2015 Veritas Scripturae The Bulletin of the St. Jerome Biblical Guild Annual Edition ■—■—■—■ A publication that focuses upon the doctrines of Biblical inspiration and inerrancy, and related Scriptural knowledge, Volume 7 in light of Tradition and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth” (Jn 17:17) From the Director: Hidden Treasures The inaugural issue of Veritas Five documents have appeared Scripturae (VS) in 2009, and in VS to date, often with some subsequent issues, have given commentary. To insure quicker column space to the Pontifical progress in the dissemination of Biblical Commission (PBC) and the PBC texts, moving forward, its documents. One reason has they will “stand alone” without been to draw attention to the analysis. pre-1971 pronouncements. The Commission’s pronounce- A review: Established in 1902 ments are accessible in newer during the pontificate of Leo XIII reference works, such as The www.sjbg.me (r. 1878-1903), the PBC was, at Church and the Bible (D. Mur- Scripture Memorization and Exegesis its founding, an organ of the phy, ed.), and The Scripture from the Old Testament: Magisterium of the Catholic Documents (D. Béchard, ed. Nehemiah 8:1-9 .......……………………. 2 Church. Pope Paul VI (r. 1963- and trans.). Usually, the 1964 Scripture Memorization and Exegesis from the New Testament: 1978) reconstituted this papal edition of Rome and the Study Philippians 2:5-11 ……..…....…………. 3 commission, in 1971, down to of Scripture (C. Louis, ed.) pro- Inerrancy Basics: an advisory committee. This vides the texts, with some refor- Contradictions in the Bible ………….… 4 action lowered the authority of matting, for each issue of VS. The Church Fathers and Scripture: the PBC and its ensuing state- St. Isidore of Seville on the Canon ments. The earlier texts, often Godspeed, of the Old Testament …..………….……. 5 unknown, are hidden treasures. St. Thomas Aquinas and Revelation: Salvatore J. Ciresi, M.A. A Look at the Catena Aurea ……..……. 6 The Magisterium Speaks: The Johannine Comma ……...…………. 7 St. Jerome ( A.D. 343-420) says: The Pontifical Biblical Commission: “Read assiduously and learn as On the Historical Character of the much as you can. Let sleep find you First Three Chapters of Genesis ……… 8 holding your Bible, and when your head nods let it be resting on the Addressing Bible Difficulties: sacred page” ( Letter 22.17.2; A.D. Conflated Quotations …......…………… 9 384). The Biblical World: “Constantly read the Bible; in fact, The Judges of Israel .…………....…….. 10 have it always in your hands. Learn The Life of Christ: what you have got to teach” (Letter The Beatitudes …………….….………… 11 52.7.1; A.D. 394). Book Recommendation (out-of-print): “Ignorance of the Scriptures is igno- The Acts of the Apostles: rance of Christ” (Commentary on Isaiah bk. 18, prologue; A.D. 408- Text and Commentary ...………………. 12 410). Book Recommendation (in-print): Handbook of Biblical Chronology: ”Love the Bible and wisdom will love you...” (Letter 130.20; A.D. 414). Principles of Time Reckoning in the Ancient World and Problems of Chronology in the Bible ....……..……. 13 Scripture Memorization and Exegesis from the Old Testament: Nehemiah 8:1-9 “And all the people gathered as one man The whole episode of Nehemiah 7:73— into the square before the Water Gate; and 10:39 includes the public reading of God’s they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book Law, the celebration of the Feast of Booths of the law of Moses which the LORD had (or Tabernacles), and the renewal of the given to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought covenant. The proclamation and explana- the law before the assembly, both men tion occurs in Nehemiah 8:1-12. This is and women and all who could hear with about a week after the completion of the understanding, on the first day of the sev- walls at Jerusalem by the returning exiles; enth month. And he read from it facing the probably 445 B.C. (cf. Neh 6:15; 7:1). For square before the Water Gate from early our column, Nehemiah 8:1-9 is the focus. morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who The assembly takes place at the “Water could understand; and the ears of all the Gate” (sha‘ar-hammāyim) of verse 1. people were attentive to the book of the Nehemiah 8:3 says this exposition lasted law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wood- “early morning until midday” (min-hā’ôr en pulpit which they had made for the pur- ‘adh-machătsîth hayyôm), which is from pose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, about dawn to noon. This teaching from a Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Ma- “wooden pulpit” (‘al-mighdal-‘ēts) per verse aseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, 4, in which all “stood” (‘āmedhû) in verse 5, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash- drew a double ’āmēn of verse 6. The Holy baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on Sacrifice of the Mass echoes this custom. his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was With respect to the reading of God’s Law, above all the people; and when he opened the terms and expressions “book of the law it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed of Moses” (’eth-sēpher tôrath mōsheh), the LORD, the great God; and all the peo- “the law” (’eth-hattôrāh; lattôrāh; hattôrāh), ple answered, ‘Amen, Amen,’ lifting up “book of the law” (’el-sēpher hattôrāh), and their hands; and they bowed their heads e “law of God” (b thôrath hā’ĕlōhîm) likely and worshiped the LORD with their faces to refers to parts of the Pentateuch: Genesis the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, through Deuteronomy. For this public proc- Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, lamation, Nehemiah 8:5 and 8:8’s “the Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Han- book” (hassēpher and vassēpher) was a an, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people scroll; the book or codex comes into use to understand the law, while the people later in the early centuries of Christianity. remained in their places. And they read from the book, from the law of God, clear- e ly; and they gave the sense, so that the The phrase “gave the sense” (m phōrāsh) people understood the reading. of Nehemiah 8:8 may mean the Levites And Nehemiah, who was the governor, either translated from pre-exilic Hebrew to and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Aramaic, or merely broke down the text for Levites who taught the people said to all interpretation. Perhaps the Levites did the people, ‘This day is holy to the LORD both; first translate and then interpret. your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the For more details, consult F. Fensham, The words of the law” (Neh 8:1-9). New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Books of Ezra and Nehe- Note well: the unpronounceable names in miah, pp. 214-219; and J. Walton, et al., the extract must not overshadow its value. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, p. 478. Veritas Scripturae Page 2 Volume 7 www.sjbg.me Scripture Memorization and Exegesis from the New Testament: Philippians 2:5-11 “Have this mind among yourselves, which is The focus is the Incarnation: we are to com- yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in prehend the assuming of a human nature by the form of God, did not count equality with the Eternal Son. The words “emptied Him- God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Him- self” (heauton ekenōsen), “servant” (doulou), self, taking the form of a servant, being born “likeness of men” (homoiōmati anthrōpōn), in the likeness of men. And being found in and “found in human form” (heuretheis hōs human form He humbled Himself and be- anthrōpos) underscores a key truth, among came obedient unto death, even death on a many, when the Word became flesh: the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him meekness of the Second Person of the and bestowed on Him the name which is Blessed Trinity. His humility mentioned in above every name, that at the name of Jesus Philippians 2:6-8 leads to His glory, triumph, every knee should bow, in heaven and on and exaltation in vv. 9-11. Isaiah 45:23 and earth and under the earth, and every tongue 52:13—53:12, centuries earlier, signals this confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory fact of the Messiah (cf. C. Carvalho, ed., An- of God the Father” (Phil 2:5-11). selm Companion to the Bible, pp. 279-281). Composed in prison from Rome circa A.D. Fr. G. Montague comments on the “name 62, St. Paul’s missive to the Philippians is his which is above every name” (onoma to hyper great treatise on Christian joy amidst suffer- pan onoma) of Philippians 2:9: “In the con- ing (cf. J. Holzner, Paul of Tarsus, pp. 457, text of the divine plan it refers to the manifes- 488). The epistle, naturally, is not limited to tation of God’s glory, power, or presence in that subject. Philippians 2:5-11 bears down his saving deeds…” (The Living Thought of on Christology: the study of the person and Saint Paul, p. 57). The name here is “Lord.” work of Jesus Christ. This pericope, directed Thus, “Jesus Christ is Lord” (kyrios Iēsous to the believers at Philippi in Macedonia, Christos) is a fundamental confession of joins the other “Christological hymns” from Faith; a declaration found elsewhere in Colossians 1:15-20 and 1 Timothy 3:16, as Romans 10:9 and 1 Corinthians 12:3 (cf.