The Theotokos of the Burning Bush
The Orthodox Church teaches that the miracle of the Burning Bush is to be understood in the theology and hymnography of the Church as a prefiguring of the virgin birth of Christ. The Theotokos gave birth to the Incarnate God without suffering harm, just as the bush was burnt without being consumed.
The Holy Fathers and their Ecumenical Councils taught that the flame Moses saw on Mt. Horeb was in fact God’s Uncreated Energies or Glory. This Light, which they compared with the Transfiguration of Christ on Mt. Tabor, is why the bush was not consumed. God allowed Moses to see His glory (His Energies), which, like His Essence, are eternal. When God spoke to Moses, Moses heard the pre-Incarnate Word (Logos) of God, and the vision of God’s glory as light in this life and the next is the Orthodox definition of salvation, even moving after death “from glory to glory” eternally.
The preferred name for the event is The Unburnt Bush, and the theology and hymnography of the Church view it as prefiguring the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Our Orthodox theology refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Theotokos (“God bearer”), viewing her as having given birth to the Incarnate God without suffering any harm, or loss of virginity, in parallel to the bush being burnt without being consumed.
The icon of the Theotokos of the Burning Bush thus connects the Burning Bush which Moses stood before, as the prefigurement of the Theotokos, for she contained the Uncontainable without being consumed. In the book of Exodus, God called Moses on Mt. Horeb from the midst of a bush which “was burning, yet it was not consumed.” The Unburnt Bush on Horeb was as a type of the Most Holy Theotokos, who gave birth to Christ while still while remaining a virgin.
Most icons now depict the bush in a symbolic fashion with two overlapping diamonds. A red diamond represents fire, and a green diamond represents the bush. The two diamonds form an eight-pointed star with the Theotokos shown in the center. The symbols of the four Evangelists: a man for St. Matthew, a lion for St. Mark, an ox for St. Luke, and an eagle for St. John, are in the four corners of the green diamond. These symbols are derived from Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7. The red diamond has archangels depicted in its four corners.
Most Holy Theotokos of the Burning Bush, pray to God for us.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Thursday September 15, 2016 / September 2, 2016
13th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Martyr Mamas of Caesarea in Cappadocia (275), and his parents, Martyrs Theodotus and Rufina (3rd c.).
Venerable John the Faster, patriarch of Constantinople (595).
Venerables Anthony (1073) and Theodosius (1074) of the Kiev Caves.
New Martyrs Barsunuphius, bishop of Kyrilov, priest John, Abbess Seraphima of Therapontov Convent, and Anatole, Nicholas, Michael and Philip (1918).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1920).
New Hieromartyrs Damascene, bishop of Starodub, priests Ephimius, John, John, Vladimir, Victor, Basil, Theodore, Peter, Stephen and Virgin-martyr Ksenia(1937).
Herman, bishop of Vyaznikov, priest Stephen and martyr Paul (1937).
Translation of the relicts (1796) of Venerable Theodosius, abbot, of Totma.
3,618 Martyrs who suffered at Nicomedia (3rd-4th c.).
“Kaluga” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (1771).
Righteous Eleazar, son of Aaron, and Righteous Phineas.
Martyrs Aeithalas and Ammon of Thrace (Greek).
Hieu, abbess of Tadcaster (7th c.) (Celtic & British).
Scripture Readings
Matthew 11:27-30
27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
2 Corinthians 10:7-18
Reality of Paul’s Authority
7 Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. 8 For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed— 9 lest I seem to terrify you by letters. 10 “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” 11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.
Limits of Paul’s Authority
12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; 15 not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, 16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.
17 But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 18 For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Mark 3:28-35
The Unpardonable Sin
28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”— 30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him
31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.”
33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”