Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, Ἑρμηνεία στό κατά Λουκᾶν Εὐαγγέλιο, τόμ. Α΄, 

ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, Θεσ/νίκη 2008, σσ. 30-47

(Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV], A Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke, vol. A', pp. 30-47) 

   Saint John the Baptist is the person who connects the Old Testament with the New Testament. His birth was prophesized by Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament (see 3:1. 4:4-5). According to Mark the evangelist, John signifies “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (1:1). He is the morning star that heralds “the sunrise (= sun) from the heights” (Lk 1:78).

  Since Luke the evangelist is planning to narrate the facts “from the beginning” (Lk 1:3), he starts by making a reference to the miraculous way of John’s conception. Thus, he gives validity to the testimony of John the Baptist concerning Jesus.

1,5. Ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἱερεύς τις ὀνόματι Ζαχαρίας ἐξ ἐφημερίας Ἀβιά, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν θυγατέρων Ἀαρών, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Ἐλισάβετ.
1:5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife, one of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

  Following the example of the historians and the prophets of the Old Testament (Hos 1:1; Amos 1:1; Mic 1:1; Zeph 1:1; Zech 1:1; Is 1:1; Jer 1:1-3) the evangelist is used to giving the time coordinates of the facts he narrates. In this way he confirms that he describes a truly historical fact and connects the story of the divine economy to the history of mankind. The accurate reference to historical facts gives the ability to anyone who wants to examine and verify the Gospel’s truth. In ancient times the chronology was stated by using the names of distinguished people, emperors, administrative officials and other political or religious rulers. Luke the historian notes that this fact, the foretelling of the birth of John the Baptist (see comments on 1:3) at the beginning of his narration, took place during “the days of Herod, king of Judea”.
  Herod, who is mentioned here, is known in history as Herod Ι the Great. He is the first and most important leader of the Herod dynasty, which ruled in Palestine for about 140 years after the Hasmonean dynasty. He was a ruthless, cunning and extremely ambitious person. Even though he was an Idumean – a descendant of Esau (Edom) and not of Jacob (Israel), he managed to ascend the throne and rule the people of Israel using every means of diplomacy and flattery. His life was marked by a multitude of criminal actions. One of them is the slaughter of the infants of Bethlehem. His behavior even to his own family was that of a hardened tyrant. Driven by suspicion he did not hesitate to murder his wife Mariamne I, whom he extremely loved and was jealous of, their two children Alexander and Aristobulus, as well as a number of other relatives. When the emperor Augustus was informed that among the boys Herod murdered in Syria was one of his sons, he made the following pun in Greek, the language spoken by all roman aristocrats: “It’s better to be a pig (ὗς) than a son (υἱός) of Herod”. Herod was one of the most bloodthirsty people in history. Today, aside from the memory of his inhumane brutality, a number of the ruins of cities, palaces and fortresses he built, remain.
  The title of the king was still existent during the roman dominance but it was deprived of its earlier status and grandeur. In fact, Herod –as well as his predecessors and his successors– were local rulers with limited power, subjugated and accountable to the roman ruler of the wider area. In the New Testament there are three other kings by the name of Herod. The first is his son, Herod Antipas (see Lk 3:1.19; 13:31) his grandson, Herod Agrippa I (see Acts 12) and his great-grandson, Herod Agrippa II (see Acts 26).
  Palestine (Galilee, Samaria, Judea, Perea) as well as a part of Koili Syria were under the jurisdiction of Herod. Judea was a part of Palestine but “Judea” here is used in a wider sense. It means the whole Palestine in general (cf. Lk 23:5; Acts 10:37; 11:1.29).
  The term “division” denotes the priestly service in the Temple for a week but also the order of priests who carried out that service. When King David reorganized the Judaic worship by introducing the psalms, he went on to organize the Levites and the priests. The body of the priests was divided into twenty-four orders-lots (see 1 Chron 24). Their shift-service was repeated every twenty-four week cycle. Abijah was a descendent of Eleazar, son of Aaron, and head of the eighth out of the twenty-four priestly orders. After the end of the Babylonian captivity only four priestly orders returned from exile. These were again divided into twenty-four keeping the ancient names. Zechariah did not belong to the original division of Abijah, which never returned, but to the one that arose after the Babylonian captivity.
  Zechariah’s wife came from the daughters of Aaron, she was a descendant of Aaron. As a general rule, every Israelite chose his wife from the tribe he belonged to. Only priests, descendants of the Levite tribe, could marry a woman of any tribe, since they lived scattered all over Palestine (see Num 35:1-8). However, the marriage of a couple coming both from the tribe of Levi was a mark of a special racial authenticity. Zechariah’ wedding was in such a way. So, both of John the Baptist’s parents held a Levi’s lineage.
  The names of John’s parents are directly related to his mission. The name Zechariah means: “the one God remembers”, that is “God-remembered”. While the name Elizabeth is translated as “my God is my vow” or “God has vowed to protect me”, God-protected. Messiah’s arrival which would be announced by John the Baptist (the forerunner), declared that God remembered His people and fulfilled the vows He gave, concerning His divine protection.

1,6. Ἦσαν δὲ δίκαιοι ἀμφότεροι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, πορευόμενοι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐντολαῖς καὶ δικαιώμασι τοῦ Κυρίου ἄμεμπτοι.
1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

  The word “righteous” in the Holy Bible describes the pious, god-fearing and virtuous man, the man of God. It is strongly emphasized that the parents of John the Baptist were both pious in the eyes of God, according to His judgment, who knows every heart. “To be righteous in the eyes of God”, an ancient scholar assures “is the perfect praise, since He is the one and only who knows the heart of people”. Zechariah and Elizabeth led their life observing the law, all the moral orders, the commandments and the ritual ones, too. Of course, they were not sinless, but they were blameless. No one could blame them for deviations in their moral life or in the ritual practice.

1,7. Καὶ οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τέκνον, καθότι ἡ Ἐλισάβετ ἦν στεῖρα, καὶ ἀμφότεροι προβεβηκότες ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῶν ἦσαν.
1:7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

  Being childless caused great sorrow and shame to the Jews. It was a sign of God’s disfavor. Zechariah and Elizabeth were suffering this great pain until their old age: they had no child. However, they remained devoted to God. Undoubtedly, this would had been one of the strongest wishes in their prayers but their piety was not connected with the satisfaction of their desire to have a child. This is real piety: love and unconditional trust to God and not one of a transaction relationship.
  The fact that Elizabeth was unable to conceive and the couple was old prove that the birth of John the Baptist was not of course beyond the laws of nature, but it was definitely beyond human ability, it was a miracle.
  In the Holy Bible there are three kinds of births mentioned:
a) Natural birth: That is according to the laws of nature. In this way almost all people on earth are born.
b) Birth by promise: This takes place regardless of the laws of nature, since it relies upon God’s miraculous intervention. Some of the greatest people of the Old and the New Testament were born this way such, as Isaac, Samson, Samuel, Virgin Mary, St John the Baptist, including some of the saints in the Orthodox Church. The parents of all the above had no human ability or hope to have a child. However, they were given God’s promise and gave birth to the child of that promise, who in all cases was a great person, serving God’s plan.
c) The supernatural and unique birth in the history of mankind: It is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ “by the Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary”, as we declare in the Symbol of faith.

1,8-9. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἱερατεύειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ τάξει τῆς ἐφημερίας αὐτοῦ ἔναντι τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὸ ἔθος τῆς ἱερατείας ἔλαχε τοῦ θυμιᾶσαι εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Κυρίου.
1: 8-9 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.

  When it was Zechariah’ turn to minister his priestly service, the offering of sacrifice and incense, the lot was drawn to him to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. This service was originally appointed by God to the high priest (see Ex 30,1-10) and then to the priests (see Num 18:7; De 33:10).
  The lot was drawn twice a day just before offering the incense, to appoint the priest who would carry out this honorary task of burning incense, in the morning and in the afternoon. It is not mentioned at which of these two cases Zechariah entered the Temple. By the large number of the people gathered it could be assumed that it was during the afternoon offering, unless it was Saturday whereby many people might have been gathered in the morning incense offering.
  The one and only Temple of the Jewish nation was the luxurious and majestic Temple built with divine guidance by King Solomon. For four centuries it was the central worship place of God (Jehovah), the landmark and glory of Israel. However, it was totally destroyed as well as the whole Jerusalem by the Babylonian conquerors (587 BC). When the Israelites came back from the Babylonian captivity, Zerubbabel, who was the leader of the people, undertook the reconstruction of the Temple. This was completed by 516 BC after many obstacles. This was the Temple that Herod I wanted to replace by a more majestic building. The construction began in about 20-19 BC and was completed in 62-64 AD, during the administration of Albinos, that is, a few years before the Temple was destroyed by the Romans.
  At the area of the Temple Mount, where there was a series of structures, such as galleries and courtyards covering the Moriah hill, the Temple sanctuary building was raised in the most prominent spot. It was divided into two unequal parts. The first and bigger one was the Holy Place with the Table of the showbread, the golden lamp and the altar of incense. The second part was the Holy of the Holies a small square space which sheltered the Ark of Covenant between the two golden cherubim. However, in the new Temple of Herod the Holy of the Holies remained empty. The Ark was not there anymore. There was only a rather high stone base in its place. The high priest placed the censer on this stone. The priests who were ministering entered daily in the Holy Place, while the Holy of the Holies could be entered only by the high priest once a year, to offer the sacrifice of Atonement.
  Zechariah, after taking coals from the altar of burnt-offering, which was in the outer courtyard, entered the Holy Place. He put the coals on the altar of incense and put the incense upon them.

1,10. καὶ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος ἦν τοῦ λαοῦ προσευχόμενον ἔξω τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ θυμιάματος.
1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

  The people were praying outside in the spacious courtyard of the Temple, which was divided into four distinct yards: the Court of Priests, the Court of the Israelites, the Court of Women and the Court of the Gentiles. The Jews used to pray by raising their hands. This symbolized the fact that their prayer went high to the throne of God according to the psalm (Ps 140:2): “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice”.

1,11. ῎Ωφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἑστὼς ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ θυμιάματος.
1:11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

  The verb “appeared” usually expresses a miraculous appearance, a vision. The fact that the angel appeared “standing on the right side of the altar of incense” declares that he had a high rank, was sent by God and brought a happy message. The angel’s appearance to Zechariah asserts that the latter was indeed “righteous” and blameless, worthy of an angel’s visit.

1,12. Καὶ ἐταράχθη Ζαχαρίας ἰδών, καὶ φόβος ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν.
1:12. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

  When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and afraid. His reaction in front of the unexpected visitor, who was sent by God, was natural. God’s people feel fear and awe when they realize that something supernatural is being revealed to them. Quite the contrary, nowadays some visionaries often boast easily and refer to supposed revelations or conversations between them and saints!

1,13. Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος· μὴ φοβοῦ, Ζαχαρία· διότι εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέησίς σου, καὶ ἡ γυνή σου Ἐλισάβετ γεννήσει υἱόν σοι, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννην.
1:13. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

  The angel encouraged Zechariah with the urge “Do not be afraid”. Later he would address to Virgin Mary with the same words (see verse 30). He also strengthened him, as he spoke to him intimately and called him by his name. Zigavenus comments that the angel reassured Zechariah in order to listen carefully to what he would announce.
  “Your prayer has been heard”, the angel reassured Zechariah. This prayer was:
a) The prayer of that moment for the forgiveness of his own sins and of all the people, which was depicted and symbolized by incense.
b) The request for the coming of the Messiah, whom all God’s people were waiting for and especially the priests were praying for.
c) Zechariah’s personal request, which he persistently and imploringly addressed in the past, to be given a child by the Lord.
  God would fulfill all three of these interrelated requests: Zechariah would have a son, who would announce the good news that the Messiah had come and would redeem the world from sin.
  The Jews used to give their children names that signified either family adventures or events related to the child’s birth or the parents’ feelings. The baby’s name was often the first word or phrase the mother said at the time of the birth. In certain cases, which were very important for the salvation plan, God himself defined the name (see Gen 17:5, 32:28). This happened with Zechariah’s son, too. God wanted him to be called John, Johanna, which means gift of Yahweh, that is, of God, “Theodoritos” or “Theodoros” or gift by God, “Dorotheos”. Indeed, this child proved to be God’s gift not only for his parents but for all mankind, too.

1,14. καὶ ἔσται χαρά σοι καὶ ἀγαλλίασις, καὶ πολλοὶ ἐπὶ τῇ γεννήσει αὐτοῦ χαρήσονται.
1:14. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth.

  John’s birth would give joy not only to his parents but also to many others. Moreover, this joy would be great, because this birth would be a response, as mentioned above, to three great requests. This joy began with the first movements in his mother’s womb and reached its peak when John began his public action. When the crowd gathered to hear John’s preaching, and to be baptized by him, they saw the long-awaited Messiah, being finger-pointed by the great prophet.

1,15. ῎Εσται γὰρ μέγας ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ οἶνον καὶ σίκερα οὐ μὴ πίῃ, καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου πλησθήσεται ἔτι ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ.
1:15. For he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

  Many people are called great by others, but they are insignificant in the eyes of God. John would be great in the sight of the Lord, because he would please God both with his life and with his teaching (see Mt 5:19). His greatness was seen, indeed, both in his holiness and in his mission. His life was the life of an earthly angel and his teaching was inspired by the Holy Spirit. John, according to the Lord’s testimony (see Mt 11:11), is the greatest man ever born by a woman. He is greater than all the patriarchs and prophets, because he was counted worthy to see and baptize "whom they foretold", as we chant in the Apolytikion of his celebration.
  The Old Testament refers to the order of the Nazirites, who were dedicated to God. These were married. Their devotion was evident from the fact that they did not cut their hair and did not drink wine or other intoxicating drinks. This usually happened for a specific period of time (see Num 6:1-21). Some, however, remained Nazirites for life, such as Samson and Samuel. Zechariah’s chosen son would be included among them, because according to the angel’s revelation “he shall drink no wine nor strong drink”. In addition, John would live an ascetic life and would remain a virgin.
  The expression “he will be filled with the Holy Spirit” is often found in the New Testament and especially in St. Luke’s texts. It means "he will be flooded with the Holy Spirit" and shows very aptly that the Holy Spirit permeates and overwhelms the whole existence of the person to whom it is given. John would deny the intoxication of wine but would live the intoxication of the Holy Spirit that would fill his existence (see Eph 5:18). This prophetic word found its fulfillment very soon. In Elizabeth’s meeting with Virgin Mary, John even before he was born, already from his mother’s womb, was filled by the Holy Spirit and leaped with joy in front of Virgin Mary and her unborn baby (see Lk 1:41).

1,16. καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπιστρέψει ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν.
1:16. He will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

  The word “Lord” translates into Greek the Hebrew four-letter name of the one and only God Yahweh (transliterated as YHWH). The Jews also identified God with other names, such as Adonai, Sabaoth, Elohim. Because they reverently avoided pronouncing the name Yahweh, they wrote it along with one of God’s other names, without pronouncing it. They usually wrote "Yahweh Elohim" which means Lord God. In the New Testament this name was given to Jesus Christ.
  According to the angel’s message, Zechariah’s son would announce the coming of the kingdom of God and with the preaching of repentance would reconcile many of the Israelites “to the Lord their God”, that is, to Jesus Christ. This verse, then, is one of the biblical testimonies that confirm that Jesus is the incarnated Yahweh and proves his divinity (cf. Jn 20:28, Acts 20:28).
  John would address the message of repentance to everyone. However, not everyone would accept it, but “many”. These will surely taste the joy of redemption (see verse 14).

1,17. καὶ αὐτὸς προελεύσεται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ δυνάμει Ἠλιού, ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀπειθεῖς ἐν φρονήσει δικαίων, ἑτοιμάσαι Κυρίῳ λαὸν κατεσκευασμένον.
1:17. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

  In ancient times, before the royal procession, certain soldiers marched and played trumpets to announce the king’s arrival. The kings of the East, when they started a trip, sent a messenger to prepare the road and their accommodation. Today a special security goes ahead and announces that a high rank person is coming. Such would be the role of John; “he will go on before the Lord”. With his preaching he would prepare the way for the Lord to follow. That is why he is called the Forerunner.
  He would also be a prophet with the spiritual gifts and power of Elijah, “in the spirit and power of Elijah”. The Lord himself assured us that “this is Elijah who is to come” (Mt 11:14, cf. 17:12). If we compare the life and action of Elijah and John the Forerunner, we will find, in fact, that they have many similarities. They were both virgins and ascetics. They dwelled in the desert, wore leather belts, and lived without any comfort eating simple food. They exercised strict criticism over the people, the pseudo-prophets and the impious rulers. They were ardent preachers of repentance. They zealously developed a great activity for the prevalence of justice and caused with their courage the displeasure and revenge of the people in power. Because of a corrupt woman, Elijah was exiled and John was beheaded.
  John’s mission also included “to turn the hearts of the parents to their children”, referring to the prophecy of Malachi: “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction” (Mal 4:4-5). "Fathers" are the patriarchs and prophets of Israel, who were distinguished for their piety. "Children" are the contemporaries of Malachi, who had strayed away from the piety of their fathers and lived in infidelity and corruption. Their apostasy resulted in God’s abhorrence but also the disapproval of their fathers. A similar situation -unfaithfulness and immorality- characterized the people in John’s time. He, as a messenger of God with the preaching of repentance, came to reconnect the fathers with the children, that is, to bring his contemporaries back to the life of faith and piety, so that the hearts of the fathers may rest in them again.
  With the phrase “and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous”, the same meaning is emphasized in other words. John with his preaching will inspire those who are disobedient the wise spirit of righteous people, and he will make them obedient and pious. Thus, he will prepare the people, “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”, in order to be ready to receive and accept the Lord. Through John’s baptism "with water", the people were, in fact, prepared to receive Jesus Christ’s baptism "by the Holy Spirit".

1,18. Καὶ εἶπε Ζαχαρίας πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον· κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο; ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πρεσβύτης καὶ ἡ γυνή μου προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῆς.
1:18. And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years".

  Zechariah’s words do not denote a query but a sign of unfaithfulness. He thought it was impossible to have a child after so many years of a fruitless marriage. Thus, he asked for a sign in order to believe. In the Old Testament there were some people who asked for a sign (see also Gen 15:2-8, Ex 4:1-6, Judg 6:36-40, 2 Kings 20:8, Is 7:11) and God did not deny it. However, the spirit and the mood of the person who asks for it are different in each case. Furthermore, Zechariah knew of previous examples of childless and elderly parents who were given a child, when it was God’s will. He should have remembered Abraham and Sarah, the parents of Samson and Samuel, and finally David’s declaration that God is “who maketh the barren woman to dwell in a house, a mother rejoicing over children” (Psalm 112:9).

1,19. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐγώ εἰμι Γαβριὴλ ὁ παρεστηκὼς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀπεστάλην λαλῆσαι πρός σε καὶ εὐαγγελίσασθαί σοι ταῦτα.
1:19. And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

  The angel introduced himself and announced his mission. He was Gabriel “who stands in the presence of God” and appears before God ready to do His will immediately. One more reason Zechariah should not had shown lack of faith was the authority of the heavenly messenger. It is as if he were saying to him: "Of course you are an old man, but I am Gabriel, God’s aide, that’s why my word will be fulfilled".
  Gabriel is the angel who revealed to Daniel the defeat of the Persians by Alexander the Great (Dan 8) and defined after how many "weeks" the Messiah would come. He himself would later bring God’s message to Virgin Mary (see Lk 1:26).
  In the Bible there are many instances in which we see angels serving God’s will and plan (cf. Heb 1:14). Three angels brought to Abraham the message that he would have a son (see Gen 18:1-15). Angels saved Lot and his family in Sodom (Gen 19:16). An angel brought the message of God to Virgin Mary (Lk 1:26). An angel informed the shepherds about Christ’s birth (Lk 2:10). Angels also announced the resurrection of the Lord to the myrrh-bearers (Lk 24:4). St. John Chrysostom exclaims: “Understand the honor, how great it is, when God sends angels as ministers to people as if to friends”.

1,20. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔσῃ σιωπῶν καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας γένηται ταῦτα, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν οὐκ ἐπίστευσας τοῖς λόγοις μου, οἵτινες πληρωθήσονται εἰς τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῶν.
1:20. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.

  Zechariah would temporarily become mute. This would be a sign for him and the people. This is certainly not the sign he had asked for. It was a “punishment” for his lack of faith. St. John Chrysostom comments: “Your tongue, which showed lack of faith through words, it shall also accept the punishment for it”. Zechariah, who spoke in disbelief, learned to believe through his silence. The Bible also mentions some people, who after a great revelation, suffered some alteration without permanent damage. For example, for a short period of time Jacob limped (Gen 32:31), Paul couldn’t see (Acts 9:8). Zechariah’s silence would last “until the day that these things come to pass”, that is until everything the angel informed him about would come true. Indeed, his tongue loosened the day his son was circumcised and was named John (see Lk 1:64).
  Man’s lack of faith does not abolish God’s trustworthiness. God’s promises “will be fulfilled in their due time”.

1,21-22. Καὶ ἦν ὁ λαὸς προσδοκῶν τὸν Ζαχαρίαν, καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ἐν τῷ χρονίζειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ναῷ. Ἐξελθὼν δὲ οὐκ ἠδύνατο λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν ὅτι ὀπτασίαν ἑώρακεν ἐν τῷ ναῷ· καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν διανεύων αὐτοῖς, καὶ διέμενε κωφός.
1:21-22. And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.

  While the smoke of incense was rising, the priest went out and blessed the people (Num 6:22-27). Zechariah’s delay made the people wonder what was happening. When he appeared, he tried to give explanations with gestures. From his inability to speak, because he was troubled and upset, it became clear that he “had seen a vision”. In addition, Zechariah had also lost his hearing as it is obvious from the continuation of the narrative. The phrase “remained dumb” here means unable to speak and hear (i.e., deaf-mute).

1,23-25. Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς λειτουργίας αὐτοῦ, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. Μετὰ δὲ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας συνέλαβεν Ἐλισάβετ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ περιέκρυβεν ἑαυτὴν μῆνας πέντε, λέγουσα ὅτι οὕτω μοι πεποίηκεν ὁ Κύριος ἐν ἡμέραις αἷς ἐπεῖδεν ἀφελεῖν τὸ ὄνειδός μου ἐν ἀνθρώποις.
1:23-25. When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying, "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men".

  When “his time of service” -a week- was over and the division of Abijah had finished their service at the temple, Zechariah went home. He lived in a mountain town in Judea (see verse 39), the name of which we do not know.
  “After these days” which means after the days of Zechariah’s service, Elisabeth became pregnant. Initially, she did not talk to anyone about her pregnancy, “for five months she hid herself”. She rejoiced alone and enjoyed the great blessing of God for five months. She shared it with others when it became apparent. The first to learn about this event was Virgin Mary. She was informed about it by Gabriel, who visited her six months after his appearance to Zechariah.
  Elizabeth's gratitude to the Lord was infinite, because he removed from her the shame of childlessness. The very fact and all the wonderful signs that accompanied it caused in her a sense of awe, so that she would say: “Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people”.
  The event of the Annunciation is then followed. The two events quoted below by St. Luke suggest that the imperfect Levitical priesthood -the Old Testament- was now being replaced by Christ’s perfect Davidic -the New Testament. The priesthood of Aaron, the praise and glory of Israel, was only a symbol and a type-form. The whole point of its mission was to lead to Christ, the high priest “in the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 7:11-14). The real meaning of the Levitical priesthood is expressed in the person of the righteous and blameless priest Zechariah, who ministered for the atonement of himself and the people and was given a son, who would be the forerunner of the Lord.

Copyright © 2021 by Orthodox Christian Association «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ΑΓΙΟΣ ΚΟΣΜΑΣ Ο ΑΙΤΩΛΟΣ

Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΣΚΛΑΒΩΜΕΝΟΥ ΓΕΝΟΥΣ

                                  Στ. Ν. Σάκκου

                

  Μέ νεώτερα ἱστορικά στοιχεῖα γιά τόν βίο του καί περισσότερο πλοῦτο ἀπό τίς θεοφώτιστες διδαχές του φέρνει κοντά μας τόν ἀπόστολο τοῦ σκλαβωμένου γένους καί κάνει τή μορφή του πηγή ἔμπνευσης στούς σημερινούς δύσκολους καιρούς τοῦ Ἑλληνισμοῦ...

Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, Ἑρμηνεία στό κατά Λουκᾶν Εὐαγγέλιο, τόμ. Α΄,

ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, Θεσ/νίκη 2008, σσ. 25-29 

(Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV], A Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke, vol. A', pp. 25-29)

  Luke the evangelist begins his Gospel with a short introductory note addressed to the recipient of the Gospel, Theophilus. The author, in a clear language and simple style, explains the reason of his work, the way in which he worked to collect his material and the method he followed to record it.

1,1. Ἐπειδήπερ πολλοὶ ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνατάξασθαι διήγησιν περὶ τῶν πεπληροφορημένων ἐν ἡμῖν πραγμάτων.

1:1 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us.

  The attempt by many to write narratives about the person of Jesus Christ became a motive for Luke to take over the writing of his Gospel. The “πολλοί” many who are mentioned are not of course the evangelists Mark and John. Luke only knew the Gospel of Matthew, which had preceded his, since his writing is placed in the decade 50-60 A.D. (probably around 55 A.D.). The Gospels according to Mark and John were written after Luke, in the years 64-68 A.D. and 69-72 A.D. respectively. Nor are these “πολλοί” many the authors of the apocrypha or pseudepigraph Gospels (e.g., Peter’s, Thomas’, Philip’s, etc.) The apocrypha began to appear later, in the 2nd-3rd century AD. Besides, if he were to refer to such texts, the evangelist would have questioned them. Luke rather implies some anonymous Christian scholars, who, using as a basis either the oral tradition or their personal notes, had recorded smaller or larger collections of Christ's words and narratives of the facts of his life. These were not false narratives; they were genuine with true data. But, because this was a human initiative and effort, it couldn’t survive through the passage of time. The Gospel is not a narrative characterized only by historical reliability. It also bears the seal of the divinely inspired spirit. When evangelist Luke began his writing, he was conscious of being directed by the Holy Spirit to deliver to the "the heathen" Christians - just as Matthew to the “circumcised" - divine truths and events of salvation significance.
  Many interpreters, relying only on the use of the verb have taken in hand, came to the wrong conclusion that those who attempted to write short narratives intended to misguide the faithful. Others understood those who tried to write something, but had not been able to complete it. The verb, however, has a neutral meaning. It means "putting my hand on something, taking over, attempt."
  The co-expression “to draw up a narrative” belongs to the "once-so-called" of the Holy Scriptures; It means the arrangement of the content, the draft of the content which the oral tradition saved about Jesus.
  Hence, many tried to write a narrative about what they have been informed. In the brief and concise interpretation of Zigavinos; «εἰσὶ δὲ ταῦτα τὰ πράγματα... ἡ ἔνσαρκος αὐτοῦ (τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) πολιτεία», "these facts are... his (Jesus’) incarnate life", i.e., the acts and words, miracles and teaching of the Lord (cf. Acts 1:1-2). All these are known to the believers of the next generation, among whom Luke includes himself among us. These are not legends and folk traditions, but undeniable events which, with a sense of responsibility and piety, were entrusted to Christians by the preachers of God's word. The verb «πληροφοροῦμαι», when it refers specifically to events, it means “absolute trust” that “I become absolutely believable”.

1,2. καθὼς παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου.

1:2 Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

  The many referred to in the previous verse - including Luke - received the Lord's teaching from reliable sources. Those who were from the beginning, they were eyewitnesses, and they delivered their testimonies to the next ones who received them. It becomes apparent that Luke was not among the eyewitness-disciples of Jesus Christ. This information is also recorded in Muratori's catalogue, where we read (in the Greek version); "Luke is called a doctor, zealot of the law, Paul’s companion, who did not see the Lord in flesh but he wrote as he had been informed “ἄνωθεν".
  The apostles are eyewitnesses, who personally attended what Jesus did and taught during the three years of his public actions. They were entrusted to be the servants of the word and transmit what they had seen and heard by testifying these with the power of the Holy Spirit (see Mt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).

1,3. ἔδοξε κἀμοί, παρηκολουθηκότι ἄνωθεν πᾶσιν ἀκριβῶς, καθεξῆς σοι γράψαι, κράτιστε Θεόφιλε.

1:3 It has seemed right to me also, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.

  In this verse Luke describes the way in which he worked. He points out that his narrative is not based on hypotheses or disputed data, but on his own personal research. Luke, of course, was Apostle Paul’s disciple. Undoubtedly, however, he also met the other apostles who belonged to the group of the Lord’s twelve disciples. In addition, he collected important information from the Lord's own mother.
  Therefore, he dealt with a serious historical research, as the participle “παρηκολουθηκότι” states. He made sure of all the facts from the beginning, “ἄνωθεν”, and “πᾶσιν”, precisely, with accuracy. His Gospel begins with the pre-announcement of the birth of John the Baptist and continues by offering a complete picture of the Lord’s life and teaching, with a lot of information that is not mentioned in the other Gospels. The recording of all this material is characterized by a systematic arrangement. The word “καθεξῆς” refers to that, and not to a strict chronological order; this order exists only in the first (chapters 1-2) and in the third part (chapters 22-24) of this Gospel.
  The responsible historical research and the style of the text bear Luke's personal stamp. The Gospel being “God-inspired” does not diminish the educational level or the intellectual abilities of the author. In his research, of course, as in the selection and arrangement of the subject material, the evangelist had unquestionably the guidance of the Holy Spirit, secured of any error and brightened the talents that adorned Luke.
  From the address, “excellent Theophilus”, we realize that the recipient of the Gospel had a high social position. We meet the same title "Your Excellency", with the same meaning in the book of the Acts of the Apostles (see 23:26; 24:3; 26:25). If it is true that Luke was a military doctor in Philippi, where a Roman legion was based, Theophilus may well have been one of the supreme lords of Philippi.
  From the authors of the Gospels, the two, Matthew and John, are among the first generation of believers, while the other two, Mark and Luke, belong to the second generation. This is very important as far as the one and only tradition of the Gospel is concerned. As it is well known, many lines can pass through one point, while only one line passes through two points. Two eyewitnesses testify Jesus’ life and teaching, and there are two more through whose testimony, the Gospel was delivered from one generation to the next. The agreement between these four witnesses confirms the reliability of the Gospel narratives.

1,4. ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς περὶ ὧν κατηχήθης λόγων τὴν ἀσφάλειαν.

1:4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

  Theophilus had already known the truth of the Gospel, but it was necessary to proceed to a more essential and complete knowledge, as he states “ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς”. Oral teaching, after all, is always at risk of change over time. Luke, with his Gospel, aims to secure and guarantee catechism. In the language of the scrolls of the Greek and Greek-Roman era, "ασφάλειαν" mainly means the written guarantee of a financial agreement (proof, contract, promissory note etc.) Luke, in other words, tried to offer Theophilus a written and complete teaching (catechesis), which would be the guardian and guarantor of the oral apostolic tradition.
  The Gospel according to Luke, therefore, is a catechetic letter, containing the teaching of the apostolic times. But in every age the Gospel must be the main teaching of the faithful. Other useful narratives might seem more attractive and fascinating. However, it is the God-inspirited word of the Holy Scripture that transforms, cultivates and sanctifies. Saint John Chrysostom advises: "So sanctify your soul, sanctify your body by always having them (the words of the Holy Scriptures) in your heart and lips. For, if obscenity pollutes terribly and invites demons, it is obvious that spiritual reading sanctifies and attracts the Holy Spirit’s grace. These words are divine melodies. So, let them become within us the refrain, and by using these let’s make the medicines for the passions of the soul. If we realize the value of these readings, we will listen to them willingly”.

Copyright © 2021 by Orthodox Christian Association «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Translation from the Book

Ὁ Θεός στήν Καινή Διαθήκη, Βοήθημα Κατωτέρου Κατηχητικοῦ Β΄,

ἐκδ. «Χριστιανική Ἐλπίς» Ὀρθόδοξη Ἀδελφότητα, Θεσσαλονίκη 2015, σσ. 51-55

The Resurrection of the Daughter of Jairus

(Mt 9:18-26; Mk 5:21-43; Lk 8:40-56)

  Today, we are going to visit one of the houses in Capernaum. This house hides a lot of pain. It's been a long time since laughter and joy were heard here. The only child in the family, a twelve-year-old girl, is seriously ill; she’s dying. The smile faded from her parents' lips and sadness tightens their hearts.

  On the shore of Capernaum, many people were eagerly waiting for Jesus, once again. The suffering father was among the crowd. He had heard of Jesus. He had been informed that Jesus had cured many patients with serious illnesses. A hope was awakened in him. Could He cure his own child? If only he could reach Jesus…
  And there he was! The father whose heart was full of pain, ran towards him. He forgot his high social status. He was actually the leader of a synagogue, responsible for maintaining order in one of the local synagogues, where Jews gathered to study the word of God, the Old Testament. In other words, he was a respected person in Capernaum. Jairus, that was his name.
  The pain he was feeling, however, made him fall on his knees. He begged Jesus to come to his house. “My daughter”, he said, “is dying. I beg You, come and put Your hand on her so that she may be healed and live”.
  Jesus, sympathized with the desperate father, reassured him and followed him. On the way to Jairus’s house the crowds almost crushed Him.
  Thus, an unwell woman found an opportunity to approach and touch the edge of Christ’s clothes. She thought that she could go unnoticed. She had been losing blood for twelve years. She felt terribly exhausted. She had also spent all her money to pay for doctors to help her but they couldn’t do anything for her. In addition, she has been isolated from everyone for so long because of her illness. But this time she dared to approach Jesus.
  As she approached Him, she said to herself: "If only I touched his clothes, I would be healed". Her faith in Christ was strong. And our Lord, who knows everything, rewarded her strong faith. Indeed, as soon as the sick woman touched Jesus' clothes, the bleeding stopped! What so many doctors could not do for years now, our Christ gave her in an instant.
  Who touched me? Jesus asked because he wanted to show everyone the faith of the bleeding woman. “Teacher, the people are crowding and pressing against you and you ask who has touched you?"! Peter responded spontaneously. But Jesus insisted. The bleeding woman fell to her knees before Jesus and confessed to everyone what had happened. “Have courage my daughter!” Christ said. “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!”
  While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from Jairus’s house. He brought the bad news: “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the Teacher anymore. There is no reason for him to come to your house”.
  The father’s heart broke. Hope faded. He believed that Christ could heal his dying child. But now? She is dead now. But what did the Lord say to him? "Do not be afraid Jairus, just believe in me and she will be healed". "Keep relying on me and your child will be saved". What did Christ mean by these words?
  They arrived at Jairus's house. Everyone was crying, they were mourning for the death of the young girl. But Jesus said to them: “Stop wailing! She is not dead, but asleep!" How strange were the words of this Teacher! Everyone was convinced of the child's death. Some sneered and mocked Him.
  Jesus Christ entered the house, the room where the dead girl was. He asked everyone to go out. He only kept with Him the girl's parents and three of His disciples: Peter, James and John. Everyone looked at him with wonder. What was he going to do?

  Our Lord took the hand of the dead girl. Then, as if trying to wake her up from her usual sleep, he said sweetly: "Wake up, my girl!". And then - how miraculous! - immediately the child got up and started walking! The Lord raised her up!
  Who can describe the surprise, the great happiness and the gratitude that the parents felt! Jesus urged them to give the child something to eat. They no longer doubted that their child was completely well.

  Christ overcame death.

  Our visit to this house in Capernaum, is an awe-inspiring event. If we go to the house of a dead person and tell his relatives: "Your man is not dead but he is sleeping", they will think that we are making fun of them. Christ however, to those who were crying without hope, said: "Do not cry, she is not dead but asleep!"
Christ calls death “sleep”. And the Church calls the dead “people who have been asleep”. Thus, a great truth is revealed to us: As the man who is tired falls asleep and he will wake up, so the dead are not lost, but asleep and they will wake up. Life does not stop at the grave. At the same time that people close their eyes to this life, they open the eyes of their soul to the other life and face our Savior Christ. That is why the early Christians were not afraid when their persecutors threatened them with death. Even small children waited fearlessly for death, because it would bring them closer to Christ!
  Our life has lots of joys. But it would be a lie to tell you that it has only joys. If we look around, we will see many people suffering, others suffering from a serious illness, others in pain because they have lost their loved one.
  Have you ever thought that we, ourselves, could be in their place? And if such a thing happens - it may has already happened to some of us - what will we do? Will we despair? No. We are certainly in pain, we are sorry for the separation from our loved ones, because we want to have them with us, to see them. But when we know that our dead are not lost, but live in the presence of God, we are in peace. We do not despair. Instead, we strive to be children of God, in order to be granted with the paradise where we will meet Him and those we love.
  Today we witness our Lord resurrecting the twelve-year-old girl. He, who created the universe with one word of His, He also commanded the dead girl to be resurrected and she so did. But, is it possible for dead bodies to have ears and hear His word? Of course not. And yet, they hear our Christ’s voice and obey it, because He is the creator of life and the one who has defeated death!
  And as he resurrected the daughter of Jairus, so he will resurrect us and everyone else, in His Second Coming. We confess this faith every time we say the Creed of our faith. Do you remember how it ends? "I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the future age to come." That means: "I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the future eternal life!"

Copyright © 2021 by Orthodox Christian Association «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ. All rights reserved.

2b. The King of All

  Whenever the top leader of a nation leaves his place or presidential mansion to tour the cities and towns, the local authorities prepare a grand reception. They call the people to come out and welcome him. But who is the real, the incomparable authority of the entire world, the King of all? This leader did not receive and hold His authority by force and slaughter, or through lies, fraud and exploitation. His authority is spiritual, holy. He Himself is the source of His authority, because He is the God, the God-man, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the King of all, as the Cherubic Hymn chants. Who can be compared with His holy Person and which government with His kingdom? On this bloodied earth the prayer of Christians will be always heard: “Thy Kingdom come” (Mt 6:10). Christ, the king of all, came here to earth without the external and vain characteristics of the political rulers of this world, without clubs and weapons, without force and exploitation, without lies and deceits. He came so humbly that the people did not recognize him. And when Christ declared before Pilate that He was then King of a kingdom very different from the kingdoms of this world, the soldiers and the mob mocked Him. They suffered, they were tortured and heavily taxed by the Caesars of Rome, and yet they chose them and not Christ the King of justice and love. The people, living under various political systems, which change so often with the hope to find joy and happiness, still behave in this way against Christ. But the only source of joy and happiness is Jesus Christ, the King of all.
  Every time there is a Divine Liturgy, Jesus comes in the humble form of bread and wine. He comes to offer His sacrifice for the salvation of the world. And all the Christians are called to receive Him: to hasten to the church, to stand with reverence and to receive Him with feelings of deep gratitude when the priest, holding the precious gifts, comes out through the northern door of the sanctuary.

Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη ὁ Κύριος, 

ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, ἔκδ. 3η, Θεσ/νίκη 2007, σσ. 160-164 

(Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV], The Lord is truly risen, pp. 160-164)

   First of all, I will present a trial which, in fact, remains unknown. The high priests, the Pharisees and the Roman authorities, represented by Pilate, tried in every way to keep this out of the public eye. The evangelist Matthew saves a few but clarifying facts about this trial in some verses of the last two chapters of his Gospel. It is the trial of some soldiers of this guard, the sixteen-member Roman guard, which were under the jurisdiction of the religious leadership of the temple. With Pilate’s permission, this guard was placed outside Jesus’ grave by the Pharisees and the high priests. As a result, the disciples would not be able to steal the dead body and then spread the news that He was resurrected.

  The tomb was secured “the next day, the one after Preparation Day” (Mt 27:62). These fanatical supporters of the Law about Sabbath did not even respect the Sabbath day. Why? Because they dreaded the Resurrection. They remembered that “while he was still alive that deceiver said”, while Jesus was still alive – therefore, they themselves confirmed that he was dead – He had said that “after three days I will rise again” (Mt 27:63). Although, the disciples did not keep in mind this prophecy at all, Jesus’s enemies and crucifiers were the only ones who believed it and they took every precaution to prevent its fulfillment. Indeed, with Pilate's approval, the high priests and Pharisees – after being sure that the dead body was inside - secured the tomb by putting a seal on the stone (Mt 27:66). What purpose did seals serve? They protected the tomb from the guards, while the soldiers guarded the tomb from the disciples or anyone else who would attempt to steal Jesus' dead body. The tomb was secured and the soldiers guarded the tomb. Now the high priests of Israel could sleep peacefully and “eat the Passover” happy and legally clean, free from sin (see Jn 18:28).
  Their peace, however, was disturbed by the presence of these soldiers in Jerusalem the next morning, “on the first day of the week” (Mk 16:2). The high priests and elders were assembled and “had taken counsel” to judge the custodian guards. In their testimony, the soldiers reported to the chief priests everything that had happened (Mt 28:11-12). Being faithful to the mission assigned to them, they guarded the tomb. But at dawn “on the first day of the week”, after a terrible earthquake, they realized that the tomb was empty. How did that happen? They were unable to explain it. However, the high priests and elders understood it very well. Yes, despite the draconian measures they took, the prophecy of the “deceiver” was verified (Mt 27:63). Jesus Christ was risen. Therefore, he was not a deceiver but they themselves were deceived. How could they admit it, though? How could they confess it to the people? They would have to recant what they had said. For this reason, they find a formula which covers them, at least for the time being. They bribe the soldiers with “a large sum of money” (Mt 28:12), telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’” (Mt 28:13).
  For Roman soldiers to fall asleep while on duty was a serious offense and punishable by death. What did the Roman ruler Pilate have to say about this? Normally, he should have beheaded the soldiers after the interrogation, as Herod did a little later, when an angel of the Lord released the imprisoned Apostle Peter. He “interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death” (Acts 12:19). Why was Pilate silent? Why did he not apply the law? The question was answered by the judges of these soldiers, the high priests, who assured that “If the governor hears about it” -the alleged negligence of the soldiers- (Mt 28:14), they would intervene themselves to convince him not to punish them. It is not difficult to understand how the high priests would achieve this. Bribery and blackmailing were the usual ways in which conquered peoples influenced conquering Romans.
  So, the soldiers “took the money and did as they were instructed” (Mt 28:14), that is, they said that the disciples stole Jesus’ dead body of while they were sleeping. However, the testimony of the soldiers is not only unconvincing, but it also offends the judges-high priests. Saint Augustine aptly observes (Enarrationes in Psalmos 63, 15· Corpus Christianorum 39, 817) “Sleeping witnesses ye adduce: truly you yourself hast fallen asleep, that in searching such devices hast failed. If they were sleeping, what could they see? If nothing they saw, how are they witnesses? But they failed in searching searchings: failed of the light of God, failed in the very completion of their designs: when that which they willed, nowise they were able to complete, surely they failed”. If the judges relied on the words of the sleeping soldiers, they affirm that they made plans to deceive us. How did the soldiers, while sleeping, see that the disciples stole Jesus' body? If, on the other hand, they saw nothing, then what did they testify? Their testimony sounds as if they said: we testify that Jesus' disciples stole his body. Our testimony is completely indisputable, because at the time when the students were stealing the body, we were sleeping so deeply that we neither heard nor saw anything!
  The result of the trial is that the “large sum of money” closed the mouths of the soldiers. But they were not able to keep the empty tomb closed, to prevent “the stone rolled away from the tomb” (Lk 24, 2) from revealing to the guards, to the crucifiers and to the whole world that Christ is Risen.

Copyright © 2021 by Orthodox Christian Association «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Τῆς λευτεριᾶς ματοβαμμένες ρίζες

Ἅγιες μορφές νεομαρτύρων, πού ἡ ἀντίστασή τους κράτησε τούς Ἕλληνες ἀδούλωτους στά χρόνια τῆς σκλαβιᾶς καί τό αἷμα τῆς θυσίας τους ἄρδευσε τό δένδρο τῆς λευτεριᾶς καί ἔγινε σπορά γιά τήν ἀνάσταση τοῦ Γένους.

Ζητῆστε το στό Βιβλιοπωλεῖο μας "Ἀπολύτρωσις", 2310 274518

ἤ μπεῖτε στό ἠλεκτρονικό μας βιβλιοπωλεῖο http://books.apolytrosis.gr/el/

Μπορεῖτε νά παρακολουθήσετε τήν διαδικτυακή ἐκδήλωση πού πραγματοποιήθηκε

εἰς μνήμην τοῦ διδασκάλου τῆς Ἀδελφότητός μας

Στεργίου Σάκκου.

https://youtu.be/jFA4Qfzmmzo

Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, Ἑρμηνεία στό κατά Λουκᾶν Εὐαγγέλιο, τόμ. Α΄, ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, Θεσ/νίκη 2008, σσ. 207-216. (Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV], A Commentary on the Gospel according to Luke, vol. A', pp. 207-216)

   At the beginning of his public life, Jesus invited the disciples who would follow him and afterwards they would continue his work. The Evangelist Luke, who, as it was said (see comments on 1:3), does not respect the chronological order of events, writes first about certain incidents that took place later. So, at the end of the previous chapter (see 4:31-44) we read about a healing, in the synagogue of Capernaum, of a man who had demons in him, the healing of Peter's mother-in-law from a high fever and other miracles. And then (5:1-11) he writes about the call of the disciples, considering it as the most important event of the first days of Jesus in Capernaum. For this reason, he describes it in detail, while Saint Matthew and Saint Mark omit it in their short narratives (see Mt 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20).

   5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret.
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.

  Jesus did not come from the circle of Pharisees whom the people almost feared. He was simple and accessible to the ordinary people. He spoke clearly and simply. He could be perceived by the crowd, while the High-priests and the Pharisees spoke about Him contemptuously (see Jn 7:48-49). The religious leadership of the Jews and those who had high social positions, being poisoned by their selfishness and self-sufficiency, did not feel the need to hear God’s word. For this reason, Jesus preached on the shore of Capernaum - this was probably the market of the city - where a lot of fishermen and other simple people, the chosen remnant of God (cf. 1 Cor 1:26-28), were gathered. They were all crowded, as the verb «ἐπικεῖσθαι» «pressed upon him» states, in their attempt to approach Jesus and hear his teaching.
  Lake Gennesaret took its name from the adjacent homonymous plain. The same lake is mentioned in the book of Num 34:11 with the name «Henereth (kinyra)», apparently because of its shape, which looked like the musical instrument kinyra, the well-known harp. Because of its great size, the Jews called Gennesaret the «sea». So, in the Gospels we find it as the «Sea of Galilee» (Mt 4:18; 15:29; Mk 1:16; Jn 6:1) because it was in the area of Galilee (Jn 6:1; 21:1), or the «Sea of Tiberias» because the city of Tiberias was built at its shore in honour of the Emperor Tiberius. In contrast to the other three evangelists, Luke describes it as a lake, because he is addressed to believers who were not from Palestine and did not know the local use of its name.

   5:2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
 

  When the crowds surrounded Jesus, there were two fishing boats nearby. These were small boats that were used in professional fishing. They were about 8 meters long and 2 meters wide and could carry a weight of about one ton.
  In this lake there was a huge quantity of diverse fish. The fish, as we can see from its frequent reference in the Gospels (Mt 14:15-21; 15:32-39; 17:24-27; 6:35-44; 8:1-10), was the basic diet of Hebrews. So, it was natural for the inhabitants of the towns and villages near the lake to occupy themselves with fishing. The fishermen of the two boats had come ashore and after the fishing that had preceded during the night (see verse 5), they washed and mended their nets. Therefore, it was morning or at least before noon. Fishing was primarily done with nets. There were a variety of nets. The gospel narratives refer to the «ἀμφίβληστρον» (see Mt 4:18; Mk 1:16), the «charm» (Mt 13:47) and the long nets like the contemporary ones, with corks on the top and weights on the bottom. This last type of net, as we can see by the way they fished (see verse 6), was used by the fishermen of our passage.

   5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ships.
He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

  Jesus asked for Peter's consent to use one of the two boats as a teaching platform. He made a polite request to him, knowing that he was the owner. This detail shows how much the Lord respected the freedom of any man and the right for property. The verbs «ἀνάγειν» and «κατάγειν» as nautical terms mean respectively «I’m going out into the sea» and «I’m bringing the ship to the shore». The verb «ἐπανάγειν» means «I'm going back to the sea». Jesus asked Peter to remove the ship only a few meters from the shore, so that the water would become a natural barrier between him and the crowd, who were gathered around him. In this way, everyone could see and hear him better.
  Peter willingly made his ship available for the Teacher to preach. He did not hesitate because of the fatigue of the whole night or his sorrow for the unsuccessful fishing. He himself longed to hear God’s word from Jesus. About the phrase «he sat down, and taught the people» see comments on 4:20.

   5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, «Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.»

  The Lord did not want to leave without paying the owner of the ship, who offered him this unusual pulpit. At the end of the speech, he urged him to bring the ship again to the depths of the lake and with the other fishermen to let the nets down for fishing. He had, after all, his plan; through fishing he could «catch» disciples, according to the pun of Saint Cyril of Alexandria. He wanted to gain the absolute trust of his first disciples and attract them by showing his divine power.

   5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Simon answered, «Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.»

  The Lord was not a fisherman. As a man, he was unskilled at this job. His order would certainly seem absurd to Peter, who knew that this time of the day was completely inappropriate for fishing. And yet, excited by the presence and preaching of Jesus, the experienced fisherman obeys to this curious exhortation. He calls him «ἐπιστάτα», which means «teacher.» Luke uses this word instead of the Hebrew «rabbi», which is preferred by the other evangelists. It is not known if Peter had already watched Jesus doing other miracles. It is certain that he knew him since his brother Andreas had introduced him (see Jn 1:42-43). Peter's direct response to the Lord's command reminds us the willing obedience of the Virgin Mary to the angel's message (Lk 1:38) and it is a great lesson for the believers of all ages. His decisive answer, «because you say so, I will let down the nets», is often repeated by those who submit to the Lord's will, even when it seems unreasonable, and trust Him.

   5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

  There were so many fish gathered, that the net «διερρήγνυτο». This verbal type, states that the net was about to break. Jesus, as an almighty God, dominates everything. His will and the power of his word attained this miraculous fishing, which cannot be rationally explained. There is also a miraculous fishing in Jn 21:3-14. But this is not the same incident. There, the resurrected Lord appeared «in another form» (Mk 16:12) and repeated the same miracle as a proof of his identity and as a sign of recognition by his disciples.

   5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

  The word «κατένευσαν» is a maritime term, which in Modern Greek means «signal». When the boats were at a great distance from each other, the sailors could communicate by waving their hands or by a piece of cloth or some other visible signal. Peter's boat was out farther in the lake, while his partners’, the sons of Zebedee’s boat, was on the shore. For this reason, they could only communicate with signals.
  Since both boats were filled, it seems that there were too many fish and the boats were relatively small. The type of the phrase, «ὥστε βυθίζεσθαι», does not mean that the boats started sinking, but because of the weight were about to sink. Their displacement «εκτόπισμα», in other words, crossed the line of safety. Some foreign scholars ignored the precise interpretation of these two words, so they faced the following speculations: How did the disciples finally catch the fish, since the nets were destroyed by the weight? How did they save the boats from being sank? The more precise meaning is that they «were about to sink» and this answers the above questions.

   5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, «Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.»
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, «Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!»

  The reference to the double name Simon Peter helps us to understand that the evangelist has in his mind the first contact of Peter with Jesus, when the Lord said to him; « you will be called Cephas, which means, Peter», which John records in Jn 1:43. There is, therefore, no disagreement between John and the other three evangelists over the election of the disciples, as some have claimed. John describes the first acquaintance; the others presuppose it and mention the call of the first disciples and later the final chosen ones for the missionary group, that is, the election of the twelve and their mission (see Mt 10:1-4; Mk 3:13-19; Lk 6:13-16).
  The miraculous fishing revealed the divine power of Jesus. In the face of this revelation, Peter is shocked. He contrasts his own weakness and sinfulness to his majesty and sanctity and spontaneously calls him «Lord». Peter realizes how small and unworthy he is to host Jesus on his boat. Kneeling with devoutness, he exclaims; «Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!» His spontaneity does not allow him to think how unreasonable his request is, since Jesus should fall into the sea in order to get out of his boat. It is also a detail that proves this is a true narrative and not a fiction.

   5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fish which they had taken.
For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,

The miraculous fishing left the fishermen dazzled, not of course for the unexpected wealth that it would probably bring, but as a supernatural event, which showed the presence of an omnipotent person.

   5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, «Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.»
and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, «Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.»

  The professional fishermen of the lake usually formed guilds, small fishing companies. Their members were called «shareholders» (see vs. 7) or «κοινωνοί». They participated in the company offering their boats, nets and labor, and «shared» the profits. The two pairs of brothers: Petros-Andreas, James-John had created such a company.
  The Evangelist Luke mentions the names of the three of the four partners, Peter, James and John. It omits Peter's brother, Andrew, who is mentioned by the other two evangelists (see Mt 4:18; Mk 1:16). His purpose, obviously, was to inform his recipients how the three top disciples, whom Jesus took with him at key moments of his earthly life, were invited. These were in the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus (Mk 5:37; Lk 8:51), in Transfiguration (Mt 17:1; Mk 9:2; Lk 9:28), in Gethsemane (Mt 26:37; Mk 14:33). The Lord urges Peter «Don’t be afraid» and reassures him, as in the past the angel Gabriel said to Zacharias (see Lk 1:13) and to the Virgin Mary (see Lk 1:30). The presence of God in Sinai (cf. Ex 19:16-18; 20:18) and more generally in the history of Israel, was accompanied by phenomena that caused the terror of the Israelis. In the years of the New Testament, God came to banish fear and make people shareholders in the happiness of his kingdom.
  The verb «ζωγρῶ» refers to the captivity of living beings. Peter is called to change not his profession but the object of his fishing. Instead of catching fish in his nets and lead them to death, he will capture people from the sea of the world, where they are spiritually dead, and lead them to eternal life. The superiority of his imminent mission is obvious.

   5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
 

  The blessed fishermen were impressed by the rich catch, but they did not want to profit from it economically. The desire for profit did not stand as an obstacle to Jesus’ call; «left everything» and they followed him. They were called to a mission that demanded self-denial and absolute devotion. That day Jesus broke up a fishing company and gained the first shareholders of his own divine «Company».
  In the election of the students there is an element which is strongly at contrast to the tactics used by the leaders of various movements. These seek out their fans among the unemployed and unoccupied. The Lord called his colleagues while they were working (cf. Ex 3:1-4; 1 Kings 19:19-21). In this way, he showed how he honors work. Moreover, he did not consider it disrespectful to be described as a «τέκτων» (see Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3) i.e. a craftsman (carpenter, construction worker, blacksmith).
  The evangelists Matthew and Mark note with emphasis that the four fishermen «straightway» left everything, in order to follow Jesus (see Mt 4:20.22; Mk 1:18.20). St. John the Chrysostom praises their obedience and urges: «This is the obedience Christ is asking from us», that is, to do the will of the Lord without the slightest delay.
  Very often we develop a great activity for earthly things, while we constantly postpone everything that has to do with our spiritual life and the case of God. This delay is a well-made trap of evil. It is written, in this connection, by the former bishop of Florina Augustine: «All, dear ones, let us fear the demon of delay. In every good decision about the glory of God or for the benefit of our neighbor, he comes and whispers to us; “Tomorrow”. Oh, the cunning creature! He promises the uncertain future and seizes the present... Let us not forget the wisdom of a saying that the road to hell is paved with numerous “wills” and kind promises which will never be realized.»
In all ages the Lord appeals to everyone the invitation to follow him; to abandon the life of sin and to walk faithfully on his own footprints (see 1 Pet 2:21; cf. Col 3:8-10).   At the same time, every Christian is called to be a missionary in his environment. The motto of the first Christians was: «Εις προς ένα προς ΙΧΘΥΝ», «Each one approach another one to bring him to Jesus Christ God’s Son». We know that the Christian merchants who traveled to the countries of the Mediterranean, contributed a lot to the spread of the Gospel. The Church of Rome, for example, was founded by disciples of the Apostle Paul who had moved there, before the apostle arrived. «The person who has no missionary desires, is a false Christian,» writes the bishop Augustine categorically.
  However, in addition to the general call, the Lord also directs special calls to some persons in order to take up the special mission to continue the work of the Apostles. In every era, it is necessary to exist the tireless fishermen, the teachers of the gospel, those who will sacrifice their careers. They will cut off all human emotional ties and throw themselves with a spirit of sacrifice into the missionary work inside or outside their homeland. The Lord, emphasizing this need, urges the faithful; «Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest» (Mt 9:38).
  The miraculous fishing can be paralleled with the work of the Church. The rich catch was a type of the rich fishing of men, a foretelling of the large crowd of those who were to be caught by the nets of the Apostles. By the power and authority of the Lord, with the patience and insistence that characterizes the fishermen, the apostles really spread the nets of the gospel and arrested a lot of men, whom led to Christ and salvation.

Copyright © 2021 by Orthodox Christian Association «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ. Used by permission. All rights reserved.