A Light To The Nations podcast

12:33

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

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Out Of One. 13:24

about a year ago13:24

13:24

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

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Do Not Be Led Astray. 18:19

about a year ago18:19

18:19

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

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From A To Z. 15:21

about a year ago15:21

15:21

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

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Nothing But The Text. 17:46

about a year ago17:46

17:46

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

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I Am Not Ashamed. 20:46

about a year ago20:46

20:46

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

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Against Hope In Hope. 16:03

about a year ago16:03

16:03

When we insist on historicizing the biblical text, we diminish its value as a teaching. “Did that really happen?” we often ask and then look for verification. It is likewise a calamity when we hear Scripture as a philosophy, in Greek, the “love of wisdom.” The Bible was written against human wisdom, and its teaching is that true wisdom is to found in the words of instruction which proceed out of the mouth of God. Scripture is self-referential: to understand its teaching, our only reference can be the text itself. Only in the promise that it offers do we have hope (Romans 15:4). Join me in a discussion of Luke 17:12-19. “Sing A New Song Unto Me” composed and performed by Raphael Shaheen.…

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Ode To The Torah. 20:49

about a year ago20:49

20:49

Scripture In Four Parts. In the Torah, when the Lord delivers Israel out of Egypt, he gives commandments and statutes which they are required to keep; this Law is understood to be the expression of his will, instructions on how to live if the Lord is indeed your God . (and since it is he who delivered them from the hand of Pharaoh and is bringing them into a land of promise to serve him; how could it be otherwise?). In the Latter Prophets, in which Israel is again in captivity, the message sounds like this: the Lord will come and deliver you, but it was in fact the same Lord who sent your enemy to carry you away in the first place… as punishment because you sinned against the Lord . The hearers are hit with this message of hope, coupled with a reminder that the cause of their condition was their own sin. And because they were not completely destroyed, the Babylonian captivity is understood as a punishment unto instruction. And since this time the Lord decided to be merciful, they had better take the instruction seriously and change their ways. The next time, he may not come back to deliver them. This is, in nutshell, the teaching at the heart of scripture. And the commandments and statutes of the Lord, his Torah, by which his people fail repeatedly to abide, is the reference point in all three parts: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Even in the New Testament, in which the Mosaic Law is fulfilled in the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), the sole reference remains the will of God. Notes : περιπατοῦσιν - walking φρονοῦσιν - mind (verb) ὑπακοὴν - obedience Isaiah 49:10;24 Malachi 4:4 Psalms 119:1; 12; 105 Matthew 22:40 Luke 10:25-37; 24:27; 44-45 Romans 1:1-5; 8:2; 4-5 Galatians 6:2 The Slow Bible Study Episode 11: Friends of Enmity https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-slow-bible-study/id1743711322?i=1000671273103 Rhumeta performed by 3rd Eye Girl. Photo by cottonbro studio.…

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Naked Deception, part 2. 13:24

about a year ago13:24

13:24

Naked Deception! part 2: Nothing New Under The Sun. Recently my son, who is 10, was asking about God - does he love us and does he punish us? I said yes, both of those are true. I reminded him of the story of Noah and the flood. Then he asked, how could God love us if he wanted to wipe us out from the face of the earth? But son, I asked, don’t you see? You and I are still here. Did God send a flood to wipe us out from the face of the earth? Clearly he did not. But precisely because he loves us he gave us instead the story of the flood as an instruction. That’s how the biblical story works for us. Since the teaching is written and since we are its recipients, whenever we hear the instruction as a punishment, it is still grace. Because we are given yet another opportunity to go forward and correct our behavior. In part one of this episode, we discussed the functionality of some terms in the original Hebrew of Genesis chapter 3, particularly how the play on arum (naked) and arum (subtil/crafty) literarily underscores the susceptibility of Adam and his wife to the deception of the serpent. In the story, the consequence of that deception was a series of curses issued by the Lord God. In this episode, part 2, we will look at how some of the same terminology re-appears in chapter 27 of Genesis. Indeed, “that which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Notes sadeh - field hereb - sword Genesis 6:5-6; 27:1-17; 39-40 Decoding Genesis 1-11 by Paul Nadim Tarazi (OCBS, 2020) Music: “Brand New Orleans” performed by Prince Artwork: “Isaac Blessing Jacob” by Assereto…

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Naked Deception, part 1. 12:26

about a year ago12:26

12:26

Naked Deception, Part 1: Smooth Criminal. You don’t need a theological degree to understand the Bible. If you have ears to hear what the text is saying, the message can be quite clear. That’s why, in the Gospels, Jesus teaches in parables - to make the message so straightforward that the only excuse people could have for not getting it is their own unwillingness to hear and to submit: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The problem is that the Bible wasn’t written in our language. What we read and hear are translations. Yet even the King James English can’t convey what the authors of the Bible are saying in their language, which is Hebrew. Even if we can’t or don’t want to study ancient languages, we should at least acknowledge the fact that the Bible wasn’t written in English. Then we might be willing to learn from people who do know Biblical Hebrew how the language works so that we could better understand the text so we could do what it commands. In part 1 of this special episode, we take a look at some wordplay in Genesis 2:25-3:1 that really sheds light on the meaning of the text, but that can only be captured in the original Hebrew. Notes : עֲרוּמִּ֔ים - a-rũm-mîm (naked) עָר֔וּם - a-rūm (subtle/cunning) הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה - hā-ǎ-dā-māh (ground) Genesis 2:4-6 Isaiah 47:2-3 Job 5:8-13; 15:4-5 Brand New Orleans performed by Prince.…

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Son Of Man. 13:36

about a year ago13:36

13:36

You know what he said. So what are you doing here? In the Gospel of Luke, the women go to the tomb and do not find Jesus; they meet two men who remind them what Jesus said; they remember what he said; and they go and report all to the eleven and all the rest. The “all” here refers to everything Jesus said while he was still with them. The phrase “he is not here; he is risen” is not found in all manuscripts; as such, its addition may be understood as a clarifying statement. In Luke, the solution is not the resurrection per se , but the reaffirmation of what Jesus had been teaching throughout the gospel, specifically about the suffering of the Son of Man. As Son of Man, Jesus is first and foremost a teacher. And although in the Gospel of Luke, there is a literary movement pointing towards his return in glory, as hearers we are commanded not to get excited about it. Yes, there is a kingdom ahead, and judgment. But until it comes, the thing to do is await it patiently and continue to hear and obey all the teacher said while he was still with us. Join me in a discussion of Luke 8:49-56. Notes: Luke 16:31; 21:27; 24:6-7, 27 Ezekiel 6:1-4 ἀναλήμψεως (analēmpseōs) - ascension “Brand New Orleans” performed by Prince.…

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A Common Table. 14:32

about a year ago14:32

14:32

Episode 43 - A Common Table. In the culture of the ancient Near East, to sit at a table and share a meal with someone means you are at one with that person. It is with this understanding, which is still prevalent in middle eastern culture today, that we hear the Pharisee’s complaints against Jesus in the Gospel: why would he accept “unclean” tax collectors and sinners at his table? And yet when Jesus said to Levi, “Follow me,” it says that he left all, rose up and followed him. It is Jesus’ word of teaching, which Levi accepts, that cleanses him and allows him a place at the table. The corollary to “all are one” at the table is that all are under the house rule of the host, the one master at whose table they are seated. In their inability see their own need to be fed, the scribes and Pharisees separate themselves from the one table to which the Lord has invited all; and through whose teaching, all are made clean. Join me in a discussion of Luke 5:27-31. Notes: Leviticus 19:34 Deuteronomy 8:3 Matthew 22:36-40 Luke 9:11 Romans 1:5-6; 11:29-32;14:15 Galatians 2:11-12 Original music composed and performed by Raphael Shaheen. Photo by Askar Abayev.…

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Jesus Is Lord? 5:16

about a year ago5:16

5:16

“The Lordship of Jesus is on you if you trust in the word of the gospel and you become doulos xristou.” This is an extract from an audio commentary on the Gospel of Mark by the Rev. Fr. Paul Nadim Tarazi. In his reading of Mark 3:11-12, Fr. Paul makes an aside about what the titles “Son of God,” “Christ” and “Lord” mean and why, in the narrative, Jesus systematically rejects them. Fr. Paul’s audio commentaries on the New Testament are available from the Orthodox Center for The Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS). See the link below to access. https://www.ocabspress.org/new-testament Original intro and outro music composed and performed by Raphael Shaheen.…

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A Mouth And Wisdom. 9:58

about a year ago9:58

9:58

Chapter 21 of Luke parallels the mini-apocalypse in Mark 13. Whereas Mark warns his hearers against joining in the revolt and against putting their hope in the earthly Jerusalem, Luke is writing at a time when the city had already collapsed to Rome. Still, the Lord will continue to instruct his people with words out of his own mouth. When they put their trust in those words and follow his commandments with patient endurance , it will be the Lord himself who speaks when they give their martyria . Just as Ezekiel delivered God’s word to the exiles in Babylon away from Jerusalem and its temple, Jesus, as Son of Man and thus teacher , will bring the redemption of those who patiently await his coming. In Luke, the place from which Jesus ascends is depicted as the Mount of Olives; as in the prophet Zechariah, this is also the place from whence the Lord will come when he returns as judge. This movement in the Gospel of Luke is neither geographical nor mystical, but Scriptural. Join me in a discussion of Luke 21:13-19. Notes : μαρτύριον - testimony, witness σοφίαν - wisdom ὑπομονῇ - patience, patient endurance Psalm 78:1-2; 121:1 Mark 13:5-7 Luke 8:15; 9:23; 21:25-28 “Sing A New Song Unto Me” composed and performed by Raphael Shaheen. Photo by Brett Jordan.…

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The Finger Of God. 13:24

about a year ago13:24