Scripture with the Fathers

Dinah is curious, associates with other women of the town of Shechem and falls victim of the prince of the town. Simeon and Levi contrive a means to enact vengeance on not just the man who rapped her, but to every man of the city and then plunder it. Was this justice? In this event recorded we see the ills of curiosity, lust, and vengeance.

Satan tempts Jesus the third time, completing the the temptations of the three-fold concupiscence of the fall. Jesus resists by quoting the Law of God in Deuteronomy. We hear from St. Paul, St. Gregory the Great, St. Jerome and Venerable Fulton Sheen gives us the prescription to resist the devil as well as insight how the demons operate and the purpose for our sanctification and to help us understand our weakness in virtue in order to strengthen those areas of weakness.

The Beatitudes of Matthew 5 are foreshadowed by Jacob in his dealings not only with Laban, but more manifest in how he approaches his brother Esau. Jacob's virtue of Meekness earns him the favor of the brother that once desired his death.

We gain further modern insight from Archbishop Fulton Sheen about the Temptations of Jesus Christ. Sheen gives us a take how Satan uses the same tactic in our age through the same temptations he presented to Christ. We learn how Christ resists these temptations. We complete the consideration through the second temptation.

We delve into Chapter 32 of Genesis through the eyes of St. John Chrysostom and St. Cyril of Alexandria. We see the Virtues of Jacob who valued relationship with his brother much more than worldly possessions. Jacob sees God, in so much as it is possible to see God this side of Heaven is a foreshadowing of Christ coming as a man.

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness... Yes the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness into solitude and fasting, after which the devil tempted Him. In this episode we look at the first temptation and the players involved; Jesus the God-man, and Satan. What motivates Satan to tempt? Why does he hate human beings? Does he know Jesus is God? We explore this in this episode and some guidance from Jesus on how to deal with temptation.

No sooner than Laban, who had been afer Jacob to overtake him and intending to do him harm, but ends peaceably, does Jacob have to contend with Esau. Jacob sends presents to Esau and wrestles with God. In doing so, Jacob becomes Israel, because he had contended with God, (not against) and prevailed.

Jacob leaves Laban, but Laban, loosing his "lucky charm" doesn't take kindly to it. Jacob notes that his success is from God. God protects Jacob and from Laban's rage by speaking to both through dreams. We see that Jacob, by being a virtuous man, gains the protection of God. Jacob acts with prudence, and while absorbing the 20 years of abuse from Laban (Laban changes his wages ten times) finally realizes that he must leave.

Why was it fitting for Jesus to be Baptised since he had no sin? What does Baptism actually do? Was the Baptism of John the same as the Baptism Jesus institutes through His Church? We look to Chrysostom, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to answer these questions.

Who was John the Baptist and why was he there is the wilderness? We look into the life of John the Baptist and discover his theological training in the documents known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.