This Section provides the final rationale for Gospel Proclamation , standing as its solid foundation, in as far as Jesus Christ is designated by God as the cornerstone both of the creation of the entire Universe and of the new humanity.
By Christology we mean the body of knowledge about Jesus Christ available from the faith of the Church in him. This faith of the primitive Church proclaimed by the Apostles and other disciples like the Evangelists resulted in the New Testament of the Bible. A similar pattern can be seen for the Old Testament too as it was the result of reflection on the experiences of the Jewish people. For the New Testament, the primitive Church up to around A.D.100 was constitutive of not only the New Testament but also of the Church of the subsequent centuries.The main difference is to be seen in the fact that while the Church was normative for the New testament Scripture in the first century, the Scripture is normative for the Church in all the subsequent centuries till the end of time. However, the sense of the Church in understanding Scripture (sometimes called 'tradition') cannot be disposed with for the right interpretation of the Scriptures. Because of the historical influences exerted on the Church as a social structure, the need for deconstruction and reconstruction of the understanding of the Church about itself cannot be overstated. Thus, the relevance of understanding Christology in the 21st century has added importance, given the complexity of the present age.
Christology and Ecclesiology: They are interlinked to such an extent that one cannot be understood properly without a proper understanding of the other. The Church as a social structure with its actual organization does not coalesce with the Church as the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. The reason for this is that both the realities have members who do not formally belong to the other as some who are seemingly in the Church may be really outside it and vice-versa. Yet, the mission of the Church demands that the invisible be made visible as the ideal Church would be a combination of the visible and the invisible elements. The seven sacraments of the Church stand at the threshold of both the visible and the invisible elements in the Church. The charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for building up the Church and not for personal honor or even personal sanctification (See 1 Corinthians, chapter 12). The fruits of the Holy Spirit (See Galatians, 5: 22-23) are meant for personal sanctification and are available to all who co-operate with the Spirit of God. Here again, love stands at the threshold of both the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit harmonizing and uniting everything (See 1 Corinthians, chapter 13). Jesus Christ is the one who is present in all these activities initiated and sustained by the Holy Spirit. The glorified body of Jesus Christ is soaked through and through with the Holy Spirit so as to become a spiritual body, a destiny meant for the whole universe. Glorification and spiritualization of our own bodies are but a prelude to the glorification and spiritualization of the entire universe.
Priesthood of Christ: The above process of spiritualization is achieved through the priesthood of Jesus Christ according to the order of Melchizedek. What is the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek? It is that priesthood that owes itself "... not to a system of earthbound rules but to the power of a life that cannot be destroyed" (Hebrews, 7: 16). Every priesthood on earth could only be a shadow of the heavenly one, whereas the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek is the real priesthood conferred by God on His Son. "Now if he had been on earth, he would not even have been a priest, since there are already priests who offer the gifts which the Law prescribes, though they minister in a sanctuary which is only a copy and shadow of the heavenly" (Hebrews, 8: 4-5). The priesthood which Jesus holds is perpetual as he remains forever, whereas the priesthood held by the humans is impermanent as they are all mortal (See Hebrews, 7: 23-24). Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices and Jesus as the real high priest offered himself through the gift and sacrifice of his own body and blood. Unlike any other high priest, Jesus needed to offer himself only once to abolish sin by the sacrifice of himself (See Hebrew, 9: 25-26). "For by one offering he has perfected all time those who are thus consecrated" (Hebrew, 10: 14). The mysterious figure of Melchizedek blessing Abraham in genesis 14: 17-20 is compared to the Son of God. "He has no father, no mother, no lineage; his years have no beginning, his life no end. He is like the Son of God: he remains a priest for all time" (Hebrews, 7: 3).
Priesthood of Mortal Humans: The priesthood of all humans who are mortal is necessarily symbolic and points towards the eternal priesthood of the one who sits at the right hand of God the Father. This is the case of the priesthood in all religions varying in degrees as far as they approximate to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The culmination of this would be seen on the priests of God and of Christ upon whom the second death has no claim (See Revelation, 20: 6). Participation in the priesthood of Christ need not be restricted to the priesthood in the Church since Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world. The more one approximates to the real content of the priesthood of Christ the better priest of God and of Christ one becomes. The real content of the priesthood of Christ is his own unreserved self-oblation and self-sacrifice according to the Will of his Father. God does not want any other offerings and sacrifices than the living sacrifice of our own selves by which we conform ourselves to Jesus Christ (See Hebrews, 10: 1-18; Romans, 12:1-20. The fact that the priesthood in the Church is a sacrament points to its symbolic character totally depending on the priesthood of Christ for its effectiveness. That is why it is effective by itself independently of the personal sanctity of the priest, which could be said about the priests of other religions too in varying degrees.The distinguishing characteristic of the priesthood of Christ is the identity between the priest and the victim, between the offerer and the offered putting an end to the need of daily ritual offerings and sacrifices as he is interceding for us sitting at the right hand of God (See Hebrews, 10: 11-18). (To be contd).
By Christology we mean the body of knowledge about Jesus Christ available from the faith of the Church in him. This faith of the primitive Church proclaimed by the Apostles and other disciples like the Evangelists resulted in the New Testament of the Bible. A similar pattern can be seen for the Old Testament too as it was the result of reflection on the experiences of the Jewish people. For the New Testament, the primitive Church up to around A.D.100 was constitutive of not only the New Testament but also of the Church of the subsequent centuries.The main difference is to be seen in the fact that while the Church was normative for the New testament Scripture in the first century, the Scripture is normative for the Church in all the subsequent centuries till the end of time. However, the sense of the Church in understanding Scripture (sometimes called 'tradition') cannot be disposed with for the right interpretation of the Scriptures. Because of the historical influences exerted on the Church as a social structure, the need for deconstruction and reconstruction of the understanding of the Church about itself cannot be overstated. Thus, the relevance of understanding Christology in the 21st century has added importance, given the complexity of the present age.
Christology and Ecclesiology: They are interlinked to such an extent that one cannot be understood properly without a proper understanding of the other. The Church as a social structure with its actual organization does not coalesce with the Church as the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. The reason for this is that both the realities have members who do not formally belong to the other as some who are seemingly in the Church may be really outside it and vice-versa. Yet, the mission of the Church demands that the invisible be made visible as the ideal Church would be a combination of the visible and the invisible elements. The seven sacraments of the Church stand at the threshold of both the visible and the invisible elements in the Church. The charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for building up the Church and not for personal honor or even personal sanctification (See 1 Corinthians, chapter 12). The fruits of the Holy Spirit (See Galatians, 5: 22-23) are meant for personal sanctification and are available to all who co-operate with the Spirit of God. Here again, love stands at the threshold of both the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit harmonizing and uniting everything (See 1 Corinthians, chapter 13). Jesus Christ is the one who is present in all these activities initiated and sustained by the Holy Spirit. The glorified body of Jesus Christ is soaked through and through with the Holy Spirit so as to become a spiritual body, a destiny meant for the whole universe. Glorification and spiritualization of our own bodies are but a prelude to the glorification and spiritualization of the entire universe.
Priesthood of Christ: The above process of spiritualization is achieved through the priesthood of Jesus Christ according to the order of Melchizedek. What is the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek? It is that priesthood that owes itself "... not to a system of earthbound rules but to the power of a life that cannot be destroyed" (Hebrews, 7: 16). Every priesthood on earth could only be a shadow of the heavenly one, whereas the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek is the real priesthood conferred by God on His Son. "Now if he had been on earth, he would not even have been a priest, since there are already priests who offer the gifts which the Law prescribes, though they minister in a sanctuary which is only a copy and shadow of the heavenly" (Hebrews, 8: 4-5). The priesthood which Jesus holds is perpetual as he remains forever, whereas the priesthood held by the humans is impermanent as they are all mortal (See Hebrews, 7: 23-24). Every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices and Jesus as the real high priest offered himself through the gift and sacrifice of his own body and blood. Unlike any other high priest, Jesus needed to offer himself only once to abolish sin by the sacrifice of himself (See Hebrew, 9: 25-26). "For by one offering he has perfected all time those who are thus consecrated" (Hebrew, 10: 14). The mysterious figure of Melchizedek blessing Abraham in genesis 14: 17-20 is compared to the Son of God. "He has no father, no mother, no lineage; his years have no beginning, his life no end. He is like the Son of God: he remains a priest for all time" (Hebrews, 7: 3).
Priesthood of Mortal Humans: The priesthood of all humans who are mortal is necessarily symbolic and points towards the eternal priesthood of the one who sits at the right hand of God the Father. This is the case of the priesthood in all religions varying in degrees as far as they approximate to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The culmination of this would be seen on the priests of God and of Christ upon whom the second death has no claim (See Revelation, 20: 6). Participation in the priesthood of Christ need not be restricted to the priesthood in the Church since Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world. The more one approximates to the real content of the priesthood of Christ the better priest of God and of Christ one becomes. The real content of the priesthood of Christ is his own unreserved self-oblation and self-sacrifice according to the Will of his Father. God does not want any other offerings and sacrifices than the living sacrifice of our own selves by which we conform ourselves to Jesus Christ (See Hebrews, 10: 1-18; Romans, 12:1-20. The fact that the priesthood in the Church is a sacrament points to its symbolic character totally depending on the priesthood of Christ for its effectiveness. That is why it is effective by itself independently of the personal sanctity of the priest, which could be said about the priests of other religions too in varying degrees.The distinguishing characteristic of the priesthood of Christ is the identity between the priest and the victim, between the offerer and the offered putting an end to the need of daily ritual offerings and sacrifices as he is interceding for us sitting at the right hand of God (See Hebrews, 10: 11-18). (To be contd).
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