And actually the Lord did show the Apostle Paul what things he had to suffer for His Name. He instructed him the deeds; He did not stop at the chains, the fetters, the prisons and shipwrecks; He Himself felt for him in his sufferings, He Himself guided him towards this day. On a single day the memory of the sufferings of both these Apostles is celebrated, though they suffered on separate days, but by the spirit and the closeness of their suffering they constitute one. Peter went first, and Paul followed soon after him. Formerly called Saul, and then Paul, having transformed his pride into humility. His very name (Paulus), meaning “small, little, less,” demonstrates this. What is the Apostle Paul after this? Ask him, and he himself gives answer to this: “I am,” says he, “the least of the Apostles... but I have labored more abundantly than all of them: yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me” (1 Cor.15:9-10). And so, brethren, celebrating now the memory of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, remembering their venerable sufferings, we esteem their true faith and holy life, we esteem the innocence of their sufferings and pure confession. Loving in them the sublime quality and imitating them by great exploits, “in which to be likened to them” (2 Thess 3: 5-9), and we shall attain to that eternal bliss which is prepared for all the saints. The path of our life before was more grievous, thornier, harder, but “we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12: 1), having passed by along it, made now for us easier, and lighter, and more readily passable. First there passed along it “the author and finisher of our faith,” our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Heb 12: 2); His daring Apostles followed after Him; then the martyrs, children, women, virgins and a great multitude of witnesses. Who acted in them and helped them on this path? He Who said, “Without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15: 5). St. Augustine The Orthodox Church in America 11 июля 2015 г. Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: В воскресенье — православный календарь на предстоящую неделю. В четверг — лучшие тематические подборки, истории читателей портала, новые книги издательства Сретенского монастыря. Специальная рассылка к большим праздникам. Смотри также Комментарии Здесь Вы можете оставить свой комментарий к данной статье. Все комментарии будут прочитаны редакцией портала Православие.Ru . Ваше имя: Ваш email: Введите число, напечатанное на картинке Отправить Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку

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Проповедовал ап. Павел в Коринфе по субботам в синагоге, его слушателями были иудеи и «боящиеся Бога», т. е. сочувствующие иудаизму язычники (Деян 18. 4; ср.: Гал 2. 9). В этот период содержанием его проповеди было утверждение, что пророчества и закон были исполнены Иисусом Христом (Деян 18. 4, 5; ср.: Деян 17. 2-3; 1 Кор 15. 3-4; 2 Кор 1. 19). Среди первых его успехов - обращение Тита Иуста (к-рого нек-рые исследователи отождествляют с Гаием , «странноприимцем всей Церкви» (Рим 16. 23) - см.: Bruce. 1985. P. 97-98), начальника синагоги Криспа и «всего дома его» (Деян 18. 8; ср.: 1 Кор 1. 14-15). Апостол упоминал также о «доме Стефана», к-рый называл «начатком Ахайи» (1 Кор 16. 15), и отмечал, что в Коринфе только они, а также Крисп и Гаий приняли крещение лично от него (1 Кор 1. 14, 16). После прихода Силуана и Тимофея из Македонии (Деян 18. 5; ср.: 1 Фес 3. 1, 6; 2 Кор 1. 19) и конфликта с иудеями (Деян 18. 6-7; ср. 12-16) начинается новый этап миссии ап. Павла в Коринфе. Он переместился из синагоги в дом Иуста, где проповедовал чаще и более открыто, прямо называя Иисуса Христом, т. е. Мессией (Деян 18. 5). Эта перемена в деятельности ап. Павла, вынужденного ранее самостоятельно зарабатывать на жизнь ремеслом (Деян 18. 3), возможно, произошла благодаря доставленным из Македонии пожертвованиям, собранным христианами из Филипп (Флп 4. 15; ср.: 2 Кор 11. 7-11). Имена и количество обращенных в этот период неизвестны. Упоминаемые в Посланиях апостола коринфские христиане - Хлоя, Фортунат, Ахаик, Луций, Иасон, Сосипатр, Ераст, Кварт, Тертий, Фива из Кенхрей - могли обратиться как в это время, так и позднее, когда Павел уже ушел из города. Воспринятое ап. Павлом во сне пророчество о «многих людях», принадлежащих Богу в Коринфе (Деян 18. 9-10), очевидно, относится к более позднему времени, когда коринфская община стала достаточно многочисленной (ср.: Clem. Rom. Ep. I ad Cor. 3. 1). В первый период все ее члены могли собраться вместе в одном доме (1 Кор 14. 23; Рим 16. 23). А по мнению исследователей, даже самое крупное домовладение едва ли могло тогда вместить более 100 чел. ( Blue. 1994. P. 175; Elliger. 1998. S. 112; Horrell. 2004; Williams II. 2005. P. 244).

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В 1 Петр 2. 25 Сам Христос называется «Блюстителем (букв. Епископом.- Авт.) душ (πσκοπον τν ψυχν μν)», а в 1 Петр 5. 2 апостол, обращаясь к пресвитерам, наставляет их: «Пасите (ποιμνατε) Божие стадо, какое у вас, надзирая (πισκοποντες) за ним не принужденно», т. е. говорит о тех функциях, к-рые должны исполнять Е. Однако при этом он и себя именует «сопресвитером» (συμπρεσβτερος). Возможно, «любящий первенствовать» Диотреф, к-рый не принимал даже апостолов (3 Ин 9-10), также исполнял епископские функции. Однако в Посланиях ап. Иоанна упоминаются только пресвитеры, или старцы (2 Ин 1; 3 Ин 1). В Послании к Филиппийцам ап. Павел обращается к святым (т. е. верным) «с епископами и диаконами» (Флп 1. 1). То, что он отличает исполнителей этих служений от остальных членов общины, говорит об их иерархическом положении, хотя они и упоминаются на 2-м месте. Упоминание диаконов наряду с Е. является устойчивым выражением в раннехрист. лит-ре ( Clem. Rom. Ep. I ad Cor. 42. 4-5; Didache. 15. 1 и др.; ср.: 1 Тим, где слова о Е. и о диаконах следуют друг за другом). Главной проблемой при интерпретации Флп 1. 1 является то, что слово πσκοπος употреблено здесь во мн. ч.: как в небольшом полисе могло оказаться неск. Е.? В святоотеческой традиции это объясняется тем, что в ранней Церкви еще не проводилось четкого различия в наименовании служений и Е. могли называться пресвитеры ( Ioan. Chrysost. In Philip. 1. 1; в пользу такого толкования говорит и то, что сщмч. Поликарп Смирнский говорит, обращаясь к филиппийцам, о «пресвитерах и диаконах» - Polycarp. Ad Phil. 5. 3; характерно, что во всем Послании он ни разу не упоминает Е.). Некоторые исследователи полагают, что под «епископами и диаконами» имеются в виду не 2 различных служения, а одно, и не иерархические степени, а указания на функции, к-рые могли (временно) исполнять любые члены общины ( Hawthorne G. F., Martin R. P. Philippians. Nashville, 2004. (WBC; 43)). Однако возможно и др. толкование, согласно к-рому речь здесь идет о собрании в Филиппах глав неск. «домашних» церквей (возможно, со всей округи). В кн. Деяний св. апостолов

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10. It was this fire which warmed the heart of Cleopas and those with him while the Savior talked after His resurrection. So the angels and ministering spirits partake of the shining of this fire, according to what is said, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flaming fire . 58 It is this fire which burns up the beam that is in the inward eye, making the mind clear, that, recovering its natural power of penetration, it may see without interruption the wonderful things of God, according as one says, Open Thou mine eyes, that I may see the wondrous things of Thy law. 59 This fire drives away devils, and destroys sin; but it is the power of resurrection, and the effectual working of immortality, the illumination of holy souls, and the strengthening of rational powers. Let us pray that this fire may reach us also, that always walking in light, we may never for a moment dash our feet against a stone , 60 but shining as lights in the world, may hold forth the word of everlasting life ; 61 that enjoying ourselves among the good things of God we may rest with the Lord in life, glorifying the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. St. Macarius the Great 3 апреля 2015 г.  Col. 2:18.  Ps. 127:1.  This is the Septuagint version of Ps. 91:13.  Luke 10:19.  Eph. 4:11.  Rom. 15:20.  2 Thess. 2:8.  Matt . 4:13  The Greek word here is a technical word of the later Greek philosophy. Hesychius gives  nous  (the intelligence) as its equivalent.  So the Septuagint renders Ps. 49:12 and 20.  Ps. 116:9 (Septuagint 114:9).  Ps. 137:1.  Ex. 3:8, etc.  A curious recollection of I Cor. 5:8.  Prov. ix. 1 8 (LXX).  i Cor. xv. 55.  Eph. iv. 24.  Eph. iv. 22.  i Cor. xv. 49.  Phil. iii. 21.  John iv. 24.  Rom. vi. 12.  Rom. i. 23.  A reminiscence of Ps. xi. 2 " privily " (LXX x. 3).  Rom. xiii. 12.  Rom. xii. 2.  Eph. iv. 17.  Rom. viii. 17.  Gal. vi. 17.  Gal. 5:24.  Rom. 8:17.  Rom. 8:15.  1 Cor. 3:16.  1 Pet. 2:2.  2 Pet. 1:19.  Mai. 4:2.  2 Pet. 1:4.

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CANON Literally, " a rule. " It describes (1) the inspired Books of the Bible—the Canon of Scripture; (2) the rules and decrees issued by the early Church (see Acts 15:23-29) and by Ecumenical Councils—Canon Law; and (3) certain parts of worship, such as the Liturgical Canon or the Canon of Matins. CHRISMATION The sacrament completing baptism, whereby one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit through anointing with the Chrism, a specially prepared oil which must be consecrated by a bishop. On several occasions in Acts, a baptized Christian received the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of the hands of an Apostle (see Acts 8:14-17; 19:6). Chrismation is a continuation of that ancient practice in the Church. CHURCH The faithful are called out of the world to be the Church: the body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the New Israel, the ark of salvation, the assembly of the faithful. Through the Church, Christians are united to Christ and to each other. In this community, the believer receives the grace of God through the sacraments and hears the truth of the gospel. This mystical transformation of people into one body in Christ takes place in the Eucharist. Because Christ is the Head of the Church, the Church is a reflection of the Incarnation, with both human and divine qualities (see 1 Cor. 10:16, 17; Gal. 6:16; Eph. 4:12; 5:22-32). COMMANDMENT The Law of God, given first in the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, and completed or fulfilled by the teaching of Christ (Ex. 20:1-17; Matt. 5:1—7:27; John 15:12). COMMUNION (Gr. koinonia) A common union of the most intimate kind, enjoyed by Christians with God and with each other in the Church. This communion is especially realized in the mystery of the Holy Eucharist (John 6:56; 1 Cor. 10:16, 17). CONFESSION (1) The avowal or verbal witness of faith in Christ, leading to salvation (Rom. 10:9). (2) The sacrament of the forgiveness of sins, whereby the repentant sinner confesses his sins to Christ in the presence of the priest, who pronounces God’s of those sins (John 20:22, 23; 1 John 1:9).

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2 Cor. 4:13/Psalm 116:10 – I believed and so I spoke (past tense). Hebrew – I believe, for I will speak (future tense). 2 Cor. 6:2/Isaiah 49:8 – I have “listened” to you. Hebrew – I have “answered” you. Gal. 3:10/Deut. 27:26 – cursed be every one who does not “abide” by all things. Hebrew – does not “confirm” the words. Gal. 3:13/Deut. 21:23 – cursed is everyone who hangs on a “tree.” Hebrew – a hanged man is accursed. The word “tree” does not follow. Gal. 4:27/Isaiah 54:1 – “rejoice” and “break forth and shout.” Hebrew – “sing” and “break forth into singing.” 2 Tim. 2:19/Num. 16:5 – The Lord “knows” those who are His. Hebrew – God will “show” who are His. Heb. 1:6/Deut. 32:43 – let all the angels of God worship Him. Hebrew – the Masoretic text omits this phrase from Deut. 32:43. Heb. 1:12/Psalm 102:25 – like a “mantle” … “roll them”… “will be changed.” Hebrew – “raiment”… “change”…”pass away.” Heb. 2:7/Psalm 8:5 – thou has made Him a little “lower than angels.” Hebrew – made Him but a little “lower than God.” Heb. 2:12/Psalm 22:22 – I will ” sing” thy praise. Hebrew – I will praise thee. The LXX and most NTs (but not the RSV) have “sing.” Heb. 2:13/Isaiah 8:17 – I will “put my trust in Him.” Hebrew – I will “look for Him.” Heb. 3:15/Psalm 95:8 – do not harden your hearts as “in the rebellion.” Hebrew – harden not your hearts “as at Meribah.” Heb. 3:15; 4:7/Psalm 95:7 – when you hear His voice do not harden not your hearts. Hebrew – oh that you would hear His voice! Heb. 8:9-10/Jer. 31:32-33 – (nothing about husband); laws into their mind. Hebrew – I was a husband; law in their inward parts. Heb. 9:28/Isaiah 10:22 – “to save those” who are eagerly awaiting for Him. Hebrew – a remnant of them “shall return.” Heb. 10:5/Psalm 40:6 – “but a body hast thou prepared for me.” Hebrew – “mine ears hast thou opened.” Heb. 10:38/Hab. 2:3-4 – if he shrinks (or draws) back, my soul shall have no pleasure. Hebrew – his soul is puffed up, not upright. Heb. 11:5/Gen. 5:24 – Enoch was not “found.” Hebrew – Enoch was “not.”

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9. Once Peter had made this heartfelt confession, the Lord ordained him Shepherd and Chief Pastor of His whole Church, and also promised to encompass him with such strength, that he who previously was unable even to stand being spoken to and questioned by a young girl (John 18:17), would endure unto death, even death on a cross. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast younger , both physically and spiritually, thou girdest thyself , meaning, you used your own strength, and walkest whither thou wouldest , doing what you liked and living according to your natural inclinations. But when thou shalt be old , having reached the peak of your physical and spiritual age, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands . With these words, Christ indicates that Peter will die on a cross, and bears witness that his crucifixion will not be involuntary. Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee , meaning strengthen, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not , that is to say, out of this life (cf. John 21:18). Our nature is unwilling to be dissolved in death, and Peter’s superhuman martyrdom also demonstrates our attitude as human beings to life. “Strengthened by Me”, Christ tells him, “you will willingly endure all these things for my sake and bear witness to me; for the desire to do so is not natural but supernatural to human nature.” 10. Peter was the sort of man who can be described in a few words. As for Paul, on the other hand, what tongue or how many and what sort of tongues can depict even to a limited extent his endurance unto death for Christ’s sake? He was put to death every day, or rather he was always dead, no longer alive himself, as he tells us, but having Christ living in him (Gal. 2:20). For love of Christ he not only counted everything in the present world as dung (Phil. 3:8), but even put things to come in second place compared to the Lord. For I am persuaded , he says, that neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (cf. Rom. 8:38-39). He had zeal for God, and was jealous over us with divine jealousy (2 Cor. 11:2). The only one to equal him in this was Peter, but hear how humble he is when he says of himself, I am the least of the Apostles, that am not meet to be called an Apostle (1 Cor. 15:9).

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памятниках (в Флп, 1 Тим, «Дидахе», 1-м Послании сщмч. Климента Римского (к-рый возводит служения и епископа, и Д. к одному и тому же ветхозаветному пророчеству (Ис 60. 17), заменяя ρχοντας... ν ερν текста LXX на διακνους... ν πστει ( Clem. Rom. Ep. I ad Cor. 42. 5)) и др.) связи между Д. и епископом, из чего следует, что Д. являлись ближайшими помощниками епископа (и, как известно из ряда примеров древней церковной истории (см., напр.: Euseb. Hist. eccl. IV 22. 3), нередко сами становились епископами после кончины своих предстоятелей). Указание еще на одну сторону служения первохрист. Д., на церковное учительство, может быть усмотрено в том, что автор «Дидахе» проводит параллель между служениями епископов и Д., с одной стороны, и пророков и учителей - с другой (Didache 15. 1; ср.: Herma. Pastor. I 3. 5. 1; III 9. 26. 2). В установленной в Церкви 3-чинной священной иерархии Д. занимают низшую ступень ( Ign. Ep. ad Magn. 2. 1; 6. 1), что нисколько не умаляет их достоинства - верные должны их «почитать... как заповедь Иисуса Христа» ( Ign. Ep. ad Trall. 3. 1). Ряд древних текстов свидетельствует о том, что в ранней Церкви Д. исполняли социальное служение (т. е. организовывали и осуществляли помощь вдовам, сиротам, нищим и больным - см., напр.: Herma. Pastor. III 9. 26. 2; Trad. Ap. 24; 34; Didasc. Apost. 3. 4; 16; 18; Can. Hipp. 32. 164; Test. Dom. 1. 34), участвовали в церковном учительстве (см., напр.: Didasc. Apost. 3. 4; Test. Dom. 1. 34) и в совершении таинств (см., напр.: Ign. Ep. ad Trall. 2. 3; Ep. ad. Philad. 10. 1-2; в частности, в 1-й Апологии мч. Иустина Философа упоминается, что во время литургии Д. преподавали верным Тело и Кровь Христовы и относили Св. Дары в дома к тем, кто отсутствовали на собрании ( Iust. Martyr. I Apol. 65. 5; 67. 5); в апокрифических Деяниях Иуды Фомы описано, как апостол велит Д. приготовить для совершения Евхаристии стол и покров на него (Acta Thomae. 49)). Подробные сведения о литургических функциях Д. приводятся в «Апостольском предании» (III в.).

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6. You are pleased when people help you when you are in need. Therefore strive yourself, as much as you can, to help your neighbor in all of his needs. For alms (all good deeds) doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life (Tobit 12:9) the Word of God tells us. Here we must follow a special rule Namely: a) We must first, before helping other people help those whom God’s foresight has united us with, i.e., parents, relatives, authorities, benefactors, those under our authority, and fellow believers. St. Paul says concerning the first group, But if any provide not for those of his own house, he hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8). Concerning fellow believers the Apostle teaches: As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of Faith (Gal 6:10). b) Among the above, before others, come to the assistance of those who are especially in need, that is the ill and disabled. Even if you cannot give them what they specifically need, then at least visit them, serve them in some way, and comfort them. Act in this way even if they are totally ungrateful to you, for Love does not seek its own (1 Cor. 13:5), and the Lord will reward you. 7. Having assisted those among your living neighbors, do not deny those among your departed neighbors. Pray for all the departed, and especially for those who died suddenly and without proper preparation, and while still in serious sins. Remember them more often and offer what alms you can for their salvation. Many of our departed neighbors, especially those who reposed without proper preparation, need our help incomparably more than those among the living who are extremely impoverished, because the reposed are now incapable of helping themselves. Only we the living can offer them help. 8. Our love for ourselves can be and, unfortunately, often is truly misplaced. How many people desire and strive for earthly goods, great honor, respect, prosperity. Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ was so pleased to place a specific condition on our love for our neighbor; He commanded that we should love our neighbor as He loved us. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you (John 15:12). Love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34). The Lord Jesus Christ so loved us, the faithful, His Church, that He gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify it. .. That He might present it to Himself…not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:25-27). He strove and strives to create in all of us firm faith in God the Father and in Himself (John 3:16), to offer us a true knowledge of God (John 1: 18; 17:3), to inspire us to love Him (John 17:26), to lovingly and zealously fulfill the commandments of God (John 14; 21, 23, 24) and to lead us to eternal life (John 3:16).

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The authority for the unbreakable character of marriage is Christ himself. In Mark 10:6-8, Jesus rejects divorce allowed by the Mosaic Law (Dt 24-14) and appeals to God’s order of creation: “God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Gn 1:27; 2:24). Then he commands: “What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mk 10:9). The same teaching is found among the radical standards of conduct proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:31-33). These principles are intended for all those who accept Christ’s saving message and commit themselves to live by the reality of God’s kingdom revealed by Christ. The Orthodox tradition has always fostered the ideal of the permanency of marriage on the basis of Christ’s teaching. For example, the great Church Father, John Chrysostom (fourth century), writes, “Both by the manner of creation and by the manner of [new] lawgiving, Christ showed that one man must dwell with one woman continually and never break off from her.” In his book “Against Remarriage,” Chrysostom goes as far as to counsel widows and widowers themselves not to remarry but to remain faithful to their deceased spouses and honor their memory. However, because of human frailty, not all people can uphold the ideal of the permanency of marriage. And the radical principles of the Sermon on the Mount must ultimately be interpreted in the light of the Gospel, not law. In cases of moral failure, the Gospel requires that we respond to people with compassion and forgiveness, not judgment and condemnation. According to the Gospel of Matthew, divorce can occur for reasons of “unchastity” (porneia, literally “fornication”), probably referring to sexual misconduct (Mt 5:32; 19:9). Similarly, though St. Paul mentions the standard of Christ’s strict teaching about marriage, nevertheless he accommodates his pastoral instructions to human weakness, including the possibility of separation and divorce (1 Cor 7:10-15).

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