| While the Pharisees and Sadducees argued with Christ over the nature of marriage, in the case of the Sadducees the discussion seems to focus on the levirate system of procuring heirs through a deceased husband’s brothers (Lk.20:27ff), the Pauline letters indicate that the great missionary grappled with issues relative to marriage in light of what he anticipated to be the imminent second coming of our Lord. Combing the Pauline corpus regarding marriage one is struck by the inconsistency of the missionary’s message. For example, was marriage to be encouraged or discouraged? (1 Cor. 7:25 ff) Should a Christian spouse divorce his or her non-Christian spouse? (1 Cor. 7:12 ff) Does marriage exist solely for the bridling of passions and therefore a check on fallen human love? (1 Cor. 7:1-9) Does marriage exist to restore the proper relationship between a man and a woman whereby submissiveness of the wife to the husband the bearing of children result in her salvation? (1 Tim. 2:15) Or, is the sharing of life between husband and wife a reflection of the relationship between Christ and the Church? (Eph. 5:21-33). Because St. Paul was a missionary his approach (or approaches) to marriage should not be perceived as a systematic treatment of the subject. As the Apostle to the Gentiles, he was encountering the new and unexpected not as a Jew but as a Jewish Christian newly converted to the crucified and risen Lord. Over the course of centuries the Church continued to face new and unexpected challenges. The canons of our Church attest to this fact especially when it comes to marriage and divorce. Once the symphonia between Church and State was established the integrity and sacredness of monogamous heterosexual marriage would eventually be undermined not from without but from within the confines of the Church. In spite of the many canons seeking to strike a balance between marriage and monasticism and which sought to protect marriage (as well as married clergy) from the monastic or ascetic extremists (Council of Gangra, cir. 341), the balance inevitably tipped toward the latter. A striking example of this imbalance allows for divorce should a spouse choose what is referred to in Matthew Blastares’ “Alphabetical Collection of the Sacred and Divine Canons”(14th c.) as the better life i.e. the monastic life. A divorce was easily granted even in cases where there was no mutual consent.(Letter Gamma, chapter 13) The superiority of monasticism over marriage continues to be a prevailing ethos for many in the Orthodox Church. |
| Alex. Strom. V 14; Exc. Theod. 2. 38//PG. 9. Col. 677 b). Наказание Г. разделяется по степеням и мере осуждения прегрешивших ( Macar. Aeg. Hom. Spiritual. 40. 3//PG. 34. Col. 764 c). В святоотеческом учении, как и в новозаветном богословии, особый акцент делается на нравственно-этическом понимании наказания Г., к-рое наиболее подробно раскрыто в трудах свт. Иоанна Златоуста. Ярким прообразом наказания Г. в ВЗ является Всемирный потоп. Г. не менее обещания Царства Небесного показывает попечение Божие о нас, поскольку страх перед Г. подвигает людей к Царству Божию ( Ioan. Chrysost. In ep. 1 ad Tim.//PG. 62. Col. 583 sq.). Господь уготовал Г., потому что Он благ, страх наказания Г. не позволяет добрым стать злыми. Если человек исправляется, то это наказание становится для него лишь угрозой (In ep. ad Philem. 3. 2//PG. 62. Col. 717 sq.). Оскорбить Христа грехами для верующего мучительнее и ужаснее самой Г. (In Matth. 36. 4). Св. отцы подчеркивали вечность наказания Г. Свт. Иоанн Златоуст говорил: «Христос открыл нам, что гееннский огонь не имеет конца» ( Ioan. Chrysost. In Ep. 1 ad Cor. 9. 1; ср.: Cyr. Alex. Hom. div. 14.). Ориген подразумевал существование более тяжкого наказания для грешников, чем Г., мучениям в к-рой он приписывал очистительный характер ( Orig. In Ier. hom. 19. 15//PG. 13. Col. 497c). Г.- символ ужаса грехов в настоящей жизни ( Ioan. Chrysost. In Ep. ad Rom. 5. 8), ей подвергается тот, кто уже в этой жизни оказывается без лицезрения Бога (Ibid. 6. 14). Умереть для греха, прибегать к таинствам Церкви и исполнять заповеди Христовы - единственный возможный способ избежать Г. (Ibid. 12. 11; In Ioan. 25. 3). Изображения Г. (ада) является одним из элементов иконографии «Страшного Суда» . Лит.: Jeremias J. Γεννα//ThWNT. Bd. 1. S. 657-658; Apocalypse syriaque de Baruch. P., 1969. Vol. 2. (SC; N 145); Bailey L. R. Gehenna: The Topography of Hell//BiblArch. 1986. Vol. 49. P. 187-191; Milikowsky C. Which Gehenna?: Retribution and Eschatology in the Synoptic Gospels and in Early Jewish Texts//NTS. |
| 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?” |
| Death as the means of God’s retribution manifests itself through illnesses, pain, persecution, loneliness, need, fear and being forsaken by God, and threatens life both in case of individuals and of whole societies (compare Ps 6:5-9; Ps 21:12-22; Ps 29:2-4; Ps 37; 59:3-5; 78:1-5). The Prophets could daringly declare a whole city or a whole country to be cast down into dust, although at the time of the prophecy these places were flourishing and it appeared that nothing was threatening them. This kind of prophesy was uttered by Isaiah about Zion (Isa 1:21-23) and by the prophet Amos about the house of Israel (Am 5:1-2). 1.3. In the Old Testament death is linked with the underworld, or Sheol, which is located in the bowels of the earth and is the common grave for the whole of humanity. To descend into Sheol or to be buried meant becoming a victim of the mighty power of death. And although the idea of life after death was linked to Sheol, existence in this kingdom of shadows was hopeless, because death is the result of and the punishment for sin (Gen 2, 3; Wisdom 1:13-16; 2:22-24). However at the time of the Maccabees the attitude to death changes in connection with the struggle against foreign enslavement and, for the first time in the Old Testament, in the first book of Maccabees death is portrayed as heroic (1 Macc 13:25-30). From this time onward the idea of the anticipation of the resurrection of the dead gradually develops, an idea that had been expressed already in the book of the prophet Daniel (Dan 12, 13; compare 2 Macc 7, 9, 14). It is subsequently taken up in Jewish apocalyptic writings, in the writings of the wise men of Israel (Sir 15:6; Wisdom 2:23) and in the works of scribes close to the Pharisee faction (Acts 23:8). 2. Death in the New Testament 2.1. In the New Testament Man’s death is viewed through the prism of the death on the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Immortality belongs only to God (1 Tim 6:16) and it is natural for people to be afraid of death (Matt 4:16; Heb 2:15). However, because God is the life-giving source of all life (Rom 4:17), death could have only appeared as the result of Man having abandoned God, which is what happened with Adam (Rom 5:15, 17-18; 1 Cor 15:22) and which is repeated in the life of every person (Rom 6:23; Heb 9:27). In this manner, death gains power over a person not only at the end of his earthly life, but reigns over him throughout his whole life. This is so-called carnal wisdom, moral or spiritual death (Rom 8:6; 1 John 3:14), because sin, which results in death and is its sting, exists in Man despite the law of God (Rom 7:9, 1 Cor 15:56; James 1:15). For this reason the Scriptures say that the Devil, from whom sin originates, was in possession of the dominion of death (Heb 2:14) and death itself is viewed as a demonic power (1 Cor 15:26-27; Rev 6:8; 20:13-14). |
| But do we see this in actuality? How few of us read their epistles, and how few of us strive to understand them! How often and with what indifference do we abandon the word of God, which is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12), and turn to earthly wisdom, the rudiments of the world (Gal. 4:9; Col. 2:8), which does not in the least reveal to us the divine wisdom hidden throughout the world and in the life of mankind! Doesn't it also happen that these words of the Apostles are even laughed at amongst us, just as they were amongst the sophists and philosophers of Athens, from whom the Apostle Paul departed with a heavy spirit, to preach in other cities (Act. 17:18, 32–33; 18:1 1 Col. 3:1–7)? Aren't the preachers of these words of the Apostles also subjected even now to persecutions, even unto bonds, like the great Apostle of Christ, Paul (2 Tim. 2:9)? Isn't the reason why unbelief is increasing in our time: that we do not want to hear and know about that living, fiery faith, which comes not from opinion or the logic of flesh and blood, but from heavenly, divine revelation (Mt. 16:17), as did the rock, Simon Peter? Is the reason why Christian love is becoming more and more scarce among people that we have completely forgotten Paul, whose mouth was always opened unto the people, and whose heart was enlarged (cf. 2 Cor. 6:11), in order to embrace with tender love all those whom he begot in the Gospels through Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 4:15)? As long as the earth stands, it will stand only on twelve foundations, which are the Apostles of Christ (Rev. 21:14; Eph. 2:20). But if instead of approaching Christ, the Chief Cornerstone, and as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5), we build upon a foundation other than Jesus Christ, then each one's work will be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is (1 Cor. 3:11-13), and the fire from which the present world shall perish (cf. 2 Pet 3:7-12) will destroy it more and more, so that new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Pet. 3:13) might appear. |
| People who attend Liturgy and go through the motions of prayer while at the same time harbour bad feelings in their hearts towards others are simply hypocrites and liars. With their lips they pray, “Our Father, Thy will be done; forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” while their debtors have not been forgiven! Some appear very devout in church, they cross themselves, but all the while their thoughts are of revenge and full of hatred. God is truth itself (John 3:33) and must be worshipped in truth (John 4:24). Our Lord says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). By the lips of the Prophet Hosiah (6:6) the Lord said: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” … Besides preparing ourselves inwardly, spiritually, when we go to be in the Lord’s presence we must be prepared exteriorly as well. Our bodies should be cleansed, our hair combed, our shoes polished. Our dress should be neat and clean, and we should put on better things than those we wear daily—we are going to the Lord! We do not want to be asked: “How did you get in here without a wedding garment?” (Matt.22:12). However we must not come to Liturgy dressed to excess and strive to be in the height of the fashion. St. John Chrysostom spoke severely to women who came to Liturgy to attract attention and show off their fine clothes…It is an ancient custom of the Church that men pray with their heads uncovered while women pray with their heads veiled, that is, wear hats (1 Cor. 11:4-6). In general, we must remember that he who stands well in God’s sight has no need of choice and costly apparel. Good and holy people have generally dressed in a simple, quiet manner. It is an ancient custom of the Church to attend Divine Liturgy without having eaten. Even today this custom is widely practiced. This is a fast for the Lord, a liturgical fast. The Apostles “prayed with fasting” (Acts 14:22). Mere fasting is not in itself pleasing to God (Luke 18:12), but when performed in obedience to Christ’s Church, it means self-denial and the following of Christ (Matt. 4:2; Luke 9:23), it brings the body into subjection (1 Cor. 9:27; Gal. 5:24), and prepares the soul for the grace of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2-3). St. Ambrose called fasting “the death of sin, the root of grace, and the foundation of chastity.” Children and the infirm are not expected to keep this fast. The Ninth Apostolic Canon forbids us to arrive late at Divine Service or to leave before the end ( The Dismissal ). Persons who do so, according to this canon, are “a cause of confusion to the Church.” |
| I feel that such an approach is not healthy. In the scriptures, Paul is recorded to have suffered from a “thorn in the flesh.” He begged the Lord to take it away, but Christ responded, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12.9).” Paul goes on to say, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Cor. 12.10).” I wonder if that is not the way it should be with my infirmity, my same-sex attractions. Many times have I begged God to change my sexual orientation, to take away this “thorn.” For whatever reason, for my salvation, this is a cross I have to bear, and I may very well struggle with this issue the rest of my life. Instead of focusing on changing sexual orientation, I think the focus for Christians–particularly Orthodox Christians–who struggle with same-sex attraction should be purity. Instead of praying, “Lord, please make me straight,” they should be praying, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” I am thankful to belong to a Church that is not afraid to stand up for biblical morality. I am also thankful that my Church condemns the cruel treatment of homosexuals that unfortunately occurs in the name of “Christianity.” My Church treats me as it does all other people, as one made in God’s image, one who needs to repent and turn to Christ, and struggle for my salvation. The author has requested to remain anonymous. Posted: 1/13/04 Copyright © 2001-2009. Johannes L. Jacobse. For more articles visit www.orthodoxytoday.org. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog An Orthodox Christian’s Struggle As someone who has attractions to members of the same sex, and as a baptized and professing Orthodox, I have found myself in a spiritual ... Since you are here… …we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong. |
| Taking up our cross means obediently and humbly submitting ourselves to those temporary sorrows and afflictions that Divine Providence sees fit to allow against us for the cleansing away of our sins. Then the cross will serve us as a ladder from earth to heaven. The thief in the Gospels who ascended this ladder ascended from out of terrible crimes into most radiant heavenly habitations. From his cross he pronounced words filled with humility of wisdom; in humility of wisdom he entered into the knowledge of God, and through the knowledge of God, he acquired heaven. We receive the due reward of our deeds, he said. Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom (Lk. 23:41–42). When sorrows encompass us, let us also, beloved brothers and sisters, repeat the words of the good thief—words that can purchase paradise! Or like Job, let us bless the Lord who punishes us, Who is just yet merciful. Shall we receive good at the hand of God, said this sufferer, and shall we not receive evil? As it hath pleased the Lord so is it done; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 2:10; 1:21). May God’s promise, which is true, be fulfilled in us: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (Js. 1:12). Taking up our cross means willingly and eagerly submitting ourselves to deprivations and ascetic labors, by which the irrational strivings of our flesh are held in check. The Apostle Paul had recourse to such a crucifixion of his flesh. He says, But I keep under [in Slavonic: “deaden,” or “mortify”] my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (1 Cor. 9:27). They that are in the flesh, that is, those who do not restrain their flesh, but allow it to overcome the spirit, cannot please God (Rom. 8:8). Therefore, though we live in the flesh, we should not live for the flesh! For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die (Rom. 8:12) an eternal death; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live (Rom. 8:13) an eternal, blessed life. The flesh is essentially restrained by the spirit; but the spirit can only take control of the flesh and rule it when it is prepared to submit to its crucifixion. The flesh is crucified by fasting, vigil, kneeling in prayer, and other bodily labors placed upon it wisely and within measure. A bodily labor that is wise and within measure frees the body from heaviness and corpulence, refines its strength, keeps it ever light and capable of activity. They that are Christ’s, says the Apostle, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal. 5:24). |
| No man cometh unto the Father, but by me (Jn 14:6), said the Lord. There is no God for those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ: Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father (1Jn. 2:23), and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (Jn. 3:36). It is impossible to approach God, or to enter into any kind of communion with Him in any other way than through our Lord Jesus Christ, the only intermediary, intercessor, and means of communion between God and man! There is no true knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ without the mediation of the Holy Spirit! No man, says the Apostle, can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:3). Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Rom. 8:9). There is no virtue outside of Christianity that is worthy of Heaven! " Nothing good, " says St. Mark the Ascetic, " can be believed in, or acted upon unless it be of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. " Unworthy of God are natural human good works, which proceed from our fallen nature, in which goodness is mixed with evil, and in which goodness is for the most part barely noticeable amidst the preponderance of evil. Fallen nature is capable exclusively of evil, as God Himself testified: The imagination of man is intently bent upon evil things from his youth (Gen. 8:21); If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children (Mt. 7:11; Lk. 11:13). Such is the worth before the Gospels and God of natural human goodness and the activity proceeding from it. In vain does fallen nature glorify its great and famous good works! Such self-praise shows a terrible blindness! Such self-praise is an involuntary reproach against the famous works of men, inspired and nourished by vainglory. The stench of pride coming from these whited sepulchers is an abomination to God; pleasing to Him is the incense of humility. That is why the Lord commanded fallen and blinded mankind to deny its nature, for man is unconscious of his woeful fallenness. |
| 2.2. The New Testament shows that Christ, who did not have to die, because He was without sin, stepped into the sphere of death, humbled Himself, having been obedient even unto death, the death of the Cross (Phil 2:7; 1 Cor 5:7; 1 Pet 3:18) and died for us (1 Thess 5:10; compare with Mark 10:45; Rom 5:6; Heb 2:9). By His Resurrection He conquered the Devil and death and holds the keys of Hell and death (Heb 2, 14-15; Rev 1:17-18). Then Christ had destroyed the power of death over those that believed in Him, i.e. those who were baptised into Christ (Rom 6:3-4) and died with Him for the world and for sin (Rom 7:6; Gal 6:14; Col 2:20). A Christian goes through death in Christ and is separated not from God, but from the world and from sin. The world and sin die within him, because the life of Jesus is opened to those who believe (2 Cor 4:10; 5:1-15; Col 3:3). In other words Christ grants life or raises from the dead. Moreover, this does not happen in the Last Days, but in the same instant, immediately. Everyone who entrusts himself to Christ crosses over from death to life (John 5:24) and will never see death (John 8:51-52), although the whole world already exists in a state of death (Rev 3:2) and is moving towards a second death, to eternal separation from God (Rev 20:14). Christians remain mortal, they die in the physical sense, but they die in Christ (1 Thess 4:16) or fall asleep in Him (Acts 7:60; John 11:11-14; 1 Cor 7:39; 15:6, 18; 51; 1 Thess 4:13-15). Physical death is the last enemy destroyed by Christ (1 Cor 15:26), but He gave us this victory as a potential and death itself continues to afflict the bodily life of a particular individual (Rom 8:9-11). However, it has been deprived of its sting and it cannot separate a Christian from Christ; on the contrary, it brings him closer to Christ (Rom 8:38-39; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:20-21). He, having risen from the dead, the firstborn of the dead, calls all the faithful to a new life, resurrecting and transfiguring their bodies, and then the spirit and body will exist in perfect harmony (compare with 1 Cor 15:20; Col 1:12). |
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