The Sending of the "Helper," the Holy Spirit

A Sermon on St. John 14:15-21
6th Sunday of Easter


Today we gather to receive the holy sacrament and to listen to the words of Jesus as it is recorded in St. John’s gospel. Today we hear a bit more of Christ’s last sermon before He is arrested and crucified. It is on the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus is in the upper room in the context of the Last Supper with the twelve disciples. Judas Iscariot has already been sent out. Judas is on his way to betray Jesus for money.

The words of Jesus in this last sermon of His are rather difficult to understand. They are abstract in a sense. Jesus communicates truth to the eleven disciples but His words are difficult to understand fully, even for us. Our goal for this meditation today is to understand that we are to love God and our neighbor. We are also going to ponder how it is that the Holy Spirit works in the church.

Jesus says, “if you love me, keep my commandments.” Of course, Jesus tells the disciples elsewhere that love is the fulfillment of the commandments. Love covers all things. Love covers a multitude of sins. The love of which He speaks is the love of God—faith in the Triune God. Jesus tells the eleven disciples that He will pray to the heavenly Father and the Father will send to them a helper—the Spirit of Truth.

This helper in Greek is Paraclete, another name for the Holy Spirit. Paraclete in Greek means “comforter” or one who “urges.” This divine helper will be the driving force behind the apostolic ministry of these eleven disciples. They will speak at the Holy Spirit’s bidding and “urging.” They will even give up their lives in martyrdom at the Holy Spirit’s divine “urging.”

But ponder this—Jesus says “if you love me, keep my commandments.” Jesus is telling them to love Him, then He will send the divine “helper.” But one can only truly exhibit a selfless love by the Holy Spirit’s doing. So, what is Jesus implying? Well, to believe in Jesus and to love Him, to believe in God the Father and love Him, means the disciples already have the Holy Spirit. So, what of this sending of this divine “helper?”

If you have the Holy Spirit, then you have the Holy Spirit, right? So, what is going on here? Jesus is hinting to the disciples that He is going to send the Holy Spirit to attend to the public ministry of the apostles. These disciples, because of the death of Jesus Christ, will have their public ministry bathed in the Holy Spirit. They will go forth preaching, teaching, baptizing, and celebrating the Lord’s Supper and because they have been authorized to publically preach and teach, the Holy Spirit will be in the midst of it all sanctifying the church and building the church on earth.

Jesus even says that this “Helper” will be with these eleven forever. Well, certainly the Holy Spirit will be with us all and shall be with us forever in heaven, but Jesus is referring to the church and the public testimony of the apostles when He tells them that the Holy Spirit will abide with them forever. When St. Paul tells St. Timothy to give attention to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine, St. Paul understands what Jesus was telling the eleven.

When the holy scriptures are read in the public assembly, when a pastor expounds and gives an exhortation or sermon on a scriptural text and as doctrine is taught, the Holy Spirit is there abiding with the apostles forever through their words, actions, and martyrdoms. Put more specifically to our occasion, when you hear the lectionary being read in church and when you hear preaching based on the scriptures, the Holy Spirit is also abiding with you.

This Helper is abiding with the church forever. What establishes this eternal gift and blessing to the church is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What a shame when people have opportunity to go to church but repeatedly neglect coming. One can see why, then, that those who fail to come to church blaspheme the death and resurrection of Christ in God’s eyes. But, since the teaching of doctrine also brings with it the Holy Spirit, it is also blasphemous to the Lord when we fail to live by the doctrine and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Living in sin, and even failing to love but hating instead, also beckons God’s condemnation. Therefore, let us all come humbly to the throne of grace, confessing our wrongdoings, seeking the love of Christ to be showered upon us…There is something else that can be said about this giving of the Holy Spirit that is important for us. The Holy Spirit cannot be quantified. We could say that the Holy Spirit is “qualitative” not “quantitative.” It is not the case that we receive a small portion of the Holy Spirit at holy baptism, and then a little more of Him when we go to the Lord’s Supper.

Every time we receive the word and sacraments we receive the Holy Spirit completely. He dwells within each of us. The reason we go to the Lord’s Supper and come to hear God’s word in church is because we grow in the faith through His coming to us. As we walk this Christian road in this world we grow in wisdom as we go. The more we hear the scriptures and meditate upon the life and words of Christ, the more the Holy Spirit opens up to us the divine mysteries. The Holy Spirit imparts wisdom to us.

The more we eat and drink Christ’s body and blood, the more we are at one with Jesus and the more we begin to think like the church—Christ’s body. This growing in sanctification takes place over the span of a Christian’s life, but the Christian must tend diligently to the word and sacraments, the means that Jesus has appointed as vehicles for the Holy Spirit to use.

We would not be able to receive, at the start of the Christian road, the depth and awe-inspiring wisdom of God’s holy mysteries in its fullness. We must grow over time and in the proportions that God sees as good for us. This is why St. Paul talks about some who are ready for the meat, while others are still at the milk stage of the Christian faith and life. Wherever you are in this walk we call the Christian road, you can be sure of this—Jesus loves you as He loved the apostles.

The church is here with her gospel fruits because of this love, and Jesus bids you to receive them with the confidence that your sins are forgiven. He will never leave you alone. He will never abandon you. No matter what your life is like, Jesus will be with you in Word and Sacrament. Through baptism Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to you and He dwells in you to this day. The Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says, is a deposit and a guarantee of our salvation (2 Cor. 5:5).

So, go in peace my brethren in the sure and certain confidence that it is the very promise that Jesus made to the disciples that night which has the church standing to this day—the reality that because Jesus was “going away to the Father” through crucifixion, death and burial, likewise the Holy Spirit has been present in the apostolic ministry, keeping you secure, protected, forgiven, loved, and sanctified in the one, Holy Christian and apostolic church.

Because of this promise and fulfillment of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have an inheritance waiting for you and, until then, you are kept near to Jesus through the holy sacrament and the Holy gospel. In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.

+Fr. Chadius

On to Emmaus

What is happening on the road to Emmaus? It is a question that puzzles many a Christian. It is curious because the two Emmaus disciples seem to have lost hope. Their words to the "stranger" on the road seem to be words of despair, despondence, and finality. "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. "

In addition, the two disciples do point out to the "stranger" on the road that even the women at the tomb had reported that they had seen a vision of angels at the tomb who testified that Jesus was alive (St. Luke 24:23). If that wasn't enough they even add that a couple of the disciples went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said (verse 24). It should add credence to these disciples that the disciples who went to the tomb to check it out were even "those were with us," part of the "twelve disciples," meaning St. Peter.

St. Luke even reminds the church that Jesus had prophesied of His death. The angels remind the women at the tomb (St. Luke 24:6-7) [see St. Luke 9:22]. Again, in St. Luke 24:44 [see St. Luke 17:22]. And, the most obvious of all is that this stranger, who was supposedly ignorant of who Jesus was, begins to preach the Old Testament in a Christological way.

Back to the question--"What is happening on the road to Emmaus?" More to the point, what is wrong with the Emmaus disciples? Why does it say in St. Luke 24:16 that "their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him"? The eyes could be their physical eyes so that they do not recognize the appearance of Jesus. But what about His teaching? A Rabbi has a distinct way of teaching and a Rabbi's disciples know him well. After all, disciples not only learned the information from their Rabbi, but they learned how to speak like their Rabbi. They should have known Jesus.

So, are the eyes that cannot see considered to be their eyes of faith? And, more to the point, is it their own sin that prevents them from recognizing their Lord? Critical to the proper meaning of this account, is verse 16. The Greek verb for the "restraining" of the eyes is krateo, which means "to seize." What is important about this verb is that it is in the imperfect tense and the voice is passive voice. This "seizing of the eyes" is being done *to them.* It is not their own doing. The action is coming from someone else, in this case, Jesus. Jesus "seizes" their eyes of faith and understanding in order that the church catholic may be taught something valuable. Ironically, the disciples even hint at this, unbeknownst to them. In describing Jesus to the "stranger" they say of Jesus that He was "a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." St. Luke likes this emphasis on Jesus' "deeds" and "words."

Its catechetical. We are not just a church that studies words. We live and breathe in a distinct way and Jesus taught the church how to live as well as how to confess--orthodoxy and orthopraxis (right confession and right practice). (Incidentally, we see this in Acts 1:1 as St. Luke points out to Theophilus, "The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.") St. Luke is telling us that his gospel is an accounting of Christ's teaching and practice. This informs us as to what is happening in the Emmaus account.

Jesus has seized the eyes of the disciples on the road in order to encourage them as He teaches them how to practice the faith in the midst of the realities of His resurrection. The very fact that Jesus sits at table with the Emmaus disciples and we are told that "He sat at the table with them, took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them" is the example of "orthopraxis." The disciples are losing their grip and Jesus needs to redirect them into what is the new practice of the church--the Eucharist.

It is during the Eucharist that Jesus serves them and their eyes are opened up and they see Him. He is reminding them of the institution of the Eucharist in the upper room just before His arrest. There was a reason that He instituted the Eucharist. It was to be the way that the church would come face to face with Jesus in the post-resurrection, New Testament church. Jesus, the teacher, teaches the church how to practice.

They caught on because we hear in Acts 20:7 that "on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight." Again, the verb for gathering together is important. It is a participle, denoting continued action and emphasizing the customary nature of breaking bread on the first day of the week.

What does the first day of the week symbolize in the church? If you guessed the day of the resurrection, then you are correct. All of these things come together. The promise of the resurrection, the distinct way that Christians behave, and the Holy Eucharist are all connected.

It makes sense, then, that if we were asked what does it mean to be a Christian, then in Emmaus fashion, we would reply simply--"What does it mean to be a Christian? To go to the Holy Eucharist."

+Fr. Chadius

Calls and Changes

I have not had much time lately to to write on this blog because I recently accepted a call to a new church. I have been in transition and, consequently, have not had much time to think about writing.

One thing that is on my mind right now, though, is the process of change. It is a strange feeling. Completely uprooting and leaving a people that God has placed me in charge of is strange. Being in a church, serving the people in a particular place with Christ's holy gifts, and getting to know them is a natural part of the landscape of being a pastor. You dig roots that way, and you grow to love those people as you get into their lives and as you let them into your own life.

Leaving them behind is strange. It is a feeling and experience that I don't want to experience too many times. It is painful to leave God's beloved people behind.

It is a blessing, though, to be received by another flock of Christ's. Now, I am a bishop. While I grieved at my leaving one beloved flock, another of God's beloved flock has graciously embraced me. They have shown me how widespread the aroma of Christ really is.

I am thankful to be in my new parish. The reason I write this tonight is because this process of longing, grieving, and being rejuvenated by Christ's people here brought to mind a few things I have read in the past. (As usual I am keeping my theme for this blog centered around Early Church studies and thought). The Venerable Bede in his ecclesiastical history recounts the call of St. Gregory the Great to the position of Pope. In it Bede tells us that Gregory, when he reluctantly accepted the call, brought with him to his new post a few of his fellow monks who had been with him in the monastery.

My copy of Bede's history is still in Iowa, so I must go off of memory. I seem to recall that these monks came with Gregory specifically to aid him in his transition. They came in order to urge Gregory to continue to pray the liturgy and encourage him in the midst of the struggles of change. This is very important for a couple of reasons.

First, we need our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ during times of change. We leave the familiar which we call home for a new landscape. Often, in times of longing, distress, and sadness, the one thing we struggle with is prayer. We need gentle urgings from other Christians to lead us into the liturgy. The liturgy (if it is uniform throughout the church) is home and no matter where we are, we know we are home when we are in the midst of the liturgy. In addition, it is synoymous with the thinking of the church to want to be in the midst of things familiar. A foreign concept to the church is that of continual and constant change (this is something you church growthers and lovers of great variety should ponder--think of what you are doing to your people).

St. Augustine wasn't all that different from Gregory in terms of wanting to be home, in the midst of things familiar. St. Augustine, it is said by Van Der Meer, did not like to venture too far from home. He always grew nervous when he had to sail the Mediterranean Sea for Rome. He was more content to stay in Hippo where he was bishop.

A bishop likes to stay at home with his own kind. It should be that way, but when we go forth at the Lord's calling, it is good and God will take care of His people--both the flock of Christ and the bishop. God uses one another to do just that. The bishop enters the pulpit with his mouth full of the gospel, absolving and comforting God's people. Instantly, the people are at home with their new bishop. The people care for the bishop and show him the love of Christ just as he does them and suddenly it is Christ Who is seen in the midst of them all.

I see the love of Christ in the midst of God's people, in the midst of His church and I rejoice. You know, I am glad to be where God has placed me. I miss the Christians I left behind, but I haven't really left them behind. I have simply embraced a new sheepfold and they have embraced me and we are all together as we sing Te Deums and Alleluias, gathering around the throne of grace to take Christ onto our lips as we await the heavenly reunion. For it is there in heaven where we will partake of the love of Christ in its richest measure, which we have only begun to taste here.

+Fr. Chadius

The Bride of Christ Revisited

For several years I was a student of the theological journal The Bride of Christ http://www.bocjournal.org/ I was saddened when I received its final issue last year which stated that the journal was coming to its conclusion and end. I just found out that a great, faithful pastor and friend, Fr. Timothy May, has begun to take steps to give this journal new life. This is a great new and fresh step. Deacon David Muehlenbruch, who is very well-informed on things liturgical is working with Fr. May. Deacon David has much to offer in the way of liturgical scholarship, as well.

Lutheranism confesses clearly the doctrines of the church catholic as confessed in the Book of Concord. One thing we have lacked in American Lutheranism is a clear understanding of how we should practice and breathe the faith through the liturgy. I don't need to explain how bad American Lutheranism has erred in terms of liturgy and practice. Most Lutheran pastors have little or no understanding of liturgics. It is a large-scale problem that needs fixing. I only fault pastors individually when they fail to seek to recover that which has been lost.

Perhaps this will be a fresh start to a new generation of Lutheranism that will bring congruence to what we preach, teach, and practice as we breathe out our faith through the historic liturgy of the church which surpasses time, cultures, and language. Visit their website and contact Fr. May and Deacon David, thanking them as well as offering your support.

+Fr. Chadius

The Chief Example of Pastoral Care

Maybe you have that one parishioner who is always breathing down your neck, looking for you to slip up and make a mistake. Maybe he or she constantly reminds you of your mistakes. Maybe you are even told that you just don't make for a good pastor. Or, maybe there are those people who tend to lead you into vice and sin. They tempt you in ways that are contrary to the Christian life. If this is you, remember you are not alone. Not only does each one of us struggle with sin, temptation, and the constant nudges from Satan and his own, but we constantly need a way out from the snares of Satan. How can we best deal with the snares of Satan?

Jesus went through it. St. Matthew 4:1-11 is one account of Christ's temptation in the desert. I will just touch on it briefly. As we know, Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and nights. It is important to remember that it was the pneumatos, the Spirit, Who led Jesus into the desert. This was none other than the Holy Spirit. We are told in the narrative that Jesus was lead (anaxtha) up into the desert by the Spirit. St. Luke uses agw in another form. This is contrasted to St. Mark's verb, which is ekballo, a violent sort of driving, denoting a violent movement. The picture we get in St. Matthew's account is one that is more gentle, not quite so crass.

In some ways, St. Matthew's verb choice seems more appropriate for the situation. Jesus has just been baptized by John and the Holy Spirit descends and Christ begins His trek to the cross. What is worth pondering for tonight is what Jesus demonstrates for the pastor who stands in the stead of Christ in the parish. Satan tempts Jesus three times and even quotes scripture against Jesus in one of the temptations.

How dare Satan that he would tempt the Lord and belittle Him so. Why, the devil was so clearly wrong, certainly Jesus, Who is the very Word Himself, would have been justified in becoming angry and casting Satan down from the heights of the temple. "Destroy the wretch now," we would shout. Jesus did not reveal the power of His might, however. He only brought forth the precepts of scripture.

Jesus was giving all spiritual fathers an example of godly wisdom. Jesus, while being God, was also showing us how the flesh of His holy ones should behave. Though it may not be readily apparent, Jesus is showing us the book of Proverbs in action. Proverbs is full of very important instruction. It is our teacher in the classroom of study, but Jesus shows it to us in the world, in demonstration. Jesus is living out Proverbs 15:1-2: "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishly."

What is more? Jesus is hungry. He is in need, He is weak. In the midst of the tempter, Jesus simply speaking the words of Scripture to refute Satan, we learn that we too must suffer for a time against our tempters with scripture on our side and nothing else. The spiritual father must be ready to answer with meekness the words of our Lord and God. Whether it be a penitent coming to make confession to their pastor or whether it is your greatest antagonist coming to tempt you into really casting him or her down with Satan, you are to go forth in meekness and humility, breathing the scriptures because they are your own.

Why do this? How miserable we sometimes become in the midst of adversity and temptation. What is to be gained? Jesus overcame His enemy not be destroying him but by suffering him for a time. What we find in this narrative is Jesus is led somewhat gently into the desert being attended by the Holy Spirit, and it ends by the angels attending to Jesus.

Much can be gained by this text. Just to make the clarification for all the knee-jerk Lutherans who try to "out-orthodox" each other, I will say that the first thing to be learned by the text is that this encounter is the foretaste of Christ's victory over Satan on the cross. Having said that, the scriptures are so deep and teach us so much, that we can gain a great understanding not only of Christ but also of the character and nature of the church.

The Spiritual father teaches in so many ways and being in the stead of Christ he somtimes teaches the most when his humility and meekness go hand in hand with what he teaches.

Truly, it is not easy suffering for a length of time, but we stand to learn much as the fiery darts of the tempter are thrown our way if we breathe Christ through the scriptures and from the Eucharist. When those times of suffering have ended, not only will the angels come to diakonoun us, but Jesus Himself is tending to us continually and giving us His peace and strength.

The Lord grant all of you spiritual fathers that peace now and always,

+Fr. Chadius

The Holy Oath

If you want to understand the Bible, then you have to get to the correct starting point. If you start wrong, then your hermeneutics will be a disaster. This is a big part of the problem with 20th Century Lutheran exegesis. Some may have read Fuehrbringers "Hermeneutical rules." If you have read them, then you know that you could assign that as your penance for Lent.

It is not that Fuehrbringer wasn't sincere. He may have had good motives for writing the hermeneutical rules. The problem is that he started in the wrong spot. Fuehrbringer was trying to give us rules so we knew where we could *not* go in hermeneutics. In other words, among other things, he is telling us what in the Old Testament is a prophecy of Christ and what isn't. Well, I am sorry Dr. Fuehrbringer, but I recall Jesus saying that "Moses and the Prophets speak concerning me." I don't think He said that only some of it prophecies of Jesus. Good intentions, wrong starting place. Where should we start in hermeneutics? We start with Jesus and His cross. That is the interpretive lens which then examines the whole of scripture.

One place that may not seem Christological at first is the oath that Abraham's servant takes. Genesis 24 tells us that Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things--a statement of God's love and mercy to His people. We are then told, "So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, 'Please put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear byh the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.'"

It is rather comical to think of German Lutherans ever being comfortable with this practice. Why? It is up close and personal. The servant is placing his hand on the inner thigh just under Abraham's groin. The Hebrew is "Yarek" and the Greek is "maron." This is the seat of the fruit of Abraham's offspring. Why would this action be a part of the oath (and the action itself is a part of the oath! )? It goes back to Genesis 12:1-3 where God promises to Abraham that he will become a great nation. The descendants as much as the sand on the seashore are situated right there inside that inner thigh where the servant places his hand. There's a twist, of course. What makes his "yarek" so significant isn't that there will be countless "sons of Abraham." What makes this "yarek" so important is the one, singular Divine seed who is the Messiah who shall come from the inner thigh of Abraham.

There is more to it than that, of course. Jacob seeks a similar oath just before his death. Moses records for us, "When the time for Israel (Jacob) to die drew near, he called his son Joseph an said to him, 'Please, if I have found favor in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh(yarek) and deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt, but when I lie down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.' And he said, 'I will do as you have said.' He said, 'swear to me.' So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the head of the bed"(Genesis 47:29-31).

This time it is Jacob's "yarek" and it is in reference to Jacob's being buried with his fathers, ie. Abraham and Isaac. It is important that Jacob says, "do not bury me in Egypt." Egypt, like all other pagan lands, is the haunt of Satan. The land of the fathers is the closest thing to the Garden of Eden. God, in the Old Testament, localized salvation. He attached the promise of the seed to the land of Canaan. "And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared to him"(Genesis 12:7). Abraham was later buried in the land of Canaan by Mamre, which would later be the land which God would bring His people Israel into. Joseph promised on oath to bury his father there as well (Genesis 49:29-33).

Joseph's placing of his hand on Jacob's inner thigh was another recognition of the Messianic seed, which now dwelt within Jacob's loins. Jacob, wanting to be buried with his fathers was the recognition of the connection between God's promise that Abraham would have descendants like the sand on the shore and the holy land which God would give. (Why this land is connected with the promise cannot be dealt with here.)

The question then arises as to how we can know that this hand on the thigh is Messianic and not just some cultural practice. How do we know this is Messianic? Well, if we start at the correct place, hermeneutically speaking, then we start with Jesus and work backwards. The book of Revelation gives us the clue as to the hand on the inner thigh. What is the significance? Revelation 19 records for us a vision that St. John has of Jesus: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. He eyes were asa a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God"(Revelation 19:11-13).

What a picture, but it is what comes next that is definitive in our study of this topic. "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS"(Revelation 19:16). If one reads that section too quickly or without the hermeneutical lens pointed toward the Old Testament, then it will be missed. The same word is used for thigh that is used in the Septuagint for "yarek," "maron." St. John sees the answer. He gives us the interpretive lens for the Old Testament. On the inner thigh of Jesus in glory, on the same place that Abraham's servant and Joseph place their hands on the Patriarchs, rest the words "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. There, in the loins of the partiarchs, where the future and offspring of promise rested was the KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The humanity, the flesh of the Son of God was resting until the appointed time of His coming through the womb of a virgin, so that God would save mankind and truly bring forth the sons of Abraham through faith and a new rest with the fathers would be found within Jesus Himself.

For, all of Abraham's descendants by faith rest within the "yarek" the divine thigh of Jesus, the church which is fruitful and produces offspring through the blood of Christ and through His Holy and precious preachment--the hermeneutical lens that brings life to the Scriptures and to the souls of the faithful.

Sorry to disappoint, Ludwig, but all I need is to look at Christ and His cross and then His divine scriptures come to life and point me to the way of salvation.

+Fr. Chadius

A Sermon on St. John 1:29-42

St. John 1:29-42

I think it is always a good idea that we challenge ourselves. It is healthy to ask ourselves questions we would not normally ask. For example, I think it is healthy for us to ask ourselves this question–"Why do we come to church like we do?" Why is it a regular part of our week? I suppose we could cite several reasons such as, "we did it when we were kids. We watched our parents come to church regularly. Coming to church may help shape our children's morals. We have friends here at church–it's a place to be social."

But as society continues to shift and become more ungodly, there will be less and less people who can say that they watched their parents go to church week in and week out. Fewer people can boast that they went to church as children. There are also plenty of atheists who have good morals and teach their children proper behavior. Church is also diminishing as a place to find social activity.

How does the church respond to an increasingly ignorant and independent populace? The church has not always enjoyed praise and honor from society. The church catholic has not always been looked upon with favor. We have plenty of examples from church history that demonstrate outright hostility toward Christ, the church, and its message for the world.

In those times of persecution amidst the world's denial of the holy things, the church still carried on, it still had a message, and there were people who gathered around altars to hear an ordained man adorned in robes preach a message and celebrate the Holy Eucharist. What was the dynamic that kept a people coming to church even when the world mocked the faith? I am going to suggest that the reasons the saints gathered around an altar amidst persecution is much the same as the reason that you gather around the altar on a regular basis.

In other words, there is one, fundamental reason that is at the root of it all. You may be able to cite several reasons you come to church, but there is one predominant force. This reason can be found in the Bible, in the Old Testament and the New Testament. John the Baptist tells us what it is in our gospel text. John says, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit'"(St. John 1:32-33).

Then John says, "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." The reason is simple--revelation. John said, "I did not know him," but this is hard to believe considering John's mother and the virgin Mary were relatives. So, what does John mean when he says, "I did not know Him?" It must mean that John did not know that Jesus was God beyond a reasonable doubt apart from revelation. In other words, John's faith that Jesus was God came not from his reason or his human speculation. He didn't "put the pieces together."

John came to believe that Jesus was God because of revelation. Faith in Jesus was revealed to John through something holy and divine. It came through a verbal word, which John received from God: "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." John, being a prophet, received this divine revelation from God and then he saw it come to pass before his very eyes.

The prophetic and apostolic apprehending of the faith is not the result of speculation or careful investigation like the world thinks. Secularists write books and movies to try to paint Christianity as a myth. By doing so, they demonstrate to the church that they have no idea what all of this is about. Prophetic apprehending of the faith comes through revelation(that is Old Testament). New Testament apprehending of the faith comes upon the gift of the Holy Spirit of truth.

John is telling us in our gospel that this comes from something heavenly and holy. Faith comes by God entering our world and landing upon us. John is telling us that his faith in Jesus being God comes from divine revelation. "I did not know him but I saw the dove descend and land upon Him." St. Paul can't help but come off the same way when he writes to the church at Corinth. You should go home and read 1 Corinthians 2 in its entirety.

At one point St. Paul says, "we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ...no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

This is what the world doesn't understand. Belief in Jesus Christ as our God and Savior comes not through worldly speculation. This salvation and faith comes to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. This faith to which we all hold comes today through preaching. So, to get back to my question at the start–"Why do we come to church like we do?"

What is this that we are doing? If you said that you have something in common with John the Baptist and St. Paul, then you are on to something. Holiness comes through God's revelation to the world. Today that revelation comes to us through the message that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day. He did this bearing your sins. He died for you. You won't have the voice of God thundering to you from the sky like it did for the prophets. You will not have a road to Damascus moment like St. Paul did.

For you and me, God's revelation comes through the Holy Scriptures and this holy preachment. This is why St. Paul says "I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." You come to church to hear the divine message. The Holy Spirit comes to you through this preaching and it changes your heart and cultivates your soul. We gather to hear God's revelation through the scriptures that we are set free from our sins and we are holy.

This is what Epiphany means–it means that God is made known to us through divine revelation. It means that God is revealed to us. It happened to John, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Moses, Abraham, Zechariah and all the prophets. It happened to St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Luke, St. Mark, St. John and all the apostles. It has happened to the saints who have gone before us in the faith, and it happens to people who hear the Gospel, finding peace in Christ's love and forgiveness and salvation.

You have heard it today through John's message that Jesus is the Christ, the Lamb of God and the message will continue to ring through the air, and where that message is heard the Holy Spirit will bring life to a dying people and make them saints, just as He has done with you. In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.

+Fr. Chadius
2nd Sunday after Epiphany

Bells and Pomegranates

I am fascinated by the elaborate nature of the tabernacle, the holiest of holies, the temple furnishings and Aaron's robe. Moses gives us explicit detail as to the character of Aaron's priestly robe.

We are told, "You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it does not tear. And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around."

I suppose if one were to poll Missouri Synod Lutherans as to the meaning of this, one would get many answers. The most "bronze" among us would sound much like the Reformed and Evangelical exegetes who would probably tell us that this was a cultural thing, or a mere historical occurrence with little meaning for us today. I beg to differ.

In terms of Biblical interpretation, there are the two schools of thought in the early church--the Alexandrian school and the Antiochian school. Though many scholars today may squabble over the differences between these two schools, I would like to point out an area where they would find common ground. Both schools of the early church saw the Old Testament in terms of Christ, and both would look at Aaron's robe and find deeply spiritual interpretations of it. I echo that hermeneutic, or, interpretation.

I find it very interesting that God would prescribe woven pomegranates alternated with bells on the bottom of this beautiful robe. First, what of pomegranates? Pomegranates are referred to only a couple of times in the Bible. When Israel sends spies into to scout out Canaan, the land they were to enter, they grabbed pomegranates and figs to show the people what they had found. Here is what the spies said upon returning, "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit"(Numbers 13:27).

The figs and pomegranates are the sign and evidence that what God said was true--it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Pomegranates and figs were the signs of fruitfulness and growth, prosperity and God's favor. It was the symbol of the growth and fertility of God's people, Israel--a symbol of God's promise to make for Abraham a great multitude of descendants.

The question, of course, is still this--why does God command that pomegranates line the hem of the priestly robe. To answer this question, we really need to think about the use of the robe. Aaron is to wear this robe when he goes into the holy place before the Lord when he ministers. Aaron wears the robe when he goes in to make sacrifice for his sins and the sins of the people. Blood is shed to cover the people's sins. It is in these atoning sacrifices that the people live on in God's favor. Hence, they are fruitful and fertile through the blood of a sacrifice. More on this in a minute.

Now to the question of the golden bells. Why would God command that the hem of Aaron's robe alternate the pomegranates with these golden bells? It says in Exodus 28:35, "And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die."

Interesting. Its sound is to be heard when he goes before the Lord. What is the problem? Is God afraid that He may not know that it is Aaron coming in to the holy place? Being that God is ominscient, "all-knowing," it is hardly possible that God needs to know who it is. It is also hardly possible that the bells would be used to arouse God from an occasional nap. There is something more to these bells than we may first realize.

When Aaron enters the holy place, he will by his very actions "sound forth" when he is ministering. He shall sound forth or he will die. He is not to enter the holy place without this robe. He is to be properly dressed while sacrificing. Why must he be properly dressed? Aaron comes face to face with God. He must have on the proper clothing when meeting God. After all, God and man coming face to face in the holy place is the prefigurement of heaven. Those in heaven must have on the proper clothing as well.

This parallels the parable of the wedding feast. Jesus tells us that when theh king came in to see the guests, he saw a man who did not have on a wedding garment. The king asks the man, "Friend how did you come in here without a wedding garment?" We are told the man was speechless.
Not properly clothed for heaven and speechless. Hmm. Sounds similar. The man was to be bound and cast into outer darkness. Likewise, Aaron would die if he were not properly dressed and in his case, if not properly dressed, then Aaron would be speechless or without sound.

One can only imagine what it must have been like to be Aaron going into the holy place. Aaron would hear the groans of the animal and the sound of his bells as he walked and nothing else.

The pomegranates and the bells point us to the spiritual aspect. The all-atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ covers the sins of all. Jesus is the good fruit. He is the land flowing with milk and honey. He is the very substance of life, but the lives of many will only be spared eternal death if those cleansed by the blood of the Lamb are properly clothed. We cannot enter heaven if we are not properly clothed. We will be cast out. How shall you be clothed and ready for the wedding banquet of heaven? Holy baptism now saves you. This is the white robe of righteousness that Revelation 6 tells us the saints are wearing in heaven. This is baptism. This is what it means to be clothed with Christ.

With baptism comes a sounding forth. The movements of the Holy Spirit through baptism bring forth the confession of faith in the Apostles Creed. Where there is no confession of faith, there is no life. Where there is silence, there is only judgment.

Perhaps this is why we see what we see in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Both departed this life, Lazarus to the bosom of Father Abraham and the rich man to the torments of hell. What part of the rich man's body burns the most? What does he want quenched? It is his tongue which burns. Where there is silence, there is judgment.

But when one sounds forth, there is life, there is mercy. It comes in the quiet ritual of doing what God bids us to do: meeting Him in the Divine Service and letting the atonement of Christ cover us thereby making His people a fertile land, flowing with milk and honey. And how does God do it? Through preaching Christ crucified, forgiving sins, baptizing, and giving the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

My dear Christians....sound forth.

+Fr. Chadius

John the Baptist's Inquiry

There has been some friendly debate as of late regarding the nature of John the Baptist's inquiry. It is recorded for us in St. Matthew 11 and in St. Luke 7. The debate concerns the nature of John's question to Jesus.

It is a healthy discussion. The reason is simple. The image that the church has of John the Baptist is one of a great man who is bold and absolutely staunch in his faith. He lives in the desert and he alone seems to understand the times. All the world is dying and going astray. The Jewish people were embroiled in battles with the Romans as each carefully jockeyed for control. Zealots were gaining strength. John the lone prophet cries out to the people to repent and be baptized for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. To come to an understanding of John's inquiry, it is necessary that we look at the gospel narratives to get a fuller picture.

To begin, the gospel of St. John (that is, John of Zebedee) makes a comparison of John the Baptist and Jesus. The Jews asked John, "Who are you?", and he answered. John answered in St. John 1:26-27 "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."

mmediately after this in St. John's narrative the evangelist tells us, "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!' This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."

And then comes the statement which is evidence to the church that John is a prophet-- "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'" Then John makes the confession, "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

There is more in St. John 1. The very next day John the Baptist stood with two of his disciples and Jesus walked by. John says to his disciples, "Behold, the Lamb of God." We are told that those two disciples left John to follow Jesus. John didn't put up a fight. He knew this is the way it was supposed to be.

There is more to the story that may have an influence on the interpretation for the reason of John's inquiry to Jesus. In St. John 3:22ff we are told that there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews. John's disciples came to him and said, "Rabbi, He[Jesus] who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified--behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!" John's disciples were upset at the lack of loyalty that people had for John. They thought that John should have the "following" that he had at the start.

John didn't agree with them. He took the occasion to preach a great Christological homily and makes the well-known statement, "He must increase, I must decrease." John says at the end of chapter 3, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." In other words, these disciples need to believe that Jesus is the Lamb of God.

St. Matthew 9:14ff we see John's disciples re-enter the scene. They come to Jesus this time to question Him. "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answers them and moves on. John's disciples are critically judging Jesus and John the Baptist is the "measuring rod." Jesus doesn't measure up.

The inquiry in question takes place when John the Baptist is in prison just before he is beheaded at Herod's orders. St. Matthew 11:2 reports, "when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him [Jesus] 'Are you the coming One, or do we look for another.'

The question of good debate is: Is John suffering under the trials of being in prison? Is the flesh of John the Baptist getting the better of him? Does he need to hear it again that Jesus is the Christ? Certainly, it would be in line with the church's doctrine and all of scripture to say YES, John needs to hear the gospel. After all, don't we all need to hear the gospel over and over for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith? Absolutely.

It is my position, however, that this is not primary reason for John's sending his disciples to Jesus. It is my belief that when St. Matthew tells us that "when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He [Jesus] departed to Galilee"(St. Matthew 4:12) this is a programmatic statement--a major shift. It is an official announcement declaring the move from the Old Testament prophetic period to the New Testament fulfillment. St. Mark likewise, "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God..."(St. Mark 1:14).

This statement in the gospels is an announcement. It is signaling a shift in things. This is the very demonstration of John's words to his disciples in St. John 3:30 that John must decrease and Jesus increase. John's being put in prison to die is a necessary thing and John knows this.

One other thing should be mentioned. In St. John 3:29, John the Baptist responds to his disciples by talking about the bridegroom and using the imagery. In St. Matthew 9:15 when Jesus responds to John's disciples, Jesus, too, makes reference to the bridegroom and uses the same imagery. John the Baptist and Jesus are teaching the same thing. They are on the same page. John's disciples are hearing the same thing from Jesus as they have heard from their own Rabbi.

So, when John sends his two disciples to ask Jesus if He is the coming One, Jesus responds, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, theh deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them." And then here is the clincher: "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me"(St. Luke 7:22:23).

John the Baptist has not been offended. The Greek word for "offended" is skandalizein. This word means "to cause to fall or sin." John's disciples have been sinning by following John more than Jesus. John has not fallen or sinned because of the works of Jesus. On the contrary, as I have demonstrated above, John and Jesus have been saying the same thing, exhibiting "omologein" the same confession.

As further proof that John's question is meant for his disciples is seen in Christ's explanation to the crowd who had witnessed the exchange . Jesus says to the crowd, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? In other words, the reed is faith, the wind is the world, the flesh, and temptation. This is not to say that John wasn't a sinner. He was, indeed. But Jesus says that John was more than a prophet. "For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist..."

This is Jesus explaining to the crowd that John's faith wasn't a reed shaken by the wind. This greatest of all prophets knew his Lord and Savior and he knew that he was getting ready to die at the hand of Herod.

This points to the reality that John was a loving and masterful Rabbi and prophet. John had a deep concern for his faithful disciples and he was going to teach them one more thing in hopes that they may see Jesus as He is--The coming One who ransoms the world from sin.

The thing that we should all keep in mind about prophets is this: Nowhere do we see a prophet in the Bible questioning whether God is in their midst. They always know when God is speaking to them and they know when they see him. This is the mark of a prophet--to know the divine oracle. The prophets often show their sin by either fearing for their lives or in their not wanting to communicate the divine oracle (Jonah). This careful distinction must be kept in mind in interpreting John the Baptist's inquiry.

After all, John the Baptist was, according to Christ's own testimony, a prophet, yea and more than a prophet.

+Fr.Chadius

A New Book Hot Off the Press

I received in the mail today the newest member of my library. The Fathers of the Church series has just published volume 115 of the series, titled, "Commentary on the Twelve Prophets" volume 1 by Cyril of Alexandria, translated and introduced by Greek and Early Church scholar Robert C. Hill.

This is an important book because Cyril was known for his Old Testament exegesis, though this was overshadowed by his brilliance during the Christological controversy. There simply aren't enough of Cyril's writings in English. This was a much needed publication. Volume 2 is set to come out at a later time.

+Fr. Chadius

Gregory the Great and Patience

Gregory had a "lock" on patience and struggling. He was a brilliant, pious, and humble catholic. Gregory the Great isn't a part of the "Early Church." He is really Medeival, but sometimes he reminds me of the early Patristic scholars because of his method and the content of his sermons.

This may be due, in part, to Gregory's love for his brethren in the church catholic in the Eastern part of the world. Early on in his life, Gregory spent Seven years living in Constantinople. He lived in a Latin district of the city with other Italian monks. Gregory served as Abbot of the monastery there. It was there that he learned pastoral supervision. He also spent a great deal of time in personal study.

Gregory had made a lot of friends with those theologians of the East. He learned their culture, he grew to understand ritual and piety of the Eastern church. The Eastern churches did not "evolve" like the Western churches, so it had more the aire of the Early Church. Perhaps this is why the sermons of Gregory remind me of Early Patristic preaching.

Gregory had strengths in Exegetical treatments of the scriptures, but his greatest contribution would be in his pastoral theology. Pastoral theology is not simply trying to help somebody with their immediate issue. A pastoral theologian understands the soul and how it behaves. A pastoral theologian is not a "counselor" but a man who understands sin, grace and how the soul "banters" back and forth in between sin and grace.

Gregory was such a man. He is best known for his book "The Pastoral Rule," which was the only book written by a Latin theologian in the medeival period to be translated into Greek during his own lifetime by the Eastern church. Gregory knew how to get to the heart of the issue. When we think we are being pious or humble or forgiving in the midst of difficulties, he takes it one more step and exposes our hidden "agendas" our political maneuverings, our quiet submission which is only used for revenge later.

Perhaps this is why I was struck by a sermon of his last night. I quote Gregory at length:

"True patience consists in bearing calmly the evils done us by another, and in not being consumed by resentments against the person who inflicts them. A person who bears the evils done him by his neighbor, so that he suffers them in silence, while looking for a time for suitable revenge, is not practicing patience but only displaying it."

A few lines later, Gregory adds:

"But we should know that often we appear patient because we are unable to repay evils. A person who does not repay an evil becauses he can't is not patient, as I have said. We are not looking for a patience on the surface but in the heart. The vice of impatience destroys teaching, which is the nurse of virtues. It is written: 'The teaching of a man is known by his patience'[Prov. 19:11]. Each person shows himself to be less learned the more he proves to be less patient. He cannot truly impart good by his teaching if he does not know how to bear calmly with the evils done him by another. It is Solomon again who discloses how high patience is ont he scale of virtues: 'Better a patient man than a brave one, a man master of himself than one who takes cities'[Prov. 16:32]. Taking cities is a smaller victory because the places we conquer are outside of ourselves; a greater one is won by patience, because a person overcomes himself, and subjects himself to himself, when patience brings him low in bearing with others in humility."

Then, Gregory nails all hidden hearts, including my own at times.

"But we must be aware that it often happens to the patient that at the time they suffer opposition or hear insults they feel no distress and they practice patience, taking care also to guard their innocence of heart. But after a little while they call to mind the things they have endured, and blaze up in violent resentment. They seek ways of revenge, and lose the gentleness they had when they were willing to bear with others. They pass judgment on themselves by their change of heart."

The wisdom of Gregory regarding the soul's ways is quite profound. Perhaps this is why Jesus tells us to give our enemies the other cheek when they strike the first. Perhaps this is also the reason that Jesus stresses to us to love our enemies, because if we cannot love our enemies then we cannot live in this world in godly wisdom, humility, and in pious devotion.

The problem? None of us are able to love our enemies on our own. The scenario that Gregory describes in his sermon is a picture of us all. "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"(Romans 7:24-25)

If we want to be wise in the godly way, if we want to be humble and loving our enemies, then we must reside in Christ and learn from Him. We are to rest in His merits, for in His cross alone are we to be saved. Then, as God uses us, we will face our own struggles and hardships which will require prayer to our Lord seeking His mercy--and His mercy in the long run may be that you learn to love those who persecute you without the inner need to get revenge.

Above all things, remain at the cross and covered with the blood of Jesus. He paid for your sins and will guide you on this this Christian road. Thanks be to God for the wisdom given to Gregory through his own struggles in this life.

+Fr. Chadius
Citations are from "Forty Gospel Homilies" by Gregory the Great
Translated by Dom David Hurst, Cistercian Publications
Kalamazoo, MI, 1990

Apology

I want to apologize for my lack of posting this Autumn. I have been swamped. My Didache (Catechesis) class started up at the start of September and everything that was not an essential went by the wayside.

It is my intention and hope to be more regular in my posting again.

Peace to all through Christ Jesus,

+Fr. Chadius

Diakonia and Suffering

This particular musing is for the Christian who suffers. It is for the pastor who fights the good fight and is persecuted for the work he is doing. All of us have a common response to hardship and suffering: we hate it. We want it to disappear, and nothing is more disheartening than getting a swift kick for trying to do things the right way--the way of the church catholic. The pastor bears a particular burden that is often associated with the office in which God has placed him.

The Christian layperson will struggle as well. Suffering is not unique to the pastoral office. One may look at the long line of faithful martyrs in church history to see that being united to Christ will bring forth wounds of their own. This particular article, therefore, deals with how the church catholic dealt with suffering.

This author wants to start, oddly enough, with something that takes place during Advent. In the third week of Advent it has been a liturgical custom for centuries that the church observe what has been called "The Ember Days." Originally, the Ember Days were an occasion of thanksgiving for the three great harvests of wheat, grapes, and olives--all very meaningful nature symbols employed by the liturgy. In the Offertory procession the "faithful" brought their tithes of the harvest to be used for the offering then and there, for the support of the Church, and for the poor. Hence, the Ember days were opportunities for the "faithful" to extend themselves to the poor and those in need.

Since this is the Pentecost season, it is best to leave a discussion of the Ember days for one of the Pentitential seasons, but it it is needful for our purposes today to mention that the Ember days were three days of fasting. St. Leo the Great who was Pope in the 400's has some very good sermons for the Ember days. Here is a quote from one of those sermons:

"With the anxious solicitude proper to us as the shepherd of your souls, we urge upon you the rigid observance of this December fast. The month of December has come round again, and with it this devout custom of the Church. The fruits of the year now drawing to a close have all been gathered in, and therefore meetly do we offer our abstinence to God as a sacrifce of thanksgiving. What can be more useful than fasting?..."

A paragraph later St. Leo continues, "But since fasting is not the only means to secure health for our souls, let us adorn our fasting with works of mercy. Spend in good deeds what you withdraw from suerfluidity. Our fast must be turned into a banquet for the poor. Let us devote time and effort to the underprivileged, the widow and the orphan; let us show sympathy to the afflicted and reconcile the estranged; provide lodging for the wanderer and relieve the oppressed; give clothing to the naked and cherish the sick."

In other words, St. Leo is giving counsel and exhibiting that he is a pastoral theologian. He understands that fasting is difficult for the body and, consequently, difficult for the soul. Fasting leads the Christian to cry out for Christ. So, what is at the heart and center of St. Leo's encouragement for the Christian to extend himself to the poor and needy at this time?

This author surmises that it has something to do with how a person tends to react during difficulty and suffering (upomeno). Because of our sinfulness, we tend to have a reaction of frustration and even anger. We may become unpleasant, short tempered and bombastic. Suffering causes us to look inward and see how bad we have it. When we do this, we are forgetting that it is God who allows us to suffer, not in order that we may be miserable but that we may look outward in our focus and seek Jesus all the more. In fact, the Greek word for suffering (upomeno), among other things, takes up the meaning "patient endurance." The root word, meno, means "to remain."

It is this author's opinion that what St. Leo is doing in his Ember day sermon is encouraging the Christians to extend themselves to others when they suffer in order that they will not go inward in their focus and become despairing. It is a way of "remaining with patient endurance"(upomeno) during difficult times.

The point of this particular article is to encourage the Christian, pastor and laity alike. Certainly fasting is a worthy exercise for the Christian, and Advent and the Ember days are good times to reflect in expectation and repentance. The emphasis of this musing is to highlight the importance of this mindset and practice all throughout the Church's liturgical year. This way of thinking is for whenever the Christain suffers. Is the pastor having a lot of trouble in his parish because he is trying to teach and practice faithfully? Is the Christian mother or father having familial difficulties due to differences in "spirituality?" Are Christian parents suffering because their teachings to their children are being compromised by society? Or is Satan pushing on you because you are yoked to Christ through baptism?

Anger, hate, verbal explosions, short temperedness and all sorts of negative behavior due to suffering will not help you. In fact, it will compound your problems. Jesus allows suffering for the Christian in order that we might cling less and less to this world and our existence in it. Hebrews 12:5 reminds us that suffering is the Lord's instruction. This is why St. Paul can say to the Philippians, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better" (Philippians 1:21-23).

If one thinks about it, St. Leo's instruction to serve the poor and needy is the very action of saying that the things of this world are not the most important thing to us. It even communicates to Satan that we do not regard our present suffering as anything compared to the glories of the kingdom. Hence, St. Paul's statement to the Romans, "For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us"(Romans 8:18).

What can people do in the church in the midst of suffering? The pastor should extend himself to others in kindness and service in spite of his desire to say "to hell with it." All Christians, clergy or laity, could visit the sick, the shut-ins, and help those in need.

St. Leo, in my opinion, was not leading people to their own works as a means of comfort. Instead, he was encouraging the Christians not to despair in the mist of suffering because despairing is destructive to the faith as we see with Judas Iscariot. Instead, serving others is meant to promote the ecclesial love of Christ, helping us to direct our focus to heaven as we put off the things of this world.

Jesus loves His saints and He only desires that they cry out to Him for salvation (for salvation comes only through the merits of Christ) and in service and love for their fellow man (the fruit of salvation).

The blesssing of Jesus be upon all of you as you continue en odw tou Xristou (on the road of Christ).

+Fr. Chadius

The New Testament Nature of "One Sent" St. Matthew 8

I would like to remind the readers of this blog that the musings posted are in no way to be considered exhaustive treatments of the Scriptures. Certainly there are things that could be added to the arguments at hand. Doctrine is like a wagon wheel. Each spoke is a different aspect of the doctrinal issue at hand. All spokes go to the center of the wheel to support it. Take one spoke out of the wheel and the wheel is weakened. The posts on this blog are merely musings on individual spokes in order that the scriptures may be illumined. The scriptures are meant to be looked at in detail, for in the detail is where the magnificence of God's word shines bright. This particular piece seeks to examine where in the Bible it is found that the pastor forgives sins in the stead and by the command of Christ.

The scriptures have an overall message--Jesus Christ, God and Man, came into the world to die on the cross for the life of the world. He rose from the dead and all those who believe in Him shall inherit eternal life. With this in mind, we begin to mature as we search the detail of the scriptures. The mysteries of Christ come to life in the details. The careful student soon realizes that one could spend an eternity gazing upon the magnificence of Christ through the scriptures.

St. Matthew 8:5-13 and St. Luke 7:1-10 are parallel accounts of the same occurrence, yet they differ for theological reasons. A careful reading of these two accounts will reveal something about the Gospel of St. Matthew. It is written for a Jewish audience. It also reveals something about the Gospel of St. Luke. It is written for a Gentile audience, namely, Theophilus.

The account in St. Matthew 8 deals with an important Centurion. He had a servant who was paralyzed and, we are told, dreadfully tormented. The Greek word for "dreadfully tormented" is "Basanizomenos," the root word meaning "to be tortured." The word is actually a word for "testing gold" or torturing to get information. It demonstrates the severity of the servants suffering.

This Centurion was a caring master. It pained him to see his servant suffering the very torments of hell. He knew Who would be able to stop the torments of hell. This in itself is a detailed and somewhat hidden picture which preaches the breaking open of the gates of hell by Jesus Christ.

The basis of this particular musing is on how the Centurion comes to Jesus. St. Matthew 8:5-6 begins this way, "As He was coming into Capernaum, a Centurion came to Him urging Him and saying, 'Lord, my child has been laid up in the house and he is a paralytic, being terribly tortured.'"

N0tice the detail: The Centurion in his urgency stops what he is doing and goes to Jesus, a caring master, indeed. Passing over, then, to St. Luke 7:1 we notice that this is a parallel account to the St. Matthew 8 pericope. In St. Luke 7:2-3 we hear of the Centurion. He hears that Jesus has come. In verse 3 it says, "[the centurion] sent to Him[Jesus] presbyters of Judea asking Him that He might come and save his servant."

Quite a difference. St. Matthew and St. Luke give to the church a record of the same account but with some differences. St. Matthew doesn't tell the church that the Centurion sends "presbyteroi" (presbyters) to talk to Jesus. St. Matthew says that the Centurion talks to Jesus. He gives the church the indication that Jesus and the Centurion are having a face to face conversation. St. Luke gives us a very different picture in that regard. Is St. Matthew trying to deceive the church or "pull a fast one?" By no means. This is God-breathed Holy Scripture. It is truth.

Between these two accounts exists something of a profound theological nature. This particular musing focuses on the difference between St. Matthew's lack of information regarding the presbyters versus St. Luke's inclusion of the presbyters. What is a presbyter?

It is often translated as "elder" and is somewhat misleading, given our current culture. A presbyter is not a member of the board of elders in your local LCMS congregation. A presbyter is an "overseer, a shepherd, a pastor." This word has Old Testament roots and varies in function but in the New Testament it is always used for the one who presides over the Christian assembly or church.

What this writer finds fascinating is that a presbyter was one who was like an abassador. An ambassador is one who serves a master or a king. The king or master has some message that needs to be communicated to another person, but it is not sensible for the king or master to travel on his own to give the message. So, the king gives the message to the ambassador or "presbyteros" and the presbyteros travels to the person and gives the message directly. One thing that is important to remember about this office of presbyteros is that the recipient of the king's message hears the message from the presbyteros and he hears it as if the king himself is doing the speaking. The recipient readily understands that the presybuteros is only the mouth for the king. The recipient hears the king speaking.

This is precisely what is happening in these two parallel accounts of the Centurion. The office of presbyteros, being an Old Testament concept, is a readily understood concept in Jewish culture. It evidently was not so clearly understood in the Gentile context. St. Matthew gives the account and translates the conversation in a way that is actually giving us the definition of a presbyteros. As far as St. Matthew is concerned, the presbyters of Judea who are giving the message to Jesus, for all practical purposes, aren't even there. The Centurion is there. St. Luke explains it out and mentions the presbyters of Judea because Theophilus may not have readily understood the concept.

In the New Testament the office of presbyteros is used exclusively for the office of pastor. St. Luke uses the word frequently in the book of Acts, and St. Paul uses it in the same fashion for pastors in his letters (see 1 Timothy 5:17,19; Titus 1:5). St. Peter uses it in 1 Peter 5:1-5. It is translated as "overseer in verse 2 and elder in verse 5.

What is so important about all of this is that the nature and character of this office is clearly seen when both St. Matthew 8 and St. Luke 7 are placed side by side. This office is that of messenger, ambassador and overseer. It carries with it a duty to communicate the words of the king without wavering or changing even one word. Words spoken by the presbyter are the king's words, and the pastor is a presbyter.

Perhaps this is why St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:10, "and now anyone that you forgive, I also forgive and if I have forgiven anything I have forgiven it for your sakes *in the person of Christ*." Though St. Paul doesn't use the word presbyteros here in describing his actions, he is saying that when he forgives it is in the person of Christ. In other words, it is Christ who forgives, St. Paul is only the ambassador sent to speak the words of the king. This passage of Paul's is a very important one.

Herein lies the biblical notion of the office of the keys. Jesus says to the apostles, "Receive the Holy Spirit, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any they are retained"(St. John 20:22-23). This is presbyteroi language.

This has the two-fold effect of reminding the church to esteem the pastoral office because Christ speaks through it while, at the same time, reminding the man in the office that it is not "about the man." The ordained man is only the mouthpiece of Jesus, with the caution that he must not waver from the teachings of Christ. Rather, he is to speak like Christ.

By the grace of God it is done. Today, I thankfully and humbly acknowledge that five years ago today the Lord placed me into this office through the laying on of hands. A most difficult calling it is, but a most blessed one at that. The Lord sustain and bless all of His men who have been ordained and serve as messengers, ambassadors, and overseers of God's people. Kyrie Eleison.

+Fr. Chadius

Temple Worship and the Aspect of Ritual in Acts

Most in our culture do not understand the dynamics of liturgical prayer. To the average person, liturgical and ordered structure to prayer seems to be legalistic and constricting to the freedom of the gospel. It must be noted, however, that liturgical prayer goes well beyond the New Testament. It finds its life in the Old Testament, and it is continued by Jesus Christ. The point of this particular musing is to posit to the Christian the reality that liturgical prayer continued in the book of Acts.

Jesus, the Bridegroom of the church, is the one we look to for patterns of the Christian life. How He prays, what He prays, and the love He shows should all be examples for us as to holy living. St. Luke tells us in chapter 4:16 that it was Jesus' custom to go into the synagogue on the day of the Sabbath. The word for "custom" in Greek, eiwthos, means that it was a habitual practice of Jesus to go into the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Some may unwittingly conclude that Jesus does it because He hasn't abrogated the Old Testament cultus at that point in time. Some may say that we should really look at the practice of the apostles to see a programmatic trend to follow.

Looking, then, at the book of Acts we see the practice. Acts is duly named in Greek "praxeis apostolwn" which means "practice of the apostles." So, it is fitting to see how the early apostolic church lived out its confession. In Acts 17:1-2 we are told that it was St. Paul's custom to go into the synagogue on the Sabbath. The word for "custom" is the same word for Christ's custom, "eiwthos." It was an ongoing habit of St. Paul to frequent the Sabbath. We cannot say that Paul is a Judaizer. After all, he rebukes St. Peter for judaizing. St. Paul is a missionary to the Gentiles. Yet, it was habit for him to go into the synagogues.

It is worth noting that St. Luke, who followed St. Paul for a time, begins and end his gospel in an interesting way. Luke begins and ends his gospel with scenes in the temple. This is strange considering St. Luke is writing the gospel with the intention that Theophilus, a Gentile, will read it. This author is particularly interested in how the gospel ends: "And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen." In Acts 21, a subtle hint is given. St. Luke, the author of Acts, switches to the 1st person plural and includes himself with Paul. Perhaps Paul's practice impacted Luke.

What is most fascinating concerning the aspect of liturgical ritual in Acts is found subtly interspersed.

• Acts 3:1 "Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour." This is an appointed hour of prayer, but there is some background surrounding this liturgical hour. Twice a day in the temple a burnt offering was performed on behalf of the community, once at dawn and the other at the ninth hour, the time Peter and John are going up to pray.

• Acts 10:3ff "About the ninth hour of the day he [Cornelius] saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, 'Cornelius!' And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, 'What is it, Lord?' So he said to him, 'Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter."

• Acts 10:9 "The next day, as they [Cornelius' men sent to Simon Peter] went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour." Peter then receives a prophetic message concerning Cornelius and his men.

• Acts 10:30 We learn what Cornelius was doing at the ninth hour in Acts 10:3. "So Cornelius said, 'Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before in bright clothing..." It was customary that if one could not make it to the synagogue, they were to break at the hour of prayer and pray.

One more thing is important in Acts concerning ritual, the ongoing practice of the church. Acts 13:1-2 we are told that there were people in the church in Antioch-prophets, teachers, and some of the bishops of the Gentile church. In verses 2 we are told, "they were worshipping and fasting to the Lord, and the Holy Spirit said, "Separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them. Then fasting and praying and placing their hands upon them, they sent them out." The word in verse two for "worshipping" is the word "leitourgountwn," which is the word for liturgy. It is a participle, denoting ongoing activity and it is a word that emphasizes the public or corporate aspect of the prayer and devotion of the church.

This writer thinks that it is worth noting something about all of these verse in Acts. These verses which deal with someone praying and "liturgy-ing" all have something in common. The Lord communicates His love to others and the church at large. In every one of these instances someone is either healed, or directed by God to blessings, or ordained through the laying on of hands. Perhaps this is meant to be a hint to the church catholic. Go in the midst of liturgy and God will convey something to you.

Perhaps Christ's institution of the sacraments before His departure, then, have a home in the midst of liturgy because it is through baptism and the Lord's Supper that He promises to give the Holy Spirit and even Himself for the life of the world. To the Jews ritual was important and meant to be a comfort and sign of God's love. It was home. This is carried forward in the life of Jesus and even in the lives of the apostles.

May the church catholic be renewed in the knowledge that ritual notions of prayer and liturgy are not new and legalistic innovations. Rather, they are practices of the church which lead Christians out of this world for a time and into the godly and heavenly presence of Jesus Christ who comes to us, albeit through means, to convey His love to His children.

+Fr. Chadius

Water, New Roads and Infant Baptism

If one were to read some early Fathers of the church, one would notice a great amount of baptismal catechesis. St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem in the 4th Century, for example, taught his catechumens through the method known as Mystagogy. Mystagogy , briefly speaking, is catechesis centered on using the Old Testament and New Testament to teach the Sacraments and Christology.

In the early days of the church, the sacraments were often referred to as "mysteries" and for good reason. Mystagogical catechesis was a revelation of those mysteries. Baptism is a good example. If a pagan were to stumble into church to witness a baptism, then he would be utterly confused by only letting his eyes educate him as to what is taking place.

Baptism is a mystery. It is a gift of God, and faith knows what it is. The eyes of faith recognize the blessing of baptism, but the eyes of the body are far too weak to discern the mystery apart from teaching.

Concerning infant baptism it is simple enough to cite such passages as Acts 2:38-39, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." This is often referred to as "proof texting." The problem with proof texting is someone from another denomination will try to tell you that "children" in Greek can be interpreted as the "young in faith."

Mystagogical catechesis, to over-simplify, is different. It gives you the whole history of God's people, from Old Testament to New Testament and interprets it all in a Christological and Sacramental way. So, mystagogically speaking, how might we hear a preacher like St. Cyril of Jerusalem tackle such a topic as "why infant baptism?" Read on.

In the Old Testament one finds much to ponder concerning water. Here are but a few examples. In Genesis 8, Noah is in the Ark with his family and the animals. The world is flooded by God, killing the rampant and out of hand world of sin. Those saved are the godly, eight in all. Being saved through water they embark on a new road which sounds a lot like what happens when the world was created. Genesis 9:1-3 is almost a repeat of what God says in Genesis 1:26 about the animals being there for the benefit of man. God even indicates that Noah will rule the beasts of the earth, just as is said about Adam. This is likened to Noah passing through water and embarking on a new road, a new life. This whole account carries with it the notion of a "new creation."

What is more pointed, perhaps, is what happens in Leviticus. In Leviticus 8:6, "Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water." Exodus 30:20 tells us why--"When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die." The wash basin was located in the outer court, outside the inner court and holiest of holies. Translate this into New Testament fulfillment--If you want to enter God's presence, then you must be washed clean. This brings to mind Christ's words to Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." The Holiest of Holies in the Old Testament is where God's presence dwelt. It was to be likened to the "kingdom of God." Hence, the priests had to wash.

In another instance, Joshua 1:2-3 shows the exchange of the prophetic office from Moses to Joshua. Moses dies and Joshua takes over. The first thing Joshua does is he leads Israel to pass through the Jordan River. Passing through water, they enter the holy land, the land of paradise. Joshua 3:7-8 points out that God does not begin to exalt Joshua in the eyes of Israel until the day they pass through the Jordan. Joshua begins his new road and so does Israel as they pass through water at God's command.

In 2 Kings 2:6, Elijah goes to the Jordan River to pass through it in order that he may be taken up to heaven. Elijah and Elisha pass through the Jordan (the River is parted). After Elijah is taken up, Elisha is given the promise of a double portion of Elijah's spirit. So, in verse 14 Elisha parts the water and crosses over the Jordan. Elisha begins a new road after passing through the Jordan and the people recognize, saying, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha"(2 Kings 2:15). Elisha, passing through water, becomes new.

One of the best images which gives the picture of baptism in the Old Testament is that of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. Naaman, a hardened, Gentile war commander has leprosy, a skin disease. One of the things about a successful war commander to keep in mind is that he probably has weathered skin. He probably has scars and signs from past battles. Naaman comes to Elisha to be healed of leprosy, and he is told to wash in the Jordan seven times. Naaman becomes furious because he was expecting a "big show" to accompany this healing and is disappointed that washing in the muddy Jordan was the command. At the prompting of his servants, he obeys Elisha's command. What happens tells it all.

Naaman's skin, we are told, was not only cleansed of leprosy but it was restored like the flesh of a little child. In other words, this washing, in a sense, gives Naaman a new birth. His skin was better than before he had the leprosy. God's love heals wounds and goes even further than what we expect. Keep in mind that this is not baptism because Christ had not instituted it, but it gives the church the understanding of a "new beginning, a new creation, a new road." What we find after Naaman comes out of the water is that he goes back to Elisha and confesses, "I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel..."(2 Kings 5:15). And Naaman says that he will no longer "offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to THE LORD"(verse 17). Passing through water, Naaman believes AND worships in a way different from the world (think historic liturgy). He went from the perspective of demanding his own way of receiving God's gifts to a different mindset, which consisted of submitting to the Lord's ways in worship, life, and confession.

It is fitting, then, that John the Baptist comes baptizing with a baptism of repentance. Baptism marks the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament (But, then again, so does John). But, one may ask, "why does Jesus need to be baptized by John? Jesus doesn't have sin. He doesn't need to repent." True.

Where does Jesus go to be baptized? The Jordan River. Here comes the fulfillment and the answer to all those Old Testament occurrences through water and in the Jordan River. John tries to prevent Jesus from being baptized, but Jesus says, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness"(St. Matthew 3:15). What does it mean to "fulfill all righteousness?" The righteousness that Jesus is talking about in this writer's opinion is the pattern of the Old Testament. It is the priests washing before entering the holiest of holies. It is Joshua, Elijah, Elisha and even Naaman all wrapped up in Jesus. Jesus is saying that the Old Testament and all of the water occurrences are indicative of the pattern of God's way. Even Jesus observes the practice of passing through water(This emphasizes Christ's humanity.) As we know, Christ's being baptized is the beginning of His road to the cross, certainly running parallel to the Old Testament accounts listed above.

Just as the Levitical priests had to wash in the basin before enter the tabernacle, so today people become "spiritual priests" through baptism and are granted the right to enter God's presence as holy only through Christ's covering which comes through baptism.

Hence, if a person wants to become a Christian, be forgiven, and live a new life in Christ, then it only naturally follows that he or she must be born of water and the Spirit (St. John 3:5). Whether it be a child or an adult who comes to faith, it is fitting that they, like all those cloud of saints who have gone before us, should pass through water and the word at Christ's command, beginning a new road and becoming a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Galatians 6:15). Having the blessings of Christ's death and resurrection poured into the water and at His command the person receives something much more--the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, and the covering of Christ which stamps us as Christ's own.

In the big picture, from Old Testament to New Testament, it makes sense that St. Peter would say that regardless if the person be young or old, he should repent and pass through the precious waters of baptism, both, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, but to also embark on the new road that belongs to the Lord. What a holy mysterion (mystery) is baptism! Thanks be to God.

+Fr. Chadius

The Transfiguration and Moses: St. Matthew 17

St. Cyril of Alexandria expended a great amount of effort to defend the Divinity of Christ. In doing so, St. Cyril simply wanted it rightly understood that the two natures of Christ, though distinct, were in unity in the one Jesus Christ. His ardent opponent, Nestorius the heretic, believed that Jesus laid aside His deity when He became man.

St. Cyril, who lived in the 400s AD, saw this as a soteriological problem (a problem in man's salvation). If Jesus, upon becoming man, laid aside His deity, then only a man died on the cross at Golgotha and that which is creaturely was used to ransom man from sin. This would have the ill effect of putting creature above God, something that is cosmologically impossible. To bring this in to the discussion, though, does not do this whole issue between Cyril and Nestorius justice, for there was much more at stake. Nestorius' views, had they been true, would have come at a cost--the loss of the very Gospel itself.

I am no Cyrilline scholar myself, but I bring his name into this discussion because just as the two natures of Christ enjoy a unity, likewise the Old Testament and the New Testament enjoy a unity.

It is often the thought among students of the scriptures that, while the New Testament is very "user friendly" the Old Testament is like a nagging step-mother who constantly reminds the step-child that he is only a half-breed. The Old Testament often keeps us from concluding that we understand all that we are as Christians. It sometimes leaves us feeling as though we are "sub-par" Christians, not fully "getting it."

I know we are well past the Festival of the Transfiguration, but this has been on my mind, so let us delve into the scriptures in order that we may understand the unity of the Scriptures to the chagrin of Marcion the heretic.

Moses, prophet exemplar, went up the mount (Mt. Sinai). Exodus 34 gives us the account. Moses went up the mountain and in verse 5 the Lord descends in a cloud. We are told that God stood there in the cloud and "proclaimed the name of the Lord." And God proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..."(Ex. 34:6-7). It is significant that Moses, we are told, made haste and bowed face down to worship the Lord(proskuneo).

What happens after this is crucial in the grand scheme of the scriptures and of Jesus Christ. Not only is Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. He is also told, "Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth...for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you"(Exodus 34:10). This is the establishment of the prophetic office. The Christological road is set as the prophetic office begins on the top of a mountain in a cloud with God.

What a chapter! At the end of chapter 34 we see something unfold. Verse 29 says, "Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses hand when he came down from the mountain), taht Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him [God]. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him"(verse 30). We are told that when Moses would go in to talk with God his face would shine. Moses would speak to the people this way and then put on the veil until the next prophetic utterance.

The image and the message the church is to receive from all of this is really quite simple. Moses, a man, a sinner, one who is "slow of speech and slow of tongue"(Exodus 4:10) comes down the mountain as "God to the people." Do not take this to the illogical conclusion that this is a statement of Moses' essence. He represents God, He is a shaliach, to use the Hebrew. To say that Moses is "God to the people is not an unhealthy step, considering Exodus 4:16 says, "So he [Aaron] shall be your spokesman to the people. Andn he himself shall be as a mouth for you, *and you shall be to him as God." There it is. Moses is as God to Aaron and Aaron is his mouth. Hence, Moses is as God to the people. Revolutionary? Unheard of? So is the incarnation to Pharisees.

In St. Matthew 17 we hear of Jesus taking Peter, James and John up a mountain. Jesus is transfigured and shines in His glory. His face shone, and Moses and Elijah appear in a cloud that descended upon the mountain. Peter is thinking St. Peter wants to make tabernacles for Moses, Jesus, and Elijah. Read Exodus 33:9. St. Peter sees a connection between what he witnesses and the holy Scriptures of Exodus.

God speaks in this cloud as He did on Mount Sinai, but with a change. Rather than talking about mercy, longsuffering, and forgiveness, the voice of the Lord proclaims Jesus, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"(St. Matthew 17:5). Jesus is the very essence of mercy, longsuffering and forgiveness. The disciples fall face down on the ground like Moses. It all ends by the disciples looking up and only seeing Jesus. The scene ends by Jesus walking down the mountain with the disciples. His face is *not* shining.

Mark the contrast: Moses--a man, a sinner, comes down the mountain his face shining with the glory of God. He holds the Ten Commandments in his hands. Holy words inscribed, but he comes down the mountain with holy oracles which condemn (2nd use of the law). Moses comes down as "God to the people." (Herein lies the notion of Shaliach--"presbuteros" "Ambassador or representative").

On the flip side: Jesus--God, without sin and Divine in essence shines on the mountain and in the cloud (This shows His Divinity). Jesus comes down the mountain not in His glory but He comes down "as man for the people." Moses comes down as God for the people. Jesus comes down as man for the people. What a strange twist, but why?

Because Christ's proper work entails Him walking down to the depths as the definitive man--true man who dies as a man and in the "likeness of sinful flesh" having kept that law of Moses. God comes down the mountain to be one of us and die for His people. Jesus comes not shining but wearing flesh.

Nestorius the heretic might have liked this emphasis of Jesus coming down the mountain as a flesh and blood man but he would miss the point. It is total irony. Just as Moses should have been coming down the mountain wearing the face of a sinner, Jesus should have come down wearing the face of divinity. Instead, Moses comes down with his face shining, and Jesus comes down with the face of a sinner.

Moses' sinful side would get the better of him when he fails to do as God instructed him in regards to producing water for the people to drink. This would keep him out of the promised land of Israel. On the flip side, Christ's divinity would come forth as God dies for the sins of the world.

It is a lot to ponder, but I think St. Cyril would like it. In the Transfiguration, we see the Divine nature and the human nature of Jesus Christ working together as the unity of Christ.

+Fr. Chadius