A Light to the Nations

Bonus Episode - A Test Case.The value of the story in the gospel of John about Thomas’ doubt is that it’s an opportunity for teaching. The gospel proclamation comes to us in a word. We know that Jesus has been raised from the dead because it has been preached to us by the apostle. When we accept it, we do so based solely on the word of preaching. It is our sole reference. The gospel comes to us through this particular venue, which is according to Scripture, and when we submit to it we get the package deal. We accept not only it, but also the way it is communicated to us. We can’t say we accept the preaching and then look for other venues to support what we heard.In this episode, we look at the story of Thomas’ disbelief in John Chapter 20 as a testing ground for Jesus’ teaching in John Chapter 5. “Run Amok” and “A Couple of Miles” performed by The Flesh.

In Mark 1:14, John the Baptist is dismissed from the narrative with a reference to his being arrested. Mark mentions the arrest to close the preaching of John; he wants to move on to his real topic of interest: Jesus and the heralding of the gospel. When he introduced John in verse 4, he omitted the term “gospel,” suggesting that he is reserving it exclusively for the one who is coming after John, that is, Jesus.Mark will come back to John and tell us the circumstances surrounding his arrest and eventual death, but even then it’s not for the purpose of advancing the narrative. John is only functional in the gospel in how he relates to Jesus, who is the content of the gospel. John is the forerunner. What he says may be the same as what Jesus says - and, later, Matthew will underscore this by making the words of Jesus correspond to the words of John verbatim - but in the gospel of Mark, the sole reference is Jesus, the Christ. For him, Jesus is the gospel.  Notes:Jeremiah 40:12; 44:28Mark 6:30Galatians 1:11-12Ephesians 4:20κηρύσσων (kérussó) - to herald, proclaim λέγων  (legò) - to say, to speakκαιρὸς (kairos) - timeχρόνος (chronos) - time μετανοέω (metanoeó) - to repent, to change one’s mind שׁוּב - to return πιστεύω (pisteuó) - to believe, to trust Tarazi, Paul Nadim: New Testament An Introduction vol. 4 - Matthew and the Canon (SVS Press, 2009)“Sing A New Song Unto Me” performed by Raphael Shaheen.“Funky” performed by Miles Davis and Prince.Photo: Religion Picket On Street.

In this episode we continue our reading of the Gospel of Mark, covering Chapter 1:9-14. Although Mark had introduced his work as the Gospel of Jesus, calling him “the Christ” and “the Son of God” he qualifies both of these titles, which are parallel, by the phrase, as it is written in the prophets. Mark is telling his hearers that they cannot understand Jesus as Christ/Son of God, in just any old way, but exclusively according to Scripture, and specifically its second part, the prophets. And Mark uses both Isaiah and Ezekiel as his touchstones. Mark’s expression that Jesus “comes from Nazareth of Galilee,” as well as his mention of Jordan as the location of Jesus’ baptism connects Jesus, via Isaiah, to the mission to the Gentiles. In Mark, Jesus as a teacher, the use of parables to teach, and the title Son of Man are all connected in that they have their source in Ezekiel. Notes:Isaiah 1:9ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον - he was speaking to them the word Mark 3:7Ezekiel 1:1Mark 4:33-34ἐγένετο - it came to pass, it happened ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις - in those days Mark 13:24-27ἀγαπητός - beloved εὐθὺς - straightway, immediately εὐθείας - straightרוּחַ - spiritEzekiel 1:7, 12“Sing A New Song Unto Me” performed by Raphael Shaheen.“Voodoo Who” performed by The Flesh.Photo by Ron Lach : https://www.pexels.com/photo/orthodox-icon-of-jesus-christ-baptism-scene-10619928/

In Matthew 17, a boy’s father brings him to Jesus’ disciples to be healed but they cannot do it. Since the man is “from the multitude”, that is a Gentile, his son may be said to represent the second generation of the ekklesia, the Church, the primary addresses of Matthew’s Gospel. This story depicts the Gentiles in need of healing (the gospel), but prevented from hearing it because of the disciples’ “little faith.” Matthew is intentional in his word choice, changing Mark’s “having a mute spirit” to “an epileptic,” which in Greek means literally “under the influence of the moon,” or “moonstruck.” In Scripture the first reference to the moon in the creation narrative says it is “for a sign.” Thus, as a sign, it is merely a pointer to something, and not itself the reference. Matthew’s use of “epileptic” suggests that, as a Gentile, the boy was under the control of the sign, but kept from accessing the thing he really needed, which the sign merely points to: the preaching unto repentance.Join me in a discussion of Matthew 17:14-23. *Note that the next episode will continue our reading through the Gospel of Mark. Stay tuned!Notes:Genesis 1:14Galatians 1:11-12Matthew 12:38-39; 16:1, 4; 28:18-20κατ’ἰδίαν (kat’idian) - apart, by themselves, privatelyκατεγνωσμένος (kategnosmenos) - fully condemnedσεληνιάζεται (selēniazetai) - epileptic, literally under the influence of the moon; moonstruck אוֹת (ōth) - sign, miracle; Greek σημεῖον (sēmeion)προσευχῇ (proseuchē) - praying, prayer, place of prayerPhoto by Joonas kääriäinen: https://www.pexels.com/photo/clouds-under-full-moon-239107/“Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book” performed by Dead Can Dance.

In Scripture, God’s people don’t come to him, but he comes to them via the word that he puts into the mouth of his prophets. In Mark, John the Baptist follows this Scriptural pattern by beginning his ministry outside of Judea and Jerusalem. In other words, God appears in the wilderness and his people meet him there by hearing and accepting his words via what is preached by the one he sent, who is John. Mark also tells us they “were baptized by him in the River Jordan confessing their sins” (1:5). In Scripture the Jordan represents the line of demarcation between on the one hand, the wilderness and on the other, Canaan, the land of milk and honey. After being delivered from Egypt, the sons of Israel crossed the Red Sea; before entering Canaan, they passed through the Jordan. Thus, in the gospels, baptism is associated with the Jordan, since after entering Cannan, the Israelites sinned and were cast out again into the wilderness of Babylon. This “second” crossing, as it were, of the Jordan via baptism is like acknowledgment of that sin; and their being washed via the prophetic word of John leads them not into Canaan, but into the Kingdom of God, the Jerusalem above (see Galatians 4:26). But why is John’s food said to be locusts and (wild) honey? Mark’s reference is Scriptural, specifically to the prophets Joel (1:4) and Ezekiel (3:1-3).Join me as we continue working our way through the Gospel of Mark, 1:4-8.“Brand New Orleans” performed by Prince.

Many biblical scholars consider Mark to be the earliest production among the four gospels. Unlike Luke and Matthew, Mark contains no infancy narrative of Jesus. And compared to the other three, there is little by way of a post-resurrection appearance. What is there (Mark 16:8-20) seems to be compiled from the accounts in the other gospels; moreover, these verses are not found in the earliest manuscripts. When one considers how, for centuries, Jesus’ nativity and resurrection have been the main foci of Christian theology, the virtual absence of both in Mark, the first written gospel, is striking. In Mark, we are left to deal with Jesus first and foremost as teacher. The concern isn’t so much who Jesus is as what he says. Still, who he is matters. and Mark addresses it in the opening verse of his gospel scripturally, having no need to resort to philosophy or theology: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it it written in the prophets.”With this episode, A Light To The Nations begins an exclusive focus on the Gospel of Mark. Every two weeks we will hear the text and discuss its content, particularly the terminology in the original Greek. Join me today for The Beginning Of The Gospel (Episode 58), and our discussion of Mark 1:1-3.Notes:“Passing Clouds” performed by Roger Limb

What does Jesus mean when he says that, for those who are willing to accept it, John the Forerunner “is the Elijah to come”? How does John function as Elijah in the Gospels? In this episode we discuss the text that is heard in the Orthodox Church on the Nativity of the Forerunner, in which John is said to go before the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17).Koran performed by Delerium.Photo by Brett Jordan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/page-of-book-of-malachi-in-bible-20764514/

The Scriptural God has no representative statue, no temple and no earthly city. As such, he is unique among other deities of the ancient near east; they are made by the hands of men, they reside in temples made of stone, set in fortified cities and governed by a king who, like the statue, is the representative of the deity, his plenipotentiary on earth. By comparison, the Scriptural God seems like an anti-god. He is present among his people exclusively through his word of instruction, his Torah.The heaviness, the weight of this God is to be found not in a statue, but rather in his statutes. References כְּב֣וֹד - ke-bowd - δόξης (Greek) glory; weight, heavinessὑποστάσεως - hypostasis - substance; something that stands under or supports something χαρακτὴρ - charaktēr - a graver, character, imprint, or expression Exodus 13:21-22; 16:10Isaiah 53:6-12Mark 14:36Philippians 2:5-10Hebrews 1:1-4, 13 7:28; 8:1; 10:12; 12:1-2Brand New Orleans performed by Prince.Photo by Sidorela Shehaj: https://www.pexels.com/photo/low-angle-shot-of-an-athena-statue-under-a-cloudy-sky-14458428/

Have You Anything Here To Eat?This episode is the audio of a sermon given on the Feast of Annunciation. The prescribed texts for the feast are Acts 1:1-12 and Luke 24:36-53. In the New Testament, table fellowship (koinonia) between Jews and non-Jews is an expression of the oneness of the Gospel. Peter was taught in Acts 10 that he must not call “common” what God has cleansed, and Jesus continued to teach that to his disciples until he was taken up into Heaven. The dietary differences between Jews and Gentiles didn’t matter because the food itself was secondary. The word of teaching cleansed what was considered common. In the table fellowship, the breaking of the bread, Jesus taught his disciples that the real food is the bread of instruction proceeding from his mouth. References Acts 10Luke 24:41 - ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς (“falling away from the joy”)John 10:16Mark 16:19“Fortune Presents Gifts Not According To The Book” performed by Dead Can Dance.“Koran” performed by Delerium.Photo by Mizuno K: https://www.pexels.com/photo/men-with-coffee-13335452/

Harmonizing the Narrative is a Betrayal of the Text.The Church considers the complete and necessary depiction of Jesus to be that which is drawn out of all four gospels. Rather than assuming a harmonized narrative that each one gives some little glimpse into, the Church has always affirmed the full authority, and thus the necessity, of all four. This is apparent in Church’s use of similar but different stories involving a woman anointing Jesus. Elements of Luke 6 are used in the hymnography to shed light on the Gospel reading from Matthew 26 on Wednesday in Holy Week. Join me in a discussion of the texts from Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 7 and John 12.“Fortune Presents Gifts Not According To The Book” performed by Dead Can Dance. Hymn of Kassiani chanted in Byzantine Tone 8 by the Very Rev. Fr. George Shaheen (of blessed memory).

In Hebrews 2:11, it says, “for he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all “of one.” In Greek this is ex enos - literally “out of one.” Various translations render that phrase “of the same family” (NIV), “have the same father” (New Living Translation), “have one source” (ESV), and “have the same origin” (NET). These are misleading and make Hebrews sound philosophical rather than Scriptural, which it is. The “one who sanctifies” is a Son by whom God has spoken in these last times (1:2) and “whom he has appointed heir of all things.” It is to this one that Scripture says God will put all things under subjection (Psalm 8). “But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (2:9).In verse 16, the KJV renders the verb ἐπιλαμβάνεται as “took on the nature of” which is another example of a translation making the epistle sound like a philosophical treatise rather than a review of Scripture. ἐπιλαμβάνεται with its base lambano to take can mean “to take or lay hold of” as in to seize, which is not only more faithful to the original, but also conveys the sense that it is a decisive action on the part of God for the benefit of human beings, the descendants of Abraham. In Hebrews, the appointed Son “tastes death for everyone” (2:9), he  is “made perfect through suffering” (2:10), and “through death destroys him who has the power if death, that is the devil” (14) and “releases those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage” (15). In other words, his concern is for his brethren, that is for the seed of Abraham. Thus the point in his being subject to death is for the sake of the others. This in summary is Isaiah 53 and it is in this sense we understand the minimal wording of Hebrews 2:16 - which says that  both the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are “of one.” Just as Jesus, the appointed Son, was obedient fully to the will of God, so we are shown his example in Scripture (Isaiah 53, Mark 14:6) and given the instruction to do likewise (Matthew 5, Luke 11). And this full obedience to the will of God is demonstrated by Mary, Jesus mother, when his birth is announced: “Behold the handmaiden of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

The Weekly Quizzes Are Open-Book. The Final Exam Is Not.Chapter 21 of Luke is the only Gospel to use the noun form of ὑπομονῇ, often translated “patience” or “steadfastness.”This term comes from a verb which literally means “to bear under.” Luke uses it another time in his Parable of the Sower to describe how those who hear the word keep it and bear fruit, “with patience” (8:15). This goes against our human inclination to “stay on top” of things. Throughout Luke 21, Jesus warns his hearers not to be led astray by things. Wars, tumults, and destruction will happen, but they are not your reference for the end, which only comes when it comes. And when it comes, you will have to stand before the Son of Man. And when you do, you will be judged according to what he has been saying the whole time. It’s like a teacher who all semester long keeps telling his students there will be a final. But here, you don’t know when the final will take place, and you still have to make sure you are prepared for it when it happens. Scripture is the content of the course material and the judgment scene in Matthew 25 is what the exam looks like. For the final, the book will be open, but only for God to judge our secrets through Jesus Christ by the Gospel preached by the Apostle Paul (Romans 2:16). Until that  day, don’t get distracted, and do not be led astray. You already know what is going to be on the test. Join me in a discussion of Luke 21 in light of Paul’s teaching in I Thessalonians 4:13-17.“Passing Clouds” performed by Roger Limb. “Koran” performed by Delirium. Photo by Danya  Gutan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-reading-burning-newspaper-3278364/

From A To Z.When we hear Scripture, we are always beyond the grace. This is point A. And we always have the peace - point Z - ahead of us. All of the epistles of Paul start with “grace and peace,” and they all end with “grace.” He gives you the starting point and the end point at the outset, but then after teaching for the duration of his letter, he leaves you a reminder of where you are, saying essentially, “Now go put into practice what I have told you.” In Scripture, the grace (point A) had nothing to do with you. It is a gift that God simply wanted to give you. Likewise point Z is not in your control. In fact you don’t get there, but rather it comes to you. And you don’t know when, so you have to be ready. Paul uses this mechanism in all of his letters, and in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus presents his “sermon on the plain” in similar terms. The teaching there is that one may be blessed or cursed on the road between A and Z; the blessing is in  waiting for Z.  Until it comes, we have the second grace of Scripture, written instruction to keep us from going astray. Join me in a discussion of Luke 6:13-23.Orthodox Audio Bible Commentary by Fr. Paul Tarazi.“Passing Clouds” performed by Roger Limb.“Koran” performed by Delirium. Photo by Brett Jordan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/letters-on-black-background-6475822/

In Galatians, Paul maintains that God’s promise to Abraham was implemented in Christ; and that this “freedom from the curse” was accomplished specifically through his going to the cross, essentially becoming a curse for us. The basis for his conclusion is neither philosophical or mystical, but is the same as in all his letters: Scriptural, that is, according to that which is written. Here his reference is Deuteronomy. Galatians 3 is a striking example of the Apostle’s strict approach to teaching. We see how he bases his conclusion solely on Scripture. He does not offer any ideas of his own, nor does he reach any conclusions that come from outside the text. He simply reads Scripture and reminds his hearers of what is said and shows them what is written. Even when he says “these two things are an allegory” in Chapter 4, we shouldn’t understand the term as a story that communicates some hidden meaning. Scripture never does that. We should hear Paul’s words (it’s actually a verb in Greek - “allegorized”) in the general sense of “metaphor,” that is, an example whose meaning is explained by the text itself. Notes :Genesis 15:6Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24Galatians 3:23-18; 19-20; 4:21-25Hebrews 7:27-28Psalm 2; 110זַרְעֶֽךָ (zar-e-kā) - seedσπέρματι (spermati) - seedἀλληγορούμενα (allēgoroumena) - allegorized“Passing Clouds” performed by Roger Limb.“Koran” performed by Delirium. Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/job-print-on-book-159679/

What’s Your Problem?Hearers of the gospel often put too much emphasis on Jesus’ death as death. In Scripture, death itself is not an issue since all are dust to dust. What carries more weight is the shameful way he was put to death - by crucifixion. While some deaths can be seen as noble and dignified, even heroic and glorious, crucifixion was abject and shameful. When Jesus says that anyone who comes after him must take up his cross and follow him (Mark 8:34), he doesn’t means to death per se, and not to the cross specifically, but in accepting the shame in full obedience, trusting only in God to vindicate him in his own time. This understanding of the Gospel sheds light on Jesus’ teaching that one should turn the other cheek when someone strikes you on one side. Included in my discussion of Romans 1:1-7 and 16-17 is an excerpt from Fr. Paul Tarazi’s audio commentary on Romans: “When someone wrongs you…let it go for heaven’s sake. The only Son of God was put to death on a cross, and you want to sue someone when they insult you? What’s your problem?”  Notes:Exodus 40:34-38Isaiah 53:10Mark 8:34, 38John 12:23, 32Romans 1:1-7, 16-7; 3:21-22; 8:2ὑπακοὴν - hypakōe (obedience)δόξαν - doxa (glory)וּכְב֣וֹד - ū-ke-bō-wd (and the glory)Orthodox Audio Bible Commentary by Fr. Paul Tarazi.“Passing Clouds” performed by Roger Limb.“Sing A New Song” composed and performed by Raphael Shaheen.Photo by Alem Sánchez: https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-the-crucifix-977659/