Interpretation of the New Testament by the Holy Fathers. On understanding the Holy Scriptures through the interpretations of the Holy Fathers. — Did you have any assistants in this matter?

Today the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Reverend Elders of Optina Hermitage - one of the most famous monasteries in Russia, and throughout the world too. The host of God-bearing lights that the monastery raised is an example for us to follow in faith and piety.

However, how surprised the venerable Elders of Optina would be if they learned that from their native monastery today it is not the true Teaching of the Church that is coming to the people, but the views of heretics and schismatics!

A group of volunteers reported on the pages of the official website of the monastery that in the Vvedensky stauropegial monastery of Optina Pustyn, work on the creation of the section “Interpretations of the Holy Scriptures” (bible.optina.ru) has been completed, which is now also available as a mobile application for iOS in offline mode.

The idea of ​​collecting all known interpretations of Holy Scripture in one place began to materialize in 2010. It seems, as it seems at first glance, that the creators of the site intended a good cause. However, in reality, it turned out that readers, along with the works of the holy fathers, discovered among the interpreters heretics and schismatics, whose teachings were condemned by the Ecumenical Councils.

Sevirus of Antioch, the founder of the heresy of Sevirianism, which is an intermediate form between classical miaphysitism and Chalcedonism. The Miaphysite doctrine of the Sevirians teaches not only about the difference between the divine and human properties in Christ with a single nature, but also, like Chalcedonian Dyophysitism, teaches about the corruption of the Body of Christ. This doctrine is still supported, for example, by the Copts.

Theodore of Mopsuestia, Bishop of Mopsuestia, who was once a friend of St. John Chrysostom. Condemned posthumously at the V Ecumenical Council for views consonant with Nestorianism. With a sharp distinction between Divinity and humanity, Theodore viewed Jesus Christ during His earthly life as a simple man, as the son of God by grace. He taught about two sons of God: one Son is consubstantial with God the Father, the other, born of the Virgin Mary, gradually through struggle and temptation moved forward along the path of moral improvement, until finally, through the resurrection, he became completely blameless and was worthy of union with the true Son God's. Thus, Theodore of Mopsuestia taught about two persons in Jesus Christ. He resolutely rejected the hypostatic union of Divinity and humanity in Him, because he could not conceive of Divinity and humanity as perfect without independent hypostases. Jesus, the son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and God the Word were for him two separate persons, morally united with each other.

Apollinaris of Laodicea which in the 370s. began to express views that caused condemnation. Apollinaris came to the conclusion that the human mind of Christ the Savior was replaced by the Divine Mind. “If the Lord,” wrote Apollinaris, “accepted everything, then, without a doubt, he would also have human thoughts; in human thoughts it is impossible not to be sin.” Thus, Apollinaris encroached on the doctrine of the Divine-Humanity of the Savior, leaning towards Monophysitism.

Origen, famous for his heresy about the “finality of hell”. He was a supporter of the idea of ​​the final salvation of all things (apokatastasis). In 543, Emperor Justinian the Great issued an edict in which Origen was declared a heretic, and the local council of the Church of Constantinople in 553 unanimously condemned Origen and extended the condemnation of Origenism to Evagrius and Didymus. At the Fifth Ecumenical Council, Origen and all who do not wish to anathematize him are anathematized:

We ourselves, having the commandment to edify the people with sound doctrine (Titus 2:1) and to speak in our hearts to Jerusalem (Isaiah 40:2), that is, to the Church of God, hasten to sow worthily in righteousness (Hosea 2:23), gathering the fruit of life and kindling for ourselves the light of knowledge from the Divine Scriptures and the teachings of the holy fathers. We considered it necessary to briefly outline point by point both the preaching of the truth and the condemnation of heretics and their wickedness. […] 11. If anyone does not anathematize Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius, Apollinaris, Nestorius, Eutyches and Origen, with their wicked writings, and all other heretics who were condemned and anathematized by the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church and the holy four aforementioned councils, and those who have philosophized or are philosophizing like the above-mentioned heretics, and continued in their wickedness until death: let him be anathema.

Origen's condemnation was confirmed by the Sixth Ecumenical Council. At the Lateran Council of 649, all of Origen's writings were anathematized, and those who did not wish to anathematize and reject works in defense of Origen were also anathematized:

If anyone does not reject and, in agreement with the Holy Fathers, with us and with faith, does not anathematize with soul and mouth all those whom the holy, catholic and apostolic Church of God (that is, the five Ecumenical Councils and all the Fathers of the Church unanimously recognized by them) rejected and anathematized along with their writings, to the very last line, as wicked heretics, namely: […] Origen, Didymus, Evagrius and all the other heretics taken together […]. So, if anyone does not reject and anathematize the wicked teaching of their heresy and what was wickedly written by anyone in their favor or in their defense, as well as the mentioned heretics themselves […]: let such a person be anathema.

Pelagia, the founder of the Pelagian heresy - the doctrine of the relationship between grace and free will in the matter of human salvation, one of the most influential heresies in the West. Condemned at the Third Ecumenical Council (431). Pelagius argued that free will is a natural property of man, which was not destroyed by the sin of Adam, and the role of grace lies only in divine assistance to man in his good deeds. “And in general there would be no virtue in anyone who is in goodness if he did not have the opportunity to go over to the side of evil... otherwise he will not do good out of his own impulse if he cannot also choose evil.” The essence of Pelagius's statements is that a person is able to earn his own salvation, which is given to the worthy, otherwise it would turn out that he does not play any role in his own salvation.

Donatista Tychonia- the instigator of the church schism in the Carthaginian church, which began in the first decade of the 4th century. The Donatists created their own ecclesiology. According to their teaching, the main sign of the true church is holiness, and that only those sacraments are valid which are performed by a righteous bishop.

and others...

It should be noted that the bible.optina.ru section is updated daily with new interpretations, including not only the texts of the holy fathers of the Orthodox Church, but also other, both ancient and modern authors.

In the near future, it is planned to create a similar application for Android.

SACRED SCRIPTURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT AND THE HOLY CHURCH FATHERS ABOUT THE MARTYRS

Delve into yourself and into the teaching; do this constantly: for by doing this, you will save yourself and those who listen to you (1 Tim. 4:16)

REDEMPTION

So say to the children of Israel: I am the Lord, and I will bring out (κα ὶ ἐ ξ ά ξω ὑ μ ᾶ ς) you from under the yoke of the Egyptians (ἀ π ό τ ῆ ς δυναστε ί ας τ ῶ ν Α ἰ γυπτ ί ων ), and I will deliver you (κα ὶ λυτρ ώ σομαι ὑ μ ᾶ ς ) from their slavery, and I will save you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments (Ex. 6:6)

St. Basil the Great: “So, seek not your brother for your redemption, but the God-man Jesus Christ, who alone can give treason for everyone, because His God supposes cleansing through faith in His blood (Rom. 3:25). Moses was a brother to the Israelites, but he could not redeem them...Moses did not free the people from sin, but I just begged God not to punish for sin».

Evidence from Holy Scripture and the corresponding interpretations of the Holy Fathers that martyrdom is a sacrifice

No one has more sowing love, but whoever lays down his life for his friends (John 15, 13)

St. Cyril of Alexandria: “He clearly says that this is a commandment and this is what I teach those who want to follow Me to do and to think, namely, to try for the kind of love for each other that I have already shown and fulfilled earlier. So, what limit of Christ’s love everyone should imagine, he himself showed this again, saying that there is nothing greater than such love, which commands you to give your very soul for your loved ones... But now the Savior, out of love for us, laid down His very soul for us and, showing some incomparable love for mankind, showed us to be zealous and blessed, not lacking in any good at all... In this sense, I believe, the above words will befit the Divinely inspired chapters students. If we extend this saying to everyone, that is, This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you., then the research will be of great benefit. After all, if love for brothers contains and completes the fulfillment of all the commandments of our Savior, then isn’t he worthy of great surprise who primarily tries to accomplish it immaculately and impeccably, since it is, so to speak, the head of all virtues? For second only to love for God is love for one another, and all the power of piety towards God lies, as it were, in this one “word, namely: love your neighbor as yourself.” (Gal. 5:14)

For I am already becoming a victim, and the time of my departure has come

(2 Tim. 4:6)

St. John Chrysostom: “He did not say: my sacrifice, but something more, because not everything is offered to God from the sacrifice, but from what is poured out (σπονδ ῆ ς) - everything. »

Bl. Theophylact. Bulgarian: “I didn’t say: I sacrifice myself, but more powerfully. For in a sacrifice not everything was offered to God, but everything was offered as a drink offering.”

St. Feofan the Recluse: “ I'm hungry , - σπ έ νδομαι. I am already being slaughtered as a sacrifice; “or I am already sacrificing myself to Christ” (Ecumenius of Trikki). “I stand at the very end of my exploits. The Apostle called his killing the slaughter of a sacrifice (that is, he expressed it in the word - σπ έ νδομαι); because blood was shed for piety (σπονδη - sacrificial libation)” (Blessed Theodoret of Cyrrhus). “He did not call the death preparing for him a sacrifice, - θυσίαν - but a libation, - σπονδη, to express it more powerfully and sacredly. For in a sacrifice, usually only a certain part was offered as a burnt offering to God; and all the drink offerings were offered to Him. He commands his disciples to do the same when he says: Imagine the squalor of your body, your victim is alive (Rom. 12:1). For he who is sacrificed for Christ sacredly sacrifices himself. Or he means σπενδομαι as καταλ ύ ω πολεμον, - I’m ending my war with everyone.”

But if I become a sacrifice for the sacrifice and service of your faith, then I rejoice and rejoice with all of you (Phil. 2, 17)

St. John Chrysostom: “And he consoles them regarding his death, and teaches them to willingly endure death for Christ. I become, he says, as if it were a drink offering and a sacrifice. O blessed soul! He calls bringing them a sacrifice. Truly, sacrificing a soul is much better than sacrificing oxen. So, if I add myself to this offering as a drink offering, then I rejoice, he says, about my death.”

Bl. Theophylact of Bulgaria: “Although, he says, I am a sacrifice, “but I am made a sacrifice for the sacrifice and service of your faith,” that is, having first made you a sacrifice to God, dedicating you to the service of God and making you believers. But in view of death, I am not at all sad, but rejoice and rejoice with all of you. I rejoice in offering your faith to Christ as a sacrifice.”

Therefore, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.(Rom. 12:1)

Bl. Theophylact of Bulgaria: “Otherwise: we must present our members to God, as to the king, blameless and best; for such are the ones who stand before the king. Then we must present them as living sacrifices; for when we put them to death, then we live in the Spirit.”

Patristic sayings about martyrdom as a sacrifice

Svschmch. Cyprian of Carthage: “And without this, you perform and offer a sacrifice to God as precious and as glorious, which will greatly serve to reward us with heavenly rewards, since the Divine Scripture says: sacrifice to God the spirit is broken, the heart is contrite and humble God will not despise(Ps. 50:19). This is the kind of sacrifice you offer to God; Having become victims for God, you continually perform this sacrifice day and night, presenting yourselves as holy and blameless victims...”

St. Gregory the Theologian: “... martyrs are no less instructive for us - these verbal burnt offerings, perfect sacrifices, pleasant offerings, this preaching of the truth, the denunciation of lies, the fulfillment of the spiritually understood Law, the destruction of error, the persecution of vice, the drowning of sin, the cleansing of the world.”

St. Gregory the Theologian: “...for, as I think, for the holy martyrs purified by the blood and imitating the sacrifice of Christ, something is observed that the eye has not seen, the ear has not heard, and the human mind, which freely creates in itself the idea of ​​bliss, has not imagined.”

St. John Chrysostom: “By the grace of God, you no longer needed any proof, having already taken root in the faith; and the inhabitants of Rome, where there was great wickedness at that time, needed more help. Therefore, Peter, and Paul, and after them this man, all were sacrificed there, both in order to cleanse this city, defiled by the blood of idols with their own blood, and in order to provide proof of the resurrection of the crucified Christ by the very act.” .

St. John Chrysostom: “You received a tongue from nature, but you raised a martyr out of it; You received the mouth, the storehouse of the tongue, but you made from the mouth an altar for the tongue; you received a ring to make sounds, but you showed it as an ear being cut off; you received a tongue, a servant of words, but you sacrificed it to Christ, like a blameless sheep... You, a valiant man, have won an honor equal to the sacrifice of the patriarch, offering the only-begotten branch of the tongue instead of the only-begotten son.”

Liturgical ceremonies

From the general service to the holy martyr (according to the Great Collection. Mukachevo. 1991, part 1)

“By offering a bloodless sacrifice to God, like a most lawful priest, who speaks with all honor to God, ѣ I'm waiting for all the fruits and etci I will make a sacrifice, you brought your very blood, like a true martyr, to Christ, pray to Him for those who sing to you” (Stichera I cried to the Lord, p. 438)

“The most lawful priest, even before your death you were, blessedly celebrating the divine and unspeakable sacraments, you poured out your blood for Christ God, and the sacrifice is favorable You brought it for yourself...” (I cried out to the Lord for glory, p. 439)

“I live as an all-perfect sacrifice, you offered yourself to Christ through torment...” (Canon of Matins, Song 3, p. 444)

« Burnt offeringi you are divine, and the sacrifice is pure You were offered to the Savior of all, O wise martyr.” (Canto 4, p. 445)

« Victim and devourer, you have sacrificed your faith to God for the sake of..." (Song.6, p. 446)

“You piously performed the secret service of Christ, you yourself offered the verbal sheep to Him the sacrifice is pleasant and acceptable“all things accomplished by blood, most blessed” (Song 8, p. 448)

Martyrdom is a liturgical continuation of the redemptive feat of Christ: Holy Scripture and interpretations of the Holy Fathers of the Church

1. The Holy Church, in the person of its Fathers, teaches about martyrdom as equivalent to the Sacrament of Baptism

… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For God is at work in you both to will and to do according to His good pleasure.(Philippians 2, 12-13)

St. Theophan the Recluse: “The Apostle gives the motivation for the fear of God that God Himself acts in them, both in their good desires and in good deeds. This is even stronger than what Chrysostom says: remember that God is everywhere, therefore with you and with you. It says here that He is not only with us, but also in us; and not as a resting force, but as a force active in everything... And such are all Christians. They are combined with the Lord and have Him active in them” (pp. 367-368) “God acts not because he forces and compels, but because, finding zeal in us, he strengthens it with grace” (p. 369)

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you and make up for the deficiency in my flesh of the sorrows of Christ for His body, which is the Church(Col. 1, 24)

St. John Chrysostom: “It seems to me that he said something great,4 but this was not out of impudence - no! - but out of strong love for Christ. He does not want these sorrows to be attributed to him, but to Christ... So he is not ashamed to attribute these sufferings to Him, because (Christ) not only died for us, but after death he is ready to suffer for our sake.(The Apostle) wanted and tried to prove that (Christ) even now with His own body exposes Himself to danger for the sake of the Church. This is what his speech is aimed at, i.e., that you are brought not by us, but by Him, although we do this - we have taken upon ourselves not our own work, but His... Look how much he expresses, revealing strong love. As he wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians: place in us the ministry of reconciliation(Cor. 5:18), and also: in Christ we embassy, ​​as I pray to God with us(v. 20) - so here, in order to attract them more, he says the same: I suffer for his sake, i.e., although he owes you and has left, I repay His debt. That'sabout deprivation he speaks to show that, in his opinion, Christ has not yet endured everything. For you, he says, even after death he suffers, if need demands. He presents the same thing differently in the letter to the Romans, saying: others like him are praying for us(Rom. 8:32), showing that He was not content with death alone, but after that He does infinitely many things for us.”

Blazh. Theophylact of Bulgaria: “ And I fulfill (κα ὶ ἀ νταπληρ ῶ ) deprivation of the sorrows of Christ in my flesh. Apparently this word is vain and crazy, but no, on the contrary, it is full of great love for Christ. For he wants to convince them that Christ is still suffering for them, and that it is not through us, the apostles, that you come (to God), but through Him (Christ), although through our mediation. So, what are you doing, retreating from Him who, even after His death, is exposed to dangers for you? The meaning of his words is this: if Christ was still ready to suffer for you, but withdrew and did not pay this debt, then I fulfill His duty; just as, in the absence of the commander, his assistant, protecting the phalanx and taking his place, would receive wounds in his place. That's why I said - deprivation ( ὑ στερ ή μα -flaw) to show that, in his opinion, He has not yet endured everything. He loves us so much that even after his death, as if previous sufferings were not enough, he suffers in my body; for He was not content with His death, but still performs countless good deeds. So, Paul, not exalting himself, says this, but out of a desire to show that Christ still cares about them.

For his body, there is a church. Having said that although I suffer, this is actually the suffering of Christ, he gives credibility to these words, saying that these (sufferings) also occur for the sake of His body. So, do not consider these words to be boasting, but believe that He who did not despise uniting the church with Himself is still suffering for her sake in my flesh.”

St. John Chrysostom: “The strongest true proof of the resurrection is that the mortified Christ showed such power after death that he convinced living people to despise their fatherland, home, friends, relatives, and life itself for the sake of confessing Him...”

Holy Fathers of the Church .

Smch. Cyprian of Carthage: “With what kindness in the person of such His servants did this Guardian of the Faith overcome and conquer, giving to the believers as much as anyone by their faith can accept! He Himself was present at His battle - He Himself encouraged, strengthened, and inspired those who fought and labored for His name. And He, who once conquered death for us, always conquers in us.”

St. John Chrysostom: " Not only their soul, but their very body became partaker of greater grace, and not only did not lose, after frequent torment and cutting, the strength that it had, but also acquired greater and higher. What could be more amazing than this victory, when (the enemies) were unable to defeat those whom they held and had in their hands, and, having tied them up, tormented them at will, but on the contrary, they themselves were defeated by them in a pitiful and unfortunate manner? They didn't fight against them, but against the God who dwells in them; and everyone knows that it is quite necessary for someone who is at war with God to suffer extreme defeat, suffering punishment for just one undertaking.”

St. John Chrysostom: “If Christ died and was not resurrected, then who performed these supernatural deeds?”

St. John Chrysostom: “And whoever does not undertake these exploits with great joy, intending to partake of the sufferings of the Lord and become conformed to the death of Christ. This is a sufficient reward, a great honor, a reward that exceeds labor, even before the kingdom of heaven.”

St. John Chrysostom: “Because she, as if in some wondrous dyehouse, having become a royal scarlet, went to the high King and with great boldness entered the vaults of heaven, while Christ himself supported the holy head of the martyr with an invisible hand and baptized her with fire like water."

Martyrdom is a baptism of blood, equivalent to the sacrament of Baptism

In those cases where a person has not received rebirth in the sacrament of Baptism, he receives it in the shedding of martyrdom. This is the baptism “with which Christ Himself was baptized” (Matthew 20:22-23), notes Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov).

Smch. Cyprian. Carthage: “What baptism can have greater and higher power, like the baptism of confession and suffering, when the one who confesses Christ before people is baptized with his own blood?”

Smch. Cyprian of Carthage: “...and secondly, they are not deprived of the sacrament of baptism, like people baptized with the most glorious and greatest baptism of blood, about which the Lord said: that he intends be baptized others baptism(Luke 12:50). And what about those who were baptized with their own blood? And those who are sanctified by suffering achieve perfection and receive the grace of the Divine promise; this is shown by the same Lord in the Gospel when he says to the thief who believes and confesses in the very suffering that He will be with Him in Paradise (Luke 23:43).”

Smch. Cyprian of Carthage: “Let it be known that the catechumens (who are subjected to martyrdom) are not deprived of the sacrament of Baptism: for they are baptized with the most glorious and greatest Baptism of blood, about which the Lord said that He has to be baptized with another baptism (Matthew 20:22). And that those who are baptized with their own blood and who are dedicated through suffering achieve perfection and receive the grace of the divine promise, the same Lord testifies in the Gospel.”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem: “Whoever does not accept baptism has no salvation, except for the martyrs, who receive the Kingdom of Heaven even without water. For the Savior, having redeemed the universe with the Cross, and having been pierced in the side, brought blood and water out of it, so that some in times of peace would be baptized with water, others in times of persecution would be baptized with their own blood. And the Savior called martyrdom baptism, saying: can you drink the cup with which I drink, and with baptism, with which I am baptized, be baptized?(Mark 10:38)? And the martyrs realize this, becoming a spectacle for the world, both Angels and men; and you will find out over time...”

St. Basil the Great: “Others, in deeds for piety, actually, and not imitatively, having accepted death for Christ, no longer had the need for their salvation in the symbol of water, having been baptized with their own blood.”

St. Gregory the Theologian: “I also know the fourth baptism - the baptism of martyrdom and blood, with which Christ himself was baptized, which is much more honorable than others, since it is not defiled by new impurities.”

Blazh. Augustine: “For those who die for the confession of Christ without having yet received the font of regeneration, it has the same power of remission of sins as washing in the holy source of baptism. For he who said: unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God(John 3:5), excludes them with another of His sayings, in which he says with the same generality: Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father in Heaven.(Matthew 10:32)…For what is more honorable than death, through which all sins are forgiven and merits are increased?”

St. John Chrysostom: “So, yesterday our Lord was baptized with water, and today the slave is baptized with blood; Yesterday the gates of heaven were opened, today the gates of hell were trampled under foot. Do not be surprised if I called martyrdom baptism: here too the spirit hovers with great abundance, and there is a blotting out of sins and some wondrous and miraculous cleansing of the soul, and just as those who are baptized with water, so those who undergo martyrdom are washed in their own blood, which also happened with this (martyr Lucian )".

St. John Chrysostom: “And if you want to be convinced that this event was an undoubted baptism, listen to how Christ calls His death baptism. So, talking with the sons of Zebedee, He says: You will drink My cup, and with the baptism in which I am baptized, I am baptized(Matt. 20, 23). And with what baptism was Christ baptized after the baptism of John, besides death and the cross? Just as Jacob, not crucified, but beheaded with a sword, was baptized with the baptism of Christ, so these too, although they were not crucified, but having died of water, were baptized with the baptism of Christ.”

Martyrdom and sorrow are a means of deliverance from sin

St. Gregory of Nyssa: “Since sin entered through pleasure, then the opposite will undoubtedly be expelled. Therefore, those who persecute for the confession of the Lord, and invent unbearable torments, through the difficulties of which they bring some healing to souls, healing them from the disease of voluptuousness with the battles of sorrows, thus Paul accepts the cross, James accepts the sword, Stephen accepts stones, blessed Peter accepts the piercing of the head with a spear; all the ascetics of the faith who were after - various types of torment, animals, abysses, fires, numbness from cold, exposure of ribs from the flesh, piercing the head with nails, goring of the eyes, cutting off fingers, tearing out parts of the body on both sides, languishing with hunger - all this and the like This, as cleansing from sin, the saints endured with joy, so that not a trace of voluptuousness would remain in the heart after this painful and painful sensation had smoothed out all the imprints of voluptuousness in the soul.”

Understanding the Bible as a whole does not present insurmountable difficulties for people. Simply put, there is nothing in the Holy Book that is completely beyond the understanding of a person of average mental capacity. “The grace of the Holy Spirit,” wrote St. John Chrysostom, “for this purpose used tax collectors, fishermen, tabernacle workers and shepherds, simple and unlearned people, to write these books, so that none of the unlearned would complain about the difficulty of understanding...”

At the same time, we know many sayings of the fathers and teachers of the Church, who say that in the Bible everything is a mystery, every story contains a great, hidden meaning, which can only be understood by the chosen ones, those initiated into the mysteries of the Spirit. How to combine these two extreme points of view, and where is the truth in this case?

The Bible, as a work of a special kind - as the Revelation of God, contains some sublime truths that are difficult for the earthly human mind to understand. In order to see the high heavenly meaning with our earthly eyes, special guidance is needed. Where can one look for such guidance?

There is an ancient saying: “to understand a poet, you need to go to the poet’s country.” To correctly understand the Bible, you need to go to the Church - that is, turn to the interpretations of the Church. The Holy Book appeared in the depths of the ancient Church. The Church preserved and passed on great texts from century to century.

Modern scientists, based on the latest research methods, have proven that the text of the Bible has reached us without distortion, without replacing meanings, etc. Through the works of unknown copyists, the holy words of the Bible have retained their meaning. Of course, when translated into some languages, including Russian, the meaning of individual expressions may change slightly. But today this is not a serious problem. Nowadays, there are many interpretations of ancient and modern authors, adding to this modern information retrieval technologies, we get that a modern seeker of truth can easily understand the meaning of the Eternal Book.

Why is it necessary to seek explanations of the Scriptures, first of all, from the Holy Fathers? The king's word is better understood and explained by the king's servant. The Word of God is better understood and explained by a man close to God. The Holy Fathers of the Church are humble and pure in heart, faithful disciples of Christ. Many of them, from early youth, sought divine truth in the Scriptures, in the works of the holy apostles, and God revealed His secrets to them.

The Holy Fathers interpreted Scripture, guided by the tradition that came to them from the apostles. Sometimes the apostolic teachings were transmitted orally from student to student, in other cases they were written down. Thus, Saint John Chrysostom in one of his teachings says: “Do not be embarrassed if what I said is strange to you; I speak here not my own words, but the words of our fathers, wonderful and famous men.”

The Holy Spirit, abiding in accordance with the promise of Christ in the Church, at all times chose holy men, and through them preserved, and to this day preserves, the true interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.

“Come and become partakers of incomparable wisdom: learn from the Word of God and know the eternal King! The Word of God penetrates our souls with its power. Oh, what a messenger of peace this is for you, warrior soul! What a means to tame the most violent impulses of passion! This power does not make us into poets, philosophers, or famous poets; but she leads us to higher concepts, she makes us mortals immortal and accompanies us from this world to the next,” wrote Saint Justin the Philosopher (†166) about the meaning of the Holy Scriptures.

St. John Chrysostom († 407) gives a deep and unexpected explanation of the need for Holy Scripture: “Indeed, we should not need the help of Scripture, but should lead a life so pure that instead of books, the grace of the Spirit serves our souls, and so that, just as those were written with ink, so our hearts were written with the Spirit. But since we have rejected such grace, we will at least use the second path. And that the first way was better, God showed this both in word and in deed. In fact, God spoke with Noah, Abraham and his descendants, as well as with Job and Moses, not through writing, but directly, because he found their minds pure. So, God did not give the Apostles anything written, but promised instead of writings bestow the grace of the Spirit. “He,” He said to them, “will remember everything to you” (John 14:26). And so that you know that this way (of God’s communication with the saints) was much better, listen to what he says through the prophet: “I bequeath to you a new covenant, giving my laws in my thoughts and in my hearts, and I will write them all, and they will all be taught by God.” “(Jerem. 31, 31-34; John 4, 45). And Paul, pointing out this superiority, said that he received the law (written) “not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh” (2 Cor. 3:3)

“But since, over time, some deviated from the true teaching, others from purity of life and morality, the need for written instruction arose again. Think about what kind of folly it will be if we, who should live in such purity as to have no need for Scripture, but instead of books present our hearts to the Spirit, if we, having lost such dignity and having a need for Scripture, do not take advantage of how must, even with this second medicine!”

The Word of God is necessary for man in all circumstances of life.

After receiving the sacrament of Baptism, each person enters the Church and becomes a disciple of Christ. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; "(Matthew, 28, 19-20.) - this is the command of the risen Christ to the apostles, and through the apostles - a commandment to all Christians. - learn the truths of faith. And learning is possible only through listening and reading the Holy Scriptures, and first of all, the Gospel.

The experience of the Church says that every Christian eventually accepts the need to read the Holy Scriptures. A convenient, high-quality edition of the Bible can be a good help in this matter.

The Kreshcheniye.ru website will help you choose a good edition of the gift Bible, with a design that you will like, with a convenient, pleasant font, and a suitable format. We have a wonderful edition to choose from. Leather-bound Bibles — it will be literally an eternal book that can become a family heirloom. A good binding will keep the pages in good condition. Most leather Bible editions come with several leather bookmarks, which is very convenient when studying several Scriptures at the same time.

Interpretation of the Bible, understanding its meaning is called exegesis (Greek). Orthodox exegesis has its own rules of hermeneutics (from the Greek ermeneuen - to explain) and methods:

2. The interpretation must be in accordance with the dogmas and teachings of the Church.

3. The Old Testament must be evaluated in the light of the New.

4. It is necessary to be guided by the interpretations given to the Holy Scriptures by St. Fathers. They are of great value for the Orthodox interpreter, who, however, must also take into account the differences in the interpretation of the Fathers. Orthodox biblical scholars also turn to the church-liturgical (liturgical, iconographic) interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, elucidating the general church exegetical tradition

5. Exegesis is combined with textual criticism. The word "criticism" in this case means scientific and literary study.

• New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?- Frederick Bruce
• “And these shall go into κόλασιν (cut-off) αἰώνιον (eternal)” (Matthew 25:46). About the fate of those who do not live according to Christian laws and will find themselves on the left side at the Last Judgment. - Vitaly Miguzov
• Essene hypothesis- Peter Brant
• The Myth of the “Pretty” Language of the New Testament- Pavel Begichev
• Why is the Hebrew Bible different from the Greek?- Mikhail Seleznev
• The Didache is an early Christian monument containing unique information about church life, theology and moral teaching of the apostolic era- Alexander Tkachenko
• Talent and contribution, not mine and eurocent(explanatory dictionary of biblical words) - Yuri Pushchaev
• Sacred play on words. What languages ​​did the apostles speak?- Deacon Mikhail Asmus
• Betrayal of Judas(priest's answer to the question) - Abbot Feodor Prokopov
• Prophets and Prophecies of the Bible- Vitaly Kaplan, Alexey Sokolov
• Canaanite religion- Hegumen Arseny Sokolov
• Why is the Old Testament so petty?- Andrey Desnitsky
• Day of the Holy Trinity. Pentecost. Interpretation of the Gospel - Archpriest Alexander Shargunov
• The resurrection of righteous Lazarus. Patristic interpretations of difficult passages- Anton Pospelov
• Why do Christians need “cursing psalms”?- Archpriest Sergiy Arkhipov
• Does the Bible tell the truth?- Andrey Desnitsky
• Biblical genealogies and world history- Priest Andrey Shelepov
• Jeroboam's sin- Hegumen Arseny Sokolov
• “And Isaac went to mock the field”: a little educational program- Agafya Logofetova
• Rabid feminist attacks on the Bible are baseless- David Ashford
• What is "inspiration"? Did the evangelists write from dictation?- Andrey Desnitsky
• Why does a Christian need the Old Testament?- Andrey Desnitsky
• "Let our children accept the gift of faith." Conversations from the series "The Family Life of the Old Testament Patriarchs"- Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev
• “Salaphiel begat Zerubbabel...” Why does Christ need genealogies?- Andrey Desnitsky
• Reflections on difficult parts of the Gospel- Hegumen Peter Meshcherinov
• Women of the Old Testament- Grigory Pruttskov
• The Book of Genesis and some data from linguistics, genetics and ethnography- Evgeny Kruglov, Alexander Klyashev

Greek Four Gospels, XII–XIII centuries, parchment. Constantinople

Five Basic Methods of Exegesis

Thanks to the works of the Fathers and Teachers of the Church and later exegetes, the meaning of Holy Scripture from era to era is revealed more and more fully in its spiritual inexhaustibility and depth. There are five main methods of exegesis, or interpretation, of the Old Testament, which do not exclude, but complement each other. “Some things in Scripture,” notes St. John Chrysostom, “should be understood as they say, and others in a figurative sense; others in a double sense: sensual and spiritual” (Conversation on Ps 46). Likewise, Rev. John Cassian the Roman pointed out that the interpretation of the Bible “is divided into two parts, that is, into the historical (literal) interpretation of Holy Scripture and the spiritual (sacramental) understanding.

Method of allegorical interpretation i originated among the Jews of Alexandria and was developed by the famous religious thinker Philo († c. 40 AD). Philo and his predecessors borrowed this method from ancient writers. Allegorical exegesis was adopted by the Christian school of Alexandria - Clement and Origen (II-III centuries), and then St. Gregory of Nyssa (332-389). They all proceeded from the idea that the Old Testament contains much more than can be found in its literal understanding. Therefore, exegetes sought, by deciphering the allegories, to explain secret, the spiritual meaning of Scripture. However, for all its fruitfulness, the Alexandrian method lacked reliable criteria for an accurate understanding of the ancient Eastern symbolism used in the Old Testament, and this often led to arbitrary guesses. The great merit of the Alexandrian school was the attempt expound the teachings of the Bible in theological language.

Literal method interpreted It boiled down to imagining, as coherently and clearly as possible, the course of biblical events and straight the meaning of the teachings set forth in the Old Testament. This method was developed in the 3rd and 4th centuries by the Syrian Fathers of the Church (Antiochian and Edessa schools), of which the most famous is St. Ephraim the Syrian (306-379). The Syrians were closely familiar with the customs of the East, which allowed them to reconstruct the picture of the biblical world better than the Hellenistic authors. But the fact of the polysemantic meaning of Scripture often remained beyond the sight of these exegetes.

The methods of the two above-mentioned schools were combined by the Fathers of the Church, who proposed moral homiletical interpretation of the Old Testament. It pursued primarily the goals of edification and preaching, emphasizing the moral and dogmatic aspects of Scripture. The highest example of such interpretation are the works of St. John Chrysostom (380-407).

Typological, or educational, method of interpretation I. This method is based on the fact that the Bible contains polysemantic prototypes (Greek typos - image, prototype) of the history of salvation, which can be attributed not to one, but to its various stages. So, for example, in the exodus from Egypt they saw a prototype of the return from captivity, and later - a prototype of the exodus from slavery to sin (the waters of the sea are a symbol of the waters of baptism). This method is already used in the Gospel (John 3:14), in St. Paul (Gal. 4:22-25) and is present in almost all patristic writings, starting from St. Clement of Rome (c. 90). Closely related to prototypes are prophecies about the Messiah, scattered in explicit or hidden form throughout the Old Testament. The typological method plays a big role in understanding the spiritual integrity of the Bible, which speaks of the actions of one God in a single history of salvation.

INTERPRETATION OF ACTS

HOLY APOSTLES,

SELECTED FROM INTERPRETATIONS

SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

AND SOME OTHER FATHERS

BLESSED THEOPHYLACTUS,

ARCHBISHOP OF BULGARIAN

Teaching 21. Interpretation of some sayings of Saint Gregory about the holy martyrs It is good, brothers, to sing the words of the holy God-bearers, because they always and everywhere try to teach us everything leading to the enlightenment of our souls. From these very words chanted (at festivals), one should

Lesson Twenty-one Interpretation of some sayings of Saint Gregory about the holy martyrs It is good, brethren, to sing the words of the holy God-bearers, because they always and everywhere try to teach us everything leading to the enlightenment of our souls. From these very words sung in