The Vatican directly hinted at in the Gospel?

[RomanCrusader]

“A City on a Hill Cannot Be Hidden” (Matthew 5:14)

I think this verse suites the Vatican perfectly. Firstly, the Vatican is a city (Vatican City is its name). Secondly, it is ontop of a hill (called Vatican Hill). And finally it cannot be hidden as it has always been a major figure in world events and nearly everyone can recognize it.

Just a random though on a passage.

 

[rr1213]

Nah, the reference to the “City on the Hill” is to the American Republic. Don’t you know your history?

Serously, though, isn’t Jerusalem on a hill? That would make a better candidate than the Vatican. Jesus was speaking figuratively here to show how, as Christians, we are the salt of the earth and how we are to live our lives.

 

[patrick457]

“A City on a Hill Cannot Be Hidden” (Matthew 5:14)

I think this verse suites the Vatican perfectly. Firstly, the Vatican is a city (Vatican City is its name). Secondly, it is ontop of a hill (called Vatican Hill). And finally it cannot be hidden as it has always been a major figure in world events and nearly everyone can recognize it.

Just a random though on a passage.

The only problem is that during Jesus’ time, Vatican isn’t a City at all (It is even said that this hill is outside the boundaries of the City of Rome). It’s just a random swampy hill later chosen by the emperors as a site for a circus and a necropolis. It has yet to become famous for the Martyrdom of Saint Peter and thousands of Roman Christians.

Plus, there are a lot of cities in the world built on a hill. Jesus must have meant this passage in the sense of His followers should be the Salt and Light of the world.

 

[quasimodo]

The only problem is that during Jesus’ time, Vatican isn’t a City at all (It is even said that this hill is outside the boundaries of the City of Rome). It’s just a random swampy hill later chosen by the emperors as a site for a circus and a necropolis. It has yet to become famous for the Martyrdom of Saint Peter and thousands of Roman Christians.

Plus, there are a lot of cities in the world built on a hill. Jesus must have meant this passage in the sense of His followers should be the Salt and Light of the world.

swampy hill?

 

[cathgal]

Plus, there are a lot of cities in the world built on a hill. Jesus must have meant this passage in the sense of His followers should be the Salt and Light of the world.

But surely Jesus wasn’t talking about just any city on any hill, now did he?? I mean…what does any city on any hill has anything to do with His Church on earth?

So where is His Church on earth??

hint: His headquarter

 

[marlo]

precisely, Jesus is saying about the “light of the world”
like a city on a hill cannot be hid, the soon to be Vatican City

But surely Jesus wasn’t talking about just any city on any hill, now did he?? I mean…what does any city on any hill has anything to do with His Church on earth?

So where is His Church on earth??

hint: His headquarter

 

[patrick457]

precisely, Jesus is saying about the “light of the world”
like a city on a hill cannot be hid, the soon to be Vatican City

I stand corrected then, but the Lateran and Avignon had been the Papal headquarters before Vatican. But Jesus is possibly foretelling something here?

 

[patrick457]

swampy hill?

Okay, Vatican Hill and the Vatican Plain were infamous then for rough terrain, constant floods, malaria, and snakes breeding at the plain. My last description is misleading. Sorry.

 

[Hesychios]

The Vatican directly hinted at in the Gospel?

Uh…no. It’s not.

 

[RomanCrusader]

I stand corrected then, but the Lateran and Avignon had been the Papal headquarters before Vatican. But Jesus is possibly foretelling something here?

Avignon was a shameful time that was similar to the Israelites captivity in Babylon. The Israelites were at one time located in Babylon. However that doesn’t change the fact that Jerusalem was still the city of the Israelites.

And the Lateran is just a palace.

I still think this verse refers to the Vatican.

 

[Della]

Avignon was a shameful time that was similar to the Israelites captivity in Babylon. The Israelites were at one time located in Babylon. However that doesn’t change the fact that Jerusalem was still the city of the Israelites.

And the Lateran is just a palace.

I still think this verse refers to the Vatican.

You may be right–it’s possible since Jesus was God’s Prophet as well as the Son of God.

Of course, our Catholic faith doesn’t rise or fall on such a speculative interpretation. And, our Protestant brethren are within their rights to object to such a literalistic reading when all we have to back it up is (what they would term) an accident of history.

 

[patrick457]

Whether this passage stands for Vatican Hill or not, all that matters is that Jesus Christ built the Church upon Simon Peter.

 

[McKevin]

“A City on a Hill Cannot Be Hidden” (Matthew 5:14)

I think this verse suites the Vatican perfectly. Firstly, the Vatican is a city (Vatican City is its name). Secondly, it is ontop of a hill (called Vatican Hill). And finally it cannot be hidden as it has always been a major figure in world events and nearly everyone can recognize it.

Just a random though on a passage.

Very cool! This is one of my favorite passages, and President Reagan referenced this verse to be a beacon of the USA in one of his personal letters found in the book “Reagan, A Life in Letters”.

I’ve always thought of it as an analogy to what my life should be in Christ. Such a bright light to the world that the light cannot be hidden. Another neat reference is in John 1:5: “The light shines in darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” I’ve always found this inspiring because it tells us, if we’re the light of Christ on earth, that we need to fellowship with sinners - something that my holiness-style upbringing didn’t preach but that the Catholic Church does very well.

Thanks for this random thought RomanCrusader, it was a good one!

<>
McKevin

 

[JKirkLVNV]

I don’t think the verse is a prophecy of the Vatican’s physical location on a hill. I think it’s part and parcel of the “you are the salt of the earth” theme.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Nah, the reference to the “City on the Hill” is to the American Republic. Don’t you know your history?

Serously, though, isn’t Jerusalem on a hill? That would make a better candidate than the Vatican. Jesus was speaking figuratively here to show how, as Christians, we are the salt of the earth and how we are to live our lives.

**Excuse me - Edinburgh Castle is built over an extinct volcano. It is obvious to all who read the Bible in the light shed upon it by “The Lord of the Rings” that Edinburgh, or Jerusalem as it is sometimes known, is being referred to. **​

**Edinburgh is therefore “the Mountain of the Lord”, and “the place of Assembly” of the Bible - nothing else can explain why the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland meets there. As for the Psalm calling it the “Assembly of the gods” - this is explained by the presence in Edinburgh of the Usher Hall, a row of which is commonly called “the gods”. Besides, the Scottish people are prophesied of here in Joel 2: **

• [Joe 2:2 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Joe/Joe002.html#2)** A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to the years of many generations.**
  This verse exactly describes the weather in Scotland, & clinches the identity of Israel with Scotland by speaking of its mountains - why, even its name of Scotia means “darkness”. Now that’s proof ! I rest my case ##

 

[patrick457]

**Excuse me - Edinburgh Castle is built over an extinct volcano. It is obvious to all who read the Bible in the light shed upon it by “The Lord of the Rings” that Edinburgh, or Jerusalem as it is sometimes known, is being referred to. **​

Edinburgh is therefore “the Mountain of the Lord”, and “the place of Assembly” of the Bible - nothing else can explain why the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland meets there. As for the Psalm calling it the “Assembly of the gods” - this is explained by the presence in Edinburgh of the Usher Hall, a row of which is commonly called “the gods”. Besides, the Scottish people are prophesied of here in Joel 2:

• [Joe 2:2 (http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Joe/Joe002.html#2)** A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, [even] to the years of many generations.**
  This verse exactly describes the weather in Scotland, & clinches the identity of Israel with Scotland by speaking of its mountains - why, even its name of Scotia means “darkness”. Now that’s proof ! I rest my case ##

But, How about those settlements also built on a Mountain?
Like Macchu Picchu?
The Monasteries of Meteora?
Matera, Italy?

In Greek, ‘Scotia’ or skotia does mean darkness. But how is it in Latin or in Gaelic?

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

But, How about those settlements also built on a Mountain?
Like Macchu Picchu?
The Monasteries of Meteora?
Matera, Italy?

In Greek, ‘Scotia’ or skotia does mean darkness. But how is it in Latin or in Gaelic?

Imagine, if you will, that Gaelic is the primeval tongue of the human race. The Greek word would then be​

• a translation of the ancient word for “darkness”
• evidence of the historical character of the legend (so called) of the descent of the Scottish people from the marriage of the Greek prince Gathelos with the Egyptian princess Scota, about the the time of the Exodus
  As for the settlements mentioned - they can be regarded as part of the (abundant) evidence for the existence of an ancient Scottish empire. What could be more natural, than that the exiled Scots, moved by longing for their “Hieland hame”, should build their settlements to resemble the cities of their native land ?

Any more questions ? ##

 

[patrick457]

Imagine, if you will, that Gaelic is the primeval tongue of the human race. The Greek word would then be​

• a translation of the ancient word for “darkness”
• evidence of the historical character of the legend (so called) of the descent of the Scottish people from the marriage of the Greek prince Gathelos with the Egyptian princess Scota, about the the time of the Exodus
  As for the settlements mentioned - they can be regarded as part of the (abundant) evidence for the existence of an ancient Scottish empire. What could be more natural, than that the exiled Scots, moved by longing for their “Hieland hame”, should build their settlements to resemble the cities of their native land ?

Any more questions ? ##

I stand corrected.

But Gaelic is not the Primeval Tongue of the Human Race, but Ancient Glatoantartameurasemihamijaphethic.
The word for darkness would be ‘Skktwottweianherrghullnestwor’ who, after the Tower of Babel, was lost in all languages of the world except for Gaelic and Greek.
(since they both start with the letter ‘G’)

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

I stand corrected.

But Gaelic is not the Primeval Tongue of the Human Race, but Ancient Glatoantartameurasemihamijaphethic.
The word for darkness would be ‘Skktwottweianherrghullnestwor’ who, after the Tower of Babel, was lost in all languages of the world except for Gaelic and Greek.
(since they both start with the letter ‘G’)

**Which goes to show that anything can be made out to be evidence of anything - as long as one starts from an appropriate set of assumptions Which is why a single likeness between two things is not enough to show they are related: the Vatican might be meant - but then, it might not; the city-imagery in the Gospel can be accounted for without supposing Our Lord had it in mind. **​

---

**As they say in Old High Klingon: *Namarië *! **##

 

[Genesis315]

While I don’t think it is a reference to Vatican hill, but rather to the Church as a whole being seen and known by all men, I admit I do use it occasionally in conversations that go somethign like this:

“The RCC is the whore of Babylon because its headquarters are on the seven hills of Rome.”
“Actually it’s not on those hills, it’s on one hill, Vatican hill–you know, like a city on a hill that cannot be hid.”