Posted on 07/06/2014 3:19:13 AM PDT by HarleyD
Genesis wasn’t easy to do. It was just easier to understand some of the time. Yes, the mentioning of Abraham and all the other details were ones we spent quite a bit of time on.
We also used a timeline that tied into other Old Testament writings as well as to where various passages were quoted in the New Testament.
What is amazing about Christ’s teachings is how often he pulled on the Old Testament to teach the Pharisees and rich Sadducees, but they never seemed to grasp his teachings.
I think that is one of the reasons most people shy away from the Old Testament. Every commandment ever given was given for our benefit by a loving and caring Father. One should read the Old Testament with the view that since God is love, what are we doing that is making God so angry or for what purpose was a command given? (Yes, even in Leviticus.) It gives a whole different perspective.
We didn’t do comparisons for the Minor Prophets. Maybe next time we read through them we will.
Have any of you become tired of a Bible Study series and started to use other sources as you taught a class. This has happened to me. We had a left-leaning Adult Education leader who chose the Little Rock series. It is good for a beginning Bible Study, but takes a lot from Collegeville Commentary (modern leanings.)
To me it was good because it was basic and historic in most cases. I had some differences with it and used supplementary materials in Genesis, John, and one other study.
I just did a search on Little Rock and the Catholic Answers forums have three discussion on it, verifying my judgments.
I’m ready for something deeper and am thinking of Jeff Cavins or Scott Hahn or Ignatius. Tax-chick — any experience with any of those?
I think it's almost inevitable that guidance would be taken from additional sources. When someone claims they "just read the Bible", look closely. Usually, they're just unaware of their own presuppositions, and are unable to examine them.
I’m ready for something deeper and am thinking of Jeff Cavins or Scott Hahn or Ignatius. Tax-chick — any experience with any of those?
My understanding is Scott Hahn has done some writing in covenant theology, that (from the excerpted quotes I saw) looked interesting. Reformed protestant theology is thick with it. (See the link in my post earlier in this thread.) I've got no idea how that would integrate into an RCC worldview.
Several things that I plan on doing when I retire is go through the writing of the early church fathers and read some commentaries. I’ve often wonder why, if someone is going to study a book of the bible, they don’t take a commentary or even a topical study dictionary as the book to study? These are scholarly works rather than opinions and conjectures. Even if you took John Calvin or Anselm’s writings, there should be some nuggets there to agree or disagree with. And, choosing a Protestant if so incline, should make for a lively bible study.
Reading is one thing.
Exposition is another. The writer.is correct. Where it used to be that Christians we’re well versed in old testament history and geography they are no more.
I think you have a wise plan there.
I do have a fairly good study Bible but would love to find one for the Jerusalem Bible since it is used worldwide almost everywhere other than the U. S.
I also think that every person who teaches a Bible Study should have a concordance. I don’t take mine to class, but I always have it handy. Maybe I should change that, despite the weight of the book.
Scott Hahn writes a lot about covenant theology. Try “A Father Who Keeps His Promises” for an overview; this is a high-school level text, iirc, but gives an idea of what to expect from some of his other work.
I have the Navarre Bible commentaries. This set has the RSV text (English) and the New Vulgate (Latin), with commentaries that include simple historical explication, quotations from the Fathers, and modern European theologians.
The “New Advent” website has a substantial amount of early writings available online, iirc. If you want to read St. John Chrysostom’s sermons on the Gospel of Matthew, for example, they can be found there.
How about an electronic version? Not everything modern is bad ;-)
“God is love...What the Old Testament shows is that no matter how God tries to entice us, either through encouragement or punishment, we simply don’t want much to do with Him.”
So true Harley. Many times I’ve been driven to tears by the pleading and reasoning of God the Father with his people. He is so tender and, yes, wrathful. It is all very PERSONAL, though. Really gets me.
Catholics have an old testament reading every mass.
And in pre Vatican II days we were told the g rated version of the stories. Given the fact that some of those stories were r rated, that might explain why some churches avoid parts of the OT
Great stuff. I am grateful for pastors, Sunday school teachers & Bible Study Fellowship who taught the Old as much as the New Testament all my life.
I see so much error that could be avoided. One example. People look at just the 4 years of Jesus’ earthly preaching & think the sins most offensive to Him are legalism & hypocrisy. (Or worse. I was once told while visiting a Methodist church that Jesus’ primary message was nonviolence. My head about exploded.)
But the context is Israel had suffered so horrifically due to God’s punishment for their sin of idolatry, they were trying to “build a fence around” the possibility of that ever happening again, which led to the legalism, which led to the hypocrisy. Yes, that was the wrong reaction, but when you know the back story it helps.
Marcion.... :)
Couldn't hoit.
You've heard of the new Catholic student drinking game? You open any book by Hahn, and every time you see the word "covenant" you drink a shot.
Many think the game is a bad idea because, like the previous one which was based on lousy puns, it leads too quickly to perilously high blood alcohol levels.
JUST KIDDING!
Chug chug!
One thing that irks me is when people - even preachers - say “Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.” The implication being that God the Son had absolutely nothing to do with the OT law.
Yes, I know what you mean. This is one of my pet peeves as well.
On occasions our pastor has been know to warn the parents and the church has set up special services for minors when talking about some of the more steamier parts of the scriptures.
He always explains that it is in the scriptures and God certainly wants us to know about it.
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