Tewahido Bible Study

Holy Jerome (Hieronymus) once hyperbolically said it would not matter if the scriptures were lost, because Holy Ephrem the Syrian's writings preserve them...

Dr. Michael Wingert is a Syriac scholar, Semiticist, Dean of Agora University, and UCLA lecturer. This is his first appearance on the podcast as a guest on the live Tewahido Bible Study with the english-speaking adults of Virgin Mary's EOTC in Los Angeles, CA. Here you will hear a general overview of Syriac biblical exegesis, and some specific quotes and on-going scholarship are presented.

"For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea..." Joshua 2:10 NKJV 

The Apostle Jacob calls us to not discriminate based on status or prestige. He wants us to follow the king's law, namely love. He says faith is only alive when dovetailing works.

"Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it." 
(Col. 2:15 NKJV)

A conversation with Dcn. Mihret regarding the feast of feasts, Pascha. Gruesomeness, contextualization, sadness, lament, triumph, love, and hope are brought up. 

P.S.
These conversations and interview episodes will be bonus episodes that will happen infrequently. Regularly expect Monday episodes sequentially going through the sacred scriptures. This forthcoming Monday Godwilling brings us to the Scroll of James (Jacob) Chapter 2.

This is a Hosanna or Palm Sunday homily in collaboration with the youth of a parish in Seattle, WA. 

"His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered..." (John 12:16 RSV) 

On Faith 
"faith is the realization of what is hoped for, the proof of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1 LEB)

Dcn. Mihret and I have served together for years at the Virgin Mary's EOTC in Los Angeles, CA. We usually take turns in delivering homilies to the youth before the entire congregation of the cathedral, after Aba Thomas' communion homily, and prior to us heading to private rooms to teach our other groups in more depth. Keedane Weld Kiflé says በልጅ ፡ አማክኝቶ ፡ ይበሏል ፡ ዐንጕቶ ። (teachings designed for children are also useful for the learned)

The Scroll of James is more accurately called the Scroll of Jacob aka Israel. As you read and/or hear it, you are invited to reread the story of Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham in Genesis.

“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28 LEB)

This is a collaboration with UOTY in Boston, MA. We had an evening prayer service, followed by an examination of the text that the Ge'ez Rite attribute to the hierodeacon Holy Ephrem the Syrian entitled Widasé Maryam or Marian Praise.

"The burning bush which Moses saw in the desert (wilderness), the wood of which was not consumed is a similitude of Mary"

This is a translation of a portion of the seatat (hours), prayed in the Ge'ez Rite, known as meharene ab (have mercy on us, father). I try to be as faithful to the Ge'ez, at every step, nook, and cranny, whilst still making sense for the contemporary hearer and paying homage to pretty English of the past. Enjoy.

You may read and download this prayer for free at

https://independent.academia.edu/HenokElias

An Amharic word of life from five years ago (2015), when my Amharic and Ge'ez was a lot less polished but hopefully still understandable.  This was shared at a Goblet-Fellowship gathering for the Haimanote Abew (religion of the fathers) choir of Dngl Maryam (Virgin Mary's) EOTC in Los Angeles, CA. My younger sister and I were the hosts, this month.

A word of life regarding Matthew 6. 

"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them" (RSV). 

If you take nothing else away from this, simply love each other.