COPTIC ORTHODOX

CHU~C1H
A Series of Dialogues
On The Creed

COPTIC ORTHODOX
CHURCH

MY FAITH

<Pope q'awatfros the Secontf

Title of the book:
MY FAITH

Written by:
Pope Tawadros the Second

Published by: ·
Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Cairo

Printed in:
Saint Mena Monastery Press, Maryut, Egypt
Tel., Fax: +2 03-459-6452 or +2 012-0555-4441/2
E-mail: stminapress@gmail.com

Registration: 14199 / 2014

ISBN: 978 - 977 - 344 -149 - 7

 HIS HOLINESS POPE TA WAD ROS II
Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of The See of St. Mark
One Hundred and Eighteenth
 +
A ray of Loyalty

The first edition of this book was published during

the papacy of His Holiness reposed Pope Shenouda
III, with the blessing of His Eminence
Abba Pachomius, metropolitan of Beheira,
Matrouh and the Pentapolis, and head of the
Clerical Seminary at Damnhour.
 Introduction
This book was first published in 1990 in the Metropolis
of Beheira, Matrouh, and Pentapolis, and has been
republished a number of times ever since in different
publications. Its targeted readership is primarily the youth
of secondary school and university (16-25), at whose age
questions and inquiries recur concerning our Holy Faith.
So, we have gathered a number of these questions,
categorised them systematically according to the articles of
the Creed 1, and set them in the form of sequential dialogues
of a 148 questions and answers. We sought precision,
simplicity and depth, in order to present this work in a
practical and fitting manner, so that it may be
simultaneously comprehensive and concise to our youth in
every Christian family, and so that it may be beneficial to
all who ask a reason of the hope that is in us.
Our aim is to present the basics of our Christian and
Church life in the form of questions and answers, as it is
one of the most beneficial and effective forms of Christian
education for all ages.
"Without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him]" (Heb.
11 :6).
Pope Tawadros the Second
The Monastery of Abba Bishoy in Wadi cl-Natrun
July 31, 2014

1
Translator's note: Literally. "Rule of Faith."
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 This is My Faith

rr'liese sorts of questions revo[ve

around our Jfofy Paitli, and are
frequentfy repeated in youtli meetings.
We present tliem tlirougli tlie Creed,
wliicli we recite in a prayeifu[ spirit in
every occasion.
We present tliem in a practica[ and
fitting form, so tliat it may
simu[taneousfy 6e a compreliensive and
concise reference.
It is 6eneficia[ for our youtli and
cliiUren in every Cliristian famify, and
to a[[ wlio asft a reason of tlie liope
tliat is in us.

-7-
1. What is the right outlook with respect to the
definition of the Christian Faith?

Faith is not merely embracing a number of doctrines

that are recited in the "Creed." It is rather a life that we
live, or a belief that leads to life. Faith is also not merely
belief in concepts or principles about God, but is rather a
union at the core with a Living Person Who is God, and a
relation to Him as the Author of our life, and its source.
Christian Faith:
A living, existentiai2 realisation of God's existence in
my life, which is defined by Holy Scripture as, "[T)he
substance (personal) of things hoped for, the evidence
(internal) of things not seen" (Heb. 11: 1).

The Reposed Hegoumen Bishoy Kamel said,

The measure of a Christian person is not that
of his human body, but is rather the measure of
God, Who dwells through H is Sp irit in the
person. Therefore, I cannot by myself move a
mountain. But God, Who dwells in me, is able,
through me, to move a mountain. Similarly, if I
have Christian Faith like a mustard seed, "I can
do all things through Christ Who strengthens
me" (Phil. 4: 13).

2
Translator's note: PertaiJ1ing to, or expressing the fact of ex istence.
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2. Who, then, is the Christian Believer?

He is not one who advocates a notion of God, but rather

accepts God as a god to him, or as the centre of his whole
existence, guiding and d irecting his entire life.
Thi s means that the essence of Faith is for God to
become " my God." That is to say, he becomes the abso lute
point of reference for all of my affairs, and I am to obey
Him not only in my external behaviour, but in my thoughts,
desires, all of my feelings, so that He rules over my heart.
This is the meaning of the word "orthodox" (sound or
right doctrine). An 01thodox Christian is a believer who
lives a right life in God.

3. What is the way by which I may live this life of

Faith?

If God-the Obj ect of Faith-surpasses all mind, thought,

imagination, fee lin g, and des ire, then this means that I
cannot conceive of Him on my own.
However, because God loves me-I am His creation and
His handiwork-He desires to reveal Himself to me. This is
because love drives the lover to reveal himself to his
beloved, according to the saying of the Lo rd Jesus, "I will
love him, and will manifest Myself to him" (John 14:21).

-9-
 This is the significance of Christianity. All other
religions attempt to lead man to a search for God. But in
Christianity, God is the One Who seeks man, because of
His love for him in order that he may be healed, restored,
and saved from all of his passions.
It is worth noting that God, Who is always seeking me
because of His love for me, does not force Himself upon
my life without my consent for the simple reason that He
respects the freedom that He has given me.
God does not only reveal Himself to the pure in heart
(Matt. 5:8). God will reveal Himself through love to the
one who is disposed in his heart to meet God.

4. Does not this understanding of Faith make

Christianity's primary concern Heaven, and not
Earth in which we live in?

This is true, and it is a genuine goal.

However, even though Christianity is a heavenly life, it
is practiced on earth. We should not forget that God is not
isolated in heaven when dealing with us. He came down to
us, and united Himself to our human nature. He ate from
the fruits of our earth, and drank from its waters. He
granted us eternity through the reality of time. He took
what is ours (i.e. our earthly nature, and our sins), and gave

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us what is His (the heavenly and eternal life), as was said
by St. Athanasius the Aposto lic. 3
So, in Christianity, we live that which is heavenly
without disregarding the earthly. We worship God
unconditionally without abandoning order, deriding time,
or forgetting that we are here on earth.

5. Why was the Christian Faith formulated in the

form of a Creed?

The Creed: Is the constitution of our Christian doctrine,

which fully contains the terms of our Holy Faith in the
form of clear and precise authoritative formulations that do
not allow for argument or uncertainty. All Christians-East
and West-know this Rule, and recite it in their prayers.
This Creed was formulated primarily for apologetic and
catechetical purposes, but in a simplified theological
arrangement that proclaims the right Faith of the Church,
and is declared and prayed by Christians.
The Creed has become, however, a synthesis of the
sound Christian Faith, more than a confession that is
recited by catechumens.
3
Translator's note: " He acted as our Mediator, taking on Him what was ours,
that He might impart to us what was His" (cf. St. Athanasius, Fourth
Discourse Against the Arians 6, 7).

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 The Creed is called in Greek "SYMBOLON," which is
a means of recognition. The word is taken from the tokens
of recognition, which soldiers exchanged in order to
distinguish a friend from a foe.
It is worth noting that al 1 the expressions of the Creed
are derived entirely from Holy Scripture with its two
testaments.

6. What is the source of the Creed?

Its source is the Holy Scripture, with its two testaments,
which is God ' s revelation of Himself to man. The first is to
the Jews through what is known as the Old Testament,
followed by a more evident and definitive manifestation to
all men in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is
known as the New Testament.
This Divine Revelation was recorded in holy books by
holy men who were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. I :21 ).
Holy Scripture is not one book, but is a group of
assorted books comprised in one Book, each of these books
is called cepher (from the Hebrew word cepher: book).
These books were written by persons of diverse
characteristics, environments, and cultures, who lived in
different places and times, and under varying social
conditions.
Its writing spanned more than 1500 years, the date of its
oldest scripture goes back to more than 3500 years. Despite

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the variety of Its writers and the differences of their
conditions across the ages, in the end, it comes out as one
big book containing harmonized smaller ones. This
indi cates that its author is one, Who is God. Its one aim is
the salvation of all men, from all nations, tribes, and
tongues. It begins with the Book of Genesis, which speaks
of the creation of the world, and ends with the Book of
Revelation, which deals with the issue of the end of the
world and the life of the other world.

7. When was the Creed formulated historically?

The Creed was instituted over two stages, conesponding

with the appearance of heresies, against wh ich the Christian
Church had to defend Her Faith.
First:
In A.D. 325, the First Ecumenical Counci l was
convened in the City ofNicaea in Turkey to deliberate over
the heresy of Arius the Heretic, who attempted to sway the
established Faith of the Church by saying that Christ is not
eternal, and therefore not God, but merely a mediator
between God and men.
In response to this heresy, the Counci l formu lated the
first part of the Creed (from its beginning to "Yes, we
believe in the Holy Spirit").

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Second :
In A.D. 381, the Second Ecumenical Council was
convened in the City of Constantinople (now Istanbul,
Turkey) to deliberate over the heresy of Macedonius the
Heretic, who taught that the Holy Spirit is not God.
In response to this heresy, the Council completed the
second part of the Creed, demonstrating and dividing 4 our
belief in the Holy Spirit and His Divinity (the Lord, the
Giver of Life ... and the life of the coming age. Amen.).

8. What are the meanings of "Ecumenical

Council" and "Heretic"?

"Ecumenical Council":
A gathering of the shepherds and teachers of the Church
from all the regions of the world to examine a matter that
concerns the Christian Faith, with the aim of preserving the
order and soundness of the Faith among the Christians
throughout the entire world.
This expression is similar to the expression
"international conference." However, the concern is not
with nations, but rather with the Christian churches in
different countries.

4
Translator's note: Making or drawing distinction (di scerning) between what
is sound and what is not.
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" Heretic":
An innovator, who proclaims a teaching that is contrary
to what was recorded in Holy Scriptures. He also does not
adhere to the teachings of the Church, which were
proclaimed by Her Fathers throughout the centuries, and is
thus referred to as a "heresiarch." He is tried by an
ecclesiastical (church) council that is either ecumenical or
local. A range of disciplines are possible, the most serious
of which is "excommunication" or "anathematisation,"
which is his rejection from amongst the Christians, because
he has disturbed the peace of the Church (2 John 1: 10).

9. What is meant by "The Introduction to the

Creed"?

The Introduction to the Creed is what is said prior to the

recital of the Creed, and begins with "We exalt you, the
Mother of the True Light."
This piece was formulated by the Fathers of the Third
Ecumenical Council 5 , which convened in the City of
Ephesus in Asia Minor in 431 , in response to the heresy of

5
Translator's note: Other sources claim that the Introduction was authored by
St. Cyril of Alexandria, and that it received approva l by a local council
that was convened in Alexandria (cf. Iris Habib el Masri, The Sto1y of the
Copts: The True Sto1y of Christianity in Egypt, Vol. I [Merry Springs,
California: St. Antony's Monastery] 258).
- 15 -
Nestorius the Heretic, who claimed that the Virgin Lady
Mary is the Mother of Christ's humanity only, and not
Mother of God ("Theotokos," i.e. "Mother of God") as we
profess Her to be.

10. Can it be said that the Creed is the synopsis

of Christianity?

Yes, because, as was previously mentioned, it contains

Ill concise form all of the articles of our Holy Faith,

summarised in the following:

a. The Div inity of God the Father: Pantocrator, Creator of all
things.
b. The Di vinity of God the Son: On ly Begotten, begotten of
the Father, by Whom all things were made.
c. The Divinity of the Holy Spirit: the G iver of Life, Who
proceeds from the Father.
d. The Attributes of the Church: One, Holy, Catholic, and
Apostolic.
e. The Mystery of Holy Baptism for the new bi 1th.
f. The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead.
g. The Doctrine of the Other Life and the Coming Age.

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11. Why did the Church arrange that the Creed
be recited in our prayers?

The Creed is recited in all of the prayers of Agpeya, at the

beginning of the Divine Liturgy, in the other Holy Mysteries,
and during our Church gatherings. It is recited audibly
while the people are standing for the following reasons:
a.To confess before God and men that we will uphold the
upright Faith, and will remain steadfast in the Word of God.
b. To remember the persecutions and sufferings which were
endured by the Church Fathers in order to preserve the purity
and integrity of the Faith.
c.This is a recitation of verses from Holy Scripture, which is
the source of all of its articles, as was mentioned previously.

12. What is to be understood from the first

article of the Creed?

When we say, "In truth we believe in One God," we

proclaim that our Faith is true, and not merely a teaching or
an indoctrination. It is a real Faith that is from within,
which is sound and without any doubt whatsoever.
We confess two realities that embody the foundation of
all creedal truths, being:
•:• That we believe that God exists (existence of God).
•:• That we believe that God is one (oneness of God).

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13. How can we be certain of the reality of God's
existence?
Commonly people say:
"God has not been seen by anyone,
but people knew Him with their minds."
This means that man, in his present capacity, is
incapable of beholding the Divinity of God as He truly is.
However, he can perceive mentally that God exists, and
that He brought the world into being, creating it from
nothing. He can perceive that God is spirit, and is not
subject to the realm of the material senses.
We cannot see God now, but will delight in being
eternally with Him when we set this body aside, with its
limited physical and temporal faculties. If we are unable to
see things that are very distant, or hear noises that faraway
because of the incapability of our eyes and ears, it is not
surprising that we cannot perceive God through sight.
If we wish to behold God in this world, we can do so in
His handiwork and creation. We can observe Him in:

1. The Existence of Life:

The existence of life gives proof to the existence of
God. It has been determined scientifically that there was a
time when there was no form of life on the earth-whether
human, animal, or plant-and that the earth was ablaze, as if
it were a piece of fire, when it was torn from the solar

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group. This did not allow for the existence of human or
animal life, so how was life formed?
The question remains without answer, because the
mystery of life remains until now an elusive enigma. We
cannot fathom an answer, save for a power that transcends
the rational faculty that must have established it. This
power we call "God."

2. The Existence of Matter:

How did matter develop, and by whom was it wrought?
Undoubtedly, it was God (Job 12:7-10).

3. The Existence of Order:

Coincidence is not order. To the one who studies the
marvellous order of the universe and its laws that cannot be
disrupted, it is apparent that beyond this sphere is a
Structurist. To the one who studies the science of medicine,
it can be observed that every system in the body works in
an amazing order, and that there must be a Structionist.
Wherever there is order, there is a Structionist, Who is
God.

14. Does Christianity believe in One God?

Yes, Christianity believes in the oneness of God, and

that there is no other god than Him. In this, it rejects the

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principle of shirk (association, such as that of the pagans,
who believe in polytheism). There is an abundance of
verses from Holy Scripture, w ith its two testaments, that
support this, amongst which are:

+ Old Testament:
•!• "Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord"
(Deut. 6:4 LXX).
•!• The Lord says, "Behold, behold that I am He, and
there is no god beside Me" (Deut. 32:39 LXX).
•!• And says again, "I am the first, and I am
hereafter: beside Me there is no God" (Is. 44:6
LXX).

+ New Testament:
•!• "[There is] none good but One, [that is], God"
(Matt. 19: 17, Mark 10: 18).
•!• "[It is] one God" (Rom. 3:30).
•!• "But to us [there is but] one God" (1 Cor. 8:6).
•!• "It is the same 6 God Which worketh all in all"
(1 Cor. 12:6).
We affirm this reality every time we seal ourselves with
the Sign of the Cross by saying at the end, " ... One God.
Amen."
The Fathers used the expression "One God" in order to
6
Translator's note: In Arabic, " It is One God Which worketh all in all."
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put an end to the error of polytheism, and subsequently to
stress the belief and affirmation that God is one, distinct by
nature and in truth. Thus, they proclaimed their Faith in
One God.
Note that the devils do not fall into the delusion of
polytheism, for it is written, "Thou belie vest that there is
one God; thou does well: the devils also believe, and
tremble" (James 2: 19). The devils, however, entice humans
with the sin of polytheism.

15. If this is so, why do we say that there are

Three Persons (or Hypostases)?

We worship One God, "For there are Three that bear

record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Spirit: and these Three are One" (1 John 5:7).
From this, we have: the Being of God (the Father), the
Mind of God (the Son), and the Spirit of God (the Holy
Spirit). The Three are One.
If man was created in the image of God and His
likeness, then he was created according to an image:
a human being, a mind, a spirit, and the three are one.
When we speak of your nature, we say that you have:
a mind or a self, reasonable (rational) speech, and a spirit.
Speaking of your nature does not negate at all that you are
one, and not three.

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16. What is the meaning of the word
"Hypostasis"?

Oqnoom (Hypostasis) is a Syriac/Semitic expression

that has made its way into the Arabic language,7 and is used
uniquely for God alone.
It is made up of two words: hypo = under, and stasis=
standing. Thus, the literal meaning is that which is
"standing under," i.e. that which underlies as the
foundation. In other words, the hypostasis is a personal
property without which the Divine Essence cannot stand.
For example:
A. Property of Existence:
It is inconceivable that God exists without this property,
for He is the Imperative (or Necessary) Existence.
B. Property of Reason:
It is unthinkable that God exists without this property,
for He is the Mind and Wisdom.
C. Property of Life:
It is impossible that God exists without this property, for
He is the Living and the Giver of Life.
Thus, it is evident from the above that the Three
Hypostases are distinct in operation, but unseparated,
because They are in the One Divine Essence.

7
Translator' s note: The word is qnoma in Syriac, and oqnoom in Arabic.
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17. What is the meaning of the expression
"Divine Essence"?
For simplicity it can be said that the word "Essence"
means the nature that is characteristic of the being.
Therefore, the Divine Essence is the nature of the Divinity
(God), with all that it entails. Our God is one in essence,
meaning that He is one of a kind, incomparable,
transcending all creation, for He is its Creator, its Life-
giver, and its Preserver.
We believe in Three Hypostases, not Three Essences,
one m essence.

18. Why is the reality of the Three Hypostases

seemingly hard for some to grasp?
The difficulty is not in the "issue" of the Hypostases,
but rather in the "designation" of the Hypostases.
We call the Divine Being "The Father," meaning
"Origin or Source." Naturally, it is not a physically
reproductive fatherhood, but an equivocally spiritual one.
To some extent, it may resemble our saying that Egypt is
our mother.
Likewise, we call the Divine Wisdom "Son," meaning
"Mind." This, of course, is a spiritual sonship, not
reproductive.
Alternatively, it is like saying:

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 The mind of so-and-so solved the problem =
so-and-so solved the problem
Therefore, the mind of so-and-so = so-and-so
himself
And, the Mind of God = God Himself
We also refer to the Divine Life as "The Holy Spirit,"
which is to say "Life," because the Spirit is the Breath of
Life. When the spirit departs from man, he is brought to an
end.
Thus, these appellations are linguistic expressions
intended to convey to us an essential reality, being that:
"God is one: Existing by His being, Rational by His
Word, and Living by His Spirit."

19. Please elaborate further on this point.

God, Who we believe in and adore, is: One Divine

Being and Three Hypostases.
In order to demonstrate this, we ask:
•!• Is God, Who I adore, existent or not?
The answer is that He certainly exists, and that He is
filling the whole of existence. If this is not so, then God
would come to nought, God forbid.
Moreover, we ask:
•!• Is God, Who is existent, alive or dead?
The answer is that He is surely alive. Otherwise, if He

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were existent and not alive, He would be a mere figure or
idol, God forbid.
Finally, we ask:
•!• Is the Living, Existent God rational and reasonable, or
no?
The answer is that He is assuredly rational, dealing with
His servants and creation. If not, being existent, living, and
unreasonable, He would be a mere irrational living being,
like the birds, plants, and animals. God forbid that He
would be described as such.
From this sort of questions and answers, it becomes
evident that, in Christianity, the God Who is adored and
believed in is:
The God Who (in His Divine Being) is in
Three Distinct Hypostases, but one Divine
essence
And so He is: Existent-Rational-Living.

20. What, then, is the meaning of the Three

Hypostases being in the One Divine Being?

This means that the Three Hypostases have the same

one essence, and for simplification we can say that:
The Father: Existent by Himself, Rational by the Son,
and Living by His Spirit.

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 The One God is Existent by Himself (the Father),
Rational by His Word (the Son), and Living by His
Spirit.
To illustrate this further, we say that:
The Father is the "Existence".
The Son is the "Rationality".
The Holy Spirit is the "Life".

21. Does Holy Scripture attest to the Doctrine of

the Trinity?

Definitely, for what has been taught about the Trinity

was revealed by God Himself to us in His Holy Scripture.
This was first alluded to in the Old Testament, and then
explicitly indicated in the New Testament. Here are a few
examples:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19).
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are Three
Hypostases in One God, which is why He did not say
"names," but rather said ''Name," because God is one.
St. John the Beloved says, "For there are Three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Spirit: and these Three are one" (1 John 5:7).

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 In the event of the Baptism, we see the One God
being revealed in His Three Hypostases: the Voice of the
Father from Heaven, the Incarnate Son immersed in the
River Jordan, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove
settling on the head of the Word Incarnate (Matt. 3: 13-17).

22. Are the Divine Hypostases parts that form

the Being of God?

The Divine Hypostases-the Father, the Son, and the

Holy Spirit-are not parts or pieces that form the Divine
Being, God forbid, for the Divine Being is one, unbroken
and undivided. The Father is not a part of God, but God
Himself is the Father (an Eastern word8 denoting
"originator"). "God is the originator of existence," and that
is why we call Him "the Father."
The Holy Spirit is not a part of God, God forbid, but
God is the Greatest Spirit, the Holy One, the Framer of life,
its Forger, and its Author.
The Son is not a part of God, but He Is His Word and
rational uttering.
God, being the Greatest Mind and the Fashioner of
existence, was incarnate in Christ. Christ, then, is the
8
Translator's note: The word referred to here is 'ab.
- 27 -
Word, or the Rational Uttering of God, or the Reasonable
Mind of God. He is the Son of God, that is to say that He is
the "Greatest Manifestation of God," i.e. the appearance of
God in Christ.
The Divine Hypostases, then, are God Himself, upon
Them the Divine Essence stands, and without Them the
Divine Essence has no being or existence.
God cannot be without His Being (the Father), rational
without His Mind (the Son), or living without His Spirit
(the Holy Spirit). God cannot be divided, and His attributes
cannot be split. God, for example, is merciful and just. It is
difficult to speak of the justice of God alone, or the mercy
of God alone. Yet, I say that God is just in His mercy, or
that His mercy is just, or that He is merciful in His justice,
or that His justice is merciful, or that the mercy of God is
full of justice, or that the justice of God is full of mercy.

23. Are there no conflictions or contradictions

between speaking of Oneness and Trinity?

It may have been contradictory had we spoken of three

gods. However, there are Three Hypostases in One God.
Oneness is an issue, and Trinity is another one. God is
one, because the divinity is one, the Divine Essence is one,
and the Divine Being is one.

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 It is a Trinity of the Hypostases, not a Trinity of
beings or essences. When we make the Sign of the Cross,
we call to mind the Three Hypostases: The Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. Yet, we conclude by saying, "One
God," as an expression of the unity.
The Christian teaching on the Trinity and the Oneness
can be summarised characteristically in the expression
"Three in One." This cannot be extended to any other
triadic form. By saying that the Three are One, we do not
mean that the Father is the Son is the Holy Spirit, or else
the distinction of the Trinity is lost. What we do mean is
that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one in
divinity, in nature, and in essence. It may be likened to the
fire, which is flame, light, and heat. We cannot say that the
flame is the light, or that the light is the heat. However, the
three are one, and the fire, with its flame, light, and heat,
are one entity.

24. Is it true that the concept of the Christian

Trinity is derived from the Ancient Egyptian
Triad?

There is not the least bit of a relationship, for the

Ancient Egyptian Triad speaks of three gods: A father god
whose name is Osiris, who married a mother god whose

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name is Isis, and they begat a son god whose name is
Horus. There were also other children who warred and
feuded with one other.
Thus, they are not a trinity but a family, and this all took
place by way of natural reproduction, which is the result of
marriage and mating.
Christianity is opposed to this pagan triad, because of its
dissimilarity to the Christian Trinity. It (the pagan triad)
has femininity, natural birth, marriage, and a son whose age
is younger than the father and who is his successor. There
was also a time when it did not exist, in addition to the
son' s generation being a separation from the parents, and
all of this is nonexistent in the Christian Trinity.
As for the Christian Trinity, we say that He is "One
God in Three Hypostases," which is utterly different from
the flesh, marriage, birth, and reproduction.

25. Were there any erroneous theories

concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity
throughout history?

There were many triads that were known in the pagan

religions, such as the Egyptian triad, the Hindu triad, and

- 30 -
the Brahman triad. 9 In the seventh century A.D. 10, there
appeared also an erroneous theory that attributed to the
Christians the claim that Christ is the third of three gods,
and that God the Father conjoined with Mary so that she
bore Christ. This was known as the Marian heresy.
This erroneous concept, however, has no relation
whatsoever with what we proclaim about the All-Holy
Trinity, and we have been refuting it prior to the seventh
century A.D. and after.

26. Does my Faith in the doctrine of the Trinity

mean that I associate with God (Polytheism)?

Certainly not. My Faith in the All-Holy Trinity is my

Faith in the One God. It is worthy of note that there is a
drastic difference between the associators on the one hand,
and the Christians on the other. This can be read in books
on the general history of religions.

9
Translator's note: The Hindu and the Brahman triads are one in the same.
They are otherw ise known as Trimurti (Sanskrit: tri 'three' + murti
' form '), which is a grouping ofBrahama the creator, V ishnu the preserver,
and Shi va the destroyer.
10
There were roots for this heresy since the 3rd century.
- 31 -
27. What are the illustrations from everyday life
that best demonstrate this doctrine?

There are illustrations from our everyday life that

approximate for our minds the Doctrine of the Trinity and
Unity, but are not as profound. For example:
- Man has existence, speech, and life. He is one man in
his one human being.
- Fire consists of flame, from which light emanates and
heat proceeds.
- The sun is a disk from which light emanates and heat
proceeds. The disk is not light, which is not heat. However,
the three are inseparable, because the one sun is existent in
the disk, illuminating by its rays, and smouldering by its
heat.
To those who do not believe in the Trinity, finding
sufficiency in God being one, we say:
What is the value of the sun as a disk without rays or
heat? It has no existence without its lights and heat.
- Equilateral triangle (for example of gold): it has one
Essence of gold and three equal angles.
There are some illustrations that are faulty or
lacking, amongst which is:
- Tree: Consists of roots, a trunk, and branches. The
flaw is that each of its constituents is independent from the
other.

- 32 -
 - Matter: Exists in three phases: solid-liquid-gas. The
flaw is that this occurs under certain conditions.
- Finger: Consists of three phalanges. Its flaw is that
they are not equivalent, and are not formed at once.

28. Is it necessary for my Faith to be in the Tri-

Hypostatic One God?

Christians do not have a doctrine that does not correlate

to human life. This means that my life would be totally
different if the Trinity did not exist.
It must not escape us that if we speak of God, our words
should have different meanings than those we are familiar
with, for there is nothing in existence like God, nor is there
a creature that is like Him.
For example, if we say that a person is "beautiful," it is
not in this sense that we say that God is beautiful. We
cannot by any means speak of God in the same manner that
we speak of man, because human language falls short in
speaking of God. Man cannot but enumerate the senses.
God cannot be quantified, for if He is numbered becomes
limited.
In summary, the case is not statistic, but the issue is
with man's calculating mind. In order for him to
understand correctly, he must think.

- 33 -
 In order to comprehend with our hearts before our
minds, we must be aware that Christianity describes God as
love-"God is love"-which means that there is an operation
of love in God. He is not wrapped up in Himself, but is
open to converse with man whom He loves, and it is a
dialogue of love. The Father is the Lover, the Son if the
Beloved, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love, or the
Language of Mutual Love. The Father loves the Beloved
Son with the Spirit of Love. Thus, the circle of love is
complete, of which we speak about God saying that He is
love.
- It is noteworthy that The Father loves The Son, The
Son loves The Holy Spirit. So, every Hypostasis loves the
other two and the Holy Spirit is not just a reciprocal love
between The Father and The Son.

29. What does it mean when we describe God as

"Pantocrator"?

Saying that God is the Pantocrator means that He rules

over existence, and nothing falls outside His knowledge.
He is the Almighty, Who is capable of all things, and Who
is concerned with and cares for all things. He sees and
watches over all, covering and caring for all, and nothing
falls outside His sight.

- 34 -
 All are under His sovereignty, even the devil, whose
works are bound by limits, as in the Trial of Job. If the
devil was left free, he would have destroyed the world, but
the devils asked of Him to leave and enter the swine.
God is the Pantocrator, and if man fears anything, he
overlooks that God is Pantocrator. Whoever hides from the
Face of God, like Adam and Jonah, forgets that God is
Pantocrator. Whoever wrongs another pays no heed that
God is Pantocrator, and that He hears the cries of the
oppressed before they ask. Their groans ascend to Him like
the groans of those who were enslaved to Pharaoh.
Holy Scripture is full of examples that illustrate that the
Hand of God intervenes to help the world. The providence
of God extends to all His creation, the head of which is
man.
It is noteworthy that in the Church, there is an apse in
the Eastern wall of the Sanctuary called the "Bosom of the
Father," on which is drawn the image of "The Pantocrator
= The All-Sovereign," which depicts Christ the Master
holding the planet Earth in His hand.

30. Who created the world: The Father alone, or

the Three Hypostases together?

God is one in essence, and His Three Hypostases are

distinct in operation. If the Father decided creating the

- 35 -
world, the Son is the One Who would carry out the act of
creation, and the Holy Spirit would give life to the matter.
God is He Who created the Earth and all that is therein,
from beings that are visible and invisible, as well as angels
who are invisible.
God is the Creator, and none can attain His ability
(Job 12:7-9; Neb. 9:6).
Verses from Holy Scripture demonstrate the
participation of the Hypostases in creation:
God the Father as Creator: "In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1).
God the Son as Creator: "All things were made
through Him; and without Him w nothing was made
that was made" (John 1:3).
God the Holy Spirit as Creator: "Thou shalt send forth
Thy Spirit, and they shall be created" (Ps. 104:30 LXX).

31. We read some verses in Holy Scripture that

speak of God the Father, or God the Son, or
God the Holy Spirit. Is the One God referred
to at times as Father, at others as Son, and at
others as Holy Spirit? Or what? What is the
meaning of this?
It is true that such verses exist. For example:
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the
Father is this ... " (Jas. 1:27);

- 36 -
 "And without controversy great is the mystery of
godliness: God was manifest in the flesh" (1Tim.3:16);
"But Peter said, Ananias why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" (Acts 5:3).
It is evident that these verses do not refer to three
separated gods, for the Master Christ said, " ... the honour
that [cometh] from the one God" 11 (John 5:44).
The saying refers to God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit, Who are one Divine Being. One
divinity with equal glory and eternal honour, according to
Athanasius the Apostolic. 12
It is like a person seeing the disk of the sun in the very
early morning, at dawn, before the rays and the heat appear.
He says of the disk alone, ''the sun is out."
When he sees the rays coming through a room in his
house, he says that the sun is in the house. When he sits for
a while in the heat of the sun and feels its effects, he says
that he has a sunstroke.
When he says that the disk, or the rays, or the heat, is
the sun, he does not mean that it is three suns. Rather, it is

11
Translator's note: This is the translation of the verse's Arabic rendition. The
KJV reading of the verse is, " ... the honour that [cometh] from God only."
12
Translator's note: Cf. The Athanasian Creed, "But the Godhead of the
Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is all one: the glory equal, the
majesty coetemal." The authorship has falsely been attributed to St.
Athanasius, and it is thought to have been written around the middle
fifth/late sixth century (Philip Schaff. ''The Athanasian Creed." History of
the Christian Church, Volume III: A.D. 311-600.).
- 37 -
one sun, and the disk, rays, and heat are of the same one
essence of the sun.
This is why St. Augustine says, "The Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit are one essence, but not every Person is
Himself the other." 13

32. What does the Apostle Paul mean when he

says, "God, Who created all things by Jesus
Christ" (Eph. 3:9)?

God created all things by Jesus Christ, just as I would

say, "I solved the problem by my mind." The mind is not
something that is distinct from you, but belongs to you, and
by it you are unique from the animals, and without it you
cannot be called a human.
So, the Second Person is the Mind of God, or rather He
is God's Thought and His Scope, by which He envision the
creation.

13
Translator's note: "And let him so say one essence, as not to th ink one to
be either greater or better than, or in any respect differing from, another.
Yet not that the Father Himself is both Son and Holy Spirit, or whatever
else each is singly called in relation to either of the others" (cf. Augustine,
On the Holy Trinity 7.6.12. Philip Schaff, ed. NPNF, Ser. I, Vol. 3.
Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 1995.).
- 38 -
 33. Please provide a concise explanation of how
Christianity understands the creation of man.

Holy Scripture says, "In the beginning God create the

heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1 LXX).
This is the doctrine of creation through which we affirm
that all things exist by the will of God, and by it alone,
. drawing their being from Him.
God did not just create, but He continues without
ceasing. As long as the universe is in existence, it is upheld
by the word of His power, 14 which is why the Lord Jesus
says, "My Father has been working until now, and I
have been working" (John 5:17).
God is not a retired designer, but "in Him we live, and
move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

As for man, he is the crown of God's creation. He was

formed after the world was filled for him with other
creatures. God endowed him with many attributes that were
not bestowed upon any other, namely the mind, the will,
freedom, creativity, love, and an eternal spirit. These are all
characteristics that are akin to those of God, which is why
Scripture says that God made man according to His image
and likeness (Gen. 1:26).

14
Translator's note: Cf. Heb. I :3.
- 39 -
 The creation of Eve followed, who was a suitable help
to Adam, the First Man. This is an image of the union of
man and woman (Gen. 2:23, 24), where the two genders are
equal and complementary of the other. Marriage is then
seen as the means of their union in a profound manner and
a definitive bond (Gen. 1:24; Matt. 19:6).

34. What is the purpose of the creation of man?

The love of God created man so that He may delight in

a loving relationship with man, and so that man may
participate in a life of immense and everlasting joy with
Him.
This means that the source of joy is the union of man
with God, which is manifested as follows:
1. Possession of full psychological faculties: i.e. an
illumined mind, a strong will, good love, a pure intention,
etc.
2. Dominion over nature: It will not revolt against man,
nor will it harm him, be a source of trials or tribulations, or
prey on him.
3. Link between God and the universe: Man directs
creation in the name of God, lifting up to Him the praises
of nature.
4. Immortality: The union of man's dwelling in God.

- 40 -
 Therefore, we say that because of God's goodness and
graciousness, He formed man so that he may enjoy life and
existence with God, and if he conducts himself well, he
will be graced with eternity. God loved us before we were
fashioned, and so He created us.

35. What are the meanings of the words "Jesus"

and "Christ"?

Jesus:
A Hebrew name which means "saviour" 15 In Hebrew,
the name is "Joshua." 16 In the Greek language, it is Jesous,
from which came the name 'Isa.
Christ:
An adjective meaning "anointed," "set apart,"
"dedicated," "consecrated." 17 This adjective was later taken
on by the believers in the Name of Christ (as a surname),
thus becoming "Christians."

15
Translator's note: According to Gesenius ' Hebrew-Cha/dee Lexicon, Jesus
(Joshua or Jehoshua) means "whose hel p [salvation] is Jehovah."
16
Translator's note: Arabic text refers to the pronunciati on, which in Hebrew
is Yehowshuwa ·.
17
Translator's note: Common translation of christos (Heb. mashiy ach) is
"anointed" or "anointed one" (cf. Gesenius Hebrew-Cha/dee Lexicon;
Thayer's Greek l exicon; Oxford 's A Dictiona1y of the Bible [2 ed.}).
- 41-
Jesus Christ:
This name means, "The Saviour Who is anointed by
God the Father as the redeemer and saviour of all humans
of their sins throughout the ages." The Master Christ came
as a teacher, a preacher, and a guide. But, before all of that,
He came as a redeemer and a saviour of humanity from sin
and death.

36. Earlier, we referred tq God as "God," but

now we refer to God the Son as "Lord." What
is the difference?
The word "Lord" denotes divinity in precisely the same
manner as "God." Both words are synonymous and not
unrelated, and the proof is that they were both given to the
Master Christ as appellations without distinction. For
example:
•!• In the Creed, we say, "We believe in One
Lord . .. True God of True God."
•!• The Apostle Thomas said to Christ, "My Lord and
My God" (John 20:28).
•!• In the Old Testament, it is written, "The Lord our
God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4).

- 42 -
37. How can we say that Christ is the Son of
God?

Firstly: This matter is fundamentally different from

what it could mean with respect to human beings and
animals.
Secondly: We know that every born (infant) is a "son."
So, the One who is born of the Virgin Mary is a son. The
son has a father. Who, then, is His father? There is no
father except God. So, we must attribute the sonship of
Jesus Christ to God Himself, and that is why we call Him
"Son of God."
Thirdly: The sonship of Christ is characterised by the
following:
1. It is a spiritual, rational sonship: As the generation
of light from light, and thoughts from the mind.
2. It is a real sonship: Not by Kin. Christ is of the
same nature as God the Father, and of His essence.
3. It is an eternal sonship: Christ exists with the
Father without separation from eternity.
4. It is a continuous sonship without separation: The
divinity of Christ is itself the divinity of the Father.
5. It is a sonship by nature, and not by position:
Christ is of the nature of God, and there is none like Him.
6. It is a unique, unparalleled sonship: None like it in
the world of man or matter.

- 43 -
38. Are there any who would disagree
concerning this?

Yes, for we believe that the Master Christ, to Him be

glory, is God Who was incarnated. Therefore, He is God
and the Son of God at the same time. This is our Faith, and
we are happy with it.
It has never happened in the history of humanity that
from (the time of) Adam, that a girl has born and given
birth while being a virgin.
Has this ever happened?! And if every human being has
a father, and Christ, as man, was born of a woman without
the seed of man, who then is His father?
Some answer this question by saying that it is
"omnipotence."18 This certainly is an unconvincing,
inconvenient, and insufficient answer, for the Almighty
God governs the world and creation with certain laws,
which do not fail. The rule of procreation has never
undergone a change, except for this one instance, where a
child, namely Christ, to Whom be glory, is born without a
father.

18
Translator's note: Cf The Qur'an, "His command is only when He intends
a thing tha t He says to it, ' Be,' and it is. So exalted is He in whose hand is
the realm of a ll things, and to Him you wi ll be returned" (Ya Sin 36:82-83).
- 44 -
 If He has no human father, then God (The Father= The
Origin of Existence) must be His Father, and this is how He
is the Son of God.
We must add the following to what was previously said:
This matter is entirely different from the material,
physical, and sexual understanding of sonship.

39. Is there no better expression than "Son of

God" that can be applied to Christ, to Who m
be glory?
There is none. If there is, please guide me to it.
Human language is material by nature and origin, given
its limitation. So, "Son" is the most suitable expression that
can be understood by people in their language to illustrate
the relationship between God the Father Who is unseen,
and God the Son Who was revealed in Christ; "God was
manifest in the flesh." 19
In other words, it is an idiomatic expression meaning
"Divine Sonship." It is the most suitable in human
language to illustrate the natural relationship between God
the Father and God the Son.

19
Translator's note: ITim. 3: 16.
- 45 -
40. We say that God the Father is "the First
Hypostasis," and that the Son is "the Second
Hypostasis." Does this not denote a
difference in time between them?

The order of "First, Second, and Third" is related to

humanity's lmowledge of God. They !mew God as Father
before they !mew Him as Son, and that is because the
Incarnation took place later in time.
What we say of the Master Christ, the Second
Hypostasis, we say of the Holy Spirit, the Third
Hypostasis.

41. If we believe that Christ is the Son of God,

why then do we say that He is Only-
Begotten?

The Master Christ is the only Son of God by nature,

which is to say that He is in the same essence with the
Father.
We have previously illustrated that the sonship of Christ
is by essence, and is not physical or reproductive. It is
unique and unlike anything else in existence, and that is
why He-to Him be glory-is referred to as "the Only-
Begotten Son of God."
- 46 -
42. Christ is the Son of God, and we are children
of God . What is the difference?

We have said that Christ Jesus is the Son of God,

because we have seen in Him the unseen God. He is also
the Son of God, because He is in His divinity of the same
nature and essence as God. There is also no other
expression in human language than "the Son" that can
express the exact identity of the Lord Jesus Christ to God
the Father.
For this Christ, to Whom be glory, said to His disciple
Philip, "[H]e that hath seen Me hath seen the Father"
(John 14:9).
We relate to God as children in a sort of honorary
fashion that is bestowed to us out of the abundance of His
love for us.
In other words, we call humans children of God only
because of the love and providence of God for them. This
love overcomes the gap between the Creator and the
creature, but does not remove it.
To summarise:
The sonship of Christ is by essence. Our sonship is
honorific.
The sonship of Christ is eternal. Our sonship 1s
temporal.

- 47 -
43. Why do we say that Christ is "begotten of the
Father before all ages"?

As we have mentioned before, Christ-to Him be glory-is

the Son of God, which means that He is begotten of God
the Father.
This generation is eternal, and we express this by saying
that it is before all ages, which is to say before time. God
the Son is being in God the Father from eternity and before
the Incarnation, which is why Christ the Master says,
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I
am" (John 8:58).
To simplify, we say:
The Son is the Mind of God. It cannot be said that there
was a time when God had no mind, and so He creates one
for Himself. With what mind would He have created one?
Therefore, the Mind of God exists in God from eternity,
and is without beginning.

44. What is meant by the article "Light of Light;

True God of True God"?

There was no time when the Son of God was not.

Light emanates from the sun, but there is no son without
light.

- 48 -
 Thus, the Son was begotten of the Father, but there is no
Father without the Son. The existence of the Son is innate
to the existence of the Father, just as the existence of light
is innate to the existence of the sun, and the existence of
thought is to the mind.
All this, means that all The Father's Divine
characteristics (e.g.: eternity, omnipotence, omniscience,
all-holiness) are also for the Son, because the Father and
the Son have one essence.

45. We say that Christ, to Whom be glory, is "Light

of Light." Does this mean that the Light came
from another Light? Is one of these lights the
light that was at the beginning, which is
mentioned at the beginning of the Book of
Genesis?

Certainly not. "Light of Light," is because God is light.

His nature is light, and He dwells in light. God is not
material or corporeal; He is all pure light.
"Light of Light" indicates that He is pure light. Christ
says that He is from the Father, meaning that He is of the
nature and essence of the Father. This is the meaning of
"Light of Light."

- 49 -
46. How can we say that He is "begotten, not
created"?
When the Fathers formulated the Creed, they used with
all precision words that affirm the personal nature of the
Master Christ and its glory. They asserted that He is
"begotten, not created," declaring that He was not
created, being higher than the level of creatures. He exists
in an unlmown and intemporal fashion that is from the very
essence of the Father, for "In the beginning 20 was the
Word" (John 1:1). He-to Him be glory-is "begotten" of
the Father, for He is in the Father and has His very nature.
Just as a son takes from his father his human nature, so too
does the Son of God derive His divine nature from the
Father in a mystical way that cannot be grasped.
There is, however, another birth for the Master Christ
that is different from His eternal generation from the
Father. We are referring to His nativity in the flesh, in the
fullness of time, from the Virgin Mary.
A creature comes from nothing to existence by the will
of God. The Son of God, however, exists in God the Father
Himself, and He is no creature. He is rather the eternal
"Creator," Who deigned to be born in the flesh from the
Virgin (Gal. 4:4-5).
The summation is that God the Father and God the Son
are one in the divine nature, and there is no temporal
20
Translator's note: Greek, arche.
- 50 -
difference between them; "I and My Father are one"
(John 10:30). This is one aspect. Another would be that
God the Son was born in the fullness of time from the
Virgin Mary in the form of the Master Christ without being
created, for He Himself is the Creator.
St. Augustine says, "If we cannot comprehend His
nativity in the flesh, how then can we comprehend His
eternal generation?"
His birth in the flesh has perplexed us. In His birth
according to the flesh , He was born of a woman without a
father. In His eternal generation, He was begotten of a
Father without a mother. Both births are incomprehensible
and surpassing the mind.

47. I have heard from some that the birth of

Christ has to do with the divisions of
creation; i.e. Adam was begotten without a
father or a mother; Eve was born of a father
without a mother; and Christ was born of a
mother without a father.

This opinion is spec10us and devoid of accuracy,

because:
•!• Adam has nothing whatsoever to do with
generation. He was created from the clay or the

- 51 -
 crust of the earth, and that is why he was called
"Adam. " 21 Adam was created from dust.
•:• Eve was not born from Adam (or else she would
have been his daughter, and not his wife). God
fashioned her from one of Adam's ribs in order to
illustrate the extent of what their relationship
should be.
As for the Master Christ, He was born in a unique and
wondrous fashion that was not undergone by anyone prior
to or after Him.
We cannot compare between the creature Adam and the
uncreated Master Christ, by Whom all things were made,
and without Whom was not anything made that was made
(John 1:3).
It was also not said of Adam that he is the word of God
or His Spirit. Adam had to be fashioned without a father,
for it was he who was the first father of humanity. When
Christ was born, on the other hand, the earth was inhabited
by begetting fathers and begotten children.
We declare of Christ-to Him be glory-in the Creed
saymg:
"Begotten, not created."

21
Translator's note: The noun 'adamah, from which the name Adam is
derived, means "earth; ground; land; the earth" (cf. Gesenius' Hebrew-
Chaldee Lexicon). So, Adam can be thought of as ''the man from the
earth" or ''the earth-man."
- 52-
 He is "not created," because He is the Creator. He is
begotten of the Heavenly Father before all ages (eternal
generation).
In the fullness of time, He was born of the Lady, the
Virgin Mary (temporal generation) in a unique and
wondrous fashion. This birth is incomparable and unlike
any other, and itself demonstrates that its offspring is
outside the realm of man.

48. We say, "[O]f One Essence with the Father."

What is the relevance of this article in the
Creed?
It is response to Arianism, which did not understand the
Lord's saying, "My Father is greater than I" (John 14:28).
The Father is not greater than the Son in essence, for the
Son has the same nature and essence as the Father, and His
very divinity, for He is equal to Him in all aspects.
The statement "My Father is greater than I" was said
during the self-emptying state of the Incarnation. It is said,
"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God: but made Himself of no
reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men: and being found
in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross" (Phil.
2:6-8).

- 53 -
 The state of self-emptying, i.e. the taking of the
servant's form, is this in which it was said "My Father
is greater than I," while the essence of the divinity
remained as is.
The Father is greater than the form of the passions and
the Cross, in all the dishonour that the Son bore in His
Incarnation. As for the essence of the divinity that is united
with this humanity, it remains as is, and not lacking
anything on account of the humanity's humility.
Thus, in His humanity, He was able to say and do all
that befits His divinity, with which He is equal with the
Father.
As such, He said, "I and My Father are one" (John
10:30); "I am in the Father, and the Father in Me" (John
14:11); "That all men should honour the Son, even as
they honour the Father" (John 5:23). In His incarnation,
He also said to the palsied man, "[T] by sins be forgiven
thee" (Mark 2:5). He said the same statement to the sinful
woman who washed His feet with her tears (Luke 7:48).
In His incarnation, He walked on water (Matt. 14:25);
rebuked the wind and the sea, causing them to cease and
for there to be calm (Mark 4:39); created new matter in the
miracle of the five loaves and two fishes (Matt. 14:17-21),
the changing of water into wine at the wedding of Cana of
Galilee (John 2), and in granting sight to the man born
blind (John 9). He did many things that reveal His divinity,

- 54-
in addition to His resurrection while the tomb was sealed,
His entry into the upper room while the doors were shut
(John 20: 19), and His ascension to Heaven.

49. In the Creed, we declare that Christ, "for us

men and for our salvation, came down."
Salvation from what?

From the sin of the First Man, Adam. Adam was created
so that he may be in the company of God at all times.
However, he rejected this fellowship, and that rejection was
the beginning of what the Church calls "The Fall of
Adam," or "The Ancestral Sin," which all of humanity
inherited from its forefather Adam.
This means that the Fall of Adam is primarily the
disobedience of God's will. This an unnatural condition has
been extended to all of Adam's offspring.
In the Apostle Paul' s Epistle to the Romans, we read,
"[A]s by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned" (Rom. 5:12). See also Rom. 5:18, 19.
This means that the reason why all men are sinners is
Adam, the forefather of humans.
Adam, whose progeny is humanity, lost the upright life
by his disobedience. As punishment, He was banished from
the Paradise of Joy to the Earth, which was cursed because
- 55 -
of his sin. On earth, He begat offspring which, by nature,
was exiled and devoid of its paradisiacal inheritance (Ps.
51:5; Rom. 3:1 -2).
This is in addition to the corruption of human nature,
which, in turn, rendered man incapable of even keeping the
moral law on his own.
It should be noted here that the sin of Adam, to us, is
considered as a hereditary sin, and not actual one, for we
did not commit it. We did, however, inherit from it the
condemnation of death.

SO. What is sin according to the Christian

perspective?
The meaning of sin is derived from wrong-doing, which
is the misdeed of man by not turning to God as his aim and
the source of his being and existence.
Holy Scripture defines sin as "transgression" (1 John
3 :4), i.e. infringing on the holiness of God, and defying His
law. This definition entails doubting and being suspicious
of God, or having the desire to deceive and become
unfaithful to Him, whether by word, thought, deed, or by
all senses. The inevitable consequence then is distance, and
separation, from God. This is why it is said that "the wages
of sin is death," 22 which means that death is a natural
22
Translator's note: Rom. 6:23.
- 56 -
offspring of sin, which is a separation from the Source of
Life, and the Origin of man and his existence (Jas. 1:15).

51. Please elaborate on the Fall of Adam, and

how his sin extended to all of humanity.

We have previously seen how the purpose of man' s

creation is for him to live a continuous life in the love of
God, until the image of God is established in him, and the
warmth of love emanates from him to all of creation.
God provided Adam with free will, i.e. the choice
between good and evil, thus placing on him the choice of
either abiding by the commandment of God, or rejecting it,
and thus rejecting God.
Man, however, wanted for himself to be a "god,"
knowing good and evil. So, he preferred to do away with
the love of God and His embracing him, disregarding that it
is from God alone that man draws all gift, power, and life.
The catastrophe then was that he listened to the voice of the
devil through the serpent, transgressing the commandment
of God and disobeying Him. This matter is of grave danger,
for it is in opposition of God Himself, and also because it is
from the First Man Adam, who is the crown and model for
all of humanity. On account of this, the punishment had to
be out of the norm.

- 57 -
 Hence, the sin of the First Man Adam placed the whole
of humanity in a vicious cycle, wherein by the absence of
God from our lives, we have become inheritors of sin, and
in it we are formed, thus becoming sinners, and no one is
righteous. 23 Apart from God, there is nothing but void,
emptiness, and death.

52. Why, then, did the Loving God give Adam a

commandment, forbidding him from the
tree, even though He foreknew that he
would disobey?
The tree was a moral guide and limit, which was placed
by God under the authority of Adam, by which He may test
him.
God had previously given Adam the means and the
ability to carry out the commandment and not to transgress
it. However, Adam, by his free will, disobeyed. So, the
obeying of the commandment was a measure that reveals
the extent of man ' s love for God.
We should add that God's foreknowledge of man's fall
does not impede Him from offering man what is beneficial
to him if he obeys. If, however, he freely chooses to reject
God's commandment, he would then have chosen for
himself disobedience and separation from God.
23
Translator's note: Cf. Rom. 3: I 0.
- 58 -
 We ought not to forget that when evil took place on
account of the disobedience, God saved man from the
authority of evil, and restored him once again to his primal
condition by redemption, thus making man deal with God
in a stronger bond of love. This caused St. Augustine to
praise the Fall of Adam, which made us recipients of all the
graces of redemption.
God's commandment for Adam was an opportunity for
him to exercise his responsibilities, and for his preparation
for what is greater. It was also God's affirmation of man's
free will, which is the greatest gift that God bestowed upon
man.
God allowed man to transgress and disobey Him by
using his freedom, which is a grace bestowed from God.

53 . What was the atypical punishment that was

deservingly allotted to Adam and his
descendants?

Adam transgressed the commandment of God, and this

an infinite sin, because it is against the Uncircumscribed
God. So, its punishment must be unlimited. This is in
accordance with the principle that the punishment fits the
offense. This punishment can be summarised as follows:

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 1. Death in every form:
- Physical Death = Separation of the spirit from the
body, which decomposes into dust.
- Moral Death = Disgrace of sin and its abominable
treasury.
-Eternal Death = Perdition in the fiery Gehenna24
forever.
-Spiritual Death = This means the loss of
communion between the spirit and God. The death of
the spirit does not mean that it perishes, but rather
that it loses its sensitivity towards God. In other
words, every human being still has a spirit. However,
this spirit-on account of the ancestral sin-has become
darkened, and unable to commune with God. It
exists, but is feeble.
2. Tainting of the human nature:
Human nature, which had been pure, has become
tainted with sin, and unfit to enter Paradise, or to
dwell in the presence of God. Thus, evil found its
way to the whole of humanity. From Adam, all of his
human progeny inherited his sinful way.
"I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my
mother conceive me" (Ps. 51:5 LXX).

24
Translator's note: The place of future torment; hell; a place of torture; a
prison (cf. OED Online. September 2013. Oxford University Press. 21
October 2013.).
- 60 -
 So, all of humanity was deemed sinful (Rom. 3:10-12).
3. Expulsion from the Presence of God (Paradise)
(Gen. 3:23, 24).
The Perfect and Holy God cannot dwell with wicked
sinners, but it is rather the pure in heart alone who
beholds God, for there is no communion between
light and darkness. 25

54. Does this mean that evil is foreign to

humanity?
Precisely. Ever since the disobedience of Adam, evil
found its way to all of humanity, becoming exacerbated
and rampant from generation to generation, until the image
of the righteous man became distorted (Eph. 4:24), and a
disease named "evil" overtook man. Many human efforts-
i.e. police, judiciary, prisons, hospitals-were founded to
cure that disease. However, the painful and lamentable
result is that evil increased at the same rate as the
reformative efforts, because evil is inherent in man, and is
not merely external. This is why it cannot be extracted by
material means.

25
Translator's note: Cf. 2 Cor. 6: 14.
- 61 -
55. So, were there any consequences to this Fall?

Yes, three perilous consequences resulted from the Fall

of Adam. This is why some refer to the Sin of Adam as
"The Triple Disintegration Tragedy":
A. The Disintegration of the Unity of Man:
The rising up of lusts, passions, and whims against man.
He-being the rational one of all of creation-deifies
money, power, fame, prestige, sex, knowledge, etc.
Adam, prior to the Fall, was guarded from passion,
ignorance, and death.
B. The Disintegration of Man's Unity with Others:
God alone unites humanity. So, by distancing man from
God, sin was able to keep man from his neighbour (Gen.
3:12). This is why we read that after the Fall, Cain killed
his brother Abel, which was followed by an explosion of
grudges amongst men. Prior to the Fall, man was kept
from envy, rejection, struggles, and animosity.
C. The Disintegration of Man's Unity with Nature:
A lack of harmony between man and nature formed
(Gen. 3: 17, 18), and man became a victim to the laws of
nature, which were a source of suffering, disasters, trials,
and tribulations. Animals became vicious towards him,
and viruses began to destroy him. Prior to the Fall,
however, he was protected from pain, suffering, so on.

- 62 -
56. Did the image of man after the Fall change
from what it was prior to that?

The question could be reworded in another way:

How does man know that his present condition is not in
its original form?
Or ...
How can man realise the extent of his fall without
knowing what he was like prior to it?
In response, we say:
We did not know the meaning of sin, until we came to
know Our Lord Jesus Christ (referred to by the Apostle
Paul as "the firstborn among many brethren" [Rom. 8:29]),
who became like us in everything except for sin alone
when He took flesh and came to us on Earth.
So, in meeting with the Lord Jesus, the full image of
God is realised in us, which He desired for us from the
beginning. This is the "Mystery of the Incarnation," in
which we had a far greater meeting than that which was on
the Day of Creation.

57. This means that humanity was in need of

someone to save it.
They were definitely in need of someone who would not
only save them, but who would renew their nature and
restore their potential.

- 63 -
 They were in need of another for at least three reasons:
1. Deliverer:
One Who delivers, redeems, and saves them from sin.
After the Fall of Adam and his expulsion from Paradise as
one condemned to die, he began to show regret, confessing,
praying, and offering sacrifices. The offering of sacrifice
mean that he felt his need for a redeemer. However, it was
no~ possible for an animal to become a mediator between
man and God. The constant offering of sacrifices was a
continuous and constant reminder that man is in need not of
a mediator, but of the Mediator of whom these bloody
sacrifices are pointing to (Heb. 9:26). Redemption, then,
means that there is a need for a mediator to deliver (Rom.
5:6-8).
2. Restorer:
One Who restores humanity after it had been corrupted
completely by sin and evil had coursed through it. None
can perform this function, except for God alone, for the
simple reason that He is the creator of man.
Of course, it was not possible for man to ascend to God
on account of the evil that had shackled him with chains
that restrain any ascent. So he was in need of God to come
to him in flesh in order to raise him from his fall, and to lift
him up, delivering and restoring His creation.

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 3. Archetype:
Humanity was in need of one who would offer a model
of human perfection. This is why we see the Master Christ-
to Him be glory-teaching virtue in His Person, and not with
His words, as all the teachers who preceded Him had done.
We see Him challenging His generation and every
generation, "Which of you convinceth Me of sin?" (John
8:46). So, in His coming amongst us, He was an example
so that we may follow His steps (1 Pet. 2:21 ).
Thus, in the Person of Blessed Christ, these three things
were fulfilled:
Deliverer-Restorer-Archetype

58. Was it not possible for good works, such as

prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, to bring
about remission of sins for man?

There is absolutely no value for good works, whatever

they may be, without the foundation of Faith in Christ, and
the work of redemption, which He offered us.
According to Scripture,
"[F]or if righteousness (forgiveness) come by the law
(good works), then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:21).
The works of man are likened to however many zeros,
for their numerical value is zero. Faith in the Lord Jesus is
likened to the number one. If placed before the zeros, it

- 65 -
becomes a number. If the number of zeros increase
alongside the one, its numerical value increases. Such is
Faith and its necessity with respect to works.
Likewise, repentance and remorse over sin have no
value in remission of sins without faith in Christ, for the
repentance of a sinner does not restore to God His honour
and glory.
If a person embezzled a sum of money, does his feeling
of wrong, or sorrow, regret, or even his good works that
ensue release him from the punishment of embezzlement?
Definitely not.

59. Is it possible to determine the characteristics

of the One Who would carry out what 1s
needed in response to the Fall of Adam?

There are four traits that characterise the work of

redemption as a definitive and encompassing solution to
the Fall of Adam:
A. He must be human ...
For He is a representative of the disobedient man (fallen
humanity).
B. He must be susceptible to death ...
For the wages of sin (sin of Adam) is death.
C. He must be without sin ...
For the one devoid of the thing cannot give it.

- 66 -
 D. He must be infinite ...
For the sin of Adam is against the unlimited God.
To give redemption for sins of all people throughout all
ages.
It can be noted that traits A and B can be found in any
human being. As for traits C and D, they cannot be found
in any human being, but are only found in God.

60. If that is the case, then how can these four

traits be found in one person?

The only way is for God to deign and to take the form
of man, uniting God and man in one, where all these traits
may come together in Him. It is only in the Person of the
Master Christ that this is fulfilled, because:
In His humanity, He is a human being, and is
susceptible to death (traits A and B).
In His divinity, He is without sin, and is infinite (traits C
and D).
Of course, angels are not fit, for an angel is not a human
being, and is limited.
Also, man is not fit, for there is no man without sin,
who would be able to redeem other, and he is also limited.
So, God was manifested in the flesh in the man Jesus
Christ in order to lift the judgement of death which was

- 67 -
because of the sin of the First Adam. He came in the flesh
to change the corruption of man to incorruption.
He alone is the Saviour, and because He is man, He
took on the trait of incircumscription on account of the
union of the divinity and the humanity, thus fulfilling in
Himself the traits of the Redeeming Saviour.

61. Why is this considered the only solution?

When man fell, two requirements became at odds with

him:
Justice, which requires the complete carrying of the
sentence without leniency or negligence; and mercy, which
on its part demands complete pardon, without account or
reproach. Both requirements are in contrast with one
another, or are rather contradictory. From this stemmed a
dilemma that cannot be resolved except by the Incarnation,
for in this solution, we find:
AU mercy, for there is no greater love than for the Holy
God Himself to deign and take an earthly body for us.
And all justice, for God Himself accepted to carry the
sentence that He pronounced over man.
This necessitated the Incarnation, whereby God is veiled
in the flesh of man in order to accept in Himself the same
sentence that was ruled over man. This is how redemption

- 68 -
may be realised, which may not be accomplished by any
other means.

62. Christianity believes in the coming down of

God to save man. Were there no other
substitutions for this salvation that the
Omnipotent God could offer?

Yes, there were two other alternatives, but both are

fundamentally unacceptable for the following reasons:
•:• The First Unacceptable Substitution (Pardon)
Being that God pardons Adam and Eve, because He is
an All-Loving God, bringing the whole matter to an end.
However, if God were to pardon Adam because of His
limitless love, where then would His limitless justice be,
which sentenced with death? It is necessary for this just
judgement to be carried out, because in God, there is no
separation in His traits. For just as He is merciful, He is
just, meaning that the mercy of God is full of justice, and
the justice of God is full of mercy.
If we were to hypothetically assume that this is possible,
we must consider that forgiveness is one thing, but
purification and the restoration of the corrupted human
nature is another, more important thing.

- 69 -
 It is easy to pay on behalf of the thief the amount that he
stole. However, what is more important is for his nature to
be changed in order for him not to return to theft.
•!• The Second Unacceptable Substitution
(Annihilation)
Being that God would annihilate Adam and Eve, and
would create a new Adam and a new Eve, bringing an end
to the problem ... !
The death of man is against the mercy of God, for it
would have been better for Him not to have created man ...
It is against the intelligence of God, because He in unable
to find a solution for the dilemma. . . It is against the might
of God, because He is unable to protect man ... It is against
the wisdom of God, for why then did He create man ... It is
against the honour of God, for man was created in the
image and likeness of God ...
It is a demonic approach which is unbefitting of God's
omnipotence, or His glory, or His honour as creator.
We must not forget that the opportunity for the fall of
the new Adam and the new Eve is possible, still standing
and ongoing, for the conditions are the same, and its
repetition is plausible. Therefore, the only solution is the
Incarnation and Redemption, in order for the forgiveness to
be fulfilled, and for human nature to be restored.

- 70-
63 . This means that the Incarnation took place to
fulfill Redemption.

Precisely, for as we saw, it is the only solution for the

redemption of man and his delivery from the consequences
of the Fall of Adam, his forefather. God takes the form of
man, so that the traits of the Redeemer, which were
discussed above, may be fulfi lled in Him.
The Incarnation is an event for the fulfillment of
redemption, for the manifestation of God-"No man hath
seen God at any time; the Only Begotten Son, Which is
in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him"
(John 1:18)-and so that He may grant us a better life.
In other words:
The Incarnation is the means by which God may unite
to "fallen" man, in order for the life of God to course in
man, thus renewing his fallen nature.

64. Please provide a precise definition of "the

Divine Incarnation."

It is a free initiation on the part of God towards man,

who had steered away from Him, and had rejected Him
willingly.
Man cannot know God on his own, and God, in His
perfection, does not wish to remain unknown to His

- 71 -
creature, man. Given that man does not know of God
except that He is God, man cannot know God except
through God.
So, it was apparent that God had to deign and a real
humanity in order to facilitate for man the means to see and
know Him.
God came in the Master Christ, Who took flesh from the
Virgin, and united in it all that is God's (divinity) with all
that is human (humanity). This union became the greatest
and strongest expression of God's love for man.
This why St. Athanasius says,
The Lover longs to be likened to
His beloved, being one with the beloved.
God so loved man in his humility, and so
loved to be one with him. This is the
incarnation.

65. How did the Incarnation take place?

In the fullness of time, the Word came to the womb of

the Lady Virgin Mary, and by the Holy Spirit Who came
down upon her, He formed from her the flesh of the
Saviour. It was pure from the ancestral sin, because it was
without the seed of man, and hence devoid of the hereditary
corruption. At the moment when the beginning of the
humanity was formed, the divinity was united to it. There

- 72 -
was no moment in time when the humanity of Christ was
bereft of His divinity. This is why we cannot separate the
humanity of the Master Christ from His divinity, for He
was united to it from the beginning of the Incarnation.
Likewise, we cannot separate Christ into two natures, a
human nature and a divine nature.
From this came the expression of the Orthodox Faith
with regards to Christ, "One nature of God the Incarnate
Word." 26

66. How was the Master Christ in Heaven and on

Earth at the same time? Did He leave the
Throne of His Majesty in Heaven during His
Incarnation on Earth?

The Master Christ existed with His divinity from

eternity. This means that prior to His Incarnation, He fills
Heaven and Earth by His existence, or rather overfills
them. When He became incarnate, He filled, and still fills,
Heaven and Earth by His existence. He still governs the
movement of the universe, and manages the affairs of the
living in all of existence.

26
Translator 's note: In St. Cyril of Alexandria 's Letter 45.6 to Succenus,
Bishop of Diocaesarea in lsauria, "[T]here is one phusis of the Word [of
God] made flesh" (John I. McEnemey, trans. Letters 1-50. Washington,
D.C.: Catholic Uni versity of America Press, 2007. The Fath ers of the
Church, Vol. 76.).
- 73 -
 Of this divine truth, the Lord Jesus Himself says,
"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He
that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man
Which is in Heaven" (John 3:13).
An example of Christ's perceived existence on earth is
that of the lamp that radiates with light. Although it has a
body, the light goes out from it through the glass body,
spreading to the exterior in all directions.
Another example is that of the Burning Bush, which
Moses the Prophet saw consumed with fire, and with the
voice of God speaking to him from it. The appearance of
God and His openly perceived manifestation in any one
place does not bring to nought His existence in Heaven at
the same time.
Thus, Christ-to Him be glory-by His incarnation,
existed on earth, while in His divinity filling Heaven at the
same time while being on earth and everywhere.

67. Did the Incarnation bring about any change

for God?

One of the traits of God is that He is not impaired by

change. He is absolutely perfect, which is why He is
described by Holy Scripture as One "with Whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning" (J as. 1:17).

- 74 -
 It is erroneous to say that, because of the Incarnation,
the divinity underwent a change. The Incarnation is nothing
but one of God's great works, which was, and still is being,
carried out through the ages. For God saw the corruption of
man, and did not desire his death. So, the Word of God
became flesh without sin, suffering death in order that He
may save the corrupt man.
The Word Incarnate died and rose, and the divinity did
not die. Thus the work of redemption was accomplished,
and the divinity did not undergo change.

68. How does the Uncircumscript God dwell 1n

the circumscribed man?

We must realise that the divinity is not limited by the

humanity. It is not limited by place, and even though it fills
all things and is present in all of creation, it is distinct from
them in essence.
It is like the glass of the lamp, which does not restrict its
light, but we rather find the rays of light coming forth from
the lamp in all directions without restriction. The humanity,
likewise, does not restrict the Divine Light.
To elaborate further on the answer, we provide the
following examples to approximate it for the mind:
•!• Air surrounds the planet Earth, but it is also in the lungs
of all human beings.

- 75 -
 •!• The union of God and man is like the union of heat and
water in hot water.
•!• It is also like the union of electricity and wire in the
electric wire.

69. How can the Holy God unite to human

nature, which is inferior?

The Incarnation does not mean that God transformed

into a human being, but rather that God condescended and
united to all that pertains to man. At the same time, He
remains the God Who is capable of all things. This is
precisely like the sun, which remains the same, with its
light and energy, even though its rays shine upon places
filled with rubbish, with all that is therein from rot and
germs.
God the Pantocrator Himself governs all things, but is
not affected by anything. He cannot be tainted, but rather
sanctifies what is impure.

70. How can human beings see God Who is

unseen?

Seeing the divinity plainly is impossible. This is why

God said to Moses, "Thou shalt not be able to see My
face; for no man shall see My face, and live" (Exod.

- 76 -
33:20 LXX). For this, the prophets prepared the way for
humanity for the great revelation of God amongst us
(Emmanuel= God with us).
Some of the Fathers liken the Old Testament to an
engagement, and the Incarnation to marriage, for God
sealed His manifestation by the Incarnation.
This is why it was necessary for God to take on flesh, so
that we may see Him. The Holy Apostle John says, "And
every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the [spirit] of
the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and
is now already in the world" (1 John 4:3).

71. I read in the Gospel of John a verse which

says, "No man hath seen God at any time"
(John 1:18). In the same Gospel, I read
another verse in which the Master Christ
says, "[H]e that hath seen Me hath seen the
Father" (John 14:9). Is there a contradiction
between the two verses?

There are no contradictions whatsoever. God is spirit,

and no one can see Him. The Master Christ was born of the
Holy Spirit (Spirit of God), and is of the same essence and
nature as the Father. So, whomever sees Christ (Hypostasis
of the Son) sees the Father; "No man hath seen God at

- 77 -
any time; the Only Begotten Son, Which is in the bosom
of the Father, He hath declared Him" (John 1:18).
God is manifested in the flesh, and this is why we say
that He is "the Incarnate Word of God."
The Apostle John also affirms this in the prologue of his
Gospel:
In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was
God .... And the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the Only Begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1;
14)
Truly, "without controversy great is the mystery of
godliness: God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16).

72. So, was the sending of prophets prior to the

coming of the Master Christ a preparation?

Yes. He sent them in order to prepare humanity for the

corning of the True Saviour. The task of the prophet, as his
title indicates, was to speak concerning the will of God.
That is, to declare it with ardour, calling men to set straight
their ways, and to return to God.
It is to be noted that the constant appearing of the prophets
was, in itself, an indication that humanity was in need of

- 78 -
something "greater" than the mere oral and written messages
of the prophets. It was in need of the Creator Himself.

73. Is the coming of God to man unique to

Christianity alone?

Christianity is unique in that regards. Some teach that

the overcoming of sin is in the obedience of God, and the
keeping of His laws and statues. To them, sound religiosity
is in the drawing of man towards God. Christianity, on the
other hand, sees that sin and evil are spiritual maladies, and
that man without God is ill. This is why the Master Christ
came to humanity as the Only True Physician.
God sought after man in order to heal man and make
him whole, and to deliver him from all of his passions. This
is what sets Christianity apart from the others.

74. Why did the Second Person, the Hypostasis

of the Word (Logos), specifically have to
undergo the Incarnation?

The Second Person is the Creator-"All things were

made by Him; and without Him was not any thing
made that was made" (John 1:3)-and that Person Himself
had to restore our creation to the very same image in which
were originally created, and which was distorted, in order

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that we may be born again from above (John 3:3).
Man was destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6),
and so it was necessary-according to the plan of God-for
the Hypostasis of Knowledge, Wisdom, and
Understanding-i.e. the Logos-to come in order that man
may know God and live in His bliss (Matt. 11 :27).
The world perished because of its ignorance, and so it
was expedient for Wisdom (the Hypostasis of the Word) to
deliver and save it.
The Second Person is also the One Who is set to reveal
the Divine Being. According to the Holy Apostle John, "No
man hath seen God at any time; the Only Begotten Son,
Which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared (i.e.
revealed) Him. " 27

75. How can the Incarnation concern only one of

the Hypostases without the Father and the
Holy Spirit, even though it was said earlier
that they are not divided?

There is no division. This is evident from creation. The

sun, for example, has a disk, beat, and light. If you conceal
the sun with anything at daytime, you will find that its heat
is united to the earth, and remains latent until the coming of
the night's coolness.
27
Translator's note: John l: 18.
- 80 -
 The sun is eclipsed, or sets, because it is a creature.
God, however, is in all places, and nothing can conceal
Him. He fills all places, and governs all things by the
simplicity of His divinity. Nothing can contain Him, and
this is why the Incarnation became the concern of the
Eternal Word, Who cannot be separated from the Father
and the Holy Spirit, as is fitting.

76. Who, then, is Christ to the Christians?

Christ, to Him be glory, to the Christians, regardless of

their ethnicity, race, or language, unanimously-East and
West-be they Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant, is God the
Word Incarnate (John 1: 14).
"God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16).
God, Who was manifest visibly, is Christ. This is the
meaning of His being "Son of God." It does not mean that
God begets in the same way as humans or animals, God
forbid. But His being the Son of God means that He is the
"Image of the Unseen God." Or, God, Who is unseen in
His nature (John 1: 18), was united to our humanity so that
He may be seen by men. Christ is the Unseen God Who has
been made manifest. Why was He made manifest?
To accomplish the task of redemption and salvation,
which could not have been accomplished by anyone else

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other than God, as was previously discussed in question 59
and 60.
God was Incarnate in Christ for the sake of redemption
and salvation:
Redemption is the end, and the Incarnation is the means.
"He became man, but did not dwell in a holy man,"28
according to St. Athanasius the Apostolic.

77. Is there a role for the Virgin Mary in

salvation?

We have said previously that God, in His profound love,

came down to man in order to save him. This matter
needed the gradual preparation of humanity over the span
of the Old Testament, until, in the person of the Virgin
Mary, the fullness of faith, humility, and obedience to God
were fulfilled. So, she was made worthy of being the lab of
the union between God and man, and that is why she is
referred to as "the Mother of God - Theotokos" (Luke 1:41-
43).

28
Translator's note: In Synodal Letter to the People of Antioch 7, "[T]he
Word did not. ..dwell in a holy man at the consummation of the ages, but
that the Word Hi mself was made flesh, and being in the Fonn of God, took
the form of a servant, and from Mary after the flesh became man for us"
(Schaff, Philip, and Henry Wace, ed. A Select Library of Nicene and Post-
Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series, Vol. 4. Grand
Rap ids, Michi gan: 1995.).
- 82 -
 By this, she surpasses the angels, for she was made
worthy to bear the Incarnate Son of God, becoming a living
sanctuary for Him Who took flesh from her for our
salvation.
With this all, she was in need of salvation like any other
human being, and this is evident in her Magnificat, which
is recorded in Luke 1:46-55.

78. What is the difference between saying

11
"incarnate," and inhominate"?

Incarnate is taking flesh, and inhominate is becoming

man.
This means that the Lord Jesus Christ is the
"Inhominate God." Perfect God, and perfect man. True
God, and true man. Divinity and humanity united in One
Person without mingling, without confusion, and without
alteration-the Person of the Incarnate Son of God.
This is why the Oriental Orthodox proclaim that they
are "Miaphysite,"29 or according to the statement of St.
Cyril of Alexandria, the 24 111 Patriarch, "One nature of
God the Incarnate Word." 30
The authentic Cyrillian formula denotes a harmonious
(united) nature, and not numerically one.

29
Translator's note: Arabic text: "Adherents of the One Nature."
30
Translator's note: Seen. 23.
- 83 -
79. Are there any other blessings that resulted
from the Incarnation, other than it being a
means for the redemption of man?

According to the Doctrine of the Incarnation, God

dwells in the midst of people, and is not distant from them.
This goes with a sense of security, joy, assurance, and
satiation in the divine teachings.
The Incarnation and the dwelling of God amongst men
was a strong motive in the preaching of the Name of Christ
around the whole world (1 John 1: 1). It was also a model of
piety, so that His steps may be followed (1 Pet. 2:21).
By the Incarnation, God is always present in the world
in the Person of Christ, to Whom be glory. We, the
believers, have also become representatives of the presence
of Christ in the world, for we (members of) His body, of
His flesh, and of His bones (Eph. 5:30). This is why He is
called "Emmanuel" (God with us).
In the time of His incarnation, Christ was able to present
a model of the perfect man, and how he ought to be. He
gave men an idea of spiritual conduct through the practical
model that was offered to them.
He became a representative of humanity in the fulfilling
of all righteousness, and the offering of perfect obedience
to God the Father. He was a representative of humanity in

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fasting and repentance, when He received baptism from
John.
He put the ideal law, and corrected the people's
understanding of the Law as, for example, in their
understanding of the laws pertaining to the Sabbath, which
were put in place for man, and not the other way around.
He fulfilled the types and the prophecies, and drew near to
them the image of God. He gave them an idea of the
Loving, Compassionate God, Who dwells in their hearts.
Christ was a simplified image (illustration for clarification)
of God.
In summary, the Incarnation has several blessings, at the
top of which is the fulfillment of redemption.

80. Was the Master Christ truly crucified?

Most definitely. This is a real fact that cannot be

doubted by anyone, unless they are ignoring on purpose all
of the Scriptural and non-scriptural evidences that hav((
come down to us.
In addition to the witness of Holy Scripture to the reality
of the Crucifixion, the general history, with all that is
therein from the sayings of the historians and philosophers
of the first century A.D., be they Jews or Gentiles, attests to
this also.

- 85 -
 There are also many substantial evidences, beginning
with the appearance of the Holy Wood of the Cross, upon
which the Master Christ was crucified. St. Helen, the
mother of the Emperor Constantine, uncovered it in the
year A.D. 326. The most recent piece of evidence is the
Holy Shroud, otherwise known as the "Shroud of Turin." It
was analysed scientifically for five years (1973-1978), and
is now preserved in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in
the Italian city of Turin.
We must note that the accounts of the Crucifixion, the
Burial, and the Resurrection in the Holy Scripture are of
utmost importance. They are to be considered as beaming
evidence and decisive proof of Scripture's soundness and
accuracy in the face of distortion by omission or addition.
For what honour is there for Christians to cling to, or be
affiliated with, a crucified and humiliated man, who is a
symbol of humiliation and shame? Unless the matter is full
of honour and pride to them, as was expressed by our
teacher, the Apostle Paul, when he said, "But God forbid
that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by Whom the world is crucified to me, and I
unto the world" (Gal. 6:14).

- 86-
81. Why, then, did the Master Christ, to Him be
glory, choose crucifixion particularly as a
method for death?
Before all else, the Master Christ did not choose for
Himself the manner of death. Rather, it was the Jews who
chose the Cross when they cried out to Pilate, "Crucify
Him!" (Mark 15:12-15).
As for why redemption was accomplished by way of the
Cross, St. Athanasius summarises the reasons in the
following points 31:
1. In order for death to occur publicly before
witnesses, so that there can be certainty over
the Resurrection, which was to follow.
2. In order to preserve His body in perfect
soundness and undivided, according to the
prophecies.
3. In order to die while holding out His hands to
unite the Jews and the Gentiles in Himself.
4. In order to be lifted up from the earth,
drawing us to Himself (John 12:32).
5. In order to clear the air from the evil spirits,
granting us victory over them (Eph. 2:2).
6. In order to fulfill the prophecies which were
set forth concerning the necessity of the
Crucifixion (Ps. 22:16; Isa. 53).
31
Translator's note: Cf. On the Incarnation 21 , 24, 25, 34, and 35.
- 87 -
 7. In order to bear the curse laid upon us, for it
was written, "[F]or every one that is hanged
on a tree is cursed of God" (Deut. 21:23).

82. Is the Cross of importance to the whole of

humanity?

The importance of the Cross and its value comes from

the salvation which was accomplished by the Master
Christ, when He tasted death of His own will.
By salvation, we mean salvation from sin, its dominion,
and its traces, not only with respect to the past only, but the
present and future of the life of all men. This matter is
connected with the bigger issue that concerns all mankind,
the issue of forgiveness.
From this perspective, the Cross became the glory and
boasting of every Christian (Gal. 6: 14), with all the
humiliation, degradation, shame, and disgrace that it
entails.
It is Christianity's unique mark of distinction, which
cannot be found in any other religion.

83. Is this why we say, "He was crucified for us"?

Yes, for this statement means that-the Master Christ-
was not deserving of the Cross, but that He came to the
Crucifixion of His own free will to save us.

- 88 -
 Every deed and work that was done by Christ was truly
very great and marvellous. However, the most noble of
them was His Holy Cross, for by the Cross, everything was
made right. Sin was destroyed, death was denied, and the
Resurrection was bestowed upon all who believe in Him.
The event of Christ's Crucifixion was a measure of God's
exceeding love towards the human race, and that is why we
proclaim that "He was crucified for us," that is on behalf of
us all, the sinners.

84. What did the Master Christ accomplish on

the Cross?

In the Theotokia (praise) of Friday, we chant the

following refrain, which sums up what the Master Christ
accomplished:
"He took what is ours, and gave us what is His. We
praise and glorify Him, and exalt Him."
This entails:
a) His taking of the curse which came upon Adam
on account of his fall (Gen. 3:7), carrying it on
our behalf, granting that we may be made the
righteousness of God (innocent) (2 Cor. 5:21).
b) His taking of the death, of which Adam was
deserving from the day of his disobedience (Gen.

- 89 -
 2: 17), and His granting us the Resurrection after
He had defeated death (1 Cor. 15:26).
c) His talcing of our life, with all the weakness and
leanings towards sin that it entails, and His
bestowing upon us of His Holy Spirit, and the
ability of being victorious over all weakness and
sin (Eph. 2:6).

85. I know that the Master Christ was crucified

on Golgotha . Is this the same place where
God created the First Man Adam?

There is a tradition that Adam was buried on Golgotha,

32
or Calvary, which is the same place upon which the
Master Christ was crucified. However, this is a tradition
that is not supported by Holy Scripture, which tells us in
the Book of Genesis that God created Adam in the Garden
of Eden, and not in Golgotha, which is in Jerusalem. Some
painters have depicted the scene of the Crucifixion with a
skull at the base of the Cross, alluding to the skull of the
First Man Adam. This traditional depiction suggests that
the place where the First Man Adam died, and by whom sin
entered into the world, is the same place where the Last
Adam, Our Lord Jesus Christ, died in order to wipe away

32
Translator's note: The Place of a Skull (Matt. 27:33; Mark 15:22; Luke
23:33; John 19:17).
- 90 -
the transgressions of the sinners by His death on the wood
of the Cross.
On another note, the place where Abraham the Patriarch
wanted offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God, which is
known as Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:2), is the same place
where the Temple of Solomon once stood in the City of
Jerusalem, or al-Quds. So, the place where the Crucifixion
of Christ took place, and the place where Isaac was offered
as a sacrifice, as two places in the City of al-Quds, which
was known as Jerusalem.

86. I heard in Church that the statement of Isaiah

the Prophet, "[T]he chastisement of our peace
was upon him; and by his bruises we were
healed" (Isa. 53:5 LXX), is concerned with the
work of the Master Christ. How is this so?

The entire 53rd chapter of the Book of Isaiah, and not

just this verse, is a wonderful prophecy concerning the
Master Christ, His death on the Cross, and the shedding of
His blood for the redemption of sinners. It was recorded by
Isaiah the Prophet hundreds of years prior to its occurrence.
The prophecy in its entirety points to Christ, the Lamb
of God, Who takes away the sin of the world, along with
the sorrows and passions of not only us, but the entire
human race.

- 91 -
 The statement, "the chastisement of our peace," refers to
the chastisement by which God was to discipline us on
account of our sins, and which was bore by Christ for us.
The statement, "by his bruises we were healed,"
indicates that while we are sinners, we have been justified
by the passions of Christ, which He bore instead of us, and
by which we have received the healing from sin, and
received eternal life. This prophecy is of great importance
for the Christian life, for it was explained by the Apostle
Paul in more than one place in his epistles (cf. Rom. 5:6-
11; 1 Cor. 15:13).

87. Who is Pontius Pilate?

He is the Roman governor and procurator33 of Judaea in

Palestine. Pontius (Pontus, his home region, in Asia Minor)
Pilate (his name) was the fifth prefect, and remained in this
position from A.D. 26 to A.D. 36. During that time, he was
delegated by Caesar to manage the affairs of the province. 34
We lmow nothing of his upbringing or the end of his
life, other than it was said that he committed suicide in his

33
Translator' s note: "procurator, n.: A person who is employed to manage
the affairs of another or is authorized to act on behalf of another. A
provincial ruler or governor; (Roman Hist.) ... the head ofa minor part ofa
province, esp. Judaea (which was part of the province of Syria)" (OED
Online. September 201 3. Oxford University Press. 16 October 2013.).
34
Translator' s note: Cf. "Pilate, Pontius." A Dictionary of the Bible, Second
Ed. W. R. F. Browning, ed. Oxford University Press: 2009.
- 92 -
exile in Vienne, Gaul, after the year A.D. 36. 35 There
remains a monument, 52 feet in height, which indicates his
burial location.
His fame goes back to his being the governor in whose
time the Crucifixion of Christ took place, after having
given in to the accusations of the Jews, concerning more
for himself, and out of fear for his position (Mark 15: 15).
The Jewish historian Josephus wrote concerning Pilate,
"And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men
amongst us, had condemned Him (Jesus) to the Cross,
those that loved Him at first did not forsake Him. " 36

88. Some say that the one who was hung on the
Cross is another person other than Christ. Is
this true?

The one who was hung on the Cross was none other
than Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Jews had nothing to
gain from crucifying a substitute. The aim of the scribes,
priests, and Pharisees was to get rid of Christ Himself, and
not another, in order to maintain their authorities, positions,
and dominion over the people and the land (John 11 :50-52;
18:14).
35
Translator's note: Cf. Eusebius Pamphilius, Ecclesiastical Histo1y 2 .7.
36
Tran slator 's note: Jn The Antiquities of the Jews 18.64 (Wi lliam Whiston,
trans. The Genuine Works of Flavius Josephus, the Jewish Historian .
London , 1737.).
- 93 -
 Furthermore, the One Who was crucified is Himself the
One Who rose and spoke with the disciples after His
resurrection (Matt. 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:36-
39; John 20:20-29). If the one who died was a mere man,
what then is there to gain from his death, seeing as how "all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom.
3:23).
If Christ was a mere man, and not God, why then are
His death and crucifixion being denied? Man, by nature, is
capable of dying and crucifixion.
So, either He is God Who is being depraved of the
Cross and the Passions, or He bore our sins, being made sin
for us (2 Cor. 5:21).

89. I have read a theory that claims that Judas

Iscariot died instead of Christ, after the
matter was conflated for the soldiers, so
they crucified him instead of Christ. Did this
happen?

This theory is devoid of accuracy, and is pure

fabrication. It can be responded to.
Firstly: The Crucifixion of Christ did not happen
suddenly, nor did take place hastily. It occurred after five
trials-from 9 on the eve of Great Thursday, to 9 on the

- 94 -
morning of Great Friday-before witnesses, governors, high
priests, and the people. How is it possible that after all of
these that there is doubt concerning the identity of the
Crucified, being that Christ is well known in his Jewish
community?!
Secondly: The witness of the prophets concerning the
Crucifixion of Christ prior to its occurrence by hundreds of
years. Here are some references: Ps. 22; 69; Isa. 53; Lam.
3:14, 15, 30.
Thirdly: The discourse of Christ Himself to His
disciples concerning the Crucifixion prior to its occurrence:
Matt. 20:17-19; 26:2, 21; Mark 8:31; 14:18.
Fourthly: Christ remained hanging on the Cross from
noon on Great Friday, to 3 in the afternoon, prior to giving
up the spirit. At 5, He was taken down from the Cross, and
the shrouding and the burial were concluded at 6. If there
was the least bit of doubt concerning the identity of the
Crucified, the family members or the friends of the
Crucified would have certainly objected to the error, as
some claim.
It is impossible that the personality of Christ was
confused for another, especially since He was a known
personality to all of the people at the different classes.
Fifthly: The non-Christian historical sources, such as:
•:• The Antiquities of the Jews by the Jewish
historian Josephus.

- 95 -
 •!• The detailed account of Christ's trials, which
were relied upon by ' Abbas El-aqqad in his book,
The Genius of Christ.
Sixthly: Presence of the remaining relics of the Cross,
the nails in numerous churches and museums all over the
world, and the Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of St. John the
Baptist in Turin in Italy.

90. Why do the Christians always make the Sign

of the Cross?

The Sign of the Cross is a concise summary of

Christianity, with all of its doctrines and spirituality.
If we make the Sign of the Cross, we recall in an instant
all of the meanings that are tied to the Cross with respect to
Faith in God, the unity of His nature and the Three
Hypostases, the Divinity of Christ, His Incarnation, His
Crucifixion, His Redemption, His Resurrection, and all that
pertains to these events with respect to quick salvific
blessings.
To this, we add that we make the Sign of the Cross:
1. In order to demonstrate that we are followers of
the Crucified Christ, for the Cross is the Sign of
our Saviour.
2. As a proclamation of our Christian Faith, and
our glory in the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

- 96 -
 3. As a confession of His beneficence in all of the
spiritual blessings of the New Testament.
4. For other benefits, amongst which:
•!• The expulsion of the surrounding evil
forces, for it is a terrifying Sign to the
demons.
•!• The encouragement of the faithful in
the face of trials and tribulations,
which come against their Faith.
•!• A remedy against some sins, such as
anger and lust.
•!• A power to put to an end the effects of
nature that are in opposition to us, i.e.
poison, sickness, or animals' bites.

91. What do we mean by how we make the Sign

of the Cross?

Placing the fingers on the forehead is an indication of

God the Father Who is in heaven and above all.
Moving the hand to the end of the chest and the
beginning of the stomach is an indication of the
Incarnation, and the coming down of the Son of God to the
Earth in order to redeem us.
The movement of the band from left shoulder to the
right is an indication of the effect of the Holy Spirit, Who

- 97 -
moved us from the left to the right. We then say, "One
God. Amen," to affirm the oneness of the Divine Being.
In making the Sign of the Cross, we use either:
•!• One finger in the likeness of the One God.
•!• Three fingers, which are united to symbolise
the Three in One.
•!• Five fingers, in the likeness of the five
wounds of Christ upon the Cross.

92. If Christ is God, how can we say that He

"suffered" ? Does God suffer?

We have said previously that Christ is the Incarnate

God, which means that the divine nature (divinity) and the
human nature (humanity) have united in One Person, Who
is the Master Christ.
•!• Divinity (Divine Nature)
•!• Humanity (a human body and a human soul) =

Christ
What suffered is the human body, for divinity does not
suffer. If we hammer with a hammer on metal that has been
heated by fire, the hammering will affect the metal only
without having any effect on the fire that is united to it. The
likeness here is not entirely similar.
The passions of Christ were real physical passions,
which were accompanied by psychological passions, such

- 98 -
as mockery. This is in addition to the scourging, the crown
of thorns, the gall, the carrying of the Cross, the nails, etc.

93. We say also that He "was buried." How can

He die while being God? Who governed the
universe when He was in the tomb?

God does not die, for divinity does not die.

The Master Christ, however, is not divinity alone. He is
united with humanity, which is composed of a human body
and a human soul, exactly like our human nature, which is
susceptible to death.
When He died on the Cross, He suffered death in the
flesh (in His humanity). This is why we say at the Prayer of
the Ninth Hour, "0 You Who tasted death in the flesh at
the time of the ninth hour ... "
His death was not contradictory to His divinity, because
the divinity is alive by its nature and does not die. Also, He
willed for His humanity to die as a pleasing burnt offering,
and for the redemption of the world.
As for who governed the universe while He was dead,
the answer is:
It was His divinity that was governing the universe, for
it did not die, nor was it affected at all by the death of the
flesh. The divinity is present in all places, and is also in
Heaven (John 3:13).

- 99 -
94. The last statement that was said concerning
Christ, to Him be glory, while He was on the
37
Cross, is that "He gave up the spirit." What
spirit was this?

Christ, being God, took up full humanity, being a spirit

and a body. If God had taken the body of a man without
taking a spirit, then Christ would have been a redeemer of
animals. However, He took a human body and spirit in
order to redeem man.
This full humanity (human body and spirit) is referred
to as the humanity. Of course, the human spirit is different
than the divinity.
This human spirit is what He gave up on the Cross, for
there was a separation of the human spirit and the body.
The Divinity, however, remains united to both the spirit
and the body separately.

95. Do we not say that the Divinity of Christ

parted not from His Humanity for a single
moment, nor a twinkling of an eye? How
then could He die?
The death of Christ means that His human spirit was
separated from His body, and not that His divinity was
separated from His humanity.
37
Translator's note: Matt. 27:50; Luke 23:46; John 19:30.
- 100 -
 Divinity does not die. The death pertains only to
humanity, for it is a separation of the two parts of
humanity, i.e. the spirit and the body, with the divinity
being separated for the two parts of humanity.
His Spirit was separated from His body, but His divinity
parted not from His spirit or His body.
•!• Prior to death, His divinity was united to the
spirit and body of Christ (humanity) without
any separation between them (the spirit and the
body).
•!• During death, the divinity was united to the
spirit and body of Christ, while being separated
from one another (separation of spirit and
body). After death, the divinity was united to
the spirit and body of Christ, which had been
restored to each other (the spirit was restored
the body once more).
The divinity did not ever part from the humanity either
prior to death, during, or after it.

96. What does the denial of Christ' s Crucifixion

mean?

The denial of the Crucifixion of Christ, to Him be glory,

is a denial of history, the artifacts, and the feasts. It also
ascribes to God fraud, deception, and injustice, for all of

- I 01 -
the prophecies of the Old Testament point to the death of
the Lord and His Resurrection (Heb. 10:4-12).
If Christ was not crucified, why then were the disciples,
who clung to their case in spite of their simplicity and
poverty, martyred? From where did the wisdom and power
which were in them come from?!
If Christ was not crucified, how then did Christianity
spread everywhere, transforming the hearts of men and
leading them to what is exalted and superior?
If Christ was not crucified, how can we justify the
empty sepulchre, which stands and will remain standing
over the years?
If Christ did not die, how then was worship established
in our churches and our lives, or the ancient hymns, our
rites, or our prayers?
He was truly crucified ... and truly, He is risen ...

97. Is it for us to know what the Cross means

today for the Christians?

The Cross was formerly known as an instrument of

torture and death, and a symbol for humiliation and
degradation. However, the death of Christ our Lord
transformed the Cross into a symbol of love and
redemption:

- 102 -
 "For the preaching of the Cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved in it is
the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:18).
The Crucifixion of Christ and His Death were not in
vain, because He died to redeem the sinners, and rose from
the dead to bestow life unto us. Everyone who believes in
Christ receives this new life, which is the life of victory and
conquering over evil and sin: "For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22).
It is as if every Christian person glories with the Apostle
Paul saying, "For I determined not to know any thing
among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1
Cor. 2:2).

98. Christ is risen from the dead. Is this different

from the miracles that He performed in
which He raised people from the dead?

Yes, very different. It is characterised by four unique

characteristics, which are:
1. It is a glorified resurrection. The Master arose
with a glorified body (victorious), in contrast to
those whom He raised before, for they arose
with the same human body.
2. It is a permanent resurrection, which is not
followed by death (Rom. 6:9-10). The others

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 who were raised by Him, however, all died after
some time.
3. It is a personal resurrection. This means that He
arose by His own authority, and no one else
raise Him. He arose, and was not raised.
4. It is a wondrous resurrection, which is
unparalleled, for it is a victory over sin and
death.

99. How do we count the three days, which were

spent by the Master Christ in the tomb?

In order to count these days, we must affirm the

following truths:
Firstly: In the numbering of days, some of the day, or
part of it, is considered as the whole day. This is similar to
the figure of speech-known in grammar as
38
"synechdoche" - where a part expresses the whole, and the
whole expresses a part.
Secondly: The body of the Lord was placed in the tomb
on Friday, before the setting of the sun. He rose early

38
Translator 's note: "synechdoche (/s1'm;kdala/), n.: (Grammar and Rhetoric)
A figure by which a more comprehensive term is used for a less
comprehensive or vice versa; as whole for part or part for whole, genus for
species or species for genus, etc." (OED Online. September 201 3. Oxford
University Press. 16 October 201 3.).
- 104 -
Sunday morning. So, the duration spent by the Master
Christ in the tomb is as follows:
Part of Friday is counted as a day.
All of Saturday is counted as a day.
Part of Sunday is counted as a day.
The time span, then, is considered as three days and
three nights. This is according to the Talmud, which is
deemed by the Jews as the holiest book after the Book of
God, which says,
The adding of an hour to a day is counted
as another day. The adding of a day to the
year is counted as another year.
This expression is valid until this very day. Based on
this, it can be rightly said that the Master Christ remained
in the tomb three days and three nights.

100. For Christians, did Sunday draw its

importance from the resurrection of the
Master Christ?

Yes. Saturday used to be the day of worship and rest in

the Old Testament, i.e. before the corning of the Master
Christ. The Hebrew word "sabbath" itself means "rest" 39
(Exod. 20:8-11), and that is why the keeping of the

39
Translator's note: shabath, v.: to rest, to keep as a day of rest; to cease, to
desist, leave off(cf. Gesenius ' Hebrew-Cha/dee Lexicon.).
- l 05 -
Sabbath, to the Jews, was part of the Mosaic Law, and
whoever kept the Sabbath was obliged to keep the whole
Law.
After the coming of the Master Christ, the Christians
were not bound to keep the Sabbath, because salvation is
through Christ, and not by the keeping of the Law. So,
Sunday became the Day of the Lord for a number of
reasons:
A. The Glorious Resurrection of the Christ was on
Sunday (1 Cor. 15:4).
B. The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples
was on Sunday (Acts 2:4).
C. Sunday was the day of the Lord's Supper since
the foundation of the Church (Acts 20:7).
D. Sunday was the day to collect the Church's
offerings since the foundation of the Church ( 1
Cor. 16:2).
E. Sunday is referred to in Holy Scripture as the Day
of the Lord (Rev. 1: 10).
F. The Early Church and Her Fathers kept this
Tradition very clearly.

- 106 -
101. Which books to we refer to when we say,
"according to the Scriptures"?

The books are Holy Scripture. The Hebrew word

40
"cepher" means "book," i.e. the Books of Holy Scripture,
with all the prophecies and signs contained therein which
point to the truth of the Resurrection, and which attest to it.
Here are some examples:
•:• "I lay down and slept; I awaked" (Ps. 3:5 LXX).
•:• "[I]n the third day He will raise us up" (Hos. 6:2).
•:• Being in the belly of the whale for three days (Jon.).
•:• "[R]aised again [on] the third day'' (Matt. 16:21).
•:• Who will deliver Hirn to the Jews (Luke 22:3, 4).
•:• "O death, where is thy sting? 0 grave, where is thy
victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55).

102. Is the "Gospel of Barnabas" among these

books?

Definitely not. There is no real gospel that bears the

name of Barnabas. It is merely a book that is full of lies and
slander, charged with lies and fantasies. It was written by a
non-Christian man about the sixteenth century, and first
appeared in Andalusia in Spain. It was written in Italian,

40
Translator's note: cepher, n.: writing; a writing; a book (c f. Gesenius'
Hebrew-Cha/dee Lexicon. ).
- 107 -
and then translated to Spanish in a hostile attack against
Christianity. It infixed sayings and claims to the Master
Christ, to Him be glory, which were never uttered. It was
eventually translated into English and other languages.
Based on much evidence, it seems that its author
converted from his original faith, Judaism, in Spain. There,
he wrote this book out of his unsound imagination, and
with a desire for fame. So, he gave it the name "gospel."
There are many insupportable errors therein. For example,
the author refers to the cities of Nazareth and Jerusalem as
ports on the Red Sea, even though it is known that they are
in Palestine.
A proof that this book is a modem forgery is its
inclusion in many matters that pertain to the Italian customs
of the Middle Ages, and was quoted by the Italian writer
Dante (1265-1321) in his epic poem, The Divine Comedy.
It also contains much that is offensive to the different
religions. The Concise Arabic Encyclopedia, which was
edited by Mr. Mohammed Shafik Ghorbal, refers to it as
being "a forged book that was authored in Europe in the
15th century ... There are many grave errors in its
description of the political and religious milieus of The
Holy Land in the days of Christ" (page 354, column A).

- 108 -
103. Why is it necessary to have Four Gospels in
the New Testament? Was one Gospel not
sufficient?

Firstly, the word "evangelion" (Gospel) itself is Greek,

41
which means good news, or glad tidings. It is repeated 72
times in the New Testament, 54 of which are in the Epistles
of the Apostle Paul, and it conveys the news of the joyous
salvation, which was offered to us by God in His Son Jesus
Christ, to enter with us into the Bosom of His Father by His
Holy Spirit.
The New Testament begins with four books, which are
known as the Four Gospels, which proclaim to us the good
news of salvation in the Redeemer Jesus Christ.
These Four Gospels bear the names of their writers:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They are amongst the
Disciples of Christ, and this is why, for example, the
Gospel will be referred to as the "Gospel of (according to)
Matthew" = The Proclamation of Matthew = the glad
tidings which were relayed to us by the Apostle Matthew
concerning the life of Our Lord Jesus. Thus, these joyous
gospels were written by four evangelists, each with his
unique language and method, as was inspired by the
guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Tim. 3: 16).

41
Translator's note: evangelion, n.: a reward for good tidings; good tidings
(cf Thayer 's Greek lexicon.).
- 109 -
 In reality, it is One Gospel (four accounts written by
four witnesses) that speaks of the life of One Person, Who
is Our Lord Jesus Christ, and one work, which is God's
redemption of mankind. This in itself is an affirmation of
its reliability, truth, and precision.
This does not mean that each cannot have its own
unique characteristic. The Four Gospels shape four sides of
one frame, inside of which is one object, being the life of
the Master Christ, the God Who has appeared in the flesh.
In this form, they complete one another. For example:
•!• Matthew the Evangelist wrote primarily to the
Jews concerning Christ the King.
•!• Mark the Evangelist wrote primarily to the
Romans concerning the Mighty Christ.
•!• Luke the Evangelist wrote primarily to the
Greek concerning Christ, the Son of Man.
•!• John the Evangelist wrote primarily to the whole
world concerning Christ, the Incarnate God.

104. Are we to understand from this that the

Master Christ is not the author of the
Gospel?

The Holy Gospel did not come down already written, as

some may believe, nor did Christ, to Him be glory, write it.
The Gospel was written by means of holy men of God, i.e.

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the Disciples and Apostles of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who
were inspired by God to write:
All scripture is given by inspiration of
God ... That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
For the prophecy came not in old time by
the will of man: but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2
Pet. 1:21)
Our Lord Jesus Christ came to instruct first by His
Holy Person. This is why we call Him the "Son of Man,"
meaning the Friend of Man Who searches for him in order
to bestow upon him the gift of precious salvation.

105. Were the Disciples of the Master Christ

El-Hawarion? Why were they referred to as
such?

Yes, El-Hawarion are the Disciples of Our Lord Jesus

Christ, who were called and chosen by Him, and who
conversed with Him for the duration of His ministry on
Earth. After His ascension, they went out preaching,
according to the commission that was given them by Christ
when He said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the
Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is

- 11 1 -
baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned" (Mark 16:15-16).
They were called "El-Hawarion", due to the purity and
goodness of their hearts and disposition. The word hawarey
means counsellor; guide; one with a pure heart. Given that
the Disciples of Christ were adorned with such traits, they
were referred to as "El-Hawarion".

106. If the punishment of sin is death, and Christ

died for us on the Cross and saved us, why
then do we die?

Christ, to Him be glory, saved us from:

1. Spiritual Death: i.e. Separation from God.
"We were reconciled to God by the death of
His Son" (Rom. 5:10).
2. Moral Death: He restored to us our dignity by
making us children of God ( 1 John 3: 1), and
temples of His Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6: 19).
3. Eternal Death: We were granted eternal life
by the death of Christ (John 3: 16), and this is
the foundation of salvation.
As for physical death, which is the separation of the
spirit from the body, it was no longer deemed as a real
death, but a departure. It used to be a punishment when,
regardless of how man lived his life, his spirit sent to Hades

- 112 -
after departing the Earth. Now, however, it is no longer a
punishment, but rather a golden bridge through which we
are moved to the blissful eternity, and are made worthy of a
greater life.
It is the natural way, which leads us to the glories of the
Resurrection. It is common sense that existence in the
material earthly body is not the ideal existence for man.

107. What is the status of Christ's Resurrection in

our Christian Faith?

By the Resurrection, salvation, which the Lord desired

to accomplish by His Incarnation and Crucifixion, is
fulfilled.
The Resurrection is the sign of success of God's striving
to deliver (save) man, which is why it is the "foundation
stone" of our Christian Faith, and our preaching of Christ.
It is the heart of the Christian Faith and the spiritual life,
and it is also the centre of our ritual arrangement. Every
Sunday is a Feast of the Resurrection, and every Liturgy is
a continuation of it.
The Resurrection of the Lord confirmed for us the
divinity of Christ. He is risen, and did not, and will not, die.
This is in contrast to all those who arose before or after
Hirn, for death exercised its authority over them, and they
died once again, in anticipation of the general resurrection.

- 113 -
 As for the Lord, He is risen definitively, being the Lord
of Life Who could not be contained by death.
Based on this understanding, believers began to despise
death, because Christ trampled down death by His death.
He bestows upon everyone victory over death, after He had
overcome Satan, and bound Him with eternal chains in
darkness.

108. Before we speak about the Ascension of the

Master Christ, is it true that He spent a
duration of His life-between the age of 12 to
30-in India, after which He returned to
Palestine to continue His general ministry,
which is recorded in the Gospel?

This did not happen at all. There is no evidence or

reference whatsoever that the Master Christ went to India,
or elsewhere in the Far East.
Holy Scripture does not mention that the Master Christ
travelled any further than Egypt at the time of His infancy,
being accompanied by St. Joseph the Carpenter and Holy
Virgin Mary. Their journey was to flee from King Herod,
who had ordered the slaughter of any child two years old
and under (Matt. 2).
Holy Scripture mentions also that, during His general
ministry, He had travelled to coasts of Tyre and Sidon in

- 114 -
Lebanon, where He preached and performed miracles
(Matt. 15; Mark 7).
As for the duration between the age of 12 to 30 of the
life of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh on Earth, they
were spent in the city of Nazareth in Palestine, where He
was known by the people of His city. He worked amongst
them as a carpenter, and they knew His mother. This was
until His thirtieth year, which is the age of maturity for
men, according to the Jews. No one can be accepted as a
member of the Jewish council, or to become a teacher (i.e.
rabbi), unless he is of this age of maturity, or manhood.

109. What do we mean when we say, "[He]

ascended into the heavens, He sits at the
right hand of His Father''? Does God have a
right and a left?

Firstly: This article is taken from Holy Scripture: "So

then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was
received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of
God" (Mark 16:19).
This phrase was repeated fifteen times in the New
Testament, which indicates its importance.
See, for example: Matt. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69.
Secondly: Because God is uncircumscribable, He is
thus not bound by right or left, nor does He ascend or

- 115 -
descend, because He is present everywhere and fills all
things.
Thirdly: Christ, to Him be glory, ascended in His
glorified body, and sat on the Throne of Divine Majesty in
Heaven by His resurrected body. In this regards, "right" is
nothing more than a figurative expression which indicates,
in human language, the greatest and most superior place in
Heaven. It is a symbol of might, greatness, and
righteousness. That is, Christ has entered into His glory
(Luke 24:26), and has settled in this power.
The expression "ascend" is the leaving behind of the
first descent, when He emptied Himself, returning to His
true glory and majesty, which are befitting Him (John
3:13). It is important to note here that the seating of the Son
at the right hand of the Father was said, not concerning the
Judgement, regarding His ascension into heaven (cf. Matt.
25 :31-46).

110. Did the Master Christ ascend to heaven with

the same body in which He rose from the
dead?

Yes, for when the Master Christ, to Him be glory, rose

from the dead by the authority of His divinity, He rose with
a real body. It is itself the same body in which He tasted
death for the sake of the redemption for the salvation of

- 116 -
humanity (that is after being glorified i.e taking a spiritual
body). There are many evidences for this, amongst which:
1. He maintained in His body the marks of the nails,
and the spear wound, as was witnessed by the
disciples, then the Apostle Thomas (John 20:26-
29). He kept the marks of the nails and the spear in
His humanity.
2. He appeared to seven of the disciples, and ate with
them (John 21: 1-4). Inspite of eating is not the
nature of the glorified body, but He did that to
prove to them that He is not a spirit nor a ghost.
3. He remained for 40 days after His resurrection,
appearing to His disciples as a living proof, prior to
His ascension (Luke 24:5-52). He ascending before
them in His humanity.

111. Will Our Master Christ, to Him be glory,

remain in His body forever?

The Master Christ ascended bodily, and that is how He

was seen, openly and visibly, by everyone. He entered into
Heaven with the sacrifice of Himself, as a Redeemer, with
His body still belonging to him. When He was witnessed
by John the Seer, He was seen in His body, as is evident
from the different expressions which were recorded in the
first chapter of the Book of Revelation.

- 117 -
 The significance that can be drawn from this is that
Christ, to Him be glory, took our human nature, and united
it to Himself. He ascended with it into glory, and seated us
on the Throne, which is why we say in the Divine Liturgy,
"Thou hast brought my first fruit up to heaven." This is
the pinnacle of Christ's work for us.
What is important for us to know is that this body
cannot contain the splendour of divinity on earth. He
concealed His divinity in His humanity, and on the
Mountain of the Transfiguration, He allowed for the glory
to shine forth with measure, relative to the real and full
glory which is His in heaven, and in which He was seen by
John the Seer.
These images of majesty were witnessed by some of the
prophets, such as Ezekiel and Daniel, prior to the
Incarnation.

112. We know from before that the Incarnation

and the Resurrection were for our salvation.
However, what was the Ascension for?

It is for us also, for it is the crowning of the redemptive

act.
We have said before that it was not possible for man to
reach God had it not been for God's descent to man in
order to draw him near (John 3: 13). So, the way to heaven,

- 11 8 -
i.e. the divine life, was opened for us when Christ ascended
into heaven to prepare for us a place, and in order to be for
us an everlasting intercessor before the Father.
He ascended in order to raise humanity with Him. His
bodily ascension is also for the participation of our
humanity in living with Him.
As for the spiritual significance:
The Ascension of Christ is an invitation to us to ascend
and rise above all that is earthly, material, and temporal.
Our hearts are to aspire towards the reaching of that
wonderful homeland, where we will inherit, reign, and
delight.

113. Why will He come again?

As can be seen from the Creed, Christ the Master, to

Him be glory, has a Second Coming, where He will come
to judge humanity for all that they have done.
This Second Coming is fundamentally different in its
aim from the First Coming, of which we say in the Creed,
"Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down
from heaven."
The First Coming:
Was for our salvation, and that is why Christ came in
the form of a Redeemer.
As for the Second Coming:

- 119 -
 It is for the General Judgement, and that is why Christ
will come in it in the form of a Judge. Scripture says, "For
the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father
with His angels; and then He shall reward every man
according to his works" (Matt. 16:27).
This means that the General Judgement will follow the
Second Coming.
See also: Acts 1:11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1Pet.4:5; Rev. 14:10;
22:12.
Christ spoke many times concerning the Second
Coming, which is awesome and full of glory. This is the
hope that has been lived by the Church over the ages.
The Second Coming is a comfort for the oppressed, a
release for those in trials, and a harbour for those in the
desolate wilderness.

114. Does this mean that there is no judgement

immediately after death?

The righteous will not be rewarded with the Eternal

Heavenly Kingdom, nor will the wicked be condemned to
eternal suffering until after the Day of Judgement, when all
those who have fallen asleep will rise bodily, but not
immediately after death.
The Lord Jesus revealed this in John 5:28-29.

- 120 -
 The Apostle Paul also says, "[T)he day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgement of God; Who will
render to every man according to his deeds" (Rom. 2:5-
6).
He says also, "For we must all appear before the
judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive
the things done in his body, according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10).
The body of man and his spirit participated in the good,
or bad, works. How, then, can the justice of God allow
punishment, or reward, without the body that is asleep and
is dust in the tomb, immediately after death?!
See also: 1 Pet. 5:4; Rev. 6:9-11.

115. On what basis will the Judgement take

place?

We have said that the Master Christ will be the Judge,

meaning that we will stand before Him to be judged.
However, this Judge loves us, and has died for us (Rom.
5:6-8). Just as this Judge is merciful and loving, He is also
just. He will deal with us according to our deeds and
intentions. Thus, our judgement will be difficult, and will
be tied to events of love and charity, and will be revealed in
our dealings with the sick, strangers, prisoners, and the
afflicted on earth, for in those the Master dwells.

- I 21 -
 Therefore, the scale will be the measure of our love,
dedication to His service, and the ministering to those who
were created in His image and likeness (1 John 3:14). God
is love (1 John 4:7-9), and he who does not love has no
fellowship with God. Thus, his fate will consequently be
Gehenna and eternal torment (Matt. 25:41-46).

116. Why is Christ, to Him be glory, the Judge?

Christ, to Him be glory, is the Judge, because, "[T]he

Father judgeth no man, but bath committed all
judgement unto the Son" (John 5:22).
He is the Judge, because He acquired us with His blood
(Rev. 5 :9; 1 Pet. 1: 18-19) out of His love, in order to
redeem us from corruption. Who, then, can judge us, except
Our Master to Whom we belong?
He is the Judge, because He died for us, after having
united with our nature, in order to set us free from the
corruption of sin. He rose, having paid the price of
redemption, and ascended into heaven. He is now
interceding for us before the Divine Justice (Rom. 8:34).
Man must be judged by another man like him, except
without flaw or sin. This is so that man would not protest to
God about the great difference that cannot be gapped
between God and man. This is why the Son of Man-Christ,
to Him be glory-is the Judge.

- 122 -
117. What does t he commandment of the
Master Christ, "Judge not, t hat ye be not
judged" (Matt. 7:1), mean?

We have said that judgement is the concern of God

alone, and it is not for us to look at the transgressions of
others, forgetting our own. Or, that we condemn others,
while justifying ourselves when we do the very same thing.
According to this commandment of Christ, judgement here
becomes a sin for which we will have to give an account.
If our aim is the rehabilitation of others, let this be in
love, which covers their lapses and trespasses (I Pet. 4:8).
As such, we should love all men as the Lord Jesus loves us,
leaving judgement to God alone, Who is the Just Judge that
sees what is concealed in the hearts. He will judge
everyone according to His Will.

118. Can you please outline concisely the events

of the Second Coming?
Some of the chapters of the New Testament outline
some of the final signs of the Coming of Christ in
wonderful detail. They can be outlined as follows:
a) The appearance of the Sign of the Son of Man (the
Cross) (Matt. 24:30).
b) The coming of Christ in His glory on the clouds: (Matt.
24: 30; Luke 21: 27; I Thess. 3:13).

- 123 -
 c) The great sound of the trumpet by the archangel to
proclaim the Judgement (Matt. 24:31 ).
d) The rising of the dead from the graves (1 Thess. 4:16).
e) The changing of the living in a moment (1 Cor. 15:52).
It is worthy to note that these events will occur
simultaneously, and suddenly. When man dies, the body
will return to dust (Gen, 3:19), and the spirit will return to
God (Eccles. 12:7-8). It will either be commended to the
paradise of joy, the waiting place of the righteous, if it was
good (Luke 23:43); or to Gehenna, or the abyss, the waiting
place of the wicked, if it was evil (Luke 16:23).
The spirits will remain in their respective place, and the
bodies will remain in the dust, until the day of the General
Judgement, when the angels will sound the trumpet, and the
bodies will rise, after their spirit entering them, and the
bodies will be changed to a spiritual form (1 Cor. 15: 42-
44).
We will then meet the Lord in the air (1 Thess. 4: 17),
when He comes in His glory with His angels (Matt. 25:31).
He will be seated on the Throne of His glory, and will
judge everyone according to the deeds that they
accomplished on earth, be they good or bad. He will send
the righteous to eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, and
the wicked to everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46).

- 124-
119. Did the Lord delay His coming?

All of time, for God, is as one day. Given that the

meaning of the word "day" is "the present," there is no past
or future for God. Both are present before God (2 Pet. 3:8).
A thousand years for man is as one day for God, if
compared to the eternity that has no end. This means that if
the Resurrection of Christ took place two thousand years
ago, then it is as if they were two days to the Lord.
So, Christ the Lord did not delay His coming, but He is
being patient on humanity, in order to grant it an
opportunity for repentance and salvation; "account that
the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation" (2 Pet. 3:15).
In the final chapter of the Book of Revelation, the
Master Christ affirms the swiftness of His coming, so that
we may not be overcome by trials and tribulations, or lose
the certainty of the triumph and the conquering (Rev. 22:7,
12, 20).

120. I have heard some say that Christ will come

to rule for a thousand years . Is this true?

This is not true. The expression "Millennial Rule,"

according to the Faith of our Church and all of the other
apostolic churches, is figurative, and not literal. It means
that the Master Christ has ruled over the hearts of the

- 125 -
believers from the time of His death on the Cross, to His
Second Corning for Judgement.
This means that we now live in this time. It is also know
that the number 1000 is amongst the numbers of perfection.
The Millennial Rule began when the Lord reigned
from a Wood, 42 becoming truly the "King of Kings, and
Lord of Lords" (Rev. 19:16), and we became His
subjects, Who is our King and Captain of our Salvation43 .
He is a Spiritual King, and not material.
There is no other rule, as is thought by some, in a
material fashion that they desire. That would be
disparaging to Christ's present rule in the Church.

121. What does "Whose Kingdom shall have no

end" mean?

In order to truly understand the Kingdom of Christ, we

must first know what are the First and Second
Resurrections, and what are the first and second deaths?
The First Death is the death of sin (Eph. 5:11).
The First Resurrection is the life of repentance (John
5:24-25).

42
Translator's note: According to the Coptic and LXX translations of Ps.
95: 1O; "Say among the nations that the Lord has reigned from a Wood"
(cf. Agpeya, The Ninth Hour Prayer) .
43
Translator's note: Cf. Heb. 2: 10.
- 126 -
 The Second Death is the torment of Gehenna, which
comes as a result of man's indulgence in sin without
repentance (Rev. 20:12-14).
The Second Resurrection is either the resurrection
unto life, or the resurrection unto condemnation, in the
coming of the Son of Man (John 5:28-29).
This means that Christ's Kingdom is spiritual, and
without end. It began on the Cross, and continues unto
eternity, without end. This negates the notion that the
Kingdom is determined by a timely duration, with a
beginning and an end, as we just said.

122. Does not speaking of matters which pertain

to the End of Times invoke fear?

The matter is not so, for the Final Day will be fearful for
the wicked (2 Pet. 3:7-1 2), but will be a day that is full of
glory for the faithful, for the Master will make all things
new (Rev. 21:5).
The End of Times should not invoke fear, for it is the
day that follows the night, and through Baptism, we have
entered the new world which is to come (2 Cor. 5: 17).
Speaking of the End of Times should invoke us to watch
and to be constantly vigilant, preparing in prayer for the
joyous hour when the Son of Man will come.

- 127 -
123. Some say that the First Ecumenical Council,
which set forth the Creed, did not speak of
anything except the Divinity of the Father
and the Son . It was only in a subsequent
council that it was deemed that the Holy
Spirit should be added to Them. Is this
true?

The Council of Nicaea, in 325, stated, "Truly, we

believe in One God: God the Father, the Pantocrator. .. We
believe in One Lord: Jesus Christ. .. We believe in the Holy
Spirit. " 44
It spoke concerning the Three Persons, but not in great
detail concerning the Person of the Holy Spirit, because the
Council's primary concern was to respond to the Arian
heresy concerning the Person of the Son.
When the Council of Constantinople convened in 381, it
elaborated on the article concerning the Holy Spirit in
response to the heresy of a man named Macedonius, who
appeared after Arius. By this, the formulation of the Creed
in its present form was completed.

44
Translator's note: Cf. "The Nicene Creed." The Seven Ecumenical
Councils of the Undivided Church. Henry R. Percival, ed. Peabody,
Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1995. NPNF, Ser. 2, Vol.
14. 3.
- 128 -
 11
124. What does the article, [T]he Lord, the Giver
of Life," mean?

It is a sentence which is used to confess the divinity of

the Holy Spirit, in response to the heresy of Macedonius,
who claimed that the Holy Spirit is a creature like the
angels, and come forth from the Father and the Son (in
time). Therefore, He is not eternal.
The meaning of this article can be made clear through
two points:
Firstly: The Holy Spirit is called, "the Giver of Life,"
because He gives the true life to every living being, i.e. He
is the One Who grants the breath of life (Gen. 2:7).
Secondly: He is the One Who bestows upon us the life
of grace, i.e. He is the only means of the sanctification of
the believers (Rom. 8:13; 2 Pet. 1:21), as in the Seven
Mysteries of the Church.

11
125. What is meant by, Who proceeds from the
Father"?

The Orthodox churches repeat the Creed, saying

concerning the Holy Spirit that He "proceeds from the
Father." Procession is an eternal act of the Father, as was
said by the Master Christ, to Him be glory.

- 129 -
 The Catholics confused "procession" and "sending
forth" by adding, "Who proceeds from the Father and
the Son." This is a great theological error, because the
sending is a temporal act which was done on the Day of
Pentecost, when the Son sent the Holy Spirit to the world;
"But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth,
Which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of
Me" (John 15:26).
So, procession from the Father is an eternal act, which is
not tied to a place. As for the sending forth, it is from the
Father and Son, and is a temporal act that is connected to a
place. Although the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father
alone, He is at the same time in the same essence with the
Father and the Son without any separation.

126. Why do we affirm the worship and

glorification of the Holy Spirit?

Worship is a confession of the Holy Spirit' s divinity,

because worship is due to God alone, according to the
commandment, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and Him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10).
Worship is connected to the prayers in which the
Church, in all of Her rites and Mysteries, invokes the Holy
Spirit, be it Baptism, Myron (Chrismation), Eucharist,

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Repentance and Confession, Marriage, Priesthood, or the
Unction of the Sick.
It is worthy to note that the Church, on the day of the
Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, prays at the Ninth
Hour (3 P.M.) the Office of Kneeling, and so, according to
this order, the Church receives the work of the Holy Spirit
while She is kneeling. It was called the Office of the
Kneeling, because most of its prayers are done while the
people are lmeeling.
All of this is in negation of the claims of Macedonius
the Heresiarch, who taught that the Holy Spirit is a creature
(i.e. not God), and is therefore not of one essence with the
Father and the Son. This teaching is contradictory to Holy
Scripture, as it is lmown that the Spirit of God is nothing
other than His life; "God is a Spirit: and they that
worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth"
(John 4:23).
Also, Christ's commission to His disciples, "Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the Name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt.
28: 19), is evident that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are
Three Hypostases of One God.

- 131 -
127. Is it possible to say that Christians worship
the Three Hypostases together?

Yes, we offer our worship to the Three Hypostases. We

say, for example, "0 Holy Trinity, have mercy on us."
We can also offer our prayer to one Hypostasis. For
example, we say:
•:• "Let us give thanks to the beneficent and
merciful. .. God the Pantocrator, the Father"
(Prayer of Thanksgiving).
•:• "[T]ear away the handwriting of our sins, 0
Christ our God and deliver us" (Sixth Hour
Prayer).
•:• "O Heavenly King, the Paraclete, the Spirit of
Truth, Who is in every place ... " (Third Hour
Prayer).
This is all meant to demonstrate the equality of the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and their participation in our
salvation.

128. What does, "Who spoke by the prophets,"

mean?

It means the One Who inspires the prophets to speak

and teach.

- 132 -
 The word "inspire" carries the meaning of "the Spirit."
It is intended to convey the Divine Truth, i.e. the Divine
Teachings, by way of man, whereby the Holy Spirit makes
the writer (prophet, apostle, or disciple) infallible, i.e. free
from error, but leaves him the freedom of expression.
The Holy Spirit makes the writer infallible in what he
writes. However, the life of the writer itself is not devoid of
error and lapses. There is no deprivation of freedom for the
writer in either expression or writing. Traditionally, we
paint halos of light around the heads of the saints, to
symbolise the Holy Spirit Who has descended upon them.

129. What is meant by the word "prophet/' and

how many are there of them in Holy
Scripture?

The word "prophet" 1s derived from the verb "to

prophecy." He is the person who speaks, or writes, what is
in his heart, without this being from himself or from his
own thoughts, but is derived from the counsel of God' s
Holy Spirit. 45
Holy Scripture mentions more than 40 prophet, 16 of
whom wrote prophetic books in the Old Testament. This is
45
Translator's note: nabiy ', n.: a prophet. With the idea of a prophet there
was this necessarily attached, that he spoke not his own words, but those
which he had divinely received, and that he was the messenger of God,
and the declarer of His will. (cf. Gesenius · Hebrew-Cha/dee Lexicon.).
- 133 -
in addition to the names of some female prophets, such as
Miriam, the sister of Moses the Prophet (Exod. 15:20),
Deborah (Judg. 4:4), etc.
The prophets are typically men of the Most High God,
who were sent throughout the ages in order to relay certain
messages to the people. This was done through rebuking,
warning, teaching, or otherwise. Some declared their
message orally, and some through writing.

130. Is Christ's promise of sending the Holy Spirit

(Acts 1:4-8} a sign of another coming that is
after His?

Some place a great importance on this promise,

claiming that the Master Christ, to Whom be glory,
prophesied concerning the corning of another when He
promised that He would send the Holy Spirit.
This deceitful perspective is erroneous, misleading, and
completely unacceptable for a number of reasons. The most
important are:
•!• Existential Error:
The Master Christ promised His Disciples a
"Spirit," and not a person or a man. This is
precisely what took place on the Day of Pentecost,
when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Disciples
in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2).

- 134 -
 •:• Historical Error:
The Master Christ promised that He would send
the Holy Spirit after a few days (Acts 1:5). This
promise coincides with what happened
historically, when the Holy Spirit descended on the
Disciples only ten days after the Ascension of
Christ, to Him be glory. At the same time, it does
not coincide whatsoever with what happened
historically, more than five or six centuries, after
the Nativity of the Master Christ.
•:• Linguistic Error:
When the Master Christ spoke concerning the
sending of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, He used
the Greek word parakletos (Comforter). It is a
legal word, which refers to one who stands in court
to defend (John 16:8).46 Some writers confused the
matter, and mistook it for another Greek word,
which is periklytos (illustrious; praised). This
linguistic confusion caused some to understand
erroneously that the Master Christ was referring to
another, but this did not happen at all.

46
Translator's note: parakletos, n.: one who pleads another's cause before a
judge, a pleader, counsel for defence, legal assistant; an advocate; one
who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor; a helper, succorer,
aider, assistant. (cf. Thayer's Greek Lexicon.).
- 135 -
131. Can the Holy Spirit work in unbelievers? Is
this supported from Holy Scripture?

Yes, the Holy Spirit works in unbelievers so that they

may believe. How else would they believe if the Holy
Spirit does not work in them?!
Holy Scripture says, "[N]o man can say that Jesus is
the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:3). The
story of the baptism of Cornelius (unbeliever) supports this
(Acts 10:44-45).
An Important Note :
The work of the Holy Spirit for Faith is one thing, and
His permanent dwelling in the believer is another. The
Holy Spirit can work in the heart of an unbelieving person
in order to call him to the Faith, or to perform a miracle for
him, or a miracle that would be a means to his believing.
However, after he believes, he must be baptised and receive
the anointing of the Holy Myron in order for the Holy
Spirit to work, and dwell in him permanently.

132. What does the word "Church" mean

linguistically and terminologically?

The origin of the word is Hebrew, which is taken from

the word kanzsa, and it means "congregation," or

- 136 -
"assembly."47 Some say that its origin is Greek, ekklesia,
which means the place of the calling. 48
The term "Church" has three meanings:
•!• Place:
The place where the believers congregate, and
where the Holy Spirit dwells amongst them. It is
the building which is consecrated for that purpose
(Acts 11 :26).
•!• Clergy:
The orders of the priesthood that are responsible
for the ecclesiastical work (Matt. 18: 17).
•!• People:
The gathering of the believers throughout the
world (Matt. 18:20), which lives a holy life, and
participates in the Divine Mysteries that are
performed by the Holy Priesthood.

As for the expression "Coptic Orthodox Church" :

It means the Egyptian Church that is upright in teaching,
because Her Faith and doctrine have not changed since Her
inception at the time of the Apostles themselves. She was
established by the Holy Apostle Mark in the first century.

47
Translator 's note: qehil/ah, n.: an assembly (c f. Gesenius' Hebrew-Cha/dee
Lexicon.).
48
Translator 's note: ekklesia, n. (fr. ekklftos: called out or forth): a gathering
of citizens called out from their homes into some public place; an
assembly (cf. Thayer 's Greek Lexicon.).
- 137 -
133. What is the function of the Church in the
world?

The mission of the Church is purely spiritual,

completely separate from the politics of the world. The
spiritual mission entails the following:
•!• Prayer and teaching.
•!• The practice of the Mysteries, as means of
Grace.
•!• The authority to loose and bind sins.
•!• The spreading of peace, and the ministry of
reconciliation.
•!• The witnessing to Christ in all places and time.
•!• Spiritual care. Her aim is to prepare all those
who believe for the Kingdom of Heaven, and
Eternal Life.

134. What are the characteristics of this Church,

according to Her doctrine?

There are four main characteristics of the Church, which

are repeated in the Creed:
One:
(Rom. 12:5). Her Christ is one, and the faithful are one
body, having a common Faith, communion in the same

- 138 -
Mysteries, and are subject to One Head, Who is Christ, to
Him be glory.
Holy:
(Eph. 5:25-27). Her Founder is Christ, Who is the Holy
of Holies. Her members are called to be holy, and She
separtes from Her choirs the guileful and the heretic, like
Arius, Macedonius, and others.
Catholic:
(Matt. 13:47, 48). She gathers many nations, be they
from the Old Covenant, or the New; from the Sojourning
Church (on earth), or the Dominant Church (in heaven).
Apostolic:
(Eph. 2:20). Her Faith is built upon the foundation of
the Apostle's Faith and teachings, which were received
from the Master Christ Himself, to Him be glory.

135. I have heard the expression, "The Church,

the Body of Christ." What does that mean?

This expression is taken from Holy Scripture: "So we,

being many, are one body in Christ" (Rom. 12:5).
It is said to indicate the close link between Christ and
the Church. In the words of St. Ignatius of Antioch,
"[W]herever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic
Church." 49
49
Translator's note: 1n Epistle to Smyrnaeans 8.
- 139 -
 The Church and Her Founder are inseparable. The
Church is Christ with us, and Christ did not leave the
Church when He ascended to heaven, because He promised
that He would be with us always, and unto the end of the
world (Matt. 28:20; 18:20).
The expression, "the Body of Christ," demonstrates that
the Church is united in the Mystery of Thanksgiving
(Communion), because the Eucharist is what creates the
unity of the Church (1Cor.10:17; Col. 1:24).

136. What did the Master Christ mean when He

said to the Apostle Peter, "[T] hou art Peter;
and upon this rock I will build My Church"
(Matt: 16:18)?

The Master Christ made this statement when the

Apostle Peter, in the presence of the Disciples, made his
great confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
Living God" (Matt. 16:16).
The Master Christ meant by the rock the Faith that was
proclaimed by the Disciples in the person of the Apostle
Peter, and not at all the person of Peter.
In the New Testament, as well as the Old Testament,
there are many references to Christ being the Rock and the
Chief Cornerstone in the building of the Church: 2 Sam.
22:2; Ps. 18:31; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:4, 5, 7. The Disciples,

- 140 -
then, are the stones, or pillars, of the building of the Church
and Her foundation.
It is noteworthy that the Catholic Church explains these
verses incorrectly by referring to Peter as being the rock
upon which Christ establishes His Church! From this
explanation, it began to claim that the Pope of Rome is
entitled to preside over all of the Christian churches
throughout the world, given that Peter is the first bishop of
Rome. so This explanation is rejected by our Orthodox
Church, because it 1s unacceptable Scripturally,
linguistically, historically, or spiritually.

137. How can we say "One Church" when the

Church is divided into many denominations
and factions?

The Church enjoyed unity in the first centuries, and Her

patristic ethos was, "[O]ne heart and one soul" (Acts
4:32).
However, as time passed, divisions and schisms seeped
in, and the heresiarchs were separated from the Church. In
turn, they lost their membership in the Church, but the
Church never lost Her unity.
50
Translator's note: See Eusebius' Ecclesiastical Histo1y: "After the
martyrdom of Paul and of Peter, Linus was the first to obtain the
episcopate of the church at Rome. Paul mentions him, when writing to
Timothy from Rome, in the salutation at the end of the epistle" (3.2).
- 141 -
 Now, there are many faithful attempts, from a number
of directions, to bring about the unity of the Church. They
all revolve around the theme of "Ecumenical Unity." These
efforts have resulted in many positive advances, and their
results will be revealed in the near future.
The vital issue that must be understood, however, is that
the unity of the churches should be in Faith, doctrine, and
teaching before it is realised externally. This is what is
pleasing to the heart of Christ, to Him be glory, as He
revealed it in His final prayer (John 17: 11 ). We too desire
this when we recite the Creed.

138. Please provide a concise summary of the

Church's divisions throughout the centuries.

The Church remained one until 451, when the tragic

Council of Chalcedon convened. The One Church was
divided over the nature of the Master Christ into East and
West.
In 1054, the Byzantine churches (includes Greeks,
Russians, etc.) and the Western Catholic Church separated
over the addition of the clause "and the Son" to the Creed.51

51
Translator's note: Traditionally referred to as the Filioque; "We believe in
the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the
Father and the Son" (emphasis mine).
- 142 -
 In the sixteenth century, Protestantism appeared as a
reaction to Catholic extremes. The famous Reformation
was led by Martin Luther.

139. If this portion of the Creed is concerned

with the defense of the Holy Spirit's divinity,
why does it extend to the Church, Her
characteristics, Baptism, etc.?

We have said previously that the Church is the Body of

Christ, that is to say that She is where Christ is present and
is transfigured. The Holy Spirit is the One Who fulfills the
statement, "The Church, the Body of Christ," through
His work in the Divine Mysteries.
As God spoke to man in the Garden saying, "Increase
and multiply, and fill the earth" (Gen. 1:28 LXX), thus
establishing marriage and making it possible, it was the
union of man and woman which fulfilled the word of God.
Likewise, it is the Holy Spirit Who fulfills the presence of
Christ in us, because Baptism is the door through which the
members of Christ are born and are united by the Holy
Spirit. So, we mention it in the Creed, because it is the first
step of the Christian life.

- 143 -
140. What is Baptism?

It is a holy Baptism, in which we are born once again

from above of water and Spirit by our immersion in the
water three times, in the Name of the Holy Trinity, "of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt.
28:19).
The Mystery of Baptism :
The first of the Seven Mysteries, and is like the door
through which the believer enters to God; "Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit, He cannot enter into
the Kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
It should be noted that when the Mystery of Baptism
takes place, the Baptised person is accompanied by his own
guardian angel.

141. What does it mean that Baptism is for the

remission of sins?

St. Augustine responds saying, "By our birth from

water and the Holy Spirit, we are purified from all sin,
whether they are from Adam in whom all sinned, or by
our actions, or our words, for we are washed from them
by Baptism. In Baptism, we receive the forgiveness of
all of our sins-the ancestral and the present-and we

- 144 -
become members in the Body of Christ, which is the
Church." 52
If man sins after Baptism, he is in need of repentance,
and the door of repentance is open. If man is born once, he
repents several times. This is why the Church has
prescribed that the Mystery of Baptism be done once, but
the Mystery of Repentance can be done at any time.

142. Why do we describe Baptism as being one?

We describe Baptism as being one in order to convey

that it cannot be repeated. Baptism is a spiritual birth from
above, and just as man cannot physically be born except
once, spiritual birth also cannot be repeated. Baptism also
is the likeness of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Christ too died once (Rom. 6:4-10). It is done by
immersion in water, because that is what is understood
from the act of burial, and because this was how the Master
Christ was baptised (Matt. 3: 16).

52
Translator's note: Cf. The Enchiridion 64, "For, setting aside the grace of
baptism, which is g iven as antidote to original sin, so that what our birth
imposes upon us, our new birth relieves us from (this grace, however,
takes away all actual sins also that have been committed in thought, word,
and deed): setting aside, then, this great act of favour, whence commences
man's restoration, and in which all our guilt, both original and actual, is
washed away'' (Philip Schaff, ed. NPNF, Ser. 1, Vol. 3. Peabody,
Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 1995. ).
- 145 -
 This is why we proclaim in the Creed, "[W]e confess
One Baptism, for the remission of sins" (cf. Eph. 4:5).

143. What is "the resurrection of the dead" that

we look for?

The General Resurrection, or the Resurrection of the

Dead, is the restoration and union of the spirits to the
bodies by the command of God the Creator, and His
exalted power. Both the spirit and the body rise gently as
one person in expectation of the Judgement and
recompense.
We believe that our spirits are immortal, and that, by
death, they are separated from the bodies. The dust will
return to the earth, as it was, whereas the spirit will return
to God, who gave it (Eccles. 12:7). The spirit will rest in
Paradise, or Hell, until the day of the Great Judgement.
On the great day of the Lord's coming: The dead in
Christ shall rise (1 Thess. 4:16), and the bodies of the living
will be transformed (1 Cor. 15:51; I Thess. 4: 17), so that
the awesome Judgement may take place (Matt. 25:46).

144. What is death, and who are the dead?

Life is a gift from God, and death is contrary to the

original human nature, because God created man immortal,

- 146 -
and made him in His own image (Wisd. 2:23). Death, then,
is the result of sin (Rom. 5:12; 6:23), which entered into the
world through man the day when he obeyed the call of the
devil (Heb. 2:14) to turn away from the Source of Life.
This means that death occurs as a result of God's
absence. Where God is, there can be no death. Therefore,
the soul that is thirsty for God, and that is always seeking to
live in His presence, does not die, for its desire for God
keeps it alive.
Moreover, the life of man continues after death in as
much as it is connected to God. That is, the one who lives
on this earth in Christ, continues in this life after his death,
for Christ is the Bestower of Life (John 8:51).

145. What did the Master Christ mean when he

addressed the Jews saying, "If a man keep
My saying, he shall never see death" (John
8:51), given that those who have believed in
Christ have died like anyone else?

The Master Christ was not referring at all to physical

death, for it is assumed that man will die, and will not
remain alive forever in this world. He was referring to
spiritual death, for the righteous man who keeps the words
of his Saviour Jesus Christ will never see death, i.e. will
remain alive in the heavenly glories. His body will die, and

- 147 -
will be buried in the grave. His spirit, however, will remain
alive in the presence of God forever.
The Master Christ said elsewhere, "I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live" (John 11:25).
That is, whoever believes in Christ Jesus our Lord, His
teachings, that He came to save the world from sin, and to
die in order to redeem him on the Wood of the Cross, then
he will remain alive in spirit, even if he dies physically.
Corporal death is not the ultimate end of things, for the
believer sleeps in hope of the Resurrection in the Living
Christ, Who is risen from the dead. It is only a departure.

146. Why do we be believe in the necessity of

the General Resurrection?

The General Resurrection is inevitable, because God's

providence for the creation of man is to always heal him.
The General Resurrection is also important for the
Judgement of the works of the body and the spirit, be they
evil or good (John 5:28-29).
We must add that man himself strives for a joyous life
with God in eternity. This end will not be realised, unless
the spirit returns to the flesh, and through the resurrection.

- 148 -
147. What is meant by "the life of the coming
age"?

The life of the coming age is the eternal life that is

looked for by the faithful. Man is a celestial being who,
naturally, lives as a foreigner on the earth, always striving
to connect to heaven, be it through his desires and prayers,
or even through his charity and intercessions.
The life of the coming age is the Kingdom, and what is
most beautiful in the Kingdom is that we will ever be with
Christ (John 14:3; 1 Thess. 4: 17). The Kingdom of God is
unparalleled to anything on earth, and is brighter, greater,
and more pleasant than all the sights of the earth, with its
inventions and material delights. God there has prepared
for us what an eye has not seen, nor an ear heard, nor what
has entered the heart of man ( 1 Cor. 2:9). All will delight in
the joy of the Divine Presence, and the unspeakable joy that
is full of glory (1 Pet. 1:8).

148. What does the word "Amen" which I

concludes the Creed and all of our prayers,

mean?
It is a word of Hebrew origin, which means, "steady;
firm; verily; faithful." 53 It is commonly used by the people

53
Translator's note: 'amen, adj. : firm, fa ithful ; adv.: truly, verily, amen (c(
Gesenius ' Hebrew-Cha /dee Lexicon.).
- 149 -
of the earth and its religions, and is said almost in the same
way, with a slight difference in pronunciation at times.
This word, in Holy Scripture, carries four meanings:
1. As an affirmation in an oath, covenant, or the
fulfillment of a matter, as in Deut. 27.
2. Carries the meaning of "Hearken, 0 Lord," or
"Grant this, 0 Lord," as in 2 Cor. 13: 14).
3. Meaning ''truly," as when the Master Christ
said, "Verily, I say unto you" (Matt. 18:3). In
its original language, it would be, "Amen, I say
unto you."
4. As a description of the Name of Christ, as in,
"These things saith the Amen (i.e. Christ), the
Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the
creation of God" (Rev. 3:14).
It is commonly known that the word ''amen" is used
after prayer, in order to express our faith in God, and our
trust in Him that He is capable of answering us. To Him be
all glory and honour forever, Amen.

- 150 -
 References
Thrice- Blessed Pope Shenouda t he Th ird:
1. The Life ofFaith
2. Years with the Questions ofPeople ( 1-4)
3. Lectures in Doctrinal Theology
Th ri ce-Blessed Anba Gregorius :
1. Articles on Holy Scripture (4, 5, and 6)
2. The Unity of God in Christian Doctrine
3. A Concise Explanation of the Christian Rule ofFaith
Thrice-Blessed Anba Youannis:
1. Our Most Holy Faith.
2. Our Holy Scripture, and Our Holy Christ
3. The Doctrine of the Christians Concerning Christ
His Grace Anba Mousa:
St. Athanasius the Apostolic Explains the Incarnation,
Redemption, and the Resurrection.
Thrice-Repose Presbyter Manasseh Youhanna:
Teaching the Christian Faith
Protopresbyter Tadrous Yacoub :
The Nature of Christ According to the Understanding of
the Coptic Orthodox Church
Metropolis of Giza :
The First Principles of Christian Doctrine
El-Naur Publicat ions, Lebanon:
Introduction to the Christian Doctrine
Mr. M il ad Zaki:
An Illustrated Explanation of the Creed
- 151 -
 This book was first published in 1990 in the
Metropolis of Beheira, Matrouh, and Pentapolis,
and has been republished a number of times ever
since in different publications. Its targeted readership
is primarily the youth of secondary school and
university (16-25), at whose age questions and
inquiries recur concerning our Holy Faith.
So, we have gathered a number of these
questions, categorised them systematically
according to the articles of the Creed, and set
them in the form of sequential dialogues of a 148
questions and answers. We sought precision,
simplicity and depth, in order to present th is
work in a practical and fitting manner, so that it
may be simultaneously comprehensive and concise
to our youth in every Christian fam ily, and so
that it may be beneficial to all who ask a reason
of the hope that is in us.
Our aim is to present the basics of our
Christian and Church life in the form of questions
and answers, as it is one of the most beneficia l and
effective forms of Christian education for all ages.
"Without faith [it is] imposs ible to please
[Him]" (Heb. 11:6).
<Pope Tawaaros tfie Secant!