Bible Study Digest
Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel Community
- In reference to Exodus 4:18-31, why does God want to kill Moses because
he is not circumcised? How does just being touched by blood render circumcision?
- The bread that Jesus used at the Last Supper -- was this a real loaf
of bread or was it matzo? Today, do we use unleavened bread also for
our hosts?
- Did Jesus get two names-- Jesus and Emmanuel? Does Jesus mean Emmanuel?
- What did being consecrated to the Lord of the firstborn mean to the
life of the firstborn? Was Jesus consecrated to the Lord and redeemed
with a sacrificial firstborn calf when he was presented in the temple?
- Who are the covenant people? If God is the God of all people, and
God's life lives in all people, then are not all people covered by the
covenant? If not, what distinguishes covenant people from those who
aren't and is this distinction a prejudice on our part? Are not all
called to eternal life: Christian, Jew, Buddhist, and atheist? Does
that not make all people covenant people?
- In Exodus 1:15-22, Hebrew women lie to Pharaoh to protect Hebrew male
babies. Isn't lying a moral wrong? Why is it approved here?
Coordinator profiles: Barbara Bank, Christina Flores,
and Wayne Miller
- Is there a primary source, i.e., JEDP, for each book of the Torah
(the Priestly tradition for Leviticus, Deuteronomy, etc.) or did all
the traditions contribute to all five books?
- Why did God "make" Pharaoh obstinate?
- Explain leaven in the Church. Discuss the different uses of it from
the Old Testament to the New Testament -- sometimes used in a positive
way, sometimes negative.
- Why were the Israelites the Chosen People?
- Why was it necessary for the law to precede Christ's coming?
- What was the point of earlier laws set down in the Old Testament (Cf.
Numbers, Leviticus, Exodus) if Christ came down and created a new law?
Why did God inspire so many laws and then turn around and discount them?
- What is the difference between a covenant and a promise?
- Given the popularity of the war in the Middle East, I find it very
difficult to speak out against it. Yet my conscience tells me war is
wrong. What is the Church's official stand on war? How can a war
be just when so many innocent people are killed?
Facilitator profiles: Susan Javery and Ron Somera
- What is a good source for background information on the Gospel of
John?
- Do the Jews still celebrate Tabernacles? (cf. Jn. 7:2)
- Besides Jesus, would any shepherd really have laid down his life for
his flock? He may have put himself in grave danger to save the flock,
but would he have given his life freely for the flock?
- Why did the disciples fear the Pharisees? After all, the Sanhedrin
held all the power.
- In John 11:49-50, why did Caiaphas fear that the whole nation would
perish? Why would Jesus' teachings and/or actions cause the Romans to
annihilate the Hebrew nation?
- Why is the formula for transubstantiation ("Take this and eat
it. This is my Body. Take this and drink it. This is my Blood. Do this
in memory of me.") missing from the Gospel of John?
- Jesus came down to earth to die for our sins. Does that mean that
when he died on the cross, all our sins were forgiven (for the living
at least)?
- Is it Church dogma that Christ died "for all" humanity,
not just the baptized?
- How has the Holy Spirit in our world become present in a significantly
different way after Pentecost? If creation is sacred, hasn't the Holy
Spirit always been here?
- The temple was destroyed after Christ rose. Since that time no sacrifice
has been done. What do they do for sacrifice now? When the temple is
rebuilt will sacrifice be done then? Why or why not?
- Does Islam teach that Ishmael was the one whom Abraham was to sacrifice?
- A young Catholic woman is forcibly raped and she becomes pregnant.
She decides to get an abortion. Does the Church view her as committing
mortal sin?
- A man confessed his sins, was given the Last Rites, and he died. Is
he going directly to heaven?
- Explain the Pauline Privilege (a historical elaboration of 1 Cor 7:10-16)
- How did the liturgical calendar originate?
Facilitator profiles: Linda Lozano, Puring Arcega,
and Sue Bettenga
- Who wrote the Gospel of John?
- What do we know about the John, identified with the Gospel?
- When did Jesus know He was the perfect manifestation of God?
- Is John the Baptist Elijah?
- Why didn't Jesus Baptize? Explain John's baptism.
- Please provide some background on Jacob's Well (John 4:5 - 4:42).
- Were John and Jesus related?
- Did Jesus know John?
- Why do the Roman Churches follow a different calendar than the Eastern
Orthodox Churches?
- In the book of Revelation, "Babylon" is called a harlot,
and this is interpreted as referring to Rome. If Rome was a "harlot,"
why was it chosen to be the seat of the Church?
- There are verses in the Bible referencing loved one and friends just
taken away in the end times. This is referred to as the "rapture"
by evangelical Christians. What is the "rapture'' and the Catholic
doctrine on the "rapture"?
- In Matthew 22:14 we read "Many are called, few are chosen."
Aren't we all called? Extended to chosen, how does this all relate?
- What is the history, meaning and analysis of Romans 13:1 - 7?
- Why are the martyrs impatient? (Rev. 6:9-11)
- Since the people in Asia Minor spoke Greek and were steeped in Greek
culture and philosophy, how were they familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures
to the extent that they would recognize the signs of the end times presented
in the Book of the Prophet Daniel and other Old Testament books?
- Is the calculation of the millennium based on the Bible?
- Why is divorce not permitted by the church? What are the grounds
for annulment?
- Mark 17:11-13 -- Then the disciples asked Jesus, "Why do the
scribes say that Elijah must come first?" He told them, "Elijah
will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written
regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated
with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him
whatever they pleased, as it is written of him." Since, in the
context of Mark's Gospel, it seems that Jesus' reference to the fact
that "Elijah has come" is a reference to John the Baptist's
ministry, how is the expression, "Elijah (read John the Baptist)
will ...restore all things" to be understood? What did John the
Baptist restore?
- Mark 9:2 describes the transfiguration. However, the Little Rock Study
Guide questions and the Commentary seem to confuse the words "transfiguration"
and "transformation."
- In Mark 11:24, Jesus says without any qualification that when we have
faith, whatever we ask for in prayer we will receive. How is this verse
to be understood?
- When did the scenario of the Last Supper of Jesus become the core
of the Mass? When did the Mass take the form it has in the Church today?
- What do the terms "canonical" and "apocryphal"
mean as they are applied to the Scriptures?
- In Mark 2. 13-17, Jesus is questioned about why he eats with sinners
and tax collectors. The commentary states: "Mark encourages his
readers to understand that to follow Jesus means that their meals, especially
their Eucharistic meals, must include people who are aware of their
weakness and of their need for healing. This stands in contrast to anyone
who might think that only those who are "righteous" may participate
in the meal. Indeed, the meal at which Jesus is present as the righteous
one is the meal at which the sick and the sinner are most welcome. Paradoxically,
then, the Christian Eucharist is for those who seem "not to belong,"
but really do! "
In our discussion group, we agreed that all are invited to the Lord's
table. One of us said that the Holy Spirit could even compel one who
was thought not to be invited to come forward and receive the Eucharist.
However, the Roman Catholic regulations specifically uninvite non-Catholics
from receiving the Eucharist. This rule would seem to violate Christ's
teaching. Is this Roman Catholic regulation a man-made rule that can
be changed just as the Latin was changed to the vernacular? If so, do
you believe the rule should be changed?
- We had an interesting discussion on the calling of the Twelve (Mark
3 :13-19). Many of us said that we are all called, perhaps even as early
as baptism, to a mission by God, and that that calling was equivalent
to the calling of the Twelve. Others said that the callings of certain
individuals are a different sort and are more special callings. I take
the second opinion, since I haven't been called as clearly as Moses,
St. Paul, or St. Francis. Is the call of God to each of us essentially
the same, or is His call to certain persons much more compelling?
- How far along in her pregnancy was Mary at the time she visited her
cousin Elizabeth? Did she assist or might she have assisted Elizabeth
during John's birth or after? What could be the reason that Jesus and
John were not apparently familiar with one another? Did Mary and Elizabeth
not stay in touch?
- What is the difference between "knowing God" and "knowing
about God?"
- Three passages from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans that speak of
faith, obedience to the Law, and deeds as these terms relate to righteousness
are Romans 3:27-28, Romans 4:5, and Romans 4:9. What is the background
of these passages?
- Did Job admit his sinfulness?
- MISCELLANEOUS ASPECTS OF THE GOSPEL OF MARK
- Concerning life after death:
1. Was the after-life concept ever accepted or understood in the Old
Testament and when was it or at what point was it accepted and understood
in the Old Testament?
2. Did they understand body, soul, and spirit?
3. Was there immediate judgment after death in the Old Testament like
Moses, Abraham, Jacob, etc.?
4. Did they go to limbo or purgatory until Jesus opened the gates of
heaven?
5. Was hell always open and was judgment to go there immediate?
- What is the morality of mental reservation?
- Is suffering caused by sin?
- Why do we pray for the dead and for the souls of the faithful departed?
Why do they need prayers if they are already with God?
- Why were the Israelites the Chosen People?
- Aaron and Miriam challenged Moses's authority, but only Miriam was
punished (Numbers 12:1-10). Why?
- Dinah's full brothers, Simeon and Levi, deceived the men of Shechem,
and then killed them. Her other brothers pillaged the city and carried
off all the people's wealth, the women, and their children, and took
for loot whatever was in the houses (Gen 34:24-29). The punishment does
not seem to fit the crime. Were they ever punished?
- Aaron and Miriam challenged Moses's authority, but only Miriam was
punished (Numbers 12:1-10). Why?
- Dinah's full brothers, Simeon and Levi, deceived the men of Shechem,
and then killed them. Her other brothers pillaged the city and carried
off all the people's wealth, the women, and their children, and took
for loot whatever was in the houses (Gen 34:24-29). The punishment does
not seem to fit the crime. Were they ever punished?
- What is the difference between a covenant and a promise?
- Did God have a covenant with Hagar through Ishmael just as he had
with Abraham through Isaac?
- God promised Abraham that Ishmael also would become a great nation.
We would like background for this. Is Ishmael's nation still prominent
today?
- Did Zipporah, Moses's wife, have Egyptian or Jewish roots? We would
like more background because of Miriam's and Aaron's concern about Moses's
marriage.
- Moses is said to be the first child of the Levite parents yet the
story of Pharaoh's daughter finding baby Moses in a basket in the Nile
puts an older sister on the scene, who calls the birth mother (hers)
to nurse the baby for Pharaoh's daughter. How can he have an older sister
if he is the firstborn and only 3 months old? Same for Aaron, who is
said to be 3 years older than his brother Moses (Ex 7:7). Could they
have been cousins? Or can this be a typographical error?
- MIRIAM'S SONG
- I'm puzzled about the Mass we had on Thanksgiving. Some people who
were raised in other Christian denominations became Catholic, but all
they did was make First Communion. To my knowledge, there was no rite
or ceremony marking their reception into the Church, and some parishioners
had no idea the people have actually become Catholics. Is this something
new?
- Where in Scripture does it say that Jesus will actually come back?
- If evolution is true how come there are no men coming from apes now?
Last Updated on 10/2/05
By Wayne Miller
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