- 2 weeks ago
Acts 17:29-32
29 Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to suppose that Deity (the Godhead) is like gold or silver or stone, [of the nature of] a representation by human art and imagination, or anything constructed or invented.
30 Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent (to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins),
31 Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world righteously (justly) by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead. [Ps 9:8; 96:13; 98:9.]
32 Now when they had heard [that there had been] a resurrection from the dead, some scoffed; but others said, We will hear you again about this matter.
AMP
29 Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to suppose that Deity (the Godhead) is like gold or silver or stone, [of the nature of] a representation by human art and imagination, or anything constructed or invented.
30 Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent (to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins),
31 Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world righteously (justly) by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead. [Ps 9:8; 96:13; 98:9.]
32 Now when they had heard [that there had been] a resurrection from the dead, some scoffed; but others said, We will hear you again about this matter.
AMP
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LifestyleTranscript
00:28I would like to know
00:29I would like to note before we proceed today that the title of our reflection is called
00:35Many Christians Never Question the Origin of the Church or the New Testament
00:40Now in sharing this particular reflection today
00:44I will be giving just an overview
00:48As you can imagine, the process of the early church and the origin of the New Testament
00:54was a long process and at times a great struggle in her early years
01:00because of the heretics who crept in her midst
01:04but glory to God for the contenders of the faith
01:08who we will learn about as we move on
01:11Also, I would like to mention up front
01:14that I am not a spokesman for the Orthodox Church
01:17but I am merely one who is sharing her journey
01:21into this most ancient faith called Orthodoxy
01:25Since being a new convert to the Eastern Orthodox Church in 2025
01:31I have had many challenges to say the least
01:34in what I held dear in my Protestant doctrines and beliefs
01:39which I learned according to the Word of God
01:42and its meaning and application
01:44Knowing and teaching the Bible for around 28 years as a Protestant
01:49I have come to see through learning in my journey
01:54into the missing truths of Orthodoxy
01:57that without a doubt there was air and much was left out
02:02which tells us that all of this
02:06We believe that the Bible was meant to be the very center of our Christian faith
02:13But dear listener and followers
02:16Surprisingly, I learned that this is not so for the early Christians
02:21Shocking as it may sound for the first time hearing this
02:26The patristic fathers were called early church fathers
02:30who were the theologians and whose writings shaped
02:34the foundation of the Christian doctrines
02:37Patristic means father from the Latin word pater
02:41You see, prior to the Reformation of the 16th century
02:46the great voices of the historic church
02:49were such notable chosen men
02:52such as Ignatius of Antioch
02:55who was a bishop in AD 35 to 107
02:59and St. Irenaeus of Lyon
03:02lived in AD 130 to 200 AD
03:08Hippolytus and Ananias
03:11John Christosom
03:14Nicholas of Mara
03:16Basil the Great
03:17Gregory of Nyssa
03:20John of Damascus
03:23and many others
03:24Many of these men were martyred for defending the faith
03:27of our Lord Jesus Christ
03:29as they were instrumental in building the foundation of the church
03:33All of these men were grounded in the scriptures
03:36and inspired by the Holy Spirit
03:38These and numerous others like them
03:42were teachers, preachers, pastors, defenders of the truth of Christianity
03:49in the first millennium of Christian history
03:52To my surprise, these were the voices of early Christianity
03:57and the leaders of the Orthodox Church
04:00which started in Pentecost 29 AD
04:03And as I have shared before
04:05I am still totally astounded
04:08and awestruck
04:10by the depth of understanding these men had
04:14in their spiritual perception
04:16their godliness
04:17and devotion
04:18in these early eras of time
04:20in the first centuries of time
04:23Some of them worked alongside
04:25and were taught by the Apostles
04:27I still consider this
04:29an eye-opening illumination
04:31the love of God
04:33as he surprises me
04:34with these missing truths
04:36as I journey along
04:38into the ancient faith of Orthodoxy
04:40I was like many
04:42in the Protestant realm of theology
04:45who held the word of God
04:47throughout scripture
04:48as the only way
04:49in which one could be transformed
04:52into a spiritual being
04:54and really come to know God
04:56and be saved from his wrath
04:58which threatens at the time
05:00of one's judgment day
05:02and adding also
05:04what the word says about
05:05when people quote
05:07absent from the body
05:08present with the Lord
05:10and I can't tell you
05:12how many times
05:13I repeated this one
05:15and believed it wholeheartedly
05:17but I learned that
05:19this is often used
05:21as an ignorant
05:22simple reassurance
05:24without acknowledging
05:26the deeper call to repentance
05:28that scripture
05:29consistently demands
05:31and we see
05:32that we learn
05:34from the early fathers
05:35you see
05:37when this single verse
05:39becomes a substitute
05:40for self-examination
05:42the dread
05:43of fear
05:44of judgment
05:45or the effect
05:46to align oneself
05:48one's life
05:50with God's commandments
05:52is drastically saying
05:54that something
05:55very vital
05:56essential
05:57is missing
05:58the truth
06:00is more complex
06:01than
06:02either extreme
06:04and one
06:05I never believed
06:06or had difficulty
06:07with
06:08was
06:08John Calvin's
06:10teaching
06:10of once saved
06:11always saved
06:12which has led
06:13many to believe
06:14that salvation
06:15requires
06:16no ongoing
06:18repentance
06:18or obedience
06:20or transformation
06:21leaving people
06:23unprepared
06:24for the seriousness
06:25with which
06:27the orthodox church
06:28understands
06:29and awaits us
06:31at the end
06:31of time
06:32of life
06:34I believe
06:35that Christians
06:36who did not
06:37know this
06:37will be very
06:38surprised
06:39and appreciate
06:40the fact
06:41that the Bible
06:42as we have it
06:43today
06:43did not exist
06:45in the days
06:46of the early
06:46church fathers
06:47but it slowly
06:49emerged
06:50in the days
06:51of the early
06:52fathers of the church
06:53but that it
06:55slowly emerged
06:56within the life
06:57of the early church
06:59through the labor
07:00and love of those
07:01who form the
07:02holy traditions
07:03of the church
07:05which was founded
07:06again
07:06and began
07:07at Pentecost
07:0829 AD
07:09one of the scriptures
07:11that prefaces
07:12holy scripture
07:13is in 2nd Thessalonians
07:16chapter 2
07:17verse 15
07:18where apostle Paul
07:20declares
07:21therefore brethren
07:22stand fast
07:23and hold the traditions
07:25which you were taught
07:26whether by word
07:28or our epistle
07:30many people
07:31like me
07:32have had
07:33the mistaken
07:34notion
07:35that the Bible
07:36was somehow
07:37mysteriously written
07:38in the English
07:39language
07:40of the King James
07:41version
07:42already made
07:43and came in book
07:44form at some
07:45unknown point
07:46of time
07:46since the days
07:48of the apostles
07:48I was one of these
07:51who really never
07:51questioned
07:52where the Bible
07:53came from
07:54until I came
07:55to orthodoxy
07:56and when we speak
07:58of the Bible
07:59we are talking
08:00about a collection
08:01of books
08:02and I learned
08:03through my
08:04catechism class
08:05taught by
08:06Father Jonah Evans
08:08from St. Catherine's Mission
08:09in Dallas
08:10Georgia
08:11and by reading
08:12other theologians
08:13works
08:14that the earliest
08:15of these books
08:16existed
08:17in oral form
08:18long before
08:20they were written down
08:21but eventually
08:23they were recorded
08:24many centuries
08:26before the birth
08:27of our Lord
08:27Jesus Christ
08:28these of course
08:30comprise the
08:31Old Testament
08:32the latest
08:33of these books
08:34the New Testament
08:35were written
08:37many years
08:37after Christ's
08:38resurrection
08:39which we will
08:40discuss a little
08:41later on
08:42now hearing
08:44this for the
08:44first time
08:45was a real
08:46mind bender
08:47or in other
08:48ways of saying it
08:49try to wrap
08:50your head
08:50around that one
08:52you see
08:53when St. Paul
08:54speaks of the
08:55scripture
08:56it is to the
08:57Old Testament
08:58in which he is
08:59referring
09:00because only a
09:01few of the
09:02New Testament
09:03books had been
09:04written at that
09:04time
09:05and also
09:06complete agreement
09:07in the church
09:08as to which
09:09books
09:09comprised
09:10the testament
09:11was still
09:12centuries off
09:14I was totally
09:16amazed to learn
09:17that the church
09:18existed for
09:19nearly
09:20500 years
09:21before anything
09:22even close
09:24to what we
09:25now call
09:25the Bible
09:26could have
09:27been printed
09:27many of these
09:29existed
09:30first in
09:30papyrus scrolls
09:32then later
09:33in hand copied
09:34huge volumes
09:36containing one
09:37or a very few
09:38books
09:39on vellum
09:40or similar
09:41material
09:42the apostles
09:44and the fathers
09:45of the early
09:45church
09:46also
09:47consistently
09:48used the
09:49scriptures
09:49from the
09:50Septuagint
09:51LXX
09:53that's a
09:54Greek
09:55Old Testament
09:56they often
09:57noted in their
09:58writings
09:59the passages
10:00which existed
10:01only in the
10:02Greek edition
10:03or in which
10:05there is a
10:06significant difference
10:07in the sense
10:08between Greek
10:09and Hebrew
10:10editions
10:10which is
10:11frequently
10:12the case
10:13of Psalms
10:14and even
10:15more so
10:15in the
10:16book of
10:16Jeremiah
10:17the Septuagint
10:19or LXX
10:21was translated
10:23into Greek
10:23by 70
10:24Jewish
10:25scholars
10:26the apocryphal
10:28books
10:29came to be
10:30an issue
10:30not for the
10:31Christians
10:32but for the
10:33post-resurrection
10:34Jews
10:35these books
10:37in many cases
10:38clearly prophesied
10:40concerning
10:40our Lord
10:41and were so
10:43much of an
10:44embarrassment
10:44to those
10:45who refused
10:46to accept
10:47his divinity
10:47it was the
10:49Jewish people
10:50who did not
10:52go along
10:53with
10:53the LXX
10:55or the
10:56Septuagint
10:57so
10:58consequently
10:59dear listeners
11:00they were
11:01officially barred
11:02from the
11:03Jewish canon
11:04or the
11:04official table
11:05of contents
11:06of the
11:07scriptures
11:08at the
11:08Jewish
11:09council
11:09Domnia
11:10at the
11:12end of
11:13the
11:13first century
11:14AD
11:1460 years
11:16or so
11:16after
11:17Christ's
11:17resurrection
11:18I have
11:20appreciated
11:20drawing from
11:21Father James
11:22Bernstein's
11:23booklet
11:23called
11:24Which Came
11:25First
11:26The Church
11:27or the New
11:27Testament
11:28provided by
11:29our St.
11:30Catherine's
11:30mission
11:31as a source
11:32for beginners
11:32in the
11:33Orthodox Church
11:35And I must
11:36tell you
11:36as I
11:37glean from
11:38various sources
11:39and learn from
11:40Father Jonah
11:41our Catechism
11:41teacher
11:42I am learning
11:43for myself
11:44as I study
11:45and research
11:46and share
11:46these details
11:47and facts
11:47with you
11:49Many of you
11:50have been
11:50faithful followers
11:51for a long
11:52time
11:52and some of
11:53you are new
11:54followers
11:55and listeners
11:55and because
11:57these reflections
11:58in learning
11:59about the
11:59actual beginning
12:00of the church
12:01which was
12:02born at
12:0329 AD
12:04Pentecost
12:04and also
12:06by her
12:06timeline
12:07and continuity
12:08these mysteries
12:09of this most
12:10ancient faith
12:11have resonated
12:12with you
12:13and many of
12:14you are
12:15sharing with
12:16others
12:16because you
12:17have seen
12:17some of the
12:18same things
12:19and God
12:20has touched
12:21you and
12:21you too
12:22in some
12:23way
12:24with these
12:25wonderful
12:25missing
12:26truths
12:27and it
12:28is my
12:28prayer
12:29that you
12:29will continue
12:30to grow
12:30along
12:31with me
12:32as we
12:32continue
12:33this
12:33life-saving
12:34journey
12:34of precious
12:35truths
12:36found in
12:37the Orthodox
12:37Church
12:38Father James
12:40Bernstein
12:40tells us
12:41that the
12:42first complete
12:43listing
12:43of the
12:44New Testament
12:45books
12:45as we
12:46have them
12:47today
12:47did not
12:48appear
12:49until over
12:50300 years
12:51after the
12:52death and
12:52resurrection
12:53of Christ
12:54the first
12:55completed
12:56listing
12:57was given
12:58by Saint
12:58Anthonyus
12:59in his
13:00Paschal
13:01letter
13:01in
13:02AD
13:02367
13:03in the
13:05early
13:05church
13:06writings
13:06the
13:07four
13:07gospels
13:08were
13:08written
13:08from
13:0930 to
13:0960
13:10years
13:10after
13:11Jesus'
13:12death
13:12and
13:13resurrection
13:13so in
13:15the
13:15meantime
13:16the
13:16church
13:17relied
13:17on
13:18oral
13:18tradition
13:19the
13:19accounts
13:20of
13:20eyewitnesses
13:21as well
13:22as scattered
13:23pre-gospel
13:24documents
13:25such as
13:26those quoted
13:27in 1st
13:28Timothy
13:283
13:2816
13:29and 2nd
13:30Timothy
13:30chapter 2
13:31verses 11
13:3313
13:33and oral
13:34tradition
13:35looking at
13:371st
13:37Timothy
13:373
13:3816
13:38we read
13:40and without
13:41controversy
13:42great is
13:43the mystery
13:43of godliness
13:44God was
13:45manifest in
13:46the flesh
13:47justified in
13:48the spirit
13:48seen of
13:50angels
13:50preached under
13:51the Gentiles
13:52believed on
13:53in the world
13:54received up
13:56into glory
13:56now this
13:58is a clear
13:59and concise
13:59understanding
14:00of the divinity
14:02and resurrection
14:03of Jesus
14:04Christ
14:04in 2nd
14:06Timothy
14:06chapter 2
14:07in verses
14:0811 and 12
14:10Saint Paul
14:11declares
14:12this is a
14:14faithful saying
14:15for if we
14:16died with him
14:17we shall also
14:17live with him
14:18if we endure
14:20we shall also
14:21reign with him
14:21if we deny him
14:23he will also
14:24deny us
14:25if we are
14:26faithless
14:27he remains
14:28faithful
14:29he cannot
14:30deny himself
14:32this last
14:33scripture is
14:34based on
14:34union with
14:35Christ
14:36and is
14:37immovable
14:38loyalty to
14:39him
14:39in the end
14:40for himself
14:41and his
14:42hearers
14:43it is life
14:44with Christ
14:44in the
14:45eternal kingdom
14:46you see
14:47most churches
14:49had only
14:50parts of
14:51what was
14:51to become
14:52the new
14:53testament
14:53we glean
14:55and learn
14:55from those
14:56who were
14:56eyewitnesses
14:57of Christ's
14:58life and
14:58teachings
14:59and they
15:00began to
15:00die
15:01and the
15:02apostles
15:02wrote
15:03as they
15:03were guided
15:04by the
15:04holy spirit
15:05in order
15:06to preserve
15:07and solidify
15:08the scattered
15:09written
15:09and oral
15:10traditions
15:11father
15:12bernstein
15:13explains that
15:14because the
15:15apostles
15:15expected Christ
15:17to return
15:17soon
15:18it seemed
15:19like they
15:19did not
15:19have in
15:20mind
15:20these
15:21gospel
15:21accounts
15:22and apostolic
15:23letter
15:23would be
15:24in time
15:25collected
15:25into
15:26a new
15:27bible
15:28so
15:29during the
15:30first
15:30four
15:30centuries
15:31AD
15:31there
15:32was
15:32substantial
15:33disagreement
15:34over which
15:35books would
15:35be included
15:36in the
15:37canon
15:37of scripture
15:38now a
15:39canon
15:40of scripture
15:41is the
15:42official list
15:43of books
15:43that are
15:44recognized
15:45by the
15:46church
15:46as genuine
15:47and inspired
15:48by God
15:48and because
15:50of a
15:50noted
15:51heretic
15:52named
15:52Marcion
15:53who was
15:54cleverly
15:55working
15:55against
15:56the
15:56church
15:56to
15:56reject
15:57its
15:57Jewish
15:58heritage
15:58he
15:59wanted
15:59to do
16:00away
16:00with
16:00the
16:01Old
16:01Testament
16:01completely
16:02and therefore
16:03he wanted
16:04to include
16:05only one
16:05gospel
16:06which he
16:07himself
16:07edited
16:08and ten
16:09of Paul's
16:10epistles
16:10this first
16:12attempt
16:13of the
16:14New Testament
16:14was totally
16:15heretical
16:16and because
16:17of this
16:18many of the
16:19scholars
16:20believed
16:20that it
16:21was partly
16:22in reaction
16:22to the
16:23distorted
16:23canon
16:24of
16:24Marcion
16:25that the
16:26early church
16:27determined
16:27to create
16:28a clearly
16:28defined
16:29canon
16:30of its
16:30own
16:30so it
16:32was
16:32Saint
16:32Polycarp
16:33of Smyrna
16:34who lived
16:35at this
16:35time in
16:3669 to
16:37155
16:38AD
16:38who was
16:39an
16:39apostolic
16:40father
16:41and disciple
16:41of
16:42Apostle
16:42John
16:43and Saint
16:44Polycarp
16:45is the
16:45earliest
16:46known
16:46father
16:46to
16:47confront
16:47Marcion
16:48directly
16:49Saint
16:50Uranus
16:51records
16:52that when
16:52Marcion
16:53asked him
16:54do you
16:55know me
16:57Polycarp
16:57replied
16:58I know
16:59you
16:59the first
17:00born
17:01of
17:01Saint
17:01and
17:03Polycarp's
17:03rejection
17:04of Marcion
17:05is treated
17:06as an
17:07apostolic
17:08testimony
17:08showing that
17:09Marcion's
17:10teachings
17:11were already
17:11recognized
17:12as a
17:13breach
17:13or break
17:14from the
17:14faith
17:14handed down
17:15by the
17:15apostles
17:16and there
17:17were other
17:18early church
17:19fathers
17:19who also
17:20refuted
17:21Marcion's
17:22one
17:22gospel
17:23canon
17:23and his
17:24heretical
17:25move
17:25to show
17:26that his
17:26teachings
17:27were a
17:27departure
17:28from the
17:28apostolic
17:29faith
17:30and was
17:30not a
17:31true
17:31offer
17:31in its
17:32development
17:32you see
17:34the destruction
17:35of Jerusalem
17:36in 70
17:37AD
17:38was the
17:39breakup
17:39of the
17:40Jewish
17:40Christian
17:41community
17:42there
17:42and the
17:43threatened
17:43loss
17:44of the
17:44continuity
17:45and the
17:46oral
17:46traditions
17:47most likely
17:48contributed
17:49to the
17:51sense of
17:51the urgent
17:52need for
17:52the church
17:53to standardize
17:54a list
17:55of books
17:56Christians
17:56could rely
17:57on
17:57and I
17:59learned
17:59during this
18:00period of
18:00time
18:00of the
18:01canon's
18:02evolution
18:03most churches
18:04had only a
18:06few if any
18:07of the
18:07apostolic
18:08writings
18:09available to
18:10them
18:10the books
18:11of the
18:12Bible
18:12had to be
18:13painstakingly
18:14copied by
18:14hand
18:15and at
18:16the great
18:16expense of
18:17time and
18:18effort of
18:19devoted men
18:19of God
18:20to the
18:21task of
18:21preserving
18:22the truth
18:22and faith
18:23of the
18:23early church
18:24and her
18:25history
18:26and also
18:27because
18:29most people
18:30at that
18:30time were
18:31illiterate
18:32and could
18:33only be
18:33read by
18:34a few
18:35privileged
18:35people
18:36the exposure
18:37of most
18:39Christians
18:40to the
18:41scriptures
18:41was confined
18:43to what
18:43they heard
18:44in the
18:44churches
18:44and that
18:45would be
18:46the law
18:46and the
18:47prophets
18:48and psalms
18:49and some
18:50of the
18:51apostles
18:51personal
18:52writings
18:52and memoirs
18:53that were
18:54passed on
18:54and shared
18:55with the
18:56churches
18:56and the
18:57latter part
18:58of this
18:59sentence
18:59is what
19:00is called
19:01holy
19:02tradition
19:02where the
19:03writings
19:04and memoirs
19:04of the
19:05apostles
19:05were passed
19:06on or
19:07shared
19:08there was a
19:09man whose
19:10name is
19:11father
19:11seraphim
19:12rose
19:13who was
19:13born in
19:141934
19:15and whose
19:16soul was
19:17transformed by
19:18the holy
19:19traditions
19:19which is the
19:21life of the
19:22holy spirit
19:22in the church
19:23to where he
19:24was turned
19:25into a
19:25flaming sword
19:27capable of
19:28rendering the
19:28veil of
19:29delusions of
19:30the modern
19:30world and
19:31revealing the
19:32holy place
19:33the one
19:34holy catholic
19:36and apostolic
19:37orthodox
19:38church
19:38you see
19:39dear ones
19:40the true
19:41holy
19:42tradition
19:43is the
19:44only
19:45tradition
19:45of truth
19:46this
19:47tradition
19:48according
19:48to
19:49Saint
19:49Irenaeus
19:50of
19:51Lyon
19:51who lived
19:53in
19:5335
19:54to
19:54107
19:55AD
19:56was a
19:57bishop
19:57and martyr
19:58and taught
19:59that holy
20:00tradition
20:00is grounded
20:01in and
20:01secured
20:02by
20:02charisma
20:03veritas
20:04certum
20:05charisma
20:06veritas
20:07certum
20:08is a
20:08Latin
20:08phrase
20:09and translates
20:10and means
20:11a certain
20:12or sure
20:13charisma
20:14of truth
20:15which has
20:16been deposited
20:17and laid
20:17down in the
20:18church
20:18from her
20:19very beginning
20:20and has
20:21been preserved
20:21by the
20:22uninterrupted
20:23succession
20:24of episcopal
20:25or bishop
20:27ministry
20:27tradition
20:29in the
20:29church
20:30is not
20:31a continuity
20:32of human
20:33memory
20:33or a
20:34state of
20:34permanent
20:35rights
20:35and habits
20:36but dear
20:37ones
20:38it is
20:39a living
20:39tradition
20:40a deposit
20:42a treasure
20:43a sacred
20:44trust
20:45of something
20:46handed
20:46down
20:47which refers
20:48to a
20:48deposit
20:49of faith
20:50which
20:50Saint
20:51Irenaeus
20:52spoke
20:52about
20:53how many
20:55of us
20:55dear
20:56listener
20:56and followers
20:57who have
20:58been in
20:58the
20:59protestant
21:00realm
21:00of
21:00doctrine
21:01and belief
21:02ever
21:03question
21:03the
21:03origin
21:04of the
21:04Bible
21:05I
21:06certainly
21:06didn't
21:07and to
21:08my
21:08surprise
21:08when the
21:09knowledge
21:09of the
21:10beginning
21:10and inception
21:11of the
21:12church
21:12and the
21:12origin
21:13of the
21:13Bible
21:13was
21:14presented
21:14to me
21:16after I
21:17became my
21:17shock
21:18I
21:18absolutely
21:19stood
21:20in awe
21:20and the
21:21hunger
21:21for the
21:22search
21:22of this
21:22ancient
21:23faith
21:23began
21:24my
21:24journey
21:24of
21:25personal
21:25conversion
21:26because I
21:27could not
21:27deny
21:28any
21:28of these
21:29revealed
21:30truths
21:30that began
21:31at
21:31Pentecost
21:3229 AD
21:33up to
21:33this present
21:34day
21:34I am
21:35not saying
21:36that I
21:36didn't
21:37question
21:37various
21:38things
21:38along
21:38the
21:39way
21:39I
21:40did
21:40have
21:40my
21:40troubles
21:41with
21:41grasping
21:42a hold
21:42of some
21:42things
21:43that were
21:43totally
21:44different
21:44from what
21:45I taught
21:46for over
21:4628 years
21:47such as
21:48holy
21:48traditions
21:48of the
21:49church
21:49the
21:50reverence
21:51and not
21:52the
21:52worship
21:52of
21:53icons
21:53and the
21:54reverence
21:54not
21:55worship
21:55of the
21:56Theotokas
21:57who was
21:57the mother
21:58of our
21:58Lord
21:58Jesus
21:58Christ
22:00still I
22:01could not
22:01deny
22:02that these
22:02were
22:02truly
22:03mysteries
22:04of the
22:04ancient
22:05faith
22:05waiting
22:05to be
22:06discovered
22:06by an
22:07unexpected
22:08hungry
22:08Protestant
22:09who relied
22:10on holy
22:10scripture
22:11of the
22:11Bible
22:12but still
22:13looking and
22:13knowing that
22:14there was
22:14more to
22:15the church
22:15history
22:16than
22:16what was
22:17confined
22:18between
22:18the pages
22:19of the
22:19holy word
22:20of God
22:20called
22:20the Bible
22:21and it
22:22is through
22:23the simple
22:24reflection
22:24today
22:25which I
22:26call a
22:26skeletal
22:27simplified
22:28outline
22:29of the
22:29origin
22:30of the
22:30New
22:30Testament
22:31where
22:32there are
22:33many
22:33challenges
22:34and obstacles
22:35along the
22:36way
22:36which required
22:37both the
22:38apostolic
22:39fathers and
22:40early church
22:40fathers to
22:41quickly
22:42take drastic
22:43and firm
22:44decisions
22:44which were
22:45absolutely
22:46necessary
22:47for the
22:47preservation
22:48and ongoing
22:49continuity
22:50of the
22:51church
22:51and her
22:51survival
22:52I learned
22:54that it
22:55seemed
22:56in almost
22:57each century
22:58of the
22:59early church
22:59periods
23:00they had
23:01their controversies
23:02over books
23:02of the Bible
23:03and which
23:04ones were
23:04to be
23:05included
23:05and then
23:07we leap
23:07forward
23:08to the
23:0816th
23:09century
23:09where the
23:10Protestant
23:11reformers
23:11decisions
23:12in rejecting
23:13the Old
23:13Testament
23:14canon
23:14had many
23:15major
23:16consequences
23:17the
23:18reformers
23:19rejected
23:19the
23:19Septuagint
23:20and instead
23:21adopted
23:22the
23:23Masoretic
23:24text
23:24a Hebrew
23:25text
23:26standardized
23:27by Jewish
23:28rabbis
23:29between the
23:307th and
23:3110th
23:31centuries
23:32AD
23:33long after
23:34Christ
23:35and the
23:35apostles
23:36what the
23:38reformers
23:38rejected
23:39was an
23:40apostolic
23:41interpretation
23:42of
23:42scriptures
23:43and
23:44replaced
23:44this
23:45with
23:45private
23:45interpretation
23:46with
23:47Sola
23:47Scriptura
23:48which
23:49separated
23:50them
23:51from
23:52apostolic
23:53tradition
23:53and they
23:54adopted
23:55a canon
23:56shaped
23:57by
23:57rabbinic
23:58decisions
23:58rather than
23:59the church's
24:00living memory
24:00Sola
24:02Scriptura
24:03says
24:03the Bible
24:04alone
24:05is the
24:06final
24:06authority
24:06whereas
24:07Orthodox
24:08teaches
24:09scripture
24:10is the
24:10highest
24:11written
24:11authority
24:12but it
24:13cannot be
24:13separated
24:14from
24:14holy
24:15tradition
24:15for
24:17Orthodoxy
24:18scripture
24:19and tradition
24:19are not
24:20two competing
24:21things
24:22rather
24:23they are
24:23one life
24:24one stream
24:26one deposit
24:27which is
24:28the life
24:29of the
24:29Holy Spirit
24:30in the
24:30church
24:31the third
24:32thing
24:33Protestant
24:33reformers
24:34did
24:34because they
24:35followed
24:36the
24:36Masoretic
24:37canon
24:37they
24:38removed
24:39books
24:39the
24:40early
24:40church
24:40considered
24:41scripture
24:41which
24:42Christ
24:43and the
24:43apostles
24:44used
24:44and the
24:45early
24:45church
24:46universally
24:47accepted
24:47and the
24:48fathers
24:49quoted
24:49as
24:50scripture
24:50and the
24:51ecumenical
24:52council
24:53included
24:53in the
24:54canon
24:54the
24:55Masoretic
24:56canon
24:57is the
24:58Old Testament
24:59canon
24:59used in
25:00Judaism
25:01after the
25:02time of
25:02Christ
25:03and was
25:04based
25:04on a
25:05Hebrew
25:05text
25:06that was
25:06edited
25:07standardized
25:08and finalized
25:09by Jewish
25:10rabbis
25:11between the
25:127th and
25:1210th centuries
25:13AD
25:13and is the
25:15canon used
25:16today
25:16in most
25:18Protestant
25:19Bibles
25:20the
25:21Orthodox
25:22church
25:22views it
25:24as a
25:24late
25:24post-Christian
25:26rabbinic
25:26canon
25:27that differs
25:28from the
25:28Old Testament
25:29used by
25:29Christ
25:30the
25:30apostles
25:31and the
25:32early
25:32church
25:32a
25:34few
25:34of the
25:35key
25:35features
25:35of the
25:36Masoretic
25:36canon
25:37is its
25:38rabbinic
25:39canon
25:39not the
25:40apostolic
25:41one
25:41and it
25:42was formed
25:43outside the
25:43church
25:44and was
25:45formed
25:45after the
25:46apostolic
25:47age
25:47and it
25:48does not
25:48reflect the
25:49scriptures
25:49used by
25:50the early
25:51Christians
25:53another
25:54thing it
25:55excludes
25:55are books
25:56the early
25:57church
25:57considered
25:58scripture
25:58the
25:59Masoretic
26:00canon
26:00removes
26:01several
26:02books
26:02that the
26:03orthodox
26:04church
26:04accepts
26:05as
26:05scripture
26:06including
26:07wisdom
26:08of
26:08Solomon
26:09Syriac
26:10Tobit
26:11Judith
26:12Baruch
26:13Maccabees
26:141-3
26:15and
26:16additions
26:17to
26:17Daniel
26:18and
26:18Esther
26:18these
26:20books
26:20are present
26:21in the
26:21Septuagint
26:22the Old
26:23Testament
26:24of the
26:24apostles
26:25and the
26:26other thing
26:27it reflects
26:28are textual
26:29changes
26:30made after
26:30Christianity
26:31began
26:32the fathers
26:33especially
26:34Saint
26:35Justin
26:35Martyr
26:36and Saint
26:38Irenaeus
26:39accused
26:40Jewish
26:40authorities
26:41of altering
26:42or removing
26:43passages
26:44that pointed
26:44to Christ
26:45and another
26:46thing
26:47and it
26:48is not
26:48the Old
26:49Testament
26:49used by
26:50Christ
26:51or the
26:51apostles
26:52so in
26:53summary
26:54here
26:54dear
26:54listener
26:55and
26:55followers
26:55when
26:56the
26:56Protestant
26:57reformers
26:58accepted
26:58the
26:58authority
26:59of the
26:59Jewish
26:59council
27:00masoretic
27:01tradition
27:02over
27:03the
27:03apostles
27:03and
27:04fathers
27:04they
27:05essentially
27:06replaced
27:06the
27:06apostolic
27:07Old
27:07Testament
27:08with
27:09a
27:09later
27:09rabbinic
27:10one
27:10they
27:11rejected
27:12the
27:12church's
27:13interpretation
27:14of
27:14scripture
27:15they
27:16removed
27:16books
27:16the
27:17early
27:17church
27:18considered
27:18inspired
27:19and
27:20broke
27:20continuity
27:20with
27:21the
27:21church
27:21of the
27:22first
27:22millennium
27:23and
27:23lastly
27:24they
27:25adopted
27:25a
27:25canon
27:26shaped
27:26by
27:26those
27:27who
27:27rejected
27:28Christ
27:28rather
27:29than
27:29by
27:30those
27:30who
27:30followed
27:30him
27:31father
27:32seraphim
27:33rose
27:33repeatedly
27:34emphasizes
27:35that the
27:36masoretic
27:36text
27:37is not
27:38the
27:38Old
27:38Testament
27:39of the
27:39apostles
27:40and he
27:40says
27:41quote
27:41the
27:42orthodox
27:42church
27:43does not
27:43receive
27:44the
27:44masoretic
27:44text
27:45which is
27:46the late
27:46Jewish
27:47rescindion
27:47or
27:48revision
27:48but the
27:49Septuagint
27:50is the
27:51scripture
27:51of the
27:52apostles
27:53the
27:54early
27:54church
27:55the
27:56church
27:56of the
27:57apostles
27:57used
27:58the
27:59Septuagint
27:59as its
28:00Old
28:00Testament
28:01and this
28:02is not a
28:02matter of
28:03opinion
28:03but rather
28:04it is a
28:05historical
28:05and theological
28:07fact
28:07affirmed
28:08by
28:09orthodox
28:09sources
28:10I find it
28:12very interesting
28:13to note
28:14as well
28:14in my
28:15searching
28:15and even
28:16questioning
28:17why would
28:18the
28:18Protestant
28:19reformers
28:20object
28:20to these
28:21books
28:22found
28:22in the
28:22Septuagint
28:23on the
28:24same
28:24basis
28:25as the
28:25Jewish
28:26rabbis
28:26between
28:27the
28:277th
28:28and 10th
28:28centuries
28:29AD
28:29long
28:30after
28:31Christ
28:31and the
28:31apostles
28:33interesting
28:34and maybe
28:35astonishing
28:36to learn
28:38and note
28:38the answer
28:40to this
28:40ignima
28:41is very
28:42simple
28:42some of
28:43these
28:43books
28:44were left
28:44out
28:45because
28:45they made
28:46it quite
28:46clear
28:47and evident
28:47that
28:48prophetically
28:49the special
28:50role of
28:50the mother
28:51of God
28:51called the
28:52theotokos
28:53in Greek
28:54and this
28:55is Mary
28:55the mother
28:56of Jesus
28:57who visited
28:58Elizabeth
28:59and was
29:00pregnant
29:00with John
29:01the Baptist
29:01and said
29:02in a loud
29:02voice
29:03blessed
29:04are you
29:05among
29:05women
29:06and blessed
29:07is the
29:07fruit
29:08of your
29:08womb
29:09but why
29:10is it
29:10granted
29:11to me
29:11that the
29:12mother
29:13of my
29:13Lord
29:13should
29:14come
29:14to me
29:16Luke
29:16chapter
29:181
29:18verses
29:1939
29:20and 40
29:22in fact
29:23many of
29:23these passages
29:24from these
29:24books are
29:25often quoted
29:26by the
29:26fathers
29:27in discussing
29:28and understanding
29:28the role
29:29of the
29:30theotokos
29:30Mary
29:31the mother
29:32of God
29:32who births
29:33the savior
29:33of our
29:34souls
29:34and I
29:35shudder
29:36to think
29:36about
29:37how some
29:38of the
29:38modern
29:38commentators
29:39of the
29:40Bible
29:40have said
29:41any
29:41woman
29:42could
29:42have
29:43been
29:43the
29:43mother
29:44of
29:44Jesus
29:45Christ
29:46consequently
29:47around
29:48the
29:481800s
29:50the
29:50British
29:51Bible
29:51Society
29:52removed
29:52the
29:53Apocrypha
29:53using
29:54the copies
29:55provided
29:56by the
29:56Jewish
29:56rabbis
29:57which
29:58they
29:58chose
29:58to
29:59select
29:59and
30:00did
30:00not
30:00exist
30:01in
30:02the
30:02Hebrew
30:02language
30:03Martin
30:04Luther
30:05did
30:05not
30:05have
30:05the
30:05courage
30:06to
30:06continue
30:07in
30:07what
30:07the
30:08fathers
30:08had
30:08chosen
30:09as
30:09valid
30:10he
30:10deleted
30:11the
30:11epistle
30:12of
30:12James
30:12from
30:13the
30:13scripture
30:13which
30:14squarely
30:15contradicts
30:16his
30:16teaching
30:16that
30:17salvation
30:17is
30:18by
30:18grace
30:18alone
30:19he
30:20did
30:20however
30:21attempt
30:22to
30:22rearrange
30:22the
30:23order
30:23of
30:23the
30:24books
30:24of
30:24the
30:24New
30:24Testament
30:25placing
30:26this
30:27epistle
30:28at the
30:28very
30:28end
30:29hoping
30:30that
30:30no
30:31one
30:31would
30:31read
30:31it
30:32this
30:33revision
30:33however
30:34was
30:35unlike
30:35any
30:36other
30:36and
30:37was
30:37not
30:37generally
30:38accepted
30:39and
30:40I
30:40must
30:40tell
30:40you
30:41that
30:42in
30:42learning
30:42all
30:43of
30:43these
30:43things
30:43has
30:44made
30:45great
30:45impact
30:45on
30:46my
30:46decision
30:47in
30:47continuing
30:48and
30:48searching
30:49out
30:49more
30:49of
30:50these
30:50ancient
30:50truths
30:51and
30:51the
30:51continuity
30:52of
30:52this
30:53most
30:53ancient
30:53faith
30:54called
30:54orthodoxy
30:55and
30:55her
30:56beginning
30:56at
30:56Pentecost
30:5729
30:58AD
30:58and
31:00I
31:00encourage
31:00you
31:01to
31:01look
31:02into
31:02the
31:02history
31:03and
31:03the
31:03origin
31:03of
31:04the
31:04Bible
31:04and
31:04see
31:04for
31:05yourselves
31:05that
31:06the
31:06early
31:07years
31:07were
31:07based
31:08mainly
31:08on
31:08holy
31:09traditions
31:09of
31:10the
31:10early
31:11church
31:11and
31:12were
31:12shared
31:12long
31:13before
31:13the
31:13Bible
31:14was
31:14ever
31:14written
31:16I
31:16invite
31:17you
31:17dear
31:17listener
31:18and
31:18followers
31:18to
31:19continue
31:19with
31:20me
31:20as
31:20we
31:20take
31:21this
31:21journey
31:21into
31:22the
31:22mysteries
31:23of
31:23this
31:23ancient
31:24faith
31:24and
31:24learn
31:25of
31:25true
31:26ongoing
31:26repentance
31:27which
31:27will
31:28lead
31:28us
31:28into
31:28the
31:29most
31:29glorious
31:30salvation
31:30found
31:31only
31:31in
31:32our
31:32Lord
31:32Jesus
31:32Christ
31:33may
31:34we
31:34all
31:35take
31:35advantage
31:36of
31:36the
31:36time
31:36we
31:37have
31:37left
31:38on
31:38this
31:38earth
31:38to
31:39truly
31:39know
31:40the
31:40one
31:40who
31:41made
31:41eternal
31:42life
31:42possible