The Jewish temple is very important. It helps us understand many of Jesus’ sayings. Jesus celebrated the Passover at the Temple every year. And the Passover is the Jewish ceremony that celebrates the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery into Egypt.
The Jewish Temple at the Time of Jesus
First lets understand the idea of sacrifice. Sacrifice is an act of love or worship by which a creature gives back to God something that God has given to him. Throughout human history, people have offered sacrifices to the various gods they believed in. When the Israelites when in slavery to the Egyptians, God sent them Moses. Moses called upon God to send plagues upon Pharoah until he would let the Israelites go. But the Pharoah would not let the Israelites leave Egypt. So for the tenth plague, God sent the Angel of Life and Death to take the life from all the firstborn in Egypt. The Israelites were instructed how to escape the Death that was to come. They were to sacrifice a year old lamb, without blemish, and spread the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their homes. Then they had to eat the flesh of the
The High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the day of atonement.
lamb with unleavened bread. If they did this, then the Angel would pass over their homes and spare the lives of their firstborn.
We know that the Israelites were set free and that eventually they reached the promised land. Finally, King David’s son, Solomon,
built a Temple in Jerusalem, at which all sacrifice to God would take place. In the most sacred room of the Temple, called the Holy of Holies, which could only be entered once a year by the High Priest, was the tabernacle in which was the Rod of Aaron, Moses’ brother, the manna from heaven, and the Ten Commandments.
Jesus fulfilled the Passover at the last supper. He became the lamb that was slain so that the evil of eternal death would not take us. His blood upon our lips and his risen body on our tongue gives us eternal life, which no one can take from us. So Jesus is the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. But he is also the Hight Priest, because he is both man and God; and as man he entered into the holy of holies, that is Heaven, where he pleads for us to God the Father, constantly showing the Father his sacred wounds, which he received in his hands, feet, and side on the cross out of love for us.
Passover Lamb
There are several main characters and groups of people who are very important in the Bible. Below are some summaries of the key characters of the Old Testament and the New Testament:
Abraham
Abraham–The man called by God to become a father to many people. God called him to leave the land of Ur (Modern Day Iraq) and go to the land of Canaan (where the modern nation of Israel is). God promised Abraham 3 things. First, He promised him that he would become a father, even though he was very old. Second he promised him that he would give the land of Canaan to his descendants. Third, God promised Abraham that because of him and his children, all the nations of the world would be blessed.
Isaac
Isaac–Abraham’s son. God finally gave a son to Abraham, whom he called Isaac. Yet God wanted to test Abraham’s faith and trust. So he asked Abraham to do something other pagans (idol worshipers) sometimes did, to sacrifice his son. Abraham trusted God and began to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, when God intervened and told Abraham that He is not a God who desires the death of the just. Abraham’s trust pleased God.
Jacob
Jacob–The son of Isaac. Jacob was renamed Israel which means “one who wrestles with God”. Jacob had twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad & Asher. Later, when God’s people entered the promised land they divided into tribes, the 12 tribes of Israel. Each tribe was descended from one of Jacob’s twelve sons.
Israelites
Israelites–God’s chosen people. They were the descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As promised, God led them out of Egypt, a place of slavery, and gave them instruction in how to worship and how to live. Then God gave them their own land. Over time, God continued to give signs to them that one day he would send a Messiah, or anointed one, who would deliver the Israelites from slavery again.
King David
David–the great king of Israel. David was king of Israel when Israel had reached its greatest power politically and geographically. Though David sinned, God promised that from his descendents would come the Messiah. This is why Jesus is often called “Son of David”.
Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah–One of the many prophets in the bible. Prophets were the spokesmen for God. They spoke God’s message to his people and sometimes told what would happen in the future. Isaiah gave many specific details about what the promised Messiah would be like and that he would suffer for his people.
New Testament
St. John the Baptist
John the Baptist–the biological cousin of Jesus and the last prophet of Israel. John prepared the people of Israel, who by that time were often called Jews, for the Messiah by telling them to be baptized and reform their lives.
Pharisees
Pharisees–A group of Jews who “set themselves apart” from the rest of the Israelites. They focused on ritual purity or being religious by following all the customs and traditions carefully. However, they often missed the point of the traditions, which were signs to help people be faithful and charitable. Jesus did not condemn tradition, but he did condemn the Pharisees who often behaved like hypocrites, because they were quick to judge others for not following certain rituals, but they would not help sinners in need.
Sadducees
Sadducees-A group of Jews who were the wealthy class in Jerusalem. They did not get along with the Pharisees because they only believed in the written law, not the Jewish i. Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They also, unlike the Pharisees, cooperated with the Romans.
Roman Soldiers
Romans–members of the Roman empire who invaded and occupied the land of Israel just before Jesus was born. Romans were viewed with disdain by the Jews, and the Jews longed for the day when the Messiah would come to free them from the Romans. The Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, was the man who condemned Jesus to death.
Tax Collectors
Tax Collectors–These were local Jews who worked for the Romans by collecting taxes from other Jews to be sent to Rome. Because they did this, and because they made a profit doing it, they were considered some of the most sinful Jews who existed. But Jesus chose from the tax collectors one of his own Apostles, Matthew.
Samaritans
Samaritans–This was a group of people who lived in the middle of Israel, but they were looked down upon because their parents had married Gentiles. They were also looked down upon because they did not believe that the temple in Jerusalem was the place to worship, but rather a mountain called Mount Gerazim.
Paul the Apostle wrote many of the letters in the New Testament
Paul the Apostle–His Jewish name was Saul and he was a zealous pharisee who believed it was necessary to persecute and even kill the first Christians. But on a trip to a town called Damascus, he met the risen Jesus and had a conversion. Later he became a bishop and established churches all along the Mediterranean, from Jerusalem to Rome. Paul wrote most of the letters in the New Testament.
Christ ordaining the Apostles
Apostles–The group of twelve men Jesus chose to go give his teaching and the sacraments to the whole world. Unlike the many disciples Jesus had, the Apostles became very close friends with Jesus. Jesus taught them everything and, at the last supper, made them the very first priests.
Jesus told his disciples to “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
Here is a brochure I wrote to be freely distributed to your friends. The Pope calls us all to invite others to come to know Jesus and his Church. Perhaps this brochure will be good start.
Brochure: Click here to download : Where is document.
Print this brochure and hand it to others.
A prayer
God. I do not know what to believe. But
if you exist and Jesus is the way, then
help
me to find the truth.
And give me the patience to wait for
your
answer.
amen.
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life, and no one
comes to the Father except
by me” – Jesus
When learning the teachings of Jesus, the Christ, it is important to know where he lived, walked, was born, and died. It is also important to know the land of God’s chosen people, the Jews, of whom Jesus was a member. Look at the map. See if you can find the land where the Israelites lived when they were in slavery. Can you find Jerusalem, the city of David, where Jesus died and rose again? See if you can find Babylon, modern day Iraq, from where called called Abraham and where the Israelites where taken after they broke God’s commandments. The Holy Land is where God walked!
Holy land in the time of Jesus
Find the cities where Jesus was born,lived, and died.
Try to find this chapter and verse: John 3:16
When beginning to read the Bible it is important to remember a few things.
First, the Bible is not just one book, it is a collection of books. The Catholic Church considers these books inspired by God, but they were collected into the book we now call the Bible over hundreds of years. First, God chose a people whom he named Israel. The people of Israel, who would later be known as the Jews, collected certain books they believed were inspired by God. Jesus quoted these books and He himself regarded them as God’s Word.
The Books written before Jesus came are together called the Old Testament. “Testament” means covenant, bond or sacred relationship between God and His people. Jesus came to bring the new and everlasting bond or “Testament”. The books or letters written after Jesus ascended into Heaven are together called the New Testament.
So the Bible is divided between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Originally, there were no chapters or verses which divided up the Bible. In fact, 300 years after Jesus ascended into Heaven, the early Catholic Christians were still uncertain which books belonged in the New Testament. Finally, around the year 392 AD the Catholic Church held a council in Hippo, North Africa. It was decided which books were inspired by God. The decision was approved by the Pope, the bishop of Rome. One of the ways the bishops determined whether a book belonged to the New Testament was by Tradition, which means something which is handed on. Jesus did not write any books. He preached and he told his Apostles to preach. Instead, Jesus handed on His teaching, or revelation, to his disciples by word of mounth. Jesus also gave his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit so that they would be reminded of all that Jesus taught and did for our salvation.
Eventually some of the Apostles and their disciples wrote down part of Jesus’ message. If a book was known to contain the teachings of Jesus and was used in the Mass, it was considered inspired.
When opening your Bible you will see each book is divided into a chapter. Each chapter is divided into verses. For example, the first book of the Bible, Genesis, begins with the words “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth…” this sentence is in Chapter one, verse one. Or you could read it Gen 1:1.
The first five books of the Bible are called the torah, in Hebrew torah means law, and they tell the story of the creation of the world and of man, man’s first sin, and the way God begins to form a people who will follow his law. In the first five books of the Bible we read about Moses and the ten commandments, as well as how God chose to deliver a group of people, the Israelites, from slavery in Egypt and to take them to a promised land. God also taught the Israelites how to worship him and God revealed to them many things about Himself. For example, God revealed to Moses that He always exists, that there are no other gods, and that He was before all things and will be alive forever.
The book of Joshua through the books called Chronicles tells the story of God’s chosen people entering the promised land. After a while they decided they wanted a King. God warned them that a King would abuse them, but the people insisted. So God gave the chosen people the kings Saul, David, and Solomon. Solomon built a temple for God in Jerusalem. But after Solomon died the nation of Israel split into two parts. There was the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom where Solomon and the temple lived.
The chosen people kept disobeying God. They continued to worship other “gods” or idols and they broke the ten commandments. God sent them prophets to ask them to repent and warn them of destruction by foreign nations. The prophets also foretold of a future Messiah who would be the King of all Kings and who would establish an everlasting covenant with His people. All the nations would worship this Messiah. The books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, and the the prophets discuss these things.
Finally the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom were invaded by Israel’s enemies. While the Jews in the North never returned, after 70 years God rescued the Jews in the South and they were allowed to leave Babylon and return to their Kingdom.
The New Testament
The Scriptures contain the Old and New Testaments
The New Testament begins with the books Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. These
books tell the story of Jesus, the Messiah, who was born of the Virgin Mary and gathered together both the Jews and the Gentiles (non-Jews like you and me) and formed a people who would have a new covenant (or bond) with God. This covenant would be that through Jesus all our sins would be forgiven. Jesus died to save us from the slavery of sin and, the night before He was crucified, He gave us His own Body and Blood for us to be strengthened as we follow Jesus in our life.
But Jesus didn’t forgive all sins unconditionally. It is necessary for us to turn away from sin to receive Jesus’ forgiveness. So Jesus established a Church, which would continue the forgiveness of Jesus through confession. We may believe in Jesus now, but later choose not to believe and break the Ten Commandments and not follow Jesus and His teaching about love. When that happens we can still be saved if we repent and go to the Church Jesus established.
Jesus established the Catholic (universal) Church on a “rock”–that rock is Peter, the head of the apostles. The book of Acts tells the story of the early Church and how it grew and how Peter, the first pope, eventually ended up in Rome where he was martyred.
Most of the rest of the New Testament is letters that the apostles wrote to churches they built all around the roman empire. Often these letters encourage the new followers of Jesus (called Christians) to continue to practice what Jesus taught and to continue to celebrate the sacraments including the Eucharist, confession, confirmation, annointing of the sick, etc. These letters also tell us the complete meaning of Jesus and His teaching.
The last book of the bible, called Revelation, is a vision that the Apostle John had of Heaven. John died in exile on an island. One Sunday he saw Jesus and was told to write down the vision of things to come. Using symbols and metaphors John wrote about how the Saints in Heaven worship, what will happen for those on earth who continue to believe in Jesus, and how God is slowly transforming the world into a “new heavens and a new earth”. Sometimes the book of Revelation has frightening images about Judgment Day. These images were used to impress faith on the early Christians and to tell them that although they are being persecuted now, one day the Justice of God would prevail.
carmelmount 