1. Jesus Christ’s Revelation about God
Chapter 4:
Jesus Christ’s Revelation about God
©Ave Maria Press

2. is our heavenly Father, we should also listen to his advice.
Our Father’s Advice
Out of love for us, our fathers often give us valuable advice. They draw upon their wisdom and experience to point us in the right direction.
Because God
is our heavenly Father, we should also listen to his advice.

3. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
At the Transfiguration, when Jesus appeared in a glorified state with the prophets Moses and Elijah, God the Father spoke some advice for us.

4. The Transfiguration is an important event that confirms for us the importance of the person of Jesus. We know that we must pay close attention to everything he says and does if we are to follow our heavenly Father’s advice.

5. The Mystery of the Blessed Trinity
What Jesus had to say becomes the most important source for our understanding of the Blessed Trinity.

6. The fact there are three persons in one God could only be revealed
to us by God himself.
At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus gives these important instructions to the apostles:
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

7. The Church has faithfully passed on the belief in three persons in one God.
At the first ecumenical council in Nicaea (AD 325), St. Athanasius strongly defended the doctrine of the Trinity against the heresy of Arianism.
An ecumenical council is an official gathering of the bishops of the world under the direction of the pope.

8. St. Athanasius said, “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in unity … The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three gods, but one God.”
Recognizing that this is a
mystery beyond human
comprehension, the Church affirms what Jesus has revealed to us—that God is one being with three divine persons. It is only by God becoming flesh and living among us and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we could have come to belief in the Trinity.

9. The Council of Nicaea produced the Nicene Creed, which outlines the essential beliefs of Christianity.
A creed is a statement of belief—from the Latin credo, which means “I believe.”
The other major Christian creed is the Apostles’ Creed.

10. Over the next several centuries, through reflection on Sacred Scripture and Tradition, the Church gradually defined the doctrine of the Trinity, and proclaimed statements in the next six ecumenical councils to clarify what the Church believes about God.
The Church’s doctrine was proclaimed and explained by great teachers like St. Patrick of Ireland.

11. God is a Loving Father
More than just the Creator, God established a relationship of love with us, his creation.

12. Creation did not happen by accident.
God directs creation through divine providence—his watchful guidance over us and all of creation.

13. This does not propose to give us an idea of what God looks like.
God created human beings in his image.
It tells us that like God human beings have an immortal soul and that we have been endowed with great dignity. We are capable of choosing and loving.

14. God’s traits shine forth in his creation
God’s traits shine forth in his creation. We can therefore look at the world and see the handiwork of God behind it all.
The Old Testament tells us that God is:
Infinite – extending endlessly;
having no limits.
Omnipotent – all powerful;
he can do everything.
Eternal – existing without beginning or end.

15. God’s traits shine forth in his creation
God’s traits shine forth in his creation. We can therefore look at the world and see the handiwork of God behind it all.
The God who created us is also:
Pure Spirit – Not limited to space and time.
Unchangeable – His perfection and love
are unwavering.
Supremely Holy – Surpassing everything
and everyone.
Personal – Alive and the source of all life.
God loves and cares beyond limit.

16. Jesus reveals to us that God is our loving Father.
As a personal being,
Father is who God is.
Jesus invites us to call God “Abba,” which means “Daddy,” because God created us out of his love and has adopted us as his children.
God is also the Father of Jesus in a unique way. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.

17. While God is Father, the Scriptures also reveal to us that God shows the qualities of a loving mother as well.
The prophet Isaiah compares God’s constant love to that of a mother who comforts her children and will never forget them.
Jesus, too, sometimes used feminine imagery when speaking about God, comparing God to a woman who searches for a lost coin or a hen gathering her chicks under her protective wings.
As pure spirit, God is beyond sexual identity, but we should realize that God’s love can be compared to that of both fathers and mothers.

18. Revelation about God the Son
The Scriptures use the term “son of God” in a variety of ways.
How is Jesus, as the Son of God, different than any of the others?

19. In the Old Testament, “son of God” is used to refer to individuals or groups who have a special relationship with God, or an important role in God’s plan of salvation for his people.
In Exodus 4:22, for example, “son of God” refers to the people of Israel, whom God will
save from slavery
in Egypt.

20. In the Old Testament, “son of God” is used to refer to individuals or groups who have a special relationship with God, or an important role in God’s plan of salvation for his people.
In 2nd Samuel, “son of God” refers to a king, and in Job, it describes angels.

21. In many passages, the Bible reveals that Jesus is the Son of God in a unique way. Rather than being a son by adoption, as one of God’s creatures, he is the only begotten Son of the Living God.
Jesus said, “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
This clearly establishes a
different kind of relationship between Jesus and God the Father.

22. In many passages, the Bible reveals that Jesus is the Son of God in a unique way. Rather than being a son by adoption, as one of God’s creatures, he is the only begotten Son of the Living God.
In the Parable of the Tenants, Jesus tells the story of a vineyard owner who sends servants and finally his own beloved son to receive his share of the crop. The tenants mistreat the servants, and finally kill the owner’s son.

23. The Parable of the Tenants becomes an allegory in which Jesus represents himself as the owner’s beloved son.
With this allegory, Jesus criticized his enemies for rejecting his authority. In it, he also predicted his own suffering and death. The leaders of the Jews realized that Jesus was claiming a unique relationship with God as his Father.

24. Recall that God revealed his name to Moses as “I AM who am.”
The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the second person of the Blessed Trinity with the “I AM” statements.
Recall that God revealed
his name to Moses as
“I AM who am.”
When Jesus makes a collection of “I AM” statements about himself,
he is also making the connection between himself and God the Father.

25. The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the second person of the Blessed Trinity with the “I AM” statements.
Jesus said, “I AM the bread of life,” not only making the connection between himself and God the Father, who gave the Israelites bread (manna) in the desert to sustain their earthly lives, but also referring to the eternal life Jesus offers us in the Eucharist.

26. The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the second person of the Blessed Trinity with the “I AM” statements.
Jesus said, “I AM the light of the world.” Remember that it is God who is the author of light in the creation story in the Book of Genesis.

27. “The Lord is my shepherd …”
The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the second person of the Blessed Trinity with the “I AM” statements.
When Jesus said, “I AM the good shepherd” and “I AM the gate for the sheep,” he reminds us of God’s promise to shepherd his people. It is through Jesus that the words of Psalm 23 are fulfilled:
“The Lord is my shepherd …”

28. The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the second person of the Blessed Trinity with the “I AM” statements.
The Old Testament makes it clear that God is the author of life, and it is God who will restore life—and Jesus says, “I AM the resurrection and the life,” so we can make no mistake about his relationship to the one living God.

29. The Psalms tell us that God is the way of life and truth.
The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the second person of the Blessed Trinity with the “I AM” statements.
The Psalms tell us that God is the way
of life and truth.
Jesus tells us: “I AM the way and the truth and the life.”

30. The Gospel of John presents Jesus as the second person of the Blessed Trinity with the “I AM” statements.
The prophets use the image of a vineyard owner to describe God, who planted the vine—an image for Israel.
Jesus tells us:
“I AM the true vine.”

31. Jesus is truly Emmanuel: “God with us.”
At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles, “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age,” promising never to abandon us.
Jesus is truly Emmanuel: “God with us.”

32. He was humble and never abused his power.
Part of being “God with us” is that Jesus provides us the perfect example of how to live our lives.
He was humble and never abused his power.
He even washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper to show us the importance of humility and service.

33. Jesus was also obedient to his heavenly Father.
Part of being “God with us” is that Jesus provides us the perfect example of how to live our lives.
Jesus was also obedient to his heavenly Father.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed
to be spared the suffering that was in store for him—but he added, “Thy will
be done,” and submitted
to his Father’s plan for
our salvation.

34. Part of being “God with us” is that Jesus provides us the perfect example of how to live our lives.
The same attitude of obedience to God’s will is what Jesus conveys to us in the Our Father when he tells us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.”

35. Even though Jesus’ every word and deed were focused on showing us the way to the Father, his disciples did not fully understand how he was God with us.
It was not until they met him after his Resurrection that the apostles finally realized who and what Jesus really was.

36. Tracing Our Understanding about the Holy Spirit
Our recognition of the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Blessed Trinity was a more gradual process, and not as direct as revelation about the Father and the Son.

37. Jesus gradually revealed the mystery of the Holy Spirit.
In the Gospels, he made references to various people about the Spirit that we can now understand refer to the third person of the Blessed Trinity.

38. Jesus gradually revealed the mystery of the Holy Spirit.
At the Last Supper, however, Jesus made repeated references to the Holy Spirit, and promised the apostles that, after his Resurrection, he would send this Spirit to be an advocate for them, who would give them help and comfort.

39. Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit was fulfilled at Pentecost.
Fifty days after Jesus’ Resurrection, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles who were gathered in the Upper Room along with Mary, Jesus’ mother, and other women who were his disciples. The Spirit came to rest upon each of them as tongues of fire.

40. Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit was fulfilled at Pentecost.
The Apostles then went out to the city to boldly proclaim the Gospel. They were able to speak different languages they had never learned—this gift of the Spirit is called speaking in tongues, and enabled them to proclaim salvation for all people through the power of the Holy Spirit.

41. Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit was fulfilled at Pentecost.
All this happened at a time coinciding with the Jewish harvest festival that occurs fifty days after Passover—“Pentecost” means “fiftieth day.”
Those fifty days take on new meaning for the world since it is also fifty days after Christ’s Resurrection.

42. Before the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we did not have a clear idea of the Spirit’s personal nature.
The Old Testament often refers to God’s mysterious, powerful, and life giving presence with the Hebrew word ruah, focusing on God’s activity.

43. Before the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we did not have a clear idea of the Spirit’s personal nature.
With Christ’s gift of the Spirit to us, we can look back upon many Old Testament passages, and see that it is the Holy Spirit’s presence as the third person of the Blessed Trinity that is being described.

44. Before the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we did not have a clear idea of the Spirit’s personal nature.
It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that human beings are created with an immortal spirit, Abraham is able to become the father of a nation, and it is the Holy Spirit that inspires the prophets and writers of the Psalms.

45. This is opposed to the idea of polytheism – the belief in many gods.
Recognizing that there is only one all-powerful God is called monotheism.
This is opposed to the idea of polytheism – the belief in many gods.
The other two monotheistic faiths
that use the Bible are Judaism
and Islam, but they do not share
the same conclusions about the
Trinity that Christianity embraces.
Neither Judaism nor Islam recognizes the three distinct persons of the Trinity. Jews and Muslims fail to recognize Jesus as the only begotten Son of God, and neither embraces the Holy Spirit as a distinct divine person.

46. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit did come to guide the Church until the end of time.
But the Holy Spirit can be seen working throughout the ministry of Jesus from the beginning.
It was through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was conceived in the Virgin Mary’s womb.

47. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit did come to guide the Church until the end of time.
But the Holy Spirit can be seen working throughout the ministry of Jesus from the beginning.
The Holy Spirit inspired John the Baptist to proclaim the way for Jesus, and the Spirit makes himself known at the Lord’s baptism.

48. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit did come to guide the Church until the end of time.
But the Holy Spirit can be seen working throughout the ministry of Jesus from the beginning.
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert to fast and pray, and sustained him in battling the temptations of Satan.

49. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit did come to guide the Church until the end of time.
But the Holy Spirit can be seen working throughout the ministry of Jesus from the beginning.
Jesus began his preaching ministry filled with the Holy Spirit’s power.

50. The Holy Spirit remained with Jesus during his suffering and death.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit did come to guide the Church until the end of time.
But the Holy Spirit can be seen working throughout the ministry of Jesus from the beginning.
The Holy Spirit remained with Jesus during his suffering and death.

51. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit did come to guide the Church until the end of time.
But the Holy Spirit can be seen working throughout the ministry of Jesus from the beginning.
And it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus rose from the dead.

52. True to his promise, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be present with us and to guide and strengthen the Church.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are showered on us at our Baptism and Confirmation.
These gifts are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

53. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Three persons in one God.