The Bible Blueprint A Catholics Guide to Understanding

The Bible Blueprint: A Catholic’s Guide to Understanding and Embracing God’s Word

Understanding the Bible: Revelation Speed Dating

Revelation We REVEAL in order to enter into relationship

Revelation Scripture summarizes God’s attempt to enter into relationship with us.

How well do you know your Bible? Two Problems: 1. Locating passages, characters, and stories 2. Understanding what we are reading

Can you locate the following? David and Goliath Noah’s ark Jonah and the big fish Moses crossing the Red Sea Daniel and the lion’s den Zacchaeus the tax collector Jesus walking on the water Pentecost Hg 2: 1 -3

The Key: The Bible is not really a book at all! Think of the Bible as a library…God’s Library. How do we use a library? What are your favorite sections in any library?

The Bible Blueprint Old Testament (46 books) Pentateuch History Wisdom Prophets New Testament (27 books) Gospels Acts Letters Revelations

The Bible Blueprint Old Testament New Testament The story of the people of Israel and their relationship with God before Jesus The story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, ascension, and the early church

Old Testament

Old Testament - Pentateuch (Genesis – Deuteronomy) The beginning of the relationship between God and the people of Israel as God leads them from slavery to freedom and provides them with the Law.

Pentateuch Highlights the creation stories Adam and Eve Cain and Abel Noah’s ark the tower of Babel Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebekah Jacob and Esau Joseph (the coat of many colors) Moses (in the reeds, the burning bush, the ten plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the Passover, the Ten Commandments, the Ark of the Covenant, the journey through the desert, the death of Moses) the twelve tribes of Israel the laws, traditions, and feasts of Israel

Old Testament - History (Joshua – 2 Maccabees) The story of the people of Israel fighting under various judges and rulers to establish and keep the Promised Land

History Highlights Joshua (crossing the Jordan, the walls of Jericho) Samson and Delilah Ruth and Naomi Samuel (request for a king) King Saul David and Goliath; King David Solomon (the temple, Queen of Sheba) Elijah and Elisha Many kings, battles, and genealogies Division of the kingdom Exile and return Judith and Esther

Old Testament – Wisdom (Job - Sirach/Ecclesiasticus) Wisdom and teachings of the people of Israel collected over thousands of years: anecdotes, sayings, prayers, poems, songs

Wisdom Highlights Job’s suffering 150 Psalms for all occasions Famous sayings, including “At my wit’s end, ” “By the skin of our teeth, ” “Eat, drink, and be merry, ” “Out of the mouths of babes, ” “Pride goes before a fall, ” “Vanity of vanities, all things are vanity!” “There is a time for everything” and “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter” and more A romantic love song Thousands more sayings about wisdom, prudence, good health, wealth, holiness, family, friends, misery, death, and even table etiquette

Old Testament – Prophets (Isaiah - Malachi) Prophets called the people to return to their past fidelity to God and to hold out hope for the future.

Prophet Highlights The major (meaning lengthier) prophets Isaiah (Immanuel, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, ” “comfort my people”, etc. ) Jeremiah (call of Jeremiah, exile and return) Ezekiel (the dry bones) The minor (meaning briefer) prophets, including Daniel (the lion’s den, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) Hosea (the unfaithful wife) Joel (the Day of the Lord) Amos (the call to justice) Jonah (swallowed by a large fish)

New Testament – Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) The life, teachings, miracles, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus

Gospel Highlights Birth of Jesus (the Magi, the shepherds, etc. ) Holy Family (Mary and Joseph) Finding of Jesus in the temple Temptation in the desert and the baptism of Jesus Beatitudes and the Our Father Parables (the prodigal son, the good samaritan, the sower, the mustard seed, etc. ) Golden rule and the great commandment numerous miracles (calming of the storm, raising of Lazarus, changing water into wine, feeding of the 5, 000, walking on water, healing of the blind, deaf, and paralyzed)

Gospel Highlights The Last Supper, Eucharist, and the washing of the feet Agony in the garden Peter’s denial and Judas’s betrayal Way of the cross and Crucifixion Resurrection and appearances Dozens of fascinating characters: Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, Martha and Mary, etc. Powerful images such as the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Way, Truth, and the Life

New Testament – Acts of the Apostles (one book only) Sequel to the Gospel of Luke tells the story of the Holy Spirit and the early Church

Acts Highlights Jesus’ Ascension the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost descriptions of the communal life of the early church Stephen’s martyrdom Philip and the Ethiopian Saul’s conversion and baptism the missionary work of Peter, Saul (Paul), Barnabas, and others miracles performed through Peter and Paul’s travels, imprisonment, trials, shipwreck, and arrival in Rome

New Testament – Letters (Romans - Jude) Letters written to Christian leaders designed to teach, admonish, encourage, correct, and update various churches. (About half of the letters are attributed to Paul)

Letters Highlights Corinthians, Galatians, and Ephesians) feature theology, teachings, and exhortations concerning Grace The letters of Paul (such as Romans, 1 and 2 Justification by faith James: faith and good works, Law anointing of the sick Eucharist 1 Peter: be prepared to Metaphor of the Body explain your hope Variety and unity of gifts 1 John: “Beloved, let us love Ministry one another. . . ” Suffering Christ and His Cross Christian conduct

New Testament – Revelation (one book only) A book about the eternal struggle between good and evil; possibly the most misunderstood book of the Bible

Revelation Highlights Visions and messages to the seven churches Scroll and the lamb 144, 000 saved Seven trumpets Woman and the dragon King of Kings Thousand-Year Reign New heavens and new earth The new Jerusalem “Come, Lord Jesus!”

How to Use the Bookmarks as study aids get to know a section at a time like training wheels on a bike, they must come off!

Next… Now that we can locate Scripture stories, how can we understand what we are reading?

Is it TRUE that… God created the world in seven days? Adam lived to be 930 years old? Noah built an ark and gathered two of every animal created on board? Jonah was swallowed by a large fish? Only 144, 000 will be saved at the end of the world?

So what is the Catholic approach? Everything in the Bible is TRUE…but not necessarily FACT!

How can something be TRUTH without being FACT? It’s called figurative language…we use it all the time “It’s raining cats and dogs. ” SOME passages in the Bible (especially Old Testament) employ figurative language

Example 3: Did God create the world in seven days? Science clearly shows otherwise Genesis does not seek to provide a scientific explanation God is author of all creation; everything God created is good; Men and Women are created in God’s image Catholics embrace science AND religion

Example 1: Did Adam live to be 930 years old? To live a long life is a blessing In Genesis, a book about the effects of sin, the life span decreases as sin increases Symbolic of the loss of God’s blessing

Example 2: Did Noah build an ark? Probably based on a historical event In Old Testament, water is deadly Symbolic of sin Virtuous man is saved Creation renewed

Example 4: Was Jonah really swallowed by a large fish?

How do we know when figurative language is being used in the Bible? Foot notes Commentaries Bible Dictionaries/Concordances

Where does the Church teach us to approach the Bible in this way?

How do I know that a Bible is Catholic? Look for an Imprimatur What’s the difference between Catholic and Protestant Bibles? Different translations and interpretations Different support materials Difference in the number of books 66 (Protestant) 73 (Catholic) Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees

A new way to read the Bible The Bible is not to be read as a(n)… Textbook Encyclopedia Novel

The Bible is meant to be prayed

The Bible Blueprint: A Catholic’s Guide to Understanding and Embracing God’s Word www. loyolapress. com 800 -621 -1008 Visit my blog: www. catechistsjourney. com