History of the New Testament Church

In his work “History of the New Testament Church” St. Filaret of Moscow (Drozdov) presents a systematic study of the formation and development of the Christian Church. The book is divided into two periods. In the first period - “The Renewed Church under the visible Head” (Jesus Christ) - the author analyzes the state of the Jews during the earthly life of the Savior, talks about His genealogy, birth and ministry. The second period examines the Apostolic Church, its development and spread among Jews and pagans, as well as the persecution of Christians, starting from the first days of the establishment of the new faith until the reign of Emperor Domitian. Saint Philaret pays attention to the teaching of the New Testament, holy books, creeds and various aspects of worship and rituals that were formed in the early Church. He considers the authentic writings of the Apostolic men: the epistle of the Apostle Barnabas, the epistle of St. Clement of Rome to the Corinthians, epistles of St. Ignatius the God-Bearer, Bishop of Antioch, message of St. Polycarp of Smyrna to the Philippians. The book also covers issues of Church governance and its hierarchy. The saint names extraordinary spiritual gifts and ministries established by God primarily for the initial spread of faith - these are the granting of miracles (especially languages), the titles of apostles, prophets and evangelists. The degrees of permanent church hierarchy include bishop, presbyter and deacon. The author writes about schisms and heresies in the apostolic period, mentioning the Simonians, Menandrians, Nicolaitans, Cerinthians, Ebionites, Nazarenes, Philetians. Contents Period one. The renewed Church under the visible Head The state of the Jews during the earthly life of Jesus Christ Civil Church Signs of the times of the Messiah The genealogy of Jesus Christ The birth of the Forerunner The birth of Jesus Christ The time of the birth of Christ The private life of Jesus Christ The entry of Jesus into the ministry of atonement The continuation of the ministry of Christ The history of the ministry of Christ from baptism to the first Easter The first Easter The second Easter The third Easter The fourth Passover or Easter The suffering of Christ The history of Jesus Christ outside Christianity Memorable persons in the Church at the time of the Messiah Second period I. The growing Apostolic Church Years 33 after the Nativity of Christ The Church of the Jews in Palestine and Syria The Church of the Gentiles in Caesarea and Antioch L. R. X. 38 The first journey of Paul to spread the faith of the Church in Asia Minor The second journey. Churches in Macedonia and Greece Third Journey of Paul from Antioch Church in Rome Fourth Apostolic Journey of Paul. Church on Crete Some other churches founded by the Apostles Fall of the Jews II. The Apostolic Church under the Cross The Ways of Providence in the Disasters of Christianity Persecution from the Jews Causes of Persecution from the Pagans Persecution of Nero Persecution of Domitian Execution of the Persecutors III. The state of teaching in the Apostolic Church The teaching of the New Testament in comparison with the Old Testament Sacred books The Apostolic Symbol The name of the Symbol The origin of symbols in general, and in particular, the so-called Apostolic Image of catechumens Christian schools The writings of the Apostolic men, authentic Doubtful IV. Divine services and rites of the Apostolic Church About Christian worship in general and its initial formation Places of pious meetings Liturgy and the sacrament of communion About baptism About the ordination of anointing About repentance About the priesthood About marriage About anointing Hours of Divine services Feasts Fasts V. Decree and administration of the Apostolic Church Decree of the Apostolic Church in general Two categories of church members Gifts and extraordinary ministries Degrees of permanent hierarchy Deaconesses Ascetics Deanery of the Apostolic Church Traditions and rules Apostolic Council Apostolic Purity of the Apostolic Church VI. Remarks of persons Note on the history of persons Persons VII. Schisms and heresies There were schisms and heresies in the Apostolic Church About heresies in particular Period one. The Renewed Church under a Visible Head State of the Jews during the earthly life of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ, the imaginary son of the earthly tecton (carpenter, builder), the true son of the Heavenly Architect, appeared to create the New Testament Church when the tabernacle of the Old Testament Church and the Jewish people was ready to turn into ruins. Herod, great only in atrocities, a foreigner enthroned by the Romans, destroyed the ruling tribe of the Maccabees; irritated the Jews with wars, cruelty and distrust; exhausted him with his pomp and excessive gifts to the Romans and completed their corruption with pagan customs. After him, the rule of Judea with Idumea and Samaria was inherited by his son Archelaus, whom, however, Caesar did not honor with the name of king, but only eparch or leader. After serving about ten years, as a result of a complaint brought to Augustus about his cruelty, he was imprisoned in Gaul. His possessions, at the request of the people, were annexed to Syria under the command of special procurators or guardians 1 authorized to dispose of the right of life and death, which, during the earthly life of Jesus Christ, were: Coponius, Marcus Ambivius, Annius Rufus, Valerius Gratus and Pontius Pilate. The latter was repeatedly the culprit of riots, sometimes because of the introduction into Jerusalem of images of Caesar, which made up the banners of the Roman army; then because of the dedication of golden shields to Tiberius in Herod’s palace; either because of the theft of treasures from the church under the guise of the supposed construction of a water conduit. Finally, being summoned to Rome for trial, he died by suicide. Another son of Herod the Great, Herod Antipas, in the rank of tetrarch or tetrarch 2, ruled Galilee and the Trans-Jordan region, until, forced by his lawless wife Herodias, he began to seek royal dignity. Caligula sent both of them into captivity in Lyon. Philip, the third son of Herod the Great, was tetrarch of Iturea, Trachonitida, Vatanea and Paneas 3. But the changes and civil confusion are nothing in comparison with the deplorable final state of the Jewish Church. The spiritual teaching about the Messiah has been transformed into a carnal concept about the king and conqueror 4, rituals are placed above morality 5; the dominion of God's law is limited to external actions 6 ; the right to justification lies in the hereditary advantage of the children of Abraham 7 . In the church there was a kind of bargaining involving things belonging to sacred rites 8 . The high priests, whose dignity was acquired by money, and sometimes by bloodshed 9, and very often passed from one person to another, 10, not having in their power even the clothes belonging to their rank, which were kept in the fortress of Anthony, servile the pagans and for this humiliation rewarded themselves with extortion and pomp. The teachers were blind leaders of the blind 11 , the people were like scattered sheep 12 . The teaching of the Pharisees burdened him with human traditions, and the Sadducees strengthened his vices. The sect of the Galanites or Galileans, founded by a certain Judas, and strengthened under the name of Zealots or zealots, preaching that the people of God should not work for Caesar, with their reckless stubbornness not only could not support the Church, but also accelerated the complete fall of the people 13. The appearance of Jesus Christ, the transformer of the world, was to follow at a time of extreme need and greatest readiness of the world for this transformation. Such fulfillment of the predetermined time 14 is shown: 1. The extreme of error in paganism. Idolatry, adorned with wit, supported by debauchery, became a universal religion, and in itself sanctified all vices 15. 2. The most intense effort of the mind in the study of the Divine and nature. In the Greeks and Romans, he showed such experiences of his activity, after which either nothing better could be expected, or emergency higher help should be expected 16. 3. The highest degree of human power in the Roman monarchy. Rome, imagining the world with its greatness, disasters, vices, vanity, made one especially feel the need for better, spiritual dominion, and contributed to its spread through the unity of external dominion. 4. General expectation. The Jews expected the appearance of the King, the Messiah, and the pagans expected the return of the golden age. The glorious prophecies about the impoverishment of the prince and leader from Judah, about the seventy weeks of the renewed Jerusalem, and about the fourth kingdom of iron were obviously fulfilled. In order for the Son of God to become the Son of man, a certain tribe was first chosen, to which the Divine promise of His birth was given. The Evangelist Matthew shows the fulfillment of this promise in the descending line of genealogy, which he continues from Abraham, through David and Solomon to Joseph, who was honored to be, although not the parent of Jesus Christ by nature, but a father by the law of marriage and adoption 17. Evangelist Luke presents the same genealogy in an ascending line from Jesus to Adam and God, depicting in it a kind of ladder of the union of humanity with the Divine 18. The difference noted in these two genealogies is explained by: 1) the difference in names belonging to the same persons; 2) the combination of natural birth with adoption according to the law of kinship (kinship), which could give one person a double origin, but with the greatest probability 3) the assumption that St. Luke, after Joseph, counts the ancestors of Mary the Mother of God. The carnal birth of Jesus Christ was preceded by the birth of the Forerunner, which concludes the prophecies of the Old Testament and begins the revelations of the New: Angel Gabriel, who enlightened Daniel about the times of the Messiah, during the priesthood predicted to the pious priest Zechariah the birth of a son, despite his old age and the barrenness of his wife. And before this event, he closed his mouth as a punishment for mistrust, and, perhaps, as a forerunner of the silence that the verbs of the incarnate Word were about to impose on the entire host of Levites. Born to his extraordinary service, he was guided by the gracious name of John, the prophecy of his father and his stay in the desert 19. The birth of Jesus Christ Himself is marked by a series of incidents in which, together with the deepest humiliation, His Divine glory is revealed. They are: the gospel of His prenatural conception, brought by an Angel to the Virgin Mary between the time of her betrothal and the final marriage with Joseph 20; Her meeting with Elizabeth, during which John, while still in the womb, confessed the Messiah, and both mothers prophesied about Him; revealing the secret of the incarnation to Joseph in a dream; the journey of the betrothed from Nazareth, their place of residence, to their native city of Bethlehem on the occasion of the national census; the position of the born baby in the nursery; the praise of Angels, the preaching of shepherds, legal circumcision, the wonderful star 21; the worship and gifts of the Magi, or wise men of the East, who were probably the remnant of the church of Daniel, and, no doubt, the beginning of the pagan church; the bringing of Jesus to the temple after the completion of the time of purification of the mother; prophecies about Him by Simeon and Anna. The time of the birth of Jesus Christ in the history of the Gospel is determined by the reign of Herod the Great, the first national census, carried out at the command of Caesar Augustus, and entrusted in Syria and Judea to his extraordinary trustee Cyrenia 22, and, finally, by the appearance of John the Baptist in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, which was soon followed by the baptism of the Savior, who was then about thirty years old 23. All these circumstances are not sufficient to show with indisputable accuracy the year in which the Christian calendar should begin. In ordinary chronology, which was invented by the Roman monk Dionysius in the sixth century, but did not come into general use until the fifteenth, this year is the first 195 Olympiad; from the creation of Rome, according to Varro, 754; before the death of Augustus 14. However, just as this year for both Joseph and Epiphanius is preceded by the death of Herod, so equally the true time of the Nativity of Christ should precede the era of Dionysius by one or more years, in which the opinions of all Christian Antiquity agree 24 . In order to find the month and day of the Nativity of Christ, some turn to the conception of the Forerunner, which they believe 15 months earlier, and which others again try to determine by calculating the priestly orders in the Temple of Jerusalem 25; and others bring it closer to the feast of purification, believing on this day the appearance of the Angel to Zechariah 26. But the best index in this research is the very feast of the Nativity of Christ, which in the East was first united with the feast of His Baptism, under the general name of Epiphany, but then, according to the most reliable tradition and following the example of Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, was moved to the 25th day of December in accordance with the custom of the Western Church 27. The private life of Jesus Christ The glory that the Magi in Bethlehem and Simeon in Jerusalem bestowed on the infant Messiah was soon followed 28 by the persecution of Herod, who, fearing his rival in Him, but not knowing His face, poured out his rage on His age and place of birth 29 . From this danger, by the instruction of an Angel, He was saved by a journey to Egypt, where His presence was marked, according to the assurance of Athanasius of Alexandria, by the fall of idols 30. Upon returning from there, He lived until the age of thirty in Nazareth, remaining in obedience to his parents, and probably sharing woodworking labor with Joseph 31. Meanwhile, without the help of human instruction 32, He grew in wisdom so much that, being twelve years old, on the feast of Easter, he competed in the Jerusalem Temple with the teachers of the law and amazed them. Jesus' Entry into the Ministry of Redemption Before Jesus entered into great service to the human race, John was sent to prepare His way. Appearing in the Judean desert, and passing through the entire Jordanian country, he preached repentance and the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven; accepted confession of sins and baptized in the Jordan. He did not perform miracles, but his solitary and strict life made him a miracle himself. His preaching was invested with such power that it attracted even the Pharisees and Sadducees to him. Jesus appeared to him among a multitude of people, and, forcing him to baptize Himself, He sanctified the sacrament of baptism and revealed His ministry of redemption. At this time, after the secret revelation 33, solemnly, as the Son of God, He was revealed to John and the people by the witnessing voice of God the Father, and by the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Immediately after this, in the desert, He withstood, like the second Adam, a testing feat against flesh and blood, which He devoted to forty days of fasting, and against the devil, with whom He fought with the sword of the word of God, and after the victory, He was consoled and exalted by the appearance of the Angels serving Him. Continuing the Ministry of Christ The continuation of the ministry of Jesus Christ, the limits of which are baptism and ascension into heaven 34, is shown in the prophecy of Daniel, where for the establishment of the New Testament a week of years and half a week are appointed for the removal of the representative sacrifice through the actual sacrifice 35. This fortune-telling is explained and confirmed by the narrative of the Evangelist John, in which between the baptism and ascension of Jesus there are four Easters: the first, on which He cleansed the church of merchants; the second, during which he healed a thirty-eight-year-old sick man; the third, before whom he fed five thousand people with five loaves; the fourth, in which 36 people were injured. So, the time of Jesus Christ's ministry should be between thirty and thirty-four years of earthly life 37. The history of Christ's ministry from baptism to the first Easter Since the baptism of Jesus, John changed his prophecy about the coming of the sermon, to the Messiah who has already come. He gave this testimony about Him to the embassy, ​​consisting of priests and Levites, which was sent to him from Jerusalem to inquire about His ministry. Then, when Jesus, after the desert temptation, appeared again at the Jordan, John pointed Him out to his people and disciples, calling Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Two of these disciples immediately followed Jesus, and one of them, named Andrew, introduced Him to his brother Simon, to whom Jesus immediately predicted a new name Peter. Returning to his fatherland, Jesus called Philip, and this his brother Nathanael. Having shown His new disciples the experiences of His omniscience, He soon strengthened their faith with a miracle, turning water into wine at a certain wedding in Cana 38 . Around the time of Passover, Jesus took a journey to Jerusalem. Here He cleared the church of merchants; mysteriously predicted the destruction and restoration of the church of His body; and by signs he brought forth faith in many, which, however, he did not find worthy of His special attention 39 . Here 40 He had a secret conversation with Nicodemus about rebirth and redemption, and then in the tribe of Judah he acquired many disciples and baptized them through his disciples 41 . When John's disciples told him about the multiplication of Jesus' disciples, the Forerunner for the last time testified about Him as the Messenger and Son of God 42; and then imprisoned for denouncing Herod’s incest 43 . At this time, Jesus, evading the envy of the Pharisees, set out from Judea to Galilee, and on this way, after talking with the Samaritan woman at the source of Jacob, both by her and by many other inhabitants of Shechem, he was recognized as the Messiah and Savior of the world 44 . In Cana, at the request of a certain courtier, He healed his sick son, who was at that time in Capernaum 45. Having become famous throughout Galilee for preaching in the synagogues, he also appeared with glory in the synagogue of Nazareth, but asserting, against those tempted by His low origin, that no Prophet is accepted in his own country, he so irritated His compatriots that only by His Divine power was he saved from the danger of being overthrown from the mountain 46 . On this occasion, leaving his ungrateful fatherland, Jesus confirmed His stay in Capernaum, where he taught on the Sabbath, cast out a demon, healed Simon's mother-in-law of a fever and others of various ailments 47 . From here, again setting out throughout Galilee preaching repentance and the Kingdom of God, on Lake Gennesaret, after a miraculous catch of fish, he called fishermen Simon, Andrew, James and John to become fishers of men; healed a leper in a certain city; and again in Capernaum he absolved the sins of the paralytic carried on his bed; called the publican Levi, or Matthew; and, being in his house, to the Pharisaic reproach for not observing certain strict traditions, he responded with parables about the groom and his friends and about a new patch on old clothes 48 . On the second day of His great ministry, Jesus Christ came to Jerusalem to Jerusalem and healed a man who had been in paralysis for 38 years in the vestibule of the pool, which, either because the victims were washed in it, or by the name of the nearest gate of the city, was called the Sheep's Pool. When the Jews were indignant that this was done on the Sabbath, He, defending His act, declared Himself the Son of God and the Judge of the world 49 . The debate about the Sabbath was resumed later, when on the Sabbath day the disciples of Jesus plucked ears of corn and ate along the way; and again when He healed a man in the synagogue who had a withered hand. And since the Pharisees agreed with the Herodians to His destruction, He, in order to show His humility and preserve His life until a predetermined time, withdrew to the sea or Lake of Gennesaret, accompanied, however, by a multitude of people from Judea, Idumea, Galilee, Phenicia, and the glory of miracles, although He ran away from it 50. At this time, after a solitary prayer that lasted the whole night, on the mountain, which, according to the ancients, was Tabor, Jesus chose twelve men from His disciples: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James Alpheus and Simon the Zealot, Judas James, otherwise called Lebeus, and Judas Iscariot, whom called them Apostles, that is, messengers. Then he proposed to them and the people a great conversation about the paths of Bliss; about the high title of the Apostleship, about the spirit of the law, about works of mercy, about prayer, about fasting, about impartiality to earthly things, about condemnation, about the abuse of the sacraments, about the immediate help of God, about the difference between false prophets and the true disciple of Christ 51. Then entering Capernaum, Jesus healed the centurion’s servant without seeing him, and upon entering Nain he raised up the widow’s only begotten son 52 . Meanwhile, John, prompted by the stories and bewilderment of his disciples about Jesus, sent two of them to ask Him: Is He really the expected Messiah? In answer to this question: Jesus pointed to His miracles. After the departure of the messengers, having praised John before the people surrounding Him, he complained of unbelief, and, after confessing his gratitude to the Heavenly Father for revealing the mysteries to His babies, he called to Him those who were toiling and burdened, promising them peace. This was soon confirmed by experience, when, while reclining in the house of the Pharisee Simon, he absolved the sins of a woman who had washed His feet with tears and anointed Him with myrrh 53 . After this, passing through cities and villages, accompanied by the Apostles and some women whom He healed, and coming again to Capernaum, on the occasion of the healing of a demoniac blind and dumb man, he competed with the Pharisees, who attributed this action to Beelzebub, the prince of demons; accused them of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; and when they asked Him for a sign, He did not promise anything other than the sign of Jonah the Prophet. Tired of this debate, the relatives, either by hearing considering Him to be in a frenzy, or under this pretext trying to save Him from the Pharisees, wanted to take Him from the house in which He was, but He, having heard about them, answered that His mother and brothers are the ones who hear and keep the word of God 54 . On the same day, at sea from the ship, He proposed to the people parables about seed, about tares, about mustard seeds, about kvass, and returning to the house he explained them to His disciples, adding others about treasure, about beads, and about a net. But, having no peace from the people, he went to the other side of the lake. While still walking along the shore, one scribe, who expressed a desire to follow Him, and two disciples, who asked to bury their father and say goodbye to their family, seeing them from the inside, gave answers opposite to their desires. While sailing, he calmed the storm with a single word. Having crossed the lake, in the country of the Gadarenes and Gergesenes he healed two demoniacs, allowing the demons to leave them and enter the swine herd. The local residents, saddened by the loss of this flock, begged Jesus to leave their borders 55. Swimming across the lake again, He resurrected the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, and on the way to his house He healed the bleeding woman, who touched only His clothes. Then he restored the sight of two blind men and the tongue of one demoniac. But having come to his fatherland, he was again received as the son of a tekton; and, due to the small number of believers, he did not perform many signs 56. Having passed through some more places, and expressing regret that the harvest was plentiful, but the workers were few, he sent twelve Apostles, two by two, to preach to the cities of Judea, instructing them to carry out this ministry with trust in Providence, predicting persecution for them, but also protecting them with miraculous power 57. Since at this time John was killed by Herod in prison for the pleasure of Herodias, he, having heard about the miracles of Jesus and the Apostles, thought that he had risen. Others considered Jesus to be Elijah or one of the Prophets 58 . Upon the return of the Apostles, Jesus, to rest from the people who did not give Him and them time to even eat food, withdrew into the desert of the city of Bethsaida. When many followed Him here and had no food, He fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, besides wives and children. The people, amazed by the miracle, wanted to proclaim Him king, but He withdrew alone into the mountain, and ordered the disciples to go to the ship. At night He appeared to them walking on the waters, and allowed Peter to do the same, who, however, was afraid and wavered in faith. Entering the ship himself, Jesus arrived with His disciples in the land of Gennesaret, where he healed many sick people, and then returned to Capernaum. Here in the synagogue He proposed the doctrine of Himself as animal bread and of His body and blood as true food and drink. It seemed so impossible to many that some of the disciples fell away from Jesus. However, the Apostles at the same time confessed Him as Christ, the Son of the living God, and He prophesied to them that among them alone there was a devil 59 . By the third Passover, during His ministry, whether Jesus ascended to Jerusalem, the Gospel History does not show 60. About this time, the scribes and Pharisees who came from Jerusalem reproach Him with the fact that His disciples eat with unwashed hands, and He denounces them for preferring traditions to the spirit of the law. Then, within Tire and Sidon, at the strong request of the Canaanite wife, he heals her demoniac daughter. At the Sea of ​​Galilee, among many sick people, he heals the deaf and tongue-tied, by touching, spitting and with the word: ephphatha, i.e. open, and with seven loaves and several fishes he feeds four thousand people, besides women and children. Within the Magdalen region he refuses the Pharisees and Sadducees who asked for a sign, and on the way instructs His disciples to beware of their leaven. In Bethsaida, after taking him out of the village, he restores his sight to a blind man by spitting and touching him twice. In Caesarea Philippi, Peter confirms his confession of faith and promises him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; secretly predicts His suffering and resurrection to His disciples; and publicly preaches about wearing the cross, and about his coming in glory. To reinforce this sermon, which amazed the Apostles, after six full or eight incomplete days he is transfigured before Peter, James and John on the mountain, which, according to the tradition of Jerome, is Tavor: and is testified by the appearance of Moses and Elijah and a voice from the cloud. Coming down from the mountain, he heals the demonic deaf-mute, reproaches the disciples for unbelief, who were unable to heal him, and offers them fasting and prayer to awaken faith. On a secret journey through Galilee, he again preaches to them His death and resurrection, but this sermon still seems to them a mystery. In Capernaum he commands Peter to pay a tribute for himself and for Him, which he was to find in the mouth of a fish. On the occasion of a dispute that arose between students about primacy, he teaches them humility and childish simplicity; forbids hindering one who works miracles in His name, but does not follow in His footsteps; warns against temptations; preaches God's mercy towards sinners; gives the rules of church deanery, and answers the question of tolerance of insults with the parable of the debtor and the creditor 61. Before the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus' relatives demand that He appear in Jerusalem. He answers them that His time has not yet come, but then he undertakes a journey there, as if secretly. The inhabitants of a certain Samaritan village, noticing that He is going to the Jerusalem festival, do not accept Him, and the Apostles want to punish them with heavenly fire, but the Lord restrains them. Meanwhile, He sends 70 disciples before Him, commanding them to go through cities and towns two by two, preach the kingdom of God and confirm the preaching with miracles. At half-time and on the last day of the holiday, He appears in the Jerusalem Temple and His teaching produces surprise in some, faith in others, bewilderment in others, and rage in others. On the next day of the festival in the church, he dismayed those who had brought to Him the wife taken in adultery, commanding that the sinless man throw the first stone at her; then he allows it. At the same time, preaching about Himself, and predictably announcing His departure and ascension on the cross, converts many, and by asserting that sinners are neither the children of Abraham nor the children of God, and having exalted Himself over Abraham by pre-eternal existence, irritates some so that stones are raised against Him; but He, passing through the midst of the people, hides 62. Upon the joyful return of the seventy Apostles to Jesus. He brings a prayer of thanksgiving for them to His Father. He shows some lawyer the way to eternal life in love for God and neighbor, and he explains love for neighbor with the parable of one who fell among thieves. Passing through different places, in some way he stays with Martha and Mary; and he prefers the quiet piety of the latter to the solicitude of the former. On the occasion of His prayer, he gives instructions about it to his disciples. Having cast out the dumb spirit, He protects His deed from criticism, and condemns the evil generation that seeks signs. Reclining in the house of a Pharisee, he denounces the vices of this sect; and stirs up slanderers against Himself. In front of a multitude of people, he speaks about the constant confession of the truth, teaches unselfishness with the parable of the rich man in fruits, and vigil with the parable of the servants waiting for the Master; and complains that they do not notice the importance of the present tense. On the occasion of the news of the Galileans defeated by Pilate and 18 people crushed by the pillar of Siloam, he threatens everyone with God's punishment and adds the parable of the barren fig tree. On Saturday, in the crowd, He heals a crumpled wife, and defends His action against the leader of the synagogue with popular approval 63. For the feast of the renewal of the Church, he returns to Jerusalem, despite the fact that the Jews determined to excommunicate from the host everyone who recognizes Him as the Messiah. Here on the Sabbath day he heals a blind man with clay from spitting and washing in the pool of Siloam; declares Himself to be the Good Shepherd, laying down His life for the sheep, and when asked, “Is He really the Messiah?” - having confessed His eternal power and unity with the Father, he is again in danger of his life, and therefore retires to the Jordan to the places of John’s baptism, where he acquires many followers 64. Continuing his evangelistic travels, when asked about the number of those being saved, Jesus answers that they must hasten to enter through the narrow gate. Upon learning of Herod’s malicious intent against Him, he predicts His death, which will follow in Jerusalem, and regrets the approaching destruction of this city. During a supper in the house of a certain Pharisee, he heals a man suffering from water sickness; puts to shame those who harass the chairman; advises showing hospitality to the poor and unfortunate, and preaches the kingdom of God in the parable of the supper. Accompanied by a multitude of people, He describes to him the qualities required for His follower. He responds to those who murmur against Him for communicating with sinners with the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. The parable of the slandered steward of the house upsets the money-loving Pharisees. When asked about divorces, it shows the sanctity of marriage and the height of virginity. The story of the rich man and Lazarus depicts the destruction of sensual life. He talks with the Apostles about temptations, about forgiveness of offenses, about the power of faith, about humility in merit. On the way between Samaria and Galilee, he heals ten lepers, of whom he finds only one grateful. To the Pharisees, asking about the time of His Kingdom, He proclaims the internal Kingdom of God and His unexpected coming. The parable of the unjust judge encourages unceasing prayer; and in the parable of the publican and the Fari he concludes the doctrine of justification. Blessing the children, he says that the Kingdom of God belongs to such children. One noble young man, inquiring about the path of life, commanded him to leave his property, causing him confusion, but at the same time, he consoles his disciples who complain about the difficulty of salvation with God’s help. Then Peter asks Jesus about the predestination of the Apostles, and He promises to make them judges of Israel; but at the same time he warns them against conceit with the parable of the vineyard workers who received an equal reward 65. Having heard about the illness of Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, Jesus again turns to Jerusalem, prophesying the death and resurrection of His friend, and of His suffering and glory. The apostles still understand His preaching so little that James and John and their mother ask Him for the first merits, and the others are indignant at this. He meekly answers that they do not know what they are asking, and adds that, according to His own example, he who wants to be first must be a servant of all. Passing through Jericho, he heals the blind who cry after Him, and converts Zacchaeus, the chief of the tax collectors; Moreover, he offers a parable about a man who departed to receive the kingdom and about the money distributed to him. Having reached Bethany four days after the death of Lazarus, he resurrects him in the presence of many Jews, and many believe in Him. As soon as this became known in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin gathers, and Bishop Caiaphas gives an insidious opinion, but which Providence turned into a prophecy: one man will die for the people. Jesus, having foreseen such a determination, in anticipation of Easter, departs secretly to the city of Ephraim: and the bishops and Pharisees promulgate the command to take Him wherever they see them, deciding to also destroy Lazarus 66. Fourth Easter or Easter of Christ's Passion Six days before Easter, Jesus appears in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper at a supper, at which, among others, Lazarus reclines with Him, Martha serves; Mary anoints His head and feet with spikenard oil. Judas, out of greed, and the other Apostles, out of simplicity, express regret about this waste, but Jesus responds that this is His preparation for burial 67. The next morning, He solemnly marches from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, seated alternately on a donkey that was under the yoke and a colt that did not bear a burden, (which rite was used not only according to the example of the ancient judges, in accordance with the prophecies, but also with a special deep sign), accompanied and greeted by the people, spreading vestments along the way, wearing date branches and exclaiming: Hosanna! When he sees the city, he cries and predicts its fall. Entering the church, he drives out the merchants; heals, and justifies the solemn exclamations of children before the bishops and scribes with prophecy. Hearing that some Greeks wish to see Him, He proclaims the approach of His glory through saving sufferings, and is publicly witnessed by a heavenly voice. In the evening he returns to Bethany 68. The next day he curses the fig tree on the way, on which he found no fruit, and, having come to Jerusalem, again cleanses the church 69. Having spent the night again in Bethany, on the way to the city, when the Apostles noticed that the fig tree cursed by Him had dried up, he tells them about the power of faith and prayer. In the church, having been asked by the bishops and elders: on what does He base His authority to teach and create, the mutual question about John’s baptism confuses them, and the parables about the two sons sent into the vineyard, about the evil winegrowers who killed the owner’s son, and about the marriage of the king’s son, irritate them. Resolves the cunning requests of the Herodians about the obligation to pay tribute to Caesar, the Sadducees - about marriages after death, the teachers of the law - about the main commandment; and with the proposal of the Messiah, the son and Lord of David, he completely stops the mouths of the Pharisees. Having exposed their vices and praised his wife, who put two mites into the treasury of the Church, he leaves it; and, when the disciples tell Him about the beauty of the building, he predicts its destruction. This prophecy, at the request of the disciples, continuing on the Mount of Olives, talks with them about the signs of the coming and last times; encourages them to be vigilant with parables about virgins waiting for the groom, and about talents; and finally describes the final judgment, depicting Himself as the Shepherd separating the sheep from the goats 70 . Two days before Easter, Jesus clearly tells His disciples that at this time He will be handed over to be crucified. Meanwhile, the bishops, Pharisees and scribes are really looking for an opportunity to destroy Him, and Judas Iscariot agrees to secretly betray Him to them for 30 pieces of silver or shekels, that is, for the usual, according to the remark of Maimonides 71, the price of a slave 72. On the evening of Easter, Jesus comes with the Apostles to the house He had previously appointed in Jerusalem; washes the feet of the disciples, celebrates Easter according to the law of rituals and establishes the sacrament of the Eucharist. At the same time, He indicates His traitor not only to them, but also to himself so clearly that he immediately leaves. In the evening, having stopped the renewed dispute between the Apostles about primacy, and having predicted a common temptation for them, and a threefold denial to Peter, he departs with them singing to the Mount of Olives. As they continue their journey, He comforts them with the good will of His Father and the hope of the descent of the Holy Spirit; He assures of His saving assistance, or rather all-action, calling Himself the vine, and their branches; convinces to mutual love and hope in adversity; and in conclusion of all, sends out a strong and solemn prayer for the unity of believers with God and among themselves 73 . In the hell of Gethsemane, the Divine Ascetic Himself begins His approaching suffering. Having turned away from His other disciples with the three witnesses of His glory in the transfiguration, He begins to grieve and grieve, and, leaving them, prays three times until they sweat blood, so that an Angel appears to strengthen Him, while Peter, James and John, whom He also commanded to watch and pray, fall into sleep. Seeing the approach of the traitor, Jesus goes to meet him, and with the word: I am, he throws his horde to the ground. But at the same time, having allowed the traitor to kiss Him, he voluntarily surrenders into the hands of his enemies; He heals the ear of the bishop's servant, cut off by Peter, and allows Himself to be tied and led. The frightened students take flight. At night, being brought to the house of Anna, the bishop's father-in-law, and then the bishop Caiaphas himself, he is interrogated based on denunciations of false witnesses, and, after confessing himself as the Son of God, being found worthy of death, he suffers various insults. At this time, Peter, who dared to see, but not share the fate of his Teacher, denied Him three times in the courtyard of the bishop; hears the rooster as a sign of repentance, and comes out with bitter tears about his sin. In the morning, after a new interrogation in a second large meeting of priests and nobles, Jesus is sent to Pilate for trial in the form of a troublemaker of public peace. This, not finding Him guilty, and wanting to divert this matter from himself, sends Him to Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee, who was at that time in Jerusalem. But this one, having humiliated Jesus for His silence, returns Him to Pilate in white, probably to indicate His simplicity and innocence. Meanwhile, the desperate Judas, throwing away the pieces of silver in the church, ends his life with a terrible death. Pilate, brought into greater bewilderment by the act of Herod, and also by the dream of his wife, offers the Jews to release Jesus on the occasion of the holiday, but the people, taught by the bishops and elders, instead demand freedom for the robber Barabbas. The judge resorts to the last trick, beats Jesus, crowns him with thorns, clothes him in scarlet, and shows the people in this shameful form, but, unable to touch him and thus, being threatened with the disfavor of Caesar, he washes his hands and commands to put the Righteous One to death. Around midday, Jesus, led to the place of execution, faints under the weight of the cross, which is then carried by Simon of Cyrene. He commands the wives who weep for Him to weep for themselves. At Golgotha, some, out of love for the dying man, bring Him, as usual, wine mixed with myrrh, but His tormentors mix it with bile. Ascended to the cross, Jesus sees the people cursing and the soldiers separating His garments, and prays for His enemies; entrusts His Mother to John; He hears from the thieves crucified with Him the desperate blasphemy, and the confession of the repentant, and to this he promises Paradise 74; finally, calling on His Father, tasting vinegar mixed with gall, and exclaiming: “It is accomplished,” he betrayed His spirit to God, announcing this great event to the world and the Church by an eclipse of the sun, an earthquake, the rising of the dead, and the tearing of the veil of the Temple of Jerusalem. With these miracles, some of the guardians of His body recognize Him as the Son of God. On the eve of the Sabbath, until which the Jews, due to the confluence of two holidays, postponed their Passover, the soldiers sent to crush the legs of the crucified, so that they could quickly be removed and given for burial, finding Jesus already dead, pierced His side, from which blood and water miraculously and mysteriously issue. That same evening, the Divine body of the Redeemer, under the care of Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and some wives with ordinary rites, is buried in a nearby garden in a new tomb hewn in stone, and Pilate, at the request of the Jews, orders a seal to be placed on it and a guard placed over it. The body of Jesus Christ was in the tomb for about 30, and in general in a state of crucifixion and death for about 40 hours, which belonged to three days: Heel, Saturday and one from Saturdays, that is, the first day of the week. In the deep morning of this day followed His glorious resurrection, soul from hell, and body from the sealed tomb, which on earth was first revealed to wives through Angels, since the wife was the first to accept the preaching of death from the devil, then announced to the Apostles and the Church by repeated appearances of the Lord over a period of 40 days. At the end of the day of rest, some pious women, having bought aromas to anoint His body, come early to the tomb, but already when the stone that blocked its entrance was rolled away by an Angel, and the guards, frightened by this phenomenon and the earthquake that occurred at the same time, scattered. At the sight of the opened tomb, Magdalene immediately leaves, thinking that the body of the Lord has been transferred from it to another place 75, and her other companions, upon entering the tomb, which had the image of a cave, some see in it one, and some two angels, and some another outside the tomb on the rolled away stone of the tomb, who preach to them the resurrection and predict the appearance of Jesus in Galilee 76. The women tremblingly announce this to the Apostles, and Peter and John hasten to the tomb, and, being in it, are convinced of the resurrection, which they did not even know from Scripture until now. After them, Magdalene again comes to the tomb, and, falling into the tomb with tears, she also sees two Angels 78. Now the appearances of the Risen Lord Himself begin, of which ten are found in the gospel history. Magdalene, looking back from the tomb, sees Him, mistakes Him for the gardener, recognizes Him, but does not receive permission to touch Him 79. Returning again to the Apostles along with another Mary, she sees Him another time; and both embrace His feet 80 . For the third time He appears to Peter, but the circumstances of this appearance are not known 81. Before the evening of the same day, He appears for the fourth time to two disciples, one of whom was Cleopas, on the way to Emmaus; He explains to them the prophecies about Himself, and is known in the breaking of bread 82. Upon the imminent return of these disciples to Jerusalem, that same evening the Lord appears for the fifth time. Through the closed doors He enters the house where the Apostles were staying, except for Thomas, and first produces in them bewilderment and fear, and then joy; He gives them peace and the Holy Spirit, allows Himself to be touched and eats fish and honey before them 83. Eight days later, this phenomenon was followed by a sixth, similar to the previous one to assure Thomas; Moreover, the Lord calls those blessed who do not see and believe 84. For the seventh time He appears to seven disciples on the Sea of ​​Tiberias, offering them a wonderfully successful fishing and on the shore fish, bread and fire; tests Peter's love, entrusts his sheep to him and predicts martyrdom in a parable 85. The eighth phenomenon can be considered to be the one that took place on a certain mountain of Galilee, and which, in addition to the eleven Apostles, was witnessed by more than 500 disciples. Jesus Christ, declaring Himself the ruler of heaven and earth, commanded the Apostles to preach the Gospel to the whole world, promising them miraculous power and His ever-present presence 86 . The only witness of the ninth appearance is the Apostle James 87. The tenth appearance of the Lord is when He, having brought the Apostles to the Mount of Olives, commanded them not to leave Jerusalem in anticipation of the imminent descent of the Holy Spirit, and, having blessed them, ascended into heaven, sending down at the same time two Angels in order to ease this separation with the promise of His second glorious coming 88. The story of Jesus Christ outside of Christianity The history of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, considered simply as history by those who must still achieve the knowledge of its Divinity, being presented by four writers, mostly eyewitnesses, in four books written in different places at times when the events were still fresh in memory, has therefore no need for other witnesses to its reliability. However, anyone who wants to has evidence about it that comes not from friends of Christianity. Phlegon described an eclipse of the sun and an earthquake that happened exactly on the day and hour of Christ’s suffering. The writers of the Talmud preserved a great part of its history, although they partially disfigured it, which Magomed also did in his Alkoran. Tertullian writes that Tiberius, after collecting information about Jesus Christ, proposed to the Roman Senate to include Him among the Gods. Josephus, in the eighteenth book of Antiquities, speaks with respect about His miracles, teaching, suffering, resurrection, and the Christians who descended from Him. The most persistent enemies of Christianity in ancient times did not dare to dispute the reality of the miracles of Jesus Christ, but only tried to overshadow the purity and greatness of the power by which they were performed. Notable Persons in the Church at the Time of the Messiah The most memorable persons in whom, during the coming, the Old Testament Church was preserved in its purity and the New Testament Church was revealed, are the following. 1. Mary Mother of God. She was a branch of the tribe of David, but humiliated and, according to the prophecy 89, truncated even to the root. Her father was, according to the Evangelist Luke, Eli, otherwise Eliakim or Joachim, and her mother, according to legend, Anna. Tradition says that Anna was barren before the birth of the Mother of God, that Mary, at the age of three, according to a vow, was presented to the church and raised under it 90; that even after her betrothal to Joseph she had the intention of maintaining virginity, as they note from her conversation with the Angel 91; that she actually preserved it until her death; that after she witnessed the suffering and glory of her Divine Son, she died in the house of John, and was buried by the Apostles in Gethsemane, but soon afterwards her body was taken to heaven. Her humility could be the reason that these incidents were not quite glorious in their time, however, information about them was gleaned from Nikephoros, Damascus, Gregory of Nyssa, Epiphanius and Dionysius the Areopagite 92. 2. Joseph, Mary's betrothed. Woodworker, although also a descendant of David. Chrysostom considers him a bigamist and the parent of James, Josiah, Judah and Simon - the brothers of the Lord 93, and Jerome claims that he was a virgin. The silence about him in the history of the ministry of Jesus Christ makes it clear that he did not live to this day. 3. John the Baptist. A relative of the Lord on his mother's side. He was Elijah in his lifestyle and pious zeal, a virgin, a martyr. Before others and more than others, approaching the Messiah through knowledge and faith, until his death he was removed from Him by his service, since he was not supposed to be a follower, but His forerunner and an outside witness 94 . 4. Bethlehem Shepherds. Humble piety made them worthy of being the first to hear with faith the glory of the great Shepherd of Israel in heaven and without temptation to see His humiliation in the manger. 8. Eastern Magi. Having undertaken a long journey to find the Messiah, they through this became His preachers. The gifts they brought to the Savior: gold, frankincense and myrrh, according to some, conceal in themselves the confession of His sovereignty, Divinity and death predetermined by Him. 6. Simeon. This pious elder, by revelation, expected, met, recognized, embraced and prophetically blessed the Messiah. Some consider him the son of Hillel, and the father of Gamaliel, Paul's teacher. 7. Anna the Prophetess. An elderly widow who constantly stayed at the church in fasting and prayer. Together with Simeon, she recognized the baby Jesus, and preached about Him to all those looking for deliverance in Jerusalem. 8. Twelve Apostles. They are all from the Jews, since salvation is from the Jews both initially for the Jews and from the common people, for the healing of a world infected with false wisdom, for the glory of Grace and for indicating the need for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Their number refers to the twelve tribes of God's people and signifies the Patriarchs of the new Israel. Some of them received their first instructions about Christ from John, yet they were prepared for their ministry by the constant teaching of Jesus Himself. The degree of their faith was determined by the degree of His trust in them, so Peter, James and John were entrusted with some special secrets. In general, the pure foundation of their hearts was still obscured by some prejudices and errors before the solemn descent of the Holy Spirit. They were called twice, first separately to follow Jesus, and as if for a trial, then together for the apostleship; and they were sent twice, first to preach in Judea in the presence of Jesus, then to teach all nations after His resurrection. Giving them His authority, the Lord laid in them the foundation of church government; Meanwhile, he removed from them any thought of primacy, establishing Himself as the only Teacher, Lord, and Head of the Church, with which he promised to remain until the end of the century. The number of Apostles, disrupted by the fall of Judas, shortly after the ascension of Christ, was replenished by the election of Matthew by lot. 9 . Seventy Apostles. Their number indicates the great Sanhedrin and, as it were, replaces it for the new Israel. 10. Nicodemus, famous Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin. He received his first instructions from the Lord, coming to Him, no doubt, out of human fear, at night. Then he dared to speak in His favor before the bishops and Pharisees. Finally, he took part in His burial. 11. Joseph, by place of origin of Arimathea, member of the Sanhedrin. He did not dare to reveal himself as a disciple of Jesus until His death, and on the day of His death he dared to petition Pilate for permission to bury Him. 12. Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Magdalene are known both for the Lord’s special benefits to them and for their constant zeal for Him. 13. Avgar, Edessa owner. During a serious illness, having heard about the miracles of Jesus and recognizing them as the actions of Divine power, he wrote to the Lord, asking for His visit and healing and received the answer that after the Ascension of the Lord one of the disciples would be sent to him, and then he received a miraculous image of the Savior’s face on the cloth. These events are testified by: Procopius, Evagrius, Ephraim the Syrian, Deacon of Edessa; Eusebius speaks of the letters of Abgar and Jesus as an eyewitness. First century. Apostolic, Judaizing, God-blessed, exemplary. The beginning of the second period. I. The Apostolic Church is growing. The first successes of the Christian faith in Jerusalem I. The Apostolic Church is growing 33 years after the birth of Christ After the ascension of the Lord Jesus, His Church appears in Jerusalem among 120 souls with the Mother of God and the Apostles, who remain inseparably in the upper room 95 and, praying, await the promised descent of the Holy Spirit. On the morning of Pentecost, this grace was revealed by the sensation of violent breathing in the house where they were staying, by the vision of fiery tongues descending on them, and by the sudden awakening in them of the ability to speak in different languages, which was a harbinger and a means of uniting in the Church all peoples separated by a confusion of languages. Many foreigners from different nations who came to Jerusalem for the holiday witnessed this miracle, and when some were perplexed about it, and others mocked, Peter, by explaining the prophecies relating to this event, purchased 3000 souls for Jesus 96 . From that time on, the Apostles preached unanimously in the Temple of Jerusalem, and the Church spread and strengthened daily by the power of their teaching and miracles. One day, Peter, together with John, after healing the lame man who was lying in front of the church gates, converted 5,000 souls with one conversation, despite the fact that at the same time both were taken into custody. The next morning, these prisoners fearlessly confessed Christ before a host of bishops and princes of the Jewish people, and returning to their own, through prayer they received a confident expression of God’s favor in the shaking of the place where they were staying, and in a new tangible outpouring of the Holy Spirit on them. The union of believers was so sincere that they had both a single soul and common acquisitions, so that Ananias and Sapphira, who had withheld from the Apostles part of the price for the sold village, were destined by the Holy Spirit to be unworthy of this pure society, and after a meek reproof by Peter, they were miraculously struck by sudden death 97 . Once the bishops and Sadducees, jealous of the glory of the miracles performed by the Apostles, imprisoned them, but an Angel brought them out of there. The next day, testifying about Christ before the Sanhedrin, they were saved from the death sentence by the impartiality of the learned Pharisee Gamaliel, and they accepted the dishonor of corporal punishment as the most pleasant event in their service 98 . Church of the Jews in Palestine and Syria When Stephen, one of the first seven deacons appointed by the Apostles, for his miracles and invincible wisdom, slandered in blasphemy against God and Moses, after a strong accusatory speech to the Sanhedrin, having confessed Jesus Christ, whom he saw at that time in the open heavens, he was stoned; and when Saul, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, instigated a cruel persecution against the church of Jerusalem, then the believers, except the Apostles, were scattered among the Jews and Samaritans in Palestine and Syria and carried the Gospel with them. Philip, from seven deacons, baptized the Samaritans, and Peter and John, sent from the Jerusalem church, brought down the Holy Spirit on them by the laying on of hands. At this time, among others, Simon, a glorious sorcerer, was baptized, but who, having desired to receive the power to send down the Holy Spirit for silver, was condemned for sacrilege, and left behind the shameful name of “simony.” Philip also, at the direction of the Angel, having overtaken on the way from Jerusalem to Gaza one eunuch, or a nobleman of the Ethiopian queen, who was coming to the church to worship, according to the explanation of the prophecy he had read about Christ, he immediately baptized him, and after the descent of the Holy Spirit on him, he was taken away from him by the Angel. The Damascus church soon became famous due to the conversion of Saul. Approaching Damascus to search for and exterminate the disciples of Jesus, he was blinded by His appearance, and three days later in that city he received from Ananias both bodily insight and spiritual enlightenment in faith 99 . He became as zealous a preacher of Christianity as he had previously been a fervent persecutor, so that the Christians, in order to save his life from the irritated Jews, secretly escorted him first from Damascus to Jerusalem, and from there, due to a similar danger from the Hellenes, they sent him through Caesarea to Tarsus, to his fatherland. When Peter healed the paralytic Aeneas in Lydda and raised Tabitha in Joppa, there was already a church in these places, and from these miracles more than 100 more spread. Church of the Gentiles in Caesarea and Antioch While in Joppa, Peter had, during a solitary prayer, a revelation about the pagan church in the form of a shroud filled with various kinds of animals, which the heavenly voice commanded him to eat three times. As soon as this vision ended, he saw before him three men sent from the centurion of the Italian Legion, Cornelius, who, at the direction of the Angel, asked him to come to Caesarea, and the Spirit commanded the Apostle to go. Entering the house of a foreigner, he preached the Gospel to those gathered, and since, even during his conversation, the Holy Spirit descended on those who heard, he could no longer refuse them baptism. This act of Peter in the Jerusalem church was condemned by some, however, having learned more clearly of God's favor towards the pagans, they turned it to the glory of God. Then it became known in Jerusalem that some of the believers who had dispersed after the death of Stephen founded a church of Greeks in Antioch. As a result of this, Barnabas, being sent to Antioch, increased the number of believers and, having joined Saul, to whom Jesus Christ Himself, having appeared in the temple, had appointed ministry among the pagans 101, for a whole year he worked with him on the improvement of this church. In it, for the first time, the name of the disciples was replaced by the name of Christians. On the occasion of the Prophet Agave's prediction of famine, she opened mutual communication with the Church of Jerusalem, sending alms to it through Barnabas and Saul. They were in Jerusalem at the time when Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great from Aristobulus, killed James, the brother of John, and wanted to please the Jews to do the same to Peter, but an angel brought him out of prison 102. Paul's First Journey to Spread the Faith When the Church of Antioch no longer lacked teachers, Barnabas and Saul, being called out of it by the Holy Spirit, were released with fasting, prayer, ordination, and preached in Cyprus and some regions of Asia Minor. In Paphos, Saul, or otherwise Paul, struck the sorcerer Barisus with blindness, and with this miracle converted the proconsul Sergius Paulus. In Antioch of Pisidia, Paul's preaching aroused the attention of almost the entire city, however, the envy of the Jews was the reason that the fruit went to only the pagans; The apostles had to leave this place and shake off the dust from their feet. In Iconium, many pagans and Jews turned to Christ, but the unbelievers of these latter also caused civil strife, which forced them to send preachers further. In Lystra, the evangelists experienced two opposite extremes: the pagans, seeing the healing of the lame by Paul, recognized him as Mercury, and Barnabas as Jupiter; The Jews had already succeeded in revolting the people against them, so that Paul was stoned and, being mistaken for dead, carried out of the city. From Derbe the Apostles took the return journey, and, having appointed elders to the new churches, returned to Antioch 103. Second trip. Churches in Macedonia and Greece After the discord that took place in Antioch regarding the observance of the ritual law was stopped by the permissive determination of the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem in the presence of Paul, Barnabas and several other representatives of the Antiochian Church, Paul undertook a second journey to establish and spread the faith. Moving away from Barnabas, who certainly wanted to have Mark as a companion, and actually went with him to Cyprus, Paul with Silas passed through Syria, Cilicia, Asia Minor, Macedonia and Greece. On this path he was forbidden by the Spirit to visit Asia and Bithynia; On the contrary, he was summoned by vision to Macedonia. Here in Philippi he was zealously received by Lydia, who sold scarlet, and then, for expelling a divinatory spirit from a certain slave, being beaten and imprisoned, by the miraculous shaking of the building during his midnight singing, the opening of the doors and the loosening of bonds, he trembled and aroused the prison guard to faith. In Thessaloniki, the rebellious Jews disturbed Jason, who showed hospitality to Paul, and persecuted the Apostle even in Berea, where he retired, but grace did not cease to accompany his preaching. In Athens, he was presented to the Areopagus, and by the way, he converted one of its members, Dionysius. In Corinth, being distressed by the stubbornness of the Jews, he was encouraged by the revelation of the success of his zeal; Therefore, I spent a year and a half in this place 104. Paul's Third Journey from Antioch Having visited Jerusalem again on the feast day, and preached in Antioch, Paul undertakes the third journey of the apostleship, in which, according to the review of the former Churches, he intends to see Rome. In Ephesus, he teaches baptism and the Holy Spirit to some of John's disciples, and, preaching here for more than two years, spreads the glory of the Gospel and miracles throughout proconsular Asia, so that even Jewish exorcists begin to use the names of Jesus and Paul in incantations of spirits. But when seven of them were exposed to the danger of life from the demoniac for this recklessness, many completely abandoned this superstitious art. Finally, Demetrius, the silversmith, rebels the people against the Apostle, but the rebellion ends in a useless cry. Having then walked around the Macedonian and Greek churches, in Troas the Apostle resurrects Eutychus, who had fallen from the window of a house. In Milita, having called the shepherds of the Ephesian Church, he gives them instructions, says goodbye and prophesies. Having visited the Tire and Ptolemais churches, in Caesarea he receives from Agave a clear prediction about the disasters threatening him in Jerusalem, and, however, enters Jerusalem. Here, on the advice of the leaders of the Church, Paul and four Nazirites perform a rite of purification: but, despite being taken by the indignant people in the church, he is barely saved from death by the commander of the Roman army and is placed in chains. Under the protection of the captain, Paul spoke with the Jews twice, but each time his speech was interrupted by the confusion of the people and was accompanied by danger. In this feat of the confessor, he is strengthened by the vision of the Lord and is called to testify about Him in Rome. The discovery of a conspiracy among some Jews, who swore not to eat food until they killed Paul, forced the captain to send him, as a Roman citizen, to Caesarea to Felix, the regional governor. This one listens publicly to his cause, and privately to his teaching; but to no avail he keeps him in chains for two years, and, to please the Jews, leaves him to his successor, Festus. Having listened to Festus, and noticing his passion for the Jews, Paul volunteered to have his case transferred to Caesar; then, in the presence of King Agrippa and the same Festus, explaining his service, the latter seems to have been damaged in mind by excessive learning, and almost convinces the first of the truth of Christianity, and, being found innocent, is sent to Italy, simply because he named Caesar. At sea, he predicts a disastrous voyage and the loss of a ship; and in times of danger, he proclaims the salvation of those floating by the revelation of an Angel. In Melita, near which this shipwreck followed, Paul receives new glory: being harmlessly bitten by a viper, and having healed many sick people. Finally, reaching Rome, he was already met by Christians; For two years he preached in it behind the government's home guards and extended the victory of the Gospel even to the house of Caesar 105. The Fourth Apostolic Journey of Paul. After Paul received complete freedom, his fourth Apostolic journey was to begin from Rome, but the traces of which are not so visible in history. According to the legend of Clement 106, he was at that time in the West, since he correctly intended to be in Spain 107. Based on other signs found in his messages, they guess that he visited again some eastern churches 108 and founded a new one in Crete 109. Some Other Churches Founded by the Apostles Meanwhile, when the mother of churches, the Church of Jerusalem, was firmly established on the cornerstone, Christ, and when God Himself opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, little by little the Apostles who remained in Jerusalem, except James, the brother of the Lord, and according to legend, except the relative of the Lord, Simon the Zealot, went out to build other churches 110. Time in many places has erased the traces of their red feet, but Paul assures that in his time broadcasts had already gone out throughout the whole earth, x 111, and the Gospel was preached to every creature under heaven 112; Jerome and Eusebius told us that Thaddeus, from the age of seventy, having healed Afgar, founded the Church of Edessa, and the Evangelist Mark of Alexandria; that Thomas preached to the Parthians and Indians, Bartholomew to the Brahmans, and Andrew to the Scythians. The efforts of spreading Christianity were to be justified and successes were to be elevated by the fall of the criminal and outcast Jewish people in accordance with the prophecies. God showed His hand in this event in such a way that the pagans themselves recognized it. After the conquest of Jerusalem, Titus did not accept popular congratulations, recognizing himself as an instrument only of the wrath of God, 113 and neither he nor his father used the honorary name of Judea in memory of this conquest. According to the testimony of Josephus and Tacitus himself, the fall of Jerusalem was preceded by many miraculous signs, such as: the prophecy of a certain Jesus, who for four years preached grief to Jerusalem, the church, the citizens and, finally, immediately after the exclamation of grief and me, he was killed by stones besieging Jerusalem; a comet, seen over Jerusalem for a whole year in the form of a sword; a light similar to day seen at night in the church; the birth of a lamb from a cow led to the altar on the Feast of Unleavened Bread; the opening at midnight of the copper eastern gates of the church, which twenty people could hardly open; vision of chariots and troops in the clouds; finally, on the day of Pentecost, as the priests entered the church, there was a noise and a voice: “Let us depart from here!” And perhaps this voice called Christians from dying Jerusalem to Pella. The visible cause of the troubles was partly the Jews themselves, partly the Romans. The Roman procurators, such as there were after Pilate: Marcellus, Cuspius Fadus, Tiberius Alexander - an apostate from the Jews, Cuman Felix, Porcius Festus, Albinus and, finally, Gessius Florus, irritated the people with their love of money and cruelty and fueled discord. The Jews, driven out of patience by the atrocities of Florus, incited by the Zealots, deceived by the tradition that at this time the owners of light should come out of Judea, and other misinterpreted signs, despite the resistance of their king Agrippa the Younger, rebelled against the Romans at the end of the reign of Nero. But at the same time, they weakened themselves with extreme internal disorders. Menaim, the chief of the robbers who covered themselves with the name of the Zealots, being received into Jerusalem, filled it with horrors, and brought the abomination of atrocities into the church itself; so the Edomites who were called to help him abandoned him. Then the robber party of Simon appeared, who, having conquered Idumea, occupied Zion, or the upper city. The rivalry of a certain Levite John, who fled to Jerusalem from the city of Giskalla, and Eleazar, the chief of the Zealots, produced two more parties, of which one was kept in the middle of the city and in the outer fence of the church; and the other was in the inner fence, until Eleazar was forced to yield to John, opening the church on the feast of Passover. Simon and John did not leave civil strife until they saw common enemies in front of them; The zealots' rampages resumed during external danger. The execution of the Jews began along with their indignation at various defeats in the whole of Palestine, Syria and Egypt; so that in Caesarea alone 20,000 of them fell, and in Alexandria 50,000. Then Cestius Gallus, the ruler of Syria, with the help of Agrippa himself, entered Jerusalem and was about to besiege the church, however, not hoping to take it, he retired to Antipatris. According to his letter, Nero sent Vespasian to Palestine, who, having taken Josephus Flavius ​​captive in Iotapata, to whom the Jews entrusted the guard of Galilee, took possession of all the most noble cities except Jerusalem, when suddenly, upon receiving news of Nero’s death, he became Emperor. His son, Titus, besieged Jerusalem before Easter and destroyed it six months later. The church, despite the victor's care for its preservation, was burned, like the first, on the tenth day of August, which happened on Compline Saturday, and, as chronologists note, before the onset of the Sabbath year. During the siege, 1,100,000 Jews died from the sword, famine and plague, and 17,000 were captured and sold. All that remains of the city is part of the western wall and three towers instead of a monument; and in the foundations of the church not one stone was left upon another. This was followed by the devastation and closure of the Jewish church in Egypt by the Roman prefects Lipus and Paulinus, and the complete dispersion of the people, who surprised the victors with their numbers. II. Apostolic Church under the Cross The Ways of Providence in the Disasters of Christianity In outward appearance, emerging Christianity was not much happier than distressed Judaism. From day to day persecutions were instituted not only against some Christians, but against the entire Church. Providence wished that the Cross placed at its foundation should also be a measure of its age and its decoration. Its internal benefits were for the most part associated with external sacrifice, so that their election would have all the more freedom and dignity. Her suffering had to be severe, since it had to serve as a cure for the inveterate disease of superstition and debauchery in humanity. The whole world had to arm itself against her in order to magnify her victory. The hatred of the Jewish government for Jesus, aroused by the denunciation of the Pharisaic hypocrisy, the prediction of the destruction of the Church, the discordant character of the Messiah, the teaching of His unity with the Father, and most of all the envy of the priests, turned after Him to His followers. In Palestine alone there were three persecutions, each of which cost the life of one of the most famous men of Christianity. In the persecution of the Zealots and Saul, Stephen was killed, in the persecution of Herod Agrippa - James Zebedee, in the persecution of the high priest Ananus or Anna the Younger, which happened after the death of Festus, James the brother of the Lord 114. The Jews who lived outside Palestine were also instructed from Jerusalem that Christians should not only leave, but also be persecuted 115. Reasons for persecution from the pagans When the Jewish Sanhedrin became exhausted amid futile efforts against Christianity, the spirit of malice moved to Rome. By origin and the same foundations of religion, the Romans confused Christians with Jews 116, who were hated by them for their tendency to indignation, and whose superstition became a proverb among them 117; and the hatred of the Jews themselves for Christians gave even more unfavorable thoughts about the latter. Not calling Caesar either god or lord, and not swearing by his name, not participating in public amusements, but having their own secret meetings, they seemed to be enemies of the government and society, and the more dangerous they became, the faster they multiplied. Not recognizing the pagan gods, and not showing their worship, they were revered by atheists; but the policy of the Romans did not allow any changes in the ancient religion. Finally, those whose benefits were closely associated with this religion had a special incentive to slander Christians, and indeed the grossest superstitions, the most terrible crimes 118, hatred of the human race and all the national disasters were attributed to them. The emperors, at their discretion, accepted suspicions as truth, and the magnanimous Roman people thirsted for Christian blood at their spectacles. Nero, having become the laughing stock of the Empire and the horror of his family, was the first to use imperial power to exterminate the servants of God 119. Having set Rome on fire in order to see the likeness of Troy burning, and in order to have the pleasure of creating a new city, he blamed his crime on the Christians; and, to avoid hatred for cruelty, resorted to new cruelty. To their executions he added desecration, handing them over in animal skins to be torn to pieces by dogs, and, applying this to the crime, he set their bodies on fire to illuminate his gardens at night. This disaster of the church was adorned by the martyrdom of the Apostles - Paul and Peter. It lasted about four years until the death of the persecutor. And, although the reason for it apparently concerned Rome alone, it also extended to the provinces 120. The persecution, which had died out under Vespasian and Titus, was again ignited by Domitian, who was similar to Nero in his atrocities. According to Egesippus 121, he was prompted to do this by some fear similar to that which armed Herod against the infants of Bethlehem. The pride with which he called himself lord and god was undoubtedly matched by his cruelty towards the worshipers of the true God. They defeated her with their firmness: the Apostle John, who was not killed with boiling oil 122, was imprisoned on the island of Patmos; Antipas, who in the church of Diana in Pergamon was thrown into a red-hot copper bull 123, and Fabius Clement, in whom the persecutor did not spare either merit or kinship with himself. Some descendants of Judah, the brother of the Lord, were also brought to him; but their poverty disarmed him, and his quick death put an end to all the persecution. To the confirmation of the believers, the judgment of the Lord obviously befell the enemies of His Church and, especially, their leaders. Herod Agrippa, after a three-year reign, being in Caesarea at the games held in honor of Caesar, at the very time he allowed his followers to exalt himself as a god, was struck by an Angel, crushed by a stomach illness, and eaten by worms 124. Ananus, at the request of the people, was deprived by Agrippa of the high priesthood, which he enjoyed only for three months. Nero, after being recognized as worthy of the church, being abandoned by everyone, having fled from his capital, could hardly commit suicide. Domitian, safe until he raised his hands against the Lord, not only died a bloody death, but was also buried as a vile swordsman, and all monuments to him were destroyed by the Senate. III. State of teaching in the Apostolic Church The teaching of the New Testament in comparison with the Old Testament The internal formation of the New Testament Church, being established on the same basis as the Old Testament, is distinguished by the highest degree of knowledge and activity, corresponding to the male age of the human race. The teaching brought to earth by the incarnation of the Son of God, and more revealed to the understanding of believers by the descent of the Holy Spirit, contains a more definite concept of the Trinitarian being of God. It represents prophecies fulfilled, the truth of prototypes, redemption already accomplished, grace in its universality, the fulfilled promise of the kingdom of Faith, and the continuation of the promise of the kingdom of Glory. It elevates the law of love in the understanding, turning it primarily to the spirit from the scriptures, and from the external to the internal; makes it easier to apply to life, by the power of revealed grace, according to the most perfect way of life of Jesus Christ; delights in the fulfillment of the spirit of sonhood and freedom from curse, fear and slavery. This teaching, during the formation of the Christian Church, was drawn from the source of direct revelation, and was gradually communicated to it by oral tradition to the extent that it could accommodate it. But when it had already been sufficiently revealed and became more acceptable, then the form of instruction in it was closer to the ordinary and natural order, and for continuous and uniform preservation it was enclosed in the Sacred Books, of which there are 27. They were written over the course of half a century, in different places by different people, with application to the particular circumstances of some churches, but in such a way that together they constitute one correct whole. Five of them, in a historical image, represent the life and teaching of Jesus Christ Himself and the initial formation of His Church; twenty-one - in the form of teaching messages or letters, explain in various respects the truths of Christianity; and one - in a prophetic image, reveals the fate of the Church and the perfect victory of the Lamb or the seed of the woman over the serpent. 1. Gospel 125 of Matthew. This writer is one of the twelve Apostles, otherwise called Levi. He wrote before the other evangelists, and, according to the testimony of Athanasius 126, precisely eight years after the ascension of Jesus. The ancients generally believed that the Greek text that exists to this day, this book, is a translation from Hebrew, or Syriac, or Chaldean, but which, due to its apostolic antiquity, has for us dignity equal to the original 127. There is also an ancient opinion that the writer especially had in mind Christian Jews, whom other Jews called Nazarenes, 128 therefore the book begins with the genealogy of the Messiah and contains many indications of prophecies. 2. Gospel of Mark. The writer is a companion of the Apostle Peter 129, and, according to Jerome, the same one who accompanied Paul and Barnabas 130; Epiphanius counts him among the seventy apostles 131. Was his book published in Rome following the Gospel of Matthew, and approved by the revelation and approval of Peter, as Eusebius assures 132, or in Alexandria, like Chrysostom 133, and already after the exodus of Peter and Paul, like Irenaeus 134; Whether in Latin, according to the place of scripture, or in Greek, as the common language of educated peoples in those days, and therefore of the books of the New Testament - this remains in doubt. As for the subject matter, the evangelist limited himself to the time of the solemn service of the Messiah to the human race. 3. Gospel of Luke. The writer is a native of Antioch, a physician by profession, and a colleague of the Apostle Paul 135. The example of the previous evangelists 136 and the desire to confirm a certain famous man, Theophilus, in the faith, Providence turned him into a call to write a new Gospel. Jerome 137 guesses that this happened during Paul’s stay in Corinth, about 53 years after the birth of Christ. The narrative of St. Luke is distinguished by the completeness with which it covers the events of the New Testament from the birth of the Forerunner to the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven. 4. Gospel of John. According to the testimony of Irenaeus 138, it was written on the occasion of the speech of heretics who humiliated the dignity of the person of Jesus Christ, and to complement the previous stories about Him, as Eusebius writes 139. Theophylact relates this work to the imprisonment of the Apostle on Patmos, but Athanasius deserves more confidence, who believes it to be the subsequent stay in Ephesus and the last years of the century. Having depicted the eternal birth of God the Word, the evangelist describes His earthly acts and teachings as the Messiah. 5. Acts of the Apostles. The writer of this book is Luke the Evangelist. She concludes in her narrative as many years as there are chapters, that is, 28; and, probably, was written shortly after the fulfillment of this time, on the occasion of the scattering of false narratives about the apostles, as some guess about it 140. It presents the ascension of the Lord, the descent of the Holy Spirit, some adventures of the apostles: Peter, John, James, Paul; most importantly, the initial formation of the Christian Church from Jews and pagans. 6. Epistle of James. The name of the conciliar epistle can mean a district letter to many churches, or also an epistle by the entire Conciliar Church, recognized as a holy book. The writer of this epistle is Jacob, the brother of the Lord 141. The motivation for its writing was the external misfortunes of believers, especially the Jews, to whom it was written, and the damage to morals through the abuse of the doctrine of justification by faith. Therefore, it should have appeared after the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians, and shortly before the death of the writer, which followed in the seventh decade after the birth of Christ. It contains intermittent instructions about behavior in temptation, about respect for the poor, about matters of faith, about false grandeur, about the harmful consequences of sensuality, about humility, about the misfortunes of the rich, about waiting for judgment, about oaths, and, finally, about the blessing of oil and confession. 7. The First Epistle of Peter. The writer also addresses the dispersed Jews. According to Augustine 142, it is also aimed at the abuse of the doctrine of justifying faith, and from a guess based on consideration of its contents with the then state of the church, it seems to have tended to destroy the harmful impression left in some by the short-term disagreement between Peter and Paul in Antioch, which happened in half a century 143. The place of writing is Babylon 144, which some take to be Rome, others find in Egypt, and others mean Seleucia of Babylonia. Having blessed God for the firmness of the believers, the Apostle gives them Christian instructions, adapted to various conditions in the church and civil society, and excites them to exploits by the exploits of Jesus Christ and the near judgment, which probably signaled the approaching fall of Jerusalem. 8. Second Epistle of Peter 145. Approaching his martyrdom 146, which followed in the year 67 in Rome, the Apostle writes this as his last testament to those to whom he had previously preached 147. He confirms them in faith, predicts the appearance of false teachers and warns them about the end of the world. 9 . John's First Epistle. Its writer, in addition to ancient tradition, is recognized by the image of the scripture, and even by the fact that he does not put his name. His speech can be applied to the believing Jews, as well as the pagans 148, and contains a protective remedy against the false doctrine of justification and the face of Jesus Christ 149. The last year 150, in which this message was written, is probably the time before the destruction of Jerusalem. Having presented God as the source of life, light and love, the Apostle shows the true actions of this principle in a Christian 151. 10. Second Epistle of John. The name of the elder, under which the writer of this epistle hid himself, perhaps from his enemies, does not mean either the dignity of a presbyterian or an accidental designation, but the age of the writer, who, according to the instructions of Irenaeus 152, is the Apostle John. The face of the chosen lady 153 to whom he addresses is not so well known. The subject of the message is a comforting testimony given to orthodoxy and warning against false teachers. 11. John's third epistle. Gaius, to whom it is inscribed, may have once been a companion of Paul 154. The glory of his walk in the truth is the motive, and the approval of his love of homosexuality is the main subject of the message. 12. Epistle of Jude. Writer from twelve 155. A word to all believers. Following the exhortations of the other Apostles, a new cautionary depiction of the depraved heretics is presented here. 13. Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans. Written in Corinth 156, before the last journey of the Apostle to Jerusalem 157, in the Greek language, as natural to him and familiar to the Romans. The glory of the Roman Church, which he had not yet had the opportunity to see 158, and the destructive disputes between believing Jews and pagans about mutual advantages 159, gave him the opportunity to confirm them in the faith. For this purpose, having condemned the pagan with his wisdom, and the Jew with his law 160, he proposes the doctrine of justification through faith 161, and promises equal pardon from God to Jews and pagans 162. Then he gives moral 163, civil 164, ritual 165 rules. Concludes with an indication of the progress of the Gospel, 166, and with some private kisses or greetings, 167. 14. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. After the first stay of the Apostle in Corinth, it was written in Ephesus 168, as a result of news received about the strife and doubts that had arisen in the Corinthian church. It contains a denunciation of strife and a call for unanimity 169 ; denunciation of sensuality and some doubts 170, resolution of perplexities about marriage 171, caution against sacrifices to idols 172; instructions on the decorum of husbands and wives in pious assemblies and at the sacrament of the Supper 173; the doctrine of spiritual gifts, the advantage of love 174; about the resurrection of the dead 175 ; finally, advice on alms 176. 15. Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. Written in Macedonia about a year after the first. To find out the effect of the first epistle, after it the Apostle sent Titus to Corinth, and learned from him that it was received with reverence, and the abuses exposed in it were for the most part corrected; but that some false apostles from among the Jews are trying to shake the confidence of the Corinthians in Paul and his teaching. As a medicine against this dangerous infection, the Apostle sends this second letter with the same Titus and two other brothers. In it he talks about his evangelical labors in Asia and Macedonia, explaining at the same time the benefits and promises of the New Testament, urging purity and the creation of alms 177; then he sets forth the advantages of his ministry, his disasters and his revelations 178 ; finally, he threatens severity upon his arrival 179. 16. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. After he enlightened them with the Gospel, some new teachers, following the example of the other Apostles, inclined them towards circumcision and caused a schism. The apostle, upset by their inconstancy, writes to them, as one might guess, from Ephesus, during his two-year stay there 180. He justifies his teaching by his history and the relationships he had with the other Apostles 181; explains the Old Testament in relation to the promises of the New 182; and, proclaiming Christian freedom, teaches how to use it to create virtue 183. 17. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. Written in Rome in bonds 184. The intention of this letter, of course, was to put a bulwark against the Ephesians’ inclination towards idolatry, sorcery, self-will, and against men preaching immorality, whose appearance he predicted when bidding farewell to them 185. In the first part of the book, the Apostle sets out the view of salvation and prays to God for the enlightenment of the Ephesians 186; in the second he exhorts to preserve church unity, to be renewed in spirit, to fulfill all virtues and social duties out of love for God, to strive in the full armor of faith, and, finally, asks for prayers for himself 187. 18. Paul's Epistle to the Phalippians. Written during the first stay of the Apostle in Rome 188, when he dismissed Epaphroditus, who was sent to him from the Philippian church with alms and for service. A brief account of the writer's bonds, the conviction of unanimity and devotion to the will of God; caution against the false teachers of the Judaizers, and, finally, approval of the pious generosity of the Philippians, constitute the content of this message, filled with living feelings of love and joy. 19. Paul's Epistle to the Colossians. The church to which it was written is sought by some on the island of Rhodes, but Chrysostom and Jerome with greater certainty believe it to be in Colosse, a Phrygian city, near Laodicea 189; Having not seen her, but having heard about her from Epaphras 190 in Rome, the Apostle sends this message through the deacons Tychicus and Onesimus. It extols the person and merits of Jesus Christ; contrasts the Old Testament rites with a new spiritual man; depicts the social duties and behavior of a Christian. 20. Paul's first letter to Thessalonians. Ancient copies show that this book was written in Athens 191, but more likely it was in Corinth. For here Timothy, sent to review and approve the newly built church of Thessalonica, united with the Apostle; and his arrival to Paul was followed by this letter 192. Coming out about 52 years after the Nativity of Christ, it is the first of the writings of this Apostle. It can be noted that at this time, especially, he was concerned with the fear that the Thessalonians would not be shaken by his own misfortunes. He praises their faith and patience, frankly depicts his behavior towards them; teaches holiness, consolation in death, vigil in anticipation of the unknown day of the Lord's coming, and Christian behavior in the church. 21. Paul's second letter to Thessalonians. It followed the first on the occasion of the widespread opinion about the imminent coming of the Lord, which may have been facilitated by a misinterpretation of what was said on this subject in the previous message 193. Here the Apostle comforts the persecuted, sets out the signs of the times of the coming of Christ, and commands us to separate ourselves from the disorderly. 22. Paul's first letter to Timothy. Timothy, the pious son of a pious Jew and a pagan, having been introduced to the Apostle by the faithful in Lystra, became his companion and collaborator. Departing from Ephesus for Macedonia, the Apostle left him with the authority of bishop 194 in the Ephesian church; and then, to instruct him in this ministry and to warn him against false enlightenment, I wrote this letter to him 195. This happened either after Paul's two-year stay in Ephesus, or after his first trip to Rome 196. This book contains rules relating primarily to those ordained in the ministry of the church, with a prediction about the false teachers of the last times. 23. Paul's second letter to Timothy. Written in chains; and if this was during the last stay of the Apostle in Rome, as Epiphanius and Chrysostom think, then this message should be the last 197. In the midst of persecution, being abandoned by his neighbors, the Apostle convinces his beloved son to faithfully carry out his ministry, predicting the corruption of the last days, draws his attention to the Inspired Scripture, and, mentioning his last sufferings, calls him to himself. 24 Epistle of Paul to Titus. Titus, who was born in paganism, after accepting Christianity, traveled with Paul, and was appointed to collect alms in some churches, 198 after the Apostle established the Church in Crete, was left in this place to appoint elders. From the silence about the Cretan church in the book of Acts they conclude that this happened after Paul's first journey to Rome. On the way to Nicopolis, or from Nicopolis itself, or Macedonian, or Epirus 199, the Apostle communicates to Titus through this letter the rules that he must follow in electing elders, and which he must instill in the people. 25. Epistle of Paul to Philemon. Onesimus the servant of Philemon, who fled to Rome, converted here to faith. Returning him to his master, the Apostle sends with him this message of conciliation. To this, the added command to prepare a monastery for Paul himself 200 shows that this happened during his first bonds. 26. Epistle to the Hebrews. Origen attributes this book to Luke, Tertulian to Barnabas, and others to Clement of Rome, or Apollos, but Justin, Clement of Alexandria, Athanasius, Gregory, Jerome, Augustine to the Apostle Paul. Indeed, although he, due to some modesty, or because of the prejudice of the Jews against him, hid his name, his face is revealed in the fact that he writes in Italy 201 in chains 202 in the hope of liberation 203, in anticipation of the coming of Timothy 204; that the way of feeling and many expressions of this epistle are common with other epistles of this Apostle; and that the reference of the Apostle Peter to the writings of Paul precisely points to this letter 205 . The opinion that the original language of this book was not Greek, but Hebrew, originating from Clement of Alexandria, the newest, judging by its style and the circumstances of the writer, find unfounded. The attachment of the believing Jews to the Levitical ministry, 206 their suffering from unbelievers, 207 and, perhaps especially, the death of James the Apostle, bishop of Jerusalem, 208 prompted Paul to instruct and comfort them. Having depicted the Divine majesty of the face and ministry of Jesus Christ, he calls into his spiritual rest 209; having compared the Melchizedek, Levitical and Jesus priesthoods, he teaches to seek justification in this latter and in the spiritual service of God 210; Having shown the advantage of faith in the examples of the Old Testament righteous, it stimulates the imitation of them and the Lord and concludes with moral instructions 211. 27. Apocalypse of John the Theologian. The writer is one with the writer of the Gospel and Epistles, both according to the testimony of Irenaeus, Tertullian, Eusebius, Athanasius, Basil and others, and according to the description of the writer 212 found at the beginning of the book and according to his characteristic use of the name of the Lamb 213 and the Word 214. This revelation was given and written during his imprisonment on Patmos, during the persecution of Domitian. The seven churches of Asia Minor, to which it is inscribed, according to Arethas, Bishop of Caesarea, form the Christian churches of all places and times. The subject of it is the battle of the serpent - the Eden tempter with the Lamb - the meek, the eternal sacrifice of the predestined Redeemer, and the final victory of the latter; the fate of Christianity and the world is open for as long as is necessary to console the believers and dispel their bewilderment during prolonged persecution. Therefore, this book contains the resolution of all Holy Scripture. In its arrangement, which is exceedingly regular, there are presented the seven epistles to the churches, the seven seals, the seven trumpets, the seven vials of wrath, followed by the judgment of the serpent and his instruments, the marriage of the Lamb, and the renewal of the world. Some add to the Apostolic works the so-called Apostolic Symbol 215. The name of the Symbol (σύμβολον) can be derived from the conjunction, since in it, as some assert, each of the Apostles laid down his part of the confession of faith; or from abbreviation, since it contains in itself an abbreviation of the whole Christian doctrine; or from an obligation, since it contains the obligation, or Covenant of Faith, in which we enter into with God through baptism, or, finally, according to the most accepted opinion, from a military warning sign, since through it faithful Christians are distinguished from unbelievers and heretics. It could be called Apostolic either because it was composed word by word by the Apostles, or because it contains members of the faith confessed by the Apostles, in which sense other symbols are also called Apostolic. The origin of symbols in general, and in particular, the so-called Apostolic The origin of symbols in general should be attributed to the need for instruction in the fundamental truths of the faith for those entering the church; and to the confession of the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit at baptism, commanded by Jesus Christ Himself 216. Ancient writers, starting from Clement of Rome, derived the use of catechumenate through symbols from the Apostles, and in their own writings there are traces of this practice 217. Ruffin 218 says more definitely that the Apostles, before their dispersion, according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, composed the Symbol of the future sermon, and another writer, under the name Augustine 219, describes the image of its composition, attributing to each Apostle his own member of faith. But the silence about this in the Book of Acts, the difference in symbols used in the first three centuries, the unknown about the so-called Apostolic Symbol in the Eastern Churches and at the Councils, do not allow us to establish ourselves on this tradition. Especially the first two Ecumenical Councils could not have kept silent about it. It remains to be assumed that the Symbol, which is now known in the Western Church under the name of the Apostolic, received its existence from the Apostles, along with other symbols known in antiquity, so that to the confession of the Holy Trinity commanded by Jesus Christ at baptism, other essential members of the faith were added, as required by the state of those who were catechumens about the Church, and as its primates reasoned, that the ancient Symbol of the Church was and is one, but that, being preserved oral tradition, diversified in some private expressions, and, finally, in a certain form in the West it was called, like everything belonging to the primal Church, the Apostolic Symbol. Two of its members: the descent of Christ into hell, and the communion of Saints, are not read in other ancient Symbols. Instructions in the faith had in the primal church the image of simplicity, free from all the rules of human art. However, the catechumens of those entering the Church were attached to the knowledge that they already had. An example of the catechumen of the Jews is the speech of the Apostle Peter after the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the catechumen of the pagans is the whole epistle to the Romans. In relation to the teaching, believers were divided into infants and perfect, so that what was offered to the latter was a secret for the former until their perfect establishment in the first principles of faith 220. The Apostles themselves instilled concern for the education of capable ministers and teachers of the church 221. According to Irenaeus, the Evangelist John himself had a school in Ephesus 222. The founding of the Alexandrian Catechetical School (κατηχήοεων διδασκαλεϊον) is attributed to the Evangelist Mark on the basis of Eusebius’ legend about its antiquity 223. The writings of the Apostolic Men are authentic Following the example of the inspired writers of the New Testament, some other teachers of the primal church taught it their teaching in the form of epistles. 1. The Epistle of Barnabas. The writer is the Levite Josiah, renamed by the Apostles Barnabas, that is, the son of consolation, for his charity to the church. From the content of his work they guess that it was written to the believing Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem. Like Paul's epistles, it is divided into two parts: the first shows the insufficiency of the Old Law, the necessity of the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ and the allegorical signification of some Old Testament rites and commandments; the second contains moral instructions. What seems strange to some is the nature of the mystery and the idea of ​​a six-thousand-year existence of the world and a thousand years of peace, corresponding to the days of creation. But this did not prevent Clement of Alexandria and Origen from considering this book to be the authentic work of the man whose name it bears, although, however, they did not classify it as canonical. Eusebius speaks of her with doubt. 2. Epistle of Clement of Rome to the Corinthians. The Corinthian Church, being outraged by the disagreement that occurred between its clergy and the people, informed the Roman Church about its disaster, either because this happened during the life of the Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul, or according to the custom of church communication. Clement, Paul’s assistant, and then the Bishop of Rome after Linus and Anacletus, respond to this on behalf of the Roman Church. He presents in his message the advantages of peace, the evils of discord, the duty to obey the shepherds, and adds to this instruction in Christian virtues. This message was accepted with praise by all antiquity, starting with Irenaeus. About another similar thing, of which a fragment is now only found, Eusebius and Jerome mention with doubt. 3. Epistles of Ignatius the God-Bearer, Bishop of Antioch, disciple of John the Theologian. They were collected after the death of the writer by Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Eusebius and Jerome recognize them as genuine and approve of them among the seven. All of them are written in bonds on the way to martyrdom from Antioch to Rome. The letters to the Smyrneans, to Polycarp, to the Ephsians, to the Magnesians, to the Philadelphians and Thrallians contain pastoral instructions in faith and virtue; in the letter to the Romans the desire for martyrdom is expressed. 4. Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians. Writer, disciple of John the Theologian, Bishop of Smyrna, who died a martyr in old age, in 167 after the birth of Christ. Irenaeus testifies that he wrote many epistles to neighboring churches, but only one has survived to this day, filled with pure and simple teaching. Before the time of Jerome it was read in the Asian churches. In addition to these, there are remarkable monuments of the teachings of the apostolic times, but such, the authenticity of which is now a matter of dispute. 1. Three Books of Hermas. They only exist in Latin translation. The first contains 4 visions, which are presented to the writer by a wife signifying the church; in the second there are 12 commandments, which are given to him by the Guardian Angel in the form of a shepherd; in the third there are 10 instructive parables. The writer, according to some, was known to the Apostle Paul 224. They guess that the work was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, for in it they find a prediction about this event. Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, quote the words of Hermas, under the name of Scripture; Eusebius, Athanasius and Jerome consider his work not a canonical, but useful book. 2. Works of Dionysius the Areopagite. Of these, books have survived to this day: about the Heavenly and Church Hierarchy, about the names of God, about mysterious Theology, and ten letters to various persons. Gregory of Nazianzus makes a similar reference to this writer, without, however, calling him by name; Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedon speaks of the Dormition of the Mother of God in exactly his own words; Anastasius Sinaite is testified by him as an Apostolic Teacher; Gregory the Great calls him an ancient and venerable Father; the second Council of Nicaea uses his testimony, but Eusebius and Jerome do not mention his writings. Those who stand for their authenticity confirm their opinion by the high teaching contained in them, as well as by the fact that Titus, Timothy and John the Theologian are presented in them as contemporaries of the writer. Evidence of the opposite opinion consists of: a tense, allegorically filled syllable, the silence of ancient writers, descriptions of rituals that, apparently, do not correspond to apostolic times, and some chronological inconsistencies mentioned in these books of circumstances with the known history of the writer. IV. Divine services and rituals of the Apostolic Church About Christian worship in general and its initial formation With the internal worship of God in spirit, the Christian church has always had external worship. Its need is recognized from the very being of man, which has an internal and external side, and from the uniform structure necessary in society, and its dignity consists in conformity with internal worship. Essential parts of it were established by Jesus Christ, the most important after these by the Apostles, and others by their followers. At first it was united with the ancient Jewish, but gradually, having received its own complete education, especially after the fall of the Old Testament rites along with the Temple of Jerusalem, it retained from the previous institutions only that which was in accordance with the spirit of the New Testament and Christian freedom. Places of pious meeting The first place of pious Christian gatherings was the Temple of Jerusalem. Jesus Christ Himself taught in it, into it, and after the descent of the Holy Spirit, Peter and John ascended to pray 225; in it the Apostles preached the Gospel 226; in it Paul purified himself with the Nazirites 227. The Apostles also preached in the Jewish synagogues 228. But, in fact, Christian worship and sacraments in the times of the Apostles were performed in private houses, in which, however, a special place was designated for this. The original example of such a place is the upper room in which Jesus Christ established the sacrament of the Eucharist 229 and the one in which the Apostles awaited and received the Holy Spirit 230 . The Apostle Paul, contrasting such a place with simple houses, calls it a church 231. At the end of the apostolic times, Ignatius the God-Bearer in his Epistle to the Philadelphians writes that the church has one altar, one bishop with elders and deacons, and in the Epistle to the Magnesians he calls it the church of God. Liturgy and Sacrament of Communion Public acts of worship in Apostolic times were generally called Liturgy or service, 232 but this name was especially given to the service in which the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated. The rite of the Lituria in the primate church, as is known, largely depended on the disposition of the primate of the church. The liturgy celebrated by the Apostle Paul in Troas began and ended with a teaching and lasted the whole night 233. Usually this included: 1) reading sacred books; 2) spiritual singing; 3) a teaching that could be offered not only by the primate, but also by others who felt capable of doing so, and by the proclamation of God, excluding only the wives; 4) prayers in which the celebrant preceded the people, and which the male sex had to offer with an open head, and the female with a covered head; 5) proskomedia, or offering of bread and wine, which the people brought to the clergy to perform the sacrament and to serve the poor; 6) consecration of the gifts with the words of the Savior, depicting the establishment of the sacrament, blessing and prayer, and 7) distribution of them to those present by the deacons in divided types of bread and wine 234. Then followed a common meal, which, in the spirit of this institution, was called love (αγάπη). Baptism, like the open door of faith, had to always be ready for the multitude of converts, therefore it was performed in houses 235, and on rivers 236, and in meetings of the people, and alone with the minister of faith. This sacrament was preceded by instruction in faith 237 and its confession 238, and was performed in accordance with the institution of Jesus Christ, the invocation of the Holy Trinity 239 and the immersion of the body in water, as shown by the very name of baptism (βαπτισμός), and its comparison with the death and burial of Jesus Christ 240. The placement of this sacrament in the place of circumcision 241 and the example of entire families baptized by the Apostles 242 make it clear that this sacrament was also imparted to infants. The putting on of Christ and the new man, according to some, was formed in those newly baptized by new white clothing 243 . About the ordination of anointing Baptism was followed by the ordination of anointing, through which the believer received anointing from the Saint 244, confirmation in faith and the actual use of spiritual gifts, in which sign after and as a visible sign of this sacrament, they began to use anointing. At the beginning of Christianity, the ordination of anointing was performed primarily by the Apostles 245. According to the various ancient uses of this external action, it could especially signify: 1) God's blessing, following the example of Patriarch Jacob; 2) communion with the spiritual priesthood, in the image of Levitical initiation; 3) the offering of the person receiving the ordination as a sacrifice to God, since this rite was used over sacrificial animals and 4) spiritual enlightenment, just as this was a consequence of the ordination of Moses over Jesus. Anointing, according to the testimony of Dionysius the Areopagite 246, was performed by priests and inspired the Christian with readiness for spiritual achievement, in the same way as ascetics were anointed with oil at spectacles. Repentance for those who have fallen into sin after baptism is represented in the primary church in a different way according to the difference of the Fall. The Apostle James's instruction to confess one another's sins was given, no doubt, with the thought of light sins of weakness in order to encourage the faithful to mutual edification and mutual prayerful assistance. Serious and tempting sins were confessed before the entire church, and were resolved by the authority of the primate during the general prayers of the church. Sins that were less serious and not associated with open temptation had neither need nor benefit to be announced before the whole church, and therefore in this case the sacrament of repentance, with the blessing of the bishop, was performed by the presbyter not in the general meeting of the church, but especially, as Dionysius the Areopagite mentions. Those worthy of the sacrament of the priesthood were sometimes called by revelation 247, by lot 248, by the separation of the first from believing paganism 249, and more usually by the consent of the church 250. Those chosen were tested in faith and behavior 251 and then sanctified by the Apostles or bishops with fasting, prayer and ordination 252 . Ordination, used in consecration to the degree of priesthood, is a mysterious sign of the transfer of the grace of the priesthood, which the Apostles initially received partly at the Last Supper of the Lord, partly at the descent of the Holy Spirit. Dionysius adds to these rituals the kneeling of the initiate before the altar and the sign of the cross placed on it by the one performing the secret 253. What is known from the rites of marriage is that the permission of the bishop was required to enter into it, so that, as Ignatius writes to Polycarp, the marriage would be about the Lord, and not out of passion. Over the sick, the elders performed anointing of oil, combined with prayer, in the hope of healing and remission of sins. Pure tree oil was in this case a sign of grace, mercy and reconciliation with God. The hours of worship, with the gradual formation of churches and with external obstacles, could not be determined by a general rule. Some examples show that, according to Jewish custom, the following were dedicated to prayer: 1) the third hour, that is, the end of the first quarter of the day, marked by the descent of the Holy Spirit 254; 2) the sixth, in which Peter, praying in the upper room, had a revelation about the pagan church 255 and 3) the ninth, in which Peter, going up with John to pray in the Jerusalem temple, healed the lame man 256. For the celebration of the Eucharist, night 257 was usually used as the safest time, and as the time for the establishment of this sacrament 258, for which reason communion was not forbidden even after the usual table 259; and the use of candles during sacred ceremonies began 260. The piety and decorum of the Christian Church has sanctified certain days in memory of great incidents of faith and, in part, following the example of the Jewish Church. 1. The Day of the Resurrection of Christ, under the name of the Day of the Lord, took the place of the Jewish Sabbath. On this day the church usually met for public worship 261; on this day, the rich put aside part of their surplus for church alms, as the Apostle Paul instituted this in the churches of Galatia and Corinth 262; on this day John had the visions that constitute his Apocalypse 263. However, the Jewish believers did not completely abandon the observance of the Sabbath. 2. The New Testament holiday of Easter was also celebrated in honor of the suffering and resurrection of Christ, which were prefigured by the Old Testament Easter. But about the time of this celebration, some Christians agreed with the Jews and celebrated it on the fourteenth day of the first spring month; and some attributed it to the next day, Sunday. The first of these customs in the second century, some churches in Asia Minor affirmed the example of John the Theologian; and the second - the Western churches by the tradition of Peter and Paul 264. 3. The Feast of Pentecost was borrowed from the Jewish Church and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit 265. The first Christians had frequent fasts, however, for the most part they were arbitrary and at different times. They fasted in order to make themselves more capable of prayer 266 at the beginning of important affairs 267 and during disasters 268. The fast of Pentecost before Easter, according to the explanation of Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer in the Epistle to the Philippians, is an imitation of the life of Christ. The holy kiss 269 or the kiss of peace 270 should be included among the sacred rites of the primacy of the Church. It was used in ordinary greetings and during sacred ceremonies. It had a spiritual sign of love uniting Christians and reconciliation with God and could also be an image of the union of Divinity and humanity in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit emanating from the Father and resting in the Son. V. Decree and government of the Apostolic Church Decree of the Apostolic Church in general Being a society of those who are guided and guided towards eternal salvation, the Church could not but have subordinates and superiors. Jesus Christ did not outline a detailed and uniform decree for her in His word, so that His Kingdom would not seem to be of this world, therefore we must learn this decree more from the example and tradition of the Apostolic Church. She represented, as she still does today, the image of the supreme unity of command in Jesus Christ, ruling her through His revelation and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This supreme invisible power was apparently represented for the entire universal church in the Apostles and Councils, and for private churches in the bishops. However, its hierarchy or ecclesiastical authority is not similar to any kind of worldly government, that is, such an order according to which certain persons, in accordance with their abilities and service, divided into ranks and degrees, on the basis of the word of God with the help of successive grace, act for the sanctification of souls so that the eldest in spiritual power becomes a servant of all duties. Two classes of church members In the Apostolic Church, two categories of people were clearly distinguished, of which some in the Epistle to the Hebrews are called mentors 271, while others in the First Epistle of Peter are designated by the allegorical name of the flock 272, the most common among the leading Christians, the name brothers. With this division, the names of laity (λαϊκοί) and clergy or clergy (κλήρο) are equivalent. This last name, which actually means lot, probably comes from the ancient, although, however, not universal custom of electing to sacred positions by lot, and shows that the servants of the faith by graceful election are due to the lot of the Lord, and that, reciprocally, the Lord is their part or lot. Clement of Rome testifies both to the antiquity of the division of the laity and the clergy, and to the fact that it was introduced in imitation of the Jewish church, for he posits in this church four degrees of believers: bishop, priest, Levite and laity 273 . Extraordinary gifts and ministries In the hierarchy of the Apostolic Church, extraordinary spiritual gifts and ministries established by God primarily for the initial spread of the faith must be distinguished from the permanent positions and ministries characteristic of the church at all times. Such is part of the gift of miracles, especially languages, such are the titles of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists 274. 1. To the twelve Apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles 275 was added by direct call, who, by his own admission, being less than the other Apostles, worked more than all of them 276 and participated more than anyone else in the compilation of the Holy Books. He gives the name of Apostles and some other ministers of pagan churches, whose calling to this service is unknown 277. The distinctive advantages of the title of Apostle are: 1) their direct calling to service from Jesus Christ; 2) Divine inspiration, or the obvious participation of the Holy Spirit, guiding into all truth, and the resulting authority in teaching and government; 3) perfect agreement in revealed truths; 4) the vision of Jesus Christ, of whom they were supposed to be eyewitnesses; 5) the ubiquity of service throughout the world; 6) an abundance of miraculous gifts and the power to communicate the visible gifts of the Holy Spirit through ordination and 7) the right to write canonical epistles. Despite such Divine authority, in many cases they acted only with the public consent of the believers; and such a high service did not prevent some of them from living in a marital state. This is exactly what is known about Peter from the testimonies of the Evangelist Matthew 278, the Apostle Paul 279 and after them Clement of Alexandria 280. 2. Prophets in the primal Church were called both those who had the gift of predicting the future, and those who, by Divine inspiration, by mutual comparison of Old Testament prophecies and New Testament events, explained the Holy Scriptures to confirm the truth of the Gospel. Although the prophetic inspiration of the Holy Spirit is generally a transitory gift, there were people in whom it was constantly preserved, and from whom it therefore formed a special category of teachers of the Church 281 . These were: Ahab 282, Judah, Silas 283 and the four daughters of Philip 284. They offered, excluding their wives, their prophecies and instructions in church meetings and, moreover, sometimes one after another in order 285. 3. Evangelists, or evangelists, were some of the associates of the Apostles who especially devoted themselves to preaching Jesus Christ by word or scripture. Phillip the Deacon 286 and Timothy 287 are called by this name in the Holy Scriptures. Degrees of permanent hierarchy Since ancient times, the permanent and indispensable hierarchy of the Christian Church has been divided into three degrees: bishop, presbyter and deacon. 1. The name bishop means overseer. The apostolic origin of this dignity, different from the title of elders, can be seen from the first letter to Timothy, where the Apostle Paul instructs him to use the power entrusted to him to appoint elders and deacons 288, instruct them 289, encourage 290 and judge 291; from the letter to Titus, where this one also appears to have been left in Crete with the right to appoint elders 292 and govern them; from the Apocalypse, where one bishop is assigned to each of the seven Asian churches under the name of Angel 293. Ignatius the God-Bearer in his epistles, speaking about the clergy, usually names bishops, presbyters and deacons 294. Since the power of the bishop also includes that which belongs to the presbyter, the positions and titles of the first years were not strictly distinguished at first, 295 while the advantage of the bishopric has always been the right to ordain and lead presbyters. Newly founded churches, depending on necessity, sometimes had many bishops in one place, 296 but later, for the most complete unity of believers, one bishop was assigned to one place. 2. The name presbyter means old man and was probably borrowed by Christians from the Jews, since the first presbyters were installed, no doubt, in Jerusalem 297 . The position of the elders has always been to teach the people and perform the sacraments in agreement with the bishops. They were also advisors to the bishops. 3. The name of deacons, that is, ministers, common to the ministers of the faith 298, was assigned by the Apostles to the seven ministers of the meals set in Jerusalem 299; and following this example, this third degree of ministers of the Church was introduced in other places 300. Their position at first consisted of taking care of the maintenance of the poor, and then of serving in the celebration of the sacraments. The example of Stephen and Philip shows that they could preach. A special class of official persons in the Apostolic Church were deaconesses 301. Otherwise they were called widows, depending on the state from which they were chosen 302. Their position was probably to serve women at baptism, guide them in the church, and help the poor, sick and needy. Those who prepared themselves for the spiritual with special rigor of life and practiced self-sacrifice were given the name of ascetics 303 from ancient times, which Christians borrowed from philosophers 304 and which means a worker, abstinent, or an active sage. The exploits of ascetics included long fasts, constant prayer, arbitrary poverty, and abstinence from marriage. The Apostolic Church is rich in examples of such ascetics, although they did not constitute a special class of people in it. Jacob, the brother of the Lord, spent his life in virginity 305. The Apostle Paul also withdrew from marriage 306, mortified his body 307 and repeatedly remained in fasting and vigil 308. Eusebius writes that Christian ascetics in Egypt received their origin from the Evangelist Mark. Deanery of the Apostolic Church The Deanery (Disciplina) of the Apostolic Church in relation to belief was based on the following rules: that believers strictly preserve the image of the teaching taught by the Apostles 309; so that they move away from disputes and word disputes, from which envy, discord, blasphemies and suspicions arise 310; so that heretics, after being denounced twice, should not communicate with or greet them 311; so that, like babies, they love the verbal milk, and try to continually grow towards salvation 312. In behavior it required that the strong bear the infirmities of the weak and endure each other with love 313: that innocent things be abandoned if they offend the weak 314; so that believers avoid pagan courts, and in case of disagreement resort to church authorities 315; so that the disorderly and disobedient are removed from the community and meals for shame and correction of them 316. Obvious and unrepentant sinners were punished by complete excommunication with public lamentation 317. Those who transformed the fundamental truths of the Gospel were struck down by anathema 318. Surrender to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved, was, apparently, some kind of extraordinary action of the Apostolic power 319. Traditions and Apostolic Rules In addition to the rules of church deanery found in Holy Scripture, some more detailed and particular ones, being borrowed from the oral instructions or example of the Apostles, were preserved in the imitative use of bishops, which Irenaeus calls tradition 320. From here came the so-called Apostolic Rules, which were probably collected in the second and third centuries, and which in the Eastern Church are preserved in the number of eighty-five. Since they talk about subdeacons, readers and singers 321, resolve questions about eunuchs 322, about the marriage of clergy 323, about Pentecost 324 and Easter 325 and mention the elder over bishops 326, then from this it is clear that they are adapted to the state of the church after the Apostles, and are multiplied according to circumstances. Some of them, due to changing circumstances, underwent some changes, such as, for example, the rule about twice-annual Councils. The unity of the private churches of the Apostolic Age is revealed in a common union of peace and love, 327 in mutual assistance to spiritual and physical needs, in special respect for the churches closest to the Divine principle, which was especially the Church of Jerusalem, in sincere obedience to the Apostolic and Catholic authority. There are considered to be four Apostolic Councils held in Jerusalem, of which Matthias was the first to be elected as an Apostle 328; seven deacons were appointed second 329 ; the third resolved a dispute about compliance with the law 330; the fourth were allowed to perform the Jewish rite for Paul 331. But if the Council is such a meeting of the hierarchy in which church perplexities concerning faith, morals and Divine service are considered, then the third only of those mentioned, in fact, should be revered by the Council of the Apostolic Church, and serve as a model for others. It was 14 years after the conversion of Paul 332, and consequently, in 48 or 49 after the Nativity of Christ. The reason for it was some of the Judeo-Christian church, who, having come to Antioch, in opposition to Paul and Barnabas, argued that the pagan believers should be circumcised and keep the law of Moses. The Church of Antioch, to resolve its bewilderment, sent Paul and Barnabas with some others to Jerusalem. For this purpose the Apostles gathered, namely, as far as is known from Holy Scripture, Peter, James and John 333 and the elders. After a long study of the matter, Peter said that the yoke should not be placed on the necks of the disciples, and James, confirming this, added his proposal about the prohibition of sacrifices to idols, blood, strangulation and fornication, such things that are especially hateful to the Jews, and to which those raised in paganism are especially prone 334. From these last voices a definition was drawn up, and, being accepted as the will of the Holy Spirit, it was communicated to the Syrian and Cilician churches in a conciliar letter on behalf of the Apostles and the Church of Jerusalem. With him, in addition to Paul and Barnabas, Judas and Silas were sent to Antioch, who restored calm there. Purity of the Apostolic Church Despite private strife and temptations, the Apostolic Church shone with Divine purity and inner glory, which the Holy Spirit Himself testifies to us. Thus the Church of Jerusalem had grace among all people 335. Antioch abounded in prophets and teachers 336 ; the faith of the Romans was proclaimed throughout the world 337 ; the Corinthians were not deprived of a single talent 338; the Galatians, before they were seduced by the false apostles, were ready to give their eyes to Paul 339; the Ephesians were famous for the Holy Spirit 340; The Philippians and Thessalonians were the joy and crown of the Apostle who preached to them 341. A note about the history of persons The personal history of the Apostles and apostolic men is purely dark due to the lack of close ones and the multitude of distant witnesses, but, nevertheless, memorable. 1. Peter. From the fisherman - the Apostle, from Simon - Peter for the firmness with which he confessed Jesus Christ. He did not receive any difference from others in the dispute about the primacy of dignity 342, but in many cases he had the primacy of order. Whether he was the first Bishop of Antioch is not known from Holy Scripture, but what is certain is that in Antioch he was convicted by Paul of alienating himself from the pagans. That he was in Rome is indisputable, both according to the testimony of Gaius, the Roman presbyter, in Eusebius 343, and because no church other than the Roman Church has conferred the honor of having him as its martyr. But the opinion about his twenty-five-year bishopric in this church, based on the chronicle of Eusebius, is false, because his arrival in Rome, according to the history of the same Eusebius, happened at the end of his life 344, and according to Lactantius, under Nero 345. Egesippus 346 and Ambrose 347 narrate that Peter aroused the persecutor against himself by his victory over Simon the Magus in the resurrection of the dead and in the unsuccessful flight of this latter; that during the time of danger, according to the conviction of the faithful, leaving Rome, he was returned by the Lord who appeared, who told him that he was going to the second crucifixion; that he was crucified in an inverted position, because he considered himself unworthy to die exactly the death of the Lord. 2. Andrey. Brother of Peter, disciple of John, Apostle of Christ. The amazing miracles in his biographies are: the return of sight to the captive and eyeless Apostle Matthew, the healing of the sick, the resurrection of the dead, the expulsion of demons in the form of dogs, a luminous face upon entering Achaia and Macedonia, the killing of the great serpent, the conversion of an aged carnivore, a two-day teaching from the cross, the heavenly light that surrounded him before his death 348. 3. Jacob Zebedee. Apostle of the fishermen. The memorable circumstance of his death is narrated by Clement of Alexandria 349. The man who brought him to trial, amazed by his firmness, himself confessed Christ and on the way to the place of execution, asking the Apostle for forgiveness and receiving peace from him, fell with him by the sword. The writer of the Book of Acts and even all the ancient Spaniards remain silent about his journey to Spain and the bringing of his relics there. 4. John, the brother of James, together with him was nicknamed “the son of thunder,” the named son of the Mother of God. Upon his departure from Jerusalem, he ruled mainly the Churches of Asia Minor. This, almost inseparable eyewitness of the incarnate Word, Providence left on earth longer than all the other Apostles: after imprisonment on Patmos, having about 100 years from birth, he died in Ephesus 72 years after the ascension of the Lord 350. Between the adventures of his life, some ancient writers mention: a certain young man converted by John, but who fell away and became the chief of robbers, a second conversion accomplished by the gaze and friendly accompaniment of the Apostle 351; the flight of the Apostle from Cerinthos the heretic, whom he met in the bathhouse 352; poison taken harmlessly to confirm the Gospel, 353 ; frequent repetition of the words in old age: children, love one another, as the commandment of the Lord and the sufficient commandment 354. Augustine does not reject the tradition that John did not die, although he was buried 355; on the contrary, Tertullian 356 and Chrysostom 357 simply talk about his death. 5. Philip. Originally from Bethsaida. Of the ancient legends about him, the most common is that he preached in Phrygia and Scythia, that in Hierapolis he drove out the dragon from the statue of Mars and resurrected those killed by it, and healed the wounded 358. Eusebius either crucifies him or stones him 359. 6. Bartholomew. Some guess that this is a designation, and that this person is Nathanael, whom the Holy Scripture joins with the Apostles 360, preaching in India, he died, according to some legends, on the cross 361, and according to others, in the Armenian city of Abanople from the sword 362, to which they add the removal of the skin. 7 Matthew, otherwise Levi. From a tax collector or tax collector - an Apostle. The legends about his journey to Ethiopia mention his victory over two wise men, who were accompanied by two dragons, and the resurrection of the daughter of King Eglippus, which was followed by the conversion of both the king and the people. Some ascribe to this Apostle martyrdom by the sword 363, and the Greek Menaion by fire 364, but Nicephorus adds that after extinguishing this fire with prayer, the Apostle lived and died in peace 365. 8. Thomas. Preached in East Asia. Some writer claims that he baptized and then had as his companions the Magi who worshiped Jesus Christ 366. He died, according to some, naturally, according to others - from a sword, according to others - from a spear 367. 9 . Jacob the Small. Son of Alpheus, brother of the Lord (probably cousin, related to sisters - mothers). Some of these names are divided into two persons and distinguish James, the brother of the Lord, Bishop of Jerusalem, but they are united into one by the Apostle Paul 368. This man was so respected by the Jews themselves that, according to Egezipus, he was allowed to enter the Sanctuary of the Church as if he were its Priest 369; and that Flavius ​​considers the fall of Jerusalem to be an execution for his death 370. The liturgy known by his name does not lose its character of antiquity because it contains additions made by a different hand at a later time. Saint Cyril recognizes its authenticity. 10. Simon the Zealot, or Zealot 371. Both names mean a zealot, and probably a member of the Zealot sect, to which Simon belonged, perhaps before his apostleship. 11. Judas, otherwise Levway or Thaddeus 372. Conflicting legends place his preaching and death either in Libya or in different countries of Asia. 12. Matthias. Of the seventy Apostles, by election and lot he was numbered among the twelve. The legends about his origin from the tribe of Judah, from a noble family and about his death in Ethiopia are subject to bewilderment 373. 13. Paul, otherwise Saul. They guess that of these names he had one as a Jew, and another as a Roman citizen. He was born into Pharisaism and, having been instructed in the law by the enlightened and virtuous Gamaliel, became an ardent zealot of it, but after his conversion, with the same force he opposed Christian grace and freedom to him. Among the labors of the apostleship he was engaged in the manufacture of tents 374. Speaking by the Spirit of God, he did not disdain the language of the Hellenic prophets 375. He was caught up to the third heaven, and, despite this, he did not cease to be embittered by the satanic angel 376. In the capital of faith (Jerusalem) he lost his freedom, and regained it in the capital of idolatry (Rome). But around the year 68 in Rome he died by execution of a citizen, that is, by the sword. The dubious monuments of his history are: the conversion of Thekla, the Iconian maiden, who miraculously conquered fire, water and animals, described in a work that Tertullian still recognized as fraudulent 377; and his mutual correspondence with Seneca, which is found unworthy of either one. 14. Mark Evangelist. After being a colleague of Peter, Paul and Barnabas, he preached and died in Alexandria. Tradition, not very ancient, adds that for his faith, he was tied up, dragged over stones and imprisoned, and from here he was called into the Kingdom of Heaven by the Lord who appeared to him. 15. Luke the Evangelist. To the few information that is collected about him from the Holy Writers, Nikephoros, a historian of the 14th century, adds that he was not only a doctor, but also a painter, and that, after being separated from Paul, while preaching in Greece, he was hanged for lack of a cross on an olive tree 378. 16. Barnabas. Chosen by the Holy Spirit, a co-worker of Paul, until he separated from him, disagreeing in not accepting another co-worker, Mark. Tradition, but not an ancient one, says that he was martyred in Cyprus, where he preached, and was buried with the Gospel of Matthew 379. 17. Timofey. Called by Paul to the ministry of the Gospel according to prophecy 380 in his youth 381, and already in Christianity he was circumcised for the Jews, whom he was to preach 382. Eusebius considers him the first bishop of Ephesus 383. Photius is the first to mention his martyrdom 384. 18. Dionysius the Areopagite, member of the Areopagus, first Bishop of Athens 385. The confession of faith was sealed with martyrdom. 19. Ignatius. He was Bishop of Antioch for 30 years after Euodius. 20. Clement of Rome. According to Eusebius and Jerome, in the last year of the century he died in captivity in Kherson. 21. Simon, brother of the Lord, successor of Jacob in Jerusalem. He sealed his service with long-term martyrdom under Trajan in the 120th year of his life, around 107 AD 386. There were schisms and heresies in the Apostolic Church Egesippus writes that the Church until the time of Trajan was a pure and inviolable virgin 387. This can be taken in the sense that while the Apostles were on earth, the ulcer of false opinions and depravity could not penetrate deep inside the Church and cool the love uniting its members, however, even in their times the beginnings of the ensuing disturbances were already visible. The Corinthian Church, barely established by Paul, showed an example of schism, that is, such a division that arises from disagreement in some private opinions, without overthrowing the general foundations and unity of the faith. The apostles in their writings not only prophesy as a warning, but also as a reproof, they talk about people who came from us, but were not from us 388, about those who hold the teaching of Balaam, that is, Nicolaitan 389; about those who separate themselves from the unity of faith and spirit and do not have 390; about false intelligence 391, and false brethren 392; in a word, about heretics 393 as people, mixing harmful opinions and rules that undermine the foundations of truth and piety. Even the heresies of the Apostolic times are distinguished by incredible rudeness and insolence. 1. Simonians. The founder of this sect and the first patriarch of all heretics is Simon the Magus. He was born in Samaria, studied philosophy in Alexandria 394, and upon returning to his fatherland, he became famous for magic and passed himself off as someone great 395. In this he had as a predecessor the Jewish fanatic Dositheus, his compatriot, but eclipsed him. He was baptized by Philip and wanted to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit from Peter, probably considering Christianity to be the highest degree of sorcery; Having been convicted of this error, although he showed an appearance of repentance, he later turned to sorcery with new zeal, trying to attract followers with false miracles. He taught that the world was created not by God, but by Angels; that he, Simon, appeared on Mount Sinai in the face of the Father; in the time of Tiberius - in the form of the Son and descended on the Apostles in the guise of the Holy Spirit; that he is the Messiah; that, since the Angels ruled the world badly, he came down to earth and seemed human and suffering; that those who believe in him and Helen, or Selene, (who was a Tyrian fornicator, his assistant) are free; that this freedom allows everything; that there is no resurrection of the dead. Justin writes that a statue 396 was dedicated to him in Rome. His followers indulged in debauchery and superstition. The image of him and Selene was honored with worship, sacrifices and incense. 2. Menandrians. Menander, a fellow tribesman and disciple of Simon, also claimed that he was a savior sent from a supreme unknown power; that his magic provides the art of defeating the Angels who created the world, and that baptism into him makes one immortal. 3. Nicolaitans. Irenaeus derives their name from Nicholas, one of the seven deacons, 397 but causes distrust when tradition humiliates such a man, whom Sacred History presents as filled with the Holy Spirit. Their heresy consisted in allowing sacrifices to idols and fornication, therefore they are likened to Balaam and Jezebel 398. The apostles Peter and Jude had already exposed their crimes, although they were not named 399. 4. Cerinthians. Cerinthus was a Jew who studied in Alexandria 400. He dared to set himself up as a rival of the Apostles Peter in Judea and John in Asia. He said that the world was created without the knowledge of God; that Jesus was born of Joseph and Mary; that Christ descended on Jesus after baptism in the form of a dove, announced the unknown Father, performed miracles and flew away again before suffering 401. To these dreams they add crude chiliasm, or the opinion about the thousand-year blissful reign of Jesus Christ with sensual pleasures 402. With less confidence they claim about him that he derived the law of Moses from the evil inclination, and, however, considered circumcision necessary; respected Judas the traitor and condemned the martyrs. 5. Evionea. This name shows the chief of these heretics, Ebion, and together signifies the poor. Some of them revered Jesus Christ as a simple man, and some recognized His birth from a Virgin. In general, they accepted one damaged Gospel of Matthew, called the Gospel of the Hebrews; they considered the law of Moses necessary, and therefore rejected the Apostle Paul; condemned the consumption of animals for food. 6. Nazarite. By this name, common at the beginning to all Christians, those who were tied to the Old Testament law of rituals, and in Christianity were guided by the Gospel of the Jews, were distinguished, especially by the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. 7. Philetians. Followers of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who claimed that the resurrection of the dead had already happened 403. The end of Church-Biblical History. Procuratores appellamus eos, qui publicos reditus colligunt erogantque. Dion. L. III It does not appear that the limits of the guardian's power are determined by anything other than a Caesarian power of attorney. Therefore, at the same time, he could refer to the rights of the people, and this to his power, John. XVIII, 31, sometimes acting arbitrarily according to their own laws. Acts VII, 58. The name tetrarch originally meant the ruler of one of the four united regions; after that it became independent of this number of dignity, being a degree lower than eparch. In sacred writers, both are sometimes mixed with the common and more commonly used name among the people, king. Matt. II, 22, XIV, 1, 9. John IV, 46. This one built Caesarea Phlippa on the site of ancient Dan, just as Antipas built Tiberias. From this it happens that in the New Testament two bishops are sometimes named. Onion. III, 2. similar to the Old Abiathar and Zadok. The leader of this sect is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, V, 37. Apparently, it is spoken of in the Gospel, Luke XIII, 1. The same writer mentions the leader of such a crowd, Theudas, Acts. V, 36. whom should not be confused with another rebel who was under Claudius. Antiq. Iud. L,XX. Tertullian regards the Herodians as a special sect, Matt. XXII, 16, which, in his opinion, recognized Herod as the Messiah. But others, like Jerome, mean by this name the adherents of Herod and Caesar. πλήρομα τ Ȣ χρόν Ȣ Galatians. VI, 4. The Apostle Acts points to this fulfillment of the times. XIV, 14, 16; XVII, 30. Matt. I, 1–17. In this genealogy it should be noted: 1) its certainty in relation to Jesus Christ. He belonged to the clan of Joseph: because the female gender, due to the obligations of marriage, usually passes into the male gender, especially among the Jews, who did not use genealogy through the female line at all, and because Joseph adopted Jesus when, knowing about His conception, he accepted his wife. Matt. I, 24, and adoption from ancient times among the Jews took the place of birth. Life XXXVIII, 8. Deut. XXV, 6. 2) Omission of the names of Ahaziah, Joash and Amesiah. Art. 8. This was either allowed in order to bring all parts of the genealogy to a common fourteenth number, or came from some ancient genealogical book, which, for the assurance of the Jews, apparently follows the Holy Writer, Matt. I, 1. 3) Omission of the name of Joachim, p. II probably came from a copyist, deceived by the similarity of this name with the name of Jehoiachin, and in the Slavic Bible itself it was corrected from ancient manuscripts. 4) The placement of some female names, such as Tamar, Rahab, etc. It depicted the deep condescension of the Son of God and hinted at the conversion of the pagans. This solitude was necessary so that John’s spirit would not be corrupted by human teachings that were damaged in these times, and so that his testimony about Jesus Christ, whom he could not know except by revelation, would not have the appearance of human testimony. Some time usually passed between the betrothal and the marriage itself. View Deut. XX, 7. This time should be understood by the words πρίν ή ουνελθείν Matt. 1, 18. It is worthy of note what Chalcidius says about this star in his interpretation of Plato’s Timaeus; Est quoque alia venerabilior et sanctior historia, quae perhibet oriu slellfe cujusdum insolitae non morbos mortesque praenuntiatos, sed descensum Dei venerabilis ad humanae servatios, reramque mortalium gratiam, quam a chaldaeis observatam fuisse testantur, qui Deum nuper natum muneribus venerati sunt. – St. Chrysostom finds it probable that a certain intellectual power appeared in this image. on Matt. ch. II. Onion. II, 1, 2. It should be noted about this census that it was not private in Judea, but general in the Roman Empire, of which Suetonius under Augustus believes there were three; that it is called first either in relation to Judea, or in relation to its universality, or, finally, in relation to Cyrenia, under which there was another one, Acts. V, 37; that although the ruler of Syria at this time was Sentius Saturninus Tert. With. Mark. L. IV, but Cyrinius could, in this case, at the end of the Cilician War, be appointed extraordinary confidant of Caesar; and that this may include Joseph’s story about the oath that at the end of Herod’s reign the Jews had to give to Caesar, and which only the Pharisees renounced. Antiq. L.XVII. R. X. precedes our era according to Chrysostom by 5 years; according to Irenaeus, Tertulian, Clement of Alexandria – 3 –; according to Epiphanius, Jerome, Euseius - 2 - me. This calculation cannot be reliable, because it is not known whether the first succession of priests after the persecution of Antiochus entered into ministry, or the one at which it ceased. This opinion is based on the false assumption that Zechariah was the High Priest, and that an Angel appeared to him in the Holy of Holies. View Luke I, 5, 11. - There are other guesses, but which are remarkable only for their courage, such as, for example, that the Deliverer should have been born on the holiday of deliverance, or Easter; that the word dwelt in us, έσκήνωσεν, John. 1, 14. on the days of the Feast of Tabernacles; that the light of the world was supposed to appear with the beginning of the increase of days, which includes the words of the Forerunner. John III, 30. Coteler. not. in Constjtut. L.V.s. 13. In vain do some of the Gospel history try to prove that Jesus Christ could not have been born in winter: what it tells about the national census and about the shepherds does not contradict this time. As it is not clear why Jesus’ stay in Bethlehem should have lasted longer than forty days of maternal purification, then in these very days the arrival and worship of the Magi should be assumed, who received the first revelation and set out on the journey, probably even before His birth, to those who departed to them, Matthew II, 13, and since everything died according to the law of the Lord, Luke II, 29, the return immediately follows, according to the intention of Joseph to Nazareth, but at the inadvertent command of an Angel, a journey to Egypt, and then the massacre of infants. The following words of Macrovius about Augustus are related to this incident: audisset, inter eos, quos in Syria Herodes rex Iudaeorum intra bimatum jussit interfici, filium quoque ejus occisum ail: melius est Herodis porcum esse, quam filium. L. Satur. It, 4. Athan. L. de Incarnat. This tradition is opposed to the fact that the intention of Jesus’ flight was to hide, and not to glorify himself; and that the beginning of signs He did in Cana. John II, 11. However, in this same case it can be noted that His miraculous power was known to His Mother even before turning water into wine, 3, 4, 5. Mark. VI, 2, 3. It is remarkable here that both the name Tekton, given not to Joseph, but to Jesus Himself, and the expression, “powers come from His hands.” Although John was told to recognize Jesus Christ by the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, John. I, 33: however, even before that he recognized Him by the inner light, and therefore forbade Him to be baptized, Matt. III, 14. After baptism, the Baptist’s assumption was confirmed by a solemn testimony from above. John II, 13; V, 1; VI, 4; XIII 1. Of these four, the second Passover is generally called by John the Feast of the Jews, but is known from the above words of Jesus: four more months are the harvest, or that the time of Passover will come, IV, 35 Some thought to find the fifth Passover in the second Saturday, Matt. XII, 1. Mark. II, 23. Luke VI, 1, but there is no reason to separate this Sabbath from the second Passover. Irenaeus continues this from 40 to almost 50 years of age, but according to a weak guess, John. VIII, 57. John I, 15 ‑ II, 11. The words of John: This be, He also died, pointing to the previous sermon, Matv. III, 11. Mark. I, 7. Luke III, 16. determine together the present time. The time of the Jewish embassy can be inferred from the fact that on the morning of the morning, that is, on the next day, John saw Jesus, probably returning from the desert. In the incidents that follow, the writer clearly shows day after day. For Nicodemus was a Jerusalemite. John, vii, 30. John III, 1 - 22; IV, 1, 2. All the Evangelists mention this incident in passing, Matv. XIV, 3. Mark. VI, 17; Luke III, 19; John III, 24. In the order of times, both this and previous incidents are placed on the basis that John’s conclusion is close to the journey of Jesus to Galilee. Matt. IV, 12, Mark. I, 14; John III, 24; IV, 3. John IV, 43 - 54, This incident precedes other acts of Jesus in Galilee: for this healing is called the second sign in relation to the sign that happened in the same place at the marriage. Luke IV, 14 - 30. Jesus predicted this persecution as he entered Galilee. John IV, 44. Matt. IV, 13 - 17; Luke IV, 31 - 41. Mark I, 16 - 20, 35 - 48; II, 1 – 22; Luke IV, 42 – 44, V. Luke VI, 1 – 11; Mark II, 23; III, 12; Matt. XII, 1 – 21. The story of the disciples plucking ears of grain in Matthew and Mark begins with vague words, at that time - and it happened; but Luke says more definitely: it came to pass on the second Saturday. Does this Saturday mean the first Saturday from the second day of unleavened bread, replaced by this name for calculating the days of Pentecost, as Scaliger thinks, or the Saturday of the second of the holidays of the first category, that is, the Saturday that met with the great Day of Pentecost, as Grotius believes. In both cases, it shows the time following Easter, which is confirmed by the ripe ears of corn mentioned in the narrative. This Easter is the second, because the miracle of the five loaves, which John believes before the third Easter, is narrated by the other three Evangelists after the adventure with the ears of grain. From this it is clear why this adventure in the order of time should follow the healing of the thirty-eight-year-old sick man, and what incidents should be assumed between the second and third Easter. Luke VI, 12 – 49; Matt. V, VI, VII. Luke VII, 18 – 50; Matt. XI. . Luke VIII, 1 – 21; Mark III, 20 - 35, Matt, XII, 22 - 49. Mark IV, V, 1 – 21; Matt. XIII, VIII, 18 – 34; Luke VIII, 22 – 39; IX, 57 - 62. Mark V, 21, VI, 6; Luke VIII, 40 – 56; Matt. IX, 18 - 34. Mark VI, 7 – 13; Matt. IX, 85, XI, 1; Luke IX, 1‑6. Mark VI, 14 - 29; Matt. XIV, 1 – 12; Luke IX, 7 - 9. Matt. XIV, 13 – 36; Mark VI, 30 – 56; Luke IX, 10 – 17; John VI. From the words of John. VII, 1, some conclude that He was at this Easter, while others are completely opposite. The last opinion is most likely confirmed by the following circumstances 4, 21, 23. John VII, 1; Matt. XV, XVI, XVII, ХVIII; Mark VII, VIII, IX; Luke IX, 18 - 50. Saint John, having described the miracle of the five loaves and other things that happened before the third Passover in chapter VI, briefly at the beginning of VII, says that Jesus still walked in Galilee before ascending to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. But just as other Evangelists also mention the miracle of the five loaves and the ascension of Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, and, moreover, some others believe between these incidents, it follows from this that they happened between the feasts of Easter and Tabernacles. John VI, VIII; Luke IX, 31; X, 16. Luke XIII, 22, XVIII, 30; Matt. XIX, 1 ‑ XX, 16, Mark X, 1 – 31. John XI; Matt. XX, 17 – 34; Mark X, 32 – 52, Luke XVIII, 31, XIX, 28. John. XII, 1 – 11; in Matt. XXVI, 6 - 13 and Mark XIV, 3 - 9. This is retold in passing, on the occasion of the story of Judas the traitor. John XII, 12 – 50; Matt. XXI, 1 – 17; Mark, XI, 1 – 11; Luke XIX, 29 - 48. Mark, XI, 12 – 19; Matt. XXI, 18, 19. Mark. XI, 20, XIII, 37; Matt. XXI, 2 - XXV, 46; Luke XX, XXI. Maimon. mor. Neboch. r. III, p. 40, ex. Exod. XXI, 32. Matt. XXVI, 1 – 5, 14 – 46; Mark, XIV, 1 – 11; Luke XXII, 1‑6. Matt. XXVI, 17 – 36; Mark. XIV, 12 – 32; Luke XXII, 7 – 39; John XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, 1. Matt. XXVII, 44; Luke XXIII, 39 et seq. Luke XXIV, 1 – 7; Mark. ХVI, 1 – 8; Matt. XXVIII, 1 ‑ 7. Luke XXIV, 8 – 12; Matt. XXVI, 8; John XX, 3 ‑ 10. John XX, 14 – 18; Mark. XVI, 9 - 11. Luke XIV, 34, 1; Cor. XV, 5. Luke. XIV, 13 - 35; Mark. XVI, 12, 13. Mark. XVI, 14; Luke XXIV, 36 – 44; John XX, 19 - 25. 1 Corinth. XV, 6; Matt. XXVIII, 16 - 20. 1 Corinth. XV, 7; Mark. XVI, 19, 20; Luke XXIV, 50 – 53; Acts I, 1 – 11. Some question this event, arguing that such vows were not used by the Jews. But according to the explanation of some, this was the vow of Jephthah, Judges XI. Moses mentions the fasting women, even fasting at the door of the Tabernacle of Testimony. Exodus. XXXVIII; and the example of Anna the Prophetess, Luke II, 37, proves that this custom existed at the time of the coming of Christ. Καί ήμείς ώς ήσθα καί αύτός καί πολλοί τών ίερών ήμών άδελφών έπί Dion, de diu. nom. L I. s. 3. These words are explained in vain either about the body of the Lord Jesus, or about his tomb (μνήματος), the latter is strained, and the first contradicts the chronology. The story of the Nazareth house of the Mother of God, which was transferred by Angels first to Dalmatia and then to Italy, is far removed from the fidelity of these legends. This house became famous in the 13th century, and Nazareth was completely devastated by the Romans. The Jesuit Sirmond noticed that this building, both in substance and in the form of structure, is similar to those that surround it. Mark. VI, 3. Others do not recognize them as the children of Joseph, finding the mother of James and Josiah Mary still alive during the suffering of Jesus - Mark. XV, 40, and honoring Alphaeus as the father of James, Luke VI, 15. Flavius ​​Ancient gives remarkable testimony about his virtues, baptism, pure teaching and martyrdom. book XVIII, g. 7. The upper room, עלית, ύπερώον, άνώγε ν by the power of the word is the upper room. From ancient times it was set apart in houses for pious exercises, Dan, VI, 10, Luke XII, 12, Acts. 1; 13; IX, 37; X, 9. Ibid III, IV, V. From the words of Peter, V, 4, some conclude that this community of property between believers was not a complete legal community, but an arbitrary community of use, but this does not degrade the concept of their brotherly love. At this time, the Apostle Paul traveled to Arabia, but the fruit of this journey was hidden. Galat. I, 15 - 17. Acts VI, VII, VIII, IX. Acts, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, 1 - 22. Acts ХVIII - ХХVIII. Philip. IV, 22. Philip. 22, 2; Tim. IV, 13, 20. In the West there is an opinion that the dispersion of the Apostles followed during the persecution of Agrippa, according to the chronology of Baronius, in the 2nd year of Claudius, and that this was decided by their general determination and by lot, but this tradition is confirmed on dubious writings, such as the History of Prochorus, which tells about John, as if he was dissatisfied with this lot. The Book of Acts shows us the Apostles still in Jerusalem during the Council that was there, according to Baronius in the 9th year of Claudius. But during Paul’s last stay there, only Jacob is mentioned. Philost. in vita Apollo. L. VI, p. 14. Jos. Ancient XX. Eus. N. L. II, p. 23. Just. dial. cum. Triph. The persecution suffered by the Apostle Paul in many places should be partly attributed to this malicious intent of the Sanhedrin. Thus Suetonius writes in the life of Claudius: Christo vel Chreslo impulsore Iudaeos assidue tumultuatos. So the decree of Claudius expelling the Jews from Rome affected Aquila and Priscilla. Acts XVIII, 2. Hence the slander, together with the Jews, against Christians, as όνολάτρας, worshipers of the donkey. Such slander arose partly from a misinterpretation of the Christian sacraments, partly from the actual debauchery of some heretical societies: thus the accusation of eating a baby in bread - from the sacrament of the Eucharist; suspicion of fornication - from the names of brothers and sisters, and from the Nicolaitan riots. Minat. Fel. Tali dedicatore damnationis nostrae etiam gloriamur. Tert. Apolog Therefore, the ancients thought that he would one day appear either as the Antichrist or as his forerunner, Lact. de mor. Pers, c. 2. Lact. de mor. Pers Spanheim also cites here an inscription found in Spain: Nerone Claudio Caes. Aug. Pont Max. ob provinc latronib, et his qui hovam gener, hum. superstionem inculcub purgalum. However, some of the Spaniards themselves doubt it. Tertul. de praeser s. Z6. Apoc. II, 13. Tertul in scorpiaco. Acts XII, 21, 22, 23. Jos. Ancient book XIX. The name Gospel in the title of the story of Jesus is taken from the Gospel of Mark I, 1, and has been used since the time of the apostles, Just. in Arch. The newest oppose this opinion, 1) that in the Gospel of Matthew, Hebrew words are given with interpretation, and passages from the Old Testament according to the translation are 70; and 2) that in the times of the apostles the dominant language among the Jews was Greek, but the first can also be attributed to the translator, as well as to the writer, and the second - both in relation to the present subject. The same is confirmed by some of the words about eyewitness writers. Luke I, 1, 2. Eus. Hist. L, V, p. 8. μειά την τούτων εξοδον - by departure or death. Ear. IV, 14.2, Cor. VIII, 18. Luke I et seq. Some thought that St. Luke was speaking here about false evangelists, and therefore they revered him as the first evangelist, but he is speaking about those who wrote about things that were reliable and in accordance with what eyewitnesses reported. Aug. de conseus. Evang. L. IV, c. 8. The Arabic translation attributes this epistle to James Zebedee, but this Apostle died 10 years after the Ascension of the Lord, therefore, before faith could spread far and the abuses that appear in this epistle could creep in. But Jacob the righteous, to whom Epiphanius speaks, should not be separated from Jacob, the brother of the Lord. Gal. II, 11 – 14, 1; Peter. V, 12. Grotius attributes this book to Simon, Bishop of Jerusalem, successor of James, thinking that it should have been written after the destruction of Jerusalem, for it speaks of the imminent coming of the Lord, III, 9. But isn’t it also Paul, 2 Thess. II, 2. wrote before the destruction of Jerusalem? Grotius's opinion is contradicted by many passages in the epistle that apparently show Peter. I, 1, 16, 17, 18; III, 1, 15. This also includes the instruction of the Apostle Jude, 17. The questionable place in this epistle is the testimony of the three heavenly ones, V, 7, which is not found in many ancient codes. But besides the internal signs of the authenticity of this place, revealed from the logical connection of speech, 9, and even from its grammatical composition: οί τρείς, it is recognized: the translation of Jerome, which is the ancient Italian corrected, Tertullian L. conrta Pgah. With. 25, Cyprian. L. de unit. Eccl. Κυρία έκλεκτή Athanasius considers the first of these names to be his own, and the others as honorary names. Grotius thinks that this is Judas, the fifteenth bishop of Jerusalem, concluding from the fact that he calls himself only a slave, and not an Apostle of Christ; but Paul also does the same, Philip, I, 1. An indication of the forged work that some find in this epistle, that is, the book of the repose of Moses, Jude. 9 . and the prophecy of Enoch, 14. also does not make it doubtful. A divinely enlightened writer could distinguish true events in damaged works or know about them from pure tradition. At least in the existing book 0 the death of Moses does not contain what Judas talks about. In ancient manuscripts it is signed: Πρός Ρωμαίους εγράφη άό Κορίνθε διά Φοί ϐ ης τής διακόνου τής έν Κεγχρεαίς Εκκλησίας . Which is in accordance with the message itself XVI, 1, 2. Rom. XV, 25, Acts. XIX, 21. XVI. In the series of Paul's epistles, this occupies the first place, as can be noted by its vastness and the importance of the church to which it is written. 1 Cor. XVI, 8. Grotius thinks that this epistle was preceded by something else, V, 9, 11, but Chrysostom refutes this guess, attributing the given instruction of the Apostle to the same epistle, V, 2, 7. The Apostle complains that the Galatians are soon converted to another gospel, 1, 6. This does not coincide with his stay in Rome, to which some, on a weak guess, Galatians. VI, 17 refer to this message. Ephesus, VI, 20. Therefore, the legend placed before this epistle in the Slavic Bible says that the Apostle did not see the Ephesians. Philip. 1, 13, 25, 26; IV, 22. Perhaps this erroneous opinion came from the words of the Apostle, 1, Sol. III, 1, randomly taken without correlation with subsequent ones. Acts XVIII, 5. 1; Solun. III, 6. 1 Tit. I, 3. Here it is clear that the epistle was written in Macedonia, and not in Laodicea, as is read in the signature of the Greek copy, and that it is not what it says. Ear. IV, 16. On the contrary, Col. II, 1 says that Paul was not at Laodicea at all. The first guess is less probable, because Timothy then preceded Saul in Macedonia, Acts. XIX, 22, and followed him back to Asia, Acts. XX, 1 - 4, Paul could not promise his return to Ephesus. 1 Tim. III, 14, 2; Tim. III, 16. Those who attribute this epistle to the first bonds of the Apostle are confirmed by his words, IV, 16, 17, 18, and on the invocation of Timothy, 9, which is believed to precede the letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, which have his name, but were written during the first bonds, Phil. I, 26; II, 23, 24. Philip. 22. But the opinion of Epiphanius is strongly confirmed by the words of the Apostle, 2 Tim. IV, 6, 7, 8. 2 Peter III, 15, 16. One thing, apparently, does not befit Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews, which he says in the 0 Gospel: those who heard it in us, II, 3, but this can be attributed to his relations with the other Apostles, Galatians. II, 2. or to the reception of the Holy Spirit through Ananias, Acts. IX, 18.17, or the Apostle speaks here in the person of his listeners, as Heb. X, 26. I. I believe in God the Father Almighty. II. Creator of heaven and earth. III. I also believe in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord. IV. Who was conceived quickly by the Holy Spirit. born of Mary, the Virgin. V. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died and was buried. VI. He descended into hell and rose from the dead on the third day. VII. He ascends into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. VIII. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. IX. I also believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church. X. Communion of Saints, remission of sins. XI. Resurrection of the flesh. XII. Eternal life. Amen. Acts VIII, 37; Heb. VI, 1, 2. fren. Adver. haer, L, II, 22. Hist. Ecc L, V, c. 10, 11. Luke I, 23; Acts XIII, 22; Heb. VIII, 6. 1 Cor. X‑XIV, Iust. apolog. Second. Acts IX, 18, 19; XVI, 34. Acts XVI, 15, 33; ХVIII, 8, 1 Cor. I, 16. Galat. III, 27; Ephesus IV, 24; Apoc. VII. 9 . Acts VI, 6, XIV, 23, Titus, 1, 5. Dion. de Eccl. Hier. S. 5. Potycrat. et Iren. apud Euseb. L. V, c. 24, 26. Sozomen. L. VII, c. 19. Acts XX, 16, Constitution. Lib. VIII, p. 33. Summo Sacerdoti sua munera tributa suni, Sacerdotibus locus proprius adsignalus est, et Levitis sua ministeria, incumbunt. Laicus praeceptis Laicis constringitur, Ep. ad. Corinth. 1 Cor. II, 28; Rome. XII, 1; Eph. IV, 11. 2 Cor. VIII, 23; Phil. II, 20. ή καί τές Αποςολους άποδοκιμάξεσις Πετρ ϭ ος μίν γάρ καί Φίλιππος έπαιδοποιήσαντο. Hotor, nl hoc sit vestrum studium in Dei concordia omnia agere, Episcopo praesidente Dei loco; et Presbyteris Loco Senalus apostolici, et Diaconis mihi Suavissimis, quibus commissum est ministerium Jesu Christi. Epist. ad Magnes. Item ad Ephes. Philadel. Smyrn. Trall. Acts XX, 17, 28; Titus I, 5, 6, 7. Eusebius on Philo, who described the Egyptian ascetics: ίςορών Euseb. L. II, p. 17. In Appiana in the book. III. of reasoning there is a chapter περί άσκήσεως. In Artemidor's book. IV, ch. 35, a certain philosopher Alexander is called άσκητής Vales. not. in Eus. L II, p. 17. Eges, apud leron. adversus Iovinian. Rom. VI, 17.2, Tim. 1, 13, 14. Tim. III, 10; 2John I, 10, 11. 2 Sol. III, 6, 14, 15; 1 Kop. V, 11. Cum autem ad cam iterum traditionem, quae est ab Apostolis, quae per successiones presbyterorum in Ecclesiis custoditur, provocamus eos, qui adversantur traditioni; dicent, se non solum presbyteris, sed etiam Apostolis, existentes sapientiores sinceram invenisse veritalem, Iien. Ad versus Haeres. L. III, 2. Ephesus IV, 3; Ear. III, 14. The first of these reasons for the prohibition is offered by James himself, Acts. XV, 21, and the other, from pagan customs, is derived by Spencer. De Leg. Hebr. Rit. c. 3. Philip. IV, 1, 1; Sol. II, 19. De Excid. lud. L, III, c. 2. Abd. Babyl. Martyrol. ad 30 November. Abd Bab, X, Metaphrast. Nicephor. Post. Nice. Parbl. Niceph. Gall. L, II, p. 39. Abd. L, II. Theod, Studit. Auct. oper. imperf. in Math. Hom. 1. Apud. Euseb. L, II, c. 23. Matt. X, 3. Luke VI, 16. Ibid XVIII, 28; Titus I, 12. Vid. Grab. Spic. patr. Sec. I. Le Moune. Var. sacr. Exerc. L, I. de Bagnava. Apud. Euseb. L, III, p. 32. 2 Peter II, 10 - 15. Jude VIII, 11 - 13. Theodoret. fab. Haer L. II, p. 3. Cajus presb: Rom, apnd Enseb. L.III, c. 28. You might be interested in: