I use the Orthodox Study Bible, it's based on the NKJV, but with the Old Testament translated from the Septuagint instead of the Masoretic Text (The Hebrew bible written by the Jewish clan of Scribes known as the Masorets, it was probably translated between the 7th-10th century AD, That is the Most Common source for most Protestants' Bibles' Old Testament.
Wereas the Septuagint was written in 300 AD, when the King of Alexandria wanted a scripture in the common language of Greek. So, he has 70 Scholars (Septuagint is Latin for 70) each translate the entire Old Testament alone. And when they were complete and they compared their copies they were completely identical, this is why I said it was divinely inspired Greek translation.
This story is also repeated in the Jewish Talmud, which is why it used to be that you could read from either the Hebrew Tanack, or the Greek Tanack, both were fine. But when the Christians started using the Greek Tanach, they stopped that practice and only reading from the Hebrew Tanach was acceptable. Christians used the Septuagint explicitly, until St. Jerome, when he was writing the Vulgate, chose to translated the Vulgate's Old Testament from Hebrew.
I tried to find something official from the same translation group but I couldn't find anything. I did find the Orthodox Study Bible but it has the Old Testament and Apocrypha translated separately. It may or may not be what you're looking for. This is your best bet.
There are some ESV Bibles that include the Apocrypha and the wording should be similar to the NKJV though it won't be exact and it's based on the Critical Text for the New Testament.
https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594
I really like this one. It’s the only Orthodox Bible I own so I don’t have anything to compare it to, however I thinks it’s fantastic.
The Orthodox Study Bible, Hardcover: Ancient Christianity Speaks to Today's World https://www.amazon.com/dp/0718003594/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_T0SP7KR5E4P1CYBSWDN0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
If you want the view that the Christian faith has historically adhered to, I would recommend getting yourself a copy of the Orthodox Study Bible and referencing the footnotes as you read. It contains brief explanations of various topics, commentaries from the Church Fathers, a glossary, and even a lectionary to guide your reading. Most of all though, it gives you an insight into the historic, Orthodox faith of the Church and helps you understand it from how it has been historically believed. Here is a link to purchase it if you can’t find it in-store, God bless :).
>I don't even know if I can really recover from all of this. Has anyone else dealt with similar issues? How have you recovered to have a healthy and successful dating life and just a healthy life in general?
You can recover. I have dealt with similar issues. Turning my attention towards God and Jesus Christ literally brought me back from the graveyard, heh. Just try reading the Septuagint and New Testament. My recommended translation is the Orthodox Study Bible because it's just the most accurate version for English speakers period.
Hope things work out, mate.
Hi Bantha, I also forgot to mention that this Orthodox Study Bible is an invaluable resource for understanding and reading the Bible:
I want to state, that while your recommendation is a very quaint and beautiful Bible, I do not think it is for me.
The Didache Bible contains "articles" of apologetics explaining some ideas like "fallen angels" and "indulgences". As a Catholic Bible it serves that purpose well and for about $4 more it seems to have more "content" than the Revised New Jerusalem Bible - Study Edition. The RNJB has single column and in the back it seems to only have a few resources. It has some notes but not something on the level of the "apologetics" of the Didache.
what do you think of this?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0718003594
its cheaper and has more content like commentary of Early Christians
Its kind of funny, I might actually get the Orthodox one, I JUST found it since it was in the recommendations of the youtube review I saw of the RNJB. I didn't hear about it before then.
You can get English translations of it. I think its worth reading. It is slightly different.
Its particularly good for getting an understanding how pre Christian second temple Jews read the Hebrew Bible by studying how they translated it into Greek, edited things, and added to it.
Also the Septuagint is the collection of scripture that most New Testament Bible quotes are using as it was the most wisely read version of the Jewish scriptures during the time of Jesus.
https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594
Also you can use free interlinear apps to look at the Greek and English together get a better understanding how they understood the Greek.
There is the fact that Jesus fulfilled Messianic prophecies about himself. You can read about them mostly in the Gospel of Matthew, but be careful about checking the Scriptures against the Old Testament, the Rabbis changed the Old Testament and the only extant Hebrew bible we possess, is the Masoretic text which is only written as early as the 7th century AD, instead, you should know that the Apostles were quoting from the Septuagint, which was written in the 3rd century. The Orthodox Study Bible has their Old Testament translated from the Septuagint, and you can compare the New Testament prophecies with the Old Testament scriptures.
An example of a Scripture that was changed by the Rabbis to hide the truth about the Messiah is the prophecy fulfilled by Psalm 22:16, "Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) 16 Dogs are all around me, a pack of villains closes in on me like a lion [at] my hands and feet."
Psalm 22:16, "Septuagint (LXX) 16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet."
So, yes. Most Christian translations will use the Septuagint translation instead of the Masoretic Text translation on instances like this. But, this is just to keep you aware.
Psalm 22:16, "New American Standard Bible (NASB) 16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet."
Also, St. Paul seemed to really believe that Jesus resurrected from the dead. On his way to arrest more Christians, his conversion by the Resurrected Lord Jesus was truly miraculous.
"Apocrypha" is a Greek word that means something like "hidden". Early Greek Christians never referred to these books as "apocrypha", but rather as the "deuterocanon" (2nd canon).
The original KJV contained the deuterocanon, as did even the Geneva Bible. Cambridge publishes the complete KJV (i.e. without the deuterocanon taken out). Someone else has suggested the RSV, but you need to purchase one with the "Apocrypha" (Oxford publishes one).
The Orthodox have 49 books in the Old Testsment, the Catholics have 46, and the Protestants have 39 (all three have the same New Testament books). The Orthodox Study Bible contains the full Old Testament and has a convenient table comparing the three canons.
Nah, the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. The more I think about it, the more I realize that God is good and life is good. It's people who bring suffering upon themselves. Honestly it sounds like you might have depression/anxiety. I would recommend finding a good psychologist/therapist as well as attending a church near you. I'd also definitely pick up this Bible. Good luck man, hope you feel better!
Jesus established only one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. If you're serious about getting saved, I'd recommend reading this.
The Orthodox Study Bible provides commentary on the books' history, context, and ways the Church reads them.
I find study bibles to be the most helpful because they have very detailed notes at the bottom of each page as well as thorough introductions. That way, if you get hung up on something, there are references. Also, Bible Gateway allows you to type in a verse or book and see what other translations have for that verse. Very nice for comparison
Maybe Orthodox posters can provide a better opttion but on Amazon, this is the top Orthodox study bible
ESV study Bible is a favorite among a lot of r/Christianity posters
Good luck with your journey, brother
For all 4 of those groups there are differences in the number of books translated, this is only in the Old Testament though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_canon#Table
I can only speak for the English language but 'most' Christians generally use the same couple of bible translations which became the most popular, with Catholics/Orthodox adding their own books when printed. For example the NKJV which was originally made by Protestants for Protestants is also very popular with Orthodox Christians (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orthodox-Study-Bible-OE-Some-NKJV/dp/0718003594). Likewise the RSV while being 70 years old is still used and updated by all groups of Christians, the Orthodox really like it because it was the first English translation with the whole Orthodox canon, there is also the RSV Catholic edition in print and the ESV revision for Protestants which is currently super popular.
I also think there are some traditional Catholics who would advocate only translating and reading the Latin Vulgate over the original Greek also but they are a pretty small minority today.
The Orthodox Study Bible is the most popular one that I know of.
This is the Orthodox Study Bible. It was based on earlier English translations (mainly the NKJV) that were edited in places where they disagreed with the standard Orthodox Bible. So it's not perfect, but it's the best full Orthodox Bible available in English.
On the other hand, for the New Testament - not the entire Bible, just the New Testament - there is a better Orthodox translation available. You really should start reading with the New Testament anyway, not the Old, so I suggest buying this one first.
The best way to read the Bible is to start with the New Testament (minus the Book of Revelation; that will make no sense without extensive study), then read the Old Testament, then read the New Testament again.
The reason to do it this way is because the NT contains the core message of Christianity, so you need to read it first in order to get the main points first. The OT is important background information, so read that second. Then read the NT again because you will understand more of it after you've gone through the background information.
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Here are your smile-ified links:
https://smile.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594/ref=sr_1_1
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This one!
>I've recently been getting in to orthodoxy and I've been doing things that I have knowledge on like using my prayer rope and saying morning prayers
Glory be to God! It's always nice to hear of a new convert.
>I want to go to my local church for liturgy but my parents are Jehovah's Witnesses and they won't take me to church also I'm 17 and can't drive yet
Can you walk to the nearest Orthodox Church, there might be people willing to give you a ride. Alternatively, you could be able to take the bus. I also don't drive, it's way too expensive. So those are methods that I've used to get to Church.
>I don't know what kind of bible to use
There is a wonderful translation in English known as The Orthodox Study Bible. You can order it Here if you live in Canada like me, or Here if you live in America. If you don't have a credit card, no sweat, most Orthodox parishes will have a copy that you can buy.
>I don't know how to fast properly.
The Strictest fast rules are that we abstain from meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, oil, and wine, foods that are permitted are fruits, vegetables, and shellfish. The full rule is from at the following website: http://www.abbamoses.com/fasting.html
However, this website is specific to the Greek fasting rule, if you are a member of a different jurisdiction other than Greek, you can usually find them online from a small Google Search, just search for something like Serbian fasting rule if you end up in a Serbian Orthodox Church, etc. Because there are feast days that each jurisdiction allows oil and wine that are different from one another.
We fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, throughout the year, except for fast free weeks, we also fast during four different fast seasons: The Fast of the Holy Nativity of our Lord, Great Lent, The Fast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and The Fast of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
But, you should make your fasting rule with your preist. And don't tell anyone your fasting rule.
There's a story about St. Spyridon, that during Great Lent, a guest came to him, but the only food he had was some meat (prohibited during Lent), and nevertheless he prepared it for his guest and when the guest tried to protest about eating meat during Great Lent, St. Spyridon replied, "To the pure, all things are pure." So we don't fast according to the letter of the law, but according to the spirit of the law.
But wait to start fasting after you get a priest to help you along.
>I've recently been getting in to orthodoxy and I've been doing things that I have knowledge on like using my prayer rope and saying morning prayers
Glory be to God! It's always nice to hear of a new convert.
>I want to go to my local church for liturgy but my parents are Jehovah's Witnesses and they won't take me to church also I'm 17 and can't drive yet
Can you walk to the nearest Orthodox Church, there might be people willing to give you a ride. Alternatively, you could be able to take the bus. I also don't drive, it's way too expensive. So those are methods that I've used to get to Church.
>I don't know what kind of bible to use
There is a wonderful translation in English known as The Orthodox Study Bible. You can order it Here if you live in Canada like me, or Here if you live in America. If you don't have a credit card, no sweat, most Orthodox parishes will have a copy that you can buy.
All are called to be part of the body of Christ, in which there is neither gentile, jew, roman nor Greek to paraphrase the Holy Scriptures.
Just a few resources that may help you get started (in English, sadly I don't know much about Portuguese resources):
Orthodox Study Bible, incase you don't have a bible! https://www.amazon.com/dp/0718003594/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_ESHP8BE9ZMW05TGM3VGG
The Confession of the Orthodox Catholic Faith, also known as Saint Peter Mohylas Catechism: https://www.amazon.com/Catechism-St-Peter-Mogila-Fundamental/dp/B08LMQLS47/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=27J3RECNCCTDB&keywords=catechism+of+st+peter+mogila&qid=1657509030&sprefix=catechism+of+st%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-1#
If there's one text that has been a massive eye opener to what the Christian life is fundamentally about, I would suggest the short read of Saint Seraphim of Sarov "On the Acquisition of the Holy Spirit" : https://www.amazon.com/Acquisition-Holy-Spirit-Seraphim-Sarov/dp/1499236964/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3NHSBVT9893H9&keywords=seraphim+of+sarov&qid=1657509318&sprefix=seraphim+of+s%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-3#
I'm wary of YouTube often because of how uncharitable people can get when there's views and money in it for people, but I can happily recommend the work of Seraphim Hamilton, particularly for yourself his miniseries on Orthodoxy and Catholicism (there's some apologetics and complex stuff on the filioque that may not be worth watching though). His stuff is about biblical exegesis and understanding what the Holy Scriptures unfolds for us as people made in God's image.
Orthodoxy and Catholicism by Seraphim Hamilton https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuHoiDTl9MPLlbzpqLjN6RVcnX1-vMki_
First of all, it is very nice that you are interested in Christianity, even if you don't become a Christian. If you need to learn more about Christianity, you must do a lot of reading. I would recommend buying the Orthodox Study Bible which contains many notes about the biblical passages. You might also be interested in a book by Fr. Kallistos Ware titled The Orthodox Way, which explains much of the basic history and doctrines of Eastern Orthodoxy specifically.
Of course, as an Orthodox Christian, I have only recommended Orthodox books. You should also study other, non-Orthodox sources.
Hi! I'm in a very similar situation to you. My parents are mainstream Baptist/Evangelical protestant, and will not allow me to convert to the Holy Orthodox Church. Since there isn't a possible way for you to convert currently, I recommend praying the Typika on Sundays (see here http://archeparchy.ca/wcm-docs/docs/Typika.pdf ) and follow an Orthodox prayer rule, there are many good ones, I for one use the app called "Orthodox Prayers" Produced by the OCA. Also, download the Daily Reading (Lite, free version, regular costs around 1 USD) app produced by GOARCH. You can also access these things through https://www.goarch.org/ and https://www.oca.org/ if you are on a PC, or, if you are unable to download the mentioned apps. I also recommend praying the Komboskini, or, for more structured prayer, the Lestovka. These could be comparable to a Roman Catholic rosary. On the Komboskini, you simply pray "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" or some other version of this prayer. Email an Orthodox priest, Deacon, or Bishop through this website here https://www.orthodoxintro.org/ . To better your knowledge on Orthodoxy and its basic beliefs, read the Catechism of St. Philaret, linked here http://www.pravoslavieto.com/docs/eng/Orthodox_Catechism_of_Philaret.htm
(This is an amazon link, so this is optional, if you are unable to buy a canonical bible I will provide a PDF document) Buy a canonical Bible, with all 79 books in it, I recommend the Orthodox Study Bible, available on Amazon for around 33 USD, linked here: https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594/ref=sr_1_1?crid=36CA6G1KR98F5&keywords=orthodox+study+bible&qid=1647746248&sprefix=orthodox+study+bible%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1 If you are unable to buy a Canonical Orthodox Bible, here is a link to a PDF document of one, see here: https://www.worldhistory.biz/download567/The_Orthodox_Study_Bible_-_St.pdf
I also recommend this book, although this is also optional. ( I haven't read it, but my ex Roman Catholic, now Eastern Orthodox friend has) that compares the fundamental differences between Roman Catholicism and Holy Eastern Orthodoxy, see link here: https://www.amazon.com/Orthodoxy-Catholicism-What-are-Differences/dp/1888212233/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2E93CCSO57MND&keywords=%E2%80%9COrthodoxy+and+Catholicism%3A+What+Are+The+Differences%3F%E2%80%9D+By+Father+Theodore+Pulcini&qid=1647889782&sprefix=orthodoxy+and+catholicism+what+are+the+differences+by+father+theodore+pulcini%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1
And, lastly, pray for a humble and contrite heart, that you would follow God through all things, and for the Holy Spirit to guide you in knowledge and in truth.
God willing you will join the Church brother. Bless you.
It never was. See, e.g. Orthodox Study Bible, New American Bible.
Orthodox Study Bible!
https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594
I'm not sure if others have mentioned this already or not, but the Orthodox Study Bible is very good!
Currently $23.26 on Amazon for hardcover. Highly recommend!
https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594/ref=sr_1_1
We don't refer to it as "hijab", as that is a specifically Muslim word, but Orthodox Christian headcoverings can be very similar to the Muslim hijab, yes. They can also be very different - there are many styles. We don't really have names or classifications for the different styles of coverings, unlike in Islam (Islam has formalized the practice of head covering, while we have not; in Orthodox Christianity, every woman wears or doesn't wear whatever headcovering she deems appropriate or in keeping with the tradition of her family/culture). Here is a good article that talks about Orthodox Christian headcoverings and also has pictures of several different styles.
>For a long time already I've been wanting to wear one (loose hijab style) on a daily basis, however, I don't know if it's acceptable to wear one or not or would it be disrespectful and embarrassing?
It's certainly acceptable and it would not be disrespectful or embarrassing at all! However, as u/astrophelle4, this external item is nowhere near as important as going to church, praying, struggling against your sins, repenting of your sins, and generally turning your inward focus to God.
The first items you should get if you wish to become an Orthodox Christian are a Bible, a prayer book, and something that teaches the Orthodox faith - not a head covering. The head covering can come later.
https://www.amazon.ca/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594
It's an Eastern Orthodox product, so it has the complete Orthodox canon of 79 Books and an Eastern Orthodox bias, but I highly recommend it if you're interested.
They are bit pricey though..
Check out the Orthodox Study Bible to find out what the ancient Christians believed and practiced.
You might want to try the Greek Orthodox Study Bible. I did some research years ago and this one seemed to be one of the most accurately translated and has lots of notes.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0718003594/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nNvMFb1061APM
It's true that it costs $50 on the Thomas Nelson website, but on Amazon, it's on sale for $33. That's what I'm referring to. Sorry for not making it clear. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594
Check out the orthodox study Bible, it provides very helpful footnotes that provide historical context and help explain some passages.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0718003594/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Z9KxFbBTYBRH8
https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Christianity/dp/0718003594
It appears its cheaper on Ebay might check there to.
Get the <em>Orthodox Study Bible</em> .
If you're stuck on the KJV, be sure to get one that has all of the books included. Beginning in the early 19th century, certain editions began to exclude the deuterocanon, even though it was in the original. Personally I like the Cambridge edition "with Apocrypha" , but it's a little pricey.
A version with the so-called "Apocrypha" (early Greek Christians actually called it the "deuterocanon" - second canon, not Apocrypha) is especially suitable for beginners, since the early Church included the deuterocanon in the Old Testament especially as a sort of "study aid" for new Christians.
I'll just save you the time, it's Orthodoxy. We do not worship icons, we venerate them. Christ became human after all, did He not? Icons are a testimony to the incarnation. God commanded Moses to build the temple with images of palm trees and angels. As for the Pope, he was never more than a bishop. To claim that he has infallible jurisdiction over the entire Church is to ignore the entire first millennium of Christianity. Ultimately though, faith is experiential. Spend time in silence. Seek humility and love your neighbor as yourself. Pray every day and do good works. In doing this, you will see the true faith. Also, if you haven't picked this up yet, please do. They have a leathersoft version as well. I take to it you've already visited an Orthodox church, but if you haven't you can find one here. God bless you on your journey. I pray that you may find the peace and rest of Christ.
Please, please, please for the love of God get off the Internet. I cannot express in words how toxic Internet addiction can be to your mood. See a psychologist/psychiatrist. Get professional medical help. Get therapy as well. Get off the digital world and into the real world. Life is like riding a bike. If you slow down too much you're gonna fall over. You need to keep peddling! Get some hobbies, get an educational goal, get a career goal, get a social goal, start going to the gym and exercising. Also, do not neglect to get spiritual help. It can be just as important as medical help. You can find a parish here. Finding a good spiritual father is essential to your wellbeing. Go to Liturgy on Sunday, talk to the deacon, talk to the priest, talk to the bishop, go to monasteries, talk to monks and nun. Read the Bible, pray earnestly, watch sermons, listen to podcasts. Live the faith, follow Christ! Peter is able to walk on water as long as he keeps his gaze fixed on Jesus. However, the moment he takes his eyes off Jesus, he becomes frightened by the wind and the waves and the depth of the ocean. He begins to sink. Even so, Jesus reaches out His hand and saves Peter. The ocean represents the anxieties, fears, and troubles of this world. As long as we are focused on them, we will sink. Jesus is the Godman, He is the only one who has overcome the world. As long as we are focused on Jesus and not on this world, we too will be able to walk on water. I pray that God may bless you and keep you by His grace! I don't even know you, but it hurt me to read about your suffering. I love you, I pray all will be well with you.
No prime, but here you go. Ignore the side notes, which are often derided as crap.
Honestly, the best notes are in this version, which, while I'm not as fond of the NRSV as I am of the RSV as a transalation, it's serviceable. It does not include the long version of Daniel and Esther inline (but rather separated out in the middle as an appendix to the Old Testament), and I would strongly advise against reading anything from the books it calls "3 Esdras" and "4 Esdras", as that's not something anyone considers canon (but some have them as appendices).
The Orthodox Study Bible is a good place to start. It has historical context and authorship at the beginning of each book, as well as, how the Church reads the connection to the New Testament.
The Rest of the Bible is a great guide to the Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament. Theron Mathis is a member at my parish, and a really cool dude.
I read both these side by side. The translations are similar and the commentaries complement each other. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Orthodox Study Bible with Ancient Christian Commentary: http://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Study-Bible-Ancient-Christianity/dp/0718003594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425621764&sr=8-1&keywords=orthodox+study+bible
Catholic Study Bible by Catholic Author and Apologist Scott Hahn: http://www.amazon.com/Ignatius-Catholic-Study-Bible-Testament/dp/1586172506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425621787&sr=8-1&keywords=scott+hahn+bible
Christians consider Christ to be our Passover. It seems to me that reverting to the Judaic practice misses the whole point of our Faith. Probably a better remembrance of Passover for a Christian would be to participate in the Eucharist.
Consider the following study article in the Orthodox (Christian) Study Bible:
>Passover, the central rite and symbol of Judaism, is based on the experience of the liberation of the Hebrew people from bondage in Egypt ( Ex 12: 1–15: 21 ). It is called Passover both because the Lord passed over the homes of the Hebrews, sparing them from the death that came to the first-born in Egypt, and because the Hebrews passed over the Red Sea as if it were dry land. Passover celebrates God’s steadfast love and devotion to His people and their freedom in Him.
>Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, Passover preeminently signifies God’s rescue and forging together of His chosen people, Israel. The Lord repeatedly brings this event to mind as He encourages and exhorts His people to return to their covenantal responsibilities ( Jdg 6: 7– 10 ; 1Kg 10: 17– 19 ; Ps 80: 10 , 11 ; Jer 11: 1– 8 ; Mic 6: 1– 8 ). Through His saving work, Christ becomes our Passover (pascha in Greek). Through Him we experience liberation from sin, death, and the devil. St. Paul exclaims, “Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast” ( 1Co 5: 7 , 8 ). He is the Paschal Lamb ( Is 53: 7 ; Jn 1: 29 ; Rev 5: 6– 14 ) who gave Himself up in sacrifice “once for all” ( Heb 10: 10– 14 ) to reconcile us with God. At every Pascha—“ Easter”— the Church sings: Today a sacred Pascha is revealed to us, a new and holy Pascha, a mystical Pascha, a Pascha worthy of veneration, a Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer.
>In many typological details, the Passover of the Jews clearly points towards Christ as our Passover.
>1. The Passover lamb, whose blood was smeared by the Hebrews on their doorposts in the sign of the Cross, was a male without blemish; Jesus was a male without blemish who died on the Cross.
>2. The blood of the Passover lamb saved the first-born of the Hebrews from death; the blood of Christ saves all those believing in Him from eternal death ( Rom 5: 8– 10 ; 1Pt 1: 17– 19 ).
>3. The Passover lamb had none of its bones broken ( Ex 12: 10 , 46 ); Jesus also had no bones broken as He was sacrificed ( Jn 19: 31–36 ).
>4. The Hebrews escaped from the burden of slavery in Egypt by passing through the Red Sea; Christians pass “from Egypt, from the burden of sin,” being “set free and saved” through the waters of Holy Baptism (GrgNy). For in the waters of Baptism, we are “baptized into His death,” “crucified with Him,” and raised up “in the likeness of His resurrection” to “walk in newness of life” ( Rom 6: 3– 11 ).
>St. John Chrysostom marvels at the power of Christ’s blood:
>If the type of it had such great power . . . in the midst of Egypt, when smeared on the doorposts, much more the reality . . . . if death so shuddered at the shadow, tell me how would it not have dreaded the very reality? This blood is the salvation of our souls; by it the soul is washed, and made beautiful and . . . more gleaming than gold (see Rev 7: 13 , 14 ).
>Sustained and strengthened by the blood of Christ our Passover, we resume daily our journey to the eternal promised land, the promised kingdom to come.
Nelson, Thomas (2008-02-28). The Orthodox Study Bible: Ancient Christianity Speaks to Today's World (Kindle Locations 7160-7196). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
Get yourself an Orthodox Study Bible. It’s the “director’s cut” version. You’ll have to order it online more than likely, because book stores usually only carry the “theatrical release” version of the Bible.
At the end of the Orthodox Study Bible, there is a section called “How to Read the Bible.”
You can also get the OSB app on your phone for $9.99 if you can’t plop down the $30 for a hard copy.