Sac: Matthew, Luke, & John

What are the unique characteristics of the gospel of Matthew?

Wrote to Jewish-Christians, focused heavily on the O.T., focused on Jesus as the “Son of David” and “Son of Abraham”

What is at hand in Matthew’s Gospel?

The kingdom of God

What is the role of the Beatitudes?

They are the laws of the kingdom.

Explain the stories related to Holy Week: Christ riding in on a donkey.

This is what Solomon does when he’s crowned king. Jesus is the new Solomon so he is a king.

Explain the stories related to Holy Week: The Temple.

He cleansed the temple when there were merchants.

Explain the stories related to Holy Week: The Fig Tree.

In Jeremiah, Christ prophesied the destruction of the Temple, when it’s figless. The Temple is a figless fig tree since it’s not bearing fruit.

Explain the parable of the vineyard: who are the characters and what is the point of the parable?

The temple is a vineyard, the tenants are Israelites, the owner is God, the servants are the prophets, the son is Jesus and the new tenants are the apostles. The point is God’s judgement on Israel’s unfaithfulness.

What is the “Blood of the Covenant” at the Last Supper?

The sacrifice’s blood. Christ will be the sacrifice.

Where is the Lamb at the Last Supper? How is He like the lamb from Passover?

Jesus IS the Lamb. Jesus is sacrificing himself to save humanity, just like the lamb’s blood saved the Israelites from death in Egypt.

What are the unique characteristics of Luke’s Gospel?

(1) Luke has 10 meals in his gospel, Christ hosts three meals. (2) Luke’s gospel unique for Marian stories and infancy stories.

What happens at the Annunciation of Mary? What does Gabriel tell Mary about her son?

Angel Gabriel comes to Mary and tells her “Hail full of Grace.” He also tells her to “Not be afraid.” Since angels are terrifying. Gabriel promises Mary a son that will be: (1) Great, (2) Son of the most high, (3) Throne of David, (4) Rule the house of Jacob, (5) Everlasitng kingdom.

What four actions does Christ do with the bread?

Takes it, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them.

How does the feeding of the 5,000 demonstrate that Christ is a New Moses? What story is it connected to?

Christ is the New Moses because he is feeding them in the desert. Connected to the story of the Israelites in the desert and God sending Manna.

What day is the Last Supper? What two unique things are in Luke’s Last Supper account?

On Passover. Luke’s gospel mentions “Do this in remembrance of me” and also mentions the cup of the covenant.

What two sacraments are instituted at the Last Supper?

Eucharist and Holy Orders.

How does the Kingdom come?

It comes through the meal, because the meal is Christ, and the Kingdom is through Christ.

Road To Emmaus: What happens to Christ after he takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it? Why does he do this?

He vanishes form their sight cause he is not present to them in the meal. Does this to show the kingdom of God is fulfilled through the meal. Scripture and the breaking of the bread is the ritual of mass, so it is the first mass.

What are the unique characteristics of John’s Gospel?

He emphasizes Christ’s divinity, the Temple, and the sacraments.

List two titles of Christ from Ch. 1 of John and explains them (New Temple + The Lamb of God).

New Temple: Christ’s body is a new place God dwells with man, he is also a place of sacrifice.

The Lamb of God: Jesus is the sacrifice to save mankind just as the lamb was sacrificed in the Passover for Israelites.

Explain the meaning of “You will see angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Jesus is the New Jacob’s Ladder because he is the physical bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. He is the New Temple where divinity meets humanity.

Why does John move the stories of Simon being called Peter and the cleansing in the beginning?

To show the rest is about the New Temple.

In John 3 and John 6, what two things are required to enter Heaven?

(1) You must be born from above by water and soul, (2) you must eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life.

What does Christ mean when He says “Just like Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

In the desert, the Israelites looked at the bronze serpent lifted by Moses to be healed from deadly snake bites and live. Jesus is lifted up on the cross to defeat death. Both free people from death, leading them to life.

Explain what Christ is saying in John 6, what sacrament is He talking about? What Old Testament story is he connecting the sacrament to?

Jesus is teaching he is the true Bread of Heaven and believers must eat his body and drink his blood to have eternal life. He is talking about Eucharist. He is connecting Eucharist to the Manna in the O.T.

In John 20, what three things is Christ giving the apostles:

(1) His mission, (2) receive the H.S., (3) authority to forgive sins.

Using the Last Supper stories and John 6, explains he Eucharist and the Mass: What is it? Who can do it? Why should do it? What happens to the bread? What O.T. rituals is it the fulfillment of?

The Mass is the ritual of the New Temple where the Eucharist the actual body and blood of Jesus is offered as a sacrificial meal. Consecrated by ordained priests, this meal gives believers eternal life and fulfills the Old Testament Passover and Manna in the desert.

Who is Jesus in the Gospels? What is he trying to accomplish?

Jesus is the Son of God and promised Messiah who came to establish the Kingdom of God and save humanity from sin. He accomplishes this by dying on the cross, rising from the dead, and giving us eternal life through the sacraments.

How does the New Temple operate for the Gospels? Explain how it is connected to the Old Covenant?

The New Temple is the living Body of Jesus and His Church, accessed through the Sacraments rather than a stone building. It fulfills the Old Covenant by replacing animal sacrifices and old priestly rituals with Christ’s one perfect sacrifice on the cross.