sacred scripture final exam

What is the purpose of Revelation?

a.     The purpose of Revelation is to make known to us the hidden purpose of God’s will. It’s purpose is to give us a way to know and understand God in ways we cannot do with our human reason alone.

What are the two forms which make up Public Revelation? What is the relationship between them?

The two forms of revelation are the written and unwritten, Scripture and Tradition. Sacred Scripture and Tradition are the foundations of the Church, as both are the word of God. Both are the living transmission of God’s word.

What is the basic distinction between the two ways in which we read Scripture and what are the total four senses in which we read Scripture?

We read Scripture with the thought of what the human authors wanted to affirm and also what God wants to reveal to us through His words. The four senses are literal, moral, anagogical (eternal significance) and allegorical (significance in Christ).

Describe how God created the world. How did God create the human person?

God created the world out of dust, speaking it into existence, creating everything from light and darkness to the smallest creature that lives on this earth. He created the human person with the desire to create him as a steward of the earth and the rest of His creation.

What is the Adamic Covenant?

The Adamic Covenant was God’s blessing on Adam that he would be fruitful and multiply the earth while having dominion over all the creatures of earth. Adam was given the plants of the world as food.

What is the original sin of Adam and Eve and what are the ramifications for their sin?

The original sin of Adam and Eve was their disobedience of God’s command not to eat the fruit of the tree. The ramification was they were kicked out of the Eden, and had to face a life of hard work and death. The human race lost its righteousness and the indwelling of God.

What is the Noahic Covenant?

God’s promise that He would never cause worldwide correction and punishment. He promised he would never again curse the ground. Also a promise that Noah would be fruitful and have many descendants. God also gave permission to eat the beasts of this earth. The rainbow is the sign of the Covenant.

Who is Melchizedek? Why is he significant? How is he referred to in the New Testament?

He was the king of Salem and a priest who blessed Abraham and offered bread and wine. He is significant because he prefigures Christ and the Sacrament of the Eucharist which involves bread and wine.

What is the Abrahamic Covenant

The Abrahamic Covenant promised Abraham he would have as many descendants as the stars. Many nations and kings would come from Abraham’s line. Promise of land, Canaan, for the people of God. Sign of the covenant is circumcision

What is the significance of Jacob and his 12 sons?

The 12 sons of Israel received the promise of the covenant together, however, special privileges were inherited by individuals. For example Judah and his tribe inherit kingship, Joseph inherits moral supremacy.

What is the significance of the Name of God in Exodus 3:14?

“I AM WHO I AM” is the name God reveals in Exodus. This is significant because it showed the Israelities that God is being himself. To truly dwell and worship God they needed to know His name.

What is the Mosaic Covenant?

A promise that Israel would be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. Twelve commandements were given.

Why did God give the Israelites a body of laws?

God gave a body of laws in order for the Israelities to see him and serve him as the one living and true God. They would see him as a just judge.

Were the Israelites faithful to the Law given to them by God?

No, they kept disobeying the Law through practices like idolatry.

What tribe of Israel are the priests taken from?

The tribe of Levi as they were the only ones who didn’t participate in idolatry.

When the Israelites entered into the Holy Land, what did God command them to do relative to the other tribes in Canaan? Why did God command them to do this?

God commanded to get rid of them as an act of purification; He commanded them to do this because those tribes had fallen away from God.

What is the Davidic Covenant?

The Davidic Covenant is God’s promise that an eternal kingdom will come from David’s line of descendants, He promised that his descendants would always be His people. He commands David to build him a temple

Who built the Temple in Jerusalem?What is special about the Jewish Temple?

Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem. It is special because it was the dwelling place of God. God was truly present in that temple. It was also the seat of the ark and it was special because God had asked for it to be made.

What is the relationship between the House of David and the House of God (Temple in Jerusalem)?

The House of David, which is the line of royal kings, were the ones to build the House of God which was the Temple in Jerusalem. The House of David were the mediators between the people and the House of God. There is a permanent union of the houses in Heaven. The House of David will always serve and protect the House of God.

Why were both the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah both conquered by foreign empires?

They were both conquered by foreign empires as a result of their falling away from the covenant. They fall into bad practices like idolatry, and so they are both split and cursed with exile. They needed to be humiliated to be restored with God.

What is the progression from earlier to later covenants in the Old Testament? (for example, what does each covenant add on to the previous covenants)?

The Adamic covenant promised a holy land and holy people, however due to the Fall, these were lost. Both were renewed in the Abrahamic covenant with a renewed people and renewed land. These are both continued and deepened in the Noahic covenant with a promise to protect God’s people from total destruction and restore the harmony it once had. The Mosaic covenant brought law to God’s people as well as a tabernacle for God’s presence to dwell with them. And the Davidic covenant brought eternal kingship to the people and an instrument for instilling righteousness. All of these covenants had a goal of restoring God’s people to harmony with him.

Does the Jew's return to Judah in Ezrah and Nehemiah completely restore the covenants?

No, the Jews return partially restored the covenants. There were still 9 missing tribes, a temple without God’s presence, and no Davidic king. They were fragmented. The covenants aren’t fully restored until the coming of Christ.

What are the three ways that Isaiah prophecies of the restoration of the holy people in the holy land?

The suffering servant, the Davidic king, and God himself.

What is the importance of the New Temple prophesied of in Ezekiel and Revelations?

This new temple is the temple in the kingdom of heaven.

What is the relationship between the Ancient of Days and Son of Man in Daniel 7? What is this vision of the prophet Daniel’s showing of the future?

The Ancient of Days represents God the Father, and the Son of Man is Jesus Christ. He has a vision that the son of Man returns to the Ancient Days on a cloud just as Jesus ascended to heaven on a cloud.

What is signified by the two genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke?

The genealogies of Jesus in Matthew are very clear on the descent through Joseph, while Luke focuses more on the descent through Mary.

What is special about Mary and the birth of Jesus in Luke?

The angel Gabriel addresses Mary as full of grace, pointing towards her immaculate conception and recognizing her authority. She conceived by the Holy Spirit and she is a perpetual virgin even through the birth of Christ.

What is significant about John the Baptist?

John the Baptist is the voice crying out in the desert. He is of the tribe of Levi, from the house of Aaron. He had the authority as prophet and priest, preparing the way for Jesus.

What is the prayer that Jesus gave us and what is significant about it?

Jesus gave us the Our Father, which is significant because it is the first prayer addressing the relationship God has with us as our father.

What do the Beatitudes lead us to – not just in their individual exhortations?

The Beatitudes lead us to Heaven by guiding us to fulfill our roles as children of God

What is special about the 12 Apostles?

The 12 apostles are special because they share in the authority Christ had to preach and heal. They symbolize the fullness of the united kingdom of Israel. They are given the ability to communicate His holiness to others.

What distinguishes Saint Peter amongst the 12 Apostles?

He was the first to recognize Jesus as the Son of God, and so he was chosen to be their leader.

What is Saint Paul’s relationship to the 12 Apostles?

He was granted special graces to preach, he is considered an apostle since his mission was to preach to the gentiles.

  What group of people hands Jesus over to be crucified (the Jews), what group of people crucifies Him (Romans), and what group of people is the reason why Jesus came to be crucified in the first place (Fallen Humanity)? In what ways are each group responsible for His death?

The Jews were responsible for turning him in, the Romans killed him, and fallen humanity is the reason for His death.

Why is it important that Jesus did not only die, but was resurrected?

The fact that he was resurrected emphasizes the truth that He conquered death, and reminds us that we will also participate in the final resurrection. His ascension allows his humanity to participate in the rule he has as God.

Who is the “other Paraclete” or “Counselor?

The Holy Spirit is also referred to as the Counselor or the Paraclete, sent to us to sustain the communication of divine life in the Church organized apostolically.

Why is it important that Jesus ascended to Heaven, so that God the Son was no longer present on Earth in an ordinary way?

It is important that Jesus ascended to Heaven so that his mystical body could be the tabernacling of God among human beings. It also allows the Spirit to indwell in his Church and enable us to share in his glory.

What is Baptism? Is it necessary? What does the action of Baptism do?

Baptism is the sacrament that makes our souls reborn, cleansing us from original sin. It is necessary in order to share in communion with the Father in heaven. The action of Baptism cleanses a soul and renews it.

What is the Eucharist? What does it do?

The Eucharist is our way of abiding in God and him abiding in us. It is a sacrament that is the food of our soul.

What is the priesthood of the New Covenant, of which Jesus is the High Priest? How is it different from the priesthood of the Mosaic Law, of which Aaron is the High Priest?

The priesthood of the New Covenant is separate from the mosaic Law and non-familial. It comes from the priesthood of Melchizedek. It fulfills the Aaronic priesthood and is more primordial.

What relationship does Israel, considered as a corporate whole, have to the Church according to Saint Paul in Romans? How does this connect to the permanence of the Old Testament covenants?

  Because we are the fulfillment of the Jewish religion, corporate Israel exists as the root of salvation, and the old covenants remain permanent.

Ultimately, what is it to be a “holy people and holy land” at the end of God’s plan?

This refers to all the blessed in their proper place of worship, which is heaven. The holy land is now the relationship holy people have with God our savior.