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There is not a single person alive that understands New Testament Greek better than St. John Crysostom. St. John did not need to read historical books to understand Biblical culture. I do not understand how a modern person can justify their "view" of Holy Scripture being better than St. John's.

Further, and most important, St. John IS a Good bearer and a pillar of the ancient Church. It is foolish to handwave his work.

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 — However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

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OgFOMK ArTS 4mo ago

It's helpful when the Bible texts are broken down into the verses. For instance in the Russian Psalms some run together where in English they are separated. This is helpful for following translations and texts.

The problem with telling others someone knows more than someone else is that if we can't see the work, we can't see the work.

I have Hebrew, Greek and Russian hard cover texts of the Bible. I also have the King James Version that consistently, warts and all, uses the same words to translate known Hebrew Aramaic and Greek.

The Bible is not esoteric.

It's meant to be read, recited, studied, explored and discussed.

For thousands of years scholars have carefully documented, translated and shared the Gospel.

The proof is very simple. I get down on knees and I pray and the Lord answers me. He shows me. He teaches me. He moves me. It's a direct and indirect relationship through others but never will it be only through others. That's apostasy.

Every day scripture is revealed. That's my testimony and it's the truth.

Lew☦️ 4mo ago

I don't disagree, and you are right in that the best "theologians" are hardly ever the most educated but rather the ones who pray unceasingly. This is who the Holy Fathers of the Church are and this us who the Saints who followed them are.

As far as Holy Scripture goes: It serves as many things but its primary use case is liturgical, and it was formulated, preserved, and passed down through the ages via the Church primarily through its liturgical tradition. There is no Holy Scripture without the Church and of course Holy Scripture states that the Church (Christ's body, led by Jesus Himself... A real, physical thing just as Jesus was a real physical human) is the pillar and ground of Truth.

Christianity has an incredibly rich Liturgical tradition that has been (mostly) discarded in the West due to many things but not in the least the doctrine of "sola scriptura". Doctrine is not something that should differ among believers and when it does we get something like the 100s if not 1000s of "slight" variations we see today-throughout the world. This is not the will of God, for His flock to be disunited.

Further, It is in Christ's Church where He is ever present and salvation is found, and it is in His Church where Holy Scripture is understood and taught. If the Bible was all we needed Christ would of told us so but instead He asks us to do a lot of things (the sacramental life found in His Church) but for some reason many disregard the sacraments (which are full of His Grace). The Apostles are witnesses to the Gospel message as are the many Saints to follow. This message wasnt just washing away humanities sin but defeating death through His death and uniting humanity with the divine and removing, as it were, the angel guarding paradise allowing for constant communion with Him eternally (which starts now in this life in His Church).

Christ worked through His Apostles just as He works through His Saints even up through today. It is the Saints who ran the race, persevered until the end, and emulated Christ. It is those Holy men and women who have preserved what it means to be a Christian or rather "the faith ONCE delivered to the Saints".

OgFOMK ArTS 4mo ago

Good thread and discussion. We've reached the point where honestly I would be outside of the scripture and that's not where I am led.

To a Protestant images of Jesus are Iconography and don't take it personally. The very church I have recently joined has images of Jesus in a few places.

Orthodox and Catholic churches have even more iconography and it definitely is against the scripture to do so.

Liturgical is fancy for I'll read this for you.

Christ definitely is against much talking publicly for show.

Matthew 6:5 KJV “¶And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”

Truly we need to look at the fruit of the messenger.

Matthew 7:15-20 KJV “¶Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Look at the places where the church is a powerful

We are not just winging it. We study the gospel and we have made it open source.

Jesus has performed miracles for me this year and he's working through me every day. The Church is the body of Christ and we are party of it. Not in ecumenism but in experience, faith and study. We are also purposely separated to prevent false powerful churches from hiding the Word of God.

Matthew 23:9 KJV “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”

That eliminates all the "priests" who want to be called Father and specifically:

Mat 23:9 Byzantine “και πατερα μη καλεσητε υμων επι της γης εις γαρ εστιν ο πατηρ υμων ο εν τοις ουρανοις”

Shared using AndBible: Bible Study. (https://andbible.github.io)

Lew☦️ 4mo ago

I too will give a response to the rest of your post but this addresses a portion if it.

https://inklesspen.blog/2025/07/21/call-no-man-father-dont-you-read-the-bible-bruh/

OgFOMK ArTS 4mo ago

I know that I'm saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and I don't need to have permission from anyone on earth for this. God has promised this. God doesn't lie.

If you don't believe that I'm saved because I'm not working your program then you are missing the point that no one can earn their salvation. Jesus has already done the work. I've accepted the blood of Christ. He's my savior. I act according to his will. I fear the LORD not men.

He wants everyone to accept his gift.

His yoke is light. All those who complicate his message are trying to steer men and women a away and you really need to have a come Jesus meeting on that.

Keep playing around. The priests are already preparing their own reward for piousness. The priests in Jesus' time were made redundant when the temple veil exposed the holiest area to the outside. Jesus is not only the sacrificial Lamb but he is the highest priest. He is the only way.

The literacy brought about by the reformation has increased the quality of Christian lives. That's the fruit. The Christian countries now are backsliding and the old franchise nonsense is rearing its ugly head. Many false prophets are seeking religion instead of the message of Jesus which is salvation by accepting and praying through him.

It's so simple that smart people can't get it.

Separation is necessary. We are not building the Tower of Babylon as Christians. This is apostasy. Throw all of the icons in the trash. Throw all of the paraphernalia away. Get rid of the chaff. It will be separated anyway.

Lew☦️ 4mo ago

Iconography is a tough hurdle for most protestants, it was for me too. Anecdotally, it is interesting to note that both the Muslims and the Rabbinic Jews were staunch iconoclasts beacause they deny both the divinity of Jesus Christ and His incarnation of God into the world. There is a ton of archaeological evidence pointing to Iconography in both 2nd temple Judaism and early Christendom. The catacombs of Rome (1st–3rd centuries) are covered in images of Christ, the Theotokos, saints, and biblical scenes.

Eusebius of Caesarea (4th c.) records that there were portraits of Christ and the apostles preserved in Christian communities.

This suggests that iconography was not an innovation of the 8th century but an ancient, apostolic practice. Which concludes my earlier post that councils were not to drum up new Theology but to preserve and defend it.

St. John of Damascus (8th century) — a key defender of icons during the Iconoclast Controversy:

“When the Invisible One became visible in the flesh, you may draw His image. When He, who is bodiless and without form, incomprehensible in His nature, took on the form of a servant and appeared in the likeness of men, then you may make an image of Him.”

When Christ was preaching in the synagogues there would of been icons all over the temple.

In the Old Testament, God forbids worship of idols (Exodus 20:4–5), but not sacred images used in worship of Him. In fact, He commands them:

Exodus 25:18–22 → God commands golden cherubim to be placed on the Ark of the Covenant.

Numbers 21:8–9 → God commands Moses to make the bronze serpent, which healed those who looked upon it.

1 Kings 6:23–29 → Solomon’s Temple was filled with carved cherubim, palm trees, and flowers — designed by divine instruction.

There is a clear difference in veneration and worship which is outlined in St John of Damascus treatise on Holy Images if you are interested.