Christ is Risen!
“At times in my apologetics here, St. James has turned up to be a royal pain in the butt too! :) I just try to go back to the basics and realize that all scripture is God-breathed, and if I’m not comfortable with the wording of some of it, TOO BAD! :) All I can do is pray to God for revelation. I know He will teach me what He wants me to know, when He wants me to know it.”
I’m very much in the same place and thank God for The Church and the Fathers who tell me “TOO BAD! READ IT!” :)
” The other [than Paul] authors of the NT are a different story. +John is my head and shoulders favorite from the opening words of his gospel...
Me too! :)”
Here’s an interesting piece of history for you. In the days before the Great Schism, and long before you guys showed up, The Church forbade catechumens from reading +John because his theology was deemed too complex. Catechesis then revolved around the other three Evangelists, the Epistles and the Fathers. I tend to agree with those old timers.
“And this is the cause for my surprise. I’m talking about the instinct. The vibe I’m getting is that you will accept what Paul says, through the lens, because the Church says that is a good thing to do. It does not appear that you would accept Paul because you read his teachings independently, and then say “yes, that is Christ”. If I am even close, that is completely alien to me. :)”
I must say that my comments are just that, mine. As I said, I don’t like +Paul and never did. I don’t like to take medicine either, but the doctor tells me to take it and I have confidence he knows what he’s talking about. The Church tells me that +Paul’s writings are important for my theosis. I believe The Church. The Church preserves the works of +John Chrysostomos and has handed them on to people like me so we can accept and understand what +Paul has written.
I am put in mind of +John Chrysostomos’ Homily XX on Ephesians 22-24. This sermon, above all others by that great patriarch and saint, save for his Paschal Sermon, has had the greatest effect on my life. So much ink has been spilled over those verses and so much oppression justified by them and yet +John Chrysostomos shows us +Paul’s true meaning. Everytime I read it, it brings tears to my eyes because it shows us so forcfully the divine Love and providence and instruction of God contained in those verses and, frankly, because it has been the guide of our married life of now nearly 30 years. Here’s a short snip with advice to husbands and then a link to the sermon itself which you will find profoundly scriptural:
“And again, never call her simply by her name, but with terms of endearment, with honor, with much love. Honor her, and she will not need honor from others; she will not want the glory that comes from others, if she enjoys that which comes from thee. Prefer her before all, on every account, both for her beauty and her discernment, and praise her. Thou wilt thus persuade her to give heed to none that are without, but to scorn all the world except thyself. Teach her the fear of God, and all good things will flow from this as from a fountain, and the house will be full of ten thousand blessings.”
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf113.iii.iv.xxi.html
Once you’ve read the sermon you might understand why I feel the way I do about my “lens”.
What a fascinating piece of information, Kolokotronis! But why do you "tend to agree with those old timers?" John is a man after my own heart -- and clearly, you love him too.
Yet to love John does not mean one ought to disparage Paul. They look pretty "complementary" to me: Both reveal God's Truth.
Thank you ever so much for the link to +John Chrysostomos!
I must say that my comments are just that, mine. As I said, I don’t like +Paul and never did. I don’t like to take medicine either, but the doctor tells me to take it and I have confidence he knows what he’s talking about. The Church tells me that +Paul’s writings are important for my theosis. I believe the Church.
Exactly my sentiment, even though I don't see them as such myself.
That is interesting, thanks. I suppose I still can't wrap my arms around the idea of protecting people from themselves by shielding them from God's "revealed" word. :) John's writings can be loved and appreciated on so many different levels. I will be learning from them for the rest of my life.
I am put in mind of +John Chrysostomos’ Homily XX on Ephesians 22-24.
Thank you so much for the link to this wonderful sermon. (I'm about half-way through so far and look forward to finishing.) I'll tell you, just from the snippet you posted I could only think of one thing. Boy could us SBs have used this sermon a few years ago, when we were called misogynists for issuing a holding at our convention that "wives should submit to their husbands". We were called every name in the book. I took great delight in watching how the real wives in our church were laughing at the press coverage. :)