Scripture with the Fathers

The eighth commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. We look to the Catechism as well as Fr. Heribert Jone's Moral Theology, to discuss what this means and what areas of our life it covers. Lying, while always immoral, has different levels of seriousness depending on the nature of the falsehood, who it is spoken to and for what reason. A distinction is rendered as to being a venial or mortal sin. The most serious types of bearing false witness is calumny and detraction. What is that and why are these types of speech so seriously disordered? Finally we look to St. Augustine to have a rule of speech to govern our tongue.

We begin Chapter 18 and the fourth discourse of Jesus within the Gospel According to Matthew. We turn to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and St. Jerome to look into what Jesus means by being childlike and what it means for causing scandal to a little one who are the very ones who are great in the kingdom of Heaven.

The Seventh Commandment forbids the taking of someone else's property and the right of one to possess property. But the commandment covers many other areas of our lives as it relates to our neighbor's property, including his own life. If one has property and the right to own it, does this automatically preclude systems of government that do away with private property? Are these systems of government evil? What about the poor, the wage earner, the employee and employer?

The Fathers discuss the Mustard seed and what it means to have faith like a mustard seed? Then Jesus an Peter, (but notice Jesus calls Peter, "Simon") Peter is then instructed that the sons do not pay the tax, but others do, those who are not the sons. Jesus acts in Prudence in paying a tax he does not owe, as this is not a matter that is beyond His mission. Jesus has just told the disciples that He will be handed over to the Romans to be killed. This is his mission and a 1/2 shekel will not deter Him from this mission. Jesus has Peter pay the tax, but not until He tells the Apostles that He does not owe it.

What is Adultery? What situations would constitute adultery? What about the indissolubility of marriage and a decree of nullity? Isn't that just "Catholic Divorce?" We continue with the the Catechism of the Catholic Church, St. John Paul II and St. Augustine on what Marriage is.

The Scripture tells us the boy was suffering seizure (seleniazomai Gk.) So Scripture identifies that the boy has a medical condition. Scripture also tells us that Jesus rebukes the demon and, "the boy was cured instantly." So what was it? Was it a demon or simply a medical condition? Understanding the operation of demons and looking to other Scriptural verses, we learn that demons can afflict the physical body of the one possessed. In this case, but not all cures Jesus performs involve demonic possession; think the lepers. The Fathers point out the intercession of others on behalf of another. This brings us to a window into the Church triumphant, Church militant and Church suffering.

Does the fifth commandment, "thou shalt not kill" mean that all killing is immoral? What about stopping an unjust aggressor? What about the death penalty? Is the death Penalty licit? Why is killing and innocent human being wrong? Who is the author of life? What about self defense? What about abortion? What is the penalty for being directly involved in abortion? We explore all of these questions as per the Catechism of the Catholic Church (before Francis' illicit change).

Jesus takes Peter, James and John up to Mt. Tabor and before them is transfigured before them. Seeing Jesus in his glory with the veil of his humanity lowered to reveal His true divine nature. To gain understanding into this, we turn to St. Jerome, St. John Chrysostom, Remigius, and Dr. Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. We also turn to Leviticus and Daniel to gain further insight to understand what the apostles would have seen and experienced.

What does this entail? Is it strictly involving the family structure? What about other human authority structures? Does this commandment extend to human institutions? We turn to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, St. Paul and Pseudo-Chrysostom, a Reference to Leo XIII to gain a fuller understanding of how we are to respond to and exercise authority.

Peter declares that Jesus is the Son of the Living God and Jesus tells the Apostles that He will give Peter the Keys. Immediately after, Jesus tells them that the Son of Man must die and then rise. Peter has the keys, but not yet. Once Jesus sets up the hierarchy of the Church, Jesus tells them that He must suffer and die. Peter, who at this point doesn't have the keys, brings Jesus aside and tells Jesus that He should not suffer such things. Jesus exclaims to Peter, "get behind me, Satan" and tells him that He is a stumbling block. Jesus ends his discourse with, not only will I suffer these things, but unless you pick up your cross and follow me (to the cross) you will not have eternal life.