Glory be to Jesus Christ!
🌞
To the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John:
For the reading from the Apostle, please refer to the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/17092023.html
For reading from the Gospel, please refer to the following links:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/09032023.html
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/26062023.html
The reading from the Apostle is preceded by the one described here:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/21062023.html
The following reading from the Apostle continues this one:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/commentaries/11122023.html
2 Timothy II, 12 — 'ἡμᾶς' - 'emas' - 'us'.
2 Timothy II:14 — 'διαμαρτυρόμενος ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ' - 'diamartyromenos enopion tou theou' - 'testify solemnly before God'. Some people are afraid to testify about their faith, not only to unbelievers, but also among other denominations. Here Paul is saying that the preacher should be courageous and testify, even testify solemnly, about the faith and the Lord. Such a testimony, although some may criticise it as 'unhumble, immodest', is in fact necessary and right.
2 Timothy II, 19 — 'θεμέλιος' - 'themelios' - the foundation, that which is related to the foundation
.
The Apostle Paul encourages endurance, the ability to continue in faith, hope and love.
He testifies against the heretics of his time, naming them, denying their teaching that the general resurrection of the dead had already taken place. Heresy destroys faith, he says, and has no foundation in God.
He also teaches to avoid vain arguments, which also lead to the destruction rather than the building up of listeners. Faith is not built on the skill of purely logical argumentation and debate, but on a different foundation that cannot be built by vain arguments.
Luke XVIII, 7 — 'ἡμέρας' - 'emeras' - 'day'.
The point of the parable is to contrast God with an unjust, shameless and arrogant judge, and to encourage the faithful to persevere in hope and prayer. God is not like the judge, but even the unyielding judge gave in to the widow's persistent requests. We need to understand that according to the tradition of the Old Testament, judges resolved various cases in ancient Israel, disputes, and according to the Law of Moses, the judge had to pay special attention to the protection of the least protected, including widows, orphans, and non-Israelites. The judge did not do this as a principle of justice and protection, but rather went about his business because of his position. Christ implies that even if such people fail in perseverance and constancy, God is not unmerciful and indifferent.
There is also an implicit connection here. A person cannot be truly persistent in spiritual virtues, including prayer, without the operation of God's grace, without God's help. If God helps a person to pray, then He clearly does not reject prayer, and thus there is all the more hope and need to pray. It is the appeal to God with faith and hope, with love, that is encouraged by God's grace, so it is really necessary to pray and not to lose heart.
It is also a reminder that we should not try to solve all issues and difficulties solely through prayer. There are many things that require action, sometimes urgent action, and then only prayer without the necessary action will be a stretch of time
, which can be critical, at least it will be noticeable that the fulfilment may not come immediately after prayer, as it could be if a person acted.
The ultimate question of faith is relevant, Christ's question is whether people will continue to pray to God in faith just before His Second Coming. After all, there are many temptations to leave prayer behind or to weaken it for those who pray, and there are many temptations not to start praying for those who do not pray.
Abandoning prayer is associated with a fall in spirit, with spiritual decline.
See also about faith in some senses here:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/PowerOfHuman.html
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!