Class X English Part I English Past Paper PDF

Chapter 4 Inter Testament History (between the Old and the New Testaments) Learning Objectives: The history of Incarnation is given in the gospels. However, we need more materials to get a total picture of the references made in the Gospels. There is a long period of history that remains in between the Old and the New Testaments. Let us learn this history to get a comprehensive picture of the Bible. Verse to be Memorized: “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1). Learning Aids: The Holy Bible containing Deutro-Canonical Books or Apocryphal books, the Malayalam translation of Peshitha Bible, the Holy Bible, the Liturgical Book of the Holy Eucharist, and the Book of Common Prayer. Introduction Old Testament books like Ezra and Nehemiah as well as the last of prophetic books like Haggai and Zechariah give a picture of the Jews who returned from Babylonian exile. But these descriptions end with 400 BC. The Book of Daniel written in Second century BC doesn’t give a true historical account. The first book of the New Testament was written in AD 52 and the first of the gospels after AD 65. We shall try to have a glimpse of the history from BC 400 to AD 60 in this chapter. The Lesson In BC 538, the Parsi King Cyrus issued a decree permitting the Jews to return to Jerusalem. We read in Books like Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah and Ezra, how the Jews restored the Temple of Jerusalem in various stages. Ezra, Nehemiah, Joshua, the Priest and Zerubbabel gave leadership in the restoration of the Temple. This temple is known as the Second Temple of Jerusalem. Its construction was completed in BC 515 during the reign of king Darius (Ezra 6:15). In ancient West Asia the great powers that succeeded Israel were Assyria, Babylon, Parsis, Greeks and Romans. It was during the period of Parsi kings (BC 538-332) that the Jews in Babylonian exile returned to Jerusalem. We learn about the subsequent Jewish history from the Book of Maccabees and writings of Josephus and Philo of Alexandria (First Century AD). The Greek Period (BC 333-63) In BC 333 Alexander the Great of Macedonia defeated the Parsis and founded a vast empire. The period from Alexander’s reign is known as the Greek period. After his 24 death (BC 323) his empire was ruled by the military generals Ptolemy and Seleucides. Judah and Egypt were under the Ptolemies between 305 BC -198 BC. It was during the period of the second Ptolemy Philadelphes, that the Hebrew Bible was translated by seventy two scholars into Greek (This translation is known as Septuagint). Following the Ptolemies, the Seleucids rose to power (BC 198-BC 63). King Antiochus III defeated the Ptolemies and allowed the Jews to live according to their own scriptures. Josephus writes that he also gave financial aid towards this. However when his successor Antiochus IV (BC 175-164) came to power, the Jews were religiously persecuted. We read about this persecution in the Books of Maccabees. Antiochus IV ascended the throne in BC 175. The high priest of Israel at that time was a pious man, Onias III. King Antiochus wanted to capture the wealth of the Temple of Jerusalem. But his initial attempts didn’t succeed. Jason, the brother of Onias bribed the king and became the High Priest of Jerusalem (2 Maccabees 4:7-10). He tried to spread Greek culture in Jerusalem. Later a man named Menelaus became the High Priest. He behaved like a cruel dictator (2 Maccabees 4:24-25). Menelaus spent the money of the Temple of Jerusalem for his personal needs. He plotted to kill Onias III. King Antiochus IV defeated Ptolemy VI in BC 170 (2 Maccabees 1:17-19). During his return from war he looted the Temple of Jerusalem and carried away all its wealth (1 Maccabees 1:21-24). Two years later he sent troops and destroyed the walls of the Temple. He converted the Temple into his fortress (1 Maccabees 1:33) and dedicated the Temple to the Greek God Zeus (2 Maccabees 6:12). He also defiled the temple by sacrificing the profane animal pig (1 Maccabees 1:54) and destroyed the Jewish scriptures (1:56). The Jews under Priest Mattathias and his sons revolted against the desecration of the Temple and Jewish religion. The sons of Mattathias (Hasmonean tribes) under the leadership of Judas Maccabees (‘the hammer’) defeated the troops of Antiochus IV in BC 164. They reclaimed the Temple and rededicated it to God. This rededication of the Temple was in later Jewish history celebrated as a Feast called ‘Hanukkah.’ The Hasmonean (Hasidim) dynasty after Judas Maccabees ruled in Israel till BC 63 surviving the threat of various foreign powers like Seleucids and Romans. During the reign of Simon, the brother of Jude Maccabees, (BC 142-134) the threat of foreign invasion dissipated. The first book of Maccabees end with the death of Simon and the succession of his son John Hyrcanus. We should note here that the Hasmonean rulers were priests, administrators and military generals of Israel at the same time. It was during their period that social groups like Sadducees, and Pharisees originated in the Jewish community. Between BC 76-67 Queen Salome Alexandra ruled in Israel. She is the second woman ruler of Israel after Athaliah mentioned in the Holy Bible. Her son Hyrcanus II became the High priest. However he had to compete with his brother Aristobulus II for power. Both of them sought the help of the Roman military General Pompey. Pompey helped Hyrcanus II, defeated Aristobulus II, and made him 25 the High Priest of Israel. As a result Israel came under the Roman rule, which lasted for a few centuries thereafter. During the struggle for power with Aristobulus II, Hyrcanus II was helped by his friend Antipater of Idumea. Later Antipater was made the governor of Judea. He capitalized on his friendship with Hyrcanus II and made his sons Phasael and Herod governors of Jerusalem and Galilee respectively (BC 47). Later Herod fell out with the Sanhedrin Council and the Hasmonean family. He sought the help of Roman military leaders like Octavian and Mark Antony and was proclaimed king of Judea (BC 40). Three years later he conquered Jerusalem and killed all members of Hasmonean family one by one including Hyrcanus II. Thus the Hasmonean dynasty was wiped out of Israel and Israel became a client kingdom of Rome. The greatest contribution of King Herod is the reconstruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. The reconstruction that began in BC 20 was completed only in AD 62-64, several years after the death of King Herod (BC 4). King Herod’s sons vied for power and as a result Roman emperor Augustus Caesar took over the administration of Israel directly. The Caesars of Rome appointed non-Jewish governors to rule over Israel. Seven governors ruled in Israel between AD 6 and AD 41. The most important among them was Pontius Pilate who ruled from AD 26 to AD 36. The birth, Public Ministry and Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ took place between the last period of King Herod’s reign and the period of Pontius Pilate. Hymn (This hymn is recited after the Evangelion on the Day of Shubkhono, Chollunnu…) Tells righteousness O, sinner refuse evil ways ever Your Lord is searching everywhere for you If He finds you He will take you in-rejoicing And will give you His hand as he - gave to Simon Peter And will pardon you as He pardoned Zachaeus He will take you to His Father’s Abode O liberator of sins we Look upon You with praise Let Us Pray (This prayer is taken from ‘Prayer for Kings’ given in the Book of Common Prayers) O Omnipotent God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, kingship, authority, strength and dominance always belong to You. You are the one who appoints kings and officers. You help the kings and officers who fear, respect and worship You. You punish those who forget You and tred and reign in injustice. O God, bless all officers and men of authority who rule over us. Enable us 26 to receive mercy from them. Enable us to pray for them for the helps and goodness they do to us because of your mercy. Enable us exalt You incessantly for this, Amen Resolution We would never have God for material gains. We would never deviate from the path of God. Pause and Reflect 1. Refer to Haggai and Zechariah and find out the names of those who gave leadership to the restoration of the Temple of Jerusalem. 2. List the major powers of Ancient West Asia. 3. Who gave permission to construct the Second Temple of Jerusalem? 4. When was the construction of the Second Temple completed? 5. Have you read about Alexander the Great in your school classes? Discuss about him. 6. Who ruled the Greek empire after Alexander? 7. What is Septuagint? Name the ruler who inspired it. 8. Name the Seleucid king who ended the rule of Ptolemies. 9. Read 1 Maccabees 1-4 and discuss the important incidents described in them. 10. Name the persons who bribed Antiochus IV to become the high priest. 11. What is Hanukkah? 12. What is the meaning of the word ‘Maccabees’? 13. What is the alternate name of Hasidim dynasty? 14. What were the posts held by Hasidim kings simultaneously? 15. Who is the only woman ruler of Hasidim dynasty? 16. Whose competition for power led to Roman intervention in Israel? 17. Name the Idumean friend of Hyrcanus II? 18. Inter history between the Old and the New Testaments is replete with the struggle for the position of High priest. Elucidate. 19. Which were the major powers during this period? How did they influence the religious life of the Jews? 20. The arguments and competitions that develop in any community during any period of history lead to foreign interventions and invasions. Do you agree? Explain in the light of the chapter you have the Jewish history. Further Reading Begin from this week onwards the readings from the Holy Bible as scheduled. 27 Chapter‍ 5 The Holy Bible: A General Outline Learning Objectives: To understand the general content and significance of the Holy Bible and the role it plays in our daily life. Let us also read and meditate on biblical passages regularly. Verse to be Memorized: “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:24, 25). Learning Aids: Interpretations of the Holy Bible, Malayalam translation of ‘Peshitho’ (Syriac) Bible, the Liturgical Book of the Holy Eucharist, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Holy Bible. Introduction We read the Holy Bible everyday. The Holy Bible is the Word of God. They are Scriptures written by various authors who were inspired by God’s Spirit, and the Scriptures have been handed down through generations. What do we call something that we inherit from our forefathers through several generations? We call it tradition. Hence the Holy Bible is part of the sacred tradition of the Church. Today we are going to learn the content and significance of the Holy Book. The Lesson The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church recommends the use of ‘Peshitho’ or the Syriac Bible. We do not have an authorized translation of the whole ‘Peshitho’ Bible. The Gospels of the ‘Peshitho’ Bible were first translated into Malayalam by Ramban Philipose of Kayamkulam, Ramban Ittoop of Pulikkottil and the linguist Thinmayya Pillai jointly (AD 1811). The Peshitho has been translated verbatim into Malayalam recently by Very Rev. Kurian Cor Episcopa Kaniyamparambil. The Holy Bible widely used in Malayalam today is ‘The Holy Bible’ published by the Kerala Chapter of ‘The Bible Society of India.’ During the early stages of the translation of this Bible into Malayalam, several teachers and Syriac scholars of Malankara had been active and had translated several books from Syriac to Malayalam. However in the Holy Bible available today, the number and order of books are different from those in ‘Peshitho.’ Let us reflect on the content and significance of ‘Peshitho’ in this chapter. We have seen that the Holy Bible is part of the tradition of the Church. Every religion has a sacred book to teach its fundamental principles of faith. The Bhagavat Gita, the Quran and the Guru Granth Sahib are considered Holy Books by Hindus, 28 Muslims and Sikhs respectively. Similarly the Holy Bible is the fundamental scripture of Christians. The Holy Bible has two parts. The parts are the ‘Old Testament’ and the ‘New Testament.’ The Old Testament contains 39 books beginning with Genesis and ending with Malachi and the New Testament comprises contains 27 books, beginning with the Gospel according to St. Matthew and ending with Revelation of St. John. The Holy Bible contains 66 books. However in the ‘Peshitho’ Old Testament the number and order of books are different. The Malayalam translation of the Syriac Bible is available today. Let us examine how this difference happened? What follows is not refer to the ‘difference’? The Pentateuch The Old Testament teaches that God used to intervene regularly in the lives of Israelites. God called Abraham and asked him to come away from his homeland. Moreover God appeared at times to Abraham and gave him instructions as to how to go forward. Later, God also talked to the successors of Abraham (like Isaac, Jacob and Joseph). The book of Genesis records the events till the life of Israelites in Egypt. ‘Exodus’ tell about the tribulations of Israelites in Egypt, their liberation under the leadership of Moses, the covenant with God on Mount Sinai and the commandments of God in order to retain the relationship between God and His people. People used to make offerings and sacrifices to God during the Old Testament times. Leviticus explains the various types of sacrifices and offerings they made to God. The Book of ‘Numbers’ speaks about the enumeration of people and ‘Deuteronomy’, through the farewell speech of Moses, reiterates the covenant with God and the laws to be obeyed. Thus the Pentateuch comprises five books. Tradition teaches us that all these books were authored by prophet Moses. He was the head of prophets and liberator of Israelites from Egypt. During the Holy Eucharist we sometimes hear the deacon reciting the introduction to Readings from Old Testament “from the first book of Moses, the head of Prophets”. However, the authorship of the Pentateuch is ascribed to Moses, actually it contains collection made by others. We may say that they all come in the ‘tradition of Moses.’ The History of Biblical Books The book ‘Joshua’ tells us the story of Israelites after the death of Moses. Joshua was the disciple and successor of Moses. He led the Israelites into Canaan, the promised Land where they settled down as a nation. After settling down, Joshua sat in judgement over Israel. The history of the period of Judges from Othniel to Eli and the events related to Samuel, the last Judge and the first kings Saul and David, are narrated in books of Judges and 1 and 2 Samuel. The Books of Kings deal with the kingship of 29 Solomon, division of the country into (Northern) Israel and Judah, fall of both these kingdoms and the exile. The description of these events are repeated in Chronicles 1 and 2 along with a number of genealogies. Ezra and Nehemiah contain the quest of Israelites for their cultural identity after their return from exile. Thus the books from Genesis till Nehemiah deal with the history of a people from the times of Abraham till their return from exile. This covers the period from about 2000 BC till 450 BC. Along with these books we have beautiful historical narratives like Ruth and Esther, and compilations of hymns and songs composed for worship, kingship, pilgrimage, repentance and observance of fasts by Israelites. Psalms, Song of Songs and Lamentations are examples of such compilation. The moral life of the people and God-human relationship were founded on the Scriptures and the Covenant. But Israel drifted away from them several times. Whenever they went astray the prophets laboured to bring them back to a moral life based on the covenant. Prophets from Isaiah till Malachi gave instructions to people to return to the path of righteousness. Apart from them the wise people among the people of God also laboured to impart Godly wisdom to the people. Such Wisdom Writings include, the book of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Thus the Books of the Old Testament deal with events from Creation till the Fall of Human, the hope of Redemption and the divine interventions in human history. The Old Testament ends with the hope of a Saviour, the Messiah who would come to save His people. The books of the Old Testament are generally divided into three. 1. Torah (The Pentateuch): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. 2. Nebim (Prophetic Books): Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Chronicles, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea till Malachi. 3. Kethubim (Scriptures): Ruth, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations and Daniel. Old Testament is also known as TaNaK, an acronym for Torah, Nebim and Kethubim. The Scriptures contain hymns, history narratives, wisdom writings and apocalyptic literature. The New Testament books are classified into four Gospels; from St. Matthew to St. John; historical books-Acts of the Apostles and Epistles-from Romans till Jude followed by Apocalyptic literature (Revelation). The Gospels contain events from the birth of Jesus Christ till his Ascension. The four Gospel writers narrate these events according to their points of view. The Acts of Apostles provide a brief description of the founding and development of the Church in Judah and Jerusalem as well in various parts of the world. It relates events that succeeded Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It contains the response of the apostles to the problems in the Church they nurtured; and span from BC 5 to AD 100. The Holy Bible is thus a historical document that spans from BC 2000 till BC 450 and BC 5 till AD 100. However the history from BC 450 till BC 5 is not dealt with in 30 these books. Several books of the Peshitho Bible throw light on this ‘hidden’ period of history. Reading these books would enrich our life of faith. This period between the Old and New Testaments is a very important period in West Asian political history. The domination of Greeks and the invasion of Romans that succeeded it were decisive events in the life of faith of the Israelites. The book of Maccabees throw light on these events. Moreover there are also wisdom writings that belong to this period. We have to learn about them in detail. Hymn Your holy verse will grant us grace Will stroke us like gentle breeze And transform us by cleansing All taints inside, the salvific word Will give new birth to man Word will show light in our path And fills the heart with hope Word will give us Life This holy verse everyday Shower coolness And gives comfort Let us Pray (This prayer is recited when we read a passage from the Holy Bible) O Lord Jesus Christ, who gave us the Holy Bible which contains living and sacred verses for our salvation and good. We shall read and meditate upon the Holy Book night and day. Kindly enable us to respect the Holy Bible, know the benefits of this book, read it regularly and understand the mysteries in it, make it beneficial to us and others and to escape from the schemes of the Evil one. We shall read it and praise You at all Hours and always live, as You commanded, according to Your Will. Amen. (Prayer before reading the Holy Bible. Try to earn it by heart) O merciful Lord, open our inner eyes to read and understand the Holy Bible. Bless us to know the great ideas beneficial to our lives latent in them. Enable us to live according to these principles throughout our lives. Amen. Resolution We would honour the Holy Bible. We would read it regularly, understand the divine message contained in it and learn to do good to ourselves and the society. We would meditate on the word of God throughout our lives and would praise the Lord. 31 Let Us Think 1. Name the Syraic Bible, accepted by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. 2. What is the important difference between the Hoy Bible commonly available and Peshitho Bible? 3. How are the books of the Old Testament generally classified? Which are they? 4. What is ‘TaNaK?’ 5. What is the significance of Peshitho Bible? 6. How are the books of the New Testament classified? Which are they? 7. Who wrote the ‘Acts of the Apostles?’ What is the general content of this book? Activities 1. Learn by heart the names of books of the Holy Bible (Both Old and New Testaments) in the right order. 2. Refer to the Book of Family Worship and learn the prayers recited before and after reading the Holy Bible. 3. Prepare a list of the books in the Old and the New Testament. 4. Refer to the Peshitho bible and prepare a list of the books in them. Further Reading Read and meditate on the biblical passages scheduled for this week. 32 Chapter 6 The Epistles of St. Paul Learning Objectives: To learn the epistles of St. Paul and to understand the significance of these epistles and read and meditate on them. Also to try to emulate the life of St. Paul. Verse to be Memorized: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Learning Aids: The picture of St. Paul, the Holy Bible, the liturgical book of Holy Eucharist, and the Book of Common Prayer. Introduction Do you send letters or E-mails to others? Now a days, instead of letters, we often send messages through mobile phones and the Internet. However in olden days letters were the major form of communication. Letters were sent when a person could not interact directly with others. Can you say why these letters were sent? We sent them in order to pass on certain information urgently or to give directions or to clarify doubts or to communicate news etc. St. Paul has written several letters to the churches he had founded. The Epistles included in the Holy Bible are some of the important letters written by St. Paul. Today let us learn about these epistles. The Lesson In the Holy Bible there are 14 epistles authored by St. Paul. Some scholars think that the Epistle to the Hebrews was not written by him. However this epistle too is traditionally ascribed to him. They are the most important books next to the gospels. We are able to understand his personality and thinking through them. His theological wisdom is discernible in all the epistles. All the letters of St. Paul are not available with us. It is obvious that some of them are lost. In the first epistle to the Corinthians there is reference to a letter that had been sent to them earlier (1 Corinthians 5:9). We do not know further about this letter. Similarly in the Epistle to the Colossians (4:16) we are told that a letter had been sent to the Church of the Laodiceans. That epistle too is not available now. We can divide the epistles into two categories. 1. Epistles sent to churches (10) 2. Epistle sent to individuals (4) 33 Most of the epistles sent to individuals deal with the Church and its activities. These epistles were written between AD 49 and AD 67. One fact we should realize is that each these letters were written in a specific context. They were meant to give instructions to the church to which they were written. They deal with the particular problems and condition of those churches. Generally, the epistles of Paul are responses to the issues and needs of various churches. The circumstances of each church were different and the apostle tries address them. What were the problems he addressed? They include in matters of faith, conclusions, internal divisions and bickering, heresies, faltering in morality, and faulty rituals. There would have been no need for St. Paul to write these letters, if he could have gone and solved these problems directly. We should remember that modern means of communication were not available in those days. If these letters were written to local churches to solve their specific problems, how do they become relevant and useful to us? There are two answers to this question. First, the same problems encountered in those days reappear in different forms even today. Hence the message of the apostle is valid for all times. Secondly these letters are not casual compositions. They were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Hence they contain a important spiritual messages. They are significant to people of all places in all times. Paul wrote his letters in Greek. He was a great scholar and had great facility in the Greek language. However the Greek language he used in his letters is simple and ordinary. Even though he wrote in Greek, he was greatly influenced by the Jewish background. St. Paul writes his letters in the model of the letters composed in ancient times. However he makes necessary changes from the classical form of letter writing. Let us look at the structure of St. Paul’s epistles. 1. All letters begin with a greeting or salutation (eg. Acts 23:26). Paul expands his greetings meaningfully and gives them a Christian perspective. He tries to include in his greetings certain points suggesting the content of the epistles (Read out the salutation of one or two epistles in the class). 2. The greeting is followed by thanks giving to God for the Christian experiences of the recipients of the epistles. We shall learn the passages of thanksgiving in detail. 3. The body of the letter presents the teachings and dogmas of faith. Since the problems confronted by each church are different, the teachings and philosophy of St. Paul are formulated according to these problems. All epistles contain moral instructions. 4. All epistles conclude with words of blessing. These epistles were intended to be read before the congregation of worshippers. Hence the words of conclusion are chosen accordingly. 34 These epistles were often taken down by scribes when the apostle dictated them. One of the scribes has mentioned his name in the epistle to the Romans (‘I Tertius who wrote this epistle…’, Romans 16:22). In the end the Apostle writes his personal greetings “The salutation of Paul with mine own hand” (Colossians 4:18, 2 Thessalonians 3:17). These epistles were taken by loyal people to their destinations. We came across the names of such loyal people in the epistles (eg. Phoebe ;Romans 16:1, Tychicus; Ephesians 6:21). The same epistle was sometimes read in various churches (Colossians 4:16 says “when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea”). A large number of scholars are of the view that the first epistle of St. Paul is the epistle to the Galatians. The last epistle to be written by him is 2 Timothy (AD 49, 2 Timothy 4:7-8). Four of these epistles were written from prison. They are to Ephesians, to Colossians, to Philippians and to Philemon. We learn about the place of writing from these epistles themselves and hence they are called Prison Epistles. Three of the epistles are called Pastoral Epistles. There are two other epistles, one to Timothy and other to Titus. They are called Pastoral Letters because they speak about the Shepherds of the Church especially their qualifications and duties. In all our sacraments, readings from the epistles of St. Paul are made along with readings from the gospels. This practice reveals the importance Church has accorded to the epistles of St. Paul. They are invaluable for matters of faith and practice of faith. Hymn Recite the hymn ‘Paul the Blessed Saint, the Lord’s Apostle, said…’ (Paulose Sh’eeha…) in chorus. After the recital one of you can read the Epistle to Galatians 1:8, 9 based on which this hymn is composed. Let Us Pray (This prayer is recited along with the vespers on Thirteen day fast. This is given in the section special prayers in the Book of Common Prayer). O Lord Jesus Christ, by virtue of the prayers of the Apostles, especially those of St. Paul, enable us to conquer the world and its pleasures. Equip us to desire for an claim pleasures of eternal life in the other world. Let Your mercy help me not to fear those who kill the body, but fear those to could throw the body and soul into hell fire. Help us to live like true Christians focusing more on spiritual purity and holiness than on the body. Amen. Resolution We shall read these epistles regularly and would meditate upon them. We would follow the example of St. Paul in our lives. 35 Let Us Think 1. How many letters of St. Paul are available to us in the Holy Bible? 2. What are the evidences to prove that St. Paul has written more letters than those available in the New Testament. 3. How can we classify these letters? 4. What are the characteristics of the epistles of St. Paul? 5. How can we classify the epistles of St. Paul? 6. What are the circumstances which prompted the writing of these epistles? 7. Why are these epistles relevant for all times? 8. Describe the structure of St. Paul’s epistles. 9. Name the Prison Epistles. Why are they called so? 10. Name the Pastoral Letters. Why are they called so? 11. Bring out the importance of the epistles of St. Paul in our liturgy. Activities 1. Make a list of the epistles of St. Paul. 2. Conduct a classroom discussion on ‘Characteristics of the epistles of St. Paul.’ 3. Read, discuss and meditate on the epistles of St. Paul. Further Reading Read and the meditate on the biblical passages scheduled for this week. 36 Chapter 7 The Theological Vision of St. Paul Learning Objectives: To learn the prominent themes in the stream of St. Paul’s thoughts and to assimilate his theological vision and implement them in our lives. Verse to be Memorized: “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David-that is my gospel” (2 Timothy 2:8). Learning Aids: A chart showing the important components of St. Paul’s thoughts, the Holy Bible, the Liturgical Book of Holy Eucharist, and Book of Common Prayer. Introduction How can we discern the thoughts and beliefs of a person? By listening to his talks and by reading his writings. In order to understand the stream of St. Paul’s thoughts we need to analyse his epistles. Even though these epistles were written to different churches under different circumstances the theological vision of the Apostle is visible in them. They deal with all domains of Christian faith and Christian life. Today let us try to learn the important themes in St. Paul’s thought. The Lesson St. Paul is epistles have different contexts. The focus of his exhortations related to the times and needs. We can identify four stages in his thought. 1. In the first stage is his important themes are End of the Age and the Second Coming of Christ. This theme is elaborated in the first and second epistle to the Thessalonians. The End of Ages is described as the day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:10). On that day, Jesus Christ would reappear for the last Judgement of both the living and the dead. Jesus Christ is now seated in His great glory on the right hand side of the Father. Now Christ has not revealed His kingdom and authority before the world they will be revealed only at His Second Coming. Then every knee would bow at the name of Jesus and every tongue would confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Before the Second coming the force of Evil (Satan) will strive against God with all its might. Jesus Christ would come only after this event. On His arrival, the dead would resurrect from their tombs and the living would be transformed. The day of Lord’s Second Coming would witness the Last Judgement. After that all would join together in Christ. The life and integration of human lost through sin shall be regained. The transformed will inherit the ‘New Sky and New Earth’. 37 2. The second stage focuses on Christology and thoughts on the Holy Spirit. Christ’s Incarnation Death and Resurrection as well as the experience of Salvation are explained in detail. Paul clarifies in several epistles that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He is equal to and one with the Father and is the manifestation of Father. Everything in heaven and Earth was created through the Son. However, the Son willed to condescend from his Equality with Father, took the form of servant and became human. This condescension was in order to become and offering for the salvation of the world. Paul says that Jesus Christ is the ‘Lamb of the Passover sacrificed for the remission of humankind’ (1 Corinthians 5:7). The sacrifice of Christ is the means for wiping off the sins of humankind. This great salvific act of Jesus Christ can be assimilated by humankind through faith. Faith is the experience of submitting oneself to the divine love and mercy, revealed in Jesus Christ. The thoughts on Holy Spirit goes hand in hand with Christology. Life in Christ is described as Life in the Holy Spirit. St. Paul reveals that the Holy Spirit is not merely and Energy but a person of God. The Holy Spirit resides in the Church and apportions various graces for the building up of the Church. The greatest of these graces is love. The Holy Spirit lends strength and discrimination and along with it leads to fellowship and unity. The Holy Spirit enables and affirms the fellowship of the Church. 3. In the third stage, St. Paul elaborates his vision of the Christian Church. The Christian Church spread to all the important cities in the East and West of the Roman Empire. We come across thoughts of the Church in the early epistles also. However it is in the later period when Paul is imprisoned in Rome, that he thinks in detail about the Church and its Catholic nature. He thinks about the structure of the Roman Empire and its administrative mechanism. This prompts him to think about the Christian Church spread throughout the world and Jesus Christ who empowers and leads it. He uses three symbols to talk about the Church. i. It is the Holy Temple of the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 3:9, Ephesians 2:21). The Church is looked upon as a ‘Temple of God.’ This idea is founded upon his concept of the temple of God. The believers are the stones that build up this temple and the Holy Spirit is the architect of the temple. The Lord gives various kinds of graces to each believer in order in the building up of this temple. ii. It is the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25, 2 Corinthians 11:2) The intimate relationship between Christ and the Church is mentioned using the symbols of husband and bride. Christ’s love for the Church involves caring and self-sacrifice. On the other hand, the Church is united with Christ in fidelity and submission. iii. It is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:18) 38 This statement shows the inseparable relationship between the Church and Christ. The head of the Church is Lord Jesus Christ. Body cannot exist without its head. Similarly the Church cannot remain divided if it is to be the body of Christ. Hence the apostle asks the churches to remain united as a single body. The relationship among believers should be like the relationship between the various organs of the body. Hence the believers should help and cooperate with one another. Moreover the Church should always be under the control and the guidance of its head, Lord Jesus Christ. 4. As the fourth stage Paul presents the issues of church administration, ecclesiastical authorities, and their qualifications, and duties. The Church spread to various regions and its administrative mechanism came to be ordered in a systematic fashion. The ecclesiastical administrators could better be termed human servers. There were three positions of ecclesiastical ministry in the early church. They are (Episcopos, Kashisha/Presbyter and Deacon). People were delegated to all these positions in every church. They were ordained by the apostles by laying hands on them. They were to be righteous, learned in Scriptures and enthusiastic in spiritual instruction. Their main responsibilities were to lead corporate worship teach the true faith, resist heresies and help in the spiritual growth of the believers. Apostle Paul clarifies these duties in the epistles written to Timothy and Titus, the two important leaders of the Church in those days. The last epistle written by Paul is the second epistle to Timothy. In this epistle St. Paul says “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all of them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7, 8). Paul catches our attention because he has given us important instructions through his epistles. We have seen that he has really interpreted the Christian faith to us. The apostle tells us about duties of Christian life. Hymn (This hymn is recited after the Evangelion during the Holy Eucharist on the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul) St. Paul during his mission trips Reached gentiles and spread Christ’s gospels Without any rest-and full of zest He tread all paths And reached all lands 39 Let Us Pray (This is a prayer said along with morning worship on the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul (June 29). This is given along with special prayers in the Book of Common Prayer. O Jesus Christ, enable us to tread wisely through the narrow paths shown by Apostles, especially St. Paul. By virtue of their prayers let the diseased become healed the sad become consoled, the poor attain prosperity and the rich become righteous. Let us also be confirmed in apostolic teachings and have our haunches girded with gospelic practices. Let us also win all wars against adversaries. Amen. Resolution Like St. Paul, we would also work for the development and building up of the church. We would do our best to preserve the faith of the church. Let Us Think 1. What are the four aspects in the stream of St. Paul’s thought? Describe each of them. 2. What truths regarding Lord the Son are explicated by St. Paul? 3. What is St. Paul’s vision regarding the Christian Church? 4. What are St. Paul’s teachings on the Holy Spirit? 5. Describe St. Paul’s ideas regarding the qualifications and duties of the administrators of the church. 6. What is the position accorded by the Church to St. Paul? Activities 1. Make a chart of the four stages in St. Paul’s thoughts. 2. Find out the occasions in our church services and sacraments in which we remember St. Paul. 3. Collect various pictures of St. Paul. 4. Prepare a project report of ‘The theological visions of St. Paul’ and present it in the class. Further Reading Read and meditate on the biblical passages scheduled for this week. 40 Chapter 8 The General Epistles Learning Objectives: To learn generally about the General Epistles and try understand the their content. Verse to be Memorized: “Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name” (1 Peter 4:16). Learning Aids: A chart containing the names of General Epistles, the Book of Holy Eucharist, and the Book of Common Prayer. Introduction We all participate regularly in the Holy Eucharist, don’t we? Have you noticed the Biblical lesson read on the Northern side of the chancel-step? These lessons are either from the Acts of the Apostles or from the General Epistles. Why do we select the lessons only from these books? They indicate the mission of the Church among the gentiles. The lesson read at the southern side of the chancel-step will always be from the Epistles of St. Paul. This indicates the domestic mission of the Church. All epistles except those by Paul are called General Epistles. They are called so because they are not addressed to any church in particular. For example see the first epistle of St. Peter. This was written to the believers scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Today we learn about these General Epistles. The Lesson There are seven General Epistles in the New Testament. Peter has written two epistles John has three, whereas James and Jude have written on each. These epistles were written under two different circumstances. Persecution of Christians Christians had to undergo severe persecution on account of their faith in Lord Jesus Christ. Some of these epistles were written to provide courage to the persecuted Christians. They exhort Christians to remain steadfast in faith despite the persecution. The Spread of Heresies Several heresies crept into the Church through the influence of other religions and philosophies in those days. The epistles expound the fundamental principles of faith and exhort the believers to abide by these principles. i. The First Epistle of Peter: The first epistle of Peter is written at the time persecution. This epistle is often described as ‘Epistle of hope’ and ‘Epistle of 41 encouragement.’ It imparts courage to the persecuted Christians and admonishes them to stand undaunted (1:6-7, 2:12, 4:12-16, 5:10). It is believed that emperor Nero (AD 64-65) is the tormenter referred to in this epistle. It was during this persecution that St. Paul and St. Peter became martyrs in AD 67. The first part of the epistle (1:3- 4:11) deals with the spiritual and moral principles the believers have to follow. The second part (4:12-5:13) contains more references to the persecution. The admonitions given to the believers in Asia Minor at the time of their baptism are reiterated. Since the Christians are being persecuted, they are given specific instructions as to how to confront them. ii. The Second Epistle of Peter: This is written in the background of heresies. This epistle shall be read along with the epistle of Jude. Both display similarities. The two epistles of Peter could have been written based on the epistle of Jude. The heresy that crept into the church in those days was a variant of Gnosticism, which became popular by the end of First century AD. What does this epistle say about apostate teachers? 1. They privily bring in damnable heresies. 2. They even deny Lord Jesus Christ. 3. They bring swift destruction upon themselves. 4. They follow their pernicious ways. 5. They utter feigned words out of covetousness. iii. The Epistle of Jude: This is written with the same background as the second epistle of Peter. At the beginning of the Epistle the author describes himself as “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.” It is not Jude, the disciple of Christ but Jude, one of the “brothers of Jesus,” (St. Mark 6:3) who wrote this epistle. He was the brother of James, the Episcopa of Jerusalem. Jude exposes the heresy of Gnosticism. iv. The Epistles of St. John: The Holy Bible contains three epistles written by St. John. Besides, there we have two books by St. John – The gospel according to St. John and Revelation. The First Epistle of St. John: There is intimate thematic relationship between the first Epistle of John and the Gospel according to St. John. It is believed that this epistle was written commonly to various churches in Asia Minor. Hence it doesn’t contain any reference to individuals or persecution. The problem encountered by the Church was apostate teachings and the confusions created by them. True faith was in peril and needed to be defended. What was the heresy faced by the church in those days? It was called Docetism which was a variant of Gnosticism. This teaching questioned the true human nature of Christ and denied that Christ was Son of God. These teachings challenged the 42 fundamental faith regarding Lord Jesus Christ. These heretics taught that the means of ‘salvation’ was acquisition of ‘knowledge.’ The apostle opposed this argument. The basis of salvation is the faith that redemption was brought by the death of Jesus Christ. The apostle elaborates on love, the hallmark of Christian life, in this epistle. The Second and Third Epistles of St. John: These are minor writings containing one chapter each. In the second epistle the apostate teachers are described as “deceivers who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.” The heretics spread dangerous teachings. Hence the believers should not keep any relationship with them. The third epistle is addressed to Gaius. The content of this epistle is the difference of opinion of Diotrephes, the head of a church with the apostle. This epistle does not mention anything about declension and apostasy. v. The Epistle of James: James the author of this Epistle, is not the Apostle of Christ, but one of the ‘brothers’ of Jesus Christ (St. Matthew 13:58, Mark 6:3). He was the Episcopa of the church in Jerusalem and was one of the three ‘pillars of the church’ (Galatians 2:9). He presided over the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-21). After Resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared exclusively to James (1 Corinthians 15:7). The background of this epistle is neither persecution nor heresy. The theme of this epistle is outward religious service as the expression and proof of faith. There had been too much insistence on ‘faith’ in Christian teachings, as a result of misinterpreting the doctrines of St. Paul. St. James upholds four ideas in his epistle. 1. Faith and work: Our faith should prompt us to do works of love. The true expression of faith is works. Faith without works is dead. 2. Christian equality and brotherly love: There is an exhortation for social justice in this epistle. Wealth is ephemeral. The rich are asked to take good care of their labourers. 3. Control the tongue: Controlling the tongue is essential for spiritual sustenance. The epistle instructs refrain from excessive and vain talk. 4. Prayer: Christian life shall be one of praise and prayer. People shall pray intensely during times of affliction. The elders of the church shall anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord. Thus this epistle contains lot of instructions for practical Christian life. Hymn (Shemavonum Yohannanum...) Simon Peter and St. John went to the - Temple At the hour of Terce and said - to the - lame beggar We don’t have any - silver - or - Gold 43 But we give you - what the Lord gave us In the name of Jesus Christ - you rise up and walk Sing aloud the praises of - the One who has healed you Haleluiah vu Haleluiah Let Us Pray O Jesus Christ, create interest in us to go like, Your disciples Simon Peter and St. John to the hurch in order to say our prayers. Grant us a heart with preparedness to show kindness to the weak and the diseased and help them. Help us to become true Christians in both thoughts and deeds. Moriyo... Resolution We have understood about the General Epistles. We would read them regularly. Let Us Think 1. Which are the General Epistles? Who wrote them? 2. Name the books other than the epistles of by St. John. 3. Bring out the characteristics of the epistles of John and Jude. 4. Explain the background of the General Epistles. 5. What are the epithets used to describe the first epistle of Peter? Why are they described so? 6. Find the similarities between the second epistle of St. Peter and the Epistle of Jude. 7. What is the theme of St. Jude’s epistle? 8. Explain the thematic relationship between the first epistle of St. John and the Gospel according to St. John. 9. List the main teachings in the epistle of St. James. 10. From the epistle of St. James quote bible verses, which justify anointing the sick with oil. Activities 1. Read the first epistle of St. Peter. Write the verses that attract you most in your diary. 2. Write a not on the authors of General Epistles. 3. Read the epistles you learned today and meditate on the messages they contain. Further Reading Read and meditate on the biblical passages scheduled for this week. 44 Chapter 9 The Book of Revelation Learning Objectives: To understand the content and characteristics of the Book of Revelation. Also to read this book and meditation it. Verse to be Memorized: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3). Learning Aids: Pictures of certain symbols in the Book of Revelation, the Holy Bible, the book of Holy Eucharist and the Book of Common Prayer. Introduction Name the first book in the Holy Bible. Genesis. Which in the last book in the Holy Bible? Book of Revelation. This book is known as ‘the prophetic book of the New Testament’ (Revelation 1:3, 22:19). It is written by apostle St. John. The book contains a vision by St. John while he was living in exile in the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9). That is why it is called a ‘prophetic book.’ Today we learn the important ideas contained in this book. The Lesson The book of Revelation is radically different from other books in its theme and presentation. It contains a lot of visions and uncommon illustrations. The symbols and images used in it create confusion. Hence this book is not read during the public worship of the church. This book is a Product of Times of Persecution Apocalyptic writing flourished in Jewish society during the times of persecution. Book of Revelation by St. John falls in this category. What are apocalyptical writings? The Greek word ‘Apocalypse’ means unveiling, or revelation. It means revealing future happenings known only to God. A People undergoing trials and persecution will have great curiosity and anxiety about the future. The first apocalyptical book was written in Second century BC when the Jews were in exile. This is the book of Daniel. Later several such works were written both in the Jewish community and in the Christian Church. 45 Differences between Prophetic Books and Apocalyptical Writings a. Prophetic books are mainly teachings based on the spiritual and moral issues of contemporary times. Apocalyptic writings present God’s judgment of the world in future. They present the happenings at the end of the world. b. The prophets were primarily speakers. Their message was recorded only in later times. Apocalyptic writers are not speakers, but writers. c. The prophets often scolded the people and exhorted them to turn to God. Apocalyptic writers imparted courage to people and encouraged them to stand steadfast in faith. d. The prophets spoke about divine interventions in a clear language. The Apocalyptic writers imparted their message covertly using symbols and images. Features of Apocalyptic Writings 1. These writings lack clarity of expression. Instead, the themes are presented in figurative and symbolic language. Images of strange creatures, animals, and numerology are employed to convey the ideas. People in those days could understand this figurative language. Simplicity and clarity were avoided and figurative language was used because it was times of persecutions. 2. They depict the conflict between good and evil; ie. between God and Satan. People of God are persecuted because of Satan’s schemes. However God intervenes eventually, defeats Satan and establishes His omnipotence. 3. God reveals His message through dreams and visions. On most occasions the message is imparted through angels. Revelation of St. John Usually apocalyptic writers don’t reveal their real name in the works. The book are often published in the name of well known personalities of those days. Such a practice was followed because those were times of persecution. However St. John has disclosed his name in the Book of Revelation (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8). At the same time he hasn’t recorded his name in other works like the Gospel or the epistles he authored. Besides, the ideas, language and technique of expression in ‘Revelation’ are radically different from those of other works. Church Fathers like Justin Martin and Ireneus who lived in Second century AD have testified that this book was written by St. John himself. The tradition of subsequent times also uphold his authorship. The Book of Revelation was written at a time when Christians were being persecuted (Refer 2:9; 3:9; 13:1, 2; 18:16; 17:20). The persecution was unleashed by 46 Roman rulers. The reason for persecution was that Christians declined the emperor’s decree to worship his idol. St. John was exiled to Patmos (1:10). The churches in Asia Minor were undergoing terrible persecution. It was in these circumstances that St. John had a vision of heaven while living in Patmos island and wrote the Book of Revelation. The persecution referred to here is the persecution by emperor Domician of Rome who reigned from AD 81 to AD 96. He propagated worship of the emperor and demanded that his subjects should address him as ‘Lord and God.’ The Christians could address only one person-Lord Jesus Christ, the saviour and preserver. The Central Message of the Book a. This book contains a great message of hope and victory. Ultimately it is not evil but good that wins. Even though Satan and his hosts may have their domination for a period, ultimately Jesus Christ would vanquish them. b. The future is controlled by God. Evil and persecutions happen to human not only as punishment but also for the renewal of life. The future of humankind is related to Lord Jesus Christ. c. The Christian Church has encountered trials and persecutions. Satan and the opposing forces of the world and false teachings, create problems to the Church. But Jesus Christ will attain victory over everything. A new heaven and new earth will be born. The Kingdom of God will be founded everywhere. Hymn (Ente Daivam Mahatwathil...) When my Lord in great glory Reigns in heaven mercifully My heart tells me, there is no rea-son why I should suffer trails of this - sinful - world The bosom friends I keep are the Chores of angels up in heaven Though they are now engaged in the Lord’s service Will come down to me in order to guard and nurse I won’t fear even though I Live alone in isle of Patmos My Beloved will open skies and come And I will be ec-static - at His sight 47 Let Us Pray O Lord, let Your spirit help us to proclaim Your living words boldly like St. John. Make us Your holy temple so that Your Holy spirit will reside in us. Let Your graces and gifts lead us, Your devotees, to all virtues. Transform us into holy vessels useful to you. Let Your gospels be preached throughout the world and Your sacred name be glorified. Amen. Resolution We shall read the Book of Revelation regularly; we are ready to suffer for the sake of Lord Jesus Christ. Let Us Think 1. Who wrote the Book of Revelation? Name the other works of this author. 2. Why don’t many people prefer to read the Book of Revelation? 3. Bring out the important differences between prophetic works and Apocalyptic writings. 4. Why don’t we have readings from the Book of Revelation during Church services? 5. What is Apocalyptic literature? Explain. 6. What are the differences between prophetic books and apocalyptic writings? 7. List the common features of apocalyptical writings. 8. What are the circumstances under which St. John wrote Book of Revelation? 9. What is the central message of the Book of Revelation? Activities 1. Write in your diary the names of symbols and images seen in the Book of Revelation. 2. Read carefully the Book of Revelation and write the meanings of the symbols used in your diary. 3. Read and meditate on this book. Further Reading Read and meditate on the Bible passages prescribed for this week. 48 Chapter 10 Canon of the Holy Bible Learning Objectives: To understand how the Holy Bible was compiled and read the Holy Bible regularly and meditate on it. Verse to be Memorized: “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Learning Aids: The Holy Bible, the interpretation of the Holy Bible, the Book of Holy Eucharist, and the Book of common prayer. Introduction The Holy Bible is the authoritative Scripture of the Christian Church. Christians read and meditate on Bible passages regularly and listen to readings from Holy Bible during church services. The Holy book illuminates their path of life. Who is the author of the Holy Bible? It is a compilation of various books written by different authors in different periods of history. How were these books compiled? Who compiled them? Who decided this as the Holy Book? Let us learn these details and learn more about the Holy Bible today. The Lesson The word ‘canon’ is a Greek word. It literally means ‘measuring rod’ and when used technically means ‘Rules or Criteria.’ The canon of the Holy Bible refers to, principle by which the books are included in it. The canonical books of the Holy Bible were not arbitrary compiled and declared as the Holy book. The process of selecting and compiling the canon of the Bible has a long history. The canon of the Bible was evolved and established through a long period of time. Several books were progressively added to the Holy Bible before the canon of Bible as we see it today was finally established and confirmed. Several criteria were employed to include a book in the canon. It was the Church that made the selection of the books based on these criteria. 1. First of all the author should be an accepted ‘Man/woman of God’. 2. The content of the book should be beneficial to the faith and order of one’s life. It should be congruous with similar books. 3. It should have been used in worship and should have general acceptance. 4. It should generate thoughts of God in the believers, and may lead them to God. 49 Old Testament Canon The word ‘canon’ was not used during the Old Testament period. There had been no official decision regarding the books included in the Old Testament. The Hebrew Bible followed by the Jews in Palestine contained only the 39 books we use today (The Hebrew Bible has integrated some of these books and contains only 20 books). But before Third century BC, a large number of Jews migrated to Alexandria, which had been a famous town in those days. The local language of Alexandria was Greek. The later generations of the migrant Jews didn’t know Hebrew and hence the Holy book was translated into Greek. This translation was done jointly by seventy scholars and hence it came to be known as Septuagint (LXX). The translation was completed by the end of Third century BC and Second century AD. This Greek Bible contained seven books more than the Hebrew Bible which was in use in Palestine. It included also the histories, events and thoughts after the composition of the 39 Books of the Holy Bible. Thus there were two canons of the Bible in the Jewish community. The first was the Bible canon used in Palestine and the other was the canon used in Alexandria. The Christian Church from its beginning used the Greek Bible. There were 46 books (39+7=46) in the Greek Bible. Council at Jamnia The Rabbis and scholars of Judaism who wanted to prevent the spread of Christianity assembled at Jamnia in AD 90. The council at Jamnia took several important decisions. One was the rejection of the Alexandrian canon of Bible used by the Christian Church. The number of books of the bible was fixed at 39. This was the first official decision regarding books of the Old Testament. The additional books in the Greek translation were collectively called ‘Deutero-Canonical’ books. However the Old Testament adopted by the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches contain all the forty six books of the Greek translation. But the Protestant churches recognise only the 39 books of the Palestine Canon. Since the Holy Bible we commonly used in India is one today published by a Ecumenical organ called ‘The Bible Society of India’ which contains only 39 books. The New Testament Canon-Its Significance. The New Testament recognized by all Christian churches contain 27 books. The canon of the New testament was also established through progressive recognition. The books read during the worship of the Church came to be recognized as the official books. Books likes epistles of St. Paul, the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, General Epistles and Revelation were written by the end of First century AD. However they 50 were not included in the New Testament as we see it today. It was only in the later ages that they came to be recognized as the authoritative part of scriptures. The Circumstances of Establishing the Canon By the Second century AD several books other than the New Testament books as we have it today came into currency in the society. Most of them were authored by heretics to propagate their theories. Thus there were two sets of books popular in the society-the works inspired by the Holy Spirit containing true teachings and those created by heretics. The two sets of books created confusion among believers and hence the establishment of a New Testament Canon became a necessity. The Church wanted to keep off the teachings of heretics. The example of compiling the Old Testament books influenced the Church. Christians thought that, like Jews, they too needed authoritative texts and a canon to follow (Remember the criteria used to select a book to be included in the official list of Scriptures). Based on these criteria the first books to be recognized were the four gospels, Acts of Apostles, and the thirteen epistles attributed to St. Paul. The other New Testament books were subsequently and progressively admitted to the list of canonical books. Nine books that were subsequently admitted were epistle to Hebrews, James, Jude, Revelation, 1 and 2 Peter and 1, 2 and 3 John. The first person to prepare a list of the New Testament books was a heretic named Marcion. This was prepared during the middle of Second century AD. His list contained only the Gospel of St. Luke and ten epistles of St. Paul. Moreover he edited these texts in order to establish his teachings. By AD 180, the Church of Rome published an official list, perhaps to counter the move of Marcion. A copy of this list was rediscovered in 1740 by a scholar named Muratory at Rome. The early church fathers have listed the New Testament books in their writings. The Canon given by Church Fathers like Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Cyril of Jerusalem, Athanasius of Alexandria and Jerome and quite notable. St. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria described the New Testament canon in a Pastoral letter issued in AD 365. The list contained all the 27 books we have today. However in the list of St. Cyril of Jerusalem the Book of Revelation is excluded. The Great Ecumenical Councils didn’t take any decision regarding the canon of the Holy Bible. However, canon of the Bible is defined in certain local councils. It is important to keep in mind that it is the Holy Church that has given us the Holy Bible. It is the Church that has weighed the authority of a particular book and has declared it to be part of the canon. At the same time, the role of the Holy Bible in regulating the faith of the Church and the life of the believers is unique and primary. What is notable here is that the Church existed long before the Holy Bible came into existence. 51 Hymn (Yeshuvin Thiruppadathil...) Seated at the feet of Jesus Let us all listen To His Holy verses which are The breath of our Lives Gospel of Jesus Christ Are sacred counsels for us We shall listen, preserve we shall, The verses of Life. Let Us Pray (This Prayer is recited before reading from the Holy Bible. It is given in the section for special prayers in the Book of Common Prayer) O merciful Lord Jesus, who gave us the Holy Bible to read and meditate upon night and day. Enable us to rever the Holy Bible befittingly, to know its benefits, to understand its mysteries by reading it day and night, to make it useful to us and others and to escape from the schemes of the treacherous Evil one. The Holy Bible contains living and holy verses for our salvation and benefit. Enable us to read and meditate upon it at all Hours and praise You. Also help us to live our lives according to Your commandments given through this Holy Book. Amen. Resolution We pledge to read the Holy Bible regularly and meditate and accept the primacy and importance of the Church. Let Us Think 1. What is the meaning of the word ‘canon’? 2. What is Septuagint? 3. How many books did the Greek Bible contain? 4. Explain the circumstances in which the Holy Bible was compiled. 5. Explain the meaning of the term ‘Canon of the Bible.’ 6. What were the criteria used by the church to accept a book in the canon? 7. Why did two different canons came into existence in the Jewish community? Which are those canons? 8. What is the council of Jamnia? What was the goal of that council? 9. Explain the circumstances under which the New Testament canon was established? 52 10. “It is the holy church that provided us with the Holy Bible. Hence both should be given due importance. Explain this idea and bring out the respective significance of the Holy Church and the Holy Bible. Activities 1. Conduct a classroom discussion on whether we should give more importance to the Holy Bible than the holy church. 2. Prepare a project report on the circumstances in which the Holy Bible was formulated. 3. Discuss the significance of the Holy Church and the Holy Bible. 4. Read the Holy Bible regularly and meditate. Further Reading Read and meditate on the biblical passages scheduled for this week. 53 Chapter 12 Observing the Passion Week Learning Objectives: To understand the order of prayers for the Passion Week and follow them with true devotion; and experience the spirituality of the various prayers and hymns of the Passion Week. Verse to be Memorized: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done” (St. Luke 22:42). Learning Aids: The Prayer book of Passion Week, Book of Common prayer and the Holy Bible. Introduction The crux of prayers of in an year is the prayers of the Passion week. These prayers contain lengthy supplication and meditation. Each prayer is composed in such a manner that the believers would experience the suffering and Crucifixion of Jesus directly. Since the prayers are lengthy, they are recited at the specified canonical Hours. At the most there are clubbed together as three hours of worship as followed during lent. In homes, usually prayers are said at three hours of worship-morning, noon and evening. In the church services of the Passion Week Promeyon and Sedra prayers are stipulated for each canonical hour. Moreover the Evangelion is read during all canonical hours except compline. The Kauma recited during the Passion Week are also special Kaumas. Let us learn about these prayers in detail. The Lesson The prayers of the Passion Week begin with vespers on the evening of Palm (Hosannah) Sunday. The prayers of the Passion Week are to be followed from the evening worship of Monday. As we know in the Orthodox tradition, a prayer day begins on the evening of the previous calendar day. Even if we pray at home, we should follow the prayer book for Passion Week. We should recite the Kauma for each day and make prostrations. The Trisagion prayer ‘Holy art thou, O God’ should be substituted with the Kauma specified for that particular day. Similarly instead of the prayer ‘Lord have mercy upon us’ we should recite the hymn ‘Lord Thy Praise…’ or its prose equivalent. This should be followed by Lord’s Prayer. We don’t recite ‘Hail Mary’ during the Passion week. Since everything and everybody concentrates on the Passion and Cross of Christ, other usual themes like intercession are avoided during the Holy Week. The Book of family worship for the Passion Week contains, after Kauma prayers that meditate on the passion of Lord Jesus Christ. But the public worship in the church contains prayers like Psalms, Promeyon’ Sedra, Eniono, Kolos’, ‘Ethro’, ‘Bothed Hasho’ and ‘Bovootho.’ 57 Can you say the meaning of these words? Do you remember the meaning of the terms ‘Promeyon’ and ‘Sedra’ which we studied in previous class? Promeyon means ‘Preface’. ‘Sedra’ means order or series. Promeyon is the prefatory prayer said before the comparatively longer ‘Sedra’ prayer. Incense is offered while reciting the sedra. ‘Eniono’ means praise or prayer of response. These are special prayers said during the worship. ‘Kolo’ means hymn. Usually the hymns that follow Promeyon and Ethro will be Kolos. ‘Ethro’ means ‘prayer with incense’. ‘Bothed Hasho’ means ‘pauses of Passion Week Prayers.’ They are hymns of meditation included in the prayers for Passion Week. Bovootho means ‘supplication.’ We have already mentioned that the prayer ‘Hail Mary’ is nor recited during the Passion week. Normally the chancel of the Holy of Holies remains veiled. The chancel is unveiled only during the Holy Eucharist on Maundy Thursday at the time of the Adoraton of the Holy Cross (Sleeba vandanav) on Good Friday. On all other occasions the offices are performed on the table of prayer in the Alb with the Golgotha erected at its front. The Kukiliyons are not recited during the Passion Week. Similarly there will be no Benediction, Kiss of Peace either. The proclamations before Evangelion will be brief and plain. The bell and fan are not used during Church services. All healthy people should observe prostrations at the specified occasions. Similarly prostrations should be made meditatively while reading the Sedra prayers. On Good Friday, we have the tradition of everyone participating in public worship in the church. We reach the church early in order to meditate on the various stages of Christ’s passion and pray at the respective canonical hours. Those who reach the church at the Hour of prime should not forget to say the Nocturn prayers at home. In the liturgy of Good Friday certain hymns called ‘Sugeeso’ and ‘Madroso’ are included. The word ‘Sugeeso’ means additional. These hymns are added to regulate the length of service and add to the beauty of the service. They contain descriptions, instructions, and praises. Most of Sugeesos are written in the form of conversation. The Processions on Good Friday Two solemn processions are conducted on Good Friday. The first procession is done after the prayers of Terce. Contrary to ordinary processions, the first procession on Good Friday the church gives out through the doors to the Southern side, encircles the church once in clockwise direction and reenters through the door to the Northern side. This solemn procession reminds us of Jesus Christ’s journey to Golgotha carrying the cross. The second procession is done within the church after the prostrations in front of the Holy Cross. It commemorates Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus carrying Christ’s dead body from the Cross His tomb. The Procession is done twice in the clockwise direction and then once in the anti-clockwise direction inside the church. Let Us Think 1. Name the Moranaya Festival likely to fall during the Passion Week. 58 2. If a Moranaya festival falls during the Passion Week, then ordinary Prayers are followed on that day. Why? 3. In which year in immediate future will a Moranaya festival fall during passion week? (Find out from the ‘Pampakkuda’ Book of Prayer or any other book containing the Church calendar.) 4. Find out the differences between the Bovoothos of Mar Jacob, Mar Aphrem and Mar Balai from our liturgical books. Activities 1. Find out the ‘Sugeesos’ used in the liturgy of Good Friday. 2. Understand the announcements made before the ‘Evangelion’ during the Passion Week. 3. Conduct a discussion on the relationship between canonical Hours and the various stages of Christ’s Passion (You have already studied it in Class IX). 4. Write an essay on the solemn processions of Good Friday. 5. List out the precautions that the altar boys shall observe on Holy Week. Hymn (Atmakkale rekshichoru...) We bow to the Holy Cross that - has saved our souls And says along with the thief O Saviour remember us when You come. Let Us Pray (This prayer is recited along with the morning worship on Good Friday. Refer to the Book of Common Prayer) O Lord Jesus Christ, Who for our salvation was led to the court of trial like a convict, who was slapped in the face by His servant, who liberated the slaves of sin and who gave us life through His Crucifixion. We praise You for Your Great mercies. Enable us to come to Your Cross and bow, kiss Your feet and attain remission of sins through pure thoughts and good deeds. Enable us to rely upon You with out faltering and depart from this world in peace. Barekmor. Resolution We would observe. Lent and fasting without fail. We would participate in public worship with devotion. Further Reading Read and meditate on the biblical passages scheduled for this week. 59 Chapter 13 Special characteristics of the Holy Eucharist on Maundy, Thursday and Holy Saturday Learning Objectives: To recognize the special the characteristics of the Holy Eucharist on Maundy, Thursday and Holy Saturday. Let us participate in them devoutly and recite hymns and prayers comprehending their meaning. Verse to be Memorized: “For this is the reason the gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does” (1 Peter 4:6). Learning Aids: The Offices of Feasts, the prayer book of Passion Week, the Holy Bible, and the Book of Common Prayer Introduction We have learned in the previous chapters that the canonical prayers of Passion Week are different from ordinary prayers. What are the important differences? We recite special ‘Kaumas.’ We don’t recite “Hail Mary” and Kukiliyons. The prefatory announcements of Evangelion are plain. Besides the chancel of the Holy of Holies remain veiled. However Holy Eucharist is celebrated on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Let us learn the characteristic features of the Holy Eucharist on these days. The Lesson When do the liturgical services of Maunday Thursday begin in your church? The prayers begin in such a manner that the Holy Eucharist will be completed at dawn. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist begins after saying the prayers of Nocturn, Prime and Terce. The chancel is unveiled and candle is lighted on the altar only when the priest enters the Holy of Holies for preparatory offices before the Holy Eucharist. Even though the public celebration of the Holy Eucharist begins in the ordinary fashion, the Trisagion prayer ‘Holy art Thou, O God’ is substituted with the Kauma of Maundy Thursday. The New Testament Lessons are read after saying ‘Lord have mercy.’ The prefatory announcement of Evangelion will be plain following the custom of the Passion Week. The censor is blessed with a different set of accompanying prayers. Instead of reciting ‘Holy is the Father’, the ‘Kauma’ of Maundy Thursday is used to bless the censor. Then the hymn “Lord your praise...” (Lokmor theshbuhatho...) is recited and the congregation is censed. Have you observed that there is no kiss of Peace on Maundy Thursday? Since there is no Kiss of Peace, the deacon will not make the exhortation to ‘give peace to 60 one another.’ Instead the deacon will make the exhortation for the first inclination by saying “Let us now bow our heads before the merciful Lord.” Even though the priest opens out his hands and asks leave of the congregation (Shub’kono) he will not exchange hands of peace with other priests if they are present in the Holy of Holies. Similarly the priest will not give the blessing of peace (“Peace be to you all”) to the congregation. When the chancel is veiled at the time of liturgy of Eucharistic Fraction either the hymn specified for the day or the ‘Kauma’ of Maundy Thursday will be recited. As ‘Kukilyons’ are not recited, the Hymns of Eucharistic Devotion are substituted with ‘Kauma’ of Maundy Thursday and the hymn “Lord your praise...” (Lokmor Theshbuhatho). The incense is offered while reciting them. Holy Saturday Holy Saturday is also known as ‘Saturday of preaching unto the spirits of the departed’ and ‘Saturday of evangelism.’ These names are given because Jesus Christ, after His Death on the Cross descended to hades and preached unto the spirits (1 Peter 3:19, 4:6). This is the day on which all believers should commemorate the dear departed in the Holy Eucharist. Haven’t you participated in the Holy Eucharist of the Holy Saturday? Where is the Holy Eucharist celebrated on that day? Holy Eucharist is prohibited on the altar upon which the Holy Cross is laid. Hence the Holy Eucharist is celebrated on another altar. The chancel of the Holy of Holies where the Holy Cross is interred is not be unveiled. No one should stand or walk in the Holy of Holies carelessly. The Holy Eucharist begins by noon after completing the canonical prayers till None and after the readings from the Old Testament. The order of this Holy Eucharist too is same as the one on Maundy Thursday. Like on Maundy Thursday, there will be no kiss of peace or kissing the hand of the priest. The believers disperse after making their offering. Since it is the day of remembering all the faithful dead, there is the practice of the congregation going to the cemetery to pray and the priest censing the cemetery. Let Us Think 1. List the differences between the Holy Eucharist on ordinary days and the Holy Eucharist on Maundy Thursday. 2. Recite the hymn sung during the communion of the Holy Mysteries on Maundy Thursday. Write the first line of that hymn below. 3. Which are the two canonical prayers which are not said on Maundy Thursday after the Holy Eucharist? 4. Do we make prostrations after the Holy Qurbana on Maundy Thursday? Why? 5. Find the important ceremony conducted during the afternoon of Maundy Thursday. 61 Activities 1. We have learned that the order of the Holy Eucharist celebrated on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday are alike. Discuss the differences between these and the Holy Eucharist on other days. 2. Find the Bible passages on the descend of God to Hades and preach the dead. 3. Recite the Kaumas of Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday in the class. 4. Discuss the factors which the deacons serving in the Holy of Holies should take care of during the Holy Week. Hymn (Syriac) Messiho dabupesahosho royle Moru – pesahob-peshaho Op – sahalan Veharahammelain (3) Lokmor Theshubuhatho labook-ukoro Vala rooho dukhudisho segutho Rumo romo Valain hathoye rehamae vahnono Nespaa. segun thara eye Urish alem dal-el- Nelon slavosandum heem damshiho Shubaho lokmoran shubaho lokmoran Shubaho lok sabaran – lolam Barekmor Let Us Pray (Special prayer recited on Vespers on Maundy Thursday. Refer the Book of Common Prayer) O God, who during His Incarnated Life gave his own flesh and blood to the disciples in order to eat and drink and commanded them to consume them for remission of sins. Protect us from unworthy communion in Your flesh and blood. Barekmor. Resolution We would participate in these Holy Week liturgies devoutly; and meditate on the sacrifice of Jesus. Further Reading Read and meditate on the biblical passages scheduled for this week. 62 UNIT 3 HYMNS OF EUCHARISTIC DEVOTION Chapter 14 The Evening of Sleeba (Season of the Holy Cross) Learning Objectives: To understand the meaning and significance of certain select hymns of vespers during Sleeba (Holy Cross) season worship and to recite them with discernment. Verse to be Memorized: “My heart overflows with a goodly theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe” (Psalm 45:1). Learning Aids: The Book of Holy Eucharist and the Holy Bible. Introduction We already studied that the canonical prayers given in the Book of Holy Eucharist are divided into two seasons-Holy Cross (Sleeba) season and Kyamtha (Easter) season. We studied certain hymns of morning worship in class IX. Have you learned the meaning of all hymns used in the morning worship? This year we are going to learn certain hymns of evening worship. The evening worship held in the church on Saturday evening is also divided into Sleeba and Kyemtha seasons. The Sleeba season begins after the Feast of the Holy Cross celebrated on September 14. When do we shift to Kyamtha season worship? After Easter. Today let us learn certain selected hymns of vespers and compline used during the evening worship of Holy Cross season. The Lesson 1. (Yaa Chikkunnu njangalodopum…) We beseech thee Holy Mother! Pray with us, and for our sake Before the - king By thy prayer, peace and calm Reign on – this earth Let them in – His mercy Remove from – every where Punishments –of wrath 63 This hymn is an intercessory prayer to the Mother of God. We have already learned that the main theme of Sleeba season worship is Mother of God. “O Holy Mother, we plead for your prayers. You shall pray along with us for our sake to Jesus, the king. By virtue of your prayers let there be peace and calm everywhere on earth; and may God kindly remove punishments of wrath from every where.” This hymn pleads for intercession of the mother of God for the whole of humankind. Jews believed that diseases and mishaps happened as a result of God’s wrath. That in why mishaps are described as ‘rods of wrath’ in the poem. 2. (Vazhverum Nirmalakanyaka…) Glory to Thee – Son of God! Who came forth from Womb of holy, blessed virgin, by divine will She received and bore Him, through ear, in her womb Virgin seal was safe even after – He was born Mystery – confounds infidels Praise to Him – who became so low Church extols Him, who became man and – redeemed her. “We glorify you son of God! You were born by your own will in the womb of blessed Mary. Mary received Him through her ear at the time of Annunciation and carried Him her womb. He was born without any harm to the virgin seal of the womb. The mystery of this birth make the infidels ashamed. We praise You Lord since you condescended so low, the Church praises the savior of humankind.” 4. (Krooshimmel Thala Chayaichon…) He who died on the cross, at the right hand Of His Father, making crowns, Martyrs!, - when you saw Daring all manner of persecutions Cleansed your limbs with blood Flowing from Thy – throat all sliced. Blest art you – you did love the Christ And cared not – for persecutions Glorious is thy mem’ry in heaven and on earth. This hymn praises the martyrs who suffered tribulations for the sake of Lord Jesus Christ. “O Martyrs when you saw Lord Jesus Christ (one who died on cross) sitting on the right hand of His father making crowns for martyrs, you decided to suffer for His sake. You did not care about the persecutions you faced. You died for the sake of Christ and cleansed your body with the blood flowing out of your slit throat. 64 You are blessed because you didn’t care for persecutions and loved Lord Jesus Christ. Let you memory be glorious in heaven and on earth.” This hymn contains a poetic description of the martyrs’ life. The first two lines give the assurance that those who suffer for the sake of Lord Jesus Christ will earn the crown of life. The martyrs are said to have cleansed their bodies by the blood they shed for the sake of Christ. They were not afraid of presentations, and their memory is glorious in heaven and on earth. 4.(Njan anchunnen papathal…) Afraid am I for my sins Garden joyous – that is kept for saints Let my – sins be no hurdle For me – to enter there in Lift me from hell and save me, Let me dwell in –mansions at Your will. Barekmor. Praise to Thee, Messiah, King Who opens doors – to those who repent Sinner – that I plead with Thee Thou dispenseth Thy graces Gladden my heart – by Thy grace Transform me Lord – to be Thine Iyre This is a hymn of penitence included in the compline “I grieve over my sins of which I am really afraid. My Lord, let not these sins prevent me like a fence from entering into your joyous garden (paradise). Kindly save me from hell and put me in a place which you like (in heaven). Praise to You Lord the savior who opens the doors to the penitent. I am a sinner pleading with You. You are the One who showers blessings. Grant me your grace and make me happy. Let me be transformed into a musical instrument that sings your praise.” This hymn contains, along with repentance of sins, supplication for grace to live without sin and reach the kingdom of heaven. We also pray for blessings for singing and praising God incessantly. Hymn Let us sing all the hymns of Evening worship of Holy Cross season together in the class. We shall also learn all other hymns of Holy Cross season worship at home. Learn the hymns like. ‘Righteous ones! ye bless the Lord…’. ‘On high and Eden on Earth…’, Kukiliyon, ‘Make us partake, in mem’ry of Mother…’ and ‘Holy art Thou, O God’ by heart. Those who participate regularly in evening worship can sing these hymns very well and be inspired and blessed by them. 65 Let Us Pray (Recite Psalm 141 from the Book of Holy Eucharist) I call to You, Lord; help me now! Listen to me when I call to You... Protect me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those evil doors. May the wicked fall into their own traps, while I go by unharmed... Resolution We would participate regularly in evening worship in the church. We would sing all hymns and reciprocatory prayers with devotion comprehending their meaning. Let Us Think 1. Find out from the words in the hymns which mean. Plead, govern, anger, unexpected, non-believer, praise, braving, torture. 2. What was the Annunciation heard by Mary? 3. Discuss the meaning of the hymns. Activities 1. Find out the meaning of all hymns used in the evening worship of Holy Cross season and write them in the diary. 2. What is the musical instrument mentioned in the above hymns? What is the significance of comparing a human being to a ‘lyre’? 3. Participate regularly in the Evening worship in the church. Further Reading Read and meditate on the Bible passages scheduled for this week. 66 Saint Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala Introduction Roman Catholic Church frequently declares saints, which we know through media. Orthodox Church do not have such a tradition. Beginning from the apostles martyrs, teachers who defended Orthodox (true) faith, monastic fathers and saintly leaders are considered as saints in the Orthodox Churches. Regarding the history of the Malankara Orthodox Church it is different from that of other apostolic churches. Until the Westerners came here, this Church had minimal connection with any foreign churches. Therefore no canonisation of any saints occurred in this Church like other early churches. This has been changed when Geevarghese Mar Gregorios Metropolitan otherwise called Parumala Kochuthirumeni was declared as a saint along with Maphrian Yeldho Mar Baselios by the then catholicos His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II. Parumala Thirumeni had already got a fame as saintly when he lived and after his death hundreds of people began to come over his tomb for his intercession. Pilgrims had been increasing year by year. Since believers of all churches as well as many non-Christians also believed in this saint’s intercession and finally Church gave an approval to the people’s faith and the declaration came out in that way. In this non-detailed we are going to study about that saint. Church had declared Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius who is qualified as Malankara Sabha Bhasuran as a saint in 2003 about whom we have another book also to be studied. One more word we have to know about holiness. We call God as Holy. The same word Holiness is attributed to saints also. It does not mean that saints are equal to God. We receive light from sun and moon. But we know that sun is self-illuminating and then moon reflect the light received from the sun. Saints are also like this. They receive Holiness from Jesus Christ our Lord and reflect God’s glory to the whole creation. For the saints no discrimination is there between Christians and non-Christians; they intercede for all creation; since they participate in the divine nature of God. We also qualify our Catholicos with the word ‘Holiness’ which means he is the Supreme head of the Church and our reverence to that position is expressed in that title and we do not mean to measure the personal holiness of our supreme head. In brief Saintliness or Holiness is having different meaning in different context. 71 1. Childhood and Education After his mother’s death ‘Kochaipora’ grew up under the loving care of his father and his sister Mariam. Even during childhood, certain distinguishing characteristics made him different from other children. He had no craze for costly clothes and ornaments; but preferred simple dress. He was not much interested in games, as is usual with children of his age. Instead he was deeply attracted towards prayer, Bible reading, and listening to the life of saints. He very carefully observed ‘fasting’ even from his young days. He began his formal education in the traditional village school. The teacher was ‘Onakkavil Ayya’. The boy was very studious and he completed his early education under another local teacher named ‘Mani.’ He was a model for his friends in showing respect to his teachers, humility, obedience and love. He never wasted his time, was very intelligent and hardworking and enjoyed doing good to others. Respect to Teachers Whenever Mar Gregorios visited his native village (after becoming a church dignitary)he would send for his ‘guru’(teacher) and offer gifts to him. He used to respect his guru to the extend that he would not even sit in the presence of the teacher. Rev. Fr. Geevarghese Malpan of the Chathuruthy family was Geevarghese’s uncle (father’s brother). The Malpan was an authority in Syriac language, and as he recognized the outstanding and divine qualities of Kochaipora, decided to teach the boy the Syriac language. Since the boy could sing very well, it was an advantage in learning Syriac.Geevarghese Malpan saw in the you

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