Knowing God Through Sacred Scripture

1
Faith and Revelation

• Knowing God Through Sacred Scripture

2
Sacred Scripture The Inspired Word of God

• Chapter 4

3
Chapter Objectives
The student will be able to understand

• The principal Author of Sacred Scripture
• The unity of the Scriptures in Christ
• The four major types of books in the Old
  Testament
• The importance of the books of the Law
• The scope of the historical books of the Bible
• The aim of the books of wisdom literature

• The content of the prophetic books
• The four types of books in the New Testament
• The basic features of the Gospels of Sts.
  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
• The Acts of the Apostles
• The Epistles
• The Book of Revelation
• The canon of Sacred Scripture
• Translations of the Bible

4
Keys to Chapter 3

• The Bible is one book with Christ at its heart.
• Both Testaments can be said to contain books of
  law, history, wisdom, and prophecy.
• The canon of Scripture was decided by the Church.
• The Church supports and safeguards translations
  of the Bible into the vernacular.

5
In This Chapter We Will Discuss

• The relationship between the Old and New
  Testaments.
• How the Old Testament paved the way for the New.
• The Books of the Old and New Testaments.
• How the canon of Sacred Scripture was determined.
• Translations of Sacred Scripture approved by the
  Catholic Church.

6
The Old Law Prepared the Way for the Gospel

• Lesson Objectives
• The principal Author of Sacred Scripture
• The unity of the Scriptures in Christ.

7
The Old Law Prepared the Way for the Gospel
Basic Questions

• Who is the principal Author of Sacred Scripture?
• The Bible, consisting of two Testamentsthe Old
  and the New, each containing many individual
  books written over a long period of timeis one
  book whose principal Author is God.
• How is Christ the basis of the unity of the
  Sacred Scriptures?
• The inner unity of Scripture is found in Christ
  and his Covenant, which are hidden in the Old
  Testament and revealed in the New Testament.

8
Focus Question
Why is the Bible a book of the Catholic Church?

• The Catholic Church assembled the Bible as we
  know it today.

9
Focus Question
What are the two parts of the Bible?

• The Old Testament books were written before the
  time of Christ, and the New Testament books were
  written after Christ.

10
Anticipatory Set
Read the paragraph The New Testament fulfills
(p. 90) Explain how your passage presents a New
Law the perfects the Old Law.
11
Guided Exercise
Discuss the following question Why is it
impossible for there to be any true
contradictions between the various books of the
Bible or any erroneous teachings in them?
12
Focus Question
What is the essential relationship between the
two Testaments?

• The New Testament fulfills and completes the Old.

13
Focus Question
What is the first thing St. Matthew writes about
Christ?

• He records Christs genealogical roots in Old
  Testament history as descendant of David and
  Abraham.

14
Focus Question
What is the overall story told by the Old
Testament?

• It recounts the long journey toward salvation.

15
Focus Question
Does the Church in any way reject the Old
Testament?

• No Christians venerate the Old Testament as the
  Word of God.

16
Focus Question
According to the Catechism, no. 122, what does
the Old Testament contain?

• It is a storehouse of sublime teaching on God,
  contains sound wisdom about human life, provides
  a treasury of prayers, and presents the mystery
  of salvation in a hidden way.

17
Focus Question
According to the author of the Letter to the
Hebrews, who speaks throughout the Bible?

• God speaks throughout.

18
Focus Question
What is the difference in quality of Gods
messengers between the Old and the New
Testaments?

• In the Old Testament, God spoke through the
  prophets in the New, he spoke through his Son.

19
Focus Question
What is the analogy of faith?

• Because of the absolute unity among the truths
  contained in the Bible, each truth can help
  understand the other truths and the total plan of
  Revelation.

20
Focus Question
How does the analogy of faith help to understand
the Bible?

• The truths in one part of the Bible can help to
  understand truths contained in other parts.

21
Focus Question
How does the Person of Christ express the Bibles
inner unity?

• Both Testaments refer to Christ the Old
  Testament prepares the way for Christ, who is
  revealed in the New Testament.

22
Focus Question
How is Christ present in the Old Testament?

• He is present in the prophecies he fulfilled and
  in types, that is, events that prefigure Christ.

23
Focus Question
How is the Church prefigured in the Old
Testament?

• The Old Testament Chosen People prefigure the New
  Testament People of God, the Church.

24
Focus Question
How is the entire Old Testament fulfilled in
Christ?

• As a series of covenants between God and man, the
  Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Covenant
  with Christ. In this way, the New Testament is
  hidden in the Old and the Old revealed in the
  New.

25
Guided Exercise
Discuss the following question Based on the
allegorical spiritual sense of Scripture, explain
how the Church and Christ are prefigured in the
Old Testament in the types of Noahs Ark and the
manna in the desert, respectively.
26
The Old Testament Law and History

• Lesson Objectives
• The four major types of books in the Old
  Testament
• The importance of the books of the Law
• The scope of the historical books of the Bible

27
The Old Testament Law and History
Basic Questions

• What are the four genres of books found in the
  Old Testament?
• The Old Testament contains books of law, history,
  wisdom, and prophecy.
• What is the importance of the first five books of
  the Old Testament?
• The first five books of the Old Testament are
  books of law that contain the Mosaic Covenant,
  which God made with the Chosen People.

28
The Old Testament Law and History
Basic Questions

• What was the scope of the historical books of the
  Bible?
• The fourteen books of history tell the story of
  Israel from the conquest of Canaanthrough the
  establishment of the kingdom in Jerusalem and
  Israels downfall and exile to Babylonto the
  restoration of Jerusalem. The two Books of the
  Maccabees bring Jewish history up to the time
  just before the Roman Empire.

29
Anticipatory Set

• Open your Bibles to the Table of Contents for the
  Old Testament. Notice the four major divisions
• Law Genesis through Deuteronomy
• History Joshua through Esther plus the two books
  of Maccabees
• Wisdom Job through Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus)
• Prophecy Isaiah through Malachi

30
Focus Question
How many books are in the Old Testament?

• There are forty-six books in the Old Testament.

31
Focus Question
Over what period of time were the books of the
Old Testament written?

• They were written over a period of nearly fifteen
  hundred years, from the time of the Exodus
  through about a century before the coming of
  Christ.

32
Focus Question
What are the four basic genres of books found in
the Old Testament?

• The Old Testament includes law, history, wisdom
  and prophecy.

33
Focus Question
What different names are given to the first five
books of the Bible?

• The Books of the Law
• The Torah
• The Books of Moses
• The Pentateuch

34
Focus Question
How certain are scholars about the sources of
the Pentateuch?

• Scholars are not very sure. Attempts to identify
  the sources of Scripture are scholarly conjecture
  and speculation.

35
Focus Question
What did the Pontifical Biblical Commission
observe in 1948?

• The books that exist today are the inspired
  Scriptures therefore, one need not worry if
  scholars cannot locate or perfectly trace their
  sources.

36
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table about the
four-source theory of the Pentateuch
Source Name Date Basis of Theory
J
E
D
P
37
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table about the highlights
of the Pentateuch
Book Highlights
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
38
Guided Exercise
Write one memorable thing about each of the
historical books. Joshua Judges Ruth 1Samue
l 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2
Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Tobit Judith Esth
er
39
Focus Question
Which Old Testament books tell Davids story?

• 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles tell of David.

40
Focus Question
Which three historical books have a woman as
their main character?

• Ruth, Judith, and Esther have women as main
  characters.

41
Focus Question
What two historical books retell four historical
books?

• 1 Chronicles retells the story of 1 and 2 Samuel
  from a more religious point of view. 2
  Chronicles retells 1 and 2 Kings with more
  emphasis on the kingdom of Judah.

42
The Old Testament Wisdom and Prophecy

• Lesson Objectives
• The aim of the books of wisdom literature
• The content of the prophetic books

43
The Old Testament Wisdom and Prophecy
Basic Questions

• What is the aim of the wisdom literature of the
  Bible?
• The seven books of wisdom tell stories in poetry
  for prose and offer advice to help guide life
  according to Gods wisdom.
• What is the content of the prophetic books?
• The eighteen prophets warned Israel of her
  infidelity, consoled her in her sufferings, and
  foretold the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

44
Anticipatory Set
Incorporate Psalm 23 into Opening Prayer and
then discuss What does this psalm mean, and how
is that meaning conveyed?
45
Guided Exercise
Spend a few minutes locating one saying from
Proverbs that especially speaks to you. Share
your proverbs and explain why it appeals to
you.
46
Focus Question
What is the subject of Job?

• It is about the suffering of the innocent.

47
Focus Question
Which is the greatest book of religious poetry,
and to whom is it attributed?

• The Psalms are attributed to David.

48
Focus Question
What is the subject of Ecclesiastes?

• The vanity of worldly things is decried.

49
Focus Question
What is a didactic work?

• The primary purpose of a didactic work is to
  teach.

50
Focus Question
What are some didactic books of the wisdom
literature?

• Proverbs and Sirach provide wise sayings and
  principles to teach people the right way to live.

51
Focus Question
How does the Catholic Church use the Psalms in
the Liturgy of the Mass?

• They almost always constitute the Responsorial
  Psalm. They are also a common source for the
  Entrance, Offertory, and Communion Antiphons.

52
Focus Question
To what extent is it true to say the prophets
warned, comforted, and predicted?

• Often the prophets warned of coming disaster if
  people of Israel would not return to God. When
  disaster struck, the prophets gave the people
  messages of comfort. Many prophets also predicted
  the coming of the Messiah.

53
Focus Question
Which prophet has some of the clearest prophecies
of Christ?

• Isaiah prophesied the Messiah.

54
Focus Question
How many prophetic books are in the Old
Testament?

• There are eighteen.

55
Focus Question
What is a prophet?

• A prophet is called by God or speaks on Gods
  behalf, announcing his message.

56
Focus Question
Why are the prophets from Hosea to Malachi known
as the Minor Prophets?

• Their books are shorter than those of the Major
  Prophets.

57
Focus Question
How was Hoseas marriage a metaphor for Gods
relationship with Israel?

• Hoseas wife was unfaithful to him, but he took
  her back. God entered into a covenant with
  (married) Israel, she was unfaithful to him by
  worshiping other gods, but God took her back
  despite this infidelity.

58
Focus Question
Which prophet foretold Christ would be born in
Bethlehem?

• Micah said a savior to rule Israel would be born
  in Bethlehem.

59
Focus Question
What are the three major divisions of the
prophetic books?

• The divisions are the Major Prophets, the Minor
  Prophets, and the Post-exilic Prophets.

60
Focus Question
Which two prophets are associated with the
rebuilding of the Temple?

• Haggai and Zechariah rebuilt the Temple.

61
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table about Isaiah 96 as
it applies to Christ.
Phrase from Isaiah 96 Application to Jesus Christ
To us a child is born, to us a son is given.
The government will be upon his shoulder.
His name will be called Wonderful Counselor.
His name will be called Mighty God.
His name will be called Everlasting Father.
His name will be called Prince of Peace.
62
Focus Question
Why are many dates about events in the Old
Testament conjectural?

• Historians have to add together the reigns of
  kings and make certain assumptions about the
  length of generations.

63
Focus Question
What is the subject of the two Books of
Maccabees?

• They recount a Jewish revolt led by the Maccabeus
  family against the Greek rulers of Palestine who
  tried to force the Jews to become Hellenized.

64
Focus Question
How does our dating system put Christ at the
center of time?

• The yearly designations BC and AD date events
  before or after Christs Birth.

65
Focus Question
How did the ancient Israelites number their
years?

• They counted the years from the beginning of the
  reign of the current king or from some important
  event in the recent past.

66
The New Testament The Four Gospels

• Lesson Objectives
• The four types of books in the New Testament
• The basic features of the Gospels of Sts.
  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

67
The New Testament The Four Gospels
Basic Questions

• What are the four genres of books in the New
  Testament?
• The New Testament mirrors the Old Testament with
  books of law, history, wisdom, and prophecy.
• What are the basic features of the Gospels of
  Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?
• St. Matthew shows Christ to be the heir to
  Davids Kingdom.
• St. Mark shows Christ to be the leader of a new
  Exodus.
• St. Luke composed his Gospel for Gentile
  Christians.
• St. John completes the other three Gospels,
  emphasizing Christ as the Incarnate Word of God.

68
Anticipatory Set
Complete a focused reading of Jeremiahs
prophecy (p. 160) and discuss the
following What is the essence of the New
Covenant Jeremiah foresaw?
69
Focus Question
What is the essential relationship between the
Old and New Testaments?

• The New Testament does not replace but fulfills
  the Old.

70
Focus Question
What is the Old Testament without the New
Testament?

• It is a collection of tragic stories and
  unfulfilled promises.

71
Focus Question
What is the Old Testament with the New
Testament?

• It is the story of the gradual unfolding of Gods
  plan of salvation, which reaches its climax in
  the Death and Resurrection of Christ.

72
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table about the four
genres of literature in each of the Testaments.
Genre Old Testament Description New Testament Description
Law
History
Wisdom
Prophecy
73
Focus Question
What is the essential content of the New
Testament?

• It is the story of the life and teachings of
  Jesus Christ and the early years of the Church.

74
Focus Question
What were the two phases by which the Gospels
came to be written?

• First was oral tradition by which the Apostles
  handed on what Christ had said and done. Second
  was the written Gospels by which the Sacred
  Authors wrote down some of what had been handed
  on by word of mouth.

75
Focus Question
Which were the first written Christian works?

• The Epistles of St. Paul were first.

76
Focus Question
Why are the Gospels the heart of all the
Scriptures?

• They are our principal source of knowledge
  regarding the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.

77
Focus Question
Who are the authors of the four Gospels?

• Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote them.

78
Focus Question
What is an Evangelist?

• He is an author of one of the Gospels.
• Extension The word comes from Latin evangelium,
  which means glad tidings.

79
Focus Question
What were the personal relationships between the
Evangelists and Christ?

• Sts. Matthew and John were disciples of Christ
  and eyewitnesses of the events they narrate. Sts.
  Mark and Luke were disciples of the Apostles.

80
Focus Question
Why are the first three Gospels called synoptic?

• Synoptic means seeing together. These three
  Gospels present Christ in a similar way.

81
Focus Question
Why are the synoptic Gospels so similar?

• Scholars have speculated on the relationship
  between the three Gospels. Sts. Matthew and Luke
  may has used St. Markss Gospel as a source.

82
Focus Question
When were the synoptic Gospels written?

• They were written well before Jerusalems
  destruction (AD 70), probably between AD 50 and
  62.

83
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table about The Names to
Designate Sacred Scripture. (p. 109)
Name Meaning
Sacred Scriptures
Bible
Old and New Testaments
Inspired books
84
Focus Question
Who was St. Matthew?

• He was an Apostle, also called Levi, and
  originally a tax collector.

85
Focus Question
What were the original audience and primary aim
of St. Matthews Gospel?

• St. Matthew wrote for Jewish Christians living in
  Palestine to show Christ is the Messiah.

86
Focus Question
What are some distinctive characteristics of St.
Matthews Gospel?

• Two are the genealogy of Christ, which echoes
  Genesis, and his extensive use of direct quotes
  from Christ.

87
Focus Question
Who was St. Marks original audience?

• He probably wrote to Gentile Christians in Rome.

88
Focus Question
What seems to be St. Marks main interest?

• He seems to emphasize what Christ did more than
  what he said.

89
Focus Question
Why is it relatively easy to read St. Marks
Gospel in one sitting?

• It is the shortest Gospel and reads quickly.

90
Focus Question
When was the Gospel of St. Luke written?

• It was most likely written after those of Sts.
  Matthew and Mark.

91
Focus Question
Why is there reason to believe there were a
number of accounts of Christs life circulating
among Christians by the time St. Luke set out to
write his Gospel?

• He wrote that he wanted to give an orderly
  account of Christs life. This implies there
  were other, partial accounts that did not provide
  a complete history of Christs life.

92
Focus Question
With which Apostle is St. Luke most associated?

• St. Luke accompanied St. Paul on his missionary
  journeys.

93
Focus Question
Who was St. Lukes probable audience?

• He wrote to Gentile converts.

94
Focus Question
Did St. Luke get all his information about Christ
second hand?

• No. St. Luke was likely an eyewitness to many of
  the events described in his Gospel.

95
Focus Question
From whom did St. Luke learn of the Annunciation,
the Birth of Christ, the visit of the shepherds,
and the finding of the Christ child in the
Temple?

• He probably learned these from the Blessed Virgin
  Mary herself.

96
Focus Question
How does St. Lukes occupation as a physician
show itself in his Gospel?

• St. Lukes Gospel takes a detailed interest in
  Christs healings.

97
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table about audience and
aim of each Gospel.
Author Chief Audience Chief Aim
St. Matthew
St. Mark
St. Luke
St. John
98
Focus Question
How does the prologue of St. Johns Gospel
parallel Genesis?

• Beginning even with the same words, In the
  beginning, St. Johns Gospel emphasizes the
  divinity of Christ and the new creation he
  accomplished.

99
Focus Question
What element of St. Johns Gospel grounds it in
history?

• Its author shows great familiarity with the
  places and dates of the events narrated.

100
Focus Question
Who wrote the Gospel of St. John?

• The Apostle St. John wrote it.

101
Focus Question
When was St. Johns Gospel written?

• His was the last Gospel written, close to AD 100.

102
Focus Question
What is the relationship between St. Johns
Gospel and the synoptics?

• St. Johns Gospel presupposes the other Gospels
  existence and was written to complete them. St.
  Johns Gospel uses a different, more theological
  language, and it includes events not contained in
  the other Gospels.

103
The New Testament History, Wisdom, and Prophecy

• Lesson Objectives
• The Acts of the Apostles
• The Epistles
• The Book of Revelation

104
The New Testament History, Wisdom, and Prophecy
Basic Questions

• What is the Acts of the Apostles?
• St. Luke followed his Gospel with the Acts of the
  Apostles, a history of the apostolic Church.
• What is the purpose of the Epistles?
• The Epistles, the wisdom literature of the New
  Testament, addressed problems of the early Church
  to live holy lives.

105
The New Testament History, Wisdom, and Prophecy
Basic Questions

• What is the message of the Book of Revelation?
• The Book of Revelation promises the fulfillment
  of the New Covenant.

106
Anticipatory Set
Read the prologue to the Acts of the Apostles and
the discuss the following question How is this
prologue similar to the prologue to St. Lukes
Gospel?
107
Focus Question
With what element of suspense does each Gospel
end?

• Each Gospel ends with Christ risen from the dead
  and instructing his disciples to spread the
  Gospel, but they had not yet received the Holy
  Spirit.

108
Focus Question
Why did St. Luke write the Acts of the Apostles?

• Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Luke knew future
  generations would need a record of important
  events from the apostolic Church.

109
Focus Question
What is the relationship between St. Lukes
Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles?

• The Acts of the Apostles is a sequel to St.
  Lukes Gospel.

110
Focus Question
What have archaeologists and historians confirmed
about the Acts of the Apostles?

• Every detail of St. Lukes narrative that can be
  verified has turned out to be exactly accurate.
  Therefore, he is an extraordinarily reliable
  record-keeper.

111
Guided Exercise
Discuss the following question What is the
overall purpose of the Epistles?
112
Focus Question
Which New Testament books were written earliest?

• The Epistles were written first.

113
Focus Question
What are Epistles?

• They are letters intended for specific audiences
  and often written in response to particular
  problems in the early Church.

114
Focus Question
How do the Epistles illustrate Christian life in
the apostolic Church?

• They clarified and extended the teachings of the
  Apostles and corrected early errors.

115
Focus Question
Who wrote most of the Epistles?

• St. Paul wrote most of them.

116
Focus Question
How are the Epistles of St. Paul arranged?

• They are arranged generally from longest to
  shortest as opposed to in the order they were
  written.

117
Focus Question
Who made up St. Pauls original audience?

• Nine of St. Pauls letters were written to
  churches in various cities of the Roman empire,
  and four were written to individuals.

118
Focus Question
What is the importance of the Epistle to the
Hebrews?

• It shows how the Old Testament is fulfilled in
  the life of Christ.

119
Focus Question
What are the Catholic Epistles?

• They are letters written to the entire Church
  rather than to a particular church or individual.

120
Focus Question
What literary form is Revelation?

• It is a prophetic book.

121
Focus Question
How does the Book of Revelation convey its
message?

• It uses symbols, allegories, and metaphors.

122
Focus Question
Who is the author of Revelation?

• It is attributed to St. John.

123
Focus Question
What is the basic message of the Book of
Revelation?

• There will be great tribulation, but God will
  preserve his people and bring them into the new,
  heavenly Jerusalem.

124
Focus Question
How is Revelation an apt conclusion to Sacred
Scripture?

• Genesis begins with Creation Revelation ends
  with the new creation. Genesis recounts the Fall
  Revelation recounts salvation.

125
Guided Exercise
Discuss the following question What are the two
purposes of the Book of Revelation?
126
Guided Exercise
Complete a focused reading of Revelation 211-8
and answer the following In this vision of the
climax of history, what are the promise and the
warning?
127
The Canon of Sacred Scripture

• Lesson Objectives
• The canon of Sacred Scripture

128
The Canon of Sacred Scripture
Basic Questions

• How was the canon of Sacred Scripture determined?
• The canon of Sacred Scripture was determined by
  the Magisterium of the Church. The canon of the
  Old Testament is based on the books of the
  Septuagint, which was the Greek translation used
  by the Apostles, while the canon of the New
  Testament was determined by the books apostolic
  origin, orthodoxy of content, and catholicity.

129
Anticipatory Set

• The Canonicity of the Scriptures
• To determine the canon of the Old Testament, the
  Church received the books of the Septuagint
  because they were used by the Apostles and early
  church.
• The Church used three criteria to decide if a
  book is part of the canon. All three tests had to
  be positive.
• Apostolic origin
• Orthodox content
• Catholicity

130
Focus Question
What does canon literally mean?

• It means measuring rod or rule.

131
Focus Question
What does canon of Scripture mean?

• It denoted a list of books that comprise Sacred
  Scripture.

132
Focus Question
Do Sacred Scriptures reveal which books belong to
it?

• No this was determined by the Magisterium of the
  Church.

133
Focus Question
What practical problem did the early Church face
that resulted in the forming of the canon of
Scripture?

• The practical problem was to choose which of the
  many books in circulation about Christ would be
  read during the Churchs liturgies.

134
Focus Question
What is the Septuagint?

• It is a Greek translation of the Old Testament
  made in Alexandria in the second century BC.

135
Focus Question
Why do modern-day Jews have a different canon
than the Old Testament in Catholic Bibles?

• The Jewish Synod of Jamnia about AD 110 decided
  to exclude those books of the Septuagint not
  found in the Hebrew Scriptures, i.e., Tobit,
  Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1 and 2
  Maccabees, and fragments of Esther and David.

136
Focus Question
What are the deuterocanonical books?

• These are books that appear in the Septuagint but
  not in the modern Jewish canon. It means second
  canon.

137
Focus Question
What are some Catholic beliefs and practices
witnessed in the deuterocanonical books?

• The Second Book of Maccabees shows the practice
  of praying for the souls of the dead. The Book of
  Tobit includes the existence and action of
  guardian angels.

138
Focus Question
What are the apocrypha?

• The apocrypha are books of dubious origin that
  have been excluded from the canon of Scripture.
• Extension Many Protestants refer to the
  deuterocanonical books this way.

139
Focus Question
When were the New Testament books written?

• They were written between AD 40 and 100.

140
Focus Question
What were the original languages of the New
Testament books?

• St. Matthew wrote his version of the gospel in
  Aramaic. The rest were written in Greek with some
  Semitic influences.

141
Focus Question
Why did the Church need to determine the canon of
New Testament books?

• Within a few centuries, there were numerous
  accounts of the life of Christ circulating among
  the Christian communities. The origin and
  teaching of many were suspect.

142
Focus Question
What were some problems with some writings in
circulation?

• Some had apocryphal stories about Christs
  childhood, and some taught Gnosticism.

143
Focus Question
When was the canon of the New Testament defined?

• It was defined at a synod in Rome (AD 382). This
  was confirmed by Pope Innocent I (405) and
  reaffirmed by the Ecumenical Councils of Florence
  (1441) and Vatican I (1870). The Fathers of the
  Council of Trent (1546) solemnly defined it.

144
Focus Question
Why did Martin Luther reject the Books of St.
Jude, St. James, Hebrews, and Revelation?

• They contradicted his doctrine of justification
  by faith alone.

145
Guided Exercise
Summarize the three stages in the formation of
the Gospels as articulated in the Catechism, no.
126 (p. 126)
146
Translations of the Sacred Scriptures

• Lesson Objectives
• Translations of the Bible

147
Translations of the Sacred Scripture
Basic Questions

• What are considered the best translations of the
  Bible?
• Originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek,
  the Bible has been translated into many languages
  under the Churchs guidance. The Latin Vulgate is
  the definitive translation of the Bible, and
  there are several approved English translations
  available.

148
Anticipatory Set
Remember that the Bible was not written in
English. Every translation requires choices to
render words and phrases from one language into
another. Research different English translations
of Psalm 23.
149
Focus Question
What are the three original languages of the
Bible?

• Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek were used to write the
  Old Testament, Hebrew being most prevalent.
  Hebrew or Aramaic and Greek were used to write
  the New Testament, Greek being the most
  prevalent.

150
Focus Question
On what materials were the books of the Old
Testament originally written?

• The Torah was written on parchment the others
  were written on papyrus.

151
Focus Question
How old are the oldest extant manuscripts of the
Old Testament?

• Discovered during the twentieth century, the
  oldest manuscripts date from the second century
  BC.

152
Focus Question
What do these ancient manuscripts tell us?

• The biblical texts have been transmitted to the
  modern day without substantial change for over
  2100 years.

153
Focus Question
What text of the Bible is inspired by the Holy
Spirit?

• Only the original text is inspired.

154
Focus Question
To what extent is a translation of the Bible free
from error?

• It is inerrant insofar as it is in conformity
  with the original.

155
Focus Question
What version of the Bible has the Church declared
to be the purest text?

• The Latin Vulgate is purest.
• Extension This has undergone a recent revision,
  published in 1986. The resultant New Vulgate
  (Nova Vulgata) is now the official text of the
  Latin Rite of the Catholic Church.

156
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table about two
influential translations of the Bible
Translation Completed Important Points
Septuagint
Vulgate
157
Guided Exercise
Compose a bullet-point summary of three important
points about St. Jerome.
158
Guided Exercise
Many Protestants believe the Catholic Church
tried to prevent people from reading the Sacred
Scriptures by keeping the Bible in a language
ordinary people could not understand and
prohibiting it from being printed. Identify
statements from the text that disprove this
myth.
159
Focus Question
What is the King James Version?

• It was the standard English Protestant edition of
  Sacred Scripture for four centuries.

160
Focus Question
What was the first Catholic Bible in English?

• The Douay-Rheims Bible was completed about the
  year 1600.

161
Focus Question
What translations of the Bible are used by
Catholics today?

• The Douay-Rheims
• The Confraternity Edition of the Douay-Rheims
• The Knox Version
• The Jerusalem Bible
• The New American Bible
• The Revised Standard Version

162
Focus Question
Why is it important for a Bible to have an
ecclesiastical approval?

• Ecclesiastical approval is a determination by a
  bishop that a text is free from moral or
  doctrinal error.