Catholic Doctrine Bible Study

Jesus was superior to Old Testament High Priests in several ways:  He is the Son of God, not merely a servant.  His sacrifice didn’t have to be repeated each year; once for all was enough.  His sacrifice brought TRUE forgiveness, not just a “remembrance of sins.” (v. 10:3-4).  He lives forever as High Priest, the others died. Some Jews said Jesus could not be High Priest because He was not from the tribe of Levi, but neither was Melchizedek, who preceded ANY of the tribes. (Genesis 14) 6:18 God is immutable!  9-10:18 Jesus is not only the High Priest, but also the sacrifice. (And Prophet and King!)

3:5-8Jesus ( “Son” ) is superior to Moses “(servant”) 3:13 Work on your relationship with Jesus “daily!”  (Prayer, devotions, etc.) 3:14 Unlike most of the Israelites in the Exodus experience, we must be willing to follow (Christ) “until the end.”  How you FINISH is essential. God promises “rest” (eternal peace with God), which is better than the Israelite’s “Promised Land” on earth, to those who will persevere in following Christ. 4:13 You don’t “get away” with anything- if you don’t pay for your disobedience to God on this earth, you will answer for it, and be cleansed of it, (assuming you are seeking God’s graces while on earth!!) in Purgatory. 4:15-16 Yet, God is merciful...there is nothing He won’t forgive you if you ask God.

Note how the author ties the New Covenant to the Old Covenant/Old Testament through many quotations. 1:11 When everything and everyone you know on earth is gone, God (and your relationship with Him!) will remain. (So, prioritize your life accordingly!!) 2:1 Pay attention to your faith (daily!!) so that you “may not be carried away.”  (“Drift”) 2:11-13 We are “brothers”, “children” of Christ.  We are FAMILY!! (And, we have responsibility to our family!) 2:18 Jesus can empathize with our sufferings because He himself suffered.

Titus 1:9 Correct doctrine is essential! 1:16 “They claim to know God, but by their deeds they deny him.”  (How are you denying God?) 2:3-5 We are to teach the faith to the next generation! Philemon -Regardless of our work relationship (boss/worker), we are all to be brothers in Christ; to love each other, to pray for each other, and to treat each other with dignity, respect, and kindness.  We all have the same job; to serve Christ by proclaiming the Gospel.

Though Paul is imprisoned, awaiting imminent death, and has been abandoned by almost all of his friends, he is heartened to know eternal glory awaits him, because he has PERSEVERED, he has FINISHED the race. 3:17-17 All scripture IS inspired, useful.... We certainly agree!  Nowhere, however, does this speak of the Protestant credo of the “Bible Alone.” (Remember 1 Tim. 3/15....the Church is the pillar and foundation of truth (and came BEFORE the New Testament was written!)

3:2 (Side note) Nowhere in Scripture is polygamy prohibited, (except here for clergy), yet Christians agree that it is wrong.  This shows the problem with Martin Luther’s “Bible Alone” theology. 4:8 “TRAIN yourself for devotion....” (What gets scheduled is more likely to get accomplished!)  Schedule time for prayer! 4:14 and 5:22 “imposition of hands” (for clergy) is essential in ordination....time-honored tradition since the beginning of the Church...Apostolic Succession!  (You don’t get to start your own church just because you feel called...you must be approved by the Church!) 5:23 The Church has no prohibition against drinking alcohol.  (Only against drunkenness!) 6:1-2 Slavery?  (See Session on Ephesians 6:5-9) 6:10 Money itself is not evil, but putting it above your relationship with the Lord is! (“The LOVE of money....”)

1:3-7 Correct doctrine, following the teaching of the Apostles, is essential! (Without it, to say you “love Jesus” means that you love someone you may have bent (in your own mind) to what YOU are, or what you want Him to be.) 1:15 The essence of the Christian message! 2:1  (Do you) Pray for your leaders, ESPECIALLY those whom you disagree with politically, those who are unkind, or those who are against your faith. 2:4 God WILLS everyone to be saved, but gives you a free will so you can choose to accept (or reject!!) his free gift. He doesn’t MAKE you choose Him. 2:5 There is ONE mediator, Christ,  but , in a sense, we are all mediators (see the previous 4 verses!), especially Mary.  (Think of the relationship between the pilot and the co-pilot on an airplane.) 2:12 Regarding women’s ordination, see the podcast on Romans 16:1, also look up “Ordinatio Sacerdotalis”.

2:15 ....”stand firm and hold fast according to the TRADITIONS that you were taught, EITHER by an ORAL STATEMENT, or by a letter of OURS.” (So, Paul is not teaching the “Bible Alone”, (Protestant doctrine) but Scripture, plus APOSTOLIC tradition.(some of which was written down as part of Scripture.)  We distinguish between following human tradition and Apostolic tradition.  Christ instituted  One Church, gave that Church the power to bind-and-loose, (Mt. 16:17-19) and gave His Church the Holy Spirit to guide it into all truth (on matters of faith and morals) (Jn. 16:13) So, we can trust official Church teaching, whether it is explicitly or implicitly in Scripture. 3:10(b) ...”if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.” We should be responsible citizens, and pull our weight (and others’!) to the extent that we are able. (By the way, a good verse for parents to share with their adult children living at home!)

2:5 “not as trying to please human beings, but rather God...”  (When there is a conflict between the two, whom do YOU  choose?) 2:13 ...”you received the word of God from HEARING us.... (Oral tradition- not “Bible Alone”....Remember, Paul taught at this church ORALLY years before he wrote this letter...or any other New Testament letter.) 4:13-17 Paul is merely offering hope to the Thessalonians who were concerned that their friends who had died while awaiting Jesus’return would not be resurrected.  He was NOT espousing the “Rapture Theory” or any of it’s sub-categories that were invented in the 1830’s by some fundamentalist Protestants. (Read “The Rapture Trap” by Paul Thigpen for greater depth into this selfish error.  Also , read CCC 671-679.)  We should be far more concerned about our relationship to God at  OUR “End Times” than when or how this world ends!!

2:5 “not as trying to please human beings, but rather God...”  (When there is a conflict between the two, whom do YOU  choose?) 2:13 ...”you received the word of God from HEARING us.... (Oral tradition- not “Bible Alone”....Remember, Paul taught at this church ORALLY years before he wrote this letter...or any other New Testament letter.) 4:13-17 Paul is merely offering hope to the Thessalonians who were concerned that their friends who had died while awaiting Jesus’return would not be resurrected.  He was NOT espousing the “Rapture Theory” or any of it’s sub-categories that were invented in the 1830’s by some fundamentalist Protestants. (Read “The Rapture Trap” by Paul Thigpen for greater depth into this selfish error.  Also , read CCC 671-679.)  We should be far more concerned about our relationship to God at  OUR “End Times” than when or how this world ends!!