The Jewish People and Their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible (May 24, 2001) · Page 64 of 88
The Jewish People and Their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible (May 24, 2001)
- Pontifical Biblical Commission
- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
- Vatican City
- 2002-02-12 AD
The Pontifical Biblical Commission examines the inseparable bond between the Jewish people and Christian Scripture after the Holocaust, affirming the Jewish Scriptures as the inspired Word of God and the indispensable foundation of the New Testament. Jesus, the Apostles, and the earliest Christian communities emerge from Judaism; the New Testament uses Israel’s Scriptures, especially the Septuagint, through quotations, allusions, and Jewish interpretive forms, presenting Christ’s death and resurrection as fulfillment that preserves continuity while introducing newness. The study compares Jewish and Christian relations between written Scripture, oral tradition, and interpretation, discusses the formation of the Jewish and Christian canons, and notes the Catholic canon’s eventual definition at Florence and Trent. It traces biblical themes of the one Creator, human dignity and sin, Israel’s liberation, covenant, and salvation, then surveys the diverse Judaism of Jesus’ time and the growing separation between synagogue and Church after the destruction of the Temple. Readings of the Gospels, Acts, Pauline Letters, Hebrews, Catholic Epistles, and Revelation are assessed to distinguish polemics against particular opponents from judgments against the Jewish people as a whole. Christians are urged to reject anti-Jewish interpretations, recognize Judaism’s enduring place in God’s plan, and pursue mutual esteem and dialogue while maintaining Christian faith in Jesus.
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