Understanding the Agpeya Objective To learn about the Agpeya and how we should use it in prayer References http://www.agpeya.org/what_is_the_agpeya/what_is_the_agpeya.html 12 Grade Sunday School Curriculum (Diocese of the Southern USA) Scriptural Verse Seven times a day I praise You because of Your righteous judgments (Psalms 119:164) Lesson Outline What is it? The word, Agpeya, is a Coptic (ancient Egyptian) word meaning Book of Hours. It is based on the Coptic root word, ti agp, which means the hour. It contains prayers for seven different hours to be said throughout the day (as stated in Psalm 119 above). The hours are chronologically laid out, each containing a theme corresponding to events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. When do we pray it? The Agpeya is read throughout the day and in many situations. The hours of the day start from sunrise and end at sunset. 1. The First Hour: The morning prayer (Prime) is prayed upon waking up in the morning 2. The third hour (Terce): is prayed before the Offering of Incense during the Liturgy 3. The sixth hour (Sext): is prayed after the third hour in the Liturgy 4. The ninth hour (None): is also prayed during Liturgy on fasting days 5. The eleventh hour prayer (Vespers): is prayed in the early evening at sunset 6. The twelfth hour (Compline): is prayed before bedtime 7. The midnight hour: is prayed just before the Midnight Praises 8. The Veil hour: is prayed by priests, monks and bishops and all of those who wish to spend more time with God. What s in it? Each hour is composed of: 1. Introduction a. The Lord s Prayer b. The Prayer of Thanksgiving, c. Psalm 50. 2. 12 Psalms (19 in the Prime Hour) 3. An excerpt from the Holy Gospel 4. Litanies.
5. Other prayers depending on the hour a. Gloria (Prime) b. Let us Praise with the angels (Morning) c. Graciously Accord (Evening) d. Trisagion e. Hail to St. Mary f. Introduction to the Creed g. Creed 6. Lord Have Mercy is then chanted 41 times (representing the 39 lashes the Lord Jesus Christ received before the crucifixion, plus one for the spear in His side, plus one for the crown of thorns) 7. Holy, Holy, Holy 8. Absolution 9. Conclusion What do the different hours represent? Prime: It symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ s incarnation, death and Resurrection. We pray it to give thanks to the Lord for having us rise from the sleep (like small death) and to grant us the power of His resurrection. Terce: Reminds us of three events: o The Lord Jesus Christ s trial by Pontius Pilate (Psalm 15:25: Isaiah 53:7) o His ascension into the heavens Lift up your gates, you princes, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord who is strong and mighty, the Lord who is mighty in war. Lift up your gates, you princes; and be lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is this king of glory. (Psalm 23 in Coptic, 24 in Latin) o Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost. O Lord who sent down Your Holy Spirit upon Your holy disciples and Your honored apostles in the third hour, do not take Him away from us, O Good One, but we ask You to renew Him within us Sext: Commemorates the Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ. None: Commemorates the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. Vespers: Commemorates the taking down of the Lord Jesus Christ from the Cross. Compline: Commemorates the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Final Judgment. Midnight Prayers: They are arranged in accordance with the words of the psalmist, I will rise late in the night to give thanks to You (Psalm 119:62). Emphasizes being watchful and getting ready for the second coming of our Lord. o Arise, you, O children of the light, to praise the Lord of Hosts, that He may grant us the salvation of our souls. When we stand in the flesh before You, take away from our minds the sleep of forgetfulness, grant us alertness o Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the
wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom is coming; arise and go out to meet him (Matthew 25:1-13) Why should we use it? Prolonged presence with the Lord Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Prayer Repentance and Humility Asking for mercy (Psalm 50) Glorification and Praise Glorifying the name of the Lord (Trisagion) Supplication o Prime First Absolution: Therefore, we ask You, O our Master, the King of all ages, let Your face shine upon us, and the light of Your divine knowledge enlighten us. Grant us, O our Master, to be sons of light and sons of day, to pass this day in righteousness, chastity and good conduct, that we may complete all the rest of the days of our life without offense Praying for mercy o 41 Lord have mercies According to God s will o Graciously Accord: Despise not, O Lord, the works of Your hands. You have been my refuge from generation to generation. I asked the Lord and said, have mercy on me, heal my soul; for I have sinned against You. Lord, I have fled unto You, save me, and teach me to do Your will, for You are my God, and with You is the fountain of life. Being spiritually pre-occupied all day Comfort o Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress (Psalm 4:1) How should we pray it? Keep the goal in mind Remember God s character as you pray o As you read the characteristics of God in the Agpeya, remember that He really is the person you are talking to Personalize the prayer o Don t pray in generalities, but make it personal. o Remember God s real mercy in your life o Thank Him for what He has actually done to you o Trust Him with your real issues o Confess your real sins Reading vs. Praying o Memorizing o Robotic prayer
Personal prayer in addition to Agpeya o Agpeya gets you in the prayer mood o It is not a substitute for your personal prayers Conclusion The Agpeya prayers are tools that deepen our prayers and bring us closer to God. They are prayers that are full of thanksgiving, repentance, and praise. They model the perfect and most acceptable prayer before God. Activities/Discussion Points 1. What hindrances do you experience that prevent you from praying with the Agpeya? 2. Discuss some of the psalms in the various hours with the class.
Abraham The Man of Faith Objectives To understand why Abraham was chosen by God to be the father of His chosen people and to learn life lessons from him References http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/shokel/871201_abraham.html http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/abraham.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/abraham#significance Scriptural Verse Because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes and my laws (Genesis 26:5) Introduction Abram was born in Ur of the Chaldeans, located in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley region. From Ur, Abram and his family moved to Haran, about 600 miles (975 kilometers) to the northwest. There, at the age of 75, he received his calling from God: The Lord had said to Abram: Leave your country, your people and your father s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:1-3) Abram obediently left for Canaan (today Israel) with his family, including his wife Sarai (later renamed Sarah) and his nephew Lot. He traveled down through the land, Shechem, Bethel, Ai, and right south toward the Negev. During that time The Lord appeared to him and told him that, To your offspring I will give this land (Genesis 12:7). Lesson Outlines: Abraham may be looked upon as the starting-point or source of Old Testament religion. So that from the days of Abraham men were accustomed to speak of God as the God of Abraham. Although all bloodline Jews of today are descended from him, Abraham's son Isaac, had a son Jacob (who was renamed Israel), who had 12 sons (from whom came The Tribes of Israel), one of which was Judah, from whom came the Lord Jesus Christ. Our father Abraham observed the entire Torah before it was given to Israel. He was a man of faith. He loved God and worshiped Him even when his father was
idols maker.judaism, Christianity and Islam are sometimes referred to as the "Abrahamic religions", because of the progenitor role Abraham plays in their holy books. In the Jewish tradition, he is called Avraham Avinu or Abraham, our Father. For Muslims, he is a prophet of Islam and the ancestor of Muhammad through his other son Ishmael - born to him by his wife's handmaiden, Hagar. Abraham is also a progenitor of the Semitic tribes of the Negev who trace their descent from their common ancestor Sheba (Genesis 10:28). Abraham s faith was revealed through many tests of faith; the most difficult of them was when God asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac to Him. The imagery of a father sacrificing his son is seen as a type of God the Father offering his Son on Calvary. Abraham s obedience to God rewarded him and his offspring a great promise from God through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me (Genesis 22:16-18). The promise in Genesis is considered to have been fulfilled through Abraham s seed, the Lord Jesus. It is also a consequence of this promise that Christianity is open to people of all races and not limited to Jews. Conclusion Abraham had many tests of faith and obedience to God that granted him many of God s promises which were all fulfilled. Therefore, we should read and learn of all the promises of God to us in the Bible and trust and await their fulfillment by faith. Activities/Discussion Points Divide the group into 3 smaller workshop groups. Let every group choose one of the tests of faith that our father Abraham had experienced and discuss the actions of our father Aharaham through these tests of faith and what lessons to be learned from them.
Objective Abba Sarabamoun Abu Tarha ( the veiled ) Bishop of El-Monofia To learn about the characteristics of this saint and emulate his spiritual virtues: prayer, simplicity, humility, and simplicity. References Coptic Synexarium www.biblegateway.com St. George and St. Abraham Church Video CD movie of Bishop Sarabamon Abu Tarha, 2002 distribution can be purchased at www.orthodoxbookstore.org or local church bookstore. God and You Person to Peron: Developing a Daily Personal Relationship with Jesus; by Father A. Coniaris Scriptural Verse Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion (Romans 12:16) Lecture Outline 1. Introduction: His early life 1. A Simple Oil Merchant He was a humble and simple oil merchant, always helped his neighbors and was kind to people. Everyone that knew him called him blessed because he always left them with a peaceful feeling in their hearts after interacting with him. He was called Salib. 2. His life turning point: A Conspiracy against him. A. In his community there was a woman who committed adultery with a man and bore a baby. She and her friends and family conspired to kill the baby so that she can save her reputation. They suffocated the baby and planned to make it look like Salib trampled over the baby with his donkey. The infant witnessed to Anba Sarabamoun s Innocence. B. Proverbs 3:34 Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble. C. Psalm 69:8-9, 16-18 I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will
rest in hope Hear me, O LORD, for Your loving kindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. And do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies. 2. He offered his life up to the Lord: Monasticism 1. Gave away his room to his neighbor (who was in need of it for her son to get married) 2. Gave away his mule to the waterman who also needed it. 3. Went to the Monastary of St. Anthony in Upper Egypt to become a monk: Abouna Salib El Antony. III. The Power of the Lord becomes more Evident in him 1. Demons knew his name (called him Salib when he would exorcise them out of people). 2. Cured the sick. 3. Always gave glory to God, and people s faith were strengthened because of him. 4. Pope Petros El-Gawly ordained him as Bishop of El-Monofia, a governate in the Nile Delta in Egypt. IV. Wonders performed by God through Saint Sarabamoun When Mohammed Ali Basha asked the Pope's help concerning his daughter Zahra Hanem who was possessed by evil spirit, he sent Anba Sarapamon who healed her by praying over her. Mohammed Ali offered him money, but he refused saying that God's gifts are free. When the Governor insisted he asked for supplies and clothes for the monks in the monasteries, and to reinstate the Copts to their jobs in the government.he was a very simple man; and had a strong faith. He prayed unceasingly and felt that he was closely tied to the saints; especially St. Mary whom he called mother of light. Every time someone called him a saint he would not acknowledge it in his heart. Conclusion He had a personal relationship with the Lord. 1. Faith: In its deepest essence, a living relationship of Love with God the Father, through the Son Jesus in the Holy Spirit. ~Fr. Anthony M. Coniaris We cannot have trust in someone whom we know only superficially. ~Fr. Schmemann
2. Humility: from the Wisdom of the Desert Fathers: An old man said, Every time a thought of superiority or vanity moves you, examine your conscience to see if you have kept all the commandments, if you love your enemies and are grieved at their sins, if you consider yourself as an unprofitable servant and the greatest of sinner of all. Even then, do not pretend to great ideas as though you were perfectly right, for this thought destroys everything. Someone asked an old man, What is humility? He replied, Humility is a great and divine work. The road leading to humility is through bodily labors, and considering oneself a sinner, inferior to all. Then the brother said, What does that mean, inferior to all? The old man said, It is this: not paying attention to others sins, but always to one s own, praying to God ceaselessly. 3. His Departure: 1853 on the 28 th day of Bashanse Activities/Discussion Points 1. How can we practice simplicity of heart and not try to use our intellect in matters of faith? 2. Do we have or can we find a saint that we can feel close to and use them as our intercessor? What prevents us? 3. How can we develop a personal relationship with the Lord and live in His presence?
Controlling Our Thoughts and Submitting Them to God Objective To understand the importance of our thoughts and consider ways to control them and submit them to God References Diabolic Wars by HH Pope Shenouda III Scripture Verse And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) Lesson Guidelines 1. Why our Thoughts are important The first part of the body to be anointed in Chrismation is the mind because if we THINK rightly, all else will follow. Why does Madison Avenue spend billions of dollars every year in advertising? To change our mind, or convince our minds to ACT in a certain way. What we buy or accept is of the utmost importance advertisers know that but more importantly and with much dire consequences, the Enemy knows that. There is a principle that the way we think is the way we feel feeling down, because of negative thoughts; feeling hopeless, because of hopeless thoughts; feeling up because of positive thoughts (but these thoughts must be based in the truth). Consider 2 people in the same situation yet they each have a distinctly different take on it. Why? They think differently about the situation. The Enemy (Satan) wants to fill our hearts with thoughts that could overwhelm our life with doubts, fear and suspicions, which could lead us far away from God. Sometimes we are not even aware that a thought could be from the Devil so we abdicate our power to accept or reject it. The sin is not in the temptation- even Christ was tempted For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) The sin is in the buying and the building on the ideas offered to us- it is a betrayal to God Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman: Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. Then the serpent said to the woman: You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:1-6)
One of the Fathers said We cannot keep the birds from flying over our heads but we can keep them from nesting in our hair 2. Some ways the Enemy tries to affect our thoughts Sin and wrong teaching in the guise of virtue Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15) Remembrance of evil entailing death - (remembering lusts or past sins brings resentment/ unforgiveness and can be a distraction to the point that we can t pray. This indicates that we no longer have control of our thoughts. Thoughts coming from senses- we need to be very cautious and conscious about what we see and hear. Examples: movies, porn, way we dress, etc. Thoughts that come from other people sometimes we view ourselves based on what others have said, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1) REMEMBER, all sinful actions begin as thoughts. Know what you think and become aware of your thoughts. The Devil is no respecter of a person s age so we need to be on the lookout for these influences with our children as well, and rebut with the Truth. 3. How do we battle in this war of thoughts? First realize that much training along with Grace is necessary Pray for and develop discernment which is one of the greatest virtues Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) We must examine and determine whether a thought is from God or not. Bring the thought to God-this necessitates familiarity with and knowledge of God s word. Spend time in the Word of God every day to increase in knowledge. Be firm with any thought/idea that is against God. In the Fraction of the Liturgy, we pray, Every thought that is not pleasing to Your goodness, take away from us. Think positive thoughts, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8) We need to train ourselves not to meditate on the negative but to focus on the positive If something truly negative is affecting me then put it before the Lord, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) Seek spiritual guidance. If we are unable to discern something on our own, we need to ask our Father of Confession or our Spiritual Father for help.
Conclusion What we think is of the utmost importance for it determines who we are and what we do. The choices before us are rather clear, do we believe God or the Enemy? We must first recognize what it is that we think, then using God s word; discern whether thoughts are in line with our Lord. If they are not, we are to cast them down and replace them with the Truth. All this necessitates much prayer and training. The end result, though, is freedom in our thoughts and a clear path in God s way. Activities/Discussion Points 1. What are some examples in our culture where the Enemy tries to disguise sin as a virtue? (tolerance/ political correctness; enlightened/sophisticated homosexual lifestyle) 2. How can my remembering of the past benefit the Enemy by leading me away from God? 3. Do I compare myself to others? What do I do with that information? 4. Do I buy things easily? Do I need to have what others have? 5. Is there anything that was said in your past that you accepted as truth which may actually have come from the Enemy? ( You are not smart, you are ugly, you are useless, etc.) 6. Is it possible to accept bad things said about your family and meditate on those things?
The Council of Constantinople Objectives To learn about the heresies of Apolinarius, Eusabius and Macedonius against the Holy Spirit and to understand how the church refuted them. References 1. The Era of Ecumenical Councils (Asr El Magamee) by Fr. Kyrollos El Antouny 2. Dioceses of the Southern U.S. www.suscopts.org (servants and preservants) 3. The Nature of Christ by H.H. Pope Shenouda the 3 rd Scriptural Verses And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one (1 John 5:6-7) Lesson Guidelines 1. Qualifications of the Ecumenical Council Held because of a heresy Held by an Emperor s invitation Attended by most of the bishops to represent the whole world Must issue a Statement of Faith Only three ecumenical councils fulfilled these criteria o The first at Nicea, 325 AD o The second at Constantinople, 381 AD o The third at Ephesus, 431 AD 2. The Council of Constantinople A. The Heresy: (Against the Holy Spirit) Three heretics blasphemed against the Holy Spirit 1. Macedonius said: The Holy Spirit is created like angels but superior to them and is not one of the three Hypostasis 2. Apolinarius said: The Three Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity are not equal. The Holy Spirit is great, the Son is greater and the Father is the greatest. He also blasphemed against the nature of Christ claiming that His human nature was not in need of a soul because God the Logos provided the needed life. 3. Eusabius claimed: The Holy Trinity is one person. He appeared in the Old Testament as the Father, was incarnate in the New Testament as the Son and descended upon the disciples as the Holy Spirit.
B. The Emperor: King Theodosius Senior Emperor Theodosius was a very faithful Christian, interested in keeping the right faith of the church. He was called the Orthodox King. He delivered a decree in the year 381 AD making Christianity the official religion of the Empire and ordered the destruction of pagan temples, transforming them to churches. C. The Council of Bishops: (150 attendees) One hundred and fifty bishops assembled in the city of Constantinople to attend this council, which was chaired by His Grace the respectable Malatius, Bishop of Antioch. He was a respected old man who defended the faith courageously and departed in the year 381 before the completion of the sessions of this great council Abba Timothy, the 22 nd Pope of Alexandria attended this council with the pillars of Orthodoxy: St. Gregory the Theologian, a defender of the true faith and author of the Gregorian Liturgy, and St. Gregory Bishop of Nyssa. This council was a purely eastern council because none of the bishops from the western churches attended, though they accepted the resolutions of the Council D. Resolution of the Council The bishops of the council proclaimed that the Holy Spirit is the third Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity and is equal and one with the Father and the Son. They wrote the Conclusion of the Nicean Creed Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. They condemned the heresies of Macedonius, Apolinarius and Eusabius and excommunicated them. They permitted the transfer of a bishop from the See for which he was originally ordained to another See only under extenuating circumstances and by the decision of a council of bishops. Note: In the year 1012, the Church of Rome claimed that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and Son and altered the Creed - proceeds from the Father and the Son. This contradicts Orthodox belief that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father. Conclusion The Holy Spirit is the third Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, who proceeds from the Father and dwells in us forever. Through the Council of Constantinople the correct belief regarding the Holy Spirit was restored and preserved for Christians throughout all ages. Activities/Discussion Points 1. Why do we oppose the Catholic Church in saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son? Simply because the Lord Jesus Christ said: a) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14: 16-17)
b) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14: 26) c) But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. (John 15: 26) 2. Is the Holy Spirit the same in the Old and New Testaments? He is the same but His role differs: In the Old Testament He came upon the priests, kings, and prophets after they were anointed with oil. He also departed from people who were unworthy of Him as in the case of Saul. In the New Testament the Holy Spirit dwells in us through the Sacrament of Confirmation and never departs from us because we become a temple for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit may be sad and not working in us when we live in sin but He is always there and is ignited through repentance. Therefore, the church does not repeat the baptism or confirmation of those who deny the faith but then return. 3. Remember the following commandment and recite it daily: Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5: 19)
The Historical Evidence of the Lord Jesus 1- Objectives Claims that oppose the existence of Jesus in the history that can lead to Atheism. Proofs and evidences of the History of Jesus existence. 2- Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/historicity_of_jesus 3- Scriptural Verse Tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me (Matthew 11:4-6) 4- Lesson Outlines Claims against the existence of Jesus No one has physical evidence to support a historical Jesus; no artifacts, dwelling, works of carpentry, or self-written manuscripts. No contemporary Roman record shows Pontius Pilate executing a man named Jesus. All accounts of Jesus came after his death in the NT writings. They are all hearsay. The story of Jesus parallels pagan savior gods. We do not know who wrote the Gospels. None of the Gospels existed during the alleged life of Jesus. None of the original Gospel manuscripts exists. Evidences of Jesus existence Tacitus, a Roman historian Reporting on Emperor Nero s decision to blame the Christians for the fire that had destroyed Rome in A.D. 64 wrote: Nero fastened the guilt on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of Pontius Pilatus. Pliny the Younger, Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor In one of his letters, dated around A.D. 112, he asks Trajan's advice about the appropriate way to conduct legal proceedings against Christians. They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food of an ordinary and innocent kind.
Josephus, a first century Jewish historian On two occasions, in his Jewish Antiquities, he mentions Jesus. One reference describes the condemnation of one James by the Jewish Sanhedrin. This James, says Josephus, was the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ. The second reference called the Testimonium Flavianum, About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he wrought surprising feats He was the Christ. When Pilate condemned him to be crucified, those who had come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared restored to life And the tribe of Christians has not disappeared. Babylonian Talmud There are only a few clear references to Jesus in the Babylonian Talmud, a collection of Jewish rabbinical writings compiled 70-500 AD. Given this time frame, it is supposed that earlier references to Jesus are more likely to be historically reliable than later ones. For the Talmud, the earliest period of compilation was 70-200 AD. Reference to Jesus from this period state that, On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald cried, He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery (the charge of sorcery is similar to the Pharisees accusation that Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons). Lucian of Samosata, a second century Greek satirist In one of his works, he wrote about the early Christians: The Christians worship a man to this day--the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account It was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. Mara-Serapion, a Stoic philosopher who was imprisoned, wrote a letter to his son, 73 A.D that was found in El-Souryan Monastery in 1843 A.D. He tells of the deaths of Socrates, Pythagoras, and Jesus What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king? Nor did He die for good; he lived on in the teaching which he had given. Summary of the previous evidences Both Josephus and Lucian indicate that Jesus was regarded as wise. Pliny, the Talmud, and Lucian imply He was a powerful and revered teacher. Both Josephus and the Talmud indicate He performed miraculous feats. Tacitus, Josephus, the Talmud, Lucian, and Mara-Serapion; all mention that He was crucified. Tacitus and Josephus say this occurred under Pontius Pilate. And the Talmud declares it happened on the eve of Passover. There are possible references to the Christian belief in Jesus resurrection in both Tacitus and Josephus. Josephus records that Jesus followers believed He was the Christ, or Messiah. And finally, both Pliny and Lucian indicate that Christians worshipped Jesus as God.
Physical Description of Jesus Publius Lentullus, President of Judea The following was taken from a manuscript in the possession of Lord Kelly, and in his library, and was copied from an original letter of Publius Lentullus at Rome. It being the usual custom of Roman Governors to advertise the Senate and people of such material things as happened in their provinces in the days of Tiberius Caesar. He wrote the following epistle to the Senate concerning the Nazarene called Jesus. There appeared in these days a man, of the Jewish Nation, of great virtue, named Yeshua [Jesus], who is yet living among us, and of the Gentiles is accepted for a Prophet of truth, but His own disciples call Him the Son of God- He raiseth the dead and cureth all manner of diseases. A man of stature somewhat tall, and comely, with very reverent countenance, such as the beholders may both love and fear, his hair of (the color of) the chestnut, full ripe, plain to His ears, whence downwards it is more orient and curling and wavering about His shoulders. In the midst of His head is a seam or partition in His hair, after the manner of the Nazarenes. His forehead plain and very delicate. His face without spot or wrinkle, beautified with a lovely red. His nose and mouth so formed as nothing can be reprehended. His beard thickish, in color like His hair, not very long, but forked; His look innocent and mature. His eyes grey, clear, and quick- In reproving hypocrisy He is terrible; in admonishing, courteous and fair spoken; pleasant in conversation, mixed with gravity. It cannot be remembered that any have seen Him Laugh, but many have seen Him Weep. In proportion of body, most excellent. His hands and arms delicate to behold. In speaking, very temperate, modest, and wise. A man, for His singular beauty, surpassing the children of men. Pontius Pilate This is a reprinting of a letter from Pontius Pilate to Tiberius Caesar describing the physical appearance of Jesus. Copies in the Congressional Library in Washington, D.C. To Tiberius Caesar: A young man appeared in Galilee preaching with humble unction, a new law in the Name of the God that had sent Him. At first, I was apprehensive that His design was to stir up the people against the Romans, but my fears were soon dispelled. Jesus of Nazareth spoke rather as a friend of the Romans than of the Jews. One day I observed in the midst of a group of people a young man who was leaning against a tree, calmly addressing the multitude. I was told it was Jesus. This I could easily have suspected so great was the difference between Him and those who were listening to Him. His golden colored hair and beard gave to his appearance a celestial aspect. He appeared to be about 30 years of age. Never have I seen a sweeter or more serene countenance. What a contrast between Him and His bearers with their black beards and tawny complexions! Unwilling to interrupt Him by my presence, I continued my walk but signified to my secretary to join the group and listen. Later, my secretary reported that never had he seen in the works of all the philosophers anything that compared to the teachings of Jesus. He told me that Jesus was neither seditious nor rebellious, so we extended to Him our protection. He was at liberty to act, to speak, to assemble and to address the people. This unlimited freedom provoked the Jews -- not the poor, but the rich and powerful. Later, I wrote to Jesus requesting an interview with Him at the Praetorium. He came. When the Nazarene made His appearance, I was having my
morning walk and as I faced Him my feet seemed fastened with an iron hand to the marble pavement and I trembled in every limb as a guilty culprit, though he was calm. For some time, I stood admiring this extraordinary Man. There was nothing in Him that was repelling, nor in His character, yet I felt awed in His presence. I told Him that there was a magnetic simplicity about Him and His personality that elevated Him far above the philosophers and teachers of His day. Now, Noble Sovereign, these are the facts concerning Jesus of Nazareth and I have taken the time to write you in detail concerning these matters. I say that such a man who could convert water into wine, change death into life, disease into health; calm the stormy seas, is not guilty of any criminal offense and as others have said, we must agree -- truly this is the Son of God. Your most obedient servant Pontius Pilate Both Justin Martyr (150 AD) and Tertullian (200 AD) make references to Pilate s letter to Tiberius. According to Tertullian, Tiberius acted upon this letter and presented it to the Roman Senate. Tiberius accordingly, in whose days the Christian name made its entry into the world, having himself received intelligence from Palestine of events which had clearly shown the truth of Christ s divinity, brought the matter before the senate, with his own decision in favor of Christ. The senate, because it had not given the approval itself, rejected his proposal. Caesar held to his opinion, threatening wrath against all accusers of the Christians. The Emerald of Caesar This Likeness of Jesus was copied from a portrait carved on an emerald by order of Tiberius Caesar, which emerald the Emperor of the Turks afterwards gave out of the Treasury of Constantinople to Pope Innocent VIII for the redemption of his brother, taken captive by the Christians. The Archko Volume It contains official court documents from the days of Jesus. This information substantiates that He came from racial lines, which had blue eyes and golden hair. In a chapter entitled Gamaliel s Interview it states concerning Jesus (Yeshua) appearance: I asked him to describe this person to me, so that I might know him if I should meet him. He said: If you ever meet him [Yeshua] you will know him. While he is nothing but a man, there is something about him that distinguishes him from every other man. He is the picture of his mother, only he has not her smooth, round face. His hair is a little more golden than hers, though it is as much from sunburn as anything else. He is tall, and his shoulders are a little drooped; his visage is thin and of a swarthy complexion, though this is from exposure. His eyes are large and a soft blue, and rather dull and heavy...' This Jew [Nazarite] is convinced that he is the Messiah of the world....this was the same person that was born of the virgin in Bethlehem some twenty-six years before..." Counterarguments If Jesus had not existed, how could all these descriptions of his physical appearance that were written by different people have been so similar with no contradictions between
them? Even though there are second hand accounts of Jesus that were written after his death, we see that they share many things in common regarding facts around the life of Christ and Christians and are not in conflict with one another. Even if we were to believe that the Gospels are biased or unreliable that argument cannot be used to disprove the existence of Jesus. In general, historians never dismiss sources simply because they are biased. Paul in his letter to the Galatians makes a reference to James as the Lord s brother. If Jesus had not existed it would have been difficult to make such a claim. There is no account of a pagan savior god who dies for the sins of the people. Luke in his Gospel refers to the census that was taking place about the time Jesus was born and that Mary and Joseph were going to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. If Luke was conjuring up a fictitious character, why would he refer to an official document that would have the names of Mary, Joseph and Jesus? 5- Conclusion There is evidence to prove the historical existence of Jesus, whether people choose to believe or argue away evidence is their choice. Whether the evidence with time increases or dwindles, it becomes a matter of faith. We as Christians choose to believe even if there is no evidence because the Lord Jesus said, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20: 29). 6- Activities / Discussion Points Our Lord Jesus Christ said: Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves (John 14:11). Look to the history of the church and take many examples of great miracles that had happened and still are happening and do not forget the Resurrection light These are the greatest proof that the Lord Jesus Christ is living until now in His Church.
The Coptic Language Objectives To learn about the origin and evolution of the Coptic language; to understand the reasons behind its success and decline throughout time and to understand the importance of preserving the language References www.stshenouda.com Scriptural Verse In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border (Isaiah 19:19) Lesson Outlines Origin of the Coptic Language 6000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians constructed a language utilizing symbols to represent words. This proved to be very laborious as the vocabulary had to be very extensive. In order to overcome this problem some of the hieroglyphs were given sound values that usually depended on the word that it had represented earlier. This was called Demotic and was made up of 4,000 characters. Its Evolution In 313 BC, Alexander the Great invaded Egypt and wanted to have a universal culture and language. Therefore, Greek was imposed on the Egyptians. The Greek was far superior to the Demotic, since it only consisted of 24 pronounceable characters. Greek was spoken by the educated classes in Alexandria while the Demotic was spoken by the peasantry throughout Egypt. In order to simplify the Demotic and to translate Scripture, scholars translated the Egyptian language using Greek characters. They borrowed seven characters from the Demotic that were not in the Greek language. Due to the distribution of the population along the length of the Nile, many dialects developed. Each was characterized by the use of different vowels in pronouncing the same words as well as some distinct variation in the vocabulary. The Akhmimic and the Lycopolitan (Asyutic) dialects of Upper Egypt. The Middle Egyptian and the Fayoumic of Middle Egypt. The Bohairic of the Delta which is actually the only surviving dialect of Coptic. The neutral dialect, called the Sahidic. This dialect eventually gained literary dominance with the extensive writings of St. Shenoudah the Archimandrite. Its Peak Coptic was used as a translational tool from Greek to Egyptian from the late 2 nd century A.D. till the time of the great persecution of Diocletian in the early 4 th century AD. After the persecution, the monastic movement picked up tremendously. These monastic communities were large and mostly Egyptian. This generated the need for the abbots of
these communities to write their rules in Coptic. Also the Fathers of the Church, who usually wrote in Greek, addressed some of their works to the Egyptian monks in Coptic. St. Shenoudah the Archimandrite, who lived from 348 to 466 A.D. was able to transform the language from a tool to communicate instructions to the monks to a wide-variety literary language that addressed monks, ecclesiastic authorities, laymen, and even government officials. His charisma, knowledge of Greek language and rhetoric, and his innovative mind gave him the necessary tools to elevate the Coptic language, in content and style, to a literary height never achieved before nor equaled since. Its Decline By the middle of the seventh century, Egypt came under the dominance of Arab rulers who tried to force the Copts into learning Arabic to keep their government jobs. Those who did not know Arabic were not employed by the government. In an effort to exterminate the Coptic language and discourage Copts from speaking it, the tongues of Copts were cut off if they were heard speaking Coptic. Ecclesiastically, the language continued strong. In fact, a great number of hagiographic texts were composed during the early parts of this period. Coptic continued to be used in the Church with Greek as the second language. As the 11 th century approached, severe persecutions of the Christians in Egypt by the Muslims started to take place, which intensified during the Crusade. Introduction of Arabic into the Church in the 12 th century by Patriarch Gabriel ibn Turaik was probably an attempt to show the Muslims that the Copts were not their enemies. This move actually allowed Christian Arabic literature to flourish. Later, Arabic invaded the liturgical books, replacing Greek in bilingual texts and intruding on traditionally nonbilingual ones. Purely Arabic liturgical texts began to appear, indicating that Arabic was being used in the churches. Arabic texts written with Coptic characters started to circulate among the monks as they could not still read the Arabic script. This eventually was replaced with the writing of Coptic text in Arabic letters that we see nowadays in the Coptic Church. Its Revival Pope Cyril IV who assumed the throne of St. Mark in the second half of the 19 th century started a Church-sponsored movement to educate the clergy and the new generations in Coptic. Coptic service books, grammar books were published again for the first time. Its Current State Coptic continued to grow in the Church and among ecclesiastically-educated groups in the early parts of the 20 th century. However, the pronunciation system established seemed to be a hindrance to the spread of the language among the masses. With the 1952 Revolution, Arabic became more prominent in Egypt and eventually it had an influential effect on the educated classes among the Copts. This allowed Arabic to enter the church again and weaken the Coptic. Today the use of the Coptic language is limited to liturgical services in churches and monasteries.
Coptic Manuscripts The whole New Testament is preserved in Bohairic and Sahidic with some whole books and fragments preserved in other dialects. Many writings of the fathers are preserved mainly in Sahidic as well as some in Bohairic. These include the writings of Saints Athanasius, Shenoudah the Archimandrite, Cyril I, Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, Pachomius and his disciples, Wessa, and others. A variety of the martyriologies especially during the Diocletian Era and lives of the saints and the monastic fathers in Sahidic and Bohairic. Most of the liturgical manuscripts are preserved in Bohairic with some in Sahidic. Some canons of the fathers as well as the councils are preserved in Sahidic. There are some legal documents such as contracts, deeds, wills, as well as private letters. These are preserved in monasteries, libraries and museums throughout the world. Conclusion Coptic is an ancient Egyptian language which has miraculously survived thousands of years of modifications, alterations and near extinction. It is up to the Christian remnant of Egypt to preserve this language in order to uphold the beliefs of the church fathers who communicated in this language, to maintain the rich heritage of the church and to preserve the identity of the Coptic people. Activities/Discussion Points 1. Ask the class if they know any words in Coptic and have them teach it to the rest of the class. Below are some examples: Good Morning Nane Towi Good Evening Nane Rouhi Hello Nofri How are you? Pekreeti Ou Fine Thank you Nane Shepehmot Bye Bye - Ougai 2. Do you know what parts of the liturgy are in Coptic and what parts are in Greek? The priest s prayers are in Coptic while the deacon s and the people s responses are in Greek. 3. Can you give examples of praise hymns that are in Greek? (e.g. Arepsalen)
St. John Chrysostom Objective To learn about the life of St. John Chrysostom and his many writings References http://www.chrysostom.org/ http://www.ccel.org/c/chrysostom/ Scriptural Verse And the Lord said: Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? (Luk e 12: 42) Lesson Outlines 1. His Life Chrystostom - golden mouth : due to his great oratorical abilities Born in 347 AD (some say 344 AD) in Antioch, Syria to a pagan father and Christian mother. His father died when he was young. Was prepared for a career in law and impressed his teachers by his eloquence who foresaw in him a statesman and lawgiver. He was baptized at the age of 23 and entered a monastery after the death of his mother who had exhorted him to delay monastic life until her departure. He spent six years in the monastery and was ordained priest in 386 AD. Was elected to the Patriarchate of Constantinople at age 49. He taught against excessiveness, lavishness, and corruption, which had permeated every aspect of life including the church. He emptied the Papal residence of expensive and luxurious furniture and sold it for the benefit of the poor and needy. His crusade against excessiveness and luxury put him at odds with Empress Eudoxia who ordered his exile twice. However he was much loved by his people, who created such an uproar after his first exile, which resulted in his return to his seat. He did away with the practice of clapping in church. He died in Pontus in 407 during his second exile. 2. His Writings St. John wrote numerous lectures and treatises on the Christian and the ascetic way of life. He wrote about 600 homilies and commentaries many of them on Scripture and on issues such as marriage, and wealth. He delivered many eulogies and sermons at feasts. He wrote numerous letters to people who were suffering or who had fallen into sin. One liturgy based on St. Basil s Liturgy. 3. Examples of his Teachings