Christ Is Risen! 🌞
There are no miracles mentioned here, but
attention is drawn to the quiet development and edification of the
Church in Jerusalem and Antioch, their connections, and the emergence of
the very general name Christians
(in Antioch).
It is worth noting that the apostles were also a kind of links
between different churches. Their activities were directed to different
communities, and therefore different communities received more God’s
blessings through the apostles and prophets.
John IV, 9 – ‘εμου’ – ‘emou’ – ‘me’.
John IV, 12 – ‘θρεμματα’ – ‘thremmata’ – here cattle
, the original
meaning of the word in the singular is a baby fed with breast milk
-
‘θρεμμα’ – ‘thremma’.
John IV, 24 – literally ‘Πνευμα ο Θεος’ – ‘The Spirit is God’. This may be a direct reference to the Third Person of the Trinity (the Holy Spirit), that He is God.
John IV, 26 – ειμι – eimi – (I) am.
Used only with emphasis.
John IV, 34 – ‘Εμον’ – ‘emon’ – ‘My’ (‘food’ is neuter in Koine).
Today is the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman in connection with this
reading. Tradition has preserved the woman’s name, Photinia, from the
word for light
, so today is also a special Day for Svitlana’s. The
Samaritan woman later became a Saint along with her two sons as the
martyrs.
Her conversation with Jesus shows her smartness and openness, as well as her simplicity and humility. She does not oppose Jesus’ words like many Jews, but questions him, seeing that He is telling the truth, including about herself. Then she preaches to her fellow citizens, and after meeting Jesus, they also receive Him.
Such an encounter is very desirable for Jesus, because it shows the
spiritual hunger
of the people, which the prophets had once announced,
and which they have realised and are looking for true spiritual food and
drink.
And this desire of people and their conversion is in a sense better than food for the Saviour Himself.
I would also like to draw attention to one special detail – a woman’s
fifth husband is not her husband
, which is why Orthodox Christians
have a rule that among non-Christians, no more than the fourth marriage
can be considered a marriage (but not a Sacrament), and all subsequent
marriages are not considered as such.
To the Holy Martyr Macarius, Metropolitan of Kyiv, whose feast day is
today:
Hebrews XIII, 10 – serving the tent
– Jews
who did not believe in Christ. Paul here compares Christians to the Jews
after the building of the Temple in Jerusalem in the Promised Land of
God, while the Jews themselves are compared to those who travelled in
the desert, heading for this Promised Land with Moses, carrying the
tabernacle in a tent.
The selections go on to talk about the possible sufferings of Christians themselves, speaking of their connection to the suffering of Jesus Christ. It also calls for praise to God and gratitude to Him (which is also directly related to the Eucharist).
Hebrews XIII, 16 – ‘communion’ – ‘κοινωνιας’ – can also be translated as ‘fellowship, sharing (participation in)’. In general, it refers to the inter-inclusion in each other’s lives, participation and involvement, communion and sharing. The word is deeply theological, but for lack of space, I will not dwell on it in detail.
John X, 9, 11, 14 – ‘ειμι’ – ‘eimi’ – (I) ‘am’. It is used only for emphasis. ‘εμου’ – ‘emou’ – ‘Me’.
John X, 14 – ‘εμα’ – ‘ema’ – ‘Mine’. Also with a different accent -
My
.
The very image of the door and the pasture is well described here:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!