| What Pre-Marital Relationships are Considered Fornication and Why? Responses of Pastors Source: Pravoslavie.ru (Russian) Increasingly, we hear couples say, who are living together without legally registering their relationships and even more so without having a church wedding, “We have a common law marriage” (For some reason common law relationships are called “civil marriages” in Russian, even though there has been no civil ceremony and the “marriage” has never been registered in a court of law – translator’s note). And if such a couple is reproached for fornication, they will be very surprised and offended. “After all, we are married!!!” Parents turn a blind eye to such “marriages” and believe that this is “trying out family life,” teaching their children that because they now have experience they can now consider entering into a real marriage. Is this marriage or fornication? After all, we are used to considering fornication to be when there is a random change of sexual partners, but in this case the couple live together for years. Is it really possible to consider such “marriages” as lawful marriages? In general, what is a “common law marriage,” and how does the Church regard such a marriage? Why does the Church unequivocally condemn such cohabitation as fornication and in what way is this considered to be sinful and dangerous? Fornication is not marriage, but the opposite of marriage Igumen Luke (Stepanov): “Fornication is not a preparation for marriage, but its opposite”, determined the luminary St. John Chrysostom. What is good and what is bad in this world is not explained by man, but is established and revealed to us by God. Grave sins can seem attractive only if one does not yet acknowledge that we are free-sentient creatures made by God who exist under the moral law established by our Creator. From this it clearly follows that there are two physical states for those who are aspiring to inherit Eternal Life: innocence-chastity-widowhood or the married conjugal state. Discussions about this with our contemporaries are inevitable, but every position which opposes the revealed moral teaching of God will be an attempt to screen one’s “right to debauchery.” |
| »Aber, Fürst, es heißt doch, er sei blind«, bemerkte er, um damit den Fürsten Wasili an dessen eigene Worte zu erinnern. »Sagen Sie das nicht; der sieht schon genug!« erwiderte Fürst Wasili schnell mit tiefer Stimme und einem besonderen Räuspern, mit jener Stimme und jenem Räuspern, womit er alle Schwierigkeiten aus dem Weg zu räumen gewohnt war. »Sagen Sie das nicht; der sieht schon genug«, wiederholte er. »Und worüber ich mich besonders freue, das ist, daß der Kaiser ihm unumschränkte Gewalt über alle Armeen und den gesamten Kriegsschauplatz gegeben hat. Das ist eine Macht, wie sie noch nie ein Oberkommandierender besessen hat; er ist geradezu ein zweiter Herrscher«, schloß er mit einem siegesfrohen Lächeln. »Gott gebe dazu seinen Segen!« sagte Anna Pawlowna. Der Mann von großen Verdiensten, der in der höfischen Gesellschaft noch ein Neuling war, wollte gern Anna Pawlowna dadurch etwas Angenehmes erweisen, daß er für eine von ihr früher ausgesprochene Ansicht einen Beleg beibrachte, und äußerte daher: »Es heißt, der Kaiser habe Kutusow diese Macht nur ungern übertragen. Er soll rot geworden sein wie ein junges Mädchen, dem man Lafontaines ›Jaconde‹ vorliest, als er zu ihm sagte: ›Der Herrscher und das Vaterland übertragen Ihnen dieses ehrenvolle Amt.‹« »Mag sein, daß sein Herz nicht dabei beteiligt war«, sagte Anna Pawlowna. »O nein, nein!« fiel Fürst Wasili mit der Wärme eines eifrigen Verteidigers ein. Jetzt durfte er nicht mehr dulden, daß jemand von Kutusow etwas Nachteiliges sagte. Nach des Fürsten Wasili Ansicht war Kutusow nicht nur selbst ein vortrefflicher Mensch, sondern er wurde auch von allen vergöttert. »Nein, das ist unmöglich; der Kaiser hat ihn schon früher außerordentlich zu schätzen gewußt«, sagte er. »Gott gebe nur«, sagte Anna Pawlowna, »daß Fürst Kutusow tatsächlich eine so umfassende Amtsgewalt erhalten hat und sich von niemandem Knüttel in die Räder werfen läßt.« Fürst Wasili verstand sofort, auf wen das ging: »von niemandem«. Er bemerkte flüsternd: |
| The nineteenth century Russian intelligentsia did not have the piety of the merchant and popular classes of society, and tended to pay lip-service only, or even despised the Orthodox Church. Part of the press was viciously anti-religious. All this explains, although it does not entirely excuse, Saint John of Kronstadt’s antagonism to the newspapers, the theatres and the entire educational system. Understandably, he was exasperated by the self-indulgent life style of the wealthy, their social irresponsibility, drawing-room superficiality, and most importantly, the rationalism that marginalizes God, makes God dependent on our patronizing minds. Like C.S. Lewis in ‘The Abolition of Man,’ he saw that godless people destroy their own human nature: (Goulaeff, page 231:) ‘Evil is accompanied by affliction and straitness of heart, and good, by peace, joy, and expansion of the heart. This law is unchangeable: for it is the law of the unchangeable, all-holy, righteous, most-wise, and eternal God. Those who do good, or who fulfil this moral and Gospel law (which is also a moral law, only the most perfect) shall be infallibly rewarded by eternal life, while its transgressors, and those who have not repented of its transgression shall be punished by eternal torment.’ We can see from what has been said so far, that Saint John of Kronstadt did not have a simplistic idea of heaven and hell. Far from considering heaven and hell as hypothetical doctrines about an after-life taught arbitrarily by religious institutions, he knew them as universal experiences taking place in the heart now as well as after death. Saint John of Kronstadt was an exasperated, anxious prophet clamouring, ‘But do you not see, do you not feel, do you not realize the obvious; how can you be so blind and insensitive that you do not recognize the torment you are inflicting on yourself now!’ The pastoral method he used to wake up both clergy and laity was unlike that of other priests of his time and ours. He was not a mechanical performer of religious ceremonies, and he was not given to denunciations of his fellow-priests as apostates, heretics and servants of the devil. He never alluded to the fact that many of the priests of his day were uneducated and lukewarm. Neither insults, nor indifference, nor resigned depression found a place in his attitude to Church matters. He touched the hearts of some priests by his own awareness of what is taking place during the services. For instance, as he concluded the Proskomidia, he would say to this or that priest present in the altar, ‘Look, Father Michael, Father Paul, what can be like this? Christ himself is in our midst and we stand like the Apostles around Him.’ (Selawry, page 135). Needless to say, the priests were shaken and changed by this experience. |
| Finally the Author Himself of all miracles and mighty works, when He called His disciples to learn His teaching, clearly showed what those true and specially chosen followers ought chiefly to learn from Him, saying: Come and learn of Me,not chiefly to cast out devils by the power of heaven, not to cleanse the lepers, not to give sight to the blind, not to raise the dead: for even though I do these things by some of My servants, yet man " s estate cannot insert itself into the praises of God, nor can a minister and servant gather hereby any portion for himself there where is the glory of Deity alone. But learn this of Me, He says, for I am meek and lowly of heart. Matthew 11:28–29 For this it is which it is possible for all men generally to learn and practise, but the working of miracles and signs is not always necessary, nor good for all, nor granted to all. Humility therefore is the mistress of all virtues, it is the surest foundation of the heavenly building, it is the special and splendid gift of the Saviour. For he can perform all the miracles which Christ wrought, without danger of being puffed up, who follows the gentle Lord not in the grandeur of His miracles, but in the virtues of patience and humility. But he who aims at commanding unclean spirits, or bestowing gifts of healing, or showing some wonderful miracle to the people, even though when he is showing off he invokes the name of Christ, yet he is far from Christ, because in his pride of heart he does not follow his humble Teacher. For when He was returning to the Father, He prepared, so to speak, His willand left this to His disciples: A new commandment, said He, give I unto you that you love one another; as I have loved you, so also love one another: and at once He subjoined: By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love to one another. John 13:34–35 He says not: if you do signs and miracles in the same way, but if you have love to one another; and this it is certain that none but the meek and humble can keep. |
| Национальная баптистская конвенция – National Baptist Convention Национальная организация новой апостольской церкви – National Organization of the New Apostolic Church Национальный совет церквей Христа – National Council of the Churches of Christ начала – principalities Начальник и Свершитель веры нашей – the Author and Finisher of Our Faith начетчик – reader небеса – heaven небесный – heavenly Небесный Отец – Our Heavenly Father неведение – unwitting неверующие – the gentiles, atheists, unbelievers неверующий – atheist, unbeliever невеста – bride невкушение – abstinence неделя – week, compline неделя о расслабленном – Sunday of the Paralytic, Cantate Sunday неделя о самаряныне – Sunday of the Samaritan Women неделя о седьмом вселенском соборе – Sunday of the Seventh Ecumenical Council неделя о слепом – Sunday of the Blind Man неделя отец первого вселенского собора – Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council неделя после троицы – Whitsuntide неделя православия – Sunday of Orthodoxy неделя святых жён мироносиц – Sunday of the Myrrh Bearers неделя святых праотец – Sunday of the Holy Ancestors of Christ неделя святых отец – Sunday of the Holy Fathers неделя святых отец первых шести вселенских соборов – Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils недостойный – unworthy Независимая церковь Антиохии – Independent Church of Antioch Независимые фундаментальные церкви – Independent Fundamental Churches неизречённый – ineffable некрология – necrology ненавидеть – to hate ненависть – hatred ненасилие – non-violence неопалимая купина – the burning bush неофит – neophyte непогрешимость папы – infallibility of the Pope непогрешимый – infallible Непорочного зачатия девы Марии праздник – Feast of the Immaculate Conception (of the Virgin) непорочное зачатие – immaculate conception; Христа the Virgin Birth of Christ непорочность – chastity непорочный – chaste, immaculate непостижимый – incomprehensible непристойный – base, lewd непротивление злу – non-resistance to evil |
| The discourses that expound the miracles clarify this point further. Although healing the lame (5:5) suggests prophecies of the messianic era (Isa 35:6), Jesus» role in raising and judging the dead (5:17–29) belongs to no mortal in the Bible. Jesus is thus the one of whom Moses wrote (5:45–47)–a fitting introduction to the wilderness feeding where Jesus is the new manna ( John 6 ). When Jesus heals the blind man, the narrative reveals that being his disciple is greater than being Moses» disciple (9:28–29); he is a shepherd of Israel greater than Moses (10:1–18). The raising of Lazarus introduces Jesus as not merely a miracle worker like others (1 Kgs 17:22–23; 2 Kgs 4:35–36) but as the resurrection itself ( John 11:25–26 ). One therefore needs not only the signs but also their inspired interpretation, the testimony of the Paraclete and the disciples (15:26–27). Christology has implications for ecclesiology: Christ " s followers must be one (17:22), including ethnically (ch. 4); they must love one another (13:34–35; 15:12–17). Perhaps the Gospel polemicizes against early stages of division among believers that becomes full schism in 1 John 2 , a situation probably reflecting some of the Johannine communities. Their lives ( John 13:35; 17:21, 23 ; cf. 14:11–12) as well as their words ( John 17:20 ) thus constitute part of their witness, through which the world may believe. The function of witnesses for Jesus is the secondary motif of the proem (expressed in the Baptist material) and a primary focus of ch. 1, in which a witness interprets Christology for those who are not yet believers. But for John, witness includes how believers treat one another as well as what they proclaim. Jesus revealed the unseen God by his character of grace and truth (1:18), but his followers» love for one another must continue to do so (see 1 John 4:12 ). John " s Christological Distinctiveness John " s genre invites another question about his Christology. If John is a biographer and his speeches for Jesus reflect his understanding of the Jesus tradition, to what degree might his Christology reflect that of Jesus? Many features of Johannine Christology are attested in earlier Synoptic tradition, 2421 but John alone makes much of the Isaian divine «I am» claims. 2422 |
| The healed man responds with a heightened Christology as soon as the word makes a more adequate interpretation possible (9:38). Gentiles sometimes prostrated themselves before rulers, 7174 and Jewish people apparently often followed suit; 7175 even looking at another " s feet instead of another " s face showed respect for the other " s higher status. 7176 It could connote intense respect (e.g., Rev 3:9) or that one was begging or seeking mercy. 7177 Thus the term by itself need not indicate worship of a deity; but in its broader Johannine context (4:20–24; 12:20–21), including John " s Christology (1:1, 18; 20:28), it fits the Johannine portrait of Jesus» deity and invites John " s own audience to worship Jesus. 7178 2. Jesus Convicts the Pharisees (9:39–41) In 9:39–41 John epitomizes and makes more explicit the guiding irony that dominates the whole of ch. 9. 7179 John earlier affirms that Jesus did not come to judge the world (3:17; also 12:47); here (9:39) he claims that he came to bring about judgment (a characteristic messianic mission); the judgment here is to divide people into two groups, those who heed the light and those who reject it (also 3:19; cf. 1 John 2:11 ). One who presses far enough, however, will have the paradox resolved (12:44–49). John " s words about spiritual blindness develop his dualism of light and darkness (see comment on 1:4–5). Greek and Roman tradition could play on the irony of the spiritual sight of a blind seer like Tiresias; 7180 one Greek philosopher allegedly blinded himself physically to make his mental contemplations more accurate. 7181 But pagan sources more frequently viewed figurative blindness as a primarily intellectual than as a primarily moral fault, 7182 and the Jewish tradition provides much more abundant source material for John " s irony. 7183 Isaiah the prophet offered the standard text about spiritual blindness adopted by John (Isa 6:9–10 in John 12:40 ), but the image was common in the biblical prophets (Isa 29:9; 42:18–19; 56:10; Jer 5:21 ; Ezek 12:2 ), the Jesus tradition (cf. Matt 13:14–15; 15:14; 23:16; Mark 4:12; 8:17–18 ; Luke 8:10; perhaps Luke 4:18; cf. Acts 28:26–27), and appears in other early Jewish sources. 7184 John " s irony sometimes turns on convicting the leaders from their mouths, but sometimes on paradox from Jesus» own. 7185 |
| As rulers of sheep, 7226 shepherds provided a natural image, in metaphorical contexts, for rulers; 7227 this was true in both Hellenistic 7228 and Jewish 7229 contexts. As early as Homer, «shepherd of the people,» clearly an equivalent for «ruler of the people,» 7230 became a familiar label for both Greek 7231 and Trojan 7232 leaders and their allies, especially for Agamemnon, the leader of the Achaian host. 7233 Later writers continued to exploit this image. 7234 That those who were blind needed others to «lead» them (Matt 15:14; 23:16; Acts 13:11; Rom 2:19 ) 7235 reinforces the importance of the shepherd leading his people in this context (9:39–41). The reputed character of sheep naturally reinforced this image. Although most animal fables by the first century included an interpretation, animal fables from the start were often too obvious to require explanation; 7236 this presupposes a cultural milieu where much was known about characteristics of animals. In his work On Animals (7.27), Aelian regards sheep as the most obedient of animals, submissive to others» rule, following the shepherd and his dogs and even goats; they also remain near the rest of the flock. 7237 Sheep were considered gentle (placidumб Terence Adelphi 534–535). 3D. Thieves and Robbers (10:1, 5, 8, 10) Thieves and robbers were common and could prove very costly to property owners. 7257 Jewish law technically distinguished thieves from robbers; although definitions varied, most commonly the former broke into homes, the latter accosted wayfarers. 7258 The ideas were closely enough associated, however, that when used metaphorically they could be linked as part of the same semantic domain. 7259 With regard to assaulting a sheepfold, there would be little difference (10subsumes both titles under «thief»); 7260 wolves in 10serve the same function, as a further image of those who seek the sheep for their own gain. 7261 Thieves were so common in Egyptian villages 7262 that the men had to appoint unpaid representatives from their number to guard their threshing floors at night. 7263 Robbers became a severe danger in Egypt as well, resulting in harsh threats against them. 7264 Papyri testify that toll charges often supported desert police, whose job was to protect caravans against bands of robbers. 7265 Ancient Mediterranean laws generally demanded harsh punishment for thieves. 7266 Indeed, if a villager caught a thief, he might enlist his fellow villagers to help him beat the man. 7267 |
| In preceding chapters, the law of witnesses is cited in Jesus» debates with the religious authorities (chs. 5, 8), setting those debates into the context of preliminary accusations that prefigure his final tria1. In John 9 , the synagogue authorities exercise their judicial authority to remove a supposed apostate from the community, directly anticipating the situation of the Johannine community spelled out in 16:2. The context would clearly be understood as forensic, for even in the Diaspora the Jewish community normally had its own synagogue courts to address internal religious issues. Because the Spirit continues Jesus» role as advocate, we can look to earlier passages in the Fourth Gospel that exemplify Jesus» advocacy in ways the Johannine community can expect to continue in their own day. Toward the end of John 9 and through the first paragraphs of John 10 , Jesus acts as an advocate: he defends the formerly blind man, representing the true sheep of Israel, and in so doing prosecutes his persecutors who claim to see (9:40–41), showing them to be thieves and robbers. 8675 He thus brings both help and judgment (cf. 9:39). 8676 Jesus appears as the true advocate of his people in times of oppression, and the Spirit stands in for Jesus in the time of the Johannine community, representing the risen Christ through the community to their opponents in all his prophetic force. 8677 Just as Jesus brings judgment while defending his own (9:39), so the Paraclete will prosecute as well as defend (16:8–11). Earlier in the Fourth Gospel, the writer alludes to Moses» function as advocate/accuser of Israel (5:45); but in the following chapter it is Jesus who is the agent of the Father who sends the true bread from heaven, and who is greater than Moses (ch. 6). Moses as a teacher, witness, and mediator of God " s glorious revelation in Torah, and the prophet par excellence, is perhaps the most natural single OT figure whose functions are performed by the Paraclete; but these functions all derive from the character of the Johannine Jesus, who himself parallels both Moses and the Law. 3C. The Spirit as Jesus» Successor |
| A survey of Jesus» «works» in the Fourth Gospel will indicate that these may include miraculous signs (5:20, 36; 7:3; 9:3–4; 10:25, 32–33, 37–38; 15:24) but also his mission as a whole (4:34; 17:4). One might also apply the term to Jesus» ethical deeds (3:19–21; 7:7; 8:39, 41). 8505 Thus Jesus might refer to his followers multiplying his righteous acts because there would be more of them to do them; 8506 thus «keeping commandments» in 14may include doing the Father " s «works,» because «works» in this Gospel includes doing God " s wil1. But the ethical nuances, while probably present, are probably not primary here. The «commandments» of 14match more properly the line of thought in 14:21, 23–24, where they function as prerequisites for more fully acquiring or maintaining Jesus» presence, suggesting that 14has more to do with 14:16–17 than with 14:12–14. In John most ethical uses of the term apply to others besides Jesus, who «works» in this context, and the immediate context is probably one of miraculous works (14:10–11), for it echoes 10:32, 37–38, which probably reflects Jesus» recent healing of a man born blind (9:3–4). Jesus had done many signs (20:30), and the world itself could not contain them all (21:25), but somehow his followers could do more works, whether by virtue of their numbers or the new state in salvation history. Thus disciples should do miraculous works through faith (though such signs by themselves cannot produce adequate faith and must be supplemented with proclamation, which remains central; cf. 20:29) as well as continue Jesus» ministry in other respects. This idea is consonant with the disciples joining the Spirit as witnesses (15:26–27) and the Spirit presenting the living Christ through their word (16:7–11); in short, disciples would reflect the life of Jesus present in them the way branches revealed the life of the vine (15:1–8). The reason for «greater» works may be debated. Some contend that the works are greater because Jesus worked in only one land whereas his followers work everywhere; 8507 or that the work would be multiplied because no longer confined to one person " s ministry; 8508 or because the disciples participate in the newer and greater phase of redemptive history after the completion of Jesus» earthly work («because I go to the Father»). 8509 In any case, «greater» works imply greater magnitude than one has seen in Jesus» earthly ministry (for this sense of «greater magnitude,» see the parallel language of 1and 5:20). The promise of «greater works» calls John " s audience to look not only backward but also to the present, where Christ continues to remain active through his presence by the Paraclete and his proclaimed word. 8510 |
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