1. R210A Spiritual Formation
Revelation and Scripture
Lawrence Pascual
IPM

2. Outline Questions Part 1: Revelation Part 2: Scripture
Part 3: Scripture Reading Points

3. Point/Goal
Understanding that we are called and gifted by the Trinitarian God, let us consider how he speaks to us: Revelation and Scripture.

4. Objectives Understanding Revelation The Role of Scripture
Catholic Reading of the Bible

5. Part 1 Understanding Revelation Definition Catholic Application
Implications

6. Faith and Revelation
Faith: a gift by which we accept of God’s self-communication: Christ
Revelation: a gift of God’s self-communication fully realized in and through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit
From Scripture, we know God deals directly with human kind (e.g., Moses, prophets, kings, and etc.)
God’s revelation (self-communication) is fully realized in Christ

7. Revelation Latin: revelatio Greek: apocalypsis
Literally: to unveil, or uncover
remove the veil as in marriage.
Dis-closure
God’s self-communication

8. Revelation (CCC 50)
“By natural reasons man can know God with certainty, on the basis of his works. But there is another order of knowledge, which man cannot possibly arrive at by his own powers: the order of divine Revelation…”

9. Revelation (CCC 50)
“Through an utterly free decision, God has revealed himself and give himself to man. This he does by revealing the mystery, his plan of loving goodness, formed from all eternity in Christ, for the benefit of all men. God has fully revealed this plan by sending us his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.”

10. 1 John 4:9-10
“…God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and his Son as expiation for our sins.”

11. Deus Caritas Est, 17
”[God] loves us, he makes us see and experience his love, and since he has ‘loved us first’, love can also blossom as a response within us.”

12. Revelation In terms of communication
Everyone can come to knowledge about God naturally
Revelation is fulfilled in Christ
By love, God freely chooses to reveal

13. Faith and Revelation God loved us first, we respond with love
God self-communicates love, we respond with faith: the acceptance of God’s love

14. Approach to understanding
There have been various “answers” to the dilemma about Revelation.
Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ, gives us a nice summary…

15. Theology has a Sociology
In Models of Revelation, Cardinal Avery Dulles, SJ, identifies five basic models of understanding Revelation.

16. Natural
“For what can be known about God is evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.” (Rom 1:19-20)

17. History Miraculous or self-evident historical events
E.g., the Exodus, parting of the Red Sea
God intervenes in natural order through deed (historic event) and word (scripture)

18. Propositional
Communication of truths, which are then formulated in explicit propositions
E.g., “Jesus is the Good Shepherd”
“Jesus takes care of his followers as a faithful shepherd takes care of his sheep”
Doctrines

19. Similarities of the Models
Revelation is God’s free action whereby he communicates saving truth to humankind, especially through Jesus Christ as accepted by the apostolic Church
As witnessed by the Bible
As witnessed by the continuing community of believers.

20. Theology has a Sociology
In his innovation, he proposes the understanding of revelation as “symbolic mediation.”

21. Symbolic Mediation
We do not encounter God directly (since God is transcendent)
Revelation mediated by some experience in the world, person, event, story, or natural phenomenon

23. Thesis
Revelation never occurs in a purely interior experience or an unmediated encounter with God.
It is always mediated through symbol

24. I. The Meaning of Symbol
Symbol as an externally perceived sign that works mysteriously on the human consciousness so as to suggest more than it can clearly describe or define.

25. Not just an Indicator (sign)

26. Symbol It is a special type of sign
Allow us to bring indefinite number of memories and experiences into a kind of focus
Requires full, conscious and active participation

27. Symbol Defined
A sign pregnant with a plenitude of meaning which is evoked rather than explicitly stated.

28. Note about Symbol
This isn’t “fictitious representation.” Most people think FAKE, but NOT in academic/theological understanding.
Don’t restrict it to “literary understanding.”
Natural objects, historical persons, visible artifacts and dreams can all be symbols.

29. Common Properties of Symbolism and Revelation
Gives participatory knowledge
Has a transforming effect
Powerful influence on commitment and behavior
Introduces us into realms of awareness not normally accessible to general communication

30. Participatory Knowledge
A symbol speaks to us only insofar as it lures us to situate ourselves mentally within the universe of meaning and value which it opens up to us.
(Makes you stop and think, even wrestle with the symbol)

31. Transforming Effect Occurs insofar that it involves the knower.
It does something to us when we engage it.
“Wow, that’s deep...”

32. Powerful Influence to commitments and behavior
Stirs the imagination, releases hidden energies in the soul, gives strength and stability to the personality.
E.g. A National Flag or anthem

33. A New awareness It gives rise to thought.
“Opens up levels of reality which otherwise are closed to us” –Paul Tillich

34. Revelation does these 4 things
Gives participatory knowledge
Has a transforming effect
Powerful influence on commitment and behavior
Introduces us into realms of awareness not normally accessible to general communication

35. Participatory Knowledge
To accept the Christian revelation is to involve oneself in a community of faith and thus to share in the way of life marked out by Jesus.

36. Transforming Effect
Christians come to perceive themselves as personally related to God.
Adopted members of God’s family and household.

37. Powerful Influence to commitments and behavior
The response to Revelation (faith) must express itself in conduct.
FAITH IN ACTION.

38. A New awareness
Revelation obviously gives insight into mysteries that reason alone cannot make sense of.
It’s still intelligible nonetheless.

39. Examples of Christian Symbolism

40. Examples of Christian Symbolism

41. Examples of Christian Symbolism

42. Point and Summary
The best way of understanding the concept of revelation is by “symbolic mediation.”
It makes use of the strengths of each model and overcomes their weaknesses.
Symbol can be understood as “a visible sign of an invisible reality.”
Sound familiar?

43. Reflection
Communication theorists tend to say that “communication is symbolic.”
Experts say that in our communication:
10% is in actual words
30% is in sounds
60% is in the nonverbal
How is all of this insightful for our faith? 43

44. BREAK

45. PART 2 SCRIPTURE Vocab Observations Readings Discussion
Theology has a sociology

46. Question
How would we connect our understanding of Revelation and Bible?

47. Vocab Overview
Inspiration
Tradition Scripture

48. Inspiration Latin: Inspirare Literally: “to breathe in”
How we understand “inspiration” will affect how we understand Scripture.

49. Inspiration of Scripture
“…all Scripture is inspired by God, and is useful for righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” (Tim 3:16-17)

50. USCCB p. 32 (cont.)
The Sacred Scripture is inspired by God and truly contains the Word of God. This action of God is referred to as Inspiration.

51. (CCC 105, 107; DV 11)
God is the author of Sacred Scripture, inspiring the human authors, acting in and through them. Thus God ensured that the authors taught divine and saving truth without error.
God is said to be the “author” of the Bible not in the sense of having taken the place of the human authors, but in the sense God’s grace impelled the human authors to write and directed them to give a pure and reliable expression of the faith or the people of God at their particular stage of salvation history.

52. Dei Verbum, 12
“In determining the intention of the sacred writers, attention must be paid to ‘literary forms for the fact is that truth is differently presented and expressed in the various types of historical writing, in prophetical and poetical texts’ and in other literary expression.”

53. Biblical interpretation
Bible was written by and for real people, living in specific historical contexts, to address particular individual and community needs
“The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose”
(William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice)

54. Biblical interpretation
Attention to Context
E.g., “Fire!”
Do you read a newspaper the same way you read a magazine? A novel and textbook? Song and dictionary?

55. Biblical interpretation
A text without context is pretext
We would be “reading into the text”
Taking out context
“Jesus saves. I wonder where he shops.”

56. Biblical interpretation
Literal/Fundamentalist
Historical and Literary Critical
Historical
Social
Political
Cultural
Literary

57. Which Method? The “Literal” Method has been altogether rejected.
Pope Pius XII approves the Historical-Critical Method.
Divino afflante Spiritu (1943)

58. A Concise History and Teaching of Catholic
Bible Interpretation

59. Catholic History of Interpretation
The RPBC
1964
Divino Afflante Spiritu
Pope Pius XII
1944
Dei
Verbum
1965
Fundamentalist
Trent
present
Historical -Critical
1600s
French Scholar
Richard Simon
1970s
“New” Biblical Movement
Hermeneutical

60. Primary Sources of Teaching
Divino Afflante Spiritu (Pius XII, ‘44)
Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission (‘64)
Dei Verbum (Vatican II, ‘65)

61. Divino Afflante Spiritu (Encyclical by Pope Pius XII in 1944)
Within the Bible, there are different “forms”. It may be said that it’s a library of Israel and of the Church. (35-39)
Hence, aside from the ‘historical writings’ there is also poetry, drama, epic, parable, preaching etc.

62. The Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission (Under Pope Paul VI in 1964)
While the Gospels are substantially historical, they are not literally historical in every word and detail. (111-15)

63. The Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission (Under Pope Paul VI in 1964)
For the truth of the story is not at all affected by the fact that the Evangelists relate the words and deeds of the Lord in a different order, and express his sayings not literally but differently, while preserving (their) sense.

64. The Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission (Under Pope Paul VI in 1964)
X. Unless the exegete pays attention to all these things which pertain to the origin and composition of the Gospels and makes proper use of all the laudable achievements of recent research, he will not fulfill his task of probing into what the sacred writers intended and what they really said.

65. PBC, 1964 and 1993
Fundamentalism confuses the words of Scripture as the actual words and precise deeds of Jesus. This method does not account for the stages of Gospel development.

66. The Three Stages of Gospel Development
RPBC, 1964
See Raymond E. Brown’s
Biblical Exegesis and Church Doctrine

67. The First Stage
Jesus himself spoke and acted in the context of his own place and time.
He was a Palestenian Jew living two thousand years ago.

68. The Second Stage
The Apostles (Jews) adapted Jesus’ message to the people (Jews-Greeks) of their time
Second Third of the First century (30-60AD)
Translation into another language (Greek)
An effort to make sense in other circumstances (large cities of Roman Empire)
They brought to the memories (of what Jesus had said and done) the transforming enlightenment of their post-resurrectional faith in Jesus.

69. The Third Stage
From the preaching the writers (or evangelists) selected stories and saying that fitted their purpose in presenting Jesus to audiences of their time.
50AD-110AD
Were not written simply as records to aid remembrance, but written as encouragement to belief and life.

70. Dei Verbum (Vatican II, 1965)
Used RPBC as its guide
Discussed Transmission of Revelation
Way of Reading Scripture

71. Point of Part 2
Applying “The symbolic understanding” of revelation in light of “theology has a sociology”, we ought to understand that the Word of God is not the Bible itself, but the message that it portrays.

72. In other words Scripture is the word of God in the words of men.
It is symbolically mediated.
Scripture is inspired, but with the limits of human words derived from a particular time and place.

73. Three Considerations when Reading Scripture
The Author
The Text
YOU, the Reader 73

74. The Gospels
Aren’t historical biographies of Jesus as we understand them today.
First and foremost, they’re theological reflections intended to strengthen the faith of their particular audiences.

75. The Gospels (Cont.)
A helpful way of understanding the design of the Gospels is the concept of
Mugshots
Portraits

76. The Mugshot
All you get are “facts” and “details” about the person.

77. The Portrait
Designed to illustrate an aspect or reality of their character. (Symbolic)

78. Point
First and foremost, the Gospels were written as “theological portraits” about Jesus.

79. Theological Portraits of Jesus
Mark: The Suffering Servant
Matthew: The New Moses
Luke: The Universal Messiah/Savior
John: God in the Flesh

80. Is it correct to say that the Gospels are NOT historical?
NO! They are historical in the truest sense in that they are based on an actual Jesus of Nazareth.
This is different from measuring the Gospels to our modern standards of history.
Remember, theology has a sociology: These are Gospels written 2000 years ago throughout the Roman Empire.

81. Not knowing “exactly” what Jesus said
Though it would be nice…
Even his own disciples didn’t get it.
Academic opinion always changes
(as it should be)

82. Application: Symbolic Mediation
It honors historical inquiry and biblical studies of the person of Jesus
Doesn’t dwell on literal words
Yet, allows the Gospels to speak to us as Jesus did: symbolically.
Gospels clearly illustrate that.

83. Reflection Questions
What is both consoling and challenging about the way God has chosen to transmit his Revelation?
How does the Church help you to understand the Bible?
Why might you say it makes perfect sense for Jesus to commission followers to carry on his saving vision? How do leaders of the Catholic Church continue the vision of Jesus in our times? 83

84. BREAK 84

85. Part 3: The Catholic reading of the Bible

86. Short on time? Restless students?
Perfect place to stop 

87. Gospel Summaries

88. Gospel of Mark Written sometime between 60-75
Tradition: Mark, follower and ‘interpreter’ of Peter. Identified as John Mark of Acts
Rome, where Christians were persecuted by Nero. Other places suggested.
Clearly writes to a community that experienced persecution and failure.

89. Gospel of Matthew Written 80-90, give or take a decade
Tradition: Matthew, a tax collector among the Twelve. Wrote either the Gospel or a collection of the Lord’s sayings.
Antioch Region
A Jewish-Christian Community with clear tensions with the Orthodox Jews

90. Gospel of Luke 85, Give or take five to ten years
Tradition: Luke, a physician, the fellow worker and traveling companion of Paul.
Possibly Greece or Syria
Gentile-Christian communities affected by Paul’s mission

91. Gospel of John
Tradition: John, son of Zebedee, one of the Twelve.
The Beloved Disciple is not John.
Likely the Ephesus area.
Writing to a “Johannine” community.

92. Where or where?
Mk:
Rome
Lk:
Greece
Jn:
Ephesus
Mt:
Antioch

93. Short on time? Restless students?
Perfect place to stop 

94. Stuff to be aware of… Why?
Because the average Catholic High School student is going over this material in their theology courses

95. Observation Matthew, Mark and Luke Why? The Synoptic Gospels
Called this because they’re identical
Why?

96. Marcan Priority Note: A Theory, but widely accepted
Shortest of the Gospels
Mk has the most basic Greek
Mt and Lk agree in their chronology only when they agree w/ Mk
Documents in the ancient Mediterranean were normally expanded upon, not shortened.

97. Observations
John
Matt
Luke
Mark

98. Observations (another step)
Luke
Matt
243
243 L M
Mark
Mark

99. “Quelle” The THEORETICAL source of Jesus’ sayings.
Quelle means SOURCE in German
“Q” for short

100. How Mt and Lk were writtenQ Q
Luke
Matt
Mark
Mark

101. How Mt and Lk were writtenQ Q
Luke
Matt
Mark
Mark

102. Implications of “Q”
Simply tells us that there was a Christian community solely interested in the sayings and teachings of Jesus.
Note, that this does not discount the other sayings of Jesus in the New Testament.

103. Other implications of Marcan Priority
The method of “redaction criticism” (a tool of historical-critical) becomes a useful tool for Bible interpretation.
The method looks at Matthew and Luke changed from the version of Mark.

104. In other words…
How does the changes of Matthew and Luke affect the narrative?
This method is widely used and has revealed a lot of insight about Matthew and Luke’s theological views (and intentions).

105. Example: Read the Baptism story of Mark, Matthew and Luke.
What is the difference of the three?
What did Mt/Lk do?
What was the affect of the story?

106. Short on time? Restless students?
Perfect place to stop 

107. The Letters of Paul Written before the Gospels The earliest: 1 Thess
around 50 AD
The latest: Romans
Around AD

108. More stuff to be aware of…
Historical scholarship has debated over the letters of Paul, whether he wrote them or not.
Of those he did not write, the author apparently attributes to Paul (as inspired).
This was commonly accepted to be genuine authorship in the ancient world (theology has a sociology).

109. The Letters of Paul UNDISPUTED AUTHORSHIP 1 Thessalonians Galatians
Philippians
Philemon
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Romans
POSSIBLY PSEUDONYMOUS
2 Thessalonians
Colossians
Ephesians
Titus
1 Timothy
2 Timothy

110. Nevertheless…
The “letters of Paul” are accepted in the canon because of the sensus fidelium or the “sense of the faithful.” (CCC 904)
The Canon of Scripture is the library of the Church that reflects important aspects of the community.
Esp. Faith and Morals.

111. Fascinating observations
Paul’s letters appear more “organized” as they chronologically progress.
Romans (considered his last epistle) is more theologically systematic than Thess (his first epistle)
Paul’s apocalyptic expectation tends to decrease as letters chronologically progress.

112. AD 36 Conversion to Christ
Travels of Paul
AD 36 Conversion to Christ
40-44 In Cicilia
44-45 At Antioch
39 Visit to Jerusalem
Cicilia (area)
Damascus
Antioch
Jerusalem

113. First Missionary Journey Paul (46-49)
49 AD Council of Jerusalem
Antioch
Derbe
Perga
Attalia
Antioch
Salamis
Cyprus
Paphos

114. Second Missionary Journey Paul (50-52)
Thessalonica
Philippi
Antioch
Derbe
1 Thessalonians
Antioch
Athens
Caesaria
Ephesus
Corinth
Jerusalem

115. Third Missionary Journey Paul (54-58)
Paul’s 3-year stay at Ephesus
[imprisoned?]
Thessalonica
Sent to Rome
Arrested in Jerusalem
Imprisoned in Caesarea
64 DEATH
Prisoner in Rome
Philippi
Antioch
Derbe
Galatians
Philippians
Philemon
Antioch
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Athens
Romans
Caesaria
Ephesus
Corinth
Jerusalem

116. Exercise Go over Synoptic comparison of “Q” Jesus’ Baptism
Introduction of the Gospels