THAT is very interesting because I recently had a conversation with Kosta and Kolo about this, but in the context of where the OT righteous went immediately after they died. My contention was that they went straight to Heaven, and offered the evidence of the Transfiguration. IOW, I agree with you that they WERE real and alive. In order to support the Orthodox position that no one went to Heaven before the crucifixion (anyone correct me if I'm wrong), I remember the response being that Moses and Elijah possibly were indeed manifestations, and not real or alive. So, my question is: does Catholicism support that the OT righteous went directly to Heaven upon death, and that Jesus' sacrifice retroactively applied to them at the time of their deaths?
The Catholic sources that I’ve read indicate that Moses and Elijah were alive. Possibly they were manifestations, but my sources lean towards alive.
I’m not sure about the OT righteous. Perhaps some more learned Catholic might be able to step in here.
THAT is very interesting because I recently had a conversation with Kosta and Kolo about this, but in the context of where the OT righteous went immediately after they died. My contention was that they went straight to Heaven, and offered the evidence of the Transfiguration. IOW, I agree with you that they WERE real and alive. In order to support the Orthodox position that no one went to Heaven before the crucifixion (anyone correct me if I'm wrong), I remember the response being that Moses and Elijah possibly were indeed manifestations, and not real or alive. So, my question is: does Catholicism support that the OT righteous went directly to Heaven upon death, and that Jesus' sacrifice retroactively applied to them at the time of their deaths?
I don't think there is any doubt that Moses and Elijah were real at the Transfiguration, and not manifestations, or spiritual apparitions.
While the OT and the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, as well as Peter in his 2nd Epistle are clear that prior to the Crucifixion, the spirits of the OT saints went to Abraham's Bosom, which was one compartment of "sheol", with "hades" being the other where the rich man was, I don't see where it is neccesary to think Moses and Elijah were manifestations, and not real.
Angels are noncoporeal beings, however, in many of the examples of angelophanies in Scripture, they appear in real bodies looking like men, in bodies God prepared for them for the specific purpose God sent them for.
I have no problem at all seeing that the God who created the entire Cosmos, ex nihilo, could have temporarily given Moses his body for the purpose of Moses being present at the Transfiguration. Since Elijah was taken without dying, he would have still had a body.