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Scripture and Tradition. Revelation: God has chosen to reveal Himself to man in concrete Words and Deeds . This Revelation is interpreted and passed on to us through Scripture and Tradition . Scripture. Scripture is the inspired record of God’s Revelation in History.
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Revelation: God has chosen to reveal Himself to man in concrete Words and Deeds. This Revelation is interpreted and passed on to us through Scripture and Tradition.
Scripture • Scripture is theinspired record of God’s Revelation in History. • Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit. Dual Authorship: God employed human authors to write exactly what He wanted said…no more, no less. God is the primary author of Scripture! This is a mystery • Apostolic Tradition has discerned a complete list of 46 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament.
Tradition • In order that the full and living Gospel might always be preserved in the Church, the apostles left bishops as their successors. • Apostolic Succession ensures that the Sacred Deposit of Faith is transmitted to every generation. The line of Bishops in union with the Popes from Peter to Benedict 16 – Magisterium Those Truths revealed to us by Christ that are necessary for our salvation
Tradition helps us truly understand what God is saying in Scripture. Many Protestant denominations proclaim “Sola Scriptora” (by Scripture alone). This is not the Catholic belief because Christ specifically set up the authority of the Church when he commissioned the apostles. “You are Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church…” Mt 16:19 Besides that, we would not have the Bible if it had not been for tradition! It was under the authority of the Church that the books of the Bible were collected and deemed “inspired and inerrant”. We would not know about God’s plan for our salvation if He did not reveal it to us!!! Written by God through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Without error in matters concerning our salvation – God wants to reveal TRUTH!!!
How did the Bible come to be? 1. Oral Tradition God’s actions in history are passed on and interpreted by word of mouth from generation to generation. Often when we look carefully at Scripture, we can see little memory devices that helped the designated historian remember the stories. “God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them…” Gen 9:1 “God said to Noah and to his sons with him…” Gen 9:7
It has only been in the last 500 years of history that the majority of people could read anything… Johann Gutenberg The Printing Press 1450
Practically speaking, it would be very expensive and time consuming to write something down…and that copy might not last very long given the rough conditions of the time. Papyrus – made from reeds in Egypt What was written down was placed on animal skin (normally from sheep skin – vellum), thin sheets of copper or papyrus.
2. The development of written books… In some cases God’s actions became written down and interpreted. This writing down of the “traditioning” process is what we call Scripture. • The “traditioning” process is seen clearly in 1 Cor 11. • Paul is handing on something that he received from someone else. • Process – how it is passed on • Content – what is passed on
How did they know what was inspired? Most of the Old Testament was compiled (either orally or in writing) long before Jesus walked the face of the earth. As for the New Testament, we go back to the idea of Tradition. Jesus gave the apostles the skills and the authority to determine what was “inspired” and what was not. 3. Setting the Canon of Scripture The formation of the Bible as we know it today had been going on for a long time before the bishops met at the Council of Trent (1500s) to develop a list of approved books. This list of approved books became known as the Canon of Scripture. The same Spirit that helped write the text now helps us to interpret it!
The Bible is the Church’s book! It came out of the Church’s Tradition!!!
Scripture and TraditionVerses "I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I have delivered them to you" (1 Cor. 11:2). "Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us" (2 Tim. 1:13-14).
"So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter." (2 Thess. 2:15) "You, then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:1-2).
"First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God" (2 Peter 1:20-21). "‘Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete" (2 John 12).
Gal 1:6-12 • Brothers and sisters: I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed!
As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed! Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
The basic content of this Gospel is that in Jesus, God was present in a special and definitive way; that through his life, death and resurrection God has made available to all humans the possibility of right relationship with God (justification); and that through the Holy Spirit we live in the hope of fullness of life in God’s kingdom. The church’s task is to guard and hand on this deposit of faith with the help of the Holy Spirit.
