PHB: Catechism

As a Catechism

Short Catechism

The Short Catechism is a collection of Biblical statements and doctrines associated with each letter.

Pneumnemonic Hebrew for Beginners->PHB: Catechism->PHB: They heard - אבגדה

God spoke and created the heavens and the earth א and revealed to men ב that he pursued them ג with a commandment ד which they did not understand ה.

1. How did God create the heavens and the earth?

He spoke

2. Was the power of creation in the words?

No. All power belongs to God. He invented the words as part of creation.

3. Is THE WORD the same as the words?

No. The words are an analog to the Living Word as they reveal the invisible God.

4. Where did God put the creation?

Inside of himself. God is not inside the universe; the universe is inside of him.

5. Why can't we see God?

He is like water to fish and air to birds. We are in him.

6. Did God create two things or one thing?

One thing with two aspects: heaven and spiritual things, earth and physical things. They are one creation.

7. Are the spiritual and physical good?

Yes. He said they were very good.

8. Who took the initiative in revealing God to men?

God. Men cannot find him.

9. Why does he tell us to seek him?

To find the things he has given us which tell us about him.

10. What did he give us?

He gave us two sets of 10 commandments. God "said" ten times as he created the heavens and the earth to show us that he alone is God. He gave Moses 10 commandments to show us that we are not.

11. Were the commandments given to condemn us?

No. His pursuit of us was done in love, so that we might know him.

12. To whom did God give the first commandments?

To all men. All creation tells us that God alone is God.

13. Why do men run from God?

They do not understand that his commandments were given in love.

Pneumnemonic Hebrew for Beginners->PHB: Catechism->PHB: They saw - וזחטי

They were distinguished ו as the bride ז when they did understand ח. Through a marriage ט they became a new creation י.

1. What makes a bride a bride?

A marriage.

2. What is marriage a symbol of?

The Hebrew word for marriage also means doctrine.

3. Who did Jesus teach?

His bride. Those who followed him before the cross.

4. Did the teaching make them the bride?

No. They had been chosen already; it distinguished them.

5. Through teaching they became a new creation. Describe it.

They became one flesh; the body of Christ. They became fruitful by the fruit of the Spirit. They multiplied by teaching.

Pneumnemonic Hebrew for Beginners->PHB: Catechism->PHB: The promise - כלמנס

The Son of God כ taught ל the promise of the Father מ. The Son of Man נ fulfilled the promise ס.

1. What is the promise of the Father?

That all men would be taught who he is.

2. Who would teach them?

The Word, also known as the Son of God and Son of Man.

3. When did the Son of God teach them?

From the beginning until the time of John the Baptist and again after his resurrection.

4. What did he teach them?

About the cross.

5. What is the meaning of the cross?

The invisible God is Holy and Love.

6. When did the Son of Man teach them?

From the time of Jesus's birth until the time of the cross.

7. What did he teach them?

The invisible God is Holy and Love, then he demonstrated it by dying for our sins on the cross.

Pneumnemonic Hebrew for Beginners->PHB: Catechism->PHB: The exchange - עפצ

He was made to be flesh and bore our sin ע, taught in parables, prophecies and riddles פ, and exchanged his righteousness for our sin צ.

1. If Jesus is God, how was he made?

He is the Unbegotten Only Son as God before creation, and the Only Begotten Son being born of Mary.

2. How did he bear our sin?

All sin is against God. He fully identified with us in the flesh. He was tempted every way that we are, yet did not sin. Through that temptation he understood that we are deceived by the flesh. He chose not to take offense at our sin. He ceremonially displayed this through the theater of the Passover Lamb. He effectively did this when he said "Forgive them, they know not what they do."

3. Why did he teach in parables?

So that men would not understand and so they would not believe.

4. Believe what?

His teaching of the cross.

5. Why did he not want them to believe it?

He had to face the cross alone, and if they believed it too early, they would be believing something that didn't happen yet. Trust comes from knowledge, not blind belief.

6. Where did Jesus get his parables?

They are hidden in the Old Testament. He only spoke what he had been taught.

7. How did he give us righteousness?

By becoming one flesh. Love covers a multitude of sins. If the bride owes $1000 and the groom is a gazillionaire, when they marry they are both rich.

Pneumnemonic Hebrew for Beginners->PHB: Catechism->PHB: The revelation - קרשת

The Son of God died and rose again ק revealing ר that his Word returned with an increase ש and the revelation had produced new life ת.

1. How did the Son of God die?

The Father and Son were separated on the cross. The indivisible God was torn.

2. How did he rise from the dead?

The Father and Son were reconciled and the body of Christ was brought to life in fullness of deity.

3. How did he reveal?

By his presence and his teaching.

4. What did the Word bring back?

His bride; those who were taught by him. They were finally made in his likeness.

5. What is the nature of the new life?

They know, believe/trust and understand that God alone is God, and they walk in his ways by the Love of Christ and the power of his indwelling Spirit.

Pneumnemonic Hebrew for Beginners->PHB: Catechism->PHB: The final state - ךםןףץ

The Son of God died ך completing the promise of the Father ם. The Son of Man was restored to Glory ן. Prophecy was fulfilled ף. Judgement is ended ץ. And we became co-heirs with Christ.

1. What do the last six letters of the twenty-eight tell us about Christ?

The eternal state of affairs after the cross.

2. How did the death of the Son of God complete the promise of the Father in the flesh?

The promise of the Father was the marriage to the Son, which is teaching about the invisible God. The finality of that teaching was accomplished by the separation of the Father and Son on the cross.

3. How does the death of the Son of Man translate to Christ being resurrected in glory?

The Son of Man title expresses his empty state where he closes his eyes to the attributes of the divine. In resurrection, he opens his eyes, so the title no longer applies.

4. How do we know all prophecy has been fulfilled?

"It is finished". The revelation concerning the invisible God has been completed.

5. Give three ways we know that judgement is ended.

The axe was removed from the stream.

The water was turned to wine.

"Forgive them for they know not what they do."

The resurrection

Long Catechism

The Long Catechism is a detailed dive into the deep theologies of scripture and is beyond the scope of this book.