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(Part 3)

E- Interpretation of the Epistle

Chapter 1 (contd.)

4- Between evangelization and the desire to depart (Phil. 1:21–26)

St. Paul continues his discussion in this context by saying “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)  On his way to Damascus, his meeting with the Lord constituted the beginning of his new life, which continued by serving Him and glorifying His name.  This means that his life is Christ, is in Christ, and is for Christ’s sake; this also means that his death will by no means represent a loss entailing evangelization’s demise – rather, it will be a gain in any case, since it leads to everlasting existence with Christ. (Phil. 1:21)  He furthermore cites two issues facing him in prison: one is the possibility of his release leading to his continuing to preach Christ, while the second is his being sentenced to death leading to residing with Christ – which of the two should he choose: continuing to lead a life of evangelization and service to the Church, thus extending Christ’s kingdom on earth, or death and departure to permanent existence with Christ and eternal rest (Phil. 1:22)?

In this regard, St. Paul says, “… yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two …” (Phil. 1:22, 23).  Despite the fact that, practically, no one has the power of choosing between life and death, since God determines our destiny (1 Sam. 2:6), St. Paul is thinking out loud: he is torn between two desires – the service, on the one hand, which he acquired through our Lord Christ (Acts 20:24) “… Who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry …” (1 Tim. 1:12), and the desire to depart, on the other hand, and be with Christ; he finds the latter choice to be “… far better.” (Phil. 1:23)

When all is said and done … St. Paul concludes that, as far as evangelization and believers are concerned, they would be better off by his remaining in the flesh; he is confident that he will remain, returning to serve them, for the sake of their progress and joy of Faith.  In this way “… your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ …” (Phil. 1:24–26)

5- A call for steadfastness in the faith and endurance of suffering (Phil. 1:27–30)

Whether he was reunited with them – which was his desire – or whether his absence persisted, St. Paul gives them one instruction: “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ … striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Phil. 1:27)  Put differently, they must always remember that they are following the Person of Christ, that their conduct must be in accordance with the gospel, and that their success lies in their unity, steadfastness and struggle with one spirit and in one Faith; that Faith is based on the gospel’s commandments, and on rejection of this world’s vanities and of the old way of life.

As believers fully dependent on the saving grace of God, he demands of them to be fearless of those who contradict and persecute them, and who, through their conduct, are sliding into perdition; additionally, the suffering they are enduring with thanksgiving, because of those perishing souls, is not lost before God, rather, it is counted all the more towards their salvation and glorification (Phil. 1:28).  St. Paul gives this essential instruction to them and to all believers “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” (Phil. 1:29)  He also offers himself as an example of enduring suffering as they had previously seen him (when he was beaten and imprisoned – Acts 16:19), and as they hear of him (Phil. 1:30); he neither complains, loses heart, retracts his steps, nor bemoans his plight; on the contrary, he endures joyfully, and is confident that “… if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:17)

Chapter 2

1- Being like-minded, and having the same love, in all humility (Phil. 2:1-4)

While still jailed, St. Paul continues to instruct his congregation in Philippi.  His primary pre­occupation, filling him with joy, is their unity and their avoidance of schisms and tribalism.  In discouraging tribalism, he exhorts them to be selfless, with one accord, and like-minded, while maintaining the same love, and the same goal.  He also asks that Christ and His glory be both their aim and the subject of their preaching, noting that the purpose of their speech should be “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).  What brings people together in their discourses and gatherings should be love.  Hence there would be no room for foul language, bad habits, rowdiness or hate.  All fellowships and relationships should be in the Spirit, Who strips all circumstances of self-interests and tendencies of the flesh.  And in love there is brotherly kindness, gentleness, mercy, and deep affectionate fellowship.

Austerity and lowliness support and foster unity, through which each one of you esteems others better than himself, and looks out for the interests of others and those of the Church as a whole, before his own.  While unity satisfies Christ’s intent, schisms open the door for Satan to enter, control, weaken your resolve, and estrange Christ in His own Church.

2- Christ is our example (Phil. 2:5-11)

Standing before the multitude, Christ says, “….learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)  Therefore, St. Paul directs the attention of the Philippians to the Person of Christ, Who is the true humble One.  Humility cannot be attributed to dust and ashes (that is man); rather, he just proclaims his true reality.  But the Lord, Who is the immutable image of God, “…being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power …” (Hebrews 1:3), Who “… did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, …” (Phil. 2:6), Who by nature is in, and one with, the Father (John 10:30 and 14:10&11), accepted to deprive Himself, condescend from His glory, and be incarnate from a woman according to the scripture, for the sake of our salvation.  Even when He became Man, He never aspired to a higher or greater stature; rather, He took the form of a bondservant and, “… though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, …” (2 Corinthians 8:9).  He was born in a manger, He worked as a carpenter, He had no place to lay down His head, and He carried neither purse nor money bag as He toured the countryside doing good.  Despite His authority over life, death, disease, evil spirits, humans, beasts, plants and nature, He was treated with hate, rejection and betrayal, and He was accused of blasphemy and collusion with Satan.  When He was led to be tried, He obeyed the will of the Father, and gave Himself up, “and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross [the death of slaves].” (Phil. 2:7&8)  By granting humanity salvation of this magnitude, He was glorified through the power of His Divinity by His resurrection, conquering death; He “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Hebrews 1:3) He was exalted by God (the Father) “far above all principality and power and might and dominion,” (Ephesians 1:21) and God gave Him [not only in this age but in future ones also] “the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9 – 11)  Let us always bear this in mind, for “he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11 and 18:14)

3- Work out your own salvation (Phil. 2:12-18)

Belief on the Person of Christ is the beginning of salvation.  Through baptism, we die and are buried with Christ; we then rise with Him in a new life, and become children of God.  We thus acquire a different form, our minds are renewed, and we proceed to do “… good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)  Salvation therefore accompanies us throughout our lives.  Through our struggle, repentance, service, good works, and patience unto the end, we complete our salvation, until our final salvation is proclaimed on the last day (Matthew 10:22, 24:13, Mark 13:13, Phil. 3:20, Hebrews 9:28 and 1 Peter 1:5).

A natural result of life in salvation is good works “… which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)  Hence, we should neither be boastful of those works, nor should we ask to be rewarded for them.  Our salvation is the offspring of grace, and our faith (which is a gift of God – Ephesians 2:8) is our means of enjoyment of the Lord’s salvation; our works are therefore more attributable to the Holy Spirit than to us, “for it is God Who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13)  In other words, for His pleasure and good will, God stands before us saying, “He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.” (Matthew 19:12)  We therefore pray that God grant us an obedient, positive, will, and that we say, “We do desire, O Lord … help the weakness of our will.”

St. Paul calls on the Philippians to obey the commandment “as you have already obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence….” (Phil. 2:12)  He also exhorts them in the same verse to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” in other words, they should treat with diligence and care, that which God granted them, stressing their new fruitful life, and having confidence that it is God Who instills within them an obedient will and good works (Phil. 2:13).

Furthermore, St. Paul urges them to “do all things without complaining and disputing,” (Phil. 2:14), and to demonstrate behavioral traits which are different from those prevailing in the world.  Hence, amidst a crooked and perverse generation, they should come across as harmless, blameless, children of God, and they should “shine as lights in the world” (Matthew 5:14 and Phil. 2:15), being steadfast in the word of God, the word of life, and being the cause for Paul’s pride in “the Day of Christ,” at His coming – in other words, showing that Paul’s labors and quest were not in vain.  In this way, Paul pours himself out before God, offering the Philippians’ faith and service as a sacrifice; he is joyful, and invites them to rejoice and exult with him.

(To be contd.)

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“Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory”  (Luke 24:26)

Saint Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship urges you to study the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Please feel free to make copies of these notes to distribute them. The Fellowship welcomes any questions, comments or additional references, whether for publication in these “Short Notes” or in private correspond­ence. Write to us:
PO Box 6192, Columbia, MD 21045

Dr. Nos’hi Abdel-Shaheed

Part Nine

CHAPTER 2

The Aim and Means of Orthodox Spirituality

(1) Aim of Christian Life

Based on the teachings of the Gospel, the aim of man’s life is to “be partakers of the Divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) and to be in union with God (henosis). The Fathers of the Church teach that union with God means our “deification”¹  (i.e. sharing through grace in the Divine life, or to “become God”). This is difficult to understand, especially for the Arabic language speakers, because people may understand it incorrectly. But the Church Fathers talk always about it, emphasizing that this is the ultimate goal for which Christ came: to make us partakers of the divine nature, that is to say, to partake in His holy divine life.

What is meant by union with God or deification is participation of man in God’s life, receiving overflow of the divine life, and holding steadfastly to Him [abiding in Him (see Jn. 15:4)]. For this purpose God created man in His own image and likeness (see Gen. 1:26), and for this same reason God sent His only begotten Son to the world. Therefore, the aim of Christian life is to fulfill this one goal whether it is from man’s creation or from the incarnation of the Son of God, His death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to fulfill for man what the fallen man failed to obtain in paradise, to unite with God and abide in Him forever.

At this point, we have to clarify that union with God that the Fathers have spoken of does not mean union in the divine essence, because this is not possible with the creation. It is only the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit that are united together in essence and they have one essence. It is with the grace of God that Man is called by Him to fellowship in His divine life as a free gift from Him, through the work of the redeemer Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what our teacher St. Peter points to in his 2nd epistle when he says: “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness … Him who called us by (His) glory and virtue … exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”(2Pet. 1:3, 4) St. Peter clearly says that the fruit of partaking of God’s nature is to flee from the corruption that is in the world through lust, i.e. we become partakers of God’s nature to become holy during our earthly existence.

Also, from the words of St. Peter “… you may become partakers of the divine nature”, we understand and feel that God called us to partake in His divine life. Also, The Lord Jesus Christ Himself said to The Father concerning the believers: “I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent me and that You have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:23).

So, man is called by God to partake in an uncreated life, which is not man’s life, but is the life of God given to man through Christ the incarnate God.

The Beginning of Union with God and its Fulfillment: The full picture of union with God and its perfect fulfillment is reached at our resurrection in the second coming of Christ. However, union with God starts here on earth when we are in the flesh that it might be fulfilled in the age to come.

As members in the body of Christ, we are called to partake in His divine life from this time on. St. John the apostle says, “And truly our fellowship is with The Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:3,4). The union with God is partially fulfilled in the life of the believers by closeness with the Lord Jesus Christ, and abiding in Him by faith, love and obedience to His commandments through the power of prayer and union with His divine body, the glorified risen body from which flows the divine life in the Eucharist. For we receive the power of union with God through our union with Jesus Christ, from whose life-giving body flows the divine life into us. Thus, despite the fact that union with God is accomplished in the age to come, it starts now as we unite with Christ here.

The Overflowing Divine Love: This union or partaking of the divine life takes man into the depth of the life of the three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, themselves. In this life, the incessant stream of love flows between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This love expresses the very nature of God as pointed out by St. John, repeatedly, in his first epistle, “God is love” (1 John 4:8,16). Here, in this love, or inside this life in which love overflows without ceasing, or decreasing, the life into which man enters through Christ, exists man’s eternal bliss. He starts it now and it is fulfilled in the everlasting life when the Lord Jesus comes again, and man, both in the body and soul, participates in God’s Glory.

Union and the Heavenly Kingdom: Knowing this, we can now say that the union with God is the coming of His heavenly kingdom that was revealed in the Gospel. For the kingdom of God is His full ruling inside man; and when union with God happens, the kingdom of God is realized in him.

Union and the Commandment of Love: This union fulfills the commandment of love of which the Gospel speaks as the fulfillment of all the law and the prophets (Mt 22:40, Rom 13:10). It is only by the union with the life of the Trinity that man is able to love God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and his neighbor as himself. Without union with the life of God we cannot achieve complete love.

Images of union with God in the New Testament: The New Testament offers us several images for the final glorious state in which man will become, and which describes this union with God:

1- Christ’s wedding of the Church, 2- Seeing God face to face, 3- Incorruptible and un­fading inheritance.

(To be continued)

Saint Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship urges you to study the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Please feel free to make copies of these notes to distribute them. The Fellowship welcomes any questions, comments or additional references, whether for publication in these “Short Notes” or in private correspond­ence. Write to us:
PO Box 6192, Columbia, MD 21045

Footnotes:

Dr. Nos’hi Abdel-Shaheed

Part Eight

CHAPTER 1

Historical Development of Orthodox Spirituality (contd.)

The Main Elements of the Orthodox Christian Spirituality (contd.)

5- The Liturgical element (contd.)

The Holy Bible is the main source of Orthodox rituals:

At their roots and in their depths, all Orthodox rituals, however elaborate they may seem, have certain simple elements drawn from the Old and New Testaments, such as baptism by water, anointment with oil, laying-on of the hands, and breaking of the bread.

The Fathers and Liturgies of the Sacraments:

Church saints and doctors who conceived the Christian life as a liturgically centered life were the pioneers of what is now called “Liturgical Theology”.¹  Liturgical theology in the Orthodox Church has many famous exponents.  Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (in the fourth century) left for us 23 sermons² that he delivered to catechumens to prepare them for baptism.  In these sermons he gave a detailed spiritual and theological explan­ation of Christian life as based on the holy sacraments.  Also, St. John Chrysostom – as well as others like St. Ambrose – gave 8 sermons on baptism in which he explained how spiritual life is tied to the sacraments of Baptism, Unction, and Eucharist.

The well-known book, “The Celestial Hierarchy” of (pseudo) Dionysius the Areopagite had great influence on the Orthodox spirituality because of its deep contemplations on the sacraments and the meanings of symbols used in the Church.  Of the many church teachers who explained the liturgies of the Orthodox Church in middle centuries, the greatest in the Byzantine Church is undoubtedly Nicholas Cabasilas (in the 14^th century, c. 1371).  Other than his book “Interpretation of the Divine Liturgy”, his chief work is “The Life in Christ”.  This book is an analysis of the sacraments and also the rites of consecration of the altar.  Cabasilas has nothing of the exclusive or narrow ritualist about him.³  He is anxious to link liturgical piety with Christology and asceticism.  He recommends mediation and mental prayer as the safest way to bind us to Christ.  He says in penetrating accents: “The one pattern is Jesus … The Savior is more intimate to us than our soul … We are concorporeal with Him, living His life, and have become His members.”  The person of Jesus, according to him, is the heart of the mystical body of Christ.

In the thirteenth century Yohanna, the son of Zachareya the son of Sebaa, wrote (in Arabic) “The precious jewel of the Church sciences” where he explained many of the rituals of baptism and the Divine Liturgy in the Coptic Church and their spiritual meanings.  Among his writings in this book, he mentioned that the godparent (eshbeen) who received the child during baptism, implored the devil to leave him, and confessed the faith in Christ on behalf of the child to raise him in this faith, should bring him when he becomes able to comprehend and understand to church, before the altar, and tell him what he did for him during baptism on his behalf.  He should tell him, “From here you were delivered to me and from here I deliver you to yourself.  God will no longer ask me concerning you.  Now you are to live in faith in Christ, and follow the love, humility, and purity without which no one can see God” (chapter 31 of the “Precious Jewel”).

This shows that the Orthodox spirituality in the Coptic Church adhered continuously to the ritual of casting away the devil since the thirteenth century, along with confessing the faith in Christ during the sacrament of baptism, and the transfer of responsibility for the baptized child’s life in Christ to his own self at the proper time.

From the fourteenth century we have a book published by the Monastery of St. Anthony in 1396 AD by the name “Article about the Holy Bread (Korban)” which included, beside the topic of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, another topic about the spiritual benefits of the Mysteries (Sacraments).  It also had spiritual directions regarding the appropriate way to be ready for receiving the Holy Mysteries.

In the early centuries and in the middle era, there appeared in the Syrian Orthodox Church writings of many Fathers and Teachers talking about the Liturgy and the Mysteries in Syriac and occasionally, in Arabic languages. In the twentieth century, the Syrian Patriarch Mar Ignatius Ephram II wrote a huge reference book on the Liturgies entitled “The great researches in eastern and western Liturgies”. It was published in 1924 AD in Syria (in Arabic language).

Of the Arabic-speaking Rome Orthodox in the early years of the 20th century, a book called “Lights in the Mysteries” was published by Archimandrite Gracimos Massara who became later the Bishop of Beirut for the Arab Rome Orthodox.

Also, in the first part of the twentieth century, Archideacon Habib Girgis wrote the book entitled “The seven Mysteries of the Church” and it was published several times during the 1940’s and until now.  Also Hegomen Yohanna Salama published “The precious jewels in the rituals and beliefs of the Church” in two volumes in which he explained the spiritual meanings of the rituals, Mysteries and worship in the Coptic Church.  The simple and useful book called “The explanation of the Holy Sacraments”, written by Father Morcos Daoud in the 1940’s was published by Al Mahabba Book Store, Egypt, and is still reprinted in our present time.

Undoubtedly, the study of Liturgy requires dedicated students specializing fulltime in this field.  It has become now a separate discipline for which special departments were established in western universities.  At times, even institutes specialized in studying and teaching it, such as the “Liturgical Institute” in France, were established.  Thus, a special branch of Theology became known as “Liturgical Theology”.

Veneration of the icons of saints:

One of the facets of liturgical piety is veneration of icons and relics (remains) of saints.  This started historically when they celebrated the dates of martyrdom of the early martyrs like the two Apostles Peter and Paul, the martyr St. Mark the Apostle, the martyr St. Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna in Asia Minor (106 A.D.), and many others.

But, the veneration of the Virgin St. Mary the mother of God (Theotocos) started in the Church much earlier, and became important after the council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) by the efforts of St. Cyril I (the pillar of faith).  This is clear in the Theotokias of the church-book, the “Annual Psalmody”, which contemplate on the mystery of God’s incarnation and the coming of God the Word (Logos) inside the Virgin St. Mary, and the prophecies and symbols pertaining to her in the prophecies and events of the Old Testament.

The Church, also, expresses veneration of St. Mary and the saints by offering incense in front of their icons which express their invisible presence among the believers attending the church.

(To be contd.)

This part concludes Chapter 1 of Orthodox Spirituality.  God willing, we’ll continue with Chapter 2 in the next part of this study.

———————————————————————————————————————————–

Summary of what has been published

Subtitles of Chapter 1

Historical Development of Orthodox Spirituality

The Main Elements of the Orthodox Christian Spirituality

1- The Scriptural Element: Published in part 2, SMOF Newsletter Package of June 2010, NL #106, and in part 3, October 2010, NL #109.  Its main subtitles were: The Orthodox Church is a “Biblical Church, the Gospels, the Psalms, the Epistles of St. Paul, exegetical methods, and examples in the 20th century.

2- The Primitive Christian Element: Published in part 4, SMOF Newsletter Package of Dec. 2010, NL #111, and in part 5, Feb. 2011, NL #113.  Its main subtitles were: Martyrdom, asceticism and virginity, and hope for the Lord’s coming.

3- The Intellectual Element: Published in part 5, SMOF Newsletter Package of Feb. 2011, NL #113.  Its main subtitle was: The School of Alexandria and its spiritual influence.

4- The Early Monastic Element: Published in part 6, SMOF Newsletter Package of June 2011, NL #116, and in part 7, August 2011, NL #118.  Its main subtitles were:  Fathers of the Desert, “Desert spirituality” and the monastic “Evangeli­cal” tradition of St. Basil, monologistos, contemplative life, joy of the inner life, brotherly love, tradition of spiritual guides, and the ongoing first monastic life.

5-The Liturgical Element: Published in part 7, SMOF Newsletter Package of August 2011, NL #118, and in part 8, December 2011, NL #121 (This current NL package).  Its main subtitles were: The Holy Bible is the main source of Orthodox rituals, the Fathers and Liturgies of the Sacraments, and veneration of the icons of saints.

Saint Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship urges you to study the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Please feel free to make copies of these notes to distribute them. The Fellowship welcomes any questions, comments or additional references, whether for publication in these “Short Notes” or in private correspond­ence. Write to us:
PO Box 6192, Columbia, MD 21045

ORTHODOX SPIRITUALITY

Dr. Nos’hi Abdel-Shaheed

Part Seven

CHAPTER 1

Historical Development of Orthodox Spirituality (contd.)

Saint Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship urges you to study the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Please feel free to make copies of these notes to distribute them. The Fellowship welcomes any questions, comments or additional references, whether for publication in these “Short Notes” or in private correspond­ence. Write to us:
PO Box 6192, Columbia, MD 21045

Dr. Nos’hi Abdel-Shaheed

Part Six

CHAPTER 1

Historical Development of Orthodox Spirituality (contd.)

The Main Elements of the Orthodox Christian Spirituality (contd.)

4- The Early Monastic element:

The early monastic element means monastic life that initially started in Egypt then Syria and Palestine in the fourth and fifth centuries.  Anyone who reads history of the Orthodox Churches and researches the spiritual life in Orthodox nations throughout previous era and the present era will definitely notice the clear effect of the early monastic life on the Orthodox spirituality in primeval times and even until now.

Fathers of the Desert:

The expression “Fathers of the Desert” sums up this aspect of early monasticism.  The Desert has spoken to the world through a series of writings of the fourth and following centuries.  The first of these writings are “The life of St. Anthony” (written by St. Athanasius the Apostolic in the middle of the fourth century) and the Letters by St. Anthony.  Also, there are “The Lausiac History” (written by Palladius about monastic life during his visit to Egypt in the fifth century) and “The Sayings of the Desert Fathers” (which includes a collection of the sayings, wisdom, and counsel of the monastic elders) and “Paradise of the Monks” (similar to “The Sayings”, initially written in Syrian language, and later found in Arabic manuscripts in the Egyptian monasteries), and the fifty homilies attributed to St. Macarius the Great (4^th  century).  Also, “The Spiritual Meadow” by John Moschus, “The Scale of Paradise” by John Climacos, the treatises of St. Nilus, Isaac of Nineveh, and Evagrius of Pontus.  The “Colla­tiones” of John Cassian, in the early decades of the 5^th century, form a link between Eastern Desert and Western monasticism, the author having received the Eastern traditions of the monastic fathers during many years of his life in the desert of Egypt and brought them to Southern Gaul).

“Desert spirituality” and the Monastic “Evangeli­cal” tradition of St. Basil:

St. Basil visited Egypt and Syria and got to know monastic life there, before being ordained as a bishop.  He established monasteries in Cappadocia where he combined in them the prayers, asceticism, and contemplation which he saw in Egyptian monasteries with the acts of mercy to the needy.  This kind of “evangelical” monasticism of St. Basil spread later to Constantinople and surrounding areas in the following centuries.

When we make a distinction between the spirituality of the desert and the “evangelical” monastic tradition of St. Basil, we certainly do not mean that the high holiness of the Desert has no roots in the Gospel.  It is well known that at the beginning of the early monastic desert life, the verses of the Gospel had a very powerful influence.  The young Antony, being in his twentieth year, once listened to the reading of the words: “If thou wilt be perfect, go sell that thou hast, and give to the poor…..and come follow me.” (Matt. 19:21); and leaving the world, he gave an example which many followed.

But our Lord did not call the early monastic Fathers in order that they should follow Him in His missionary travels.  He called them in order that they should follow Him as “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness” (Matt 4:1).  And as Fr. Lev Gillet said in his book “Orthodox Spirituality”: [He spoke to their ears and hearts the same words which God had spoken to Hosea about his erring wife: I will bring her into the wilderness, and speak com­fortably unto her (Hos. 2:14).  Like Anna the prophetess, they “served God with fasting and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:37), and they received the reward described in Isaiah (35:1), “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose”].¹

The monasticism of the desert differs from Basilian (or Benedictine monasticism in the West) in obvious and somewhat marked ways.  Separation from the world is rigorous.  There is no “work for the world” such as land-clearing, education or social work; or, more truly, the only work for the world is prayer.  Monastic life is directed exclusively towards contemplation.  Although St. Anthony and St. Pachomius insist on discretion and measure, external austerities come into the foreground.  Fortitude, daring, generosity, became, if not the most important, at least the most apparent virtues. Notwithstanding the cenobitic (common life) organization of St. Pachomius, individual forms of monastic life (anchorites, stylites, dendrites, or forest monks etc) prevail.

Desert Fathers and their fight against evil spirits:

The desert fathers waged heroic fights against the powers of evil and darkness.  The development of demonology in Christian spirituality is to a great extent due to their influence.

Monologistos:

The type of prayer called monologistos, i.e. prayer consisting of one or few words, was one of their favorite methods.  The repetition of psalm verse “Make haste, O God, to deliver me …” (Ps. 70:1), or calling the name of Jesus “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner” and other similar short prayers all of which originated in the desert and spread to all pious people in the world.

Contemplative life:

It is also in the Desert that the doctrine of contemplative life was evolved.  We should observe that the Desert Fathers identify contemplative life with apostolic life.  By “apost­olic life” they do not mean a life dedicated to the preaching of the Gospel, but monastic life itself, for there only was the ideal of fervent and communal life held by the primitive church of Jerusalem kept up.

Apatheia:

The Fathers of the Desert considered apatheia the extreme ideal.  This word has been the cause of serious misunderstanding.  It has often been translated by “apathy”, “impassibility”, “absence of passion”, with the Stoic meaning of “insensibility”.  But the apatheia of the Fathers means something quite different from a kind of anaesthesia of the feelings.  Their apatheia is the fruit of love or charity.  It is, in reality, the state of a soul in which love towards God and men is so ruling and burning as to leave no room for human (self centered)  passions.  Thus Diodorus of Photike was able to speak – at first sight paradoxically – of “the fire of apatheia”.

“Absence of passion” from the negative aspect is to put to death the worldly lusts and to cleanse life through obedience and self denial, but from the positive aspect it means resurrection of the soul and healing of the will from overwhelming passions.  So, denial of passions is the source of warm love that was revealed in the life of the great ascetics like Ava Antony, Ava Macarius, and others.

(To be contd.)

(Part 2)

D- Topics of the Epistle

Chapter 1:

1:1–2   Introduction: grace and peace

1:3–11 Prayers of thanksgiving and greetings

1:12–20 Evangelization despite imprisonment and shackles

1:21–26 Torn between evangelization (remaining in the flesh) and desire to depart (be with Christ)

1:27 – 30 Exhortation to steadfastness in the Faith and endurance of sufferings

Chapter 2:

2:1–4   Like-mindedness and unity of love in humility

2:5–11 Christ is our role model

2:12–18 Work out your salvation

2:19–24 Promise to send Timothy for outreach

2:25–30 Epaphroditus carries Paul’s epistle

Chapter 3:

3:1 A calling to joy

3:2–4 Judgment of evil-workers and defense of his ministry

3:5–11 St. Paul the apostle is portrayed as the example of transformation from righteousness of the Law, to righteousness of the Faith

3:12–16 Forget the past and look towards the future

3:17–21 Awaiting the final salvation

Chapter 4:

4:1–3 Last instructions and messages to the servants

4:4–5   Rejoice! The Lord is near!

4:6–7   Only, pray

4:8–9   Concerning Christian thought

4:10–20 Concerning the Philippian Church’s offering, and the mystery of sufficiency

4:21–23 Concluding salutations

E- Interpretation of the Epistle

Chapter 1

1. Introductions: grace and peace (Phil. 1:1, 2)

In several other letters, St. Paul introduced himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ (1:1 in each of Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and Colossians); in this case, however, since his heart was filled with love for those to whom he was writing, he introduced himself asthe servant of the Christ Who honored him, not only by choosing him, but also by redeeming him neither with silver nor gold, but with nothing less than His precious blood (1 Corinthians 6:20 & 1 Peter 1:18, 19).  This title puts St. Paul in the same category as all the other servants of God, our forefathers and prophets: Abraham (Psalm 105:6, Jeremiah 7:25 & Amos 3:7), Job (Job 42:7), Moses (Joshua 1:2, 7, 13 & 15, Psalm 105:26 & Daniel 9:11), Joshua (Joshua 24:15 & Judges 2:8), David (Psalm 78:70, 89:3, 20 & 144:10), The Three Youths (Daniel 3:17), and Daniel (Daniel 6:20)

He also considers his beloved disciple Timothy to be a “co-sender,” and grants him the same titles of which he is proud, namely, a good soldier, an obedient servant, and a faithful evangelist of the Lord.  Together, they become “the two servants of Jesus Christ.”

At the same time, St. Paul bestows on members of the congregation of the Church of Philippi the title of “the saints in Christ Jesus,” i.e. the “elect,” or those chosen by, and dedicated to, the Lord.  This is the same title given to the children of Israel (Exodus 19:6), the Old Testament’s priests (Leviticus 21:6), the firstborns of the children of Israel (Exodus 13:2, 12, 15, Luke 2:23), the holy of holies (Exodus 26:33 & 40:10), and the tithes of the land (Leviticus 27:30, 32).  In the New Testament, this title characterizes all believers in the Lord, since they are His elect; being the Lord’s chosen, they thus derive their lives from Him, just as the vine gives life to its branches (John 15:1).  Their principles, mannerisms, and goals are dissimilar to the worldly people.  The source of their individuality and different lifestyle stems from their being“in Christ Jesus” (this is the precise expression which St. Paul used 48 times in his epistles).

“…with the bishops and deacons…” St. Paul arranged that the bishop (Episcopos or overseer) is God’s steward (1^st Timothy 1:17) in whose charge rests an entire diocese, with all its churches and ministers, setting the example for them in faith and conduct in accordance with the Bible.  In 1^st Timothy 3:2–7, we find all the necessary quali­fications which St. Paul set for a bishop.  In the Church’s infancy, there were no clearly defined boundaries between bishops and, presbyters (priests or elders, see Acts 11:30, 14:23, 15:2, 4, 6, 22, 23, 16:4, 20:17 & 21:18); conditions for their ordain­ment were the same.  The Book of Acts (20:17) recounts that St. Paul met with the elders (priests) of the Church of Ephesus, and later, in the same chapter (20:28) referred to them as overseers ¹ which means, literally, “bishops.”  We also note that in St. Paul’s epistles, the expression “bishop” is usually used in the singular sense, as opposed to “elders (priests),” which is used in the plural sense.  This suggests that churches within a particular region would normally have several elders, but would fall under one bishop.  With the passage of time, however, and with the advent of the age of synods (councils), a distinction evolved between the ranks of “bishop” and “priests”: the former ordains the latter as well as the deacons.  Deacons were initially appointed to serve the tables, when the Church was first instituted (Acts 6:3-6); sub­sequently they became the priests’ and bishops’ companions, and their qualifications were specified (1^st Timothy 3:8-13).

“Grace and peace” Most of St. Paul’s epistles start by his petition for “grace and peace,” the greatest gift that could be granted by God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.  “Grace” is God’s rich, free, grant, which the world is incapable of giving.  “Peace” is the abundance of comfort, certainty and enjoyment of Christ’s constant presence, even in the midst of temptations and tribulations; it also represents the continuity of our relationship and reconciliation with God.

In the Greek-style of greeting, “grace” was commonly used; “peace,” on the other hand, was more common in the Hebrew style.  St. Paul thus combined both the western and eastern styles, in the biblical sense.

2- Thanksgiving, greetings, and prayers (Phil. 1:3–11)

For the Philippians, St. Paul had nothing but feelings of affection, joy and happiness, since they accepted the Gospel at the outset starting with Lydia, the seller of purple, and her companions, followed by the Philippian jailer, plus all their families.  This was followed by waves of converts over the years – hence the formation of this Church, from which St. Paul did not conceal his feelings of longing and fond memories; he is “confident…..that He Who has begun a good work……will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6)

In their turn, the Philippians were ever-present with St. Paul, irrespective of his jail, shackles and unceasing evangelization; they are the lasting partakers with him in grace.  In his prayers for them, his primary preoccupation was the steady growth of their love for the knowledge of God, of their understanding of the word of God, and of their understanding of God’s plan for their salvation; this would facilitate their discernment of what constitutes a departure from the Faith, and what would be inconsistent with the instruction they had received.  Ultimately, they would remain steadfast in their faith and submission to the Lord, until His coming, being filled, in Christ, with the virtues and fruit of righteousness.  This path, rather than pro­moting self-esteem and pride, exhorts the glori­fication of God, and the exultation in giving Him thanks. (Phil. 1:7-11)

3- Evangelization despite chains and imprison­ment (Phil. 1:12–20)

We read in Acts 25:11 that, because St. Paul appealed to Caesar, he was led to Rome, thus fulfilling the Lord’s promise to him: “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” (Acts 23:11)  He initially was lodged in a Roman barracks, and was subsequently allowed to live in a rented house, guarded by a Roman soldier.  During the two-year period spent in that house, he was also permitted to receive visitors (Acts 28:16, 30).  The concluding verses (30 & 31) of Acts 28 state: “Then Paul……received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”

We thus see that neither the prison’s walls and chains, nor the constant presence of guards sur­rounding him, prevented St. Paul from preaching the kingdom of God and witnessing for Jesus Christ, both to his visitors and to his prison guards, all of whom were affected by his steadfastness and instruction.  He writes to the Philippians saying (quite unexpectedly): “….the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,” (Phil. 1:12).  He goes on to say that his jail and shackles, for Christ’s sake, have illuminated the path of the knowledge of the Lord not only to those who visited him in his house and/or prison, but also “…..to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest,” (Phil. 1:13).  He is truly “an ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20), and his jail and chains were indeed for evangelization’s sake.  It is likely that acceptance of the Faith by some of the guards had emboldened some of the servants who accompanied him to “speak the word without fear.” (Phil. 1:14)  How great is this blessing, and how wondrous is this grace which promotes the work of God even through the “chains (or bonds)” (Phil. 1:7, 13, 14, 16) and the sufferings using them for the propagation of the Faith among the soldiers of the decaying empire, and for trans­forming the prison and prefecture (palace) into a church transmitting the good news of salvation to the entire world!

St. Paul points out two directions concerning evangelization and evangelists: some of his co-evangelists were motivated by envy, jealousy, bias, and competition against him, especially during his jail confinement – the instruction they were offering might have been mixed with Jewish scriptural tradition, demanding that Judaism be the first step towards belief in Christ; another group was driven by their quest for the glorification of God, the salvation of souls, the love and support for Paul their jailed leader, and the desire to compensate for his absence “knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.” (Phil. 1:15-17)

St. Paul goes on to say that, in contrast to the first group’s belief that they “add afflictions to my chains” (Phil. 1:16), his primary preoccupation is the glorification of Christ and the preaching of salvation; he rejoices in proclaiming Christ “whether in pretense or in truth [in other words, whether insincerely/impulsively, or genuinely with a pure heart].” (Phil. 1:18)  This will continue to be the source of his joy unto the end. (Phil. 1:18)  All this leads to his deliverance in this world from all his hardships, and to his eternal salvation, through their prayers and the support of the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Christ. (Phil. 1:19)

Here St. Paul stands tall before all servants: a great example of austerity and selflessness, such that the glorification of Christ becomes the goal of evangel­ism, superseding any other goal.  St. Paul’s hope and conviction were that his witnessing for Christ would never be rebuffed, whether he is confined within a prison’s four walls, or whether he is free to roam the wide world from Jerusalem to Rome, bearing the message of salvation.  His ultimate goal is that the name of Christ be exalted, whether he is alive and preaching Christ in this world, or whether he is dead for Christ’s sake, and on his way to the kingdom to be crowned. (Phil. 1:20)

Saint Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship urges you to study the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Please feel free to make copies of these notes to distribute them. The Fellowship welcomes any questions, comments or additional references, whether for publication in these “Short Notes” or in private correspond­ence. Write to us:
PO Box 6192, Columbia, MD 21045

Footnotes:

The Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians

(Part 1)

A- About the Church at Philippi

In 356 B.C., King Philip of Macedonia took this town, expanded it, and renamed it “Philippi.”  It became the primary link between the Asian Orient and the European Occident.  The Romans captured it in 168 B.C., and eventually it became a Roman colony (Acts 16:12) and a military outpost.  The citizens of this colony were regarded as citizens of Rome, and were given a number of special privileges (Acts 16:21).  Special laws were developed for Philippi, and military personnel resided in it to protect its roads.

St. Paul came to Philippi for the first time in 52 (or 51) A.D., accompanied by Silas and Luke, during his second missionary tour (see map) , which he started from Antioch, Syria, (Acts 15:36).  On that trip he passed through Derbe and Lystra (where he recruited Timothy to serve with him), then went on to Phrygia and the region of Galatia, then Mysia and Troas.  In Troas, “….a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (Acts 16:9)  Here, the Lord invites St. Paul to evangelize Europe, since Macedonia lies to the north of Greece.

Obeying the voice of the Lord, St. Paul and his company set sail from Troas, crossing the Aegean Sea, and “… ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony … staying in that city for some days.” (Acts 16:11, 12)  On the Sabbath day, they went out of the city to the banks of the River Gaggitas, where many of the Jewish women customarily held their prayers, due to the unavailability of a synagogue for worship (either due to scarcity of funds or prohibition by local authorities).  After prayers, St. Paul spoke to the women, among whom was “… a certain woman named Lydia … a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.” (Acts 16:14)  She thus became the first person not only in Philippi, but also in Europe, who embraced the Faith and, when she and her household were baptized, she begged St. Paul and his company saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” (Acts 16:15)

Now it happened as they went to prayer, that a certain slave girl met them, “possessed with a spirit of divination … who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul….and cried out saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.” (Acts 16:16-24)

But the Lord was not absent; for “… at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them [in other words, they were praying openly]. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper [warden] of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself [in defense of his military honor – which is to be expected].  But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” (Acts 16:25 – 34)

We thus see that, amidst all the suffering and the prison gloom, the glory of God shone through, and the circle of believers widened.

The Bible furthermore tells us, “And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.” … But Paul protested and said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.” And the magistrates “… were afraid when they heard that they were Romans. Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city. So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.” (Acts 16:35 – 40)

St. Paul and his company were obliged to leave Philippi, leaving behind two converted families: the family of the Asian Jewish Lydia, and that of the Gentile Roman prison warden, whose name we do not know.  Another likely convert is the Greek slave girl, whose spirit of divination Paul had exorcised.  We thus see how faith in One Christ united people coming from three completely different social backgrounds.

The tiny mustard seed though, gave forth abundant fruit, and became the Church of Philippi: a great oasis spreading the Faith amidst a barren idol-infested desert.

B- Paul in the Roman Prison and Circumstances in which the Epistle was Written

Many years went by, during which the apostle Paul and his company passed through various countries and cities, including Macedonia (Thessalonica), Greece (Berea, Athens and Corinth), before returning to Asia Minor (Ephesus), Caesarea, and Antioch, where they started a new missionary trip (see map)(Galatia, Phrygia and Ephesus) – (Acts 18:23, 24, Acts 19:1).  They then re-traversed the sea heading to Macedonia (Philippi) and Greece, from there he returned to Philippi then to Troas, Miletus, Rhodes, and Cyprus, returning to Syria (Caesarea) and Jerusalem (Acts 20:1, 20:6, 20:15, 21:1, 21:3, 21:8 and 21:17).

Adverse events started to escalate, and the Jews’ allegations against St. Paul mounted, namely, that he was in defiance of the law, and in rebellion against Caesar.  Consequently, he was subjected to attacks and trials, first in Jerusalem then in Caesarea, where he was imprisoned for two years, and finally appealed to Caesar.

St. Paul then boarded a ship sailing westwards from Caesarea to Myra (see map), and from there boarded another (Alexandrian) ship which was going to Rome which he has desired to visit to preach in it  (Acts 19:21).  Surrounded by violent winds at sea, then storms and shipwreck, St. Paul receives heavenly support in the middle of the night, in the form of an angel saying, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar.” (Acts 27:24)  The broken ship dropped its passengers near Malta, and the company resumed its trip on another Alexandrian (Egyptian) ship to Sicily and from thence to the south of Italy.

In Rome, St. Paul “….dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” (Acts 28:30 & 31)

While imprisoned, St. Paul never gave up his service, and never ceased to pray for those whom he had evangelized over the years.  He continued his missionary service, from prison, through letters.  His epistle to the Church of Philippi was his fourth; it was preceded by his epistles to Philemon, the Ephesians, and the Colossians.

Eleven years had elapsed since St. Paul’s first visit to Philippi (51 or 52 A.D.) – although he had visited the city during his third missionary trip (Acts 20:1).  During that time, he never forgot the congregation of Philippi, and always kept track of the news of their Church.  They thus sent him Epaphroditus with their news and donations; unfortunately, his falling sick almost unto death while with St. Paul in Rome, caused much concern in the Church of Philippi.  Upon his recovery, St. Paul quickly sent him back to Philippi to reassure the congregation of his well-being, (Philippians 2:25–30) and to deliver to them letters thanking them for their steadfast love, support, and adherence to the Faith, despite the surrounding adversity and persecution.  He also promised them to send Timothy one more time to reassure him, St. Paul, of their continued prosperity (Philippians 2:19).

C- About the Epistle to the Philippians

Although that letter was written in prison, by a prisoner, it overflows with joy (Philippians 2:2,18 & 4:4); on the other hand, we can also sense the pervasive gloom of imprisonment when he repeats “chains” four times in the first chapter (verses 7, 13, 14 & 16).  Nevertheless, there is no hint of sadness, worry, or despair.  The prison, with all its shackles and somberness, failed to invade the apostle’s heart; it simply restricted his physical movement, while his fellowship with his God remained steadfast and vibrant.  He even succeeded in preaching to the palace guard and to Caesar’s household (Philippians 1:13 & 4:22), calling them to freedom!

This Epistle also reveals St. Paul’s affection towards a church which he preached but has not seen for, perhaps, five or six years.  It also includes his thanks, praise, and pleading for its poor people (2 Cor. 8:1-4), who did not forsake their commitments, despite their far distance and his long absence, and sent abundant gifts to their Apostle, sharing in his needs and the needs of the Church.  On his part, the Apostle cared to emphasize his contentment and satisfaction in all conditions, and his trust in the Lord who fulfills all needs (Philippians 4:10-20).

In this Epistle we find precise description of Christ’s incarnation, divinity, equality with the Father in essence, obedience even to death on the cross, glorification and exaltation above any name in the universe, and the submission of all to Him. (Philippians 2:6-11)

In it also, there is encouragement and support of the Philippians to withstand persecution for the sake of Christ, following His example (Chapter 3), becoming light to the world around them (2:15), and exhortation for humbleness as the Lord himself (2:5-11), for being of one accord and likeminded (2:2, 4:2), and working out their own salvation with fear and trembling (2:12).

(To be contd.)

Saint Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship urges you to study the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Please feel free to make copies of these notes to distribute them. The Fellowship welcomes any questions, comments or additional references, whether for publication in these “Short Notes” or in private correspond­ence. Write to us:
PO Box 6192, Columbia, MD 21045

A lecture delivered in the 11^th annual Meeting of SMOF-the 7^th Orthodox Unity Conference, Holiday Inn Grand Island Resort, NY, Aug. 31-Sep. 3, 2007

Historical Perspective of Church Divisions, part 1:

Historical Perspective of Church Divisions, part 2:

Historical Perspective of Church Divisions, part 3:

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A lecture delivered in the 11^th annual Meeting of SMOF-the 7^th Orthodox Unity Conference, Holiday Inn Grand Island Resort, NY, Aug. 31-Sep. 3, 2007:

Christian Faith, Dogma, Rites and Salvation, CD1 part A:

Christian Faith, Dogma, Rites and Salvation, CD1 part B:

Christian Faith, Dogma, Rites and Salvation, CD1 part C:

Christian Faith, Dogma, Rites and Salvation, CD2 part A:

Christian Faith, Dogma, Rites and Salvation, CD2 part B:

Christian Faith, Dogma, Rites and Salvation, CD2 part C:

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Lectures delivered in the 5th Orthodox Unity Conference, Toronto Orthodox Churches, May 6&7, 2005:

One God One Testament, Old & New, Part 1:

One God One Testament, Old & New, Part 2:

One God One Testament, Old & New, Part 3:

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Lectures delivered in the 5th Orthodox Unity Conference, Toronto Orthodox Churches, May 6th & 7th, 2005:

Orthodox Liturgy, Part 1:

Orthodox Liturgy, Part 2:

Orthodox Liturgy, Part 3:

Orthodox Liturgy, Part 4:

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To open and download, please click here:

Christian Unity Newsletter, July 2011.

(Part 6)

E- Explanation of the Epistle (contd.)

12-The Christian Home (Eph. 5:22 – 6:9, see part 5)

13-The Christian’s Spiritual Struggle (Eph. 6:10 – 20)

St. Paul concludes his epistle by offering spiritual directions, to believers from all the walks of life, with respect to their spiritual struggle and their steadfastness in their faith in Christ; his message is inspired by the Roman soldiers who surrounded him, armed with sword, shield and helmet. He thus tells them: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10) He wants them to remain strong in their spiritual warfare, to derive their strength from the Lord, and to take refuge in Him, since He is “Omnipotent,” “Omniscient” and “Almighty.” St. Paul also exhorts them to “Put on the whole armor of God” which will enable them to fight with resolve and without retreating, when faced with “the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11) – this is the unrelenting enemy, who spares no avenue to ensnare, disturb, exhaust, threaten the peace of, raise doubts in the minds of and, ultimately, weaken the faith of, believers. Our task might have been easier, if the enemy were flesh and blood; but we are wrestling against the satanic hierarchy, led by “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) and “principalities … powers … rulers of the darkness of this age … spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Indeed, we need the whole armor of God to “be able to withstand in the evil day” i.e. the hour of temptation in all its forms. And after succeeding in our mission, we remain steadfast in our watchfulness and anticipation of the next rounds, confident that our armor is neither carnal (of the physical body) nor of a limited physical effect, but “mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” which the enemy has erected against the faith and against leading a life of holiness, “casting down arguments (heresies and evil thoughts) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” (2 Corinthians 10: 4, 5) These are the most significant fortifications which Satan has in place to resist the faith in Christ, which is our stronghold, which we defend, and in which we seek refuge.

This is the whole armor of God: (1)Tychicus is also the one to whom St. Paul dictated his epistle to the Colossians, and the one who delivered the message to them.  St. Paul furthermore mentions him towards the end of his second epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:12), saying that he sent him to Ephesus.  Finally, St. Paul mentions him in the conclusion of his epistle to Titus (Titus 2:12). An old tradition has it, that Tychicus became a bishop of Bithynia or Neapolis in Cyprus.] “Truth;” this is analogous to the girdle with which a soldier girds himself for protection and support and which enables him to stand strong and resolute; truth is none other than God and His commandments, the unequivocal straight godly path, and all that is noble, just and pure; (2) “Righteousness;” this is analogous to the breastplate – it refers to God’s righteousness which conveyed us from darkness to light, “into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians 1:13) We are thus confident that we are the children of God, and the children of Light, and this confidence gives us steadfastness in our resistance of Satan, so he will flee from us. (James 4:7); (3) “Preparation of the gospel of peace (evangelization);” this is the goal to be achieved when we are aligned as one army regiment with our feet shod and ready for war; (4) “Faith;” this is added like a shield which a soldier carries in his left hand, manipulating it in all directions to fend off “all the fiery darts of the wicked one,” extinguishing them instantly upon impact – similarly, our faith and trust in God our Father will abort all Satan’s strikes; (5) “Salvation;” this is analogous to a soldier’s helmet which he wears on his head – it fills the mind and heart with the grace of rescue from eternal death, and the certainty of eternal life – Satan is incapable of penetrating this confidence and hope, and is thus incapable of making us doubt that which we have been granted – let us therefore put on “the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:8); (6) “The Word of God;” this is equivalent to the sword in the warrior’s hand – St. Paul called it “the sword of the Spirit” and, in his epistle to the Hebrews, he said “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Once we have this sword, drawn and vibrant, we will “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you …” (1 Peter 3:15) In His temptation on the mount, the Lord offered us the example to follow: the wily Satan used the word cunningly to realize his intentions – but the Lord revealed to us that our knowledge of the word of God protects us from deceivers and heretics who use the word of God out of context. (Ephesians 6:14 – 17)

In addition to all those weapons, we have a potent unbeatable weapon, namely, (7) “Prayer”. In his epistles, St. Paul continually urges believers to be committed to prayer: “praying always with all prayer and supplication (“men always ought to pray and not lose heart” – Luke 18:1) in the Spirit (but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered – Romans 8:26), (fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer – Romans 12:11, 12), (Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God – Philippians 4:6), (Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving – Colossians 4:2), (pray without ceasing” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17) “being watchful to this end with all perseverance (persisting without losing heart) and supplication for all the saints … (remember your brethren, since this is an indication of your love and selflessness, as the Master commanded; being confident that “God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name” – Hebrews 6:10–12); also remember to pray “for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:18-20).

How splendid is this stoic evangelist, who sees himself as “the least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:8); in his humility, he asks the object of his service to pray for him, so that he might continue preaching the gospel openly. And where? In his dark prison, with his feet shackled, his hand chained to his resident jailer, and his other hand writing; or alternatively, he is dictating the epistle to a companion.

In this miserable atmosphere, he neither surrendered, weakened, nor wavered in his resolve; rather, he was filled with zeal, asking for prayer for him, so that he might preach to “those who are of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22); in other words, to preach to the soldiers and officers. Despite St. Paul’s adverse circumstances, his motto remained “for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)

14- Personal Note (Ephesians 6:21, 22)

In his epistle’s conclusion, St. Paul refrained from writing about his personal affairs, in order not to detract from the primary purpose of his message; rather, he says, “But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus(1) … will make all things known to you … that he may comfort your hearts.”

15- The Apostolic Blessing (Eph. 6:23, 24)

St. Paul concludes his epistle to the Ephesians with “Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (no specific persons mentioned since, likely, the epistle was sent to all the churches of Asia, and not just to the Ephesians) seeking “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” a lasting love, untainted with defilement, weakness or perdition.

(1) He describes Tychicus as the “beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord.” Tychicus was St. Paul’s Asian disciple, who might have been from Ephesus itself. His name also appears in St. Paul’s trip through Macedonia (Acts 20:4), he accompanied Paul on his return trip to Jerusalem through Miletus, and attended a meeting with the Ephesian church elders – he remained with Paul until Jerusalem. He furthermore accompanied Paul on his perilous journey to Rome, and remained a faithful companion along with Luke. He is the one who wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians, as recorded at the end of that epistle. Tychicus is also the one to whom St. Paul dictated his epistle to the Colossians, and the one who delivered the message to them. St. Paul furthermore mentions him towards the end of his second epistle to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:12), saying that he sent him to Ephesus. Finally, St. Paul mentions him in the conclusion of his epistle to Titus (Titus 2:12). An old tradition has it, that Tychicus became a bishop of Bithynia or Neapolis in Cyprus.

Saint Mark’s Orthodox Fellowship urges you to study the Bible and encourage others to do the same. Please feel free to make copies of these notes to distribute them. The Fellowship welcomes any questions, comments or additional references, whether for publication in these “Short Notes” or in private correspond­ence. Write to us:
PO Box 6192, Columbia, MD 21045

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Patristic Studies by Rev. Fr. George Dragas

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