Holy Bible: Canonisation and Influence

Holy Bible: Canonisation

• The term "Bible" comes from the Greek language.
• The Old Testament focuses on God's covenant with the people of Israel.
• The Old Testament contains 39 books.
• The Peshitha is a Syriac version of the Bible.
• The Western Church was the first to accept the Book of Revelation as canonical.
• The Council of Jamnia was held in 90 CE.
• The earliest written material in the New Testament is the Pauline letters.
• The Protestant Church rejected the Apocryphal literature during canonisation.
• The Syrian translation of the Holy Bible is the Peshitha.
• The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by Metropolitan Mor Athanasius Yeshu Samuel.
• The term "Peshitha" means "Simple."

Old Testament Influence on Liturgy

• The Madbaha in the Syrian Orthodox Church resembles the Holy of Holies in the Jerusalem Temple.
• The prophet Isaiah’s vision is incorporated in the liturgy, emphasizing God’s glory.
• The seven daily prayer times are based on Psalm 118:164.
• Psalm 51, recited at the beginning of services, emphasizes repentance.
• The preparation of the Holy Mysteries reflects the priesthood of Melchizedek.
• Old Testament lessons are read before every Holy Qurbana and on special feasts.
• Clergy vestments and church items follow Old Testament prescriptions.

New Testament Influence on Liturgy

• The Holy Qurbana commemorates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Readings from the Gospels, Acts, and Epistles are essential parts of the service.
• The Trinitarian doctrine is emphasized throughout the prayers.

John's Gospel

• John's Gospel presents Jesus as the "Word" (Logos), who was with God in the beginning and was God.
• "Sign" in John's Gospel signifies something beyond its literal meaning.
• The "I am" statements in John's Gospel declare Jesus' divine nature.
• The first "I am" statement in John's Gospel is "I am the bread of life."
• John's Gospel highlights the role of the Holy Spirit as the divine agent who continues the work of Jesus after His departure.
• John's Gospel lacks narrative parables.

Acts of the Apostles

• The Acts of the Apostles narrates the missionary journeys of St. Paul.
• The Day of Pentecost commemorates the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the disciples.
• The Jerusalem Synod allowed Gentiles to join the Christian community without adhering to all Jewish laws.
• Prayer plays a significant role in the early Christian community.
• The "breaking of bread" mentioned in Acts 2:42 refers to the early practice of the Eucharist.

Early Church History

• The Council of Constantinople in 381 established Constantinople as the second most important see in Christendom.
• The Edict of Milan in AD 313 granted religious freedom to Christians.
• The Council of Ephesus rejected the term "Christotokos" (Christ-bearer) in favor of "Theotokos" (God-bearer).
• The Dyophysite theory, which proposed that Christ had two separate natures, was rejected by the Eastern Orthodox Churches.
• The Council of Nicaea in AD 325 affirmed that Christ is of the same substance (homoousios) as the Father, rejecting Arianism.
• The Nicene Creed became the foundational statement of Trinitarian belief in Christianity.
• The Syrian Orthodox Church believes in one God existing in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.