“Messianic Jews”

A feeble attempt at restoring Ancient Christianity

The “Messianic Jews” are a heretical group whose claim of reestablishing ancient “Jewish Christianity”, is a denial of the Orthodox Church’s claim to be the very Church founded by Christ Himself. These people are simply attempting to reestablish a Church that has already existed, unchanged, since 33 A.D. Like other “denominations”, they are but a feeble attempt at resurrecting ancient Christianity, as though God had allowed the “gates of hell” to prevail against the Church establish in the first century.

It is the consensus of the Orthodox Church that Christ’s “coming in judgment” upon the Jewish authorities for rejecting Him, led to the Temple in Jerusalem being destroyed in 70 AD. This marked the end of Temple Judaism, which was the central aspect of Jewish worship. There has not been a Jewish temple since Herod’s Temple was demolished nearly 2,000 years ago by the Roman General Titus. Without the temple, and the sacrifices that took place within the temple, the relation of the Jewish people to God became severed, and the nullification of the Mosaic law took place.

The Messianic Jews of today are not an ancient tradition, and the Messianic Judaism of today is not the “Messianic Judaism” of the Jewish Apostles. The modern trend is only about 70 years old and draws from those faulty Masoretic Scriptures, while rejecting the Church’s Holy Tradition. Some Messianics even utilize the Talmud, and attempt to follow the Mosaic Covenant that was nullified by the destruction of the Temple. They are no different than the newer Protestant denominations that are seeking a “revival” back to the traditions of the Early Church. Although their motives may be pure, like the other denominations, they are historically uninformed and in schism from the Ancient, Apostolic Church.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photo: Father Daniel Reese, his son Gustavo (l), and parishioner Jeremy Parrish (r), of Saint Silouan Orthodox Church  (ROCOR), in Walla Walla, Washington, spent the past few days with us.

Saturday November 12, 2016 / October 30, 2016
21st Week after Pentecost. Tone three.

Hieromartyr Zenobius and his sister Zenobia of Aegae, Cilicia (285).
New Hieromartyr Eugene (Zernov), metropolitan of Nizhni Novgorod (1935).
New Hieromartyr Leonid priest (1941).
New Hieromartyr Mathew priest (1942).
New Hiero-confessor Varnava (Nastic) of Bosnia (1964).
Apostles Tertius, Mark, Justus, and Artemas of the Seventy (1st c.).
Hieromartyr Marcian, bishop of Syracuse (2nd c).
Martyr Eutropia of Alexandria (220).
Martyr Anastasia of Thessalonica (3rd C).
St. Stephen Milutin (1320), his brother St. Dragutin (monk Theoctistus) (1316), and their mother St. Helen (1306), wife of Urosh I of Serbia (Serbia).
“Ozeryansk” (16th C) Icon of the Mother of God.
Martyrs Alexander, Cronion, Julian, Macarius, and 13 companions at Alexandria (250).
Martyr Dometius of Phrygia.
Apostle Cleopas (1st c.) (Greek).
St. Joseph I, Patriarch of Constantinople (1283) (Greek).
New Hieromartyr Nicanor (Kudriavtsev) bishop of Bogoroditsk.
Finding of the relics of Great-martyr Stephen-Urosh III of Dechani, Serbia (1331).
Martyr Jotham Zedgenidze, Paravani (1465) (Georgia).

Scripture Readings

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Luke 8:16-21

The Parable of the Revealed Light

16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Come to Him

19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told Him by some,who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”

21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”