SACRAMENTS OF THE SYRIAC ORTHODOX CHURCH- HOLY MYRON PART 1

The Sacrament of the Holy Myron, is a holy Sacrament, in which we receive the seal of the Holy Spirit and become strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

Meaning of the word Myron
The names of this sacrament at present in use are, for the Western Church: confirmation,
Chrismation; and for the Eastern Church: the Holy Myron (Chrism).

In Syriac/Aramaic is called:
ܢܘܪ
Moroon Qadisho (the Holy Moroon)
•
ܬ ܕ Meshho d-mshihootho (Anointing oil)
• The word ‘Myron’ is a Greek word (Μυρον) which means: an unguent, ointment,
fragrant perfume, sweet oil, and chrism. In Syriac/Aramaic language ܢܘܪ is
derived from ܪ which means Myrrh, indicating the death of Christ.

The main elements of the Holy Myron is oil of olives and balsam, blessed by the head of the
Church (Patriarch) in a special manner and used in the administration of certain sacraments
and in the performance of certain ecclesiastical functions. For chrism to serve as valid matter
for the Sacrament of Confirmation it must consist of pure oil of olives, and added some spices
written in the Holy Bible. These two conditions are certainly necessary for validity; moreover
it is probable that there should be an admixture of balsam, and that the blessing of the chrism
should be special, in the sense that it ought to be different from that which is given to the oil
of the sick or the oil of catechumens.

In its primitive meaning the word chrism, like the Greek Χρισμα (Khrizma) chrisma, was
used to designate any and every substance that served the purpose of smearing or anointing,
such as the various kinds of oils, unguents, and pigments. This was its ordinary signification
in profane literature, and even in the early patristic writings. Gradually however, in the
writings of the Fathers at all events, the term came to be restricted to that special kind of oil
that was used in religious ceremonies and functions, especially in the administration of the

Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.

This Origin could be traced to our fathers the apostles who granted this Sacrament by the
laying of their hands after Baptism, as we read in the Book of Acts when St. Peter and St.
John laid hands on the people of Samaria who were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and so received the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:2-6).

As the laying of hands for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit is a specific rite of the fathers the
Apostles and their successors the Bishops, and as the regions of mission increased,
consequently the number of believers and those who entered faith increased. It was not
possible for the Apostles to wander around all the countries and cities to lay hands on the
baptized, so they established anointment by Myron as an alternative for the laying on of hands
for the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.

The first who made the Myron were the fathers the Apostles as they kept certain fragrant oils
which were on the body of the Lord Jesus during His burial, and they added the spices which
were brought by the women who prepared them to anoint Jesus' body on Easter Sunday.

The apostles melted all these spices in pure olive oil, prayed on it in the Upper Room in Zion
and made it a holy ointment to grant the gift of the Holy Spirit to the baptized. It is also used
in the Sanctification of Baptismal water, consecration of Churches, and church altars and
vessels. They decided that their successors the Bishops, must renew the making of the Myron
whenever it was needed, by incorporating the original oil with the new.

The Sacrament of Confirmation is a striking instance of the development of doctrine and
ritual in the Church. We can, indeed, detect much more than the mere germs of it in Holy
Scripture; but we must not expect to find there an exact description of the ceremony as
presently performed, or a complete solution of the various theological questions which have
since arose. It is only from the Fathers and the Schoolmen that we can gather information on
these headlines.

We read in the Acts of the Apostles (8: 14-17) that after the Samaritan converts had been
baptized by Philip the deacon, the Apostles "sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they
were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for he was not yet come
upon any of them, but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus; then they laid
their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost".

Again acts (19: 1-6): St. Paul "came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples; and he said to
them: Have you received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? But they said to him: We have not
so much as heard whether there be a Holy Spirit. And he said: In what then were you
baptized? Who said: In John's baptism. Then Paul said: John baptized the people with the
baptism of penance . . . Having heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus. And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and
they spoke with tongues and prophesied".

From these two passages we learn that in the earliest ages of the Church there was a rite,
distinct from baptism, in which the Holy Spirit was conferred by the imposition of hands, and
that the power to perform this ceremony was not implied in the power to baptize. No distinct
mention is made as to the origin of this rite; but Christ promised the gift of the Holy Spirit and
conferred it. Again, no express mention is made of anointing with chrism; but we note that the
idea of unction is commonly associated with the giving of the Holy Spirit. Christ (Luke, iv,
18) applies to Himself the words of Isaiah (lxi, 1): "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the gospel".

St. Peter (Acts 10: 38) speaks of "Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy
Spirit".

St. John tells the faithful: "You have the unction (chrism) from the Holy One, and know all
things"; and again: "Let the unction [chrism], which you have received from him, abide in
you" (I Ep., 2: 20, 27).

A striking passage, which was made much use of by the Fathers and the Schoolmen, is that of
St. Paul: "He that confirmed us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, Who also
hath sealed us, and given us the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts" (II Cor. 1: 20, 21). No
mention is made of any particular words accompanying the imposition of hands on either of
the occasions on which the ceremony is described; but as the act of imposing hands was
performed for various purposes, some prayer indicating the special purpose may have been
used: "Peter and John . . . prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit". Further,
such expressions as "signing" and "sealing" may be taken as referring to the character
impressed by the sacrament: "You were signed with the holy Spirit of promise"; "Grieve not
the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 1: 13; 4:
30). See also the passage from II Cor. quoted above. Again, in the Epistle to the Hebrews (6:
1-4) the writer reproaches those whom he addresses for falling back into their primitive
imperfect knowledge of Christian truth; "whereas for the time you ought to be masters, you
have need to be taught again what are the first elements of the words of God" (Heb. 5: 12). He
exhorts them: "leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on to things more
perfect, not laying again the foundation . . . of the doctrine of baptisms, and imposition of
hands", and speaks of them as those who have been "once illuminated, have tasted also the
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit". It is clear that reference is made
here to the ceremony of Christian initiation: baptism and the imposition of hands whereby the
Holy Spirit was conferred, just as in Acts 2: 38. The ceremony is considered to be so well
known to the faithful that no further description is necessary. This account of the practice and
teaching of the Apostles proves that the ceremony was no mere examination of those already
baptized, no mere profession of faith or renewal of baptismal vows. Nor was it something
specially conferred upon the Samaritans and Ephesians. What was done to them was an
instance of what was generally bestowed. Nor was it a mere bestowal of charismata; the Holy
Spirit sometimes produced extraordinary effects (speaking with divers tongues, etc.), but
these were not necessarily the result of His being given. The practice and teaching of the
Church at the present day preserve the primitive type: the imposition of hands, the gift of the
Holy Spirit, the privileges of the episcopate. What further elements were handed down by
tradition will be seen presently.

See also: Heb. 6:2 - Paul gives instruction to the Hebrews about the laying on of hands, in
reference to confirmation, not ordination. The early Church laid hands upon the confirmed
to administer the sacrament of confirmation.

Heb. 6:2 - this verse also refers to the cycle of life and its relationship to the sacraments -
baptism, confirmation, death and judgment - which apply to all people.

John 6:27 - Jesus says the Father has set His seal on Him. As the Father sets His seal on
Jesus, so Jesus sets His seal on us on the sacrament of baptism, and later, in the sacrament of
confirmation.

Rev. 9:4 - the locusts could not harm those with the seal of God upon their foreheads. See
also Rev. 14:1 and 22:4.

In passing from Holy Scripture to the Fathers we naturally expect to find more definite
answers to the various questions regarding the sacrament. From both their practice and their
teaching we learn that the Church made use of a rite distinct from baptism; that this consisted
of imposition of hands, anointing, and accompanying words; that by this rite the Holy Spirit
was conferred upon those already baptized, and a mark or seal impressed upon their souls; In
examining the testimonies of the Fathers we should note that the word confirmation is not
used to designate this sacrament during the first four centuries; but we meet with various
other terms and phrases which quite clearly refer to it. Thus, it is styled "imposition of hands",
"unction", "chrism", "sealing", etc. Before the time of Tertullian (A.D. 206) the Fathers do not
make any explicit mention of confirmation as distinct from baptism. The fact that the two
sacraments were conferred together may account for this silence. Tertullian (De Bapt., vi) is
the first to distinguish clearly the three acts of initiation: "After having come out of the laver,
we are anointed thoroughly with a blessed unction according to the ancient rule . . . The
unction runs bodily over us, but profits spiritually . . . Next to this, the hand is laid upon us
through the blessing, calling upon and inviting the Holy Spirit," Again (De resurr, carnis, n,
8): "The flesh is washed that the soul may be made stainless. The flesh is anointed that the
soul may be consecrated. The flesh is sealed that the soul may be fortified. The flesh is
overshadowed by the imposition of hands that the soul may be illuminated by the Spirit, The
flesh is fed by the Body and Blood of Christ that the soul may be fattened of God."

What is anointing of the Holy Spirit?

It is the reception of the Holy Spirit. People received the Holy Spirit in different forms:

a) Holy Spirit abided upon our Lord in the form of a dove.

b) The Holy Spirit acted on the Apostles when our Lord breathed on them.

c) On the apostles as tongs of fire.

d) The Samaritans and Ephesians received the Holy Spirit when the apostles laid their
hands on them.

e) During the apostolic times by chrism - “But you have an anointing (KJV and Scofield
uses the word unction) from the Holy One, and you know all things.” (1 John 2:20)

Was there Holy Myron (Oil) during the apostolic time?

Yes, Refer to Mark 6, James 5:1, 1 John 2:20, 27.

• “They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil, many who were sick” (Mark
6:13)

• “Is any one among you sick? He should summon presbyters of the church and they
should pray over him and anoint [him], with oil in the name of Lord.” (James 5:1)

• “But you have anointing that comes from the holy one” (1 John 2:20.)

• “As for you, the anointing that you have received from him remains in you” (I John
2:27)

Two words are used, anointing and unction. Both KJV and Scofied Bibles use the word
Unction. When St. John uses the word ‘Anointing’ it means the ‘act of anointing’. The word
used in the original Syrian version is ‘Mushihooso’ (anoint) for anointing. [George Lamsa’s
English translation uses the word ‘anointing’]. We also have to remember that John’s mother
tongue was Aramaic (Syriac). His usage was correct. Again, the early church fathers have
written about Chrism. So it is obvious that anointing is not a mental phenomenon, but the
receiver receives it through a visible, physical act, performed by a person of authority (Apostles
bishops, and elders).

When John talks about anointing in 1 John 2:27, he means anointing with chrism. “As for you,
the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you need not need anyone to
teach you” (1 John 2:27). St. John exhorts the believers to fight against heretic views.

In the Jewish community, only a privileged few were able to receive unction. The apostles
made it applicable to all who were baptized, as recorded by John.
The people of Samaria and Ephesus were baptized but did not have the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
The apostles had to come and "lay their hands on them" so that they may receive the Holy
Spirit. This proves that one will not receive the blessings of the Holy Spirit by baptism in water
alone.

Is anointing of the Holy Spirit (Chrism) only a psychological feeling?
Never, because we see that:

1) The Holy Spirit abided upon our Lord in the form of a dove and on the apostles in the form
of fire.

2) Our Lord gave the Holy Spirit to the apostles by breathing on them.

3) The apostles gave the Holy Spirit by laying their hands on the recipient.
Therefore the recipient receives the Holy Spirit by a visible act by an authorized person and is
not a mere psychological feeling.

From 1 John 2:27 (quoted above) it is clear that the apostles used chrism for the Gift of the
Holy Spirit. The word used in the Peshitta Bible is Maseehooso, meaning unction. John’s
language was Aramaic (Syriac).

Let us see what the early Church Fathers said
St. Theophilus (AD 181): “Are you willing to be anointed with the oil of God? It is on this
account that we are called Christians: because we are anointed with the oil of God." (174)
Tertullian (AD 160-240): “After coming from the place of washing we are thoroughly anointed
with a blessed unction, from ancient discipline by which in the priest hood they were
accustomed to be anointed with a horn of oil, ever since Aaron was anointed by Moses. So also
with us, the unction runs on the body but profits us spiritually, in the same way that Baptism is
itself a corporal act by which we are plunged in water, while its effect is spiritual we are freed
from sins. After this hand is imposed for a blessing, invoking and inviting the Holy Spirit”
(304)

St. Hippolytumus (AD 204) “Indeed, faith and love prepare oil and cleansing unguents for those
who are washed. But what were these unguents if not the commandment of Holy Word? And
what oil, if not the power of Holy Spirit? It is with these, after washing, that believers are
anointed as with sweet smelling oil.” (390)

Apostolic tradition: - After baptizing, “The presbyter says ‘I anoint you with holy oil in the
name of Jesus Christ’. … Then, pouring the consecrated oil into his hand and imposing it on the
head of the baptized, he shall say: I anoint you with holy oil in the Lord, Father Almighty and
Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And signing on the forehead he shall kiss them and say ‘The
Lord be with you”(394I)

St. Cornelius: (AD 252) – (referring to Novatian, a heretic). “As [Novatian] seemed to die, he
received Baptism in the bed where he lay, by pouring – if, indeed, such a man can be said to
have received it at all. And when he recovered from his illness he did not receive the other
things, which in accord with the law of Church, it is necessary to have; nor he was sealed by the
bishop. And since this was not done, how could he have the Holy Spirit?” (547)

St. Cyprian (AD 254) “It is necessary for him that has been baptized also to be anointed, so that
by his having received chrism, that is, anointing, he can be anointed of God and have in himself
the grace of Christ. But in turn, it is by the Eucharist that the oil with which the baptized are
anointed is sanctified on the altar. He that has neither altar nor church, however, is not able to
sanctify that creature, oil” (592)

St. Ephraim (AD 308): - “the oil is the sweet unguent with which those who are baptized are
signed, being clothed with the armaments of the Holy Spirit” (725)

Laodicea council: - (Canon 48) “That those who have been illuminated are, after baptism, to be
anointed with celestial chrism, and thus become partakers in the kingdom of Christ” (745q)

St. Cyril (AD 315): - “And to you in like manner, after you had come up form the pool of
sacred streams, there was given chrism, the anti-type of that which Christ was anointed: and is
the Holy Spirit.” (841) “Beware of supposing this is ordinary ointment. For just as the Bread of
Eucharist after the invocation of the Holy Spirit is the simple bread no longer, but the Body of
the Christ, so also this holy ointment is no longer plain ointment, nor, so to speak, common
after the invocation. Rather it is the gracious gift of Christ and it is made fit for the imparting of
His Godhead by the coming of the Holy Spirit. This ointment is symbolically applied to your
forehead and to your other senses; and while your body is anointed with the visible ointment,
your soul is sanctified by the Holy and Life-creating Spirit” (842). “Just as Christ, after His
Baptism and the coming upon Him of the Holy Spirit, went forth and defeated the adversary, so
also with you; after Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the panoply of the
Holy Spirit, you are to withstand the power of the adversary and defeat him, saying “ I am able
to do all things in Christ, who strengthens me.” (842a)

Those who ridicule anointing with oil, which is in vogue from the time of the apostles by
saying that "it is not in the scriptures" have to think carefully. From the above discussion and
quotes it is clear that the Holy Chrism was used for anointing from the time of St. John. All
ancient churches especially the Syrian Orthodox, the Coptic’s, etc…continue this till this date.
Here is the prayer of the Syrian Orthodox Church during the Baptism and Confirmation
ceremony – “(Name of the receiver) is sealed for the eternal life in the name of Father, Son and
living Holy Spirit, by chrism, which is the incense of Christ seal and sign of true faith and
completion of the gift of Holy Spirit”

The confirmation (anointing) done by laying hands by the apostles (Acts 8:17, 19; Heb. 6:2) is
still followed by the ancient eastern Churches at the time of baptism with a prayer for the gift of
the Holy Spirit.

THE PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT: THE BEGINNINGS

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I wanted to write a little on the Pentecostal Church movement and its earliest beginnings here in America. What I will attempt to do is share the history of the movement and at the end give the position and teaching from that of the Eastern Orthodox perspective.

This is not an attempt to bash, but to show a comparison of the two beliefs. We will see how this movement is continually changing to adapt to times, the gathering of people and doctrinal errors that it encounters over time.

The Pentecostal Movement:

The Pentecostal church claims more then 250 million adherents worldwide. When Charismatics are included with Pentecostals, the number increases to nearly a quarter of the worlds 2 billion Christians.

Pentecostalism is a broad term that includes many different theologies and cultures. Pentecostalisms emphasis is on the charismata aspects within Charismatic Christianity. Its teachings on Spirit baptism and spiritual gifts vary from one group to another. This movement is very similar to the Charismatic movement.

Charles Parham (1873-1929)

Charles Parham was a man who was a Methodist believer. He left the Methodist church for a couple of reasons. He, along with William J. Seymour led the spreading of Pentecostalism. Parham associated glossolalia with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Parham began telling his students at a Holiness Bible College in Kansas about being filled with the Holy Spirit, when it occurred to him that those in the book of Acts who were filled, all spoke a foreign language.

So he encouraged them to be filled and that this speaking in a foreign language was the sign of a genuine filling of the Holy Spirit.

He started a nation wide revival tour, sending his students out to see what language they had been given as a gift. You see, Parham felt that with this new Spirit filled language, people could evangelise the world. It was seen as an opportunity to expand missions and the preaching of the gospel around the world.

Unfortunately, their new tongues bore no relation to any language on earth, so they concluded it was a language of heaven, given to them for worship, rather then missions. This was the third blessing, to top off salvation and sanctification.

Going back a little bit, before we continue. Parham left the Methodist church because he disagreed with its form of church government and hierarchy and also its freedom to preach inspired gospel messages. Rejecting denomination, he established his own itinerant evangelistic ministry. Parham moved his headquarters to Topeka, Kansas in 1898. There, he established the Bethel healing home. He then took a sabbatical from this ministry to experience "other" ideas of Pentecostal and Holiness teachings. Upon returning, he found his Bethel healing home was taken over by others and because he did not want to fight over leadership, he moved on.

In 1900, Parham started Bethel Bible College. Prior to starting the bible college, he heard of an individual who was part of Frank Sanfords "Holy Ghost and Us Bible College" who has spoke in tongues. Parham had spent a lot of time with Sanford and his Shiloh ministry. Parham reprinted this event of the individual speaking in tongues in his Apostolic Faith magazine.

Parham then asked his students to study the Bible to determine what evidence was present when the church of Acts received the Holy Spirit. The students had several days to pray and worship. On January 1, 1901 a female student by the name of Agnes Ozman felt impressed to ask to be prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit. Immediately she began to speak in tongues. It was thought to be a "known" foreign language. It was later discovered that none of the "tongues" resembled any language on earth.

Parham began a Bible college in Houston, Texas in 1906. Several African Americans were influenced by Parhams works, including William J. Seymour. Parham planned to send Seymour to preach to the African American communities throughout Texas. In 1906 Seymour left Houston to become Associate Pastor of an African American mission in Los Angeles, California.

Seymour's work would eventually lead to what is known as the Azusa street revival, which by many is considered the birthplace of Pentecostalism.

Seymour requested and received a license as a minister under Parhams Apostolic Faith Movement. However, Seymour soon parted ways with Parham over his harsh criticism of the "emotional" worship at Azusa and the intermingling of whites and blacks in the services.

Parham was considered racist by many because of his position, but he was a first to reach across racial lines to African Americas and Hispanic Americans. He also allowed an African American woman to preach in one of his services. Parhams views on race, most probably reflects those of his time. He was willing to defy the social restraints when it was not a popular thing to do.

In 1906 and 1907 he was alleged to have been involved in sexual misconduct. There were also allegations of financial irregularity and doctrinal aberration. The focus of the Pentecostal movement shifted from Parham to Seymour. Parham began to resent Seymour. Parham became an embarrassment to the movement and he was alienated from the group that he started.

This movement began to take on more extreme forms later on. In 1910 a Pentecostal preacher named George Hinsley began preaching on the text "They shall take up snakes", ended by him grabbing a rattlesnake and commanding his flock to do the same or be doomed to eternal hell. They obeyed. He kept snake handling until 1955, when he died of a snake bite. Today there are still 2500 still practicing this form of Pentecostal worship.



Eastern Orthodox teaching on baptism of the Holy Spirit

In the Orthodox faith we believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit as it was taught by the Apostles. The following is taken from the Orthodox Bible:

Holy Chrismation   Holy Chrismation From earliest times the church has practiced Chrismation immediately following baptism. In the sacrament of Chrismation (Gr. chrismatis, "anointing") the newly baptized person receives the Holy Spirit through the anointing with oil by the bishop or priest. The roots of this sacrament are clear in both the Old and New Testaments, and are especially brought to light on the Day of Pentecost. Promises of the Holy Spirit from the Old Testament In his sermon on Pentecost, St. Peter quotes the well-known prophecy of Joel, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh" (Acts 2:17; see Joel 2:28). This promise was significant because under the Old Covenant, the gift of the Spirit had been given only to a few - the patriarchs, the prophets, and some of the judges. Certain leaders of Israel were indwelt with the Holy Spirit to accomplish their tasks. Joel, however, prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be given to all God's people, "all flesh." This was fulfilled at Pentecost, for Peter exclaims, "this [outpouring of the Spirit] is what was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:16).

Other Old Testament prophets who speak of this same promise of the Spirit include Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 36:25-27). In fact, the Ezekiel passage ties together the water and the Spirit in a prophetic vision of baptism and Chrismation. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit Our Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His disciples. Early in His public ministry He said, "'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.' He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke concerning the Spirit ..." (John 7:37-39). Jesus also said, "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16). Christ promised the Holy Spirit would reveal truth to the Church. "When He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:13, 14). Jesus says the Holy Spirit will bring glory to Christ. This gives us an excellent means of testing whether or not acts attributed to the Holy Spirit are indeed valid. The last words of Christ before His Ascension include a promise: "John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). This word was fulfilled ten days later on the Day of Pentecost. How is the Holy Spirit given to us? The people who heard Peter speak at Pentecost asked him how they might receive salvation. He answered, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). We repent (turn from our sins and toward Christ); we are baptized; we are given "the gift of the Holy Spirit," Chrismation. That practice has never changed. In Acts 8, Philip, the deacon and evangelist, preached in Samaria (Acts 8:5-8). Many believed and were baptized (Acts 8:12). The apostles came and later confirmed these new believers with the gift of the Holy Spirit through the laying of hands (Acts 8:14-17). Here is the sacrament of Chrismation following Holy Baptism. Later, the Apostle Paul met some disciples of John the Baptist who had not been present when Peter spoke at Pentecost (Acts 19:1-7). They believed in Christ, "were baptized" (Acts 19:5) and "the Holy Spirit came upon them" (Acts 19:6), again through the hands of the apostle. The promise of God includes both our union with Christ in Holy Baptism and gift of the Holy Spirit at Chrismation. From The Orthodox Study Bible Copyright © 1993 by St. Athanasius Orthodox Academy

CHURCH HISTORY: FIRST COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE 381

This will be a brief overview of the First Ecumenical Council of Constantinople. There is much information on this, but I will keep this brief.

The council approved the current form of the Nicene Creed as used in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox churches, but, except when Greek is used, with two additional Latin phrases ("Deum de Deo" and "Filioque") in the West. The form used by the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, has many more additions. This fuller creed may have existed before the Council and probably originated from the baptismal creed of Constantinople.
The council also condemned Apollinarism, the teaching that there was no human mind or soul in Christ. It also granted Constantinople honorary precedence over all churches save Rome.
The council did not include Western bishops or Roman legates, but it was accepted as ecumenical in the West
The First Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Second Ecumenical Council by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, the Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. This being the first Ecumenical Council held in Constantinople, it was called by Theodosius I in 381 which confirmed the Nicene Creed and dealt with other matters such as Arian Controversy. The council tk place in the church of Hagia Irene from May to July 381.

The council affirmed the original Nicene creed of faith as true and an accurate explanation of Scripture. This council also developed a statement of faith which included the language of Nicaea, but expanded the discussion on the Holy Spirit to combat the heresy of the Pneumatomachi. It is called the Nicene Creed of 381 and was a commentary on the original Nicene formula. It expanded the third article of the creed dealing with the Holy Spirit, as well as some other changes. About the Holy Spirit the article of faith said he is "the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified". The statement of proceeding from the Father is seen as significant because it established that the Holy Spirit must be of the same being (ousia) as God the Father.

This Council's decision regarding the Holy Spirit also gave official endorsement to the concept of the Trinity. By the end of the 4th century, the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius "issued a decree that the doctrine of the Trinity was to be the official state religion and that all subjects shall adhere to it"

This council condemned Arianism which began to die out with more condemnations at a council of Aquileia by Ambrose of Milan in 381. With the discussion of Trinitarian doctrine now developed and well under agreement to orthodox and biblical understanding, it led to Christology, which would be the topic of the Council of Ephesus of 431 and the Council of Chalcedon of 451.

CHURCH HISTORY: COUNCIL OF NICAEA:

When Scripture and tradition afforded no incontestable solution to the issue that arose between Arius and Athanasius concerning the nature of Christ, recourse was possible only to the consenss of the Church. Constantine therefore summoned a council, which met at Nicaea, in Asia Minor in 324 CE. It is called the First Ecumenical (or universal) Council because it included bishops from the East and from the West. To celbrate the twentieth anniversary of his reign, Constatnine invited the assembled bishop to dine with him. When those who had survived the great persecution filed between ranks of Roman soldiers to sit down with the emperor, on of their number wondered whether the kingdom of God had come or whether he dreamed. Here was another of those historical moments great with hope. The council did not resolve Constantine's problems with the church or the Church's own inner disputes. It rejected any subordination of the Son to the Father. The Greek work used to express their full equality was homoousios, meaning "of the same substance or being.: The English equivalent (derived from the Latin) is " Constubstantial." The Fahter and the Son were described as two persons sharing in one being or substance. With the Holy Spirit they constiture the Trinity.




The doctrine of the Trinity, as it was developed, is a formula that embraces a concept of great richness. It ascribes to God both unity and plurality: He is on and three. It ascrives to Him both being and becoming; as the ultimate ground of being, He is static and changless; yet ther in in Him an eternal, timeless process of generation, for the Son is begotten by the Fahter, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone (according to the Orthodox Church) or from the Fahter and the Son (according to the Roman Church). God is above time and within time; in the incarnation and throughout the whole history of Israel and of the Christian Church, eternity impinges upon time. God is ultimate being, indescribable save by negatives, yet He has the personal characteristics of the God of Moses, the God who speaks. Christ is the very godhead become flesh, suffering and dying for the redemption of mankind. The doctine of the Trinity was unifying, as indeed all Orthodox Christian thought was unifying. The heretics were commonly dualists. In the second century the Gnostics had separated body and spirit. Now the Arians separated the creature from the creator. Later, as we shall see the Nestorians tended to split the divine and the human natures of Christ.



But, although the Athanasians were able to unite God, as it were, they could not unite the Church. The Council of Nicaea pronounced in their favor. Constantine banished five dissidents, including Arius, and threatened with death anyone who did not deliver up his books to be burned. But, after the coundil had disbanded, Constantine discovered that the buld of the popultasion in the heavily Christianized area of Asia Minor had Arian leanings. Ten years later, in 335 CE, a synot met at Tyre, and this time the Arians won; Arius was restored and Athanasius was exiled. But the struggle was far from over.



Source: Christendom Vol 1: Roland H Bainton: A short history of Christianity and its impact on the Western Civilization.

Ancestral Sin

In the Old Testament account of creation, God created mankind and established a place for him called Paradise. He also gave him a commandment regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: "And the Lord God commanded Adam, saying, "You may eat food from every tree in the garden; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not eat; for in whatever day you eat from it, you shall die by death" Gn 2:16, 17 In that Adam and Eve did not physically die the day they ate from the tree, the words "you shall die" indicate a spiritual death throught separation from God.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE FALL?

1. This fall of Adam caused mankind to become subject to mortality. While this is often seen mainly as a punishment, or penalty, the emphasis concerning Gods judgments on Adam and Eve at the fall is best understood in terms of His mercy. So, for example, concerning mans mortality (Gn 3:19), St Gregory the Theologian states, "Yet here too He provides a benefit - namely death, which cuts off sin, so that evil may not be everlasting. Thus His punishment is changed to mercy."
2. We who are of Adams's race are not guilty because of Adams sin, but because of our own sin. However, because all of mankind fell away from the grace of God through Adams disobedience, man now has a propensity, a disposition, an inclination towards sin, because just as death entered the world through sin, now sin enters through fear of death.
3. Mankinds strong propensity to commit sin reveals that in the Fall, the image of God in man (Gn 1:26,27) is also fallen, However, the ancient Fathers emphasize that the divine image in man has not been totally corrupted or obliterated. Human nature remains inherently good after the Fall; mankind is not totally depraved. People are still capable of doing good., although bondage to death and the influences of the devil can dull their perception of what is good and lead them into all kinds of evil.
4. Adam's Fall not only brought mortality and sin into the world, but also sweat, toil, hunger, thirst, weariness, sorrow, pain, suffering, sickness, tribulations, tragedy and tears.
5. Even after the Fall, the intellectual, desiring and incensive (forceful or driving) aspects of the soul are natural and therefore neutral. They can be used in a good way, or in a bad, harmful way. For instance, desire is very good when one directs it towards God. But when desire is out of control, one may use it in very inapporpriate ways, such as becoming gluttonous or desiring another person's spouse. The classic analogy is that these powers of the soul are like iron, which can be made into a plow to help grow food, or into a sword to be used to kill someone.
6. Christ, by His Death and Resurrection , conquered the devil and death, freeing mankind fromt eh fear death (Heb 2:14-15) and making possible a more complete communion between God and man than was ever possible before. This communion allows people to become "partakers of the divine nature" (2Pt 1:4), to transcend death and, ultimately, all the consequesnces of the Fall.

Source: The Orthodox Study Bible: Ancestral Sin

THE CHURCH

One of the tragic aberrations of so called modern religion is "Churchless Christianity."
The assertion is that it is Christ who saves, not the Church, so "all you need is Jesus".
Few who claim to be Christians would argue against the statement that it is Christ who saves. For He is the eternal Son of God who has assumed human flesh, and has done so "for us and for our salvation" (Niceene Creed). Thus Paul writes, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" 1Ti 2:5.
But because this Mediator established the Church which is His body, we who are joined to Him are joined to His church as well. To say we love Christ, who is Head of the Church and at the same time reject His body is to deny New Testament teaching.
The Gospel and Acts. The first use of the word "church' (Gr. ecclesia) in the New Testament comes in the Gospel of Matthew, when our Lord gives His approval of Peters confession of faith and promises, "I will build my church" (Matt 16:18). Jesus Christ builds, and we cooperate with Him.
The Book of Acts amplifies what Jesus meant in Matthew 16. When Peters sermon on the Day of Pentecost concludes, those present ask for guidance toward salvation: "What shalll we do?" (Acts 2:37). Following Peters word, they are baptized and join with the other believers, three thousand of them (Acts 2:38, 41)
Having been joined to Christ and His Church, these baptized believers begin living as the body of Christ. We find them looking after each other, using their personal resources for one another;s care, continuing togeher in prayer and in the Eucharist (Acts 2:42-47). From this point on "the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47), and throughout Acts, we see the Church being built as the Gospel of Christ spreads.
The Epistles. Pauls instructions in his letters to the churches throughout the eastern Mediterranean clearly show what it means to be members of Christ; to be the Church and to be in the Church. Nowhere in the New Testament is Pauls teaching on the Church more fully disclosed than in Ephesians 4. He instructs us that:
1. The Church is one, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (4:3). There is one Church, one God, one doctrine, one baptism.
2. The Church is people, men and women who are energized by the Holy Spirit. For "to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift" (4:7). We are not all given the same gifts, but together we are equipped to do Gods will.
3. The Head of the Church is Christ, "from whom the whole body is joined and knit together" (4:16)
4. The Church, then, is that place established by Christ where we each may become what we are created to be, maturing and being perfected, while the Church receives what it needs from each of us, so that it too is being perfected. The church as the body of Christ carries us beyond our petty and worldly concerns, stretching our vision to the eternal and the heavenly as we ascend together to worship the Father , the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

* ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE:

The Second coming of Christ

The Orthodox understainding of the second coming of /Christ is clear: The Lord Jesus Christ truly will return. His second advent is not a myth nor an empty promise, nor is it a metaphor. In fact, eacth time the Divine Liturgy is celebrated, the priest makes a proclamation to the Father that reveals how the Church responds not only to the second comming of Christ, but to all of His work.

Remembering this saving commandment (Jesus' command to eat His flesh and drink His blood) and all that has been done for us the Cross, the Tomb, the Resurrection on the third day, the Ascension into heaven, the sitting at the right hand, and the second and glorious coming - we offer You Your own, from what is Your own, on behalf of all and for all.

Orthodox Christians also believe the New Testament revelation of the second coming of Christ is meant to stimulate our preparation for it, not our speculation about it. This explains the relative simplicity with which the Nicene Creed, the most universal confession of faith in all of Christendom, addresses Christ's return: "He....will come again, with glory, to judge the lving and the dead, whose Kingdom shall have no end." the emphasis of historic Orthodoxy is that Jesus will come again, not when He will come again.

Thus, St. Paul writes, "denying ungodliness and worldy lust, we should live soberly, righteousely, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and gloriouse appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own speacial people, zelous for good works: Tts 2:12-14

There are signs of Christ's coming, to be sure. Jesus phophesied many events that would take place in the world prior to His return (Mt 24; Lk 21:7-36). But even these Gospel passages close with Jesus' exhortation to virtue, righteousness, and preparation for the Judgment. Christ and His apostles issue severe warning, implicit and explicit, against second guessing the time of His coming (Mt24:3-8, 36, 43, 44, 50; Lk 21:7-9, 34 Acts 1:7; 1 Th 5:1-3: 2 Pt 3:8-10)

Much of medern Christendom has succumbed to divisive speculation regarding Christ's return. We are dividied into premillennial, postmillennial, and amillennial camps. Breaking it down even further, there are pre-tribulation, and post-tribulation adherents. Christians part ways and new denominations spring up around interpretations of events that have not yet even come to pass!

Thro0ught history the Orthodox Church has steadfastly insisted on the reality of the second coming of Christ as a settled belief, but has always granted liberty on the question of when it will occur. In the last chapter of Revelation, Jesus speaks the words, ":I am coming quickly.: Three differnt times (22:7, 12, 20). His comming will occur on a day and at an hour when it is not expected. The apostle John, the author of Revelation, concludes his book with a warning:

   For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in the book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy God shall take away his part form the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from  the things which are written in thei book (Rev 22:18, 19)

To confess the return of Christ is to stand squarely within the apostolic tradition. To add "when" to the promis of His coming is warned against in the Scriptures. As members of the Bride of Christ, let us attend instead to being ready.

Scriptures says to watch and pray.....