Faith and Revelation
Knowing God Through
Sacred Scripture
Chapter 7
The Church Transmits
God’s Revelation
Chapter Objectives
The student will be able to understand:
• The Church as present from
the beginning of time
• The power to forgive sins
• Doubting Thomas
• The Road to Emmaus
appearance
• Jesus’ confirmation of St.
Peter’s vocation
• The final preparation of his
Apostles
• The election of St. Matthias
• Pentecost
• St. Peter’s first sermon
• Jesus, Son of David and
David’s Lord
• The primitive Church
• St. Stephen
• Sabbath and Sunday
worship
• The first Gentile conversion
• Saul
• The conversion of
Cornelius
• The Council of Jerusalem
• The End Times
• The Book of Revelation
and the liturgy
• The two beasts of
Revelation
• The New Jerusalem
• God’s Final Judgment
Keys to Chapter 7
• After his Resurrection, Christ gave his Apostles a final, fortyday preparation.
• Pentecost brought the Church to life, and St. Peter and the
Apostles converted thousands.
• The history of the primitive Church is a turning from the
Jewish to the Gentile world.
• Christ’s conversion of St. Paul gave the Church perhaps her
greatest evangelist.
• The Church faces persecution and temptation in joyful hope
of the Second Coming of Christ and the appearance of the
New Jerusalem.
In This Chapter We Will Discuss:
• The Founding of the Church.
• The Divine mandate given the Church by Jesus
Christ.
• The beginnings of the Church following the feast
of Pentecost.
• What God has revealed about the end of time.
The Church Transmits
God’s Revelation
Lesson Objectives
•The Church as present from the beginning of time
•The power to forgive sins
•Doubting Thomas
•The Road to Emmaus
•Christ’s confirmation of St. Peter’s vocation
Jesus Christ: The Fullness of
Divine Revelation
Basic Questions
In what sense has the Church been in existence
from the beginning?
The Church, as a human family living in
communion with God and one another, has been
present in a hidden way from the beginning.
Jesus Christ: The Fullness of
Divine Revelation
Basic Questions
Why does the Church have the power to
forgive sins?
Christ gave his disciples his divine power to forgive
sins.
Jesus Christ: The Fullness of
Divine Revelation
Basic Questions
What did Christ’s appearance to St. Thomas
reveal?
Christ’s appearance to St. Thomas confirms both
the necessity of faith and his physical Resurrection.
Jesus Christ: The Fullness of
Divine Revelation
Basic Questions
What did Christ’s appearance on the road to
Emmaus reveal?
His appearance on the road to Emmaus revealed
Christ fulfilled the Messianic prophecies of the Old
Testament.
Jesus Christ: The Fullness of
Divine Revelation
Basic Questions
What did Christ’s appearance on the shore of
Lake Galilee reveal?
Christ confirmed St. Peter’s authority as chief
shepherd of his Church when he appeared to the
Apostles in Galilee.
Anticipatory Set
Incorporate Christ’s appearance on the road to
Emmaus into opening prayer and then discuss:
Why do you think the two disciples did not recognize Christ?
How did the two disciples unconsciously know their companion
was Christ even before they knew it with certainty?
What message did Christ teach the two disciples?
Focus Question
What are the two beginning points of the
Church’s history?
They are Pentecost and the moment of creation.
Focus Question
Why is the moment of creation properly speaking
the beginning of the Church?
God’s original intent—by creating Adam and Eve in
his image—was a family of men and women living in
communion with their Creator and with each other. This
is the self-same nature of the Church.
Focus Question
What destroyed this original plan?
Original Sin destroyed it.
Focus Question
What is the essence of both the Old and New
Testaments?
The Old Testament reveals how God worked to restore
the communion between himself and man. The new
Testament reveals the ultimate act of restoration through
Christ’s Sacrifice on the Cross, his Resurrection, and the
gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Focus Question
Just before his Ascension, what did Christ instruct
his disciples to do?
They were to continue his mission on earth.
Focus Question
Why would the Apostles naturally be
overwhelmed with their task?
There were only eleven of them, and they were mostly
uneducated. Their leader had been mocked, tortured,
and crucified by both the religious and political
authorities.
Focus Question
What assistance did Christ promise his Apostles?
He promised the Holy Spirit who would “teach you all
things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have
said to you.”
Guided Exercise
Complete a paragraph shrink on two
paragraphs (p. 234, “Meditating on his truth…
if not in name.”).
Focus Question
What power did Christ give his Apostles on the
night of his Resurrection?
He gave them the power to forgive sins.
Focus Question
How was the Apostles’ power to forgive sins
an extension of God’s power to forgive sins?
Only God has the power to forgive sins. Christ,
being God, properly exercised this power during his
public ministry. Christ gave the Apostles—and they
to their successors—this divine power.
Focus Question
What does the story of Doubting Thomas
reveal?
First, it reveals faith is necessary to grasp the reality of
Christ’s Resurrection. Second, it reveals the Resurrection
was not an allegorical story or a symbolic representation
of a transformation that took place within the Apostles;
Jesus Christ really rose from the dead, bearing the
marks of his Crucifixion.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share of the following
question:
Christ said to St. Thomas, “Have you believed because
you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet believe” (Jn 20.29). How do those words apply
to modern-day Christians?
Focus Question
What did the risen Christ explain to the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus?
Christ illumined the Scriptures, showing how the history
of Revelation pointed toward the events that had just
taken place in Jerusalem. Christ was the fulfillment of
all the covenants and the hope for mankind.
Focus Question
When did the two disciples recognize their
companion was Christ?
They recognized him in the breaking of the bread.
Focus Question
What was the meaning of the breaking of
bread in the early Church?
It meant the celebration of the Eucharist, the Mass.
Focus Question
Why were the Apostles probably surprised
Christ told them to return to Galilee?
They were then in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, and
many were expecting Christ to reestablish the Kingdom
of Israel immediately, whereas Galilee was an out-of
the-way place.
Focus Question
What prophecy was fulfilled by the Apostles’
return to Galilee?
Isaiah foretold Galilee would be the place where the
restoration of the Kingdom of Israel would begin: “In
the latter time (God) will make glorious the way of the
sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the
nations” (Is 9:1).
Focus Question
What did the miraculous catch of 153 fish
symbolize?
Greek naturalists had identified 153 different kinds
of fish in the world. Symbolically, the Apostles had
caught every different kind of fish. Since Christ had
called the Apostles to be “fishers of men,” this
implied the Apostles, with Christ’s help, would win
converts from every land.
Alternative Assessment
Read Christ’s appearance to St. Mary
Magdalene (Jn 20: 1-18) and then write
about what this passage reveals.
Focus Question
Why did Christ ask St. Peter three times if
he loved him?
By the charcoal fire on the shore of Lake of
Galilee, Christ gave St. Peter the opportunity to
reverse his threefold denial of Christ by the charcoal
fire in the courtyard of Jerusalem.
Focus Question
What vocation did Christ confirm to St.
Peter?
St. Peter was to be the shepherd who would tend
Christ’s “lambs,” that is, all believers. In other
words, Christ was repeating his invitation to St.
Peter to be the rock upon which he would build the
Church.
Pentecost
Lesson Objectives
•The final preparation of the Apostles
•The election of St. Matthias
•Pentecost
•St. Peter’s first sermon
•Jesus Christ, Son of David and David’s Lord
Pentecost
Basic Questions
What did Christ do during the forty days he
appeared to his Apostles after his
Resurrection?
Christ taught his disciples about the Kingdom of
God during the forty days after his Resurrection.
The disciples waited in Jerusalem for the Holy
Spirit.
Pentecost
Basic Questions
Why did the Apostles replace Judas?
The Apostles, representing the Twelve Tribes of
Israel, elected St. Matthias to replace Judas.
Pentecost
Basic Questions
What is Pentecost?
On Pentecost, the Apostles were filled with the
Holy Spirit.
Pentecost
Basic Questions
What was the message of St. Peter’s first
sermon at Pentecost?
St. Peter’s first sermon showed Christ, the very
Person his audience had a hand in crucifying, was
raised from the dead, fulfilling the prophecy God
would not abandon his soul to Hades or let his
Holy One see corruption.
Pentecost
Basic Questions
What is the answer to the riddle, “How can
David’s son be David’s Lord?
David called the Messiah both his son and his
Lord because Jesus Christ was a descendant of
David, thus his son, and the preexisting Son of
God, thus David’s Lord.
Anticipatory Set
Read about the Ascension of Christ and the
election of St. Matthias (Acts 1).
Focus Question
What prophecy of St. John the Baptist had
Christ not yet fulfilled?
He was to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with
fire.
Focus Question
What did Christ say the Apostles’ ministry
would be?
After having received the Holy Spirit, they would
be Christ’s universal witnesses.
Focus Question
What does the phrase “in Jerusalem and in
all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the
earth” describe?
It describes the restored Davidic Kingdom; the
center at Jerusalem, then Judea (that which was left
after the division between Israel and Judah),
Samaria (the lost kingdom of Israel), and the ends
of the earth (all the Gentile nations).
Focus Question
According to the Catechism, no. 1546, what
is the nature of the common priesthood of
all believers?
The Church is a Kingdom of priests. Each
baptized person participates in Christ’s priesthood
according to his own vocation.
Focus Question
How would this New Kingdom be different
from David’s?
David’s was a temporal empire. The Church
encompasses all nations and times with Christ
reigning from Heaven, guiding his ministers to
handle the earthly affairs of the Kingdom.
Focus Question
How did Christ spend the time between his
Resurrection and his Ascension?
He prepared the Apostles for their mission as he
had spent forty days in the desert preparing for his
own.
Focus Question
Why did Christ instruct the Apostles to
remain in Jerusalem?
They were to await the coming baptism of the Holy
Spirit.
Guided Exercise
Write on how Zechariah’s prophecy (Zec 2:1112) had been fulfilled in the Church.
Focus Question
On what authority did St. Peter decide the
Church needed to choose a successor of
Judas?
Christ had told St. Peter to “feed his sheep,” that
is, to be the chief shepherd of the Church.
Focus Question
Why is it important there be twelve Apostles?
St. Peter understood the choice of the Twelve was
significant; a symbol of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
Appointed by Christ to be the leader of the
Apostles and of the Christian community, he
decided it was necessary to replace Judas before the
restoration of the Kingdom began.
Focus Question
What criteria was used to choose the
successor of Judas?
Judas’s replacement had to have been with Christ
from his Baptism until the Ascension so he could be
an eyewitness to the Resurrection.
Focus Question
What does Pentecost mean, and what did the
Jews celebrate at this feast?
Pentecost is from the Greek word fifty; it is the
fiftieth day after Passover and the feast on which the
Jews celebrated the giving of the Law to Moses on
Mt. Sinai.
Focus Question
How was Pentecost an international event?
Jews from all over the world gathered in Jerusalem
to celebrate this festival.
Focus Question
What two similes did St. Luke use to
describe the descent of the Holy Spirit?
There was a sound like the rush of a mighty wind,
and tongues as of fire appeared.
Guided Exercise
Complete a focused reading of the paragraph,
“In Greek, the word…” (p. 240) using the
following question:
In the Church, what is the connection between the words
office and bishop?
Focus Question
How did the assembled Jews from the
various nations react to the Apostles’
speaking in various languages?
They were amazed, although some said they were
drunk.
Focus Question
What was St. Peter’s message to the crowds
in Jerusalem?
Christ and the events unfolding before their eyes
fulfilled the covenants and inaugurated the
restoration of the Kingdom of Israel. They were
seeing what the prophet Joel foretold; the Spirit of
God poured out on everyone.
Focus Question
What does the question, “How can David’s
son be David’s Lord,” mean when applied
to Christ?
How can Christ be both the Son of God and the
Son of David? If Christ is truly divine, how could
he also have been born of man?
Focus Question
Why is it understandable Christ asked
people this riddle during his public
ministry?
It is the core of who the Messiah is; a Son of
David and the Son of God.
Focus Question
Was this question ever answered in the
Gospels?
No.
Focus Question
Who answered this question?
St. Peter, at Pentecost, inspired by the Holy Spirit,
answered it.
Focus Question
What were some of the challenges St. Peter
faced with his audience during his sermon
at Pentecost?
Some mocked the Apostles, saying they were drunk;
others had earlier turned against Christ and
demanded his Crucifixion; and many looked down
on the Apostles because they were from Galilee.
Focus Question
What approach did St. Peter adopt to
persuade the crowd?
He appealed to their understanding of the
Scriptures and showed how Christ fulfilled them.
Guided Exercise
Create a paragraph shrink on the paragraph
“Jesus, being of both human and divine…” (p.
244).
Focus Question
According to St. Peter, why did David call
his son my Lord?
The Son of David is also the Son of God; he
entered history to accomplish the task of mankind’s
salvation, and he now lives and reigns at the right
hand of God the Father.
Focus Question
How does St. Peter explain the behavior of
the disciples at Pentecost?
He explained the prophecy of Joel had been
fulfilled; these are the last days in which God was
pouring out his Spirit on ordinary sons and
daughters of Israel.
Focus Question
What was the point of Christ’s miracles
according to St. Peter?
They were the evidence—which many in St. Peter’s
audience had personally witnessed or heard about
from others—Christ was the Messiah sent to them
by God.
Focus Question
According to St. Peter, how does Psalm 16
prophesy the Messiah would rise from the
dead?
“Thou wilt not let the Holy One see corruption”
(Acts 13:35; cf. Ps 16:10).
Alternative Assessment
Write about how Christ gave new
meaning to the Jewish Feast of the
Pentecost as he had done for the
Passover?
The Primitive
Church
Lesson Objectives
•The Primitive Church
•St. Stephen
•Sabbath and Sunday worship
•The first Gentile conversion
The Primitive Church
Basic Questions
How was the primitive Church?
The primitive Church grew quickly under St.
Peter’s leadership and devoted herself to preaching,
the Eucharist and the prayers, and caring for one
another.
The Primitive Church
Basic Questions
Who was St. Stephen?
After he was arrested and brought before the
Sanhedrin, the deacon St. Stephen delivered a
courageous but inflammatory summary of Jewish
history. Accused of blasphemy, St. Stephen was
stoned to death, the first martyr.
The Primitive Church
Basic Questions
How did the early Church worship?
The primitive Church publicly worshiped in
synagogues on the Sabbath and then privately
celebrated the Eucharist on Sunday.
The Primitive Church
Basic Questions
Who was the Ethiopian eunuch, and why was
he important?
Led by the Holy Spirit, St. Philip showed the
Ethiopian eunuch Christ was the fulfillment of the
Scriptures (Old Testament). When he asked for
Baptism, the Apostle complied. The Ethiopian,
who was barred from Judaism because he was a
eunuch, was the first Gentile baptized into the
Church.
Anticipatory Set
Complete a focused reading of the Catechism,
no. 781 (p. 273), using the following question:
In what particular way does God desire his universal
salvific will be carried out?
Focus Question
How did St. Peter show his authority at
Pentecost?
He preached to the crowd and urged them to repent,
believe, and be baptized. About three thousand
were baptized that day.
Focus Question
What did the followers of Christ do during
these days?
“They devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching
and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and the
prayers” (Acts 2:42). They listened to the
Apostles’ preaching, took part in the Eucharist,
and prayed. They shared their belongings with each
other and the poor.
Focus Question
Who spoke for the Church when the
Apostles were arrested by the Sanhedrin?
St. Peter
Focus Question
Why was the Sanhedrin forced to release
the Apostles?
If they were to arrest the Twelve, they feared there
might be a riot.
Focus Question
What was the Way?
It was what the early Church called herself.
Focus Question
What are deacons?
They are men the Apostles ordained to assist in the
day-to-day activities of the Church.
Extension:
Deacon means servant.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share of the following
question:
What was the effect of the persecution the Jewish
authorities launched against the Church?
Guided Exercise
Brainstorm reasons many of the early
conversions were relatively easy to achieve.
Focus Question
Why did St. Stephen come to the attention
of the Jewish authorities?
He worked miracles and was a dynamic speaker.
Focus Question
What was the subject of St. Stephen’s
preaching before the chief priests?
He explained the coming of Christ had been
prophesied throughout the Scriptures (Old
Testament).
Focus Question
Why did the court declare St. Stephen had
committed blasphemy?
He said he was having a vision and saw Christ standing
at the right hand of God.
Extension:
This was a problem for the Sanhedrin because St.
Stephen was saying Christ, whom they had condemned to
death, was God’s anointed.
Focus Question
What did the authorities do to St. Stephen?
They stoned him to death; thus, he is the first
Christian martyr.
Focus Question
What did the early Christians consider their
place in Judaism?
They considered themslves Jews who kept the
Sabbath and followed Jewish Law.
Focus Question
How did the early Christians worship?
They worshiped at the synagogue publicly on the
Sabbath and celebrated the Eucharist privately on
Sunday.
Focus Question
What does it mean to say the synagogue and
Temple are united in the Christian Mass?
The first part of the Mass, the Liturgy of the
Word, is descended from the synagogue liturgy with
its scriptural readings and prayers. The second part
of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, came
from the Temple liturgy of the thank offering and
the Passover as Christ celebrated it at the Last
Supper.
Focus Question
Who was the first Gentile to whom an
Apostle preached?
St. Philip preached to an Ethiopian eunuch.
Focus Question
Why did St. Stephen preach to him?
He was sent by an angel.
Focus Question
Why was it not surprising the eunuch was
reading the prophecy of Isaiah?
Since the time of Solomon, there had been a Jewish
presence in Ethiopia, and, as a result, there were a
good number of converts to the Jewish faith living
there.
Focus Question
Why could the Ethiopian eunuch not
become a Jew or proselyte?
According to Deuteronomy 23:1, a eunuch could
not be a part of the Jewish community.
Focus Question
What did Isaiah promise pious eunuchs?
God promised they would one day be more
important to him than sons and daughters.
Extension:
This is fulfilled by those who make themselves
eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of God, that
is, accept the vocation to celibacy.
Focus Question
What was an effective argument the early
Christians used to gain converts?
They showed how Christ fulfilled the Scriptures.
Focus Question
What was the significance of the Baptism
of the Ethiopian eunuch?
He was the first Gentile baptized a Christian,
bypassing Judaism. This was a sign the Gospel was
for everyone.
Extension:
Ethiopia was the farthest part of the known world.
Alternative Assessment
Complete Practical Exercise 8 about St.
Stephen and the effect of the martyrs.
Saul and the Conversion
of the Gentiles
Lesson Objectives
•Saul
•The conversion of Cornelius
•The Council of Jerusalem
Saul and the Conversion of the Gentiles
Basic Questions
Who was Saul?
Saul was a zealous Jew who persecuted the Church
until Christ personally appeared to him and made
him an Apostle.
Saul and the Conversion of the Gentiles
Basic Questions
What is the significance of the conversion of
Cornelius?
God revealed to St. Peter the proselyte Cornelius
and all his household should be baptized without
becoming Jews first.
Saul and the Conversion of the Gentiles
Basic Questions
What was the significance of the Council of
Jerusalem?
At the Council of Jerusalem, St. Peter’s decision
that Gentile converts did not have to follow the
Mosaic Law was accepted by the Church.
Anticipatory Set
Conduct a think/pair/share using the following
questions:
Do you think the Apostles imagined soon everyone
would be living the Mosaic Law and making
pilgrimages to the Temple?
Why might they have assumed this?
Focus Question
Who was Saul?
He was an educated Jew and Roman citizen who
was zealous for the Mosaic Law and willing to go
to any length to curb abuses of it.
Focus Question
Why did Saul lead the persecution of the
early Church?
The new practices and teachings being introduced by
the believers of Christ seemed an abomination to
him.
Focus Question
What did Christ mean when he said to Saul,
“Why do you persecute me?”
Saul was persecuting the Church, the Mystical Body
of Christ. Therefore, he was persecuting Christ
himself.
Focus Question
Who was Cornelius?
He was a Roman commander and a proselyte of
the Gate.
Focus Question
What did the voice in the kill and eat vision
mean by, “What God has cleansed, you
must not call unclean?”
First, all foods are clean, that is, may be eaten; this
is a departure from Jewish dietary regulations.
Second, if a man has been cleansed by Baptism, he
is acceptable to God.
Focus Question
How did St. Peter know Cornelius and his
household should be baptized.?
They had received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and
this convinced St. Peter they had the right to be
baptized.
Extension:
Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit
before they were baptized.
Focus Question
Where did Sts. Paul and Barnabas go?
They traveled to Antioch, preached Christ, and
won many Gentile converts.
Focus Question
What was the first name used to describe
followers of Christ, and what new name did
they receive in Antioch?
They called their religion “The Way.” In Antioch
they were called Christians for the first time.
Focus Question
How did St. Paul correct St. Peter?
When these Jewish Christians appeared, St. Peter
withdrew from eating with the Gentile Christians.
St. Paul confronted St. Peter publicly, arguing, “If
you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a
Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like
Jews?” (Gal 2:14).
Focus Question
How did Ananias argue with Christ?
He was afraid to go to Saul because Saul was such
a danger to Christians.
Focus Question
Why were Christians in Jerusalem reluctant
to bring St. Paul to the Apostles?
They had a hard time believing Saul had really
converted to Christ.
Focus Question
What was the basic question the Church
had to answer with respect to Gentiles?
Did a Gentile have to become a Jew before he could
become a Christian?
Focus Question
When was the Council of Jerusalem?
It was held about AD 52.
Focus Question
What position did St. Peter take during the
council?
Both Jewish and Gentile converts to Christianity
are saved by grace, not by following the Mosaic
Law. Therefore, Gentile converts should not be
burdened with Jewish customs and laws.
Focus Question
Why was it remarkable St. James supported
St. Peter?
It was remarkable someone who loved and followed
the Mosaic Law so perfectly would be so detached
as not to impose it on others.
Alternative Assessment
Write how the Church might be different
if the Council of Jerusalem had decided
everyone who converted to Christianity
had to follow the Mosaic Law completely.
Guided Exercise
Write the points St. Peter makes in Acts 15: 711.
Guided Exercise
Answer Practical Exercise 9 about the Church’s
decision in the Council of Jerusalem as a
fulfillment of Mosaic Law.
The End Times and
the Heavenly Liturgy
Lesson Objectives
•The end times
•The Book of Revelation and the liturgy
The End Times and the Heavenly Liturgy
Basic Questions
What are the end times?
The New Testament can be said to reference three
“end times”; the end of the Old Covenant, which
occurred with the destruction of the Temple AD
70; the final historical epoch, which began after the
Resurrection of Christ; and the absolute end of
history when Christ will return in glory.
The End Times and the Heavenly Liturgy
Basic Questions
How is the Book of Revelation like the
liturgy?
The Book of Revelation is a kind of vision of the
heavenly liturgy, and, like the Mass, it has two
parts that are akin to the Liturgy of the Word
and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Anticipatory Set
Incorporate Matthew 24:1-44, one of Christ’s
discourses about the end of the age, into opening
prayer.
Graphic Organizer
Review Matthew 24:1-44 and complete the following table
about the three kinds of end-times statements in Christ’s
teaching.
Type of Statement
End of the World
Destruction of Jerusalem
and the Temple
Life of the Church
Example in Matthew 24
Focus Question
What did the Early Christians seem to
expect would take place soon?
They seemed to believe the end of the world was
imminent.
Focus Question
What did Christ predict?
He said some of those standing with him would
“see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Mt.
16:28), and “this generation will not pass away”
(Mt 24:34) before the things he described will take
place.
Focus Question
What actually did end?
Though the earth itself was not destroyed, the world
of the Old Covenant—the world of man separated
from God—was brought to a sudden and
catastrophic end.
Focus Question
What do Christians seek regarding the end
of the world?
Christ will establish a new Heaven and a new earth
without pain and suffering in which his people will
dwell in the eternal love of God.
Focus Question
Can anyone predict when the end of the
world will come?
No; that is reserved for God.
Focus Question
What is the first key to understand the
prophecies in the Book of Revelation?
The first key is to examine the historical setting in
which the book was written.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share using the following
question:
How was the destruction of the Temple the end of the
world?
Focus Question
How did the revolt go at first?
At first it was successful, but then the Romans sent
their best general, Vespasian, who turned the tide
in Rome’s favor.
Focus Question
What did Christians do when the Romans
closed in on Jerusalem?
They withdrew from Jerusalem to the town of Pella
in the mountains across the Jordan. This fulfilled
Christ’s words, “Let those who are in Judea flee to
the mountains.”
Focus Question
What happened to the Temple?
As Christ had prophesied, the Temple was razed
and not rebuilt.
Focus Question
How did Christ’s original followers interpret
these events?
They saw them as the fulfillment of Christ’s words,
“Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
till all these things take place.” The Greek word
generation usually refers to a period of about forty
years, and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
came almost exactly forty years after Christ’s prophecy.
Focus Question
To what two ends of time does the Book
of Revelation refer?
It refers to the end of the world when Christ will
return and the historical epoch that began after the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ, that is, the last 2000
years.
Focus Question
What had St. John the Apostle witnessed by
the end of his life?
He had witnessed the end of Israel, which had been
destroyed by the Romans.
Focus Question
What did Florus do?
His cruel rule of Judea was marked by massacres
of innocent Jews.
Focus Question
How did fanatical Jews respond to Florus’s
oppression?
They revolted, attacked Roman soldiers, and
murdered any Jews they suspected of collaborating
with the Romans.
Focus Question
What is the second key to open up the Book
of Revelation for understanding?
The Mass, or Divine Liturgy, is the second key.
Focus Question
Of what is the Book of Revelation a
vision?
It is a vision of the heavenly liturgy, that is, the
loving act of worship and praise that occurs
continually in Heaven. The liturgy Christians
celebrate on earth is a participation in the heavenly
one.
Focus Question
How are the Book of Revelation and the
liturgy related?
The structure of the Book of Revelation is the
same as that of the liturgy. The Book of
Revelation is divided into two parts, the first
corresponding to the Liturgy of the Word and the
second corresponding to the Liturgy of the
Eucharist.
Focus Question
When did St. John’s vision take place?
It took place on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, when
Christians everywhere were celebrating the Mass.
Focus Question
Who is “one like a son of man”?
It is Christ.
Focus Question
How is the beginning of the Book of
Revelation similar to the beginning of the
Mass?
This section, a call to repentance, is like the
Penitential Rite before the Liturgy of the Word.
Guided Exercise
Review St. John’s vision of Christ knocking at
the door (Rev 3:20), and then discuss the
following question:
How does the open door relate to human freedom.
Focus Question
What do the seven seals represent?
They are a series of symbolic events that hold
reference to both events of the time and lasting
truths of the Faith.
Focus Question
How do the four horsemen suggest the
Jewish war of revolt?
The first horse rides out to conquer; the other three
bring war, famine, and death. The Jewish rebels
started the war against Rome to free Israel, but the
result was a terrible war, the starvation of the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the deaths of over
one million.
Focus Question
What is the mark received by the 144,000?
The cross-shaped Tau is put on the foreheads of the
servants of God. 12,000 from each of the tribes
of Israel, to protect them from destruction.
Focus Question
What is the dual meaning of those who are
marked?
They are both the Jewish Christians who fled to the
mountains across the Jordan and the full number of
those who will be saved at the end of time.
Focus Question
How does the seventh seal recall Exodus?
The seven angels blow seven trumpets, and each of
the first six trumpets release a plague to punish the
earth, recalling the plagues the Egyptians suffered.
As in Exodus, the wicked refuse to repent.
Focus Question
What is the overall story told in this section
of Revelation?
God calls people to repentance. Some repent; others
do not. God protects those who remain faithful to
him, and those who are not faithful are left to suffer
the misery of their abandonment.
Focus Question
In St. John’s vision of God enthroned with
all the heavenly beings forever worshiping
him, of what would St. John’s original
hearers be reminded?
They would have thought of the Temple in
Jerusalem.
Focus Question
What is the relationship between the Lion
of Judah and the Lamb?
These are both symbols of Christ.
Extension:
The Lion of Judah is the image of a conquering
champion. The victory of salvation was won by the
Lamb of God, who was slain.
Focus Question
When was the Ark of the Covenant
supposed to have reappeared according to 2
Maccabees?
It would be rediscovered when “God gathers his
people together again and shows his mercy” (2 Mc
2:7).
Focus Question
What did St. John introduce immediately
following the Ark?
St. John gave the vision of a woman with child
pursued by the great red dragon.
Focus Question
What does the great dragon in the vision
want to do?
It wants to devour the child after he will have been
born.
Focus Question
What is the destiny of the child?
He is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron,
and he is caught up to God and to his throne.
Focus Question
What happened to the woman?
She fled into the wilderness where she was protected
by God.
Focus Question
How is the Blessed Virgin Mary the New
Ark of the Covenant?
The Ark of the Covenant contained the tablets of the
Law, some manna from Heaven, and Aaron’s rod. Mary
bore in her womb the child who is the Word of God, the
Bread of Life, and the one who will rule the nations with
a rod of iron. Mary carried Christ in her womb; therefore,
she contained these things insider her as the Ark contained
its contents.
Focus Question
How is the woman like the Church?
As the woman was attacked by the dragon but
protected by God in the wilderness, the Church was
attacked by the Devil but was kept safe in Pella.
Focus Question
How does the vision of the woman with
child relate to Adam and Eve?
The serpent tempted Adam and Eve and conquered
them. Christ and Mary, the New Adam and Eve,
overcame the dragon.
Alternative Assessment
Write about St. John’s vision as an allegory
of the saving actions of Christ’s life,
Death, and Resurrection.
The End of the
World
Lesson Objectives
•The two beasts of Revelation
•The New Jerusalem
•God’s Final Judgment
The End of the World
Basic Questions
What are the two beasts of Revelation?
The two beasts in Revelation 13 represent corrupt
governments that persecute the Church and seduce
mankind.
The End of the World
Basic Questions
What is the New Jerusalem?
The New Jerusalem is the city of the redeemed. It
has no Temple because God will directly dwell with
his people.
The End of the World
Basic Questions
What is God’s Final Judgment?
God will recompense us for the good or evil we have
done. Persons and even particular churches will be
lost if they choose not to adhere to the Faith, of
which the seven churches of Asia are an example.
Anticipatory Set
Read the Catechism, no. 676 (p. 273) and then discuss
the Antichrist.
Focus Question
What are the meaning of the horns and the
diadems of the first beast?
The horns symbolize power, and the diadems
symbolize royal authority.
Focus Question
What is the significance of the beast having
seven heads?
This beast possesses a kind of diabolic perfection.
Focus Question
Overall, what does the beast represent?
The beast seems to represent the seductive power of
temporal might. This may refer both to the
powerful, tyrannical governments of the day such as
the Roman Empire or the dynasty of Herod and to
any corrupt government that has existed since.
Focus Question
What kind of creature is the second beast?
It is a lamb in disguise, a kind of counterfeit
Christ that can work miracles yet seduces man to
evil.
Focus Question
What is the significance of the number
666?
It might be a numerological reference to Nero or to
anyone who can seduce with the tyranny of power.
Guided Exercise
Write about how the New Jerusalem is already
present on earth through the Mass.
Guided Exercise
Conduct a think/pair/share of the following
question:
The New Jerusalem can be compared to a bride adorned
for her husband. What does this comparison tell us
about the New Jerusalem?
Focus Question
What is the overall narrative of the Book
of Revelation?
It is the symbolic retelling of the conquest of Christ
over sin and death.
Extension:
This is the same narrative re-presented during each
Mass.
Focus Question
What is the New Jerusalem?
It is the new “place” where God dwells with his
people.
Focus Question
What is an effect of God dwelling with his
people in the New Jerusalem?
There is no longer suffering, sadness, or death.
Focus Question
How is the New Jerusalem like the Garden
of Eden?
God and his people dwell together as it was in the
Garden, and God’s original intent for creation is
realized because his people live in joy, love, and
worship.
Focus Question
Why is there no Temple in the New
Jerusalem?
God himself is the Temple and provides the city’s
light.
Focus Question
How does the New Jerusalem fulfill what
the prophets foresaw through the Davidic
Covenant?
According to the Davidic Covenant, the kings of
the earth shall bring their glory into Jerusalem, and
its gates shall never be shut. This is what is
promised in the New Jerusalem.
Focus Question
What does the Book of Revelation
accomplish?
It reveals (1) the intention of God’s will in history
after the Resurrection of his Son, (2) the Church
as the Bride of Christ manifesting God to the
world until the end of time, and (3) the way
Heaven is available on earth to those who live a
Christian life of godly worship.
Focus Question
What warning does the Book of Revelation
issue?
St. John urged the seven Churches to repent and be
faithful to Christ. None of these churches now
exists. Each person has to decide whether to be
faithful to Christ or be seduced by the beast.
Focus Question
What is the final promise God made in the
Book of Revelation?
God will reward or repay everyone according to
what he or she has done.
Alternative Assessment
According to Sacred Scripture, no one can
really imagine how Heaven will be.
Write about what you think or hope about
Heaven.