Sts. Peter and Paul
The Rock and Tiny
Blessed feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul to you all. Yesterday was their annual feast in the EOTC, and this weekend celebrations of the biannual feast of the Holy Trinity are also taking place. I encourage you to read, friend of the show (POAAS 143) and magazine (Dark Sayings from of Old), Blaise Webster’s The Most Controversial Moment in the New Testament to learn more about The Rock and Tiny in scripture.
His take is virtually identical to what I would consign to the written word. What I will add is that this issue of the necessity of circumcision, sabbath honoring, holidays, and dietary restrictions to salvation, was raised in an accusatory manner against the EOTC by European Jesuits in the 16th century. In response, Emperor Geladéwos (Claudius) gathered the scholars of the day to explain that if and when we Judaize, it is out of cultural proximity and not salvific necessity.
This is of superlative importance. Different people must come to the same table of the Lord and eat together in peace and joy. This is Orthodox Christianity. Those who don’t eat must not bite those who eat, and vice-versa. The circumcised must tolerate the uncircumcised, and vice-versa. I say this in a time where some philosophers are actively going in the other direction, trying to make circumcision illegal!
Like The Rock, you may constantly tergiversate between right and wrong. Or like Tiny, your zeal might make you God’s greatest enemy, and later God’s greatest friend. They reached the same destination in the end!
May the blessing of the prayers of these two great martyrs be with us all.