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Church: What’s In a Name?

Topic no. 1 – Theology 3


Sources of Discourse:
 Bible Texts:
1. Mark 1: 15
2. Luke 4: 18-19
3. Parables
4. Miracle stories
5. Beatitudes
(Matt. 5: 1-12 & Luke 6:20-26)
1. Mark 3: 13-19
2. Matthew 10:1-11:1
3. Luke 6: 12-16
4. Luke 10: 1-12
5. Luke 10: 17-20
6. John 14: 15-21
7. Matthew 28
8. Mark 16
9. Luke 24
10. John 20: 19-23
11. Acts 2:1-42
12. Matthew 28: 16-20
13. John 20:19-23
Sources of our Discourse:
 Textbook: Stay with us Lord Book 2: Our Holy Catholic
Church: Lesson 1-3
 Discipleship in Community: A Workbook in Theology 3
 Gospels/Acts (Bible)
 Studies on NT/Jesus:
 A Third Look at Jesus
 Jesus Before Christianity
 Lumen Gentium (The Constitution of the Church in the
Modern World) no. 5
 Gaudium et Spes (The Pastoral Constitution of the
Church in the Modern World) no.1
Sources of Discourse:
Scholarly sources and articles:
Catholicism by Richard McBrien, pp.
571-597
Kingdom of God as Principle of
Action in the Church, John
Fuellenbach, SVD -
http://epfarms.org/~fbarton/files/t
heology/Fuellenbach%20-
%20Kingdom%20of%20God.htm
3 Perspectives of Understanding the
“Church”
 Etymological – study of the word itself as used in different
context through out the ages
1. Qahal
2. Ekklesia
3. Kirche-Church
4. Simbahan-Sambayanan

 Purpose – Why is there a Church?


1. The Foundational Experience – Did Jesus Intend to “Institute”
a Church?
2. The Church and the Kingdom of God: Are They One and the
Same?
3 Perspectives of Understanding the
“Church”

 Character - Is the Agent the Mission?


1. The Foundations of the Church’s Character: The Life,
Ministry and Witness of Jesus and the Community of
Disciples
2. The Pentecost: The Explosion of the Spirit towards
Mission
1 st Perspective: Etymology

What’s in a Name?
Who are we?
“qahal YHWH” (‫ – )קהל יהוה‬the term for the assembly of God’s Chosen, Israel
• The word referring to the religious assembly of the Jews. The house of Israel is the house of the LORD.
• Deepened by the early followers of Jesus (post- resurrection) seeking to follow their Jewish faith in the
manner and teachings of the Lord Jesus particularly during times of prayer and the reading of Scriptures.
• Not until the inclusion of Gentiles did the distinction of the Jews and the followers of The Way (as the
community was known then) become acute. It was then that the term ekklesia became more widely used
particularly in and starting with the letters of Saint Paul.
Church = ekklesia - ἐκκλησία (New Testament)
• Means a legislative assembly of citizens called for (coming from the word ekkalein
[εκκαλειν] = “to call for”)
• Used by the Septuagint as an equivalent of the Hebrew term “qahal” (kahal Yahweh) –
“The holy assembly of God’s people”
• Used approx. 90 times in the New Testament
Kirche=Church (European usage)
• Assembly or convocation of people particularly for a religious purpose or gathering
(Kyriake=Lord – CCC 752) – “what belongs to the Lord”
• Understanding of the age: limited to the spiritual or “religious” (pious) practices; tended to
be exclusive
• European connotation of the temporal/spiritual mentality (Feudalism) of the Middle Ages
Iglesia/Simbahan = Sambayanan
• Iglesia = ekklesia (gathering or assembly) – Spanish times
• Simbahan = lugar ng pagsamba – Filipino meaning
• Sambayanan – a people (lahi) called to a common purpose and/or identity –
Post-Vatican II reflection
So what do we mean when we say
Church?
Is it a building where people Is it the people who
gather to worship? comprise the assembly?
 Church with a small “c”  Λειτουργία – leitourgia (the works of
the people)
 The structure or house where
people gather to worship  The worshipping assembly giving
praise and adoration to the God whose
 From οἶκος (oikos – household) – revelation in the Lord enabled them to
simbahan be called together.
 Sacred space – house of God  Limitation: only the pious prayers and
 Limitation: relegated to the liturgical practices are highlighted,
structure alone and tend to be detached from the
actual living of daily life (which they
are actually NOT!)
So what do we mean when we say
Church? Is it a universal gathering of
Is it a structure of people who share their
governance? convictions and act in the
 Magisterium – the authoritative same faith in the Lord Jesus?
body of the Church
 Κοινωνία – koinonia (communion)
 ἐπίσκοπος – Episkopos (overseer,
guardian), functioning as pastor  Denotes the level of oneness of all
and administrator of the in all aspects of work, task and
universal and local Churches ways in sharing in the mission which
the Lord Jesus espoused in the
 To govern, to teach and to
inauguration of the kingdom of God.
sanctify – three-fold ministry of
the bishops to the laity  Participation by all regardless of
 Limitation: tends to be triangular whether magisterium or laity.
in style and limits policy-making  The vision of Vatican II and PCP II
to the leaders alone.
The Church is also…
 Sheepfold
• Alluding to the figure of Christ as the Good Shepherd (ang Pastol
na May Mabuting Kalooban)
• Jn. 10: 1-16; Is. 40: 11; Ez. 34: 11-21
 A cultivated field
• The tillage of God
• CCC 755 = “On that land the ancient olive tree grows whose holy
roots were the prophets and in which the reconciliation of Jews
and Gentiles has been brought about and will be brought about
again. That land, like a choice vineyard, has been planted by the
heavenly cultivator. Yet the true vine is Christ who gives life and
fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us, who through the
Church remain in Christ, without whom we can do nothing.”
The Church is also…
 The building of God
• CCC 756 = “Often, too, the Church is called the building of God. The
Lord compared himself to the stone which the builders rejected, but
which was made into the corner-stone. On this foundation the Church
is built by the apostles and from it the Church receives solidity and
unity. This edifice has many names to describe it: the house of God in
which his family dwells; the household of God in the Spirit; the
dwelling-place of God among men; and, especially, the holy temple.
This temple, symbolized in places of worship built out of stone, is
praised by the Fathers and, not without reason, is compared in the
liturgy to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. As living stones we here on
earth are built into it. It is this holy city that is seen by John as it
comes down out of heaven from God when the world is made anew,
prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.”
 The spouse of Christ
• 2 Cor. 11:2 = “I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ.”
 Despite different understandings,
whether it’s an institution, people or
building, or even other metaphorical
figures, one thing is commonly
understood, we find our origins as a
people called by following Christ
Jesus.
 The life of the Church is understood in
terms of an on-going journey and a
sharing of the participation of God’s
work (i.e., mission). There is no other
way we can define ourselves except
The Church is… through this purpose.
• “…the holy people of God  Finally, no matter what the
making its way to encounter understanding we have, one thing is
Jesus Christ. Only from this common, our expression of faith
perspective can a (response) is not in terms of what “I”
satisfactory account be can do, but what “we” can do
given of the Church's life (communion=koinonia=ekklesia) as this
and activity.” actualizes every individual call to be a
Christian baptized in water and in the
- Pope Francis Spirit.
Reflection (by pairs):
 How did you feel after the video? Name the
feelings that surfaced in you after the video.
 Do you agree with Jefferson Bethke’s
assumption on Jesus and institutionalized
religion or church? Cite your reasons.
 Whattakeaways can we learn from the
video?
 How can we apply them in our own context
and situation right now?
Points for reflection:
Lights: Shadows:
 God is the source of our salvation.  “Religion is man searching for God;
 GOD genuine loves us and has Christianity is God searching for man” –
encountered us in many points over
history and time.
a challenge for greater introspection
for all churches and religions.
 Humanity expresses this need for
God. This is the true nature of  The poem expresses the actions of
religion. Any other reason or practice
that deviates from it or goes away
false religions as evidenced by the
from this core is likely to become a words, “See, the problem with religion
false religion. is it never gets to the core/It's just
 Jesus is the human expression of behavior modification, like a long list
God’s salvation. of chores”
 He shows who God is, and how we  The idea of the Church is not the same
can truly seek Him, and follow Him.
He brings the presence of God’s reign as religion though church can be
Kingdom to us. associated with the idea of religion
 Jesus becomes the face of God as he because of its seeming rigid practices
lives and does his proclamation of and observances.
God’s. His life and conviction sees
this through even unto his death by
his execution on the cross.
Putting things together:
 Jesus<Religion:
 See, one's the work of God, but one's a man-made invention
 See, one is the cure, but the other's the infection
 See, because religion says "do"; Jesus says "done“
 Religion says "slave"; Jesus says "son“
 Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free
 Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see
 And that's why religion and Jesus are two different claims
 Religion can be equated to the Church, but certainly the Church is (should be)
a greater idea (community) of what a religion should be.
 “Because if grace is water, then the Church should be an ocean/It's not a
museum for good people—it's a hospital for the broken/Which means I don't
have to hide my failure; I don't have to hide my sin/Because it doesn't depend
on me; it depends on Him” – The Church is a moment of grace in history after
the Christ-event.
 If the Church (and Christianity in )general is what it claims to be, then this
leads to an improtant question: What then is the relationship between Jesus
and the Church?
So what now?

Did Jesus
institute the
church?
Is this question
really needed to
be asked?
Did Jesus intend to “Found” (Institute) the Church?
 This question can be
understood in 4 points:
a) From Jesus’
perspective
b) Understanding of the
word “instituted”
c) From the
understanding of
“who” the Church is
d) Why is there a need
to talk about it?
2 nd Perspective: Purpose

Why are we here? Why are we Church?


Is the AGENT (CHURCH) the MISSION
(GOD’S REIGN)?
The Foundational Experience:
Did Jesus Intend to “Found” a
Church?
First point of reflection: On Purpose
A primary question:
Did Jesus intend to institute the Church?
 Primary proof according to the tradition of the Church: Matthew
16:13-20
 What is the classical traditional interpretation?
1. Jesus “instituted” the Church with all the rules, regulations and
structure of leadership.
2. Peter being chosen “as the Rock” signifies the establishment of
the Papacy.
3. Jesus chose 12 apostles (all male) at the beginning of his ministry
whom he trained and taught to participate in the ministry.
4. Since Jesus instituted the Church, it was to be his model of God’s
Kingdom here on earth.
 So there should be no question because this is what the Church
teaches. Right?
FT: Matthew 16: 13-20 – The Calling of Peter
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he
asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them,
"But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are
the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you
are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates
of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed
in heaven." Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell
anyone that he was the Messiah.
From the perspective of Jesus:
 From a perspective of tradition, they say “YES!”
 Using Matthew 16: 13-23 as their starting point.
 There was an intention to institute the Church (CCC 763-765) with its present form
and structure (magisterium as governance, canon law, doctrines and dogma as way
of life and sacraments as a way of worship.
 CCC 763-765:
 It was the Son's task to accomplish the Father's plan of salvation in the fullness of time. To
fulfill the Father's will, Christ ushered in the Kingdom of heaven on earth. The Church "is
the Reign of Christ already present in mystery.“
 To welcome Jesus' word is to welcome "the Kingdom itself." The seed and beginning of the
Kingdom are the "little flock" of those whom Jesus came to gather around him, the flock
whose shepherd he is. They form Jesus' true family. To those whom he thus gathered
around him, he taught a new "way of acting" and a prayer of their own.
 The Lord Jesus endowed his community with a structure that will remain until the Kingdom
is fully achieved. Before all else there is the choice of the Twelve with Peter as their head.
Representing the twelve tribes of Israel, they are the foundation stones of the new
Jerusalem. The Twelve and the other disciples share in Christ's mission and his power, but
also in his lot. By all his actions, Christ prepares and builds his Church.”
From the perspective of Jesus:
 From a historical perspective, many say “No!”
 Biblical exegetes have to a certain extent refuted the claim of this text:
 From the time of the Reformation, many of those who questioned were
asking the authenticity of the traditional interpretation of the Church (*at
that time – 16th Century).
 In later discoveries examining the story, exegetes (scholars who study
the Bible) say that owing to who Jesus was from the witness of his
followers, he was a person of his time.
 A 1st Century Semitic, Galilean Jew who didn’t see his mission as
instituting or being a “founder” of an organization to meet his needs.
 Mission: To proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God in the house of
Israel, and NOTHING ELSE!
 His public life and ministry has no indications of founding a Church nor to
establish one. In fact, many of his teachings and principles suggest that
he is not leaning to the workings of the institutions of his time
(government and religion). Hence, to be a “founder” of the Church goes
against the very principle of His mission.
 Key: A look into the exegetical understanding of this verse.
Exegesis: Matthew 16: 13-23
 Notice in the comparison that while Matthew seem to
give a complete account, Mark seems to have missed
some details.
 To understand the text, one must go back to idea of the
Synoptic Gospels (What are they?)
 Since the gospel is part of the Synoptic Gospels, we must
make a parallel comparison: Mark 8: 27-33
• Key: The first gospel written is Mark (60-65 AD/CE)
 The author of Matthew (written sometime 66-70 AD/CE)
must have taken hold of Q (source) which Mark uses first
to write his gospel. From there he puts a spin of the
story through a special material, the special where the
community recalls other stories of Jesus.
The Commissioning of Peter: A Parallel Reading of 2 Texts
Mark 8: 27-33 Matthew 16:13-23
Jesus went on with his disciples to the Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea
villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that
way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the
Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or
people say that I am?’ And they answered
one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you
him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the
Elijah; and still others, one of the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered
prophets.’ He asked them, ‘But who do him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh
you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father
‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this
ordered them not to tell anyone about rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades
him. Then he began to teach them that will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of
the Son of Man must undergo great the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on
suffering, and be rejected by the elders, earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you
the chief priests, and the scribes, and be loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he
sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he
killed, and after three days rise was the Messiah. From that time on, Jesus began to show
again. He said all this quite openly. And his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo
Peter took him aside and began to great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief
rebuke him. But turning and looking at priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be
his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke
‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen
setting your mind not on divine things to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me,
but on human things.’ Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are
setting your mind not on divine things but on human
things.’
Exegesis: Matthew 16: 13-23
 Location: Antioch – the place where the
followers of Christ were first called
Christians.
 Wrote the gospel with a very high
understanding of their faith in Jesus.
 Not intended to look at the Church as
institutional, but rather to look at the
question of their faith in Jesus as
asked by the question, “Who do you
say I AM?”
 Matthew includes a special addition in
the narrative to honor (parangalan)
Peter, the first missionary and bishop
(Greek ἐπίσκοπος, epískopos,
"overseer", "guardian“) of Antioch,
and one of the pillars of the
leadership in the Church. He looks at
the faith of Peter as the foundation
from which the ekklesia establishes
its faith in Jesus.
Exegesis: Matthew 16: 13-23
 Therefore, the text was an ipssisima
verbum Jesu (put into the mouth of
Jesus) in the story as a way of
honouring and remembering Peter who
was the first missionary of the
Antiochene community.
 It is in the faith of Peter that the whole
faith of the Church rests. It is in this
that Peter has special in the ekklesia.
 In the latter periods of the Church, the
teachers of tradition included the
understanding of this story to support
their claim of the Church as
institutional (a response of the context
of the age)
 NB. The gospels are NOT historical or
factual in composition, but kerygmatic
(confession of faith) and narrative
(story-tradition) in nature.
From the perspective of “instituted”:
 Instituted: Two Meanings
 Establish (deliberate act of forming a structure)
 Setting into motion (starting something that grew later on)
 Richard McBrien – a 3rd perspective (Catholicism)
 It depends on the understanding of “founding” or “instituted”.
1. If by “instituted” we mean some direct, explicit, deliberate act by which
Jesus established a new religious organization, then the answer is “NO”!
2. If by “founding” we mean “lay the foundations for” or “setting into
motion” the Church in various indirect ways, then the answer is a “YES”!
 It is arguably in the 2nd case that we must understand the term “founding”
or “instituting” if we speak of the Church as having its origins in Jesus
rather being established by Jesus.
 Key: For Jesus, the Kingdom of God is an open principle (Matthew 8:11-12;
Luke 13:28-29). It means not only the righteous and just are the qualified to
be members. In fact, He understands the mission and later on instructs the
followers not to go anywhere, but seek first “the lost sheep of Israel” (Mt.
10:6).
FT: The Kingdom of God according to
Jesus (Luke 4:17-21 & Mark 1:15)
Mark 1: 15 Luke 4:17-21
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown
"This is the time of up, and went according to his custom into
the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood
fulfillment. The up to read and was handed a scroll of the
kingdom of God is at prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and
found the passage where it was written: "The
hand. Repent, and Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he
has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the
believe in the gospel." poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to
captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to
let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a
year acceptable to the Lord." Rolling up the
scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and
sat down, and the eyes of all in the
synagogue looked intently at him. He said to
them, "Today this scripture passage is
fulfilled in your hearing."
In a Nutshell: Jesus’ Mission
 The heart of the mission is the proclamation that the Kingdom of God is
here!
 Beatitudes – illustrated the nature of the Kingdom (not the definition!)
 Parables – stories using ordinary phenomena to explain extraordinary
phenomena (the Kingdom)
 Not just preached, but also performed wonders and signs through:
 Miracles
 Signs (John)
 Healing
 Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God carried with it ethical
demands which aimed at a true conversion of one’s self and of others in
the following ideas/teachings:
 Love of God and neighbor
 Mercy and compassion
 Metanoia (a change of one’s perspective)
In a Nutshell: Jesus’ Mission
 The true conviction came when Jesus
underwent the Paschal Mystery when
he was executed and killed by the
connivance of the political authorities
of the Jews with the Roman
authorities:
 The last meal of Jesus with his
disciples
 The acceptance of Jesus of his fate as
he knew he will die for the convictions
he held onto.
 His death signaled the end of the
movement as it was known (?)
 But something happened…(Bitin muna
as we wait for the 3rd perspective)
In summary:
 Jesus didn’t “intend” to institute the Church. Rather, Jesus laid
the “foundations” of the Church by the principle of the
proclamation of the Kingdom of God. It is from this principle that
Jesus lived out His public ministry, and from its faith conviction
that led to others believing and following Him. (intention to
reception)
• Matthew 16: 13-23 – seen and understood in terms of the
confession of faith in Jesus (“Who do you say that I am?”)
of the early Christian community in Antioch whose bedrock
(foundation of their faith) is Peter, the first missionary and
episkopoi (bishop) of Antioch. Later, the Church will adopt
this as the proof-text of the traditional teaching of Jesus
establishing the Church.
• The Kingdom (Reign) of God – the open principle of inclusion
into God’s people by living out justice, peace and love as the
principle of Jesus’ life and public ministry
• Koinonia (communion) – the bond of the Church through the
confession of faith in the Lord Jesus as they affirmed and
praticed in their lives (incarnated faith) the Kingdom of God.
What then, does this tell us? (SUMMARY)
 While being held as the traditional teaching, Peter was not literally appointed
by Jesus to be the first structural leader of the Church. Rather, he became a
leader because he was the bedrock of faith that the Church must emulate if it
truly wishes to be a disciple of Christ.
 The mission Jesus had in mind didn’t include a community at first because he
knew he had to come first “to the house of Israel”. When a group of followers
constantly came to follow him, only then did he consider sharing the work of
proclaiming the Kingdom of God.
 The idea of Jesus’ mission: proclaiming the coming of God’s Kingdom
 Jesus belongs to the house of Israel who believed were chosen by God as he
established His covenant with their ancestors (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).
 God formalized His covenant with the people during the Exodus event.
 Not new in the mind of Jesus as this is the hope of God’s people through the
prophets: that one day God would restore His Reign through the Messiah who would
come from the house of David.
 Finally, the Church, then is but a movement born out of inspiration: those who
wish to follow Jesus found themselves sharing His mission of proclaiming this
Kingdom to others.
Focus Text: Lumen Gentium #5 (Vatican II)
The mystery of the holy Church is manifest in its very foundation. The Lord
Jesus set it on its course by preaching the Good News, that is, the coming
of the Kingdom of God, which, for centuries, had been promised in the
Scriptures: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand". In the
word, in the works, and in the presence of Christ, this kingdom was clearly
open to the view of men. The Word of the Lord is compared to a seed which
is sown in a field; those who hear the Word with faith and become part of
the little flock of Christ, have received the Kingdom itself. Then, by its own
power the seed sprouts and grows until harvest time. The Miracles of Jesus
also confirm that the Kingdom has already arrived on earth: "If I cast out
devils by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you“.
Before all things, however, the Kingdom is clearly visible in the very Person
of Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Man, who came "to serve and to
give His life as a ransom for many:"
When Jesus, who had suffered the death of the cross for mankind, had
risen, He appeared as the one constituted as Lord, Christ and eternal Priest,
and He poured out on His disciples the Spirit promised by the Father. From
this source the Church, equipped with the gifts of its Founder and faithfully
guarding His precepts of charity, humility and self-sacrifice, receives the
mission to proclaim and to spread among all peoples the Kingdom of Christ
and of God and to be, on earth, the initial budding forth of that kingdom.
While it slowly grows, the Church strains toward the completed Kingdom
and, with all its strength, hopes and desires to be united in glory with its
King.
What then, does this tell us? (SUMMARY)
 In this, we see a shift of the understanding of “instituted”:
 From “intention” to “reception” – the shift of understanding of how
the Church came to be and was formed. This is affirmed in Lumen
Gentium #5
 Not anymore in terms of “intention”: Jesus didn’t institute the
Church if we mean he established the Church with its set of
doctrines, morals and worship. This doesn’t correspond to the
person of Jesus who proclaimed the Kingdom of God which is an
open principle of inclusion for all who wish to respond to its
invitation.
 It must now be understood (the intention of LG #5) in terms of
“reception”: Jesus laid the foundations of the Church with his life
and public ministry as there were those who responded to follow
him, and were convinced of the “new world order” that was about
to come in the Reign of God. Those who received His message were
silenced for a time after His death, but after the Resurrection, they
were inspired and empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the
confession of their faith in the Lord Jesus who has risen from the
dead.
But wait…

One more important


question…
The Church and the Kingdom of
God: Are they One and the
Same?
Second point of reflection: On Purpose
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 Let’s compare:
Church Kingdom of God
• A human institution composed of people • God entering into history (saving Presence)
• Called to be disciples of Jesus in every age • Open principle in which God acts through
though not always faithful to its calling people who advocate its values (peace,
• Composed of ministries and structures to justice and love for ALL) = a way of life and
fulfill its mission relationship (entails conversion)
• Even if our source is of divine origin, its • It is present in the world (now), but not yet
location is in the world and therefore not in its fullness (not-yet)
exempt from its imperfect reality (as to be • The final, definitive salvation that God
seen later in its pilgrimage) promises the world = new heavens and new
• STCQC = disciples bonded as companions earth
in life and mission • STCQC = towards a transformed world-
community, life-in-abundance
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 The reality (however): what Christianity brought in the
many centuries thereafter was a co-optation of the
messages in connivance with conquerors, colonizers and
empires (3 G’s=guns, glory and God). Until now, vestiges
and remnants of this mentality still exists in the way we
think about Church.
 When the Church developed into a hierarchical society,
with its well-placed system of magisterium regulating
doctrine, moral and worship, there was for a time a
temptation for her to identify herself as the
representation of the Kingdom of God on earth.
 The dream of the Holy Roman Empire as the
representation of God’s Reign on earth (until 476
AD/CE when it fell)
 The rise of Christendom as an empire in the Middle
Ages until the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453.
 The rise of the Papal States which became the
“supposed” model of the hierarchical society within
the Church. It fell and later through the Lateran
Treaty (1929) reduced to what is now known as the
city-state of the Vatican.
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 One important question to be clarified: Are
the Church and the Kingdom of God one and
the same?
 A very important question today as it
challenges our view and attitude in being
disciples of Jesus today.
 It is important to reclaim the vision of the
Kingdom of God as understood by Jesus,
and appropriate it to what should be the
vision and mission of the Church.
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom of God: it is to be
understood in terms of his worldview as a 1st century
Galilean, Semitic Jew.
 Kingdom of God – the final, definitive salvation as
seen in the foretaste of historical events of God’s
encounter with Israel in its past history (Exodus
story as the starting point of Israel; her confession
of faith – Numbers 20:15 & Deuteronomy 26:5-9)
 Defined the mission of Jesus as he sets out (later on
with the followers) to proclaim the coming of the
Reign of God to all in Judea especially the “lost
house of Israel” [especially the poor and the
marginalized – the anawim of the Old Testament
(cf. Luke 4:18-21)]
 The early Christian community defined their way of
life as living in koinonia. (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35)
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 St Paul – “For the kingdom of God is not a matter
of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace,
and joy in the holy Spirit “ (Rom. 14:17)
 Usually misunderstood to refer exclusively to
private, individual, interior, purely spiritual
blessings such as a righteous standing of the
individual before God, peace of mind and heart
due to forgiveness of sins, the joy of the
redeemed child
 With justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Paul describes the content of the Kingdom of
God, which he sees as already concretely
present in the eschatological community. We
might call these three characteristics the
fundamental values of the Kingdom. These are
not just feelings or sentiments but realities to
be implemented in this world.
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 But, the Kingdom of God isn’t the Kingdom of
Christians, or the Church is to be identified as such.
Such is a limited view, even dangerous as we tend to
look ourselves as identical to the Kingdom or even
claiming we are the Kingdom in an absolute way.
 To claim ourselves as such, it would mean that the
Church is beyond reproach and is not reformable.
We are not perfect as we are a human institution. It
leads to a very triumphalist and exclusivist attitude.
 The Kingdom of God is a broader reality than the
Church which aims to include all other realities and
strives for the salvation of ALL (inclusive, open in
principle).
 The Church, then is seen as a community which is in
relationship and in subordination to the Kingdom of
God (LG 5 and GS 45), It is NOT the Kingdom of
God, but it is present in her by the fact that the
mission of the first community of disciples (and
eventually the Church) is its proclamation to the
world, thus becoming an agent of it.
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 While we have established that the Kingdom is not the
Church, we don’t separate the Kingdom entirely from the
Church since we see the community of disciples (then and
now) as its “seed, sign and instrument” (cf. RM 18) as well
its means, agent or sacrament through which the plan of
God for the world realizes itself in history (LG 8 and 48).
 Therefore, the identity of the Church depends ultimately
on her Kingdom consciousness which includes the following
beliefs:
1. that the leaven of the Kingdom is already at work in
the dough of creation, to use Jesus' own parable.
2. that the line between "sacred" and "secular" does not
exist in concrete reality. God's Kingdom means that all
things are in the sphere of God's sovereignty and,
therefore, are God's concern. All spheres of life are
Kingdom foci (including creation and the cosmos).
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
3. that ministry is much broader than Church work.
Christians who understand the meaning of God's
reign know they are in the Kingdom business, not
just Church business. They see all activity as
ultimately having Kingdom significance.
4. that concern of justice and concrete commitment to
the Word of God are necessarily conjoined. An
awareness of God's Kingdom, biblically understood,
resolves the tension between these two vital
concerns. Those committed to the Kingdom want to
win people to personal faith in Jesus Christ, since
the Kingdom is the ultimate longing of every human
heart. They are also committed to peace, justice,
and righteousness at every level of society because
the Kingdom includes "all things in heaven and on
earth" (Eph 1:10) and the welfare of every person
and everything God has made.
The Church and the Kingdom: Are they
one and the same?
 Therefore in relation and in subordination to the
Kingdom, the Church in living and carrying out its
mission, understands herself in the following
terms:
1. The Church is effectively and concretely at the
service of the Kingdom (RM 20). This means
she is no longer seen as the Kingdom, but as its
agent and servant.
2. The Church’s mission is to foster the "Kingdom
of the Lord and his Christ" (Rev 11:15) at
whose service she is placed (DP 35, 59). This is
a milestone in such that the Catholic Church is
not only the Christian Church as we recognize
other Christian Churches as well as we are all
related in mission and ministry.
The Kingdom as Gift and Task: Kingdom
Attitudes of the Church
 The Kingdom as a gracious gift from a God who
comes with unconditional love to seek out
humankind and to offer salvation to all:
 It is a gift from God which people can only
receive in gratitude and awe. God is coming
towards us with unconditional love. He seeks
communion and intimacy.
 Since the Kingdom is a gift of love, only
symbols and images can offer an appropriate
description.
 Its final coming is totally up to God; it will
come as and when he sees fit. It cannot be
foretold nor calculated. No human initiative
can bring about the coming of the Kingdom. It
is God's own powerful and sovereign act.
The Kingdom as Gift and Task: Kingdom
Attitudes of the Church
 Yet the Kingdom, once accepted, becomes one’s task and demands
all of one’s abilities:
 The gratuitousness of the Kingdom should not lead us to regard
ourselves as merely passive objects. Ultimately the Kingdom of
God is a personal relationship between God and human beings.
Any personal relationship is always mutual; it goes two ways. We
are challenged to respond, and through this response the Kingdom
becomes a reality in our midst.
 The Gospels repeatedly show that the Kingdom which Jesus offers
becomes our task.
 We find the most vivid explanation in the Parable of the
Talents (cf. Mt 25:14-30). God gives to each one he calls a
concrete task for the salvation of all and he will ask for an
account for what he has given us. The Parable of the Treasure
in the Field offers a similar portrayal.
 In these parables Jesus not only tells us that the Kingdom is
pure gift, but also affirms that it unfolds through our taking
risks and giving everything. In the Gospel of John the coming
of the kingdom is totally and completely God's work, and
totally and completely the work of human beings.
The Kingdom as Gift and Task: Kingdom
Attitudes of the Church
 Jon Sobrino offers a unique way of looking at the Kingdom
as gift and task:
 Sees the Kingdom as establishing first and foremost a
filial relationship (becoming daughters/sons) with God.
We are oriented vertically to God and thus we are his
children. From this vertical orientation follows the
horizontal relationship which makes us brothers and
sisters. Both are essential and of equal and primary
importance. For Sobrino, divine sonship is a gift, while
the creation of a profound human fellowship is a task.
 A dynamic unity exists between gift and task. The gift is
accepted precisely by carrying out the task entailed in
it. Creating a profound human fellowship means
accepting the gift of divine daughter/son-ship. The God
of the Kingdom does not allow us to choose between the
two aspects. He who lets the Kingdom into his life by
becoming a child of God will have to show the presence
of the Kingdom by trying to make all human beings his
brothers and sisters
The Kingdom as Gift and Task: Kingdom
Attitudes of the Church
 Seen from such a perspective, history
reveals two aspects:
1. First, it is a call to divine filiation by
which human persons become God's
children. Our vertical vocation, the
deepest aspiration of all persons, is
complete union with God.
2. Second, history is a call to human
fellowship by which persons become
one another's sisters and brothers. This
is our horizontal vocation, the call to
attain complete union among
ourselves.
The Kingdom as Gift and Task: Kingdom
Attitudes of the Church
 Against the backdrop of the Kingdom, the following summarizes what is the
vision of the Kingdom today if a Christian (and others eventually) works to
its task as one receives the gift of the Kingdom (E. Schillebeeckx):
1. THE KINGDOM OF GOD is the saving presence of God, active and
encouraging, as it is affirmed or welcomed among men and women. It
is a saving presence, offered by God and freely accepted by men and
women, which takes concrete form above all in justice and peaceful
relationships among individuals and peoples, in the disappearance of
sickness, injustice and oppression and in the restoration of life of all
that was dead and dying.
2. THE KINGDOM OF GOD is a new world in which suffering is abolished, a
world of completely whole or healed men and women in a society
where peace reigns and there are no master-slave relationships - quite
a different situation from that of the society of the time. As things are
there "it may not be so among you" (Lk 22:24-27).
3. THE KINGDOM OF GOD is a changed new relationship (metanoia) of men
and women with God, the tangible and visible side of which is a new
type of liberating relationship among men and women with a
reconciling society, in a peaceful natural environment.
The Threefold Mission of the Church in
Service of the Kingdom
 Once the Church is no longer seen as the sole
holder of the Kingdom, the Church does not
have to define herself anymore as "the
Kingdom of God under siege" by the powers of
this world.
 Since Vatican II she sees herself more as
leaven of the Kingdom or in the service of the
Kingdom that is broader than herself. In other
words, a theology of transcendence (Church
as an other-worldly Kingdom entity) gives
way to a theology of transformation (Church
as an agent/sacrament of concrete, real and
actual change towards the Kingdom).
The Threefold Mission of the Church in
Service of the Kingdom
 Out of such a view of Church and Kingdom the mission
of the Church has been outlined as follows (RM 20):
1. Proclamation = To proclaim in Word and Sacrament
that the Kingdom of God has come in the person of
Jesus of Nazareth. Sacrament means that, the
Church symbolically opens up the everyday world to
the ultimate, the Kingdom of God.
2. Witnessing in/Through Communion = To create
Church communities everywhere and to offer its
own life as a test-case which demonstrates that the
Kingdom is present and operative in the world
today. By concretizing, in the Church's own life
justice, peace, freedom and respect for human
rights. The Church should offer herself as a
"contrast" or a countersign to society at large.
The Threefold Mission of the Church in
Service of the Kingdom
3. Prophetic Action and Inclusion = To challenge society as
a whole to transform itself along the basic principles of
the Kingdom now present: justice, peace,
brotherhood/sisterhood and human rights. Interreligious
dialogue, as the second element of evangelization, must
be added to this. These are "constitutive elements of
proclaiming the Gospel" since the ultimate goal of the
Kingdom is the transformation of the whole of creation.
The Church must, therefore, understand her mission in
the service of the imminent Kingdom.
 Solidarity and compassion are the central ethical values of
the Jesus tradition, as well as the central quality of God.
Solidarity with humankind is the basic attitude that Jesus
demands. It must take precedence over every kind of love
and every other kind of solidarity. The ultimate test for such
an attitude is the solidarity one shows with the "nobodies" of
this world, the ‘discarded people’. This is exactly the
attitude Jesus showed, his special but non-exclusive
solidarity with such people became a clear demonstration of
his solidarity with every person as person.(A. Nolan)
We are in the Service of the Kingdom:
 1st point: One of the chief temptations for the Church in history is
to claim the Kingdom for herself, to take over the management of
the Kingdom, and even to go so far as to present herself as the
realized Kingdom of God vis-a-vis the world. The Kingdom of God is
not the Kingdom of the Christians.
 2nd point: Both the identity and relationship of Kingdom and
Church can be understood in the following:
 The Reign of God is a broader reality than the Church which is
present and operative beyond her boundaries among the
members of other religions and churches.
 The Kingdom can be described as therefore nothing other than
justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These are not just
feelings or sentiments but realities to be implemented in this
world. We might rightly call these three characteristics the
fundamental values of the Kingdom.
 The Church is effectively and concretely at the service of the
Kingdom (RM 20).
 The Church’s mission is to foster the "Kingdom of the Lord and
his Christ" (Rev 11:15) at whose service she is placed.
 The Church is both the present and eschatological community
from which the Kingdom will emerge among many others
(inclusive and open).
We are in the Service of the Kingdom:
 3rd point: In fostering a Kingdom attitude as part of the Church, we
must see ourselves as being touched and empowered to action by God
as children:
1. Our vertical vocation, the deepest aspiration of all persons, is
complete union with God.
2. Our call is to human fellowship by which persons become one
another's sisters and brothers. This is our horizontal vocation, the
call to attain complete union among ourselves.
 4th point: As we work for the kingdom through solidarity and
compassion with others, we see these visions for the Kingdom in our
context:
1. THE KINGDOM OF GOD is the saving presence of God, active and
encouraging, as it is affirmed or welcomed among men and
women.
2. THE KINGDOM OF GOD is a new world in which suffering is
abolished, a world of completely whole or healed men and women
in a society.
3. THE KINGDOM OF GOD is a changed new relationship (metanoia) of
men and women with God, the tangible and visible side of which is
a new type of liberating relationship among men and women with
a reconciling society, in a peaceful natural environment.
We are in the Service of the Kingdom:
 5th point: Out of this view of Church and Kingdom, this is how we as
Church understand our mission (RM 20):
1. The Church is effectively and concretely at the service of the
Kingdom. This is seen especially in her preaching, which is a call
to conversion. Preaching constitutes the Church's first and
fundamental way of serving the coming of the Kingdom in
individuals and in human society. (Proclamation)
2. The Church, then, serves the Kingdom by establishing
communities and founding new particular Churches and by guiding
them to mature faith and charity in openness towards others, in
service to individuals and society, and in understanding and
esteem for human institutions. (Witnessing In/Through
Communion)
3. The Church serves the Kingdom by spreading throughout the world
the "Gospel values" which are an expression of the Kingdom and
which help people to accept God's plan. It is true that the
inchoate reality of the Kingdom can also be found beyond the
confines of the Church among peoples everywhere to the extent
that they live "Gospel values" and are open to the working of the
Spirit, who breathes when and where he wills (cf. Jn 3:8).
(Prophetic Action and Inclusion)
3 Perspective:
rd

Character - Mission

Who were the community of disciples?


How did they go about doing the mission of Jesus?
How do we about doing this like they did?
Character of the Church’s mission:
 Pope Francis: “the holy people of God
making its way to encounter Jesus
Christ”
 Identity: The Church originates in their
collective confession of faith in the
Risen Lord, Jesus Christ (and nothing
else!) = “Who do you say that I am?”
 The Church can only give full account
of its identity by realizing its purpose
through sharing in God’s work of
mission in Jesus.
 The Mission: proclaiming the Kingdom
of God as the sign of God’s presence
(and nothing else!)
The Foundations of the Church’s
Character: The Life, Ministry and
Witness of Jesus and the
Community of Disciples

First reflection: Character


The Community of Disciples:
Who are They?
From the perspective of “instituted”:
 The process of Jesus laying the foundations of the Church:
 Jesus did gather disciples (Gk. Μαθητής, mathetes, Lat. discipulus –
learner, disciple) around him. This was the sign that there were those who
believed in the message of Jesus. From their response, they participated in
his ministry, and Jesus saw this as a sign that the Kingdom of God was
breaking through. They were seen as those accepting the message against
those who resisted and rejected the message (Matt. 10:34). This becomes
the vision of the New Testament and the community born out of it, the
ekklesia.
 Jesus saw and anticipated that there will be an interim period between his
death and the parousia, though we don’t really understand what his
thought was at this period. All we know is that he saw Jerusalem rejecting
his message, and later on others (particularly Gentiles) would be seen as
accepting His call to the Kingdom (Matt. 8:11-12).
 After his death, the community of disciples did stay together despite the
rejection of the message by the majority of the Jewish people. Despite the
painful experience of losing their rabbi, they continued to hold on to his
words (especially the Last Supper experience, and the word to Simon Peter
for them to stay together [Lk. 22:31-34]), and made this their reason to
stay together.
FT: The Twelve/The Seventy(-Two)
Luke 10: 1-12; 17-20
Mark 3: 13-19
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent
them two by two ahead of him to every town and place
Jesus went up on a mountainside and where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is
called to him those he wanted, and plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the
they came to him. He appointed harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest
field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do
twelve that they might be with him not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone
and that he might send them out to on the road.
preach and to have authority to drive “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If
out demons. These are the twelve he someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest
appointed: Simon (to whom he gave on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and
drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his
the name Peter), James son of wages. Do not move around from house to house.
Zebedee and his brother John (to
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is
them he gave the name Boanerges, offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them,
which means “sons of ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you
thunder”), Andrew, Philip, enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and
say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a
Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has
James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day
Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, for Sodom than for that town.
who betrayed him. The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even
the demons submit to us in your name.”
Church: Who composed it? Who composes it?
 From the previous point, we see Jesus laying the foundations of the Church. He may not
have intended to have “instituted” such a group in his encounters with people, but he
saw a movement arising from his public ministry of proclaiming the Kingdom of God.
• Jesus not “founding” a Church, but he is the “foundation” of the Church which
constitutes the very foundation of the Church. (LG #5)
• From the idea of Church as “intention” – Jesus “founding” the Church - to the Church
as “reception” - formed by those gathered around him who believed and acted upon
the message of the Kingdom of God as proclaimed by Jesus in both words (parables,
teachings and sayings) and actions (miracles, acts of compassion, forgiveness and
mercy, and acts of justice and indignation from the exercise of political power)
 The vision of the New Testament that formed the ekklesia: discipleship (Gk. mathetes).
It presupposes their faith as that:
 Originates from the basic faith conviction that the final, definitive salvation came
from Jesus in the proclamation of the Kingdom/Reign of God.
 Jesus is alive and present through His Spirit; and
 Such a faith conviction has to be lived or put into action (incarnated faith).
 This is where we understand the calling of the Twelve and the Seventy, not as
members of an exclusive organization, but as people who shared the vision of Jesus.
Who are the community of disciples Jesus
surrounded himself with?
 Apostle (Greek: ἀπόστολος, translit. apóstolos, lit.
'one who is sent away’) = the agents who will
actualize the Kingdom of God in the coming of the
Parousia (Greek: παρουσία; in the Christian
tradition, refers to the 2nd Coming of Jesus). They are
not proselytizers or preachers, but they prepare the
way for it through the way of Jesus (immediacy and
urgency).
 Who are they? (Traditional interpretation)
 They were MEN appointed by Jesus to take care of
the Church after His ascension to the Father.
 They were given names in the Scriptures
 From them came the instruction of what was to
become the tradition, teaching and governance of
the Church then, and until now.
 Weakness: focusses the understanding of Church
as an institution (a Euro-centric and patriarchal
mentality); uncritical study of Scriptures.
Who are the community of disciples Jesus
surrounded himself with?
 If we look at it from an informed Tradition (as originally understood
by the early community), the question is not so much of who, but of
the meaning of the layer of the symbolism in the numbers used by
Jesus to signify the role of the community of his followers.
 Twelve/Seventy(-Two) = it’s not the men, but what they represent: a
call to form the house of Israel again as one People of God.
 The followers called were just a representation of the building of
Israel as one nation, and the names mentioned are not that
important.
1. 12 (Twelve) – reminding the symbol of nationhood of Israel as
God’s own people (the 12 sons of Jacob/Israel=12 tribes
composing the collective people of God, the nation of Israel)
2. 70/72 – the council of elders Moses formed to lead Israel to
God/also represent the world (not governance by power, but
of ministry)
 The intention is the meaning of the number as it is
represented, and not the individuals named in the Gospels to
represent the Twelve or the Seventy(-Two).
Who are the community of disciples Jesus
surrounded himself with?
 Apóstolos = denotes the Hebrew
sheliḥim [ʃəliːˈχiːm] or sheliah in Halakha
(ַ‫ש ִליח‬‎
ָ [‎,ʃaˈlijaχ]; pl. ‫יחים‬ ְ ‎,) a Jewish
ִ ‫ש ִל‬‎
legal emissary or agent who is being sent.
 Later, this will be used by all who will proclaim the
message of Jesus to the peoples after the resurrection
experience. Though some of them are Jesus’
followers, many of them emerged as such even if they
were originally belonging to the community Jesus
formed (eg. Paul and Barnabas).
 At first, it meant those who experienced Jesus
firsthand (before the resurrection)
 Later it meant, anyone who has place their faith
in Jesus (after the resurrection = ekklesia)
In summary:
 Remember: the intention is the number!
 Not the composition or qualification of whom,
but the symbolism of what the number
represents is important. The names are not
important!
 12/70-72 – speaks of the re-emergence of the
people in the fullness of the Kingdom of God.
Therefore, the names aren’t important, but
the symbol of the number IS (and it doesn’t
have to be an accurate number)!
 It is much the powerful symbol of becoming
God’s people (which Israel used in the Old
Testament to depict themselves as God’s
people) as established in the covenant Jesus
made with His self-giving out of love and of his
faith conviction (the Reign of God).
Review: Proclaiming The Kingdom of God
 The Church started with Jesus and the
Spirit. What does this mean?
1. Jesus gathered disciples around him.
They participated in his mission to
proclaim the Good News by the coming of
the Kingdom of God. Seeing their
willingness and faith, they shared in his
work and ministry.
2. From this movement under him, he
taught them the mysteries of the
Kingdom, and knowing that many will
reject his message, he prepared them by
expecting what was to come.
3. The bond of the shared faith was realized
in table fellowship together (especially
the Last Supper) as the symbol of his
proclamation and principle as God’s
chosen.
Review: Proclaiming The Kingdom of God
 The Church started with Jesus and the
Spirit. What does this mean? (A Review)
4. An unexpected tragedy: Jesus was
arrested and executed as a common
criminal. It seemed to be end of the
movement, but some chose to
remain together despite this, and
had period of brief respite,
reflecting what Jesus and his
message meant to them.
5. An event of explosion: in the days
leading to the Pentecost, they
encountered the Spirit which
empowered them to understand
finally what Jesus and what He
meant to them. This emboldened
them to finally go out of hiding, and
proclaim in public their faith in the
Risen Jesus. (3rd Perspective)
Sharing the mission of Christ:
 “Come, follow me!”/“Come and see.” =
Discipleship as vision of the New Testament Church
 To be part of the community is not a coercion,
but an invitation. The followers who were
invited to follow Jesus were convinced of the
message of the Kingdom of God that was here,
but yet to come. (faith conviction)
 At first, they were composed who had a first-
hand experience of Jesus of Nazareth as they
were witness to his words and works. (Faith in
Jesus from below - basic Christology)
 Later on, it also included people who never
knew Jesus, but acknowledged him as Lord and
Savior – the Messiah (Faith in Jesus from above
– high Christology).
The Pentecost: The Explosion
of the Spirit towards Mission
Second reflection: On Character
The Pentecost: Its Understanding by the early
Christian community

 Before Jesus left them, he often spoke and promised of the coming of the Spirit
that would make them understand the things he taught them, to empower
them and give them courage to proclaim the Kingdom/Reign of God to others,
and to help them to decide what was right and just in becoming his disciples.
The Pentecost: Its Understanding by the early
Christian community

 Spirit – from the Hebrew ruach (ַ‫רּוח‬‎‎rúaħ) meaning “breath”; understood as two
aspects in Greek: (1) pneuma [πνεῦμα] – “breath”, breathe; and (2) psykhē [ψυχή],
"soul”
 Old Testament Jewish understanding: our breath comes from divine infusion
which makes the human body alive.
 New Testament: As Jesus transcends history, physicality and mortality, he
embodies the ruah of God and empowers his disciples with this Spirit as they
continue the mission he inaugurated: the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.
The Pentecost: Its Understanding by the early
Christian community

 The Pentecost is heralded as the event that signaled the birth of the Church:
 Often many have understood this event as the birthday of the Church, particularly using
only the text from Acts 2.
 But recent re-examination of the Scriptures has produced the many events that led the
community of disciples to encounter the Holy Spirit.
The Pentecost: Its Understanding by the early
Christian community
 Many different accounts:
 Mark – the appearances of the Lord after His
resurrection (Mark 16).
 The Spirit of the Lord appears to the
apostles then they were filled with awe
and terror. The story ends there. On the
extended part, however, it proceeds to
the instruction and ascension, and the
commencement of the mission.
 Matthew – symbolizes with the Great
Commissioning (Matthew 28)
 The Lord appears to them, and
commissions them empowering them (to
make disciples of all nations).
The Pentecost: Its Understanding by the early
Christian community
 Luke-Acts – Jesus ascends to the Father,
and the apostles receive the Spirit during
the Pentecost (Luke 24; Acts1-2)
 Depicts the Spirit as the ruah of God
who lifts Christ to the heavens, and
then later descends back down to
empower the Apostles
 John – breathing the Divine Breath on
them as they receive the Spirit (divine
infusion – John 20:19-23)
 Faithful to the Logos theme, Jesus as
the Logos (Word) of God breathes on
them the Spirit (similar to the 2nd
Creation Story, but this time depicting
them as the new creation, new people
of God)
The Pentecost: Its Understanding by the early
Christian community
 No matter the difference of accounts, there
is one thing they agree upon: For them, this
is not the end, but the beginning of another
phase in their shared mission with Jesus: the
proclamation of the Kingdom of God. They
now see this as their shared responsibility
(koinonia) following what Jesus had first
done.
 After the Pentecost, things will be never the
same for them again as they declared their
confession of faith in Jesus very openly and
shared this faith by proclaiming the
principle of the Kingdom of God which was
Jesus’ message first to the “lost house of
Israel”, and later on, to the Gentiles.
Acts 2: 42-47 – The early Christian Community
They devoted themselves to the
teaching of the apostles and to the
communal life, to the breaking of the
bread and to the prayers. Awe came
upon everyone, and many wonders and
signs were done through the
apostles. All who believed were
together and had all things in
common; they would sell their property
and possessions and divide them among
all according to each one’s need. Every
day they devoted themselves to
meeting together in the temple area
and to breaking bread in their homes.
They ate their meals with exultation
and sincerity of heart, praising God and
enjoying favor with all the people. And
every day the Lord added to their
number those who were being saved.
Acts 4: 32-35 – The early Christian Community
The community of believers was of
one heart and mind, and no one
claimed that any of his possessions
was his own, but they had
everything in common. With great
power the apostles bore witness to
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them
all. There was no needy person
among them, for those who owned
property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale, and
put them at the feet of the
apostles, and they were distributed
to each according to need.
Koinonia [κοινωνία] – the lifestyle
reflecting the Kingdom of God
Acts 2:42-47 Acts 4: 32-35
They devoted themselves to the The community of believers was of one
teaching of the apostles and to the
communal life, to the breaking of the heart and mind, and no one claimed
bread and to the prayers. Awe came that any of his possessions was his
upon everyone, and many wonders and own, but they had everything in
signs were done through the apostles. All common. With great power the
who believed were together and had all
things in common; they would sell their apostles bore witness to the
property and possessions and divide resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
them among all according to each one’s great favor was accorded them all.
need. Every day they devoted There was no needy person among
themselves to meeting together in the
temple area and to breaking bread in
them, for those who owned property
their homes. They ate their meals with or houses would sell them, bring the
exultation and sincerity of heart, praising proceeds of the sale, and put them at
God and enjoying favor with all the the feet of the apostles, and they were
people. And every day the Lord added to
distributed to each according to need.
their number those who were being
saved.
The community of disciples after the
explosion of the Spirit:
 The bond of their community come from the
shared confession of faith that Jesus is alive!
(the resurrection experience) – the core of
the faith of the Church.
 From this, we can see six dimensions as we
speak of the emergence of a “Church”:
1. A shared confession of faith – “Jesus is
Lord! He is Risen as He said, Alleluia!”
2. A strong sense of fellowship – “All who
believed were together…”
3. Nourished by the Word of God – “They
devoted themselves to the teaching of the
apostles…”
The community of disciples after the
explosion of the Spirit:
 From this, we can see six dimensions as we speak
of the emergence of a “Church”:
4. Celebrating communion with God and with
one another in prayer and in the breaking of
the bread – “They devoted themselves…to the
breaking of the bread and to the prayers.”
5. Developed a plurality of ministries including
(but not limited to) leadership – “There are
different forms of service but the same Lord…”
6. Continued the mission of Jesus, i.e.,
proclaiming the Kingdom of God – “They
strengthened the spirits of the disciples and
exhorted them to persevere in the faith,
saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many
hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
In summary: The Character of the Church
 1st point: The bond of their community in the faith that
Jesus is alive! (the resurrection experience) – the core
of the faith of the Church which comes from Jesus and
His Spirit.
 2nd point: From this bond and core of faith, we can speak
of six dimensions to be “Church”:
1. A confession of faith
2. A fellowship
3. The Word of God
4. Celebrating communion with God in the prayers and
sacraments
5. Different forms of ministries as expressions of the
One Spirit
6. Continued sharing in the mission
 Therefore, we speak of the incarnated faith of the
Church in its being a communion of discipleship from the
person of the Incarnated God (Jesus) as the purpose of
why the Church exists and continues its life and activity
in mission.
Koinonia: Living The Kingdom of God
 3rd point: The dream – bringing the Reign of God by “making
disciples of all nations” (cf. Matthew 16:19) – the real intention
of Jesus in His proclamation (and nothing else!). The community
were the receivers of this particular intention (reception).
 They started as a counter-cultural movement embodying the
spirit of koinonia (Acts 2:42-47).
1. “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles”
2. “Broke bread together…”
3. “They spoke and discussed the Scriptures…”
4. “shared their goods in common”
Before the stage of expansion of Christianity, this was the life
of the ekklesia: a life shared by faith, by the Word, by the
table, and by the sharing of goods in common.
 It is only in re-discovering this original spirit from Jesus’
proclamation of the Kingdom of God that moved the
community of disciples to live the way of koinonia can we
speak of the Church truly becoming faithful to its mission (the
call of Vatican II and PCP II).

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