Images of the Church

Essential Question: What do the images
of the Church reveal about its mystery?

* Images of the Church

●The Church is a dual reality - both human and
divine - both visible and invisible

●How the Church is human = we are a part of it

●How the Church is divine = started by Jesus +
guided by Jesus

●How the Church is visible = its people (including
Saints), its churches, its Sacraments, its charity

●How the Church is invisible = members include
those who are in Heaven + connected by the Holy
Spirit and the Sacraments (think Baptism, Eucharist)

Match

Match how the Church is a dual reality - both human and
divine + both visible and invisible

• How is the Church human?

• How is the Church invisible?

• How is the Church visible?

• How is the Church divine?

human beings are a part of it

members include those in Heaven

people, churches, sacraments, charity

started + guided by Jesus

• human beings are a part of it

• members include those in Heaven

• people, churches, sacraments, charity

• started + guided by Jesus

*Bride of Christ

*In Scripture, the most common analogy for God’s love for his
people is the spousal analogy

*Scripture begins with natural marriage - Adam and Eve - the two

become “one flesh”

*Sacramental marriage is meant to be a reflection of Christ’s love
for the Church

*the love of a bridegroom for a bride

*Christ and the Church are "one flesh"”

*The Church is both body of Christ + bride of Christ

*Jesus describes the kingdom as a marriage feast + refers to
himself as the bridegroom (Rev. 19:7-9)

*Heaven is described as the “wedding supper of the lamb”

*Christ and His Bride will be fully united

*Bride will be made pure – wearing clean garments

*Example: John 2, The Wedding at Cana. Jesus came to marry

his people.

Image 2: Family of God
*Just as Abraham was the “Father of

Nations”,
*Jesus allows us to call God our Father

(Abba→ “Daddy”)
*The Father, who is in a sense ‘external’

from us, guides us, disciplines us, helps
form our character
*“No one can have God as his Father

who does not have the Church as his
mother” - St. Cyprian (181 A.D.)

Images 3: People of God

*Through Moses, God delivered Israel from slavery.

*Through Jesus, the Church is freed from sin.

*Sin and death are the world’s eternal enemy (not
world powers; think the Romans, Greeks,
Babylonians, etc from the Old Testament).

*God gathered them together (qahal) to be a
kingdom of priests

*As God’s people, Israel has common worship (on
the Sabbath + other feast days),

*a common priesthood (Levites),

* and a common destiny (the Promised Land)

Image 4: Kingdom of God

*Jesus regularly referred to the Church as
“the Kingdom of God” (Mt. 13 parables)

*In the Davidic kingdom, the Gebirah (Queen
Mother) held a place of honor, and
interceded for the people.

*Who is the New Testament Queen Mother?

*In the Davidic kingdom, the prime minister
(chief steward) held the power of the keys

*Who is the New Testament Prime Minister?

*The Eucharist is the new Thank Offering

Mystical Body of Christ

*The Church is an organism, not a club

*All members function together because of Christ - like a
vine and the branches

*What is revealed about the Mystical Body in 1
Corinthians 12:12-20, 26?

*How do we remain in Christ, according to John 6:56-57?

*When we receive God’s grace, He can transform us →
experience transformation

become "partakers in the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4).

*“God became man so that we might become like God”

*St. Joan of Arc = “Christ and the Church are one thing,
and we shouldn’t complicate the matter”

Match

Match each Image of the Church to its basic description:

• The most common analogy in the Bible that describes God's love for his people. Rev 19:7-9 describes Heaven using this image.

• United through common worship, priesthood, feasts/celebrations, destiny

• Linked to the Davidic covenant; Jesus regularly referred to the Church using this image (recall the Mt. 13 parables).

• This image reminds us Jesus called God his "Abba"; recall this is why God initiated the covenants of the Bible.

• Though we, the Church, have many functions, we are 'one'. The Eucharist can keep us united.

Bride of Christ

People of God

Kingdom of God

Family of God

Mystical Body of Christ

• Bride of Christ

• People of God

• Kingdom of God

• Family of God

• Mystical Body of Christ