Jesus v's St Paul

[123Strontium]

Hi,

1. When does the new covenant occur, is it when Christ’s blood is shed? or is it at the beginning of Christ’s life?
2. How do we as catholics reconcile Jesus and St Paul, Jesus says obey the Law, whereas St Paul says the Law is superceded by Faith. The protestants place a heavy emphasis on St Paul’s epistles to support their theology, but I would have thought Jesus had more priority as he is the Son of God speaking the words of God, so therefore obeying the Laws is important and then it throws a lot of Paul’s theology in doubt? How is this reconciled?

 

[Della]

Hi,

1. When does the new covenant occur, is it when Christ’s blood is shed? or is it at the beginning of Christ’s life?

At the Annunciation, which is why Zecharias could declare when Mary, pregnant with Jesus came to see him and Elizabeth: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.” (Lk. 1:68)

1. How do we as catholics reconcile Jesus and St Paul, Jesus says obey the Law, whereas St Paul says the Law is superceded by Faith. The protestants place a heavy emphasis on St Paul’s epistles to support their theology, but I would have thought Jesus had more priority as he is the Son of God speaking the words of God, so therefore obeying the Laws is important and then it throws a lot of Paul’s theology in doubt? How is this reconciled?

Paul’s point is simply that the Law cannot save us. He is not saying that we should not keep the moral law, as in the Ten Commandments. So, they are not saying opposite things at all.

Many Protestants misapply Paul’s theology of faith instead of works. He was not talking about works of Christian charity, but works of the Mosaic Law. Also we have faith by God’s grace and can only do works of charity by grace, so everything is a work of God’s grace, bothfaith and works of charity.

 

[Ducklyn]

Hi,

1. When does the new covenant occur, is it when Christ’s blood is shed? or is it at the beginning of Christ’s life?
2. How do we as catholics reconcile Jesus and St Paul, Jesus says obey the Law, whereas St Paul says the Law is superceded by Faith. The protestants place a heavy emphasis on St Paul’s epistles to support their theology, but I would have thought Jesus had more priority as he is the Son of God speaking the words of God, so therefore obeying the Laws is important and then it throws a lot of Paul’s theology in doubt? How is this reconciled?

The old covenant the sacrifice could not make anyone sinless it was done yearly and so not a complete oblation for the remission of sins.
Christ shows clearly that his body and blood are the sacraments of the new covenant.
God forgives all who believe and trust in Christ and what God has said about his son.

Paul tells us in Galatians 5:18 that those who are lead by the Spirit do not come under the law. The same chapter also shows that the things of the Spirit are not the same as the lusts and things of the flesh.

The new covenant was completed in the coming of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
John said that he who comes after him was greater than he. John baptised with water and Christ with the Holy Spirit.
John 4 the Lord says, true worshippers worship God in Spirit and Truth.
So those who have the Spirit are those born of the covenant.

 

[Nita]

Hi,

1. When does the new covenant occur, is it when Christ’s blood is shed? or is it at the beginning of Christ’s life?

I think perhaps at the time period that started at the Last Supper and was completed with Our Lord’s resurrection.

Luke 22:19-20 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (also, Matt 26:28; Mark 14:24)

During His life, Jesus followed all the Old Covenant requirements – eg. circumcision; Passover meals; sacrificial offerings; temple taxes; etc. He would not have done this if the Old Covenant had been replaced with the New. Once the New Covenant came into effect, the Old Covenant ritual laws were no longer to be followed. They had been replaced by the New Covenant sacrificial rite and the other sacramental rites/mysteries. But the Ten Commandments - the moral law - continued to be in effect in the New Covenant.

1. How do we as catholics reconcile Jesus and St Paul, Jesus says obey the Law, whereas St Paul says the Law is superceded by Faith. The protestants place a heavy emphasis on St Paul’s epistles to support their theology, but I would have thought Jesus had more priority as he is the Son of God speaking the words of God, so therefore obeying the Laws is important and then it throws a lot of Paul’s theology in doubt? How is this reconciled?

As noted above, prior to Jesus death and resurrection, the Old Covenant was in effect, so naturally Jesus would teach obedience to its precepts. But if you read the gospels you’ll note Jesus preaching is concerned with the moral law – the need to follow moral teachings. There is no conflict between Paul’s teaching and Our Lord’s. The ritual laws of the Old Covenant were replaced by the ritual laws of the New Covenant, but the moral law of the Ten Commandments remains in effect. Paul never taught that God’s moral commands could be put aside just because one claimed to have “faith”. For example, in speaking to the believing Christians in Galatia he says:
Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.
5:19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness,
5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 5:21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

He warns the Christians in Ephesus in the same way:
Eph 5:5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Paul in no way understands faith as exempting one from obedience to the moral law.