanks to my friend and
brother in Christ, Van, whose questions and wanderings among so many traditions
led to much research and many discussions, and finally to his incorporation into the
Mystical Body of Christ. Truly, "...all things work for good for those who love
God..."