THEO1 NTC Midterms

Christology

States that Jesus Christ is true god and true man

Low Christology - the study of Jesus, him being man, does not include aspects of his divinity

High Christology - includes the aspects of divinity

Christology from above - studying Jesus christ from the perspective of him being god then becoming man to save us

Christology from below - studying Christ from his humanity then tracing upward, or how he became god

Christology teaches that Jesus had to be man so he could die, and had to be God so his death would pay for our sins.

Lesson 1: Revelation

Signs and symbols have the power to transmit a message. That is why we use signs and

symbols to communicate with one another.

A sign is simply something that points to another reality; something that brings a person to a knowledge or awareness of something else (that may be hidden, invisible or absent). It could be either a natural sign or a conventional sign.

A symbol on the other hand is a sign that has more than one dimension and can transmit a deeper meaning or a number of meanings.

Humans have a natural tendency and innate desire to relate with a supreme being.

However, due to the disparity between humans and God (humans being pure spirits, God being an embodied spirit), there must be a medium of communication which we can perceive.

Direct communication is impossible; since we are embodied spirits, it must pass through our senses, using these tangible elements (sacramental principle)

Revelation within a person:

Logos - through intellect

Shekinah - felt within the heart

Experiences like these, which transcends the human, always require interpretation.

Interpretation takes place when one tries to reconstruct the experience at least

mentally, but most especially when one attempts to narrate and explain that

experience to another person.

Revelation outside a person

• Through other people

• Through events

• Through the created universe

Whether revelation takes place within or outside a person he needs to interpret the experience and to freely accept / believe it.

One cannot freely accept it without the bias of faith, or better, without the precondition of faith.

Faith

The ways in which God reveals himself are always vulnerable: people can be blind to them or misinterpret them.

Faith is the noun of the verb "to believe".

To believe is rendered in Latin by the word credere which is a composite of two words:

Cor (=heart) and dare (=to give).

Old Testament Sacraments

Israel is a sacrament of god. In Hebrew scriptures, it was called the qahal (assembly, church) Qahal Yahweh

the ritual actions of the Qahal Yahweh are also sacraments

Circumcision - sign of salvation

Passover meal with Paschal Lamb - memorial celebration

Natural Sacraments

Water rituals signify life, growth, cleansing, purification

Rituals of initiation

Ritual meals - sharing food is frequently a sign of acceptance and communion among those who partake, but can also be a sign and means of experiencing spiritual strengthening

Atonement rituals - offering of gifts or sacrifices, as sacrifices are often means of making atonement or reparation for violations of a moral code

Healing Rituals

Funeral rituals

Marriage rituals - elaborate rituals which involve periods of preparation or separation and transition or incorporation into a new pattern of living

Ordination rituals

Jesus as the Sacrament

o fullness of God’s revelation, the WORD made flesh (Jn 1:14)

o the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15)

o exact representation of the Father’s being…(Heb 1:3)

o Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb 9:15)

o anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (Jn 14:9)

Christ is the Sacrament of the encounter with God

From the discussion above, two other important preconditions for sacramental theology arise:

A separation of reality into sacred and profane realms is impossible within the Christian faith.

Even the unique presence of God in Jesus required interpretation with the “eyes of faith”.

How Christian sacraments are founded on Jesus' words and deeds:

Baptism - Jesus is the “baptized” and the “baptizer”

Confirmation - Jesus is the “anointed one” and “giver of the Holy Spirit”

Eucharist - Jesus is the “dinner guest,” the “host” and the “bread of life”

Penance and Anointing of the Sick - Jesus is the “healer” of both physical and spiritual illness.

Marriage - Jesus is the “bridegroom” and at the same time the “one who sanctifies marriages” by his presence.

Holy Orders - Jesus is the “apostle” and the “sender.”

Kwento ni Sir regarding the rock sa center ng Mecca:

The next historical beings after Adam and Eve were Abraham and Sarah. Sarah had a slave, whom she offered Abraham to have a child with since the couple could not have a child. Abraham and the slave had a child, Ishmael, which angered Sarah and pinalayas niya sila. After that, Abraham and Sarah themselves had a child together named Isaac.

The rock or smth sa center ng Mecca was a stone na nahulog from paradise and a temple was built to keep it.

Lesson 2: The Bible

Authority of Scriptures

Locus of Authority - lies beyond the documents- points to God/Jesus Christ

Demands obedience because it is God himself who speaks

The text is not wrong, but the interpretation may be

God is the authority. Behind sacred scripture is God of all time

This authority of sacred scripture is contained/embedded in the content of the bible

False loci of authority

i. Not in the community that collected the tradition

ii. Not in the community that formed the canon

iii. Not in the reconstructed tradition that underlie the books of the bible (ex. “Q” source, common fragments or stories)

iv. Not in the reconstructed “real Jesus” of the Jesus Seminar

1. There is something diluted in Sacred Scripture

2. Look for what Jesus authentically said

3. Local church just added / put words in Jesus Christ’s mouth

4. Authority: the historians

5. Discover the real Jesus, not the one created by the evangelists

6. NOT THE CHRIST OF FAITH

v. Not in the personal experience / reading of Sacred Scripture

INERRANCY

Biblical inerrancy - the belief that the Bible is free from error

It depends on which truth you are looking for; the Bible is not absolute truth

Closely linked with the belief about inspiration is the belief about inerrancy. If the bible is of God, it cannot be in error since God is the author of truth, not lies.

1. The words of the bible are true only in the sense in which the human authors conveyed them.

a. Therefore, we must determine how they thought, what influenced them, and so

forth.

2. The human authors were not necessarily without error.

a. Many of their personal opinions and even convictions may have been wrong

b. But inerrancy means that these opinions and convictions did not affect the message itself

3. Inerrancy does not rule out the use of common literary devices, such as poetry, figures of speech, paradox, approximation, compressed narratives, inexact quotations, folklore, legend, song.

4. The human authors were Oriental, not Western.

a. They did not think metaphysically or according to the rules of Scholastic logic

5. Insofar as the principle of inerrancy applies, it applies to those essential religious affirmations which are made for the sake of salvation.

Therefore, “the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching firmly, faithfully, and without error that truth which God wanted put into the sacred writings for the sake of our salvation”

Historical Development of the Canon of Scripture

Letter of Polycarp - 135 AD, oldest witness to dispute abt meaning of Jesus' words

Justin - first Christian to use gospel in the plural, which for him meant ‘memoirs’ of the apostles. He cites Jesus’ words about 60x. He may have synthesized the 3 synoptics for class use

Marcion - estimated the first known canon, which contained 10 letters of Paul and only the gospel of Lu

There were more and more diversions in the writings of the Words about Jesus, so there was a need for an official version, leading to the development of the canon.

Irenaeus, 180 AD: 4 gospels, no more, no less.

Tatian combines the 4 gospels, using John’s as framework, into 1 narrative, which was called the Diatessaron and used for at least 2 centuries by the church in Syria

The authority of the 4 gospels was reinforced by attributing them to the apostles or disciples of the apostles

Five major churches before: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch

Canon of Scripture: 46 books for the Old Testament, 27 for the new

Criteria for Canonicity

Early date

Liturgical use

Apostolic authorship

Ultimate Criteria: Rule of Faith

Formation of Scriptures

Early scriptural accounts often began with the story of a martyr’s death (how he died).

Then, biographers would trace the person’s life backward to understand his significance.

Biographers formulated stories based on tradition, teachings, and interpretations.

In the case of Jesus Christ, the process followed a similar pattern.

Starting Point: The Paschal Mystery (Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection)

The first experience of Jesus' impact was redemption (soteriology).

People then asked: Who is this Jesus Christ who has brought salvation?

This led to the study of Christology (the nature and role of Christ).

Development of the Gospels

Gospel of Mark (60-70 AD)

Starts with Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River.

Declares that Jesus is the Son of God, anointed by God to bring redemption.

Raises an important question:

Was Jesus Christ the only one anointed by God for salvation?

Follow-up Questions About Jesus’ Anointing

Was Jesus only anointed at his baptism?

Answer: No! His anointing goes further back—from the moment of his conception.

Leads to focus on Jesus' birth and infancy narratives.

Infancy Narratives: Matthew (70-90 AD) and Luke (70-90 AD)

Introduce the idea that Jesus was chosen by God before his baptism.

Emphasize Jesus’ divine role from birth.

This prompts further theological questions.

Further Theological Questions After the Infancy Narratives

Who is Jesus Christ in relation to us? → Our Savior

Who is Jesus Christ in relation to God? → Son of God

If he is the Son of God, what is his nature?

Is he a deity?

Is he co-equal with God?

Or is he a lesser god?

Gospel of John (90-100 AD): Final Answer

Jesus is not just divine from his conception but has been God from all eternity.

Establishes Jesus’ divinity and eternal existence.

Confirms that Jesus is fully God, not a lesser being.

30 AD Jesus gives no instructions to his disciples to write books

140 AD Papias prefers a living voice to “things from books” (several books written

plus proclamation)

180-190 AD Irenaeus accepts the 4 gospels as normative (canon)

New Testament

The Shape of the New Testament

Dates

Most books of the New Testament were written between 50-100 AD, a few perhaps later

Earlier are Pauline epistles: 50-60 AD

The Gospels: 70-100 AD

Divisions

27 books

4 Gospels

13 epistles bearing Paul’s name, to which is added Hebrews, thus 14 books attributed to Paul

7 catholic epistles (addressed not to single churches but to all Christians):

i. 1 from James

ii. 2 from Peter

iii. 3 from John (although no mention of John as author)

iv. 1 from Jude

2 “stray” books: Acts of the Apostles and Apocalypse (Revelation)

3. Consensus among Christian churches: No disagreement among Christians about which books belong to the New Testament

4. Murky origins: While constitution of New Testament is universally accepted, its origins is not easy to explain

Formation of the Canon

180 AD—Irenaeus, in Against the Heresies, has closed canon of 4 gospels

200 AD—Most churches had 20 books

400 AD—only then is the canon of 27 books fixed

Defining the word "Canon"

transliteration of the Greek word "kanon" which was derived from the Semitic word for reed. Literally, it meant a straight measuring tool; Metaphorically, it meant a norm or standard.

Present definition: a canonical book is one that the church acknowledges as belonging to a list of sacred books, as inspired by God, and as having a regulating (rule) vale for faith and morals.

Content: 39 protocanonical books, 7 apocryphal books which took longer to determine canonicity of

Canon of the Old Testament

Exact criteria is not certain

Jewish canon was closed at end of 2nd century. The first Christians thus used the scripture of the Jews whose canon was still being finalized

Canon of Trent

The Tridentine Fathers did not determine the canon on the basis of purely historical reconstruction but on the basis of consistent church usage

Several books that were used in the church were omitted

There was general criteria but exceptions were allowed. Nevertheless, Trent is binding

Canon of the New Testament

The apostles were still alive between 30-50 AD and Christian faith was communicated orally

Factors that led to writing of the New Testament:

Geographical distance

Chronological distance

Criteria:

Apostolic origin, real or putative (attributed)

Importance of the local community

Conformity with rule of faith

Composition and Collection of NT works:

Pauline epistles, the Gospels, Collection

Gospels not accepted in the canon

Many gospels were written in the canon but were eventually not included

Infancy narrative according to Thomas - the miraculous stories of Jesus when he was a child, turning clay into live birds and cursing bad playmates to die. undermined his humanity

Gospel of Peter - narrates Jesus on the cross as only "pretending to be suffering"

Gospel of Philip - Not a narrative but a collection of mystical reflection \Contrast between 2 groups

• Exoteric knowledge: knowledge available to all

• Esoteric knowledge: knowledge available to a few / select

According to him, what save is “knowledge” not life witness

• Exoteric: ordinary Christians = called “Hebrews”

Biblical Inspiration

the Christian belief that God guided the human authors of the Bible, making their writings the word of God

Theories of inspiration:

Maximizing Direction

• from god to man

Hypnotic theory - biblical writers were possessed by God

Origen - a theologian who “vouched” for the hypnotic theory; discussing it further after its discovery

biblical writers fell into ecstasy but mental powers were enhanced

Condescension - God going down to the level of humans and adopts his language to a level humans can comprehend

Aquinas Instrumental Causality - god making use of an instrument, and humans are the instrument he used

Verbal dictation - God communicates the language of scriptures to human authors supernaturally while respecting the writer's individuality

Minimizing Direction

• man to god

Subsequent approbation theory - Pope Sixtus of Sienna, inspiration is retroactive: canonization by the church imbues the biblical book with inspiration

Negative Assistance theory - God will intervene in the human author's writing process only when the author is about to commit a mistake

Levesque theory of directionalism - God gives an inspiration but it is up to the writer themself to write the content

Lagrange theory of illumination - enables writers to judge worldly experience according to God's will

Rahner's social inspiration - we know that it is how we experience him, so this is his world

Karl Rahner's social inspiration theory emphasizes that the Bible was inspired not just through individual authors but through the entire faith community over time. Instead of direct divine dictation, the Holy Spirit worked through the Church’s lived experiences, oral traditions, and collective reflection.

Community-Based Inspiration – Scripture emerged from the Church’s shared faith, not just from isolated writers.

Ongoing Process – Inspiration unfolded gradually as the community preserved and interpreted divine truths.

Collective Understanding – Different authors contributed perspectives, refined by the faith tradition.

Just as a group project reflects multiple voices shaped by discussion, the Bible was formed through a communal process, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Lesson 3: The role of Jesus Christ in revealing God’s plan to humanity

Starting points of Christology

New Testament

The first gospel was written by Mark during the persecution of Christians in 60 AD, which is why his focused on the suffering Jesus christ. Using oral tradition, it would start with crucifixion. Then ppl would ask and pagkukwento starting his baptism when the Holy spirit came down in the form of a dove, and a voice was heard saying that this is my son. This is called adoptionism bc this is when they would say that Jesus became God, heresy. Matthew focused on stating that what was promised by Yahweh was promised through Jesus. Luke, meanwhile, focused on the Gentiles. John states that Jesus did not become divine when he was in Mary's womb, he was there since the beginning, logos. he focused on the philosophers of greece.

The Creeds and Dogma of the Church

The creed always starts from above (christology from above)

The Faith of Christian people

faith is an important but insufficient source, since people have different types of faith and different perceptions on who Jesus is

Historical-Critical Approach

studying Jesus using scientific method; studying history using modern science

Dialectical Christology

If Christology is to be both critical (using historical and literary disciplines) and at the same time theological (i.e., a reflection on faith), it must do its historical-critical investigation within the parameters of the historic Christian tradition.

Methodological considerations

From Precritical to Critical

The early Church always engaged in critical reflection on its faith but never challenged the Bible itself as a source of divine truth.

The Bible was viewed as God’s word, a sacred history that recorded God’s saving acts from creation to Christ and the Church’s establishment.

The biblical worldview was taken literally, and those who questioned it were disciplined or rejected.

Examples: Copernicus, Galileo, Darwin challenged aspects of biblical cosmology.

The Bible also functioned as the core Christian symbol system, shaping how Christians understood their faith and identity.

Some early theologians tried to apply a more analytical or scientific approach to biblical interpretation:

Marcion (c. 150 AD) → Rejected the Old Testament based on his theological views, attempted to reduce the four Gospels to one.

Tatian (c. 175 AD) → Created the Diatessaron, harmonizing the Gospels into a single narrative.

Origen (185–254 AD) → Pioneered textual criticism of the Old Testament, emphasizing allegorical interpretation.

Augustine (354–430 AD) → Recognized that:

Gospel order was based on recollection, not strict chronology.

Jesus’ words were not always recorded verbatim.

Despite these early efforts, biblical interpretation before the 17th century remained precritical—not yet applying modern scholarly methods.

The Rise of Critical Christology

Richard Simon (1638–1712) → Considered the father of modern biblical criticism.

Modern biblical criticism emerged from:

Scientific Revolution (17th century) → Emphasized empirical verification.

Enlightenment (18th century) → Prioritized reason over religious authority.

This led to the development of the historical-critical method, pioneered in German universities (e.g., Tübingen), with techniques such as:

Form criticism

Redaction criticism

Source criticism

Textual criticism

Modern Biblical Scholarship and the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church initially opposed modern biblical criticism, viewing it as an attack on faith and Church authority.

Modernist Crisis (Early 20th Century) → The Church hardened its stance:

Pope Leo XIII (1902) → Established the Pontifical Biblical Commission (PBC) to regulate biblical scholarship.

Between 1905-1915, the PBC required Catholic scholars to uphold traditional beliefs, including:

Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch.

Historical accuracy of Genesis.

Single authorship of Isaiah.

Matthew’s priority over other Gospels.

Paul as the author of Hebrews.

Divino Afflante Spiritu (1943)

often called the Magna Carta of Catholic biblical scholarship.

Pope Pius XII’s encyclical marked a major turning point:

Encouraged translation from original Hebrew & Greek texts rather than the Latin Vulgate.

Approved the use of historical and literary methods in biblical studies.

Warned against fear of new ideas, stating:

“They must avoid that somewhat indiscreet zeal which considers everything new to be for that very reason a fit object of attack or suspicion.”

By 1955, the PBC declared that Catholic scholars had “complete freedom” in biblical research, except in areas concerning faith and morals.

Instruction on the Historical Truth of the Gospels (1964)

The Gospels are not literal, chronological biographies of Jesus but the result of a three-stage development:

Jesus' Ministry → The actual words and deeds of Jesus.

Oral Tradition → Apostles' preaching adapted for different audiences.

Written Gospels → Evangelists compiled, adapted, and interpreted material for their communities.

Some sayings and actions attributed to Jesus may originate from early Christian communities or the evangelists, but this does not affect their truth:

The Gospels express the meaning of Jesus' words and deeds, even if phrased differently or presented in varying order.

Dei Verbum (1965)

affirms that scriptures are inspired, but emphasizes that the biblical writers are the "true authors"

Biblical Inspiration & Human Authorship:

The Bible is divinely inspired, but the human authors were “true authors” using their own skills, historical context, and literary forms (DV 11).

Interpretation must consider literary genres (history, prophecy, poetry, etc.) and historical context (DV 12).

The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church (1993)

Reaffirmed the historical-critical method as essential for understanding Scripture.

Critique of Fundamentalism:

While it rightly upholds divine inspiration, it ignores the historical context of biblical texts.

It overemphasizes biblical inerrancy in details of history and science.

It confuses the final written Gospels with Jesus’ actual words and deeds.

Catholic Exegesis:

Takes place within the Church’s tradition, balancing modern scholarship with faith.

Must avoid excessive professional skepticism that disconnects exegesis from faith.

Encourages diverse methods, including rhetorical, narrative, semiotic, and feminist approaches.

Principles of a Critical Christology

A balanced Christology considers both faith and history. It is based on five principles:

The Gospels are faith testimonies, not modern histories or biographies.

They contain historical material, but must be analyzed critically.

Christology must be grounded in the faith of the Church, including Scripture, creeds, and liturgy.

The historical Jesus is essential for understanding Christological faith.

Jesus must be understood within the Jewish religious tradition that shaped his worldview.

Development of the Gospel Tradition

The Gospels emerged from 60+ years of Christian preaching, teaching, worship, and theological reflection.

They are not direct historical accounts, but reflect the needs of early Christian communities.

Evangelists shaped the tradition while respecting what they received.

Example: Luke did not introduce the feminine form of “disciple” in his Gospel but did so in Acts, where he had more freedom.

Early Christians did not immediately recognize Jesus’ divinity:

Jesus likely did not openly claim messiahship from the start (contrast John 4:26 with the Synoptics).

John’s Gospel presents a later theological development, e.g., John 8:58 (“Before Abraham was, I AM”).

Chronology of New Testament Writings

Paul’s Letters (50s AD) → Earliest Christian writings (e.g., 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, Romans).

James (~60s AD) → Possibly the earliest non-Pauline letter.

Mark (c. 68 AD) → First Gospel; primary source for Matthew and Luke (c. 80s AD).

Johannine Writings (90s AD) → Theological reflection on Jesus' divinity.

2 Peter (100-110 AD) → Latest New Testament text.

The Synoptic Problem

Definition: The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) share a common perspective but have significant differences.

Content Differences:

Matthew & Luke contain material absent in Mark.

Each Gospel has unique content.

Explanation:

The interrelationship of the three Gospels is known as the “Synoptic Problem.”

Traditionally, the order was Matthew → Mark → Luke.

In the 18th century, scholars suggested Markan priority—Mark was the first Gospel, serving as a source for Matthew & Luke.

Triple Tradition: Material common to all three Synoptics.

Double Tradition ("Q Source"): 220 verses common to Matthew & Luke but absent in Mark.

"Q" (from Quelle, German for “source”) is a hypothesized collection of Jesus' sayings.

Some scholars suggest multiple editorial layers in Q (Aramaic, Greek-Jewish, and Gentile Christian phases).

Unique Material:

Mark: ~50 unique verses.

Matthew: 315-330 unique verses.

Luke: 500-600 unique verses, including key parables (Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son, Zacchaeus, etc.).

Development of the Gospel Tradition (Three Stages)

Jesus’ Words and Deeds (28-30 CE)

Includes parables, sayings, and events from Jesus’ life.

Some sayings were reshaped in later preaching.

Large parts of Jesus’ early life remain unknown (the "hidden life" of Jesus).

Apostolic Preaching (30-70 CE)

Kerygma (Proclamation): Early preaching focused on Jesus' resurrection.

Sayings Collections: Jesus’ words were transmitted orally and grouped into collections (e.g., Q).

Stories: Retellings of Jesus’ actions (baptism, ministry, passion).

Parables & Miracles: Adapted to community needs.

Liturgical Influence:

Baptismal formula (Matt 28:19).

Eucharistic traditions (Last Supper, feeding miracles).

Easter Stories:

Empty tomb discoveries.

Jesus' post-resurrection appearances.

Hymns & Christological Titles: Used in worship, e.g., "Son of God," "Messiah."

Writing of the Gospels (70-100 CE)

Evangelists were not eyewitnesses but relied on tradition.

Each Gospel was tailored to a specific audience:

Mark: Jewish-Christian, possibly in Rome, written before Jerusalem’s destruction.

Matthew: Jewish-Christian audience in Antioch, post-80 CE, addressing conflict with Pharisees.

Luke: Gentile-Christian, polished Greek, influenced by Paul.

John: Independent tradition, rooted in the “Beloved Disciple” community.

Recovering the Historical Jesus

Jesus must be understood within first-century Jewish religious tradition.

Scholars use criteria to identify authentic sayings & actions of Jesus:

Embarrassment: Material that would have been awkward for Jesus and the early Church (e.g., Jesus’ baptism by John, Peter’s denial).

Discontinuity: Teachings not aligned with Judaism or early Christian practice (e.g., prohibition of divorce, refusal of voluntary fasting).

Multiple Attestation: Material appearing in multiple independent sources (e.g., "Kingdom of God" theme).

Coherence: Sayings consistent with previously verified authentic material reinforce authenticity.

Rejection & Execution: Actions leading to Jesus’ persecution (e.g., conflicts with authorities) support historical authenticity.

Dubious Criteria (Less Reliable)

Traces of Aramaic: Could come from early Aramaic-speaking Christians, not necessarily Jesus.

Palestinian Environment: Local color does not guarantee authenticity.

Sayings with Formulas: Phrases like “Truly, truly, I say to you” were common in Jewish apocalyptic literature.

Vivid Storytelling: Descriptive detail does not necessarily indicate historicity.

Jesus' Miracles

Deliverance - the power Jesus exercised over demonic forces in exorcisms (ex: Jesus driving out an evil spirit from someone present during his teaching, the Syro-Phoenician woman whose daughter was possessed)

Forgiveness of Sins examples: Jesus forgiving sins of the silent man then proceeding to heal him of his ailment. Luke takes up the link between miracles of healing and the miracle of forgiveness

Light for the Blind - healing the spiritual blindness and deafness of disciples

Life - John goes beyond Mark, Matthew, and Luke in elaborating the nurturing, life-giving significance of Jesus' miracles. Jesus defends healing as "saving life" on the Sabbath.

Preaching life