Problem with Dignitatis Humanae?

[lethalbean95]

While reading the Declaration on Religious Freedom “Dignitatis Humanae”, I came across a passage that sort of caught my eye and confused me a bit. Heres the Passage: “In the end, when He completed on the cross the work of redemption whereby He achieved salvation and true freedom for men, He brought His revelation to completion.”-Dignitatis Humanae paragraph 34 vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html

What is this passage saying when it says “He brought His revelation to completion.”? It sounds like it says that revelation ended when Christ died on the Cross. But doesnt the Church teach that Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle? Can somebody fill in on this?

 

[XndrK]

While reading the Declaration on Religious Freedom “Dignitatis Humanae”, I came across a passage that sort of caught my eye and confused me a bit. Heres the Passage: “In the end, when He completed on the cross the work of redemption whereby He achieved salvation and true freedom for men, He brought His revelation to completion.”-Dignitatis Humanae paragraph 34 vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html

What is this passage saying when it says “He brought His revelation to completion.”? It sounds like it says that revelation ended when Christ died on the Cross. But doesnt the Church teach that Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle? Can somebody fill in on this?

Layman’s opinion:

If I had to guess, “bring to completion” doesn’t mean “chronologically end”, but rather “fulfill”, like putting a keystone in an arch “brings it to completion”, but some details might need carving/smoothing out.

 

[felsguy]

This very question came up in an RCIA discussion recently and while I don’t have access to my reference material at the moment (and by no means claim to be an expert anyhow) I’ll share from memory a brief explanation of why the two concepts are not contradictory.

First we are talking about public revelation, i.e God speaking to His people, as contrasted with private revelations. This public revelation occurred in several ways prior to the coming of Christ. The coming of Christ however was the culmination or completion of what God wanted to share with us, hence “the Word of God.” Through Christ everything we needed to know was revealed. This revelation was then passed on or transmitted by the Apostles who received it from Christ first hand. While the actual revelation ended with Christ, the authentic transmission of this revelation continued through, and up to the death of, the last Apostle.

I recall that Dei Verbum, the Constitution on Divine Revelation, has several paragraphs on this as does the US Catholic Catechism which may be of help.

 

[steve_b]

While reading the Declaration on Religious Freedom “Dignitatis Humanae”, I came across a passage that sort of caught my eye and confused me a bit. Heres the Passage: “In the end, when He completed on the cross the work of redemption whereby He achieved salvation and true freedom for men, He brought His revelation to completion.”-Dignitatis Humanae paragraph 34 vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html

What is this passage saying when it says “He brought His revelation to completion.”?** It sounds like it says that revelation ended when Christ died on the Cross. But doesnt the Church teach that Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle**? Can somebody fill in on this?

When Jesus said “it is finished” John 19:30, He did what He needed to do on the cross for our redemption. He also said to His apostles John 16:12-15 . What He did on the cross doesn’t mean we don’t get anymore revelation from Jesus through the HS through the apostles.

 

[lethalbean95]

When Jesus said “it is finished” John 19:30, He did what He needed to do on the cross for our redemption. He also said to His apostles John 16:12-15 . What He did on the cross doesn’t mean we don’t get anymore revelation from Jesus through the HS through the apostles.

What does that have to do with the Declaration stating that the work on the cross “brought his revelation to completion.”? Are you linking the statement, “it is finished” as refering to the completion?

 

[steve_b]

What does that have to do with the Declaration stating that the work on the cross “brought his revelation to completion.”? Are you linking the statement, “it is finished” as refering to the completion?

He still needed to rise from the dead and ascend to heaven as well.

And what did He say here? John 16:12-15 .

“I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now”

Backup 2 chapters

*Jn 14:25 “These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. **26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things,d] and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

(footnotes operational)

*The point is, there is nothing new after the death of the last apostle. What Jesus wanted taught came out in stages.

John didn’t write Revelation till ~90 - 100 a.d.