HANDOUT IN CL/VE 7

LESSON 3: JESUS AND THE PATRIARCHS

Concupiscence is the inner disorder of our basic drives. We all have a tendency to become selfish,
gluttonous, greedy, lustful, and so on.
Sin is a deliberate word, thought, or deed against God and others.
Salvation is God’s free gift to all of us and yet also our task.
Faith is our response to God’s offer of salvation. It is our response to God’s divine revelation.
TWO LEVELS OF FAITH: 1. Faith in People 2. Faith in God
3 Essential Dimensions of Faith
1. Doctrine – (head) Faith is believing in God. It answers the question “What I can know?”
2. Morals – (hands) Faith is doing God’s will. It answers the question “What can I do?
3. Worship – (heart) Faith is praying to God. It answers the question “What can I hope for?”
God establishes a covenant with Abraham.
• Covenant is an offer of friendship and mutual commitment. It is God’s consistent way of
relating with individuals and communities throughout salvation history.
• Circumcision is a sign of covenant and that they were indeed from Abraham’s line- God’s
Chosen People.
• God changed the name of Abram (Exalted Father) to Abraham (Father of Multitudes)
• Sarai (Princess) to Sarah (Mother of Many)
• Terah is Abraham’s father.
• Abraham will be a model of obedience and faith and a means to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.
• God’s call to Abraham to move from Ur to Canaan began the formation of the people with whom God
chose to form a covenant.
• Canaan is the Promised Land of God to Abraham.
• Patriarch is a ruler or father of a tribe. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are Patriarchs.
• God told Abraham to sacrifice His only son Isaac.
• Abraham once more trusted completely in God and put himself entirely in God’s hands.
Isaac is the son of Abraham and Rebekah. The name Isaac means “laughter”.
God heard Isaac’s prayers and Rebecca gave birth to twins- Esau and Jacob,
 Esau is outgoing, a hunter while Jacob preferred to stay at home and do the household works.
• Jacob was someone who wanted things done in his own way and in his own time. He often tried to get
ahead of God rather than listen to what God wanted.
• God chooses Jacob.
• God’s prophecy – “the older shall serve the younger”
Jacob tricks Esau by exchanging his stew to the birthright of Esau.
• Esau sold his birthright under oath.
• Both mother and son knew about God’s prophecy on Jacob- “the older shall serve the younger”. But
rather than trust God to fulfill His promise in His own time, they decided to carry out a plan to fulfill
God’s prophecy quickly.
Jacob experiences hardships.
 Esau had vowed to kill Jacob for what he had done.
• Jacob becomes a fugitive for many years.
• Jacob met his father-in-law, his uncle Laban, who deceived him into marrying Leah as the eldest sister
instead of Rachel.
• He was married to Rachel only to find out that she was barren.
• Jacob’s daughter Dinah was raped and his sons took violent revenge on the other tribe.
• Jacob never saw his mother again.
Jacob’s encounter with God
 Jacob who always relied on himself alone learned to listen to and follow God’s will
 Jacob blesses Jacob at Bethel.
 God’s promise to Jacob (Gn 35:11-12)
 It was in Jacob’s fourth son, Judah, that these promises were fulfilled.
 From the tribe of Judah came King David, from whose house Jesus Christ would be born.
 Jacob was transformed by God’s love and played a positive role in God’s divine plan of salvation.
 Jacob learned to wait for God.
 God does not always select or judge the person the way we do. God does not always call those who
are more talented than others. God’s love and forgiveness transforms us.
 Jacob’s name was changed to Israel which means “wrestled with God.
Jacob had 1 daughter and 12 sons and these 12 sons became the 12 tribes of Israel.
• Among the 12 sons, Joseph is the father’s favorite for he is the eldest son of Jacob from Rachel.
• Joseph is someone who persevered through hardship and learned to forgive. His life teaches us
valuable lesson on faithfulness.
• Joseph’s brothers were jealous and angry with him because of the special treatment he got from their
father and the way he would talk about his dreams.
• Joseph knew how to interpret dreams that is why he is called Joseph the “dreamer”.
• Jacob gave Joseph a long, colorful coat, which for his brothers was yet another sign of favoritism.
• The brothers plotted to kill Joseph and throw him down a well, but Reuben stopped them.
• Judah convinced the other brothers to sell Joseph as a slave to passing merchants who were on their
way to Egypt.
Joseph is tempted.
• God, created good out of evil.
• Joseph was sold as slave, but ended up as the manager of an Egyptian courtier’s entire household
and property.
• However, not everything went well for Joseph. One day, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him.
• Joseph refused her and was imprisoned after Pothipar’s wife falsely accused him of taking advantage
of her.
• But even in prison, Joseph continued to be strengthened by God’s grace.
Joseph’s talent for interpreting dreams made him governor of all of Egypt.
 Joseph is reunited with his family
 When famine struck Canaan as Joseph had predicted, his brothers came to Egypt to buy grain.
 Joseph subjected his brothers to several “tests” to find out if they had changed.
 Joseph’s brothers admitted their sin and begged for his mercy.
 The narrative ends with the reunion of Joseph and his father and the coming of his entire family to
Egypt.
 Joseph saw God’s hand in the events of his life. Both his misfortunes and blessings were God’s
ways of preparing him for the great privilege of bringing enormous blessing to Egypt and to his
family.
 Joseph’s life and faith show us how God works out His saving plan even through misfortunes. God
indeed can draw good from evil.
 Joseph had many seeming misfortunes, but through it all, he persevered in faith. His story shows us
that keeping our faith in God can help us get through difficult times. He shows us the need to
forgive and to be forgiven. Joseph also experienced the negative effects of being boastful. We need
to be aware of this, too.
Jesus and the Patriarchs
 Jesus came from the line of the patriarchs. This would prove that Jesus’ family roots were of faithful
people who truly loved and served the Lord until the end.
 Abraham and Jesus did acts of sacrifices to show their love for God.
 What sacrifices will you make to show your love for God?