Transcript Catholicism
Catholicism
and the Apocrypha
Differing Views
• Unlike what most people say, the Catholic Church
has some distinctly different views from other
Christian sects. These views have almost caused
the Catholic Church a separate religion entirely.
• “The fundamental beliefs of the Christian religion
are summarised in the Nicene Creed. For
Catholics, they are detailed in the Catechism of
the Catholic Church.”
• Drawn from the “Marthaler Creed” Preface and
Pope John Paul II.
Differing Views
• In the following weeks I will be presenting three
Catholic views that are extra biblical and differ from
the majority of Protestant and other Christian sects.
These views are the existence of purgatory, the divinity
of Mary and the Pope as a mediator.
• Just to note: Many of the views of the Catholic Church
are also held by various sects not connected with the
Catholic Church. During this study I will try to use as
many Catholic sources as possible.
• Also, I am by no means trying to discredit the Catholic
Church or any other churches; I am just trying to
present the origins of their extra biblical beliefs.
The Apocrypha
• A main source of the differing beliefs in
Catholicism is the Apocrypha.
• According to Web Dictionary the Apocrypha is:
“Biblical or related writings not forming part of
the accepted canon of Scripture.”
The Catholic Church, among other churches,
consider many of these writings to be part of
the Bible.
The Canonical Apocrypha
-These are Old Testament Apocrypha that are accepted
into the Catholic Bible, and the Orthodox and Ethiopian
Orthodox Bibles.
-These are the only accepted works as scripture outside
our Bible.
-All were written in the intertestamental period (the
time between the Old and New Testament).
-The main reason they are not considered scripture (not
including the many non-scriptural elements) is because
the were not found in the Original Hebrew Bible, but
somehow appeared when the Old Testament was
translated into Greek (the Septuagint) in the 3rd century
BC.
The Canonical Apocrypha
Deuterocanon
and Apocrypha
Deuterocanon
(Catholic and
Orthodox)
Tobit – Judith – Additions to Esther – 1 and 2
Maccabees – Wisdom – Sirach – Baruch/Letter
of Jeremiah – Additions to Daniel (Susanna,
Song of the Three Children, Bel and the
Dragon)
Orthodox
Apocrypha
1 and 2 Esdras – Prayer of Manasseh – Psalm
151 – 3 and 4 Maccabees – Odes
Ethiopian
Orthodox
Apocrypha
Book of Enoch – Jubilees – 1, 2 and 3
Meqabyan – Paralipomena of Baruch
Many scholars believe that the Apocrypha should be
treated like any Christian book written today. A good
source of knowledge, but not to build doctrine from.
Extra-Biblical Writings
Apocrypha
-Deuterocanon of
the Catholics
-Old Testament
Apocrypha of the
Orthodox
-Also includes New
Testament
Apocrypha and
other writings such
as Anti-Nicene
Fathers
Not inspired but are
useful. Writers are
who they say they are
(Generally).
Psuedepigrapha
Examples
Tobit, Baruch
3 and 4 Esdras
Clementine
Epistles, 3
Corinthians
-Apocrypha of the
Ethiopian Orthodox
(not including
Deuterocanon or
Orthodox Apocrypha)
-Gnostic Texts
(Not Biblical at all)
-Other Extra-Biblical
writings
Not inspired, can be
useful (sometimes).
Writers are not who
they say they are.
Examples
Book of
Enoch,
Jubilees
Nag
Hammadi
Library
Infancy
Gospels,
Psalms of
Solomon,
Book of Noah
Purgatory
Differing Beliefs
• This week I will be presenting the first of 3 of the
differing beliefs of the Catholic Church – Purgatory.
• Just to note: Many of the views of the Catholic Church
are also held by various sects not connected with the
Catholic Church. During this study I will try to use as
many Catholic sources as possible.
• Also, I am by no means trying to discredit the Catholic
Church or any other churches; I am just trying to
present the origins of their extra biblical beliefs.
What is ‘Purgatory’?
• “Purgatory is a temporary condition for the
purification of souls who, although saved, are not
free enough from sin to enter directly into
heaven. Souls in purgatory may be aided in
reaching heaven by the prayers of the faithful on
earth and by the intercession of saints.”
– Drawn from “Saint’s Prayers for Souls in Purgatory”.
• All in all, it is a third and temporary resting place
for sinful Christians, that one day will reach
heaven through the means of working off their
sins in purgatory.
What is ‘Purgatory’?
Purgatory’s origins
• According to CatholicBible101.com, Purgatory finds its
origin within the Apocrypha, in the book of 2 Maccabees, a
book which Catholicism, among other sects, consider as
scripture.
• 2 Maccabees 12:43-46: Judas, the ruler of Israel, took up a
collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two
thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to
provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in
a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the
resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not
expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been
useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did
this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those
who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious
thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they
might be freed from this sin.
Purgatory’s origins
• That passage possibly also fueled the tradition of penance
(paying for the deceased to enter into heaven) which
occurred in the Dark Ages.
• “...the ruler of Israel, took up a collection among all his
soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas,
which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory
sacrifice.” – payment for an expiatory (atoning from sin)
sacrifice.
• The main belief of purgatory is inspired by ‘prayers for the
dead’ (originating in the Apocrypha), which assume that
many of the dead that are in Christ have not yet entered
heaven or hell, but await judgment in some place in
between (named as purgatory). To distinguish whether one
goes to heaven or purgatory really depends on what kind of
sins they committed.
What does the Bible say?
• What does the Bible say? This is a question we must all
be sure to ask when hearing seemingly strange
doctrine.
• John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not
perish but have eternal life.”
• this verse talks of two destinies for the deceased, to
perish or to have eternal life
• Matthew 25:46:“And these will go away into eternal
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
• this shows us that we either enter into eternal
punishment or eternal life
What does the Bible say?
• Revelation 2:11: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the
second death.”
• this shows us that we either conquer or enter into the second death
• These 3 verses are among many that show us there are only two
destinations for humankind. There is no mention in the Bible
(excluding the Apocrypha) for a third, temporary place for humans to
work off their sins.
• The belief that we have to work off our own sins takes credit away
from what Christ did for us!
• The belief of Purgatory also puts the Catholic Church and other
Churches that hold the same belief in a similar category as the other
world religions, who believe it is by works you are saved, and that you
must work off your sin to enter into paradise.
What does the Bible say?
• However, we know that it is by faith in Jesus
Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension that
we are saved!
• Ephesians 2:8-9 states:
• “For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith—and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God—NOT BY
WORKS, so that no one can boast.”
The Divinity of Mary
Differing Views
• This week I will be presenting to you the belief of
a divine Virgin Mary, particularly the ‘immaculate
birth’.
• Just to note: Many of the views of the Catholic
Church are also held by various sects not
connected with the Catholic Church. During this
study I will try to use as many Catholic sources as
possible.
• Also, I am by no means trying to discredit the
Catholic Church or any other churches; I am just
trying to present the origins of their extra biblical
beliefs.
What is a ‘divine Mary’ view?
• The Blessed Virgin Mary is highly regarded in the
Catholic Church, proclaiming her as Mother of
God, Sinless and free from any blemish of the
Original Sin of Adam and Eve and great
intercessor for many faithful.
• The festival, called ‘the Assumption of Mary’,
which is connected with her high status:
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman
Catholic Church, and other churches, was the
bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at
the end of her life.
The Immaculate Birth
• “The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma
of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which
the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived without
any stain of original sin.”
Encyclical Ineffabilis Deus of Pope Pius IX and Encyclical Ad diem illum of Pope Pius X
• This view does not assume that Mary was of
virgin birth but assumes that she had a human
father and mother, but the difference was she
was born without sin.
The Immaculate Birth
• The origin of this view is known to be within
apocryphal works, most notably called the
‘Infancy Gospel of Thomas’ and ‘The Gospel of
the Nativity of Mary’. These are not to be
confused with Gnostic gospels, although they are
just as far away from the traditional 4 gospels as
Gnostic gospels are.
• Also, for anyone that is interested, it is worth
noting that this view was founded by the Council
of Trent.
The Immaculate Birth
• This is an excerpt from ‘The Gospel of the Nativity of Mary’,
from chapter 4. This is a dialogue where an angel of the Lord
is giving a revelation of Mary’s immaculate birth to Anna, the
mother of Mary, before the birth of Mary.
• “...she shall never know man, but alone, without example,
immaculate, uncorrupted”
• This passage may seem very interesting, but we must
remember that Mary had to be saved through her son, Jesus,
just as everyone else did. She was not born immaculate!
• Also, we do know that she does have children with Joseph
after Jesus, thus she shall never know man is a false
statement.
The Immaculate Birth
• Matthew 13:54-56:
• 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching
the people in their synagogue, and they were
amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom
and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s
name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James,
Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters
with us? Where then did this man get all these
things?”
The Divinity of Mary
Part 2
Previous Weeks
• The Apocrypha – It’s origin and authority
• Purgatory
• The Virgin Mary’s so called ‘Immaculate
Conception’
The Assumption of Mary
• “the Assumption of Mary was the bodily
taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at
the end of her life.”
• Of course, the assumption of Mary is not in
the Scriptures, but the Catholics believe it is
referred to in the book of Revelation.
The Assumption of Mary
• Americancatholic.com on the Assumption in the
book of Revelation, states:
• “Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s
Assumption into heaven. Nevertheless, Revelation
12 speaks of a woman who is caught up in the
battle between good and evil. Many see this
woman as God’s people. Since Mary best
embodies the people of both Old and New
Testament, her Assumption can be seen as an
exemplification of the woman’s victory.”
The Assumption of Mary
• The belief of Mary’s assumption, however, has
seemed to originate from a different source.
“The belief in the corporeal assumption of Mary is
founded on:
-Apocryphal treatise “De Obitu S. Dominae,”
(supposedly written) by St. John, which belongs
however to the fourth or fifth century (AD).
-Also in the book “De Transitu Virginis,” falsely
ascribed to St. Melito of Sardis, and in a spurious
letter attributed to St. Denis the Areopagite”
(Catholic Encyclopaedia).
Mary the Mediator
• Because of these strange beliefs about Mary, it has
become popular to treat her as a mediator between
God and man, taking the place that rightfully belongs
to Jesus.
• Mary receives millions of prayers each day from
Catholics and other groups, arguably more prayers
than Jesus himself.
• Just to add a fact as well, according to Dave Hunt, there
are more Shrines to Mary set up around the world than
shrines to Jesus, and the few shrines to Jesus are tiny in
comparison to the average Mary shrine. This just
shows how deceived people have become from these
false teachings.
What does the Bible say?
• The Lord says in Exodus 20:3: "You shall not make for
yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven
above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.”
• Worshiping Mary and praying to her, which are
common Catholic practices, are totally unscriptural.
When you pray to Mary you are assuming she has the
same qualities of God (that she can hear everyone’s
prayers at once and has the ability to answer them)
thus making her equal with God. We should remember
no matter how honored a human being may be, they
are not God and nor should they be treated like they
are.
The Pope as a Mediator
History and Identity of the Pope
• The Pope is actually the Bishop of Rome. Pope is a
colloquial (slang) term used which means ‘father’.
• In the Catholic Church, the Pope is considered to be the
successor of the Apostle Simon Peter (who is
considered the first Pope).
• The Pope is the head of 2 sovereign entities, the
Vatican City, a city-state within Rome, and the Holy See
(anything within the jurisdiction of the Catholic
Church). He also has a large influence in the Sovereign
Military Order of Malta (AKA The Knights of Saint
John).
The Pope as a Mediator
• The Pope as a mediator began from the teaching that the
Apostle Peter was the first Pope.
• “Catholics recognize the pope as a successor to Saint Peter,
whom, according to Roman Catholic teaching, Jesus named
as the "shepherd" and "rock" of the Catholic Church, which
according to Catholic dogma is the one true Church founded
by Christ. Peter never bore the title of "pope", which came
into use three centuries later, but Catholics traditionally
recognize him as the first pope” – taken from the Catechism
of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Encyclopaedia and
Wilken.
• This ‘succession from Peter’ gave rise to the Pope being a
mediator.
What does the Bible say?
• The Catholics claim the Pope as the only mediator
however 1 Timothy 2:5 states:
• “For there is one God and one mediator between God
and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,”
• Catholics also claim the Pope is the head of the Church
on earth, but the Bible says in Colossians 1:18:
• “And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the
dead, so that in everything he might have the
supremacy.”
What does the Bible say?
• And again in Ephesians 1:22:
• “And God placed all things under his feet and
appointed him to be head over everything for the
church,”
• And in Jesus’ very own words he stated in John 14:6:
• “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the
life. No one comes to the Father except through me. “
• We should not give to any man the honour that
belongs to Jesus alone!
Where to go from here
• One really well researched and really
fascinating video in relation to Catholicism
and how the Catholic Church fits into Biblical
prophesy check out:
• A Woman Rides the Beast – Dave Hunt (film)