| In the Old Testament some other external forms for the expression of repentance are described: to tear one’s clothes and put on sackcloth (ancient Hebrew qf’ [sak]), i.e. coarse clothes of basic shape that looked like a sack of goat hair (1 Kings 21. 27; Joel 1. 13; Jon 3. 6, 8; Neh 9. 1 and others); sitting or laying in ashes, or sprinkling ashes on the head (Is 58. 5; Neh 9. 1; Dan 9. 3; Esther 4, 3 and others). Fasting and wearing sackcloth as forms of repentance were popular outside of the borders of Palestine as well, as is proved in book of Jonah, where the contrite people of Nineveh wore sackcloth and fasted not only themselves but made their herds and flocks fast as well. (Jon 3. 7). One of the most important expressions of repentance was the public confession of sins to the Lord. It could be a confession of the whole people as, for instance, under Samuel, when the whole people repented of idolatry (1Sam.7:6); under Nehemiah, at the moment when the Law was renewed and when the people of Israel «stood up and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers» (Neh 9. 2); or it could be a confession of individual persons — like the penitential prayer of Daniel and the song of three youths, Shadrah, Meshach and Abednago cast in the Babylon furnace (Dan 9. 4–19; 3. 25–90), — although they repented not of their personal sins but for the sins of the whole people. c) Repentance historiosophy in the Old Testament The idea of pu blic repentance runs through the Book of Judges, that historiosophy considers that Israel ’s misfortunes during the first Palestinian period (particularly, the fall under the oppression of neighboring nations) resulted from the people’s fall into idolatry. The sacred author thinks that by means of these misfortunes the Lord admonished the people of Israel . Every time they were unable to bear the conquerors’ oppression any longer the «children of Israel » used to exclaim «to the Lord» (Judg 3. 9 and other) and He chose for them a leader with whom they could overthrow the foreign yoke. These leaders are known in history as the Judges (Hebrew [shofetim]). The Book of Judges describe a cycle repeated many times in the pre-monarchical period of Israel ’s history: the nation’s backsliding from the Lord, severe longstanding misfortunes as the Lord’s corrective penalty, the nation’s repentance and plea to the Lord asking for help, release by the judge, and an ongoing period of prosperity together with the obedience to the Lord. |
| Ak ku lo-beo ku lo yet hunun ku on. Ak miman gulyal’ kiban yu ku penail, hashka chi kute ka-kon miman gulyal’ yibaney ey tset chi ku uteni. Manche hun ya cha ihbaley tohyinspenail. Katu chon ha kulon pash jel’ jul’ sha hun yaabispenail. Yutol asan hach Yaavach tobal inal. Katu miman ha vobiso, katu miman bash ha be ok apnoh. Amin. Прослушать аудио: 9. Отче наш на акха Оригинальный текст Русская транскрипция Латинская транскрипция M k’oe taˆ jaw-eu nga ma -eu Ada-o, Naw-eu tsaw myah-ah yaw zeu baw lu -u. Naw-eu mi k’ah keuˆ le lu -u. Naw nui k’ah shi-eu je, m k’oe taˆ m byah-eu lo -eh, mi tsa k’oe taˆ m byah lu -u. L nah lo-eu dza-eu je, i nah bi neh la . A caw m bah la -eu je-ah, nga ma i ba pyeh-eu lo -eh, nga ma m bah ta-eu je-ah, naw i ba pyeh neh la . L ba mu ju meh nah, ta bi i la , Yaw hai la k’oe, bi dzeu-i la . Ami. Мхо-та-джё нмау Адао, Ноу тчо-мё ёзоу бо-лу. Ноу ми-кау ка-ле-лу. Ноу ни-кау сио дзeq, Мхо-та мбё лое, ми-тса хо-та мбё-лу. И-нао ло дзао дзeq, и-ноу бинела. А-чо мбо-ла о дзё, на-ма и- ба пье лоэ, на ма мбо та-о дзё, но иба пье-нэ-ла. Иба му-джю ме-но, та-би ила, хай ла-хо, би дзойи-ла. Ами. Mho-ta-dzhyo nmau Adao, Nou tcho-myo yo-zou bo-lu. Nou mi-kau ka-le-lu. Nou ni-kau sio dzey, Mho-ta mbyo loe, mi-tsa ho-ta mbyo-lu. I-nao lo dzao dzey, i-nou binela. A-cho mbo-la o dzyo, na-ma i- ba pye loe, na ma mbo ta-o dzyo, no iba pye-ne-la. Iba mu-dzhyu me-no, ta-bi ila, Yo hay la-ho, bi dzoyi-la. Ami. Прослушать аудио: 10. Отче наш на английском Оригинальный текст Русская транскрипция Латинская транскрипция Our Father, who art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. |
| John " s allusion to «Scripture» in 7has sent scholars looking for the exact source of his reference. 6529 Some have looked to the well in Numbers, 6530 which also was associated with the Sukkoth flask. 6531 That water from the rock would be fresh on peoplés minds during this feast is clear from Neh 9:15,19–20, where such events were recalled in the context of this feast (Neh 8:18). 6532 The well figured prominently in later Jewish tradition; 6533 it regularly appeared alongside manna and clouds of glory in rabbinic lists of Gods gifts. 6534 Others feel that Zech 14 6535 or Ezek 47 are more likely backgrounds. 6536 Although I believe that John makes most use of the new temple material in Ezekiel, I concur with the scholars who argue that John elsewhere midrashically blends various texts and that he is following that practice here. 6537 1D. From Whom Does the Water Flow? One cannot make a case for the biblical text or texts cited by John without inquiring from whom the rivers flow in this passage. Is it Christ or the believer in him that functions as the source of the living waters here? Finding biblical precedent for the view that the waters flow from the believer " s «belly» is difficult. Epicurean philosophy locates the rational part of the person in the chest, 6538 but this has little precedent in Jewish or Christian sources, except possibly John 4 (below). Discussions of the Semitic original behind «belly,» 6539 intended to help identify the OT text in view and thus its probable Johannine referent, probably presume too much knowledge of Hebrew or Aramaic for John s ideal audience. Reading an eclectic text arranged by one with a knowledge of Hebrew is not the same as reading Hebrew, so this method will not help us identify either the biblical passages or their Johannine referent. Those who argue that the waters of John 7:37–38 flow from the believer 6540 argue on the basis of the antecedent of ατο, 6541 the parallel with 4:14, 6542 the emphasis on receiving in 7:39, 6543 the weakness of the opposing view " s parallelism, 6544 and, perhaps the strongest point, the punctuation in the oldest punctuated manuscripts, reflecting a tradition of interpretation favoring this position. 6545 |
| 5854 Cf, e.g., Gen 2:7; 2 Kgs 5:7; Neh 9:6; Ps 71:20 ; Jos. Asen. 12:1/2; Philo Creation 135; for national revival, cf. Ezra 9:8–9. 5855 E.g., 2Macc 7:9; 14:46; t. Ber. 6:6; b. Ber. 58b; Ta c an. 2a; Pesiq. Rab. 42:7; Tg. Ps.-J. to Deut 28:12 ; cf. also 4Q521 frg. 2,4, co1. 2.12 (the Messiah may appear in line 1, but the nearer context of lines 4–11 points to God); 4Q521 frg. 7,5, co1. 2.5–6,8 (as reconstructed in Wise, Scrolls, 421). Often God raised the dead in this world through prophets, however, as a foretaste of the future resurrection (Ecc1. Rab. 3:15, §1); he could also raise the dead on account of a righteous person " s merit (Pesiq. Rab Kah. Sup. 1:20) or in some sense through the agency of Elijah (perhaps by his coming as forerunner; m. Sotah 9:15). 5856 Cf. the title of Helios in PGM 7.528–530 and Apollo in PGM 2.98. God is «giver of life» in Deut 32:39 ; 1Sam 2:6; 2 Kgs 5:7; and in early Judaism (Morris, John, 314). 5857 Brown, Community, 47. The tradition that the righteous would resurrect the dead (b. Pesah. 68a) is late and isolated. 5858 Haenchen, John, 1:251; cf. Strachan, Gospel, 116. Jesus elsewhere connects healing with saving life ( Mark 3:4 ). 5859 If the festival were Sukkoth or Rosh Hashanah, the theme of judgment would be particularly relevant (Bonsirven, Judaism, 20, citing t. Roš Haš. 1:13); but see comment on 5:1. 5860 Also acknowledged in Sipre Deut. 9.2.1. 5861 Abel with Enoch " s help in T. Ab. 12:5–13:4A; 11:2–10B; Enoch in 3 En. 16:1. In T. Ab. 13God delegates judgment to Abel because humans must judge human deeds; in m. c Ed. 8:7, Elijah distinguishes clean from unclean at the judgment, though this role nevertheless appears to leave God himself as judge. 5862 Homer Od. 11.568–571; Euripides Cyc1. 273; Virgil Aen. 6.431–433,566–569; Lucian Downward Journey. 5863 Bury, Logos-Doctrine, 39, thinks John reflects the Daniel-Enoch tradition here, citing also Acts 17:31; Holwerda, Spirit, 12, emphasizes the parallel with Dan 7:14 ; see further below on 5:27. Meeks, «Agent,» 55, cites other examples of God temporarily delegating his unique works to human agents. |
| 8393 Wis 7:27; see also Wis 1:4; 10:16; thus the righteous would also abide with wisdom (Wis 7:28, συνοικοντα) and with God (3:9, προσμενοσιν), and wisdom would live with them (8:9,16). 8398 CIJ 1:264–65, §337; 1:384, §523; 1:387, §527; cf. 2:68, §820 ( [] , «Ce tombeau, demeure éternelle»); the first of these references is also cited by Leon, Jews, 127. 8399 Cf. Ferguson, Backgrounds, 196; Epictetus Diatr. 1.25.21. Cf. the «dwellings of Hades» in Euripides Alc. 25, 73,436–437. 8401 Heraclitus Ep. 5, to Amphidamas (Cyn. Ep. 194–95). Philo regarded air, the lowest of heavens, as the οκος of bodiless souls (Dreams 1.135). 8402 This is late, as may be the «rooms» of God " s heavenly palaces in the Merkabah traditions, cited by P. Alexander on 3 En. 1(OTP 1:247). 8403 Texts Β and C, followed by Knibb, ed., 219, against A, which E. Isaac, trans., 73, renders «great things.» Edersheim, Life, 570, cites rabbinic support for eschatological abodes assigned by rank. 8404 In 7.15–16B, Abraham " s soul was in heaven, but his body would μνει (rendering as if it were μενε) on earth till the resurrection of all flesh. 8406 Pesiq. Rab Kah. Sup. 2:3. The tradition attributed to R. Akiba in Mek. Pisha 14.15–21; Bes. 1.173–177 on Exod 12:37; 13(in Bonsirven, Judaism, 204; Daube, Judaism, 30) may imply future sukkoth in the new exodus (cf. Lacomara, «Deuteronomy,» 78). The Temple Scroll implies that ideally booths were erected in the temple itself during Sukkoth (Pfeiffer, Scrolls, 90), an image that might fit well the temple as the Father " s house of 14:2; but most erected them elsewhere (e.g., atop other houses, Neh 8:16). 8408 Β. B. Bat. 75a; Ruth Rab. 3:4; Pesiq. Rab. 31:6. Bernard, John, 2:531, cites 2 En. 62and 1 En. 39as saying something like this; McNamara, Judaism, 239, also cites 2 En. 62and 1 En. 41:2; but Barrett, John, 457, is probably correct that these passages are not relevant to the interpretation of John 14:2 . Cf. the source attempts of Bacon, «House.» 8410 Davies, Land, 324–25. |
| For Chapter Seven A REVIEW OF: ROLF FURULI, PERSIAN CHRONOLOGY AND THE LENGTH OF THE BABYLONIAN EXILE OF THE JEWS (OSLO: ROLF FURULI A/S, 2003) Persian Chronology and the Eength of the Babylonian Exile of the Jews is the first of two volumes in which Rolf Furuli attempts to revise the traditional chronology for the NeoBabylonian and Persian periods. Furuli states that the reason for this venture is that this chronology is in conflict with the Bible. He insists that the Bible “unambiguously,” “explicitly,” and “definitely” shows that Jerusalem and the land of Judah were desolate for 70 years, until the Jewish exiles in Babylon returned to Judah as a result of the decree Cyrus issued in his first regnal year, 538/37 B.C.E. (pp. 17, 89, 91). This implies that the desolation of Jerusalem in Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th regnal year took place 70 years earlier, in 607 B.C.E. As has been amply documented in the present work, this is contrary to modern historical research, which has fixed the 18th year of Nebuchadnezzar in 587/86 B.C.E. Furuli does not explicitly mention the 607 B.C.E. date in this volume, perhaps because a more detailed discussion of the NeoBabylonian chronology is reserved for his notyetpublished second volume. Most of the ten chapters in this first volume, therefore, contain a critical examination of the reigns of the Persian kings from Cyrus to Darius II. The principal claim of this discussion is that the first year of Artaxerxes I should be moved 10 years backward, from 464 to 474 B.C.E. Furuli does not mention that this is an old idea that can be traced back to the noted Jesuit theologian Denis Petau, better known as Dionysius Petavius, who first presented it in a work published in 1627. Petavius’ revision had a theological basis, because, if the “seventy weeks [of years],” or 490 years, of Daniel 9:2427 counted from the 20th regnal year of Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:1ff.) to 36 C.E. (his date for the end of the period), Artaxerxes’ 20th year must be moved from 445 back to 455 B.C.E. Furuli says nothing about this underlying motive for his proposed revision. |
| In view of 7:23, where Jesus describes this event as making a whole person well on the Sabbath, an allusion to creation probably implies specifically the creation of humanity in Gen 1:26 . If so, the background for the Father and Son working together in creation here may well be «Let us make … in our image» ( Gen 1:26 ). This past giving of life would then foreshadow the resurrection (5:24–25), 5843 an idea to which the discourse quickly turns. That resurrection will come «on the last day» (6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24; 12:48), an idea that might evoke the sense of the eschatological Sabbath that appears in some Jewish sources, 5844 though «last day» would also be perfectly intelligible without such an allusion. 5845 If such an allusion is in view, the particular wording of Gen 1LXX (και επεν θες Ποισωμεν νθρωπον) is significant. «Make» with νθρωπον as the object appears in John only in 5and 7:23, the latter a comment on this passage. 5846 The LXX elsewhere declares that God «made humanity,» employing this verb ( Gen 1:26, 27; 2:18; 5:1; 6:6, 7; 9:6 ; Wis 2:23). 5847 («Likeness» from that verse maybe reflected in Jesus» imitation of the Father in 5:19; but the allusion is far from clear, since similar Johannine expressions in 6:11; 8:55; 9:9 and 21are irrelevant.) The Father " s love for the Son is good Johannine theology, but Jesus» opponents in the story world can hear it as a commonplace of family wisdom (e.g., Gen 37:4 , φιλω; 44:20, αγαπω). Such a statement has biblical and early Jewish precedent in God " s love for the patriarchs (e.g., Deut 4:37; 10:15 ; Isa 51LXX; cf. Deut 33:12 ); for David (1 Chr 17LXX); for Solomon (Neh 13:26); for Moses ( Sir 45:1 ); and for Israel (e.g., Deut 7:8,13; 23:5; 1 Kgs 10:9; 2 Chr 9:8; Hos 3:1 ; Pss. So1. 9:8). 5848 The Father " s particular love for Jesus appears in the Synoptic tradition at the baptism and transfiguration, the two decisive points at which God speaks ( Mark 1:11; 9:7 ). John frames this part of the discourse with Jesus» claim not to act «from himself,» or on his own initiative or authority (5:19, 30), 5849 fitting the Jewish conception of the agent who carries out his commission. |
| I worked at the DECR as its chairman for almost two decades, while my involvement in the external affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church started more than half a century ago, in 1968. I can say with certainty that the Department for External Church Relations is of strategic importance for the Russian Church as a whole. Its leading role in the modern history of our Church and in its revival is difficult to overestimate. It has never been an easy task to proclaim the evangelical truth to the world and to preserve the apostolic faith. Christians have to avoid two extremes: on the one hand, not to conform to the spirit of this world, so as not to be subjugated to it in the end, and on the other – not to shut off from the world to which the Church is called upon to bring the good news. For Christianity, both self-isolation and the way of compromise are fatal. As early as it goes, the Old Testament describing the duties of priests of the Jerusalem Temple, most of whom were the descendants of the Tribe of Levi, mentions that some leaders of the Levites were over outside works of the house of God (Neh 11:16; 1 Chr 26:29). As for the Church of the New Testament, communication with the outside world is a distinct part and parcel of the mission. Orthodox witness implies an all-sided coverage of people’s life, both in its personal and social dimensions, so that all other people may seek the Lord (Acts 15:17). Today this witness does not only consist in conveying the church assessment of modern worldwide trends of development to the leadership of different countries, not only in the appeals to take care of the authentic national spiritual life foundations of people that define their identity and determine their self-awareness or to raise their voice against the spreading of sin while defending absolute moral principles in the world, but also consists in the service for the good and edification of people all over the world (Rom 15:2) Joining our efforts in different spheres of this witness both with other Christian confessions and non-Christian religions and remembering the words of the Saviour that whoever is not against us is for us (Mk 9:40), our Church seeks to manifest the spiritual power of the apostolic faith and the Holy Tradition, the continuity of which is upheld by Holy Orthodoxy. |
| Jesus declares himself the «light of the world» (8:12), an idea obviously akin to «the light for humanity» (1:4). 6640 This image probably recalls the servant " s mission to the nations in Isa 42:6; 49:6, 6641 and most importantly, recalls the Gospel " s prologue, which shapes the ideal reader " s understanding of Jesus» identity (1:4). One might argue for an allusion to Isa 9:1–2, which would answer the objection that Jesus is from Galilee (7:52) that probably immediately precedes Jesus» announcement in the original text. 6642 But light is too familiar a biblical image to limit ourselves to this one source when John 8fails to give clearer clues that point to it. One might propose that eschatological light from Zech 14would be familiar from a reading at the Feast of Tabernacles (7:2; Zech 14:16–19), 6643 but such an exclusive background ignores the fact that the allusion is not limited to the Tabernacles section of this Gospe1. John returns to this image in 9:5; 12:46; and probably 11:9, always stressing (as in 1:4–5) the contrast with darkness (of these passages, only 9continues the context of Tabernacles). As noted in our comment on 1:4–5, early Judaism employed light as a symbol for a variety of positive entities. If the Feast of Tabernacles is at all relevant to the image, as many commentators suggest, 6644 light was also associated with the torchlight ceremony in the court of women in the temple during that festiva1. 6645 Jesus apparently uttered this declaration near the court of women, for the temple treasury (8:20) was adjacent to it. As commentators often observe, this lighting celebration commemorated the pillar of fire in the wilderness (Exod 13:21; cf. Ps 78:14; 105:39 ; Neh 9:12, 19), 6646 which recalls other Johannine images such as water (4:14; 7:38) and manna (6:32). 6647 But again, John does not restrict his light imagery to this feast. «Walking in darkness» (8:12) is a metaphor: at night, one is more apt to trip because one cannot see where one is going (9:4; 11:9; 12:35). 6648 But «walking in darkness» had also already become a standard depiction of humanity living in sin. 6649 The «light of life» originally applied to the light of sunlight all living mortals, as opposed to those in the underworld, would see; 6650 but it came to have deeper connotations as wel1. 6651 |
| Much in the same way as in traditional Judaism, Reformed Presbyterians ensure that all food preparations are made the night before Sunday, they refuse to work or make unnecessary purchases on that day, and many refuse to do anything of a “secular” nature at all on Sundays (such as watch television, play games, listen to non-Christian music, and so on). Not surprisingly, all of the biblical “proof texts” cited by the confession on this issue are taken from the Old Testament (Ex. 20:8; Ex. 16:23, 25–26, 29–30; Ex. 31:15–17; Isa. 58:13; Neh. 13:15–19, 21–22; Isa. 58:13), save for one: Matthew 12:1–13. This is admittedly a little confusing, given that this story from the Gospel would seem to undermine a rigid application of Sabbath law, if not especially for Christians. For example, Jesus reminds the Pharisees (vv. 3–4, 12): Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? … So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath. In the Orthodox Christian tradition, there is no better reminder of “do[ing] good on the sabbath” than in both the work of Christ on Holy Saturday, and in our liturgical recognition of Saturday as the “Day of Souls.” If the original Sabbath of God was a day to rest from the work of creation (Gen. 2:2–3), then “The Great Sabbath” of Holy Saturday (the Saturday just prior to Pascha/Easter) is the day on which our God rests from the work of re -creation. It is a day of rest because Christ himself “rests” in the tomb, following his crucifixion, but it is also a day of rest on which Christ does a good work—descending into Hades and raising into Paradise the faithful saints of old. As our Kontakion (a hymn) of the day exclaims: “This is the most blessed Sabbath on which Christ has fallen asleep to rise again on the third day!” As the Day of Souls, the Christian Sabbath (which is still on Saturday) is now a day set apart for prayers and alms in honor of our departed loved ones. Those who have “fallen asleep” in the Lord are now remembered on the day of rest; on the day we petition God to grant repose and peace to their souls. The proper days for this commemoration are the Saturday before Meat-fare Sunday (prior to Great Lent) and on the Saturday before Pentecost. However, Saturday in general is set apart on our liturgical calendar as a day to commemorate the dead, even apart from these two specific days. |
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