Day 1 (Monday)

Leviticus 12:1-8; 15:1-33 (Purification after Childbirth, Purification after Bodily Discharges)

Last time, we read from Leviticus 3-5 about the other sacrifices that were being offered, the offerings of well-being/peace offerings, and then of course sin offerings and their use in repentance and reconciliation. In chapters 6 & 7, we see a description of guilt offerings, and also a description of what portion of the various sacrifices the priests are to eat, and what are to be completely consumed. This answers a question that we had had previously, of why Moses was angry at Aaron for not eating his portion of the sin offering in chapter 10:16-20, while the entirety of the sin offering was commanded to be burnt up without anyone eating any of it in chapter 4:12. The explanation is that the priests were not to eat anything of any offering that they made on their own behalf, either directly and individually, or on behalf of the entire congregation. But the flesh from the sin offering that was offered on behalf of anyone else was to be eaten by the priests (Leviticus 6:26-30). At any rate, this time we will jump forward again, to chapter 12, and see a discussion of ritual purity and purification. Please note: parents and teachers should look at this chapter in advance, and be sure they are prepared before discussing this with children. It may be prudent to simply read the first portion, Chapter 12 verses 1-8, as these relate to the Feast of the Meeting that we celebrate on February 2nd. As always, please use your best judgment.

Purification of Women after Childbirth

12 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying:

If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. 5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days.

6 When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. 7 He shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement on her behalf; then she shall be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, male or female. 8 If she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf, and she shall be clean.

Chapters 13 & 14 deal with leprosy

Concerning Bodily Discharges

15 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them:

When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge makes him ceremonially unclean. 3 The uncleanness of his discharge is this: whether his body flows with his discharge, or his body is stopped from discharging, it is uncleanness for him. 4 Every bed on which the one with the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything on which he sits shall be unclean. 5 Anyone who touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 6 All who sit on anything on which the one with the discharge has sat shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 7 All who touch the body of the one with the discharge shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening.

8 If the one with the discharge spits on persons who are clean, then they shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 9 Any saddle on which the one with the discharge rides shall be unclean. 10 All who touch anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening, and all who carry such a thing shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 11 All those whom the one with the discharge touches without his having rinsed his hands in water shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 12 Any earthen vessel that the one with the discharge touches shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

13 When the one with a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, he shall count seven days for his cleansing; he shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in fresh water, and he shall be clean. 14 On the eighth day he shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons and come before the Lord to the entrance of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest. 15 The priest shall offer them, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the Lord for his discharge.

16 If a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water, and be unclean until the evening. 17 Everything made of cloth or of skin on which the semen falls shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening. 18 If a man lies with a woman and has an emission of semen, both of them shall bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening.

19 When a woman has a discharge of blood that is her regular discharge from her body, she shall be in her impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening. 20 Everything upon which she lies during her impurity shall be unclean; everything also upon which she sits shall be unclean. 21 Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 22 Whoever touches anything upon which she sits shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening; 23 whether it is the bed or anything upon which she sits, when he touches it he shall be unclean until the evening. 24 If any man lies with her, and her impurity falls on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

25 If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed on which she lies during all the days of her discharge shall be treated as the bed of her impurity; and everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity. 27 Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 28 If she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 30 The priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the Lord for her unclean discharge.

31 Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.

32 This is the ritual for those who have a discharge: for him who has an emission of semen, becoming unclean thereby, 33 for her who is in the infirmity of her period, for anyone, male or female, who has a discharge, and for the man who lies with a woman who is unclean.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out a few things. First of all, that the offerings for purification described for a mother in chapter 12 are distinct from the dedication of the firstborn son to God; both are being done at the same time when Joseph and Mary bring Jesus to the Temple on the 40th day from his birth in Luke 2:22, but they are not the same. That the firstborn belong to the Lord is stated in Exodus 13:2 & 12. It is important to note that what we do in the Church is NOT identical to what is described here; every mother observes the purification rules that are given here for a son, whether her child was male or female, because now, in Christ, every child born into the Church partakes in the blessing and the call of the Firstborn. And the distinction drawn between male and female in the Old Testament in this matter (40 days versus 80 days) is completely absent in the Church. Second, the leader should note, regarding chapter 15 and bodily discharges, that the same rule is given for men and for women. Whatever they are comprised of, wherever they come from, bodily discharges make one ritually unclean in the Old Testament. This needs to be remembered, as it has become common to see Scripture and canon law quoted about menstrual discharge, but no recognition of the corresponding rules for males. Finally, we must note that these rules are given specifically to the people of Israel; as Gentile Christians, the extent to which they apply to us is more limited, and is governed by the pastoral authority of the local bishop and priest in applying the canons and tradition of the Church. We should never criticize one another about these things, but should walk in humility in all things.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Hymns for the Feast of the Meeting

On February 2nd, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Meeting, or ῾Υπαπαντή in Greek. This feast commemorates what happened on the 40th day after the birth of Jesus, when the Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed brought Him to the Temple as an infant to present Him to the Lord, and to make the sacrifice to redeem Him back, in accordance with the Law of Moses. This event can be found in Luke chapter 2, verses 22 through 39. In the narrative, we see two elderly people come to meet the Lord in the Temple, the first, a righteous man named Simeon, who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he met the Messiah, and the second, a prophetess named Anna, who recognized Him as the Messiah as well, and told everyone who was faithful in Jerusalem that He had come. We will therefore read several of the hymns from the Feast, to see how the Church celebrates this event.

Meeting Hymns

Idiomelon 3 of the Liti

Simeon now receives below in his earthly arms ⁄ the One Whom the ministers entreat with trembling in the heavenly liturgy on high. ⁄ He proclaims the union of God with mankind. ⁄ He sees the heavenly God as mortal Man! ⁄ He prepares to withdraw from earthly things, ⁄ and raises his cry in joy: ⁄ Glory to You, Lord, for You have revealed to those in darkness ⁄⁄ the Light that knows no evening!

Idiomelon 8 of the Liti

Today the sacred Mother, who is more exalted than the sacred Temple, went to the Temple, and she revealed to the world the world's Creator, and the giver of the Law. When Elder Symeon took Him into his arms, he rejoiced and cried aloud, "Now You are letting me, Your servant, depart, for I have seen You, the Savior of our souls."

Apolytikion of the Feast

Lady full of grace, rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, for Christ our God, the Sun of righteousness has risen from you and He illumined those in darkness. And you, righteous Elder, be glad in heart, receiving in your embraces the One who liberates our souls and bestows on us the Resurrection.

Hymn 2 of Ode 1 of the Canon of the Feast

Let the clouds sprinkle water. For Christ, who is the Sun of righteousness, has come. * He is riding on a swift cloud, the pure arms of His Mother, * who brings Him as an infant to the Temple. O faithful, let us say: * "Sing to the Lord, who triumphed; for He is greatly glorified."

Oikos of the Feast

To the Theotokos let us run, we who wish to see her Son be presented to Symeon. From heaven, the bodiless watched in amazement and said, "What we see now is marvelous, paradoxical, inconceivable, inexpressible! He who made Adam is held as a babe. Uncontainable God fits in the Elder's embrace. He, who without circumscription exists in His Father's bosom, is circumscribed, not in divinity, but physically, willingly, the only One who loves humanity."

Heirmos of Ode 7 of the Canon

Servants in the furnace spoke of God. * You bedewed them, O God the Logos; * and You dwelt in the womb of the immaculate, holy Virgin. We praise You * and sing to You devoutly: * Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers.

Hymn 1 of Ode 7 of the Canon

"I depart now for the nether world, * to see Adam, who is dwelling there, * and deliver the good news to Eve and everyone, and to dance with the Prophets." * So did Symeon cry out, * "Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers."

Glory Hymn of Ode 7 of the Canon

"God himself will come to the nether world to rescue the human race. * And to all the captives He will grant liberty; * and to the blind, restore sight; * and the voiceless will cry out, * 'Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers.'"

Both Now Hymn of Ode 7 of the Canon

Symeon the Elder prophesied to the Virgin Theotokos, * "A sword will also pierce through your own soul and heart, * when you behold this your Son on the Cross; * to whom we sing, * 'Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers.'"

Hymn 2 of the Ainoi

Light for revelation of the Gentiles, You have appeared, O Lord,* even sitting upon a swift* and light cloud, the virgin Maid,* as the Sun of Justice,* and You thus completed* the shadow of the Law of old* and manifested the start of the new grace.* And therefore elder Symeon, when he beheld You, cried out and said,* From corruption release me now,* for today I have seen You, Lord.

Glory Hymn of the Ainoi

O Christ God, who on this day was well pleased to recline in the elder's hands, as on a chariot of cherubim, call us back who extol You, and deliver us from the tyranny of the passions, and save our souls.

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that the two reasons for which the Lord and His mother go to the Temple do not, for either of them, quite apply. The Lord, being the Firstborn of all Creation, does not need to be redeemed back OR dedicated to God, and His Mother, who gave birth without any uncleanness and without any exile from the presence of God (for she, indeed, held Him in her arms all through those 40 days) does not need to be purified. But by coming to the Temple in accordance with the Torah, they show the true purpose of both of these ordinance. All the firstborn of Israel have been dedicated to God in anticipation of the Only-Begotten Son of God coming to us to unite us perfectly with the Father; all the mothers of Israel have come to be purified in anticipation of the Mother of God in whom the curse of Eve would be broken and motherhood would be greatly glorified even as virginity loses its shame. In this feast, the Old Testament and the New Testament become one, and we are united with God.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Acts 12:6-25 (Peter Delivered from Prison, Death of Herod)

Last week we moved forward in the narrative, and saw many Gentiles in Antioch becoming Faithful, and for the first time being called “Christians.” We saw, too, St. Paul brought from Tarsus to Antioch by St. Barnabas, and teaching and ministering to the nascent Church there. Back in Jerusalem, however, we saw a new persecution begin, as Herod killed James the son of Zebedee and imprisoned Peter during the feast of Passover. This time, we will see what happens to Peter.

Peter Delivered from Prison

6 The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists. 8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”

9 Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. 13 When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 14 On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” 16 Meanwhile Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. 17 He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the believers.” Then he left and went to another place.

18 When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

The Death of Herod

20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. 22 The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!” 23 And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. 25 Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.

Reading 22 – 574 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that the John Mark who is spoken of here seems to be Mark the Evangelist, who spent time with both St. Peter and St. Paul, but seems to have been with St. Peter when he was martyred in Rome, and to have written down St. Peter’s account of the Gospel in Alexandria before his own martyrdom. This is the Gospel of Mark. Second, as we see Herod doing violence to the Church, we also see him come the end of his pride and arrogance and violence, and die a terrible death. This is the Herod who had killed John the Baptist, as well as James the brother of John the Evangelist; this is the end of the path that he began when he made his passion-driven promise to Salome and beheaded the Forerunner.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Leviticus 3:1-5, 16-17; 4: 1-12; 5:1-13 (Peace Offerings & Sin Offerings)

Last time, we read the conclusion of the account of the ordination of Aaron and his sons as high priests, and saw how his two older sons, Nadab and Abihu, sinned against the Lord and were killed, and how Aaron and his other sons continued with their offerings in faithfulness to the Lord. In all this we saw the importance of offering in the way that the Lord has commanded, not for the sake of honor or reputation or profit, but in faithfulness and obedience, as bearers of the glory of God. Having seen their ordination, we return this week to the earlier chapters of Leviticus, to see how peace offerings and sin offerings, as well as offerings to be released from a foolish oath and other mistakes.

Offerings of Well-Being

3 If the offering is a sacrifice of well-being [literally a peace-offering], if you offer an animal of the herd, whether male or female, you shall offer one without blemish before the Lord. 2 You shall lay your hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall dash the blood against all sides of the altar. 3 You shall offer from the sacrifice of well-being, as an offering by fire to the Lord, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is around the entrails; 4 the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron’s sons shall turn these into smoke on the altar, with the burnt offering that is on the wood on the fire, as an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the Lord.

… (Then follow basically the same instructions for sheep and goats)…

All fat is the Lord’s. 17 It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or any blood.

Sin Offerings

4 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: When anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them:

3 If it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull of the herd without blemish as a sin offering to the Lord. 4 He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord and lay his hand on the head of the bull; the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord. 5 The anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting. 6 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the Lord in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. 7 The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is in the tent of meeting before the Lord; and the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

8 He shall remove all the fat from the bull of sin offering: the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is around the entrails; 9 the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins; and the appendage of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys, 10 just as these are removed from the ox of the sacrifice of well-being. The priest shall turn them into smoke upon the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, as well as its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung— 12 all the rest of the bull—he shall carry out to a clean place outside the camp, to the ash heap, and shall burn it on a wood fire; at the ash heap it shall be burned.

…Similar instructions are given for if the whole assembly, or one of the rulers, or just an ordinary person, have sinned unintentionally…

5 When any of you sin in that you have heard a public adjuration to testify and—though able to testify as one who has seen or learned of the matter—do not speak up, you are subject to punishment. 2 Or when any of you touch any unclean thing—whether the carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean livestock or the carcass of an unclean swarming thing—and are unaware of it, you have become unclean, and are guilty. 3 Or when you touch human uncleanness—any uncleanness by which one can become unclean—and are unaware of it, when you come to know it, you shall be guilty.

4 Or when any of you utter aloud a rash oath for a bad or a good purpose, whatever people utter in an oath, and are unaware of it, when you come to know it, you shall in any of these be guilty. 5 When you realize your guilt in any of these, you shall confess the sin that you have committed. 6 And you shall bring to the Lord, as your penalty for the sin that you have committed, a female from the flock, a sheep or a goat, as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for your sin.

7 But if you cannot afford a sheep, you shall bring to the Lord, as your penalty for the sin that you have committed, two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8 You shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first the one for the sin offering, wringing its head at the nape without severing it. 9 He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering. 10 And the second he shall offer for a burnt offering according to the regulation. Thus the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for the sin that you have committed, and you shall be forgiven.

11 But if you cannot afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, you shall bring as your offering for the sin that you have committed one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour for a sin offering; you shall not put oil on it or lay frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12 You shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall scoop up a handful of it as its memorial portion, and turn this into smoke on the altar, with the offerings by fire to the Lord; it is a sin offering. 13 Thus the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for whichever of these sins you have committed, and you shall be forgiven. Like the grain offering, the rest shall be for the priest.

Reading 2
1082 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out how the first two chapters of Leviticus are talking about Whole Burnt Offerings, in which the entire offering is given to God and is burnt up on the Altar (except for those parts that are removed and burnt outside the camp), but in the case of Peace Offerings, only specific portions of the offering are burnt and given to God, while what remains is divided between the priests and the person making the offering. The point of these offerings is that a meal is being shared with God by the person making the offering and the priest who offers the offering. The other thing that should emphasized is that the Torah provides a way for those who have made a mistake, even those who have made a foolish vow, to be freed from that vow, and this is something that we should remember as we see people throughout the rest of the Old Testament “forced” to do foolish or terrible things because of a vow that they have made.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Joseph and Aseneth – 13

Last time, we saw Joseph and Aseneth meet and prepare for their marriage, having both been guided toward their union by the Man from Heaven. This time, we will finish our reading of this beautiful little text, as we will see them married, and then hear the hymn of praise that Aseneth sings to the Lord.

James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the New Testament: Expansions of the “Old Testament” and Legends, Wisdom, and Philosophical Literature, Prayers, Psalms and Odes, Fragments of Lost Judeo-Hellenistic Works, vol. 2 (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 1985), 202–238.

Pharaoh solemnizes the marriage and gives a wedding feast

2 (21:1) And Joseph rose at daybreak and went away to Pharaoh and said to him, “Give me Aseneth, daughter of Pentephres, priest of Heliopolis, for (my) wife.” 3 And Pharaoh rejoiced with great joy and said to Joseph, “Behold, is not this one betrothed to you since eternity? And she shall be your wife from now on and for ever (and) ever.”

4 (2) And Pharaoh sent and called Pentephres, and he came and brought Aseneth, and stood (3) her before Pharaoh. And Pharaoh saw her and was amazed at her beauty and said, “May the Lord, the God of Joseph bless you, child, and let this beauty of yours remain for ever (and) ever, because justly the Lord, the God of Joseph, has chosen you as a bride for Joseph, because he is the firstborn son of God. And you shall be called a daughter of the Most High and a bride of Joseph from now on and for ever.”

5 (4) And Pharaoh took Joseph and Aseneth and put golden crowns on their heads which had been in his house from the beginning and of old. And Pharaoh set Aseneth at Joseph’s right side, 6 and put his hands on their heads, and his right hand was on Aseneth’s head. And Pharaoh said, “May the Lord God the Most High bless you and multiply you and magnify and glorify you forever.” 7 (5) And Pharaoh turned them around toward each other face to face and brought them mouth to mouth and joined them by their lips, and they kissed each other.

8 (6) And after this Pharaoh gave a marriage feast and a great dinner and a big banquet for 7 seven days. And he called together all the chiefs of the land of Egypt and all the kings of the nations and proclaimed to the whole land of Egypt, saying, “Every man who does (any) work during the seven days of Joseph’s and Aseneth’s wedding shall surely die.”
9 (8) And it happened after this, Joseph went in to Aseneth, and Aseneth conceived from Joseph, and gave birth to Manasseh and Ephraim, his brother, in Joseph’s house.

V. ASENETH’S PSALM

10 And then Aseneth began to confess to the Lord God and gave thanks, praying, for all the good (things) of which she was deemed worthy by the Lord:

11 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned,
before you I have sinned much,
I Aseneth, daughter of Pentephres, priest of Heliopolis,
who is an overseer of everything.

12 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
I was prospering in my father’s house,
and was a boastful and arrogant virgin.

13 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
And I have worshiped strange gods who were without number,
and eaten bread from their sacrifices.

14 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
Bread of strangulation I have eaten,
and a cup of insidiousness I have drunk from the table of death.

15 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
And I did not know the Lord the God of Heaven,
and I did not trust in the Most High God of life.

16 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
For I trusted in the richness of my glory and in my beauty,
and I was boastful and arrogant.

17 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
And I despised every man on earth,
and there was no one who achieved something before me.

18 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
And I had come to hate all who had asked my hand in marriage,
and despised them and scorned them.

19 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
And I spoke bold (words) in vanity and said,
“There is no prince on earth who may loosen the girdle of my virginity.”

20 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much.
But will be the bride of the great king’s firstborn son.

21 I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned;
before you I have sinned much,
until Joseph the Powerful One of God came.
He pulled me down from my dominating position
and made me humble after my arrogance,
and by his beauty he caught me,
and by his wisdom he grasped me like a fish on a hook,
and by his spirit, as by bait of life, he ensnared me,
and by his power he confirmed me,
and brought me to the God of the ages
and to the chief of the house of the Most High,
and gave me to eat bread of life,
and to drink a cup of wisdom,
and I became his bride for ever and ever.

839 words
Reading 13

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note how similar the marriage of Joseph and Aseneth is to the marriage service of the Church, with the groom and bride being crowned and having hands laid upon their heads. He should also note that Aseneth’s hymn of praise recounts all her sins and her repentence, and then gives glory to God for His mercy that He has shown to her, and counts herself blessed to have been received by the Lord and given to Joseph. She is both a picture of the bride who has been made a part of the household of Faith, and an icon of the Church Herself, united with Christ the Bridegroom.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Acts 11:19-30; 12:1-5 (Church at Antioch, James Killed & Peter Imprisoned)

Last time, we saw Peter return to Jerusalem, where he told the Apostles and others gathered there about the Gentile Pentecost in the house of Cornelius, and explained that everything that had been done there – from the moment that Cornelius was commanded to send messengers to find Peter until the moment that he baptized the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius, who were proclaiming in many languages the glorious things of God, just as the Apostles themselves had done on the day of Pentecost – had been the work of God Himself, and not anything that he had done on his own initiative.

The Church in Antioch

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. 20 But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. 21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion; 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were brought to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”

27 At that time prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine over all the world; and this took place during the reign of Claudius. 29 The disciples determined that according to their ability, each would send relief to the believers living in Judea; 30 this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12 About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 3 After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 5 While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

Reading 21 – 389 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that this passage seems to describe the first general preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles, in verse 20. We have seen this word “Hellenists” before in chapter 6, when this group was complaining that their widows were neglected in the distribution of food, and the first seven deacons were appointed from their number to attend to these practical matters. So it would seem at first that this term refers again to Jews who are speaking Greek and living in a Greco-Roman manner, but are still circumcised. However, the contrast that is established with verse 19, in which it is said that those of the Way who scattered because of the persecution generally spoke only to the Jews, but some of them went to Antioch and spoke to the Hellenists as well, indicates that there are some actual Gentiles among their number. This is not certain, but definitely we are seeing a substantial growth of the Church in the city of Antioch at this point, and for the first time those who follow Christ are being called Christians. It is also notable that at this point we see the first of the Apostles martyred, as James, the brother of John, is killed by Herod. In the end, all the Apostles except John will be killed by violence, but James is the first.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Leviticus 9:1-7, 22-24; 10:1-20 (Aaron’s Priesthood Inaugurated, Nadab & Abihu Die)

Since we finished the book of Genesis in early December, we have been reading excerpts from the book of Leviticus, seeing the establishment of the sacrificial offerings of the Tabernacle. We first read about the basic animal and grain offerings from chapter 1, then skipped ahead to chapter 8 to read about the ordination of Aaron and his sons as the high priests of Israel. We then had something of an interlude over Christmas, reading from the prophecy of Isaiah and from Proverbs, and then last week, we returned to Leviticus and read from chapter 11, in which instructions were given about clean and unclean animals. This time, we will return to the narrative about the ordination of the high priest, and will see them complete their seven-day vigil and begin to make the offerings themselves. We will see, too, the Old Testament’s version of the sad story of Ananias and Sapphira from the New Testament, as Aaron’s sons take lightly the grave responsibility that has been entrusted to them.

Aaron’s Priesthood Inaugurated

9 On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. 2 He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. 3 And say to the people of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering; a calf and a lamb, yearlings without blemish, for a burnt offering; 4 and an ox and a ram for an offering of well-being to sacrifice before the Lord; and a grain offering mixed with oil. For today the Lord will appear to you.’”

5 They brought what Moses commanded to the front of the tent of meeting; and the whole congregation drew near and stood before the Lord. 6 And Moses said, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” 7 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people; and sacrifice the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as the Lord has commanded.”

…Then Aaron offered the calf of the sin offering for himself, the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the ox and ram as an offering of well-being for the people, in a similar manner to the sacrifices made at the beginning of the ordination…

22 Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he came down after sacrificing the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the offering of well-being. 23 Moses and Aaron entered the tent of meeting, and then came out and blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Nadab and Abihu

10 Now Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his censer, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered unholy fire before the Lord, such as he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said,

‘Through those who are near me
I will show myself holy,
and before all the people
I will be glorified.’”

And Aaron was silent.

4 Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come forward, and carry your kinsmen away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” 5 They came forward and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had ordered. 6 And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not dishevel your hair, and do not tear your vestments, or you will die and wrath will strike all the congregation; but your kindred, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning that the Lord has sent. 7 You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the anointing oil of the Lord is on you.” And they did as Moses had ordered.

8 And the Lord spoke to Aaron: 9 Drink no wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, when you enter the tent of meeting, that you may not die; it is a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; 11 and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them through Moses.

12 Moses spoke to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: Take the grain offering that is left from the Lord’s offerings by fire, and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy; 13 you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, from the offerings by fire to the Lord; for so I am commanded. 14 But the breast that is elevated and the thigh that is raised, you and your sons and daughters as well may eat in any clean place; for they have been assigned to you and your children from the sacrifices of the offerings of well-being of the people of Israel. 15 The thigh that is raised and the breast that is elevated they shall bring, together with the offerings by fire of the fat, to raise for an elevation offering before the Lord; they are to be your due and that of your children forever, as the Lord has commanded.

16 Then Moses made inquiry about the goat of the sin offering, and—it had already been burned! He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and said, 17 “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the sacred area? For it is most holy, and God has given it to you that you may remove the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement on their behalf before the Lord. 18 Its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” 19 And Aaron spoke to Moses, “See, today they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; and yet such things as these have befallen me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been agreeable to the Lord?” 20 And when Moses heard that, he agreed.

Reading 4
973 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note that there is much discussion in both rabbinic and patristic commentaries regarding what exactly the sin of Nadab and Abihu was. There are a few candidates. First is the mention of “unholy fire,” and from this some commentators have suggested that they put coals from a common fire into the consecrated censers and brought this into the Tabernacle. This may be true, but it may also be that God’s commandment that the priests are never to drink strong drink before coming to perform the services of the Lord is an indication that they had gotten drunk, and then had come to offer incense. Whatever the case, they were careless and cavalier with the most holy responsibilities that had been entrusted to them, in the very moment in which God had revealed Himself to Israel in His power and glory. This is therefore one of the primary examples of what is sometimes called “death by Holiness,” when a human being comes too close to God’s holy presence and is consumed in their failure to prepare themselves. It is a warning for us all.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Joseph and Aseneth – 12

This week, we return to the story of Joseph and Aseneth, to read the conclusion of the story of their marriage. When we had left off, we saw Aseneth preparing herself for Joseph’s arrival, dressing herself as a bride according to the commandment of the Man from Heaven, and finding that, despite her week-long fast and general dishevelment, her countenance was shown forth to be most beautiful, as our writer emphasizes that true beauty is the fruit of humility and repentance, not youth, art, or adornment. This time, we will see Joseph arrive.

James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the New Testament: Expansions of the “Old Testament” and Legends, Wisdom, and Philosophical Literature, Prayers, Psalms and Odes, Fragments of Lost Judeo-Hellenistic Works, vol. 2 (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 1985), 202–238.

Joseph arrives and acknowledges Aseneth

19 1 (1) And while they were still speaking this (way)a a boy came and said to Aseneth, “Behold, Joseph is standing at the doors of our court.” 2 And Aseneth hurried and went down the stairs from the upper floor with the seven virgins to meet Joseph and stood in the entrance of the house. 3 And Joseph entered the court and the gates were closed, and all strangers remained outside.

4 (2) And Aseneth went out of the entrance to meet Joseph, and Joseph saw her and was amazed at her beauty, and said to her, “Who are you? Quickly tell me.” 5 And she said to him, “I am your maidservant Aseneth, and all the idols I have thrown away from me and they were destroyed. And a man came to me from heaven today, and gave me bread of life and I ate, and a cup of blessing and I drank. And he said to me, ‘I have given you for a bride to Joseph today, and he himself will be your bridegroom for ever (and) ever.’”

“And he said to me, ‘Your name will no longer be called Aseneth, but your name will be called City of Refuge and the Lord God will reign as king over many nations for ever, because in you many nations will take refuge with the Lord God, the Most High.’ 6 And the man said to me, ‘I will also go to Joseph and speak into his ears concerning you what I have to say.’ 7 And now, you know, my Lord, whether that man has come to you and spoken to you concerning me.”

8 And Joseph said to Aseneth, “Blessed are you by the Most High God, and blessed (is)f your name for ever, because the Lord God founded your walls in the highest, and your walls (are) adamantine walls of life, because the sons of the living God will dwell in your City of Refuge, and the Lord God will reign as king over them for ever and ever. 9 For this man came to me today and spoke to me words such as these concerning you. And now, come to me, chaste virgin, and why do you stand far away from me?”

10 (3) And Joseph stretched out his hands and called Aseneth by a wink of his eyes. And Aseneth also stretched out her hands and ran up to Joseph and fell on his breast. And Joseph put his arms around her, and Aseneth (put hers) around Joseph, and they kissed each other for a long time and both came to life in their spirit. 11 And Joseph kissed Aseneth and gave her spirit of life, and he kissed her the second time and gave her spirit of wisdom, and he kissed her the third time and gave her spirit of truth.

20 1 And they embraced each other for a long time and interlocked their hands like bonds.

Aseneth leads Joseph into the house and washes his feet

(1) And Aseneth said to Joseph, “Come, my Lord, and enter our house, because I have prepared our house and made a great dinner.” 2 And she grasped his right hand and led (2) him into her house and ´seated him on Pentephres her father’s throne. And she brought water to wash his feet. 3 And Joseph said, “Let one of the virgins come and wash my feet.”

4 (3) And Aseneth said to him, “No, my Lord, because you are my lord from now on, and I (am) your maidservant. And why do you say this (that) another virgin (is) to wash your feet? For your feet are my feet, and your hands are my hands, and your soul my soul, and your feet another (woman) will never wash.” 5 And she urged him and washed his feet. And Joseph looked at her hands, and they were like hands of life, and her fingers fine (4) like (the) fingers of a fast-writing scribe. And after this Joseph grasped her right hand and kissed it, and Aseneth kissed his head and sat at his right (hand).

Pentephres proposes to give a wedding feast, but Joseph prefers Pharaoh

6 (5) And her father and mother and his whole family came from the field which was their inheritance. And they saw Aseneth like (the) appearance of light, and her beauty was like heavenly beauty. And they saw her sitting with Joseph and dressed in a wedding garment. 7 And they were amazed at her beauty and rejoiced and gave glory to God who gives life to the dead. 8 And after this they ate and drank and celebrated.

(6) And Pentephres said to Joseph, “Tomorrow I will call all the noblemen and the satraps of the whole land of Egypt and give a marriage feast for you, and you will take my daughter Aseneth for (your) wife.” 9 (7) And Joseph said, “I will go tomorrow to Pharaoh the king, because he is like a father to me and appointed me chief of the whole land of Egypt, and I will speak about Aseneth into his ears, and he himself will give her to me for (my) wife.” 10 And Pentephres said to him, “Go in peace.”

21 1 (20:8) And Joseph stayed that day with Pentephres, and he did not sleep with Aseneth, because Joseph said, “It does not befit a man who worships God to sleep with his wife before the wedding.”

925 words
Reading 12

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note how different this second meeting of Joseph and Aseneth is. The first time, Joseph was self-consciously the only person in all of Egypt who was faithful to the God of Israel, and he held himself at a distance from not just Aseneth, but everyone in Pharaoh’s kingdom. This time, as they speak to one another, it becomes clear that she is utterly changed, as she recounts to him her repentance and her encounter with the Man from Heaven. At this point they are betrothed by the hand and intervention of that Man from Heaven Himself, and are waiting only upon the marriage. We should note, however, the chastity and care with which they treat one another. There is an intimacy here, as they kiss, and hold one another, and as she washes his feet, but as Joseph says at the end, it is not fitting for a man who worships God to sleep with his wife before the wedding. In this we see the chastity which was normative in both the Old Testament and the New expressed simply and succinctly, in the face of the permissiveness of the world around them. From this we may and must note that this expectation of chastity is not some new or foreign thing imposed on the Church from outside, but is intrinsic to our nature as human beings in relationship with God. Faithfulness to God is incompatible with faithlessness in these matters.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Acts 11:1-18 (Peter’s Report to the Church at Jerusalem)

Last time we saw Peter in the house of Cornelius, as he preached to the Gentiles gathered there and saw the Lord Himself confirm the vision that Peter had received of the unclean animals being proclaimed clean, as the Gentiles present in the house were filled with the Holy Spirit even without having been baptized. He therefore urged that they should all be baptized, and no one present refused this clear sign from God. This time, we will see him return to Jerusalem to make his report there.

Peter’s Report to the Church at Jerusalem

11 Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” 4 Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying,

5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. 6 As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ 10 This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven.”

11 “At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; 14 he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’

15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?” 18 When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

Reading 20 – 394 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out how Peter is immediately criticized for what he has done; they ask him why he even entered the house in which there were uncircumcised Gentiles. It is for this reason that we hear for the third time the story of Peter’s vision, as he makes very clear that he did nothing on his own authority, but simply obeyed the clear commandments of God Himself. We should note, too, that those who are criticizing him are immediately silenced; the vision and the sign are sufficient, and they give glory to God. This will not end the controversy, however; now that Gentiles have entered the Church, the question of how far they need to go to become part of the household of Faith will become a thorny issue.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 1 (Monday)

Leviticus 11:1-47 (Clean & Unclean Animals)

For the past couple weeks, we have paused our progress through the book of Leviticus to observe the celebration of Christmas and to begin this second third of year five with a selection from the book of Proverbs. This week, we will jump ahead slightly in the book of Leviticus to see what sort of animals are permitted to be used for offerings and for eating by the people of God. This distinction between animals that are to be eaten and animals that are to be avoided is not fundamentally one of what is righteous and what is evil, but rather of restraint and separation; God’s people are to be set apart from the rest of the people of the earth, not because they are better than them, but because their role is to be a priestly people, ministers of the presence of God to all the nations and peoples of the world, and for this priesthood, God calls them to be set apart in this way.

Clean and Unclean Foods

11 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them: 2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying:

From among all the land animals, these are the creatures that you may eat. 3 Any animal that has divided hoofs and is cleft-footed and chews the cud—such you may eat. 4 But among those that chew the cud or have divided hoofs, you shall not eat the following: the camel, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. 5 The rock badger, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. 6 The hare, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. 7 The pig, for even though it has divided hoofs and is cleft-footed, it does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. 8 Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean for you.

9 These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams—such you may eat. 10 But anything in the seas or the streams that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and among all the other living creatures that are in the waters—they are detestable to you 11 and detestable they shall remain. Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall regard as detestable. 12 Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.

13 These you shall regard as detestable among the birds. They shall not be eaten; they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, 14 the buzzard, the kite of any kind; 15 every raven of any kind; 16 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind; 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the water hen, the desert owl, the carrion vulture, 19 the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

20 All winged insects that walk upon all fours are detestable to you. 21 But among the winged insects that walk on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to leap on the ground. 22 Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind. 23 But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you.

Unclean Animals

24 By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until the evening, 25 and whoever carries any part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. 26 Every animal that has divided hoofs but is not cleft-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean for you; everyone who touches one of them shall be unclean. 27 All that walk on their paws, among the animals that walk on all fours, are unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until the evening, 28 and the one who carries the carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean for you.

29 These are unclean for you among the creatures that swarm upon the earth: the weasel, the mouse, the great lizard according to its kind, 30 the gecko, the land crocodile, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. 31 These are unclean for you among all that swarm; whoever touches one of them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. 32 And anything upon which any of them falls when they are dead shall be unclean, whether an article of wood or cloth or skin or sacking, any article that is used for any purpose; it shall be dipped into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening, and then it shall be clean.

33 And if any of them falls into any earthen vessel, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break the vessel. 34 Any food that could be eaten shall be unclean if water from any such vessel comes upon it; and any liquid that could be drunk shall be unclean if it was in any such vessel. 35 Everything on which any part of the carcass falls shall be unclean; whether an oven or stove, it shall be broken in pieces; they are unclean, and shall remain unclean for you. 36 But a spring or a cistern holding water shall be clean, while whatever touches the carcass in it shall be unclean. 37 If any part of their carcass falls upon any seed set aside for sowing, it is clean; 38 but if water is put on the seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.

39 If an animal of which you may eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 40 Those who eat of its carcass shall wash their clothes and be unclean until the evening; and those who carry the carcass shall wash their clothes and be unclean until the evening.

41 All creatures that swarm upon the earth are detestable; they shall not be eaten. 42 Whatever moves on its belly, and whatever moves on all fours, or whatever has many feet, all the creatures that swarm upon the earth, you shall not eat; for they are detestable. 43 You shall not make yourselves detestable with any creature that swarms; you shall not defile yourselves with them, and so become unclean. 44 For I am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming creature that moves on the earth. 45 For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; you shall be holy, for I am holy.

46 This is the law pertaining to land animal and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms upon the earth, 47 to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.

Reading 5
1113 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out that the distinctions that are drawn between clean and unclean animals here are established for Israel specifically, which is to say, those whose males are circumcised and who eat the Passover meal each year. They are not imposed upon all of humanity, but are the rules for Israel as a priestly people, just as there are particular rules for the Levites and for the family of the high priest which are not imposed on the people at large. That means that these dietary rules are the means by which the distinction between Israel and the nations of the earth is established, and this point is very helpful as we consider our New Testament reading from Acts 10 from last week and from this week. St. Peter’s vision of the sheet being let down from heaven, and the voice commanding him to rise, kill and eat, is directly connected with God’s initiation of the nations of the earth, starting with Cornelius the centurion, into the body of the Church. What was unclean and separated is no longer so.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 2 (Wednesday)

Theophany Hymns

On January 6th, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of Theophany, which commemorates the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. This feast is not a simple historical remembrance, but is laden with cosmic significance; the Church sees this moment as a turning point, a fulfillment of many expectations, and a promise of greater things to come, as the water of the Jordan becomes the first matter of the Creation (apart from His own Holy Flesh) to be made holy by the Lord Who has come into our midst to unite Himself with us in order to sanctify us, and all Creation with us. This marvelous reality, and the wonder that it is God Himself Who has entered within His own Creation to save and sanctify it, is at the core of themes that the Church reflects on in the hymns of this feast day. There are a great many hymns worth reading for the feast-day, so please don’t hesitate to read a smaller selection of what we have set forth here, if your time (or the attention of your family or class) runs short.

Hymns from the Services of Theophany

Idiomelon 1 of the 9th Hour

How amazing it was, to see the Maker of heaven and earth at the River strip down and receive Baptism from His servant, like a servant, all for our salvation. Even the hosts of Angels were astonished, overcome with fear and joy. We join them now and worship You, O Lord. Save us

Idiomelon 2 of the 9th Hour

When the Forerunner saw the Lord of glory approaching him, he shouted, "Behold, He who liberates the world from corruption has come. Behold, He delivers us from affliction. Behold, He who grants remission of sins has come to earth, born of a Virgin, for mercy's sake; and out of servants, He is making sons of God, and out of darkness, He is illumining the human race, through the water of His divine Baptism." So come, everyone, all together let us sing our hymns of glory to Him and the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Doxastikon of the 9th Hour

That hand of yours that touched the immaculate head of the Master (3), with the finger of which you pointed Him out to us, lift it up to Him on our behalf, O Baptist, as one who has great freedom to speak. Indeed, that you are greater than all the Prophets has He borne witness concerning you. Again those eyes of yours that beheld the all-holy Spirit when it descended in the form of a dove, cast them up to Him, O Baptist, making Him merciful to us. Then come and stand with us (3), and set the seal on our song, and be the leader of the festivities.

Doxastikon of the Kekragaria

You bowed Your head before the Forerunner; You crushed the heads of the dragons; You came to the river; and you enlightened the universe, to glorify You, O Savior, the illumination of our souls.

Troparion 3 of the Great Blessing of the Water

You have come to the River as a man, O Christ our King; and You urgently request to receive a Baptism befitting a servant, at the hands of the Forerunner, all because of our sins, O good Lord who loves humanity.

Idiomelon at the End of the Great Blessing of the Water

Let us the faithful extol the greatness of God's benevolent deeds concerning us. For He became man in our transgression; and now in the Jordan, He who alone is clean and undefiled is cleansed in the cleansing that is meant for us; and He sanctifies me and the waters, and on the water He crushes the heads of the dragons. Therefore, brethren, let us draw water with gladness. For to those who draw with faith, the grace of the Spirit is invisibly given by Christ, our God and the Savior of our souls.

Idiomelon 5 of the Liti

The hand of the Baptist trembled, ⁄ when it touched Your immaculate head: ⁄ The river Jordan turned back, not daring to minister to You. ⁄ For how could that which stood in awe of Joshua the Son of Nun ⁄ not be afraid before Joshua's Creator? ⁄ But You, Savior, have fulfilled all that was appointed, ⁄ so that You might save the world by Your epiphany, ⁄⁄ only Lover of mankind.

Idiomelon 3 of the Aposticha

Today, the Creator of heaven and earth comes in the flesh to the Jordan, asking to be baptized, though He is without sin, in order to purge the world of the error of the foe. And so the Master of all is baptized by a servant, and He grants purification by water to the human race. Let us shout to Him, "O God, who have appeared, have mercy on us.

Kathisma 3

You hallowed the waters of the Jordan River, O Lord; * and by Your own might You shattered sin's dominion, O Christ our God. * You bowed yourself, O Savior, beneath the hand of the Baptist, * and saved the human race from deception and error. * Therefore we intently entreat You to save Your world.

Troparion 1 of Ode 9 of Canon 1 of the Feast

In the Spirit, O David, come be present and sing out * to those being illumined, Now approach to God in faith and be illumined. * Adam who was fallen cried aloud, being the poor man, * and truly the Lord heard him; and therefore He has come, * and in the streams of the Jordan He renewed him, the corrupted one

Troparion 2 of Ode 9 of Canon 1 of the Feast

Wash yourselves and be clean, says the Prophet Isaiah, * and put away your evildoing from before the Lord's eyes. * All you who are thirsty go now to the living water. * For Christ will sprinkle those who believing run to Him * with water that renews; and He baptizes them * with the Spirit unto undecaying life.

Troparion 3 of Ode 9 of Canon 1 of the Feast

By the grace and the seal let us believers preserve ourselves. * For as the Hebrews once escaped destruction when the lintel had been bloodied, * likewise this baptismal laver of regeneration * will be a passing over and exodus for us, * where we shall see the Trinity's never-setting lights.

Idiomelon 5 of the Praises

He who wraps heaven in clouds wraps himself today in the streams of the Jordan. He who takes away the sin of the world washes himself in a wash that is meant for me. The cognate Spirit from above testifies of Him, that He is the Most High Father's Only-begotten Son. To Him let us cry aloud, "O Christ our God who appeared to us and saved us, glory to You.”

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out how the third selection above, the Doxastikon of the 9th Hour, is the third of three hymns that are chanted at that point in the 9th Hour during the Royal Hours of the three ancient baptismal feasts of the Church. All three of them begin and end with a triple refrain, and in the service are intoned once in the center of the Church before being chanted, usually antiphonally, by the Choirs. What is worth noting is that the other two, those that are chanted in the Christmas Royal Hours and the Holy Friday Royal Hours, each end with a triple repetition of: “we worship Your Passion/Nativity, O Christ, show us also Your divine Resurrection/Epiphany.” For the Paschal Royal Hours, they reach their fulfillment in the imminent celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection, but for Christmas, the feast of Theophany IS the pinnacle which it anticipates. Thus the Theophany hymn stands on its own, reflecting on the miracle of God’s presence with us, and enters into the inestimable joy of the celebration together with the Forerunner.))

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?

Day 3 (Friday)

Acts 10:23b-48 (Peter Visits Cornelius, Gentiles Received)

Last time we saw the messengers of Cornelius sent to find Peter in Joppa, and we saw Peter have a vision while in prayer, in which a sheet was let down from heaven filled with unclean animals, and a voice commanded him to “Rise, kill and eat.” And when he refused, saying that he had never touched or eaten anything forbidden to God’s people as unclean in the Torah, the Voice asked him why he called unclean what God had made clean. Immediately the messengers arrived, and he went down to meet with them, perhaps beginning to understand that the vision and their arrival were connected. This time, we will see him go with them and arrive at the home of Cornelius.

Peter Visits Cornelius

The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshiped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a mortal.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; 28 and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?”

30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.”

Gentiles Hear the Good News

34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

39 “We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, 46 for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

Reading 19 – 586 words

Discussion questions:

1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should point out Peter’s final words, as they are vital. He is effectively interpreting what has happened, and making clear that God Himself has intervened directly in this situation, commanding Cornelius to send for Peter, commanding Peter to go with Cornelius’ messengers, and finally, after the Gospel has been preached to Cornelius’ household, God has accepted these Gentiles, uncircumcised though they are, as full members of the household of Faith, even though they have not yet even been baptized. Thus Peter asks who can forbid baptism to these whom God has already sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit; this is perhaps the only time that we have seen Chrismation, the personal Pentecost that is the receiving of the Holy Spirit, come in its fullness BEFORE baptism, specifically as a sign that baptism is NOT to be forbidden to those of the Nations who wish to be counted as Christians, even if they have not become Jews by Circumcision. This event is thus the founding moment for the Christian Faith of the vast majority of Christians today, as very few of us can claim any genetic heritage in Israel.)

2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?

3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?

4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )

5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?