Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, Ἑρμηνεία στό κατά Λουκᾶν Εὐαγγέλιο, τόμ. Α΄,

ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, Θεσ/νίκη 2008, σσ. 25-29 

(Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV], A Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke, vol. A', pp. 25-29)

  Luke the evangelist begins his Gospel with a short introductory note addressed to the recipient of the Gospel, Theophilus. The author, in a clear language and simple style, explains the reason of his work, the way in which he worked to collect his material and the method he followed to record it.

1,1. Ἐπειδήπερ πολλοὶ ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνατάξασθαι διήγησιν περὶ τῶν πεπληροφορημένων ἐν ἡμῖν πραγμάτων.

1:1 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us.

  The attempt by many to write narratives about the person of Jesus Christ became a motive for Luke to take over the writing of his Gospel. The “πολλοί” many who are mentioned are not of course the evangelists Mark and John. Luke only knew the Gospel of Matthew, which had preceded his, since his writing is placed in the decade 50-60 A.D. (probably around 55 A.D.). The Gospels according to Mark and John were written after Luke, in the years 64-68 A.D. and 69-72 A.D. respectively. Nor are these “πολλοί” many the authors of the apocrypha or pseudepigraph Gospels (e.g., Peter’s, Thomas’, Philip’s, etc.) The apocrypha began to appear later, in the 2nd-3rd century AD. Besides, if he were to refer to such texts, the evangelist would have questioned them. Luke rather implies some anonymous Christian scholars, who, using as a basis either the oral tradition or their personal notes, had recorded smaller or larger collections of Christ's words and narratives of the facts of his life. These were not false narratives; they were genuine with true data. But, because this was a human initiative and effort, it couldn’t survive through the passage of time. The Gospel is not a narrative characterized only by historical reliability. It also bears the seal of the divinely inspired spirit. When evangelist Luke began his writing, he was conscious of being directed by the Holy Spirit to deliver to the "the heathen" Christians - just as Matthew to the “circumcised" - divine truths and events of salvation significance.
  Many interpreters, relying only on the use of the verb have taken in hand, came to the wrong conclusion that those who attempted to write short narratives intended to misguide the faithful. Others understood those who tried to write something, but had not been able to complete it. The verb, however, has a neutral meaning. It means "putting my hand on something, taking over, attempt."
  The co-expression “to draw up a narrative” belongs to the "once-so-called" of the Holy Scriptures; It means the arrangement of the content, the draft of the content which the oral tradition saved about Jesus.
  Hence, many tried to write a narrative about what they have been informed. In the brief and concise interpretation of Zigavinos; «εἰσὶ δὲ ταῦτα τὰ πράγματα... ἡ ἔνσαρκος αὐτοῦ (τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) πολιτεία», "these facts are... his (Jesus’) incarnate life", i.e., the acts and words, miracles and teaching of the Lord (cf. Acts 1:1-2). All these are known to the believers of the next generation, among whom Luke includes himself among us. These are not legends and folk traditions, but undeniable events which, with a sense of responsibility and piety, were entrusted to Christians by the preachers of God's word. The verb «πληροφοροῦμαι», when it refers specifically to events, it means “absolute trust” that “I become absolutely believable”.

1,2. καθὼς παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου.

1:2 Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

  The many referred to in the previous verse - including Luke - received the Lord's teaching from reliable sources. Those who were from the beginning, they were eyewitnesses, and they delivered their testimonies to the next ones who received them. It becomes apparent that Luke was not among the eyewitness-disciples of Jesus Christ. This information is also recorded in Muratori's catalogue, where we read (in the Greek version); "Luke is called a doctor, zealot of the law, Paul’s companion, who did not see the Lord in flesh but he wrote as he had been informed “ἄνωθεν".
  The apostles are eyewitnesses, who personally attended what Jesus did and taught during the three years of his public actions. They were entrusted to be the servants of the word and transmit what they had seen and heard by testifying these with the power of the Holy Spirit (see Mt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).

1,3. ἔδοξε κἀμοί, παρηκολουθηκότι ἄνωθεν πᾶσιν ἀκριβῶς, καθεξῆς σοι γράψαι, κράτιστε Θεόφιλε.

1:3 It has seemed right to me also, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.

  In this verse Luke describes the way in which he worked. He points out that his narrative is not based on hypotheses or disputed data, but on his own personal research. Luke, of course, was Apostle Paul’s disciple. Undoubtedly, however, he also met the other apostles who belonged to the group of the Lord’s twelve disciples. In addition, he collected important information from the Lord's own mother.
  Therefore, he dealt with a serious historical research, as the participle “παρηκολουθηκότι” states. He made sure of all the facts from the beginning, “ἄνωθεν”, and “πᾶσιν”, precisely, with accuracy. His Gospel begins with the pre-announcement of the birth of John the Baptist and continues by offering a complete picture of the Lord’s life and teaching, with a lot of information that is not mentioned in the other Gospels. The recording of all this material is characterized by a systematic arrangement. The word “καθεξῆς” refers to that, and not to a strict chronological order; this order exists only in the first (chapters 1-2) and in the third part (chapters 22-24) of this Gospel.
  The responsible historical research and the style of the text bear Luke's personal stamp. The Gospel being “God-inspired” does not diminish the educational level or the intellectual abilities of the author. In his research, of course, as in the selection and arrangement of the subject material, the evangelist had unquestionably the guidance of the Holy Spirit, secured of any error and brightened the talents that adorned Luke.
  From the address, “excellent Theophilus”, we realize that the recipient of the Gospel had a high social position. We meet the same title "Your Excellency", with the same meaning in the book of the Acts of the Apostles (see 23:26; 24:3; 26:25). If it is true that Luke was a military doctor in Philippi, where a Roman legion was based, Theophilus may well have been one of the supreme lords of Philippi.
  From the authors of the Gospels, the two, Matthew and John, are among the first generation of believers, while the other two, Mark and Luke, belong to the second generation. This is very important as far as the one and only tradition of the Gospel is concerned. As it is well known, many lines can pass through one point, while only one line passes through two points. Two eyewitnesses testify Jesus’ life and teaching, and there are two more through whose testimony, the Gospel was delivered from one generation to the next. The agreement between these four witnesses confirms the reliability of the Gospel narratives.

1,4. ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς περὶ ὧν κατηχήθης λόγων τὴν ἀσφάλειαν.

1:4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

  Theophilus had already known the truth of the Gospel, but it was necessary to proceed to a more essential and complete knowledge, as he states “ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς”. Oral teaching, after all, is always at risk of change over time. Luke, with his Gospel, aims to secure and guarantee catechism. In the language of the scrolls of the Greek and Greek-Roman era, "ασφάλειαν" mainly means the written guarantee of a financial agreement (proof, contract, promissory note etc.) Luke, in other words, tried to offer Theophilus a written and complete teaching (catechesis), which would be the guardian and guarantor of the oral apostolic tradition.
  The Gospel according to Luke, therefore, is a catechetic letter, containing the teaching of the apostolic times. But in every age the Gospel must be the main teaching of the faithful. Other useful narratives might seem more attractive and fascinating. However, it is the God-inspirited word of the Holy Scripture that transforms, cultivates and sanctifies. Saint John Chrysostom advises: "So sanctify your soul, sanctify your body by always having them (the words of the Holy Scriptures) in your heart and lips. For, if obscenity pollutes terribly and invites demons, it is obvious that spiritual reading sanctifies and attracts the Holy Spirit’s grace. These words are divine melodies. So, let them become within us the refrain, and by using these let’s make the medicines for the passions of the soul. If we realize the value of these readings, we will listen to them willingly”.

Copyright © 2021 by Orthodox Christian Association «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Translation from the Book

Ὁ Θεός στήν Καινή Διαθήκη, Βοήθημα Κατωτέρου Κατηχητικοῦ Β΄,

ἐκδ. «Χριστιανική Ἐλπίς» Ὀρθόδοξη Ἀδελφότητα, Θεσσαλονίκη 2015, σσ. 51-55

The Resurrection of the Daughter of Jairus

(Mt 9:18-26; Mk 5:21-43; Lk 8:40-56)

  Today, we are going to visit one of the houses in Capernaum. This house hides a lot of pain. It's been a long time since laughter and joy were heard here. The only child in the family, a twelve-year-old girl, is seriously ill; she’s dying. The smile faded from her parents' lips and sadness tightens their hearts.

  On the shore of Capernaum, many people were eagerly waiting for Jesus, once again. The suffering father was among the crowd. He had heard of Jesus. He had been informed that Jesus had cured many patients with serious illnesses. A hope was awakened in him. Could He cure his own child? If only he could reach Jesus…
  And there he was! The father whose heart was full of pain, ran towards him. He forgot his high social status. He was actually the leader of a synagogue, responsible for maintaining order in one of the local synagogues, where Jews gathered to study the word of God, the Old Testament. In other words, he was a respected person in Capernaum. Jairus, that was his name.
  The pain he was feeling, however, made him fall on his knees. He begged Jesus to come to his house. “My daughter”, he said, “is dying. I beg You, come and put Your hand on her so that she may be healed and live”.
  Jesus, sympathized with the desperate father, reassured him and followed him. On the way to Jairus’s house the crowds almost crushed Him.
  Thus, an unwell woman found an opportunity to approach and touch the edge of Christ’s clothes. She thought that she could go unnoticed. She had been losing blood for twelve years. She felt terribly exhausted. She had also spent all her money to pay for doctors to help her but they couldn’t do anything for her. In addition, she has been isolated from everyone for so long because of her illness. But this time she dared to approach Jesus.
  As she approached Him, she said to herself: "If only I touched his clothes, I would be healed". Her faith in Christ was strong. And our Lord, who knows everything, rewarded her strong faith. Indeed, as soon as the sick woman touched Jesus' clothes, the bleeding stopped! What so many doctors could not do for years now, our Christ gave her in an instant.
  Who touched me? Jesus asked because he wanted to show everyone the faith of the bleeding woman. “Teacher, the people are crowding and pressing against you and you ask who has touched you?"! Peter responded spontaneously. But Jesus insisted. The bleeding woman fell to her knees before Jesus and confessed to everyone what had happened. “Have courage my daughter!” Christ said. “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace!”
  While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from Jairus’s house. He brought the bad news: “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the Teacher anymore. There is no reason for him to come to your house”.
  The father’s heart broke. Hope faded. He believed that Christ could heal his dying child. But now? She is dead now. But what did the Lord say to him? "Do not be afraid Jairus, just believe in me and she will be healed". "Keep relying on me and your child will be saved". What did Christ mean by these words?
  They arrived at Jairus's house. Everyone was crying, they were mourning for the death of the young girl. But Jesus said to them: “Stop wailing! She is not dead, but asleep!" How strange were the words of this Teacher! Everyone was convinced of the child's death. Some sneered and mocked Him.
  Jesus Christ entered the house, the room where the dead girl was. He asked everyone to go out. He only kept with Him the girl's parents and three of His disciples: Peter, James and John. Everyone looked at him with wonder. What was he going to do?

  Our Lord took the hand of the dead girl. Then, as if trying to wake her up from her usual sleep, he said sweetly: "Wake up, my girl!". And then - how miraculous! - immediately the child got up and started walking! The Lord raised her up!
  Who can describe the surprise, the great happiness and the gratitude that the parents felt! Jesus urged them to give the child something to eat. They no longer doubted that their child was completely well.

  Christ overcame death.

  Our visit to this house in Capernaum, is an awe-inspiring event. If we go to the house of a dead person and tell his relatives: "Your man is not dead but he is sleeping", they will think that we are making fun of them. Christ however, to those who were crying without hope, said: "Do not cry, she is not dead but asleep!"
Christ calls death “sleep”. And the Church calls the dead “people who have been asleep”. Thus, a great truth is revealed to us: As the man who is tired falls asleep and he will wake up, so the dead are not lost, but asleep and they will wake up. Life does not stop at the grave. At the same time that people close their eyes to this life, they open the eyes of their soul to the other life and face our Savior Christ. That is why the early Christians were not afraid when their persecutors threatened them with death. Even small children waited fearlessly for death, because it would bring them closer to Christ!
  Our life has lots of joys. But it would be a lie to tell you that it has only joys. If we look around, we will see many people suffering, others suffering from a serious illness, others in pain because they have lost their loved one.
  Have you ever thought that we, ourselves, could be in their place? And if such a thing happens - it may has already happened to some of us - what will we do? Will we despair? No. We are certainly in pain, we are sorry for the separation from our loved ones, because we want to have them with us, to see them. But when we know that our dead are not lost, but live in the presence of God, we are in peace. We do not despair. Instead, we strive to be children of God, in order to be granted with the paradise where we will meet Him and those we love.
  Today we witness our Lord resurrecting the twelve-year-old girl. He, who created the universe with one word of His, He also commanded the dead girl to be resurrected and she so did. But, is it possible for dead bodies to have ears and hear His word? Of course not. And yet, they hear our Christ’s voice and obey it, because He is the creator of life and the one who has defeated death!
  And as he resurrected the daughter of Jairus, so he will resurrect us and everyone else, in His Second Coming. We confess this faith every time we say the Creed of our faith. Do you remember how it ends? "I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the future age to come." That means: "I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the future eternal life!"

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2b. The King of All

  Whenever the top leader of a nation leaves his place or presidential mansion to tour the cities and towns, the local authorities prepare a grand reception. They call the people to come out and welcome him. But who is the real, the incomparable authority of the entire world, the King of all? This leader did not receive and hold His authority by force and slaughter, or through lies, fraud and exploitation. His authority is spiritual, holy. He Himself is the source of His authority, because He is the God, the God-man, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the King of all, as the Cherubic Hymn chants. Who can be compared with His holy Person and which government with His kingdom? On this bloodied earth the prayer of Christians will be always heard: “Thy Kingdom come” (Mt 6:10). Christ, the king of all, came here to earth without the external and vain characteristics of the political rulers of this world, without clubs and weapons, without force and exploitation, without lies and deceits. He came so humbly that the people did not recognize him. And when Christ declared before Pilate that He was then King of a kingdom very different from the kingdoms of this world, the soldiers and the mob mocked Him. They suffered, they were tortured and heavily taxed by the Caesars of Rome, and yet they chose them and not Christ the King of justice and love. The people, living under various political systems, which change so often with the hope to find joy and happiness, still behave in this way against Christ. But the only source of joy and happiness is Jesus Christ, the King of all.
  Every time there is a Divine Liturgy, Jesus comes in the humble form of bread and wine. He comes to offer His sacrifice for the salvation of the world. And all the Christians are called to receive Him: to hasten to the church, to stand with reverence and to receive Him with feelings of deep gratitude when the priest, holding the precious gifts, comes out through the northern door of the sanctuary.

Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη ὁ Κύριος, 

ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, ἔκδ. 3η, Θεσ/νίκη 2007, σσ. 160-164 

(Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV], The Lord is truly risen, pp. 160-164)

   First of all, I will present a trial which, in fact, remains unknown. The high priests, the Pharisees and the Roman authorities, represented by Pilate, tried in every way to keep this out of the public eye. The evangelist Matthew saves a few but clarifying facts about this trial in some verses of the last two chapters of his Gospel. It is the trial of some soldiers of this guard, the sixteen-member Roman guard, which were under the jurisdiction of the religious leadership of the temple. With Pilate’s permission, this guard was placed outside Jesus’ grave by the Pharisees and the high priests. As a result, the disciples would not be able to steal the dead body and then spread the news that He was resurrected.

  The tomb was secured “the next day, the one after Preparation Day” (Mt 27:62). These fanatical supporters of the Law about Sabbath did not even respect the Sabbath day. Why? Because they dreaded the Resurrection. They remembered that “while he was still alive that deceiver said”, while Jesus was still alive – therefore, they themselves confirmed that he was dead – He had said that “after three days I will rise again” (Mt 27:63). Although, the disciples did not keep in mind this prophecy at all, Jesus’s enemies and crucifiers were the only ones who believed it and they took every precaution to prevent its fulfillment. Indeed, with Pilate's approval, the high priests and Pharisees – after being sure that the dead body was inside - secured the tomb by putting a seal on the stone (Mt 27:66). What purpose did seals serve? They protected the tomb from the guards, while the soldiers guarded the tomb from the disciples or anyone else who would attempt to steal Jesus' dead body. The tomb was secured and the soldiers guarded the tomb. Now the high priests of Israel could sleep peacefully and “eat the Passover” happy and legally clean, free from sin (see Jn 18:28).
  Their peace, however, was disturbed by the presence of these soldiers in Jerusalem the next morning, “on the first day of the week” (Mk 16:2). The high priests and elders were assembled and “had taken counsel” to judge the custodian guards. In their testimony, the soldiers reported to the chief priests everything that had happened (Mt 28:11-12). Being faithful to the mission assigned to them, they guarded the tomb. But at dawn “on the first day of the week”, after a terrible earthquake, they realized that the tomb was empty. How did that happen? They were unable to explain it. However, the high priests and elders understood it very well. Yes, despite the draconian measures they took, the prophecy of the “deceiver” was verified (Mt 27:63). Jesus Christ was risen. Therefore, he was not a deceiver but they themselves were deceived. How could they admit it, though? How could they confess it to the people? They would have to recant what they had said. For this reason, they find a formula which covers them, at least for the time being. They bribe the soldiers with “a large sum of money” (Mt 28:12), telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’” (Mt 28:13).
  For Roman soldiers to fall asleep while on duty was a serious offense and punishable by death. What did the Roman ruler Pilate have to say about this? Normally, he should have beheaded the soldiers after the interrogation, as Herod did a little later, when an angel of the Lord released the imprisoned Apostle Peter. He “interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death” (Acts 12:19). Why was Pilate silent? Why did he not apply the law? The question was answered by the judges of these soldiers, the high priests, who assured that “If the governor hears about it” -the alleged negligence of the soldiers- (Mt 28:14), they would intervene themselves to convince him not to punish them. It is not difficult to understand how the high priests would achieve this. Bribery and blackmailing were the usual ways in which conquered peoples influenced conquering Romans.
  So, the soldiers “took the money and did as they were instructed” (Mt 28:14), that is, they said that the disciples stole Jesus’ dead body of while they were sleeping. However, the testimony of the soldiers is not only unconvincing, but it also offends the judges-high priests. Saint Augustine aptly observes (Enarrationes in Psalmos 63, 15· Corpus Christianorum 39, 817) “Sleeping witnesses ye adduce: truly you yourself hast fallen asleep, that in searching such devices hast failed. If they were sleeping, what could they see? If nothing they saw, how are they witnesses? But they failed in searching searchings: failed of the light of God, failed in the very completion of their designs: when that which they willed, nowise they were able to complete, surely they failed”. If the judges relied on the words of the sleeping soldiers, they affirm that they made plans to deceive us. How did the soldiers, while sleeping, see that the disciples stole Jesus' body? If, on the other hand, they saw nothing, then what did they testify? Their testimony sounds as if they said: we testify that Jesus' disciples stole his body. Our testimony is completely indisputable, because at the time when the students were stealing the body, we were sleeping so deeply that we neither heard nor saw anything!
  The result of the trial is that the “large sum of money” closed the mouths of the soldiers. But they were not able to keep the empty tomb closed, to prevent “the stone rolled away from the tomb” (Lk 24, 2) from revealing to the guards, to the crucifiers and to the whole world that Christ is Risen.

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Τῆς λευτεριᾶς ματοβαμμένες ρίζες

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Στεργίου Σάκκου.

https://youtu.be/jFA4Qfzmmzo

Translation from the book:

Στεργίου Ν. Σάκκου, Ὁ ληστής θεολόγος καί δάσκαλος,

ἐκδ. «ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΕΛΠΙΣ» ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΤΗΤΑ, Θεσ/νίκη 2009, σσ. 38-42 

(Stergios N. Sakkos [Read CV], The Criminal-Robber: Theologian and Teacher, pp. 38-42)

A Christology Lesson

   The criminal-robber, as if he were a theologian, declares that Jesus Christ is sinless. This is an old and well-known issue which is proved by the testimonies of the Scriptures.
   • About 750 years BC the prophet Isaiah stated: “because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth” (53:9). “Although he had done no violence and had said nothing deceptive”.
   • The question Jesus himself asked remains unanswered: “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” (Jn 8:46). “Who among you can show I’m guilty of sin?” Through the centuries many people tried to criticize Christ, but they couldn’t find any fault. Jesus remains faultless, flawless, the only one who is sinless (pure).
   • Pilate himself confessed so, after he had interrogated him: “I am innocent of the blood of this just person” (Mt 27:24)
   • Pilate’ wife testified that after her dream: “Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” (Mt 27:19) “Leave that righteous man alone. I’ve suffered much today in a dream because of him.”
   • It is, also, verified by the Pharisees and Sadducees who stood silent in surprise when those sent to arrest Jesus, admitted: “Never man spake like this man” (Jn 7:46). “No man ever spoke like this!”
   • And there it is! The last minute, a criminal on the cross, a robber, declared that: “but this man hath done nothing amiss” (Lk 23:41). “But this man has done nothing wrong.” St Cyril of Jerusalem says that there is “another witness of the fact that Jesus is sinless, ‘the first criminal in paradise’”.
   The man who spent his whole life committing offences and crimes perceived that Jesus did not commit any offence or anything illegal. So, he publicly and without any hesitations declared that Christ was innocent. He was not affected by the Pharisees and by those who condemned Him. It is as if we read texts from Isaiah, Baruch, Habakkuk “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.” (Hab 3:3). The criminal’s historic public confession is another testimony of the fact that our beloved Jesus is sinless. When we are aware of that, we appreciate the greatest gift of His Passion for us. The One who is sinless suffers for me, the sinner.
   Along with the admission that Christ is sinless, the criminal, also, acknowledged His divinity and declared in his prayer that He was the Lord. So, he asserted that the man who was hanging on the cross next to him was not a common criminal. He was the God Himself who had incarnated and come among men. The advanced Christology of this criminal–theologian is the same as St Paul’s preaching: “that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Cor 5:19).
   The apostle Thomas, also, confessed that Jesus Christ was his Lord and God (Jo 20:28), but he had already lived for three years in the company of the Teacher and the other disciples and when he said so, he could see the Lord resurrected in front of him. The criminal discerned Jesus’ divinity before the Resurrection and it was not in a moment that the divine power was revealed. He watched Jesus at his most hard time: He was betrayed by His disciple, abandoned by His friends, reproached and condemned by those in power and He was already on the cross. He watched Him dying but he still believed that He was the Lord and He had a Kingdom. He believed that the cross and death did not put an end but inaugurated His Kingdom.
   In the Holy Scriptures there are many cases of people whose faith makes them stand out. The faith of Abraham, Moses, Daniel and others in the Old Testament is impressive. They proved their faith to God. However, the case of this criminal is unique, one and only. We cannot deny that since the world was created no one else revealed this kind of faith.
   I kneel in front of this criminal’s cross as well. I admire him and thank him humbly, because he offers a valuable confession for our modern times. Atheist writers publish blasphemous articles and books. There are also, films based on those books that try to offend our innocent and sinless Lord. Today we need that criminal’s public confession. We need to hear him declaring the undeniable truth that Jesus is the sinless God!

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  Σέ μιά ἐποχή πού τά κυρίαρχα αἰσθήματα εἶναι ὁ ἀτέρμονος φόβος γιά τήν Covid-19, ἡ ἀπογοήτευση, ἡ σύγχυση καί ὁ πανικός, ἀκούγεται καί πάλι μεγαλόφωνα καί λαμπρά ὁ ἐπινίκιος παιάνας τῆς ἀναστάσεως:
  «Χριστὸς ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας, καὶ τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι, ζωὴν χαρισάμενος».
  Εἶναι ὁ ὡραιότερος καί πιό ἐλπιδοφόρος ὕμνος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μας, πού διαλαλεῖ, ἐν συντομίᾳ μέν ἀλλά μέ δύναμη, ὅτι τόσο ὁ πνευματικός ὅσο καί ὁ βιολογικός θάνατος τῶν ἀνθρώπων νικήθηκε κατά κράτος μέ τό θάνατο καί τήν ἀνάσταση τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἕνας ὕμνος πού προκαλεῖ αἰσθήματα αἰσιοδοξίας, ἀγάπης καί εἰρήνης στήν ταραγμένη ψυχή τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καί εἶναι ἰδιαίτερα ἐπίκαιρος στά χρόνια αὐτά τῆς πανδημίας.
  Ἡ ἀνάσταση τοῦ Χριστοῦ δέν εἶναι ἁπλά ἕνα βέβαιο ἱστορικό γεγονός τοῦ παρελθόντος, ἀλλά ἕνα γεγονός πού ἔχει προεκτάσεις σέ ὅλες τίς διαστάσεις τοῦ χρόνου. Ἐκτείνεται καί στό παρελθόν καί στό παρόν καί στό μέλλον.
  Ὑπάρχουν δεκάδες προφητεῖες στήν Παλαιά Διαθήκη πού προαναγγέλλουν τήν ἀνάσταση τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἡ πρώτη μάλιστα, τό «Πρωτευαγγέλιο», ὅπως χαρακτηρίζεται, λέχθηκε ἤδη στήν Ἐδέμ ἀμέσως μετά τήν πτώση μας. Εἶναι ἡ ὑπόσχεση τοῦ Θεοῦ στούς πρωτοπλάστους πού παγιδεύτηκαν στή φθορά, ὅτι θά ἀποστείλει κάποτε στήν ἀνθρωπότητα λυτρωτή καί σωτήρα.
  Ἡ δύναμη τῆς προφητείας, ὅπως γράφει ὁ διαπρύσιος κήρυκας τῆς ἀναστάσεως Στέργιος Σάκκος στό βιβλίο του «Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη», «εἶναι ἀκατάλυτη. Γι' αὐτό καί οἱ ἀπόστολοι, οἱ πρῶτοι μάρτυρες τῆς ἀναστάσεως, χρησιμοποιοῦν τήν προφητεία γιά νά ἐνισχύσουν τή μαρτυρία πού ὡς αὐτόπτες καταθέτουν» (σ. 152).
  Ἐπίσης οἱ μαρτυρίες γιά τήν ἀνάσταση τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶναι τόσες καί τέτοιες πού δέν ἐπιδέχονται ἀμφισβήτηση. Στό συμπέρασμα αὐτό καταλήγει ἀναπόδραστα κάθε ἀπροκατάληπτος ἐρευνητής τῆς ἱστορικῆς ἀξιοπιστίας τους. Καί μάλιστα μπορῶ νά καταθέσω στό σημεῖο αὐτό ἐν εἴδει ἐξομολογήσεως ὅτι προσωπικά πίστεψα στό βέβαιο τῆς ἀναστάσεως στηριγμένος: α΄) στίς ὁμιλίες τοῦ ἀειμνήστου διδασκάλου μου Σ. Σάκκου περί τῆς ἱστορικότητος τῆς ἀναστάσεως, πού περιλήφθηκαν καί στό προαναφερθέν βιβλίο, καί β΄) στή μελέτη ὅσων, πολλῶν, ὑλιστικῶν καί ἀθεϊστικῶν βιβλίων διάβασα. Φαίνεται ἴσως περίεργο τό τελευταῖο, ἀλλά δέν εἶναι. Διότι ἐνῶ οἱ ὁμιλίες τοῦ ἀειμνήστου καθηγητοῦ εἶναι σαφεῖς καί τεκμηριωμένες, στά ἔργα τῶν ἀρνητῶν φαίνεται ξεκάθαρα τόσο ἡ ἀντιφατικότητα τῶν ἐπιχειρημάτων μεταξύ τῶν συγγραφέων, ὅσο, καί κυρίως, ἡ προκατάληψη καί ἡ μισαλλοδοξία τους. Ἡ σύγκριση ἦταν καταλυτική.
  Ἡ ἀνάσταση νοηματοδοτεῖ τή βιοτή μας, δίνει περίσσεια χαρά καί μᾶς στηρίζει ἀσάλευτα στίς ποικίλες δοκιμασίες πού ἀντιμετωπίζουμε. Ἀρκεῖ τό ἱστορικό γεγονός τῆς ἀναστάσεως νά γίνει ζωή μας καί νά τό βιώνουμε καθημερινά, ὅπως ἀκριβῶς τό ζοῦσε ὁ ἅγιος Σεραφείμ τοῦ Σάρωφ. Θυμηθεῖτε τί ἔκανε ὁ μεγάλος αὐτός ἅγιος: Χαιρετοῦσε τούς πάντες κάθε μέρα λέγοντας: «Χριστός ἀνέστη, χαρά μου!».
  Ἡ ἀνάσταση μᾶς δίνει ἔμπνευση, ἐλπίδα καί ἐμπιστοσύνη στήν πρόνοια καί στήν ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἡ ἀνάσταση διώχνει τό φόβο τοῦ ἀγνώστου καί τήν ἀγωνία τῶν πονηρῶν σχεδίων τῶν σκοτεινῶν δυνά-μεων. Δίνει διέξοδο στά ἀδιέξοδα τῆς ζωῆς. Δίχως τήν ἀνάσταση τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ πίστη μας εἶναι μάταιη καί ἐμεῖς ἀπαρηγόρητοι. Τό λέει ξεκάθαρα ὁ ἀπόστολος Παῦλος: «Εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, κενὸν ἄρα τὸ κήρυγμα ἡμῶν, κενὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν» (Α΄ Κο 15,14).
  Ἡ ἀνάσταση εἶναι ἡ λαμπρότερη καί πιό χαρμόσυνη ἑορτή τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας μας! Τό ἄδυτο φῶς της λούζει ὅλα τά μήκη κατά πλάτη τῆς γῆς, στέλνοντας παντοῦ ἠχηρό μήνυμα νίκης. Ναί, ὁ σκοτεινός ἅδης καταργήθηκε! Τώρα πιά θριαμβεύει καί θά θριαμβεύει γιά πάντα τό φῶς τοῦ ἀναστάντος Κυρίου. «Νῦν πάντα πεπλήρωται φωτός, οὐρανός τε καὶ γῆ καὶ τὰ καταχθόνια» (τροπάριο Γ΄ Ὠδῆς κανόνος τῆς Ἀναστάσεως).
  Χριστός ἀνέστη!

π. Μιχαήλ Κόνιας