ORTHODOX CATECHISM FOR

YOUTH

First edition by Paul Hamidi, May 2002

Translated from the English by Antonio and Gerardo

Oracion Antes Del Estudio

Señor infinitamente bondadoso, derrama sobre nosotros la gracia
de tu Espiritu Santo a fin de que nos de inteligencia y fortalezca
nuestras fuerzas espirituales, para que nos apliquemos a la
enseñanza propuesta y crezcamos para glorificarte, nuestro
Creador, para alegrar a nuestros padres y para ser utiles a tu
Iglesia y a nuestro pueblo.

Oracion Despues Del Estudio

Te damos gracias, Creador nuestro, por habernos concedido tu
gracia para escuchar tu enseñanza. Bendice nuestros padres y
preceptores que nos guian en le conocimiento del bien y danos
fuerza y firmeza para continuar nuestros estudios.
 Section One: Sacred History

Lesson One: Divine Revelation

‰ The Christian faith begins with the belief in a personal God who
creates and sustains everything that exists, including you and me.
To believe in God means to trust in His being, and to accept and live
by certain truths about Him which we cannot discover on our own. If
we could look into the being of God, and know Him the way we know
another person, He would no longer be God, but a creature like you
and me. But the truths about God are those which only God Himself
can reveal to his creatures.

‰ One of the first truths then, which Christians believe about God, is
that although He is infinitely greater than any creature, He desires
to reveal Himself to His creation. He desires that his creation know
Him as creator, and in so far as it is given to each creature, to
communicate with Him in a relationship of love.

‰ How does God reveal Himself? First of all, through creation itself.
As Christians, we believe that the world in which we live, and in which
our ancestors lived, has not always existed. This is what we mean
when we say it was created, and that God is its creator. Apart from
the desire, or will of God, to create, nothing would exist. God
brought the world into existence out of nothing, and for a certain
purpose: to reveal Himself.

‰ Have you ever thought that everything that exists, in its own way,
brings us into communion with God! The beauty and order of the
natural world reflect the invisible beauty and order of God Himself.
Even that in nature which we may think is worthless or without
purpose, is sustained by God, and fulfills God’s purpose in its own
way. When we see God revealed in His Creation, we should give
thanks to God.

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‰ Human beings hold a special place in God’s creation. God has
revealed Himself to us, not only externally in the things of nature,
but within our own hearts and minds. God created us in His own
image, and we reflect the glory of God and the mystery of His
being in a fuller way than the rest of creation. God has given us the
gift of a personal relationship with Himself, one of friendship, care
and love (this is why we say He is a personal God). Our human
friendships, cares and loves, because they come from God, reveal to
us something about God Himself.

‰ From the beginning of history, we see that humans have always

responded to the beauty, power and mystery of the world with acts
of worship. Often, though, this worship has been misguided,
attributing divinity to creatures themselves, rather than the God
who made them. Worship is due to God alone. If we worship a stone,
an animal, a statue, or the sun, we are saying that these things are
god for us. Yet there can be only one true God; all else are false
gods.

‰ Although God is far greater than all of His creation, He has never
been separate from it. He is always present, sustaining it, and, out
of love, entering into communication with his creatures. The first
humans spoke with God in a direct manner, but this intimate
communion was broken because of human sin, and human
understanding of God was darkened. Afterwards, God worked to
restore his creatures to communion with Himself. He brought
judgement upon human sin, and revealed himself to certain righteous
men and women. He chose a people, the Jews, to bring all of the
nations back to Himself. He communicated by way of His angels, His
saints, by acts of nature, by miracles, by signs, by prophecy, and by
the written word.

‰ The Old Testament is the written record of God’s saving acts in

history, and is itself God’s revelation. It was written over several
hundred years by many holy men inspired by God. We should love
and respect the Old Testament as God’s word to us.

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 ‰ At the end of a long period of time, during which God revealed
himself in many ways to his saints and prophets, God spoke to us
through His Son, Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God. The
words and actions of Jesus were recorded in the Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and in the memory of the early
church. The apostles were sent by Jesus to proclaim the gospel to
the whole world.

Important Bible Verses:

Ps:19:1: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth
his handywork.

Heb:1:1: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb:1:2: Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Questions:
Think about the words highlighted above and listed below. These are
important words of our faith, and we will be using them many times. Try your
best to define them in your own words. Discuss them with your classmates
and teacher.
Faith:
Belief:
Personal God:
Creates:
Sustains:
Trust:
Truths:
Reveal:
Communicate:
Love:
Will:
Purpose:
Beauty:
Communion:
Order:
Invisible:

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Give thanks:
Image:
Glory:
Mystery:
Gift:
Worship:
Divinity:
One, true God:
False gods:
Sin:
Judgement:
Jews:
Angels:
Saints:
Miracles:
Prophecy:
Saving acts:
Inspired:
Incarnate Word of God:
Gospels:
Church:
Apostles:
Gospel:

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 Lesson Two: Adam and Eve

‰ The first book of the Old Testament is called Genesis. It tells us

about the beginning of the world, the creation of all living things and
human beings in total goodness. Humans are created “in the image
of God” for a special relationship with God. The first human beings,
Adam and Eve, are in the continual presence of God in the garden of
Eden. This goodness, however, is soon lost because of human sin. Sin
is a willful turning away from God; the seeking of goodness apart
from God; a failure to give thanks to God for everything. It is the
evil one, Satan, in the form of a snake, who tempts Adam and Eve.
Satan was the first of God’s creatures to sin against Him. He was
once an angel of light, but out of pride wanted to be like God. This
pride is the essence of all sin.

‰ In the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve are cast out of paradise (and
God’s presence) as a result of their sin. The physical result of this
spiritual separation from God, for Adam and Eve, and for us, is
suffering and death. We see that this suffering and death extends
to all of creation, not just humans. This is so because humans, while
spiritual beings, are also very much a part of the physical world (God
made us out of the soil after all!) Adam is given the task of “tending
the garden.” This shows us that we have a special task which only we
can perform: our priestly task, that of blessing creation, and giving
thanks to God for everything.

‰ God did not create human beings to die. We see that death is the
result of sin which we brought into the world. However, even after
sin, God did not abandon his creation. He continued to care for
Adam and Eve. He provides them with garments of skin. And along
with the curse which He utters against them, there is a word of
promise: although wounded by it, humans will ultimately be victorious
over evil. Death itself is not so much God’s punishment of sin, but a
necessary (if painful) medicine to heal the human person wounded by
evil. God knows that it is only through the experience of suffering
that we will recognize our sin, and return to Him.

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Below are selected verses from the first three chapters of Genesis. Read
them over slowly, keeping in mind what we have talked about above. Think
especially about the meaning of the highlighted words and discuss them in
class.

From the Book of Genesis:

Gn:1:1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gn:1:2: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon
the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters.
Gn:1:3: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Gn:1:26: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of
the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gn:1:27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them.
Gn:1:28: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth.
Gn:1:29: And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,
which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the
fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Gn:1:30: And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and
to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have
given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
Gn:1:31: And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was
very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Gn:2:7: And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Gn:2:8: And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he
put the man whom he had formed.

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Gn:2:9: And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that
is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst
of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Gn:2:15: And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of
Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Gn:2:16: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of
the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gn:2:17: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not
eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Gn:2:18: And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Gn:2:19: And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the
field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what
he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that
was the name thereof.
Gn:2:20: And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and
to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet
for him.
Gn:2:21: And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he
slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gn:2:22: And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a
woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gn:2:23: And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my
flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gn:2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall
cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Gn:2:25: And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not
ashamed.

Gn:3:1: Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which
the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said,
Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gn:3:2: And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of
the trees of the garden:

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Gn:3:3: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gn:3:4: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gn:3:5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Gn:3:6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that
it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with
her; and he did eat.
Gn:3:7: And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they
were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves
aprons.
Gn:3:8: And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in
the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the
presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
Gn:3:9: And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art
thou?
Gn:3:10: And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid,
because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Gn:3:11: And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten
of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
Gn:3:12: And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me,
she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Gn:3:13: And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou
hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Gn:3:14: And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done
this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field;
upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gn:3:15: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between
thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his
heel.
Gn:3:16: Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy
conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall
be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

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Gn:3:17: And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the
voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee,
saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in
sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gn:3:18: Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt
eat the herb of the field;
Gn:3:19: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto
the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust
shalt thou return.
Gn:3:20: And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother
of all living.
Gn:3:21: Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of
skins, and clothed them.
Gn:3:22: And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us,
to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also
of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Gn:3:23: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,
to till the ground from whence he was taken.
Gn:3:24: So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden
of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep
the way of the tree of life.

Christ and Adam

‰ Jesus Christ is God’s final and complete “Word” to us, but just like

any word on a page, we have to “read before” in order to understand

what God is saying to us. In the Old Testament, God prepares us to
“hear” Christ, the incarnate Word of God. The writers of the New
Testament often refer to people and events of the Old Testament
to teach us about Christ. In two of his letters, St. Paul speaks about
Christ as the second Adam. As death came to all through the
disobedience of the first Adam, so life is bestowed on all through
the obedience of the second Adam, Christ:

Rom:5:14: Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over

them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who
is the figure of him that was to come.

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Rom:5:15: But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the
offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by
grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

1Cor:15:22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Cor:15:45: And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living
soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Cor:15:46: Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is
natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Cor:15:47: The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the
Lord from heaven.
1Cor:15:48: As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is
the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Cor:15:49: And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also
bear the image of the heavenly.

‰ What does the story of Adam and Eve tell us about ourselves? The
Church has seen in it an image of our own rebellion against God.
When we turn away from God, we repeat the same sin as Adam and
Eve, and receive the same consequences. When we read this story,
we should consider how we have sinned ourselves, and feel sorry
about it. Many of our prayers in Church help us to realize this. We
say this prayer during Lent: “A Adan que fue creado primero, le he
rivalizado con mis transgresiones. Sé que estoy desnudo de Dios y de
reino eterno y de la felicidad a causa de mis pecados” (great canon of
St. Andrew of Crete).
Questions:
1. What characterized the initial state of creation?
2. How are humans similar and dissimilar to the rest of creation?
3. What role did humans have in regards to the rest of creation?
4. What is the basis of Adam and Eve’s act of disobedience?
5. What were the effects of Adam and Eve’s sin?
6. What is God’s promise to Adam and Eve?
7. Who does the snake represent?

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 Lesson Three: Noah

‰ Sin had come into the world with Adam and Eve, but this did not
mean that everyone thereafter was evil. Human beings were created
with the freedom to choose between good and evil. This freedom is
part of what defines us as human beings, and makes us different
from the rest of creation. It is our dignity as creatures made in the
image of God, made to respond freely to God’s love for us. We do
not simply live according to set laws of nature, as the plants, or
according to our instincts, as the animals.

‰ Adam and Eve abused this freedom by rejecting God’s goodness and
choosing evil. And even though they were still free to return to God,
the consequences of their sin made this difficult. They do not want
to accept responsibility for what they have done. Adam tries to
blame his wife (and indirectly, God, for having given him his wife),
and Eve tries to blame the serpent. They are ashamed of what they
have done, and their feelings of guilt make them try to hide from the
presence of the Lord. From now on there will be a constant struggle
between good and evil.

‰ This struggle between good and evil is the theme of the second part
of the Book of Genesis. We see it first in the story of Cain and
Abel, the first children of Adam and Eve. Abel offers sacrifices
which are more pleasing to God than those of his brother Cain.
Because of this, Cain feels envy towards his brother. But instead of
trying to please God, Cain kills his brother.

‰ Over time, the human race became increasingly evil and fell into all
kinds of sins which displeased God. God became sad, and wanted to
destroy this wickedness from the earth. He decided to bring a great
flood upon the earth that would destroy all life. There was still one
righteous man on the earth, however, whose name was Noah. So God
decided to preserve Noah and his family. He commanded Noah to
build a big boat before the flood began, and to bring his family and
every type of animal upon the boat. Noah had faith, and obeyed the
Lord.

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From the Book of Genesis:
Gn:6:5: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.
Gn:6:6: And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart.
Gn:6:7: And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the
fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gn:6:8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Gn:6:9: These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and
perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Gn:6:10: And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Gn:6:11: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled
with violence.
Gn:6:12: And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for
all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Gn:6:13: And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me;
for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy
them with the earth.
Gn:6:14: Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the
ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Gn:6:15: And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of
the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the
height of it thirty cubits.
Gn:6:16: A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou
finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof;
with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
Gn:6:17: And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth,
to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and
every thing that is in the earth shall die.
Gn:6:18: But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come
into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with
thee.

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Gn:6:19: And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou
bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and
female.
Gn:6:20: Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every
creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto
thee, to keep them alive.
Gn:6:21: And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt
gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
Gn:6:22: Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did
he.
Gn:7:1: And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the
ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Gn:7:7: And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives
with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

Gn:7:23: And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the
face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the
fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only
remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
Gn:7:24: And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty
days.
Gn:8:1: And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the
cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the
earth, and the waters assuaged;
Gn:8:2: The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were
stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;
Gn:8:3: And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after
the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
Gn:8:4: And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of
the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

Gn:8:15: And God spake unto Noah, saying,

Gn:8:16: Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy
sons' wives with thee.

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Gn:8:17: Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all
flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be
fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
Gn:8:18: And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons'
wives with him:
Gn:8:19: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever
creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
Gn:8:20: And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean
beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Gn:8:21: And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his
heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the
imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite
any more every thing living, as I have done.
Gn:8:22: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and
heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Gn:9:1: And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

Gn:9:8: And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
Gn:9:9: And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed
after you;
Gn:9:10: And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the
cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the
ark, to every beast of the earth.
Gn:9:11: And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be
cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a
flood to destroy the earth.
Gn:9:12: And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make
between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for
perpetual generations:
Gn:9:13: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a
covenant between me and the earth.

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Gn:9:14: And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth,
that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
Gn:9:15: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you
and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become
a flood to destroy all flesh.
Gn:9:16: And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I
may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living
creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
Gn:9:17: And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which
I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

‰ This story teaches us several things: about the nature of

righteousness, about how God works in the world to restore His
people to Himself, and also about our salvation in Christ.

‰ In what does Noah’s goodness consist? There must have been

something about Noah that set him apart from the rest of mankind.
We are told that he was loved by God, and that he walked with God.
But the only specific thing we are told is that he obeyed God when
he was commanded to build the arc. He obeyed because he had faith
in God, that God would fulfill His promises. He built the arc and
entered into it before any water had come upon the earth, and while
everyone else around him continued in their violence and wickedness.
Noah must have seemed foolish to his neighbors, who believed that
things would continue as they had always been. It is this faith which
is the mark of Noah’s goodness, and of all human goodness. In the
Apostle Paul’s list of the heroes of the Old Testament, we read: “By
faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved
with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which
he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness
which is by faith” (Heb:11:7).

‰ The story of Noah teaches us that God is patient with evil-doers,

but that eventually they must be judged for their evil. But God’s
judgement is never out of hatred, but with the purpose of restoring
his creation to communion with Himself. He destroys the evil, but
only to renew his creation through the righteous man Noah.

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 ‰ God chooses to renew his creation through certain people of faith.
God chooses Noah and blesses him to replenish the earth. He makes
a covenant with him, and sets the rainbow as a sign of this covenant.
We will see this pattern throughout the history of God’s dealing with
men, from Abraham all the way to the mother of God, the virgin
Mary. God’s salvation of the world is not imposed from without, but
requires the cooperation of human beings.

‰ Christians believe that it is ultimately through Christ that the

salvation of the world comes. Noah, like Adam, is a type of He who
was to come later. Christ is perfectly obedient to the will of His
Father, and achieves the salvation of the world. He establishes the
church, which is like the arc in which we are saved. Our entrance
into this “arc” of salvation is our baptism, as the Apostle Peter says:
“the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark
was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by
water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us
(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a
good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1
Peter 3:20-21).

Questions:
1. What is the purpose of human freedom?
2. What happens when we use this freedom the wrong way?
3. What is the theme of the second part of the Book of Genesis?
4. What is the purpose of the flood? Of God’s judgment in general?
5. Why does God save Noah?
6. What does Noah do after he is saved from the flood?
7. How is Noah a type of Christ?

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 Lesson Four: Abraham and Isaac

‰ In the Old Testament, the Lord is continually referred to as “the

God of our fathers,” or “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the
God of Jacob.” God is so closely associated with these ancestors of
the faith, also known as the patriarchs, that we must know
something about their lives in order to know the true God. In the
times when these men were alive, about fifteen to eighteen hundred
years before the birth of Christ, men worshipped many false gods.
There were gods of the sun and moon, of the rain and the waters, of
the earth, the mountains, the plants and animals. God chose a man
named Abraham and his descendents to teach the world about the
one true God who is above everything on earth.

‰ The story of Abraham and his son Isaac is told in the third part of
the book of Genesis. We are not told anything about Abraham’s life
before the time that he is called by God. Nor are we told exactly
why God chose Abraham over all other men. What we see
throughout Abraham’s life is that he was a man of great faith. He
was not a perfect man, (we are also told about some of his faults),
but he always believed what God spoke to him, in spite of the great
temptations to doubt.

‰ What God asked of Abraham was not always easy either. He is first
asked to leave his homeland with his wife Sarah for an unknown place
that God would show him. Later, as a test of his faith, God asks
Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Both requests indicate that
Abraham was to rely on God alone, and not to place his trust on
anything else, neither the security of his homeland, nor his own
offspring.

‰ Along with God’s requests of Abraham, there were two promises:

that Abraham would inherit a land, and that he would have a great
number of descendents, through which the whole world would be
blessed. The second promise, especially, required a great amount of
faith, since Abraham’s wife was very old and without children, and
remains childless for much of the story. Abraham also encounters
several difficulties in his long journey to the land which God has

18
 promised him, including famine, a dispute with his nephew, and war.
God comforts Abraham in his moments of doubt when it looks like
God’s promises would not be fulfilled. He makes a covenant with him,
binding Himself to the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham. As a
sign of this covenant, Abraham and all the males living with him are
to be circumcised.

‰ Abraham was a hundred years old when the Lord’s promise was finally
fulfilled, and Sarah gave birth to Isaac. All of Abraham’s hopes for
a great number of descendents and a homeland rested on his son
Isaac. But Abraham’s faith had to undergo one final test. Was he
willing to give up his own son and all that he meant in order to obey
God? It seems like a cruel thing to ask, but God knows that it is only
through such an absolute faith, and not by physical offspring alone,
that the world will be blessed. It is Abraham’s faith which attracts
God’s love, and which makes him the father of all future believers.

From the Book of Genesis:

Gn:12:1: Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will
shew thee:
Gn:12:2: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gn:12:3: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth
thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Gn:12:4: So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot
went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he
departed out of Haran.
Gn:12:5: And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all
their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten
in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the
land of Canaan they came.
Gn:12:6: And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem,
unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
Gn:12:7: And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I
give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared
unto him.

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Gn:12:8: And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of
Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east:
and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of
the Lord.
Gn:12:9: And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
Gn:12:10: And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into
Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

Gn:15:1: After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a
vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
reward.
Gn:15:2: And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go
childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
Gn:15:3: And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo,
one born in my house is mine heir.
Gn:15:4: And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This
shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own
bowels shall be thine heir.
Gn:15:5: And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward
heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said
unto him, So shall thy seed be.
Gn:15:6: And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for
righteousness.
Gn:15:7: And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur
of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
Gn:15:8: And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?
Gn:15:9: And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a
she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove,
and a young pigeon.
Gn:15:10: And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst,
and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
Gn:15:11: And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove
them away.
Gn:15:12: And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon
Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

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Gn:15:13: And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be
a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall
afflict them four hundred years;
Gn:15:14: And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and
afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Gn:15:15: And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in
a good old age.
Gn:15:16: But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the
iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
Gn:15:17: And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was
dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between
those pieces.
Gn:15:18: In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,
Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great
river, the river Euphrates:
Gn:15:19: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
Gn:15:20: And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
Gn:15:21: And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and
the Jebusites.

Gn:17:1: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord
appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before
me, and be thou perfect.
Gn:17:2: And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will
multiply thee exceedingly.
Gn:17:3: And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gn:17:4: As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a
father of many nations.
Gn:17:5: Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name
shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gn:17:6: And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of
thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Gn:17:7: And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy
seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a
God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

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Gn:17:8: And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land
wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
possession; and I will be their God.
Gn:17:9: And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant
therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
Gn:17:10: This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you
and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Gn:17:11: And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be
a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
Gn:17:12: And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you,
every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or
bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
Gn:17:13: He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy
money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh
for an everlasting covenant.
Gn:17:14: And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is
not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken
my covenant.
Gn:17:15: And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not
call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
Gn:17:16: And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will
bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of
her.

Gn:22:1: And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt
Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Gn:22:2: And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou
lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt
offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Gn:22:3: And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass,
and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the
wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which
God had told him.
Gn:22:4: Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the
place afar off.

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Gn:22:5: And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the
ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
Gn:22:6: And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it
upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they
went both of them together.
Gn:22:7: And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father:
and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood:
but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Gn:22:8: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a
burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Gn:22:9: And they came to the place which God had told him of; and
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac
his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
Gn:22:10: And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to
slay his son.
Gn:22:11: And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and
said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
Gn:22:12: And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou
any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast
not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Gn:22:13: And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind
him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took
the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Gn:22:14: And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is
said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
Gn:22:15: And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the
second time,
Gn:22:16: And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because
thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
Gn:22:17: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will
multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon
the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Gn:22:18: And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed my voice.

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 ‰ Abraham journeyed through the land which God promised to give to
his descendents, but he died without having inherited it. It was
several hundred years later, after being enslaved by the Egyptians,
that the descendents of Abraham finally claimed this land as their
own through the power of God. However, this earthly kingdom did
not last. It was taken over by the Babylonians and the Jews were
once again enslaved. This was not the eternal kingdom which God had
promised, but only an image of what was to come.

The story of Abraham is used in the New Testament to help us understand

how Christ is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises, and how, by faith, we
receive Christ:

Heb:11:8: By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place

which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out,
not knowing whither he went.
Heb:11:9: By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange
country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of
the same promise:
Heb:11:10: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder
and maker is God.
Heb:11:11: Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive
seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she
judged him faithful who had promised.
Heb:11:12: Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead,
so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by
the sea shore innumerable.
Heb:11:13: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but
having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced
them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Heb:11:17: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he

that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Heb:11:18: Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb:11:19: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the
dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

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Heb:11:39: And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
received not the promise:
Heb:11:40: God having provided some better thing for us, that they
without us should not be made perfect.

‰ God promised to bless all nations through the descendents of

Abraham. As Christians, we know that this blessing is Christ our
savior, born according to the flesh as a son of Abraham. He is the
divine King, whose kingdom is eternal. And it is not the physical
descendents of Abraham who inherit this kingdom, but all those who,
like Abraham, have faith in God.

Questions:
1. What did God request of Abraham when he called him?
2. What did God promise to Abraham?
3. How do Abraham and Sarah demonstrate their faith in God?
4. What is the covenant which God makes with Abraham? What is the
physical sign of this covenant?
5. What was required of Abraham in this covenant?
6. What is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham?
7. How do we receive this promise?

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 Lesson Five: Moses

‰ God renewed his covenant with the descendents of Abraham. He

spoke to Jacob, the son of Isaac, and again promised him that He
would give him and his numerous descendents a homeland, and that all
the families of the earth would be blessed by his descendents.
Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel”, and his twelve children
became the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was through
one of these tribes, that of Judah, that the great King David was to
come several hundred years later. But before the people of Israel
would have their own land and their own king, they had to pass
through 400 years of slavery in the land of Egypt.

‰ The Israelites went to Egypt because there was a great famine in

the land of Canaan, the land which God promised to give to them. In
Egypt, they met Joseph, one of the twelve brothers. Many years
earlier, Joseph had been sold into slavery by his own brothers
because they were envious of him. In Egypt, Joseph became famous
for his wisdom and goodness. He was given a position of power by
the Pharaoh (the leader of the country). When Joseph saw his
brothers again in Egypt, he forgave them for their cruel deed, and
had compassion on them. He helped them to settle in Egypt.

‰ The Israelites remained in Egypt after Joseph’s death. Eventually

there were several thousand of them. But they were no longer liked
by the Egyptians. The new Pharaoh feared that they might become
too strong. He had them made into slaves. Later he ordered that all
the newborn boys of the Israelites be thrown in the Nile River.

‰ Israel endured slavery for 400 years, as God had foretold to

Abraham. At the end of this period, God called Moses to free his
people from the hand of the Egyptians. Moses was saved from the
Nile River by Pharaoh’s own daughter, and brought up in Pharaoh’s
house like a prince. He eventually realized that he was not an
Egyptian but an Israelite, and he had compassion on his fellow
Israelites who where suffering so much. He tried to stop an
Egyptian from beating an Israelite and killed him. He had to flee

26
 from Egypt. He started a new life as a sheep herder in another
land.

‰ One day while Moses was tending his flock, he saw a strange sight: a
bush was burning without being consumed. Moses came closer to see
what it was and heard a voice:

From the Book of Exodus:

Ex:3:4: Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
Ex:3:5: And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy
feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Ex:3:6: Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was
afraid to look upon God.
Ex:3:7: And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people
which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters;
for I know their sorrows;
Ex:3:8: And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a
large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the
Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Ex:3:9: Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto
me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress
them.
Ex:3:10: Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou
mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Ex:3:11: And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto
Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Ex:3:12: And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token
unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people
out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Ex:3:19: And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by
a mighty hand.

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Ex:3:20: And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my
wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you
go.

‰ Moses was at first unwilling to go to Egypt. He complained to God

that he wasn’t able to talk well, and that he was the wrong person
for the job. But when God calls a person to a special task, he does
not look on the outer aspects of that person, but at his heart, his
faith and his willingness to serve. We are told that Moses was a very
meek and humble man. He had no special powers or abilities. For
many years he had lived in the desert wilderness tending his sheep.
How could such a man confront the great Pharaoh of Egypt? But it is
in this very humility that we see the strength of Moses. For he knew
that it was not by his own strength that he would free the
Israelites, but by the strength of God.

‰ Moses returned to Egypt and demanded of Pharaoh that he let his

people go. As predicted, Pharaoh would not listen, but made life even
harder for the Israelites. So Moses warned Pharaoh that God would
send bad things to punish him. Ten times God sent disasters upon
the land of Egypt, but Pharaoh would still not change his mind. The
tenth plague, as they were called, was the death of every first-born
child. The Israelites alone were saved from this death. They were
instructed by God to mark their doors with the blood of a lamb. The
angel of death passed over these homes and none of their children
died. The Israelites would remember this day from then on. It was
to be a holy day to give thanks to God for saving them from death,
and for freeing them from Egypt. They called it the day of
“Passover”.

‰ After the tenth plague, in which Pharaoh’s own son died, Pharaoh
agreed to let the Israelites leave. Moses led them out toward the
Red Sea. However, they soon saw that Pharaoh’s army was following
them. Pharaoh had changed his mind about letting them go. In this
moment, many Israelites began to doubt whether God would really
free them from Egypt, and they blamed Moses. But Moses did not
lose his faith in God. God told Moses to raise his staff over the sea.
He did, and the waters of the sea parted in two, so that the

28
 Israelites could walk through it to the other side. Pharaoh’s soldiers
entered the sea after them. But when the Israelites reached the
other side, Moses again lifted up his staff over the sea, and the
waters came back together, drowning all of Pharaoh’s soldiers. The
Israelites were at last free from slavery. This event is called the
“exodus”.

‰ Moses then lead his people through the desert wilderness. It was a
difficult journey, and the Israelites often doubted whether God
would really bring them to the land which he had promised them. But
along the way, God always cared for them, providing food and water
and protection from their enemies.

‰ In a place called Sinai, God again spoke to Moses.

From the Book of Exodus:

Ex:19:3: And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of
the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell
the children of Israel;
Ex:19:4: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on
eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Ex:19:5: Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my
covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for
all the earth is mine:
Ex:19:6: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Ex:19:7: And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid
before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.
Ex:19:8: And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord
hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto
the Lord.

‰ God was renewing the covenant He had originally made with

Abraham. He was binding Himself to the people of Israel, promising
to help them and to bless them. But the people had to “obey His
voice,” just as Abraham had to “walk with God and be perfect.” This
time God told His people exactly what it meant to be perfect. He

29
 revealed His law to Moses, who brought it to the rest of the people.
Moses went to the top of Mount Sinai and remained there a long time
while God told him everything that His people were to do: where and
how to worship, what holy days and fasts to keep, how they were to
relate to others. The most important of these laws were the Ten
Commandments, which were written on two tablets of stone. We will
study these commandments later on. The Israelites built a golden
box called “the arc of the covenant” in which to keep the tablets.
They also built a temple according to God’s plans in which to worship
Him. They placed the arc of the covenant in the most holy part of
the temple as a reminder of God’s presence with them.

‰ The physical sign of God’s covenant with Abraham was circumcision,

the cutting of flesh. The sign of this new covenant with Moses is
the shedding of blood.

From the Book of Exodus:

Ex:24:3: And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord,
and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and
said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.
Ex:24:4: And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in
the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars,
according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Ex:24:5: And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered
burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.
Ex:24:6: And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of
the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Ex:24:7: And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of
the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be
obedient.
Ex:24:8: And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and
said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you
concerning all these words.

‰ At last, Moses brought his people close to the land of Canaan, the
land which God had promised to give them. They were very hopeful
that finally they would have their own homeland. They saw that it

30
 was a very fertile land, a “land of milk and honey.” But they soon lost
hope when they saw that the people of the land were very strong,
and their towns were surrounded by high walls. Once again they
began to complain and to rebel against Moses, saying that it would
have been better to remain in Egypt. They had still not learned that
God was with them, and that for God nothing is impossible. So God
made them wander in the wilderness another forty years until a new
generation came to be. After forty years they once again
approached the land of Canaan. It was then, just before entering
the promised land, that the great leader Moses died.

‰ The person of Moses and the events of his life are full of
significance for Christians. He is for us an image of Christ. Moses
is born into the house of a king, but gives up that life for one of
poverty with his people the Jews. Christ, the eternal Son of God,
leaves the Divine glory to be born a man, and to dwell with us poor
sinners. Moses leads his people from the bondage of slavery to the
promised land. Jesus Christ leads us from the bondage of death to
eternal life with God. Moses goes before the face of God to ask Him
to have mercy on the sinful Israelites. Jesus is always in the
presence of His Father in heaven, interceding for us sinners.

‰ The exodus from slavery in Egypt, including the miraculous crossing

of the Red Sea, is the primary symbol of salvation in the Old
Testament. From that time on, the Israelites called upon God as He
who delivered them from Egypt. They remembered this event once a
year on the feast of Passover. In the New Testament, Christ
Himself is called “our Passover who is sacrificed for us.” Christ
is the true deliverer from spiritual bondage. On that night before
the exodus, the Israelites killed a lamb and put his blood on their
door posts, and where thereby saved from death. It is the shedding
of Christ’s blood on the cross, during the Jewish feast of Passover,
that now saves all men from spiritual death. In the New Testament,
Christ is called “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world.”

‰ After Moses received God’s law on Mount Sinai, he came to the

people and told them everything. The people agreed to keep God’s

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 law and to enter into a covenant with God. The covenant was
completed when Moses took the blood of animals and sprinkled it
upon the people and the book of the covenant. This is an image of
the eternal covenant that God would later make with His people
through Jesus Christ. It is Christ’s death on the cross, His blood,
which begins this new covenant.

Questions:
1. What was it about Moses that made him a good choice to carry out God’s
plan to free the Israelites?
2. Where and how did God first reveal Himself to Moses?
3. What is the feast of the Passover? Why is Christ called our Passover in
the New Testament?
4. What was God’s covenant with Moses on Mount Sinai? How is it an image of
the New Covenant through Jesus Christ?
5. What was expected of the Israelites by this covenant?
6. What is the purpose of God’s law?
7. Why did the Israelites have to spend another forty years in the desert
before entering the promised land?
8. Why is Moses an image of Christ for us?

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 Lesson Six: Judges, Kings and Prophets

‰ Moses died without ever having entered into the promised land
himself. Right before he died, he stood on a hill and God showed
him all the land that his descendents would inherit. Moses blessed
Joshua to take his place as the leader of his people and to lead
them into the promised land. From that time on, God spoke to
Joshua and showed him what to do in order to receive the land. The
people of this land were much stronger than the Israelites, and
without God’s help there would be no way to conquer them. But God
fought with them, and miraculously, the Israelites took over the
Land of Canaan. When the conquest was complete, Joshua called all
the tribes of Israel together and told them the whole history of
God’s dealings with His people from the time of Abraham onward.
Then he called upon them to renew the Covenant which God had
made with Moses and their ancestors.

From the Book of Joshua:

Jos:24:14: Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in
truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of
the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
Jos:24:15: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this
day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that
were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose
land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Jos:24:16: And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should
forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;
Jos:24:17: For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers
out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those
great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went,
and among all the people through whom we passed:
Jos:24:18: And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the
Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for
he is our God.

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Jos:24:19: And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for
he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your
transgressions nor your sins.
Jos:24:20: If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn
and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
Jos:24:21: And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the
Lord.
Jos:24:22: And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against
yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said,
We are witnesses.
Jos:24:23: Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are
among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.
Jos:24:24: And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we
serve, and his voice will we obey.
Jos:24:25: So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set
them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
Jos:24:26: And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God,
and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the
sanctuary of the Lord.
Jos:24:27: And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a
witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake
unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.

‰ After the death of Joshua, the people began slowly to forget the
great things which God had done for them. They stopped following
the law which God had given them. They saw the gods which the
people of Canaan worshipped, gods of the earth, and they decided to
worship these gods also.

From the Book of Judges:

Jgs:2:11: And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and
served Baalim:
Jgs:2:12: And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought
them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the

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people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and
provoked the Lord to anger.
Jgs:2:13: And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
Jgs:2:14: And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered
them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into
the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer
stand before their enemies.
Jgs:2:15: Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against
them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them:
and they were greatly distressed.

‰ Over the next two hundred years, before David became the King of
Israel and united the nation, the twelve tribes were still
independent. They were led by what they called “judges”. These
were men called by God for certain tasks, generally to fight against
invaders. When the Israelites forgot about the Lord and followed
other gods, they became morally corrupt. God allowed their enemies
to invade them. But he also had compassion on them and sent them
these “judges” in order to help them conquer their enemies. When
they saw God’s help return, they realized their mistake and repented
of the evil they had done. But this repentance did not last long.
When the “judge” died, the people always returned to their evil ways.

From the Book of Judges:

Jgs:2:16: Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out
of the hand of those that spoiled them.
Jgs:2:17: And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went
a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned
quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the
commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.
Jgs:2:18: And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with
the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days
of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason
of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
Jgs:2:19: And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they
returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following

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other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not
from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
Jgs:2:20: And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said,
Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I
commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;
Jgs:2:21: I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the
nations which Joshua left when he died:
Jgs:2:22: That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the
way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

‰ During this time, the Israelites had no central king like the nations
around them had. They were ruled, more or less, directly by God.
But their came a time when they no longer liked this arrangement;
they wanted to be like the nations around them. So they asked God
to provide a king for them. God agreed to this, although it does not
seem to have been what He wanted for His people at the time. The
first king was Saul. But he disobeyed God, and God chose a poor
shepherd boy named David to follow Saul as king. While Saul was
still king, David became famous for his military victories. This made
Saul jealous, and he sought to kill David. But the Lord helped David
from being killed. Eventually, Saul died in battle, and David was
made the king of Israel.

‰ David proved to be a good king. He tried to do what was right in the

sight of God. During his time, the Israelites conquered Palestine and
the city of Jerusalem. David made Jerusalem the capital of his
empire, and he brought the Arc of the Covenant there. For a time,
Israel enjoyed peace and prosperity.

‰ With David’s rise to power came certain temptations. On one

occasion, he took a married women for his lover and had her husband
killed in battle. He was confronted with this sin by God. He
repented and was forgiven by God. Nevertheless, there were painful
consequences of this sin for his family and his kingdom. David was a
deeply spiritual man. He wrote many beautiful songs of praise and of
repentance. These were preserved in the Book of Psalms. We still
sing these songs today in church.

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‰ Solomon, the son of David, became king after his father’s death.
The kingdom of Israel reached its highest glory during his time. He
was a very wise man, and new how to organize his kingdom. He
constructed great buildings, including the great temple in Jerusalem
in which to house the Arc of the Covenant. However he was not
always faithful to God. He married many foreign wives who
influenced him to worship other gods. He built temples for these
gods and offered sacrifices to them. Because of this, God told
Solomon that He would take away part of his kingdom after his
death. This is exactly what happened when later the kingdom split
into two; the northern kingdom of Israel, and the southern
kingdom of Judah.

‰ From the time of the first king, God also raised up prophets. These
were men whom God used to speak to his people. When the people
did evil things, the prophets brought God’s word of judgement
against them, warning them of the bad things that would happen to
them if they continued to sin. Because the people didn’t like to hear
God’s judgement, they often mistreated the prophets, even killing
them sometimes. But the prophets also brought words of hope.
They told the people that God still loved them, even when they
sinned. God only desired that they turn from their sin and return to
Him. While they foretold of disasters that would come upon the
Jews (invasions by foreign nations, the destruction of their cities
and their captivity in a foreign land), they also brought God’s
promise that He would never abandon them. They said that the
Lord would one day provide a “messiah” to save His people. But this
messiah would not be like any earthly king. He would be divine, and
His kingdom would be eternal. They spoke about what this messiah
would be like and what he would do. The first Christians realized
that Jesus Christ was a fulfillment of these prophecies. Jesus
was the messiah promised long ago by God to save His people.

‰ The prophet Samuel lived during the time of King Saul. When Saul
disobeyed the Lord, Samuel confronted him with his sin, and told him
that the Lord would make another king in his place. This happened
when Saul died in battle and David was made king.

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 ‰ The prophet Nathan lived during the time of King David. When
David wanted to build a temple in which to house the Arc of the
Covenant, he told Nathan his plans. The word of the Lord came to
Nathan: David would not build a house for God, but God would build a
house for David. This was the “house” of his descendents, from
which God would never take away the kingdom, as He had done to
Saul. Israel would always have a place to dwell securely. God would
use David’s son, Solomon, to build Him a temple. God would be a
father to David’s descendents, and their kingship would last
forever. The Gospel writers tell us that Jesus Christ was a
descendent in the line of King David, and they realized that he was
the King about which Nathan spoke. He was the King whose kingdom
would have no end. The earthly kingdom of David’s descendents had
perished long ago when it was invaded by foreign armies, but Christ’s
Kingdom (the Kingdom of Heaven) would last forever.

From the Book of Second Samuel:

2Sm:7:1: And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord
had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2Sm:7:2: That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in
an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
2Sm:7:3: And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for
the Lord is with thee.
2Sm:7:4: And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came
unto Nathan, saying,
2Sm:7:5: Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou
build me an house for me to dwell in?
2Sm:7:6: Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I
brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have
walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
2Sm:7:7: In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of
Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to
feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

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2Sm:7:8: Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus
saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the
sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
2Sm:7:9: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off
all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like
unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
2Sm:7:10: Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will
plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more;
neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as
beforetime,
2Sm:7:11: And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my
people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the
Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
2Sm:7:12: And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy
bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sm:7:13: He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the
throne of his kingdom for ever.
2Sm:7:14: I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit
iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the
children of men:
2Sm:7:15: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from
Saul, whom I put away before thee.
2Sm:7:16: And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever
before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2Sm:7:17: According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so
did Nathan speak unto David.

‰ After the death of King Solomon and the division of the kingdom of
Israel, and before the final destruction of Jerusalem by invading
armies, there were several great prophets active in both the
northern and southern kingdoms. Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah and
Ezekiel lived in the southern kingdom of Judah. Elisha, Elijah, Hosea
and Jonah lived in the northern kingdom of Israel. There are many
interesting and instructive stories about their lives which would be
good to read. We will only mention a few of them here.

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 ‰ Isaiah: The call of Isaiah to be a prophet of God is one of the most
dramatic accounts in the whole Bible. Isaiah beholds God’s absolute
holiness, before which he is as nothing. He sees that God’s glory fills
the whole earth. In God’s presence, he realizes his own sinfulness
and his inability to speak for God. God Himself cleanses Isaiah from
his sin. Then Isaiah is able to answer God’s call to speak for Him
before His people: “here am I, send me.” God knows that His people
will reject Isaiah; they will hear but not understand, see, but not
perceive. It would be easy for Isaiah to loose hope in such a
situation. But he knows that he has been called by God, and he is
determined to carry out God’s will.

‰ This account of Isaiah’s call has also influenced the Divine Liturgy
which we celebrate every Sunday. In our Liturgy, we unite our voices
with the eternal song of the angels in heaven worshipping God: “Holy,
holy, holy, Lord of hosts, heaven and earth are full of Your
glory.” In the Liturgy, we, like Isaiah, experience God’s awesome
holiness, and confess our own sinfulness. Isaiah received a live coal
from the alter to cleanse him from his sin; we receive the body and
blood of Christ in the bread and wine of the Eucharist. After
communion, the priest repeats the same words as the Seraphim: “Lo,
this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and
thy sin purged.”

From the Book of Isaiah:

Is:6:1: In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Is:6:2: Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he
covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did
fly.
Is:6:3: And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of
hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Is:6:4: And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and
the house was filled with smoke.

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Is:6:5: Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine
eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Is:6:6: Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his
hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Is:6:7: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy
lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Is:6:8: Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and
who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Is:6:9: And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but
understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

‰ Isaiah is also known for his prophecies about the future messiah,
Jesus Christ: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name Emmanuel” (Is:7:14). The name “Emmanuel” in
the language of the Jews means “God is with us.” This prophecy was
fulfilled when Christ, the Son of God, was born of the virgin Mary.
Isaiah also prophesied about the suffering of Christ, His death on
the cross for our sins, and his silence and humility before those that
killed Him.

‰ Jonah: This prophet was sent by God to a city called Nineveh. The
people there had forgotten about God and were living sinful lives.
Jonah was to speak God’s word to them so that they would repent
and return to God. Jonah, however, did not obey God. He decided
that it was useless to go to Ninevah since he thought that the people
wouldn’t listen to him anyway. So he got on a ship to try to escape
from God. While the ship was at sea, God sent a storm. The ship
was in danger of sinking. Jonah realized that it was God who sent
the storm, and he confessed his disobedience to the others on the
ship. He asked to be thrown into the sea in order to save the ship.
As soon as he was thrown into the sea, the storm calmed down. God
prepared a big fish to swallow up Jonah. Jonah remained in the
fish’s belly for three days and three nights, and he was saved from
drowning. Jonah gave thanks to God and repented of his
disobedience. On the third day, the fish opened its mouth and Jonah
came out on dry land. God again asked him to go to Ninevah, and this

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 2time Jonah obeyed. He told the people of Ninevah that God would
destroy their city if they didn’t repent from their evil ways. To
Jonah’s surprise, the people did repent and asked God’s forgiveness.
God forgave them and did not destroy the city. Jonah actually
became angry because of this. He felt that he had wasted his time
coming to Ninevah. But God taught him to have compassion on
sinners, as God Himself has. God did not desire the death of the
people in Ninevah. In his love, He forgave them for all of their sins.

‰ The experience of Jonah in the belly of the great fish was a sign of
Christ’s own death and resurrection. During Christ’s life on earth,
certain men asked Him for a sign of his authority. They wanted Him
to do some great miracle in front of them to prove that He was the
Son of God. But Christ only referred to the sign of Jonah. As Jonah
was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so
Christ would lay dead in a tomb for three days and three nights
before being resurrected. This was the sign of Christ’s divinity.

From the Gospel of Matthew:

Mt:12:38: Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered,
saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Mt:12:39: But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but
the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mt:12:40: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly;
so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth.
Mt:12:41: The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation,
and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas;
and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Questions:
1. What did Joshua do after the Israelites possessed the promised land?
2. What happened with the Israelites after Joshua’s death?
3. Who were the “judges”?
4. Describe the life of King David.
5. What is a prophet? What role did they play among the Israelites?

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6. How does the Prophet Nathan’s prophecy to King David relate to Jesus
Christ?
7. What does the account of the call of the prophet Isaiah tell us about God?
About human beings? How has it influenced our Divine Liturgy?
8. Who is the messiah?
9. How is the experience of Jonah in the belly of the great fish a sign of
Christ?

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 Lesson Seven: John the Baptist

‰ All of the Old Testament prophets, in one way or another, were

preparing the world for the coming of Christ. The last and
greatest of all the prophets to prepare the world for Christ was
John the Baptist. He is the link between the old covenant and the
age of the law and the prophets, and the new covenant
established by Christ and preached by the Apostles. He is known
as “the Baptist” because he baptized Christ in the River Jordan at
the beginning of Christ’s public ministry. He is also known as “the
forerunner” because he came before the Lord Jesus to prepare for
His coming. An icon of John the Baptist is found in every Orthodox
church, usually to the left of the icon of Christ on the icon screen in
front of the alter. Something about him is found in each of the four
Gospels.

‰ His parents were named Zacharias and Elizabeth. They lived in

Jerusalem were Zacharias was a priest in the temple of God. They
were both righteous and obeyed the commands of God. However,
Elizabeth was not able to have any children. One day, when they
were both very old, Zacharias went to serve in the temple. He went
into a special room to burn incense before the Lord as an act of
worship. While he was there, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and
said:
From the Gospel of Luke:
Lk:1:13: Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth
shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
Lk:1:14: And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at
his birth.
Lk:1:15: For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost,
even from his mother's womb.
Lk:1:16: And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their
God.
Lk:1:17: And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom
of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

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 ‰ Zacharias couldn’t believe what he was hearing, since he and his wife
were already past the age of child bearing. Because of his doubt,
the angel Gabriel gave him a sign of God’s power: Zacharias would be
unable to speak until the birth of his son. After the angel left,
Zacharias came out to the people, and they realized that he had seen
a vision. Nine months later Elizabeth gave birth to a son. On the
eighth day after his birth, Elizabeth gave him the name John, as the
angel had said. They people with here were amazed since there was
no one by that name among their relatives. They asked Zacharias
what to call him and he wrote on a piece of paper “his name is John.”
At that moment he began to speak again and to praise God. The
people were again amazed and realized that this baby would be a
great man. Zacharius became filled with God’s Holy Spirit and he
began to prophesy:
From the Gospel of Luke:
Lk:1:68: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and
redeemed his people,
Lk:1:69: And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his
servant David;
Lk:1:70: As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been
since the world began:
Lk:1:71: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of
all that hate us;
Lk:1:72: To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember
his holy covenant;
Lk:1:73: The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
Lk:1:74: That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the
hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
Lk:1:75: In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Lk:1:76: And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for
thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
Lk:1:77: To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission
of their sins,
Lk:1:78: Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring
from on high hath visited us,

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Lk:1:79: To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

‰ While still a boy, John left his parents to live a solitary life in the
desert wilderness. Here he had peace and time to meditate on God’s
words, and to pray. He lived with very little food, and dressed in
animal skins and a leather belt. When he was 31 years old, God called
him to preach to his fellow Jews. He began to preach: “Repent, for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” The prophet Isaiah, several
hundred years earlier, had prophesied that God would send someone
to prepare the way for the coming of the messiah: “Behold, I send
my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before
thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way
of the Lord, make his paths straight (Mark 1:2-3). The first
Christians realized that John was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

‰ Many Jews came out to the desert to hear John’s word, to repent of
their sins and to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. This
baptism symbolized the washing away of their sins. Even some of the
Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sudducees, came to be
baptized. This surprised John since many of these leaders had
become proud of their own status as the chosen ones of God. They
followed many of the laws and practices of their religion simply to be
seen and admired by others, rather than out of true love for God.
When John saw them coming to be baptized he had harsh words for
them: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our
father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise
up children unto Abraham” (Matthew 3:7-9).

‰ John knew that he was simply preparing the way for someone greater
than himself who would come after him. John baptized with water,
but He who was to come after him would baptize with the Holy
Spirit. He was a witness that the Kingdom of God was near, and that
men should prepare themselves to receive the King who was coming
into the world. The appearance of this King, Jesus Christ, would
bring a great time of judgement, since men would either accept Him

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 as their King and follow Him, or reject Him. One day, while John was
baptizing people in the Jordan River, this King came before him.
John recognized Him and cried: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

‰ After Jesus had begun His public ministry, John knew that his
prophetic role was finished. The popularity of Jesus grew, and many
of John’s disciples left John to be with Jesus. One day some Jews
asked John about this, thinking he might be envious of Jesus. John
responded: “Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the
Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the
bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and
heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice:
this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must
decrease” (John 3:28-30). What great love he showed for Jesus by
this, and what humility! Jesus said of him: “Among them that are
born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist”
(Matthew 11:11).

‰ John the Baptist died a short while after this by being beheaded by
King Herod. John was first thrown into prison for having confronted
the king with a great sin he had committed. Later, the king’s wife,
who hated John, asked the king to cut off his head. John’s death
reminds us that, like him, many of the prophets of the Old
Testament who spoke God’s truth were hated and persecuted. Jesus
also promised that those who were His true disciples would
experience the same thing, as in fact happened with all of the
Apostles and many after them. We honor the death of John the
Baptist on September 11 by keeping a strict fast. We celebrate his
feast day on January 7, the day after the great feast of Christ’s
baptism.

Questions:
1. What was special about the birth of John?
2. What is the meaning of the song which Zacharias sings?
3. Why is John called “the forerunner”?
4. Why is John called “the Baptist”?
5. What did John say when he began to preach?

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6. What was the response to John’s preaching?
7. What did John say when he first saw Jesus?
8. What does the death of John teach us?

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 Lesson Eight: The Acts of the Apostles

‰ In the beginning, when Jesus began to teach and do many miracles,

he was popular with the Jewish people. Large crowds would gather
to hear him talk, and all were amazed at his teaching. Jesus first
went among the towns of Galilee, then to other towns nearby, and
finally to Jerusalem. His public ministry lasted only three years.
By the time He arrived in Jerusalem in the third year, He was no
longer so popular. He was charged with blasphemy by the Jewish
leaders, and declared an enemy of the Roman Empire. His earthly
life ended on a cross outside the city of Jerusalem, abandoned by
almost everyone, including most of his closest disciples. His body
was placed in a tomb. It seemed that his ministry would end in
failure. . . .

‰ What happened next changed the history of the world forever.

Jesus rose from the dead after three days in the tomb! The women
who came to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with spices were the
first to witness the Resurrection. They ran to tell the good news to
Christ’s other disciples. Then Jesus Himself appeared to the
disciples. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus told them that in a
little while His Father would send them the Holy Spirit. “You shall
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall
be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This promise was fulfilled
on the day of Pentecost, when the apostles of Christ were baptized
with the Holy Spirit of God. With their faith made strong by
Christ’s resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit, they went
out into the world as Christ commanded to preach the gospel to
every creature. Thus began the history of the Christian church!

‰ The Book of Acts was written by the Evangelist Luke to record the
first 30 years or so of church history, up until the arrest of the
Apostle Paul in Rome around the year 62. We will discuss only a few
of the events which Luke records in his book.

‰ Election of Matthias: Jesus had many disciples, but twelve of them

were particularly close to him. They had been with Jesus since the

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 time he was baptized by John up until his ascension into heaven.
They had witnessed His resurrection, and were specially sent by
Jesus to preach the good news of His resurrection to the whole
world. These twelve were called “apostles”, meaning “sent ones”. It
was important to Jesus that there be twelve apostles, since this was
the number of tribes that made up ancient Israel. One of the
apostles chosen by Jesus, Judas Iscariot, had betrayed Him.
Therefore, the rest of the apostles decided to choose someone to
replace Judas. They chose two men, Joseph and Matthias, and
prayed that the Lord would reveal to them which one should become
the twelfth apostle. It was revealed that Matthias would become an
apostle. The rest of the apostles were Peter, James, John,
Andrew, Philip, Nathaniel, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of
Alphaeus, Judas Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananite.

‰ The Martyrdom of Stephen: As the number of believers grew, the

Apostles decided to choose seven men who would attend to the
physical needs of the church. These were the first “deacons”
(meaning “servants”). One of these was named Stephen, a man “full
of faith and power, [who] did great wonders and signs among the
people,” as St. Luke tells us (Acts 6:8). Some of the Jews decided to
claim false things about Stephen, so that the people would turn
against him. The Jewish religious leaders brought him to court to
answer the charges against him. Stephen began to recount the whole
history of God’s revelation to His people, beginning with His
appearance to Abraham through the times of the prophets who
foretold the coming of the Messiah. Your fathers always persecuted
the prophets, he continued, and now you have killed the One about
whom they prophesied, for Jesus is the Messiah. The Jews that
heard this became very angry at Stephen.

From the Book of Acts:

Acts:7:54: When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and
they gnashed on him with their teeth.
Acts:7:55: But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of
God,

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Acts:7:56: And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man
standing on the right hand of God.
Acts:7:57: Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears,
and ran upon him with one accord,
Acts:7:58: And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses
laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Acts:7:59: And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit.
Acts:7:60: And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not
this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

‰ Stephen became the first martyr of the church. The word martyr is
a Greek word meaning witness. Stephen was a witness of Christ, not
just by his words, but by his death. He did not hide the truth about
Christ because it made others angry, and for this he paid with his
life. In his death, Stephen imitated his master Jesus Christ, who
remained peaceful in spite of the violence of his persecutors, to the
end of even praying for their forgiveness. Stephen was the first of
many martyrs of the Church. All of the Apostles but John were
killed for their faith. For the first 300 years of its life, the Church
experienced several periods when many of its members were killed
for their faith. But the Church continued to grow throughout this
time, not least due to the witness of the martyrs. Many who
observed Christians go to their death with peace and faith in God,
where changed by this experience and became Christians themselves.

‰ The Conversion of Paul: One of the Jews to observe Stephen’s

martyrdom was a Pharisee named Saul. At first, Saul continued to
hate Christians and to persecute them. He traveled all over the land
to try to stop the growth of the Church. One day he was on his way
to the city of Damascus for this purpose.

From the Book of Acts:

Acts:9:3: And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly
there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Acts:9:4: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou me?

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Acts:9:5: And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus
whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Acts:9:6: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it
shall be told thee what thou must do.
Acts:9:7: And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing
a voice, but seeing no man.
Acts:9:8: And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened,
he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into
Damascus.
Acts:9:9: And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor
drink.

‰ When Saul, who after this experience took the name Paul, came into
Damascus, the Christians there were afraid of him because they
didn’t know what had happened. So God spoke to a man named
Ananais. Ananais came and put his hands on Paul and Paul regained
his sight. Paul immediately began to preach about Christ to the
Jews. Later, God used him to bring the Gospel to the gentiles. He
helped establish many churches throughout the Roman empire. The
second half of the book of Acts describes his missionary journeys.
After his third missionary journey, Paul was imprisoned and sent to
Rome where he was eventually killed around the year 67. Paul wrote
letters (some of them while in prison) to many of the churches he
established. These letters were later collected by the early church
and form a large part of the New Testament.

‰ Philip and the Ethiopian: Philip was another of those chosen, along
with Stephen, to be a deacon. After Stephen’s martyrdom in
Jerusalem, Philip along with many other Christians, left this city in
fear of their lives. Philip was one of the first to bring the Gospel to
those outside of Jerusalem, and to non-Jews. He came first to
Samaria and brought many people to the faith. Then, at the
command of the Lord, he went toward Gaza. On his way to Gaza he
met a government official from Ethiopia. This Ethiopian was not of
the Jewish race, but he had adopted the Jewish religion. Philip
found him reading the book of the Prophet Isaiah. He was reading

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 the part that told of a just man who would be unjustly killed, and
whose suffering would cleanse the sin of all mankind. It was a
prophesy about the suffering and death of the messiah. Philip
questioned him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts
8:30). The Ethiopian replied that he could not understand it unless
someone teach him. Then Philip began to teach the Ethiopian and
showed him that the Prophet Isaiah was talking about Jesus Christ.
The Ethiopian believed the Gospel and desired to be baptized. Along
the road they found some water, and Philip baptized him. Then Philip
left, and the Ethiopian continued on his way to his country with great
joy in his heart to tell others about Jesus.

‰ The Council at Jerusalem: As more and more gentiles came into the
Church, a question arose. What was the relationship between the
religious practices of Judaism and the Gospel? Specifically, did non-
Jewish converts to Christianity have to be circumcised. Some
Jewish Christians claimed that they did, while the Apostle Paul
taught that it wasn’t necessary. Circumcision had been commanded
by God as a sign of His covenant with Abraham and his descendents.
But this covenant, as Paul explains in his letters, was only in affect
until the eternal covenant would be established through the death
and resurrection of Christ. In any case, it was Abraham’s faith in
God which made him the father of the faith, not simply the external
cutting of the flesh. Those who have faith in Jesus Christ become
children of Abraham, whether or not they have been circumcised.

‰ In order that a division would not arise in the Church, it was decided
that a council should be held to answer the question of circumcision.
This council was held in Jerusalem and attended by the Apostles and
elders of the church. Peter, Paul and Barnabas spoke about all the
wonders which God had done among the gentiles. God had given them
the Holy Spirit just as He had the Jewish Christians. They decided,
therefore, that since God made no distinction between Jews and
gentiles, neither should they. James, the leader of the church at
Jerusalem, gave the decision of the church that the gentiles would
not have to be circumcised.

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Questions:
1. Who were the first to witness the Lord’s Resurrection? What was the
first thing they did afterwards?
2. What did Jesus promise his disciples before ascending into heaven? When
was this promise fulfilled?
3. What gave the Apostles the courage to become witnesses of Christ
throughout the Roman Empire?
4. What is the meaning of the word “apostle”. Why did Jesus choose twelve
apostles? Which apostle betrayed Christ? Who replaced him as the
twelfth apostle?
5. What is the meaning of the word “martyr”. Who was the first martyr of
the church? How did he imitate Christ?
6. What happened to Saul (Paul) on the way to Damascus? How did God use
Paul to spread the Gospel?
7. What was the Ethiopian reading when he met Philip? How did Philip use
this book to preach the Gospel?
8. Why did the Council at Jerusalem decide that circumcision was not
necessary for gentile converts to Christianity?

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 Section Two: Moral Teachings

Lesson Nine: The Ten Commandments

Ex:20:2: I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Ex:20:3: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Ex:20:4: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that
is in the water under the earth.
Ex:20:5: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the
Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Ex:20:6: And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and
keep my commandments.
Ex:20:7: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the
Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Ex:20:8: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Ex:20:9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Ex:20:10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou
shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant,
nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy
gates:
Ex:20:11: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all
that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the
sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Ex:20:12: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long
upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Ex:20:13: Thou shalt not kill.
Ex:20:14: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Ex:20:15: Thou shalt not steal.
Ex:20:16: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

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Ex:20:17: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox,
nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

‰ The first four commandments pertain to our relationship to God.

The next six concern our relationship with other human beings.
Christ summarized the entire Old Testament law as consisting
essentially of two commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second
is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”
(Matthew 22:37-40). There is an essential connection between the
two parts of the moral law. Without a pure love for God, we will
never be able to love our neighbor perfectly, who is created in the
image of God. At the same time, our lack of love for our neighbor
indicates that we do not truly love God, who created our neighbor.
It is part of our sinful nature that we try to divide the two parts of
the law, either pretending to love God without loving our neighbor, or
vice versa.

‰ Many people today look at the Ten Commandments in negative terms.

They think that God is trying to keep us from being free and happy
people by imposing all of these arbitrary laws on us. Nothing could
be farther from the truth. The Jews rejoiced in God’s law. It was a
light that illumined the way to true joy and happiness. We should
have this same attitude. God’s law is given to us for our benefit, not
God’s. The person that keeps the Ten Commandments will find great
peace, whereas he who breaks them will only find sadness.

‰ First Commandment: I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no

other gods before me.
All worship, honor and glory are due to the One true God. We must
not worship anything or anyone else as God. We must love, respect
and fear Him above everything else that exists. We must put God’s
commandments above any human laws. We must not put our hope or
our faith in anything or anyone else but the Lord God. A false god is
anything that is more important to us than the Lord.

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‰ Second Commandment: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or
that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.
An idol is a material representation of a creature or of an imaginary
god which is worshiped in place of the one true God. God commands
us not to make such idols, and not to worship before them. This was
a common practice among Israel’s neighbors, and Israel often fell
into the sin of making or worshiping idols. We fall into this sin when
we make idols of money, power, fame, pleasure, etc and give them the
honor and devotion that is due to God alone.
It has always been a desire of the human heart to make visible
representations of the invisible God. But whatever we make with our
hands or conceive in our minds is not the true God. God utterly
transcends the created world. It is only in the person of Christ in
which the invisible God becomes visible.

‰ Third Commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy
God in vain.
We must show respect for God by respecting His Name. This means
not to use God’s name as a swear word, or without thinking what we
are saying. We break this commandment when we swear false oaths
in the name of God. We honor Name when we call on Him in prayer
and in worship.

‰ The Fourth Commandment: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it

holy.
In the Book of Genesis we read that God blessed the seventh day
and hollowed it, for on it He rested from all the work of creation.
Man was commanded to follow this divine pattern by resting from all
work on the seventh day. He was thereby honoring God who created
all things. Although God could be worshiped anytime, the sabbath
was set aside specially for this purpose.
Christ’s resurrection on the first day of the week, Sunday,
instituted a “New Creation”. For this reason, the Church
substituted Sunday for Saturday as the Day of the Lord. On this
day, Christians are expected to abstain from any unnecessary work

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 and to attend the Divine Liturgy and other services of the church.
We also honor the Lord on this day by praying privately, learning
about our faith, or doing works of charity.

‰ The Fifth Commandment: Honour thy father and thy mother: that
thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee.
To honor our parents means to love, respect, help and obey them.
We should also pray for them. When they are old or sick, we should
care for them. We should show the same respect to anyone who is
placed in authority over us, such as the civil authorities, our
teachers, our bishops and priests. Our grandparents and senior
citizens also deserve our respect. Our parents are given to us by
God, and to disrespect them is to disrespect God. The same applies
to those who have authority over us. All authority ultimately comes
from God, and we must respect it as such. God gives us a promise
with this commandment, that if we obey our parents we will live a
long and peaceful life.

‰ The Sixth Commandment: Thou shalt not kill.

All life is given by God, and only God has the absolute right to take it
away. The taking of a human life, including our own, is forbidden
because every human being is made in the image of God. In this
commandment, God also forbids all violence, hatred, and cruelty,
which are the cause of murder. We are not to cause any harm to our
neighbor, neither by our physical acts, nor by our words or thoughts.
We can “kill” another person spiritually by influencing them to sin.
We are to be careful about what we say, because our words can
become very powerful weapons. We are commanded to treat all life
as sacred. We should not be cruel to animals by killing or hurting
them needlessly.

‰ The Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

St. Paul tells us that our bodies are members of Christ. “Every other
sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man
sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?” (1
Corinthians 6:18-19). We dishonor this “temple” when we commit

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 illicit sexual acts. Sex outside of marriage is forbidden. This
prohibition extends to impure thoughts and desires. We are to avoid
anything that might lead us to impure thoughts, including obscene
talk, immoral books, magazines, songs and films, and even evil
companions.

‰ The Eighth Commandment: Thou shalt not steal.

We must respect the possessions of our neighbors, neither taking
them away without the permission of the owner, nor mistreating
them. This commandment also prohibits all manner of dishonesty,
deception and cheating. We should not benefit by the failure of
others. We must be just in any kind of dealing with others. We
break this commandment when we are not merciful with those in
need. Since all of creation belongs to God, our material possessions
are given to us for a certain purpose. They are not ends in
themselves, but are given to us to provide for our family, for the
church, and for those in need.

‰ The Ninth Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbour.
We are forbidden to tell lies about anyone for any purpose. This
includes being silent when we should speak the truth. We fall into
this sin when we try to judge the sins of others. Christ tells us that
we are to judge no man. We should be concerned about our own sins,
not judging others.

‰ The Tenth Commandment: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's

house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his
manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any
thing that is thy neighbour's.
God commands us to be content with what we have and not be envious
of others, neither of their material possessions, nor of their
popularity or status. Envy causes us to hate our neighbor because of
their wealth or prosperity, and leads to sinful acts. The desire to be
rich leads to many temptations. We should realize that we brought
nothing into the world and can take nothing out of it.

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 ‰ We should meditate on God’s law at all times, so that it becomes
“written on our hearts.” When we feel tempted to sin, we must
throw ourselves upon God’s mercy and ask for His help. Only in this
way can we avoid sinning against God and against our neighbor. We
should realize that God is always present and sees everything that
happens among us. We cannot hide our sins from God, neither can we
have peace in our own heart when we have committed a sin and have
not repented of it. Repentance and confession are the “medicine”
which God has given us to heal our souls sick with sin.

Questions:
1. How did Jesus summarize the Ten Commandments?
2. What is the relationship between the two parts of the law?
3. Why did God give us the Ten Commandments?
4. What is an “idol”? Why does God prohibit the worship of idols?
5. Why did God command the Jews to keep the sabbath day holy? Why do
Christians keep Sunday holy, rather than Saturday?
6. What are some of the ways we “kill” our neighbor?
7. What should we do if we have broken one of God’s commandments?

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 Lesson Ten: The Beatitudes

Mt:5:3: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mt:5:4: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Mt:5:5: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Mt:5:6: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for
they shall be filled.
Mt:5:7: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mt:5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mt:5:9: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of
God.
Mt:5:10: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mt:5:11: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mt:5:12: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

‰ The first teachings of Jesus that are recorded by the Gospel of

Matthew are the “beatitudes”. Jesus has recently been baptized by
John, and has endured forty days in the desert where he has been
tempted by Satan. He has walked around the Sea of Galilee, calling
his apostles, calling people to repentance, and healing all types of
sickness. A crowd begins to follow him, and Jesus ascends a hill and
begins to teach. And how beautiful are the words that we hear from
him! Never had the world heard such words! Moses received the
Law of God on tablets of stone on Mount Sinai, but here, on another
mountain, we hear the words of God Himself. Many have compared
the beatitudes to a ladder that leads to spiritual perfection. To
reach the top, we must start at the bottom and ascend step by step.

‰ In another place, Christ tells us: “A new commandment I give to

you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that
you also love one another” (John 13:34). Here is the key! The law
before Christ demanded a loving attitude toward our neighbor, but

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 now Christ shows us what love is. This new commandment does not
do away with the Mosaic law, but fulfills it.

Mt:5:21: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mt:5:22: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall
say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever
shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mt:5:27: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery:
Mt:5:28: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust
after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

‰ Christ teaches us and shows us the true moral perfection that is

demanded of us by His Father. It is a perfection that goes beyond
simply trying to keep the “letter” of the law in an external way. It
demands the purification of our whole heart and soul. Since we call
God our Father, we are to reflect God’s own perfection. God does
not merely love those who are good or religious; He also loves the
wicked and the atheists. It is merely “human” to love those who love
us, but divine to love our enemies. Christ loved his enemies, even
those who crucified him. He prayed for them on the cross: “Father,
forgive them for they know not what they do.” We have seen that
St. Stephen did the same thing, and many other saints of our church
that followed him. They are saints because they reflect the holiness
of God Himself!

Mt:5:43: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mt:5:44: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you;

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Mt:5:45: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for
he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on
the just and on the unjust.
Mt:5:46: For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not
even the publicans the same?
Mt:5:47: And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?
do not even the publicans so?
Mt:5:48: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect.

‰ First Beatitude: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
To be “poor in spirit” means to be humble, as Christ was humble. If
we want to reach the spiritual perfection which Christ calls us to, we
must first realize our own emptiness and weakness. Christ calls us to
be like a child: to acknowledge our own helplessness. Christ tells us
that “apart from Me you can do nothing.” This is where we begin, by
giving up all false presumptions about our own perfection. If we do
not have humility, we cannot please God, for our actions would
proceed from a spirit of pride. Christ gives us several illustrations
of poverty of spirit. Perhaps the greatest of these is the parable of
the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14).

‰ Second Beatitude: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be
comforted.
Those who are poor in spirit are able to see their own sins and to
lament over them. They live in repentance. Their sorrow is not
without hope though, because God promises to forgive those who
judge themselves. They shall be comforted by God Himself. The
poor in spirit also see clearly the affects of sin in the world, and this
causes them great pain. They mourn for all the lost souls of the
world. Many of the saints of the Bible expressed sorrow for their
own sins, or the sins of their people. Jesus himself wept when he
foresaw the destruction of Jerusalem. Peter wept after he had
denied the Lord.

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 ‰ Third Beatitude: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the
earth.
Those who judge themselves and mourn for their own sins will not
judge their neighbor. They will have an attitude of meekness, not
desiring to offend anyone, and not being angered by anyone. Jesus
is the greatest example of a meek person. He never returned anger
or violence, but always “turned the other cheek”. He did not try to
defend or justify himself, although he was unjustly accused.

‰ Fourth Beatitude: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst

after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
The one who is meek and empty of any self-righteousness longs to be
filled with the righteousness that comes from God. When we have
given up trying to justify ourselves by our own works, then God looks
upon our meekness and accomplishes his work of grace in us, filling us
with the righteousness that comes from Him alone. It is this grace
which allows us to live according to God’s good will.

‰ Fifth Beatitude: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain
mercy.
Those who wait upon and receive the righteousness of God become
themselves instruments of God’s mercy. They follow Christ’s
command to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the
naked, take in the stranger and comfort the sorrowing. They also
accomplish spiritual acts of mercy, such as correcting sinners,
instructing the ignorant, giving advice, forgiving those that offend
them, and praying for the welfare of others.

‰ Sixth Beatitude: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see
God.
The “heart” refers to the center of our person, our spiritual being.
It is with the heart that we “see” the invisible truths of God, and
God Himself. But our passions and sins darken our heart and prevent
us from “seeing” God. It is only those who have been purified by the
foregoing steps (spiritual poverty, mourning, meekness, the hunger
for righteousness and works of mercy) who will see God.

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‰ Seventh Beatitude: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be
called the children of God.
One who has a pure heart is used by God for His greatest work:
making peace. This refers not just to the peace of the world, but to
the spiritual peace which comes from God alone. It is the peace
which comes from reconciliation with God. St. Paul tells us that God
has “reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us
the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2
Corinthians 5:18-19). Those who are of pure heart continue the
reconciling work of Christ, and it is this which marks them as
“children of God.” One of the greatest witnesses of Christ is simply
to live together in peace. This peace reflects the presence of Christ
to a world that is full of violence. To be peacemakers, we must not
simply forgive those who come to us for forgiveness. We must
actively seek out those who have offended us and pursue
reconciliation.

‰ The Eighth Beatitude: Blessed are they which are persecuted for
righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Christ came into the world as the “Prince of Peace” and suffered a
violent death at the hand of violent men. He offered rest to those
who were burdened with sin and guilt, and received reproach and
angry words. And so it is with all those who follow Him in the path of
peacemaking. Christ Himself tells us why this is so: “light has come
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light
and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed”
(John 3:19-20). If we are a true “light” to the world, as Christ calls
all of His disciples to be, then we should not be surprised to be
persecuted by the lovers of darkness. Rather, we should rejoice in
the knowledge that we will receive the kingdom of heaven.

‰ The Ninth Beatitude: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you,
and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you
falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is

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 your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which
were before you.
This beatitude is more specific in linking the persecution directly to
our witness of Christ. And we are told to rejoice in the midst of our
sufferings for Christ. How strange this seems to many, for whom all
suffering only leads to sorrow! But one who has climbed up the other
steps of the beatitudes is ready to bear all things for Christ, and
feels joyful to be counted worthy to suffer for Him. They have a joy
that the world cannot take away. “In the world you have tribulation”
Christ told his disciples, “but be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world” (John 16:33). This is the secret! Christ has already overcome
death and the evil of the world.

Questions:
1. What is the new commandment of Christ?
2. What is the relationship of Christ’s commandments to the Ten
Commandments?
3. In which way do we most perfectly reflect God’s love and holiness?
4. Why is poverty of spirit (or humility) the first step of the ladder of the
beatitudes?
5. What are some of the acts of mercy?
6. What does it mean to be a peacemaker?

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Section Three: Great Feasts of the Church

Lesson Eleven: Nativity of the Holy Virgin Mary

(September 8)

‰ We have seen that John the Baptist was the last in a line of
prophets leading up to the new covenant initiated in and by Christ.
But Christ’s birth into the world was not “automatic”. He came as a
real human being, conceived in the womb of a real woman. His
mother’s consent to God’s will was necessary for His coming into the
world. The prophets had also prophesied about this woman; she
would give birth to the messiah while remaining a virgin. Therefore,
the Church sees the new covenant to begin even before the birth of
Christ, with the nativity of the Virgin Mary. As Christ became a
second Adam, Mary, the mother of Christ, became a second Eve,
overturning the disobedience of the first Eve by her obedience to
God’s will. The Nativity of the Holy Virgin Mary is the first feast of
the church year.

‰ The story of the birth of the Virgin Mary is not found in the New
Testament, but in other writings that have become part of our
sacred tradition. The parents of Mary, Joachim and Anna, where
two devout Jews who lived in the city of Nazareth. Like so many of
the other births of holy people we have read about, the birth of
Mary was also miraculous. Joachim and Anna had grown old without
giving birth to a child. This made them very sad. People began to say
bad things about them, because in that time it was considered a
curse of God not to be able to have any children. Joachim and Anna
did not blame God, but only prayed to Him more fervently that He
would give them a child. They promised that if they had a child they
would dedicate that child to the service of God. God answered their
prayers. The angel Gabriel came to them and announced that a
daughter would be born whom the whole human race would call
blessed. They named their daughter Mary.

‰ Joachim was from the tribe of Judah, through which King David
came, and through which the future messiah was to come. Anna was

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 from the tribe of Aaron, from which all the priests of Israel came.
The birth of Mary thus united the royal and the priestly branches of
Israel. Her Son Jesus would be both the divine King and the divine
priest of our salvation.

‰ During the evening service (Vespers) for this feast, we read from
the book of Genesis about the patriarch Jacob’s dream of a ladder
extending from earth to heaven. This was a foreshadowing of the
Most Holy Virgin Mary, who became a ladder uniting heaven and
earth by giving birth to Christ. She is the house of God, and the gate
of heaven.

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)

Your Nativity, O Virgin, has proclaimed joy to the whole universe!
The Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, has shone from you, O Theotokos!
By annulling the curse, He bestowed a blessing.
By destroying death, He has granted us eternal life.

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)

By your Nativity, O Most-Pure Virgin, Joachim and Anna are freed from
barrenness.
Adam and Eve from the corruption of death.
And we, your people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate and sing to you:
The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos, the Nourisher of our life.

Questions:
1. Why does the Church place this as the first great feast of the Church
year?
2. Why is the Virgin Mary referred to as a second Eve?
3. Who where the parents of the Virgin Mary?
4. What was special about her birth?
5. Why do we read the story of Jacob’s dream in the service for this feast?

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 Lesson Twelve: The Entrance of the Holy Virgin Mary
into the Temple
(November 21)

‰ This feast celebrates the entrance of the Virgin Mary as a small

child into the temple in Jerusalem. Joachim and Anna had promised
to dedicate their child to the service of God. They fulfill this
promise by bringing Mary to the temple to be dedicated and to live a
life consecrated to God. Holy Tradition tells us that Mary was
received by the High Priest Zacharias, who to the surprise of all
present, brought the small child into the holiest part of the temple,
the Holy of Holies. This was the part of the temple where the High
Priest alone was supposed to enter, and then only during the holiest
day of the year. Zacharias recognized by divine inspiration that this
child would herself become a living temple of the Lord, a Holy of
Holies where God Himself would dwell. The temple at Jerusalem was
the holiest site of all Israel, but it is the Holy Virgin Mary, the living
temple, who sanctifies this temple of stone.

‰ According to Tradition, Mary was three years old when she was
brought to the temple. Within the temple were rooms where virgins
lived who where dedicated to the service of God. Mary lived in one
of these rooms. During her time in the temple, she was educated in
the community of devout virgins, daily reading the Holy Scriptures,
doing handiwork and praying. Thus did her love for God and His will
grow until the time when she gave her great “amen” to God’s saving
work!

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)

Today is the prelude of the good will of God, of the preaching of the salvation
of mankind.
The Virgin appears in the Temple of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to
all.
Let us rejoice and sing to her:
Rejoice, O divine Fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation!

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Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)
The most pure Temple of the Savior; the precious Chamber and Virgin;
The sacred Treasure of the glory of God is presented today to the house of
the Lord.
She brings with her the grace of the Spirit, which the angels of God do praise.
Truly this woman is the Abode of Heaven!

Questions:
1. Who received Mary when she was brought to the temple?
2. Where did he take her and why?
3. Why do we call the Holy Virgin Mary the living temple of God?
4. How did she live while she was in the temple?

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 Lesson Thirteen: The Annunciation to the
Holy Virgin Mary
(March 25)

‰ In this feast, we celebrate the first proclamation of Christ to the

world, which was made to the Holy Virgin Mary by the angel Gabriel.
Gabriel is the same angel who announced the future birth of John
the Baptist to Zacharias. We remember that Zacharias expressed
doubt in this work of God, and therefore lost his voice until the
miraculous birth had taken place. Mary, on the other hand,
expresses complete confidence in the power of God to work an even
greater miracle: to bring forth a child from her who knew no man.
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to
thy word.” With these words she offers her ascent to God’s saving
grace on behalf of all humanity. And unlike the mute Zacharias, she
opens her mouth in praise of the wonderful things which God has
done for her and for His people. The song that she sings is one of
the most beautiful in all of scripture. This same song is sung by the
Church during almost every morning service (matins) in memory of
the Mother of God, and in fulfillment of her prophecy that all
generations would caller her blessed.

From the Gospel of Luke:

Lk:1:26: And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto
a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Lk:1:27: To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the
house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Lk:1:28: And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art
highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Lk:1:29: And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in
her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Lk:1:30: And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found
favour with God.
Lk:1:31: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

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Lk:1:32: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Lk:1:33: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.
Lk:1:34: Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know
not a man?
Lk:1:35: And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the
Son of God.
Lk:1:36: And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son
in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
Lk:1:37: For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Lk:1:38: And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Lk:1:39: And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with
haste, into a city of Juda;
Lk:1:40: And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
Lk:1:41: And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of
Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy
Ghost:
Lk:1:42: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
Lk:1:43: And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should
come to me?
Lk:1:44: For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine
ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Lk:1:45: And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance
of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Lk:1:46: And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
Lk:1:47: And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Lk:1:48: For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for,
behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Lk:1:49: For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his
name.

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Lk:1:50: And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to
generation.
Lk:1:51: He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the
proud in the imagination of their hearts.
Lk:1:52: He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them
of low degree.
Lk:1:53: He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath
sent empty away.
Lk:1:54: He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
Lk:1:55: As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Lk:1:56: And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her
own house.

‰ We should notice in this account how many times the promises of the
Old Testament are recalled: 1) Joseph is from “the house of David”;
2) The child will be given “the thrown of his father David”; 3) The
child will “reign over the house of Jacob”; 4) God has helped “His
servant Israel” as He had promised long ago to Abraham and his
descendents. This reminds us that though this is the first specific
proclamation of Christ to the world, His coming has been foretold
in various ways since the beginning of God’s revelation to men.
All of human history has been a preparation for this moment.

‰ Some of the most beautiful hymns of the church concern the Virgin
Mary and the Annunciation. These are songs that express wonder
and joy in the miracle which God accomplished through her. Men
have always tried to find words to express the mystery of the
Mother of God. She is the restoration of the fallen Adam,
redemption of the tears of Eve; the throne of the King; the one who
holds Him Who holds all; the star who makes the Sun appear; the one
through whom the creation is made new; the unwedded bride!

‰ The icon of the Annunciation has an important place in our church

buildings. It is placed in the middle of the Royal Doors on the icon
screen which separates the alter from the rest of the sanctuary.
Surrounding it are icons of the four evangelists. This reminds us
that the announcement of Christ’s coming into the world was first

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 made to the Holy Virgin Mary, then proclaimed to the whole world
through the evangelists. On some of the icons of the Annunciation,
the angel Gabriel is shown presenting a branch with flowers to the
Virgin Mary. This recalls a miracle of the Old Testament in which
God caused a bare rod (the rod of Aaron) to send forth buds,
flowers and fruit (see Numbers 17). Here, Mary is seen as another
“rod of Aaron”: her barren womb is made fruitful by the power of
God to conceive the Savior of the world.

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)

Today is the beginning of our salvation, the revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin as Gabriel announces the
coming of grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 8)

O victorious Leader of triumphant hosts!
We, your servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks to you,
O Theotokos!
As you possess invincible might set us free from every calamity so that we
may sing:
Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Questions:
1. How does Mary’s reaction to Gabriel differ from that of Zacharias?
2. Why does this account of the Annunciation make reference to Old
Testament themes?
3. With what words does Mary ascent to God’s saving plan?
4. What are some of the images or words which the Church uses to describe
the mystery of the Mother of God?
5. Why is the Virgin Mary considered a new “rod of Aaron”?

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 Lesson Fourteen: The Nativity of our Lord God and
Savior Jesus Christ
(December 25)

‰ The birth of Christ is recorded for us by the evangelists Matthew

and Luke. They wrote their accounts many years after the events
which they describe here. They view these events through the
perspective of Christ’s resurrection, which confirmed their belief
that He was indeed the Son of God. Their accounts stress this fact
by showing that His birth was the fulfillment of many prophecies of
the Old Testament. At the actual moment of His birth, however,
very few people realized this, apart from the shepherds who
received a visit from the angel, and the wise men who could read the
witness of the stars and the writings of the Prophets. It is likely
that very few people gave much attention to Christ’s birth. He was
born in a stable, in a small town in a far corner of the Roman Empire
into a poor family. He lived the first part of his life in
circumstances similar to any other poor family of the time. His
humble birth upset the expectations of many of those who awaited
the Savior of Israel. Would He not come as a powerful King, with a
great show of force, so that all would recognize Him? But what
seems like weakness to many is precisely the glory of the Nativity!
His humility is equal to His Glory in Heaven. God’s glory is revealed
in the extent to which he will go to save us; entering the world as a
helpless baby of humble parents, and dying on a cross with thieves.
The only spectators at that great birth were some humble
shepherds. For the rest of His life it would always be the humble,
the poor, the outcasts, the hopeless, the sinners who came to Him.
The powerful, the rich, those of authority, the religious leaders
continued to act as King Herod in the story of the Nativity; desiring
to do away with Him Whom they thought was a threat to their
power.

From the Gospels of Matthew and Luke:

The Vision of Joseph

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Mt:1:18: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his
mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was
found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Mt:1:19: Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to
make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
Mt:1:20: But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the
Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear
not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of
the Holy Ghost.
Mt:1:21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Mt:1:22: Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Mt:1:23: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,
and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God
with us.
Mt:1:24: Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord
had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
Mt:1:25: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and
he called his name JESUS.

‰ We don’t hear much about Joseph after the birth of Jesus.

According to Tradition, he was already fairly old at the time of the
birth, and died sometime before Christ began his public ministry. It
is certain from what we read above that Joseph was a righteous and
God-fearing man. In his time, there would have been great shame
for women who got pregnant outside of marriage. But he resists the
pressure to put her away, and fulfills the command of God.

The Birth of Christ in Bethlehem

Lk:2:1: And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
Lk:2:2: (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of
Syria.)
Lk:2:3: And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

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Lk:2:4: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he
was of the house and lineage of David:)
Lk:2:5: To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Lk:2:6: And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered.
Lk:2:7: And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room
for them in the inn.

The Adoration by the Shepherds

Lk:2:8: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
Lk:2:9: And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Lk:2:10: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Lk:2:11: For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which
is Christ the Lord.
Lk:2:12: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Lk:2:13: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying,
Lk:2:14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men.
Lk:2:15: And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto
Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath
made known unto us.
Lk:2:16: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger.
Lk:2:17: And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child.
Lk:2:18: And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were
told them by the shepherds.

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Lk:2:19: But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Lk:2:20: And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

The Adoration by the Wise Men

Mt:2:1: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of
Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Mt:2:2: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen
his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Mt:2:3: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and
all Jerusalem with him.
Mt:2:4: And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the
people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
Mt:2:5: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is
written by the prophet,
Mt:2:6: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among
the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule
my people Israel.
Mt:2:7: Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of
them diligently what time the star appeared.
Mt:2:8: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently
for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again,
that I may come and worship him also.
Mt:2:9: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star,
which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over
where the young child was.
Mt:2:10: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Mt:2:11: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young
child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when
they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and
frankincense, and myrrh.
Mt:2:12: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return
to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

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 ‰ These wise men were not Jews, but foreigners from the east who
had some knowledge of the Old Testament prophecies of the birth
of Christ. They recognized that Christ was not King of the Jews
alone, but of all nations of men. It is likely that they were
astrologers who sought knowledge by looking at the stars. The
shepherds were told of Christ’s birth by an angel, but here God uses
nature itself to witness to the Nativity. As we sing in the troparion
of the feast: “those who worshiped the stars were taught by a star
to adore Thee.” The whole cosmos, since it is a creation of God,
joins in the worship of the infant Christ!

The Circumcision of the Lord

Lk:2:21: And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of
the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

‰ The church celebrates a minor feast on January 1st in memory of

the circumcision of Jesus. Circumcision was instituted by God as a
sign of His covenant with Abraham. Every Jewish male child was
circumcised on the eighth day after birth. Jesus, in submitting to
the law of circumcision, fulfills and completes the Old Covenant in
himself. What circumcision signified in an external way by the
cutting of flesh, the Lord fulfilled with his own passion and death on
the cross, instituting by his blood the New Covenant and a spiritual
circumcision of all believers. In one of the hymns of this feast we
sing: “In fulfilling the law, of Thine own will Thou didst receive
circumcision in the flesh, that Thou might make the shadow cease
and that Thou might roll away the veil of our passions.” Also on this
day, the Lord was given the name “Jesus”, which means “salvation of
Yahweh”.

The Killing of the Innocent Children and Flight to Egypt

Mt:2:13: And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child
and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee
word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

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Mt:2:14: When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night,
and departed into Egypt:
Mt:2:15: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I
called my son.
Mt:2:16: Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men,
was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in
Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Mt:2:17: Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,
saying,
Mt:2:18: In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and
great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be
comforted, because they are not.
Mt:2:19: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth
in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Mt:2:20: Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go
into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's
life.
Mt:2:21: And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came
into the land of Israel.
Mt:2:22: But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room
of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being
warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
Mt:2:23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)

Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, has shone to the world the light of
Wisdom!
For by it, those who worshiped the stars, were taught by a star to adore
Thee, the Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, Glory to Thee!

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Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 3)
Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the earth
offers a cave to the Unapproachable One!
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him!
The wise men journey with the star!
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

Questions:
1. How do the evangelists Matthew and Luke try to show that Jesus was the
Messiah, the Son of God?
2. What did many people expect the messiah to be like? How did Christ upset
their expectations?
3. How is God’s glory revealed in the Nativity?
4. What kind of people loved Jesus at His birth and during His life? What
kind of people hated Jesus at His birth and during His life?
5. Cite one of the Old Testament prophecies which Jesus fulfills?
6. How did the wise men know about the birth of Christ?

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Lesson Fifteen: The Meeting of the Lord in the Temple
(February 2)

‰ On the 40th day after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph brought
him to the temple in Jerusalem to present him as an offering to God.
By doing this, they where fulfilling the command which God gave to
Moses: “Consecrate to Me all the first born; whatever is the first to
open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast
is Mine (Exodus 13:1-2). God gave this command to Moses as a sign
by which to remember the Lord’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
In the last plague which God sent upon Egypt, all of the first-born
sons of the Egyptians were killed by an angel of the Lord. Only the
Israelites were spared from this death. From this time on, all the
first-born sons of the Israelites were dedicated to the service of
God.

‰ According to the law given to Moses, a woman after giving birth was
to remain apart from others and not enter the temple for 40 days.
At the end of this period she was to make an offering at the temple
of “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons”. At this offering,
the priest would say prayers for her and declare her pure. This is
what Mary does.

Lk:2:22: And when the days of their purification according to the law of
Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him
to the Lord;
Lk:2:23: (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the
womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
Lk:2:24: And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of
the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

‰ The circumcision of Christ, and his presentation in the temple, both

“according to the law”, extend the meaning of his Nativity: he is
truly God become man! He is no mere ghost or spirit, but a man of
flesh and blood, born of a real mother into a real society. If we
truly understand this, we will be amazed at the great condescension
of God! He Who made the heavens and the earth comes upon the

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 earth as a baby! He Who instituted circumcision under Abraham, and
gave the Law to Moses, now concedes to be circumcised himself, and
is obedient to the Law! He took upon himself our own poverty, in
order that we might partake of His riches! “Thou hast placed
Thyself under the law, that Thou mightest set all free from the
servitude of the law.”

Symeon the God-Bearer

Lk:2:25: And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was
Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the
consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Lk:2:26: And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should
not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Lk:2:27: And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Lk:2:28: Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lk:2:29: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to
thy word:
Lk:2:30: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Lk:2:31: Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Lk:2:32: A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Lk:2:33: And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were
spoken of him.
Lk:2:34: And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold,
this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign
which shall be spoken against;
Lk:2:35: (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the
thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

‰ Simeon had spent most of his life in expectation, “waiting for the
consolation of Israel.” In his last years of life, he had still not given
up hope that the Lord would redeem His people. Simeon is a
representative of all of the righteous men and women who had gone
before him, and who had lived and died in expectation of the Lord’s
salvation of Israel. When the old man takes the infant Christ into
his hands, this expectation has finally been fulfilled for all time.

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 With his joyous cry “mine eyes have seen thy salvation”, the
consolation of Israel has come at last. But it is not Israel alone who
receives its savior in the person of Simeon. The infant he holds in
his arms is the fulfillment of the longings of the entire human race.
He is “a light to enlighten the gentiles” as well as the glory of Israel.
This most beautiful song of Simeon continues to be sung today at
every evening service (vespers). We are called to experience the
same joy of Simeon in the realization that Christ has come as a light
into the darkness of our world.

‰ Simeon also, for the first time, points to the suffering which this
child, and his mother, would bear. This child would reveal the true
hearts of men by their reactions to him. His way of life and his
words would cause people to choose either to receive him as their
savior, or to reject him as a sinner. The “sword” signifies the pain
which Mary will experience as her Son endures suffering and
crucifixion.

The Prophetess Anna

Lk:2:36: And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband
seven years from her virginity;
Lk:2:37: And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which
departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers
night and day.
Lk:2:38: And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord,
and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Lk:2:39: And when they had performed all things according to the law of
the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

‰ This holy old women provides a great example for us to follow as

Christians: 1) she prepared herself for the coming of the Lord by
fasting and prayer; 2) she gave thanks to the Lord when she
recognized her savior in the infant Christ; 3) she proclaimed the
good news of Christ to all who looked for redemption.

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Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, Full of Grace!
From you shone the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening
those who sat in darkness!
Rejoice and be glad, O righteous elder; you accepted in your arms the
Redeemer of our souls,
Who grants us the Resurrection.

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 1)

By Thy Nativity, Thou didst sanctify the Virgin’s womb
And didst bless Simeon’s hands, O Christ God.
Now Thou hast come and saved us through love.
Grant peace to all Orthodox Christians, O only Lover of Man!

Questions:
1. What was the original meaning of presenting the first-born male child in
the temple?
2. How does the presentation of Christ in the temple extend the meaning of
the Nativity?
3. How is Simeon a representative of all the righteous men and women of the
Old Testament?
4. How is Simeon’s prophecy fulfilled?
5. How is Anna an example for all Christians?

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 Lesson Sixteen: The Theophany (Baptism) of Our Lord
Jesus Christ
(January 6)

‰ Jesus passed the first 30 years or so of his life in relative

obscurity. Very little is recorded about this period in the Gospels.
He lived with his parents in the town of Nazareth, were Joseph
earned his living as a carpenter. Jesus probably followed his father
in this profession, as was the custom of the time. At the age of 30,
Jesus left Nazareth and went to the Jordan River to be baptized by
John the Baptist, and thus begin his public ministry. The feast of
Christ’s baptism by John is called the “Theophany”, which means “the
manifestation of God”. It was at the baptism of Christ that the
worship of the Holy Trinity was first made manifest. As the
Troparion of the feast says: “the voice of the Father bore witness
to Thee, and called Thee His beloved Son! And the Spirit, in the
form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of His word.”

From the Gospel of Matthew:

Mt:3:13: Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be
baptized of him.
Mt:3:14: But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee,
and comest thou to me?
Mt:3:15: And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for
thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Mt:3:16: And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mt:3:17: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.

‰ When John recognized who Jesus was, he was amazed that he came
to him to be baptized. Remember that John called people to repent
of their sins, and he baptized them with water as a sign of this
repentance. To be immersed in water symbolized the washing away
of their sins. But Jesus had no need of such a washing, since he was

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 totally sinless. Indeed, he was the Lamb of God who would take away
the sins of others. Why then did he submit to being baptized?
Jesus does not deny the truth of John’s statement, that it should be
he who is baptized by Jesus, but simply tells John to allow it to be so
now since it is fitting to “fulfill all righteousness,” In the same way
that he submitted to circumcision, and to the presentation in the
temple, so here Jesus submits to the righteousness of John’s
baptism. What great humility he shows! He is not ashamed to mix
with the sinners coming to repent. Rather, he affirms that this is
the proper path.

‰ Christ’s humility in being baptized by John allowed for the first

manifestation of his Divinity as the Son of God, and One of the Holy
Trinity. From this time on, Jesus began to preach and teach publicly.
The baptism of Christ also established the character of Christian
baptism. By submitting to water baptism, Christ sanctified (made
holy) all waters, so that water can become the material bearer of
God’s divine grace. For this reason, water baptism has always been
the form of our entrance into the Church, and the means of our
salvation.

‰ On the day of this feast, the church performs the “Blessing of

Waters,” first in the Church itself, then, if possible, outside in a
natural body of water. The priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to
sanctify the water, as He came down from Heaven upon Christ in the
River Jordan. He prays thus: “Impart too it [the water] the grace of
redemption, the blessing of Jordan. Make it a fountain of
immortality, a gift of sanctification and remission of sins, a healing
of infirmities, a destruction of demons, unapproachable by hostile
powers, filled with angelic might.” During the following week, the
priest will go to the homes of church members to bless them with
this holy water. The blessing of waters reminds us that all of
creation belongs to God and can be filled with His Grace. Human
beings are not simply spiritual, but also material, and our salvation
extends to both spirit and mater.

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Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity
was made manifest!
For the voice of the Father bare witness to Thee, and called Thee His beloved
Son!
And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of His word.
O Christ our God, Who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world,
glory to Thee!

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)

Today Thou hast appeared to the universe,
And Thy light, O Lord, has shone on us,
Who with understanding praise Thee:
Thou hast come and revealed Thyself, O Light Unapproachable!

Questions:
1. Why is this feast called the “Theophany”?
2. Why did Jesus come to John to be baptized?
3. What was accomplished for us by Christ’s baptism?
4. What is the purpose of the “Blessing of Waters” which is performed this
day?

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Lesson Seventeen: The Transfiguration of Our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ
(August 6)

‰ As the eternal Son of God, Christ always shared the same divine
Glory as His Father and the Holy Spirit. It was the divine Glory of
Christ which filled the temple in the vision of Isaiah, and which
appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai. This is an uncreated Glory, which
created beings cannot fully comprehend, or even bear the vision of
for very long. When Christ became man, he “clothed” this divine
glory with his humanity. St. Paul speaks of Christ “emptying” himself
to become man, a servant, obedient to death on the cross. He did
not deign to be wrapped in swaddling clothes, to be circumcised, to
be brought to the temple in accordance with the law, to be baptized
by John, to be falsely accused, beaten and spit upon, and finally, to
ascend the cross with thieves on either side of him! But in all of
this, Christ is never separate from the Glory he has as one of the
Holy Trinity. His divine glory fully penetrates his humanity. His act
of “self-emptying” is at the same time his glorification. His moment
of the most extreme self-emptying on the cross, is at the same time
the moment of his greatest glorification! What is lacking is not the
divine glory, but the purity of heart on our part to see his glory in
everything.

‰ In this feast, we remember the event in the life of Christ when he

allowed his disciples to get a glimpse of his divine glory. Although we
speak of the transfiguration of Christ, it was really not Christ who
changed, since he was never without the divine glory. Rather, it was
Christ’s disciples who, for the first time, where able to see Christ’s
glory. This glory appears to them as a bright light, brighter than the
sun. Christ’s face, and even his clothe shine with this divine light.
“Light” is a very common image of the divine glory throughout the
scriptures. It illustrates the “radiant” nature of God’s glory, which
fills the whole earth and gives life to everything. But at the same
time, it reflects the incomprehensible and transcendent nature of
the divine glory. This glory is so bright that it is blinding to human
eyes. Like the disciples on the mountain of the transfiguration, we
must fall on our faces before it.

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From the Gospel of Matthew:
Mt:17:1: And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother,
and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mt:17:2: And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the
sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mt:17:3: And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking
with him.
Mt:17:4: Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us
to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee,
and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Mt:17:5: While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mt:17:6: And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were
sore afraid.
Mt:17:7: And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not
afraid.
Mt:17:8: And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save
Jesus only.
Mt:17:9: And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them,
saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from
the dead.

‰ This event occurs shortly after the disciples begin to realize that
Christ had to suffer and die. By revealing his glory to them, he
surely meant to strengthen their faith and comfort them in their
doubts. In the Kontakion of the Feast, we sing: “Thy disciples beheld
Thy Glory as far as they could see it; so that when they would
behold Thee crucified, they would understand that Thy suffering
was voluntary.” The three disciples he takes with him, Peter, James
and John, were the closest to the Lord. The mountain he ascends is
known as Mount Tabor. Moses had ascended another mountain,
Mount Sinai, where the glory of the Lord also appeared in the form
of a cloud and bright light, and the voice of the Lord came to Moses

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 from the cloud. After he spoke with the Lord, Moses’ face shone
brightly.

‰ Since both Moses and Elijah had seen the glory of God, they were
appropriate witnesses to Christ’s divinity. They also testify to
Christ as the fulfillment of both the Law (represented by Moses)
and the Prophets (represented by Elijah).

‰ Peter is transfixed by the vision, and forgets that the Lord did not
come into the world simply to reveal his glory on a mountain top, but
to descend into the darkness of the sinful world. Peter wants to
remain on the mountain top in the presence of the Lord, but the
salvation of the world requires that Christ continue his path toward
Jerusalem, his passion and the cross.

‰ The disciples fall on their face in the presence of the divine glory.
The divine glory is both wonderfully attractive and fearful, since to
experience God’s glory is at the same time to realize our own
unworthiness and sinfulness.

‰ Christ tells his disciples to tell no one of what they have seen until
after his resurrection. He did the same after other of his miracles.
Why wouldn’t he want his miracles to be known by the rest of the
people? Probably because the people would misunderstand their
meaning before his work was completed by his death and
resurrection. Many people began to follow him solely because of the
miracles he did, without really understanding who he was. Some even
tried to make him their earthly king. But Jesus didn’t come to
establish an earthly kingdom, but to proclaim the kingdom of heaven.

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 7)

Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ God,
Revealing Thy glory to Thy disciples as far as they could bear it.
Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinners!
Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of Light, glory to Thee!

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Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 7)
On the mountain wast Thou transfigured, O Christ God,
And Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could see it;
So that when they would behold Thee crucified, they would understand that
Thy suffering was voluntary,
And would proclaim to the world that Thou art truly the Radiance of the
Father!

Questions:
1. How was the divine glory of Christ manifested throughout his life?
2. Why is “light” an appropriate image of the divine glory?
3. Why did Christ reveal his glory to his disciples at this particular time?
4. What is the meaning of the presence of Moses and Elijah?
5. What do Peter’s actions tell us?
6. Why do the disciples fall on their faces?
7. Why did Christ tell his disciples to tell no one about what they saw?

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Lesson Eighteen: The Entrance of the Lord into
Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
(Sunday before Pascha)

‰ The Paschal Cycle: With this feast we begin what is known as the
Paschal Cycle of feasts. These are the feasts which are centered
on the Resurrection of the Lord. The Resurrection itself is
celebrated on the feast of Pascha (Easter) in the spring (the exact
date varies from year to year following an old custom of the church).
The Sunday before Pascha, we celebrate the Entrance of the Lord
into Jerusalem. The day before this is also a very special day known
as Lazarus Saturday, on which we remember the Lord’s raising of
Lazarus from the dead. The week between the Entrance of the Lord
into Jerusalem and Pascha is known as Holy Week. During this week,
we remember the Lord’s institution of the Eucharist, and his
suffering, crucifixion and burial. Forty days after Pascha is the
feast of the Ascension of the Lord, when we remember his ascension
into heaven. Ten days later is the feast of Pentecost, when we
remember the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles of the
Lord.

‰ Lazarus Saturday: Lazarus was a close friend of the Lord, and the
brother of Mary and Martha. He lived in Bethany, which was near
Jerusalem. A few days before his entrance into Jerusalem, the Lord
received word from Mary and Martha that Lazarus was sick. Two
days later, Lazarus died, before the Lord had arrived in Bethany to
see him. By the time that Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had
already been in his tomb for four days. Many of the people of the
town had gathered around Mary and Martha and were weeping. Then
Jesus came to Martha and told her “your brother will rise again.” “I
am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though
he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me
shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:23, 25-26). Later,
Mary came to the Lord with tears in her eyes, and all around her
people were grieving for Lazarus. When Jesus saw this he was also
moved to tears. He went to the tomb and asked that the stone be
rolled away. Martha was hesitant, since by this time there was an
odor of death. But Jesus persisted. Then he raised his voice in

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 prayer to his Father, thanking Him for the miracle he was to
perform so that the people would believe that he was sent by God.
Jesus cried out “Lazarus, come forth!” And Lazarus rose from the
dead and came out of his tomb.

‰ The church celebrates this miracle just before the beginning of Holy
Week to remind us that Christ’s suffering and death on the cross
were completely voluntary. He who is Life itself did not have to die.
But he endured suffering and the cross solely for our sake, in order
to conquer death. Christ’s question to Martha is also the question
which we must meditate upon as we enter Holy Week: “Do you
believe this?” Do we really believe that Christ is the Resurrection
and the Life? If we do, then Holy Week will be an occasion for joy
rather than sadness. We will see in Christ’s voluntary suffering and
death his victory over death!

‰ The Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem: The reputation of Jesus

had spread across the country. Many knew of his miracles, especially
of the miracle which he had just performed of raising Lazarus from
the dead. For this reason, many people of Jerusalem waited eagerly
for his entrance into their city. While Jesus was with Lazarus in
Bethany, several of his disciples came to Jerusalem to spread the
news that their master was coming to their city to celebrate the
feast of Passover. But while many of the people rejoiced at this
news, the religious leaders of Israel, the Scribes and Pharisees,
were angry at Jesus. They saw Jesus as a threat to their own
authority, since many people began to follow him. Beyond this, they
accused Jesus of blasphemy, of making himself equal with God, since
he claimed to be able to forgive sins (which only God could do). The
scribes and Pharisees at this time decided to kill Jesus.

‰ Jesus knew that the time had come to confront his enemies. But it
would not be a confrontation won by earthly powers. He doesn’t
enter the city with a show of force, or with the splendor of an
earthly king, but mounted on a donkey, in extreme humility! He knew
that many were angry at him and wanted to kill him. And he knew
that, indeed, they would do as they planned. On the day that he
entered Jerusalem, he knew that there would be no turning back

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 from the path that would lead to the cross, where the true victory
over sin and death would be won.

‰ Christ’s humble entry into Jerusalem also upset the expectations of

many Jews who thought that the Messiah would come as an earthly
king with military might to overthrow the oppressive Roman army.
Christ shows once again that he did not come to establish an earthly
kingdom, but to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. Christ also knew
that many who welcomed him now as their earthly king with shouts of
joy, would in a few days cry out in anger “crucify him!”

From the Gospel of Matthew:

Mt:21:1: And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to
Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Mt:21:2: Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and
straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and
bring them unto me.
Mt:21:3: And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath
need of them; and straightway he will send them.
Mt:21:4: All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
the prophet, saying,
Mt:21:5: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,
meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
Mt:21:6: And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
Mt:21:7: And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes,
and they set him thereon.
Mt:21:8: And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;
others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
Mt:21:9: And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried,
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name
of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Mt:21:10: And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved,
saying, Who is this?
Mt:21:11: And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of
Galilee.

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 ‰ The people spread clothes and branches on the road as a way of
welcoming the Lord. They cut the branches from trees nearby,
which were probably palm trees. From this has come the tradition of
bringing palm leaves to church on this day. The palms are a sign that
we too welcome the Lord into our lives. In northern countries, were
there are no palm trees, the people bring willow branches to church.

‰ Once again, the Gospel writers make reference to the Prophets to

show that Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem had been foretold long
ago. Jesus is also called the Son of David, to show that he is the
eternal King who was to come from the descendents of King David.

Mt:21:12: And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them
that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the
moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mt:21:13: And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the
house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Mt:21:14: And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he
healed them.
Mt:21:15: And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things
that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to
the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
Mt:21:16: And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith
unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Mt:21:17: And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he
lodged there.

‰ It was almost always the case that the lowly ones, the outcasts, the
poor, the suffering, the helpless ones received Jesus as their savior,
while the powerful, the leaders, the rich, those in authority rejected
him. And so it is here, where it is the children who praise him, while
the religious authorities reject him. In Luke’s version of the
entrance into Jerusalem, the Pharisees ask Jesus to rebuke his
disciples for their words of praise. The Lord responds: “I tell you
that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately

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 cry out!” Even the material creation would cry out to honor its
savior!

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion, Thou didst confirm the
Universal resurrection, O Christ God!
Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out to Thee:;
O Vanquisher of Death: Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 6)

Sitting on Thy throne in heaven,
Carried on a foal on earth, O Christ God!
Accept the praise of angels and the songs of children, who sing:
Blessed is He that comes to recall Adam!

Questions:
1. What are the feasts of the Paschal cycle?
2. Why do we celebrate Lazarus Saturday when we do?
3. Why is Holy Week a time of joy rather than sadness?
4. What was the Jewish feast which the Lord was preparing to celebrate in
Jerusalem?
5. Why did many Jews greet the Lord with joy and praise? What were some
of the expectations of Jesus?
6. Why where the scribes and Pharisees angry at Jesus?
7. Why does Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey?
8. Why do we bring palm leaves to church on this day?
9. Why do the people call Jesus “Son of David”?

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Lesson Nineteen: Holy Week and the Holy Pascha of
the Lord

‰ Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: On these days, there are

special services in the church called the “Bridegroom Matins”. The
theme of the “bridegroom” is taken from the parable of the ten
virgins in Matthew’s Gospel (25:1-13). There are ten virgins waiting
to receive the bridegroom. He is delayed and they begin to fall
asleep. Suddenly, at midnight, they receive the news that the
bridegroom is coming. Five of the virgins (the wise ones) have
prepared by bringing oil for their lamps, and they go to meet the
bridegroom. The other five (the foolish ones) have no oil, and must
go and buy some before they can meet the bridegroom. But while
they are away, the bridegroom arrives, and the five virgins who are
there go in with him into the wedding and the door is locked. Later
the others arrive, but they are unable to enter. They have come too
late! “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the
hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

‰ In this parable, the bridegroom is none other than Christ himself,

and the virgins are those who wait in expectation of the Lord’s
return. The wedding chamber is the kingdom of heaven, in which we
hope to partake of the mystical wedding banquet which Christ has
prepared for us. The church places this parable before us on the
first three days of Holy Week in order to remind us of the urgency
of being prepared (like the wise virgins): the coming of the Lord is
near, and we must be watchful and repent of our sins while there is
still time. The Bridegroom Matins are served at night, and an icon of
the Bridegroom is placed in the center of the church. The following
hymn is sung during the service:
Behold the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the
servant whom He shall find watching; and again unworthy is he
whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul,
lest thou be shut out from the Kingdom. Wherefore rouse
thyself and cry: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O God; through the
Theotokos, have mercy on us.

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 ‰ Holy Thursday: On this day, the church remembers the Lord’s
washing of his disciple’s feet, the last supper during which the Holy
Eucharist was instituted, Christ’s agony in the Garden of
Gethsemane, and his betrayal by Judas Iscariot. The last supper
will be discussed later in the section on the Sacraments.

‰ Washing of the Disciple’s Feet (From the Gospel of John)

Jn:13:4: He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a
towel, and girded himself.
Jn:13:5: After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the
disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
Jn:13:6: Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord,
dost thou wash my feet?
Jn:13:7: Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not
now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Jn:13:8: Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus
answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
Jn:13:9: Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my
hands and my head.
Jn:13:10: Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash
his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
Jn:13:11: For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not
all clean.
Jn:13:12: So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments,
and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to
you?
Jn:13:13: Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Jn:13:14: If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also
ought to wash one another's feet.
Jn:13:15: For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done
to you.

‰ Jesus had begun his teaching, according to Matthew’s Gospel, with

these words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit
the kingdom of heaven.” He continued for the rest of his ministry
to teach that it was those who humbled themselves in this life who

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 would be great in the kingdom of heaven. He said that his disciples
must become like children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven,
for a child is the image of meekness. He summarized his teaching
with these words: “The first shall be last, and the last shall be
first.” But it was not by words alone which he taught this humility.
He demonstrated it in his own life by becoming a servant to his
fellow human beings. He does not think himself above this most
humble task of washing the feet of his disciples.

‰ The Garden of Gethsemane: After celebrating the Passover meal

(the last supper), Jesus came with his disciples to a garden called
Gethsemane. He went off by himself to pray to his Father. He was
full of sorrow because he knew that the time of his passion was at
hand. He knew that it was his Father’s will that he endure the
coming suffering and cross for the sake of the world. Yet as a man,
he naturally struggled with the temptation to avoid this suffering.
Finally, he gave himself over entirely to the will of his Father.

‰ While Jesus was in the garden, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve
apostles, came to him with armed guards of the Jewish religious
leaders. Judas had betrayed the Lord to the religious leaders for
30 pieces of silver. Now the guards had come to take hold of Jesus
and bring him to the high priest who would accuse him of blasphemy
and condemn him to death. Jesus did not resist being taken by the
guards. At this time, the disciples of the Lord became afraid and
forsook him.

‰ Holy Friday: On this day, the church remembers Christ’s suffering

and death on the cross. There are twelve readings from the Gospels
which relate the final hours of the Lord up to his crucifixion, death
and burial. A cross is placed in the center of the church. In the
afternoon, the body of Jesus is taken down from the cross. Then
the priest places a special cloth (representing his burial shroud) on a
table (representing his grave). The entire church comes solemnly to
venerate it.

‰ Jesus was tried by the Jewish religious leaders and sentenced to

death. Before his accusers, he remained silent. They mocked him,

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 spat upon him and beat him, and brought him to the Roman governor
Pontius Pilate to have him crucified. Pilate wanted to release Jesus,
but many of the Jews cried out “crucify him!”, so Pilate consented.

‰ The Roman soldiers stripped him of his clothes, put a scarlet robe
on him and a crown of thorns on his head, and mocked him saying
“Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat upon him and struck him in
the head. They compelled him to carry his cross, along with a man
named Simon, to a hill outside of the city called Golgatha. There
they stripped him of his clothe and nailed him to a cross, with two
thieves on either side of him. To the cross they nailed a sign that
said “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews”. Mary, the mother of
Jesus, along with his beloved disciple John, stood by the cross as
Jesus was being crucified. The soldiers continued to mock him,
saying “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” The
Jewish religious leaders also mocked him saying “He saved others,
let him save himself if he is the Christ, the chosen of God.” Even one
of the thieves crucified with him began to curse him.

‰ Jesus endured all of this with silence, and instead of returning their
hatred, he pronounced these amazing words: “Father, forgive them,
for they do not know what they do.” The other thief being
crucified with Jesus repented of his sins and believed that Jesus
was the Christ. He spoke these immortal words to Jesus which we
repeat every Sunday before communion: “Lord, remember me when
you come into your kingdom.” Christ responded “Today you will be
with me in Paradise.”

‰ At about 3pm, the skies became dark and Jesus uttered his last
words: “Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit.” “It is
finished.” Then he bowed his head and breathed his last. At this
moment the veil in the temple which covered the holy place was split
in two, and the earth quaked. At the site of this, many of the
soldiers became fearful and said “Truly this was the Son of God.”

‰ When Jesus had died, a disciple of the Lord named Joseph of

Arimathea came to take his body down from the cross. He wrapped
the body in linen and placed it in a new tomb which he had hewn out

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 of rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb
and departed.

‰ Such is the account of Jesus’ last hours leading up to his death. It

was not until after the Lord’s resurrection that the meaning of all of
these events were understood by those who witnessed them.
Although the Lord had told his disciples beforehand that he had to
suffer and die and on the third day be raised up, they continued to
doubt. Jesus’ passion and death seemed like the end of all their
hopes; the victory of evil over good, of death over life. It wasn’t
until the day in which they saw the resurrected Lord that the reality
of his words was grasped.

‰ The raising of Lazarus showed that Christ is the Resurrection and

the Life. His victory over the grave which we celebrate on Pascha
confirmed this. But the path to this victory, for Christ and for us, is
precisely the path of the cross which we remember on Holy Friday.
Incomprehensible as it seems, true life (the life which is Christ)
comes through death! Thus the Lord, shortly before taking up his
own cross, gave us this teaching: “The hour has come that the Son
of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless
the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains
alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:23-24).
Christ is glorified in his very humility. He breaks the bonds of death
because he undergoes death voluntarily, without being subject to it.
He overcomes the sin of the world by himself bearing the penalty of
sin, though he himself is sinless. Through his life-giving Cross, a
fountain of forgiveness and purification is born for all of mankind.

‰ On Holy Friday are fulfilled the prophecies of the “suffering

servant” which the Prophet Isaiah wrote about some 700 years
before Christ:

From the Book of Isaiah:

Is:53:1: Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed?

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Is:53:2: For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root
out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall
see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Is:53:3: He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was
despised, and we esteemed him not.
Is:53:4: Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Is:53:5: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
Is:53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his
own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Is:53:7: He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Is:53:8: He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall
declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for
the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Is:53:9: And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his
death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his
mouth.
Is:53:10: Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he
shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his
hand.
Is:53:11: He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his
knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities.
Is:53:12: Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall
divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto
death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of
many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

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 ‰ Christ is the Lamb of God who bore the sins of the world on the
cross. He is the perfect sacrifice offered to the Father for the
sins of the world, the fulfillment of all previous sacrifices.

‰ Holy Saturday: On this day, the church remembers the burial of

Christ and his descent into hell. In the morning service,
lamentations are sung before the burial shroud of Christ. In the
evening service there are several readings from the Old Testament
which refer to the feast of Passover, the Resurrection and baptism.
This is the traditional day for new believers to be baptized. Late at
night, people gather in the church to prepare for the feast of the
resurrection. The entire book of the Acts of the Apostles is read at
this time. Shortly before midnight, a short service is sung, then the
church is darkened and all wait in silence for the moment when the
priest will come out of the alter with a lit candle (symbolizing the
light of the risen Christ) to announce the beginning of the Holy
Pascha of the Lord.

‰ The Holy Pascha of the Lord:

From the Gospel of Matthew:

Mt:28:1: In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day
of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the
sepulchre.
Mt:28:2: And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the
Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the
door, and sat upon it.
Mt:28:3: His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as
snow:
Mt:28:4: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead
men.
Mt:28:5: And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for
I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Mt:28:6: He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.

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Mt:28:7: And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the
dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him:
lo, I have told you.
Mt:28:8: And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great
joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

‰ This is the most important feast of the year; the center of the
church calendar and the Christian life. From the beginning, when the
Apostles went into the world to preach, the content of their
message was always the Resurrection of the Lord. Every Sunday
(the day on which the Lord arose from the dead), as the Lord
commanded, Christians gathered to “remember” the Lord’s death and
resurrection. Once a year, just after the Jewish feast of Passover,
Christians began to celebrate the Passover (in Greek “Pascha”) of
the Lord; His passing over from death to life. The angel of death
“passing over” the children of Israel, and the Israelites “passing
over” the Red Sea to escape from their captivity in Egypt, where
images pointing to the future Pascha of Christ. Christ is the
Passover lamb whose shed blood now saves us from death and
spiritual captivity to sin. His death and resurrection open the way
for our own victory over death, both the death of the grave, and the
death of our sins.

‰ When Christ arose from the dead after three days in the tomb,
something changed permanently in the world. He had overcome
death, which ruled the world since Adam and Eve’s expulsion from
paradise. The old things had passed away, and in Christ all things
where made new. St. Paul calls Christ “the firstborn of every
creature . . . . The beginning, the firstborn from the dead”
(Colossians 1:15,18). Adam was the first human being, but he died,
and in him, all of creation inherited death. In the Resurrection,
Christ became the “firstborn from the dead” to overcome the death
inherited from Adam. He indeed is the true “beginning” of life
rather than Adam.

‰ The Resurrection of Christ is so central to the Christian message

that without it Christianity would no longer be what it is.
Nevertheless, from the beginning, there where many who doubted,

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 either that Christ rose from the dead, or that we would follow him in
his resurrection. To these doubters, St. Paul addressed part of his
first letter to the church at Corinth. This letter is enlightening for
those also, who, while accepting the resurrection of Christ, do not
grasp its full significance. The Resurrection of Christ is not simply a
singular act by a particular man! His death and resurrection affect
the entire cosmos, as did the death of the first man Adam. Christ
has become the “firstfruits” of all who die; the sign and promise of
the future resurrection of all at Christ’s second coming.

From the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians:

1Cor:15:12: Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say
some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1Cor:15:13: But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not
risen:
1Cor:15:14: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your
faith is also vain.
1Cor:15:15: Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we
have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so
be that the dead rise not.
1Cor:15:16: For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Cor:15:17: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your
sins.
1Cor:15:18: Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1Cor:15:19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
most miserable.
1Cor:15:20: But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the
firstfruits of them that slept.
1Cor:15:21: For since by man came death, by man came also the
resurrection of the dead.
1Cor:15:22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Cor:15:23: But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward
they that are Christ's at his coming.

‰ The service of the feast of Pascha is very beautiful and full of

meaning. At midnight, the clergy (wearing bright vestments) come

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 out of the alter with lit candles, and all of the candles of the
faithful are lit, symbolizing the Light of the Risen Christ. All the
faithful then leave the church, which remains in darkness like the
tomb of Christ. The faithful then make three joyful processions
around the church, singing: “Thy Resurrection, O Christ our
Savior, the angels in heaven sing. Enable us on earth to glorify
Thee in purity of heart.” The priest then stops before the closed
doors of the church and sings the paschal hymn “Let God arise . . . “,
with the faithful singing: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling
down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing
life.” The priest then takes the cross, blesses the doors of the
church, and enters it. The church is then fully lighted. At many
points during the rest of the service, the Clergy exclaim “Christ is
Risen!” and the faithful respond “Indeed, He is Risen!” Towards
the end of the matins service, the sermon of St. John Chrysostom is
read, calling all to the great Paschal Banquet (the Holy Eucharist)
which follows. At the Paschal liturgy, the beginning of the Gospel of
John is read in as many languages as possible to show that the news
of Christ’s resurrection is for all people and all nations.

Troparion of the Feast (special melody)

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death,
And upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 8)

Thou didst descend into the tomb, O Immortal,
Thou didst destroy the power of death.
In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ God, proclaiming “Rejoice” to the
Myrrhbearing women,
Granting peace to Thy apostles, and bestowing resurrection on the fallen.

Hymn of the Resurrection

Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus,
the only sinless One. We venerate Thy Cross, O Christ, and we praise and
glorify Thy Holy Resurrection; for Thou art our God, and we know no other
than Thee; we call on Thy name.

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Come, all you faithful, let us venerate Christ’s holy Resurrection. For, behold,
through the Cross joy has come into all the world. Let us ever bless the Lord,
praising His Resurrection, for by enduring the Cross for us, He has destroyed
death by death!

Questions:
1. What is the theme of the “Bridegroom Matins” of the first three days of
Holy Week?
2. What events in the life of Christ does the church remember on Holy
Thursday?
3. What did Christ teach us by washing his disciple’s feet?
4. What did Christ struggle with in the Garden of Gethsemane?
5. Who was at the Cross with Jesus, and how do they act?
6. How did Christ respond to betrayal, false accusations, mistreatment and
crucifixion?
7. How did Christ’s disciples react to his imprisonment? Did they understand
everything that was happening during Christ’s suffering and death?
8. How does Christ fulfill the prophecies of the “suffering servant” of
Isaiah?
9. On what day did Christ rise from the dead?
10. Why is this feast called the “Pascha of the Lord”?
11. Why does St. Paul call Christ the “firstborn from the dead” and the
“firstfruits of them that slept”?

Lesson Twenty: The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ

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 (40 days after Pascha)

‰ The last words of the Gospel of Matthew are these precious words
of Christ: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Because the apostles knew that Christ would always be with them,
the day of his ascension into heaven was not a sad one, but one of
victory and joy. Christ had completed his mission on earth for which
he had been sent by his Father. He had manifested the Kingdom of
God on earth, conquered sin and death, opened the way to paradise.
On the day of his ascension, he returned in Glory to his Father, to
prepare the way for all those that would follow him in resurrection.

From the Gospel of Luke:

Lk:24:49: And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Lk:24:50: And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his
hands, and blessed them.
Lk:24:51: And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from
them, and carried up into heaven.
Lk:24:52: And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great
joy:
Lk:24:53: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.
Amen.

‰ Jesus had accomplished the great work of salvation by his

incarnation, death and resurrection, but this work would be received
by men through the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. Jesus had spoken of
the need for the Holy Spirit to come into the world in a decisive way
to change the hearts of men. The Holy Spirit would be a
“Comforter” to men, and a Teacher of all truth. He would fill
Christ’s disciples with “power from above” in order to be able to
fulfill Christ’s command to preach the gospel to every creature. But
it would only be on Christ’s return to the Father that the Holy Spirit
would be sent. Therefore, Christ told his disciples “it is to your
advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not
come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).

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From the Book of Acts:
Acts:1:9: And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was
taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
Acts:1:10: And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Acts:1:11: Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into
heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Acts:1:12: Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,
which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

‰ Christ told his disciples: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I

go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to
myself; that where I am, there you may be also. . . . I will not leave
you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14: 2-3,18). Before Christ’s
Ascension, the “gates” of heaven remain closed. None of the
righteous ones of the Old Testament period could be received into
heaven, for the way to paradise had been closed by Adam’s sin, and
the angel with a flaming sword guarded the gates. It was only Christ
who, through his glorious Ascension into heaven, opened the way for
the rest of us. The angels who appear at Christ’s ascension proclaim
this truth, that Christ will come again to receive all of his followers,
both dead and alive, into his Glorious Presence.

‰ "No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from
heaven, the Son of Man: (John 3:13). Christ’s ascension is directly
related to his incarnation, death and resurrection. He ascends into
heaven because he has come down from heaven. He dwelt among his
people in profound humility, to the point of sharing our own suffering
and death. He even descended into hell, into the darkest and most
hopeless situation of human beings, into our captivity by sin and
death. Because of this, God has glorified him, and raised him “above
all heavens.”
From the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians:
Eph:4:8: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity
captive, and gave gifts unto men.

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Eph:4:9: (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first
into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph:4:10: He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above
all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

‰ With the Lord’s ascension into heaven, we know that we have a great
Intercessor before our Heavenly Father. He tells us that whatever
we ask in his name we shall receive. “Christ has entered, not into a
sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf”
(Hebrews 9:24).

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)

O Christ God, Thou hast ascended in Glory,
Granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Through the blessing they were assured that Thou art the Son of God,
The Redeemer of the world!

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 6)

When Thou didst fulfill the dispensation for our sake, and unite earth to
Heaven:
Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God,
Not being parted from those who love Thee, but remaining with them and
Crying:
I am with you and no one will be against you!

Questions:
1. Why was the ascension of the Lord a joyous event?
2. What did Jesus promise just before his ascension?
3. What do the two angels proclaim at Christ’s ascension?
4. What did Christ’s ascension into heaven accomplish for us?
5. What is the relationship between the incarnation, death and resurrection
of Christ, and his ascension?
6. Why do we call Christ the great “Intercessor”?

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 Lesson Twenty-One: The Descent of the Holy Spirit
(Pentecost)
(50 days after Pascha)

‰ The word “pentecost” refers to the fiftieth day. It was one of the
most important Jewish feasts, celebrated 50 days after the
Passover. At this time, the Jews remembered the giving of the Law
to Moses on Mount Sinai, and renewed their covenant with God. It
was on this day, ten days after the ascension of the Lord, that the
“baptism of fire and of the Holy Spirit” which John the Baptist
had spoken of, was accomplished. Since the Ascension, the disciples
had remained waiting in Jerusalem, according to the command of
Christ.

From the Book of Acts:

Acts:2:1: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with
one accord in one place.
Acts:2:2: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing
mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Acts:2:3: And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and
it sat upon each of them.
Acts:2:4: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts:2:5: And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of
every nation under heaven.
Acts:2:6: Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together,
and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his
own language.
Acts:2:7: And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another,
Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Acts:2:8: And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were
born?
Acts:2:9: Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in
Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Acts:2:10: Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about
Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

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Acts:2:11: Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the
wonderful works of God.
Acts:2:12: And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to
another, What meaneth this?

‰ On this day, the Comforter and Spirit of Truth which Christ had
spoken about, came upon the Apostles and the other disciples with
them. The Holy Spirit filled them with power, with conviction, and
taught them all truths. God’s Holy Spirit had been present in the
world from the beginning of creation, giving life, working miracles
and speaking through the Prophets. The Holy Spirit is present at
every major point of Christ’s life, from his conception by Mary, his
baptism, his temptation in the wilderness, his transfiguration, etc.
But on Pentecost, the Spirit comes in a unique and personal way to
dwell, first in the Apostles, and later, in all true believers.

‰ With the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Christian church can be said
to have begun. From this point on, the apostles and their successors
begin to accomplish the divine mission given them by Christ: to
preach the gospel to all creatures, and to baptize them in the name
of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The church, therefore, is not
any human construction, begun by a group of believers: it comes from
the initiative of God Himself.

‰ The immediate result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the

“speaking in tongues” of “the wonderful works of God”. Jews from
many nations had come to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost, and
where present at this outpouring of the Spirit. Each of them heard
the disciples speaking in his own native language. This confirmed
that the gospel was meant for all people and all cultures, not just the
Jewish or the Greek. It also shows that the gospel reunites the
human family which has been divided into groups, each serving its
own interest. The action of the Holy Spirit reverses the division of
tongues which occurred at the Tower of Babel when rebellious men
ceased to understand each other.

‰ What the apostles proclaim in tongues, by the action of the Holy

Spirit, are “the wonderful works of God,” especially the works

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 accomplished by Christ. Peter, moved by the Spirit, makes the
first public proclamation of Christ’s resurrection. He connects the
pouring out of the Spirit to Christ’s resurrection: “This Jesus God
raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to
the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the
promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out this which you now see and
hear” (Acts 2:32-33).

‰ The Holy Spirit gives life to the church, and this life is, first of all,
to bear witness to Christ’s resurrection to the world. The church
was never created to be a closed society solely focused on itself.
It’s focus, rather, is outward. It is sent into the world to bring the
good news of Christ’s resurrection to every creature. Christ knew
that his followers were to suffer much to accomplish this task. As
Christ himself was persecuted, so his followers would also be
persecuted. It would only be through the presence and power of the
Holy Spirit that this apostolic task could be accomplished. Christ
had told his apostles that they would be delivered to councils, beaten
in the synagogues, brought before rulers and kings for his sake, to
witness to them. “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do
not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But
whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who
speak, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11).

‰ The Holy Spirit is given in the form of many “tongues of fire”,

signifying the diversity of gifts which the Spirit bestows upon the
church. Each apostle is given a gift appropriate to himself, but not
“for” himself, but for the good of the whole church. There are many
gifts (wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy,
discernment, etc.), but the same Spirit, working through each person
for the profit of all. The church is one body, the Body of Christ. No
member is less or more important than another. But each has his
appropriate place. In bestowing these gifts, God does not deny the
particular personality of each member of the church, but uses that
personality for His own glory.

‰ Pentecost was one of the first feasts to be celebrated by the early

church. Already in the Book of Acts, there is evidence that the

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 church was celebrating this feast. Along with Pascha, it was one of
the traditional times to be baptized in the early church. On this day,
we decorate our homes and churches with green branches,
representing the gift of the life-giving Spirit. A special evening
service (Vespers) is celebrated on this day, in which a beautiful hymn
to the Holy Spirit is sung:
“O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art
everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of Blessings
and Giver of Life: Come and abide in us and cleanse us from
every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One!”
Also at this service, we say special prayers while kneeling. From
Pascha to Pentecost, we never kneel while in church, in memory of
the Lord’s resurrection. At this service we once again begin to kneel
in church.

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 8)

Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God,
Who has revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending down upon them the
Holy Spirit;
Through them thou didst draw the world into Thy net.
O Lover of Man, Glory to Thee!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 8)
When the Most High came down and confused the tongues,
He divided the nations;
But when He distributed the tongues of fire, He called all to unity.
Therefore, with one voice, we glorify the All-Holy Spirit!

Questions:
1. What does the word “pentecost” mean, and what was its significance to the
Jews?
2. What do we know about the Holy Spirit before Pentecost?
3. Why do we say that the Church was begun on Pentecost?
4. What was the immediate result of the coming of the Spirit?
5. What does the speaking in tongues signify?
6. What is the dominant focus of the Spirit-filled Church?
7. What do the many tongues of fire indicate?
8. What was the content of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost?
9. What are some of the special things which the church does on this day?

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Lesson Twenty-Two: The Dormition of the Most-Holy
Theotokos
(August 15)

‰ The Dormition (or falling asleep) of the Holy Virgin Mary is not
recorded in the New Testament, but in other writings considered
part of the sacred tradition of our church. There are two aspects to
this feast: the memory of her death and burial, and the celebration
of her bodily assumption (her body was miraculously taken up into
heaven after her death). The Dormition of the Holy Virgin Mary
took place in the following manner:

‰ Being advanced in years, the Holy Virgin desired to leave this earth
in order to be with God. She prayed often that the Lord would grant
her this wish. She had been living with the Apostle John near the
Mount of Olives, where Jesus had ascended into heaven. She went
there often to pray in solitude. One time, as she was praying, the
Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that she would soon
depart the earth to be with Christ. As a sign of her future
assumption into heaven, the Archangel gave the Holy Virgin a branch
from paradise.

‰ Before her departure from this earth, the Holy Virgin desired to see
the apostles once more. At this moment, they were scattered
across many countries, where they had gone to preach the gospel of
Christ. She prayed to God that it would be possible to see them, and
also that her Son himself would receive her soul into his hands at her
death. She then began to make preparations for her burial. All the
Christians around Jerusalem were informed of her coming death, and
many came to be with her at here home.

‰ As the people gathered at the home of the Mother of God, they

suddenly heard a loud noise, and saw a cloud encircle the house. At
the command of God, angels had brought the apostles from different
parts of the earth on clouds to the house of John in Jerusalem. On
the fifteenth of August, as all were awaiting the death of the Most
Pure One, a bright light shone in the room. The roof opened and the
glory of the Lord descended from heaven. Christ himself, with the

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 hosts of angels and archangels, and Fathers and Prophets of old,
came to receive the pure soul of His Mother as she breathed her
last. The apostles placed her body in a tomb in the Garden of
Gethsemane. They remained there for three days, singing psalms
day and night. The angelic choir could also be heard, praising God
and blessing the Most-Holy Virgin Mary.

‰ By God’s providence, the Apostle Thomas was not present at the

burial of the Holy Virgin. He arrived three days later. He grieved
greatly that he was not present for the last greeting and blessing of
the Most Pure One. The other apostles had pity on him, and decided
to open the tomb so that he could at least see her body. When they
opened the tomb, they found that her body was gone! All that
remained where the burial clothes, which gave off a wonderful
fragrance. The apostles kissed her clothes with reverence and
prayed that the Lord would reveal to them where her body was. A
little later, they saw the Mother of God standing in the air,
surrounded by many angels and a mysterious light. She said to them:
“Rejoice, for I am with you always!” The apostles all cried with
joy: “Most Holy Mother of God, help us!” In this way, the late
arrival of the Apostle Thomas served to confirm the bodily
resurrection of the Virgin Mary on the third day of her burial, just
as his earlier unbelief had been used to confirm the true
resurrection of Christ.

‰ As any other human being, the Virgin Mary experienced a real

physical death. But as the Mother of God, the bearer of Him who is
the Life, her body did not experience the corruption of death. She
was bodily resurrected, following her Savior’s own resurrection from
the grave on the third day. Her resurrection anticipates the
resurrection of all Christians to eternal life with God the Father, His
Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit.

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)

In giving birth, you preserved your virginity!
In falling asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos!
You were translated to life, O Mother of Life,
And by your prayers you deliver our souls from death!

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Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 2)
Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos,
Who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions.
For being the Mother of Life,
She was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb!

Questions:
1. What is the meaning of the word “dormition”?
2. What are the two components of the feast?
3. Who appeared to Mary as she was praying? What did he give her? What
was the meaning of this gift?
4. What happened in the home of Mary just before her death?
5. What happened when Thomas arrived in Jerusalem?
6. Why are we confident that the Mother of God hears are prayers?
7. Can all Christians expect to experience the same bodily resurrection as the
Mother of God at the Lord’s Second Coming?

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Lesson Twenty-Three: The Elevation of the Cross
(September 14)

‰ The cross is the great symbol of our salvation. Through the

sacrifice of Christ, what was an instrument of torture and death for
the Romans, became transformed into a new “Tree of Life”.
Through his suffering and death on the cross, Christ conquered
death and united heaven and earth in himself. From the earliest
times of the church, Christians used images of the cross in worship.
They venerated it, and blessed themselves and others with the sign
of the cross. All Christians should wear a cross to remind them that
they belong to Christ, and that Christ has called each one of us to
follow him by bearing our own cross, whatever it may be.

‰ This feast was begun in the fourth century when the true cross of
Christ was found at the place of his crucifixion and raised up before
all the Christians of the city. For three centuries after the death of
Christ, Christians were hated and persecuted by both the Jews and
the Roman government. The faith continued to spread throughout
the Roman Empire, but new Christians often suffered greatly for
their faith. Many Christians were put to death for their refusal to
worship the Roman Emperor as a god, as all who dwelt in the Empire
were expected to do. The Emperors wished to put an end to
Christianity. In Jerusalem and other places, temples, shrines and
idols dedicated to pagan gods were erected on sites held holy by
Christians. On the site of the Lord’s crucifixion, Golgatha, a temple
was erected to the goddess Venus. By this, the Emperor hoped that
the people would forget about Christ.

‰ The situation changed when Constantine the Great became the new
Roman Emperor. He was the first Emperor to look favorably upon
Christianity, and he put an end to the persecution of Christians.
Constantine, together with his mother, Queen Helena, decided to do
away with the pagan sites in Jerusalem, and to cleanse of any pagan
practices the places associated with the life of Jesus. They wanted
to erect a church on the site of the Lord’s passion and resurrection.
For this purpose, Helena came to Jerusalem and set to work with the
aid of all the Christians of the city. She desired greatly to find the

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 cross on which Christ had suffered and died, and to raise it up in
victory. Digging was begun at the place where the temple of Venus
had stood. Three crosses were found, as well as the board which had
been nailed over Jesus’ head. To determine which of the three
crosses belonged to Christ, they were placed on the body of a dead
man. When the cross of Christ touched him, he immediately came to
life. Then the Queen, with great joy, lifted up the Life-Creating
Cross for all to see. On this site, a church was built (the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre), and the feast of the Elevation of the Cross was
instituted.

‰ At the service for this day, a cross adorned with flowers is laid upon
a table in the middle of the church. A special hymn is sung (“Thy
Cross we adore, O Master, and Thy holy resurrection do we glorify”)
while the priest and all the faithful bow down to the floor in
veneration of the cross. Then the faithful come, one by one, to kiss
the precious cross.

Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)

O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.
Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries;
And by virtue of Thy Cross,
Preserve Thy habitation.

Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)

As Thou wast voluntarily crucified for our sake,
Grant mercy to those who are called by Thy name;
Make all Orthodox Christians glad by Thy power, granting them victories over
their adversaries,
By bestowing on them the invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.

Questions:
1. Why do we venerate the cross?
2. How were Christians treated for the first 300 years after Christ’s death?
3. How did the situation change with Constantine and Helena?
4. Why do we call this feast the “Elevation of the Cross”?
5. What is special about the service for this day?

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 Section Four: The Life of the Church

Lesson Twenty-Four: The Church Building and Icons

‰ It is good to keep in mind that the term “church” refers, first of all,
not to a physical building, but to Christ’s mystical body, formed by
all those that live in Christ (including those no longer on this earth,
and the non-bodily beings we call Angels). But the fact that it is
“mystical” does not mean that everything about the church is
invisible. We believe that at his incarnation, Christ became a real
human being, which means he had a real human body. In the same
way, the church on earth has a real visible form, composed of its
hierarchical organization, its forms of worship, and its visible
sacraments. The physical part of our faith is very important to us,
since we not only believe and worship God with our minds and spirit,
but with every part of ourselves, including our bodies.

‰ Since the beginning of the church, Christians have sought to express

their faith by visible means. The earliest church worshiped in the
houses of its members. Some of these houses had alters on which
the Holy Eucharist was consecrated. They also had fonts for
baptisms, and Christian symbols and paintings of various Biblical
persons on the wall. In Rome and some other cities of the Empire,
Christians worshiped in underground burial chambers (catacombs)
during times of persecution. Many of these catacombs can still be
visited today, Their walls are covered with paintings of persons and
scenes from the Bible. After the persecution ended, Christians
began to build great churches throughout the Roman Empire.

‰ Every aspect of the church building expresses something about our

faith. Though particular details of design vary over time and space,
according to what is most meaningful to a particular culture, there is
a common tradition which unites the church in all places and all times.

‰ Church Exterior: The two most common designs are: 1) an oblong or

rectangular shape – representing the form of a ship. This reminds us
that as Christians, we are always on a journey. We are a pilgrim

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 church. Though we are in the world, we are not of the world. Our
ultimate home is the Kingdom of Heaven. The ship also symbolizes a
place of safety and peace amidst the stormy seas of sin and strife
which we find in the world. As every ship has a captain to guide it, so
the captain of our church is Christ himself, who can give us this
peace. When we enter into a church building, we should be aware of
this peace and this presence of Christ. We should cross ourselves
and say a short prayer within our heart. 2) The church building in
the form of a cross demonstrates that we are saved through faith in
the crucified Christ.

‰ Orthodox churches, as a rule, are oriented east-west, with the main

entrance at the west end. Since the sun rises in the east, the east
has always been a symbol of the divine light of Christ. When we
build our churches facing east, it demonstrates our expectation of
Christ’s glorious return, as the light of the world, at the end of time.
(Tombs in orthodox cemeteries are also oriented east-west for this
same reason.) Every church building is crowned with one or more
crosses, the instrument of our salvation. Bells can be found either
on the church itself, or on a separate structure next to the church.
They are rung to call the faithful to services, to emphasize
important points of a service, and to signal the arrival of a bishop or
priest to the church.

‰ Church Interior: many churches have a central dome symbolizing the

dome of heaven. A large icon of Christ “pantocrater” (ruler of all) is
placed in the dome. This demonstrates that Christ is enthroned in
heaven, but is also present with us here on earth. He came down
from heaven to unite heaven and earth.

‰ The three principal parts of the church are the narthex, the nave,
and the sanctuary (or alter). The narthex is at the entrance of the
church. In ancient times it was a large area where those preparing
to enter the church received instruction, and where those excluded
from Holy Communion stood. Today it is usually very reduced in
scale. The main body of the church is the nave. This is where the
faithful stand during services. The walls of the nave are decorated
with icons. In ancient times, there were where no seats in the

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 center of the church. The faithful stood for most parts of the
services. Standing was considered most conducive to true prayer,
and the open space allowed for the many bows and prostrations of
orthodox worship. The alter (or sanctuary) is at the eastern end of
the church, separated from the nave by a screen covered with icons
(the iconostasis).

‰ Iconostasis: Ancient Christians envisioned the church as the meeting

place between heaven and earth, between the divine and the
human. According to this interpretation, the iconostasis serves
both to separate the divine from the human, creating an atmosphere
of respect, and, by means of icons, to unite these two worlds. The
Royal Doors at the center of the iconostasis form the precise point
of intersection of the divine and human realms, for it is through
these doors that the priest carries the Gospel Book to be read to
the faithful, and the Holy Eucharist to be given to the faithful. On
the Royal Doors are placed icons of the four Evangelists who
announced the good news of Christ to the world. In their midst is
placed an icon of the Annunciation to the Mother of God, since this
event was the beginning of our salvation. Over the Royal Doors
there is an icon of the Last Supper, since in the alter beyond the
mystery of the Holy Eucharist is celebrated. To the right of the
Royal Doors is an Icon of Christ, and to the left, one of the Virgin
Mary with the Christ child. On either side of these icons are the
deacon’s doors, through which the other church servers pass during
services. An icon of a sainted deacon or an angel is placed on each
door, since the earthly deacons imitate the saints and angels in
heaven who always minister at the alter of the lord. The icon of the
church (saint or feast) and other icons of local importance are
always placed on the screen at the same level as the doors. Above
these are placed icons of the Great Feasts of the church. Old
Testament saints are always placed above these, with an icon of the
Virgin Mary and Child in the center. A cross is placed at the very
top of the screen.

‰ The Alter: The Alter is set aside for people who perform the Divine
Services. In the center of the Alter is the Holy Table, on which
the body and blood of our Lord are offered during the Divine

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 Liturgy. On the Holy Table are also placed the Gospel Book, and a
cross. On the left side of the Alter is a special room or space called
the Sacristy, in which is placed the Table of Oblation (the table on
which the bread and wine are prepared before the beginning of the
Divine Liturgy. To the right of the Alter is the Vestry, where
vestments and service books are kept.

‰ Censer: The censer is a cup-shaped vessel in which a piece of burning

charcoal and incense is placed. It is attached by three chains to a
handle, and is swung at many places during the services. The rising
fragrant smoke represents the prayers of the faithful ascending to
Heaven: “Let my prayers arise as incense before Thee”(Psalm
141:2). The bread and wine are censed during the preparation for
the Divine Liturgy. The icons of the saints are censed, along with
the faithful (who are also “images” of God”).

‰ Candles and Icon Lamps: The created light of this world has always
been seen by Christians as symbolic of the Uncreated Divine Light.
St. John refers to Christ as “the true Light which gives light to
every man who comes into the world.” He is “the light of men. And
the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not
comprehend it [or overcome or receive it] (John 1:4-5,9).
Therefore, since the earliest times, Christians have lighted candles
and oil lambs during the divine services. Our evening service
(Vespers) begins with the church in darkness, reflecting the
darkness of this world apart from Christ. At the lighting of the
lamps, we sing an ancient hymn: “O Gladsome Light of the holy
glory of the immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus
Christ. Now that we come to the setting of the sun, and behold
the light of evening, we praise thee Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
For meet it is at all times to worship Thee with voices of praise,
O Son of God, and Giver of Life, wherefore all the world does
glorify Thee.” Candles and oil lamps are lit also during daytime
services to show that, apart from Christ, we would still be lost in the
darkness of sin even in broad daylight.

‰ Candles are brought out at the reading of the Gospel to show that
with these words we receive true enlightenment. As the Psalmist

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 sings: “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm
119:105). Oil lamps are hung before the icons of the saints to show
that they participate in the Divine Uncreated Light of God, and that
their lives are like a light to the world. They have followed the
command of Christ: “Let your light so shine before men, that they
may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven”
(Matthew 5:16). When the faithful enter a church, they will light a
candle before the icons at the front of the church, and say a short
prayer. The candle represent our burning and faithful love for God.
We may also light a candle for those not present, as a sign of our
remembrance of them before God.

‰ Icons: The icons are one of the most distinctive parts of an

orthodox church. The word icon simply means “image”. They are
images of Christ, His Mother, the Apostles and Saints, and major
events in the history of our salvation. The icons express the
spiritual reality of the person or event depicted, and not simply
their physical attributes. They demonstrate human nature and
earthly reality as it is purified from sin, sanctified and partaking
fully of the Grace of God. Icons are not simply nice pictures with
which to decorate the church. Neither is their primary purpose to
teach us about our faith, although they can play an important role in
this. Rather, their primary purpose is to make present to us in a
tangible way Christ and His Saints. We venerate them by kissing
them, prostrating before them, burning candles or lamps before
them, censing them, and carrying them in procession. What we pay
honor to by these actions is not the physical wood and paint of the
icon, but the person represented by the image.

‰ The basis of the icon is Christ’s Incarnation. St. Paul calls Christ
the “image [icon] of the invisible God.” By painting the image of
Christ, we show that God truly became man. This human being who
can be depicted with lines and color is the Divine Second Person of
the Holy Trinity, become man at the Incarnation. When we kiss an
icon of the Savior, we are expressing our love and gratitude toward
Him. We venerate the icons of the Saints because they have
purified the image of God within them, and thus also shine with the
Light of Christ. Their holiness proceeds from Christ himself, and no

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 other. When we cover the walls of our church with icons of the
Saints who have gone before us, we show that they continue to be
present to us as our spiritual friends and helpers. There is no
division between the church of those on earth, and the church of
those in heaven.

Questions:
1. Why do we say that the church is both visible and invisible?
2. What are the two common forms of the church building and what does
each represent?
3. Why are orthodox churches oriented east-west?
4. What are the three principal parts of an orthodox church and their
function?
5. What is the function of the “iconostasis”?
6. What are some of the objects which are in the alter?
7. Why do we use incense during our divine services?
8. Why do we use candles and oil lamps during our divine services?
9. What does an icon depict?
10. How do we venerate icons?
11. What is the basis for icons? What does an icon express about our beliefs
about Christ, and about the Saints?

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Lesson Twenty-Five: Almsgiving, Prayer, Fasting

‰ The Christian life is, in many ways, a great “paradox”: it requires us

to live, at the same time, two seemingly contradictory truths. The
first truth is God’s unsurpassed and unconditional love. We realize
that we are not, and never will be worthy of God’s love. It is His
Love for us which first moved us to seek Him and to love him! Apart
from that Love we would remain in bondage to our sins, ruled over by
death and corruption, and without hope. But while we were yet
sinners, says St. Paul, God loved us, and desired that we enjoy
eternal life with Him. He loved us so much that He was willing to die
for us! This is the first truth, that God desires to save all sinners,
and He has achieved that salvation for us by his Incarnation, death
and Resurrection. But the second truth is just as necessary: God
continues to respect the freedom with which he created us. In other
words, he will not force His forgiveness upon us, but waits with
infinite patience for us to freely accept this gift. “Behold, I stand
at the door and knock,” says the Resurrected Christ. “If any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and dine
with him, and he with me” (Revelations 3:20). God desires this
intimate relationship with his people; He came to seek and to save
those lost in the darkness of sin and death; He has prepared a place
for us to be with Him in Heaven; all is waiting for us to return to him,
to open the door of our heart and let Him in! [It would be good to
carefully read the Parable of the Prodigal Son here, as it clearly
demonstrates the two aspects of the Christian life: our Heavenly
Father’s infinite love, and the necessity for a changed heart. Note:
the word repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia, which
means literally a “changed mind or heart”.]

‰ Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are three “keys” which can open our
heart to God. Jesus himself practiced these “works”, and taught
others to do the same. In his first sermon in the Gospel of Matthew
(the Sermon on the Mount), Jesus gives us clear teachings on how we
are to practice these three good works.

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From the Gospel of Matthew:
[True Almsgiving]
Mt:6:1: Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of
them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Mt:6:2: Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that
they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mt:6:3: But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right
hand doeth:
Mt:6:4: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in
secret himself shall reward thee openly.

‰ The Lord teaches us that we should give of our worldly goods to

those who are in need of them. By giving up our possessions, we learn
to do battle with our selfishness, which is the root of many sins.
When we are selfish, we think only about ourselves, how to satisfy
our own needs and desires. But love cannot exist in a selfish heart.
Love demands that we give of ourselves, that we place others ahead
of us. Giving of our possessions, either to the church or to the poor,
is a very concrete way of doing this. However, our Lord teaches us
that it is not simply the act of giving that is important, but also our
attitude. In the time of Jesus, the Pharisees made a great
spectacle of their almsgiving. They wanted to be noticed by men for
their good works. But the Lord teaches us the our giving should be
done in secret. Otherwise, our giving will only serve to make us more
selfish.

[True Prayer]
Mt:6:5: And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for
they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the
streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have
their reward.
Mt:6:6: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father
which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

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Mt:6:7: But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for
they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Mt:6:8: Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what
things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Mt:6:9: After this manner therefore pray ye:
[The Lord’s Prayer]
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mt:6:10: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mt:6:11: Give us this day our daily bread.
Mt:6:12: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mt:6:13: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine
is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mt:6:14: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you:
Mt:6:15: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.

‰ The Lord also teaches us that our prayer should be done secretly.
This does not mean that we cannot pray in public (since the Lord also
prayed in public), but that when we pray we should enter into the
“closet” of our heart. Our words should not simply come from our
lips, like the “vain” words of the heathen, but should proceed from
the depths of our heart. They must be said in humility, in the
awareness of our own sinfulness and need of God [see the Parable of
the Publican and the Pharisee as an example of the type of prayer
which is pleasing to God.]

‰ The Lord gave us the precious words which we pray at almost every
divine service, known as “The Lord’s Prayer”. All of our prayers,
whether public or private, should follow the pattern of the Lord’s
Prayer. Therefore, it is essential to memorize this prayer, and to
understand it.

‰ Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Jesus

was the first man to call God by the name of “Abba” or Father. It is
by virtue of our relationship to Christ that we can utter the same

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 words, in the confidence that we truly our His children through
Christ. We are also His children by virtue of our membership in the
church, and therefore our prayer is not a private affair. We unite as
one body, and call upon God as “our” Father, and pray not only for
ourselves, but for the entire world. The first petition is that God’s
name, which is always holy in itself, be sanctified in and through us.
We sanctify God’s name when we live a life pleasing to Him, and
glorify Him both with our words and our actions.

‰ Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

God’s Kingdom is one of eternal blessedness and peace. It is
actualized in heaven, where the angels accept and obey God’s will
completely. We ask that this same acceptance and obedience of
God’s will be realized on earth, so that God’s kingdom will also be
fully realized here. To begin with, it has to be realized within our
own heart.

‰ Give us this day our daily bread. We ask the Lord to provide
everything that we need for both our physical and spiritual life. The
spiritual bread refers, first of all, to Christ Himself, “the Bread of
Life”, whom we receive at Holy Communion. We also receive this
“Bread” any time we are fed spiritually, such as when we read the
Bible or other spiritual books, or listen to sermons or spiritual talks.
We are warned against being to anxious about the physical
necessities of life. We do not ask about tomorrow, but simply for
“this day.”

‰ And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. The Lord

teaches us by these words, and those in verses 14 and 15, to ask
forgiveness for our sins, and how they may be forgiven. When we
refuse to forgive the sins of others, it indicates that we ourselves
have not accepted God’s forgiveness of our sins. For when we
recognize our own sins, we will cease to accuse and judge others for
their sins, knowing that we ourselves are “the chief among sinners”
(as we say before receiving Holy Communion). When we accept God’s
forgiveness of our sins, we will act out of the same Divine mercy, and
forgive others.

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 ‰ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: We ask
God to keep us from falling into sin and yielding to the temptations
of the evil one (the devil). We ask for His strength to overcome all
temptations, and to be purified by them.

‰ For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for
ever. Amen. We affirm our faith in God, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, and His certain triumph over evil.

[True Fasting]
Mt:6:16: Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad
countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men
to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mt:6:17: But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Mt:6:18: That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which
is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

‰ Fasting is one of the most important works of self-denial, since it

affects us in a very concrete way by limiting our physical strength.
But the physical hunger which accompanies fasting is not so much its
goal, but a means to an end. The true goal of fasting is to create in
us a disposition of repentance and hunger for God. The passion of
our stomach for food is transformed into a passion for God and His
Divine Mercy. Fasting also awakens mercy in us by sharing the fate
of the poor among us. Once again, the Lord warns against hypocrisy.
We must be weary of the temptation to fast in order to receive the
praise of men. Such fasting will only contribute to our sinful pride.

‰ The church has set aside certain periods of the year during which all
the faithful are encouraged to fast according to certain rules and to
the best of their ability. These periods are: 1) The forty days of
Great Lent, and Holy Week; 2) The Nativity Fast (November 15 to
December 24); 3) The Apostles’ Fast (the Monday after All Saints
Sunday through June 24); 4) The Dormition Fast (August 1 to
August 14). In addition, the following days are fast days:
1) Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, except for the time
between the Nativity and Theophany Eve (December 25 to January
4), the second week before Great Lent, the week after Pascha and

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 the week after Pentecost; 2) the Eve of Theophany (January 5); 3)
the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29); 4) the Elevation
of the Cross (September 14).

Questions:
1. What are the “two truths” which affect our Christian life?
2. What does the word “repentance” mean?
3. What are the three “keys” to repentance?
4. According to Jesus, what attitude must we have in practicing these acts?
5. What is the purpose of almsgiving?
6. Where does true prayer come from?
7. Why do we call God “our Father”?
8. According to Jesus, how are we forgiven by God?
9. What is the purpose of fasting?
10. What are the four main fasting periods of the year?

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Lesson Twenty-Six: The Divine Liturgy

‰ The life of the church is really in its worship. All of what we see on
the exterior (the church building and its furnishings, the icons, the
liturgical books, the vestments, the candles, lamps and incense),
exists for one reason, to aid us in our worship of the Holy Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We make up the body of Christ most
fully when we are united in prayer, with one voice, one mind and one
spirit. Without this worship “in spirit and in truth”, the exterior
things of the church would be like an empty shell; pretty on the
outside, but lifeless within.

‰ The Holy Eucharist is the heart of our worship. The word

“eucharist” means “thanksgiving”. Our entire life as Christians
should be one of thankfulness to God. At the Holy Eucharist, we
gather as one body around the one alter of the Lord, guided by the
bishop or priest, to remember and give thanks for the sacrifice of
Christ, made once for all, for the life of the world. In this act we
receive the true body and blood of Christ, and are made into living
members of His Mystical Body, the Church. “The cup of blessing
which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The
bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
For we, being many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake
of that one bread” (I Corinthians 10:16-17). While the Lord was on
earth, he prayed fervently that his followers would be joined in a
oneness of mind and heart; that they would experience the same
unity which Christ has with his Father. This unity is realized most
fully and concretely in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We will
discuss the Holy Eucharist in more detail in the section on the
Sacraments.

‰ We celebrate the Holy Eucharist as part of the Divine Liturgy

(called the Mass by the Roman Catholic Church). In the first years
of the church, the Holy Eucharist took place at an actual meal. With
the growth of the church, however, this became impractical. Later,
many additional prayers and readings were added to the Eucharistic
prayers, to make up what we today call the Divine Liturgy. In a
typical church, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated every Sunday

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 morning, as well as on the major feast days throughout the year. In
some places, such as large monasteries, it may be celebrated every
day. The word “liturgy” means “the work” and refers to this service
as the work of all the faithful. This is important, since we believe
that every member of the church has their role to play. Certainly
the bishop or priest is very important in the celebration of the
Divine Liturgy, since they have been given the gift to serve at the
alter at their ordination. But all of the faithful are members of the
one Body of Christ, and contribute to the worship of the church,
whether they are members of the choir, alter boys, readers, church
cleaners, or simply participate silently. For this reason, the Divine
Liturgy is never celebrated by the bishop or priest alone. The
faithful must always be present to give their “amen”.

‰ The Divine Liturgy consists of two basic parts: the Liturgy of the
Word (or the Catechumens), and the Liturgy of the Faithful. In
addition, there is a preparatory phase prior to the beginning of the
Liturgy, called in Greek the Proskomedia (“bringing of the gifts”).
During the Proskomedia, the priest prepares the loaves of bread and
wine to be consecrated during the Liturgy of the Faithful. The
preparation includes cutting out various pieces from the loaves while
saying specified prayers. The pieces are arranged on a dish, called
the paten. The center piece stands for Christ, the Lamb of God.
Around him are placed pieces signifying the Mother of God, various
saints, and the living and the dead (all those for whom the service is
being offered). The wine is placed in a cup called the chalice. Both
the paten and chalice are then covered with a clothe and censed,
while the priest prays that the Lord will bless the gifts and accept
them on behalf of the whole church.

‰ The Liturgy of the Catechumens is the first part of the Divine

Liturgy, consisting of prayers, hymns, readings from scripture, and a
sermon. The “Catechumens” are those preparing to be baptized. In
the ancient church, they were only allowed to be present for this
part of the liturgy, and would leave the church before the beginning
of the Liturgy of the Faithful. Today, catechumens may remain in
church during the entire liturgy, but may not partake of the Holy
Eucharist. The Liturgy begins with the opening of the Royal Doors

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 and the exclamation of the priest: “Blessed is the kingdom of the
Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Then begins the
Great Litany, consisting of twelve petitions to the Lord for our
common needs. These are followed by three hymns (called
antiphones); the first two usually from the Book of Psalms, and the
third from the Beatitudes of the Gospels. During the singing of the
third hymn, the priest, followed by candle-bearers, comes out of the
alter with the Gospel Book (this is called the Little Entrance).
Special hymns (called Troparia and Kontakia) honoring the saint or
feast of the day are then sung. At their conclusion, the Trisagion
Hymn is sung: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on
us!” Next comes the reading from the Epistle and Gospel, each
proceeded by a short hymn called the Prokeimenon. These are
followed by a sermon, usually given by the priest. Then there are
several more litanies, before the final dismissal of the catechumens
and the beginning of the Liturgy of the Faithful.

‰ There are four main parts to the Liturgy of the Faithful: 1) final
preparation of the Holy Gifts and the faithful; 2) the Eucharistic
prayers; 3) partaking of communion; 4) thanksgiving. The Liturgy
begins with two litanies, then the singing of the Cherubic Hymn, at
the end of which begins the Great Entrance. The priest carries
the Holy Gifts out of the Alter while offering prayers, then returns
to the alter and places the Gifts on the Holy Table. The Royal Doors
are then closed. At the exclamation “Let us love one another”, the
clergy exchange the kiss of peace, followed by the singing of the
Creed.

‰ After the Creed begins the second part of the Liturgy of the
Faithful, and the most important part of the Divine Liturgy, the
Eucharistic Prayers. In Greek, this is referred to as the Anaphora,
meaning the offering. In these prayers, we offer thanks to God for
the sacrifice of His Son, and offer the Holy Gifts to Him “on behalf
of all, and for all.” The words of Christ at the Last Supper (the
words of institution) are read here: “Take, eat, this is my body,
given for you for the remission of sins”; “Drink of it all of you;
this is my blood of the New Testament, shed for you for the
forgiveness of sins.” At the prayer known as the Epiclesis (meaning

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 invocation), the priest asks God to send His Holy Spirit to sanctify
all those present as well as the Holy Gifts upon the alter: “Again we
offer unto Thee this reasonable and bloodless worship, and ask Thee,
and pray Thee, and supplicate Thee: send down Thy Holy Spirit upon
us and upon these Gifts here offered. . . . And make this bread to be
the precious Body of Your Christ. . . . And that which is in this cup,
to be the precious Blood of Your Christ. . . . Making the change by
Your Holy Spirit.” After this, the priest makes special petitions for
all the members of the church, for whom the Holy Eucharist is
offered.

‰ The third part of the Liturgy of the Faithful begins with a short
litany, then the recitation by all of the Lord’s Prayer. This is
followed by the call to communion: “The Holy Things for the holy”
and the singing of the Communion Hymn. The clergy commune
first, in the alter. Then the Royal Doors are opened, and the priest
comes out holding the chalice (into which he has placed particles of
the bread). He exclaims: “In the fear of God and with faith, draw
near!” Before approaching the Body and Blood of Christ, the faithful
recite the Prayer before Communion:

I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the
Son of the living God, Who camest into the world to save sinners, of
whom I am first. I believe also that this is truly Thine own must pure
Body, and that this is truly Thine own precious Blood. Therefore, I pray
Thee: have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions, both voluntary
and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance.
And make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Thy most pure
mysteries, for the remission of my sins, and unto life everlasting. Amen.
Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a
communicant; for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies,
neither like Judas will I give Thee a kiss; but like the thief will I confess
Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom.
May the communion of Thy holy Mysteries be neither to my
judgement, nor to my condemnation, O Lord, but to the healing of soul
and body.

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 ‰ All baptized members of the church, including infants and children,
are invited to partake of communion. If able, they should have
abstained from any food or water from the time they have gone to
bed the previous night. They are also expected to have gone to
confession if necessary. The priest says the following words as he
communes the faithful: “The servant (or handmaiden) of God (name)
partakes of the precious and holy Body and Blood of our Lord and
God and Savior Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins and unto life
everlasting.” After receiving communion, the faithful gently kiss the
chalice with reverence.

‰ The last part of the Liturgy consists in giving thanks to God. The
beautiful hymns “We have seen the true light . . .” and “Let our
mouths be filled with Thy praise, O Lord . . . .” are sung at this
time. After a short litany and a prayer by the priest, the choir sings
verses from Psalm 34: “I will bless the Lord at all times . . .” The
priest then offers the final blessing, and the faithful come up to kiss
the cross which he holds. At this time the faithful also receive a
piece of bread called antidoron, which is the portion of the loaves
which remained after the particles to be consecrated were cut out.
The consecrated gifts which have not been consumed are then
consumed by the priest or deacon. Those who have communed remain
after the liturgy to hear the Prayers of Thanksgiving after
Communion.

Questions:
1. What is the true life of the church? What is the purpose of all the sacred
objects in our church?
2. What does the word “Eucharist” mean?
3. What do we remember in the Holy Eucharist?
4. What do we receive in the Holy Eucharist?
5. What do we become when we partake of the Holy Eucharist?
6. In which service do we celebrate the Holy Eucharist? On what days?
7. What is the meaning of the name for this service?
8. Who must be present at this service?
9. What are the two basic parts of this service? Why do we designate them
with these names?
10. What is the Proskomedia?

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11. What happens at the Little Entrance?
12. What are the four main sections of the second part of this service?
13. What happens at the Great Entrance?
14. What happens at the Epiclesis (or invocation over the gifts)?
15. Who may partake of communion?

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 Lesson Twenty-Seven: The Other Divine Services

‰ The primary purpose of our lives is communion with God. This

communion is achieved, primarily, through true prayer, which is both
a work of man and a gift of God. Therefore, our entire lives should
be dedicated to prayer. We should not think that what we do on
Sunday, when we attend church, is somehow separate from the rest
of our lives. Rather, every part of our life should be offered to God.
If we live our lives with “thanksgiving” (eucharistically), then our life
itself becomes a prayer to God.

The Cycles of Worship:

‰ The church teaches us to structure our lives around prayer by her

divine services. These services may be seen as falling into one of

five cycles of life: 1) The Great Cycle of Life – these are the
services which occur once in our lives, and our not repeated. These
consist of Holy Baptism, Holy Chrismation, Holy Matrimony (or
Monastic Tonsure), Holy Orders (a special blessing only bestowed
on those with this vocation) and the burial service. 2) The Annual
Cycle of Movable Feasts- These are the feast days which center on
and around Pascha, the feast of feasts. They are called movable
because their exact date shifts from year to year depending on
which day Pascha falls. These feasts include Palm Sunday, Pascha,
Holy Ascension, and Holy Pentecost. Pascha is preceded by the
time of spiritual preparation and fasting known as Great Lent and
Holy Week. 3) The Annual Cycle of Fixed Feasts- Each day of the
year is dedicated to the memory of a particular saint or event in the
life of the church. Their feast falls on the same date each year, and
they are therefore referred to as “fixed”. Special hymns honoring
each saint or event or sung on these occasions. Among the feasts,
some are considered to be more important than the rest, and are
called Great Feasts. These feasts celebrate major events in the
life of Christ and the Mother of God. These are the feasts which we
studied in Section Three. All of the fixed Great Feasts are
preceded by a period of preparation known as the Forefeast. The
Nativity of Christ and the Dormition of the Mother of God are also
preceded by a period of fasting. A festal period called the
Afterfeast, during which the feast is continually observed, follows

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 all of the Great Feasts, except Palm Sunday. 4) The Weekly Cycle
of Services- each day of the week is dedicated to the memory of a
specific person or event important to the life of the church. Sunday
is dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ. Every Sunday might be
considered a little Pascha, since we sing hymns which celebrate
Christ’s Resurrection. Monday is dedicated to the Holy Bodiless
Powers (Angels and Archangels). Tuesday is dedicated to the
Prophets, and especially to St. John the Baptist, the greatest of
the Prophets. Wednesday is dedicated to the Cross, and also recalls
the betrayal of Christ by Judas. Thursday is dedicated to the Holy
Apostles, and to the Hierarchs of the Church, especially St.
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Lycia. Friday is also dedicated to the
Cross, and recalls Christ’s Crucifixion. Saturday is dedicated to All
Saints, especially the Mother of God, and to the memory of all
those who have departed this life in the hope of resurrection and
eternal life. There is also a cycle of eight tones, which determines
how the music will be sung for a particular week. The tone of the
week changes on Saturday evening. 5) The Daily Cycle of Services-
these are the services repeated every day of the year by the
church. To some extent, they follow the ancient tradition of Jewish
worship. The Jews divided the day into eight parts, each of which
had a specific set of prayers attached to it. The day began with the
setting of the sun (approximately 6pm). The eight services of the
church are as follows: Ninth Hour, Vespers, Compline, Nocturn
(midnight service), Matins, First Hour, Third Hour, Sixth Hour. The
complete cycle of services is rarely followed in most churches,
except for large monastery churches.

The Services of the Daily Cycle:

‰ The Hours- these are named according to the ancient Jewish

reckoning of time. Thus, the First Hour is appointed to be read at

around 7 a.m., the Third Hour at 9 a.m., the Sixth Hour at 12 noon,
and the Ninth Hour at 3 p.m. Each Hour has as its theme a
particularly meaningful event in the life of the church. The theme of
the First Hour is thankfulness to God for the light of day (which
appears at about this time) which He has given us. We beseech Him
that we may pass the day without sin. In the Third Hour we
commemorate the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Disciples, since

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 the Book of Acts tells us that it was at this hour that the Holy
Spirit came upon them. The Third Hour also commemorates Pilate’s
judgement of Christ, and the scourging and mocking of the Lord.
At the Sixth Hour we remember the Crucifixion of Christ, according
to the text of Luke’s Gospel: “It was now about the sixth hour, and
there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while
the sun’s light failed” (Luke 23:44). According to Matthew’s Gospel,
the death of the Lord occurred at the ninth hour: “And about the
ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani’
that is, ‘my God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?’ . . . And Jesus
cried again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit” (Matthew
27:46,50). Therefore, at the Ninth Hour, we remember his life-
giving Passion and Death. At each Hour, various prayers and Psalms
are read which are related to the particular theme of that hour.

‰ Vespers- this is the evening service, appointed to be celebrated at

the setting of the sun, approximately 6 p.m. At this service, we
relive various Old Testament themes prior to the Incarnation of
Christ and the New Testament. At the beginning of Vespers, Psalm
104 is read, which extols the beauty of creation as God made it in
the beginning. The censing of the church signifies the Spirit of God
which “moved over the face of the waters” at the beginning of
creation. The Royal Doors are left open, signifying Adam and Eve’s
immediate contact with God in paradise. At the end of Psalm 104,
the Royal Doors are shut, signifying man’s expulsion from paradise.
Later, several other Psalms are read (beginning with “Lord, I call
upon Thee, here me . . . “) which indicate Adam’s repentance for his
sins, and his desire to return to paradise. During the reading of
these Psalms, the priest once again censes the church; the rising
smoke symbolizing the ascent of our prayers to God. Later, the
Royal Doors are opened again, and the priest comes out, preceded by
a candle-bearer. This signifies that with the coming of the light of
Christ, the doors to paradise are once again opened. At this point,
the beautiful and ancient hymn “O Gladsome Light” is sung, extolling
Christ as the Light of God. On feast days and during Great Lent,
this hymn is followed by readings from the Old Testament which
contain prophecies of the event being celebrated. Towards the end
of Vespers, we sing the beautiful prayer of St. Simeon when he took

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 the infant Christ into his arms: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy
servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for my eyes
have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the
face of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the
glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). The Vespers service
thus ends with a vision of the Glory of Christ and the New Creation,
but only after recalling the first creation, the fall, the expulsion
from paradise, and man’s repentance and anticipation of the coming
of the Savior.

‰ Compline- this is the service appointed for after supper, and before
going to bed. It consists of three main parts: 1) the reading of
prayers and Psalms in which we give thanks to God for the day which
has just passed, and ask Him to give us a peaceful sleep during the
coming night (and a peaceful repose at death); 2) prayers of
repentance, including the reading of the penitential Psalm of King
David, Psalm 51 (Have Mercy on me O God . . .); 3) the glorification
of God and His Saints.

‰ Nocturns- this service is appointed to be said at midnight, in

remembrance of the Lord’s midnight prayer in the Garden of
Gethsemane, just before his betrayal and arrest. It also reminds us
of the angels, whose praise of God is continuous. The general theme
of this service is death and judgement: we must be ready at all hours
to face the judgement of Christ, who will come “like a thief in the
night”, when we least expect him. Thus, in addition to various
penitential prayers, and prayers for the dead, we sing the hymn
“Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight . . .”. This service is most
commonly said just before the morning service of Matins.

‰ Matins- this is appointed to be served in the morning. Matins begins

with the song of the Angels at the birth of Christ: “Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke
2:14). Then there is a reading of six Psalms, in which we cry out for
the Lord’s mercy and salvation. These Psalms also prophecy of the
Lord’s suffering and death. After the reading, the priest exclaims
“God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us. Blessed is he
that comes in the name of the Lord!” (the exclamation of the

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 crowd when the Lord entered Jerusalem). After several more
Psalms, litanies, prayers and hymns, the priest comes out of the alter
preceded by a candle-bearer. This signifies the light and joy of
Christ’s resurrection. While some more Psalms are sung, all the
lights in the church are turned on. On Sundays, more verses are
sung glorifying the Resurrection of Christ. There is also a reading of
the Gospel concerning the Resurrection. A special hymn, “Having
beheld the Resurrection of Christ . . . “ is then sung, while all the
faithful come up to the front of the church to kiss and venerate the
Gospel Book. After this is a long series of nine songs, known as the
Canons. They are based on hymns sung by Saints of the Old
Testament, and Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. The last
canon is preceded by the song of the Mother of God: “My soul
magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For
He has regarded the low estate of His maidservant; For behold,
henceforth all generations shall call be blessed. . . .” (Luke 1:46-
55). After the Canons, the Hymns of Light are sung, followed by
three more Psalms (called the Praises). They call every living thing
to praise God: “Let every breath praise the Lord . . . .“ Then comes
the great Doxology (glorification of God), beginning with the words
“Glory to Thee Who hast shown us the Light!” With the rising of
the sun, we give thanks to God for having sent us the Light of His
Son Jesus Christ.

Prayers for the Dead

‰ Christ and all of the Saints have taught us to pray for one another.

We could even say that this is the essence of Christian love – to

bring others, even the whole world, before God in prayer. This
prayer, which is implanted in us by the love of Christ, should not
cease when the other person has departed this earthly life. Our
church confesses, with the Apostle Paul, that nothing can separate
us from the Love of God: “For I am persuaded that neither death
nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created
thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). When we make prayers
for the dead, we affirm our belief that this person is still before
the presence of God. God has not forgotten them, and neither

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 should we. And since prayer is the expression of our love, we should
continue to pray for them, even though the effects of our prayers
are not visible to us. All we can know for sure is that God hears our
prayers: the fate of the person we pray for is completely in the
Hands of God. A great mystery lies between this earthly realm and
the realm of those who have passed from this earthly life. But it is
a mystery only to us who are still on this side, not to God and His
Saints. Therefore, it is not important for us to know exactly how
our prayers are effective; we simply continue to pray out of love,
and place the rest in God’s all-merciful hands!

‰ The dead are remembered at every divine service of the church.

However, there are also special days throughout the year set aside
to honor the memory of the dead: 1) Meatfare Saturday: this is the
second Saturday before the beginning of Great Lent. On Meatfare
Sunday (the next day), the church commemorates the Last
Judgement, when Christ will judge the whole world. Therefore, on
Saturday, prayers are made for all those who have departed this life
in the hope of resurrection, that Christ might have mercy on them at
the Last Judgement. 2) Second, Third and Fourth Saturdays of
Great Lent. 3) Tuesday of St. Thomas Week: this is the second
week after Pascha. This commemoration is made so that the joy of
the Resurrection may be shared with those who have departed this
life in the hope of their own resurrection. 4) Trinity Saturday: This
is the day before the Feast of Pentecost. The church prays that the
Holy Spirit may wash away all the sins of our brothers and sisters
who have gone before us, that they all may be united in the Kingdom
of Heaven.

‰ The church offers special prayers on the third, ninth and fortieth
day after the death of one of her faithful ones. The numbers have
special significance: three, for the Holy Trinity and the Resurrection
of Christ on the third day after death; nine because the church asks
for the intercession of the nine ranks of angles on behalf of the
departed one; forty, since the Israelites mourned the death of
Moses for forty days; Christ was victorious over Satin after forty
days of fasting in the desert; and Christ ascended forty days after

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 his resurrection. The church also remembers the departed on the
yearly anniversary of their death.

Great Lent:
‰ Lent is the forty day long period of preparation which precedes
Holy Week and Pascha. The number forty has spiritual significance,
since the Israelites wondered for forty years in the desert before
entering the Promised Land; Moses fasted on Mt. Sinai for forty
days before descending with the tablets of the Law; the Prophet
Elijah fasted for forty days before his encounter with God on Mt.
Horeb; and the Lord fasted for forty days in the wilderness before
contending with Satin.

‰ In order to properly glorify the Lord’s Resurrection, the faithful are

expected to prepare themselves spiritually through increased
repentance, prayer, fasting and works of mercy during this time.
There are also more services in church, the services are more
penitential in character, and the Sunday Divine Liturgy is longer.
The regular Divine Liturgy is not celebrated on week days. Instead,
the church celebrates the Presanctified Liturgy, so-called because
the gifts have already been sanctified on the previous Sunday. The
Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read during the
first four days of Great Lent, as well as the fifth Thursday. This
Canon is composed of 250 verses expressing our longing for
repentance and forgiveness. At all of the Divine Services during
Great Lent, we say the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, which
expresses exactly our longing for a pure heart:

O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth,

despair, lust of power and idle talk. (prostration)
But Give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to
Thy servant. (prostration)
Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own transgressions and
not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen.
(prostration).

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 ‰ Great Lent itself is preceded by four Sundays, called the Sundays
of Preparation, which direct us toward true repentance. The first
Sunday of Preparation is the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee.
The Gospel reading for this day is from Luke’s Gospel (18:9-14):

Lk:18:9: And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in

themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Lk:18:10: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee,
and the other a publican.
Lk:18:11: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank
thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or
even as this publican.
Lk:18:12: I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Lk:18:13: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as
his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful
to me a sinner.
Lk:18:14: I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than
the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted.

‰ The lord places the self-humiliation of the publican before us as an

example to follow. We must flee the temptation to be like the
Pharisee, especially during Great Lent, when we might become proud
of our own spiritual accomplishments! On this day, we sing the hymn
“Open to me the gates of repentance . . .”, reminding us of the
gateway through which we must pass on our way to Pascha.

‰ The second Sunday of Preparation is the Sunday of the Prodigal

Son. The Gospel reading is taken from Luke 15:11-32:

Lk:15:11: And he said, A certain man had two sons:

Lk:15:12: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the
portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
Lk:15:13: And not many days after the younger son gathered all together,
and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance
with riotous living.

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Lk:15:14: And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that
land; and he began to be in want.
Lk:15:15: And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and
he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Lk:15:16: And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the
swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
Lk:15:17: And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants
of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Lk:15:18: I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I
have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Lk:15:19: And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of
thy hired servants.
Lk:15:20: And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a
great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on
his neck, and kissed him.
Lk:15:21: And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Lk:15:22: But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and
put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Lk:15:23: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be
merry:
Lk:15:24: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is
found. And they began to be merry.
Lk:15:25: Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh
to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
Lk:15:26: And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things
meant.
Lk:15:27: And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath
killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
Lk:15:28: And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father
out, and intreated him.
Lk:15:29: And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I
serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet
thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

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Lk:15:30: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy
living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
Lk:15:31: And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I
have is thine.
Lk:15:32: It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy
brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

‰ This parable teaches us more fully about the nature of repentance.

It shows that the change of heart must also be followed by action.
We must not only turn away from our sinful life, but also return to
the Father with an act of will. We can see in this parable an image
of our own lives as Christians: our willful departure from God’s
presence, a life of sin, misery at our fallen state, repentance, return
to the Father who receives us with forgiveness. On this day, we sing
the hymn “By the Waters of Babylon . . .”, which reminds us of our
spiritual exile from the heavenly kingdom.

‰ The third Sunday of Preparation is the Sunday of the Last

Judgement (also called Meatfare Sunday) since this is the last day
to eat meat until Pascha.) The Gospel reading for this day is from
Matthew 25:31-46:

Mt:25:31: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mt:25:32: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall
separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from
the goats:
Mt:25:33: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on
the left.
Mt:25:34: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world:
Mt:25:35: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye
gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mt:25:36: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in
prison, and ye came unto me.

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Mt:25:37: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we
thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mt:25:38: When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and
clothed thee?
Mt:25:39: Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mt:25:40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto
you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mt:25:41: Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mt:25:42: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and
ye gave me no drink:
Mt:25:43: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed
me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mt:25:44: Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee
an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and
did not minister unto thee?
Mt:25:45: Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mt:25:46: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal.

‰ This reading reminds us that at the end of time, when Christ comes
in Glory, all of our lives will be judged. Christ tells us that the basis
for this judgement is how we have treated “the least of these my
brethren.” Christ calls the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the
naked, the sick and the prisoner his “brethren”. Our faith must go
beyond words of confession to concrete expressions of love for the
least “lovely” of society.

‰ The fourth Sunday of Preparation is Forgiveness Sunday (also called

Cheesefare Sunday since this is the last day we can eat cheese and
other dairy products before Pascha). One of the themes of this day
is the expulsion of Adam from paradise. The weeping Adam before
the closed gates of paradise is put before us as an image of our own
repentance. The Gospel reading for this day tells us that we will only

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 receive God’s forgiveness for our sins when we forgive others. Thus,
a special service is celebrated (Forgiveness Vespers) during which
we ask and grant all those in church mutual forgiveness. With this
act of repentance we begin the journey of Great Lent.

‰ The first Sunday of Great Lent is the Sunday of Orthodoxy, at

which we celebrate the victory of the church over the iconoclasts
(those who destroyed the holy icons) in the ninth century. We also
remember all those who died defending the icons. A joyful
procession with the holy icons is made on this day.

‰ The second Sunday is dedicated to St. Gregory Palamas, who was a

Bishop in Greece during the 14th century. His life and writings
helped the church to be victorious over the heretics of this time,
who wanted to depart from Holy Tradition. This victory was seen as
a renewal of the Triumph of Orthodoxy of the previous Sunday.

‰ The third Sunday (the middle of Great Lent) is dedicated to the

Veneration of the Cross. It is appropriate that the cross be
brought out in the midst of our Lenten struggles, to be strengthened
by the remembrance of Christ’s passion and death.

‰ The fourth Sunday is dedicated to the memory of St. John

Climacus. John was a monk in the Egyptian desert during the 6th
century. His book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a manual of the
true life of repentance. It is appointed by the church to be read
during Great Lent.

‰ The fifth Sunday is dedicated to the memory of St. Mary of Egypt.

Mary was a prostitute who lived in Egypt during the 7th-8th centuries.
She repented and spent the rest of her life in solitude and continual
repentance in the Egyptian desert. She is thus seen as a model of
repentance for all Christians. Her life is read by the church during
the previous week.

Questions:
1. What are the five cycles of worship?
2. Which Great Feast is considered the Feast of Feasts?

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3. What day of the week is dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ?
4. What are the Eight services of the Daily Cycle?
5. In which service do we sing the hymn “O Gladsome Light . . .” and why?
6. In which service do we sing the song of the Mother of God “My soul
Magnifies the Lord . . .”?
7. What do we affirm when we pray for the dead?
8. What are some of the things which the church and the faithful do
differently during Great Lent?
9. What does the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee teach us?
10. What does the Sunday of the Prodigal Son teach us?
11. What does the Sunday of the Last Judgement teach us?
12. What happens at Forgiveness Vespers?
13. Name one of the five Sundays of Great Lent and its significance for us?

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 Lesson Twenty-Eight: The Saints

‰ The word “holy” means “set apart”. God is Holy because He is

completely beyond the created world. He exists in unapproachable
light. We say that God is in heaven, not because he is located in a
place “out there somewhere”, but because His Glory surpasses
anything in the created world. He alone is creator. He alone is
sufficient and complete in Himself. He is total goodness, total love,
lacking nothing. This is the meaning of “Holiness”. How then can we
apply the term “holy” to human beings or to created realities? In
the Old Testament, God’s Holiness inspired fear in men. To approach
the Holiness of God meant to be consumed by the Divine Fire. The
Jews did not even dare to repeat the Holy name of God.

‰ Saint John tells us that this same Holy God “became flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). At his
incarnation, Christ filled all of creation with his Glory. He united our
human nature to his divinity, and made it possible for men to
participate in God’s holiness through grace. Everything that flows
from this grace can be called Holy: the Holy Church because it is the
Body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit; the Holy Icons
because they depict Christ and his Saints in their divine glory; the
Holy Relicts of the Saints, because the body, as well as the spirit, of
the Saints is also glorified; the Holy Sacraments because they are
mysteries which convey divine grace to us; the Holy Alter because
Christ is made present here in the Eucharist; the Holy Scriptures
because they proclaim in words the mysteries of God’s saving acts.

‰ The Saints are those human beings who have been sanctified and
illumined by God’s Holy Spirit. They are depicted in the Icons with a
nimbus (a circle of light around their heads) to show that they shine
with the same uncreated light which the disciples witnessed at
Christ’s Transfiguration. Since they share in the Holiness of God,
they can become guides for us who desire to live a holy life. One
could say that they are like “living scriptures”: following the example
of Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, they “incarnate” Christian
teachings and doctrines. We could also call them “Icons” or “Images”

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 of Christ, just as Christ is the true Icon (Image) of God. When we
look at Jesus we “see” the invisible God. In the particular life of
each saint, we see something of the humanity and divinity of the
Savior. The saints are able to convict us of the truth of the Gospel
and of the doctrines of the church because we see them being lived
out. The Saints who are closest to us in time and culture are often
those who inspire more devotion, because their Holiness is more
understandable to us. For this reason, God has raised up Saints in
every age and place.

‰ There are several different types of Saints. The Virgin Mary is the
first among the Saints since she is the Mother of God and the “Joy
of all creation”. She is remember in every service of the Church.
John the Baptist is also very important since he is the “forerunner”
of the Lord. Then there are the Apostles, who were sent to proclaim
the faith; the Evangelists, who wrote the four Gospels; and the
Prophets, who were inspired to speak the gospel before hand.
Confessors are those who suffer for their faith, while Martyrs are
those who die for their faith. The word “martyr” means “witness”:
many pagans and Jews were inspired to convert to Christianity during
the first three centuries of the church through the witness of the
Martyrs. The Bishops are those who continue the work of the
Apostles, and many of them also have lead holy lives. Many of our
Saints are Monks; they are called the “holy ones.” There are also
saints among lay people, who live and work in the world. They are
called the righteous. Finally, there are the fools for Christ, those
saints who are considered crazy by the world for their
uncompromising adherence to the Gospel. Below are some short lives
of saints from several of the above categories.

Apostles
San Judas (hermano del Señor)
(19 de Junio)

El Santo Apóstol Judas fue uno de los doce Apóstoles del Señor, y provenía de
la tribu de Judá, de donde descendían David y Salomón. San Judas nació en la
ciudad de Nazaret, Galilea; era hijo del justo José, al cual la purísima Virgen
María fue desposada. Según la tradición, la madre de Judas fue Salomé, hija

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de Hagai, hijo de Baraquiá, hermano de San Zacarías, el padre del Santo
Profeta Juan el Precursor del Señor. Judas fue hermano del Santo Apóstol
Jacobo el Justo, primer jerarca de la Iglesia de Jerusalén. El Santo Apóstol
era más conocido como Judas de Jacobo, es decir hermano del Apóstol Jacobo.
El prefería este sobrenombre en concordancia con su humildad, porque se
consideraba indigno de llamarse hermano del Señor según el género humano, ya
que él había pecado ante el Señor, primero por su falta de fe y segundo por su
falta de amor fraternal.
El Santo Evangelista Juan el Teólogo atestigua el pecado de Judas por su falta
de fe cuando escribe: "Ni sus hermanos creyeron en Él" (Juan 7:5). Explicando
este pasaje del Evangelio, el Santo Teofilacto interpreta que los hermanos aquí
mencionados son los hijos de José. Señala: "Incluso sus hermanos, los hijos de
José (entre quienes estaba Judas) no creyeron en él — es decir, en Jesús. ¿De
dónde proviene esta incredulidad por Él (Jesús)? por la propia necia voluntad y
por envidia de ellos; porque es más común en la gente que envidien a sus propios
parientes antes que a extraños." Así, resulta claro que Judas pecó contra el
Señor por su falta de fe.
Así mismo, Judas mostró también a Cristo su falta de amor fraternal. Cuando
José, al regresar de Egipto, comenzó a dividir su tierra entre sus hijos nacidos
de su primera esposa, también quiso dar una parte al Señor Jesús, que había
nacido en forma sobrenatural y sin mancha de la purísima Virgen María, y que
entonces no era más que un niño. Pero tres de los hijos de José no querían que
Cristo recibiera una parte, pues había nacido de otra madre; sólo el cuarto
hijo, San Jacobo, lo aceptó como copropietario de su propia parte, por lo que
posteriormente éste fue llamado "Hermano de Jesucristo." Consciente de sus
anteriores pecados por su falta de fe y de amor fraternal, Judas no se atrevía
a llamarse hermano de Cristo, sino sólo hermano de Jacobo, tal como él mismo
escribe en su epístola: "Judas, sirviente de Jesucristo y hermano de Jacobo"
(Judas 1:1).
Aparte de ser llamado este Apóstol Judas de Jacobo, Judas tenía también
otros títulos. El evangelista Mateo lo llama Lebeo y Tadeo. Estos nombres le
fueron dados al Apóstol Judas con razón, porque el nombre Lebeo significa
"fervoroso." En el Apóstol Judas, este título significaría que, después de haber
cometido pecados contra Cristo Dios en su incredulidad, posteriormente llegó a
creer en Jesús como el verdadero Mesías, y se unió a El con todo su corazón. El
Apóstol Judas también fue llamado Tadeo, que significa "el que rinde
alabanza"; porque él glorificó y confesó a Cristo Dios y proclamó el Evangelio a
muchos pueblos.

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Se sabe muy poco sobre la vida y actividades del Santo Apóstol Judas, aparte
del hecho que se casó con una mujer llamada Miriam. Aparte de esto, todo lo
que se sabe es que, durante el reinado de Domeciano (81-96 d.C.), dos nietos de
Judas, que trabajaban la tierra con sus propias manos, fueron llevados donde el
mismo emperador, por calumnias hechas por herejes, debido a que ellos eran
descendientes de David y parientes del Señor. Pero cuando el emperador se
cercioró él mismo que ellos no significaban ningún peligro político para él,
fueron puestos en libertad.
Al igual que los demás "hermanos" del Señor, el Apóstol Judas emprendió
muchas tareas evangélicas, difundiendo el Evangelio de Cristo. Poco después de
la ascensión al cielo del Señor Jesucristo, el Apóstol Judas, tal como hicieron
todos los demás Apóstoles de Cristo, partió a predicar el Evangelio. El
testimonio del historiador eclesiástico Nicéforo, señala: "El divino Judas, que
tenía el doble título de Tadeo y Lebeo, hijo de José y hermano del Jacobo (que
fue arrojado desde el pináculo del templo de Jerusalén), predicó el Evangelio y
diseminó la Cristiandad primeramente en Judea, Galilea, Samaria, Idumea y,
posteriormente, en Arabia, Siria y Mesopotamia. Finalmente, llegó a la ciudad
de Edesa, que pertenecía al rey Abgar, donde el Evangelio había sido predicado
ante éste por otro Tadeo, uno de los setenta Apóstoles. Allí, el Apóstol Judas
emprendió y concluyó lo que no había sido terminado por el otro Tadeo."
Existen algunos indicios que hacen presumir que el Santo Apóstol Judas
predicó también la Cristiandad en Persia, desde donde escribió su epístola
universal en lengua griega. La ocasión o la razón por la que compuso esta
epístola fue el hecho que esa gente impía se había ocultado entre la comunidad
de creyentes, convirtiendo la gracia de Dios en una oportunidad para pecar de
maldad, y bajo el disfraz de libertad religiosa, se permitieron cometer toda
clase de abominables acciones. Esta breve epístola contiene numerosos
pensamientos profundos y mucha doctrina edificante. En parte trata de
enseñanzas dogmáticas: el misterio de la Santa Trinidad, la encarnación de
Jesucristo, la diferencia entre los buenos y malos ángeles, y el terrible juicio
que está por llegar; y por otra parte trata sobre enseñanzas morales: la
exhortación a evitar la impureza del pecado — la injuria carnal, blasfemia,
orgullo, desobediencia, envidia, odio, perfidia y maldad. El Apóstol aconseja a
todos permanecer fieles en sus deberes, su fe, oración y amor; nos recomienda
preocuparnos por la corrección de los descarriados, de evitar a los herejes,
cuya moral espiritualmente dañina describe él claramente, explicando que los
herejes perecerán como la gente de Sodoma (Judas 1:7 y siguientes).

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Asimismo, en su epístola, el Santo Apóstol Judas señala que para nuestra
salvación no basta convertirse del paganismo al cristianismo, sino que además
de la fe se necesita hacer buenas obras que sean apropiadas para cristianos y
dignas de salvación; entonces cita como ejemplo a los ángeles y hombres que
fueron castigados por Dios. A los ángeles que no conservaron su dignidad, Dios
los ató con las cadenas eternas sumiéndolos en la oscuridad, dejándolos así
hasta el terrible juicio (1:16). También Dios destruyó en la soledad a la gente
que había traído de Egipto, porque ellos no creían y cayeron en la depravación,
no viviendo de acuerdo a la ley de Dios (1:5), Así, en pocas palabras el Apóstol
Judas revela grandes verdades en su epístola.
El Santo Apóstol Judas visitó muchas otras tierras, predicando el Evangelio,
convirtiendo a los pueblos a la fe cristiana y guiándolos por el camino de
salvación. Al trabajar de esta forma, llegó a las tierras que están en torno al
monte Ararat, en donde convirtió de la idolatría a una gran cantidad de
personas hacia el cristianismo. Al hacer esto, el Apóstol despertó malestar
entre los sacerdotes paganos contra su persona. Estos lo agarraron y, luego de
someterlo a numerosos torturas, lo colgaron en una cruz y luego le atravesaron
lanzas. Así terminaron las luchas y la vida del Santo Apóstol Judas, quien
partió donde Cristo Dios para recibir de El una corona de eterna recompensa
en los cielos.

Tropario Tono 1: al saber, oh Judas, que eres pariente de Cristo y firme

mártir, te alabamos con cánticos sagrados; porque pasaste por encima del
pecado y conservaste la fe. Por eso, como hoy celebramos tu santísima
memoria, mediante tus oraciones recibimos el perdón de nuestros pecados.

Kontaquio Tono 1: Para nosotros has nacido como una rama por Dios de una
gloriosa raíz, oh Apóstol y hermano de Dios. Como testigo del Señor, oh
santísimo predicador de Cristo, has alimentado a todo el mundo con los frutos
de tus palabras; porque como un iniciado de gracias Tú enseñas la fe ortodoxa
del Señor.

Megalinarion: Aclamemos al Apóstol Judas como el pariente del Maestro y el

iniciado de su verdad; porque él sembró las buenas nuevas con sudor y lágrimas,
pero recogió una cosecha divina con gozo y gloria.

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Martyrs
Saint George

Saint Demetrius

Bishops
Saint Nicholas

Monks
San Antonio el Grande
30 de enero (17 de enero C.I.).

San Antonio nació en Egipto, cerca del año 250, en una rica y noble familia y
fue criado en la Fe Cristiana. A los 18 años se quedó sin padres con una
hermana bajo su protección. Un día iba a la Iglesia pensando en los Santos
Apóstoles, sobre sus vidas y como ellos habían dejado todo en este mundo para
seguirlo al Señor y servirle a Él. Al entrar a la Iglesia escucha las palabras del
Evangelio: "Si quieres ser perfecto, anda, vende lo que tienes, y dalo a los
pobres, y tendrás tesoro en el cielo; y sígueme" (Mateo 19:21). Estas palabras
impresionaron a Antonio, como si fueron dichas por El Señor personalmente a
él. Poco tiempo después Antonio renunció a la herencia a favor de los pobres
ciudadanos de su pueblo, pero no sabía a quien dejar a su hermana. Preocupado
por esto, él va a la Iglesia y ahí otra vez escucha las palabras del Salvador,
como si fueran dichas a él: "Así que, no os afanéis por el día de mañana, porque
el día de mañana traerá su afán. Basta a cada día su propio mal" (Mateo 6:34).
Antonio confió a su hermana a unas conocidas vírgenes cristianas y dejó la
ciudad y la casa para vivir en soledad y solamente servir a Dios.
El alejamiento de San Antonio del mundo no sucedió súbitamente, sino poco a
poco. Al principio él vivía en la cercanía de la ciudad en la vivienda de un devoto
anciano quien vivía en soledad y trataba de llevar la vida semejante a la de este
anciano. San Antonio visitaba también a otros ermitaños, que vivían en los
alrededores de la ciudad, y seguía a sus consejos. Ya en este tiempo él era tan
conocido por sus esfuerzos espirituales que lo llamaban: "el amigo de Dios."
Después, él decide alejarse más. Invita al anciano ermitaño a acompañarlo.
Cuando el ermitaño se niega, se despide de él y se instala en una lejana cueva.
De vez en cuando un amigo le llevaba la comida. Finalmente, San Antonio se
aleja de los lugares habitados; cruza el Nilo y se instala en las ruinas de una

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fortificación militar. Se lleva pan para 6 meses y después lo recibía de sus
amigos a través de una abertura en el techo.
Es imposible imaginarse cuantas tentaciones y cuantas luchas soportó este
gran ermitaño. Él sufría del hambre y de la sed, del frío y del calor. Pero la más
terrible tentación que sufre un ermitaño, según las palabras del mismo Antonio,
es la nostalgia por el mundo y el desorden emocional. A todo esto se agregan
las tentaciones y horrores por parte de los demonios. A veces el Santo Devoto
se quedaba sin fuerzas y estaba por caer en el desaliento. Entonces se le
presentaba El mismo Señor o un ángel enviado por Él, para fortalecerle.
"¿Dónde estabas Sagrado Jesús? ¿Por qué no has venido antes para terminar
con mis sufrimientos?" Imploró Antonio al Señor cuando después de una
semejante prueba vino El Señor. "Yo estuve aquí le dijo El Señor y esperaba
ver tu esfuerzo espiritual."
Una vez durante una terrible lucha con sus pensamientos, Antonio gritó:
"Señor, me quiero salvar, pero mis pensamientos no me dejan hacerlo." De
repente ve, que alguien parecido a él trabaja sentado sobre una silla. Después
se levanta y reza, después continua trabajando. "Haz lo mismo y te salvaras" le
dijo el ángel del Señor.
Ya hace 20 años que Antonio vivía en su soledad, cuando algunos de sus amigos
supieron donde estaba y vinieron para instalarse ahí. Durante mucho tiempo
golpear a la puerta llamando y suplicando a Antonio a salir de su encierro
voluntario. Finalmente, cuando ellos pensaban romper la puerta, Antonio la
abrió y salió. Ellos quedaron muy sorprendidos viéndolo sin rasgos de cansancio
a pesar de que él se sometía a durísimas pruebas. La paz celestial reinaba en su
alma y se reflejaba en su rostro. Tranquilo, moderado, muy amable con todos,
este anciano se convirtió muy pronto en el padre y preceptor de muchos. El
desierto tomó vida. Por todos lados en la montaña aparecían los refugios de los
monjes. Mucha gente cantaba, leía, ayunaba, rezaba, trabajaba y ayudaba a los
pobres. San Antonio no les ponía a sus alumnos las reglas especiales para la vida
monástica. Él se preocupaba solamente en fortalecer en ellos un devoto estado
de ánimo, les inspiraba la fidelidad a la voluntad del Dios, la oración, la renuncia
a todo lo terrestre y el trabajo incesante.
Pero la vida en el desierto entre la gente le pesaba a San Antonio y él buscaba
un nuevo aislamiento. "¿Adónde queréis escapar?" Le dijo una voz del cielo
cuando sobre la costa del Nilo él estaba esperando el bote para alejarse de la
gente. "Alta Tebaida" contestó Antonio. Pero la misma voz le replicó: "Iras
para arriba a Tebaida o para abajo a Bucolia, no encontraras la tranquilidad en

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ninguna parte. Vaya al desierto interior, así se llamaba el desierto ubicado
cerca del Mar Rojo. Hasta allí se dirigió Antonio, siguiendo una caravana.
Después de caminar 3 días, él encontró una montaña alta y deshabitada con un
manantial y algunas palmeras en el valle. Aquí se instaló. Aquí él cultivaba un
pequeño campo, para que nadie tenga que venir a traerle pan. De vez en cuando
él visitaba a los ermitaños. Un camello le llevaba el pan y el agua para mantener
sus fuerzas durante estos duros viajes en el desierto. Sin embargo, los
admiradores de San Antonio, también descubrieron este último refugio.
Empezó a llegar mucha gente que buscaba sus oraciones y consejos. Traían a
los enfermos y él los curaba con sus oraciones.
Ya pasaron cerca de 70 años desde que San Antonio empezó a vivir en el
desierto. Contra su voluntad, un pensamiento arrogante empezó a turbarlo.
Pensaba que él era el más antiguo ermitaño que vivía en el desierto. Él pedía a
Dios poder alejar este pensamiento y tuvo una revelación que un ermitaño se
había instalado en el desierto antes que él y estaba sirviendo a Dios. A la
mañana siguiente, bien temprano se levantó Antonio y salió en busca de este
desconocido ermitaño. Caminó durante todo el día sin encontrar a nadie, salvo
algunos animales que viven en el desierto. Delante de él se extendía la grandeza
infinita del desierto, pero él no perdía las esperanzas. A la mañana siguiente,
bien temprano, él siguió su camino. De repente vio a una loba que corría hacia
un arroyo. San Antonio se acercó al arroyo y vio una cueva al costado del
mismo. Mientras él se acercaba, la puerta de la cueva se cerró. Mediodía pasó
San Antonio frente a la puerta suplicando al anciano que le muestre su rostro.
Finalmente la puerta se abrió y salió un anciano canoso. Este anciano era San
Pablo de Tebaida. Él vivía en el desierto cerca de 90 años. Después de un
saludo fraternal, Pablo le preguntó a Antonio cómo estaba la humanidad.
¿Quién estaba gobernando? ¿Si todavía existían los idólatras? El fin de las
persecuciones y el triunfo del Cristianismo en el imperio romano fueron las
noticias muy gratas para Pablo. En cambio, la aparición del arrianismo fue una
noticia amarga. Mientras que ellos conversaban, llegó un cuervo y dejó un pan.
"¡Qué generoso y misericordioso es el Señor!" Exclamó Pablo: "durante muchos
años Él me manda la mitad de un pan y hoy, gracias a tu visita, Él me mandó un
pan entero." A la mañana siguiente Pablo confesó a Antonio que muy pronto él
se irá de este mundo. Por eso pidió a Antonio traerle la túnica del obispo
Atanasio (el famoso luchador contra el arrianismo) para cubrir con ella sus
restos. Antonio se apuró a cumplir el deseo de este Santo anciano. Él regresó a
su desierto muy emocionado y cuando los hermanos — monjes le preguntaban,
la única contestación era: "soy un pecador y yo me consideraba un monje! "¡Yo

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vi a Elías, yo vi a Juan, yo vi a Pablo en el paraíso!" Cuando él estaba llegando al
lugar donde habitaba San Pablo, el vio como este estaba ascendiendo al cielo
entre muchos ángeles, profetas y apóstoles.
"¿Pablo, por qué no me esperaste?" Gritó Antonio. "¡Tan tarde te conocí y tan
temprano te vas!" Sin embargo, al entrar a la cueva él encontró a Pablo
arrodillado, rezando. Antonio también se arrodilló y comenzó a rezar. Recién
después de varias horas de rezar se dio cuenta que Pablo no se movía porque
estaba muerto. Entonces Antonio lavó piadosamente el cuerpo y lo envolvió en
la túnica de San Atanasio. De repente aparecieron dos leones y excavaron con
sus garras una tumba bastante profunda, donde Antonio sepultó al Santo
ermitaño.
San Antonio falleció a una edad muy avanzada (106 años en el año 356) y por
sus esfuerzos espirituales mereció llamarse El Grande.
San Antonio fundó vida eremítica, Consistía en que varios ermitaños vivan en
celdas separadas, lejos uno del otro, bajo la dirección de un aba (aba en el
hebreo significa el padre). La vida de los ermitaños era la oración, ayuno y
trabajo. Varios ermitaños, reunidos bajo la dirección de un aba formaban una
laura. Pero cuando todavía San Antonio vivía apareció otro estilo de la vida de
los monjes. Ellos se unían en comunidades, trabajaban en conjunto, cada uno
según sus posibilidades. También compartían la comida y se subordinaban a las
mismas reglas. Estas comunidades se llamaban comunidades monásticas o
monasterios. Abas de estas comunidades empezaron a llamarse archimandritas.
El fundador de la vida comunal de los monjes fue San Pacomio, El Grande.

Saint Mary of Egypt

(April 1 and the fifth Sunday of Lent)
Saint Mary lived in the Egyptian city of Alexandria during the 6th century.
She was a very beautiful woman, but at an early age she used this beauty for
sinful ends. While she was only 14 years old, she left her family home to live a
life as a harlot, selling her body for any price. She sought only enjoyment of
the flesh, and was not aware of the miserable state of her soul. But God
eventually made her aware of her desperate state. One day Mary boarded a
ship sailing to Jerusalem. For her it was only one more adventure, and one
more way to satisfy her passions. She sold herself to several passengers on
the ship.

Mary happened to be in Jerusalem on September 14, when all the Christians of

the city were celebrating the feast of the Elevation of the Cross. Mary

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wanted to be a part of the celebration, although she didn’t know anything
about the faith. She joined the line of the faithful who were entering the
church. At the entrance of the church, a mysterious force held Mary back
from entering. She tried to enter several times, but each time was held back
my an invisible force. She began to wonder what this was. She thought about
her own life, and for the first time felt remorse and disgrace at her
sinfulness. She fled in fear from the church. She realized that it was her
own sin that was preventing her from entering.

At this moment, Mary felt profound repentance. She made a vow to God to
turn from her sinful life and to seek the way of Jesus. She thought about the
words of the Lord, “What shall it profit a man to gain the world and lose his
soul?”. She felt her soul was in danger of being lost, and became desperate to
save it. From then on she began to serve righteousness with the same fervor
which she had previously served sin. She turned from all the vain pleasures of
the world, and called upon the Mother of God to help her complete her vows.
After being baptized, she fled into the desert to live a life of solitude, prayer
and continual repentance. She suffered extreme hunger and thirst at times.
When her food supply ran out, she grazed the wild plants of the desert. Her
clothes were eventually torn to shreds, and she had to live in nakedness. She
was exposed to the heat and cold of the desert. But she bore all with
patience, knowing that her soul was being healed by God. She lived like this
for forty years.

Toward the end of her life, she was discovered by a monk named Zosima.
Zosima had come to the desert to be alone for Great Lent. Mary told him her
story, and it was he who eventually wrote down her life. When he saw her, she
was not much more than a skeleton, and ready to pass on to the next life. All
the same, she radiated a great peace. She had been forgiven by God for her
sinful life!

San Serafín de Sarov

1 de agosto y 15 de enero (19 de julio y 2 de enero según el calendario
eclesiástico).

San Serafín, llamado durante su vida laica Projor Moshnin, nació en la ciudad
de Kursk en el año 1759, en el seno de una familia de comerciantes. Al tener 10
años se enfermó gravemente. Durante su enfermedad, mientras dormía, vio a la

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Madre de Dios. La Santísima Virgen prometio curarlo. Algunos días mas tarde,
se realizaba en Kursk una procesión, llevando el icono milagroso de Virgen que
pertenecía a este lugar.
Debido al mal tiempo, la procesión hizo un corto recorrido que, justamente
pasaba frente de la casa de la familia Moshnin. La madre llevó a su hijo a besar
el milagroso icono y el niño al poco tiempo se curó. En los años de su juventud,
San Serafín debió ayudar a sus padres en las tareas del negocio, pero el
comercio no lo atraía. Al joven Serafín le gustaba leer los libros de la vida de
los Santos, ir al templo y aislándose rezar. A los 18 años, Serafín decidió a
dedicarse a la vida monacal. La madre lo bendijo con un crucifijo de cobre, el
cual San Serafín durante toda su vida llevo de bajo de su ropa. Después entró
en calidad de novicio de Sarov. Desde del primer día de la vida en el
monasterio, las características de su vida fueron frugalidad y la vigilia. Una
sola vez por día comía un poco. Los días miércoles y viernes no probaba bocado.
Después, una vez recibida bendición de su monje anciano retirarse en el bosque
a orar y pensar en Dios, lo hacia frecuentemente. Al poco tiempo, por segunda
vez en su vida se enfermó gravemente. Durante 3 años debió guardar cama.
Nuevamente fue curado por la Santísima Virgen María. La Madre de Dios se le
apareció acompañada por varios Santos. Señalando al beato Serafín, la
Santísima Virgen se dirigió al apóstol Juan Teólogo: "Este es de nuestra
familia!" Luego, tocando su costado con el bastón, lo sanó.
Cuando tenia 27 años tomó las ordenes monacales recibiendo el nombre
Serafín, que en hebreo significa "fervoroso, ardiente." Al poco tiempo fue
consagrado monje diácono. El nombre que le fue dado lo justificó plenamente
con sus extraordinarios y ardientes rezos. Todo el tiempo, exceptuando por un
corto descanso, se encontraba en la iglesia. Debido a estas oraciones durante y
fuera de los oficios religiosos, el Beato Serafín se hizo merecedor de poder
contemplar a los santos, quienes también tomaban parte de los oficios de la
iglesia y cantaban. Durante de la misa de Jueves Santo, pudo ver al mismo
Señor Jesús Cristo en su condición del "Hijo de la humanidad," quien caminaba
en el templo entre las fuerzas celestiales y bendecia a los fieles. Impresionado
por esta visión, perdió el habla por mucho tiempo.
En el año 1793 el Beato Serafín fue consagrado monje sacerdote, después de
lo cuál, durante todo un año, diariamente, oficiaba la Santa Misa y tomaba la
Santa Comunión. Después, San Serafín se fue retirando al "Lejano desierto," el
lugar más apartado del bosque, distante del monasterio del Sarov a 5 km.
Grande fue la perfección que alcanzó en ese tiempo. Los animales y fieras
salvajes, como los osos, liebres, lobos, zorros y otras especies mas, se

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acercaban a la choza del asceta. La anciana del monasterio del Diveevo,
Matrona Plescheiev fue testigo de cómo San Serafín de sus propias manos le
daba a comer a un oso que se acercó a la choza. Lo que mas impresionó a la
mujer, fue el rostro del gran anciano, "se veía lleno de gozo y luminoso como de
un ángel," relataba Matrona.
Viviendo en ese pequeño desierto, el Beato Serafín, en una ocasión sufrió a
manos de los bandidos. De gran contextura física y llevando un hacha, el Beato
Serafín no los enfrentó. Como respuesta a las exigencias de entregar el dinero
y a las amenazas, depositó el hacha en el suelo, cruzo sus brazos sobre el
pecho y resignándose se abandonó a su suerte. Los bandidos comenzaron a
golpearle la cabeza con su hacha. La sangre comenzó a fluir de su boca y de sus
oídos. El Santo perdió el conocimiento y se desvaneció. Los bandidos siguieron
apaleándolo, patearon y arrastraron por el suelo. Dejaron de golpearlo
únicamente cuando creyeron que estaba muerto. Lo único valioso que los
bandidos encontraron en su choza, fue el icono de la "Enternecida" Madre
Santa de Dios, delante de la cuál el Santo siempre rezaba. Después de un
tiempo, los bandidos fueron atrapados y juzgados. El Beato Serafín intercedió
por ellos delante de los jueces. Después del ataque el Beato quedó encorvado
por el resto de la vida.
Poco después comienza el período de vida del Beato Serafín en el pilar. En esa
época pasaba los días de rodillas sobre una piedra cerca de la choza y las
noches --- sobre otra en el bosque. Continuamente rezaba con los brazos
alzados al cielo. Así rezó durante 1000 días.
Después de una visión que tuvo de la Madre de Dios, el beato Serafín en los
últimos años de su vida se dedico a la tarea de "anciano-guiador" (el que recibe
a toda la gente, que busca un consejo o una enseñanza). Miles de personas de
diversos niveles sociales, económicos y culturales, comenzaron a visitar al
anciano quien los enriquecía con su tesoro espiritual adquirido por medio de
muchos años de sacrificio espiritual. La gente lo encontraba siempre dulce,
alegre y pensativo. A sus visitantes el Santo recibía con las siguientes palabras
"Alegría mía." A muchos les daba el siguiente consejo": Conseguí tener un
espíritu pacifico y, alrededor de ti, muchos se salvarán." San Serafín se
prosternaba ante toda persona que se acercaba para hablar con él y luego
bendiciéndola, le besaba las manos. No precisaba que relataran sus problemas,
ya que él por su clarividencia sabía que pena tenia cada uno de ellos.
Decía: "La alegría no es pecado. La alegría aleja el cansancio, el cansancio trae
el abatimiento y peor que el abatimiento no hay nada." "Ah si supieras – una vez
le dijo a un monje, — que alegría, que dulzura espera en el cielo el alma de un

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hombre pío, entonces soportarías en esta vida pasajera, con agradecimiento,
toda clase de pesares persecuciones y calumnias. Si nuestra celda estaría llena
de los gusanos, y estos gusanos comieran nuestros cuerpos durante toda
nuestra vida, deberíamos aceptarlo con agrado, con tal de no privarse de la
alegría celestial que Dios dispuso para aquellos que lo aman."
Un señor de nombre Motovilov, admirador y discípulo de San Serafín, describió
una milagrosa transformación del aspecto del santo. Este hecho ocurrió un día
nublado, en invierno. Se encontraban en el bosque, Motovilov sentado sobre un
tacón. En frente a él, el Santo estaba sentado en cuclillas. Le hablaba sobre el
significado de la vida cristiana, le explicaba, para que nosotros, los cristianos,
vivimos una vida terrenal.
"Es necesario que el Espíritu Santo entre en tu corazón, — decía — todas las
obras buenas que hacemos en el nombre de Cristo, atrae a nosotros el Espíritu
Santo. Sobre todo la oración, que siempre esta al alcance de nuestras manos."
"Padre, — le contestó Motovilov, — como puedo ver la bienaventuranza de
Espíritu Santo; cómo puedo saber sí está o no, conmigo? "Entonces san Serafín
comenzó a presentarle ejemplos de la vida de los Santos y de los Apóstoles,
pero Motovilov seguía sin entender. Entonces el anciano lo tomo con fuerza de
un hombro y le dijo: "Ahora los dos estamos con el Espíritu de Dios"! Motovilov
tuvo la sensación como si sus ojos se hubiesen abierto y pudo ver que el rostro
del Santo estaba más luminoso que el sol. En su corazón Motovilov sentía
alegría y calma, el cuerpo no sentía frío, parecía que era la época de verano, y
alrededor de ellos, el aire estaba perfumado.
Motovilov se atemorizó por este extraordinario cambio, y sobre todo, porque el
rostro del anciano estaba resplandeciendo como el sol. Entonces San Serafín le
dijo:" No tema, padre, usted no hubiera podido verme, si usted mismo no
estuviera con el Espíritu de Dios. Agradezca por lo tanto al Señor por su
misericordia por nosotros." De esta manera Motovilov entendió no solo en el
corazón, pero también con su intelecto, que es lo que sucede con una persona,
cuándo el Espíritu Santo desciende sobre ella y la transfigura.

Missionaries
Saint Herman of Alaska

Saint Herman was born near Moscow, Russia in 1756. At the age of 16, he left
his home to begin life as a monk near the city of St. Petersburg. Early in his
monastic life he became severally ill to the point of death. He prayer
fervently before an icon of the Mother of God to be healed. He fell asleep

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and dreamed that he was healed by the Virgin. When he woke up he was
completely healed.

After five years, Herman moved to another monastery which was more
isolated. Here he developed a spiritual attachment to the spiritual father of
the monastery. At this time, the northwest portion of North America (now
the state of Alaska) was part of the Russian Empire. The Russian Church
requested that Monks be sent to this “wild” area as missionaries. Herman,
along with seven other monks from the monastery agreed to go. The journey
across Russia and the Bering Sea would last almost a year. They arrived in
Alaska in 1794. Their task was to learn the language and culture of the native
peoples so as to proclaim the Gospel to them.

The group of monks suffered greatly in this new land.

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 Section Five: The Holy Sacraments
‰ In previous lessons, we have seen how God created the world to be in
communion with Himself. We have seen that He continued to love his
creation despite the rebellion and sin of human beings. From the
beginning, God worked to reestablish the communion with his
creatures, establishing covenants through his chosen servants, and
sending his Prophets. In the “last days”, God sent His own Son,
Jesus Christ. We have seen that the incarnation, life, suffering,
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are life-giving. While on
earth, Jesus chose certain men to be his Apostles, those who would
lead his church. When his saving work on earth was accomplished, he
ascended into heaven. But on the day of Pentecost, he sent the Gift
of the Father, the Holy Spirit, to give birth to his Church, and to
lead all men to salvation.

‰ The Church is both a Divine and a human institution, since it is

composed of men, but founded on the God-man Jesus Christ, and
animated by God’s Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Church follows
from the mystery of Christ himself who is both fully Divine and fully
human [“incarnate of the Holy Spirit (Divine) and the Virgin Mary”
(human)]. We call the church a mystery since we cannot fully
comprehend it with our minds. We accept it by faith.

‰ The church continues and makes present to the world the Person and
saving work of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. It does
this in various ways: Firstly, by the love and unity which its members
express; secondly, by proclaiming the Gospel to every creature;
thirdly, by the divine services of worship which it celebrates; and
fourthly, by particular symbolic actions which we call sacraments, or
“mysteries”. In this section, we will learn about these sacraments.
It is important to remember, however, that the sacraments can
never be understood apart from the whole context of sacred
history, nor apart from the reality of the church itself.

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 Lesson Twenty-Nine: Holy Baptism

‰ Holy Baptism is the first sacrament we receive. It is our very

entrance into the church. The word “baptism” comes from the
Greek word which means to immerse. In Baptism, we are immersed
by the priest three times into water (either outside in a stream or
lake, or inside in a deep font), once in the name of the Father, once
in the name of the Son, and once in the name of the Holy Spirit.
This immersion symbolizes our death, burial and resurrection with
Christ.

‰ The sacrament of Baptism takes place in the following manner: The

person being baptized (or the godparent in the case of an infant)
confesses their faith in Christ. They are asked to renounce their
former errors, to reject the influence of the evil one (Satin) and to
turn toward Christ. The priest prays that the newly baptized person
will strengthened by God to complete the Lord’s commandments, and
that his or her name will be inscribed in the Lord’s “Book of Life”,
being made a full child of God. A short Creed, containing the
essential doctrines of the faith, is recited by the person to be
Baptized [we will learn about the Creed in Section Seven]. The
priest prays for God’s grace to administer the sacrament, then says
this prayer: “Create the image of your Christ in him (or her) that
desires to be born anew through my unworthy ministry. Raise
him (or her) upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets so
that they will never be overcome . . . .” The priest remembers
the Lord’s own baptism, by which the waters of the Jordan River
where sanctified. [Note: rereading Lesson Sixteen about the Baptism
of Christ may be helpful at this point.] He calls upon the Holy
Spirit to once again descend upon the waters of Baptism as he did at
the Theophany; to make them a “fountain of incorruption, a gift of
sanctification, a remission of sins, a remedy for sickness, a
destruction of demons.” It is the Holy Spirit, through the physical
medium of water, that will affect a “new creation” in the one being
baptized. In the first creation, at the beginning of the world, God’s
Spirit “hovered” over the formless waters. In the second and new
creation affected through baptism, God’s Holy Spirit once again
sanctifies water to bring forth life, for as Jesus said, “unless one is

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 born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of
God” (John 3:5).

‰ The priest then makes the sign of the cross (the sign of victory over
all death and evil) in the waters, and prays again that the person
being baptized would be “born anew” through the water and the Holy
Spirit; that “being buried in the image of your [Christ’s] death,
he (or she) might, in the same way, be a participant in your
Resurrection.” After this the actual immersions take place. The
priest says “The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of
the Father (1st immersion), of the Son (2nd immersion) and of the
Holy Spirit (3rd immersion). The actual naming of the person is
important, since baptism, like all of the sacraments, is a gift given to
each individual personally. The newly baptized is then dressed with a
white shirt to signify that the waters of baptism have cleansed
them of their sins. It also reminds us, as the Apostle Paul wrote,
that “as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ” (Galatians 3:27) [this verse is sung by the faithful during the
baptismal service.] He or she also holds a lit candle to signify that
they have been illumined by the grace of God.

‰ Baptism was instituted by the Lord himself when he appeared to his

disciples after his Resurrection and told them: “All power is given
unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (the last words in
Matthew’s Gospel). The disciples followed the Lord’s command. On
the day of Pentecost, after Peter had made the first public
proclamation of the Gospel, the crowd was anxious to know what to
do. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one
of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). We read
that 3,000 people entered the church on that day through Baptism.

‰ At the service of Baptism, the following section from St. Paul’s

letter to the church at Rome is read:

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Rom:6:3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom:6:4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like
as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom:6:5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom:6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the
body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom:6:7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom:6:8: Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live
with him:
Rom:6:9: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more;
death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom:6:10: For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth,
he liveth unto God.
Rom:6:11: Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

‰ This message from St. Paul is not only for the one being baptized, or
their godparents, but for the entire community of the Church.
[Today, unfortunately, it is common for only a few family members to
be present at a baptism. But the entire church should be present to
celebrate the spiritual birth of a new member of the church family.]
Paul speaks of Baptism not only as a ceremony of the church, but as
that reality which should determine the entire direction of our lives:
continually dying to sin, and walking in “newness of life” after the
likeness of the death and resurrection of Christ. The sacrament of
Baptism, indeed, cleanses us from sin and grants us salvation, but we
must continue to “live out” this baptism. It is both the beginning of
our life in Christ, the death of what Paul calls the “old man” bound to
sin, and the path of conversion which leads to eternal life.
Therefore, when the church celebrates a baptism, all of the faithful
should see it as an opportunity to renew their own baptismal vows.

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‰ The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance alone, and
therefore, could, and needed to be repeated, since we are in
continual need of repentance. In contrast, the Baptism into Christ,
which bestows the Holy Spirit, is done only once in one’s life. The
“oneness” of the sacrament of baptism is very important to its
symbolism. Christ suffered, died and arose once for all time.
Through baptism we become members of the Body of Christ, the
Church, which is characterized by its unity. This body is not divided.
It lives in the harmony of love. It confesses one faith; it partakes
of the one bread at the one alter of communion. Though it is
composed of many members, of both sexes, of many ethnic, cultural,
social and economic backgrounds, it is yet one in Christ. “For by one
Spirit we were all baptized into one body . . . and have all been made
to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). The unrepeatable
nature of the sacrament of baptism corresponds to this spiritual
unity into which we are baptized, and ultimately points to the Unity
of God Himself. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were
called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

‰ The spiritual unity of the church also includes infants, which is why
the Orthodox Church baptizes them, in spite of their inability to
grasp the meaning of baptism with their reason. In the Old
Testament, the sign of one’s entrance into the community of God
(for males), was circumcision. Infants, as well as children and adults,
were circumcised. The church, as the new Israel of God, likewise
welcomes all without regard to age. Indeed, Christ said that the
Kingdom of Heaven belongs to children. A baptized infant becomes a
full member of the church, and immediately receives Holy
Communion. The child’s parents and godparents, as well as the entire
church community, become responsible for this child until he or she
is old enough to reason for themselves. This responsibility includes
making the confession of faith for the child at the service of
baptism. It also includes teaching the child about the faith, bringing
him or her to church, and living a life that exemplifies the faith and
moral teachings of the church. Infants are usually baptized on or

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 after the 40th day after birth, at which time they are also given a
name.

Questions:
1. What is the mystery of the Church?
2. How does the Church make Christ and his saving work present to the
world?
3. What does the word “baptism” mean?
4. What is the basic symbolism of baptism?
5. Before the actual immersion in water, what does the person being baptized
(or the godparent in the case of infants) do?
6. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in baptism?
7. What does the priest say during the immersions?
8. What is the meaning of the white shirt in which the newly baptized are
dressed?
9. Who instituted the practice of Christian Baptism, and when?
10. According to St. Peter, what are the two main things we receive at
Baptism?
11. According to St. Paul’s letter to the Church at Rome, which we read during
the baptismal service, baptism is both the beginning of our life in Christ,
and the path of conversion that leads to eternal life. Explain this.
12. What is the importance of the unrepeatable nature of the sacrament of
baptism?
13. Why does the Orthodox Church baptize infants?

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 Lesson Thirty: Holy Chrismation

‰ The sacrament of Holy Chrismation follows immediately after

baptism, and is essentially connected to it. In the sacrament of
Baptism, a person is crucified, buried and resurrected after the
likeness of Jesus Christ and through the medium of water. In the
sacrament of Chrismation, this person is filled with the Holy Spirit
through the medium of holy oil, thereby enabling them to live out
this new life in Christ. In baptism, we personally participate in the
Holy Pascha of Christ; in chrismation, we personally participate in
the Holy Pentecost. [Note: it may be helpful at this point to review
Lesson Twenty-One concerning the feast of Pentecost.]

‰ Initially, the Apostles bestowed the gift of the Holy Spirit by prayer
and the laying on of hands. Later, anointing with oil (chrismation)
was used. Oil (chrism) has always been associated with the Holy
Spirit. The title of Jesus, the Christ (Messiah in Hebrew) means the
“anointed one”, referring to the fact that Jesus was anointed by
God’s Holy Spirit in a special way, unlike anyone else. In Old
Testament times, anointing with oil was used to confer gifts of the
Spirit for special tasks. For this reason, the kings of Israel where
anointed, such as we read about King David: “Then Samuel took the
horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the
Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward”
(1Sm:16:13). The role of oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit perhaps
derives from its life-giving qualities (which were more appreciated in
ancient times than today). Oil (mainly from olives) was universally
used for cooking. It provided the main source of light through oil
lamps. It was applied as a medicine to wounds, and also ingested. In
the service of chrismation, olive oil is used to anoint the members of
the body. This oil (chrism) is specially prepared with various
aromatic substances which symbolize the many gifts of the Holy
Spirit conferred at chrismation. It is prepared during Holy Week
and consecrated by a Bishop on Holy Thursday.

‰ The service of chrismation takes place in the following manner: The

opening prayer refers to the Baptism just accomplished and thanks
God for the gift of sanctification and illumination bestowed on His

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 servant. The priest then prays that the newly baptized will also be
given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and be made worthy to participate
in the Lord’s Holy Communion [Baptism and Chrismation are done
preferably just before, or at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, so
that the newly baptized and chrismated person can complete their
entrance into the Church by communing of the Body and Blood of
Christ.] The person is then anointed in the form of a cross with the
Holy Chrism on his or her forehead, eyes, nose, lips, ears, chest,
hands and feet. Every part of the body is thus sanctified by the
Holy Spirit, and dedicated to the service of God.

‰ As each part of the body is anointed, the priest says: “The seal of
the gift of the Holy Spirit” (to which all of the faithful reply
“Amen!”) This expression comes from the Second Letter of St. Paul
to the Church at Corinth: “Now He who establishes us with you in
Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us
the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit” (1:21-22). The one who is
chrismated becomes, from this point forward, a temple of God’s
Holy Spirit. His life no longer belongs to himself, but to God who
has “purchased him with a price” and has made His Holy Spirit to
dwell in his heart as a “deposit” of the future blessedness in the
Kingdom of Heaven. Even if the baptized and chrismated person
later on falls into a sinful life, or rejects God’s grace, this “deposit”
of the Holy Spirit will remain in him or her like a seed buried in the
soil, waiting for the waters of repentance to once again put forth
life and fruit.

‰ After being anointed with the holy chrism, the person is lead in a
procession around the baptismal font or a table in the middle of the
church. The priest walks in front carrying the cross. They go around
three times while the faithful sing “As many as have been baptized
into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.” This little procession
signifies the entrance of the newly baptized and chrismated person
into the Kingdom of God. It is done three times to show that our
new life in Christ has no end; our communion with God begins now and
continues forever in His Kingdom.

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 ‰ After the reading of the Epistle and Gospel and some more prayers,
the priest takes a sponge and washes off the holy chrism. The
person has been sealed with the Holy Spirit, and it remains for them
to live their life according to the strength they have been given. To
do this, it is not necessary to have an outward sign of the Spirit.
The true sign of the Spirit will be the joy and love (and the rest of
the gifts of the Spirit) with which they live their lives.

‰ Towards the end of the service of chrismation, the person’s hair is

cut in a crosswise manner to signify their willingness to serve Christ
in a sacrificial way. This is particularly meaningful in the case of
infants, since they have nothing else to offer. They have come into
the world with nothing. The only thing they can offer is themselves.
The cutting of their hair is a kind of first offering to God, from
which the offering of their whole life will follow.

Questions:
1. What is the relationship between Baptism, Chrismation and Holy
Communion?
2. Why is oil an appropriate symbol of the Holy Spirit?
3. How is the Holy Chrism prepared?
4. Why are all the parts of the body anointed?
5. Why do we refer to the anointing as “the seal of the gift of the Holy
Spirit?”
6. What is the meaning of the procession?
7. Why is the Holy Chrism washed off?
8. What is the meaning of the cutting of the hair?

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 Lesson Thirty-One: The Holy Eucharist
(Holy Communion)

‰ We talked a little about this sacrament already in Lesson Twenty-Six

on the Divine Liturgy. It would be good to review that lesson now.
The Holy Eucharist is considered the sacrament of sacraments, since
in it we participate most directly in the life of Christ, actually
partaking of his precious Body and Blood. The sacraments of
Baptism and Chrismation both have Holy Communion as their
fulfillment. If we are not receiving Holy Communion on a regular
basis (or as often as we can when there is no regular Divine Liturgy)
with the proper preparation, then in actuality we are not members of
Christ’s living Body the Church, even though we may have been
baptized and chrismated. Jesus said “I am the living bread which
came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will
live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I
shall give for the life of the world. . . . Unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you”
(John 6:51,53). If we have no life in us, then obviously we are not
part of the Church, since the Church is always alive. We are like
dead branches that will be pruned off, or like the fig tree which the
Lord cursed and ordered cut down for not producing fruit.

‰ The Lord calls himself the living bread, because we must be

nourished by him in order to have true life. Today there are many
“breads” in the world, many persons or things which promise to
nourish us, but in reality are simply empty forms. People “eat” of
them, and are satisfied for a while, but later their hunger returns.
What we really hunger and thirst for is that bread and drink which
will give us eternal life, not a momentary satisfaction. What we
hunger and thirst for is God Himself. This is Christ, that living
bread which God sent down from heaven. “I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in
me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

‰ It is through the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist that we

understand most fully, and receive the benefits of, Christ’s broken
body and shed blood. Christ was sacrificed once for all time, but

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 the reality and benefits of his sacrifice are ever new. The Eucharist
re-presents Christ’s sacrifice. Through Grace, we are made to
participate in time in Christ’s eternal sacrifice. Through the
offering of bread and wine, we re-member this sacrifice, but not
simply through our memory, but in an active participation. The words
of Christ at the last supper, “This is my body . . . this is my
blood”, tell us that the bread and wine are more than just
representations. Through the unknowable grace of God and the
power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine become for us the true
broken Body and shed Blood of Christ. When the priest, lifting up
the paten and chalice in the form of a cross, says “Thine own of
Thine own, we offer unto Thee on behalf of all and for all,” we
understand that it is Christ himself, the Son of God and One of the
Holy Trinity, who is being offered (through the material gifts of
bread and wine). Christ is at the same time the Offering (the Lamb
of God), the Offerer (since he gave his life freely), and he to whom
the offering is made (since it is offered to God, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit.) The Church has never tried to explain exactly how all
of this happens, since it is a mystery understood by God alone. The
faithful are called to participate in this mystery with “the fear of
God, with faith and love” (the words of the priest coming out of
the alter with the chalice as he calls all the faithful to draw near to
receive the Body and Blood of Christ.)

‰ Christ’s death on the cross was on behalf of all (in place of all men)
and for all (for the benefit of all), and thus the sacrifice of the
Eucharist is made on behalf of all and for all. There is no exception
to this “all”: it includes the living and dead and those to be born; the
old and the infants; the good and the bad; the believers and even
those who don’t believe. After the offering, the priest recites a
long list of all those for whom the Eucharist is offered: those who
have died in the faith, our ancestors, fathers, patriarchs, prophets,
apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, ascetics, every
spirit made perfect in faith, the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, the
Saint of the day, all the Saints, those for whom special memory is
made, all the bishops, all the priests, all the deacons, the whole
world, the Church, those that live a pure and chaste life, all civil

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 authority, the primate of the church, the bishop of the church, and
finally, all mankind.

‰ The Holy Eucharist is the sacrament of unity. In the Liturgy of St.

Basil, said during Lent and certain feast days, we pray that the
Heavenly Father “unite us all, as many as are partakers in the one
bread and one cup, one with another in communion with the One
Holy Spirit.” This communion is in imitation of the communion which
Christ has with his Father, and which the three Persons of the Holy
Trinity have with one another. It is open to those who have been
baptized into the one Lord Jesus Christ, and who have been sealed
by the one Holy Spirit in chrismation. Many of the prayers and
actions during the Divine Liturgy emphasize the spiritual unity of all
those gathered around the Table of the Lord. Those who partake
first proclaim their unity of faith by reciting together the Creed. In
ancient times, and still today in some churches, the faithful also
greeted each other with the kiss of peace just before reciting the
Creed. Today, this is reserved for the clergy in most churches. The
faithful also recite together the Lord’s Prayer, in which we realize
that we are all children of the one Heavenly Father. Thus we see
that we are united in a mystical way by partaking of Holy Communion,
but this unity also proceeds from the unity of faith and action.

‰ It is important that we be at peace with our neighbors before

receiving Holy Communion. If we don’t have unity with our fellow
men, how can we pretend to partake of communion with God? Jesus
made this point many times: unless we forgive our neighbor, we
cannot expect forgiveness from God, even in the Sacrament of Holy
Communion. The sacraments are not magic! They do not make us
holy in spite of our will. If we partake of communion while holding a
grudge against someone, then that communion, rather than achieving
the forgiveness of our sins, will be to our judgement. St. Paul
teaches us that “whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this
cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood
of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of
that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh
unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not
discerning the Lord's body.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). If we examine

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 ourselves, and find that we do not have peace toward someone, we
need to seek reconciliation before partaking of Holy Communion.
Jesus says that we must seek reconciliation even if it is another who
is not at peace with us. “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the
altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought
against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy
way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer
thy gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

‰ The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist was instituted by Christ at the

Last Supper on the night of his betrayal. “For I have received of
the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord
Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And
when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this
is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of
me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this
do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often
as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's
death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

‰ The meal which Christ shared with his disciples at this time was the
traditional meal which all Jews ate in commemoration of the
Passover. The implications are obvious: Christ is the true Passover
Lamb, shed for the life of the world. The Old Covenant was sealed
by the blood of animals, but the New Covenant between God and man
is sealed by the blood of Christ: “This is my blood of the new
covenant, which is shed for many” (Mark 14:24).

‰ The Holy Eucharist is a sacrifice, not only of the Lamb of God, but
of each one of the faithful who joins their prayers to the prayers of
the entire church. In Old Testament times, people brought all kinds
of animals to the priests to be offered to God for the atonement
(forgiveness) of sins. The animals were slaughtered and their blood
sprinkled on the alter. This was a kind of payment for sin. The
animal took the place of the guilty sinner, and paid the price (of
death) for their sin. This ritual sacrifice was never for the benefit
of God, who needs no such sacrifice. Rather, it was for the benefit

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 of the people. It taught the Israelites about the consequences of
their sins. It showed them that the penalty of sin is death. By
giving up one of their animals, they were given to learn the meaning
of sacrifice. The outward act of giving up something precious could
help create an inner disposition of contrition for sin. According to
the great penitential Psalm of King David, it is this inner disposition
which is the true meaning of sacrifice:
“For you do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices acceptable to God are a broken spirit,
A broken and contrite heart, Oh God, thou will not despise.” (Psalm
51: 16-17)

‰ The perfect sacrifice of Christ did away with the need for anymore
animal sacrifices. By his shed blood and broken body, he achieved
atonement for all the sins of the whole world. The sacrifice of the
Eucharist consists in giving thanks and praising God for his
marvelous works (still with a contrite heart for our sins). The gifts
of bread and wine which we offer to God are already given by Him.
We simply offer back to Him what is already His. The bread and
wine are common elements of the creation, shaped by the hand of
man. In a sense, they represent all of creation.

Questions:
1. Who is the “living bread” that came down from Heaven?
2. When do we eat of this “living bread”?
3. What do we receive when we eat this “living bread”?
4. What is the relationship of the Holy Eucharist to Christ’s sacrifice on the
cross?
5. Who is being offered in the Eucharist? Who is the Offerer? To Whom is
the Offering made?
6. For whom is the Eucharist offered?
7. Who can receive Holy Communion?
8. What important actions do we do during the Divine Liturgy before
receiving Communion?
9. What must we do before coming to the Divine Liturgy in order to receive
Holy Communion?
10. When, and by whom, was the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist instituted?

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11. What was the meaning of the Passover Lamb in Old Testament times? Why
is Christ called the Passover Lamb?
12. How was the Old Covenant between God and man sealed (or made
affective)? How is the New Covenant sealed?
13. In what sense is the Holy Eucharist a “sacrifice”?

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 Lesson Thirty-Two: Holy Repentance
(Penance-Confession)

‰ After the consecration of the bread and wine during the Holy
Eucharist, and before the communion of the clergy, the priest raises
the Holy Bread and says: “The Holy Things for the holy.” The
faithful respond: “One is Holy, One is the Lord, Jesus Christ, to the
glory of God the Father. Amen.” In this short exchange we discover
the essence of the spiritual life. Our desire as Christians is to come
closer to God; to be holy like He is Holy. But in doing so, we realize
at the same time how far we are from His Holiness. We realize our
own unworthiness to draw near to him. The closer we come to His
Holiness, the more aware we are of our own sinfulness. This has
been the experience of all the Prophets and holy men and women of
the Old Testament. How much more is it the experience of
Christians, who partake of the very Body and Blood of Christ!
Before we can partake of these “Holy Things” we must confess that
we are unworthy of them; that Jesus Christ alone is Holy.

‰ This is the reality of repentance. It is a gift of God, since it

proceeds from an experience of His Holiness. The fruit of such
repentance is not sadness, but joy and healing. The Apostle John
tells us: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1: 8-9). We see a very good example of
this in the story of the Centurion in Matthew and Luke’s Gospels.
This Centurion desired for Jesus to heal his sick servant. But he
acknowledged his own unworthiness that the Lord should come to his
house where his servant lay. “Lord, I am not worthy that you
should come under my roof. But only say the word, and my
servant shall be healed” (Matthew 8:8). The Lord responded to this
act of faith and confession by healing his servant. God has given us
this promise, that if confess our sins with a repentant heart, He will
forgive us. This is the reason He came into the world, to save
sinners. The only person who will not be forgiven is he who says in
his heart “I do not need to be forgiven. I am worthy.” Such a
person rejects God’s forgiveness of their own will. [Note: It might

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 be helpful to review the section on Great Lent in Lesson Twenty-
Seven, especially the parts dealing with the Publican and Pharisee,
and the Prodigal Son.]

‰ In the Holy Sacrament of Repentance, we receive God’s forgiveness

in a very concrete way, through the hands of a priest. When we
entered the church, all of our sins were cleansed through the waters
of Baptism. After our baptism we were given a white shirt to
symbolize our pure state. However, the Church recognizes that most
of us soon fall away from this purity. Our soul becomes “dirtied” by
the many sins which we commit after baptism. Since our baptism is
not repeatable, these sins have to be cleansed in another way. The
Church does not abandon those who commit sins after their baptism,
but offers them another chance at repentance and forgiveness: the
Sacrament of Repentance. For most of us, the purification of our
souls lasts our entire life. Thus, while we our baptized only once, the
sacrament of Repentance is repeatable. We should avail ourselves of
it whenever our sins disturb the peace we have in Christ. Baptized
children usually are expected to receive this sacrament beginning at
the age of seven.

‰ The sacrament of Repentance takes place in the following manner:

The one wishing to confess their sins should come to a priest
prepared to do so. They should spend some time alone examining
their conscious for sinful thoughts and their actions for sinful
behaviors. The sacrament begins with the reading of Psalm 51,
which expresses King David’s heartfelt repentance after he had
committed a grave sin. The priest then reads several prayers. Next
begins the confession itself. We confess aloud all of our sins, in
word, thought or deed, which we have committed since our last
confession. It is difficult to confess our sins before another person,
but it is important that we do so, since our sins not only offend God,
but our fellow human beings. In the early years of the church,
people would confess their sins before all the faithful. This was no
longer possible when the church began to grow in numbers.
Therefore, the priest began to hear confessions as a representative
of the church.

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‰ It is a temptation to hide some of our sins out of shame. This must
be avoided at all costs. We should remember that we are confessing
not just before men, but before God, who knows all of our thoughts
and actions. If we try to hide some sin, we are only harming
ourselves. The priest is there simply to listen, not to judge or
condemn us (he also is a sinner; judgement belongs to God alone).
He is sworn never to repeat what we have said during the confession.
The priest may ask some pertinent questions if we do not know how
to begin. After our confession, the priest may offer some spiritual
advice about dealing with certain sins. He may also impose a penance
upon us. A penance is a particular action (such as saying certain
prayers, making prostrations, reading a certain book, asking
forgiveness or forgiving someone) which we perform out of
obedience to our spiritual father. The point of the penance is not
punishment, or paying the penalty for our sins, but the healing of our
souls.

‰ After we have confessed our sins, the priest lays his stole on our
head. This is a symbolic gesture, which signifies that our sins are
being taken away. They will be “thrown to the floor” so to speak,
along with the priest’s stole. God will remember them no more. The
priest then recites the Prayer of Absolution: “Whatever you have
said to my humble person, and whatever you have failed to say,
whether through ignorance or forgetfulness, whatever it may be,
may God forgive you in this world and the next. . . . Have no
further anxiety; go in peace.” With this prayer, the priest
proclaims God’s forgiveness to us. We can leave at peace with God,
and with our brothers and sisters. We don’t need to worry if we
have forgotten to mention some of our sins. God knows our hearts,
and he is quick and willing to forgive us all of our sins.

‰ True repentance is a gift of God. Human beings, however, can

cooperate with God’s grace. We can prepare ourselves to be
receptive to this gift. Prayer, fasting and mutual forgiveness can
soften our hearts and create in us a real desire for repentance. We
can have faith that this desire in us will attract the forgiveness of
God who does not desire the death of sinners, but that they should
turn from their sin. Jesus tells us that there is a special joy in

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 heaven for this repentance: “I say to you . . . there will be more joy
in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just
persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

Questions:
1. What do we realize about ourselves when we approach the Holiness of God?
2. Why do we say that repentance is a gift of God?
3. What does the story of the Centurion teach us?
4. What is the relationship between the Sacrament of Baptism and the
Sacrament of Repentance?
5. Why is it important to confess our sins before another person?
6. What is a penance?
7. What is the symbolism of the priest’s stole?
8. What happens in the Prayer of Absolution?
9. What can we do to prepare ourselves for repentance?

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 Lesson Thirty-Three: Holy Orders

‰ At Baptism and Chrismation, all the faithful of the Church become

participants in the ministry of Christ. This ministry has several
facets, but basically it involves reconciling the world to God. All of
the faithful have been given the Gift of the Holy Spirit by Whom
this ministry is carried out. The Apostle Paul tells us that “every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ.” In other words, there are not some with more grace and
others with less. The Holy Spirit is given to all, and for one and the
same ministry. However, this gift is manifested differently among
all the members of the Body of Christ; there is One Spirit, one
ministry, but many ways in which this ministry is carried out. Each of
us is called to carry out the vocation which God has given us. The
same Apostle Paul continues: “And he gave some, apostles; and
some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers.” And he describes more precisely the nature of the
ministry which all of these carry out: “For the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 7, 11-13).

‰ In the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the grace of the Holy Spirit is

given in a unique way to those who will administer the sacraments of
the Church. Although all the faithful receive the Holy Spirit and
accomplish the ministry of Christ, only those ordained to Holy
Orders (Bishop, Priest, or Deacon) may perform the Sacraments.
Ordination is achieved by a Bishop laying his hands upon the
candidate and invoking the Holy Spirit to come upon him and make
him worthy to serve the Church.

‰ The sacrament of Holy Orders has its origin in the earthly ministry
of Christ. At the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus chose
twelve men to be his apostles. These men were called to leave their
ordinary duties and to devote themselves wholly to Christ and his
mission. The word “apostle” means “sent one”, and it defines the
nature of their call: they were sent by Christ to preach the Gospel,

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 the Good News of Christ, to the entire world. Most of the apostles
happened to be fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus made them
“fishers of men”: instead of fish, they would draw the whole world
into their net. While Jesus journeyed around Galilee, the apostles
were sent to testify that the Kingdom of God had come upon the
earth. After his death and Resurrection, Jesus sent the apostles
into the world as his witnesses. They proclaimed the death and
Resurrection of Christ, and taught and baptized. As the church
grew, the Apostles appointed overseers of the church in each city.
These were righteous men who held firmly to the true faith. St. Paul
describes the necessary qualifications in his letters to Timothy and
Titus. These men maintained order in the church, and correctly
taught the doctrines of the Faith. This position developed into what
we today call Bishops. The word Bishop simply means “overseer”. In
the Book of Acts, we read that as the church grew, the Apostles also
chose certain of the faithful to attend to the distribution of food
for the needy.

From the Book of Acts:

Acts:6:1: And in those days, when the number of the disciples was
multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews,
because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Acts:6:2: Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them,
and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve
tables.
Acts:6:3: Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest
report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this
business.
Acts:6:4: But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the
ministry of the word.
Acts:6:5: And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte
of Antioch:
Acts:6:6: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed,
they laid their hands on them.

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‰ These seven men were the first Deacons. The word “deacon” comes
from the Greek word for “service”: diakonia. The Deacons serve the
Bishops in carrying out their ministry. St. Paul also lists the
necessary qualifications for deacons in his letter to Timothy. In the
early church, the distinction between Priests (presbyters) and
Bishops had not yet been fully developed. Originally, every church
had its own Bishop, and several Priests who carried out the will of
the Bishop. As the church grew and each city came to have several
churches, the Bishop was no longer able to attend adequately to each
church. The Priests became the Bishops representatives in each
church. They administered the sacraments in their own community
through the authority and permission of the Bishop. Today, the
authority to celebrate the Holy Eucharist is granted through a peace
of clothe (the Antimension) which rests on the alter and which
contains the written permission and signature of the Bishop.

‰ Christ called himself the Good Shepherd who watched over his flock,
the Church. This image has been transferred to those who continue
to care for the flock of Christ, the Bishops and Priests of the
church. They are the pastors of the human flock. They are called
by Christ to lay down their lives for the good of their flock. They
guard the church from the threat of heresy (the human wolves).
When one of the human sheep goes astray in some way, the pastors
must be quick to correct them. Therefore, the Bishops and Priests
also have the role of disciplining their flock. If one of the faithful
falls into heresy or grievous sin, the pastors have the task of
reprimanding them. If this person refuses to listen to the Bishop or
Priest, they are to be cut off from the flock and prohibited from
receiving Holy Communion until they repent of their sin.

‰ It is only through the grace of God that Bishops and Priests can
accomplish their pastoral duties. Our one true High Priest and Good
Shepherd is Christ himself, but through the mystery of Holy
Orders, human beings participate in Christ’s ministry. At the
ordination of a Bishop, the ordaining Bishops ask God to make this
man “to be an imitator of You [Christ], the true Shepherd, who did
lay down your life for your sheep; to be a leader of the blind, a light
to those who are in darkness, a reprover of the universe, a teacher
of the young, a lamp to the world . . . .” At the end of the service,

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 the newly ordained Bishop is given his pastoral staff with this
prayer: “Receive you the pastoral staff, that you may feed the flock
of Christ given to your care; And be a staff and support to those
who are obedient, but lead the disobedient to correction, unto
gentleness and obedience; And they shall continue in due submission.”

‰ Each of the three orders of the clergy (Bishop, Priest and Deacon)
has their own special vestments which they wear while serving in
church. The vestments distinguish the clergy from the rest of the
faithful, and also signify that are participating in the glory of the
heavenly Kingdom. Each item of clothing also has a symbolic meaning.
We already mentioned the staff which the Bishop carries, for
instance, which signifies his role as Shepherd of the church. The
Bishop also wears something called the Omophorion around his neck
and shoulders. This signifies the stray sheep which the Good
Shepherd, Jesus Christ, carried upon his shoulders. The special
garment of the priest is the Phelonion. This is a type of cape. It
represents the cloth with which the soldiers dressed Christ before
his crucifixion. When the priest puts on the Phelonion, he is
symbolically putting on the truth and righteousness of Christ. The
special vestment of the Deacon is the Orarion. This is a long and
narrow strip of cloth which is worn over the left shoulder. When the
Deacon prays, he holds up one end of the Orarion with his right hand
and raises it up. This symbolizes the wings of the angels, who are
the servants of the Lord. The Deacon is to reflect on earth the
service of the angels in heaven.

Questions:
1. Who carries out the Ministry of the Lord?
2. What is the essence of this Ministry?
3. What is the special ministry of those ordained to Holy Orders?
4. What happens at the Sacrament of Holy Orders (ordination)?
5. What is the origin of the Sacrament of Holy Orders?
6. What does the word “Bishop” mean?
7. What does the word “Deacon” mean?
8. What is the Antimension?
9. How do Bishops and Priests reflect Christ, the Good Shepherd?
10. Why do the clergy put on vestments when serving in the church?
11. What is the significance of the Bishop’s staff?

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12. What is one of the special vestments of the Bishop, and what does it
signify?
13. What is one of the special vestments of the Priest, and what does it
signify?
14. What is one of the special vestments of the Deacon, and what does it
signify?

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 Lesson Thirty-Four: Holy Matrimony
‰ In the beginning, God created the human race male and female, and
blessed them to live together as husband and wife. While still in
Paradise, God established that it was not good for man to live alone.
Even though Adam was still in communion with God, he needed also to
have communion with another equal to him. So God formed all the
animals and brought them to Adam. But with none of them could
Adam achieve the deep communion for which he was created. Human
beings are created in the image of God, and this means in the image
of the All Holy Trinity. Our God is not a solitary Monarch, but an
eternal communion of Love and Self-giving. Human nature as well is
created for communion and love. Hence, God created Eve to be the
equal partner and companion of Adam, “bone of my bones, and flesh
of my flesh.” He blessed their communion and their children, which
were the fruit of their love.

From the Book of Genesis:

Gn:2:18: And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Gn:2:19: And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the
field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what
he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that
was the name thereof.
Gn:2:20: And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and
to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet
for him.
Gn:2:21: And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he
slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gn:2:22: And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a
woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gn:2:23: And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my
flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gn:2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall
cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Gn:2:25: And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not
ashamed.

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 ‰ There was nothing shameful about their union; on the contrary, it
was blessed by God. It was only later that sin would enter in and
pervert the relationship between man and woman. Though we no
longer live in paradise, it is still possible for human beings to
approach the blessed communion for which they were created within
the bonds of marriage. The union of “one flesh” is still possible
because God still blesses marriage. Just as those who enter into the
priesthood receive a special grace to accomplish their calling, so also
a man and woman who enter into sacred matrimony are given a special
grace which makes it possible for them to live together in a state of
peace and unity.

‰ The Lord Jesus Christ confirmed the sacredness of marriage by

being present at the wedding in Cana, where he performed his first
miracle of turning water into wine. When he was asked by the
Pharisees about marriage, the Lord “answered and said unto them,
Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning
made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a
man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and
they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more
twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:4-6). The Lord tells us that
it is God who creates this union. It is not simply due to human
desire, although, of course, this is also important.

‰ The Orthodox Church considers Holy Matrimony a sacrament

because it points to a mystery beyond itself: the mystery of
Christ’s love for his bride the Church. The self-sacrificial love of
husband and wife for eachother, and their union of one-flesh, points
to, and in a mysterious way participates in, the love of Christ, who
gave his life for the Church, and joins Himself to her.

From St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians:

Eph:5:22: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the
Lord.
Eph:5:23: For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the
head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

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Eph:5:24: Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives
be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph:5:25: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it;
Eph:5:26: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word,
Eph:5:27: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish.
Eph:5:28: So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that
loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph:5:29: For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph:5:30: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph:5:31: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall
be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph:5:32: This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the
church.
Eph:5:33: Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife
even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

‰ A Christian marriage reflects Christ’s love for his Church, and the
Church’s submission to Christ. Just as Christ is the head of the
Church, so man is the “head” of the woman. But not in an oppressive
way. On the contrary, Christ demonstrated his Lordship by giving his
life for the Church. The man is to love and cherish his wife “as
Christ loves the church.” The woman is to submit to her husband
“as to the Lord.” But again, this submission is not in order to
degrade the woman. It is her true calling; that in which she finds
her true identity.

‰ A marriage only reflects the love of Christ for his Church if it is

never dissolved, since Christ’s love never fails. Thus a man and
woman enter into Holy Matrimony once for life. As Christ says,
“what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
However, the Church also recognizes the weakness of human nature

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 damaged by sin, and that because of this weakness not all marriages
will last for life. Christ himself made an exception to the
indissolubility of marriage: if husband or wife is unfaithful to the
other, divorce may be justified. Thus the Church will consider
divorce, but only as the last option. In certain cases, a divorced man
or woman is permitted to remarry in the church, but a second or
third marriage is not considered the same as the first, since its
sacramental value has been lessened.

‰ The service of Holy Matrimony is a very joyful event. It makes

reference to several of the marriages of the Old Testament, as well
as the wedding at Cana (which is the gospel reading for the service).
The central point of the service is the placing of crowns on the
heads of groom and bride. The crowns are the visible sign of the
grace of the Holy Spirit given at the sacrament. The crowns
symbolize both joy and martyrdom, since every marriage is composed
of both: joy at the union, and martyrdom in the self-sacrifice
demanded on both sides.

‰ Originally, the wedding service was conducted during the Divine

Liturgy, and the joining of the couple was made complete by their
common communion of the Body and Blood of Christ at the Eucharist.
Today, it is a separate service. There are still echoes of the
Eucharist however. The groom and bride drink wine from a common
cup given to them by the priest. This also evokes the miracle of
Christ at the wedding of Cana, when he changed water into wine.
Drinking of the same cup signifies that they will now share a common
life together. This “cup of life” is composed of both sweet and
bitter, both joy and sorrow. But the couple can have faith that they
have been given the grace to withstand all, and at the end will come
into the Joy of their Lord.

‰ After this, the couple is led by the priest in a joyful procession

three times around the table in the center of the church while
hymns are sung. This symbolizes their procession toward the
Kingdom of God, which should be at the center of ever life, including
a marriage. The couple are to help eachother in this journey toward
the Kingdom of God, thereby attaining their own salvation.

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 ‰ Not all men or women are called to the married life. The Church also
blesses a celibate life consecrated to God. Normally, men and women
who choose to remain celibate will enter the monastic life. Most
monks live together in a community (the monastery), where their
lives are structured around the cycles of prayer. A few live alone, or
with a few other monks, and are devoted to silence and solitary
prayer.

‰ Just as husband and wife make vows to remain faithful to eachother,

so someone entering into the monastic life vows to preserve their
chastity, and to be obedient to their spiritual father or mother.
The act in which a man or woman becomes a monk or nun is called the
monastic tonsure, and though it is not specifically listed among the
seven major sacraments of the Church, it is also sacramental in
nature. The person entering this life is given the grace of the Holy
Spirit to persevere in spite of all difficulties. In many ways, the
monastic life is more difficult than married life, and few people have
this vocation.

‰ The Lord himself lived a celibate life, and said that it is better not
to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. However, he also
said that few had been given the gift to remain single. Celibacy was
only for those who could accept it. Otherwise it was better to
marry. The Apostle Paul was also celibate and said pretty much the
same thing as the Lord. One who marries has to be concerned about
his or her spouse, and about the things of the world, whereas the
monk or nun can be devoted wholly to the things of God.

Questions:
1. When, where and by whom was marriage created?
2. Why was it created?
3. What happens in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony?
4. Where did Jesus perform his first miracle?
5. How does marriage reflect the love of Christ for the Church?
6. What is the role of the husband in a marriage?
7. What is the role of the wife in a marriage?

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8. Why does the Church regard the marriage bond as life long and
indissoluble?
9. What do the crowns represent in the wedding service?
10. What is the significance of the common cup in the wedding service?
11. What does the procession around the table represent?
12. What did the Lord and the Apostle Paul say about marriage and celibacy?

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 Lesson Thirty-Five: Holy Unction

‰ While Jesus walked upon the earth, he did many miracles. Most of
these miracles had to do with healing. When John the Baptist
sought to know whether Jesus was the promised Messiah, Jesus
responded: “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
The blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are
cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor
have the gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:4-5). All of these
miraculous healings were signs that Jesus was, indeed, the promised
one. Only God could accomplish such healings, or one upon whom the
Spirit of God rested (the Messiah). Many of the Jews who had read
the Old Testament Prophets realized that what Jesus was doing had
no other explanation than that he was the Promised One sent by God.
Jesus himself said that what he was doing was in fulfillment of the
prophecies. According to Luke’s Gospel, Jesus entered the Jewish
place of worship (the synagogue) immediately after his baptism and
temptation in the wilderness:

From the Gospel of Luke:

Lk:4:16: And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as
his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood
up for to read.
Lk:4:17: And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.
And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was
written,
Lk:4:18: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Lk:4:19: To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Lk:4:20: And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and
sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were
fastened on him.
Lk:4:21: And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled
in your ears.

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‰ According to the Biblical view, human beings are a unity of spirit and
body. We were created from the soil, but with the Breath (or
Spirit) of God breathed into us. And it is our belief that all of us will
be raised up at the end of time according to the pattern of Christ’s
resurrection, which was both spiritual and bodily. We were not
meant to live either like the angels, who are pure spirit, or the
animals, who lack a spiritual essence. Rather, we were to integrate
the two realms of being. The essential unity of spirit and body in
human beings meant that, from the beginning, spiritual “sickness”
had physical consequences. The sin of Adam and Eve, which
consisted in spiritual pride, had both spiritual and physical
consequences: the breaking of spiritual communion with God, and
physical pain in child birth and in our daily labor, and finally death
and corruption.

‰ According to this understanding, all of our physical illnesses are

ultimately due to the spiritual illness of sin. This does not mean that
every particular sickness is due to a particular sin committed by that
individual. It refers to human nature in general, and not particular
persons. However, it does mean that physical healing implies also
the healing of the human spirit. When we read the gospel
accounts of the sick and lame, and those oppressed by demons, we
should understand that all of these illnesses are also signs of the
spiritual maladies of human beings. Jesus’ healing of these maladies
is a sign that he is, as we call him in various prayers of the Church,
the Physician of our souls (or spirits) and bodies.

‰ Jesus himself referred to himself as a “physician”. He very often

associated with the sinners of the places he visited. This
scandalized the Pharisees, who avoided all contact with “sinners” and
those who were impure according to the law. On one occasion, Jesus
went to eat in the house of a notorious sinner: “And it came to pass,
as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and
sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the
Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your
Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he
said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they

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 that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will
have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance. ” (Matthew 9:10-13). Jesus
here is not referring to any physical malady, but to the sickness of
sin, and to himself as the spiritual physician. The medicine which will
heal the sick soul is repentance and faith in Christ (Jesus often
accompanied his healing with the words “your faith has healed you”)
and the forgiveness of sins which comes through Christ.

‰ At least once, Jesus accompanied his healing with the pronouncement

of the forgiveness of sins. This was the healing of a paralytic.

From the Gospel of Luke:

Lk:5:17: And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that
there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come
out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of
the Lord was present to heal them.
Lk:5:18: And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a
palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
Lk:5:19: And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in
because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down
through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
Lk:5:20: And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are
forgiven thee.
Lk:5:21: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is
this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
Lk:5:22: But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto
them, What reason ye in your hearts?
Lk:5:23: Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise
up and walk?
Lk:5:24: But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth
to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise,
and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
Lk:5:25: And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that
whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

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Lk:5:26: And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled
with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

‰ The paralytic is a symbol of all of us who are paralyzed by our sins,

unable of our own effort to heal ourselves. In this story, it is faith in
Christ which brings healing of both soul and body. But it is not the
faith of the sick person alone. The gospel account says that when
Jesus saw “their” faith, he pronounced the forgiveness of sins upon
the sick man. Healing comes also through the faith of those carrying
the paralytic. The men who bring the paralytic before the Lord
represent the entire Church. Our healing (salvation) comes through
the faith of the church as well as our own faith. No one is saved
solely as an “individual”. As a wise man once said, the only place we
can go alone is to hell.

‰ The Lord, after his Resurrection, told his disciples: “If you forgive
the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any,
they are retained” (John 20:23). As we saw, this authority
remained in the church through the Sacrament of Holy Repentance.
The disciples were also given the ability to heal. We read in the
Gospel of Mark (6:13) that when the disciples went out to preach,
“they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were
sick, and healed them.” This ability to heal through the anointing
of oil has also remained in the church through the Sacrament of Holy
Unction. This sacrament is already described in the Epistle of
James (5:14-15): “Is any sick among you? let him call for the
elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him
with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall
save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be for given him. St. James shows that
the purpose of Holy Unction is the healing of both body and soul (the
forgiveness of sins).

‰ None of the Holy Sacraments work like magic. God’s Holy Spirit is
not under the control of the priest. Everything works according to
God’s will, not man’s. When we receive the sacrament of Holy
Unction with faith, we should believe that God is healing us. This
healing may not be immediate, or even visible. Sometimes God allows

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 physical illness to remain for a reason. It may be that this is the
best thing for our own spiritual health, or for the spiritual health of
others around us. If this is the case, then the Sacrament will grant
us the spiritual strength to bear our affliction with patience and
even thanksgiving, knowing that, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “all things
work together for good for those that love God,” even our illnesses.
The life of the Apostle is a good example of this, for he endured
tremendous suffering for the sake of the Gospel. In the midst of it
all, he was still able to rejoice in his savior Jesus Christ.

‰ Every illness is a sign that points to our future physical death. No

one on earth escapes this fate. If we endure our illnesses with
faith, they can help us to face our death with hope, knowing that it is
not the end of our lives. Many great saints of the church have lived
with sickness or with crippled bodies. Their suffering has because a
source of blessing for many who have witnessed their lives. Their
ability to rejoice in God despite their afflictions is a sign that they
have already achieved the victory over death granted to us by
Christ.

‰ The service of Holy Unction includes seven anointings by one or more

priests. The oil is blessed during the service. Usually, the person is
anointed on their forhead, chin, cheeks and hands. At each of the
seven anointings the following prayer is said: “Holy Father, Physician
of souls and bodies, Who sent Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, Who healed every illness and delivered from death;
heal Thy servant from the weakness that holds his/her body, of
either body or soul, and enliven him/her by the grace of Thy Christ,
by the prayers of the All-holy Lady Theotokos and all the Saints.”
After the seventh anointing, the Gospel Book is placed on the
recipient’s head. This has replaced the earlier practice of laying
hands on the person.

‰ Anyone who is sick, not only those on their deathbed, may avail
themselves of Holy Unction. On Wednesday of Holy Week, it is the
custom to perform Holy Unction on all the faithful, both healthy and
sick.

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Questions:
1. What did Jesus’ healings signify?
2. According to the Bible, what is the relationship between our spirit and
body?
3. What were (are) the consequences of this for human beings and the entire
creation?
4. What does physical healing imply?
5. Why do we call Christ the Physician of our souls and bodies?
6. What is the medicine which Jesus uses to heal us?
7. In the Gospel account of Christ’s healing of the paralytic, what does the
paralytic symbolize?
8. What do the men who carry the paralytic symbolize?
9. What is the origin of the sacrament of Holy Unction?
10. What is the purpose of Holy Unction?
11. What does it mean if a person does not receive immediate physical healing
through Holy Unction?

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 Section Six: The Creed
(1) I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.
(2) And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten,
begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light; True God of
True God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by
Whom all things were made;
(3) Who for us men and our salvation came down from heaven, and was
incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man.
(4) And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was
buried.
(5) And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;
(6) And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
(7) And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead;
Whose Kingdom shall have no end.
(8) And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from
the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped
and glorified; Who spoke by the Prophets.
(9) In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
(10) I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.
(11) I look for the resurrection of the dead;
(12) And the life of the world to come. Amen.
‰ The Creed (also known as the Symbol of Faith) was adopted at the

Church Councils at Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381), known as

the First and Second Ecumenical Councils because they included
Bishops from all over the Roman Empire. The Councils met in order
to defend the true Orthodox faith against various heresies which
had sprung up. The Creed sets out the basic doctrines of the faith
which all Orthodox Christians must accept. It is a guide to correct
belief and worship, and to true spiritual life. It is recited by all the
faithful at many church services, including the Divine Liturgy. It is
also recited at the sacrament of Baptism by the person desiring to
enter the Church (or their godparent). The Creed contains twelve
articles: Article 1 concerns God the Father and creation; Articles 2
through 7 concern God the Son and salvation; Article 8 concerns God
the Holy Spirit; Articles 9 through 12 concern the Church, Baptism,
and the life to come.

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 Lesson Thirty-Six: The Nature of God and Creation

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.
‰ Christianity follows Judaism in the belief that there is one God:

monotheism. “Here oh Israel, the Lord your God is One God”

(Deuteronomy 6:4). The first of the Ten Commandments states “I
am the Lord your God . . . you shall have no other gods beside Me.”
This One God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is also our
Father through the fellowship we have in Christ. We have been
“adopted” by God as His own sons, and given His Holy Spirit. This
one God created everything that exists out of nothing. He created
through his Good Will, and continues to sustain everything that is.
Without God, nothing would exist. He is everywhere in His creation.
Yet He also totally transcends created nature. Creation includes
both the things of earth and the things of heaven; the visible and
the invisible worlds; the world of men, and the world of bodiless
spirits.

‰ Since God’s nature transcends his creation, we cannot assume that

His oneness means the same thing as it does among creatures. In
the realm of creation, oneness and multiplicity; unity and diversity
are essentially opposed to one another. With God, however, this is
not the case. His Oneness is not restrictive, as the Jews believed;
rather it implies an eternal communion of Love – the Love of the
Father for the Son, through the Holy Spirit; the Love of the
Son returned to the Father, through the Holy Spirit. Each of the
Three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is distinct from the others (we
say they are Three Persons), while at the same time sharing in the
same One Divine Nature. This is called the doctrine of the Holy
Trinity, and it is relevant to every aspect of our faith.

‰ We can try to understand the Holy Trinity by using the analogy of

three men: each is a unique person while at the same time each
shares in a common human nature. However, the unity which any
three men manifest is unlike the Unity of God. Each of them has
their own will, whereas in God there is only One will.

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‰ The term “nature” is an abstraction; a concept created by human
reason. When applied to God, it is helpful in guiding our minds to a
proper understanding. However, we do not pray to a “divine nature”;
it is not a “divine nature” which has revealed “itself” to us; rather, it
is the Person of God the Father. The One God to whom we pray is
the Father. The Son and the Holy Spirit are both from the Father.
The Son and Spirit share in the same Divine Nature, and thus to pray
to One of the Trinity is to pray to the other Two Divine Persons as
well.

‰ The same applies to the activity or energy of God: all Three Persons
are present in any divine act. Thus, while the first Article of the
Creed states that the Father is the Maker of all things, the second
Article states that it is by the Son that all things were made, and
the eighth Article states that the Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life.
The Three Divine Persons are present in the act of creation, in divine
revelation, in salvation.

‰ The creation of God includes the invisible world of the Angels, also
known as the bodiless powers. The word “angel” means messenger,
and this describes there dominant activity as found in Scripture.
They communicate God’s will to the visible world, in word and action.
Gabriel announced the news of Christ’s birth. Michael is the leader
of the spiritual armies of God. The Angels accomplish the good will
of God, and work for the salvation of men. God has given an Angel to
everyone to watch over them and guard their souls from the evil one:
this is the Guardian Angel. The abode of the Angels is in heaven,
(which is not a geographical place since it exists outside of space and
time), where they continually offer praise to God. The Angels are
strictly spiritual beings, and lack physical bodies, although they are
described in scripture by the use of material imagery.

‰ The Angelic world, as the earthly world, was created in goodness.

This goodness was distorted, however, first by spiritual beings, and
then by human beings, who rebelled against God. The first of God’s
creatures to rebel against Him was the Angel Lucifer (also known as
Satin, or the Devil). It was Satin, in the form of the serpent, who
tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and entered Judas to

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 betray Christ. A third of the Angels followed Lucifer in his rebellion
against God. These evil spiritual beings are known as demons. They
act against the good will of God, and against the salvation of men.
When men choose to sin, they are turning away from God and
cooperating with the evil will of Satin and his demons. It is important
to remember that Evil has no existence of its own, since God did not
create it. It exists as a kind of “parasite” of God’s good creation;
using what is by nature good for evil purposes. God tolerates evil for
the time being, though He has already conquered it through the
death and Resurrection of Christ. Christ’s death and Resurrection
overcame the evil will of Satin and his followers, who desired to put
an end to God. At Christ’s second coming, the victory over evil will
be brought to completion. Satin and his followers will be judged and
bound forever.

‰ Human beings were created with a special role among all of God’s
creation. They were created both as physical beings, like the rest of
the earthly creation, and spiritual beings, like the angelic realm. And
alone among all of God’s creation, they were created directly in the
Divine Image. This does not mean that Adam and Eve had no
possibility of spiritual growth. God gave humans the goal of growing
more and more into the likeness of this Divine Image. This is the
meaning of the story of the Garden of Eden: Adam and Eve had the
option of using their freedom to love God and follow Him, or to turn
away from Him. By following God they would have grown into a
deeper intimacy with Him; into a deeper realization of the Divine
Image. However, they chose to turn away from God; to try to “be
like God” apart from God. This was the first sin, and every sin
following it is an actualization of this same “turning from God”. This
sin has meant that man has failed to realize his true being as the
“Image of God.” It is only Jesus Christ who has realized the true
human vocation to be the Image of God. Jesus shows us what it is to
be truly human.

Questions
1. Why was the Creed written and adopted by the Church?
2. What is the first Article of the Creed?

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3. Why is the one God called the “Father”?
4. What does the doctrine of the Holy Trinity refer to?
5. How many gods are there?
6. How many divine natures are there?
7. How many divine Persons are there? Who are they?
8. How many divine Wills are there?
9. Who (or what) is the one God?
10. Who created the world?
11. Who created the Angels? What is there role among men?
12. Who was the first Angel to rebel against God?
13. What do we call the spiritual beings who followed this angel in his rebellion
against God? What are they trying to accomplish?
14. How has God overcome evil?
15. What is unique about human beings compared with the rest of creation?
16. What is the meaning of the story of the Garden of Eden?
17. Who has shown us what it is to be truly human?

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 Lesson Thirty-Seven: The Son of God and Salvation

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten,
begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light; True God of True
God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by Whom all
things were made;
‰ Jesus once asked his disciples who men thought he was. ”John the

Baptist or one of the Prophets” they replied. “But who do you say
that I am? Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of
the Living God’ (Matthew 16:14-16). This is still the essential
confession which all Christians must make about Jesus: he is the
Christ, the anointed one of God, God’s own Son. The name “Jesus” is
the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua” and means “savior”. The
Angel Gabriel tells the Mother of God: “You will call his name
Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
The word Christ is not a formal name but a title. It means “the
anointed one”. It has the same meaning as the Hebrew word
“Messiah”. To call Jesus the Christ is to acknowledge that he is the
Savior promised by God in the Old Testament. The same one that
was promised to Abraham thousands of years ago and about whom
Moses and all of the Prophets wrote, moved by God’s Holy Spirit.

‰ What none of the Old Testament saints could have imagined was that
this promised messiah would be God’s very own Son; that he was the
very same Lord (Yahweh) who created the universe, and who spoke to
Abraham and to Moses and the Prophets. Even Christ’s own Apostles
did not completely grasp this until after his Resurrection and the
coming of the Holy Spirit upon them. When we confess that Jesus is
the Lord, we are confessing that everything which can be said about
the Most High God of the Old Testament can be said about him: he
is almighty, all knowing, eternal, omnipresent, infinite, able to
forgive sins, worthy of worship, etc.

‰ We do we mean when we call Jesus God’s Son? It certainly does not

mean that God, Who is pure Spirit, had a physical son. But neither
are the terms “Father” and “Son” merely figurative. Jesus is the
Son of God from all eternity; “before all ages” as the Creed says.
Before taking flesh of the Virgin Mary, he was God’s Son. And

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 likewise, the one God has eternally been “the Father”. He did not
become Father at some point in time; indeed, time is a creation of
God to which the creator is not bound. “Only-begotten” means that
Jesus is the only one born or generated of God the Father.

‰ Since God is Light, what comes from Him must also be Light. Jesus
is Light of Light, True God of True God. “Begotten, not made”
means that Christ is not a creature. His generation from the father
is unlike the creation of the world. The world was created from
nothing, according to God’s will, but the Son is generated from the
very being of the Father.

‰ Christ is “of one essence with the Father.” The “essence” refers
to “what” something is. The Father is God, the Son is God.
Everything that can be said about God applies equally to the Father
and the Son. They are equal in honor and glory, while at the same
time being distinct. The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not
the Father. This equality and unity also applies to God’s actions. The
Father is creator; the Son is He “by Whom all things were made.”
The Son is also called the Word (or Logos in Greek) of God. In the
Book of Genesis, God creates everything through His Word; this
Word is none other than Christ.

Who for us men and our salvation came down from heaven, and was
incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man.
‰ The Son of God has always been present in the world through his

creative acts, but at a certain point in history he entered into the

world as a man. This same Lord, equal with the Father in Glory,
humbled himself and became one of us. St. John writes “The Word
became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the
glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
Truth” (John 1:14). At his incarnation (enfleshment), Christ did not
cease being the Son of God, but took upon himself a real human
nature. He is fully God and fully Man. Divine and human nature are
united perfectly in the Person of Christ. The incarnation was
accomplished not for any need of God Himself, but for the salvation
of the world.

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‰ “Came down from heaven” does not refer to a geographical place,
but simply means that Christ, the Creator of the universe, took upon
himself the limitations of the created world. He was born as a
normal infant and grew up and was educated in a normal home. He
experienced hunger, thirst, fatigue, sorrow, pain and disappointment.
He was tempted with all the same temptations which any many
experiences. He suffered and died a natural human death. It was
necessary that Christ become like us in every way except sin in order
to heal us. “Since, therefore the children share in flesh and blood,
he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through
death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is,
the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were
subject to lifelong bondage. For surely it was not with angels that
he is concerned but with the descendents of Abraham. Therefore
he had to be made like his brethren in every respect . . . to
make expiation for the sins of the people. For because he
himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those
who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-18). As a man, Jesus had a human
will. But unlike us, he was completely obedient to the will of the
Father. By this obedience he gained salvation for all men.

‰ Christ took flesh from the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy
Spirit. For this reason, we call the Virgin Mary “Theotokos”, which is
a Greek word meaning “the one who gives birth to God”. She did
not give birth to a mere man, who later became the Son of God, but
to the person of Christ, who unites in himself God and man. Jesus
did not have a human father, otherwise he would have been merely a
man, and not also the Son of God. Joseph, Mary’s husband, was
something like a step-father to Jesus, not his biological father. The
Gospels tell us that Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus.
She is confessed by the Church to be Ever-Virgin: after the
miraculous birth of Jesus, she had no more biological children. This
birth was not the product of human will or desire alone, but of the
power of God. God willed to become man. The Virgin Mary was the
vehicle of his incarnation. But the obedience of Mary was also
necessary, for God always respects the freedom with which he made
us. The Church venerates the Virgin Mary not only because she is
the biological mother of Jesus, but because of her utter self-

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 surrender to God. She is the image of the Church itself and of all
true believers. We call her also our Mother, because all of those in
the Church are brothers and sisters of Christ.

And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was
buried.
‰ Jesus committed no sin and was therefore not subject to death,

which is the consequence of sin. His death, like his incarnation, was
completely voluntary. He took upon himself the sins of the world
and endured the cross for the salvation of the world. He is the
Lamb of God, whose blood cleanses every sin. His death occurred by
crucifixion, which was the most shameful death that could be
imagined in those times. He was treated like a common criminal. He
was betrayed by his own disciple, Judas Iscariot, and hated by many
of his own people, the Jews. The Jewish religious leaders conspired
against him, and had him brought before the Roman Governor of
Judea, Pontius Pilate, with the intention of condemning him to death.
The Jewish religious leaders hated him because he spoke against
their many perversions of the faith. He was officially accused of
blasphemy for having claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus did not
resist the evil deeds of the people. He knew all along that this would
be his destiny. He ascended the cross of his own will, in complete
obedience to the will of his Father, gaining the forgiveness of sins
and the redemption of all those who now believe in him and place
their trust in him.

And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;

‰ In Christ, God humbled himself and became man. He did not become

a man of power and wealth, but a servant. As a servant he was

completely obedient to the Father, even to death. Being God, he
humbled himself to die as a human being. Even more, he died the
most shameful kind of death, on a cross, despised by all and
abandoned by his closest disciples. While his body was in the tomb,
he descended into the bowels of death, into hell itself. But since he
was the author of life, death had no hold over him. On the third
day, he rose again, breaking once and for all the bonds of death and
hell, and opening the way for the resurrection of all men.

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 ‰ St. Paul calls Christ “the first-fruits of those who have fallen
asleep” (I Corinthians 15:20). His resurrection is not an isolated
event, but transforms our entire lives. We are no longer slaves to
death. If we die with Christ, we will also be raised up with him. In
this sense he is the “first-fruits”: the entire human race, both living
and dead, can participate in this “harvest” of Christ’s resurrection.
St. Paul also calls Christ a second Adam. All of us participate in the
likeness of the first man Adam, by our own disobedience and death.
In the same way, we can all be made alive in the second Adam, Christ.

‰ “According to the scriptures” means according to the prophecies of

the Old Testament. There are several scriptures which refer to
God’s Holy One being saved from death, and men finding life beyond
the grave. Christ himself said that the Scriptures testified of him.
After his disciples had visited the empty tomb and were wondering
what happened, Christ came among them, but they did not recognize
him. He journeyed with two of the disciples to a village called
Emmaus. The disciples spoke to him of their sadness at the death of
their master, and their astonishment at finding his body missing
from the tomb. Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow
of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not
the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?
And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to
them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke
24:25-27).

And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
‰ Jesus remained with his disciples 40 days after his resurrection.

Then he ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.
He had completed the mission which the Father had given him, for
which he descended from heaven and become man. At his ascension,
he returns to the Glory which he had with the Father from the
beginning, bearing with him our human nature. His ascension
opened the way into heaven for us which had been closed since the
sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. His ascension signifies the
uniting of earth and heaven, the created with the uncreated.
With the Father in heaven, Jesus is our great intercessor, our great
High Priest as he is called in the Book of Hebrews. He has offered

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 himself up for all mankind on the cross. But his sacrifice is not like
the sacrifices of earthly priests, which need to be repeated
continually for our sins, and which are offered in a temple made by
man. Christ’s perfect sacrifice is offered once, and before God
himself, in the “temple” of heaven.

And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead;
Whose Kingdom shall have no end.

‰ Christ’s “first” coming was the incarnation. He was born as an infant

in a stable in a far corner of the Roman Empire, without much notice.
His Divine Glory was “hidden” from most of mankind, for whom Jesus’
life was a complete failure. Apart from his transfiguration before
the three disciples on Mount Tabor, Jesus “made himself of no
reputation, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). At the
end of time, Christ will come again, but this time with his full Glory
revealed. He will come “with a cry of command, with the Archangels’
call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (I Thessalonians
4:16).

‰ At his first coming, Christ judged no man, but was condemned by

men. At the end of time, he will come to judge the living and the
dead. Jesus spoke of this time when he said that the Father had
given him the authority to judge. “Do not marvel at this; for the
hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His
voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the
resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the
resurrection of the condemnation” (John 528-29). If this sounds
harsh, we must remember that the “condemned” have already
condemned themselves by refusing the salvation of God. God does
not delight in the punishment of sinners. He has done all that he
could to save mankind. When men freely reject God’s love, this
same love which is experienced as joy by the blessed, is
experienced by them as suffering.

‰ The Kingdom of God was inaugurated among men with the first
coming of Jesus, but it will not be fully revealed until the end of time

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 when Christ comes in glory. Then all creation will be filled with his
glory, including mankind. Christ will be “all in all”. This glorious
Kingdom will be without end.

Questions:
1. What was St. Peter’s confession of Christ?
2. What does the name “Jesus” mean?
3. What does the word “Christ” mean?
4. What does the word “Messiah” mean?
5. What does it mean to call Jesus the “Lord”?
6. Has God always had a Son?
7. Is the Son of God a creature?
8. By Whom did God the Father create all things?
9. What happened at the Incarnation of Christ?
10. What does “came down from heaven” mean?
11. Who is the “Theotokos” and what does this title mean?
12. Why do we say that Jesus was crucified “for us”?
13. Why did death have no hold over Christ?
14. What does “according to the Scriptures” mean?
15. What is united at Christ’s Ascension?
16. At the Last Judgement, what will happen to those who freely reject God’s
love?

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 Lesson Thirty-Eight: The Holy Spirit, the Church,
Baptism and the Life to Come

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from
the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and
glorified; Who spoke by the Prophets.
‰ The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Holy Trinity. The Spirit

is equal in honor and glory with the Father and the Son, and deserves
the title “Lord”. Whereas the Son is generated by the Father, we
say that the Spirit “proceeds” from the Father. Just as the Son is
the Son “of the Father”, so the Spirit is the Spirit “of the Father”.
This means that although the Son and Spirit are equal in their
Divinity with the Father, the Father is the “origin” of divinity.

‰ The Holy Spirit was with the Father and the Son from all eternity.
At the beginning of creation, the Spirit of God was moving over the
face of the formless waters. Through the Word and Spirit of the
Father, everything is brought to life. It is also through the Holy
Spirit that man partakes in eternal life with God. In every action of
God the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is also involved, though
often in a “hidden” manner. Whereas the Son became incarnate, and
revealed the Father to us, the Holy Spirit remains hidden in the
Divine Mystery. The same word used to designate “spirit” also means
“wind”. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of
it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is
everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). We see the effects
of the Spirit, but the Spirit Himself, like the wind, remains
unmanifest. The activity of the Spirit is everywhere in the
Scriptures, In the Old Testament, the Prophets, priests and kings
are anointed by the Spirit to speak God’s word and accomplish his
will. The virgin birth of Christ is accomplished through the power of
the Holy Spirit. At his baptism, Christ is anointed with the Holy
Spirit. The Spirit is with him during his temptation in the
wilderness. He begins his public ministry by applying Isaiah’s
prophecy to himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”

‰ At Pentecost, the Spirit came upon the disciples to comfort them,

guide them into all truth, and make them children of God. Their

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 writings collected in the New Testament are inspired by the Holy
Spirit. The Spirit continues to guide the Church, and each member
of the Church is a temple of this same Spirit.

In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

‰ The Church is the community of God’s chosen people called to keep

His word and to do His will. In Scripture it is called the Body of

Christ, the Bride of Christ and God’s living temple. It is
purchased by God’s own blood on the cross (Acts 20:28).

‰ The Church is one. Christ is one, therefore the Body of Christ, the
Church is also one. There cannot be many churches because there
are not many Christs. And there is also only one Holy Spirit Who
gives life to the Church. The unity of the Church is expressed in
every facet of its life: one faith, one baptism, one Eucharist. The
unity of the church is not limited to those on earth, but includes
those who have departed this life, and the angels.

‰ The Church is Holy. The Church exists in the world, but is not part
of the world. It is a “sacrament” or sign of the Kingdom of God. It
exists in the world to transform the world, to bring the entire world
into the Kingdom of God. The word “holy” means set apart,
completely other. Only God can truly be called Holy, and that which
God has established. The Church is Holy because it is founded by
God, and animated by God’s Holy Spirit. Of course, God uses human
vessels to accomplish His mission. The Apostle Paul uses the imagery
of the potter and the clay. God is the Divine Potter, and we the clay
which He shapes into His desired forms. None of the human vessels
of the church are, of themselves, holy. All human beings are liable of
error and sin. The church is the “pillar and ground of the truth” (I
Timothy 3:15), not because any particular human being is infallible,
but because the church as a whole, guided by the Holy Spirit, is
infallible. As God’s Holy presence within a sinful world, the Church
has always had its enemies, both within its ranks and without. Satin
and his followers sow heresy, disharmony and hatred within the
church. But we have Christ’s promise that “the gates of hell shall
not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

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 ‰ The Church is Catholic. The word “catholic” can be translated as
“universal”. The unity of the Church is not the unity of a particular
culture, ethnicity, language, class or jurisdiction. Its oneness
embraces all the diversity of the human race. Its message is for all
peoples, places and times. But the Church’s catholicity is not solely
“geographic”. It also refers, in a deeper sense, to the fullness,
completeness and wholeness of the faith which is lived and
transmitted by the church. There is nothing lacking in the Church;
it participates fully in the Kingdom of God through its doctrine,
worship, ministry and sacraments.

‰ The Church is Apostolic. It is “the household of God, built upon the

foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself
being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined
together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-
21). The Apostles received the gospel message from Christ himself,
and were instructed in all truth by the Holy Spirit. They both wrote
and spoke about these truths, proclaiming the gospel to the whole
world, as they were commanded by Christ. This gospel has been
handed down by succeeding generations of faithful, headed by the
Bishops who are the guardians of the true faith. The word
“Apostolic” refers both to this foundation upon the Apostles, and to
the continuing mission of the church. The word “apostolic” means
that which has “been sent”, and the church continues the task of
the Apostles by being sent into the world to proclaim Christ’s
Incarnation, passion, death and resurrection for the salvation of the
world. The church is Apostolic therefor, not simply by its connection
to the past, but also by its present activity in the world.

I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.

‰ Baptism is the sacrament of forgiveness of sins and incorporation

into the church. It is accomplished by the Holy Spirit of God when

we are immersed in water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. Through baptism we participate in the death and
resurrection of Christ. As Christ’s death and resurrection are once
for all, so baptism is received once in one’s life. Baptism is the first
of the sacraments, and allows us to enter fully into the entire
sacramental life of the church. Baptism of adults is to be

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 accompanied by repentance and confession of faith. Infants are also
given the chance to be full members of Christ’s church, according to
Christ’s own words. Therefore, they are also baptized.

I look for the resurrection of the dead;

And the life of the world to come. Amen.
‰ “God raised up Jesus from the dead.” This is the essence of the

gospel, and the foundation of our hope as followers of Jesus; that we

will also be raised up from the dead. This resurrection begins now,
during our earthly life. We are raised up from our spiritual death to
live a new life in and toward God. Christ’s liberation of the spirits in
hell also liberates us who live in the personal hell created by our own
sins. The church teaches us that if we do not begin to participate in
this new life now, while we are on earth, we will not participate in it
in the life to come, which is eternal.

‰ The new life which we have in God is not just a spiritual reality. Our
bodies as well as our spirits are sanctified and saved by God. Jesus
arose from the dead as a full human being, body and spirit. Our
resurrection will not be the end of our mortal, bodily nature, but its
transformation. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality” (I Corinthians 15:53). At
the end of time, when Christ comes in his glory, all those who have
died will be resurrected. Their spirits will be reunited with their
bodies.

‰ We do not know when the day of the Lord will come, nor exactly what
our future life will be like. Christ simply tells his faithful ones that
they will be with him for eternity. Eternity does not mean “endless
time”. It is qualitative rather than quantitative. It can be
experienced in time, but is beyond time. Christ tells us that eternal
life is to “know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom
Thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Since eternity is beyond place and
time, we must use symbolic language to talk about it. For example,
Christ speaks of the “mansions” in heaven prepared for those that
love him. This does not refer to actual mansions as we know on
earth, but is a way of saying that we will live with God in great joy.

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 ‰ The Apostle and Evangelist John, toward the end of his life, had
several visions of the life of the world to come which he describes in
the Book of Revelations.

From the Book of Revelations:

Rv:21:1: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and
the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rv:21:2: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rv:21:3: And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall
be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rv:21:4: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any
more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Questions:
1. What are some of the events in the Scriptures in which we see the activity
of the Holy Spirit?
2. What are some of the terms used in the New Testament to describe the
Church?
3. Why can there be only one Church?
4. In what does the Holiness of the Church consist?
5. What does the word “catholic” mean?
6. How is the church “Apostolic”?
7. Why is Baptism received only once in one’s life?
8. At the resurrection of the dead, what happens to our bodies?
9. According to Christ, in what does eternal life consist?

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 References

A Monk of St. Tikhon’s Monastery, These Truths We Hold: The Holy Orthodox
Church – Her Life and Teachings, St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press, 1986.

Elwell, Walter and Robert Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A

Historical and Theological Survey, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Books,
1998.

Fuentes, Fr. Eduardo (compiler and translator), Catecismo Ortodoxo en

Español, Dallas, Orthodox Church in America (Diocese of the South), 1991.

Ganouri, Eleni, Members of the Church Family (Teacher’s Manual), Athens,

Apostoliki Diakonia of the Church of Greece, 1998.

Hopko, Fr. Thomas , The Orthodox Faith, Volume i (Doctrine), New York, The
The Department of Religious Education of the Orthodox Church of
America, 1976.

Papaconstantinou, Demetrios, The Word of God in Our Church, Greek

Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Department of Religious Education,
1968.

Semanitzky, Fr. John, The Holy Days of the Russian Orthodox Church,
Russian Orthodox Laymen’s League of Connecticut, 1966.

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