The Passion of The Christ Group Study

Week 2

1. We must remember that the Pharisees occupied the "seat of Moses"

1: Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, 2: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; 3: so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. (Matt 23:1-3)

Therefore, there opinion and their edicts carried great weight with the Jewish people. It was for this reason that Jesus spoke so harshly to them for their failings. (Matt 23:11-39, Luke 13:10-17, Mark 7:5-23)

2. We find an interesting quote in John's Gospel concerning the high priest, Ca'iaphas.

47: So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48: If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation." 49: But one of them, Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all; 50: you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish." 51: He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, 52: and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. (John 11:47-52)

This quote is of interest because John lets us know that even though Ca'iaphas said these words with self-preservation in mind, they ended up being prophetic as his role of high priest.

Ca'iaphas was of the high priestly family of Annas.

5: On the morrow their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, 6: with Annas the high priest and Ca'iaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. (Acts 4:5-6)

Annas was high priest from 6 or 7 AD to 15 AD, when he was deposed by the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus, who preceded Pontius Pilate. However, Annas maintained great influence reflected by the fact that of those who succeeded him, most were either sons or son-in-laws. Ca'iaphas seemed to be the most politically skilled of Annas' relatives given the length of his reign as high priest (18 - 36 AD). We also note the influence of Annas in that when Jesus is taken into custody, He is taken first to Annas and then to Ca'iaphas (John 18:13). Also, in the Gospel of Luke we have another example of the influence still exerted by Annas.

1: In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiber'i-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturae'a and Trachoni'tis, and Lysa'ni-as tetrarch of Abile'ne, 2: in the high-priesthood of Annas and Ca'iaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechari'ah in the wilderness; (Luke 3:1-2)

3. This flashback also reminds us that Mary would most surely miss the company of her Son when he died. It is also helpful to recall the following passages from Scripture:

17: And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18: and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19: But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:17-19)

34: and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against 35: (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." (Luke 2:34-35)

3: When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4: And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5: His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." (John 2:3-5)

4. The tongue is often referred to in Scripture for its ability to do both good and harm.

13: Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. (Ps 34:13)

2: The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. (Prov 15:2)

4: A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. (Prov 15:4)

23: He who keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. (Prov 21:23)

5: A pleasant voice multiplies friends, and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies. (Sir 6:5)

17: The blow of a whip raises a welt, but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones. 18: Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have fallen because of the tongue. (Sir 28:17-18)

17: As a clue to changes of heart 18: four turns of fortune appear, good and evil, life and death; and it is the tongue that continually rules them. (Sir 38:17-18)

1: Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness. 2: For we all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. 3: If we put bits into the mouths of horses that they may obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4: Look at the ships also; though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5: So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6: And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell. 7: For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind, 8: but no human being can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9: With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. 10: From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so. 11: Does a spring pour forth from the same opening fresh water and brackish? 12: Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. 13: Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. (James 3:1-13)

5. Many of the the early Church were persecuted under the claims of cannibalism and of human sacrifice. This was because the Pagan rulers of the Roman empire did not understand the sacrifice of the mass.

6. Comment on Mary as Ark of the New Covenant refer to my previous study on Mary in Scripture

7. Herod Antipas was not a king in the strict sense but merely a ethnarch. That is he governed a province, but under the authority of Rome, not his own. When he petitioned Rome for the title of King, his nephew Herod Agrippa I, had already sent messengers to Caligula, accusing Herod Antipas of consipiracy against the Romans. Caligula had Herod Antipas exiled to Lyon, France and he later died in Spain.

8. We are called to do more than our best. However, this seemingly impossible task can be accomplished through the grace and power of God.

9. Consult the wonderful encyclical written by his holiness, Pope John Paul II, Veritas Splendor. Also, consider the following passages from Scripture.

6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

This corresponds to the three offices given by God to the Jews. The king shows the way of God by rightly ordering the kingdom of the peopl, the prophet speaks the truth of God to the people, and the priest administers the life of God to the people. These same offices are entrusted to us as members of His Church.

9: The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. 10: He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. 11: He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. 12: But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; 13: who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John 1:9-14)

24: Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25: because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. (Rom 1:24-25)

18: You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19: but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20: He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. 21: Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22: Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart. (1 Pet 1:18-22)

10. Ironic how the sinful "son of the father", Barabba, was spared, while the sinless Son of the Father, Jesus, was slain.

Disclaimer: I do not wish to present myself as an expert in either theology, history, or scriptural interpretation. I am merely someone who is attempting to answer the call of Christ. The ultimate authority and interpreter of scripture is our Holy Catholic Church. If at any point I deviate from the teachings of the Church, please correct me, alfredo@nevarez.net, as this is my shortcoming and in no way meant to be an expression of my views superceding those of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

San Jose Bible Study
Alfredo Nevarez
512-916-4755 (Evening)
512-602-0388 (Daytime)
alfredo@nevarez.net
http://www.nevarez.net/alf/catholic/bible_study/