Teach Me Thy Statutes: Recent Episodes
The Ephesus School
Each week, Fr. Aaron Warwick and Jason Ewertt meet to discuss biblical readings from the Orthodox lectionary.
In discussing 2 Corinthians 8, we referred back to Paul's collection from the Corinthian church for the church in Jerusalem. Fr Aaron highlighted the historical circumstances that led to Paul taking this collection, but also taught us about how this collection was strategic by St Paul to help unite the Jews and the Gentiles.
In highlighting the biblical account of the Transfiguration, Fr Aaron showed how that event relates both in Scripture and in the Orthodox Church tradition to Christ's work on the Cross. Further, we discussed the significance of Transfiguration occurring during the Feast of Booths, or the Feast of Tabernacles. Ultimately, Jesus' Transfiguration during this feast follows the biblical tradition, which gives the Tabernacle the "upper hand" over the Temple.
We discussed the dangers of placing the traditions of men above the Scriptures. Tradition is important, but we must ensure that nothing we do contradicts Scripture, nor serves to make us an exclusive community that prevents sinners from participating. Finally, we discussed how paying only lip service to God is among the chief sins a person can commit.
In discussing the parable of the sower, we recognized it should rather be referred to as the parable of the seed. For the emphasis of the parable is on the seed—spreading spreading the Gospel message in word and in deed. After all, even if there is good soil, it can bear no fruit without the seed. We further discussed how we should not be discouraged when the seed does not grow or take root, for it is God alone who gives the growth. Our job is to plant the seed.
We discuss the similarities between II Corinthians, Galatians, and the Acts of the Apostles as it relates to Paul and his teaching. Paul’s experience, as described in II Corinthians, put him on parallel to the other apostles who were “eyewitnesses” of Jesus’ public ministry. We concluded by discussing the “thorn in the flesh” of Paul, highlighting the most important aspect of that story, Christ’s response to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Today we examined the book of Jude. Fr Aaron discussed the similarities between Jude and the epistles of Peter and James. He showed how these epistles served as a corrective to those who misunderstood Paul’s arguments about grace and freedom. Specifically, Jude notes that being free from the Mosaic Law does not mean we are lawless, but rather are freed from that Law to be enslaved to the Law of Christ, which itself brings about true freedom.
In discussing Jesus' teaching that we will be judged using the same measure with which we judge others, we touched on the importance of understanding Jesus' teachings literally. For in the judgment, Jesus will not ask whether we "believe" certain biblical events happened, but rather if we lived by the lessons they taught. We concluded by discussing how we can properly help others who have a "speck" in their eye, once we have removed the "plank" from our own.
We began the episode by explaining how children were viewed as an underclass in the 1st century Roman Empire. Jesus, therefore, makes the point that children are humble, as they do not put their trust in themselves, but rely on the help of others, just as we should rely on God and be careful not to put our trust in our own righteousness. We concluded by discussing Jesus’ parable of the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to seek out the one who was lost. There, we highlighted how Jesus calls upon us to transcend our biological impulses to show forth the image of God in which we were created.
We discuss the "Parable of the Unjust Steward." This parable often confuses readers because of the poor English translations. Fr Aaron noted the better translation of the "unjust steward" is the "steward of/to the unjust." Understood in this light, the parable makes complete sense with the rest of the New Testament and underscores how the Gospel was taken to the Gentiles/nations. While the mission to the Jews by and large failed, the Apostle Paul and others, the stewards of the unjust, found success in offering God's mercy and leniency to the nations.
In today’s episode we discussed how St. Paul urges the Colossians to avoid the temptations of external rituals that lead to self-righteousness, whether they be pagan or Jewish rituals. In these rituals, we cannot add to what God has already accomplished for us through Jesus Christ. Instead, we respond with thankfulness by loving our neighbors and uplifting the weak. We concluded by discussing our need to avoid the cancer of self-righteousness, which can affect us regardless of our denomination.
Today’s episode began with a discussion about Jesus’ statement in Luke 12 relating to the Final Judgement. These verses follow Luke 11 in which Jesus’ conversation with the Pharisees included both the Beatitudes and the Woes (the latter of which is unique to Luke’s Gospel). From the Woes and Jesus’ continued discussion in Luke 12, we can understand that the Final Judgement will be about what we did when others were not looking and how we treated people who were despised by those with power and influence in society, and most especially, within religious institutions. We should be welcoming to all who come to our community and demonstrate mercy and justice for the oppressed, recognizing that the Church is not a place for the self-righteous; it is a hospital for sinners.
Today we discussed how we can become a “cheerful giver.” We first highlighted the need to re-orient ourselves around the biblical teaching of appreciating God’s gifts and of sharing them with others. Fr Aaron then suggested that even if we are not yet a cheerful giver, we should still give, even if somewhat begrudgingly. In this way, we allow Scripture to teach us the ideal, and over time as we move toward this ideal, we will begin to see how this way of life is superior to the way we are taught by society to continue to acquire more and more for our own benefit.
In today’s episode, we began by examining the significance of the Ethiopian eunuch and his conversion to Christianity, which highlights the inclusiveness of the Gospel as he extends the geographical reach of the Roman Empire as well as the color of people who associated with Judaism. Moreover, as a eunuch, this early convert would have been entirely excluded from Temple worship. We concluded by discussing the Church’s role in interpreting Scripture vs. an individualist approach. Fr Aaron stressed that in order for us to safeguard the Scriptures, both clergy and laity must be actively reading and understanding Scripture.
We discussed how the teaching of ‘judging not lest you be judged’ is not only Scriptural, but also deeply ingrained in our Orthodox tradition. This teaching of Jesus is at the heart of the Gospel. We explored, then, how it is not enough for us to say that we trust in God and believe in Him. We must also put our trust into practice by forgiving others and refraining from judging or condemning them.
In today’s episode, we briefly discussed the background of the three epistles of John and then focused on the reading appointed for his feast day. John’s epistles may have served as a corrective to those who were improperly using his Gospel and equating it with Gnosticism. With John’s continual stressing of the importance of love and its connection to keeping God’s commandments, we can see that John takes an anti-Gnostic stance, as anyone can show love and follow God’s commandments, not just a select few that possess a higher level of knowledge. In the end, John emphasizes that love, and most specifically, God’s love for us, leads to salvation.
Today we discussed Jesus' baptism and the presence of the Trinity. Fr Aaron explained how an important aspect of the Trinity for us to highlight in the community within the Godhead. We then discussed why that is so applicable, as it helps us to avoid the sin of individualism.
Today’s episode focused primarily on how John’s Gospel differs from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke). We stressed that the key difference is that John moves away from the historical aspects of Jesus and instead focuses on His teaching, a message that ultimately transformed not only the Jerusalem Jewish community, but the entire world. We concluded by discussing a passage from our reading today in John 8. Specifically, Fr Aaron highlighted how the concepts of sin, faith, and judgment are all connected in this passage through the overarching biblical concept of mercy.
Today we focused on the urgency of accepting and living the Gospel message as emphasized in the epistle to the Hebrews. Further, we highlighted how in the Bible, one is never given an honor without a related responsibility. To that end, we discussed how as humans honored with the image of God we have the responsibility to show the same love Jesus showed through the Cross. We then closed by examining the authorship of Hebrews and the Pauline nature of the entire New Testament.
This is our final week of re-posting some prior episodes before returning to new content. Today we examined the role of parables in Scripture. We began by stressing the importance of viewing the entirety of Scripture as parable, as well as the value of parables as guiding principles in our lives, since we are wired to better understand moral and spiritual lessons when they are told in story form. Christ Himself used parables to penetrate more deeply; to engrain the lesson on our heart. We also discussed the modern idea of the Bible as a scientific or historical book, pointing out the flaw in both positions that those of us living in the 21st century are at the center of the universe. By reducing the Bible to a science text or a history book, we cheapen its impact. As Christians, we are not allowed to define Scripture, for Scripture defines us. We are beneath Scripture and must submit to it.
For the next two weeks we will be re-posting some prior episodes before returning to new content. Today, we discuss the tradition of fasting, dating back to pre-Christian Judaism. This helps us better understand why Jesus was questioned by the disciples of John as to His disciples not fasting. Jesus’ response, together with Isaiah 58, shows that the true purpose of fasting is not to make ourselves hungry, but to relieve the hunger in others and to relieve their burdens. Jesus shows how the most religious people are too often focused on their own self-righteousness rather than this biblical meaning of fasting.
For the next three weeks we will be re-posting some prior episodes before returning to new content. Today, we are re-posting Episode 45, in which we discussed the significance of Jesus’ movement in and out of the great city of Jerusalem, and His spending the evenings in Bethany. We also highlighted a parable Jesus spoke while visiting the Temple, calling out the religious people of His time. In stark contrast to how Jesus lived His earthly life—ministering to the poor and the outcast—these “pious” people condemned and disassociated from them. In the end, Fr Aaron pointed out the teaching of Scripture: talk is cheap. What ultimately matters is not what we claim to believe, but if we live according to God’s will.
To highlight the significance of Jesus telling His disciples to become like little children, we discussed the role of children in the Roman Empire of Jesus’ time. Children of that time did not have the same rights and protections we often take for granted in our own societies. We then touched on the significance of Jesus saying the greatest in the Kingdom will be like a child, and Jesus’ harsh words for those who would cause children to stumble.
In discussing Paul's admonition "Let him who thinks he stand take heed lest he fall," Fr Aaron pointed out the subtle, yet important, use of the Greek word "stasis" in the New Testament. We reviewed Paul's use of the word in today's reading, as well as the use of the word in relation to the story of Barabbas and of Christ's resurrection, and how it shows the way we should live our lives. We also discussed how Paul brought the Gentile Corinthian Christians into the biblical/Old Testament narrative, using this as a way to instruct the Corinthians on how they should understand being part of the people of God.
Today’s episode began with an explanation of how Paul sets up various metaphors to help make his point by using Jewish biblical teaching and well-known Roman concepts that would have been clearly understood by his readers. One specific example Fr Aaron gave relates to the structure of the Roman household, and how this can help us understand Paul’s teaching of God being the only judge, and why we should refrain from judging others. Fr Aaron emphasized the importance of understanding this metaphor and continually reminding ourselves of it when we fall into the sin of judging others; only then can we keep our focus on doing the will of our Master, and extend the mercy He has given us to others.
For today's episode, we are sharing Fr Aaron's sermon from June 26, 2022, the Sunday following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Fr Aaron encourages Christians to understand our true goal, which is not changing laws, but changing hearts. Furthermore, he emphasizes how the Church is a spiritual hospital, welcoming all who have fallen short of the Gospel's ideals. Finally, Fr Aaron highlights how Christians should take a comprehensive approach to being "pro-life," including adopting and fostering children in need.
We began today by addressing the division among members of the church in Corinth. We then moved to where Paul speaks about spiritual gifts and emphasized that these gifts are from God, to be used for His glory alone. We discussed how all members of the church are needed for the church to function properly and, therefore, all should be respected and appreciated equally. We concluded with chapter 13 and Paul’s well-known verses on love. Fr Aaron highlighted that “agape”—the type of love Paul mentioned—is a self-emptying or self-sacrificial love, the kind of love God shows us. Ultimately, we must use our spiritual gifts with agape love, or we are misusing them for our own glory.
Today’s reading led us into a discussion about anxiety in general, as well as anxiety disorders. Fr Aaron shared with us his own story of dealing with an anxiety disorder and what conclusions he has drawn from his own experience. Fr Aaron advocated for viewing anxiety disorders—and mental health issues more broadly—more holistically, recognizing that the body, as well as the soul, must be treated. He provided a poignant analogy to help us better understand that point. We then discussed anxiety in more general terms, and how it often stems from us desiring to control the world around us. We concluded with some practical thoughts about how best to learn to start giving up this desire for control.
Today we discussed some practical implications of Jesus’ teaching to give and lend without expecting anything in return. We began by discussing the meaning of financial stewardship, balancing between ensuring accountability and not trying to control or micromanage in an unhealthy manner. We concluded by contemplating Jesus’ command to love our enemies and how we have the ability to do so because we are made in God’s image. To that end, Jesus taught we should behave as God behaves towards us—providing us with His love and mercy so that we would share it with others.
Today we discussed Paul's defense of his faith at the Areopagus. We highlighted the radical nature of Paul's teaching, one that was at first both foreign and "foolish" to his hearers. Specifically, we noted the idea that the divine would suffer as a human, let alone exalt the poor and needy, was something radical to the Greeks, but also unique to the Judeo-Christian Scriptures. We concluded with a reminder that although we often claim to uphold these same values, we must be sure to actually put them into practice instead of simply paying lip-service.
Today, in discussing the decisions made at the "Council of Jerusalem" in Acts 15, we highlighted the importance of the Old Testament to the early Christian community. We noted that while many Christians tend to minimize the Old Testament, we should learn to understand it and its powerful role in forming many values we hold dear in Western civilization. Finally, we discussed how and why the apostles came to their conclusions in Acts 15 and how that related to Jesus' fulfillment of the Scriptural message and promise.
Today we discuss Jesus talking about being "the bread of life" and instructing His disciples to "eat [His] flesh." We tried to discern what Jesus means by looking back to the story of Exodus and the manna in the wilderness. In doing so, we understand that the physical food in Scripture is always connected to the spiritual food, i.e. God's teaching. We then discussed the reception of the Eucharist in the Christian community, and how biblical teaching has been and continues to be intimately linked with it. Finally, we mentioned historical factors that likely led to a false dichotomy between the Eucharist and biblical teaching.
Today’s discussion revolved around the passage from John 5 that is read at every Orthodox Christian funeral service, which distinguishes between those "who have done good" and those "who have done evil," and how the result of the resurrection will be different for each. We began by examining the apparent contradiction between faith and works, and how faith is not just an intellectual concept, but a way of life. We then briefly discussed how salvation is similar to an inheritance: it can never be earned, but it can be lost. Finally, we discussed the reason this passage is used in the funeral service.
During Lent we will be re-running some of our most popular episodes. This week is a re-run of Week 53, in which we discussed the context of the Epistles to the Corinthians, noting the community was predominantly Gentile, one made up of Roman converts to the faith. We then discussed the similarities in the Bible of both Jews and Gentiles in that Scripture is critical of both communities. Later in today’s reading, we hear Paul address the Corinthians with a bit of sarcasm, to offer a warning: If we expect that being a Christian will bring us an easy life, and that we can be viewed as honorable by a corrupt world, then we are doing something very wrong. Jesus teaches us that a servant is not greater than his master. If Jesus was persecuted, so too will His servants. To live the Christian life properly means that our ways will not be popular with those in society, and at times, even among other Christians.
During Lent we will be re-running some of our most popular episodes. This week is a re-run of Week 51, in which we discuss what it means to be “justified.” Fr Aaron explained that the Greek word that is often translated as “justified” can also be translated as “declared righteous.” And so, we can understand that to be justified means that we have been declared righteous. With this legal terminology in mind, we then discussed that while part of salvation is legal or juridical, salvation goes beyond a mere legal process. St. Paul is telling us in Galatians that to be declared righteous means that we have been freed from the Mosaic Law which allows us to avoid the curse of the Law. This leads to the opportunity for us to find salvation, healing, and restoration. Thus, to be declared righteous is not the end, but rather the beginning of our walk as a Christian.
This week we are sharing Fr Aaron's homily on the current war in Ukraine. Fr Aaron focuses on how we can often overlook or demonize those we see as enemies and invites us all to look inside ourselves to ensure during this Lenten season we seek to expunge all hatred from our own hearts.
During Lent we will be re-running some of our most popular episodes. This week is a re-run of Week 28, in which we discuss why John 1 is read at Pascha rather than an account of the Resurrection. Fr Aaron connected the beginning of this Gospel to the reading from Matthew 28 at the Vesperal Liturgy prior to the Paschal Liturgy that concludes with “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” At Pascha the following day, we here from John 1, “In the beginning was the Word.” Because the church revolves around Pascha, we end our year with a reminder that God’s Word was there in the beginning, and then turn to the promise that the Word will be there in the end. God’s Word abides forever. We then turned our attention to what John refers to in his Gospel as “the Word.” Father Aaron explained that we can understand “word” to be a statement or a brief teaching, as “the word of God” (Scripture), and/or as the incarnate word/incarnate Scripture, which is Jesus Christ. With this in mind, we can comprehend that God first gave His word to Abraham, then through His Scriptural message, and finally culminated with the Word incarnate—our Lord Jesus Christ.
During Lent we will be re-running some of our most popular episodes. This week is a re-run of Week 49, in which we examined the role of parables in Scripture. We began by stressing the importance of viewing the entirety of Scripture as parable, as well as the value of parables as guiding principles in our lives, since we are wired to better understand moral and spiritual lessons when they are told in story form. Christ Himself used parables to penetrate more deeply; to engrain the lesson on our heart. We also discussed the modern idea of the Bible as a scientific or historical book, pointing out the flaw in both positions that those of us living in the 21st century are at the center of the universe. By reducing the Bible to a science text or a history book, we cheapen its impact. As Christians, we are not allowed to define Scripture, for Scripture defines us. We are beneath Scripture and must submit to it.
Right before we begin the Lenten fasting season, the Orthodox Church appoints a reading from St Paul that begins: "Brethren, food does not commend us to God." We discuss why this reading is selected at the beginning of the fasting season and discuss the true nature of biblical fasting.
In analyzing the parable of the Prodigal Son, Fr Aaron argues that most of us should identify more with the faithful son. After explaining why this is the case, we discussed the practical implications of why we are still in need of repentance, even if that repentance is for different reasons than the prodigal son.
The parable of the Publican & Pharisee is appointed at a pivotal time in the Orthodox Church. By discussing the historical reputation of each of these characters and the parable itself, we highlight how Jesus' teaching prepares us for Great Lent. Furthermore, the parable teaches us about what God most desires, which is not that we are "moral" people, but that we are first and foremost humble, compassionate, and forgiving.
The Orthodox Church today celebrates the great feast of The Meeting of the Lord in the Temple. The feast, on the 40th day of Christmas, commemorates Christ being presented on the 40th day at the Temple, according to the Mosaic Law. We discuss the significance of this and the words of both Simeon and Anna based on Luke's Gospel.
We discuss St Paul's reference to himself as "chief among sinners," and how we each confess ourselves to be not only sinners, but the "chief" among them. How can this be? Why is it necessary? By understanding a couple of fundamental biblical propositions, we learn how viewing ourselves as chief among sinners is healthy and freeing, leading us to multiply our Lord's mercy.
In discussing Hebrews 13:7-16, we noted the importance of Jesus' teaching being of eternal value. We further highlighted how the traditions and practices under the Old Covenant parallel what happened in Jesus' life, with an emphasis on its implications for how we should live our own lives. Finally, we discussed the meaning of the term "sacrifice of praise" used in this passage and in the Divine Liturgy.
In discussing our reading from John 20, we highlighted the importance of understanding Scripture as literature, and clarified this does not imply that Scripture is not divinely-inspired. We then discussed why we should want to relate to "the beloved disciple," John, and his reaction at the empty tomb. We concluded by highlighting the implication of Jesus' "napkin" at the tomb being "rolled up."
Based on our reading from 1 Timothy 3:1-13, we discussed the qualifications of the clergy, and how their primarily role is as "overseers," who themselves have no authority unless they maintain fidelity to the Gospel teaching. Accordingly, the clergy should function as St Paul did, as the "economos," the chief slave. While functioning as an overseer or economos, the clergy should remember they must give account to the one Master, the God and Father of us all.
Jesus said: "By your endurance you will gain your lives." We discussed the importance and value of endurance in the Christian spiritual life. We also highlighted what Jesus meant when He told His disciples they would "bear testimony" to Him, and that at that time He would "give [them] a mouth to speak."
With most Americans celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, we discussed the central theme of thanksgiving as part of the Divine Liturgy. We then discussed the need for Christians to avoid self-righteousness through our good deeds by acknowledging that those good deeds are done in response to God’s goodness and mercy towards us. In this way we can show our thankfulness for God and spread that same grace, love and mercy that He first gave us.
Today we discuss three different men who wish to follow Jesus and Jesus' comments to them. We note the similarities to the Parable of the Great Supper, and how the excuses these men had were actually, under almost all circumstances, reasonable excuses. However, in the case of following Him, Jesus is stressing that nothing--no excuse--should come between us and our decision to follow in His path.
“Everyone to whom much is given, of him will much be required.” We discussed this passage from two angles. First, those who have been given much in this life have a great responsibility to serve and uplift others. But if we frame this idea in the context of mercy, we can see that if we have been given great mercy, we must extend this to others as well. We concluded by discussing Jesus noting He came to "bring division to the earth," and His admonition to "settle accounts" before going to court.
We discuss the implications of what it means to "have been granted for the sake of Christ to suffer." In short, if we never suffer, then we do not have the opportunity to examine ourselves to see if we are truly following Christ. Suffering presents an opportunity for us to learn about ourselves, to see in what areas we need to improve and to correct ourselves before the final judgement.
In today’s episode we discussed the significance of the seventy apostles that are mentioned explicitly in Luke’s Gospel and how they also relate to the twelve disciples. Fr Aaron explained that they symbolize the dual mission of Jesus: the mission to the Jews, as well as to the Gentiles. We then discussed Jesus emphasis that we cannot allow power to corrupt us, but rather must use it for the benefit of others.
We discuss the sharp contrasts between God's commandments as taught by Jesus and our natural human instincts. We explored how the acts of initiation (i.e. circumcision and baptism) into God's covenant community symbolize this dichotomy, and the practical implications for daily living.
We discuss several key aspects of the sermon on the plain, including the deeper meaning of the location of the sermon, the use of the term Son of Man, and the number (four) of blessings and woes. We then turned to the anti-imperial nature of the blessings and woes given by Jesus, viewing them in light of that general anti-imperial theme found throughout Scripture.
Jesus gave the "Great Commission" to go forth and baptize the nations from Galilee. Today, we discussed why it is significant that Jesus gave this command in the same place where He started His public ministry. In addition, we spoke of the importance of the second half of that commandment, to "teach" and "observe" all Jesus commanded.
Today’s episode briefly recounted I Corinthians, in which Paul attempts to deal with the notion that salvation has been fully received without recognizing that repentance is essential and that the judgment still lies ahead. In II Corinthians we find Paul commending the church in Corinth for listening and exhibiting some signs of repentance. We then discussed what distinguishes worldly grief from godly grief. As Fr Aaron explained, worldly grief causes us to lose hope, leads to despair and leads us to concentrate on our past mistakes. In contrast, Godly grief leads us to repentance and gives us hope. Godly grief recognizes our mistakes but views them as an opportunity to learn and grow, and thus provides hope for a better future.
Today we discuss Jesus' reading in the synagogue from Isaiah, proclaiming "the acceptable year of the Lord." We highlighted how this saying relates to the Year of Jubilee, and then delved into the meaning and application of the Jubilee. Specifically, we discussed how the Year of Jubilee is a "re-setting" of society, with the land re-distributed to the original owners, debts being forgiven, and the slaves being freed. We concluded by noting how the Year of Jubilee was to be observed in both letter and spirit, and how ignoring the spirit of the Year of Jubilee was cited by Jeremiah as a reason for Israel being punished via the Babylonian captivity.
We opened today’s episode with a brief background on the epistle to the Philippians and how Paul likely viewed it as his last will/testament, and how Philippi served as a strategic outpost whereby he could spread the Gospel message throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. In addition, we discussed the significance of the “hymn of the Philippians” and how Jesus was entirely unlike any prior kings or rulers, and how He sets the example for us to follow.
Today’s parable led us into a discussion surrounding fairness and justice. We are taught from an early age about the importance of these concepts, and often these ideas of fairness and justice are good for society. But when considering the working out of our salvation, these concepts can become problematic. Here we see that God is not simply a just God, but that He exceeds justice and emphasizes higher virtues of mercy and compassion. Fr Aaron reminded us of the notion of viewing our salvation like an inheritance, which is something that cannot be earned but can be lost. We discussed this metaphor in light of the parable of the workers in vineyard, and how we should apply the teaching to our own lives.
We began our discussion today by reviewing the events of the three chapters leading up to Jesus’ statement about His only sign being the sign of Jonah. This review helps us understand the full meaning of Jesus’ statement. In the end, we learn that not only is Jesus referring to His death and third-day resurrection; but like Jonah who came forth from the whale to preach God’s message of repentance and salvation to his enemies, so too will Christ rise triumphantly, taking His message to Jew and Gentile alike, and will call His disciples to go forth and spread the Gospel over all the world, and most especially to the occupying enemy, the Romans.
Today’s reading from Mark 5 led us into a discussion of faith and science and how a Christian should understand the relationship between the two. While the relationship between faith and science has changed over the centuries, in more recent history the pendulum continues to swing. Fr Aaron explained that he views the current state of this debate as moving back toward a recognition by academics that there is value to be found in Christianity. And while their rationale for the value of our faith is certainly incomplete and lacking in fullness, nevertheless we can see there is greater potential for understanding between those who align themselves with one position or the other in this debate. As for Christians and how we should understand and apply science and faith, we must first recognize that these things should co-exist. For in the study of science we find that God’s creative power is revealed to us; as the Psalm says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”
Offering meat to idols and a global health pandemic: what on earth could these two things have in common? We discussed 1 Corinthians 8-9 today, where Paul highlights the believer may have a right to do something, but nonetheless has a duty as a Christian to abstain from exercising that right in order to not offend or scandalize a weaker brother. We then showed how the situation Paul addressed to 1st century Corinthian Christians applies today amidst a pandemic.
Today we discussed a section of Romans 9 often used to support a theology called “predestination.” This erroneous theology applies Paul’s words to support the idea that God has chosen some for heaven and others for hell. That approach creates an exclusive club among those who believe they have been chosen to be saved. But in reviewing the context of Romans 9, we see that Paul is doing the exact opposite, creating an inclusive community of people from all nations, tribes, and tongues. In fact, in Romans 9, Paul is shaming those among the Jews who were so bold as to question God’s plan to save the Gentiles. We concluded by discussing the similarities between Romans 9 and other familiar stories like that of Jonah and the parable of the Prodigal Son.
Today we discussed Paul’s conundrum regarding the struggle of sin vs. the will to do what is right. Ultimately, this internal battle, together with the revelation on the road to Damascus, leads Paul to conclude that the only way to attain righteousness is outside the Mosaic Law itself, and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We then discussed two terms used by Paul, the flesh and the mind, and how through the use of these terms Paul is challenging us to rise above the limitations of nature and serve the law of Christ.
In today’s episode we discussed the names that Christ uses for Peter and how an understanding of the meaning of these names helps us to understand more deeply these stories from Scripture. More importantly, this understanding of the names helps teach us how this narrative impacts the way we should live our lives.
Today we discussed why Paul was so critical of the Jews in Romans 2. Fr Aaron provided context by reminding us the Jews had an advantage over the Gentiles, namely the Mosaic Law. And yet, even with the Law of God they continued to behave as though they were Gentiles. We then moved on to discussing what St. Paul means when he says, “For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical.” Fr Aaron showed from the Mosaic Law itself that the true purpose of circumcision is not the physical aspect, but to cut off sin from your life.
Fr Aaron explained that the famous verse of Jesus praying that His disciples would “be one” should not primarily be understood as a reference to ecumenism. Rather, we should recognize that Jesus is praying that we would be perfectly united to God’s will. For centuries, Christians have been separated into many different denominations and branches, and we arrived at this place because of our sin which often expresses itself in pride. These divisions were present even in the early Church prior to Constantine, and they became even more prevalent in the centuries thereafter. But to put ourselves at the center of the universe and interpret that these verses speak to our current situation would take Christ’s words far from the context in which he spoke. His comments reflected His desire that we, just like Him, would be united to God’s will.
Based on our reading of Acts 17:1-9, we discussed the role of evangelism in the Christian life. We distinguished between the overt evangelism of St Paul and other apostles and evangelists, and the evangelism all Christians should show through loving their neighbor. We also discussed how the evangelical movement has overemphasized the role of each individual Christian to be an evangelist, noting that most Christians have been given other gifts to help the Body of Christ, which should not be minimized.
We discuss why Jesus told the Pharisees there father is the devil. Ultimately, what we find is that the teaching of the devil leads us to accept God's grace for ourselves, while at the same time applying the law and judgment to others. In this context, Father Aaron showed how John 8 and Matthew 25 are intertwined, with the Mount of Olives (John 8) and the oil used in the lamps of the Five Wise Virgins (Matthew 25) connecting these two passages.
Based on our reading today, we discussed what Christ is referring to when He says that, “He who eats this bread will live forever.” Here, Christ not only refers to Holy Communion, but also to His teaching. A broader understanding of Scripture is helpful here, showing how the reception of the Word of God equips us to go forth and spread the Gospel. Prior to that, we also discussed how we should teach; namely, to equip others to become independent, giving them the ability to apply in their own lives the broader concepts we are able to convey
We began with questions regarding the Trinity and other theological questions, highlighting the importance that we guard against placing too much emphasis on these intellectual concepts at the expense of neglecting the practical teaching of Scripture. If our primary focus is on theology, and our faith is merely something that we believe in our head, we will likely live our lives in stark contrast to the teachings of Scripture. Jesus’ statement in today’s reading teaches us about the importance of submitting ourselves to the will of God. And if we keep this as our primary focus, we will not concern ourselves so much with the ability to verbalize complex theological concepts; instead we will devote ourselves to living according to God’s will.
Today we discussed the significance of the myrrh-bearing women as the first witnesses to the resurrection. This was fitting since it was the woman, Eve, who had first tasted of the forbidden fruit. And as Eve “evangelized” Adam about the fruit, so the myrrh-bearing women evangelized the disciples. We then turned our attention to the significance of this announcement being made to women, who were viewed as “lesser” and “weaker” than men, concluding with a good discussion about why Christ did not explicitly overturn cultural norms such as the role of men and women, free and slave, despite His teachings on these matters being clearly counter-cultural.
From Proverbs today, we discussed the foundational teaching of the Bible of caring for the poor and needy. We went on to discuss how this central teaching is so often overlooked by Christians. And this is especially true during the season of Great Lent, where our focus can so easily turn inward, to obsess over rules, to keep track of our attendance at services, to become fixated on our own spiritual growth. But we see in Isaiah 58 that God mocks this notion that He desires our outward piety. Rather, God desires that we relieve the hunger in others. We concluded, then, with a discussion of why it is important for us to be part of the church community.
Today we discussed briefly an overview of Isaiah and his emphasis of caring for the poor and needy. We also discussed the idea of God and images or idols and how they all relate. Specific to today’s reading, God mocks the idols of the nations; for these idols are made, altered and destroyed by human hands. But the biblical God is uncontrollable and uncreated. Finally, how God is the great shepherd and the fact that the sheep do not need to see their shepherd, but simply need to hear His voice.
Today we discuss the story of the Tower of Babel. Fr Aaron began with a reminder of the first command that God gave to Adam and Even and later reiterates with Noah: to spread out on the earth. But the real problem in Babel is the people wanted to make a name for themselves. We then focused on the teaching throughout Scripture that God generally opposes cities and buildings, and discussed both why this is the case and the practical implications for us today.
In today’s episode we discussed the story of the flood and how it separated us from Eden, from the ideal of what God intended. Fr Aaron also noted how the flood story indicates we humans are now on our “second chance” to be obedient to God’s commandments. We also hear of God’s first covenant, one that was both unconditional and merciful. Ultimately, through the flood story we learn that the event is meant not so much for destruction, but for instruction.
We began the episode discussing the strange statement made by Eve that she “acquired a man from the Lord” upon the birth of Cain. We then discussed the importance of Genesis 1-4 as an introduction to the Bible, the meaning of names, and the biblical theme of condemning possessiveness. We concluded by discussing the importance of faith in the offering made by Abel versus that made by Cain.
In today’s episode we focused on the Old Testament, from which the Church appoints the readings during the period of Great Lent. Fr Aaron explained the structure of the Old Testament. We then focused on the prominent “Wisdom literature” (the Psalms, the Proverbs and the Book of Job). One of the important aspects of this literature is that true wisdom is not found in the pursuit of human philosophy nor the human ego, but through the pursuit of God’s Torah, His instruction. The Wisdom literature contends that we do not obtain wisdom, but we rather receive wisdom from God through the biblical teaching.
Today we discussed Communion from a biblical perspective. The earliest mention of the practice is found in I Corinthians where St. Paul writes of what he had received from the Lord, namely the events of the “Last Supper.” We discussed the importance and context of the idea of “remembrance” in Scripture. We also explored the similarity between Communion and all the Old Testament Feasts and how they revolve around the reading and teaching of Scripture.
In discussing what some might view as an apparent dichotomy between how we view God in the Old and New Testaments, Fr Aaron provided three key takeaways for us to consider. First, we must understand that the Old and New Testaments go hand-in-hand. More specifically, we cannot properly understand the New Testament without the Old. In his second point, Fr Aaron discussed why God is sometimes portrayed as “an angry God” in the Old Testament. Fr Aaron concluded by explaining that Jesus is not always “Mr. Nice Guy” in the New Testament. While it is certainly clear that Jesus is merciful and loving, His “anger” towards the self-righteous should not be overlooked.
In discussing what St. Peter references as false prophets, teachers and heresies, we showed that Peter’s concern was not primarily with those outside the Church nor with what we now define as church dogma. During this discussion, Fr Aaron noted that, unlike other narratives in history that raise up and glorify its national founders and leaders, the Bible offers a constant criticism of Israel’s leadership. We also discuss what was Peter’s primary concern with false prophets: that they would convince people they could somehow earn their salvation.
Today we discussed how to understand Peter’s admonition to prepare ourselves to provide a defense of our faith. This defense is best offered by living the faith vs. being able to intellectually explain it. Fr Aaron pointed out how we would be wise to remember the words from one of the saints of our Church who said, “If you are not edified by my presence, neither will you be edified by my words.”
In contemplating the fact that the Nativity story is not included in Mark’s Gospel, our episode today focused on the most important aspect of the life of Christ, which was His teaching. And even though Matthew and Luke provide some details about the birth of Jesus, they also neglect any mention of His early life—the sole exception being the story told in Luke about the young Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem and teaching in the Temple. We see this emphasis on the teaching also in the three greatest feasts of our Church calendar: Pascha, Pentecost and Theophany. As Christians, therefore, we must understand that the most important thing in our lives should be Jesus’ teaching; for this is the reason that the Word became flesh.
Today’s episode focused on listener questions regarding salvation. Fr Aaron explained that there are different ways to approach this issue, which lead to a discussion around legalism as well as those looking for just the minimum requirements so that they can get to heaven without doing more than is necessary. As for the legalistic approach, there is something to be said here as we all will ultimately be declared either righteous or unrighteous. But we should understand that there are none who are righteous, and so in receiving this “not guilty” verdict at the Final Judgement, we must recognize that we receive this verdict only by God’s grace. And in return, we are expected to love our neighbor and be merciful even as our Father in heaven is merciful.
Today’s episode focused on some of the most common questions regarding Mary, including the important distinction between worship and veneration. From a theological perspective, Fr Aaron explained that rather than making a statement about Mary, the names we use for Mary more specifically highlight our understanding of Christ. Finally, it was stressed that the key biblical aspect of Mary is seen in her willingness to submit to God and suffer great shame, even risking death, to bring Christ into the world. This tremendous example is why we regard her as the greatest among the Saints.
In this episode, Fr Aaron expounds on his sermon from January 17, 2021, which reflected on the "siege of the US Capitol" building on January 6, 2021. In that sermon, Fr Aaron talked about the false gospel that we can obtain and retain true freedom through physical violence and war. He reminded of the teaching of Jesus and the true Gospel, that true freedom can only be found in making peace with your enemies. In this episode, we explored some important passages related to this authentic Gospel teaching, helping us to better understand it and the stories themselves.
In today’s episode we began with a discussion of the mustard seed and the leaven from Jesus’ parable, and how we learn from this teaching that no Christian work is too small. And as Christians, we should never concern ourselves with the outcome of our work for the Lord: we are called to plant the seeds, but we cannot produce. It is God alone who gives the growth. We then examined Jesus’ warning to “strive to enter by the narrow door” and discussed its implications.
Today we discussed how to juggle various ideals, namely our exposure of darkness while avoiding condemnation by our judgement of others. Father Aaron explained that we must first begin by exposing the darkness within ourselves. By repairing the darkness within ourselves and living by example, we become a light to others and expose the darkness. We also discussed what is meant by “redeeming the time.” Our liturgical tradition can help to provide meaning to our daily lives and aid us in avoiding the many distractions of the world. This enables us to keep our focus on doing the daily work of Christ, to serve others and help reconcile them to God and to all mankind.
In today's passage Paul speaks of delivering people to Satan and forbids women to speak: what on earth does that mean and why does he say those things? Fr Aaron explains how the "delivering to Satan" is ultimately meant to instruct the sinners so that they would repent and be saved. During this discussion we touched on the common misconception that Satan has more power and influence than he truly has. And in regard to the concluding verses in today’s reading concerning women, it was stressed that the Church has never taken these passages literally, or rather applied them universally. St. Paul himself had female assistants and there were many women in the community who were very prominent and active in ministry. Fr. Aaron discussed some examples of why Paul might have said these words in a very limited and narrow context to Timothy.
Why does Jesus say we must hate our father and mother?!!! To better understand this statement, we considered the preceding Parable of the Great Banquet, and the excuses offered by the three invited guests. Through this parable, Jesus is teaching that while there are credible excuses for avoiding the call to defend Israel in war, these do not apply as credible excuses for the higher calling of Christ’s heavenly banquet. When applied to our reading today, we can see clearly that Jesus is telling us nothing should come between us and His invitation to live out the Gospel.
Today we discussed the common theme of a wedding or marriage to teach us about deeper biblical concepts. One example given was that of Christ and the Church in which Christ is the groom and the Church is His bride. Even relationships outside of marriage can be instructive, as is found in numerous examples throughout Scripture. One such example cited by Fr Aaron was that of Paul’s instruction on spiritual unfaithfulness in which the Gentile communities he converted were warned against seeking after other gods or turning back to idol worship. Then, specific to today’s reading, we concluded by examining the difference between those who Jesus says will receive many stripes and those who will receive few. As Christians, we should understand this to mean that as people of God, we have a greater responsibility to live our lives as we have been instructed by Scripture.
Today’s episode explored the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. On the surface, this parable is about wealth and poverty, but Fr Aaron argued that there is much more to this story and highlighted a deeper understanding. Namely, he showed how the rich man represents the Jewish religious establishment, who have the Law and the Prophets and are therefore spiritually wealthy. Lazarus, on the other hand, represents the Gentiles and the Jewish outcasts, who were outside the Jewish religious establishment and were ritually unclean. Those within the establishment hoarded God’s mercy for themselves, resulting in their condemnation. On the other hand, the angels, who represent the apostles, the messengers of the Gospel, bring the Gentiles and Jewish outcasts under God’s covenant.
In today’s episode we went back to Genesis 10 to help us properly understand Jesus’ statement in Luke 11: “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” Through this statement, Jesus is telling us we cannot claim to accept His message while also excluding those we do not respect or those who we despise. We must be willing to gather the harvest with Jesus to be part of the authentic community of God. Finally, we noted the acceptance of Jesus’ teaching and way of life is not a singular act on our part—it must be a continuous choice we make throughout our lives.
We discussed the biblical theme that sinners and outsiders are the ones who recognize God’s Messiah rather than those who are viewed as righteous. We examined this theme in light of the Roman centurion whose faith in Jesus led to the healing of his slave. This centurion, a Gentile, demonstrated his complete trust in the Lord with these words, “Just say the word, and let my servant be healed.” This healing of the slave from afar also demonstrates another common theme of Scripture; that God is not seen, but is heard and to be obeyed. Our job is to heed His word, because through His Word, God is present.
Today we discussed the context of the Epistles to the Corinthians, noting the community was predominantly Gentile, one made up of Roman converts to the faith. We then discussed the similarities in the Bible of both Jews and Gentiles in that Scripture is critical of both communities. Later in today’s reading, we hear Paul address the Corinthians with a bit of sarcasm, to offer a warning: If we expect that being a Christian will bring us an easy life, and that we can be viewed as honorable by a corrupt world, then we are doing something very wrong. Jesus teaches us that a servant is not greater than his master. If Jesus was persecuted, so too will His servants. To live the Christian life properly means that our ways will not be popular with those in society, and at times, even among other Christians.
We discuss Jesus’ appearance to His disciples and his questioning of why they did not believe in Him. We evaluate this appearance and “proof” of the Resurrection in light of Jesus’ teaching in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in which Jesus taught if people did not believe in the teaching of Moses, neither would they be convinced if one rose from the dead. Fr Aaron explained that ultimately Christ was rebuking His disciples by appearing to them. Like the Roman centurion (soldier), we should be able to recognize the crucified Messiah as the Son of God. In addition to this topic, we explore the meaning of different liturgical customs and practices in the Orthodox Church related to the reading of the Resurrection Gospels.
In this episode we discuss what it means to be “justified.” Fr Aaron explained that the Greek word that is often translated as “justified” can also be translated as “declared righteous.” And so, we can understand that to be justified means that we have been declared righteous. With this legal terminology in mind, we then discussed that while part of salvation is legal or juridical, salvation goes beyond a mere legal process. St. Paul is telling us in Galatians that to be declared righteous means that we have been freed from the Mosaic Law which allows us to avoid the curse of the Law. This leads to the opportunity for us to find salvation, healing, and restoration. Thus, to be declared righteous is not the end, but rather the beginning of our walk as a Christian.
We began by focusing on the problem of self-righteousness addressed in the Gospel. It is important to note that while the Pharisees were often portrayed in a negative light because of their consistent condemnation by Christ, the Pharisees were viewed by the the people of their time as respectable and pious. However, as evidenced by the Gospel teaching, if we are to avoid judgement by Christ as a Pharisee on the Day of Judgement, we must recognize ourselves as Pharisees so that we might change our attitude and the way we live our lives. If we live humbly, we will not focus on the sins of others as did the Pharisee in today’s reading, but rather we will focus on our own sins and the change that is necessary in our own heart.
Today we examined the role of parables in Scripture. We began by stressing the importance of viewing the entirety of Scripture as parable, as well as the value of parables as guiding principles in our lives, since we are wired to better understand moral and spiritual lessons when they are told in story form. Christ Himself used parables to penetrate more deeply; to engrain the lesson on our heart. We also discussed the modern idea of the Bible as a scientific or historical book, pointing out the flaw in both positions that those of us living in the 21st century are at the center of the universe. By reducing the Bible to a science text or a history book, we cheapen its impact. As Christians, we are not allowed to define Scripture, for Scripture defines us. We are beneath Scripture and must submit to it.
We begin with an examination of the so-called “unforgivable sin.” From a thorough understanding of the preceding verses in Mark’s Gospel, we see this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an accusation that the work of Jesus is the work of demons. Father Aaron used the example of St. Paul to illustrate that this particular sin, as with all sin, can be forgiven if we repent. Only in persisting and dying in this sin against the Holy Spirit will we not receive forgiveness. We concluded with a discussion that Jesus’ true family is not based on biology or genealogy, but on faith. Put another way, to be part of God’s family is not based on our DNA, but on doing the will of God.
We discuss the tradition of fasting, dating back to pre-Christian Judaism. This helps us better understand why Jesus was questioned by the disciples of John as to His disciples not fasting. Jesus’ response, together with Isaiah 58, shows that the true purpose of fasting is not to make ourselves hungry, but to relieve the hunger in others and to relieve their burdens. Jesus shows how the most religious people are too often focused on their own self-righteousness rather than this biblical meaning of fasting.
Today we discussed whether the “abomination of desolation” has already taken place or whether it is still yet to come. While many people today have become obsessed with the End Times, the Gospel tells us that we are not to be predicting or pontificating about when the End will be, but rather to remain vigilant and prepared. Our main concern should be in how we live our lives according to the Gospel message, so that we are ready for the Final Judgment whenever it comes. To conclude the episode, Fr Aaron provided insight into the Greek word “eklektos” that has been translated into English as “elect.” He showed how this word is ultimately used as a reflection of the Church.
Today we discussed the significance of Jesus’ movement in and out of the great city of Jerusalem, and His spending the evenings in Bethany. We also highlighted a parable Jesus spoke while visiting the Temple, calling out the religious people of His time. In stark contrast to how Jesus lived His earthly life—ministering to the poor and the outcast—these “pious” people condemned and disassociated from them. In the end, Fr Aaron pointed out the teaching of Scripture: talk is cheap. What ultimately matters is not what we claim to believe, but if we live according to God’s will.
In this episode we examined the significance of the events of the Transfiguration of Christ. We explored the historical/Old Testament connection between the Transfiguration and the Feast of Booths. We further discussed the implications of the Transfiguration for us as followers of Christ. One additional connection we stressed is the importance of the “anamnesis” or “remembrance” of Scriptural events.
In discussing the canonization of Scripture, we discussed how this recognition of Scripture confirms that everything from Church doctrine to the practice of living a Christian life must be measured against Scripture to ensure we are on the correct path. Fr Aaron emphasized the importance of Scripture by reminding us of St. Paul’s words in his letter to the Galatians where he tells that that we should not accept anything other than the Gospel that he preached. Paul then goes on to detail that very Gospel in his writings. We concluded by discussing how we, as Christians, must be fully committed to the Gospel message and live our lives accordingly.
We began today’s episode by discussing the universal nature of the New Testament Epistles. We then discussed how our reading from the Epistle of James today communicates our goal to live simply, with honesty and integrity. We then turned to the sacrament of confession and the reasons behind the changes and development of this sacrament throughout the history of the Church. What once was a public sacrament has now become private due to practical issues we discussed in depth. We concluded by noting the importance of developing relationships with one another in the Church—not to replace the sacrament of confession—but to nurture these relationships so that we might trust one another enough to share our joys, our struggles, and even our sins.
Today, we compare the Gentiles with Israel, in that Israel seeks to achieve righteousness by their works, while the Gentiles find righteousness by their faith. Father Aaron helps illumine a difficult passage to understand, showing that the passage is indicating we cannot force God’s hand. We cannot become righteous in a way that forces God to act, for He will act in His own way and in His own time. Jason then highlighted a passage from today’s reading that, at first glance, may seem to contradict Father Aaron’s teaching from a previous episode. But when presented with supporting examples, we can see clearly that the broader biblical teaching stands. Specifically, Father Aaron expressed how our salvation, like an inheritance, cannot be earned; but it can be lost if we do not extend the same mercy to others that God first gave to us.
Today's episode was a "rapid-fire" Q&A between Jason & Father Aaron. We were reminded of the importance of all members of the body of Christ. All are needed for the fullness of the Church to be realized. Also, we should be joyful in the success of others, not finding jealously in our hearts. And finally, we were reminded to never to seek vengeance, for Christ alone is the judge.
Father Aaron and Jason discuss the concepts of freedom and slavery as presented in the Gospel. Fr Aaron highlights how, in Christ, we are set free from the law and from our slavery to sin. And yet, we remain a slave, a slave of Christ, bound to His teachings; to love our enemy, to work through our forgiveness of those who have harmed us and to refrain from judging our fellow slaves. In our earthly life, we are all slaves; we choose whether to be bound to sin, or to our Lord Jesus Christ.
We discuss the use of the term “Greek” in New Testament translations and if or how it applies to other Gentiles who are not ethnically Greek. We then discussed the reality that while many people are uncomfortable with the idea of God’s final judgment, perhaps an even more unpopular idea regarding the judgment is how it will take place. In today’s reading from Romans we hear, “God shows no partiality.” While this sounds ideal, those who do not receive a favorable judgment will no doubt feel that the judge did not apply the law in an impartial manner. But today’s reading is clear—that God will impartially judge whether or not we lived according to His commandments. Simply hearing or even speaking His message is of no defense for us before the fearful judgment seat of Christ.
Today we began by discussing an alternative theory on the authorship of Romans (i.e. that it was written not by Paul himself, but by his disciple, Luke). Father stressed that, ultimately, the authorship is not of as much importance as the substance of the epistle. It can be helpful, however, to view Luke’s Gospel, the book of Acts, and Romans as a trilogy. Through this lens we can plainly see the progression in Jesus’ life and teaching, culminating in an invitation to all people and all nations to accept the Gospel message. We then turned to the tension between the Law and faith. Father Aaron explained that tension exists only because some place the Law as being equal to or higher than faith. But Paul’s teaching is explicit: that faith as the means towards righteousness both precedes the Law and is greater than the Law. Ultimately, Paul shows that even as early as Abraham the Scriptural message conveyed that the path to salvation is provided only by God’s mercy, which He in turn requires us to extend to others.
In today’s episode, we began with a discussion of Pentecost and its history in the Jewish tradition. Father Aaron explained the significance of this pilgrimage feast and its connection to our understanding of Pentecost as Christians. First, the Feast of Pentecost commemorates the giving of the Mosaic Law in the wilderness. More broadly, this includes the Torah—the first five books of the Old Testament—which is the foundation of all of Scripture. Second, there is a connection between the Jewish observance of going into the Diaspora and the Christian expectation of taking God’s message to the nations.
Today we examined the epistle reading that is designated for the Saturday of Souls services as well as the funeral service. Our discussion began with the theme of hope. As Christians, our hope is that we will be found as St. Paul says, “in Christ.” Here again, we were reminded that faith is not just an intellectual concept, but one that requires a trust in God to reverse the judgment of this world. Properly understood, we see that our hope as Christians is intimately connected to the judgement. Finally, in discussing the importance of the Saturday of Souls services, Father Aaron explained that the purpose of the services goes beyond our prayers for all the departed since the beginning of time. The Church places these services as bookends to the season of Great Lent, reminding all of us that we will die, we will be raised, and we will be judged.
Today’s discussion began with Theophilos, to whom St. Luke addresses both his Gospel and the Book of Acts. This opening address shows that St. Luke’s writings were not intended for any one individual, but for the broader community. Next, in examining the importance of the Ascension, we were given a few points to remember. Father Aaron explained that we should heed Christ’s words and get to work sharing His message. We concluded the discussion by noting the meaning and significance of Jesus being seated at the right hand of God.
We began today’s podcast with a discussion around the significance of the name change of the great Apostle to the Nations, from Saul to Paul. These names provide us with clarity on the role they play in the biblical story. We also highlighted the conversion story of Paul and how it mirrors the calling of the twelve disciples during Jesus’ life. We concluded by noting we, too, should respond to God’s call by planting the seed of the Gospel.
We begin by discussing why the Jews were amazed when the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles, as well as what exactly that means from a practical perspective. We then turned our attention to the fact that no one, including the Church, "controls" the Holy Spirit. Instead, we must learn to discern and submit to the Holy Spirit. We conclude by discussing how this phenomenon is expressed in the service of chrismation/confirmation.
Today’s episode focused on a comparison of the apparent outcomes of both Peter and Stephen’s sermons in the book of Acts. First, we discussed why the Bible is systematically critical of those with power and authority. We then examined the outcome of Stephen’s ministry. At first glance, it may appear that Stephen failed, having an outcome entirely different from that of Peter. But as Father Aaron explained, we must be careful not to judge our success based on our results. Rather, our success should be determined by whether or not we were faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our job is to plant and water; whether it will bear fruit is in God’s hands. Stephen planted a seed in a young man named Saul--who later became the great apostle Paul, spreading the Gospel to all nations.
We discuss the significance of James’s martyrdom and Peter’s being freed from his chains. Having been unsatisfied merely with the crucifixion of Christ, Herod Antipas--like the rest of the Jewish leadership--moved to also bury Jesus’ message. Herod chains Peter physically with the hope of restraining the message that Peter is spreading. Peter is guarded by four squads of soldiers, indicating Herod’s desire to encompass and eradicate the Gospel. Related to Peter’s freedom from chains, we are all implored to remember that through Christ, we have been set free from the Mosaic Law. Yet this does not mean we are free to do whatever we please. We were set free so that we might live according to the law of grace. We conclude by discussing opportunities to provide this grace given to us by God to others.
Today’s reading from Acts finds Peter in the midst of a sermon given to many devout Jews who were in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. We began by examining the purpose of Peter’s use of Old Testament Scriptures in his sermon and how Jesus Christ comes from the Old Testament tradition. The only way in which Jesus’ message can be properly understood is to have a fundamental understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures; to understand Christ in the light of the Old Testament. In this way, the Old Testament has “control” over our understanding of Jesus. We are prevented from making Jesus into whatever we want, or into some common historical figure. We concluded by highlighting how the message from Peter ‘cut them to the heart’ as his hearers realized the Scriptures were condemning them and their self-righteousness. Like the pious Jews in the book of Acts, devout Christians today must also come to this realization of our own self-righteousness, and be cut to the heart.
We discuss why John 1 is read at Pascha rather than an account of the Resurrection. Fr Aaron connected the beginning of this Gospel to the reading from Matthew 28 at the Vesperal Liturgy prior to the Paschal Liturgy that concludes with “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” At Pascha the following day, we here from John 1, “In the beginning was the Word.” Because the church revolves around Pascha, we end our year with a reminder that God’s Word was there in the beginning, and then turn to the promise that the Word will be there in the end. God’s Word abides forever. We then turned our attention to what John refers to in his Gospel as “the Word.” Father Aaron explained that we can understand “word” to be a statement or a brief teaching, as “the word of God” (Scripture), and/or as the incarnate word/incarnate Scripture, which is Jesus Christ. With this in mind, we can comprehend that God first gave His word to Abraham, then through His Scriptural message, and finally culminated with the Word incarnate—our Lord Jesus Christ.
In today’s episode we examined Hebrews 12 and how we might apply his instruction to our current situation. On the subject of fear, Fr Aaron stressed that rather than allowing fear to consume us, we should direct our concern and our care for those who are most vulnerable. We were reminded that—by our nature—we are social beings (even those of us who are naturally introverted). It is important that all of us make an effort to reach out to people we know who may be struggling with isolation. Further into today’s passage, St. Paul instructs us not to covet, but to be content with the things that we have. Here, Fr Aaron stated that covetousness is a manifestation of a lack of faith in God’s providence. Finally, we were reminded that as Christians we have hope. We have hope not only in the life to come, but also in this life. As Christians, we have an opportunity before us to live out our faith. And because we have received grace from God, we now have a responsibility to show grace to others in return.
Having received the promise of God to be the father of many nations, Abraham grew impatient and took it upon himself to have a child. Further illustrating his unbelief, Abraham laughed at God. Many years after the child of promise is born, God tests Abraham to see if he has learned to trust him. This time, Abraham passes the test and is told by God that, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” This promise is fulfilled in the life, ministry, teaching, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Father Aaron also provided an example of the striking similarities between Abraham’s restoration and that of St. Peter. After failing to trust God time after time during the life of Christ, Peter puts his trust in the word of the Lord and Christ restores him by his three-fold affirmation of his love for Jesus. We concluded with Fr Aaron explaining the significance of this testing of Abraham and how it relates to the death of Christ.
We addressed some of the common misconceptions regarding Mary and why she is paid such great honor and respect in the Orthodox Church. We call to remembrance her example—as well as all the saints--so that we might use them as a model. This is in no way meant to replace the perfect model, our Lord, and God and Savior Jesus Christ. We were then reminded of what is meant by, “Taking up your cross” and suffering for the Gospel. This is not a physical suffering, but a willingness to suffer shame for the sake of following God and doing His will. Mary provides us with a beautiful example of this. Unwed and facing the possibility of being abandoned by her betrothed, she faced not only great physical danger, but severe judgement and humiliation. But by her willingness to accept God’s will, she points the way to Christ by her actions so that He might come into the world to save us.
Today’s episode provided an important clarification of how God can be both our fear and dread, and yet also become a sanctuary. Father Aaron stressed that we must first recognize God as Father in a biblical context, as the fearful Judge. He alone decides our fate, and we must respect and fear that judgement. And yet, God loves mankind and desires all men to be saved. With this understanding, we know that in God we have a fair judge. If we live our life by extending to others the mercy that God gave to us, he will be our sanctuary because we know that God is just. If, however, we reject God’s law and His commandments—as a fair judge—He has no choice but to condemn us. Thus, the same God, for the same reason, can either be a sanctuary or a stumbling block. The choice is with us.
Fr Aaron's sermon for Sunday, March 15, is being shared as a special episode. Father discusses how we have a unique and special opportunity to practice Lent this year. He argues that social distancing, self-quarantining, etc., requires an act of faith on our part because we do not see the results until the end. These practices by otherwise healthy people require us making real sacrifices, sacrifices that do not directly benefit us, but do benefit the most vulnerable in society. This opportunity allows those who are healthy and at low risk (most of us) to put into practice the lessons we learned from the life and death of Jesus Christ.
We began today’s episode by discussing who St. Paul was referencing as the “great cloud of witnesses.” Father Aaron explained that Paul’s specific reference here was to highlight the theme of faith. In discussing what it is to have biblical faith we were reminded that our faith is not based on an intellectual belief, but how we should behave. We concluded by focusing on Paul’s teaching about discipline. Just as parents discipline their children out of love, the Lord disciplines us because he loves us. St. Paul goes so far as to say that if we do not have struggles in our lives, then we are not a legitimate child of God. If we re-frame our struggles in this light, we will see that God is disciplining us so that we might be strengthened. We may even find that we welcome these struggles when they come, knowing that they are for our benefit.
Today’s discussion focused on the reading of the book of Genesis during the first week of Lent. Fr Aaron began by clarifying that, while the Bible mentions many things we would condemn today—particularly in the Old Testament--this does not mean that the Bible is condoning this behavior. We then explored the critical importance of viewing Jesus “in the light of the Old Testament.” In other words, if we remove Jesus from the context of the Old Testament, we lose all sense of God’s plan of salvation for mankind. Next, we discussed the significance of Adam naming Eve. Finally, we discussed the first commandment given in Genesis and why it is significant that this was a commandment to fast.
In today’s episode we examined the various purposes of fasting; both what it is and what it is not. Father Aaron stressed that fasting is not meant to be a form of suffering or punishment. Instead, we should enter into periods of fasting with joy and gladness. As we were created in the image of God, we have the unique ability to override our carnal desires. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we discussed how fasting offers us an opportunity to relieve the hunger of others.
We begin by correcting our understanding of God's desire towards piety. Father Aaron clarified for us that--contrary to what is commonly thought of today--the scribes and Pharisees were actually well respected in their time. And in our present time, we have people within the church who fit this same mold—who appear to be righteous and moral--but fail to show mercy and compassion to those who are struggling and in need. In our desire to be able to measure our own progress toward salvation, we often look for a “checklist” as a way for us to demonstrate that we are righteous. We ended the episode by stressing a biblical understanding of what Fr Aaron calls "hopeful giving." Our goal is to give from our first-fruits, trusting God will provide for our needs. In the end, if we are to follow the biblical teaching, we must follow the immeasurable and internal aspects of piety found in the Gospel, which in turn puts us in a position of requiring mercy before the Judgement Seat of Christ.
Today’s discussion began with recognizing that most of us have been taught to expect rewards for good behavior and punishment for bad behavior. This mindset often translates into our expectation that our life will go well if we trust in God and follow His commandments. However, we must stress--both in our own life and in teaching our children—that God’s ways are not our ways. We must recognize and teach that God is merciful to us when we fall short, but only if we show that same mercy to others. Failing to show mercy to others causes us to fall away. We then turned to the topic of suffering. Father Aaron explained that Scripture teaches us that true biblical suffering is the result of suffering shame. While we often think of suffering as something that is physical--and there can certainly be a benefit to this while also trusting in God--the emphasis in the New Testament is that in taking up our Cross we must be willing to be shamed by others for following the teachings of Christ.
We begin by clarifying who it is that St. Paul refers to as the “principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” We make the case that Paul is not only referring to the angels, but also to the earthly rulers—and more specifically, the Roman Emperor. Paul is telling us that Jesus has been revealed both to mankind and to the angels, as the true emperor—the God above all gods. We were then reminded that as humanity was created in the image of God, we should not be surprised to learn that God’s plan was first revealed to us. We are the sole creation made in God’s image, which is both an honor and a high calling. The Bible teaches us that with honor comes responsibility. And that responsibility is that we must represent Christ to all of creation—to show the deep and all-encompassing love of Christ, which He first showed to us. In doing so, we are offered through Christ Jesus to be reconciled to God, and to one another.
Today we focus on listener questions related to salvation, both what it means and what it is we are being saved from. Father Aaron explained that salvation is comprised of the Final Judgement, where we will receive either a guilty or not guilty verdict (while discussing the important distinction between being "not guilty" and "innocent"). The other component of salvation is that we are continually being spiritually healed. This healing is a process and not a one-time event. We then discussed the relationship between baptism and salvation. We concluded our discussion with a question regarding the assurance of our salvation.
This is the first of two episodes answering listener-submitted questions. We begin by discussing the topic of forgiveness, specifically if a crime is committed against us and our participation in the trial of the accused. We also discussed that by not forgiving others, we are allowing them to remain in control of our lives. We further explored the biblical concept that the only reason we have to forgive others is because God first forgave us. Finally, on this topic, we discussed if "forgetting" is part of the process of forgiveness. We then concluded the episode by turning to questions regarding pride.
We begin by addressing the significance of the threefold repetition of Jesus’ question to Peter, “Do you love me?” This repetition restores Peter from his previous threefold denial of Christ. We then turned to Jesus’ referral to Peter as, “Son of Jonah,” which Father Aaron explained as a deliberate comparison of Peter to Jonah the Prophet. Like Jonah, who resisted taking God’s message to his enemies, Peter also was resistant to Jesus’ command to reconcile with his Roman enemies and to accept the Gentiles. In both cases, Jonah and Peter were compelled by God to be obedient. We then closed our discussion of this passage from John by addressing the beloved disciples conclusion to his Gospel. Father stressed that John is not providing us with an invitation to speculate on those things which are not written in the Gospels. Rather, John is setting a seal on the four Gospels. As John writes in Chapter 20, “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
We discuss the tempting of Jesus in the wilderness. Unlike the first Adam who was tempted and failed the test, Jesus, the new Adam, shows us that God has empowered us with the ability to say “no;” to show us that we can resist and overcome the tempter. We also discussed the use of Scripture by the devil to ensnare Jesus. Fr Aaron explained that knowing Scriptural verses does not necessarily mean that Scripture is being accurately represented. We were reminded of the importance of understanding Scripture as a whole. Unlike the devil, Jesus responds with a correct understanding of Scripture in his rebuttal. Finally, we were given an understanding of the significance of the wilderness in this passage. While most people used the walls of the city for protection, in the wilderness they were not provided for naturally, but by God alone. And through a correct understanding of Scripture, we are to understand that we are eternally protected only by God’s Law and by His Providence.
Starting from Jesus' teaching in Mark 10 that we should "sell what [we] have," we discussed the central tenet of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels: that our own righteousness must be laid aside, so that we might put our trust solely in God. Fr Aaron referenced a passage from Philippians where St. Paul, in very strong terms, tells us that we are to despise our own righteousness. To put it another way, every Christian must sell their own righteousness and accept that Christ alone is righteous, and that our salvation, our entrance into eternal life, comes through putting our trust in Him and His teachings, which is summed up in taking care of the (spiritually and materially) poor. Christ teaches us in simple and direct language here that, “No one is good but God alone.”
We discuss the underlying meaning of the story commonly referred to as “The Road to Emmaus” from Luke 24. While saddened over the recent death of Jesus, the disciples anguish was primarily focused on the fact that Jesus, whom they believed to be the Messiah, the one who would deliver them from Roman occupation, had been utterly defeated. Looking to take matters into their own hands and fight back against the Romans as the Maccabees 150 years earlier, the two disciples headed down the road and encountered Jesus along the way. Jesus teaches them that the Messiah did not come to push back against the Romans with force, but rather to convert them through the peaceful message of the Gospel.
Today’s episode provides clarity on the differences between three Jewish groups (the Sadducees, Pharisees, and scribes). Our discussion then turned to the Sadducees and their scenario of the woman with seven husbands. We highlighted how this story helps us realize we must begin living our eternal life in the here and now. By following God’s commandments in our earthly life, we will be better prepared to continue in our life eternal to experience the joy and peace that comes with obedience to God.
We discuss St. Paul’s declaration of equality and what it means to be sons of God by adoption. Fr Aaron explained that we will be judged only by whether we followed the law of Christ and not preferentially based on our social status, our gender or ethnicity. In breaking down the barriers between Jew and Gentile, we were reminded that Christ brought His message so that all might be saved. To be a son of God by adoption, we are to be like Him in all things; to be gracious to all people; and to not allow our prejudices to cause us to stumble. And finally, in discussing Paul’s reference to our faith and our baptism, we were reminded that baptism is an act of grace. It is received, not acquired. It is symbolic of Christ offering us salvation, of a washing of our sins, of a spiritual death; all so that we may be raised to walk in newness of life.
In today’s episode we examine the Parable of the Talents and how it is often misunderstood. While Jesus refers to money in the parable, money is actually used as a metaphor for mercy. Jesus is instructing us to use the mercy he has given us and to spread that mercy to others. In doing so, he will provide us with even greater mercy. But to those who squander that mercy they have been given by Christ, and keep it to themselves, they will have that mercy taken from them, unto the resurrection of condemnation. For this is the basis of the final judgement: did you or did you not show mercy? For the Kingdom of God is a kingdom of mercy.
In today’s episode we discuss tax collectors in Jesus’ time and why the Pharisees were offended with Jesus sitting at table with them. In examining the passage, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” we learned that this teaching is actually found throughout the Old Testament. Yet, as is the case today among Christians, the Pharisees narrowly focused on their own external traditions with little attention paid to caring for the poor and showing mercy. Finally, we unpacked the quote of Fr John Romanides that, “Authentic Christianity is the cure to the sickness of religion.”
In this episode we discuss the Jewish expectations for a Messiah and how Jesus differed from their hopes. We also discuss the historical setting of the Gospel that will help its readers better understand some of the conflicts surrounding Jesus' ministry and teaching. Finally, we discuss Jesus' teaching not to be anxious and how we can balance that with thoughtful planning for the future.
In today’s episode, Fr Aaron emphasized the importance of seeking to understand Scripture in its totality and not within a very narrow context, separating isolated passages from the bigger, overarching picture. In responding to the question of what it means to be created in God’s image, Fr Aaron reminded us we are icons of God, created in His image, and we thus have a responsibility to present Him to all creation. In doing so, we are to live as Christ lived, to care for the poor and the weak, and to spread the message of God’s love and reconciliation for all creation.
A discussion of "the Lord's Prayer," specifically the confusing passage: “Lead us not into temptation.” Fr Aaron offers a better translation from the Greek that helps us understand the meaning of this prayer. He also provided a better question for us as Christians to ask in times of trouble. To ask, not “Why this or why that?” but rather “What now?” Knowing why is often not possible or useful. Discerning “what now?"—what we can do to help make God present in this world of suffering—is of far more importance.
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." We discuss this controversial, yet misunderstood statement from St Paul's letter to the Ephesians, and why this entire passage actually places the heaviest burden on the husband. We also discuss the nature of "true love" and how that can only be achieved in marriage through shared struggle and perseverance.
The Lord tells His disciples: "freely you received, freely give" (or in some translations, "you received without paying, give without pay"). We discuss what that means. In addition, we discuss why the Lord tells his disciples: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of Israel." Didn't Jesus come to save all people? This episode helps to make sense of these passages.
In today's episode we discuss why faith is better translated as trust. We also highlight how faith is not an intellectual concept, but a deep trust that is rooted in the firm belief in God's promises and His coming Kingdom. With respect to the argument of "faith vs. works," the audience will be encouraged to re-frame their thinking of salvation as an inheritance: something that can never be earned, but can be lost. Finally, Fr Aaron shared a saying from Fr Paul Tarazi that we all would do well to remember: "Salvation is free of charge, but with a charge."