| Why is the Judgment Dreadful? Not at all because the Judge is dreadful, but because on that day “the thoughts of many hearts [will] be revealed” (Luke 2:35)—the thoughts of our hearts. God does not decide who finds salvation in the Church-Body of Christ, and who remains an outside observer. Christ teaches us: “with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). And if all our life we ran from God and measured out to Him only a token of ourselves, how can we hope to enter into the fullness of life with Him? Indeed, “these will go away into everlasting punishment” (Matt. 25:46); but they will go on their own accord, they will run from God, continuing on the path that they chose and confirmed with their lives. They will hide away from God as they kept hiding during their lives; and separation from God is everlasting punishment. They are surprised: “Lord, when did we… not minister to You?” (Matt. 25:44) The way to damnation is surprisingly simple: every time a man turns away from God and toward a television set, silences the voice of conscience and knowingly chooses sin, walks past someone in need, even though he could help, or at least comfort—the man makes yet another step. And from all of these small steps, as from bricks, the path away from God is built. But the path to God is just as simple! Love God and love your neighbor (Mark 12:30-31); and how much can be done to make this love full of life and action! Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give shelter to the homeless, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the captive (Matt. 25:34-36), love divine services and prayer (1 Thess. 5:17; Col 3:15, et passim), live in the Church, the Body of Christ, rather than outside of It, and you will find life, because Christ defeated death and only in His Body there is life. Every moment in our life gives us an opportunity to make a small step toward God. One should not wait for great persecutions in order to be faithful to Christ. One should not wait for a beggar to say in pure Aramaic: “Help me, because I am an angel in human form.” One should not wait for the Final Judgment: “Then, I will surely choose God.” “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20) Act with kindness here and now, choose truth in your every word, do not silence your conscience, listen to it. If “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) here and now, then even at the Final Judgment we will hear: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). The Lord wants everyone to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4); the choice is ours, and we are making this choice today. |
| ALLELUIA The Greek form of the Hebrew word Hallelujah, which means " praise God. " Orthodox Christians sing a chorus of Alleluia interspersed with psalm verses prior to the Gospel reading at the Divine Liturgy. ALMS Works of mercy or monetary gifts given to help the poor. Throughout the Scriptures, God’s people are called to help those less fortunate than themselves (see Matt. 25:31-46). ALPHA AND OMEGA The letters which begin and end the Greek alphabet, and symbolize the beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega is also used as a title of Christ (Rev. 1:8). AMEN " So be it " in Hebrew. Amen is said or sung at the close of a prayer or hymn, showing the agreement of the people to what has been said (Deut. 27:15-26; 1 Cor. 14:16). ANGELS Bodiless powers created before the creation of the physical universe. The English word " angel " comes from the Greek word for " messenger. " Throughout the Scripture, angels are messengers who carry the Word of God to earth (e.g. Gabriel’s visit to Mary, Luke 1:26-38). The Orthodox Church teaches that there are nine " choirs " or groups of angels: Angels, Archangels, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Dominions, Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim (see Gen. 3:24; Is. 6:2; Eph, 1:21; Col. 1:16; 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Pet. 3:22). ANNUNCIATION The visit of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary to inform her that she had been chosen to bear Christ, the Son of God. The Feast of the is celebrated exactly nine months before Christmas. Mary’s Son was no ordinary child, but God’s divine Son and Word in human flesh (Is. 7:14; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1-14). ANTICHRIST Literally, " against Christ " or " instead of Christ. " Antichrist is used by John to refer to (a) the opponent of Christ who will arise at the end of this age, and (b) the " many antichrists " who stand against the Son of God (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3). APOSTASY Literally, " turning away. " This sin is committed when a Christian or body of believers rejects the true faith of Christ (1 Tim. 1:5-7; 4:1-3). |
| The New Testament is much more polyphonic. In the epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul writes: “A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). And in the Catholic epistle of the Apostle James we read: “shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). The parable of the Last Judgment speaks of such situations when a person finds salvation in Christ in eternity through the fulfillment of a moral law in relation to the neighbor in earthly life. The Last Judgment Parable When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be ga thered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world : f or I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; n aked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying , Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee ? or thirsty, and gav e thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed t hee ? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying: Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying: Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal ” (Matt. 25, 31-46). |
| John is calling his audience to a full confession of resurrection faith: Jesus is God in the flesh, and therefore his claims cannot be compromised, for synagogue or for Caesar. John will settle for no faith less secure than this. Further, while Thomas " s faith by sight is accepted, the faith without sight expected of John " s audience is greater (20:29; cf. 2Cor 5:6–7 ; 1Pet 1:8 ). It is grounded in the beloved disciplés testimony sampled in the Gospel (20:30–31), confirmed to hearers by the Paraclete (15:26–16:15). 10778 E.g., Ellis, Genius, 297–98; Minear, «Functions.» The «signs» include the resurrection chapter (esp. 20:27, 29) but also the rest of the «signs» in this Gospel (with, e.g., Lightfoot, Gospel, 336). 10779 E.g., Aeschines Timarchus 196; Cicero Fin. 5.32.95–96; Or. Brut. 40.137; Polybius 39.8.3; Dionysius of Halicarnassus Demosth. 32; Thucyd. 55; Musonius Rufus 6, pp. 54.26–56.11 (esp. 54.26; 56.7–11); Aelius Aristides Fifth Leuctrian Oration 43–44; Rhet. Alex. 36,1443b.l5–16; 1444b.21–35; 37, 1445b.21–23; Hippolytus Haer. 10.1; Anderson, Rhetorical Theory, 181–82; less fully, cf. Matt 28:18–20; Rom 16:17–19 . Of course, open or abrupt endings also appear, as in Mark 16 (see our comments on Mark 16:9–20 above, on the resurrection tradition). 10780 E.g., Isaeus Estate of Cleonymus 48, out of fifty-one paragraphs. Often they come at the conclusion of the proofs, though this might be near the work " s end (Cicero Quinct. 28.85–29.90), possibly relevant here; they could also conclude a section (Xenophon Hel1. 3.5.25, ending book 3; 4.8.19, ending only some events; Polybius 2.71.7–10, esp. 2.71.7–8; Cicero Fin. 3.9.31; Quinct. 19.60). 10781 Aeschines Timarchus 111. After his closing summary (Polybius 39.8.4–6), Polybius adds only closing comments (39.8.7–8). 10782 Achtemeier, «Miracle Workers,» 176. Even if redactional, Homer " s claim that Aeneas would rule the Trojans (Il. 20.303–308) is pre-Virgil and virtually invited the sort of development one finds in Virgil Aeneid. 10783 E.g., Valerius Maximus 2.7.5; 3.8.ext.l; Musonius Rufus 10, p. 78.22. Epideictic bards might also complain that time provided the only limit on their praises (Pindar Nem. 4.33–34; O1. 2.95; Pyth. 4.247–248; cf. Heb 11:32). In many oral genres, one should limit onés examples (Menander Rhetor 2.4, 393.25–30). 10787 Dionysius of Halicarnassus Thucyd. 55; Isaeus 19–20; Demosth. 42,46, 58; Lit. Comp. 11. More detailed discussion might await another occasion, but he needed to use most wisely the space that he had (Demosthenes 32; Isaeus 14); he wanted to avoid wasting the reader " s time (Demosthenes 40). |
| Though it has become common in our day to think that Christians ‘go to heaven’ and non-Christians ‘go to hell’, you will find none of this in scripture or the Fathers. Certainly, one finds the teaching of the last judgment, and that there are those who, in the resurrection, will have eternal life in the presence of Christ, and those who rise to eternal condemnation. But the criteria of this judgment is never laid out as the acceptance of a series of doctrinal propositions or identifying in some way as a Christian. Rather, the criteria is always the life lived by each person, their words and deeds, which are inextricably related to what faith really is. In fact, everywhere in the scriptures, it is God’s own people, first Israel and then the Church, who are threatened with eternal judgment. It is rebellious Christians who are threatened with being cast into the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Rev 20:11-15). The goats who depart into condemnation all recognize Jesus as their Lord just as the sheep do (Matt 25:31-46). It is the one who knows and does not obey the commandments, and teaches others to do the same who is least (Matt 5:19). It is not the outsider or the ignorant who is in danger of the fires of hell, it is the one who knows the truths of Christ, knows the truth of who God is, and what he has done, knows his commandments, and refuses to submit his life to this reality. From him who has been given much, much will be required. And we as Orthodox Christians have been given much more than most in our inheritance of holy tradition. We as human persons have received one great blessing which the devil and the demons lack. We have been given this life for repentance. While we have been guilty of sin and rebellion as deep as any evil spirit, while we have used our God-given powers of reason to seek to justify ourselves and our wickedness so that we can continue to fulfill our desires under the cover of outward faith, Christ has extended to us forgiveness. That we are subject to change means that we can change for the better. Christ has brought us healing and restoration. Even more, he has opened to us a way of life which will transform us into the likeness of himself, through living our lives, through acting in accordance with the reality of who he is and the world which he has created in which to dwell with us. As long as we still live, it is not too late for us to begin anew. |
| The Son of God becoming man has brought down into the Church the very divine truth and the manifold wisdom of God ( Eph. 3:10 ); He revealed to man the image of God, the Divine Logos “... in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” The Son of God has sent into the world the Holy Spirit who rests in Him eternally, and the fullness of gifts of the Spirit were poured into the Church. The Son of God and the Holy Spirit have not only revealed God to us but have brought us into communion with Him, adopting us to Him. In this way, men became both participants of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4) and “the members of the household of God,” of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ( Eph. 2:13–22 ). The perfection of God the Father was manifested to the faithful as the ideal of their life, and the love of the Father embraced them and has lifted them to heaven through the Son and the Spirit. Jesus Christ has united man with the Super-Essential Divine Being in whom the fullness of existence is not absorbed by unity. The Holy Trinity is the source of infinite illuminating and life- giving manifestations. When the Son of God became man, he also restored the fullness of existence in human nature which would be impossible without the union of the human with the divine, i.e., without the divinization of man in Jesus Christ. As God and man, Jesus Christ unites in Himself the fullness of the perfection of existence of both God and man. That is why He could be called “him that filleth all in all” ( Eph. 1:23 ). The fullness of Christ does not remain in Him alone just as the fullness of God the Father does not remain in Him: the divinity of the Father is also the divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is consubstantial with all mankind. 4 Perhaps the most striking text which speaks about this is in the parable of the last judgment (Matt. 25:31–46): Christ identifies Himself with all men but clearly in such a way that the men with whom He identifies Himself do not cease to be particular persons. The unity of Christ with men is founded first in that He possesses the human nature common to all men, but also in His free desire to be in others and to identify Himself freely with them. |
| Testimonia virorum illustrium, 13–20. Card. Albani præfatio, 9–10. Index nominum, 1423–38. Novellæ Constitutiones (Leunclavius), 613–34. BASILIUS NEOPATRENSIS metropolita, s. X, III. Prologus in Prophetas minores (M.), 411–16. [Fg. in Prophetas (M.), 162, 1329]. BASILIUS PROTOASECRETIS, s. XI. Carmina 1–3 in Symeonem juniorem, græce, 120, 308–9. BASILIUS THESSALONICENSIS (ACHRIDENUS), arch., s. XII, 119. Responsio ad Hadrianum papam IV, 919–34. Responsio de matrimonio, 933–36. Responsio altera, 1119–20. BASILIUS SELEUCIENSIS episcopus, s. V, 85. Orationes (cum notis Dausqueii editoris.) I. In illud principio... terram (Gen., I,1), 27–38. 2–3. In Adamum, 37–50; 49–62. 4 . In Cainum et Abelum, 61–76. 5–6. In Noemum, 75–84; 83–102. 7 . In Abrahamum, 101–12. 8 . In Josephum, 111–126. 9 . In Moysen, 127–38. 10 .In Elisæum et Sunamitiden, 137–48. 11 .In sanctum Eliam, 147–58. 12–13. In Jonam, 157–72; 71–82. 14–17. In Davidis historiam, 181–92; 191–204; 203–216; 215–26. 18 .In Herodiadem, 225–36. 19 .In Centurionem, 235–46. 20 .In Chananæam, 245–54. 21 .In claudum ad portam Speciosam sedentem, 253–264. 22 . In illud Navigabant simul (Luc, VIII, 23). (Sedata tempesias), 263–70. 23 .In arreptivum dæmoniacum, 269–78. 24 .In duos filios Zebedæi (in illud Matt., XX, 21), 277–81. 25 . In Petri confessionem (in illud Matt., XVI, 13), 287–98. 26 . In Joan., X, 11 (Ego sum pastor bonus), 299–308. 27 .In Olympia, 307–316. 28 .In Matt., XVIII, 3 (Nisi conversi fueritis...sicut parvuli), 315–26. 29 . In Matt.,XI, 28(Venite ad me... reficiam vos), 325–32. 30 . In Matt., IV, 19 (Venite post me... piscatores hominum), 331–38. 31 . In Marc, X, 33 (Ecce ascendimus... manus peccalorum), 337–50. 32 . In Matt., XXVI, 39 (Pater si possibile,.. calix iste), 349–60. 33 . In homines quinque panibus pastos (Matt., XIV, 14), 359–66. 34 . In Matt., XI, 3 (Tu es qui.., exspectamus), 365–74. 35 .In Publicanum et Pharisæum, 373–84. 36 .In duos Evangelii cæcos, 383–88. 37 .In infantes Bethleem ab Herode sublatos, 387–400. |
| In illud Exiit qui seminat (Luc., VIII, 5), 771–6. In secundum adventum Christi, 775–8. In paralyticum (Joan., V, 51), 777–82 ( Amphitochii). In parabolam do drachma (Luc, XV, 11), 781–4. De scientia et de presbytero, 783–6. In parabolam villici iniquitalis (Luc, XVI), 785–8. De jejunio, 787–90. In filium Viduæ, 789–94. Contra Judæos (in serpentem æneum), 793–802. 62 (XI). De sacrificiis Caini et de fato, 719–22. In S. Parasceven et in Passionem Domini, 721–4. In Publicanum et nharisæum, 723–8. In ingressum jejuniorum, 727–8. In Assumptionem Christi, 727–30. De jejunio, 731–32. De jejunio, 731–38. De oratione, 73.7–40. In illud Ignem veni (Luc., XII, 49), 739–42. Admonitione? Spirituales, 741–4. In principium jejuniorum, 745–8. In adorationem crucis, 747–54. In resurrectionem Christi, 753–6. In parabolam Samaritani, 755–8. De jejunio, 757–60. De jejunio et de Davide, 759–64. In Annuntiatio tem Deiparæ, 763–70. De eleemosyna, 769–70. De caritate 769–72. In Lazarum 1–3, 771–6, 775–8, 777–80. 63 (XII). In illud In principio erat Verbum (Joan., 1, 1), 543–50. De mansuetudine, 519–56. In novam Dominicam et in apost. Thomam, 927–30, In S. Stephanum, 1–3. 929–32; 931–4, 933–4. In S. Pentecosten, 933–8. De patientia et consummatione sæculi, 937–42. Encomium S. Gregorii Illuminatoris, 943–54. 64 (XIII). De jejunio et prophetis, 15–16. De jejunio et Davide, 17–18. De non contemnenda Dei clementia, 17–18. De hemorrhoissa, 17–20. De mari (Luc., VIII, 22), 19–22. De similitudine sinapis (Matt., XIII, 31), 21–26. In illud Si qua nova creatura (2 Cor., V, 17), 25–34. In illud Hic esi Filius (Matt., XVII, 5), 33–8. De virginitate, 37–44. De cognitione Dei in S. Theophania, 13–46. In Assumptionem D.-N. J.-C.. 45–48. In stagnum Genesaret et in S. Petrum, 47–52. JOANNES CINNAMUS, s. XII, 133. Historiarum libri, 1–7, 309–678. Tollii præfatio, 299–304. Du Cange. Præfatio,299–304; de Cinnamo, 305–8. Du Cange. Appendix ad Cinnamum . Tabulæ seu stemmata, 679–94. Du Cange. Descriptio urbis CP., ex Christophoro de Bondelmontibus, cum notis Du Cange, 695–708. |
| 2:11: signs lead to disciples» faith 2:23: signs produce faith of untrustworthy people 4:48: Jesus complains about those who require signs for faith 6:30: crowds demand a sign before faith, although they have already received signs 7:31: many members of the crowds believed Jesus because of his signs 11:47–48: people are believing because of Jesus» signs 12:37: the crowds refused to believe despite Jesus» signs (though even some rulers did believe secretly–12:42) One should also factor in texts which link Jesus» «works» with faith: 10:25: they refuse to believe despite Jesus» works 10:37–38: they should at least believe his works 14:10–11: believe on account of the Father " s works done by Jesus 14:12: those who believe will replicate the same kind of works 2411 Various texts are clear that God provided Jesus» signs or works to produce faith (10:37–38; 11:15, 42; 13:19; 14:10–11, 29; cf. 6:40); texts that indicate the obduracy of those disbelieving despite signs (10:25; 12:37) or despite encountering Jesus himself (6:36,64; 8:46) also fall into this category. Faith as a result of signs is not bad (1:50; 2:11, 22; 10:41–42; 11:45; 12:11; 16:30; 17:21; 20:8), but it must proceed to discipleship (8:30–31; 9:35–38), and is by itself inadequate (2:23–24; 3:2–3; 4:48; 9:18). Demands for signs usually presuppose unbelief (6:30; 7:4–5) or inadequate faith (20:25); often faith must precede signs (4:48,50; 11:40). (The inadequacy of «signs-faith» also appears in the Synoptic tradition: Mark 8:11–12; 15:32 ; Matt 12:38–39; 16:1–4; Luke 11:16, 29.) The ultimate basis of faith is the Spirit-inspired witness to the truth (1:7; 4:39, 41–42; 5:38, 46–47; 15:26–27; 19:35). Saving faith (e.g., 1:12; 3:15–16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:35, 40, 47; 7:38–39; 8:24; 11:25–27; 12:36, 46; 16:27) normally goes beyond this. It is persevering faith (6:67–69; 8:30–31, 45; 16:30–33), and suggests integrity of heart–and perhaps an initial stage of faith–as a prerequisite (1:47; 3:19–21; 5:38, 44; 10:26; 12:38–43). One passage explicitly distinguishes two levels of faith (4:50, 53) even though the second only implies discipleship. Likewise, though unbelief in general is the essence of sin (16:9), narratives seem to imply that some levels of unbelief may produce greater measures of hostility than others, when such hostility becomes the only way to maintain the unbelief of others (12:9–11 ). The connection between faith and signs is a theme that climaxes, appropriately, in the climax of the Gospel: blessed are those who believe without seeing (20:29), such as the audience which believes on the basis of the apostolic witness (20:31). God ultimately demands a commitment tht runs deeper than mere acceptance of what should be obvious. (See more detailed discussion of «faith» in ch. 7 of the introduction.) 5D. Signs-Faith as a Biblical Allusion |
| 9875 Plutarch R.Q. 83, Mor. 283F (although he notes that Romans had themselves offered such sacrifices). 9877 Benoit, Jesus, 1:135; Lane, Mark, 530; Stewart, «Procedure»; Sanders, Jesus to Mishnah, 17; Bruce, «Trial,» 12–13. 9882 Cf. Polycarp " s manner of death fulfilling what God had said in Mart. Po1. 5,12 (the stabbing of Mart. Po1. 16 may be an interpolation). 9883 E.g., Chariton 5.4.9; Apuleius Metam. 10.7; t. Sanh. 6:3. Later rabbinic rules allowed the defendant to speak first in a capital case (t. Sanh. 7:2), but even if some Jewish teachers held this view in Jesus» day, Pilate would have operated under Roman procedure. 9889 Bruce, «Trial,» 13; Ferguson, Backgrounds, 50. Neyrey, «Shame of Cross,» 123, finds in the cognitio challenges to Jesus» honor. 9892 Brown, Death, 716; Bruce, «Trial,» 13; ÓRourke, «Law,» 174–75; see further Livy 44.34.2; Josephus Ag. Ap. 2.177; Acts 25:12. 9897 Brown, Death, 968. As Fredriksen, Christ, 123, puts it, whether or not Jesus claimed a messianic title, «he certainly died as if he had.» 9899 Ibid., 13–14; Stanton, Gospel Truth, 173. Surely the largely apolitical Markan community would have been an unlikely source for the invention (cf. Kee, Origins, 120–21) 9902 Some suggest that Jesus responds evasively in 18:34–36 because good Jews should avoid denouncing their own people (Witherington, Wisdom, 291; Blomberg, Reliability, 241); it appears unclear whether this ideology is in view here, but the ideology did exist (as in, e.g., Acts 28:19). 9909 Valerius Maximus 2.7.15d (15e: the senate declared that Romans should die honorably in battle rather than be captured). 9910 Stauffer, Jesus, 129; cf. Socrates» insistence on nonviolent persuasion (Xenophon Mem. 1.2.10). Smith, John (1999), 342–43, compares Jesus» pacifism in the Q tradition (Matt 5:38–42; Luke 6:29–31). The «servants» (πηρτοα) of Jesus (18:36) may contrast with the more militant officers (πηρται.) of the opposition (7:32,45–46; 18:3,12,18, 22; 19:6). 9911 Cf. De Maria, «Regno,» for patristic views here. One might speak of one «coming into the world» (cf. comment on 1:9; cf. 16:21) or being born for a particular purpose (Seneca Ep. Luci1. 90.46, humans for virtue; Gal 1:15–16 ) with only missiological significance; but in view of the entire Gospel, these words have intense christological significance (3:19; 6:14; 9:39; 11:27; 12:46–47; 16:28). |
|
|
