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New Testament Warm-Ups: Answers 17-27

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Bible Question Mark

Earlier today I started posting the answers to the New Testament Warm-Up questions. Here is the next set of answers…

17. What books appear in the Bible after Acts of the Apostles?
The 9 epistles sent by St. Paul to different Christian communities.

18. How are these epistles arranged?
They are arranged roughly in order of length, from the longest to the shortest.

19. What are the names of the cities/communities to which Paul writes?
Romans (City of Rome)
1 & 2 Corinthians (City of Corinth)
Galatians (The region of Galatia)
Ephesians (City of Ephesus)
Philippians (City of Philippi)
Colossians (City of Colossae)
1 & 2 Thessalonians (City of Thessalonica)

20. From where did Paul write the epistle to the Philippians?
He wrote it from prison (or while under house arrest).

21. What city was he in most likely at the time?
Rome.

22. Why did Paul write his letter to the Philippians?
Paul’s primary purpose in writing this letter was to thank the Philippians for the “gift” they sent him (probably money), which they sent to him upon hearing of his incarceration.

23. Who probably delivered this letter for Paul?
A man by the name of “Epaphroditus”. This man was the emissary from the Philippian congregation. He was quite sick and near death during his time with Paul.

24. What are the main themes of the letter to the Philippians?
Joy, regardless of the circumstances, through Jesus Christ.

25. What Christian hymn does Paul quote in the letter in Chapter 2?
He quotes the song known as “The Carmen Christi” (Latin for “hymn of Christ”): “Though he was in the form of God…”

26. What is the main theme behind the letters to the Thessalonians?
Christ’s Second Coming.

27. What claim-to-fame do the Thessalonian letter have?
It was most likely the first piece of the New Testament to ever be written.

I’ll post some more answers tomorrow. Happy Lord’s Day!

1-16 | 17-27 | 27-42 | 43-52 | 53-57 | 58-67 | 68-71 | 72-81
All Questions

The article New Testament Warm-Ups: Answers 17-27 first appeared on RestlessPilgrim.net

The “brothers” of Jesus

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A friend recently sent me a Facebook message asking about a passage from the Bible she had heard at Mass:

“Can you shed light on the “brothers” of Jesus in the gospel today for me? James, Joseph, Simon and Judas…” 

The passage referred to was from Matthew’s Gospel:

They were astonished [at Jesus] and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? …”  – Matthew 13:54-58

So what do we make of these guys, these “brothers” of Jesus?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary…

The Catholic Church teaches that Mary was not only a virgin at the time of Jesus’ birth, but also that she remained a virgin for the rest of her life. However, doesn’t the above passage mention the “brothers…[and]…sisters” of Jesus? Doesn’t that prove that Mary had other children after Christ?

As you can imagine this issue is often raised in Catholic-Protestant dialogue, since the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary found in Sacred Tradition seems to many Protestants to obviously contradict Sacred Scripture.

There’s a lot which could be said on this subject, but in this post I would like to offer a brief response and explain how Catholics understand the mention of Jesus’ “brothers”.

Mary

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Lectionary Notes July 24th

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Sorry it’s a bit late – it’s been a hell of a week…

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time: July 17, 2011

Reading 1: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12

Scripture:

The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” Solomon answered:

“O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.  I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.  Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.  For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”

The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.  So God said to him:

“Because you have asked for this— not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right— I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.”

Suggested Questions:

  • Who was Solomon?
  • What does God tell Solomon to do?
  • What does Solomon ask for? What would you have asked for?
  • Why is Solomon’s reason for asking for wisdom?
  • How does God respond? Why do you think God responds in this way?
  • What lesson does this have to teach us in our own petitions to God?
  • Have you read any of the Bible’s wisdom literature? Maybe read a proverb or two each day?

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Addressing a bishop?

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I’ve got a meeting today at the Diocesan Center and Bishop Brom is going to be in attendance. This got me to thinking…

How do you address a bishop?

Okay, I just checked… It appears that I have two options. I can either address the Bishop as…

“Bishop Brom” …or… “Your Excellency”

Phew! Social faux pas narrowly avoided!

Now I’ll be able to engage him in conversation and finally find out if it’s true that he can only move diagonally…

Remembering the Jewish Feasts

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WeirdSometimes I forget I’m a bit weird…

Do you have habits which have been part of you for years? Do you have personal traditions which you’ve been following for so long that you forget that they’re not universally shared by the rest of the world?

Well, last month I was chatting with a friend online and he highlighted for me one of my personal eccentricities. Our discussion prompted me to write this post so as to share my weirdness with the world, and in the faint hope of discovering others out there who have similar quirks…

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