Theology: U8 Quiz Guide - Cerjak

Kingdom of God

God's rule has come, in which He triumphs over evil and death. We are to turn from sin and follow Him. When we enter into a relationship with the king, we are a part of His Kingdom.

Relationship between the Kingdom of God & the Catholic Church

The Kingdom of God is made present in the person of Jesus Christ. Moments of divine glory like the Transfiguration remind us that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah).

Disciple

A 'learner'.

Rabbi

A Jewish teacher who is well educated in Scripture.

Sermon on the Mount

A section in Matthew's in which Jesus teaches about how to live.

Parables

Short stories used to teach a moral lesson. Jesus often used them to preach.

Beatitudes

The fullest expression of the Law and the way to supreme happiness (only found in God).

Jesus as Teacher

A rabbi who taught with authority and He didn't just quote teachers of the past. He simply spoke the truth plainly and with authority.

Jesus as the New Moses

Jesus goes up to a mountain to teach, just as Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Decalogue (old law). Therefore, Jesus is the new Moses who gives us the new law.

John 15:16

You did not choose me. But I chose you.

Key messages in the parables

God's kingdom is for everyone. Sinners are welcome in the Kingdom. Repentance is necessary for entering the Kingdom. God rewards those who repent (whether sooner or later). The Kingdom belongs to the poor and lowly. God and His Kingdom will triumph in the end.

The Parable of the Sower

A sower throws seed on various kinds of soil, and it grows accordingly.

Seed

The Word of God.

Sower

Christ.

Soil

The person that hears the Word.

Meaning of the Parable of the Sower

Like different soils, people have various responses when they hear God's Word.

Seed on the path

Like the person who hears the Word but satan comes and snatches it away.

Seed in rocky soil

Like the person who hears the Word and receives it with joy, but has no roots and dies.

Seed in thorns

Like the person who hears the Word, but things of the world get in the way.

Seed in rich soil

Like the person who hears the Word, and it bears fruit in them a hundredfold.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

A story illustrating compassion and mercy.

Levite

A Jew, member of the tribe of Levi. Responsible for taking care of the Temple. Only Levites could become Priests (but not all Levites become Priests).

Priest

A Jew, a Levite who served in the Temple and offered prayers and sacrifices to God on behalf of the people.

Samaritan

A resident of Samaria despised by the Jews because they didn't worship in the Temple.

Ritual Purification

The process required for someone who became ritually impure, particularly after touching a dead body or blood, to restore their ability to participate in Temple worship.

The Good Samaritan

A figure representing Jesus, who helps a man beaten and left for dead, contrasting with the indifference of the Priest and Levite.

The Priest and the Levite

Representatives of the Old Testament priesthood, which could not bring salvation.

The Inn

Symbolizes the Church in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Moral Sense of the Passage

The teaching that loving our neighbor means showing compassion to all of God's people, especially those in need.

The Prodigal Son

A parable about a younger son who squanders his inheritance and returns to his father, symbolizing repentance and forgiveness.

Significance of the Son's Request

Demonstrates the son's value of money over a relationship with his father.

Father's Response to Son's Return

The father embraces his son despite his uncleanliness, symbolizing unconditional love and acceptance.

The Older Son

Represents a Pharisee, struggling with self-righteousness and unable to rejoice at his brother's return.

God as Our Father

Symbolizes God's readiness to welcome back sinners who repent, as illustrated by the father's actions in the Prodigal Son parable.

Reconciliation in the Catholic Church

The sacrament through which God the Father welcomes sinners back, represented by Jesus Christ present through the Priest.

Spiritual Sickness

The condition represented by the man who was robbed, symbolizing all sinners who are in need of salvation.

Inherent Dignity

The belief that every person is made in the image and likeness of God and deserves to be treated with respect.

Compassion

The moral obligation to care for others, especially those in need, as taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Wild Living

The reckless spending and lifestyle of the younger son in the Prodigal Son parable, leading to his downfall.

Desperation and Poverty

The state the younger son finds himself in after squandering his inheritance, symbolizing the consequences of sin.

Father's Open Arms

Symbolizes unconditional love and readiness to forgive, as shown when the father welcomes back his son.

Pharisee

A figure representing self-righteousness and legalism, as exemplified by the older son in the Prodigal Son parable.

Sacraments

Rituals in the Catholic Church through which believers receive grace and healing from Christ.

Temple Worship

The religious practices and rituals conducted in the Temple, requiring ritual purity.

Allegorical Sense

The interpretation of biblical passages that reveals deeper spiritual meanings, as seen in the parable of the Good Samaritan.