Glory be to Jesus Christ!
🌞
1 Thessalonians IV, 1 - 'ἡμῶν' - 'emon' - 'us'.
1 Thessalonians IV, 7 - 'ἡμῶν' - 'emas' - 'us'.
The Apostle Paul teaches us to keep what has been transmitted from the apostles.
He also especially warns against fornication (vessels
are figuratively referred to as our bodies), violence and injustice, calls for love, and for diligent work.
The Lord is the avenger
- that is, the Lord is the Judge. And whoever rejects God's will, God's commandments and commands, does not reject human teaching, but God's will, which will be of great importance in God's judgement.
Jesus teaches the purpose of His coming, which is to find and save sinners by calling them to repentance, giving them the strength to do so, and doing whatever else is necessary.
He uses parables because it was common at the time, easy to understand in simplicity, but also in a deeper sense, has great depth and clarity, and prompts at least some agreement.
For a parallel reading to the first parable in the reading, the one about the lost and found sheep (Matthew XVIII, 12-14), see the links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/05062023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/15072023.html
In general, the parables are very eloquent, but they also show figuratively what the Lord does for the salvation of people - for example, a kindled light - at the same time as the image of God's teaching and the grace of the Holy Spirit, which calls for repentance and salvation, and the enlightenment of the mind and heart with the light of Christ's truth, etc.
Also, the image of the Good Shepherd is a symbol of Christ Himself, which is why it has also entered the iconographic and liturgical traditions (there are such famous icons, and there are important elements in the clergy's vestments that symbolise Christ as the Shepherd).
To the holy martyrs Guriy, Samon and Abib:
Ephesians VI, 12 - 'ημιν' - 'emin' - (to) 'us'.
Ephesians VI, 13 - 'ημερα' - 'emera' - 'day' ('on').
For a frequent reading from the Apostle, please refer to the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/
For the Gospel readings, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/03112023.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!