a comparison of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant pt. 1

Should Catholic Jews (and Messianic Jews) keep the Torah? How should Catholic Jews relate to rabbinical authority?

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justin821
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a comparison of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant pt. 1

Post by justin821 »

I'd like to study with my Hebrew Catholic friends on this Topic. Let's learn together:

A Comparison of the Old Covenant with the New: In Praise of God for Both!!! Mary's YES

The Old Covenant Sacrifices and Rituals did provide a Means of entering into Holiness depending on good Kavanah (interior openness and longing for God and the Messiah manifested through Exterior Acts). However, These Sacrifices and Rituals could never provide Salvation. They were an imitation, a copy of what was actually going on in the Heavenly Temple, seen from the "blueprints of Worship", that is, the Visions given to St. Moses and St. David. In this earthly copy of the Heavenly Authentic Worship and Temple, the High Priest and Priests imitated the Intercession of the Angels in regards to their people, the Old Covenant Church, and imitated the Worship that the Angels gave to God. They never had the Authority, in their own person, to Absolve sins, but had to depend on exterior signs, and God's Oath to forgive sins was only in regards to remitting the Temporal/Natural effects of the particular sin, and even this was because of what Jesus Christ Would later Do. The Aharonic Priesthood was established as a Punishment for the sin of the golden calf, therefore stripping it from the 12 Elders of the 12 Tribes who were supposed to originally administer the Sacrifices. It was not the Original Ideal or Intention of God. The High Priests did not enjoy the same intimacy and friendship with God. The Shekinah, the Presence of God, was present in the Tabernacle and in the Temple, both times sitting on top of the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, and the Old Covenant Church was permitted to Adore Him, therefore having Adoration available. The Old Covenant Church, except for St. Moses and St. Joshua, was not allowed in the Tabernacle, otherwise known as the Tent of Meeting, but Adored God from seeing His Presence outside as the Pillar of Smoke and Fire. *Later on, when the Shekinah Dwelt in the Temple, special rooms where made in which the People where able to Adore Him, seeing His Presence from the outside, though not entering into the Holy of Holies nor seeing into the Holy of Holies. The Old Covenant Rituals and Sacrifices did allow the Old Covenant Church to enter into Covenant with God, and therefore form with Him a Family Bond and a Betrothal, which was really through God the Son, in light of, and in anticipation of, His Sacrifice, Resurrection, and Ascension into the True Heavenly Temple where He, as Both High Priest and Victim, offers His Glorified and Resurrected Body and Blood. **Sanctifying Grace was given only in rare, special cases such as that of the Davidic Kings and Members of the Aharonic Priesthood. Both Davidic Kings and Aharonic Priests were bound by the restrictions of birthright, and Aharonic Priests were also bound under certain other Restrictions, such as Legal Purity/Cleanliness. Actual Grace was the norm. However, Actual Grace was given only to those who truly sought the LORD. This also comes in light of the Merits that Jesus Christ would win for them later on with His Sacrifice and Resurrection entering into the Heavenly Temple. Also, Old Testament Rituals dealt with the Temporal while New Testament Sacraments deal with the Spiritual/Supernatural. This connects with the idea of the Covenant Curses, for example, in the Old Covenant being Temporal, but in the New Covenant being Supernatural. The Blessings work the same way. Heaven was not yet open to the souls of OId Covenant Saints that had died. They went to a holding place called Sheol, which is also called the Bosom of Abraham. Here, they awaited the Messiah to lead them to Heaven. However, there were hints at Supernatural Rewards and Judgments. For example, in the Scriptures there was the idea that in some cases, to deliberately be unfaithful to the Law resulted in being "cut off" from God, not only in one's natural life, but also in the afterlife. These unfaithful souls were to go to a place of purification before being able to enter into and wait in Sheol for the Messiah. It is possible that the rich man who neglected Lazarus went here. Also, in the Second Book of the Maccabees there was an idea that total sacrifice of oneself for God, including unto death, would result in being Blessed in the Resurrection of the Dead, in the World to Come. It should be noted that these early hints at Supernatural Blessings or Curses, once again are only merited through Jesus Christ's Salvific Works, since the Old Covenant Church depends on it's Coming Messiah and is incomplete without Him Fulfilling everything. Also, though the Old Covenant Church wasn't totally illuminated by the Fullness of the Faith, since Jesus the Christ had not yet come at that time, the degree to which they were Faithful to the Anticipation of the New Covenant, because of their innocent ignorance, receives God's Mercy, but once again only through good Kavanah, and longing for the Messiah to Fulfill It and Bring the Reward, for only He Could Do That and only He Has Won the Merit for Us. The Old Covenant and its Sacrifices and Rituals, in many ways then, were merely a shadow to be fulfilled with a Body..the Body and Blood of the Messiah. In the New Covenant, the Priesthood is more ancient than the Aharonic Priesthood, being modelled on that of the Melchizadekian/Adamic Priesthood, and yet this isn't an entirely sufficient explanation since the Melchizadekian/Adamic Priesthood also was only a Vision or Type of the Architypal Priesthood. Since Adam was a Type of the Original "Adam", Namely of Jesus the Christ, Who Is the Image of the Invisible Father, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the Adam Kadmon, the New Covenant Priesthood then could more accurately be described as the Adam Kadmonic Priesthood or the Divine Priesthood...the Heavenly High Priesthood of Jesus the Christ. The Penance of the Aharonic Priesthood is therefore lifted and the original design of the Melchizadekian/Adamic Priesthood is resumed, and yet even this is more greatly fulfilled. The New Covenant Priesthood is far superior to that of the Old since the Priests act as Eunuch's for King Jesus, taking care of His Bride, the Church. Priests are now God's Trusted Friends taking care of His Most Precious Bride. These New Covenant Priests during the Eucharistic Liturgy, at the Words of Consecration, do not merely imitate Heavenly Worship, they actually Are in the Person of Christ the True High Priest offering His/Their Body and Blood. This Priesthood is Divine. The New Covenant Priests also intercede for their People in this Identity and are even higher than the Angels, since the Angels cannot offer the Liturgy of the Eucharist. They are higher than the Seraphim. New Covenant Priests can actually act as God's Representatives, Absolving sins in their own Person, which is in the Person of Christ, and definitively declare them to be absolved.
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a comparison of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant pt. 2

Post by justin821 »

...continuation of part 1:

The New Covenant Priesthood also does not depend on the Inheritance through natural means, but rather through Spiritual Generation. Also, the New Covenant Church fulfills the Old Covenant Church since God does not merely establish Covenantal Family Bonds with the New Covenant Church, but actually takes this to the Next Step, bringing about Communion. The Church no longer is merely part of God's Family and is not merely His Betrothed, but now is His Bride and enjoys the Consummation of the Marriage. The Kingdom of Heaven is a Wedding Feast. The New Covenant Church also Worships and Adores the Shekinah Presence, the Eucharistic Presence of God the Son, but not only has Adoration but also Receives this Holy Presence and Identity of God the Son into Our Bodies as Our Nourishment. He Humbles Himself for Us since We are now His Most Dear Friends. We enter into His Literal Divine Body through Baptism, and Receive His Body through the Eucharist. We Receive Him and He Receives Us. The Temple is His Body and when We Are Baptized and Receive Him, We are Members of His Body. Our Bodies then are the New Temple, where We offer Sacrifice and He Dwells in Our Holy of Holies. We are Divinized. We are not gods, but rather share in His Divine Life, which is Sanctifying Grace, and unlike the Old Testament Church which had Its Specific Titles of Priests, Prophets, and Kings, through the Sacraments of Initiation the Catholic Christian being a Member of the Body of Christ Identifies with All Three Titles since Christ Himself is All Three. Sanctifying Grace is now the Norm through the Sacraments, and Actual Grace is also always available through sincere Prayer. We are the Arks of the Covenant now, in imitation of Mary Immaculate the Mother of God and the Most Purest Ark. Now Heaven is open and Purgatory is given as an extra Blessing of Purification. Hell is now the judgment of those who deliberately reject God and choose sin.

I do want to make it clear that Christ did not abolish the Old Covenant, but rather fulfilled It. The Old is praiseworthy and beautiful and only illuminates and deepens one's Love for, Appreciation for, and Knowledge of Christ. Ignorance of the Old is Ignorance of the New for the New is hidden in the Old and the Old is fulfilled and deepened by the New. The Jewish People still have a Major Part to play in both the Church and in regards to the Resurrection of the Dead in the Last Days. We love the Jews, and thank God for giving us wonderful older Brothers and Sisters. Jesus still loves the People to Whom He was Promised. Many of the Teachings and Words of Jesus have Their Roots in the Old Covenant, so let us understand and follow His Commandments all the more. Kavanah is still excellent training in Virtue to be nourished and aided by Sanctifying Grace, so let Us walk in the Spirit and depend on the Sacraments all the more. Oh Daughter Zion, Holy Mother Mary, thank you for saying YES. Oh Immaculate One show Us the Blessed Fruit of Your Womb, the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Blessed be God for His Tender Mercy and Body and Blood. Amen.


footnotes from part 1 and 2:

*I'm not sure entirely how this worked. I know they couldn't Adore God by way of seeing into the Holy of Holies, but I've heard this fact of Adoration Chapels being present and seen many artistic conceptions where the Shekinah reached into the Holy of Holies through the outside sky.

**This is based on the Fact that Davidic Kings were Anointed with the Holy Spirit, and were called God's Sons. Remember though that this Sonship was only a Type of the True Architypal Sonship of Jesus the Christ. The Old Covenant Davidic Kings became God's Sons through Adoption, but Jesus Christ from all Eternity was God's Son through Generation, and therefore being Begotten, not Adopted. Aharonic Priests also were Anointed, though I don't know exactly if this means they too were technically Adopted. My point here in some ways is speculative.

If there's anything in this blog that contradicts the Scriptures, Tradition, or Magisterium of the Catholic Church, or the Catechism, let me know. I will gladly correct what I've so far written. Let Us always submit to the Church's Wonderful Guidance and Teaching, since She alone has the Fullness of the Faith.
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Re: a comparison of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant pt. 1

Post by Ariel »

thanks for the input Justin but let's try to keep posts brief. This is a forum for DISCUSSION and not for presenting teachings or lectures. Thanks for your understanding.
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” C.S. Lewis
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Re: a comparison of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant pt. 1

Post by K.jerome »

Hi Justin,

I appreciate the effort you have put in your article. Catholics have adopted so much of Jewish tradition from the old testament -so much so that the protestants often say that the Catholic's way of worship is boring. By knowing the old testament properly we can explain to our Jewish Non-Christian friends that if Catholics have adopted so much of Jewish rituals/tradition in their praise and worship-why not the Jewish non-Christians also take one single step forward in accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour (Like the catholics).

I'll expect to hear more from your rich knowledge on the Old testament.

Yours in Christ

(K.Jerome)
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