| Am bedeutendsten war dies für den prophetischen Dienst: „ Wenn ein Prophet unter euch ist, dem will ich, Jahwe, in einem Gesicht mich kundtun, in einem Traume will ich mit ihm reden“ (Num 12,6). Während ein einfacher Mensch Wahrträume hat, die in der Regel nur sein Schicksal betreffen, erhält der Prophet Offenbarungen über das Schicksal des ganzen Volkes und sogar der ganzen Menschheit. Auch im Neuen Testament sehen wir, dass der Herr Menschen durch Träume unterweist. Zweimal erschien Josef im Traum ein Engel, der ihm den Willen Gottes verkündete. Im Traum wurden die Drei Könige vor der Rückkehr an Herodes gewarnt. Schließlich hatte auch die Ehefrau des Pilatus einen Alptraum, während ihr Mann Jesus Christus richtete. Dieser Traum wurde ihr als Zeichen der Gerechtigkeit Jesu gesandt. Sie sagte zu Pilatus: „ Habe du nichts zu schaffen mit jenem Gerechten; denn viel habe ich heute im Traum gelitten um seinetwillen“ (Mt 27,19). Prophet Joel sagt vorher: „ Und danach wird es geschehen, dass ich meinen Geist ausgießen werde über alles Fleisch; und eure Söhne und eure Töchter werden weissagen, eure Greise werden Träume haben, eure Jünglinge werden Gesichte sehen“ (Joel 3,1). In seiner Predigt am Pfingsttag bezeugte Apostel Petrus, dass diese Prophezeiung sich in der neutestamentlichen Kirche erfüllte, welche die apostolische Frohe Botschaft an alle Völker richtete: „ Männer von Judäa, und ihr alle, die ihr zu Jerusalem wohnet!.. Dies ist es, was durch den Propheten Joel gesagt ist: ‚Und es wird geschehen in den letzten Tagen, spricht Gott, dass ich von meinem Geiste ausgießen werde auf alles Fleisch (…) und eure Jünglinge werden Gesichte sehen, und eure Ältesten werden Träume haben“ (Apg 2,14 u. 2, 16-17). Doch bedeutet das keineswegs, dass jeder menschliche Traum ein Wahrtraum wäre. In der Schrift werden häufig trügerische Träume erwähnt und berichtet, wie verderblich es ist, ihnen zu vertrauen und sie als Offenbarungen anzusehen: „ Die Wahrsager haben Lüge geschaut; und sie reden Träume des Truges, trösten mit Dunst“ (Sach 10,2). „ Die Propheten des Truges ihres Herzens, welche gedenken, meinen Namen bei meinem Volke in Vergessenheit zu bringen durch ihre Träume, die sie einer dem anderen erzählen “(Jer 23,26-27). “ Siehe, ich will an die, spricht Jahwe, welche Lügenträume weissagen und sie erzählen und mein Volk irreführen mit ihrer Prahlerei; da ich sie doch nicht gesandt und sie nicht entboten habe, und sie diesem Volke gar nichts nützen, spricht Jahwe“ (Jer 23,32). „Lasst euch von euren Propheten, die in eurer Mitte sind, und von euren Wahrsagern nicht täuschen; und höret nicht auf eure Träume, die ihr euch träumen lasset“ (Jer 29,8). |
| The legal obligation for the Orthodox to conduct marriage in a church ceremony occurred during the reign of Emperor Leo VI the Wise (895). After that time marriage in the Christian East was always celebrated in church, although later Bolshevik and secular legislation has sometimes tried to reassert the separation of the civil (legal) union and the church (religious) marriage which Christian Byzantium made one. The Orthodox marriage liturgy includes several important moments: the community’s prayer for the union of bride and groom, the blessing by the priest, the office of the crowning of the couple (Greek ritual with floral crowns, Slavic ritual with metal), the declaration of the wedding formula, the drinking from a common cup, and the promise of fidelity by the placing of hands on, and the kissing of, the Holy Gospel and the Cross. The Orthodox wedding ceremony is preceded by the office of betrothal involving the exchange of rings. In Byzantine times this was a separate ritual; now they are performed on the same day as the wedding. To receive the mystery of marriage in the Orthodox church, at least one of the partners must be Orthodox. The couple must freely express their consent to marry, be of marriageable age and not have blood relationships (or spiritual kinship as established by the sacrament of baptism), and the service must observe the correct ritual. Orthodox practice requires the presence of another married couple who will act as spiritual parents (godparents or sponsors) and who pledge to guide the newlyweds in their family life. The Orthodox marriage ceremony, as essentially a celebratory one, cannot be held on fast days (Wednesdays or Fridays, on September 14 and August 29, during Great Lent, including Cheesefare Week, the pre- Christmas Lent, or the summer Apostles’ Fast and Dormition Fast). Nor can marriages be celebrated on the Royal Feasts, during the (post-paschal) Bright Week or in the period running from Christmas to Theophany. The holy mystery of marriage is intended to guide family members on the endless pathway to growth and salvation in Christ, and therefore emphasis is laid on the indissolubility of marriage ( Mt. 19.3–12 ) and the practical exercise of Christian life together. Faith is a fundamental context for Orthodox married life, as it fosters mutual respect and fidelity and encourages spouses to recognize one another as “images of God» A wholesome family is built, by God’s grace, on the joint efforts of the spouses and on sacrifices justified by faith and love. Mutual sacrifice plays a significant role in the Orthodox theology of marriage, for it is the existential space where each person receives the freedom to be generous and forego the self out of a constant desire to enhance the happiness of the other. This is why marriage is a school of unconditional generosity, for love involves self-sacrifice, since there can be no true love without giving. |
| Venerating the miracle of the Divine Incarnation in its humble greatness and magnifying the Saviour Who came into the world, we at the same time cannot but be troubled by the ongoing hostilities overshadowing the holy Christmas festivities, for, as St. Paul notes, whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it (1 Cor 12:26). In the midst of all the hardships that have befallen the peoples of the historical Rus’ it is of utmost importance for us to demonstrate in deeds our dedication to our Christian vocation and show love for one another. Sometimes it may seem that good is weak and helpless and that the little we do cannot make a difference. But it is not true. There is an indisputable principle of spiritual life: love is multiplied when we devote ourselves to others, offering our time, financial help or just attention. Thus not only do we transform the world around us, but also find something precious within ourselves. In this simple but effective principle there lies a secret of genuine peace and real happiness that every person strives to achieve. This happiness is not to be found in far-distant lands, as some people think, chasing after illusions of material welfare and a life without sorrows. The true happiness is in sharing love and joy with those around and by good works glorifying God Who became incarnate that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly (cf. Jn 10:10). When we let Christ in and allow Him to act in us, the blessed peace and rest come to reign in our soul (cf. Mt 11:29), and we become partakers of the kingdom of God which is within us (cf. Lk 17:21). Do we want to embrace the Born Lord? If so, let us embrace the afflicted and comfort the suffering. Do we want to touch Christ and be like the wise men from the East bringing the gifts pleasing unto the Divine Infant? If so, let us give our love and care to our fellow human beings, show mercy and help the needy and support those who have lost heart. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Mt 25:40), the Saviour says. |
| Rom. 9:17/Exodus 9:16 – my power “in you”; my name may be “proclaimed.” Hebrew – show “thee”; may name might be “declared.” Rom. 9:25/Hosea 2:23 – I will call my people; I will call my beloved. Hebrew - I will have mercy (love versus mercy). Rom. 9:27/Isaiah 10:22 – only a remnant of them “will be saved.” Hebrew – only a remnant of them “will return.” Rom. 9:29/Isaiah 1:9 – had not left us “children.” Hebrew – Jehova had left us a “very small remnant.” Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6/Isaiah 28:16 – he who believes will not be “put to shame.” Hebrew – shall not be “in haste.” Rom. 10:18/Psalm 19:4 – their “voice” has gone out. Hebrew – their “line” is gone out. Rom. 10:20/Isaiah 65:1 – I have “shown myself” to those who did not ask for me. Hebrew – I am “inquired of” by them. Rom. 10:21/Isaiah 65:2 – a “disobedient and contrary” people. Hebrew – a “rebellious” people. Rom. 11:9-10/Psalm 69:22-23 – “pitfall” and “retribution” and “bend their backs.” Hebrew – “trap” and “make their loins shake.” Rom. 11:26/Isaiah 59:20 – will banish “ungodliness.” Hebrew – turn from “transgression.” Rom. 11:27/Isaiah 27:9 – when I take away their sins. Hebrew – this is all the fruit of taking away his sin. Rom. 11:34; 1 Cor. 2:16/Isaiah 40:13 -the “mind” of the Lord; His “counselor.” Hebrew – “spirit” of the Lord; “taught” Him. Rom. 12:20/Prov. 25:21 – feed him and give him to drink. Hebrew – give him “bread” to eat and “water” to drink. Rom. 15:12/Isaiah 11:10 – the root of Jesse…”to rule the Gentiles.” Hebrew - stands for an ensign. There is nothing about the Gentiles. Rom. 15:21/Isaiah 52:15 – been told “of him”; heard “of him.” Hebrew – does not mention “him” (the object of the prophecy). 1 Cor. 1:19/Isaiah 29:14 – “I will destroy” the wisdom of the wise. Hebrew – wisdom of their wise men “shall perish.” 1 Cor. 5:13/Deut. 17:7 – remove the “wicked person.” Hebrew – purge the “evil.” This is more generic evil in the MT. 1 Cor. 15:55/Hosea 13:14 – O death, where is thy “sting?” Hebrew – O death, where are your “plagues?” |
| Stage 2: “I Demand”: Unmet desires can work themselves deeper into our hearts, especially when we perceive a desire as something we need for our happiness or fulfillment. We justify and legitimize desires: • I work hard all week. Don’t I deserve a little peace and quiet when I coemme home? • I worked two jobs to put you through school; I deserve your respect and attention. • I spend hours managing the family budget; I deserve a new car. • My family has been in this church for generations; we deserve to be recognized. • I have given a lot of money to this church – you’d better listen to what I say. • Scripture says a husband and wife should be one flesh. I need more sexual intimacy. • I only want what God commands – children who respect and honor their parents. Each of these demands contains an element of truth, but we find it easy to let unmet desires lead to destructive entitlement. The more we think we are entitled to something, the more convinced we are that we cannot be happy or secure without it. Again, this is the normal progression in establishing an idol. “I wish I could have this” becomes “I must have this.” Even if the initial desire was not inherently wrong, it has grown so strong that it becomes an idol that controls our thoughts and affects our behavior. According to scripture, an idol is something other than God that we set our hearts on (Lk 12:29), that motivates us (1 Co 4:5), that rules us (Ps 119:133; Eph 5:5), or that we trust, fear, or serve (Is 42:17; Mt 6:24; Lk 12:4-5). In short, it is something we love and pursue in place of God. (Php 3:19) The reality is that every sincere Christian must struggle with idolatry. We may believe in God and profess the Creed, but at times we allow other influences to rule us. The question then arises, how can we discern the deterioration of a good desire into a sinful demand. We begin by looking inward and asking ourselves these questions to reveal the true condition of our hearts: • What am I preoccupied with? What is the first thing on my mind in the morning and the last thing on my mind at night? |
| Thus, the measuring stick of relationships to others is simplicity and sincerity, good will, and love for all—this is the best side of relationships to others. But not rarely, the nature of relationships to others is cunning, suspicion, dislike, rudeness, envy, extreme selfishness, self-seeking, partiality, vanity, ambition, vainglory, sensuality, or extreme haughtiness; that is, a high opinion of one's self, which seeks to humiliate others. In general, we can observe more insincere relationships amongst people than pure-hearted ones, because the whole heart is infected to a greater or lesser extent with the impurity of sin, covered with the corruption of the passions. For, Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin? (Prov. 20:9), say the Scriptures. Therefore, some words are smooth as oil, and yet they are poison darts. Thus, according to the teaching of our Savior, the measure of our relationships to others should be correct love for our own selves. As we would like others to treat us, so shall we treat them—that it, simply, pure-heartedly, meekly, lovingly, trustingly, condescendingly, sympathetically, patiently. The Lord offers Himself as an example to us, and we should ceaselessly look at it and learn from it. Learn of me, He says, because I am meek, and humble of heart (Mt. 11:29). The Apostle Paul says, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). He also teaches, Let love be without dissimulation... Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another… Distributing to the necessity of saints (that is, to you brother Christians); given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink… Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers (Rom. 12:9-21; 13:1). |
| For blood can only come from veins and flesh, and whatsoever else makes up the substance of man, such as the Word of God was actually made. By His own Blood he redeemed us, as also His Apostle declares, “In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins” (Colos- sians 1.14).... He has acknowledged the cup, which is a part of the creation, as His own Blood, from which He bedews our blood; and the bread, also a part of the creation, He has established as His own Body, from which He gives increase to our bodies. (Against Heresies 5.2.2) THE MYSTICAL SUPPER St. Gregory’s emphasis on Christ’s words “This is my body” exemplifies Orthodox attention to the source of the Eucharistic mystery in the Son’s “last supper” with his apostles, which is known in Orthodoxy as the “Mystical Supper” (see Mt. 26.17–29 ; Mk. 14.12–25 ; Lk. 22.7–23 ). The statements “This is my body ... this is my blood” are taken in the literal sense of providing for the direct communion of the disciples with Christ’s physical nature, as summed up in St. Leo the Great’s brief apothegm, “What was visible in our Savior has entered into the sacraments” (in sacramenta transivit; Homily 74.2). That is, in the Eucharist the incarnate reality of the Son – true God and true man – is made available to communicants. This is summed up in the traditional pre-communion prayer at the altar, also said by the priest as a direction to the people immediately prior to receiving the holy gifts: “I believe that this is, in truth, thy very Body and thy most precious Blood.” The Eucharist, then, is, understood by Orthodox as a sacramental participation in that mystical supper of the Lord recounted in the gospels. The traditional placing of an icon of this event over the Royal Doors of the iconostasis, beyond which lies the holy table on which the gifts are consecrated and through which they are brought to the people, emphasizes this connection to the gospel event. The temple itself becomes the “upper room” of that ancient meal, in which the Lord is made immediately present. As St. Cyril of Alexandria once said, “This a mystery beyond understanding: we close the doors of the church, but then Christ joins us, and appears to all of us, invisibly and visibly at the same time ... allowing and presenting His sacred body to be touched» |
| The meeting of God and man, which first took place in the Jerusalem temple, must become for each of us a personal event. Our path of salvation must begin by a meeting with Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. Until this meeting takes place, we remain sitting in darkness… and in the shadow of death (Mt. 4:16). On the fortieth day after the Birth of the Infant God, yet another meeting took place—the Old Testament Church and the New Testament Church. The entire Gospel passage is penetrated with the motif of exact fulfillment of the law of Moses: the forty-day period of purification prescribed in the book of Leviticus (cf. 12:2-4), the dedication of the firstborn son to God (cf. Num. 3:13), and that firstborn son’s symbolic redemption (Ex. 13:13). Nevertheless, it is easy to see that the spiritual center of the event described is completely transferred into New Testament history. Now (Lk. 2:29) means that the time awaited by many generations of the coming of the Messiah has arrived. Holy righteous Simeon speaks of the departure from this world (the verb depart in the Greek and Slavonic texts is in the present tense). The elder Simeon’s inspired speech is filled with praise and thanksgiving to God that the time of promise is now fulfilled. According to patristic tradition, the holy Prophet Zacharias , father of St. John the Baptist , placed the Holy Virgin who came according to the law to fulfill the rite not in the place designated for women there for purification, but in the place designated for virgins (women who had husbands were not allowed to stand there). And when the scribes and Pharisees expressed their indignation, Zacharias proclaimed that this Mother remains and will remain a Virgin and pure: “Therefore I have not forbidden this Mother to stand in the place appointed for virgins, because She is higher than all virgins.” The third meeting is of an extremely personal character. For the elder Simeon, the day has come for which he had waited an unusually long time. |
| Der Herr befahl auch im Alten Testament (Ex 20, 8-10) an sechs Tagen der Woche zu arbeiten und alle seine Angelegenheiten abzuwickeln, aber den siebten Tag und die Tage hoher Feste Gott zu weihen. Deshalb sind Arbeiten oder die Erledigung der alltäglichen Angelegenheiten am Sonntag (dem Tag, der Gott geweiht ist) und an den Tagen hoher Feste Sünde. Diese Sünde kann entschuldbar sein, wenn die Arbeit oder die Angelegenheiten notgedrungen verrichtet werden und wir uns nicht der Zivilgesetzgebung, dem Arbeitsrecht oder dem Zusammenwirken mit anderen Menschen entziehen können. Eine Verletzung des Gebotes „Du sollst den Namen des Herrn, deines Gottes, nicht missbrauchen“ (Ex 20,7) stellt auch die Erwähnung des Namens Gottes oder der Allheiligen Gottesgebärerin in alltäglichen Gesprächen mit inhaltsleeren Formulierungen dar, um ihnen eine besondere Ausdruckskraft zu verleihen („Oh mein Gott!“, „Jesus!“). Unzulässig ist auch der ironische Gebrauch von aus dem Zusammenhang gerissenen Ausdrücken aus der Heiligen Schrift. Noch schlimmer ist es, den Namen Gottes in Witzen, im Zorn während eines Streites zusammen mit Schimpfwörtern, Beleidigungen oder Verwünschungen auszusprechen. Da aus ein und derselben Quelle nicht gleichzeitig Wohlgeruch und Gestank ausströmen können, bedeutet es eine ungeheuerliche Entweihung und manchmal auch Schändung des Gebetes eines Menschen, wenn er auch obszöne Redewendungen, Schimpfworte und Flüche ausspricht. „Kein faules Wort komme aus eurem Munde, sondern nur eins, das gut ist zur notwendigen Erbauung, damit es den Hörenden Gnade gebe!“ (Epheser 4, 29). Leider enthält in unserer Zeit die Sprache vieler Menschen eine Überfülle an schlechten Worten und Ausdrücken. Diese müssen ein für allemal von einer Verwendung ausgeschlossen werden und dürfen unter keinen Umständen benutzt werden. Man soll die Sprache des Menschen nicht verunstalten und sie durch schimpfliche Redewendungen „anzureichern“ versuchen. Für uns ist es aber ganz wichtig, dass wir uns der Worte unseres Erlösers erinnern: „Ich sage euch aber, dass die Menschen von jedem unnützen Wort, das sie reden werden, Rechenschaft geben müssen am Tag des Gerichts; denn aus deinen Worten wirst du gerechtfertigt werden, und aus deinen Worten wirst du verdammt werden.“ (Mt 12, 36-37). |
| That the Fourth Gospel plays John " s role down in light of some contemporary exorbitant claims for him is likely (see comment on 1:6–8), especially since the Fourth Gospel refuses to grant him even the role of Elijah which he seems to have played to some extent in pre-Markan tradition ( Mark 1:6 ; Matt 3:4; 3829 cf. 1 Kgs 17:6; 2 Kgs 1LXX; Mark 9:13 ; Matt 17:12–13; Luke 1:17), 3830 even though he does not explicitly transfer those claims to Jesus. 3831 It may also merit mention that the Synoptic miracle traditions which applied Elijah " s miracle-working role to Jesus and passages such as Luke 9:61–62 (cf. 1 Kgs 19:20) and 10(cf. 2 Kgs 4:29) already transferred some Elijah images to Jesus, but for Jesus these were clearly inadequate (cf. Luke 9:8, 19–20, 33–35, although Luke omits Mark " s parallel acclamation of the deceased Baptist as Elijah here). Of course, even the Synoptic writers did not suppose that John was literally Elijah ( Mark 9:4 ; Matt 17:3; Luke 1:17; 9:30). 3832 If the historical John saw himself as a forerunner, he may have seen himself as an Elijah at least in a figurative sense (cf. 1:23; Mal 4:5 ); if he saw himself as a forerunner for Elijah, he would have seen the one coming after him as literally «before» him (1:30). 3833 Jewish tradition naturally developed the promise of Elijah " s return in Mai 4:5–6 (MT 3:23–24), which appears as early as Ben Sira ( Sir 48:10 ). Later rabbis particularly seized on this feature of eschatological expectation, although they developed it in very different ways from nonrabbinic streams of thought. 3834 That Elijah remained alive was safely assumed from the biblical text (2 Kgs 2:9–12; Mal 4:5–6 ; cf. 1Macc 2:58; Sir 48:9 ), and later rabbis continued to work from this assumption. 3835 In these later rabbis, however, his role in the present period before the final time became more prominent than his eschatological function, perhaps due in part to the de-emphasis of messianic eschatology after the sufferings under Hadrian. (The rabbis also tended to view the prophets as proto-scribes.) 3836 Like other biblical prophets, Elijah became a master halachist, often sent to settle rabbinic disputes; 3837 also sometimes described with a role comparable to that of angels, 3838 the rabbinic Elijah often was sent on divine errands to miraculously aid rabbis. 3839 Other rabbinic evidence, however, does point to Elijah " s eschatological role. The rabbis were clearly aware of Malachís prophecy and they anticipated Elijah " s return at the end of the age 3840 alongside rabbinism " s other eschatological figures. 3841 Elijah would also exercise an eschatological halakic role, 3842 especially (in line with the rabbinic interpretation of Malachi) in determining proper lines of descent (Israelites vs. proselytes, etc.). 3843 Although the bulk of this evidence derives from the more numerous Amoraic texts, some of it is also Tannaitic. 3844 |
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