Catholicism 101

JMJ

I've decided to put together a basic 'primer' to show, from a Biblical basis, that:

1. Jesus established The Catholic Church to be His new Davidic Kingdom, and that

2. All the teachings/doctrines of The Church can be shown (at least implicitly) in Scripture.

All said teachings do have a much deeper root in Scripture, but for brevity, I will center on the basics.

1. Jesus establishes The Church, with Simon/Peter as her 1st Pope:

Matt 16:17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Many translations will say "Peter" in vs 18 rather then "rock", but remember to go back to the Greek for true meaning, not English--and Scpriture plainly says that Peter (Cephas) means rock--in John 1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter ).---"Cephas" is Aramaic for rock.

Vs 19 (the handing of the Keys to Cephas) echoes Issiah 22--showing that the Prime Minister of the Davidic Kingdom recieves his office when the King gives him the keys.

Peter is always mentioned 1st whenever a listing of the Apostles is given, and he alone was instructed to "feed and tend" God's children-- John 21:15-17

The Church is authoritative

(she has the right and authority of Jesus to make rules for the faithful to follow)

As already shown, Jesus gave His bishops the power to bind and loose in His name.

(Matt 16:19 and Matt 18:18)

 Luke 10:16 "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

(show that those who do not listen to the teaching of The Church are rejecting the teaching of Jesus)

Matt 18:17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

(this shows the Church IS the final authority in moral matters--many denominational churchs have different teaching/doctrines, so this Scripture makes no sense unless Jesus did establish ONE authorative Church)

1 Tim 3:15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

(the Church is the pillar and foundation of God's Truth--not the Bible. The Bible contains God's Truth, by the authority of the Church when she compiled the Bible at the Council of Carthage in 397AD--believe it or not, before then there WAS NO BIBLE).

The office of Pope (and of all the Apostles--our 1st Bishops) is handed down to future generations:

What is the 1st thing the gathered Apostles (under Peter's instruction) do after Jesus ascended to Heaven? They replaced JUDAS!! Why replace such a bad man, unless he held a postion that needed filling?

Acts 1:20 "'Let another take his office."

There are many such examples in Scripture of this authority passing on, but one of the clearest is:

1 Tim 2:2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.---this shows 4 generation of Apostolic Succession 1-Paul to Timothy(2), who gives it to faithful men (3), who teach it to others (4).

All the Bishops of the Church can trace their office back to one of the original 12 apostles, with the Pope (the Bishop of Rome) being the direct heir to St. Peter.

The Priesthood:

Celebacy--(a custom of The Church--but not Dogma):

Matt. 19:11-12 - Jesus says celibacy is a gift from God and whoever can bear it should bear it. Jesus praises and recommends celibacy for full-time ministers in the Church. Because celibacy is a gift from God, those who criticize the Church's practice of celibacy are criticizing God and this wonderful gift He bestows on His chosen ones.

Matt. 19:29 - Jesus says that whoever gives up children for the sake of His name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. Jesus praises celibacy when it is done for the sake of His kingdom.

1 Cor 7:1 – Paul teaches that it is well for a man not to touch a woman. This is the choice that the Catholic priests of the Roman rite freely make.

1 Cor. 7:27 – Paul teaches men that they should not seek marriage. In Paul’s opinion, marriage introduces worldly temptations that can interfere with one’s relationship with God, specifically regarding those who will become full-time ministers in the Church.

1 Cor. 7:32-33, 38 - Paul recommends celibacy for full-time ministers in the Church so that they are able to focus entirely upon God and building up His kingdom. He “who refrains from marriage will do better.”

Why no women priests?

1st--Jesus chose 12 men to be His Apostles, no women were picked, and the Church CANNOT change ANY teaching of Jesus.

Then, there IS Scripture:

1 Cor 14:34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

---Paul says a woman is not permitted to preach the word of God in the Church. It has always been the tradition of the Church for the priest or deacon alone (an ordained male) to read and preach the Gospel.

Also there is I Timothy 2:12-14 "12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression."

The Word of God:

The Church teaches that The Word of God exists in both a written form (Sacred Scripture) and oral form (Sacred Tradition)--both forming the fulness of the Faith. Yet many have adopted the tradition of the man Luther to negate the oral Word of God and focus only on the written (Sola Scriptura--The Bible Alone). This practice is condemned in Scripture in Mark 7:8" You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

Some Scripture that shows the importance of God's Spoken Word (Sacred Tradition):

2 Thes 2:15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.

1 Cor 11:2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.--how did Paul deliver the teachings? ORALLY!!

John 20:30; 21:25 --- Jesus did many other things not written in the Scriptures. These have been preserved through the oral apostolic tradition and they are equally a part of the Deposit of Faith.

John 14:26 the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.--If all that you need know about salvation is that you need a relationship w/ Jesus, don't you think the Apostles could remember that on their own?

Confession of sins to a priest

Short and sweet (but much more available if needed);

John 20:21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."

--how can the priest forgive the sins of any (or not) if they are not told to them?

Mary

To start--we must read Scripture from the eyes of the Hebrew people--it is written for them and by them, inspired by the Spirit, of course.

When the Messiah was to come, He was expected to restore the Davidic Kingdom. That kingdom had/has a set structure: A king to sit on the throne (foreshadowed by Soloman), a Queen Mother (Gebirah) to sit at the Kings side (foreshadowed by Bathsheba, 1 Kings 2), and a Prime Minister to run things (foreshadowed by Eliakim -Is 22). That has been fulfilled in the New Davidic Kingdom--Christ's Church: W/ Christ, its eternal King, Mary its forever Gebirah, and the line of Popes as the Prime Ministers (Matt 16:18)

Mary as Queen:

Rev 12:1 1 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. ...5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.

--Jesus is that child with the iron scepter, Mary is His mother--queen mother (remember crown w/ stars)

Mary as our spiritual Mother

Rev 12:17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

John 19:26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.--as beloved disciples, we are all called to take her to our homes.

Mary as intercessor

No, we do not pray to Mary, we ask her to be our prayer partner, and to go to Jesus for us, as she did in Scripture:

John 2:3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.--the rest is history, the water becomes 180 gallons of the best wine. Mary asked, Jesus delivered.

The Eucharist--really is Jesus--body/blood/soul/divinity:

John 6:55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.

Matt: 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

1 Cor 10:16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

1 Cor 11:27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.--strong words if just a symbol!!

Purgatory--

Matt. 5:26,18:34; Luke 12:58-59 – Jesus teaches us, “Come to terms with your opponent or you will be handed over to the judge and thrown into prison. You will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” The word “opponent” (antidiko) is likely a reference to the devil (see the same word for devil in 1 Pet. 5:8) who is an accuser against man (c.f. Job 1.6-12; Zech. 3.1; Rev. 12.10), and God is the judge. If we have not adequately dealt with satan and sin in this life, we will be held in a temporary state called a prison, and we won’t get out until we have satisfied our entire debt to God. This “prison” is purgatory where we will not get out until the last penny is paid.

1 Cor 3:12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.