Christ and His Church
...oses to become incarnate in view of man’s sin. Christ destroys each man’s personal sin. The incarnation is indissolubly joined with redemption. The union of Human and Divine nature is a Redemptive Incarnation. CHRIST’S LIFE AND MINISTRY THE BIRTH OF CHRIST • Virgin Birth (Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ.) • Circumstances of Christ’s Birth ( Bethlehem was the birthplace of king David, from whom lineage Christ came and to whom a special promise of the messiah was made II Kings 23:1.) • Manifestation of Christ’s Birth (Christ’s birth was made known to a few, and through these to many, for faith depends on hearing Rom 10:17.) THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST • Besides the legal rites of the Jewish people, Christ submitted to the Baptism of St. John as a prelude to his public ministry. • The rite of Baptism of St. John was the result of the divine inspiration ( Jn.1:33) THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Christ went into the desert as a battle field to be tempted by the devil. 1. He wished to strengthen us against our temptations. 2. He wished to warn us the no degree of holiness can insure us against temptations. 3. He wished to give us a personal example. 4. He wished to strengthen our confidence in his mercy. Temptation of Adam and Eve Temptation of Christ (Gen.3) (Matt.4:1-11) “Why has God commanded you, “If thou art the Son of That you should not eat of every God turn these stones Tree of paradise”? into loaves of bread” “You shall be as gods, knowing “If thou art the Son of good and evil” God, throw thyself down” THE TEACHING OF THE MASTER • The Subject’s of Christ’s Teachings (Christ’s teaching was directed first to the Jewish people. “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” Matt.12:24, and though them he would reach the Gentiles.) • The Manner of Christ’s Teachings (Christ did not conceal his teaching nor did he teach different doctrines to different groups. Christ proposed much of his doctrine in parables for the people to understand.) THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST St. Thomas assigns three reasons to explain why the miracles of Christ gave sufficient grounds to believe in his divinity. 1. Because of the very nature of the things he did. Among the miracles of Christ were some which surpassed the entire power of the nature, and consequently, could not be done except by divine power. (Jn.9:32-33) 2. Because of the way in which he worked miracles on his own authority and by this own power. (Jn.5:19-21) 3. Because he clearly thought that he was God. This would never have been confirmed by miracles if it were false. (Mk.1:27) NATURE OF THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST St. Thomas considers the miracles of Christ according to the four fold division of subjects upon which they were worked: 1. He worked miracles by casting out demons to rescue by his divine power those who would believe in him. 2. He worked miracles on heavenly bodies which are subject to no earthly control and thus manifested his divine power. 3. Christ’s miracles performed on men were a suitable demonstration that he was the savior of all mankind. 4. Christ’s miracles worked on irrational creatures to show the universality of his power over all creation. PASSION, DEATH, AND RESSURRECTION OF CHRIST THE PASSION An understanding of the kinds and degree of necessity, we may reach the following conclusions with respect to the necessity of Christ’s Sufferings: 1. It is clear that there was no natural necessity for Christ’s passion, either on God’s part or on man’s. 2. There was neither compul...