Tror du, at du kender Det nye Testamente? 

Det troede jeg, at jeg gjorde. Godt nok har jeg ikke været katolik længe, men alligevel – en blanding af almen viden, eget studie af Biblen og undervisning deri skulle nok kunne udgøre et vist kendskab til opbygning, struktur og indhold i Det nye Testamente. 

Jeg tog grueligt fejl, for jeg mødte op til p. Judes første undervisning tirsdag i Sct. Mariæ Kirke, og tænkte ’Hvor meget nyt kan han lige bringe på banen under emnet Introduktion til Det nye Testamente?’ Det skulle dog hurtigt vise sig at min lidt tilbagelænede stil ved kursusstart ikke skulle vare ved. Snart sad jeg ligesom alle andre og ledte ihærdigt efter Markus evangeliets kapitel 17, sammenlignede de synoptiske Evangelier og prøvede at analysere mig frem til hvordan Johannesevangeliet var forskelligt fra de andre. 

Vel forbi de 4 kendte Evangelier tog vi fat på brevene, og en kaffepause blev det også til. Pudsigt, denne aften, var det at vi var et meget blandet folk – ikke katolikker, nybegyndere og dertil fuldblodskatolikker som aldrig har kendt til andet, men fælles var vi alligevel om én ting. Kl. 21.00 gik vi alle hjem og var klogere end da vi kom.  

Som afslutning på denne vellykkede og rigtig hyggelige aften, sprang den velforberedte p. Jude en undervisningsbombe: ’Hvis man kender Det nye Testamente, skal man kunne en remse udenad!’ 

Nu var det som om at grinene og småsnakken i lokalet forstummede, for på tavlen så vi remsen tage form: 

Ro, Ko, Ko 

Og videre endnu 

Gal, Ef, Fi, Ko, The, The, Tim, Tim, Ti, Fil, Heb 

Vi øvede os alle, gik i stå på halvvejen, og prøvede så igen, alt imens p. Jude stod og svingede armene som en anden dirigentstok og med lukkede øjne sagde remsen igen og igen. Ved du hvad remsen hjælper os med at huske? 

Hvis ikke bør du måske også møde op til undervisning næste gang den 12. oktober, når vi skal høre om Dåb og Firmelse, og det selvom du lige nu tænker: ’Hvad mere er der at sige om det?’ Jeg tror du vil blive overrasket!

English Version

Do you think that you know the New Testament?

I certainly thought so. I know I’ve not been a catholic very long but nevertheless – a mixture of common knowledge, one’s own study of the bible plus instruction should give enough knowledge of the structure and contents of the New Testament.

I was horribly wrong when I came to Father Jude’s first evening last Tuesday at St. Mary’s and thought,’ How much more can he tell me under the subject, ‘Introduction To The New Testament?’ I soon discovered that my nonchalant start to the evening would soon evaporate. Shortly after the start I was energetically looking for chapter 17 from the Gospel of St, Mark’s and then comparing it with the 2 other synoptic gospels before trying to discover why the gospel of St. John’s was so different.

After having finishing the 4 well known Gospels we continued with the Epistles with enough time for a coffee break during the course of the evening. Strange that evening, although we were a mixture of non-catholics, new beginners and life-long catholics, who had known nothing else, we were yet as one in our common interest. At 9 o’clock we all went home certainly much wiser than when we came.

To finish this very successful and cosy evening, our well prepared Father Jude sprang his little surprise. ‘If you want to know the New Testament then you must be able to recite a little rhyme off by heart’. All the chattering and gossiping suddenly stopped as we saw a rhyme take form on the black board:

Ro, Co, Co

And then:

Gal, Eph, Phi, Co, Thes, Thes, Tim, Tim, Ti, Phil, Heb

We all practised, stopped half way and then tried again whilst Father Jude waved his arms rather like an orchestra conductor and with his eyes closed said the rhyme again and again.

Do you know what the rhyme should help us to remember?  

If you don’t then maybe you should come to the course the 12^th. October when we are to hear about Baptism and Confirmation; even though you might be thinking, ‘Is there much more to learn about that?’

I rather suspect you will be surprised!

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