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ADVENTAdvent is a word derived from combining two Latin words.
Those
words are ad and venire. Ad is the equivalent of the English
word to.Venire may be freely translated into English as coming or
arrival.
The word, in the Roman Catholic Church’s usage, refers to the
firstof the seasons in the liturgical year. That season is the
period of timethat starts from the first of the four Sundays
immediately precedingDecember 25 of every year.
The season serves as a preparation for the celebration of the
firstcoming of Christ, the Savior of mankind. It was the historical
birth ofthe Incarnate Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. That
birthhappened almost two tousand years ago in a small town
calledBethlehem in Judah, the southern part of the present-day
Israel.
It is a season of joyous expectation for the reign of peace that
willbe realized by redemption from the slavery of sin that engulfed
mankindafter the fall of the first man and woman. Said redemption
wasaccomplished by Christ on the cross comparable to a tree ever
full offruits available for all of us, fruits that are ours for the
picking.
The season also serves as preparation for the final coming of
thesame Christ as Judge of all men and women.
Christ ascended to heaven after having accomplished
ourredemption. He left the tree ever full of fruits so that we can
freelypick from it, eat of it and get nourished. He left us the
fruits of ourredemption for our nourishment. We are all expected to
eat of thosefruits regularly.
Those fruits are the sacraments.The sacrament of Reconciliation
serves as cleanser of our soul. It
frees us from the stains of the sins we have committed. It
regains, forus, the lost sanctifying grace. This sacrament enables
us to be at peace,once again with God our Father.
The other sacraments are also sources of sanctifying grace for
us.They are for nourishment and/or strengthening of the soul. They
areall aimed at preparing us for meeting our Lord as Divine Judge
at theend of time, nay at the end of our time here on earth.
Advent, then, is a fitting season for preparing to celebrate
Christmasbut also a season to prepare ourselves for our own
personal meetingwith the Lord our Judge. Advent, in other words, is
a call for us toscrutinize ourselves so that we may traverse the
right path all the daysof our lives.
--Fr Romy de los Santos27 November 2011
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The Way of the Lord“In the desert prepare the way of the
Lord!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!Every
valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;The rugged land shall
be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.” (Isaiah 40: 3-4)
Our subject matter last week was about the meaning of the
wordparables. We also offered a few words about the parable of the
yeast.
Here is another parable. This time, it is from the prophet
Isaiah.The desert was, and is still, commonplace in the vicinity of
the Holy
Land. Looking towards the east while at the eastern borders of
theplace, one sees a vast desert.
The ramparts of the ancient city of Jerusalem had a gate along
theeastern portion. It was made for the entrance of the Messiah
when Hewould come. That gate was also referred to as Golden Gate, a
name fitfor the passage of the Messiah at His most awaited entrance
into thecity. Said gate was preserved until the time of Christ and
beyond. WhenJesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem, which we
celebrate on PalmSunday, He could have actually passed through that
gate. Many scholarsof Sacred Scriptures believe so since He was
then coming from Bethany,a small town located on the east of
Jerusalem.
Was the building of that gate influenced by the prophet
Isaiah?Why was it built along the eastern side of the walls?Isaiah
was actually referring to the way that the Messiah will pass
in His coming. He was pointing to the east, if we will consider
theverse above literally, as the direction from which He would have
come.
Those lines, however, were lines of a parable. There is a
deepermeaning more than a literal one.
The desert is our hearts, nay our individual selves. It is
wastelandbecause of our sinfulness. A straight path must be
prepared, that is, wemust be free from evil deeds and habits.
Our false sense of shame, also known as shyness, must be
overcome.Shyness can easily develop into fake humility. But at the
same time,we should be watchful lest we become proud of
ourselves.
In the unfolding of history, in fact, those words of the prophet
cameto be understood as referring to the work reserved for St. John
theBaptist.
We are truly prepared for Christmas if we are reconciled with
God.We have the whole season of Advent to do this. Have we started?
Arewe progressing steadily?
--Fr Romy de los Santos4 December 2011
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Ang Daraanan ng Panginoon“Ipaghanda si Yahweh ng daan sa
ilang;Isang patag at matuwid na lansangan para sa ating
Diyos.Tambakan ang mga lambak,Patagin ang mga burol at bundokAt
pantayin ang mga baku-bakong daan.” (Isaias 40: 3-4)
Kahulugan ng salitang talinghaga ang paksa natin noong
nakaraanglinggo. Bahagyang ipinaliwanag din natin ang talinghaga
tungkol salebadura.
Narito pa ang isang talinghaga mula naman sa aklat ni propeta
Isaias.Karaniwang tanawin noon, hanggang ngayon, ang disyerto
malapit
sa Lupang Banal. Kung nasa silangang hangganan ka ng lugar na
iyonat tumingin ka sa gawing silangan ay malawak na disyerto
angmatatambad sa mga mata mo.
Ang mataas na bakod ng lumang lunsod ng Jerusalem ay
maytarangkahan sa dakong silangan. Iyon ay sadyang ginawa para
sapagpasok ng Mesiyas sa Kanyang pagdating. Tinatawag din
iyongGintong Tarangkahan, katawagang nababagay sa daraanan ng
Mesiyassa pinakaaasam na pagpasok Niya sa lunsod. Nanatili ang
tarangkahangiyon, hindi lamang, hanggang sa panahon ni Kristo. Nang
si Jesus aymatagumpay na pumasok sa Jerusalem (ipinagdiriwang natin
tuwingLinggo ng Palaspas) ay malamang na doon dumaan.
Ito’ypinaniniwalaan ng maraming mananaliksik ng mga Banal na
Kasulatansapagka’t nagmula Siya noon sa Betania, isang bayan sa
silangan ngJerusalem.
May impluensiya ba si propeta Isaias sa pagkakagawa
ngtarangkahang iyon?
Bakit sa gawing silangan iyon ginawa?Ang tinutukoy ni propeta
Isaias ay ang daraanan ng Mesiyas sa
Kanyang pagdating. Silangan ang kanyang tinutukoy na
panggagalinganng darating na Mesiyas kung ang papansinin lamang
natin ay ang literalna pagpapakahulugan ng mga talata sa itaas
nito.
Ang mga talatang iyon ay talinghaga. Mas malalim ang
kahulugankaysa sa literal na pagka-unawa.
Ang disyerto’y ang ating mga sarili. Walang sumisibol na
kapaki-pakinabang na damo o halaman dahil sa ating
pagkamakasalanan. Isangtuwid na landas ang dapat ihanda. Dapat
nating alisin sa ating mgasarili ang masasamang gawa at ugali.
Ang maling pagkamahiyain ay dapat nating lupigin.
Maaaringhumantong iyon sa paimbabaw na pagpapakababa. Gayunman,
dapatdin naman tayong maging mapagmatyag baka naman mahulog tayo
sapagyayabang o pagpapalalo.
Sa paglipas ng panahon ay matutuklasang ang talinghagang iyon
aynagpapahayag ng magiging gawain ni San Juan Bautista.
Tunay tayong nakahanda para sa Pasko kung tayo’y
nakapagbalik-loob sa Diyos. Ang buong panahon ng Adbiyento ay
pagkakataon natinpara dito. Nakapagsimula na ba tayo? Nagpapatuloy
ba tayo sa atingnasimulang pagbabalik-loob?
--Fr Romy de los Santos4 Disyembre 2011
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DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM(SA IISANG BANAL NA SIMBAHAN NG
DIYOS)
1. Ano ba ang Dei Ecclesiam Unam Sanctam o DEUS?Ang DEI
ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM ay pangalan ng isang
samahan o asosasyong nasa talaan ng Securities and
ExchangeCommission at nakatala bilang (Sec Registration
Number)CN200602370. Kilala rin ang samahang ito sa mga unang
tittik(initials o acronym) ng pangalan sa wikang Latin na DEUS.
2. Sinu-sino ang mga bumubuo ng samahang Dei EcclesiamUnam
Sanctam o DEUS?
Ang DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM ay binubuo ng mga lalaki
atbabaeng Katoliko na handa at nais magbigay ng kanilangmakakaya sa
alinman sa mga anyong talino, panahon at yaman okumbinasyon ng
dalawa o higit pa.
3. Kailan at saan itinatag ang samahang ito?Ang
Pulong-Pagtatatag (organizational meeting) ng samahan
ay ginanap noong ika-30 ng Enero, 2006 sa isang muntingtanggapan
sa KV International Manpower Services, Inc. na nasapanulukan ng
J.P.Rizal at E. Zobel sa Makati city.
4. Ano ba ang layunin ng DEUS?Ang mga layunin ng samahan ay ang
mga sumusunod:
a. Maglaan ng sapat na panahon para sa sama-samang pag-aaral ng
mga banal na Kasulatan at Tradisyon ng Banalna Simbahang Katolika
Apostolika Romana, angSimbahang itinatag ng ating Panginoong
Jesukristo.
b. Lapitan ang lahat ng taong maaaring maabot upangmaitanim sa
kanilang isipan ang mga aral ng atingPanginoong Jesukristo na
matatagpuan sa mga Banal naKasulatan at Tradisyon ng Inang Simbahan
na masusingnatutunan at naintindihan sa ilalim ng pamamatnubayng
Kaparian ng Simbahan.
k. Dalhin ang lahat ng taong iyon sa Simbahang itinatag ngating
Panginoong Jesukristo at mang-akit atmagpalaganap ng pagkakaisa
d. Tumulong sa Kaparian sa pagtuturo ng mga utos ni Kristona
walang iba kundi ang pag-ibig sa Diyos at sa kapwa-tao.
e. Mangalap at tumanggap ng mga donasyon para sa mgalayuning
malinaw na ilalahad ng Lupon ng mga Katiwala(Board of Trustees) sa
pana-panahong kakailanganin.
g. Hikayatin ang mga mananampalatayang may mabutingkalooban na
tuwirang mag-abuloy sa Simbahan o sa
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alinmang institusyong pangkawanggawa sa loob ngSimbahan.
3. Paano nabuo ang mga layuning nabanggit sa itaas?Nabuo ang mga
layuning nasa itaas nito sa tulong ng
inspirasyong nagmumula sa pagnanais ng ating
PanginoongJesukristo na magkaroon ng iisa lamang Simbahang
magtataguyodng Kanyang misyon ng pagliligtas. Mapapatunayan natin
ito sapamamagitan ng sumusunod:
I have other sheepthat do not belong to this fold.I must lead
them, too,and they shall hear my voice.There shall be one flock
then, one shepherd. (NEW
AMERICAN BIBLE JOHN 10:16)Dapat unawain ang talatang ito sa
liwanang ng sumusunod na
paliwanag ng nagsalin sa wikang Inggles ng Bibliya.Other sheep:
the Gentiles, God’s dispersed children destined to be
gathered into one (11,52). One flock: St. Jerome in the Vulgate
translates“one fold,” but there is no evidence in Greek or Latin to
support thisreading. Translating the Greek word as “sheep-herd”
would bring outthe wordplay involved as the Greek terms for “flock”
and “shepherd”are much alike as “sheep-herd” and “shepherd.”
(Footnote to NEWAMERICAN BIBLE JOHN 10:16)Idinagdag pa ng ating
Panginoong Jesuskristo sa iba pang
bahagi ng Mabuting Balita ang pangungusap na nagsasaad ng:“Every
kingdom divided against itself is laid waste. Any house tornby
dissension falls.” (NEW AMERICAN BIBLE LUKE 11:17b-c)
Bilang pagpapasakop ng kanilang kamalayan sa mga bahaging
Bibliya na ating nabanggit, ipinahayag ng labindalawangapostol ng
ating Panginoong Jesukristo ang kanilangpananampalataya sa ngayon
ay kilala na nating may pamagat naSUMASAMPALATAYA at inaangkin din
ng mga tagapagtatag ngsamahang DEUS na kanila ring pansarili at
pansamahangpagpapahayag ng pananampalataya. Matutunghayan natin
iyonsa libis nito.
SUMASAMPALATAYASumasampalataya ako sa Diyos Amang
makapangyarihan sa
lahat na may gawa ng langit at lupa.Sumasampalataya naman ako
kay Hesukristong iisang Anak ng
Diyos/ Panginoon nating lahat./ Nagkatawang-tao Siya lalang
ngEspiritu Santo/ ipinanganak ni Santa Mariang
Birhen./Pinapagkasakit ni Poncio Pilato./ Ipinako sa krus/
namatay,inilibing,/ nanaog sa kinaroroonan ng mga yumao./ Nang
mayikatlong araw, nabuhay na mag-uli./ Umakyat sa langit/
nalulukloksa kanan ng Diyos Amang makapangyarihan sa lahat./
Doonmagmumulang paririto/ at huhukom sa nangabubuhay atnangamatay
na tao.
Sumasampalataya naman ako sa Espiritu Santo/ sa Banal
naSimbahang Katolika/ sa kasamahan ng mga banal/ sa ikawawala ngmga
kasalanan/ sa pagkabuhay na mag-uli ng nangamatay na tao/ at
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sa buhay na walang hanggan. Amen4. Saan matatagpuan ang punong
tanggapan ng samahan?Ang punong tanggapan ng samahang ito ay
matatagpuan sa E.
Zobel corner J. P. Rizal street, Makati city, Philippines.5.
Sinu-sino ang nagsipagtatag ng samahang ito?Ang samahang ito ay
itinatag ng isang Pari at mga laykong
pawang mga mamamayang Pilipino. Ang kanilang mga pangalanat
tirahan ay ang mga sumusunod: Rev Fr Romeo D de los Santosng 218 I.
Mendiola street, Siniloan, Laguna; Bro Romeo P Torresng Rizal
street, Pagsanjan, Laguna; Bro Rafael C. Elefante ng1139-A Antipolo
street, Makati city; Bro Lamberto C Evangelistang 2625-D Lamayan
street, Sta. Ana, Manila; Bro Leandro CEvangelista ng 2621-H Silang
street, Sta. Ana, Manila; Bro PedroL Peralta ng Blk2, Lot19,
Emerald street, Casa FilipinaRaymundville Executive Village, Brgy.
San Antonio, Parañaquecity; Sis Ma Theresa Lilibeth Camposano ng
3438 Torres street,Bacood, Sta. Mesa, Manila; at Sis Alicia U
Villamor ng 834 J. P.Rizal street, Makati city
6. Sinu-sino ang mga namumuno sa samahang ito?Ang samahang ito
ay pinamumunuan ng limang Trustees bilang
lupon at naglilingkod sa loob ng dalawang taon o hanggang saang
kanilang makakapalit ay maihalal sang-ayon sa itinatadhanang mga
alituntuning panloob (By-Laws) ng samahan. Sila ay sinaRev Fr Romeo
D de los Santos, Chairman; Bro Romeo P Torres,Chief Executive
Officer; Bro Rafael C Elefante, Secretary; LeandroC Evangelista,
Treasurer at Sis Alicia U Villamor, Auditor.
7. Mayroon bang mga katulungin ang mga trustee ng
samahan?Mayroong mga tagapayo ang mga trustee ng samahan at
sila
ay ang mga sumusunod: Bro Florencio R Dueñas, Bro LambertoC
Evangelista, Bro Pedro L Peralta at Sis Ma Theresa Lilibeth
CUy.
8. Paano ba ang pagsapi sa samahang ito?Ang DEUS ay bukas para
sa lahat ng mga Katolikong nais
pagyamanin ang kanilang pananampalataya sa pamamagitan
ngpag-aaral at pagsasabuhay ng mga itinuro ng ating
PanginoongJesukristo at patuloy na itinuturo ng ating Inang
Simbahan.Maaaring magsadya sa punong tanggapan o makipag-alam
sasinumang pinuno o kasapi ng samahan ang sinumang nais sumapisa
samahang ito.
--Fr Romy de los Santos8 Disyembre 2006
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ANG KATOTOHANANLahat ng tao sa mundo ay naghahanap ng
katotohanan. Ito ang
katotohanan: LAHAT NG SIMBAHANG UMIIRAL SA BUONGMUNDO SIMULA
NANG ISILANG SI KRISTO AY PEKE MALIBANSA ISA. Bakit peke? Dahil ang
mga iyon ay itinatag ng tao. Iisalamang ang Simbahang itinatag ng
Diyos. Ito ang dapat natinalamin. Ito ang dapat natin saliksikin.
Nguni’t tutulungan ko kayosa pagsasaliksik sa paghahanap ng
katotohanan. Umpisahan natinito sa Bibliya.
Matutunghayan sa Kapitulo 16, Bersikula 16 hanggang 19
ngEbanghelyo ayon kay San Mateo, matapos na sagutin ni Simon
angtanong ni Jesus kung Sino ang Anak ng Tao, ang ganito:“Mapalad
ka Simon, na anak ni Jonas, sapagkat hindi ang laman atdugo ang
nagpahayag nito sa iyo kundi ang Aking Amang nasalangit. Ngayon
sinasabi ko sa iyo na ikaw ay Pedro (bato) at saibabaw ng batong
ito ay itatayo ko ang aking Iglesia, at di mananaigsa kanya ang mga
pintuan ng impiyerno. Ibibigay ko sa iyo angmga susi ng Kaharian ng
langit; ano man ang talian mo lupa aytatalian din sa langit, at ano
man ang kalagan mo sa lupa aykakalagan din sa langit.”
Ano ang ibig sabihin ng talatang binabanggit sa itaas na
ito?Itatayo ni Jesus ang kanyang Iglesia o Simbahan sa ibabaw
niSimon na pinangalanan ni Jesus na Pedro. At natupad ang
salitangito ng sibatin ng Romanong centurion ang tagiliran ni Jesus
atdumaloy mula sa nilikhang sugat ang dugo at tubig. Ang Simbahanni
Jesus ay natatag sa araw na iyon, sa araw na dumaloy ang dugoat
tubig mula sa katawan ni Jesus. Nangyari ito noong taong 33AD, nang
si Jesus ay nakabayubay sa krus.Namatay si Jesus nguni’t nang
ikatlong araw ay muli siyangnabuhay. Nagpakita Siya sa Kanyang mga
apostoles (San Juan20:19-23) at sinabi ang ganito: “Kung paanong
sinugo ako ng Ama,gayon din naman sinusugo ko kayo.” Pagkasabi
nito, hiningahansila na ang wika, “Tanggapin ninyo ang Espiritu
Santo. Ang mgakasalanan nino man na inyong patawarin ay
ipinatatawad sa kanila,at ang mga kasalanan nino man na inyong
panatilihin aymananatili.”
Mapapansin ninyo na hiningahan ni Jesus ang kanyang nilalang,ang
kanyang Simbahan. Ang Simbahang noon ay iyong mgaapostoles at ilan
pang mga tagasunod o disipulo ni Kristo: angtinatawag natin ngayon
sa Ingles na “community of the people ofGod.” Ang tao ang bumubuo
ng Simbahan, tayong mga tao, athindi isang gusali. Hiningahan ni
Jesus ang kanyang Simbahan.Ito ang ikalawang pagkakataon sa Bibliya
na hiningahan ng Diyosang kanyang nilalang. Ang unang pagkakataon
na hiningahan ngDiyos ang kanyang nilalang ay nang hiningahan sa
Adan. Nanghiningahan ng Diyos ang katawan ni Adan ay nagkabuhay
ito.Kaya’t nang hiningahan ni Jesus ang kanyang Simbahan ay
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nagkabuhay din ito. Kaya’t may buhay ang Simbahang itinatag
niJesus. Ang Simbahang ito, na itinatag ni Jesus, ay ang
SimbahanKatolika. (Tunghayan ninyo at dasalin ang “Apostles’ Creed”
o AngCredo ng mga Apostol).
Halos dalawang libong taon na ngayon ang Simbahan oIglesiang
itinatag ni Jesus. Ang lahat ng ibang simbahan o sektang relihiyong
natatag pagkatapos ng taong 33AD ay itinatag ng taotulad ng
nabangit na natin.
Dapat ba tayong sumapi o sumama sa simbahang tatag ng tao?Di ba
dapat ay sa Simbahang itinatag ng Diyos, sa Iglesiangitinatag ng
Ating Panginoong JesuKristo – Ang SimbahangKatoliko?
Ang napansin ko sa isang iglesiang itinatag ng tao ay sinasabing
kanyang mga kasapi na ang kanilang pinuno ay isa raw angelna
ipinadala sa silangan ayon daw sa Bibliya. At ang pinuno nilangito
ay pumanaw na at pinalitan ng kanyang anak. Ngayon, ang aponaman
ang siyang namumuno sa iglesiang ito. Ang tanong ko ayito: Mayroon
bang anghel na namatay o pumanaw? Kahit na siSatanas na isang
anghel na sumalungat sa Diyos ay hindi papumapanaw. Hanggang ngayon
ay namamayagpag pa siya atpinipilit na ilayo ang tao sa Diyos.
Katunayan, pati na ang AtingPanginoong Jesus ay kanyang tinukso,
nguni’t hindi siyanagtagumpay.
Ihambing natin ang mga Sekta ng relihiyong ito sa
Simbahangitinatag ng Ating Panginoong Jesus. Ibinigay ng Ating
PanginoongJesus ang mga susi sa Kaharian ng langit kay San Pedro.
Ano angkahulugan nito? Bukod sa kapangyarihan niyang magpapasok
ngkaluluwa sa kaharian ng Diyos ay may kapangyarihan siya, si
SanPedro at ang mga humalili sa kanya, na gumawa ng alituntunin
atpatakaran kung papaano tatanggapin niya ang kaluluwa sa
langit.Ito ay katulad din ng isang ama na may hawak ng susi ng
kanyangtahanan. Siya ay may kapangyarihang gumawa ng patakaran
atalituntunin sa loob ng kanyang tahanan at ito ay dapat tuparin
atsundin ng kanyang nasasakupan – ng kanyang butihing may bahayat
kanyang mga anak o sinumang kasambahay.
Kung inyong mapapansin din sa pagtatatag ni JesuKristo ngkanyang
Simbahan ay binigyan niya ng kapangyarihan si SanPedro (at mga Pari
na may ranggong Obispo at Presbitero ngayon)bilang pinuno ng
Iglesia na magpatawad sa kasalanan ng tao.Kahit na ang anghel ay
hindi binigyan ng ganitong kapangyarihanng Diyos. Nguni’t ang mga
pinuno sa Simbahang itinatag niJesuKristo ay binigyan ng ganitong
kapangyarihan. SimbahangKatoliko lamang na pinamumunuan ng Santo
Papa ang mayganitong kapangyarihan. Ang lahat ng simbahan o
iglesiangitinatag ng tao ay walang ganitong kapangyarihan. Kaya’t
kungmananatili kayong kasapi sa simbahang itinatag ng tao ay
walangkatiyakang makakamit ninyo ang kaluwalhatian ng langit.
Handaba ninyong ipakipagsapalaran ang inyong kaluluwa?
Malaki ang kontribusyon ng Iglesia Katolika saPananampalataya.
Una, ang gumawa ng Bibliya ay ang SimbahanKatolika. Sabi nga ni
Martin Luther, lider ng mga SimbahangProtestante, kung walang
Simbahang Katolika ay walang Bibliya.
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Nuong umpisa pa lamang ng malayang pag-iral ng Simbahan
aynagtatag ang Simbahang Katoliko ng isang panel na binubuo ngmga
dalubhasa sa teolohiya at mga wikang klasiko upang tuklasinat
piliin iyong mga tunay na kasulatan tungkol sa
pananampalataya.Pagkatapos ng matagal na pananaliksik at pag-aaral
ay iniharapnila ito sa Santo Papa, si Papa San Bonifacio,P.P. I.
Masusingpinag-aralan ito ng Santo Papa. Matapos ang matagal at
masusingpag-aaral at sa tulong ng Espiritu Santo ay napagpasiyahan
ngSanto Papa na ang mga kasulatang iniharap sa kanya ng panel
aykinasihan ng Banal na Espiritu, samakatuwid, ay naaayon
sakatotohanan, kaya’t sinabi niya na ito nga ang Bibliya at
dapatsundin at paniwalaan ng lahat. At ito ang Bibliyang sinusunod
nglahat. Ang orihinal na mga manuskrito ay nakasulat sa Hebreo
atGriyego. Ang ating binabasa ngayon ay salin lamang sa ibangwika.
Hindi orihinal.
Ikalawang kontribyusiyon ng Simbahang Katoliko ay angkalendaryo
– ang Gregorian Calendar, ang kalendaryo ni Papa SanGregorio, P.P.
I . Ito ang kalendaryong ginagamit ng maraming lahisa mundo.
Ang alituntunin ng demokrasiya ay kontribyusiyon din ngSimbahang
Katoliko. Bago lumaganap sa iba’t ibang panig ngdaigdig ang mga
apostol ni JesuKristo ay pumili sila ng kahalili niJudas Iscariote.
Ang napili nila sa isang botohan ay si San Matiaskaya’t naging
labindalawa uli sila. Bakit labindalawang apostoles?dahil
kinakatawan nila ang labing dalawang tribo ng Israel (twelvetribes
of Israel-iyong labing dalawang anak ni Jacob) ang bayangunang
pinili ng Diyos.
Ano naman ang kontribusyon ng ibang sekta ng relihiyon?Nada.
Wala. Maliban sa paninira sa mga itinuturo ng Simbahangitinatag ng
Ating Panginoon at paninira rin ng mga estatuwa ng mgataong malapit
sa Ating Panginoong Jesus. Iyon lamang angkanilang malaking
kontribusyon. Tama ba ito?
Kaya’tInaanyayahan kayo na sumapi sa DEI ECCLISIAM UNAM
SANCTAM (DEUS), natatanging samahan ng Simbahang Kristiyanosa
buong mundo na hindi humihingi ng limos para sa sarilingsamahan.
Ang samahang ang tanging layunin ay ipamulat sa lahatang
kahalagahan ng pananatiling kasapi sa Simbahang itinatag ngDiyos
halos dalawang libong taon na ngayon (ca. 2000 years ago)ang
nakalilipas.
Ang Simbahang di tulad ng ibang sekta ng relihiyon na
itinataglamang ng tao: ang Iglesia ni Cristo, ang Born Again (daw)
nangayon ay tinatawag na Jesus is Lord at ilan pang Sekta
ngRelihiyon.
Kaya’t kung susunod ang mga tao sa ipinangangaral at itinuturong
Simbahang itinatag ng Diyos ay nakatitiyak sila ng kaligtasandahil
sa sinabi ng Panginoong Hesus na “sino mang patawarinninyo sa lupa
ay patatawarin din sa langit at ang sino mang talianninyo sa lupa
ay tatalian din sa langit.”(Matthew 16:16-19) at dahildin sa si San
Pedro, ang unang Papa ng Simbahang itinatag ni
-
Hesus, ay siyang may hawak ng susi ng langit.
Inaanyayahan namin kayong sumapi sa DEUS.
Naghahanap kami ng mga kabataang hahalili sa amin.(ITO ANG
KAIBAHAN NG SAMAHANG ITO – ANG PAMUMUNOAY HINDI MINAMANA NG MGA
ANAK TULAD SA ILANG SEKTANG RELIHIYON AT SAMAHANG PULITIKA O
POLITICALDYNASTY)
TUMAWAG SA landlines 710 5679; 890 3253 ; 354 1215 O SA
cellphones 09179280620; O 9206964748.
O mag-email sa: [email protected]
Bro Romeo P TorresChief Executive Officer
DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM
-
JESUS SPEAKSAND SO WE MUST LISTEN !!!
There are many in our midst whom Jesus referred to as “theymay
look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but
notunderstand.” (Mark 4:12) And so Jesus said in Mark 8:18 “Do
youhave eyes and not see, ears and not hear?These refers to those
who are now undermining the power thatJesus gave to His disciples
and are now canonized as Saints by theChurch founded by Him.
Remember what Jesus said to hisdisciples (now Saints of the Church)
in John 16:23 “Amen, amen, Isay to you, whatever you ask the Father
in my name, he will giveyou.” And John 16:24 “Until now you have
not asked anything in myname, ask and you will receive, so that
your joy will be complete.”
And so Jesus gave his disciples authority to drive unclean
spiritsand to cure every disease and every illness and to drive
outdemons. (Matthew 10:1; Mark 3:15; Luke 9:1)
Therefore, the Church, the Catholic Church has beenencouraging
the faithful to ask the Saints to intercede in their behalfbecause
Jesus explicitly promised them that whatever they, theSaints, ask
in His name, Jesus’ name, will be granted. Theenemies of the
Church, and we can rightly say, the enemies ofJesus close their
eyes to this promise of Our Lord Jesus Christ, notfor the sake of
the children of God but for their own selfish interest.
So Jesus warned them in no uncertain term in Luke 10:16
that“whoever listens to you (the saints) listens to me.
Whoeverrejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects
theone who sent me.” Therefore those who refuse to listen to
Jesus’disciples, now Saints of the Church, rejects Jesus and
ultimately,rejects His Father in heaven. Are we, you and I, ready
and willing toreject the saints for the sake of our religious
leaders who may havesome ulterior motive and risk rejecting Jesus
and His Father inheaven?
Think hard, pray hard that you will know the truth and
knowingthe truth will set you free from the false teachings of whom
Jesusreferred to as “those false prophets, who come to you in
sheep’sclothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.” Jesus,
therefore,founded His Church, the Catholic Church, on Peter, the
first Pope,two thousand years ago (Matthew 16:17-18) to protect you
fromthese “ravenous wolves.” God bless you all.
TUMAWAG SA landlines 710 5679; 890 3253 ; 354 1215 O SA
cellphones 09179280620; O 9206964748.
O mag-email sa: [email protected]
Bro Romeo P TorresChief Executive Officer
DEI ECCLESIAM UNAM SANCTAM
-
The Book of Beginninga comparative reading of the
translations
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE and JERUSALEM BIBLE
Fr Romeo D de los Santos
IntroductionThe first five books, also referred to as
Pentateuch, that we find in
the library called BIBLE used to be taken as having been written
by adescendant of Jacob (later Israel). We mean the descendant who,
thoughborn of Levite parents, was raised as an Egyptian prince. His
namewas Moses. We can read about him in the book of EXODUS.1
This view about the authorship of the Pentateuch had to be
modifiedwith the advent of modern science, particularly,
hermeneutics or thescience of interpretation.1a It was found out
that several hagiographerswrote a lot of the books of the BIBLE,
that is to say that a single book,at times, had been penned by more
than one hagiographer.
This reality became more pronounced, even obvious, after
carefulscrutiny of the Sacred Texts. A lot of sources have already
beenidentified by the scholars of Sacred Scriptures. Among them are
theso-called traditions.
THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY published Fr.Eugene H. Maly’s
article about four of the known traditions. Thosetraditions are
orally transmitted literary pieces which had become sourcematerials
for the history of Israel. Some of them were stories,
primtivesongs, oracles, etymologies or histories of linguistic
forms,1b andlegends.
The Yahwist tradition is so-named and is readily identifiable
becauseof its out of date use of the word Yahweh. Such use was
ananachronism1c because Yahweh, as a Hebrew name for God, was to
berevealed later to Moses. Anthropomorphism1d was another
characteristicof this tradition. This tradition extended as far
back as the beginningof created beings.
It can also be noticed that in the Yahwist tradition, there was
glaringpreference of a younger son over the first born. It has
preserved, for us,the fact that the tribe of Judah was favored in
the amphictyony.1e
The word Elohim was carefully used in another tradition. This
gaverise to its name: Elohist tradition. Its earliest account was
aboutAbraham and God’s covenant with the descendants of Jacob that
wasconsidered a form of climax for this tradition. Sacred
Scriptures’scholars trace the origin of this tradition to the
northern kingdom roughly
-
after 922 BC. This tradition presented God as speaking to men in
manyvaried ways. Those ways excluded the taking of a human form by
God,a means that was noticeable in the Yahwist tradition. Morality
wasconsidered in stricter manner in this tradition than in the
Yahwist.
Some scholars suspect that the Elohist tradition also
containednarratives about events before Abraham. This could hardly
be verified,however, because those naratives could have probably
been absorvedinto the Yahwist tradition. Nevertheless, some
theological insights inthe prepatriarchal narratives show traces of
the Elohist tradition.
It is easier to identify the Deuteronomic tradition. The name
suggeststhat it is the source of the book of DEUTERONOMY. This does
notmean that there are no other books traceable to this tradition.
The booksof JOSHUA, RUTH, JUDGES, the two books of SAMUEL and
thetwo books of KINGS are referred to as deuteronomic history
books.
The Priestly tradition is attributed to the priests who maintain
thatJerusalem is the proper place of worship of Yahweh. It is the
source ofthe whole book of LEVITICUS and some portions of other
booksincluded in the Pentateuch.
These traditions are now in the form written materials
carefullypenned by scribes for purposes of practical
preservation.
Please read, for more information, some portions of Fr. Eugene
H.Maly’s article2 in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.
Our present concern is the BIBLE’s first of the five books or
thePentateuch. That book is entitled GENESIS, a Greek word
whichmeans “in the beginning.” We will notice that the book has
beencomposed of portions taken from the Priestly, Yahwist and
Elohisttraditions. The Priestly tradition supplied some sort of
chronology tothe events freely narrated by the Yahwist and Elohist
traditions.
Some caution must be sounded regarding the use of the
word“history” in referring to the narratives in the first eleven
chapters ofthe book of Genesis. We cannot read GENESIS and find out
how oldis the created heaven and earth. Illustration of the plan of
God wasgiven more value in that book than strict chronological
precision.
Fr. Eugene H. Maly wrote something about the
composition,“history” and meaning3 of that first book in the BIBLE.
That piece ofwriting may be read in the article entitled Genesis
published also inTHE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.
NOTES1. Please see EXODUS 2:1-9 1a. Please see MERRIAM-WEBSTER
DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS1b. Please see IBID. 1c. Please see IBID.
1d. Please see IBID. 1e. Please see IBID.2. Eugene H. Maly,
Introduction to Pentateuch, THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY - Volume
I,
Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. and Roland E.
Murphy, O.Carm. (Eds.), (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968),
1:13-17.
3. Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:2-8.
-
Primitive History (aversio a Deo)The time from the beginning of
everything, including human life,
to that of Abraham may not be traced through recorded
materialsfamiliar to modern historians. Neither manuscripts nor
documents thatthe modern historians will properly consider as
sources or witnessesof the past events were uncovered so far. What
are available, if ever,are excerpts from folklore, or legends or
traditions that were handeddown from generation to generation.
Hence we have the Yahwist,Elohist, Priestly and Deuteronomic
traditions to talk about.
The first eleven chapters of the book of GENESIS are
alsoconsidered to contain narratives of movement from a very
closerelations of God with man towards a gap that was
continuouslywidening (aversio a Deo in Latin) on account of man’s
transgressions.Sin is comparable to a vacuum in between God and
man. Yes, sin isnegative, therefore, abhorrent to God who is all
good.
Man must realize his obligation to lead a life in accordance
with theDivine Will hence he has to be chastised from time to time
forwrongdoings.
Man must realize that God, who created him, wants him to be
happyin his presence.
Man must realize that God wants to share His love with him in
Hisabode in heaven.
These can only be possible if he abides with His Will.
The Stories of CreationThe first item that we may read as we
open the BIBLE is a narrative
of how we, everything we see and those that our eyes cannot
perceivehappened to be around. There are two versions of this item:
one comingfrom the Priestly tradition and the other from the
Yahwist tradition.
It is relevant for us, at the moment, to bear in mind that the
Priestlyand the Yahwist traditions may be identified as
follows:
Priestly Tradition. The ... concern for liturgy, to the priests
ofJerusalem accounts for its title, “Priestly” (P). ... Its style
is abstractand redundant ... fond of genealogies, chronological
precision, andminute descriptions of ritual elements ... avoids
anthropomorphisms...4
Yahwist Tradition. The earliest ... tradition ... called
“Yahwist” ...because of its anachronistic use of “Yahweh” ... is
more commonlydated about the tenth century in the southern kingdom.
... The constantsdistinguishing the tradition include a
characteristic vocabulary, astylistic elegance ... a perceptive
psychology, deep theological insights,and a bold use of
anthropomorphisms.5
These two are the sources of the first eleven chapters of the
book ofGENESIS.
We will present the Sacred Writings taken from the Priestly
tradition
-
in red. Those coming from the Yahwist tradition will be read in
adistinctive brown. We shall do this in order to help our readers
andusers of this work to be able to readily identify the sources of
theparticular portions of the Sacred Texts.
THE PRIESTLY TRADITION’S ACCOUNT OF CREATIONLet us carefully
read the opening two verses in the first story of
creation as translated in the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.First Story of
Creation. †In the beginning, when God created the
heavens and the earth, †the earth was a formless wasteland,
anddarkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the
waters.6
The whole story (chapter one, verse one through the first part
of versefour, chapter two) is explained through the footnote that
follows. “Thissection introduces the whole Pentateuch. It shows how
God broughtan orderly universe out of primordial chaos.”7 The
explanatory footnotefor the second of the preceding two verses is
being presented below.
The abyss: the primordial ocean according to the ancient
Semiticcosmogony. After God’s creative activity, part of this vast
body formsthe salt-water seas (verses 9 and the following); part of
it is the freshwater under the earth (Psalms 33,7; Ezekiel 31,4),
which wells forthon the earth as springs and fountains (Genesis
7,11; 8,2; Proverbs 3,20).Part of it, “the upper water” (Psalm
148,4; Daniel 3,60), is held up bythe dome of the sky (Genesis
7,11; 2Kings 7,2.19; Psalms 104,13). Amighty wind: literally, “a
wind of God,’ or “a spirit of God”; pleasesee Genesis 8,1.8
Let us compare the preceding official English translation with
thatof the BIBLE scholars in Jerusalem.
The first account of creationa
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now
theearth was a formless void,b there was darkness over the deep,
andGod’s spirit hoveredc over the water.9
The subtitle “The first account of creation,” supplied by the
translatorsfor study purposes, describes the whole of the first
chapter and the firstthree and a half verses of the second. Let us
read about that account inthe footnote that follows.
This narrative, ascribed to the ‘Priestly’ source, is less
concreteand more theological than that which follows, 2:4-25; it
aims at alogical and exhaustive classification of beings whose
creation isdeliberately fitted into the framework of a week which
closes with thesabbath day of rest. These beings come forth from
nothing at God’scommands; they emerge in order of dignity: man,
God’s image andcreation’s king, comes last. The text makes use of
the primitive scienceof its day. It would be a mistake to seek
points of agreement betweenthis schematic presentation and the data
of modern science, but it isimportant to notice that although it
bears the stamp of its period thisliterary form conveys a
revelation of one, transcendent God, existingbefore the world which
he created - a revelation valid for all time.10
The explanatory footnote that the scholars supplied for the noun
“void”in verse two of the first chapter of the book of GENESIS may
be read
-
below.In Hebrew tohu and bohu, ‘trackless waste and emptiness’:
these,
like the ‘darkness over the deep’ and the ‘waters’, are images
thatattempt to express in virtue of their negative quality the idea
of ‘creationfrom nothing’ which reaches precise formulation for the
first time in2Maccabees 7:28.11
The verb “hovered” in the same verse is also explained by
thetranslators employing a footnote. That note is “Like a bird
hanging inthe air over its young in the nest, Deuteronomy
32:11.”12
There seems to be no noticeable difference between the
twotranslations. They both started with the phrase “In the
beginning,” theEnglish translation of the Greek one-word title of
the book we arepresently studying. Take note that the custom of the
time was to usethe first word of a literary work as its title.
Both translations, moreover, presented chaos or wasteland
beforeGod created everything including the one who wrote these
words andthe other who, now reads this.
No man can ever boast of an experience of the pre-creation
situation.Only God knew about it because He alone existed before
creation.Man can only listen to or read whatever may be said or
written beforethe Ultimate Cause ever fashioned the first created
being.
This knowledge can only be possible to you, him/her and me
becauseof Divine Revelation. We have learned about it because God
graciouslyallowed us to know it by means of reading and properly
understandingHis Written Word.
Now, for further enlightenment about these two verses, please
readthe pertinent comment13 written by Fr. Eugene H. Maly and
publishedin THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.
Let us proceed reading the Sacred Writings in the English
translationentitled NEW AMERICAN BIBLE in order to complete
ourinformation regarding the divine work done during the first
day.
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God
sawhow good the light was. God then separated the light from the
darkness.†God called the light “day,” and the darkness “night.”
Thus eveningcame, and morning followed - the first day.14
The explanatory footnote for the last of the preceding three
verses isbeing presented below.
In ancient Israel a day was considered to begin at sunset.
Accordingto the highly artificial literary structure of Genesis
1,1-2,4a, God’screative activity is divided into six days to teach
the sacredness of thesabbath rest on the seventh day in the
Israelite religion (2,2 and thefollowing verse).”15
Let us again compare this official English translation of three
verseswith that of the scholars in Jerusalem.
God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. God saw
that thelight was good, and God divided light from darkness. God
called light‘day’, and darkness he called ‘night’. Evening came and
morning came
-
the first day.16
We have read the official English translation by the Holy
MotherChurch and the translation by the scholars in Jerusalem. The
twotranslations of those three verses seem to be identical.
Our times see man’s attempt at illuminating the night and
darkeningthe day. Obviously, success is still far from being total.
Artificial lightfor one half of the face of the earth will be very
expensive andimpractical. Such will be too much for the human
sciences and thearts. Heavy curtains or enclosures can only be
feasible in isolated areasthat are minute enough in contrast to one
half of the planet where welive.
God and only God can effectively illumine a huge place such
ashalf the face of planets.
No one else, therefore, but God owns the exclusive prerogative
togive a name to light as He did.
If you can spare a minute or two, you may find it worth your
whileto take a glimpse of the Sacred Scriptures scholars’
opinion,17
particularly that of Fr. Eugene H. Maly.
Let us proceed reading the Sacred Scriptures in the
Englishtranslation entitled NEW AMERICAN BIBLE and find out
whathappened on the second day of creation.
Then God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters,
toseparate one body of water from the other.” And so it happened:
Godmade the dome, and it separated the water above the dome from
thewater below it. God called the dome “the sky.” Evening came,
andmorning followed - the second day.18
Let us compare this English translation with that of the
scholarsscrutinizing manuscripts and documents related to or
presumed to bethose of the Sacred Scriptures in Jerusalem.
God said, ‘Let there be a vaultd in the waters to divide the
waters intwo’. And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided
the watersabove the vault from the waters under the vault. God
called the vault‘heaven’. Evening came and morning came: the second
day.19
The explanatory footnote for the noun “vault” in verse six of
the firstchapter of the book of GENESIS is “For the ancient Semites
theseeming vault of the sky (the ‘firmament’) was a solid dome
holdingthe upper waters in check; the waters of the Deluge poured
downthrough apertures in it, 7:11.”20
Vault and dome are always spelled differently. They are,
however,used in the translations of the Sacred Scriptures as
synonyms.
It is not far from the truth to suppose that every man capable
ofreading this piece of writing has looked, with naked eyes, at
what liesabove his head outdoors on a clear summer night when the
moon isseen at its largest possible visibility. You, my friend,
must have noticedthat the horizon looks like a huge inverted bowl,
so huge for anyone tosee the edge.
The hagiographer of this portion of the Sacred Scriptures did
just
-
the same. He was not interested in finding out beyond what the
nakedeye could see. Such was not possible then. There was no
sophisticatedinstruments for watching the heavenly bodies in his
time. No one, inthose days even ventured to think about those
activity and things.
The opinion of the scholars will surely help us in the
properunderstanding of the message contained in the Sacred Texts.
Pleasetake a good look at the pertinent portion21 of the article
written by Fr.Eugene H. Maly.
My friend, you will surely enjoy following the work of the
Lord.Let us proceed reading the English translation of the Sacred
Scripturesdone by the members of the Catholic Biblical Association
of Americasponsored by the Bishops Committee of the Confraternity
of ChristianDoctrine.
Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into
asingle basin, so that the dry land may appear.” And so it
happened: thewater under the sky was gathered into its basin, and
the dry landappeared. God called the dry land “the earth,” and the
basin of thewater he called “the sea.” God saw how good it
was.22
Let us compare it, as we had been doing with the other verses,
withthe English translation of the scholars in Jerusalem.
God said, ‘Let the waters under heaven come together into a
singlemass,e and let dry land appear’. And so it was. God called
the dry land‘earth’ and the mass of waters ‘seas’, and God saw that
it was good.23
The explanatory footnote for the noun “mass” in verse nine of
thefirst chapter of the book of GENESIS is “‘mass’ thus the
Greek;Hebrew ‘place’.”24
Modern scientific discoveries, notwithstanding, we still hear
aboutreference to the overhead horizon as either heaven or sky. Let
us askourselves. Do we really believe that heaven, the abode of
God, is upthere on the sky?
We have entered the third day of creation, the work of the Lord.
Wehave learned about the manner in which he completed the job he
startedon the previous day.
Now, please spare a moment to read the opinion25 of one of
theexperts, the scholars working on the Sacred Scriptures’
manuscripts inJerusalem.
God, obviously, created the surface of the earth with varied
levelsin order to have a place where He can gather huge bodies of
water.This also explains the mountains and hills, the plateaus and
valleys,the sandy shores and marshlands, and the mountain ranges
and vastplains. He did all these, and many more, in preparation for
His creatureout of love, that is, you, him/her and me, my
friend.
Let us continue by reading the English translation of the
SacredScriptures done by the members of the Catholic Biblical
Associationof America sponsored by the Bishops Committee of the
Confraternityof Christian Doctrine.
-
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: every kind
ofplant that bears seed and every kind of fruit tree on earth that
bearsfruit with its seed in it.” And so it happened: the earth
brought forthevery kind of plant that bears seed and every kind of
fruit tree on earththat bears fruit with its seed in it. God saw
how good it was. Eveningcame, and morning followed - the third
day.26
Comparison is always beneficial when one has to study
manuscriptsthrough translations. Let us again compare the work of
the CatholicBiblical Association of America with the English
translation by theSacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem.
God said, ‘Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing
plants,and fruit trees bearing fruit with their seed inside, on the
earth’. Andso it was. The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing
seed in theirseveral kinds, and trees bearing fruit with their seed
inside in theirseveral kinds. God saw that it was good. Evening
came and morningcame the third day.27
There are variations in the words and word-arrangements in
thetwo translations. Inspite of that fact, they seem to convey the
samemessage, that is, trees and fruit trees are among God’s
creation. Theybelong, in fact, to the lower form of creatures. They
are creatures,definitely, lower than man or other animals.
Please take some time to browse at a portion28 of Fr. Eugene
H.Maly’s article in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.
We read in books about, our own, Philippine history that
ourancestors worshiped trees and other apparent extra-ordinary
things innature. Ours is not really very different situation with
those among thedescendants of Jacob for whom the Sacred Scriptures
were initiallyaddressed. They were, and still are Asians like us,
anyway.
How interesting it is, my friend, to possess knowledge of the
mysteryof creation. It is being offered to you, him/her and me, my
friend. Allwe have to do is read and understand what we read.
Oh, just out of mere curiosity, my friend. You, probably, are
amongthose who have eaten (or at least tasted) cashew nuts. Have
you seenthe fruit itself? Did you notice that the seed of that
fruit is not withinit? Quite interestingly, God made fruit trees
bearing fruits with seedinside on the third day. Don’t you wonder
when was cashew createdby God?
Let us proceed reading the Sacred Scriptures in the
Englishtranslation entitled NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to
separateday from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and
the years,and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed
light upon theearth.” And so it happened: God made the two great
lights, the greaterone to govern the day, and the lesser one to
govern the night; and hemade the stars. God set them in the dome of
the sky, to shed light uponthe earth, to govern the day and the
night, and to separate the lightfrom the darkness. God saw how good
it was. Evening came, andmorning followed - the fourth day.29
-
We have read the official Catholic translation into English of
versesfourteen to nineteen of the first chapter of GENESIS. Let us,
then,compare it with the English translation by the scholars in
Jerusalem.
God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of heaven to divide
dayfrom night, and let them indicate festivals, days and years. Let
thembe lights in the vault of heaven to shine on the earth.’ And so
it was.God made the two great lights:f the greater light to govern
the day, thesmaller light to govern the night, and the stars. God
set them in thevault of heaven to shine on the earth, to govern the
day and the nightand to divide light from darkness. God saw that it
was good. Eveningcame and morning came the fourth day.30
The explanatory footnote for the phrase “two great lights” in
versesixteen of the book of GENESIS chapter one is “Their names
areomitted deliberately: Sun and Moon, deified by all the
neighboringpeoples, are here no more than lamps that light the
earth and regulatethe calendar.”31
Fr. Eugene H. Maly32 elaborated the subject matter of the
precedingfootnote that his fellow scholars in Jerusalem offered for
a properunderstanding of the Sacred Texts on our part.
It is obvious that sunlight, especially in the early hours of
themorning, benefits man. It is also common knowledge among
ricefarmers that the heat coming from the sun is necessary for the
newlyharvested rice. Vine dressers know that sunny summer days make
thegrapes sweet. These benefits are supposed to be understood as
part ofthe worth or use of the sun that God intended for man.
Proper and complete understanding of these and many other
benefitscannot and will never point to deification of the sun. Yes,
the sun wasworshipped by peoples in the known world of the days of
thecomposition of the Sacred Scriptures. What we mentioned as
obvious,nowadays, wer still to be found out by man in the course of
history.
God’s work continues to unravel before us as we proceed
readingthe English translation of the Sacred Writings in the
NEWAMERICAN BIBLE.
Then God said, “Let the water teem with an abundance of
livingcreatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of
the sky.”And so it happened: God created the great sea monsters and
all kindsof swimming creatures with which the water teems, and all
kinds ofwinged birds. God saw how good it was, and God blessed
them, saying,“Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birdsmultiply on the earth.” Evening came, and morning
followed - thefifth day.33
How did the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars translate those verses
intoEnglish? Let us read it and compare the English translation
above withit.
God said, ‘Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let
birdsfly above the earth within the vault of heaven’. And so it
was. Godcreated great sea serpents and every kind of living
creature with whichthe waters teem, and every kind of winged
creature. God saw that it
-
was good. God blessed them saying, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, and
fill thewaters of the seas; and let the birds multiply upon the
earth’. Eveningcame and morning came the fifth day.34
We can have a better grasp of the message contained in the
verseswe have read in English translation if we will browse at the
opinion35
of the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars.Animals in the waters, on
land and in the air move on their own.
Plants, on the other hand, cannot transfer themselves from one
placeto another. Plants are being transferred by man or by lower
animals.The ancients knew this much fully well but were not privy
to otherknowledge we now have on account of modern scientific
findings.The ancients associated life with the ability for local
motion.Consequently, they considered plants, not merely lower than
animalsbut even without life.
Our contemporaries who call themselves vegetarians,
quiteinterestingly, maintain that they do not eat anything with
life. Theymust be thinking along the lines of the ancients despite
progress inlearning brought about by modern science.
Let us, now, read two more verses from the English translation
ofthe Sacred Scriptures in the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth all kinds of
livingcreatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all
kinds.” Andso it happened: God made all kinds of wild animals, all
kinds of cattle,and all kinds of creeping things of the earth, God
saw how good itwas.36
Let us again compare that English translation of those verses,
as wehave been doing, with the English translation by the Sacred
Scriptures’scholars in Jerusalem.
God said, ‘Let the earth produce every kind of living creature:
cattle,reptiles,g and every kind of wild beast’. And so it was. God
made everykind of wild beast, every kind of cattle, and every kind
of land reptile.God saw that it was good.37
The explanatory footnote that the scholars offered for the
noun“reptiles” in verse twenty-four of the first chapter of the
book ofGENESIS is “Literally ‘that which crawls’ (or ‘glides’,
verse 21):not only snakes and lizards but also insects and the
smaller animals.”38
The NEW AMERICAN BIBLE translators used “creeping things”while
the scholars used “reptiles” in the two translations. The
footnotein the JERUSALEM BIBLE explains the slight difference
intranslation.
The opinion39 of Fr. Eugene H. Maly, regarding the two verses
thatwe have just read, will surely help us in deciphering the
message beingdelivered to us.
Modern sciences refer to man as the highest form of animal.
Suchreference cannot be coined by science, as we have found out so
far,because the concept, highest form of animal, has been hinted
way aheadof time by the Priestly tradition.
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Have you, my friend, pondered on the reality that is you? You
existhere and now in much the same situation as him/her and me. But
howdid we come to exist? Let us read two verses from the
Englishtranslation of the Sacred Writings in the NEW AMERICAN
BIBLE.
†Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness.Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds
of the air,and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all
the creatures thatcrawl on the ground.”
God created man in his image;in the divine image he created
him;male and female he created them.40
The explanatory footnote offered by the translators for the
first of thepreceding two verses is “Man is here presented as the
climax of God’screative activity; he resembles God primarily
because of the dominionGod gives him over the rest of
creation.”41
Let us, again, compare this English translation of verses
twenty-sixto twenty-seven with that of the scholars in
Jerusalem.
God said, ‘Let ush make mani in our own image, in the likenessj
ofourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the
birds ofheaven, the cattle, all the wild beastsk and all the
reptiles that crawlupon the earth’.
God created man in the image of himself,in the image of God he
created him,male and female he created them.42
The explanatory footnote for the pronoun “us” that we read as
thefourth word of verse twenty-six is being presented below.
It is possible that this plural form implies a discussion
betweenGod and his heavenly court (the angels, please see 3:5,22);
our textwas thus understood by the Greek version (followed by the
Vulgata)of Psalm 8:5 (quoted in Hebrews 2:7). Alternatively, the
pluralexpresses the majesty and fullness of God’s being; the common
namefor God in Hebrew is Elohim, a plural form. Thus the way is
preparedfor the interpretation of the Fathers who saw in this text
a hint of theTrinity.43
The sixth word of verse twenty-six is the noun “man” and it is
explainedthus: “Collective noun, hence the plural ‘Be masters
of’.”44 Theexplanatory footnote for the noun “likeness” that
appears as thethirteenth word of verse twenty-six may be read
below.
‘Likeness’, by excluding the idea of equality, weakens the force
of‘image’, a realistic term (‘something carved’) that implies a
physicalresemblance like that between Adam and his sons, 5:3. The
relationshipwith God marks man off from the animals: moreover, it
involves aseveral similarity of nature: intellect, will, authority
- man is a person.It paves the way for a higher revelation: man’s
share in the divinenature by virtue of grace.45
The brief explanatory footnote for the clause “all the wild
beasts”towards the end of verse twenty-six is “‘All the wild
beasts’ Syriac.”46
My friend, please browse at what Fr. Eugene H. Maly has
written47
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about the two verses we are studying at the moment.Man is a
creature of God. Man, however, is special among all
creatures because of God’s design. Man is the only creature that
carriesthe Divine Image and likeness. Man is the only creature that
has beengiven the breath of life in a very special way.
The care of His other creatures on earth was entrusted by God
toman. The psalmist, inspired by the Holy Spirit, chanted man’s
God-given dignity. Let us read on that psalm, which, in the English
translationby the scholars of the Sacred Scriptures in Jerusalem
may be read below.
PSALM 8The munificence of the creator
For the choirmaster On the ...of Gatha Psalm Of David
Yahweh, our Lord,how great your name throughout the earth!
Above the heavens is your majesty chantedb
by the mouths of children, babes in arms.c
You set your strongholdd firm against your foesto subdue enemies
and rebels.
I look up at your heavens, made by your fingers,at the moon and
stars you set in place -ah, what is man that you should spare a
thought for him,the son of man that you should care for him?
Yet you have made him little less than a god,e
you have crowned him with glory and splendour,made him lord over
the work of your hands,set all things under his feet,
sheep and oxen, all these,yes, wild animals too,birds in the
air, fish in the seatravelling the paths of the ocean.f
Yahweh, our Lord,how great your name throughout the earth!48
The scholars offered several footnotes as helps in the process
ofunderstanding the message contained in the preceding psalm. Let
usglean on them one at a time. The first is for “Gath” and it
reads:“Possibly the harp, or a Philistine melody.”49 The phrase
“your majestychanted” at the end of the first line of the second
stanza that also endsthe first verse is explained thus: “Text has
been corrected ‘may you(singular) give’ Hebrew.”50 The third
footnote is for the line “by themouths of children, babes in arms.”
the second line of the second stanzaand the first of the second
verse. That note reads “Christ quoted thistext when the children
had acclaimed his solemn entry into Jerusalem.In the liturgy it is
used for the feast of the Holy Innocents (Matthew
-
2:16).”51 The noun “stronghold” in the third line of the second
stanzais also explained by way of a footnote. That note is “That
is, thefirmament or heavenly vault (Genesis 1:6) on which stands
theimpregnable citadel from which God routs his foes (Micah 1:2;
Psalm2:4; 150:1).”52 The word “god” in the line “Yet you have made
himlittle less than a god,” the first of the fifth verse and the
fourth stanzais explained by way of the footnote that follows.
The author is thinking of man in comparison with the
mysteriousbeings that constitute the court of Yahweh, Psalm 29:1
and the followingverse, the ‘angels’ of Greek translation of the
Sacred Scriptures andVulgata. Please see Psalm 45:6 and the
following verse.53
The linesyou have crowned him with glory and splendour,made him
lord over the work of your hands,set all things under his feet,
sheep and oxen, all these,yes, wild animals too,birds in the
air, fish in the seatravelling the paths of the ocean.
which are the second line of the fourth stanza through the whole
of thefifth stanza, which are verses five through eight, are
explained in thefinal footnote that reads “Man, frail yet made in
the likeness of God,on the border between the spiritual and
material worlds, rules thenatural creation.”54
The scholar’s opinion55 about this psalm is a relevant reading
forevery student of the Sacred Scriptures.
Let us, now, read the rest of the first chapter of the book of
GENESISin the English translation of the Sacred Scriptures known as
the NEWAMERICAN BIBLE.
God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the
earth andsubdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the
birds of the air,and all living things that move on the earth.” God
also said: “See, Igive you every seed bearing plant all over the
earth and every tree thathas seed-bearing fruit on it to be your
food; and to all the animals ofthe land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawlon the ground, I give all
the green plants for food.” And so it happened.God looked at
everything he had made, and he found it very good.Evening came, and
morning followed - the sixth day.56
Let us, also, compare the official Catholic translation into
Englishthat we have just read with the English translation by the
SacredScriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem.
God blessed them, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill
theearth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the
birds ofheaven and all living animals on the earth.’ God said,
‘See, I give youall the seed-bearing plants that are upon the whole
earth, and all thetrees with seed-bearing fruits; these shall be
your food. To all wildbeasts, all birds of heaven and all living
reptiles on the earth I give all
-
the foliage of plants for food.’l And so it was. God saw all he
hadmade, and indeed it was very good. Evening came and morning
camethe sixth day.57
The explanatory footnote for the statementsBe masters of the
fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all livinganimals on the
earth.’ God said, ‘See, I give you all the seed-bearingplants that
are upon the whole earth, and all the trees with
seed-bearingfruits; these shall be your food. To all wild beasts,
all birds of heavenand all living reptiles on the earth I give all
the foliage of plants forfood.58
is “Description of a golden age when men and beasts were at
peacewith each other, having plants for their food. Genesis 9:3
marks thebeginning of a new era.”59
The phrases “all living thngs that move on the earth” in the
officialEnglish translation and “all living animals on the earth”
in the scholarstranslation of the Sacred Scriptures refer to but
one reality: the loweranimals, as we refer to them now on account
of findings in the scienceof biology. Those realities were referred
to in the previous verse as“living creatures.” These are the
animals that God placed under man.These are the animals that man
must master, that man must responsiblycontrol using the
intelligence that God gave him.
Please read the pertinent comment60 of Fr. Eugene H. Maly.We
have read about the six working days that God spent to make all
things both seen and unseen. We have read it in the narrative of
thePriestly tradition. That is contained in the whole of the first
chapter ofGENESIS, the first book in the collection of books called
BIBLE.
The conclusion of creation may be read in the beginning of
thesecond chapter of the first book in the Sacred Scriptures’
Englishtranslation that is also known as the NEW AMERICAN
BIBLE.
Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were
completed.Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work
he had beendoing, he rested on the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it herested from all the work he had done in
creation.
Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their
creation.61
Let us compare what we have just read with the English
translationby the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem.
Thus heaven and earth were completed with all their array. On
theseventh day God completed the work he had been doing. He rested
onthe seventh day after all the work he had been doing. God blessed
theseventh day and made it holy,a because on that day he rested
after allhis work of creating.
Such were the origins of heaven and earth when they were
created.62
The explanatory footnote for the clause “God blessed the seventh
dayand made it holy” in verse three of chapter two of the book
ofGENESIS follows.
The sabbath (shabbath) is of divine institution: on that day
Godhimself rested (shabath).63
The official English translation followed the Greek translation
by
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seventy scholars of the OLD TESTAMENT. The scholars inJerusalem,
however, followed the Masoretic Text. The completion ofcreation was
the determining factor here. The two translations agreeon the rest
after work of creation was completed.
Please take time to read Fr. Eugene H. Maly’s opinion64
regardingthe conclusion of the Priestly tradition’s account of
creation.
The Priestly tradition maintains that creation was done in a
span ofsix days, or probably a few hours more than six days. God
reservedanother day for rest and that day was made holy at the same
time.
Take note, my friend, that seven may also mean complete in
Hebrewliterature and society. It is not difficult to deduce that
the Priestlytradition intended to present a complete cycle
involving work and rest.It is paving the way for our present week
comprising of six days forour sake and another day for our
relationship with God. Our domestichelpers, hopefully, enjoy a day
off from work every week. They areentitled to it in much the same
fashion as the factory workers and otheremployees in the private
sector are entitled to a day off.
The day of rest is not a mere privilege. It is a right of every
humanbeing. It is, at the same time, a duty of man to himself.
Let us not forget that we own nothing. We are but stewards of
thepossessions that God has entrusted to each one of us. We are
butstewards even of our very self. While work is a duty, rest is
equally aresponsibility on our very shoulders. We have to take care
of our bodiesbecause we are mandated to do by the very owner of it,
by God.
No one is allowed to abuse his/her body by working until it
wearsout.
No man, male or female, is allowed to treat any human body
asthough he/she is the owner of such. Only God is the rightful
owner ofall men and He alone has the right to dictate in what way
shall everyonewill consider any human being.
God created everything in the order of importance, according to
thePriestly tradition, starting from the least to the noblest
creature. Manwas created last. God, somehow, also prepared the
world for man’suse. God appointed man, being the noblest creature,
to be the masterof all creatures on earth.
How do we understand the word master? If man’s behavior will
bean indicator, mastery would mean exploitation, destruction,
corruption,annihilation of the creatures. These creatures, in the
real sense of theword, are supposed to be harnessed and protected
by their master.
We, definitely, have something to ponder about. We have
somethingto change in our behavior. We have to scrutinize ourselves
and eliminatethe destructive attitudes that are inside.
We seem to be destroying our own habitat rather than preserving
itfor our benefit and for the benefit of those who will come after
us.When will we ever learn?
Will we ever learn and become real masters?NOTES
4. Eugene H. Maly, Introduction to Pentateuch, 1:17a. 5. Eugene
H. Maly, Introduction to Pentateuch, 1:14a.
-
6. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:1-2 7. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN
BIBLE GENESIS 1:1-2:4a8. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:2
9. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:1-210. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE
GENESIS 1:1-2:4a11. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:2 12.
Ibid.13. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:16a 14. NEW AMERICAN
BIBLE GENESIS 1:3-515. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:5
16. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:3-517. Please see Eugene H. Maly,
Genesis, 2:17b 18. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:6-819. JERUSALEM
BIBLE GENESIS 1:6-8 20. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:621.
Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:17c 22. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
GENESIS 1:9-1023. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:9-10 24. Footnote to
JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:925. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis,
2:18d 26. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:11-1327. JERUSALEM BIBLE
GENESIS 1:11-13 28. Please see Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:18e29.
NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:14-19 30. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS
1:14-1931. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:16 32. Please see
Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:19f33. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS
1:20-23 34. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:20-2335. Please see Eugene H.
Maly, Genesis, 2:19g 36. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:24-2537.
JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:24-25 38. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE
GENESIS 1:2439. Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:20h 40. NEW AMERICAN
BIBLE GENESIS 1:26-2741. Footnote to NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS
1:2642. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:26-2743. Footnote to JERUSALEM
BIBLE GENESIS 1:26 44. Ibid. 45. Ibid. 46. Ibid.47. Please see
Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:20i 48. JERUSALEM BIBLE PSALM 849.
Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE PSALM 8 50. Ibid. 51. Ibid. 52. Ibid.
53. Ibid. 54. Ibid55. Please see Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm.,
Psalms, THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY - Volume I,
Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. and Roland E.
Murphy, O.Carm. (Eds.), (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,Inc., 1968),
35:26
56. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 1:28-31 57. JERUSALEM BIBLE
GENESIS 1:28-3158. JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:28b-30a59. Footnote to
JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 1:28b-30a60. Please see Eugene H. Maly,
Genesis, 2:21j61. NEW AMERICAN BIBLE GENESIS 2:1-4a.62. JERUSALEM
BIBLE GENESIS 2:1-4a 63. Footnote to JERUSALEM BIBLE GENESIS 2:364.
Please read Eugene H. Maly, Genesis, 2:21k
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THE YAHWIST TRADITION’S ACCOUNT OF CREATIONWe shall present the
creation narrative of the Yahwist tradition in
five segments, namely: Man, garden, location of the garden, tree
ofknowledge of good and evil, and Woman.
The first section, that is about man, may be read from the
secondpart of the fourth verse up to the seventh verse in the
English translation,which is also known as the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE,
sponsoredby the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. We are
presenting thatportion below.
Second Story of Creation. †At the time when the LORD God madethe
earth and the heavens -while as yet there was no field shrub
onearth and no grass of the field has sprouted, for the LORD God
had sentno rain upon the earth and there was no man to till the
soil, but astream was welling up out of the earth and was watering
all the surfaceof the ground- †the LORD God formed man out of the
clay of the groundand blew into his nostrils the breath of life,
and so man became aliving being.65
A footnote explains the whole story that we have started to
read. Thatnote is “This section is chiefly concerned with the
creation of man. Itis much older than the narrative of 1,2-2,4a.
Here God is depicted ascreating man before the rest of his
creatures, which are made for man’ssake.”66 The explanatory
footnote for the seventh verse of the secondchapter of the book of
GENESIS may be read below.
God is portrayed as a potter molding man’s body out of clay.
Thereis a play on words in Hebrew between adam (“man”) and
adama(“ground”). Being: literally, “soul.”67
We have been comparing two English translations. Let us,
now,read that one done by the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in
Jerusalem.
The second account of creation.b ParadiseAt the time when Yahweh
God made earth and heaven there was as
yet no wild bush on the earth nor had any wild plant yet sprung
up, forYahweh God had not sent rain on the earth, nor was there any
man totill the soil. However, a flood was rising from the earth and
wateringall the surface of the soil. Yahweh God fashioned man of
dust from thesoil.c Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of
life, and thus manbecame a living being.68
The subtitle “The second account of creation” describes the rest
ofthe second chapter of the book of GENESIS and that portion is
alsoexplained by way of a footnote. That note reads “This
‘Yahwistic’narrative has man and his destiny for its centre of
interest. In afigurative way it describes that primordial tragedy
the consequencesof which were to dominate man’s estate and
story.”69 The statement“Yahweh God fashioned man of dust from the
soil.” in verse seven of thesecond chapter of the book of GENESIS
is explained in the footnote thatfollows.
Man, adam, is from the soil, adamah please see 3:19,23. This
-
collective noun is to become, 4:25; 5:1,3, the proper name of
the firsthuman being, Adam.70
The time frame for the work of creation was not a
primaryconsideration for the Yahwist tradition. It, actually, did
not matter withGod. It could have been a day or a century or a
thousand years.
The narrative that is unfolding considers man as the most
importantcreature of God. The same importance was also evident in
the firstaccount of creation. Nevertheless, the span of time for
the creation isnot being emphasized in this present account.
When we read the opinion71 of the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars,
thatis published in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY, wecan hope for
some sort of enlightenment.
Let us proceed reading the Yahwist tradition’s narration of the
storyof creation as translated officially by the Holy Mother Church
intoEnglish. This time, we shall read about the garden of Eden.
†Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and
heplaced there the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground
theLORD God made various trees grow that were delightful to look at
andgood for food, with the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and thetree of the knowledge of good and bad.72
The footnote explaining the garden that God planted and the
name“Eden” may be read below.
Eden: used here as the name of a region in southern
Mesopotamia;the term is derived from the Sumerian word eden,
“fertile plain.” Asimilar-sounding Hebrew word means “delight”; the
garden in Edencould therefore be understood as the “garden of
delight,” so that,through the Greek version, it is now known also
as “paradise,” literally,a “pleasure park.”73
The scholars’ translation into English of the preceding verses
isbeing presented below.
Yahweh God planted a garden in Edend which is in the east,
andthere he put the man he fashioned. Yahweh God caused to spring
upfrom the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to
eat,with the tree of lifee and the tree of knowledge of good and
evil in themiddle of the garden.74
The noun “Eden” in verse eight of the second chapter of the book
ofGENESIS is explained by way of a footnote. That note may be
readbelow.
‘Garden’ is translated ‘paradise’ in the Greek version and
thencebecomes traditional. ‘Eden’ is a geographical name but the
place cannotbe identified; it may originally have meant ‘a plain’.
Paradise is picturedhere as an oasis in the eastern desert.75
The “tree of life” in verse nine, chapter two of the book of
GENESISis explained as “A symbol of immortality, see 3:22 and note.
On thetree of the knowledge of good and evil see the note on
verseseventeen.”76
Please read what the BIBLE scholar, Fr. Eugene H. Maly,77
hadwritten about the two verses that we are studying at the
moment.
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Did God really have to plant trees? If ever, it was not in the
way wecan imagine nowadays. It was in a way that no man, even with
the aidof modern science of agriculture, can be able to do. Let us
bear in mindthat man was already created and he had to eat to
survive. the firstgroup of tres planted must already be bearing
fruits, a job that onlyGod can do. It was planted in the way of
God.
Thus, the garden was created.
Would you care to know the location of the garden? We can
haveinformation about the place. Nevertheless, we will find out, as
we goalong, that neither you nor me will be able to go there nor
even have alook at that garden. Not even the best of all the
adventurers was able toget a glimpse of the garden that God
created. It was a real garden,anyhow, whether you believe or
not.
Are you familiar with irrigating agricultural lands where the
waterbeing used are coming from rivers? Read the following verses
takenfrom the official Catholic translation of the Sacred
Scriptures intoEnglish.
†A river rises in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it
dividesand become four branches. The name of the first is Pishon;
it is theone that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where
there is gold.The gold of that land is excellent; bdellium and
lapis lazuli are alsothere. The name of the second river is the
Gihon; it is the one thatwinds all through the land of Cush. The
name of the third river is theTigris; it is the one that flows east
of Asshur. The fourth river is theEuphrates.78
Reading also the footnote that explains these five verses will
helpus in acquiring a better grasp of the message that the authors
of theSacred Texts are imparting to us. That note follows.
Rises: in flood to overflow its banks. Beyond there: as one
travelsupstream. Branches: literally, “heads,” that is, upper
courses. Eden isnear the head of the Persian Gulf, where the Tigris
and the Euphratesjoin with two other streams to form a single
river. The land of Cushhere and in 10, 8, is not Ethiopia (Nubia)
as elsewhere, but the regionof the Kassites, east of
Mesopotamia.79
Now, we come, once again to the English translation of the
SacredScriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem and read there the same
five verses.
A river flowed from Eden to water the garden, and from there it
dividedto make four streams.f The first is named the Pishon, and
this encirclesthe whole land of Havilah where there is gold. The
gold of this land ispure; bdelliumg and onyx stone are found there.
The second river isnamed Gihon, and this encircles the whole land
of Cush. The thirdriver is named Tigris, and this flows to the east
of Ashur. The fourthriver is the Euphrates.80
These five verses are explained by the scholars employing a
footnote.That note may be read below.
The purpose of verses 10-14 is to fix the locality of Paradise.
TheTigris and the Euphrates are well known and their sources, in
theArmenian mountains, are adjacent; the rivers Pishon and Gihon
are,
-
however, unknown. According to Genesis 10:29 Havilah is
adistrict of Arabia and, in other passages, Cush means UpperEgypt;
but it is uncertain whether the two names have the samesense in
this place.81
“Bdellium” in verse twelve of the second chapter of GENESIS
isdescribed as “An aromatic resin”82
Please read the opinion83 of the BIBLE scholar, Fr. Eugene H.
Maly,which was published in THE JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY.
There are lots of guesses as to the location of the garden of
Eden.Europeans who come to the Philippines for the first time
wouldinvariably say that they have found paradise because they will
not needto have several sets of clothing on account of extremes in
temperature.Others say that the Philippine soil and climate are
very conducive toagriculture so this is certainly paradise.
Some say that the gaden of Eden used to be under the deserts of
theMiddle East where oil deposits in enormous quantities have
beendiscovered. Science found out that plants buried in the depth
of theearth develop into oil after several millennia. This,
however, is a guessand we can only take it as guess.
The Yahwist narrative on creation continues with God giving
toman a perfect dwelling place. The official English translation by
theHoly Mother Church of this portion of the narrative follows.
The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden
ofEden, to cultivate and care for it. The LORD God gave man this
order:“You are to eat from any of the trees of the garden except
the tree ofknowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not
eat; themoment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.”84
How did the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem translate
thisportion of the narrative of the Yahwist tradition into English?
Let usread it.
Yahweh God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden
tocultivate and take care of it. Then Yahweh God gave the man
thisadmonition, ‘You may eat indeed of all the trees in the
garden.Nevertheless of the tree of the knowledge of good and evilh
you arenot to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most
surely die.’85
The second part of God’s admonition to the man is explained by
wayof a footnote. That note may be read below.
This knowledge is a privilege which God reserves to himself
andwhich man, by sinning, is to lay hands on, 3:5,22. Hence it does
notmean omniscience, which fallen man does not possess; nor is it
moraldiscrimination, for unfallen man already had it and God could
notrefuse it to a rational being. It is the power of deciding for
himselfwhat is good and what is evil and acting accordingly, a
claim tocomplete moral independence by which man refuses to
recognize hisstatus as a created being. The first sin was an attack
on God’ssovereignty, a sin of pride. This rebellion is described in
concrete termsas the transgression of an express command of God for
which the textuses the image of a forbidden fruit.86
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Only one fruit was not to be eaten. All the rest were available
forthem as food without violating anything.
Will anyone be able to taste all the fruits in the whole world
duringhis lifetime, granting that he be given the chance?
Now, bring me, at least, a person who has tasted every variety
ofseed-bearing fruits on earth.
Try to visualize the fruits that you ordinarily find in the
market.Can you name them? If you can’t, can you count them, at
least?
Double your figure and you are still far away from the total
numberof varieties of fruits available.
Take away one from such figure and you have the total number
ofvarieties of fruits available to the first man and woman. Such is
thefigure representing the total number of varieties of fruits that
theywere allowed to eat.
Abstaining from only one variety, given the figure we have in
mind,will not starve anyone. The first man was not even required to
makea sacrifice. More than enough for his needs has been given him.
Morethan he could have possibly consumed in all his lifetime had
beengiven him and for free.
Now, please read the opinion87 of one of the scholars who
spenttime, talent and resources to study the extant manuscripts of
theSacred Writings in Jerusalem.
It is quite interesting that, while we are writing this,
somerepresentatives in the Lower House (purportedly, of the people)
feelbeing restrained or acting against public opinion regarding a
bill in thePhilippine Congress, the Lower House in particular. If
they arerestrained, it is because their individual conscience works
within them.If they are acting against public opinion, it can be
the political notionof acting against morality.
Some of them are even blaming the Holy Mother Church throughthe
Bishops who will never just sit and watch them to enact a
lawcontrary to the stand of the Magisterium. Those lawmakers
pretendthat the Papal Encyclical “Humanae Vitae” can be set aside
by thevery persons whose duty, among others, is to implement it.
Thoserepresentatives appear to be attempting at the knowledge
described asdivine privilege in the quotation numbered 86 in this
work.
It seems relevant, at this point, to ask the so-called
representativesof the people in Congress if they really represent
the people of thePhilippines. They seem to be representing the
doomed on account ofrebellion in heaven.
The divine admonition to the first man, and to all other men
andwomen created later to these days and after ours, consisted in
the
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practice of the virtue of temperance. Intemperance in man
producesgreed. Greed of some results in dire need among many
others.
We can say greedy individuals can provide for all the needs of
othersif only they heed the voice of God. If those greedy
individuals willheed the voice of the devil, they will either
eliminate the needy, i.e., byway of mass killings employing all the
ways known to man, or preventthe increase of the needy through
irresponsible family planning thatuses artificial means of
contraception, which is ultimately encouragingpromiscuity and
induced abortion. This is contrary to the will of God.
Let us read the final eight verses of the second chapter of the
bookof GENESIS and find out how God completed his work of creation
asnarrated by the Yahwist tradition and translated into English by
membersof the Catholic Biblical Association of America under the
sponsorhipof the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.
The LORD God said: “It is not good for man to be alone. I will
makea suitable partner for him.” So the LORD God formed out of the
groundvarious wild animals and various birds of the air, and he
brought themto the man to see what he would call them; whatever the
man calledeach of them would be its name. The man gave names to all
the cattle,all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but
none proved to bethe suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he
wasasleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with
flesh.The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had
takenfrom the man. When he brought her to the man, †the man
said:
“This one, at last, is bone of my bonesand flesh of my
flesh;
This one shall be called ‘woman,’for out of ‘her man’ this one
has been taken.”
†That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to
hiswife, and the two of them become one body.
The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no
shame.88
The poem declaimed by the man at the sight of the suitable
partnergiven him by God is explained in the following footnote.
There is a play on the similar-sounding Hebrew words
ishsha(“woman”) and ishah (“her man, her husband”).89
The penultimate verse in the Yahwist tradition’s narrative of
creationis better understood under the light of the footnote that
follows.
One body: literally “one flesh”; classical Hebrew has no
specificword for “body.” The sacred writer stresses the fact that
conjugal unionis willed by God.90
The final eight verses of the second chapter of the book
ofGENESIS, still in the Yahwist tradition’s creation narrative as
translatedby the Sacred Scriptures’ scholars in Jerusalem into
English may beread below.
Yahweh God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone.
Iwill make him a helpmate.’ So from the soil Yahweh God
fashionedall the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven. These he
brought to theman to see what he would call them; each one was to
bear the name
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the man would give it. The man gave names to all the cattle, all
thebirds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no helpmate
suitable forman was found for him. So Yahweh God made the man fall
into a deepsleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and
enclosed it inflesh. Yahweh God built the rib he had taken from the
man into awoman,i and brought her to the man. The man
exclaimed:
‘This at last is bone from my bones,and flesh from my flesh!This
is to be called woman,j
for this was taken from man.’This is why a man leaves his father
and mother and joins himself to
his wife, and they become one body.Now both of them were naked,
the man and his wife, but they felt
no shame in front of each other.91
The footnote explaining the first part of the twenty-second
verse is“Figurative expression of the close relationship between
man andwoman, verse 23, which explains their attraction for
each