♪ WELCOME TO SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION WHERE WE STUDY THE BIBLE AND CHURCH TRADITION. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THE EMAIL. WE HAVE A BACKLOG OF THEM AND WITH ALL KINDS OF CHANGES IN SCHEDULING AND SUCH WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT TODAY. NOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS. YOU MAY LET US KNOW. YOU MAY SEND AN EMAIL. GO ONLINE TO OUR FACEBOOK ARE YOU 2 PAGES. . . SEND QUESTIONS & COMMENTS TO SCRIPTUREANDTRADITION@EWTN.COM FACEBOOK.COM/EWT & YOUTUBE.COM/EWTN THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO GET THE EMAIL TO US AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO STUDY SAVED BIBLE STUDY FOR CATHOLICS. YOU MAY STILL GET IT THROUGH THE EWTN RELIGIOUS CATALOG. LET US TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE EMAIL AND I WOULD DO SOME OF THE BEST I CAN. SOME OF THESE WE DO NOT HAVE A REALLY GOOD ANSWER BUT WE WILL DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. THIS 1 IS NOT TOO BAD FROM ROBERT IN NEW YORK. A COUPLE OF THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND ROBERT. WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO TALK ABOUT SALVATION. WE ARE GOING TO USE IMAGES THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND. WE ARE NOT ANGELS. SO WE DO NOT RECEIVE THOUGHTS DIRECTLY FROM GOD. HUMAN THOUGHT IS MEDIATED BY WORDS AND OFTEN TIMES THOSE WORDS ARE TRYING TO CONVEY AN IMAGE TO HELP OUR IMAGINATION UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. SO IN TERMS OF BEING A NEW CREATURE, 1 OF THE PLACES WE MIGHT SEE IT AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF PASSAGES. 2ND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 5 VERSE 17 READS THEREFORE IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST HE IS A NEW CREATION. THE OLD HAS PASSED AWAY. BEHOLD THE NEW HAS COME. AND ALL THIS IS FROM GOD. WHO THROUGH CHRIST RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. GOD IS THE ONE WHO BY RECONCILING US AND THAT IS FORGIVING OUR SINS, HE MAKES US A NEW CREATION. THERE IS A SENSE IN SCRIPTURE THAT WE HAVE BECOME SO CORRUPTED BY SIN THAT IT IS NOT MERELY FIXING A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE DO WRONG. THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF USING SOME WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE WHICH OTHERWISE CAN FIX ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD, THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD STUFF AND THAT IS A REDNECK TOOLKIT RIGHT THERE. WE LOVE IT. HOWEVER, HOWEVER, YOU CANNOT FIX BROKEN HUMANITY. BROKEN BECAUSE OF SIN. SO WE SPEAK OF IT AS BEING A WHOLE NEW CREATION. NO PART OF THAT COMES FROM UNDERSTANDING THE WORDS SPOKEN IN GENESIS 1 IN REGARD TO THE OLD CREATION. BECAUSE WHEN GOD CREATED THE HUMAN BEINGS HE SAID LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE AND LIKENESS IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD LET US MAKE HIM MALE AND FEMALE. LET US MAKE HIM. AND THE PEOPLE WHOM GOD CREATED SEND. THEY FELL FROM GRACE BY DISOBEYING HIM. AND THEY PASS THIS ON. SO FOR THAT REASON THE LORD WANTS US STILL TO BE IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS BUT WE WILL NEED A NEW CREATION. A RE-CREATING OF OURSELVES. NOW ANOTHER IMAGE FOR THAT IS BEING BORN AGAIN. BECAUSE WE ARE BORN IN SIN. AS A MATTER OF FACT KING DAVID SAID IN PSALM 51, I WAS A SINNER FROM THE TIME OF MY CONCEPTION. AND HE SPEAKS OF HOW WE ARE SINFUL AND CORRUPT. SO THE POINT THAT WE SEE HERE IS THAT TO AVOID THAT CORRUPTION WE NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN AND YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT IMAGE FOR THE NEWNESS THAT GOD WANTS TO EFFECT WITHIN US. THAT IS ANOTHER IMAGE. SO THINK OF IT AS A VARIETY OF EXPRESSIONS TO GET AT THE TRANSFORMATION CHRIST WANTS TO DO AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW RADICAL A TRANSFORMATION THIS REALLY IS. THAT IS WHY HE USES THAT KIND OF IMAGERY. ALL RIGHT THE NEXT EMAIL IS FROM PARIS. I AM NOT SURE WHERE ARIS IS FROM BUNCH HARRIS ASKED. WELL FOR ONE THING, THE CHURCH IS RECOGNIZING VERY CLEARLY THAT THE FINAL JUDGMENT HAD NOT YET TAKEN PLACE AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT EVEN AFTER THE THOUSAND YEAR REIGN AFTER SATAN IS IMPRISONED, THAT THERE IS STILL LIFE ON EARTH AND SO YOU HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN JUDGED. SO THAT CANNOT REFER TO THE FINAL JUDGMENT. IT SEEMS TO BE SOME STAGE OF HISTORY DIFFERENT FROM THE FINAL JUDGMENT. BECAUSE AFTER THAT COMES THE 2ND STEP AND HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY AND DEATH PASSES AWAY AND THERE IS A NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH AFTER ALL THAT. THAT IS THE PRESIDIO. IT IS A GREEK TERM THAT MEANS COMING OF THE 2ND COMING OF CHRIST. PAROUSIA. IT IS A BATTLE IMAGE A WAR IMAGE FOR THOSE WHO KNOW THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II ON THE WESTERN FRONT. THE INVASION OF EUROPE ON THE DAY WAS A NICE PARALLEL TO CHRIST'S LAUNCHING HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY. WE SAID THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND REPENT AND BELIEVE AND HE GATHERED DISCIPLES AND EXERCISED AND HEALED PEOPLE AND TAUGHT PARABLES AND A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS WENT ON. BUT THE KEY IN THE WESTERN FRONT OF WORLD WAR II WAS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. THIS WAS A BATTLE IN BELGIUM WHERE GERMAN PANZER TANKS AND A BIG WAVE OF TROOPS TRIED TO BREAK THROUGH THE ALLIES LINES. THEY HAD BEEN PUSHING THE GERMANS BACK IN THE TRY TO BREAK THROUGH AND STOP THE INVASION BY GOING BEHIND THE ARMY AND PUTTING IN IN TO THE ADVANCE. AND WE WON THAT BATTLE. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT. IT WAS AN EXTREMELY COLD DECEMBER. OUR GUYS WERE NOT READY FOR THIS COUNTERATTACK. BUT WE DEFEATED THEM. FROM THAT POINT ON THE GERMANS HAD LOST THE WAR. THERE'S NO DOUBT. ON THE EASTERN FRONT THE BATTLE OF STALINGRAD HAD THE SAME EFFECT. TERRIBLE FIGHT BUT ONCE THEY DEFEATED THE GERMANS STALINGRAD IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT THE RUSSIANS WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO BERLIN. AS THEY DID. SO THAT IS A SOMEWHAT PARALLEL TO THE CRUCIFIXION AND CHRIST'S DEFEATED SATAN THERE BUT THERE IS STILL THE ONGOING BATTLE BECAUSE EVEN AFTER WE WON THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WEESE HAD NOT REACHED BERLIN AND HAD TO FIGHT EVERY INCH OF THE WAY UNTIL WE GOT OVER TO THE EAST AND TOTALLY DEFEATED THE GERMAN WHICH TOOK ANOTHER 5 MONTHS PLUS ABOUT 5 AND HALF MONTHS PLUS. SO THIS IS A PARALLEL. CHRIST BROKE THE BACK OF SATAN'S HOLD ON THE WORLD BY DEFEATING HIM AT THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. BUT THERE IS THIS ONGOING STRUGGLE AGAINST EVIL THROUGH HISTORY AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE IN THE FINAL JUDGMENT WILL COME THE PAROUSIA IS WHEN THE WORLD TRULY ENDS AND THE LIVING AND THE DEAD ARE JUDGED BY JESUS CHRIST. THIS IDEA ABOUT THE THOUSAND YEAR REIGN BEING THE PAROUSIA BEING ALREADY IS AN IDEA THAT WAS INVENTED BY AN EVANGELICAL MAN WHO WAS A LAWYER, NOT A THEOLOGIAN, AND HE CAME UP WITH THIS NOTION IN THE 1800S. IT HAD NEVER BEEN TAUGHT BEFORE THAT. HE JUST MADE IT UP. SO THAT IS VERY COMMON. HE USED IT TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE BUT I DO NOT THINK IT IS A VERY THOROUGH INTERPRETATION. I THINK IT DIVERTS PEOPLE TO HAVING A COUPLE OF CUMMINGS TO CHRIST THAT SERIES OF BOOKS AND I THINK MOVIES, LEFT BEHIND SERIES, IS BASED ON THE FALSE NOTION. SO I THINK THEY NEED TO SORT OF STOP FOCUSING ON FIGURING OUT THE SCENERY DIRECTION FOR THE END TIMES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE LIVE CORRECTLY IN THIS LIFE AS CHRIST PLANS. ALL RIGHT WE HAVE AN EMAIL FROM MARY. WELL MARY, IT SEEMS 1ST OF ALL A LOT OF JEWISH PEOPLE DID ACCEPT JESUS AS THE MESSIAH. THERE WERE QUITE A FEW CONVERTS. QUITE A FEW THOUSAND IN FACT, AND THAT BEGAN FROM PENTECOST AND KEPT GOING FROM PENTECOST WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND THE YEAR 30 AND 33 A VARIATION OF THAT DATE, BUT IN THE EARLY 30S, ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE JEWISH REVOLT OF 66. AND AT THAT POINT THE CHRISTIANS LEFT THE COUNTRY AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE SUFFERED TERRIBLY AT THE HANDS OF THE ROMANS. THEY INFLICTED SOME TERRIBLE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE ROMANS WHEN THEY COULD. FOR INSTANCE THEY MASSACRED THE ROMAN GARRISON AT THE FORSTER'S IN JERUSALEM BUT THEN AFTER THAT THEY EXPERIENCED FAR WORSE DEVASTATION THAN WHAT THEY'D GIVEN THE ROMANS. AND IN THAT TIME OF 30 SOME YEARS ALMOST 40 YEARS IN FACT JUST ABOUT 40 YEARS A LOT OF JEWS DID BECOME CHRISTIANS AND IT IS BECAUSE AS YOU SEE IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES AND IN ST. PAUL'S LETTERS AND IN THE GOSPELS THAT THEY WOULD SHOW HOW CHRIST FULFILLED THE OLD TESTAMENT BUT THERE WERE DIFFERENT PARTIES WITHIN JUDAISM AT THAT TIME AND ONE GROUP FOR INSTANCE, THE ESSENES, WHO LIVED AT THE DEAD SEA AREA AND DIFFERENT SETTLEMENTS NEAR THE DEAD SEA AND COMPOSE THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS, THEY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A GREAT BATTLE IN WHICH ALL THE GENTILES WERE WIPED OUT AND ALL THE OTHER JEWS WERE WIPED OUT AND ONLY THE ESSENES, A SMALL GROUP WOULD SURVIVE THIS GREAT WAR. THAT WAS PART OF THEIR IDEA. WELL IN REALITY, THEY WERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD DESTROY ALL THE GENTILES AND JESUS WAS NOT THERE TO DO IT. JESUS WAS THERE TO CONVERT THE GENTILES. THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE NEXT STAGE OF THE MINISTRY TO GO OUT TO ALL THE NATIONS. AS IT TURNS OUT, IN THE YEAR 68 A D DURING THE JEWISH REVOLT, THE GENTILE ARMY THE ROMAN ARMY COMPLETELY WIPED OUT THE ESSENES AND DESTROYED THEIR WHOLE COMMUNITY. AND IT CAME TO AN END AND 68. SO THAT DID NOT WORK OUT SO WELL FOR THEM. OTHERS ALSO EXPECTED THE MORE POLITICIZED VERSION OF THE KINGDOM OF DAVID TO BE RESTORED AND THEY ALSO EXPECTED IT TO BE PARADISE HERE ON EARTH RIGHT AWAY. BUT THAT RELATES TO THE LAST QUESTION. BECAUSE CHRIST ONE THAT DEFEAT OF SATAN, HE DEFEATED HIM, AND THE CRUCIFIXION AND THE RESURRECTION WERE OUR LORD'S BATTLE OF THE BULGE THAT BROKE THE BACK OF THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS. BUT, THEY'RE STILL WISE THIS ONGOING FIGHT. SO IN SOME WAYS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IT IS THAT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY DID NOT FOLLOW CHRIST AFTER THAT, WHICH WOULD BE THE ONGOING BATTLE UNTIL WE REACH THE END OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE THIRD REICH. AND THEY SAID NO. WE WANT TO SEE IT NOW. ONCE YOU BREAK THE BACK OF THE ENEMY THAT WE SHOULD SEE THE KINGDOM NOW. THAT WAS NOT GOD'S PLAN. WE DO NOT THINK. AND A LOT OF JEWISH PEOPLE DO NOT CONVERT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OVER RIGHT THEN AND THERE BUT IT WAS NOT. WE ARE CONTINUING TO FIGHT BECAUSE CHRIST IS GOING TO SUBJECT ALL OF HIS ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET AS ST. PAUL WROTE IN 1ST CORINTHIANS 15. BASED ON A LINE IN PSALM 110. IN THE LAST THING IS GOING TO BE DEATH. UNTIL THEN EVERYBODY HAS TO MAKE A CHOICE. WILL I ACCEPT JESUS ON HIS TERMS OR WILL I REJECT HIM ON THE BASIS OF MY TERMS? THAT IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT THIS PERIOD. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK BEFORE WE GET BACK TO SOME MORE QUESTIONS. SO PLEASE STAY WITH US. (APPLAUSE) ♪ ♪ (APPLAUSE) ALL RIGHT. WE ARE CONTINUING TO GO THROUGH OUR EMAIL. WE'RE DOING A MAILBAG SECTION TODAY SO THAT IS WHAT WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT NOW. LET US START OFF WITH IN THE SEGMENT WITH AN EMAIL FROM MARTHA. I'M DELIGHTED THAT HE IS AND THAT PROCESS OF RECOVERY. WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK HERE NOW. FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT AWARE THE UNITED PENECOSTAL IS 1 OF MANY DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS THAT ARE SOMETIMES CATEGORIZED AS JESUS ONLY CHRISTIANS. IN OTHER WORDS THEY COMMIT THE HERESY OF SIBELIUS. SIBELIUS WAS A PRIEST IN THE LATE 3RD CENTURY AND HE TAUGHT THAT JESUS IS THE FATHER, AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND LATER ON THIS WAS NOT SIBELIUS'S TERM BUT IT WAS PART OF A GROUP OF HERESIES RELATED TO THIS, CALLED MO DUALISM. IN OTHER WORDS IT IS THIS 1 BEING WHO SOMETIMES COMES OFF AS IN THE MODE OF BEING GOD THE FATHER, SOMETIMES IN THE MODE OF BEING GOD THE SON, AND SOMETIMES IN THE MODE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THAT WAS THE TERM USED. I DOUBT THAT THE PENTECOSTALS WOULD USE MOBILE IDEAS. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THAT IN THEIR THEOLOGY OR THEIR VOCABULARY. BUT THEY WOULD PUT IT IN TERMS OF BEING JESUS ONLY. JESUS IS THE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. HOW DO THEY COME TO THAT? THEY TAKE A LOOK AT THE BIBLE BECAUSE IN GENERAL THEY GO WITH THE BIBLE ALONE. ALL RIGHT. NOW ONCE AGAIN WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE REMINDED THEM AND REMIND OURSELVES THE BIBLE NEVER EVER TEACHES, EVEN ONCE, THAT YOU USE THE BIBLE ALONE. THE NOTION OF USING THE BIBLE ALONE IS OF MEN. CHRONICALLY ENOUGH. THE THEOLOGY OF USING THE BIBLE ALONE STARTED IN THE 14TH CENTURY A D. YOU WILL NEVER SEE A BIBLE PASSAGE SAYING USE THE BIBLE ALONE. YOU WILL SEE PASSAGES TELLING US TO USE THE BIBLE TO BE SURE, BUT NEVER THE BIBLE ALONE. AND THIS IDEA OF USING THE BIBLE ALONE CAME FROM 2 MEN. THERE WERE PHILOSOPHER THEOLOGIANS. ONE STARTED OFF AS A MEDICAL STUDENT AND BECAME A PHILOSOPHER AND DID SOME THEOLOGY. HIS NAME WAS MY SILLIEST OF PATTER WELL. THE OTHER WAS HIS COLLEAGUE, IN THE COURT OF EMPEROR LUDWIG THE 2ND. A EMPEROR. OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE. HIS NAME WAS WILLIAM OF OCKHAM. YOU HEARD ABOUT OCCAM'S RAZOR. THAT IS THE OCKHAM. THIS IS NOT A COMPANY THAT IS MAKING RAZORS AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO ACT LESS MANLY OR SOMETHING. THIS OCKHAM IS A PRINCIPLE OF COMING TO THE SIMPLEST SOLUTION. IN PHILOSOPHY. BUT WILLIAM OF OCKHAM AND MY SILLIEST OF PATTER WILL TAUGHT THAT YOU USE THE BIBLE ALONE AND NOT TRADITION. THEY CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA BECAUSE THEY WERE INFLUENCED BY THE PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY OF THE ARABIC COMMENTATOR ON ARISTOTLE NAMED AVERROES. IN OTHER WORDS THE IDEA OF USING THE BIBLE ALONE WAS BROUGHT INTO CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AS PART OF A REFLECTION ON MUSLIM THEOLOGY. AND IT WAS BASICALLY IMITATING THE IDEA THAT YOU USED ONLY THE QURAN AND THAT IS WHAT YOU GOT. SO THEY DID A PARALLEL WITH THIS. WHEREAS, THE BIBLE SAYS IN 2ND THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 2 VERSE 15, HOLD ON TO THE TRADITIONS WHICH I LEFT YOU WHETHER BY WORD OR BY LETTER. IN OTHER WORDS TRADITION WAS PASSED ON ORALLY AND IN LETTERS. IN THE LETTERS, WE SEE THE SCRIPTURE. BUT THERE IS ALSO AN ORAL TRADITION. THAT IS THE PART THAT IS THE PART OF THE BIBLE THAT THE UNITED PENTECOSTALS AND OTHER GROUPS REJECT. THEY REJECT WHAT ST. PAUL TAUGHT ON HOLDING ONTO THE TRADITION WHETHER BY WORD OR BY LETTER. AND FOR US, IT IS NOT ANY TRADITION. IT IS THE TRADITIONS THAT GO BACK TO THE APOSTLES THAT ARE AUTHORITATIVE. AND JUST AS IF YOU ARE AN AMERICAN, YOU MAY PLAY BASEBALL OR FOOTBALL. I GREW UP PLAYING ESPECIALLY BASEBALL AND SOME BASKETBALL AND A LITTLE BIT OF FOOTBALL BUT NOT MUCH BUT WE PLAYED A LOTS OF BASEBALL. AND YOU HAVE THE RULEBOOK OF BASEBALL. BUT IF YOU JUST READ THE RULEBOOK IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THE GAME. YOU NEED ALSO THE LIVING TRADITION OF HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED AND THEN THE RULEBOOK HELPS YOU TO PLAY IT WITHIN CERTAIN BOUNDARIES AND RULES THAT KEEP IT COMPETITIVE. BUT, WITHOUT THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING BASEBALL, THE RULEBOOK IS VERY ODD. IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT THE BALLS AND STRIKES AND STRIKES WHEN YOU MISS IT. THAT SEEMS ODD BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN YOU STRIKE SOMETHING YOU HIT IT BUT NOT IN BASEBALL. YOU NEED THAT ORAL TRADITION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE MEAN BY STRIKE AND MEANING THAT YOU MISSED. AND SO SIMILARLY WITH THE BIBLE THE REASON THAT ST. PAUL WROTE IN THE BIBLE TEACHES HOLD ON TRUTH THE TRADITION IS THAT THE TRADITION IS ALSO NECESSARY FOR BEING ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE LETTER OF THE BOOK. THAT IS THE PART THEY MISSED. AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO CALL A THEOLOGICAL ALGEBRA BY WHICH THEY GO TO THE COMMAND OF JESUS CHRIST IN MATTHEW 28 IN VERSE 19. GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. NOW THIS IS THE DIRECT COMMAND, THE DIRECT INSTRUCTION OF JESUS CHRIST. GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER IN THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST TOLD US TO DO SO! AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORDS OF JESUS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE IDIOMS USING THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. THAT IS WHERE THEY GET SOME OF THIS. I DO NOT GET WHAT THEY ARE USING. BUT THIS IS THE KEY. TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. NOT ALL THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE. BUT ALL THAT I COMMANDED YOU INCLUDING THE THINGS THAT I AM NOT WRITTEN DOWN. FOR INSTANCE, HOW DO YOU SAY MASS IN THE PRAYERS THAT YOU USE THAT MASS? THAT IS NOT WRITTEN DOWN. AND I GUARANTEE YOU AT UNITED PENTECOST CHURCHES AND OTHER CHURCHES THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE BIBLE WHERE IT SAYS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PLAY AT HIM WHILE YOU TAKE UP THE COLLECTION. BUT THEY SURE KNOW TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT IS A TRADITION THAT YOU TAKE UP A COLLECTION DURING THE PLAYING OF HIM. THEY DO NOT MISS THAT PART. BUT THAT IS TRADITION. HERE IS WHERE THE MATH COMES IN. OR WHAT I CALL THE THEOLOGICAL ALGEBRA. WE WERE BAPTIZING IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. BUT IT SAYS IN ACTS CHAPTER 2 VERSE 38 REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED EVERY 1 OF YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. WELL IF YOU'RE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT, AND THEN ST. PETER IS THE ONE WHO SAYS BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS, THEREFORE, THE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT EQUALS CHRIST. SO PROPOSITION A BAPTISM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER SON AND HOY SPIRIT PREPOSITION BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST ERGO SEE IS THAT JESUS EQUALS THE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. THAT IS HOW THEY CAME UP WITH THAT. BUT WHAT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY DO NOT ACCEPT TRADITION IS THAT YOU BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS IN THE SENSE OF USING HIS NAME AS THE AUTHORITY FOR IT. WHEN I SIGN A CHECK I WRITE MY NAME ON IT THEN IT HAS AUTHORITY FOR ME. RIGHT? OR FROM YOU. WHEN YOU SIGN A CHECK YOU PUT YOUR NAME ON IT. NOW YOU HAVE TO GET THE MONEY OUT OF THE BANK ACCOUNT THAT YOU HAVE BUT I AM SIGNING IT TO YOU IN MY NAME. BUT IT STILL NOT THE MONEY IS NOT IN MY NAME, IT IS IN THE BANK. WHATEVER BANK IT MIGHT BE BUT I HAVE TO AUTHORIZE IT BY MY NAME. THAT IS HOW THEY ARE USING THIS IDEA OF THE NAME THAT YOU BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS BECAUSE IT IS BY HIS AUTHORITY. THAT IS THE PART THAT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND. WHAT I WOULD INSIST ON IF YOU WANT TO DO A SHORT VERSION AND I AM GIVING YOU BACKGROUND, BUT IF YOU WANT A SHORT VERSION OF WHAT YOU SAY SAY LOOK JESUS SAID TO BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. AND YOU ARE ASKING ME TO GO AGAINST THE WORDS OF JESUS. I CANNOT DO THAT. NEITHER CAN THE CHURCH. WE DO NOT THINK ST. PETER DID IT ANY OTHER WAY EXCEPT BY THAT BECAUSE HE HEARD JESUS SAY TO HIM BAPTIZED ALL NATIONS. NOT THE JEWISH PEOPLE. NOT THE GENTILE PEOPLE. BUT BAPTIZED ALL NATIONS IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. DO YOU THINK THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT PETER SAYS YEP IT IS TIME FOR ME TO CONTRADICT JESUS? DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? I DO NOT THINK SO! SO WE ARE GOING TO STICK WITH WHAT JESUS LEFT US AND NOT GO WITH A LATE TRADITION OF MEN THAT CHANGES THIS TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND IN FACT, THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED ONLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS MEANING THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE TRINITY. THOSE BAPTISMS ARE INVALID AND SUCH A PERSON WOULD WHO BECOMES CATHOLIC MUST BE BAPTIZED AGAIN. NORMALLY WE DO NOT REBAPTIZE BAPTIST AND LUTHERANS AND OTHER PROTESTANTS BECAUSE THEY BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE TRINITY. BUT IF THEY ARE BAPTIZED ONLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS, THAT IS NOT WHAT THE CHURCH INTENDS AND NOT WHAT CHRIST INTENDED SO WE HAVE TO REDO IT. IT IS THAT SERIOUS A BREAK. SO DO NOT DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. LET US GO TO A QUESTION THAT WE HAVE FROM THE YOUTUBE FROM ROBERT. ROBERT THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO. I CERTAINLY, EVERYBODY HAS TO DEAL WITH THAT QUESTION SO THAT YOU DO NOT JUST SAY THE WORDS AND IT BECOMES MECHANICAL. YOUR PRAYER SHOULD NOT BE MECHANICAL. WHAT YOU CAN DO IS THIS. STAND BACK FROM THE PRAYER A BIT AND SAY INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING THE PRAYER TAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS. AND USE THE PRAYERS YOU SAY INCLUDING THE PRAYERS THAT WE HAVE BEEN SAYING SINCE WE WERE SMALL CHILDREN. YOU MAY HAVE BEEN SAYING THE OUR FATHER FOR THE LAST 75 YEARS GIVEN YOUR AGE, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD IT ALL AND I WOULD SUSPECT THIS ROBERT, THAT YOU FEEL A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DISCOMFORT WITH THE LEVEL THAT YOU ARE USING FOR PRAYER BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN AND SHOULD GO MORE DEEPLY. YOU FEEL A DRIVE FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND GREATER MEANING IN YOUR PRAYER. AND IT IS NOT THAT YOUR PRYER TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN BADLY SAID, AND IT IS NOT NECESSARILY THAT IT IS SUPERFICIAL BUT IT MADE WELL BE THAT AS YOU COME TO THIS NEXT STAGE IN LIFE THAT THE PREVIOUS UNDERSTANDING YOU HAD THAT WAS SATISFYING HAS GOTTEN YOU TO A NEW LEVEL WHERE YOU WANT TO GO MORE DEEPLY. THAT IS PART OF THE ONGOING PROCESS OF EVER MORE MATURITY IN YOUR PRAYER LIFE. THAT YOU ARE FEELING A DRYNESS AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE LORD IS THE ONE GETTING YOU TO GO MORE DEEPLY. PERHAPS NOT UNLIKE THE WAY THAT YOU GET TIRED OF PLAYING SOME OF THE OLD GAMES. FOR INSTANCE WITH YOUR CHILDREN THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A POINT AT WHICH YOU PLAYED CHUTES AND LADDERS WITH THEM BUT BECAUSE THEY COME TO NEW STAGES OF UNDERSTANDING YOU TAKE THE MORE DEEPLY. WHAT THE LORD WANTS TO TAKE YOU TO A DEEPER LEVEL. THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO SIT BACK AND REFLECT ON THE MEANING OF EACH PHRASE OF SAY THE OUR FATHER OR THE HAIL MARY. AND ASK WHAT DO I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS? WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO TEACH ME ABOUT IT? PUT IT AS A PRAYER. LORD, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE ABOUT THESE PRAYERS I SAY? I ASK YOU TO DEEPEN ME AND DEEPENED MY UNDERSTANDING. HELP TO MAKE ME MORE OF THE KIND OF SAINT YOU WANT ME TO BE. THAT IS WHAT I SUSPECT IS GOING ON AND IT WILL JUST TAKE MORE TIME. AND IF YOU HAVE TIME ROBERT I DO NOT KNOW YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO MEDITATE BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND TO BE IN CHURCH, THIS IS A CALL TO GREATER INTIMACY WITH JESUS OUR LORD AND THAT IS WHAT I THINK YOU WANT YOU TO DO. ALRIGHT I'M GOING TO TAKE A BREAK AND WE WILL BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES WITH MORE OF YOUR EMAIL SO PLEASE STAY WITH US. (APPLAUSE) ♪ ♪ (APPLAUSE) ALL RIGHT WE HAVE BEEN TAKING A LOOK AT SOME EMAIL QUESTIONS AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PATIENTLY SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE AND I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THEM. ARE YOU FROM? I AM FROM ATLANTA GEORGIA. GREAT. WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? MY QUESTION IS ON THE TOPIC YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT WHY DO WE NOT INCORPORATE THE JEWISH TRADITION INTO OUR CHRISTIAN WHEN THAT WAS JESUS BACKGROUND? WAIT A MINUTE DID SOMEBODY TELL YOU THAT WE DID NOT INCORPORATE JEWISH TRADITION? IS THAT RIGHT DID SOMEBODY TELL YOU THAT >> NO I JUST THOUGHT (PACWA) WILL LET US GET DOWN TO BUSINESS. WE DID INCORPORATE JEWISH TRADITION IN MANY WAYS. WHO WROTE THE OLD TESTAMENT? >> THE JEWISH PEOPLE (PACWA) IS THAT NOT INCORPORATE INTO OUR BIBLE >> YES INDEED (PACWA) THAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT INCORPORATION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE SO WE HAVE THAT. AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED AT HOW MANY OTHER ELEMENTS OF JEWISH TRADITION ARE INCORPORATED. I GIVE AN EXAMPLE. IF I SAY TO YOU THE LORD BE WITH YOU. WHAT IS YOUR 1ST RESPONSE? >> LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS. WE LIFT THEM UP TO THE LORD (PACWA). LET US GIVE THANKS TO GOD >> IT IS RIGHT AND JUST (PACWA). THAT IS RIGHT OUT OF THE PRAYER BOOK. IN JEWISH TRADITION IF THERE ARE 10 MEN THEREFORE TO FORM A MINION THEY CONCLUDE THAT WITH HOLY, HOLY LORD GOD OF HOSTS. HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF YOUR GLORY. HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST. SO THAT IS PRETTY JEWISH TRADITION. IN FACT I NEVER FORGET A WOMAN THAT I BAPTIZED IT WAS CONVERTED FROM pJUDAISM. SHE WAS STUDYING THE MASS WITH ME. SHE WAS A STUDENT. AN UNDERGRADUATE. SHE CAME TO ME AND SAID THIS IS A JEWISH PRAYER HERE X MAKES A POINT I SAID WHAT YOU EXPECT? ALL THE BIG NAMES IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ARE JEWISH PEOPLE. JESUS, MARY, JOSEPH, PETER PAUL AND ANDREW. AND SO OF COURSE THEY BROUGHT YOUR PRAYERS IN. THAT IS WHY YOU SEE THAT DIALOGUE AND THE HOLY OF HOLIES IS ALL OF THE RIGHTS AND IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU ARE A COPTIC CATHOLIC CHURCH OR A BYZANTINE CATHOLIC CHURCH OR A MARONITE CATHOLIC CHURCH OR CHALDEAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. WHY DO ALL 22 RIGHTS HAVE THAT PRAYER ALONG WITH A HOLY HOLY.? BECAUSE THE APOSTLES BROUGHT IT WITH THEM FROM THE JEWISH PRAYER BOOK. SO WE HAVE THAT. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ELEMENTS. FOR INSTANCE, JUDAISM ESPECIALLY THE PHARISEE JUDAISM ALSO HAD A BALANCE OF TRADITION AND SCRIPTURE. AND PAUL BEING A PHARISEE, HAD THAT BALANCE. THE WEATHER ELEMENTS THAT WERE CHANGED. SO THAT DO YOU LIKE CATFISH? OKAY. THAT WAS CHANGE. JEWISH PEOPLE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO EAT CATFISH BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY SCALES. THE SAME THING WITH LOBSTER AND CRAB. NO SHELLFISH OR OYSTERS NONE OF THAT. THEY CANNOT EAT THAT. OUR LORD DEEMED THE KOSHER DIETARY LAWS NOT TO BE ESSENTIAL AS HE SAID IN MARK CHAPTER 7. WHAT GOES INTO A MAN WHEN HE EATS PASSES THROUGH THE STOMACH AND INTO THE LATRINE SO THAT DOES NOT DEFILE YOU. JEWISH PEOPLE STILL FEEL THAT STRONGLY. BUT WE DO NOT. WE DO NOT THINK IT IS DEFILING. BUT WE HAVE OTHER ELEMENTS OF JEWISH TRADITION AND. I COULD GO ON FOR SERIES TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT BUT THAT IS QUITE A BIT OF JEWISH TRADITION. OKAY? WE ALSO HAVE A QUESTION WHERE YOU FROM? >> ATLANTA GEORGIA (PACWA) >> ARE YOU THIS LADY'S FAITHFUL SIDEKICK? YES (PACWA) WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU? >> I USE THE IGNATIUS BIBLE AND LATELY I'M IN BOOKSTORES IN ICU THEY HAVE REVISED THE STANDARD VERSION. WHAT DID THEY REVISE? (PACWA) I HAVE NOT SEEN ALL OF THE REVISIONS OF THE REVISION. THE REVISED STANDARD ADDITION WAS ORIGINALLY DONE BY A LARGE GROUP OF SCHOLARS. IT WAS BASED ON THE KING JAMES BIBLE IN A CERTAIN SENSE BUT THEY REJECTED THE - -. THE MANUSCRIPT THAT WAS THE BASIS OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE IS NOT THE BASIS FOR THE REVISED STANDARD. THEY USED OLDER MANUSCRIPTS LIKE - - WHICH IS MUCH OLDER. AS A MATTER FACT IT IS ABOUT ABOUT 100 YEARS OLDER. MAYBE 900 YEARS. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT MAKES FOR A DIFFERENCE. ABOUT WHAT IS AUTHORITATIVE AND WHAT IS NOT. AS A RESULT THE CATHOLIC ADDITION OF THIS MADE THE REVISION BECAUSE SOME OF THE TRANSLATIONS DONE BY THE SCHOLARS WERE A BIT MORE ABSTRACT. A CLASSIC EXAMPLE WOULD BE IN ISAIAH CHAPTER 7 AND THAT WE USUALLY SEE THE TRANSLATION THAT A YOUNG WOMAN, HERE'S WHAT THE ROOT BY STANDARD VERSION FOR PRE-REVISION SAID. THE YOUNG WOMAN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON AND CALLED HIS NAME IMMANUEL. BECAUSE THE WORD THERE I DO NOT KNOW IN HEBREW CAN MEAN YOUNG WOMAN USUALLY A YOUNG UNMARRIED WOMAN. BUT WHEN IT WAS TRANSLATED BY JEWISH SCHOLARS INTO GREEK AROUND 250 BC AND BEEN IN ARAMAIC IN THE 1ST CENTURY BC THEY USED WORDS THAT SPECIFICALLY MEAN A VIRGIN. SO IN THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE BY JEWISH SCHOLARS IT WAS THE - - WHICH IS LIKE THE PARTHENON IN ATHENS, SPECIFICALLY IT MEANS VIRGIN. IN THE - - AND ARAMAIC. SPECIFICALLY MEANING VIRGIN NOT JUST ANY YOUNG WOMAN. THIS WAS A CULTURE WHERE THE EXPECTATION WAS YOUNG WOMEN WERE VIRGINS SO THAT IS WHY JEWISH PEOPLE HAD THAT SENSE. THEY UNDERSTOOD THE WORD TO MEAN VIRGIN. SO IN THE CATHOLIC ADDITION OF THE RSV THEY LEAVE IT VIRGIN BECAUSE THAT WAS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE USE OF - -. IN OTHER PLACES IN FACT EVEN THE OLD RSV TRANSLATE - - IS VIRGIN. THIS IS SOMETHING IT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE. IT IS CORRECTING SOME OF THESE TENDENCIES TO MAKE IT SOMETIMES MORE OPEN ENDED WHEN THERE IS GOOD EVIDENCE FOR THE SPECIFIC TRANSLATIONS THAT LEND SUPPORT TO CHRISTIAN CLAIMS. DOES THAT HELP? ALL RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM 1 OF OUR SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION FACEBOOK GROUP MEMBERS. HER NAME IS VIRGINIA. REMEMBER YOU MAY GO TO FACEBOOK.COM/GROUP. GROUPS. SEND QUESTIONS & COMMENTS TO SCRIPTUREANDTRADITION@EWTN.COM FACEBOOK.COM/EWTN & YOUTUBE.COM/EWTN HER QUESTION FROM AMONG THE 8000 PEOPLE IN THAT GROUP IS . VIRGINIA I PUT IT THIS WAY, A THOUSAND QUESTIONS DOES NOT MAKE SOMETHING INTO A DOUBT. DOUBTING SOMETHING IS SAYING NO I JUST DO NOT BELIEVE IT. I JUST CANNOT ACCEPT IT. THAT IS AN ACT OF THE WILL. THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ARE PROBABLY VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND THERE IS NOTHING PROBLEMATIC ABOUT HAVING THOSE QUESTIONS. IT IS GOOD TO HAVE QUESTIONS BUT IT IS ALSO GOOD TO SAY I AM GOING TO TRUST OUR LORD AND HIS CHURCH TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS SENSIBLY AND I AM GOING TO PROCEED AS SOMEONE WHO ACCEPTS THE DOCTRINE BUT I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY QUESTION ANSWERED AND I WILL WORK ON THAT. BY THE WAY IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, VIRGINIA, I WROTE ANOTHER BIBLE STUDY CALLED THE EUCHARIST A BIBLE STUDY FOR CATHOLICS. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. IT MAY HELP YOU DOWN THE ROAD. I HOPE TO DO A SERIES ON THAT FOR SCRIPTURE AND TRADITION. LET'S GO TO ANOTHER FACEBOOK QUESTION. THIS COMES FROM AND. SHE SAYS 1ST OF ALL WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES TODAY IN FACT THIS IS INTERESTING TO HAVE THAT QUESTION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT IS QUOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 360 TIMES. THAT IS A LOT! THE OLD TESTAMENT IS MUCH SMALLER BUT IN THE 27 BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IT IS QUOTED 360 TIMES. THAT INDICATES THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT MAINTAINS AUTHORITY. THINK ABOUT THE WORDS OF THE NICENE CREED THAT WE SAY EVERY SUNDAY. I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE LORD THE GIVER OF LIFE. WHO SPOKE THROUGH THE PROPHETS. NOW THEY DO NOT MEAN JUST THE 4 MAJOR PROPHETS IN 12 MINOR PROPHETS. HE SPOKE TO THE WHOLE OLD TESTAMENT THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED THE OLD TESTAMENT. BUT WE ALSO TAKE A LOOK AND UNDERSTAND THE OLD TESTAMENT THROUGH THE LENS OF JESUS CHRIST. HE IS THE WAY WE SEE IT. SO WHEN THE OLD TESTAMENT SAYS AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH, WE TAKE THAT THROUGH THE LENS OF JESUS TEACHING YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR TOOTH BUT I SAY LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HARM YOU. CHRIST GIVES US THIS NEW INTERPRETATION THAT DEEPENS WHAT THE OLD TESTAMENT BEGAN. NOW IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THE EARLIEST STAGES, USED TO BE A LAW, THAT IF SOMEBODY HURT YOU YOU COULD HIT THEM 7 TIMES AS HARD. AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR TOOTH WAS LIMITING THAT. NOW CHRIST TAKES IT TO A DEEPER LEVEL. THAT IS HOW WE LOOK AT THE OLD TESTAMENT. AND IT IS A LOT OF WISDOM IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. I LOVE THAT BOOK AND I USED TO LOVE TEACHING IT IN COLLEGE. SO LEARN WISDOM. ST. JAMES QUOTES IT AND SO DO SOME OF THE OTHER APOSTLES BUT WE UNDERSTAND IT THROUGH THE LENS OF JESUS CHRIST. AND I HAVE TO UNDERSTAND OUR TIME FOR THE LENS OF THE SHOW COMING TO AN END. SOME OF THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU AND CAUSE HIS FACE TO SHINE UPON YOU. THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND REMEMBER THAT FOR SHOW AND ALL OF OUR SHOWS AND COVERAGE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH WORLD YOUTH DAY AND THE REST THAT HAPPENS IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU. SO KEEP US IN BETWEEN YOUR UTILITY BILLS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY OUR BILLS. THANK YOU. (APPLAUSE) ♪
