God's Garden & the African Christian Heritage

Orthodoxy has done a poor job reaching out to the African American community in this country. On the other hand, Islam has made significant inroads into a community that has a rich spiritual tradition. Islam often sells itself to African American as the religion with African roots. Christianity is the slave masters religion. This is blatantly false. Before Christianity made its way to Northern Europe, it had already penetrated Africa. Christianity has much deeper roots in Africa than many moderns understand. Black saints abound in Orthodoxy and the early church. One such saint is St. Moses the Black. This one saint is the inspiration for the life of a contemporary African American Orthodox priest with a most interesting testimony.

Excitingly, a movie is being made on the life of this wonderful man with a message toward African American and all Americans to return to their religious roots.

Below is a link to the site detailing Fr. Moses Barry and the making of the film:

http://godsgardenthefilm.com/

Also here is a preview of the film:

Acts 14 - In Asia Minor

Acts 14

1. Again they start in the synagogue. This stop in Iconium is typical of many of their stops. They preach in the synagogue and many of the Gentiles there convert but enough Jews remain steadfast that they oppose Paul's presence. Eventually the opposition becomes great enough that they have to move on to other areas. Miracles did occur at the hands of Barnabas and Paul in order to confirm to the people their teaching. Eventually they leave Iconium and flee southwest to Lystra and Derbe.

8ff. In Lystra, Paul heals a lame man that had been lame from birth. As a result of the healing, the people proclaim Paul and Barnabas to be gods.

Apparently, the people in Lystra had a legend that Zeus and Hermes had visited their land disguised as mortals, and no one gave them any hospitality except for one older couple. In their anger at the people, Zeus and Hermes wiped out the whole population, except for the old couple. No wonder the people of Lystra were so quick to honor Paul and Barnabas! One student in our class, suggested that the pagan priests could have co-opted this legend to protect their own interest rather than the people embracing the faith of Paul and Barnabas.

Paul obviously opposes this pagan identification and preaches to the people the Gospel. Jews from Antioch and Iconium come to Lystra and stir up the people to oppose him. The opposition becomes so great that the people stone Paul and drag him from the city. The Christian disciples gather Paul from and he recovers then leaves for Derbe.

23. This is a summary of what they had done in each city that they traveled through . They did not leave the believers to flounder but had ordained elders in each place. The word elder in Greek is presbuteros where we get the English word presbyter which linguistically became prester and then the shortened form priest.

Luke summarizes the message of Paul and Barnabas to the existing disciples. The message given was to encourage and strengthen them, but may seem contrary to our comfort loving ears. The message was "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." Our culture is used to a soft Christianity that promises blessings and comforts. When these blessings are not present, one begins to question the quality of faith. God must be angry and need appeased and once again the blessings will fall. This is paganism. Christianity is the way of the cross, and to deny the cross is to deny the way of salvation.

Acts 13 - Paul's First Missionary Journey

Acts 13

This is a wonderful passage this gives us another glimpse into the life of the early church. The Antiochian church had gathered together for worship and Paul and Barnabas were sent on a missionary journey.

Several men are mentioned in these first couple verses and are identified as prophets and teachers.

1. Simeon who was called Niger (possibly Simon the Cyrene who carried the cross of Christ). The term Niger means black and it may not have been a surname but a nickname describing him. Cyrene was a town in modern day Libya.

The Holy Apostle Lucius of the Seventy became bishop in Syrian Laodicia (a former chief city in Phrygia). The Apostle Paul mentions him in the Epistle to the Romans (Rom. 16: 21), among the other Christians whom he greets.

Manaen was courtier of King Herod Antipas as mentioned here and he died in Antioch.

2. “ministered” here is actually the Greek word leitourgia. Obviously where we get our word liturgy. As they served the liturgy the Holy Spirit spoke to them to separate out Barnabas and Saul to be sent as missionaries for the church. This looks like an ordination service and Chrysostom sees in this act as an ordination of Paul. As to evidence of ordination, from this passage onward Paul no longer go by Saul but Paul, and Chrysostom suggests that he took a new name upon being ordained. Christians from the beginning have often taken new names upon being baptized and almost always upon ordination including monastic orders.

4. Seleucia was just south of Anitoch and from there they were able to take a ship to the Island of Cyprus. Salamis is a city in Cyprus. And they began their preaching in the synagogues. This becomes typical of Paul's strategy, he goes to the synagogue first and usually attracts the God-fearers and several Jews, and he uses these people as the base of the Christian community.

John was their assistant. In other places he is referred to as John Mark, who is the Gospel writer Mark. Later on Mark causes a dispute between Paul and Barnabas. We also learn that Mark is Barnabas’ nephew.

13. Perga in Pamphylia: Perga would have been northwest of Cyprus on the Southern coast of Asia Minor in an area know as Pamphylia. John Mark leaves from here and this action will later cause a dispute with Paul.

14. Antioch Pisidia. This is not the Syrian Antioch but in the middle of Asia Minor. Again they go to a synagogue and after the Scripture reading they stand to preach.

15-41. Paul’s sermon is similar in nature to many of the other sermons seen in Acts. Paul gives brief history of Israel highlighting David showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic line and the prophecies. He quotes from Ps. 88:19, 1 Kingdoms 13:14 in verse 22. Then in v. 23 Paul refers to the prophecy that the Messiah would come from the seed of David. (Ps. 88:36, 37, 2 Kingdoms 7:12-14).
Other passages from the OT are Ps. 2:7, Is. 55:3, Ps. 15:10, & Hab. 1:5.

43. As a result of the sermon, it was mainly the God-fearers who embraced the message of the Gospel.

45. Obviously the word had spread about Paul and Barnabas and a large crowd gathered together on the next Sabbath. Many in the Jewish community were unhappy with the gathering of the Gentiles into their place. Paul then quotes from Is. 49:6 that the Lord would use Israel to bring the Gentiles into salvation.

48. Paul and Barnabas were ultimately kicked out of town because of the disturbance they caused. Yet not before many Gentiles were converted. Chrysostom: “This is proof that their having received these Gentiles was agreeable to the mind of God. But ‘appointed,’ not in regard of necessity: ‘For whom He foreknew,’ says the apostles, ‘He also foreordained.’”

51. Iconium: due West of Antioch Pisidia

*25-32 is used as an epistle reading during feast of John the Baptist

Acts 12 - Return to Jerusalem

Acts 12 - Return to Jerusalem

1. Herod in this verse is Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great. He ruled in Palestine from 41-44. The Herods were half-Jews who ruled the Jews in Palestine on behalf of the Roman empire. Because of their divided loyalties they often performed acts to prove their patriotism the Jewish people. The actions of Agrippa persecuting the Christians is possibly one such act.

2. James, the brother of John was the first of the apostles to be martyred. And because it brought him favor with the Jews, he then arrest Peter.

3ff. This is during the Feast of Unleavened Bread which is Passover. This was an important time for both Jews and Christians. The Christians would have been celebrating the anniversary of the Resurrection. The church prayed for him during his captivity, and in spite of the guards n angel rescued him from prison.

12. From this verse many have supposed that this was the house where the upper room was. ..Mary was the mother of John Mark. St. Mark’s Church stands over the traditional site of the first Christian house of prayer in the Holy City of Jerusalem, and belongs to one of the most ancient Christian denominations in the Holy Land: the Syriac Orthodox.

The sanctuary occupies a building some eight centuries old, which is above an even older structure. A tradition developed in antiquity that the event that many Christians mark on nearby Mount Zion – the first speaking in tongues (Acts 2:1) – took place at John Mark’s house (Acts 12:13).

An inscription in the sanctuary dating to the sixth century, reads: this is the house of Mary mother of John Mark. It also says that the house was destroyed in 70 AD, but was rebuilt and used for prayer just two years later. The inscription is in Syriac, a language akin to the Aramaic that Jesus spoke, and that is still spoken by the community.

16. The people think it is Peter's guardian angel rather than him, and are astonished as well at the miracle.

20. The chapter ends with the fate of Herod Agrippa. He set himself up as a god, and presented himself in such a way that the people would proclaim him a god. This open rebellion toward God became his demise as he was eaten by worms. There is a similar story in 2 Maccabees 9:9 with person of Antiochus.

Finally we find Saul and Barnabas leaving Jerusalem for Antioch with John Mark.

Acts 11 - The Infant Gentile Church

Acts 11 - The Infant Gentile Church

1-18: Peter recaps the Gentile conversion and demonstrates that it was the fulfillment of the vision he had of the unclean animals.

19-24: The Church at Antioch is established and Jerusalem sends Barnabas to teach them. Barnabas goes to Tarsus and seeks out Paul and brings him to Antioch where they teach together. And it is here that "the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." Being Orthodox Christians under the Antiochian jurisdiction we are very familiar with this line of Scripture. It is a point of boasting and is included in our "tag-line" on the Antiochian website.

Chrysostom comments on the scattering of the Church due to persecution:

When Stephen was slain, when Paul was twice imperiled, when the apostles were scourged…then the nations received (the word), then Samaritans…Therefore, they went about discoursing also with Gentiles. ‘But some them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, after they came to Antioch, began speaking to the Hellenists, preaching as good tidings the Lord Jesus.’ For it is likely then both that they knew the Greek language and that there were many such in Antioch.

27. The Church in Jerusalem continued to keep a connection with Antioch by sending prophets.

Agabus: Saint Agabus was one of the Seventy Apostles chosen and sent forth to preach by Christ (Luke 10:1).

The holy Apostle Agabus was endowed with the gift of prophecy. He predicted (Acts 11:27-28) the famine during the reign of the emperor Claudius (41-52), and foretold the suffering of the Apostle Paul at Jerusalem (Acts 21:11). St Agabus preached in many lands, and converted many pagans to Christ.

Agabus endured fierce sufferings for Christ and was found worthy of a martyr's crown.

28. The great famine took place in 44-51. It began in Judea and spread to Greece and then to Italy.

29. The church in Antioch sent assistance to Jerusalem by way of Barnabas and Paul.

Acts 10 - The Gentile Pentecost

Acts 10 - The Gentile Pentecost

This important chapter continues to follow the flow of Acts from Judea, Samaria, to the uttermost parts of the earth. Or one could say the Gospel goes to the Jew, the half-Jew, and then the Gentile.

We find ourselves at the house of Cornelius, a Roman officer, who was also one who feared God. He was one of the "God-Fearers" or Gentile Jewish Catechumens. He participated in the liturgical life of the Jews but had not become one himself. He was obviously devout and brought power to his prayer via almsgiving.

Both prayer and almsgiving and held in esteem as Christian ascetical practices. See the following two quotes:

St. Maximos the Confessor (First Century on Love no. 79)

Almsgiving heals the soul's incensive power; fasting withers sensual desire; prayer purifies the intellect and prepares it for contemplation of created beings. For the Lord has given us commandments which correspond to the powers of the soul.

Chrysostom Homily on Hebrews 6

And after prayer thus intense, there is need of much almsgiving: for this it is which especially gives strength to the medicine of repentance. And as there is a medicine among the physicians’ helps which receives many herbs, but one is the essential, so also in case of repentance this is the essential herb, yea, it may be everything. For hear what the Divine Scripture says, “Give alms, and all things shall be clean.” (Luke xi. 41.) And again, “By alms-giving and acts of faithfulness sins are purged away.” (Prov. xvi. 6.) And, “Water will quench a flaming fire, and alms will do away with great sins.” (Ecclus. iii. 30.)

3. Cornelius observed the Jewish hourly cycle of pryaers. The Ninth Hour was around 3 pm. Today the Psalms ascribed for this hour are 83, 84, 85. It was at this time that the angel of the Lord visited him. And the angel views not only his prayers as ascendending to God but his alms as well. From this visit the angel promises the coming of Peter who will bring the gospel.

9. Peter is observing the Jewish Hours. The Sixth Hour is around 12 noon. (Psalm 16, 24, 50 for Orthodox Christians)

10. Fell into a trance: literally an ecstasy fell up him, or an out of body experience. St. Symeon the New "He who is united to God by faith and recognizes Him by action is indeed enabled to see Him by contemplation."

Peter's vision of Christ commanding him to eat non-kosher food was understood to mean that all men kosher or not are acceptable in the sight of God. Peter then heads to Joppa and meets Cornelius. In meeting him, and his household he preaches the Gospel and the people believed.

44. This was opposite of the way that the Holy Spirit had come previously. The people had been baptized and then the HS had fallen on them. Today we continue the practice of baptizing first and then chrismating. Chrysostom states that because they were not Jews baptism would never have been offered them, because the Jewish Christians still saw the Faith as something only for the Jews. However, when it was evident that God had allowed the Holy Spirit to come to the Gentiles they were forced to offer baptism. This later becomes the argument Peter uses in Acts 15 that Gentiles did not need to become Jews first. The Holy Spirit confirmed their worthiness.

*Life of St. Cornelius: Commemorated on September 13 The Hieromartyr Cornelius the Centurion: He retired from the world and went preaching the Gospel together with the Apostle Peter, who made him a bishop. When the Apostle Peter, together with his helpers Sts Timothy and Cornelius, was in the city of Ephesus, he learned of a particularly vigorous idol-worship in the city of Skepsis. Lots were drawn to see who would go there, and St Cornelius was chosen.

In the city lived a prince by the name of Demetrius, learned in the ancient Greek philosophy, hating Christianity and venerating the pagan gods, in particular Apollo and Zeus. Learning about the arrival of St Cornelius in the city, he immediately summoned him and asked him the reason for his coming. St Cornelius answered that he came to free him from the darkness of ignorance and lead him to knowledge of the True Light.

The prince, not comprehending the meaning of what was said, became angry and demanded that he answer each of his questions. When St Cornelius explained that he served the Lord and that the reason for his coming was to announce the Truth, the prince became enraged and demanded that Cornelius offer sacrifice to the idols.

The saint asked to be shown the gods. When he entered the pagan temple, Cornelius turned towards the east and uttered a prayer to the Lord. There was an earthquake, and the temple of Zeus and the idols situated in it were destroyed. All the populace, seeing what had happened, were terrified.

The prince was even more vexed and began to take counsel together with those approaching him, about how to destroy Cornelius. They bound the saint and took him to prison for the night. At this point, one of his servants informed the prince that his wife and child had perished beneath the rubble of the destroyed temple.

After a certain while, one of the pagan priests, by the name of Barbates, reported that he heard the voice of the wife and son somewhere in the ruins and that they were praising the God of the Christians. The pagan priest asked that the imprisoned one be released, in gratitude for the miracle worked by St Cornelius, and the wife and son of the prince remained alive.

The joyful prince hastened to the prison in the company of those about him, declaring that he believed in Christ and asking him to bring his wife and son out of the ruins of the temple. St Cornelius went to the destroyed temple, and through prayer the suffering were freed.

After this the prince Demetrius, and all his relatives and comrades accepted holy Baptism. St Cornelius lived for a long time in this city, converted all the pagan inhabitants to Christ, and made Eunomios a presbyter in service to the Lord. St Cornelius died in old age and was buried not far from the pagan temple he destroyed.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
The Church hath received thee as the holy first-fruits of the nations; for thou dost illumine her with thy great deeds of godly virtues, O hallowed and sacred initiate, most godly Cornelius.


Also discussed during this class was the nature of the first century house church. The information belows is condensed from an article found by Kevin Burt via this link: House Church info

****The House Church: The front door of a Roman house was the public entrance for people who had business dealings with the household. It opened into a very large rectangular room—the atrium—that had a well, stream, or small pool just inside the entrance. The atrium could be very ornate, with a colorful mosaic floor and paintings of ancestors on the walls, but there was very little, if any furniture. On the other side of the atrium, opposite the front door, there was a raised platform that served as the household’s dining room with a chopping block front and center. There was no wall separating the dining room from the atrium, which allowed servants to attend to the diners from the atrium.

When the household was conducting its business, the atrium was a busy place, filled with people talking to each other and doing business with the household. Since the dining room was a raised platform without a wall separating it from the atrium, it was the best place for the father and his sons to conduct business. The father sat in the center behind the chopping block where he oversaw the proceedings, while his sons, seated on either side against the back wall, conducted the business of the household.

Hebrews 3:5-6 alludes to the different roles of servants and sons in the business dealings of the house:

Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast
—Hebrews 3:5-6, NIV

The sons, by virtue of being sons, had their father’s power of attorney, so whatever they did was binding on the father. Legally, so far as business deals were concerned, the sons were equal to the father:

For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
—John 5:18, NIV

When a house was converted to a church, the water source at the entrance became the baptistery, the atrium became the nave, the dining room became the chancel, the chopping block became the altar, the bishop sat in the father’s seat, and the priests sat on either side. The house could accommodate a congregation of about 100-150 people. Pews were invented in the west in the middle ages. Orthodox churches still do not have seats in the nave.

Acts 9 - Conversion of Paul

Acts 9 Conversion of Paul

Chapter 9 picks up where chapter 7 leaves off (or at least 8:1). Saul (the future Paul) continues his persecution campaign against the followers of Jesus.

1. "Breathing threats" actually is breathing in rather than breathing out. This suggests that threatening and murder had come to be the very breath that Saul breathed.

Paul requests letters from the high priest to have permission to enter the synagogues of Damascus to hunt down the followers of the Way. This is an description of the early Christians. They had not yet been called Christians. The term the "Way" illustrates that this is not an ideological movement or some new school of interpretation. Christianity is primarily the Way. The Way that Jesus blazed ahead which culminated in the cross. It is the Way of the Cross.

As he journeyed toward Damascus, he was overcome with a light that caused him to fall to the ground. He then heard the voice of Jesus speaking.

5. Jesus told him that he was kicking against the goads: goads or prods used to herd animals; rather than being directed by the master Paul was kicking against it.

You can imagine the shock to him to hear that Jesus was God.

He arose and went to Damascus to a man named Ananias on a Street called Straight. This street still exists in Damascus and it is on this street that you can find the home of our Antiochian Patriarchate. It may seem strange that the Patriarch of Antioch is in Damascus, but the Patriarchate was moved from Antioch to Damascus in the 1300s due to the Western Crusaders.

Ananias baptizes Paul and restores his sight.

18. Life of St. Ananias: Commemorated on January 4 The Holy Apostle Ananias of the Seventy was the first Bishop of Damascus. The Lord ordered him to restore the sight of Saul, the former persecutor of Christians, then baptize him (Acts 9:10-19, 22:12). Saul became the great preacher and Apostle Paul. St Ananias boldly and openly confessed Christianity before the Jews and the pagans, despite the danger.

From Damascus he went to preach at Eleutheropolis, where he healed many of their infirmities. Lucian, the prefect of the city, tried to persuade the holy one to offer sacrifice to idols. Because of Ananias' staunch and solid confession of Christ, Lucian ordered that he be tortured. Harsh torments did not sway the witness of Truth. Then the torturers led him out beyond the city, where they stoned him. The saint prayed for those who put him to death. His relics were later transferred to Constantinople.

19. Paul offers his first sermon to the Jews in the area, which was to become his normal practice when entering a city for the first time. The Jews became angry with his teaching and he had to escape Damascus with his life.

25. There appears to be a gap her as referenced by Gal 1:17,18. There was a three year period here where Paul spent time in isolation and study. It is difficult to know if this was with a Christian community or if he was totally isolated. Based on what we know about the early church, my guess is that he was with a small community. It is perhaps this time that he experienced visions of heaven and of Jesus speaking with him.

After this three year period, he heads to Jerusalem and meets the apostles due to the kindness of Barnabas. He is accepted as part of the community, and sent back to his hometown of Tarsus.

The remainder of the chapter beginning in verse 32 is a wonderful story of Peter traveling to Joppa on the coast of Palestine to minister. It is here that he raises the woman Tabitha from the dead.

36. Tabitha (Dorcas): October 25 St Tabitha is considered the patron saint of tailors and seamstresses, since she was known for sewing coats and other garments (Acts 9:39).

Entry of the Theotokos in the Temple

Entry of the Theotokos in the Temple

This is one of the 12 major feasts in the life of the Orthodox Church. We celebrate this every year on Nov. 21. Below are some notes from last years Sunday School, when we discussed this. What was really enlightening was that we were in the middle of a series on the Liturgical life of Israel. We were already discussing the temple and the sacrificial system. It only made sense to take a week of to discuss this feast. In the light of the OT system, much about this feast became readily apparent.

Based on the Scriptural readings and the hymns used during the feast, several points can be made.

1. She becomes the Temple of God. She enters the Temple to become herself the living temple of God.

The most pure Temple of the Saviour, the precious Chamber and Virgin, the Sacred Treasure of the Glory of God, is presented today to the house of the Lord. She brings with her the grace of the Spirit, which the angels of God do praise. Truly this woman is the Abode of Heaven! (Kontakion)

In the LXX, the word for for overshadowing is the same used in Luke of the Holy Spirit overshadowing Mary for her to receive God into her womb.

Each one of the OT readings all end with exactly the same line, "for the glory of the Lord filled the house (tabernacle) of the Lord God Almighty." (Exodus 40:35; 3 Kingdoms 8:11; Ezekiel 44:4)

Exodus 40:1-5, 9-10, 16, 34-35

The Lord spoke to Moses,saying: 2 On the first day of the first month, at the new moon, you shall set up the tabernacle of witness, 3 and you shall place in it the ark of the testimony and shall cover the ark with the veil, 4 and you shall bring in the table and shall set forth that which is to be set forth on it; and you shall bring in the candlestick and place its lamps on it. 5 You shall place the golden altar, to burn incense before the ark; and you shall put a covering of a veil on the door of the tabernacle of witness. 9 You shall take the anointing oil and shall anoint the tabernacle and all things in it; and shall sanctify it and all its furniture and it shall be holy. 10 You shall anoint the altar of burnt-offerings and all its furniture; and you shall hallow the altar and the altar shall be most holy.16 Moses did all things whatsoever the Lord commanded him, so did he.34 The cloud covered the tabernacle of witness and the tabernacle was filled with the glory of the Lord. 35 Moses was not able to enter into the tabernacle of testimony, because the cloud overshadowed1 it and the tabernacle was filled with the glory of the Lord.

3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 6:51; 8:1, 3-7, 9-11

51 So the work of the house of the Lord which Solomon accomplished was finished; and Solomon brought in the holy things of David his father and all the holy things of Solomon; he put the silver and the gold and the furniture, into the treasures of the house of the Lord. 8:1 It came to pass when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and his own house after twenty years, then king Solomon assembled all the elders of Israel in Zion, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, this is Zion, 3 The priests took up the ark, 4 and the tabernacle of testimony and the holy furniture that was in the tabernacle of testimony. 5 The king and all Israel were occupied before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, without number. 6 The priests bring in the ark into its place, into the oracle of the house, even into the holy of holies, under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark and the cherubim covered the ark and its holy things above. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tables of stone, the tables of the covenant which Moses put there in Choreb, which tables the Lord made as a covenant with the children of Israel in their going forth from the land of Egypt. 10 It came to pass when the priests departed out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house. 11 The priests do you think not stand to minister because of the cloud, because the glory of the Lord filled the house.

Ezekiel 43:27-44:4

43:27 It shall come to pass from the eighth day and onward, that the priests shall offer your wholeburnt-offerings on the altar and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, says the Lord. 44:1 Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary that looks eastward; and it was shut. 2 The Lord said to me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened and no one shall pass through it; for the Lord God of Israel shall enter by it and it shall be shut. 3 For the prince, he shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord; he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate and shall go forth by the way of the same. 4 He brought me in by the way of the gate that looks northward, in front of the house: and I looked, and, behold, the house was full of the glory of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.

Heb. 9:1-7

1Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. 2For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance;

Other related hymns from the feast:

Let us believers exchange glad tidings, singing to the Lord with psalms and songs of praise, honoring His holy tabernacle, the living ark who contained the uncontainable Word; for in a supernatural manner is she offered to God as a babe. And Zachariah the great High Priest receiveth her rejoicing since she is God's abode. . . .

Today the living temple of holy glory, the glory of Christ our God, who alone is blessed and undefiled is presented in the Mosaic Temple, to live in its holy precincts. Wherefore, Joachim and Anne rejoice now with her in spirit, and the ranks of virgins praise the Lord with songs honoring his Mother. . . .

Apolytikion (Fourth Tone)
Today is the prelude of God's pleasure and the proclamation of man's salvation. The Virgin is clearly made manifest in the temple of God and foretells Christ to all. Let us also cry out to her with mighty voice, "Hail, fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation."

2. She becomes the personification of the Temple and Israel. What was Israel’s purpose? To bring salvation to mankind. This is fulfilled in Mary.

Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem! The glory of the Lord has shone upon you! Exult and be glad O Zion! Be radiant 0 Pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of your son! (Orthodox Paschal Hymn)

3. She is a Holy Offering to the Lord.

for in a supernatural manner is she offered to God as a babe. And Zachariah the great High Priest receiveth her rejoicing since she is God's abode. . . .

Today the Virgin is the foreshadowing of the pleasure of God, and the beginning of the preaching of the salvation of mankind. Thou hast appeared in the Temple of God openly and hast gone before, preaching Christ to all. Let us shout with one thrilling voice, saying, Rejoice, O thou who art the fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation. . . .

Today the all-blameless Virgin is presented in the Temple for the abode of God, the King of all, the Nourisher of all our souls. Today the all-pure holiness doth enter into the Holy of Holies, as a three-year heifer. Wherefore, let us like the angel, hail her, saying, Rejoice, O thou who alone are blessed among women. . . .

The feast demonstrates the human element in our salvation. Mary is man’s offering to God; Mary is mankind’s “Let it be” to God. Because of this Mary is the model of salvation for all men. God comes to man with the offer of salvation and we must respond with our own "Let it be".

What shall we offer you, O Christ, who for our sake has appeared on earth as man? Every creature made by you offers you thanks. The angels offer you a hymn; the heavens a star; the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder; the earth, its cave; the wilderness, the manger; and we offer you a virgin mother. (Nativity Vespers)

4. Announces the purpose of man. We should be the temple of God.

The feast inaugurates the New Testament in which are fulfilled the prophecies of old that "the dwelling of God is with man" and that the human person is the sole proper dwelling place of the Divine Presence. (Ezekiel 37:27; John 14:15-23; Acts 7:47; II Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 2:18-22; 1 Peter 2:4; Revelation 22:1-4)

... We are the temple of the living God, as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (II Corinthians 6: 11; Isaiah 52:1 1)

*all OT readings are taken from the EOB