Today, all I propose to do is to share with you two articles fused into one which show that, as Augustine of Hippo wrote, the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.
You can either download the PDF from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qnjvo7HdZeJedq9jaKc3y3Hbib2-Lw2_/view?usp=sharing
Or read it below. The source for both of these documents (which I merged into one) is this excellent website:
https://www.fatheralexander.org/
with articles in English, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese.
Enjoy!
Amazing article by Bishop Alexander that you referenced! I had no idea of the wealth of material. Interestingly, I have had the privilege to be duly appointed to read on Holy and Great Friday in church the prophecy of Isaiah regarding Christ (Chapter 52, if I recall), in which so many things familiar to us as Christians are foreshadowed. It is a striking example of the clarity of vision from faith. I had not been familiar with so many other references.
I had read a book “Surprised by Christ” by Fr. James Bernstein [Orthodox priest], and “Doubly Chosen” by Judith Kornblatt (about the Jewish intelligentsia in the Soviet Union, some of whom became Christian).
Dear Andrew
Thanks for your kind words! Bishop Alexander (then still Father Alexander) really did a SUPERB job in those two different texts which a member of our community merged into one at my request.
Have you seen Father James’ “Which came first” booklet? It is superb.
Finally,
Thanks for mentioning Judith Kornblatt’s book I was not aware of it.
BTW – there were quite a few such Soviet Jews who converted to Orthodoxy, even in Israel: many years ago (in the early 80s), I once participated in a Good Friday procession on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem in which several of those ex-Soviet Jews were present. It was very moving to be there, in such a day, and see Jewish converts to Orthodoxy!
Kind regards
How great is this blog! Two vignettes in a week. More reading for me. I’ve downloaded this one and looking for the books mentioned by Andrew and the Father James booklet mentioned by Andrei.
Many thanks for all this material.
Kindest…Bill
Well, I have (finally) freed the time needed to refocus on the blog instead of dealing with a lot of other issues which, at the end of the day, only polluted my own brain-space.
Loved it!
Bill B.
interesting, i will read it asap.
otoh, i just got my copy of “on marriage and family life by Saint John Chrysostom” and i will read that first.
Dear Per
Please let me know what you think or, even better, write a review for the blog, even if very critical!
Kind regards
Andrei
I am not a good writer sadly, but i will comment and ask you/forum if i “get stuck” or otherwise wonder about something.👍
you do NOT need to be a good writer, I myself am a terrible one.
Just put your thoughts on paper, as best you can.
Here is what I wrote about this in the submission guidelines (https://thesaker.is/submissions-policy/):
However, please do not worry too much about your knowledge of the English language. English is my 3rd or 4th language (out of six) and I make tons of mistakes: grammar, typos, verb coordination, etc. Contents are far more important than form, so worry first about contents and second about form. After all, this blog is about ideas, not language. Try to make your text clear and understandable, but don’t try to sound like Shakespeare (it won’t work anyway).
Kind regards!
Andrei
Thank you, Saker for this link to the Alexander Mileant web site.
I am a bad student — I rush for the desserts before the main course.
*The Invisible Encounter*, by Sikorsky, aka Sikorsky Helicopters, is available here under the English articles.
The greatest part of my time spent with the “Vignettes” is the inspiration I have received to pray for others. I cannot explain why this obsession has taken hold…. perhaps it is the madness of this world that suggests one can only cling to God. But how selfish of me not to pray for others.
I think for one to have purpose in life, one must find something greater than mere recreation or entertainment. I think that purpose can only be found in worship. And, I think that for me, worship begins with His Word.
My book, On Marriage and Family Life, by St. John Chrysostom arrived a few weeks ago. Once again, it takes very little to overwhelm my mind. But the inspiration and values presented seems to heal my inadequacies. The Word is so important. It is the greatest power known.
Thank you to everyone that makes these vignettes possible. They are a bright light in a dark world.
Saker indeed He had already begun reading The Old Testament thanks to Russian Faith; Now Russian Faith is usually not a Reliable site but once said a saying of Saint Popovich who said “Read a chapter of the Old Testament and a chapter of the New” and following the suggestion of Russian Faith I found that as you said Saker reading a chapter of the New Testament slowly I realized that without the Pentateuch I would never have understood the New Testament and vice versa. one thing that struck me is the story of Moses; how the Holy Family had to flee from the Pharaoh who had ordered to kill all the males of the Tribe of Israel for the terror that he would outnumber the Egyptian people while Herod ordered the Killing of All Infants in Bethlehem in the hope of killing the Son god but both failed while both Moses and Jesus were saved and in this event we also see the Baptism of Moses as he was baptized in the Water as was Christ in the Jordan River and the baptism we find mentioned many times in the Bible; the Baptism of Niman the Syrian was but the prelude to the Baptism of Mass of the Pagans in Christians while the Flood represents the Equivalent of the Baptism of the Earth by the Lord Baptizing our Planet Himself. without the Old Testament it is impossible to understand the new as I realized; and as if one tries to read a novel in the second part and neglects to read the first.
Jacopo.
Thank you for posting and pinning this Saker. I’m only on page, and for some reason with the mention of psalm 110 I burst out crying.
God bless you and your family.mmmn
The mmmm was my coat sleeve! I’m only on page 10. Out in the snow havin a smoke!