OrthoAnalytika

John 3:13-17.  Why did God have Moses create an image (a statue) of a serpent to deliver them from the pain of sin (grumbling) and what does that teach us about the the use and misuse of icons?  Two things about this homily - the first is that Fr. Anthony's iPhone decided to use his hearing aid as the microphone for the recording (with mixed results); the second is that he forgot to use the later generations of Israelites' use of the bronze serpent as an idol (he corrected that at the end of Liturgy).  Enjoy the show!

Opening prayer (from the Prayer before the Gospel during the Diving Liturgy) Make the pure light of Thy divine knowledge shine in our hearts, Loving Master, and open the eyes of our minds that we may understand the message of Thy Gospel. Instill also in us reverence for Thy blessed commandments, so that overcoming all worldly desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, both thinking and doing all things pleasing to Thee. For Thee, Christ our God, are the Light of our souls and bodies, and to Thee we give the glory, together with Thy Father, without beginning, and Thine All Holy, Good, and Life- Creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.  (2 Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 1:18; 2 Peter 2:11)

An Important Prologue (from Fr. Stephen’s The Whole Counsel)

·      Inspiration.  2 Peter 1:19-21.  And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, than no prophecy of Scripture is of any private origin, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men, being carried by the Holy Spirit, spoke from God (OSB & FSDY).   Note that these “men” did this at different times, using different styles, and the writing was not done all at once.  For example, the Torah is of Mosaic origin, but its language and style are from later times (and I don’t have in mind E, Y, D, P).  Inspiration includes speaking, writing, editing, copying, translating, and compiling scripture. 

·      Inerrancy.  A bit on the term.  18th century gave rise to a “scientific” way of looking at scripture.  This doesn’t just mean taking out the supernatural elements, but breaking texts apart and said to be of different and conflicting sources.  Conservative American Protestants reacted by publishing “The Fundamentals.”  They argued that the Scriptures were inerrant (without error).  The Liberal Protestants were opposed to this view, saying that they were affected by the limitations of the people and cultures of the times in which they were written.  This difference about inerrancy could have been bridged through nuance, but then they moved further apart, with the “fundamentalists” equating literal/materialist with inerrant and the liberal side becoming more interested in a reconstructed social gospel.  Orthodoxy teaches that the Scriptures do not contain errors, but it has a strong tolerance for ambiguities.  “In large part, this is because the Church has never approached the world on the basis of the Scriptures; rather the Scriptures function internally, with the Church and her worship.”  Orthodoxy is not concerned with identifying and reconciling “errors” in scripture, but in what it (with all its richness) calls us to be.

·      Sola Scriptura.  The Reformation put Scripture as the key to evaluating tradition and the teaching authority of the Church; the Roman Catholics make the teaching authority of the Church key (magisterium).  Orthodoxy sidesteps this approach because it recognizes that Christ Himself is the Truth.  We are not turning to scripture, tradition, and the Church to learn about Christ; we are coming to know God experientially, being united with and in Christ Himself.  John 15:26-27 (following the logic of 2 Peter above), has the Holy Spirit (continuously revealing “Tradition”) and the witness of those who saw/knew God (ie Scriptures); “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”  We do not recognize competing sources of authority (Church, Tradition, Scripture), but see it all as the way we come to know Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit 

The Source(s) of the Bible

Following Christ, the Apostles, and the Early Church, the Orthodox Church primarily uses the Septuagint.  The Torah section was an official translation completed well before the Incarnation of Christ. 

• This makes it more “objective” than the post-Incarnational Jewish Masoretic Text and Canon (most Roman Catholic and Protestant Bibles rely primarily on the Masoretic text).  The Masoretic text was prepared after the loss of the Temple and the rise of Christianity (with the addition of vowels etc.).
• The Septuagint differs little from the Masoretic Text; both are supported by the Dead Sea Scrolls.  The Dead Sea Scrolls help demonstrate that there was textual diversity before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
• There is NO SINGLE CANON OF ORTHODOX SCRIPTURE.  We have the books we use liturgically and the books we read.  All of them are useful.

How the Bible is OrganizedNew Testament (we’ll cover it later) and Old Testament.

Old Testament Organization (Septuagint organization) 

• The Torah.  According to tradition, it was revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai (most connect it with Moses (e.g. Exodus 33:11 & Galatians 3:19), but admit to it being touched by many hands).  The five books of the Torah are also called the Five Books of the Law, the Pentateuch and the Books of Moses.
• Genesis (beginning).  God’s creation of the world, the fall of mankind, and the three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob)
• Exodus (departure).  The early life of Moses, the Israelite escape from Egypt, and revelations at Mount Sinai.
• Leviticus (of the Levites).  Historically, takes place at the foot of Sinai and continues to describe how God is to be honored and how Israelites are to live.
• Numbers (you’ll see!).  Describes the Israelites’ time in the desert up to their arrival at the banks of the Jordan.
• Deuteronomy (second law).  Moses’ last words to the Israelites.  His death.
• The Books of History.  The history of Israel from their arrival at the promised land to just before the Incarnation.  They are thought to have been written well after the events they describe.  The Books of History are Joshua (the conquering of the promised land), Judges (The Israelites struggle with righteousness and idolatry), Ruth, I Kingdoms (aka I Samuel), II Kingdoms (II Samuel), III Kingdoms (I Kings), IV Kingdoms (II Kings), I Paraleipomenon (I Chronicles), II Paraleipomenon (II Chronicles), Nehemiah, I Esdras, II Esdras (Ezra), Tobit, Judith, Esther, I Maccabees, II Maccabees, III Maccabees.
• Books of Wisdom.   Psalms, Prayer of Manasseh, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon (aka Song of Songs or Canticle of Canticles), Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach (aka Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach; aka Ecclesiasticus) 
•  The Prophets.  
• Minor prophets:  Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zecharia, Malachi
• Major prophets:  Isaiah, Jeremiah (includes Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremiah), Ezekiel, Daniel (includes the Song of the Three Children).

Why did some early Christians want to ban the Old Testament from the Biblical Canon?  Why do we care about the Old Testament?  It is “The Scriptures” referred to in the New Testament.  It is about God, Christ, and God’s plan for the world.

In this, the first part of a series (Fall, Sunday afternoon adult education), Fr. Anthony provides an introduction to the Orthodox conception of the mind, how pride corrupts it, and how Orthodoxy heals and perfects it.  Enjoy the show! 

St. Matthew 21:33-42.  The Parable of the Vineyard.  After describing the most immediate meaning of the parable (a warning and prophecy to the Jewish leaders), Fr. Anthony applies the lessons to the mission of the parish and the transformation of the mind.  Enjoy the show!

Matthew 19:16-26.  The reading on the rich young man, the camel, and the needle.  After wrapping up his series on community virtues (let all be done in love), Fr. Anthony draws on St. Nikolai Velimirovic, to distinguish between eternal life (salvation) and perfection (theosis).  [Note - the point Fr. Anthony was making about not becoming uncreated was that we always remain creatures, even though we be perfected by God's uncreated energies).  Enjoy the show!

Today it is my blessing to share an interview with Fr. Eugen Rosu.  Fr. Eugen has been a priest for 31 years, married for 32 years, and enjoying fatherhood for 11 years.  He recently published the book "Church Ministries on a Shoestring Budget" to share his experience and encourage evangelism. The book offers information on establishing ministries that engage the parish and stir community interest. His Grace Bishop John Abdalah writes the book's introduction, and the book has received significant praise from very well-known Orthodox clergy.  I really enjoyed our conversation and I know you will to!

Matthew 18:23-35.  The parable on forgiveness (the wicked servant).  God desires us to be one as He is one.  This is good and beautiful (!), but it isn't easy because we (unlike God) we are not holy!  This means that we need to learn to forgive.  After assuring us that God requires forgiveness but NOT codependence or enabling, Fr. Anthony describes the three levels of forgiveness and how they allow us to grow in harmony and holiness (while protecting us from vampiric wolves).  Enjoy the show!

In this homily on the healing/exorcism of the lunatic (St. Matthew 17:14-23), after talking about the life skill of monitoring the response to and use of compliments and criticism, Fr. Anthony continues his metaphor of the mind as terrain that has considerable ungoverned territory.  The prayer and fasting that Christ says is required for advanced exorcism help to increase faith by developing the believer's capacity for (neptic) graceful single-mindedness.  This allows the believer to ignore the orcs spewing out of the Mordor of his mind until such time as he has the faith to level Mount Doom (or move it into the sea).  Enjoy the show!

Matthew 17:1-9.  Fr. Anthony shares St. Leo's wisdom in drawing our attention to the way Transfiguration prepares us for the persecution of both Christ and His Church.  Oh, and Fr. Anthony tried out a new Bluetooth mic.  Enjoy the show!

Matthew 14:14-22 (Feeding the Five Thousand).  After sharing a life-skill for living in community (ie leading with patience), Fr. Anthony shares some of the levels of meaning the Church provides when it preaches/teaches on the feeding of the five thousand.  He finishes with St. John Chrysostom's point about bringing what you have so the Lord can bless it, multiply it, and use to His glory and the feeding of His people.  Enjoy the show!