Some difficult bible passages for me...can someone please explain

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ElCid

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I find it difficult to understand the following biblical passages:

When did this actually happen?

He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke 10:18

Where did Jesus and Abraham meet? What is meant by ‘seeing my day’?

Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." John 8:56

What does ‘baptized for the dead’ mean?

Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 1 Cor 15:29

I would like to know the Catholic perspective regarding this. Thank you.
 
From the NAB commentaries:
I have observed Satan fall like lightning: the effect of the mission of the seventy-two is characterized by the Lucan Jesus as a symbolic fall of Satan. As the kingdom of God is gradually being established, evil in all its forms is being defeated; the dominion of Satan over humanity is at an end.
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He saw it: this seems a reference to the birth of Isaac (Genesis 17:7; 21:6), the beginning of the fulfillment of promises about Abraham’s seed.
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Baptized for the dead: this practice is not further explained here, nor is it necessarily mentioned with approval, but Paul cites it as something in their experience that attests in one more way to belief in the resurrection.
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You can find the NAB with Catholic commentaries here.
 
ElCid said:
I find it difficult to understand the following biblical passages:

When did this actually happen?

He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke 10:18

Where did Jesus and Abraham meet? What is meant by ‘seeing my day’?

Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad." John 8:56

What does ‘baptized for the dead’ mean?

Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 1 Cor 15:29

I would like to know the Catholic perspective regarding this. Thank you.
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According to the “Catena Aurea” some of the fathers suppose that Jesus was refering to what had happened just before He makes this statement. It was right after the disciples had returned from their mission and it seems that Jesus is telling them how effective their preaching had been.

When Jesus refers to seeing His day He is making reference to His salvific mission and the redemption of humanity.
Abraham did see Jesus’s day since it was through his life death and resurection that the captives (as it were) those in Abrahams bosom were set free to enter heaven. Abraham definetly rejoiced over this.

Baptism of the dead seems to refer to the improper practice that some people were actually having themselves baptized in place of a deceased relative so that they may receive the pomise of salvation.
 
Luke 10:18
Theolphylus says: He says not, ‘I see now,’ but referring to past time, I saw, when he fell. But by the words as lightning, He signifies either a fall headlong from the high places to the lowest, or that now cast down, he transforms himself into an angel of light.

St. Cyril says: I saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven, that is, from the highest power to the lowest impotence. For before the coming of our Savior, he had subdued the world to him, and was worshipped by all men. But when the only-begotten Word of God came down from heaven, he fell as lightning, seeing that he is trodden under foot by those who worship Christ.

John 8:56

St. Gregory says: Abraham saw the day of the Lord even then, when he entertained the three Angels, a figure of the Trinity.

1Cor. 15:29

Tertullian says: “What,” asks he, "shall they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not? "436 Now, never mind437 that practice, (whatever it may have been.) The Februarian lustrations438 will perhaps439 answer him (quite as well), by praying for the dead.440 Do not then suppose that the apostle here indicates some new god as the author and advocate of this (baptism for the dead. His only aim in alluding to it was) that he might all the more firmly insist upon the resurrection of the body, in proportion as they who were vainly baptized for the dead resorted to the practice from their belief of such a resurrection. We have the apostle in another passage defining "but one baptism."441 To be “baptized for the dead” therefore means, in fact, to be baptized for the body;442 for, as we have shown, it is the body which becomes dead.
 
Thank you for your kind replies. I have a few more and I hope you also could help me out with these:

What is this thorn in the flesh Apostle Paul is talking about?

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 2 Cor 12:7

How could one be delivered to Satan so as not to learn to blaspheme?

Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. 1 Tim 1:20

Was John actually assumed or taken into heaven to see the visions?

1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. Rev 4:1-2

Does this verse mean that the Lord our God has an immortal SOUL too aside from having a SPIRIT?

4The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test, the children of man. 5The LORD tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. 6Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. Psalm 11:4-6

Again thank you for replying to my questions. God Bless the work of your hands and may he keep you always in the palm of his hands.
 
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