🇬🇧 Glory be to Jesus Christ! 🌞
Since tomorrow is the great feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God on a weekday, the daily reading for tomorrow is postponed until today. (Galatians I, 1-10, 20 – II, 5, 6-10) Galatians I, 2, 24, II, 3, 6, 8, 9 – ‘εμοι’ – ‘emoi’ – ‘to me’.
Galatians I, 3, 4, 23, II, 4 – ‘ημων’ – ‘emon’ – ‘us’ (ours). ‘ημας’ - ‘emas’ – ‘us’.
Galatians I, 8, II, 9 – ‘ημεις’ – ‘emeis’ – ‘we’.
Galatians I, 10, 22 – ‘ημην’ – ‘emen’ – (I (not)) ‘would be’.
The beginning of the weekday readings from the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians.
The Galatians (Greek: Γαλάται, Latin: Galatae) were a union of Celtic
tribes that invaded Greece and Asia Minor in 279-277 BC. The Galatians
inhabited the central part of Asia Minor – Galatia. (Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galatians_(people)
)
I wrote something about the Epistle last year, and I quote: It was
written about the spread among the Galatians those who taught that
Christian converted from the Gentiles also needed to be circumcised and
to fulfil the entire ceremonial Law of Moses (that is, to be Jews,
proselytes and Christians in fact). In effect, this teaching made Jewish
culture a part of the Christian religion, and turned all Gentiles into
proselytes. In a spiritual sense, this was dangerous because attention
was shifted from salvation in Christ to the rituals of the Old
Testament, which were not salvific. ‘Preach not what we have taught you’
- this is the Apostolic Tradition, this is what we are talking
about.
For the omitted text between the two parts of the first reading, see
this link,
28072023.html
Galatians I, 1 – Paul implies that he received the gift and vocation of the apostleship directly from Jesus Christ, as did the other senior apostles (of the 12). As for the 70 apostles, the Gospel mentions Jesus’ selection of 70 (72) apostles, but it is known from Tradition that some of those who are counted among the 70 saint apostles were appointed by the senior apostles, in particular Peter and Paul, and were often their assistants and companions.
Paul goes on to speak of salvation in Christ (cf. Romans XII, 2) and of what we now call the apostolic Tradition (what we have received from the holy apostles, what they have passed on to us).
After verse 20 of chapter 1, Paul speaks about the history of his sermon, drawing special attention to the reason for writing the letter to the Galatians – a dispute among them about the need for Christians to be circumcised and to observe all the requirements of the Law of Moses (including the rituals). In view of this information, it is believed that the text was written around the time of the Jerusalem Apostolic Council (sometime shortly before or after) in 51 AD (see Acts XV).
Paul goes on to describe those who caused controversy (yes, the Galatians did not have any at first, but they listened to Paul’s teaching), that these people did not help him in any way in his preaching. He also goes on to tell the story of his ministry and the issue about which the letter was written.
Cephas is Peter (the Aramaic form of the Greek name of the Apostle Peter).
James is the brother of the Lord, the first bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, the chairman of the Apostolic Council in 51, also called the Righteous, one of the 70 apostles, the author of the Epistle and the first rite of the Liturgy (not to be confused with James Zebedee, the brother of John the Theologian, who was already the first martyr among the 12 apostles at that time).
John is the apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, a beloved disciple of Jesus Christ.
Mark V, 5 – ‘ημερας’ - ‘emeras’ – ‘day’ (during the day).
Mark V, 7 – ‘εμοι’ – ‘emoi’ – ‘to me’ (literally: What is it to me
and to You, Jesus?..
) The demons addressed Jesus in a similar way in
Mark’s account earlier – see here:
23082023.html
Mark V, 12 – ‘ημας’ – ‘emas’ – ‘us’.
Mark V, 18 – ‘εμβαινοντος’ – ‘embainontos’ – ‘got into the boat’.
Mark V, 36 – ‘παρακουσας’ – ‘parakousas’ – ‘having heard the conversation (meaning that the people did not speak to Jesus, but He heard them talking among themselves)’.
For a parallel to the first reading in Matthew (Matthew VIII, 28-34),
see here:
09072023.html
For the parallel passage in Matthew (Matthew IX, 18-26) for the
second reading, see here:
15072023.html
Mark has more details in both readings, including quotes from Jesus and the demons. According to many testimonies, Mark wrote the Gospel in many cases from the words of the Apostle Peter, and in this case from the words of a direct witness to these events. Therefore, his story here can be considered the most complete of all the evangelists.
To the martyr Sozontes:
For the readings from the Apostle, see the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/
For the readings from the Gospel, see here:
06052023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!