Shadows of the Sacraments, by John Carberry

Plato compares images and shadows to reality in The Allegory of the Cave.1 In this
fictitious story, captives are held in a cave with their legs and necks constantly fastened so that
they cannot move about and can only look forward in one direction. In the cave, a fire burns
behind the prisoners, and exhibitors use the light from the fire and shadows to present a type of
puppet show to the prisoners on the front wall of the cave. Since the prisoners have been captive
from a young age, they have never seen anyone else alive and since they cannot move their heads
from side to side, they are unable to see their fellow captives. Their only knowledge of the world
is from viewing the shadows of these artificial objects as projected by the light from the fire and
narrated by the exhibitors. After one prisoner escapes and is able to see the real world, he finds
difficulty upon returning to the cave in describing reality to the other prisoners who have only
seen a world of shadows. Plato’s analogy is similar to comparisons of the Old Testament to the
New, the Old is merely a shadow or a preparation for the gospel.2 The Vatican II docuмent,
Lumen Gentium (Light of Nations), discusses how God is not far distant from those who have not
received the Gospel, and who in shadows and images seek the unknown God (Acts 17:23-28).3
Old Testament high priests worship in a shadow of the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 8:5). “Long ago
God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he
has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created
the worlds” (Heb 1:1-2, 10:1, Eph 3:5). “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming
into the world” (Jn 1:9). Christ removes the veil of misunderstanding the Old Covenant (2 Cor
3:13-18. Ex 34:33-35, Is 25:7). The veil of the sanctuary that separates God from his people is
torn apart at the death of Christ (Mt 27:51, Mk 15:38, Lk 45:23, Ex 26:31-36, 40:21).4 One can
also compare this allegory to the soul’s movement from darkness to light, or the beatific vision
where God is merely seen as a shadow in this world but becomes much more beautiful in the
next (Rom 8:18, 2 Cor 4:17-18, Jb 8:9, Ps 95:10-11, Is 49:4, 61:3).5 “For now we see in a mirror,
dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part; then I will know fully, even as I
have been fully known” (1 Cor 13:12). “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human
heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9, Is 64:3, 65:18, Jb
42:12, Heb 11:16, 40, 13:14). “What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like
him, for we will see him as he is” (1 Jn 3:2). The Transfiguration foreshadows the beatific vision,
when Christ will be transformed into his heavenly glory (Mt 17:1-9, Mk 9:2-10, Lk 9:28-36, 2 Pt
1:16-18, Ex 34:30), the whole Trinity appears with the Father’s voice, the cloud indicating the
presence of the Holy Spirit (Ex 13:21, 24:15-16, Nm 9:15-23, 10:34), and the Son acting as
God’s servant.6 The Law and the Prophets, Moses and Elijah, discuss Christ’s upcoming exodus
(Lk 9:31) on the Cross, from this life, through the Red Sea of his Passion, and into his glory.7

Since the sacraments originate from Christ, why should one study the Old Testament for
signs of them? In the Old Testament, God enters covenants, or promises (Nm 23:19, Dt 7:9,
29:8, 13-14, Jos 23:14-15, Sir 44:18-22, 1 Thes 5:24, 2 Tm 2:13, Is 54:9), with Adam, Noah,
Abraham, Moses and David.8 The books of the Old Testament acquire and show forth their
meaning in the New Testament (2 Cor 1:20).9 The Catechism states that the coming of God’s
son was such an immense event that God willed to prepare for it over centuries. He makes all of
the rituals and sacrifices, figures and symbols of the “First Covenant” converge on Christ.10
From the beginning until Christ came, the joint mission of the Father’s Word and Spirit remains
hidden but it is at work. The Church searches the Old Testament for what the Spirit wants to tell
us about Christ.11 The wonderful works of God among the people of the Old Testament were a
prelude to the works of Christ in redeeming mankind.12 The Catechism states that: “In the
sacramental economy the Holy Spirit fulfills what was prefigured in the Old Covenant.” The
Church liturgy has retained elements of worship in the Old Covenant as integral and
irreplaceable and adopted them as her own. The Church recalls the saving events and significant
realities that are fulfilled in the mystery of Christ (promise and covenant, Exodus and Passover,
kingdom and temple, exile and return).13 The harmony of the two testaments build up the
Paschal catechesis of the Lord.14 This does not imply that the sacraments are the same as the Old
Testament ceremonials, because clearly, they are not.15 However, the events of the Old
Covenant do foreshadow and point to their fulfillment by Christ (2 Cor 1:20), including the
sacraments, which bring with them sanctifying grace.16 The Old Testament provides a
preparation for the Gospel through which Christ gave us the sacraments. God’s truth, beauty and
goodness show in both the Old and the New. The stories, rituals, and actions of the Old
Testament characters represent a preparation for the Gospel, and they direct us toward God.

The Old Testament has many examples of rituals (prescribed religious ceremonies) that
foreshadow the sacraments. Some relate to certain sacraments, while others seem more general
in nature. The Old Testament sacraments were reminders, and they did not bring with them
sanctifying grace (Heb 10:3-4), the seed of God (1 Jn 3:9).17 The army commander, Naaman,
was a leper who had captured a girl from the land of Israel in one of his raids. As a servant of
Naaman’s wife, the girl said that Naaman could be cured of his leprosy if he presents himself
before the prophet in Samaria. The king of Aram sent a letter to the king of Israel requesting that
Naaman be healed of his leprosy. The king of Israel thought that the King of Aram was looking
for a quarrel by the letter. However, upon hearing that the letter upset the king, Elisha, the man
of God, sent word to the king of Israel requesting that Naaman come to him. When Naaman
stopped at his door, Elisha sent Naaman a message telling him to wash in the Jordan River seven
times. Naaman was upset and refused to follow the orders, expecting Elisha to come out and
move his hand over the leprous sore. Naaman reasoned that the rivers of Damascus could have
been just as effective as the Jordan River. Naaman’s servants argued that if Elisha had made an
extraordinary request, Naaman would have carried it out, but since the command is so simple,
why should he refuse to follow it? Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
and his flesh became as clear as that of a little child. Naaman returned to Elisha declaring that
there is no God in all the earth except in Israel and Naaman offered Elisha a substantial gift, but
Elisha would not accept it (2 Kgs 5:1-19).

Naaman was a leper who sought healing on the advice of a young Hebrew girl who had
been captured in one of his raids on Israel (2 Kgs 5:1-2). The sacraments heal. Baptism cleans
away all sin. Confession heals the wounds brought about by sin. The Anointing of the Sick can
cause both spiritual and physical healing.18 Holy Communion cleanses away all venial sins.19
Naaman goes first to the king of Israel, who thinks Naaman is merely looking for a fight by
seeking healing in Israel (2 Kgs 5:7). However, hearing of Naaman’s condition, Elisha summons
him to his home (2 Kgs 5:8).

The preeminent requirement of all of the sacraments is faith. After his cure, Naaman
declares that there is no God other than in Israel (2 Kgs 5:15). Naaman believed after he was
cured. The sacraments require faith to enter into them.20 In the Old Testament, signs gradually
moved people towards faith. After Christ, knowledge of God became a prerequisite for
sacramental grace.21

Elisha sends Naaman a message (2 Kgs 5:10). He delegates the order to another. Christ
delegated the forgiveness of sins or the healing of the soul to his apostles on Easter Sunday (Jn
20:23). Christ uses his priests as ministers to administer the sacraments. The priest acts in
persona Christi, in the person of Christ, when he ministers over the sacraments.22

Elisha’s order is quite simple: bathe seven times in the Jordan River. Why bathe? Water
cleanses (Eph 5:26) and sanctifies (1 Cor 6:11). Why bathe seven times? Perhaps seven relates
to Christ instituting seven sacraments.23 So Naaman is told to bathe in the Jordan River seven
times, similar to Aaron being told to sprinkle the bull’s blood on the Ark of the Covenant seven
times on the Day of Atonement (Lv 16:14, 19). Naaman finds the order ridiculous. He expected
an extraordinary request (2 Kgs 5:13), but he was given an ordinary one. Why are these waters
any better than the waters in Damascus (2 Kgs 5:12)? Had not Naaman already bathed in the
rivers of Damascus? Were they effective in cleansing him or in healing him? Obviously, they
were not. Sacraments are simple and they use ordinary matter (bread, wine, water, oil, etc.) to
convey extraordinary power.

Why be obedient to this holy person? He should be obedient because the holy person can
produce the desired effect for what Naaman was seeking (2 Kgs 5:14). The sacraments are
effective.24 They both offer worship to God, and they sanctify the person. A person worships
God through obedience. God decides the means of sanctification for a person.25 The sacraments
make present God’s salvation in the sacred actions of the Church’s liturgy.26 Sacrament do what
they are intended to do if one complies with what the Church asks. Naaman had to comply with
what Elisha asked him to do. Many people today think that the Sacrament of Confession is
ludicrous. Why can’t I ask God directly to forgive my sins? The reason is that God authorizes
only priests to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Confession. For healing, one must comply with
what the Church asks. The Church offers ministers to carry out and administer the sacraments.

Naaman offers a gift in return for the healing, but Elisha rejects the offer (2 Kgs 5:15-16,
Is 45:13, 52:3). The Third Lateran Council expressly forbids the charging of any amount for any
sacrament.27 Sacraments give grace. Grace is a free gift from God (Acts 8:20). The Catechism
says that grace is favor, or the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his
calling to us to become children of God, adoptive sons and partakers in the divine nature and of
eternal life (Rom 6:23, 1 Cor 15:49, Ti 1:2, 1 Jn 3:1).28 It is a participation in the life of God,
which introduces us into the intimacy of Trinitarian life. As a gift, God freely gives it. No
compensation or return gift is necessary. Elisha cannot accept a payment for something that God
has freely given, healing in this case. God has freely given us the sacraments (Mt 10:8, Is 55:1,
Acts 8:9-24, 1 Cor 9:18).29

Before the story of Naaman, Elisha performs other miracles, or signs, that foreshadow the
sacraments. The reproduction of the oil (2 Kgs 4:1-7), the fertility of the Shunammite woman
and the raising of her Son (2 Kgs 4:8-37), cleansing the poisoned stew (2 Kgs 4:38-41), and
multiplying the barley loaves (2 Kgs 4:42-44). The minister uses oil to administer several of the
sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders and Anointing the Sick. Fertility is a reason
for Matrimony, and we are reborn or raised from the destructive effect of our sinful nature
through Baptism. Cleansing the poisoned stew is like the effect of Baptism, Confession and
Anointing of the Sick, which cleanse and purify the poisonous effect of sin. Multiplying the
barley loaves is like the Eucharist, where God’s flesh and blood nourishes us.

John Carberry is the author of Parables: Catholic Apologetics Through Sacred Scripture
(2003) and Sacraments: Signs, Symbols and Significance (2023).

1 Plato, The Republic of Plato, XXV, translated by Francis MacDonald Cornford (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967), pp. 227-234.
2 John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life), 31.
3 Vatican Council II, Lumen Gentium (Light of Nations), 16.
4 Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, Part Two, Holy Week, p. 209.
5 Francis, Laudato Si (Praised Be to You) [Encyclical Letter on Care for Our Common Home] (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2015), 243.
6 CCC, 554-555.
7 Jesus of Nazareth, From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, translated from the German by Adrian J. Walker (New York:
Doubleday, 2007), p. 311.
8 Vatican Council II, Dei Verbum (God’s Word): Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1965), 14.
9 Vatican Council II, Dei Verbum (God’s Word), 16.
10 CCC, 522.
11 CCC, 702.
12 CCC, 1067.
13 CCC, 1093.
14 CCC, 1094.
15 Trent Council, The Canons and Degrees at the Council of Trent, “Canons on Sacraments in General,” Canon 2, pp. 51-52.
16 CCC, 1145-1152 & 1189.
17 Aquinas, Thomas, Summa Theologica, I, Q62, A3.
18 Trent Council, The Council of Trent, “The Institution of Extreme Unction,” Chapter II, translated by Rev. H.J. Schroeder, (Charlotte, NC: Tan
Books, 1978), p. 100.
19 CCC, 1393-1394 & 1416. Trent Council, The Council of Trent, “Canons on the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist,” Canon 5, pp. 79-80.
20 CCC, 1123.
21 CCC, 1129.
22 The Code of Canon Law, 899.
23 CCC, 1117.
24 CCC, 1127 & 1131.
25 Aquinas, Thomas, Summa Theologica, III, Q60, A5.
26 CCC, 15, 2655 & 2662.
27 Third Lateran Council, The Council of Lateran III (1179), accessed 5/31/2017, http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecuм11.htm, Canon 7.
28 CCC, 1996.
29 Fourth Lateran Council, The Lateran Council IV (1215), accessed 5/31/2017, http://www.ewtn.com/library/councils/lateran4.htm,
Constitution 66. CCC, 950 & 2121-2122.