Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church

Jan 30/Feb 12 2009

Today’s readings, followed by a few pastoral & personal thoughts.

The “Parables” at Vespers

 Sometimes Vespers has readings appointed; they are called “parables”.  The word “parable” literally means “a placing beside or together or a comparison”. Everyone is familiar with the parables of Jesus, in which a fictional story illustrates spiritual truths. These are not the only parables; the word is also used to describe proverbs, prophetic utterances, and “dark sayings”.

When a parable is read in the Vespers service, we should consider that the content of the text refers in some way, whether directly or allegorically, to the service being celebrated.

Typically, the parables for celebrated saints are from the OT, except in the case of one of the 12 Apostles, when they are taken entirely from the NT epistles. The parables for Feasts of the Lord or Theotokos are from the OT.

The Old Testament is a very difficult book to understand. We who are Orthodox are helped immeasurably in this task by the church services, which are replete with references to the OT, and the right interpretation of the myriad types and prophesies contained in it. All the services interpret the meaning of the Old Testament in the light of the New.

Anyone who attentively and consistently worships in the Vespers and Matins services will learn the most important parts of the Old Testament. Those whose Christian worship is almost entirely confined to the Divine Liturgy will not receive the benefit of this teaching.

The major portion of the pedagogy of the church is  Vespers and Matins, whose content varies considerably day by day and season by season, The textual content of the Divine Liturgy, on the other hand, varies very little throughout the year.

One CANNOT understand the Old Testament without worshipping in the Vespers and Matins services. Also, one CANNOT understand the New Testament without understanding the Old, and one CANNOT understand anything in the scripture without living according to the message of the New Testament. With some, this sounds like circular reasoning, but for those who have heeded the call to “come and see”, all things become clear.

We learn the truth of the scriptures by hearing them used in the context of worship, coupled of course with our struggle to learn and follow the commandments and our personal study of the scriptures.

Commentary on the Parables for the Vespers of the 3 Hierarchs.

The first parable, describes the necessary character traits of the judges God appointed over His people; these same traits are also exemplified by holy hierarchs, who are also appointed to judge, that is to “rightly dividing the word of truth”[1]

“ 16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. 17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s:”

The second parable also, in which God describes Himself, also describes more attributes of a holy bishop (or any Christian, of which a bishop should be the best example). The admonitions to the Jews also are fulfilled most exactly in the holy hierarchs:

“ 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. 19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.”

Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17 8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. 9 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10 The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. 11 (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!) 15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. 16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. 17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

Deuteronomy 10:14-2114 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. 15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. 19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. 21 He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

Wisdom 3:1-9 1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. 2 In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, 3 And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. 4 For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. 5 And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. 6 As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. 7 And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. 8 They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. 9 They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.

Priest Seraphim 2009                                                                                                            St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas

http://www.orthodox.net/scripture/pentecost-monday-23_2008_1thessalonians1;1-5+luke10;22-24.rtf

http://www.orthodox.net/scripture/pentecost-monday-23_2008_1thessalonians1;1-5+luke10;22-24.pdf

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Today’s readings, followed by a few pastoral & personal thoughts.

Today’s readings are very complex, and hard to understand in their entirety. This should not keep us from the “take home” message.

When you read the scripture, you must be able to deal with the frustration of not understanding much of what you are reading. Understanding the scripture in its entirety is reserved only for the pure in heart, however, the act of prayerfully, consistently, expectantly reading the scripture will in time bring you great understanding.

Many do not read the Scripture because of frustration. Many things are “dark sayings”[1]  to us, and we mistakenly think that because we are not “getting it”, we are not benefiting. Secular literature, television and the Internet are easy to understand, but this is precisely because they do not speak of wisdom. These things may give us some satisfaction, since we do not labor to understand them, but they are time wasters. “Better and hour with little understanding reading the scripture, than a thousand days of worldly pursuits with understanding”[2]

The writings of the Fathers are filled with admonitions to read the scriptures. One of my most important pastoral goals (and the reason I write these small commentaries and reflections) is to convince and enable my flock to love the scriptures, and read them daily, and benefit from them. How am I doing?

What is the “take home” from The Apostle Peter’s words today?

This will differ according to our personality, and stage of spiritual development, however, for each of us, it is a personal message.

For me, as is often the case, the scripture is at once comforting and frightening. There is here a warm promise, but mixed with it a warning and a reminder of the great expectations placed upon me because I say I am a believer.

The world is full of evil. So much is difficult to understand, and demoralizing. What really matters about our place in the world? There will be an end to evil, and no matter what happens, the believer will be protected. Also, we need not worry about what will happen to the evil; it is a monstrous distraction to concern ourselves with them.  This my soul understand and rejoices in because of the words of the Apostle:

“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished”

Everything will work out, things will be okay, if we cleave to God. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28)

This is basically what the Apostle is saying. Do we show by our actions, pursuits, priorities and thoughts that we believe him?

We also learn from St Peter how to confront evil: with humility. We ourselves can stand against evil in an evil way!

11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

This is very reminiscent of the actions of Archangel Michael, who confronted the one who is the most evil:

“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.” (Jude 1:9)

And lastly, after a long listing of  the sins of the ungodly, the holy Apostle warns us, lest we foolishly consider ourselves immune to these things:

“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

Which one of us can read the words before this and not feel some twitch in our conscience? May God preserve us and help us!

There is much more of benefit in the Epistle, and even more in the Gospel. Read it today and see! Please comment if you think something might be of benefit to others.

2 Peter 2:9-22  9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Mark 13:14-23 14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

Bibliography

The Explanation of the Holy Gospel according to St Mark, by Blessed Theophylact, published by Chrysostom Press – http://www.chrysostompress.org/. ALL FOUR BOOKS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Priest Seraphim 2009.                                                                                              St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas

http://www.orthodox.net/scripture/great-lent-week-before-great-lent-03-tuesday_2009_2peter2;9-22+mark13;14-23.html

http://www.orthodox.net/scripture/great-lent-week-before-great-lent-03-tuesday_2009_2peter2;9-22+mark13;14-23.rtf

http://www.orthodox.net/scripture/great-lent-week-before-great-lent-03-tuesday_2009_2peter2;9-22+mark13;14-23.pdf

New commentaries are posted on our BLOG: http://www/.orthodox.net/redeemingthetime

Archive of: commentaries: http://www.orthodox.net/scripture 

Archive of homilies: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons

Use this for any edifying reason, but please give credit, and include the URL were the text was found. We would love to hear from you with comments!