The Church

1
The Church

• Sacrament of Salvation

2
The Church

• Chapter 2

3
Chapter 2

• Jesus Christ Instituted the Church

4
Chapter Objectives
The student will be able to understand

• The relationship between the Old and New
  Testaments
• The Incarnation
• The proclamation of the Kingdom of God in
  relation to the Church
• The calling of the Twelve Apostles as it relates
  to the Church
• Why Jesus died on the Cross
• The Eucharist
• God fulfilled the Old Testament covenants in the
  Church

• The Church as the Mystical Body of Christ
• The Church as the Bride of Christ
• The Church as the Family of God
• The Church as the People of God
• The Kingdom of God and the Davidic Covenant

5
Keys to Chapter 2

• The New Covenant brings to completion that which
  the Old Covenant promises.
• The Kingdom of God refers variously to God
  himself, to Gods action in the world, and to the
  Church.
• Christs primary desire is to restore humanitys
  original communion with God by forgiving our sins
  and making us Gods own children.
• Christ gave his Church her hierarchical
  structure.
• The Church is Christs Mystical Body, his Bride,
  the children of his Fathers family, and the new
  people of God.

6
For Discussion

• What is the significance of the Incarnation?
• What are the two names of Christ?
• What did Christ teach about the Kingdom of
  Heaven?
• What is our source of salvation?
• How is the Old Testament fulfilled in the Church?
• continued

7
For Discussion

• What are some of the metaphorical images used to
  describe the Church?
• How is the Church the Family of God?
• How is the Church the People of God?
• What does it mean to say that the Church is the
  Mystical Body of Christ?

8
God Prepares His People The Incarnation

• Lesson Objectives
• The relationship between the Old and New
  Testaments
• The Incarnation

9
God Prepares His People The Incarnation
Basic Questions
What is the relationship between the Old and New
Testaments?
The New Testament fulfills the Old Testament,
which prefigures it, by bringing to completion
that which the Old Testament promises through
covenant and type.
10
God Prepares His People The Incarnation
Basic Questions
What is the Incarnation?
The Incarnation is the coming into the world of
Jesus Christ, true God and true man, in the
fullness of time, so that we might receive
adoption as sons and daughters.
11
Guided Exercise
Look over the nine questions this chapter will
address (p. 37) and write on the one about which
you currently know the most.
12
Focus Question
How did the covenants of the Old Testament
develop outwardly?
They expanded the boundaries of Gods family from
two people (Adam and Eve) to include the entire
kingdom of David.
13
Focus Question
Based on the paragraph beginning, Each of these
stages, what is the relationship between the
covenants of the Old Testament and Christ and his
Church?
Apart from her communion in Christ and her
intimate sharing in the Divine Life of the
Blessed Trinity, the Church has no life.
14
Focus Question
What are some ways that the New Testament
presents Christ as the culmination and
fulfillment of the Old?
St. John opens his Gospel with the same words
found in the opening verses of the Book of
Genesis. St. Matthew begins his Gospel by
identifying Jesus as the son of David and the
son of Abraham. In the Sermon on the Mount, St.
Matthew highlights Jesus role as a second Moses.
15
Focus Question
What is typology?
Typology is the connection between the Old and
New Testaments in which a character, event, or
thing in the Old Testament allegorically
foreshadows something in the New Testament.
16
Focus Question
What are some examples of Old Testament types?
Moses as the giver of the Old Law was a type for
Jesus, who was the giver of the New Law. Isaac,
the sacrificial beloved son of Abraham, was a
type for Jesus, the sacrificial beloved Son of
God. The Passover meal is a type for the Mass.
17
Focus Question
Who was St. Augustine?
St. Augustine was one of the most influential
saints and theologians of the Church.
18
Focus Question
What was St. Augustines important contribution
to the study of Scripture?
St. Augustine contributed to the understanding of
the inner unity of Gods plan for salvation,
becoming a master of typology, which is the
discernment of the Old Testament foreshadowing of
New Testament realities.
19
Focus Question
What did St. Augustine mean when he said, The
New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the
Old Testament is revealed in the New?
He was referring to the typology of the
Scriptures in which New Testament realities could
be discerned in the Old Testament.
20
Focus Question
How could St. Augustine be described as a
revert to the Faith?
He was raised by a devout Christian mother,
became a heretic during his youth, then returned
to the Faith at age thirty under the influence of
St. Ambrose.
21
Focus Question
How did St. Augustine spend the rest of his
life?
He became a priest, then a bishop, devoting
himself to the pastoral care of his diocese and
fighting heresies within the Church.
22
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to examine in detail
what St. Paul tells us about the Incarnation
(Gal 44).
St. Paul on the Incarnation St. Paul on the Incarnation
When the time had fully come
God sent forth his Son
Born of a woman
So that we might receive adoption as sons and daughters
23
Focus Question
What does it mean that Christ was born in the
fullness of time?
It is the time that God chose to send his Son
into the world to accomplish all that he
promised.
24
Focus Question
What three promises of God are mentioned in the
paragraph beginning For generations (p. 40)?
The three promises are those God promised in the
Protoevangelium, the worldwide blessing promised
to Abraham, and the coming of the everlasting
kingdom promised to David.
25
Focus Question
How does Simeon reveal Jesus as the universal
savior?
In seeing the baby Jesus, Simeon says, mine eyes
have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared
in the presence of all peoples, a light for
revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy
people Israel. In other words, Gods salvation
is not just for the nation of Israel but also for
the Gentiles, that is, for the whole world.
26
Focus Question
How does the beginning of the Gospel of St.
Matthew relate that the message of salvation is
also for the Gentiles?
It is seen in the worship of the Christ child by
the Magi, who were Gentiles. The magi seek in
Israel, in the messianic light of the star of
David, the one who will be king of the nations.
27
Focus Question
How does the angel Gabriel speak of Jesus as the
fulfillment of Gods covenant with David?
Gabriel says God will give Jesus the throne of
his father David and he will reign over the house
of Jacob in an everlasting kingdom.
Extension This is part of the promise made to
David, that the kingdom given to David and his
descendants will last forever.
28
Focus Question
How does the angel who speaks to the shepherds
refer to Jesus?
He says the baby just born is Savior and
Christ the Lord, or Messiah.
29
God Prepares His People The Proclamation of
the Kingdom of God and the Calling of the Twelve

• Lesson Objectives
• The proclamation of the Kingdom of God in
  relation to the Church
• The calling of the Twelve Apostles as it relates
  to the Church

30
God Prepares His People The Proclamation of the
Kingdom and the Calling of the Twelve
Basic Questions
What is the relationship between the Kingdom of
God and the Church?
One of Christs central teachings, often
communicated through parables, was on the Kingdom
of God, which is that state of communion between
God and man that was intended from the very
beginning, and which was reinstituted on earth
through the Incarnation of Christ and is embodied
in the Church.
31
God Prepares His People The Proclamation of the
Kingdom and the Calling of the Twelve
Basic Questions
What do we learn about the Church through
Christs appointing of the Twelve Apostles?
Christ gave his Church a hierarchical structure,
appointing twelve of his disciples as Apostles,
or leaders, with St. Peter as their head. They,
in turn, appointed successors to their offices.
32
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to organize your
knowledge on how the Kingdom of God is present
visibly and invisibly.
Visibly
Invisibly
33
Focus Question
What is Christs public ministry and when did it
begin?
This was the period of preaching and healing of
the sick beginning about the age of thirty.
34
Focus Question
What was the central theme of Christs
preaching?
The arrival of the Kingdom of Godwhat the
Kingdom of Heaven is like, and how we are to live
in it.
35
Focus Question
Why did Christ teach using parables?
They were means of communicating his kingdom was
heavenly, not earthly and political. Parables
could help his listeners understand profound
truths about himself and the Church using simple
language and images.
36
Focus Question
What does the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds
reveal about the Church?
It explains why God allows evil in the world and
even among members of his Churchthey are like
the weeds sown by the devil, something God
temporarily permits for the sake of the good
wheat, or faithful followers of Christ.
37
Focus Question
What does the Parable of the Mustard Seed reveal
about the Church during the time of Christs
public ministry?
The Church was already present in the Person of
Christ and his followers, but its full meaning
and potential was hidden until later. The seed
and beginning of the kingdom are the little
flock of those whom Jesus came to gather around
him.
38
Guided Exercise
Explain the meaning of one of the five parables
of the Kingdom of Heaven listed in the sidebar
(p. 42).
39
Focus Question
What is Christs hidden life?
These are the years between Christs Birth and
the beginning of his public ministry.
40
Focus Question
What can we assume about Christs Hidden Life?
Christ lived a normal life with his parents in
Nazarethlearning the trade of his father,
enjoying his friends, and studying at the local
synagogue.
41
Focus Question
How do the Synoptic Gospels support the
assumption that Christ lived a normal life during
his hidden years?
When Christ preached in his hometown he was
rejected by those who knew him. The assumption is
that these persons knew Christ as an ordinary man
and did not believe he could say or do anything
extraordinary.
42
Focus Question
Who were Christs disciples?
Those who were sincerely attracted to Christs
message and who came to believe in him.
43
Focus Question
How many disciples did Christ have?
There were hundreds of men and woman of all ages
and backgrounds who followed Christ, traveling
with him as he went from town to town.
44
Focus Question
When did the Apostles begin to exercise their
responsibilities as shepherds of the Church?
After Christs Resurrection.
45
Focus Question
How did the Apostles receive special training
during Christs public ministry?
Much of Christs teaching in the Gospels was
given to the Apostles alone, including
explanations of parables.
46
Guided Exercise
Perform a focused reading on the paragraph
beginning, In this passage (p. 45) using the
following question What does this paragraph
reveal about the hierarchical nature of the
Church?
47
God Prepares His People Salvation through the
Cross and Made Known in the Breaking of the
Bread

• Lesson Objectives
• Why Christ died on the Cross
• The Eucharist

48
God Prepares His People Salvation through the
Cross and Made Known in the Breaking of the Bread
Basic Questions
Why did Christ die on the Cross?
Christ, as Lamb of God and Good Shepherd, died on
the Cross to save us from our sins and to make us
children of God.
49
God Prepares His People Salvation through the
Cross and Made Known in the Breaking of the Bread
Basic Questions
What does the Eucharist do for us?
The risen Christ is really present in the
Eucharist, restoring our communion with God.
50
Focus Question
How would those who heard St. John the Baptist
call Christ the Lamb of God, who takes away the
sin of the world have understood this saying?
They would have understood, at a minimum, a
reference to the Passover lamb, which saved
Israel from slavery and death.
51
Focus Question
What is the full meaning of the expression, Lamb
of God?
By his sacrificial offering on the Cross, Jesus
Christ would deliver mankind from its slavery to
sin and death.
52
Focus Question
What is the image of the Good Shepherd?
Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd who lays
down his life for his sheep.
53
Guided Exercise
Explain CCC 766 by making a bullet-point list of
the ideas it contains.
54
Focus Question
What does it mean to be saved?
It means to be forgiven of our sins and made sons
and daughters of God.
55
Focus Question
What is divine filiation?
When Christians receive Baptism, they become sons
and daughters of God.
56
Focus Question
How is our filiation different from Christs?
Christ is by nature the only begotten Son of God.
Ours is participation by adoption in the Sonship
of Christ. His is uncreated and eternal, whereas
our filiation is real but created.
57
Focus Question
What did St. Paul mean when he said to us,
Everything belongs to you?
He meant that we are heirs of Christ, so whatever
belongs to himwhich is everythingalso belongs
to us.
58
Focus Question
When did Christ offer himself as a sacrifice to
the Father for our salvation?
Christs entire life was an offering, but the
preeminent moment of offering was his sacrifice
on the Cross.
59
Focus Question
Did the Apostles understand why Christ would
suffer death?
No. After his Resurrection, he explained that the
Scriptures said he would suffer, rise from the
dead, and repentance and forgiveness of sins
should be preached in his name to all nations.
60
Focus Question
Whose task would it be to preach repentance and
forgiveness of sins?
The Apostles and their successors, the bishops.
61
Focus Question
How does the Church continue Christs ministry in
regard to sins?
By preaching conversion and forgiving sins, just
as Christ did during his ministry.
62
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to see the
relationship among the three meals which Luke
speaks of in his Gospel.
Meal Description of Event Meaning/Relationship
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
The Last Supper
The Meal at Emmaus
63
Focus Question
What is the Real Presence?
The Real Presence means that in the Eucharist,
Christ is present in his Body, Blood, Soul, and
Divinity.
64
Focus Question
What do we receive in Holy Communion?
We receive Christ, the son of David, Son of God,
and King of Heaven and earth.
65
Focus Question
What was the meaning of the feeding of the five
thousand, beyond satisfying peoples hunger?
Christ revealed that he was living bread that he
would offer for the life of the world and that
would give eternal life to those who ate it.
66
Focus Question
What does Christ offer at the Last Supper?
He offered his own Flesh and Blood when he said
of the bread and cup, This is my body and This
is my blood.
67
Focus Question
Why did Christ institute the Sacrament of the
Eucharist?
So that he could be present sacramentally in his
Church even after his Ascension into Heaven.
68
God Prepares His People Fulfillment of the Old
Covenant and a New and Everlasting Temple

• Lesson Objectives
• God fulfilled the Old Testament covenants in the
  Church

69
God Prepares His People Fulfillment of the Old
Covenant and a New and Everlasting Temple
Basic Questions
How did God fulfill the Old Testament covenants
in the Church?
Christ fulfilled the covenant with Adam by
becoming the new Adam, giving birth to the
Church, the new mother of the living. continued
70
God Prepares His People Fulfillment of the Old
Covenant and a New and Everlasting Temple
Basic Questions
How did God fulfill the Old Testament covenants
in the Church?
Christ fulfilled the covenant with Abraham by
becoming the universal blessing in redeeming
mankind and founding the Church, the new and
perfect family of God. continued
71
God Prepares His People Fulfillment of the Old
Covenant and a New and Everlasting Temple
Basic Questions
How did God fulfill the Old Testament covenants
in the Church?
Christ fulfilled the covenant with Moses by
leading his new people, the Church, out of the
bondage of sin and giving them the New Law, the
commandment of love. continued
72
God Prepares His People Fulfillment of the Old
Covenant and a New and Everlasting Temple
Basic Questions
How did God fulfill the Old Testament covenants
in the Church?
Christ also fulfilled the covenant with David by
building a new Temple, his Body, the Church, in
which God dwells on earth. continued
73
Guided Exercise
Conduct a focused reading of the paragraph
beginning, In reversing the sin of Adam (p.
48), using the following question How is Christ
the new Adam?
74
Focus Question
What did the Protoevangelium announce?
It foretold the future victory of the Messiah
over the serpent.
75
Focus Question
According to St. Paul, what was the role of
obedience in the fall and the restoration?
Adams disobedience made all men sinners.
Christs obedience makes all men righteous.
76
Focus Question
How did God fulfill in Christ the promise he made
through Abraham?
God promised Abraham that through his descendants
all people would be blessed. Jesus Christ, the
son of Abraham, blessed the world by his
sacrificial Death on the Cross and by instituting
the Church, the Family of God.
77
Focus Question
How should the Christian faithful imitate
Abraham?
We should imitate the faith and obedience of
Abraham.
78
Focus Question
What does the assembly of the Israelites on Mt.
Sinai foreshadow?
The assembly of the Church.
79
Focus Question
How did Christ fulfill Gods covenant promise
with David?
Christ, the son of David, established an
everlasting kingdom.
80
Focus Question
What is the relationship between Christs kingdom
and the world?
Although it is ultimately not of this world,
Christs kingdom was still established in this
world. Therefore, it is a pilgrim Church
journeying toward its final end in heaven.
81
Focus Question
How is Christ the new Moses?
Just as Moses led Gods Chosen People out of
slavery in the Exodus and gave them the Ten
Commandments as their moral law, so too does
Christ lead us, the new People of God, the
Church, out of bondage to sin, giving us a new
commandmentthat we love one another as Christ
has loved us.
82
Focus Question
What is the relationship between the Kingdom of
Israel and the Church?
The Church is the new Kingdom of Israel and
Christ is her king.
83
Focus Question
Why is the Kingdom of the Church called
catholic?
Catholic, in Greek, means universal. The Church
is meant to reach out to all nations and to
include all people.
84
Focus Question
How did Solomon fulfill an essential component of
Gods covenant with David?
He built the Temple in Jerusalem.
85
Focus Question
What was the nature of Solomons Temple?
It was a house of prayer for all the nations.
86
Focus Question
In the Old Testament, what did the Temple in
Jerusalem signify?
It signified Gods abiding presence with his
people it was his dwelling place in the world.
87
Focus Question
How is Christ the new Temple?
With the coming of Christ, Gods presence among
his people reaches perfection And the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us. Christs bodily
presence in the world is the new and everlasting
temple, for Christ is Emmanuel, meaning God with
us.
88
Focus Question
How did Christ identify his Body with the
Temple?
When the Jews asked Christ for a sign, he said,
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will
raise it up. Christ was foretelling the raising
of his physical body from the dead. He was also
speaking of how he would raise up his Mystical
Body, the Church, which is the continuation of
his presence on earth.
89
Focus Question
What is the source of the life of the Church?
The Holy Spirit, who has dwelled within the
Church since Pentecost.
90
Focus Question
What are the living stones of Christs Temple?
They are Christians, members of the Body of
Christ.
91
Guided Exercise
Write and answer three focus questions based on
the section A New and Everlasting Covenant (p.
51).
92
Names and Images of the Church Mystical Body
and Bride of Christ

• Lesson Objectives
• The Church as the Mystical Body of Christ
• The Church as the Bride of Christ

93
Names and Images of the Church Mystical Body and
Bride of Christ
Basic Questions
What is the meaning of the image of the Church as
the Mystical Body of Christ?
The Mystical Body of Christ is the faithful
People of God, who in a supernatural way become
one Body, with Christ as head. The Faithful are
brought into communion with one another through
their communion with Christ.
94
Names and Images of the Church Mystical Body and
Bride of Christ
Basic Questions
What is the meaning of the image of the Church as
the Bride of Christ?
The Church as the Bride of Christ is an image
which highlights the purity and holiness that
Christ has bestowed upon the Church, analogous to
the close relationship between Adam and Eve in
marriage.
95
Focus Question
What does it mean to say that the Church is a
mystery?
It means that the reality of the Church is not
incomprehensible but rather inexhaustible.
96
Focus Question
What are the sources of our understanding of the
mystery of the Church?
Our understanding of the Church depends upon
Gods Revelation of her in Sacred Scripture and
Sacred Tradition.
97
Focus Question
As reflected in the New Testament, how did the
primitive Church come to an understanding of
herself?
With the help of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles
and evangelical writers interpreted the Old
Testament in light of the Revelation of Christ.
They reflected upon the persons, events, and
institutions through which God had prepared the
world for the Incarnation and Christs
establishing of the Church, giving those Old
Testament realities a new significance in her.
98
Guided Exercise
Choose one of the eight images of the Church
listed under Images of the Church (p. 54) that
you know the least about and write an
interpretation of what that image may mean.
99
Focus Question
Where are most of the teachings regarding the
Church as the Body of Christ found?
In the letters of St. Paul.
100
Focus Question
How did Christ reveal the essence of the truth
of the Church as the Body of Christ when he
revealed himself to St. Paul on the road to
Damascus?
Christ asked St. Paul why he was persecuting him,
whereas St. Paul thought he was persecuting
Christs followers. This reveals the intimate
relationship between Christ and the Church, where
the two are spoken of as one.
101
Focus Question
What is an example of how Christ associates his
own Body and our bodies?
Jesus said, He who eats my body and drinks my
blood abides in me, and I in him.
102
Focus Question
Is the Church simply a community of members
gathered around Christ?
No. The Church is united in Christ, as his Body.
103
Focus Question
How is the reception of the Eucharist related to
the communion of the members of Christs Body?
The Faithful are brought into communion with one
another through communion with Christ.
104
Guided Exercise
Formulate and answer three of your own focus
questions on the section The Mystical Body of
Christ (p. 55).
105
Focus Question
Who is the head of the Mystical Body of Christ?
Jesus Christ.
106
Focus Question
According to Pope Pius XII, where is the Mystical
Body of Christ found on earth?
It is found in the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic,
Roman Church.
107
Focus Question
What is the relationship between the diversity of
the members of the Body of Christ and the unity
of the Church?
Just as in the natural human body the various
parts play different functions, the different
gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to the various
members of the Body of Christ serve the welfare
and unity of the Church.
108
Focus Question
How is the Holy Spirit to the Church like the
soul is to the human body?
Just as the soul gives the body life and unity,
the Holy Spirit gives life, unity, and movement
to the Church through grace.
109
Focus Question
How do the individual members of the Body of
Christ receive life?
Through the Seven Sacraments, especially through
Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, the
three Sacraments of Initiation.
110
Focus Question
According to St. Paul, how is the relationship
between Christ and the Church like the
relationship between a husband and wife?
St. Paul said that Christ is the head of his
Body, the Church, in the same way that a husband
is the head of his wife.
111
Focus Question
According to Genesis, how many bodies do a
husband and wife form?
Just one they are one flesh. Extension This
is a metaphor which describes a real
relationship, even though physically husband and
wife have separate human bodies.
112
Focus Question
What three dimensions does CCC 789 note in regard
to the Church as the Body of Christ?
(1) The unity of all the members with each other
as a result of their union with Christ (2)
Christ as head of the Body and (3) the Church as
Bride of Christ.
113
Focus Question
According to Genesis, what was Eve for Adam?
Eve was both his bride and a part of himself.
114
Focus Question
How does the relationship between Eve and Adam
relate to the Church and Christ?
St. Paul recognizes that it is specifically as
Christs Bride that the Church is made one
flesh with him and is therefore truly his Body.
115
Focus Question
How long has the Church been referred to in the
feminine?
Since the time of the Apostles.
116
Focus Question
Why is the Church referred to as a she?
Because of the Churchs relationship to Jesus
Christ, which is described by St. Paul in terms
of marriagethe Church is the Bride of Christ.
117
Names and Images of the Church Family of God

• Lesson Objectives
• The Church as the Family of God

118
Names and Images of the Church Family of God
Basic Questions
What is the meaning of the image of the Church as
the Family of God?
Family of God is a name of the Church derived
from the teachings of Christ, which highlight the
intimate communion that the Father offers to man
in the Person of Jesus Christ, in whom we are
made sons and daughters.
119
Focus Question
Is the Fatherhood of God a metaphor?
No. God is not just like a father. God is an
eternal and perfect father.
120
Focus Question
What Aramaic term did Jesus use to refer to God
the Father?
Abba, meaning Father or, still closer, Daddy.
121
Focus Question
What is one of Christs favorite images for the
Church?
He spoke often of the Family of God.
122
Focus Question
Who are the members of the household of God?
God is the Father of the family, Christ the
Master of the house, and we are the children of
the Father.
123
Focus Question
How does Matthew 1249 describe the family of
God?
Christ said, Whoever does the will of my Father
in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.
124
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share using the following
question How does birth, covenant, and marriage
relate to Christs desire to form a new family
on earth?
125
Focus Question
What does the term family mean for most ancient
cultures?
Family meant the extended family that included
all the descendants of ones patriarch.
126
Focus Question
How does the lack of a word for cousin in most
ancient Semitic languages relate to the notion of
family?
In such tribes, everyone was child of a common
patriarch, so everyone was a brother or sister.
127
Focus Question
What was Christs family?
The nation of Israel and the Tribe of Judah.
128
Focus Question
How did Christ see family differently from his
peers?
Christ spoke of God as not merely the God of our
fathers, but as the universal Father of all
human beings.
129
Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to organize the ways
we can know we are Gods children and members of
his family.
Way Explanation
We live in his house.
We are called by his name.
We eat at his table.
We share in his Flesh and Blood.
His Bride is our Mother.
We celebrate together.
We receive instruction and discipline from him.
130
Focus Question
What is the nature of Gods Fatherhood?
God the Father is the eternal Father, just as
Christ is the eternal Son.
131
Focus Question
Is Gods Fatherhood created in the image of human
fatherhood?
No. St. Paul reminds us that Gods fatherhood is
the origin and standard of human fatherhood.
Extension Some have theorized that we
anthropomorphize God, projecting human fatherhood
on him. However, this is a notion that St. Paul
explicitly rejected.
132
Focus Question
How can we know God our Father in a personal
way?
Through his Son, for no one knows the Father
except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses
to reveal him.
133
Names and Images of the Church People of God and
Kingdom of God

• Lesson Objectives
• The Church as the People of God
• The Kingdom of God and the Davidic Covenant

134
Names and Images of the Church People of God and
Kingdom of God
Basic Questions
What is the meaning of the image of the Church as
the People of God?
The image of the Church as the People of God
comes from the assembly of the Israelite
community on Mt. Sinai. Both assemblies reveal
that God ordinarily wills to save people as a
community rather than as individuals.
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Names and Images of the Church People of God and
Kingdom of God
Basic Questions
How does the Kingdom of God fulfill the Davidic
Covenant?
Christs kingdom fulfills the primary and
secondary characteristic of the Davidic covenant.
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Focus Question
To what is the image of the Church as the People
of God most closely related?
The assembly of Israel at Mt. Sinai.
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Focus Question
What happened to the assembly of Israel at Mt.
Sinai?
God made his covenant with Moses and the
Israelites, promising that if they kept the
covenant, they would be his Chosen People, a
kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
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Focus Question
What does Gods decision to form a people, rather
than saving men individually, reflect?
This reflects the social nature of man.
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Focus Question
What is the social nature of man?
The human person always lives and functions in
relation to others. We are made to live in
communities. We have received all we have from
someone else, whether it be the gift of life, our
knowledge and skills, or even the truth of the
Gospel.
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Focus Question
Who were the first People of God?
Israel.
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Focus Question
What was Israels mission?
Israel was chosen and commissioned by God to
bring all the nations into the communion with him
that he had desired from the beginning.
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Focus Question
What was the outcome of this mission?
Israel failed.
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Focus Question
What did God promise, despite this failure?
God promised a new covenant about which he said,
I will put my law within them, and I will write
it upon their hearts and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people (Jer 3133).
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Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share using the following
question How did St. Francis go about obeying
Christs command that he rebuild my Church?
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Focus Question
What is the most common image that Christ used to
describe the Church?
The Kingdom of God.
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Focus Question
What does Christs lineage establish?
That Christ is the Son of David.
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Focus Question
How is Christs kingdom fundamentally different
from Davids?
Christs kingdom is not of this world, not a
temporal kingdom.
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Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to show how the
seven main features of Gods covenant with David
take on new meaning of the kingdom established by
Jesus Christ.
Feature New Meaning
Royal Dynasty
Son of God
Messiah
Jerusalem and Mt. Zion as Israels center
Temple as visible covenant sign
Worldwide rule
Everlasting
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Graphic Organizer
Complete the following table to show how the
three additional or secondary features of Gods
covenant with David are fulfilled by Jesus
Christ.
Feature New Meaning
Queen Mother
Prime minister
Thank offering