#The New Testament in Greek

[hdslibrary]

Tiny Tuesday Testament

This 1628 Greek New Testament is deliciously tiny. One marvels at the skill of the printers who put together all that tiny type, including the tiny tiny diacritics! Bright sun, strong eyes, or good candles required for reading.

Tēs Kainēs Diathēkēs hapanta. Sedani: Ex typographia & typis nouissimis Ioannis Iannoni, 1628 [i.e. 1629]

#tiny tuesday #rare books #bookhistory #miniature books #17th century #greek new testament #cute books

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

We Preach Christ Crucified

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 But we proclaim Christ crucified. To the Jews it is a cause of offense, and to the Greeks it is foolishness; 24 But to those who are called--both Jews and Greeks--Christ is God's power and God's wisdom — 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 | A Faithful Version (AFV) Holy Bible, A Faithful Version © 2020 A Faithful Version. All Rights Reserved. Cross References: 1 Kings 13:3; Proverbs 8:1; Matthew 12:38; Luke 2:34; Luke 11:49; John 4:48; Romans 1:7; Romans 1:16; Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 4:10; Galatians 3:1

#Jews #signs #Greeks #wisdom #proclaim #preach #Jesus Christ #crucified #offense #foolishness #called #Elect #God's power #God's wisdom #salvation #1 Corinthians 1:22-24 #The Epistle of First Corinthians #New Testament #AFV #A Faithful Version Bible

[durn3h]

One of the most interesting things about religion to me is that so many people don’t even see the mental gymnastics they are doing to try and shape the biblical texts into a framework that is acceptable in the modern day and it comes out looking like something that none of the authors would have approved of.

#not to mention that they were written by authors at different times and for different purposes #so they say lots of different things #which makes it easy to pick and choose the interpretation that best matches what you want #like the ‘one man one woman’ definition of marriage that doesn’t exist literally anywhere in the Bible #women were property and men could have as many as they wanted #but then once the Greeks influenced them a bit in the New Testament it says leaders of the church should have one wife #so that means the Bible is against polygamy even though every man in the Bible had multiple wives #or the people that say the Bible is against slavery #even though there is literal chattel slavery described in the Old Testament with commands on how to do it #and in the new testament slaves are told to obey their masters #then they say that they aren’t slaves just servants #which is completely false #it reminds me of how so many Protestants are vehemently against alcohol #so whenever the Bible refers to wine in a good context they say it’s juice #and whenever it’s bad it is wine #even though several different words are used that basically all refer to fermented alcoholic wine #they translate them all differently as needed #like how Jesus said sell all your belongings and give them to the poor #then the Bible tells how literally all of the early Christians sold all their possessions and donated the money #and now people say that just means to be generous #and then don’t even leave a tip at a restaurant because they hate handouts

[infinitysisters]

“The New Testament in the original Greek is not a work of literary art : it is not written in a solemn, ecclesiastical language, it is written in the sort of Greek which was spoken over the Eastern Mediterranean after Greek had become an international language and therefore lost its real beauty and subtlety.

In it we see Greek used by people who have no real feeling for Greek words because Greek words are not the words they spoke when they were children. It is a sort of “basic” Greek; a language without roots in the soil, a utilitarian, commercial and administrative language. Does this shock us? It ought not to, except as the Incarnation itself ought to shock us.

The same divine humility which decreed that God should become a baby at a peasant-woman’s breast, and later an arrested field-preacher in the hands of the Roman police, decreed also that He should be preached in a vulgar, prosaic and unliterary language. If you can stomach the one, you can stomach the other.

The Incarnation is in that sense an irreverent doctrine: Christianity, in that sense, an incurably irreverent religion. When we expect that it should have come before the World in all the beauty that we now feel in the Authorised Version we are as wide of the mark as the Jews were in expecting that the Messiah would come as a great earthly King.

The real sanctity, the real beauty and sublimity of the New Testament (as of Christ’s life) are of a different sort: miles deeper or further in.”

—

CS Lewis, intro to JB Phillip’s translation of the New Testament letters, 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴, 1947

#CS Lewis #new testament #jb Phillips #christianity #ancient texts #koine Greek #Greek language #first century ad #ancient manuscripts #messiah #the Christ #vulgar

[metanoias-substack]

What is metanoia, why it may be the most mis-translated term in the New Testament, and what are the implications for Christian theology? (Plus: What does the Ancient Greek god of opportune moments have to do with it all?) Find the answers here.

#metanoia #new testament #translation #greek mythology #philosophy #greek philosophy #christianity #christian theology #repentance #repent #fortuna #kairos #greek language #ancient history #ancient greece #greece

[discoveringorthodoxy]

The 9 Biblical Odes & What They Teach Us

When you go to a Matins service you may notice halfway through the service different hymns appearing called odes. But what are these odes?

The Biblical Odes (also known as canticles or odes) are a set of nine passages that are from Scripture and form the foundation for the odes in the canon (a major component of Matins). For our sake, in this article the Biblical Odes are referred to as the canticles, while the hymns that make up the canon are referred to as the odes so that there is no confusion between the two. While there are nine odes, only eight are used in the service every day (Marangos, 1999). The only time all nine odes are sung is during Great Lent, specifically on Tuesdays of Great Lent. However, it is the troparia without its respective verse in the odes that are used in most parishes today (with the exemption of the Magnificat and canons sung in monasteries).

Because none of the original scriptural canticles are read besides during Great Lent, the first part of the canon that is chanted is a verse called the irmos. The irmos is like an overture connecting the theme of the canon with the theme of the canticle (Marangos, 1999). This theme is then further developed by the subsequent troparia. The last hymn of an ode is called a katavasia. Therefore, in Matins, when we sing the katavasias after the Synaxarion (ex: Katavasias of the Theotokos), we are singing the last hymns of the each ode in the canon. Sometimes this katavasia is the irmos from another canon or it could even be repeating the irmos of the given ode like during Pascha (“Glossary of Liturgical Terminology.”). So overall, the general structure of a canon done today is the following: Irmos, troparia, and katavasia.

There are groups of the odes. The first two odes are based on psalms in the Scripture while odes three through seven are based on prayers. Because all of the odes are based on Scripture, it is very important to have an understanding of it to understand the odes themselves.

The First Ode (Exodus 15:1-19)

The first ode is based on the First Song of Moses (Exodus 15: 1-19). The first song of Moses occurs after Moses and the Israelites cross the Red Sea. In this song, the Israelites are praising and giving thanks to God for delivering them from Egypt. They recount all that God has done for them. When the Jews gathered for worship, they would sing the canticle of the Song of Moses so that they could be reminded of all the good works that God has done for them. Similarly, it teaches us today how God helped the Israelites in the past and prepares us to face any obstacles we may face in the future (Marangos, 1999). Because of this, the first ode helps us see how God prepares the way for the new Israel under the New Covenant of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Small Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos. Ode i. Mode pl.4

"Crossing the waters as on dry land, in that way escaping from the evil's of Egypt's land, the Israelites cried out exclaiming: To our Redeemer and God now let us sing."

Katavasias of the Cross. Ode i. Mode pl. 4

"A cross did Moses inscribe, when with an upright stroke of his rod he divided the Red Sea for Israel who went on foot; then he turned and smote the sea, once again uniting it o'er Pharaoh's chariots, with transverse stroke portraying the invincible weapon. Wherefore, let us praise in song Christ our God; for He truly is glorified."

Canon of Pascha. Ode i. Mode 1.

"Resurrection day! O peoples, let us brilliantly shine. Pascha, the Lord's Pascha! For Christ our God has out of death passed us over into life, and likewise from earth to heaven, as we now sing unto Him a triumphal hymn."

The Second Ode (Deuteronomy 32:1-43)

The second ode is based on the Second Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32: 1-43). The second Song of Moses occurs towards the end of Moses' life. This song was written because God told Moses that the people of Israel would go back on their covenant with God. So, God told Moses to write down and teach people this song to remind them of their covenant with God and so that the people would have no excuse when God calls out their transgressions. This ode is only said on Tuesdays of Great Lent due to the severe nature of the canticle ("Biblical Odes"). This ode emphasizes the woe, anger, and apostasy of man; the need for our repentance; and the vengeance of God (Marangos, 1999).

The Third Ode (1 Samuel 2:1-10)

The third ode is based on the Song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Hannah is the mother of Samuel, who was the last of the Judges of Israel. Hannah was one of the wives of Elkanah but was childless. Her womb was barren due to the Lord closing her womb. But, she prayed to God and promised to dedicate her son to the Lord if she were to have one. As a result, Samuel was born. These words from Hannah are often compared with Mary's words from the Magnificat. Because of Hannah's story, we often see a theme of God filling something barren: the Lord has given life to something void of it (Marangos, 1999). There is also the theme of the Lord giving riches and exaltations (Marangos, 1999).

Katavasias of the Cross. Ode iii . Mode pl. 4

"The rod is perceived as a figure of the Mystery, for by its blossoming it showed who was chosen to be priest. And for the Church that formerly was barren hath the Wood of the Cross now blossomed forth unto strength and steadfastness."

Canon of Pascha. Ode iii. Mode 1.

"Now everything, heaven and the earth and the nethermost regions, have all been filled with light. Let the entire creation therefore celebrate the rising of Christ. For it is established in Him."

Katavasias of the Transfiguration. Ode iii. Mode 4.

"The bow of the mighty is become weak, and the strengthless have girded themselves with power; wherefore my heart is established in the Lord."

The Fourth Ode (Habakkuk 3:1-19)

The fourth ode is based on the Prayer of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:1-19). Habakkuk was one of the Twelve Prophets who wrote during the Babylonian captivity. This ode deals with things such as revival, exaltation despite bad situations, losing everything due to sinfulness, and repentance. Another common theme is the glory of God. There is also the phrase "I have heard" shown in this ode, emphasizing how we have heard what God has done for others and ask Him to do the same for us (Marangos, 1999). We also begin to see the first steps of repentance here: obedience to the commandments of God (Marangos, 1999).

Katavasias on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Ode iv. Mode 2.

"When the Prophet foresaw Thy birth from a Virgin, he proclaimed it, crying: I have heard Thy report, and I was afraid; for from Thaeman, and out of the overshadowed holy mountain art Thou come, O Christ.

Katavasias of the Transfiguration. Ode iv. Mode 4.

"I have heard of Thy glorious dispensation, O Christ God, that Thou was born of the Virgin, that Thou mightest deliver from error those who cry: Glory to Thy power, O Lord."

Katavasias of Theophany. Ode iv. Mode 2.

"Cleansed with the torchlight and fire of mystic vision, the Prophet singeth hymns of mortals' renewal; His voice he raiseth, which is moved by the Spirit, showing the unutr'able Word's Incarnation, Who hath wholly crushed the dominion of the mighty."

The Fifth Ode (Isaiah 26:9-20)

The fifth ode is based on the Prayer of Isaiah (Isaiah 26:9-20). This takes place right before the Babylonian captivity, and this song (unlike the last ode) is more a song of victory than a song of defeat. This ode connects the light with the commandments. If you want to be illumined and enlightened, then focus on the commandments of God (Marangos, 1999). The canticle also talks about the raising of the dead as a prophecy, so we see this reflected in Ode 5.

Katavasias on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. Ode v. Mode pl. 4

"Thou, my Lord, didst come as Light to the world, a holy Light, turning those who praise Thee away from abysmal folly."

Katavasias of the Transfiguration. Ode v. Mode 4.

"O Thou Who didst hew the primordial light from the light, that Thy works might hymn Thee in light, O Christ, our Creator, guide our ways in Thy light."

Katavasias on the Sunday of the Pharisee & Publican. Ode v. Mode pl. 2

"O Good One, lighten with Thy divine light the souls of those who come to Thee early and eagerly that they may know Thee, O Word of God, the true God, Who callest us from the darkness of iniquities."

The Sixth Ode (Jonah 2:2-9)

The sixth ode is based on the Prayer of Jonah (Jonah 2:2-9). This prayer takes place when the prophet Jonah was swallowed by a sea creature after he disobeyed God's commandments. He stays in the belly for three days and three nights as a type of Christ's burial and Resurrection. In the belly of the whale, Jonah is praying to God after he recognizes his error and repents. The themes for this ode are calling sinners to repentance, the abyss of sin, and the honor of the Trinity (Marangos, 1999).

Katavasias on Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Ode vi. Mode 2.

"I am ever oppressed in a deep of sins, O Savior, and I am tossed in the gulf of life; but like Jonas from the sea monster so bring even me up out of the passions and preserve me."

Katavasias of the Cross. Ode vi . Mode pl. 4

"When Jonah, who was in the belly of the sea monster, stretched forth his hands in the form of a cross, he prefigured the saving Passion manifestly. Hence also, when he came forth on the third day, he indicated the supernal Resurrection of Christ God, Who was crucified in the flesh and enlightened the world by His Arising on the third day."

Small Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos. Ode vi. Mode pl.4

"My petition, I pour out to the Lord, and to Him I will confess all my sorrows; For many woes fill my soul to its limits, and unto Hades my whole life has now approached, like Jonah, I pray to You, from corruption, O God, now raise me."

The Seventh Ode (Daniel 3:26-56)

The seventh ode is based on the Prayer of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:26-56). This prayer is found in the "apocryphal" parts of the Book of Daniel. In the book of Daniel, the three Hebrew youths are thrown into the furnace after they follow the commandments of God. But they are not consumed by the fire because an Angel of God (God) appears, and the fire becomes like water to the youths. This story is read in its entirety on Holy Saturday morning because, at this point, Jesus is in Hades preaching to the dead. One theme of this ode is that God is with us in our martyrdom, whether it be physical, financial, or other types of martyrdom (Marangos, 1999).

Canon of Pascha. Ode vii. Mode 1.

"The same One who delivered the Lads from fire, becoming a mortal man, suffers in the flesh; and by His Passion He arrays mortal nature with majesty free of all corruption, the only God of the fathers, blessed and supremely glorious."

Katavasias of Christmas I. Ode vii. Mode 1.

"The Servants nurtured piously together, with contempt regarding the impious king's decree, intrepidly faced the threat of holocaust, and while standing in the midst of flames they chanted thus, saying: O God of the fathers, you are blessed."

Katavasias of the Cross. Ode vii. Mode pl. 4

"The ungodly tyrant's most insensate decree affrighted common folk, breathing forth with threat wicked mouthings of blasphemy. But the Three Children were not struck with fear by rage wild and bestial, nor by roaring fire; but in an echoing and dew-besprinkling breeze, they stood amidst the fire and sang: O Thou supremely praised God of our Fathers and our God, for ever art Thou blessed."

The Eight Ode (Daniel 3:57-88)

The eighth ode is based on the Song of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:57-88). After the Angel appears in the fire and brings the Holy Youths protection, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael sing with the angels, praising God. On Holy Saturday, while also reading the entirety of Daniel 3:1-56, we also sing all the verses of the Song of the Three Holy Servants. We praise and sing to the Lord because He is in the furnace of Hell at this point along with everyone who has died (Marangos, 1999). The hymns say that in our present life this will also happen with us when we suffer some sort of martyrdom for Christ.

Katavasias of Dormition. Ode viii. Mode 1.

"We praise and we bless and we worship the Lord. Unto the Servants in the furnace, God's almighty Angel showed a flame burning the impious, but the saints cooling as with dew. Into a life-welling fountain He has made the Theotokos, gushing destruction upon death, but life to those who sing the hymn: We who have been redeemed chant in praise of the only Creator, exalting Him supremely unto all the ages."

Katavasias of the Theotokos. Ode viii. Mode 4.

"We praise and we bless and we worship the Lord. Guitless were those Servants in the furnace. The Son of the Theotokos went and rescued them. He who was prefigured then, having been incarnate now, is gathering the whole wide world into His Church to sing: 'O all you works of the Lord, to all ages sing praises to the Lord and exalt Him beyond measure'."

Canon of Pascha. Ode viii. Mode 1.

"Come on this illustrious day of Resurrection and day of Christ's Kingdom, let us receive the communion of the joy divine from the new fruit of the vine for eternal life, and highly extol Him as God unto the ages."

The Ninth Ode (Luke 1:46-55, 68-79)

The ninth and final ode is based on the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) and the Song of Zacharias, which is also known as the Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79). All of the other canticles come to their culmination with this ode (Marangos, 1999). The person who can step in the fire, liberate us from the belly of the whale, liberate us from Babylon, take us from the desert into Paradise, and allow us to cross the Red Sea is Jesus Christ, and He is born into the world for us through Mary (Marangos, 1999). And after we are told about Christ in the odes, we soon transition to the Divine Liturgy where we have a deeper connection with him.

As mentioned before, this is usually the only Biblical Ode whose verses we read during the service. You can see this when we sing the Magnificat during Matins.

Ode ix. The Magnificat. Mode 3.

Verse: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

“Greater in honor than the Cherubim, and in glory greater beyond compare than the Seraphim; you without corruption gave birth to God the Word, and are truly Theotokos. You do we magnify.”

But you also have parts where the verses are not read. For example, after the Magnificat usually follows the ninth ode of the Katavasias for the service.

Katavasias for Summer. Ode ix. Mode 4.

"Your childbirth occurred without corruption. For God it was wearing flesh who came forth from your virginal womb. For He appeared on earth and made His dwelling among men. And therefore you O Theotokos we all magnify."

Small Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos. Ode ix. Mode pl.4

"Saved through you, O pure Virgin, hence we do confess you to be most truly the birthgiver of our Lord; with choirs of bodiless Angels, you do we magnify."

Canon of Pascha. Ode ix. Mode 1.

"O my soul, magnify Him who willingly suffered, was buried, and a rose from the grave on the third day. Arise, shine! Arise, shine, O new Jerusalem! Shine! For the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Zion, exult and be glad now. O pure Mother of God, rejoice, celebrating the resurrection of Christ your Son!"

Conclusion

Overall, the nine odes help us in navigating our salvation journey. They teach us what God has done for us, but also show us that God can be wrathful. They teach us about how God grants us life and about repentance. Finally, they teach us about how God protects those who follow his commandments and about the greatness of our God in all these things.

Next time you attend Matins or any service that has the canons, I hope you'll keep the stories of the canticles in mind. Pay attention to the songs that are being sung and see what you can learn about our faith and our journey to repentance! May God bless you all.

-Joanna

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Works Cited

“Biblical Odes.” OrthodoxWiki, orthodoxwiki.org/Biblical_Odes#cite_note-1.

“Glossary of Liturgical Terminology.” Holy Trinity, Holy Trinity Cathedral, www.holy-trinity.org/liturgics/lazor-glossary.html. Accessed 24 Oct. 2023.

Marangos, Frank. “Tone 2.” Sing Praises to God: An Examination of the Eight Tones. 17 Dec. 1999, www.goarch.org/-/sing-praises-to-god-an-examination-of-the-eight-tones?redirect=%2Fchapel%2Fchant%2F&_com_liferay_asset_publisher_web_portlet_AssetPublisherPortlet_INSTANCE_FCDSMkO4ID2i_viewSingleAsset=true.

Katavasias taken from the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and from Digital Chant Stand. Paraklesis text taken "The Service of the Small Paraklesis to the Most Holy Theotokos" by Holy Cross Orthodox Press

#Orthros #Matins #Article #Eastern Orthodox #Greek Orthodox #Hymns #Orthodox Hymns #Troparia #Canon #Orthodox Canon #Odes #Biblical Odes #Orthodox Christian #Old Testament #New Testament #Scripture #Bible #Paraklesis #Moses #Jonah #Habakkuk #Theotokos #Jesus #Christ #Trinity

[greenmoons]

Mal apples refrence

Once upon a time long long ago, someone wrote the story about Adam and Eve in Eden. You know the story? The serpent convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and then god kicked them out of eden?

So people have this headcanon (because it is considers headcanon and you all know that!) that the forbidden fruit was an apple? It because in Latin the meaning of the word 'malum' is evil and apple. The tree in Eden was called 'The tree of the knowledge of good and evil', and eating it was considered a sin, so the apple was identified as something evil.

Now, let's take it to descendants, firstly the apple is known as an evil fruit, it's one of the singatures of the Evil Queen, but the one with apples all the time is Mal and not Evie. Because of her name, because Mal, is part of the latin word for apple, so she got the apples. In the song 'Ways to be Wicked' Mal spread out corrupted apples to release the evil side of everyone. And this another allusion to the story. Because Mal is basically a dragon, and dragons are serpent like creatures (the new testament even called serpent dragons somewhere). Mal is a serpent who causing people to break the rules, like the serpent in Eden.

The serpent also described as satan or devil, and we all know who's Mal father is right? :) Her father is Hades, and he is the ruler of hell, the place where all the sinners go. So Mal make them sin so they'll go the her father's world.

And just another cute refrence, King Beast real name is Adam and Evie's name without the i is Eve, so both of these names has a connection to Mal.

The idea of this post come from conversation with @punk-spider-lilliss so thank you very much and most of the information is from wikipedia so sorry if there are mistakes.

#descendants #apples #adam and eve #ways to be wicked #mal descendants #evie descendants #king beast #garden of eden #serpent #evil queen #hades #heaven and hell #good and evil #disney descendants #bible #new testament #greek mythology #fairy tales #mal

[crazy-maracuya]

See yall in the rapture imma start making Paul x Jesus fics

#bible fandom #early church #its like a mix of Judas and John in terms of shipping material #I have to read the bible in greek and then come back to make this understandable #jesus christ #paul the apostle #saul of tarsus #paul of tarsus #the judas and john ships with jesus just werent to my liking or something smh time to branch out. #'they never met' yeah once and thats enough #new testament #shenanigans

[gemsofgreece]

How comprehensible is New Testament Greek to modern Greek people?

Very, almost entirely. My impression is that: a) People of a generally good education (not lingual, just generally high school - college education) can understand 91-99% of it without problem. b) People of a basic education (elementary - middle school) can still make about 80-90% of it. c) For people taking lingual studies it is a stroll in the park, needless to say.

Still, Greek bibles always come with a modern translation too but it is mostly useful for “confirmation” rather than interpretation, as in, double-checking to ensure you understood correctly if you need.

A little known fact to foreign people is that Koine / Biblical Greek is lingually closer to Modern rather than Ancient Greek.

#Greek #Greek language #languages #linguistics #langblr #Koine Greek #biblical Greek #bible #New Testament #Christianity #Greek facts #emmenai-kalliston #ask

[asinglesock]

so much evil glee that I went to open Tumblr and accidently typed "evil glee" instead

#I brazenly asked my Greek professor for permission to be 30 minutes late to class #so I can attend a lecture on Paul from a visiting New Testament professor #and now there's a chance we all will have permission to go and I won't have to miss things in class 😌 #a sock speaks #grad school tag #look at me doing anything but my most urgent homework

[thebirdandhersong]

Ohhh, there are SO many languages to learn!!!

#really want to brush up on my greek and actually learn koine (we did attic greek in class) so that i can read my copy of the new testament #and i'd really like to get back on learning Chinese so that I can built vocab properly #and NOW i would really really like to learn russian (so much to read in russian and so much that is lost in translation!!) #and german (because Rilke) and korean (because the language is so beautiful) #sigh........ what lofty goals #songbird again

[eli-kittim]

Eli of Kittim Amazon Author Page

Eli of Kittim Amazon Author Page

This is my Amazon Fan Page. The title of my non-fiction book clarifies what the book is about, namely, The First Coming of Jesus at the End of Days. The book is based on biblical scholarship and its argument is that——according to the New Testament epistles——the first coming of Jesus will take place at the end of the world (see e.g. Hebrews 9:26b; 1 Peter 1:20)! This can be corroborated throughout the Bible. I have done extensive follow-up research using the original Greek New Testament to demonstrate the legitimacy of my claim!

#the little book of revelation #bible prophecy #ελικιτίμ #ek #messiah #elikittim #bible study #apocalypse #Greek New Testament #Hebrews 9v26 #εκ #the Jesus prophecy #1Peter1v20 #το μικρο βιβλιο της αποκαλυψης #last days #endtimes #end of days #end of the world #end of the age #jesus is coming #The First Coming of Jesus at the End of Days #The Birth Death and Resurrection of Christ According to the Greek New Testament Epistles #Christian Nonfiction #amazon author #amazon books #biblical exegesis #biblical eschatology #Koine Greek #christian books #booksbooksbooks

[maps-and-elvis-and-zelda-n-shit]

New gospel of Matthew just dropped before winds of winter

#syriac #syriac gospels #winds of winter #new testament #matthew #gospel of matthew #textual criticism #greek #language #scholarship #bible #christian #atheist

[towisco]

#torah #scriptures #torah portion #talmud #torah observant #torah observant christianity #bible translations #new english translation of the septuagint #the tanak #greek bible #greek translation #the seventy #the creation gospel #torah portions #feast days #hebraic roots #old testament #septuagint #fe #Youtube

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

μη αγαπατε τον κοσμον μηδε τα εν τω κοσμω εαν τις αγαπα τον κοσμον ουκ εστιν η αγαπη του πατρος εν αυτω

(Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.) — 1 John 2:15 | Novum Testamentum Graece (Tischendorf) Novum Testamentum Graece (The New Testament in Greek) is an edition of the New Testament in its original Koine Greek, forming the basis of most modern Bible translations. Cross References: Matthew 4:8; Romans 12:2; James 1:27; James 4:4

#God the Father #world #sin #love #1 John 2:15 #The Epistle of First John #Novum Testamentum Graece #The Greek New Testament #Tischendorf

[discoveringorthodoxy]

Equals of the Apostles and Teachers of the Slavs, St. Cyril and St. Methodius

Christ is with us! He is and always shall be!

In school, we are often taught that Martin Luther was the first to translate the Bible into a common language for all to understand. And while Martin Luther did translate the Bible from Latin to German for the common folk to understand, he was not the first to accomplish this feat. There are two saints who had achieved this over 700 years prior. These saints are Saints Cyril and Methodius. 

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St. Methodius and St. Constantine (Feast Days May 11th and 24th) were brothers born in Thessalonica. St. Methodius, the oldest of seven brothers, was in the military and became governor in one of the Slavic principalities that were dependent on the Byzantine Empire. This made it possible for him to learn the Slavic language. Ten years later, St. Methodius became a monk on Mount Olympus. 

St. Constantine was a smart man who studied with emperor Michael under the finest teachers in Constantinople. One such teacher was Saint Photius, who would later become the Patriarch of Constantinople (February 6). St. Constantine also studied all the current sciences and knew several languages. He studied the works of St. Gregory the Theologian. Because of his wealth in knowledge, St. Constantine became know as the “Philosopher”. After completing his education, the Saint was ordained into holy priesthood and appointed the curator of the patriarchal library at the church of Hagia Sophia. However, he soon left the capital and secretly went to a monastery. Being discovered there, he went back to Constantinople where he was appointed as an instructor in philosophy. While there, he even won a debate against Ananias, the leader of the iconoclasts. After this victory, the emperor sent Constantine to discuss the Holy Trinity with the Saracens, who were people who professed Islam. He also gained a victory against them. After he returned, he went to St. Methodius and spent his time in unceasing prayer and reading the works of the holy Fathers. 

Soon, the emperor summoned both of the brothers and sent them to preach the Gospel to the Khazars, a semi-nomadic Turkic people. During their journey, they stayed in the city of Korsun in order to make preparations. While there, they discovered the relics of the hieromartyr Clement, Pope of Rome (November 25). 

While in Korsun, St. Constantine found a Gospel and Psalter written in Slavonic (Russian letters) and a man who spoke the Slavic tongue. He learned from this man how to read and speak the language. Eventually the brothers arrived at the Khazars, where they won a debate with the Jews and Muslims by preaching the Gospel. On their way back, the brothers visited Korsun and took up the relics of St. Clement. Then, they returned to Constantinople. 

Later, they were called by Moravian prince Rostislav to instruct his people in the Orthodox Faith. Along with the help of their disciples Gorazd, Clement, Savva, Naum, and Angelyar, they devised a Slavonic alphabet and translated the books that were necessary for the celebration of the divine services. They translated the Gospel, Epistles, Psalter, and collected services into the Slavic tongue. This occured in the year 863, over 700 years before Martin Luther translated the New Testament. 

After they completed the translation, the holy brothers went to Moravia, where they began to teach the services in the Slavic language. This angered the German bishops, who celebrated the divine services in the Moravian churches in Latin. They were convinced that the divine services should be done in one of three languages: Hebrew, Greek, or Latin. However, St. Constantine said, “You only recognize three languages in which God may be glorified. But David sang, ‘Praise the Lord, all nations, praise the Lord all peoples (Psalm 116/117:1)’.’ Humiliated and bitter, the bishops complained to Rome. 

The holy brothers were then summoned to Rome for a decision to be made on the matter. As they set off to Rome, the brothers took with them the relics of St. Clement. Knowing that they were bringing these relics with them, Pope Adrian met them along the way with his clergy. The brothers were greeted with honor and the Pope gave permission to have the divine services in the Slavonic language. He then ordered the books translated by the brothers to be placed in the Latin churches, and to serve the Liturgy in the Slavonic language.

While in Rome, St. Constantine fell ill and the Lord revealed that he would die. So, he was tonsured into the monastic schema with the name of Cyril. On February 14, 869, St. Cyril died at the age of 42. Before he died, St. Cyril commanded St. Methodius to continue their task of enlightening the Slavic people with the true Faith. 

After St. Cyril’s death, the Pope sent Methodius to Pannonia, a province of the Roman Empire, and consecrated him as Archbishop of Moravia and Pannonia. In Pannonia, St. Methodius and his disciples continued to distribute service books written in the Slavonic language. This once again angered the German bishops, who arrested and tried the Saint. The Saint was sent to Swabia where he endured several sufferings for two and a half years. 

After being set free by the order of Pope John VIII of Rome and being restored to his archdiocese, St. Methodius continued to preach the Gospel to the Slavs. He baptized the Czech prince Borivoi and his wife Ludmilla (September 16), as well as one of the Police princes. The German bishops began to persecute him again because he did not accept the heretical teaching of the Holy Spirit proceeding from both the Father and Son. St. Methodius was summoned to Rome where he was able to justify himself before the Pope and preserve the Orthodox teaching. Afterwards, he was sent to Velehrad, the capital of Moravia. 

Velehrad is where he spent the remaining years of his life. St. Methodius spent the rest of his life, with the assistance of two of his former pupils, translating the entire Old Testament into Slavonic. The only books he did not translate was the Book of Maccabbess, the Nomocanon (Rule of the Holy Fathers) and Paterikon (book of the Holy Fathers). 

Before he died, St. Methodius designated one of his students, Gorazd, as a worthy successor to himself. The saint predicted the day of his death and died on April 6, 885, at the age of 66. The saint’s burial service was chanted in three languages, Slavonic, Greek, and Latin. 

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The story of Sts. Cyril and Methodius is an amazing one. As a STEM student,  I found it fascinating that St. Cyril had studied all of the current sciences of his time. And as someone who is continually seeking knowledge, his story gave me a sense of hope that I can use what I learn to glorify God and to spread His message. 

We should keep the spirit of Sts. Cyril and Methodius as we approach the modern era. Today, thanks to the Internet, we are connected to people from all around the world that come from all sorts of cultures. One thing I do appreciate from the Protestant movement is that there is a passion to translate the Bible into other languages and go out among other cultures to spread it. It does help spread the Gospel and we ought to do as Orthodox Christians. 

But on a more local issue, we should focus on making our services more accessible to people in the West. In the US, where I’m from, I’ve seen a problem where the liturgy is not performed in English. While I understand having the liturgy in for example, Greek, for new immigrants, it also cuts off any potential new converts for the local population. Having the liturgy mostly in English or even a Spanish service could help our population greatly. But this is just my humble opinion. 

Until next time and may God bless all of you!

- Joanna

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Sources:

“Equals of the Apostles and Teachers of the Slavs, Cyril and Methodius.” Orthodox Church in America, https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2001/05/11/101350-equals-of-the-apostles-and-teachers-of-the-slavs-cyril-and-metho.

“Methodios & Cyril, Equal-to-the Apostles Illuminators of the Slavs - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.” Go to Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, https://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints?contentid=486&type=saints.

#Eastern Orthodox #Orthodox Saint #Greek Orthodox #Slavonic #St Cyril #St Cyril and Methodius #St Methodius #Bible Translation #God #Church History #New Testament #Old Testament #article