JoeT

There are several different communities the Epistle to the Hebrews is written. It seems obvious that the writer is contending with material very familiar to Hebrews therefore we can assume the the Epistle is written for a Jewish Christian community. The material is a very compact priestly and Christological doctrine relying heavily on the Old Testament. Interestingly the only reference to the New Testament would be Hebrews 10:7. The Epistle makes the argument for the Christian Jew that Jesus Christ is both the high priest of the order of Melchisedech who offers himself as the victim, i.e. the sacrificial lamb. Being one of the oldest epistles, definitely written before 70 AD. The best contending community would logically be Jerusalem, however various scholars will cite other communities. In the rise of the Church, Jerusalem would have the highest percent of intellectual Jews who believed in Christ shortly after the Pentecost. The author is shear speculation, some of the Early Church Fathers from the East would suggest St. Paul is the author. In the Western Church Early Church Fathers suggested "Pastor" of Hermas, but by the end of the 4th century many were coming around to the Apostle Paul as the author. [Primary source: Fonck, L. (1910). Epistle to the Hebrews. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved December 30, 2019 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07181a.htm ]. JoeT

I'm astonished also. Please feel free to enlighten us. Where is this mountains of moolah? Is it more than Kenneth Copeland's reported $760 million? Or, is it more than Pat Robertson's $100 million; Benny Henn's poultry $45 million; Joel Olsteen's . . . , Rick Warren . . . ? added: Oh, I forgot to ask, how much does the church charge for and indulgence? And what does it do for you? added another thought: I thought the topic was 'purgatory'? JoeT

I'm not a Church historian if that's what you are asking. But, I do know a sufficient Church history to respond. However, my question to you was how much Rome has made from the "purgatory devise" and how does this scheme work? Do you care to inform us? JoeT

Is this hearsay? If not maybe you can enlighten us as to how much Rome has made from the "purgatory devise". Tell us how it worked. JoeT

It is true, the word "purgatory" does not appear in Scripture, but purgatory itself is shown to exist in Sacred Scripture. “Justice is uprightness (rectitudo)-of-will kept for its own sake.” [St. Anselm, On Truth, 12]. Continuing he said, “Justice is not rightness of knowledge or rightness of action but is rightness of will.” [St. Anselm, On Truth, 12]. The will is contained in the intellect of man, thus ‘to will’ something is an act or by the definition of some, “work”. Adam stood before God as a just man created with a soul that was ‘perfectly’ joined to the intellect and perfectly united with the will of God, overflowing with the knowledge of truth; the intellect functioned in the light of God's will disciplining the lower appetites through reason alone. Adam was just, ‘right with God’, “righteous”. However, because of Adam’s unjust act we now bear the guilt and punishment for the sin of this one man, the deprivation of justice. Adam's original justice was a prevailing moral quality or habit that perfectly joined Adam’s will to an enlightened understanding of the will of God. The state of being just inexplicably joined other cardinal virtues giving the rights to honorable prudence, temperance, and fortitude in moral acts. Prior to his original act of rebellion, Adam 'abided' in God. This abiding is much like our invitation to abide in Christ when partaking in the Eucharist. [Cf. John 6:57]. Christ renews us. The punishment of original sin Adam’s progeny is inherited deprivation of original justice. All men inherit this one man’s sin, both guilt and punishment, being a part of the family of homo sapiens which is completely forgiven along with our own actual sins in Baptism. Justification then is the lifelong movement from being unjust to perfection of justice. As our desires remain disordered we sometimes continue in sin. While Adam and Eve did repent of their sin the punishment remains, death both physical and spiritual. Adam was deprived of being in a just state, the punishment of spiritual death. Through His sacrifice Jesus Christ brings to us and the rite of Baptism, a state going from unjust to perfect in justice. We observe then that the forgiveness of sin is one aspect of atonement and that punishment is another aspect. Although we are absolved of our sins there is still the matter of punishment. One imperfection is unbelief or a weak faith. This is patently obvious when Moses and Aaron were incredulous that God would lead them to the Promised Land, Moses was left behind [Cf. Numbers 20:12] as punishment. Likewise, King David sinned yet confessed, while forgiven there remained a temporal punishment, the death of his young son. Consequently, though we might atone for sins, that confession may (sometimes not) have punishment associated with the transgression. Accordingly, we hear Christ say, “Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing." [Matthew 5:26]. And, “be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48]. While hampered with the human condition of disordered desire this would seem to be a herculean act. With purification of purgatory what isn’t completed on earth can be made perfect by Christ. We are handed over to prison [purgatory] until every last mite is paid [Cf. Matthew 5:26; 18:34; Luke 12:58] In Luke we hear Christ describe His human vision of purgatory (one understood by mortals) where between the beggar and the rich man is a great chasm of chaos. The beggar in the bosom of Abraham receiving comfort from his hard life while the rich man in purgatory thirsting in purgatory for his uncharitable life. And then again, on the cross we hear the repentant thief given passage to paradeisos. Properly translated as ‘paradise’ but a paradise that was a different location other than heaven. Paradise considered a realm of the righteous dead, sheol. According to Thayer's Greek Lexicon this paradise is “that part of Hades which was thought by the later Jews to be the abode of the souls of the pious until the resurrection: Luke 23:43, cf. 16:23f;” otherwise known today as "purgatory". We find then that purgatory can be a state of punishment or a pleasant place waiting for the resurrection of those who abide in Christ. JoeT

Isn't that the point. How does darkness enter the light? How does corruption live eternally? If there is one drop of poison in a pitcher of water does it not cause death to the whole pitcher? The point of purgatory is that is a state in which the slightest imperfection is cleaned away. Such a cleansing could be refreshing and enjoyable or it could be quite uncomfortable. He says, "Therefore be perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect." [Matthew 5:43-48]. Are you that perfect? JoeT

As your enemy, then you must love the Pope even if he is called the "Holy Father", right? JoeT

I'm glad you're so defensive of Christ, not wanting to spit on the Blood of Christ and all. But, you don't explain why it is spittle. How is purgatory an a front to Christ? Is it that once saved you cannot sin afterwards? Or, is it that Christ will forgive sins past present and future and corruption is received in heaven without perfection? Not withstanding your opinions, while not expressed as the word 'purgatory' in Scripture, you should be finding the perfection of souls entering heaven as Pope John Paul II explained above. If not then ask am I 'therefore perfect, as also the heavenly Father is perfect.' [Cf. Matthew 5:48] JoeT

Sorry you were duped! “What is reported by the author in today’s article is the result of his reconstruction, in which the literal words pronounced by the Pope are not quoted. No quotation of the aforementioned article must therefore be considered as a faithful transcription of the words of the Holy Father.” What does that have to do with purgatory? JoeT