13.
What Did Jesus Really Mean
by “My Church”?
What did Jesus mean when He said, “I will build my Church”? Did Jesus establish the Catholic Church—a visible Church with authority, sacraments, apostolic leadership, and a mission that would continue throughout history?
đź“– SCRIPTURES TO STUDY
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Matthew 16:13–19 — Peter, the Rock & the Keys
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Matthew 28:18–20 — The Great Commission
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John 17:20–23 — Jesus' prayer for Christian unity
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Acts 1:15–26 — Matthias succeeds Judas
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Acts 2:42 — Life of the early Church
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Acts 15 — The Council of Jerusalem
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1 Corinthians 3:16 — God's Temple
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1 Corinthians 12:12–27 — The Body of Christ
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Ephesians 4:1–6 — One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism
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Ephesians 5:25–32 — Christ & His Bride
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Colossians 1:18 — Christ, Head of the Church
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1 Timothy 3:15 — Pillar & Foundation of Truth
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2 Timothy 2:2 — Apostolic succession of teaching
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2 Thessalonians 2:15 — Scripture & Apostolic Tradition
đź“š CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
đź“– CCC 748–769 — Christ and the Church; the Church in God's plan
đź“– CCC 781–801 — People of God, Body of Christ & Temple of the Holy Spirit
đź“– CCC 811–865 — One, Holy, Catholic & Apostolic
đź“– CCC 846–848 — “Outside the Church there is no salvation”
đź“– CCC 857–860 — The apostolic mission of the Church
đź“– CCC 874–896 — The Church's hierarchical constitution
TOPICS DISCUSSED
• What Catholics actually mean by “the Church”
• What Jesus meant by “I will build my Church”
• Why Matthew 16:13–19 is central to Catholic teaching
• What the Greek word ekklesia means • How the Church fits into God's plan throughout salvation history
• Why Jesus chose the Twelve Apostles • Whether the New Testament Church was visible or invisible
• Why Acts 15 matters for understanding Church authority
• What it means to call the Church the Body and Bride of Christ
• The meaning of One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic
• What apostolic succession is and why it matters
• What Catholics mean by the Magisterium
\• How Catholics understand Scripture and Sacred Tradition
• What Catholics mean by “outside the Church there is no salvation”
• How Catholic teaching understands other Christians
• What the early Christians believed about bishops, authority, the Eucharist, and unity
• Why Christian denominational division raises important questions
• How the Church continues Christ's mission today