What is Divine Revelation?

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST1 HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

What is Divine Revelation?
By Father Anthony Alevizopoulos

According to the Orthodox faith, the Church IS NOT FOUNDED ON WRITTEN TEXTS but ON THE CONFESSION THAT CHRIST IS GOD-MAN (Theanthropos), namely that in the Person of Christ, God WAS JOINED WITH MAN, "INDIVISIBLY, IMMOVABLY, UNMISTAKABLY," and man, HAS ACTUAL COMMUNION WITH GOD, AND IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST, GOD AND MAN WERE HYPOSTATICALLY UNITED, IN ONE UNIQUE HYPOSTASIS.

The Son and Logos/Word of God continues to be hypostatically UNITED with His 3:16body and as the Head of the Church, He IS ALWAYS UNITED WITH US (Matthew 18:20; 28:20). The presence of Christ is activated by the H3:16oly Spirit in the life of the Church (1 Corinthians 12:3). THIS IS WHY THE CHURCH IS ALSO "… THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH" (1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-11).

Our holy faith was delivered to the body of Christ, "TO THE SAINTS AND FOR ALL" – and whoever DOES NOT BELONG TO THIS BODY, CANNOT INTERPRET Holy Scripture (2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Peter 13:16; Jude 3-4). IN THIS SENSE HOLY TRADITION IS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CHURCH, THE HOLY MEMORY OF THE CHURCH, WHICH IS GUARDED AS A PRECIOUS TREASURE" (2 Timothy 116:12-15):13-14).

Holy Scripture DOES NOT CONTAIN THE FULLNESS OF THE DIVINE REVELATION. Already in the Old Testament, the importance of ORAL TRADITION and the care of its passing down from generation to generation is highlighted (Psalms 43:2; 44:1; Joel 1:3). The New Testament mentions that it does not have the completeness of the words and works of Christ (John 21:15).

The same Holy Scripture makes use of Tradition (Numbers 21:14-115; Matthew 2:23; Acts 20:35; 2 Timothy 3:8; Jude 14). Christ did not exhort His Disciples to write books BUT TO PREACH, PROMISING THAT HE WOULD ALWAYS BE WITH THEM (Matthew 28:20) and that He would send them the Holy Spirit to be with them (John 14:16), TO TEACH AND TO REMIND THEM OF HIS TEACHING (John 4:25-26), TO GUIDE THEM "TO THE WHOLE TRUTH" by revealing to them the deeper meaning of the words of Christ, all those things that they were not able to "bear" by their own power (John 16:12-15).

The Apostles were also not limited to written texts — THEY PASSED ON TO THE FIRST CHRISTIANS MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WAS WRITTEN: "WITH PAPER AND INK" (2 John 12:3; 1 John 3 John 13-14; 1 Corinthians 11:34). Some of those things written proved to be relevant to the time because were not maintained by the Church, such as the number of Deacons (Acts 6:3), the order of widows ( 1 Timothy 5:9), the washing of feet (John 13:14).

At the center of Holy Scripture is the person of Christ (John 5:38-39; Galatians #:24). Without Christ, WE CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THE HOLY SCRIPTURE (2 Corinthians 3:14). Therefore, UNION TO THE BODY OF CHRIST, NAMELY TO THE CHURCH, ASSURES THE PURITY OF THE GOSPEL TRUTH (1 Timothy 3:15).
Holy Scripture IS NOT INTENDED FOR JUST ANYONE, BUT FOR THE FAITHFUL, WHO ARE GATHERED IN ONE BODY. Holy Tradition is the atmosphere in which the body lives and understands the Truth properly. IT IS THE CONSTANT EXPERIENCE OF THE CHURCH, HER CONSCIENCE – NOT PERSONAL OPINIONS, TEACHINGS AND WRITS OF MEN" Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 3,4,9; Mark 7:8; Col. 2:8).

(To be continued)

_________________

"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"

– Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George