07.16.24 | Topic Tuesday | Revelations
- tmaley
- Jul 21, 2024
- 16 min read
Northern Virginia Catholic Bible Study & Apologetics
Every Tuesday, 7PM-8PM. This meeting is a lecture/Q&A format. It is free.
Zoom Meetings: www.meetup.com/catholicbiblestudy
Catholic Catacombs Website: www.CatholicCatacombs.org
House rules/notes…
Our meeting/classes are In-Person at St. John Neumann Catholic Church 11900 Lawyers Road, Reston, VA 20191 https://saintjn.org/ (usually held downstairs in Room 5), or ONLINE via Zoom (see #2).
To sign up for Zoom notifications and to receive the Meeting Recaps, go to www.meetup.com/catholicbiblestudy and join us! The Zoom Logon is the same every week: Zoom ID: 861 1782 2081 Password: 406952.
After each meeting, I send out Meeting Recaps of what we discussed. Please remember these recaps are unedited and without the pictures. The edited version with pictures will be posted before the next class on the Website – www.CatholicCatacombs.org. Taylor will notify everyone at that time and provide a link.
Questions encouraged. If you have questions, we ask that you keep them on topic and brief. You can ask in the chat box during the class, or email through Meetup.com, or email me at ron@hallagan.net afterwards.
Respectfulness. We will be discussing differences between religions and between Christian denominations, and we agree to be respectful at all times. Protestants especially are our friends and brothers-in-Christ; in fact, I personally owe part of my return to the faith to them!
No politics. It would be easy for us to self-destruct, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to learn/understand/apply the Bible and our Catholic faith.
Catholic Prayer & Fellowship. Are you interested in praying the rosary, etc. with other Catholics during the week? Follow fellow member Jason Goldberg at https://www.meetup.com/online-catholic-prayer-fellowship-and-spirituality/. Daily/weekly prayer is saintly!
“The Chosen” TV series. All of us seek a relationship with Jesus Christ, which is not always easy. It can help if we have seen and heard Him. The Chosen captures Jesus better than any show I have ever seen. Four seasons are out so far. Highly recommended.
RSVP Reminder: Please RSVP whether you are attending the meeting or just reading the Recaps afterwards. The more RSVPs, the more Meetup will give exposure to “Catholic Bible Study” – a good thing!
Bible Study Format: Each week of the month has a repeating topic, as noted below.
Each meeting: 5 min greet/prayer, 10 min Apologetics, 15 min Gospel, 30 min main topic.
Week 1: Gospel Week
Week 2: Bible Week (Gen to Rev): We are in the book of 1st Book of Kings.
Week 3: Survey Topics Voted on by Members:
x 1) Great Women in the Bible 2) Book of Revelation 3) Fathers, Heresies, Church Councils 4) Martin Luther (heresies bring greater precision into the faith by its responses – Ratz)
Week 4: Apologetics (=Defense of the Faith)… includes member questions:
How do I live my Christian faith at work when my faith is not accepted there?
What should our response be to those who ask us about priestly sex abuse?
What about the atheist who leads a good life? Can I be a person be good apart from God?
Miracles since the NT
Was Emperor Constantine good or bad? Was he a Christian? How was the Church affected?
Why does God allow suffering?
What is Tradition? Is Tradition equal to Scripture in importance? (2Thes2:15)
Can you explain Mother Teresa’s “Dark Night of the Soul”?
Reader? Opening Prayer
LORD, thank you for your promise that where two or three of us are gathered in your name, You are there.
Tonight, we ask the whole Trinity to come and help us understand the meaning of John’s words in the Book of Revelation,
and how they supported Salvation History not only in history but in our days as well.
And as You taught us to pray together:
Our Father Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdm come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily Bread;
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Website: CatholicCatacombs.org
Upcoming major holy days in the Liturgy of the Church
August 15 – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today
Exegesis – The Lord’s Prayer (“as we forgive those who trespass against us.”)
National Eucharistic Congress – first in 83 years, July 17-21, Indianapolis, Bishop Barron, Fr. Mike Schmitz, pilgrmge
Gospel reading – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 6:30-34
Book of Revelation – Part II
Church in Africa Crisis
The issue… https://cruxnow.com/church-in-africa/2024/07/u-s-bishops-urge-catholics-to-stand-by-church-in-africa
Donate (open, scroll down, click on Church in Africa): https://usccb.igivecatholictogether.org
A reasoned defense of the faith Study and interpretation of Scripture
Apologetics word of the week:
Eschatology (Greek, eschatos = last things). The “last things” refers to the Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment, the New Heaven/New Earth, and Eternity.
Quote of the Week:
When Christ died on the cross, he opened up the door to the next phase of human existence – you could say the next evolutionary step; a new mutation, so to speak, but one that crosses over from the biological to the spiritual, the logical, final dimension for man. This being the case, we can say that Christ ushered in the age of eschatology! – taken from Cardinal Ratzinger’s “Introduction to Christianity.”
Exegesis of the Week: The Lord’s Prayer
Is the prayer we are covering more properly called the “Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father”?
Many Protestants and some Orthodox Catholics say, “The Lord’s Prayer,” which is certainly accurate; whereas most Catholics say, “Our Father.” Why? The reason is because prayers, books, and psalms in ancient times were oftentimes named after the very first words in the text. For example, “Genesis” translates as, “In the beginning,” which are the first words in the bible. Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…” Hence, Catholics have always called the prayer, “The Our Father,” because this was the opening text. “Our Father” may also be seen as a more endearing term.
“As we forgive those who sin against us.”
We may get good asking for forgiveness every day, and that is a huge step in itself. But since part of our growth is learning to be more Christlike, we are also asked to forgive others – just as He is forgiving us.
To truly forgive means not holding grudges, attitudes, or wanting payback for wrongs done against us. Jesus knew it would be difficult, but we are not alone. He sent the Holy Spirit, and we only need to ask for help, which builds our relationship with the Lord. It can be done and, like learning any skill, it gets easier with practice. Conversely, it will never get easier if we don’t try, but we also risk forgoing our own forgiveness! The word “as” makes our forgiveness conditional on forgiving others. Also, recall Jesus’ words:
The measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you – Luke 6:38.
What is the “measure” Jesus is talking about?
It comes down to treating others like we want to be treated, ESPECIALLY when we don’t deserve it. Jesus promises that when we are merciful and generous to others, he will be merciful and generous to us. When we don’t judge and condemn, neither will He judge and condemn. This must be learn to live with everyone, especially with the idiots we deal with every day. The measure we measure out is what we can expect in return.
What about the people who we can’t stand, make us sick, or drive us batty, whether close to us, at work, or from a distance (i.e., politics)? This is what Jesus calls as “loving our enemy.” How the heck do we forgive and love them?!?
We have two choices: judge and condemn them, which does nothing but hurt your spiritual standing, or say, “Lord, bless that person to make him/her more like you!” – which raises your spiritual standing by 16 light years. That’s it!
16th Gospel for this Sunday: Mark 6:30-34, “They were like sheep without a shepherd.”
Context:
Last week, Jesus sent out the disciples on their own (in twos) to begin preaching. This week’s reading picks up after that when they return to Jesus, but the reading stops just short of the feeding of 5,000 (which is next Sunday). It’s such a short reading, one wonders why the Church would pick this reading for a Sunday. It has a few hidden messages.
Gospel Mark 6:30-34
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the townsand arrived at the place before them.When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
The apostles return to Jesus excited at what happened, and they report to Jesus about all they healed and what they taught.
People were coming to them in great numbers such that there was no time even for them to eat. So Jesus says, “Let’s go rest.”
Anything out of the ordinary so far?
Their adreneline is running high, but that’s no surprise. How would you feel if you found you could not only teach about the Kingdom but be able to heal people, too.
The crowds were not coming for the Apostles. They saw what they did and saw who they were and what they looked like and they couldn’t get enough, they needed to know more what all this meant. This tells us that the mission of the Twelve didn’t actually begin on Pentecost, but now!
They were overwhelmed and Jesus recognized they needed to catch their breath, not just physically but collect their spirits, too. The crowds anticipate where the disciples are going and head off to intercept them.
When they arrive, instead of showing frustration, Jesus does what?
His response is he shows compassion and decides to give them what they want/need: he teaches more!
Jesus sees the crowds as a sheep without a shepherd. Jesus is there, so are the disciples. What is he referring to?
Jeremiah 550 years earlier speaks of the Messiah in these terms. Jesus is fulfilling Scripture. Jeremiah 23:1-5:
Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds. I myself will gather the remnant of my flock from all the lands to which I have driven them and bring them back to their meadow; there they shall increase and multiply. I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and tremble; and none shall be missing, says the LORD.Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. – Jeremiah 23:1-5
Q: Jeremiah (and Ezekiel) says the Lord himself will gather up his flock and bring them back, but then later says “I will raise up a righteous shoot (branch of) David who will come, which was appropriate because the divine role of a king was to “shepherd his people.” So then, how do we reconcile these two prophecies?
Jesus was both. He was from the line of David, and he was from the line of God, so to speak.
And what do you suppose the Psalm reading is for Sunday?
Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul…
Ezekiel 34:1 Jeremiah 23:4 Psalm 23
The Book of Revelation/Apocalypse – Part II 7:35
The Book of Revelation
Revelation, the last book of the Bible, belongs to a genre of literature called apocalyptic writings (i.e., Daniel and Ezekiel in OT). It was written by the Apostle John and published toward the end of the reign of Emperor Domitian (~A.D. 95) while he was in exile on the island of Patmos, which was used as a Roman penal colony at the time. Because of the ever-present threat of persecution, John wrote in symbolic terms in order to communicate with the Church.
If you recall, books of the Bible were often named according to their first words (i.e., Genesis means “In the beginning.”). The Book of Revelation begins, “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” To the point of these words, it is useful to know that the revelation is truly about Jesus Christ in their past, present, and in their future. Jesus is the doorway to humanity’s future.
Last month, we reviewed an overview of the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse = unveiling; to reveal) and the meaning of “prophecy.”
Prophecy in the Bible is always a divinely inspired communication or revelation, and sometimes it is a foretelling or prediction of what is to come, often as a judgment for not following God in the present.
“Prophets” are individuals who receive divine illumination and are called to reveal it to others for the good of humanity. Prophets are first and foremost “messengers of God”; secondarily, they may warn others what will happen in the future if they don’t listen. Thirdly, at times they are also given messages about the end times.
End Times? Today, some Catholics and many Protestants assume that the events prophesied in Revelation are all still in our future. Some things in Revelation are, but most are not; rather, they happened in the century around the time it was written.
The New Church/Jesus Christ
Remember, Revelation is about revealing Jesus Christ, which means His Church. Therefore, words used like “near” and “soon” oftentimes refer to the growing pains of the new Church. Remember, the infant Christian Church is just beginning to take on a role in human history while under vicious attacks from the world’s powers and the devil (often together); so, these first few centuries are both difficult and critical times for the Church. It is for this reason John is primarily writing, and he does so with apocalyptic prose and great symbolism so only members of the Church will understand his messages.
The main thing God shows to John in his visions is that Jesus Christ is triumphant, and that those who follow him are victors with him. Yet, God also shows him that the Church will be persecuted throughout its pilgrimage on earth, which is the only way to bring salvation to the entire human race.
Why is it so difficult for God to complete the job Jesus started?
For the same reason Jesus life on earth was difficult – the free will of men who resist surrendering ego and power, often in partnership with the devil. However, John’s readers (including us) are reminded that Jesus has already won the War over sin and death, and that includes everyone who chooses to follow him.
The Book of Revelation uses as its starting point the persecutions that the early Christians suffered from the time of Nero (54-68AD) onward, particularly in Rome and in Asia Minor, which were the places where Christianity had put down its deepest roots.
Revelation 1:1 begins with…
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John” – Rev 1:1.
… and in verse 4, it tells us to whom John is writing:
“John, to the seven churches in Asia: grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne” – Rev 1:4.
John was directly connected to the Churches in Asia – the main one being in Ephesus, a major city and John’s home base. And although these churches are named in subsequent verses, the reference to “seven” throughout John’s statement, meaning fullness/completeness, tells us that he is addressing the entire Church.
John identifies the prime enemy of the Church in his own time as the Roman empire, who is called “the beast.” The Roman Empire (the Beast) is the tool of “the Dragon,” who is Satan. The capital of the Roman Empire is Rome, which is code-named “Babylon” because Rome has prostituted itself to the Dragon (devil). Babylon, you may recall, was the capital of the evil empire that rushed Jerusalem in 587 BC. However, because of Jesus Christ, this Babylon (Rome) cannot win. It will be completely overthrown, which we know finally happens in 313 AD, with Emperor Constantine, and the Church is legalized throughout the empire.
Recap: Who is the Beast? The Roman Empire Where is Babylon? Rome Who is the Dragon? The devil/Satan
This prophecy involving the Roman Empire’s attempt to crush the Church is the hub of Revelation. Around it John gradually unfolds the plan God has for the future of his Church. To do this, he uses images very much like those used by the prophets Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah. All of these “predictions” have to do with the Church (then and now) and are an echo of what Jesus himself foretold:
In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33, Luke 18:7
All the faithful have to do to obtain victory with Jesus is persevere until the end. As the Lord promises:
“Be faithful, even when facing death, and I will give you the crown of life.” – Rev 2:10
Other Symbols
John makes extensive use of symbols. Some examples:
Colors: White symbolizes victory and purity; scarlet, luxury and extravagance; red, violence; black, death; green, decomposition.
Numbers: Seven is the symbol of completeness or fullness; six – imperfection; twelve – Israel; four – the created world (the four elements: air, earth, fire, water; the four parts: sky, earth, sea, abyss; the four points of the compass); one thousand – a figure used to represent a long period of time, or something vast.
Things: A lamp stand symbolizes a particular church; seven burning lamps or seven eyes – the presence or spirit of God; the seven heads of the Beast are the seven hills of Rome (also seven kings); the stars represent the angels; linen, being white, symbolizes the good work done by the faithful.
The Four Horseman, the 7 seals, and tribulations (ch 6-7).
The Lamb opens the seven seals, letting loose the judgments that will plague the world. These horsemen symbolize the trials and tribulations in humanity’s battle with evil before the 2nd Coming. They represent a warning call to repentance.
Why does the lamb open the seals and what is meant by the plagues (the Four Horseman) released on the earth?
In John’s vision, only the one who is worthy of God’s promises can break open the seals, and that is the Lamb – Jesus. The seals release judgments upon the world, which some theologians say is judgment against Old Covenant Israel for rejecting the Messiah. Others say they are for the rest of the age, which would include the destruction of Jerusalem which has already taken place.
Pope Benedict XVI explains that the opening of the seals is meant to illustrate and illuminate the "most varied historical situations" that the Christian community faces throughout the ages, rather than predict specific future events.
In chapter 6, the Lamb breaks open the seals one at a time. The first four seals released the four horsemen:
White Horse – represents conquest/victory, its rider was called Trustworthy and True; thought to be Christ. Christ has been released into the world and it is He whom we should choose to align our lives.
Red Horse – symbolizes blood and war. God does not incite war. Instead, He simply orders His angels to lift his protection against the wickedness of humans.
Black Horse – represents affliction, mourning, or death. The rider is carrying scales which symbolize economic chaos and the rationing of food, which will lead to famine. The historian Josephus described the famine before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Green Horse – some translations say “pale” rather than green, but green is literal and represents death. Appropriately, his rider is Sheol (Hades).
The 5th Seal reveals all the martyrs of the Church and their prayers for the return of their bodies at Judgment Day.
The 6th Seal describes the people protected by God. First, it shows the 12 tribes of Israel referring to the Chosen People of the Old Covenant; then the 12 Apostles who started the Church of Christ after the Messiah was rejected. Then multiplies these 144 x 1000 (144,000) representing not a specific number but the vast number of people saved before the end of the world.
When the 7th Seal is opened, seven angels come out, each holding a trumpet. When they blow their trumpets, terrible things start to happen - one-third of the earth, trees, grass, seas, rivers, sun, moon, and stars are all destroyed! Then even worse things happen, with demons and armies that kill many people. This shows that as the world gets closer to the end, God will allow more and more bad things to occur, because of the people who have turned away from Him.
The Catholic Church teaches that the tribulations described in the opening of the seals, including the four horsemen and the other judgments, are primarily symbolic representations of the spiritual battle between good and evil, rather than literal predictions of future events. The purpose is to provide a framework for Christians to discern the meaning and significance of the events unfolding in history from a faith perspective.
Jesus, The Temple, and The Mass
In Rev 1:12-20, Jesus appears to John in white robe and golden girdle in the midst of 7 golden lampstands. This is a picture of the high priest in the Temple sacred Holy of Holies. Remember, Jerusalem is already destroyed now, and the Temple is now the Church. The meaning of the vision is that Jesus is the eternal High Priest for all mankind. In chapter 2, we hear, “Repent, repent” eight times, which is what we hear in the Penitential Rite at the opening of the Mass. We hear this eight times in the seven letters to the seven churches, along with the promise that if they repent, there is manna (bread from Heaven) waiting for them. Communion with the Lord.
Scott Hahn points out that in chapter 3, we read, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Rev. 3:20). “Come in where?” one asks, “to our hearts?” Jesus answers that by saying, “I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” As we read on in chapters 4 and 5, it is clear that Christ is talking about the Communion meal.
In chapter 4, we read, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God Almighty…” which we say prior to the consecration of the bread and wine. We also see that this part of John’s vision takes place on a Sunday, the Lord’s Day.
Jesus, the Lamb of God, is repeated twelve times in Revelation, perhaps a few more times than we say it! So, much of the format of the Mass can be found in Revelations. The Church holds these references to be a type of Heavenly Mass.
Next month, we will conclude the Book of Revelation and address the remaining terms such as the Antichrist, the Mark of the Beast, The Woman and the Dragon, the Millenium, the Great Tribulation, the Rapture, and the New Heaven and New Earth.
The closing prayer Psalm 23: 1-6
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside restful waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me along the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil and my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Q: The early Church Fathers used Psalm 23 for teaching the new catechumens, including a kind of sacramental progression. How many of these can we identify in the Psalm?
The Lord comes to us first
Baptism/Justification
Discipleship
Even the valley of the shadow of death points to the trials that develop us in this life, and death remains a shadow if we learn to depend on him, our Shepherd.
Confirmation/
Communion
Sanctification
Salvation
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