🇬🇧 Glory be to Jesus Christ! 🌞
To Saint John the Baptist:
Continuation of the
reading mentioned here:
17052023.html
Acts XIII, 25 – ‘εμε’ – ‘eme’ – ‘me’. ‘ειμι’ – ‘eimi’ – (I) am
. It
is used for emphasis.
Acts XIII, 26 – ‘ημιν’ – ‘emin’ – ‘to us’ (the word was sent).
Acts XIII, 31 – ‘ημερας’ – ‘emeras’ – ‘days’.
Acts XIII, 32 – ‘ημεις’ – ‘emeis’ – ‘we’.
The reading recalls the preaching of John the Baptist, his testimony for Christ, and then briefly describes the ministry, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Paul testifies that the apostles were sent to preach the Gospel and salvation in Christ.
As for John’s testimony, as in the Gospels, it is full of truth and
humility, and is an example of this. We can also draw the following
parallel: the highest leaders in earthly kingdoms often have their own
politics, so that they can even create tension in the kingdom. John the
Baptist, being the greatest among those born of women,
on the
contrary, dispels intrigues about his identity by his humility and
truthfulness, does not seek his own glory, but faithfully serves the
Lord.
Mark VI, 21 – ‘ημερας’ – ‘emeras’ – ‘of the day’.
Mark VI, 23 – ‘ημισους’ – ‘emisous’ – ‘half’.
The story of the martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist. Mark, as is sometimes the case, gives the most details among all the Evangelists.
He wrote briefly about the parallel account in Matthew about the
events and their connection (Matthew XIV, 1-13):
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I would add that Jesus was considered Elijah, because according to the Old Testament prophecies, Elijah was to come before the Messiah (John the Baptist was the Forerunner of the First Coming of Christ in spirit and power, and Elijah himself as the forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ, at least in relation to the latter, this belief is widespread). Similarly, it was said that the prophet Jeremiah hid the Ark of the Covenant, and that he would also manifest himself before the return of Christ to indicate where the Ark is located. This was a common belief about the two prophets, and therefore ordinary people thought that something similar might happen to other prophets as well.
The evangelist Mark emphasises that Herod even sometimes acted in accordance with John’s words, even though he kept him in prison and eventually executed him. This is an example of what can happen to a person who does not try to live according to the voice of their conscience or the requirements of morality.
Later, when the same Herod tried Jesus Christ, Jesus, unlike at the judgement of Pontius Pilate, did not answer anything to Herod. This is believed to be because the latter would not have taken anything good from those answers, he was so spiritually fallen.
It is believed that the Lord allowed John to suffer until the Resurrection of Jesus so that he could preach in Hades about the imminent salvation of the righteous of the Old Testament, so powerful were John’s words. The Lord Jesus Christ, having risen from the dead, also delivered John from Hades with Himself to Paradise.
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!