Spirit first or?

[littleone]

I remember Jesus asking this question: was the Sabbath made for man or man made for the Sabbath?
I think the same question relates to the Catechism and the Bible. Which comes first the Catechism or the Bible?

Of coarse the Bible comes first because it is the word of God straight to the reader. The Catechism is a reference that can be used to refer to Catholic understanding, and where we can find information relating to a topic.

To say that the catechism comes before the Bible is to say that the Bible is only a reference book of information that can relate only to head knowledge.
This is completely wrong since the Bible is as we all know, the WORD of God. It is governed by the Holy Spirit and to read it correctly is to ask the Holy Spirit to give the reader understanding in a spiritual means.

 

[puzzleannie]

I am not sure what OP is getting at. I have been involved in Catholic Religious education for over 20 years and I know of know one who teaches the Catechism comes first before the Bible. What is your point?

 

[TOP]

The night that I first felt the Spirit, I knew virtually nothing about the bible or the church. Within minutes my wife went and got a bible to find a prayer, any prayer. When I opened it, I was on proverbs. He started me out on square one. That how it started for me. Tim

 

[littleone]

I am not sure what OP is getting at. I have been involved in Catholic Religious education for over 20 years and I know of know one who teaches the Catechism comes first before the Bible. What is your point?

I didn’t think anyone would be up I’mjust leaving work at 6- 50am. NZ time.

i must say puzzeleannie, you have brought me much joy when you share your thoughts when refering to any point I have related to( I think, guided by the Holy Spirit).

What I mean is that on many occasions in these threads people have related how one should go straight to the catechism and if you want to reference then go to the bible.
I thought that that seemed very back to front.
I think it should be, become conversent in the Bible and use the Catechism to reference how the biblical writing relates to Catholic doctrin and belief or understanding.

God bless
littleone

 

[Cristiano]

To me it sounds like the chicken and the egg dilemma. Jesus gave us the Church and through the Church we have been able to receive the Bible and the catechism. The catechism is a summary of religious doctrines and the Bible containes the religious doctrines that have been revealed to us. Are Paul’s letters the first catechism beyond Jesus’ direct teachings? Did the Church have a catechetical approach before the Bible books were put together?

 

[water]

It is governed by the Holy Spirit and to read it correctly is to ask the Holy Spirit to give the reader understanding in a spiritual means.

The Catechism does quote things from the Bible to explain things. However, by telling someone to read Catechism does not imply that Catechism comes before Bible.

Not everyone reading Bible really understands what it actually means. The Catechism is based on the Bible and it is written to guide you to fully understand the teaching.

Some people believe they are guided by the Holy Spirit, and interpret the Bible the way they think it is right; however, some of their interpretation is completely wrong and go against the teaching of the Church who was /is and will be under the influence and guardian of the Holy Spirit.

To answer your topic - yes it is “the Spirit first”, but it is not “me”, it is the Church that I should listen to.

 

[Pauli]

I think what you are basicly asking is, how can we trust that the Catechism is from God and not something human beings made up? If you are not a Catholic, you probably lean towards the Bible-alone theory; if you are a Catholic, you believe that the Holy Spirit has guided the church for all the thousands of years and you can trust what it says.

In the scripture you quoted, Jesus is obviously saying that the Pharisees, with all their rules about cleaning cups and how many tassels to wear, and rules against even common sense things like rescuing a fallen animal in a ditch on the Sabbath, had missed the point of what God intends the Sabbath to be. The Pharisees were scripture scholars, read and studied it every day, yet were far from understanding what God really wants.

The Catechism is a sort of sum-up of what has been revealed, what we believe and how to live in this life so that we will be with him in heaven eventually. It’s not going to contradict the Bible but it does give the Catholic understanding of what the Bible means.

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