NEBAB #40: Tinsa'e - The Resurrection
NEBAB #40
The Orthodox Tewahedo Magazine
ትንሣኤ (TINSA'E) - THE RESURRECTION
The Spiritual Education Unit
Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America
Christ rose from the dead!
By great power and authority!
He bound Satan,
Freed Adam!
Peace!
Henceforth,
Let there be-
Happiness and Peace!
In this issue:
Gospel:
St Matthew 28
St Mark 16
St Luke 24:1-14
St John 20
1. Modern Day Sadducees
2. Unless I Touch Him
3. Faith and works
4. “Ask Abba/Kes”
5. A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam
6. Children’s corner
7.ይበል ግዕዝ
8. Orthodox Q&A
Commentary on the Gospel:
St John 20:25
"The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Our father the holy apostle Thomas had heard the news of the resurrection, preached to him by his brothers, as the women who came from the tomb had preached it to them. But Thomas was not satisfied. There are two reasons for this.
One reason is that Thomas had come from the sect of the Sadducees. This sect of the Jews did not believe in angels or spirits, and therefore did not believe in any resurrection of the dead. They are the ones who came to our Lord and asked Him a ridiculous question about a woman who had seven consecutive husbands on earth according to (their very carnal understanding of) the law of Moses. The Sadducees did believe in God, but they said that once you die you are dust and that is it- there is nothing left of you. St Thomas was from that sect and their beliefs influenced him, even after being a disciple of our Lord. For this reason he said "unless I touch I will not believe it".
Another reason is this. When our Lord made them His disciples He said that they would sit on 12 thrones and judge the 12 tribes of Israel. When they judge, they will do so by being witnesses of our Lord's resurrection. Thomas did not want his witness to be "my brothers told me our Lord resurrected". He wanted to be a witness for himself, and in a way this is admirable. In what way?
Let us remember the Samaritan people. After the woman at the well realised who our Lord was, she returned to her people and evangelised to them. Some of them were curious enough to listen her message, but that was enough for them. Some did not return with her to see the Messiah. Thomas wanted to see for himself, and for this he is admired.
May we hear the words of life!
Modern Day Sadducees
As we have seen, our father St Thomas was called out of the sect of the Sadducees to follow our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ- glorify His name above all other names! Even though he was called out of his former faith to be taught the true faith, and called out of his former community to join the church our Lord was establishing, and called out of carnal thoughts to set his mind on heavenly thoughts, he was still influenced by what he had come out of. Many of us today suffer from the same problem. We have been called from our various faiths, places and habits, but we still let the former things influence us.
What two faiths could be more opposite than the faith of the Sadducees and the Christian faith? They denied angels and spirits, while we ask for the blessing, help and pleading of the angels, the saints, the martyrs and the righteous. They deny resurrection, while our faith is founded on the Resurrection from the dead of our Lord, into which He brought us. The Sadducees are an obvious example, but all other faiths are opposite to the Christian faith in some way, so they are incompatible. We cannot be Orthodox, Tewahedo, Christians while also being Muslim, Buddhist, or Rasta. We cannot be members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church while also being Catholic, or Pentecostal, or non-denominational. Let us not be influenced by any other faith, lest we doubt the message of our Lord when we hear it.
The community into which our Lord brought Thomas was the Christian family. We may not know where Thomas was when our Lord appeared to the apostles the first time, but he was not with his family. Not being with his Christian family was the reason he missed the first appearance of our Lord to the apostles after His resurrection. How often are we not gathered with our Christian family? How often do we miss the words of eternal life (John 6:68), how often do we neglect to receive His body and blood (John 6:56)? Thomas was not satisfied until he had touched the body of Christ. Are we satisfied with less?
There are things we will hear in the church that will never be acceptable to a carnal mind. When we are focused on matters of the flesh, matters of the spirit will go over our heads, and the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18). We have to set our minds on things above, and not on the things of the earth (Colossians 3:2). After seeing our Lord call Lazarus out of the grave, feed 5000+ people with 5 loaves of bread, give eyes to a man who had none, and command demons with authority, he still did not accept when he was told that this same Man had risen from the dead. How can anyone be blind to the amazing things God does right in front of our eyes? By letting the eyes of our body blind the eyes of our soul.
May the blessing of our father St Thomas, who touched His risen Saviour and believed, be with us now and forever.
Unless I Touch Him
Indeed, St Thomas touched the Word of God Himself. We should not let the greatness of what he did go unnoticed.
In this one action Thomas learns and confesses the Tewahedo faith- that Jesus Christ the Word became incarnate in one nature, His divinity not separated from His humanity, not for an hour, nor for the twinkling of an eye. When our all-knowing Lord, who was not in the room when they were talking, appeared in the room, having heard their conversation, He greeted them all, and turned to Thomas, as if responding to a question Thomas had not yet asked. In addressing Thomas, He effectively said "You were doubting if I am the same Person Who was hanging on the cross. I will show you that I Am." He invited Thomas to come and touch Him.
When Thomas touched our Lord, he realised two inseparable realities. He could touch Him, which means that this was not a spirit standing before him, but a human being with a physical body. When he realised he could touch Him, he said "My Lord". Thomas was also burned when he touched Him. He had touched the Side of Divinity (ግቡ መለኮት gibu melekot), and when he did, his hand became like plastic that entered into a fire- it melted! Thomas turned to Him and said "My God". Thomas confessed- You are not only a lord or master, not only human, but you are also fully God- the mystery of the Incarnation. Thomas did not realise these two truths at different times, or by different methods, but with one touch. In one touch he touched divinity and humanity at once. Only the limitation of language and time requires us to speak of divinity and humanity one after the other, but Christ united them and they can never be separated. It is for this reason that we say μία φύσις miaphysis (one nature) in Greek, ተዋሕዶ tewahido (united) in Ge'ez, and in English, One Incarnate Nature of God the Word.
Finally, let St Thomas be the example for us. We can hear the message, we can read the books, we can talk and reason and debate, but we must go to Him, and receive His body and blood. Sermons cannot deliver Christ into our hearts. Their purpose is to make us curious so that we want more. This is what the Samaritans did not understand when they were evangelised by the woman at the well, but let us understand more than the Samaritans. Let us taste and see the goodness of the Lord (Psalm 34:8), by eating the fruit of the tree of life, in the holy body and precious blood of Christ.
Faith and Works:
Do not scatter what you have gathered
As the great fast ends, and the season of the Resurrection begins, we will face the temptation to abandon the good habits, and forget the lessons we learned during the fast. If we grew spiritually during the fast our enemy will try to reverse that growth. Let us prepare to resist him.
Colossians 3: Our holy father the learned apostle Paul instructed the Colossian Christians then, and instructs us today, how to live in the glory of the Resurrection. Colossians chapter 3, the passage that begins "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above...", is a helpful spiritual tool to guide us so we don't lose focus during the Holy 50 days and beyond.
Do not scatter what you have gathered: We have fasted for 2 months, we have learned a lot, we have disciplined our bodies, we have suffered with Christ, we have mourned Him, now let us rejoice in His resurrection. We have spent this long fast like those who pick peas or harvest grapes, gathering the fruits of their field in a careful and painstaking way- and how foolish would we be if after all that gathering, we overturn our baskets and scatter the contents all over the field again! Let us not be so foolish. We know what we have gathered during the fast, let us not scatter it again.
Ask Abba/Kes
"What is 'the grave' where Christ went to raise us from the dead?"
Sheol (referred to in Greek as Hades) is where the sinners are kept after they die. Gehanem or Gehenna is opened on judgement day. Similarly, Paradise is where the righteous souls are waiting for judgement, and the Kingdom of Heaven is to come on judgement day, not yet opened.
BIBLE QUIZ!
What word does St Peter call 'the grave' when he says that Christ went and preached to the spirits who were there?
A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Maryam
Our Lady Mary’s miracle. May her supplications and blessings be with us forever and ever. Amen.
Listen to this wonder and marvel by Our Lady Mary, Holy Twofold Virgin, the Ark of the Holy Spirit, Mariham in Hebrew, in Jerusalem, the holy city of God.
During that time, because bandits troubled and killed the Christians, the way to Jerusalem was blocked. Due to the wicked bandits, pilgrimage to the holy city ceased. On the holy Easter day, on the very day of the Holy Fire, there were no pilgrims except for one Ethiopian.
Then the Romans, Persians, Greeks, Armenians, Syrians, Galatians, and Alexandrians who were there gathered with their bishops and patriarchs to celebrate the Easter holiday, each according to their rite. It was a very crowded gathering.
They searched for a pilgrim from Ethiopia, but they couldn’t find anyone except for one pilgrim.
They called him, made him stand before the entire gathering, and asked, “How are you doing here without your fellow Ethiopians? What do we have to do with you, evil face and ugly-looking man? Get out of our gathering!”
They cast that pilgrim outside, insulting and mocking him.
They [, that is, the Egyptians,] said to one another, “Today we will see the falsity of the Ethiopians’ boast, which belittles us! They say, ‘Unless Ethiopians are there, the resurrection light doesn’t descend from heaven for Egyptians.’”
They expelled and cast out that Ethiopian pilgrim.
As they expelled him, the Ethiopian pilgrim was crying, sobbing, and wailing greatly. He entered Mary’s Standing Place. He said to her, “Look at my persecution, abandonment, and expulsion from this great gathering! Was it not for the sake of your love and the love of your beloved Son that I traveled in hunger, thirst, toil, and exhaustion?”
He said this and words like these as he stood and prayed in the Standing Place of Mary, in Hebrew Mariham, which was built on the front of Calvary. This place is called Mary’s Standing Place because Mary stood in that place witnessing her son’s crucifixion and crying over Our Lord. It was for this reason that the place was named Mary’s Standing Place. Every pilgrim who had some sadness and distress in them prays and supplicates at that spot, and their prayers are fulfilled immediately by Our Lady Mary Mariham.
For the same reason, the Ethiopian pilgrim went to that spot to pray and supplicate to Our Lady Mary, Holy Twofold Virgin, the Mother of God, the abode of the Holy Spirit, in Hebrew Mariham, about the injustice and persecution he suffered. [As he continued praying] at that spot, the [miraculous] light descended from heaven for the persecuted pilgrim, who was suffering injustice and being cast out from the congregation of many rich people.
The pilgrim, however, didn’t notice the light [that rested] on his hands and was flaming, for his heart was completely immersed in the prayer toward heaven and supplication to Our Lady Mary Mariham.
But Jews saw the light flaming on the Ethiopian pilgrim, and they were amazed and marveled. They said, “How wonderful and orthodox is the Ethiopians' faith? Look, the light has descended from heaven for this persecuted man!” They called out to him and said, “Man of God, don’t you see the light flaming on your holy hands?”
At that time, he became aware of his surroundings. When the Ethiopian pilgrim saw Our Lady Mary Mariham’s power of assistance through the descent of the light only for him because of the persecution he suffered, his sadness was swallowed by joy and happiness.
Those who despised the Ethiopian pilgrim earlier came together and saw. They were shamed and stunned. They said, “Truly the Ethiopians’ faith is orthodox and true.”
They immediately gathered at the spot where the light had descended and begged the Ethiopian pilgrim to forgive them for having despised and persecuted him. He forgave them. Love and peace reigned between the pilgrim and the congregation.
From that day onward, the Egyptians paid great respect and veneration to Ethiopians due to the light’s descent. The saying, “The light doesn’t descend for Egyptians without Ethiopians’ presence,” was proven true.
Ethiopians are orthodox and love Our Lady Mary. This happened due to the greatness of Our Lady Mary’s miracle, and due to the persecution the Ethiopian pilgrim suffered. May her prayer and blessings be with her servant Habte Iyasus forever and ever. Amen.
My dear Lady Mary
The mother of Jesus, Ebnodi, [a name of God used in the Passion Week prayers, derived from Coptic]
As you delighted this pilgrim’s heart by bringing the light down from heaven,
Also to me, your servant Habte Iyasus, who declares your praises,
Come down from heaven to visit me,
Surround me for nourishment,
Ablaze my limbs with your divine love,
And never be separated from me. Ever!
Amen. Amen. Amen.
O Holy Virgin Maryam, pray for us!
LIJOCH! The Children's Corner
Memory verse: St.Matthew 28 : 6
"He is not here; for he has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
ይበል:ግዕዝ (yibel Ge’ez)
Let's reclaim our forefathers’ language
Happy Feast of
ትንሣኤ
tinsa'e
Tinsa'e means ascent, rising, or of course, resurrection. It is derived from the root verb ነሥአ nesi'a which can have many meanings, like to take, receive, catch, or even to take someone as a wife. In this case, nesi'a means to raise/lift. We have covered the passive voice already, so we know that adding ተ- te- to the beginning of a verb can form the passive. So when ነሥአ nesi'a becomes ተነሥአ tenes'a, the meaning changes from the active 'raise' to the passive 'to be raised/to be risen'.
From the noun ትንሣኤ tinsa'e we get the denominal verb ተንሥአ tensi'a - to rise up, or to rise from the dead (denominal means a word that is derived from a noun).
ORTHODOX Q&A
"Who were the Nephilim? Doesn't the book of Enoch say they were children of fallen angels and human beings?"
Many people have interpreted the book of Enoch incorrectly- they apply their own carnal interpretations. But Holy Scripture is only interpreted by the Holy Spirit. The book of Enoch says 'fallen angels', but these are not angels by creation. These fallen angels are the children of Seth. After Cain killed his brother Abel, God recompensed Adam and Eve with another good son, they called him Seth. The children of Seth made a vow to serve the Lord God and 200 of them went into the Holy Mountain (ደብረ ቅዱስ debre qidus) apart from the rest of the world. They had reached the rank of angels in the purity of their living. But they saw the children of Cain from the mountain, and many of them broke their vow and went down (fell) from the Holy Mountain to make children with Cain's children. We must read with understanding- angels by nature do not have bodies and cannot have union with human beings.
Send us your questions at: seu.eotccarla@gmail.com
Short message on behalf the Spiritual Education Unit:
His Grace Abune Thaddaeus, Head Administrator Archimandrite Abba Gebreyesus, and all clergy and faithful- thank you for the opportunity to share this labour of love with you. Thanks also to the team of the Spiritual Education Unit for their hard work.
-Liqe Teghuan Tekle Mariam Greene
CONTACT US:
Archdiocese headquarters: Medhane Alem (Saviour of the World), Old Golden Grove Rd. Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago.
Tel. 868-642-4230.
e-mail: eotc.arch.carla@gmail.com
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