What is the Orthodox Position On Lack of Veneration for Mary in NT Epistles?
Upvote:4
In addition to the Annunciation accounts in Luke, we might also consider Luke 11:27-28, where Jesus declares his mother blessed not because she is His mother, but rather because she heard the will of God and carried it out. Likewise the examples of His obedience to her as a child and at the Wedding of Cana (Luke 2:51, John 2:3-10) and His care for her even near the moment of His death (John 19:26-27).
I think your specific question is answered by the broader question of why not everything taught in the Gospels seems to be discussed in the Epistles of the New Testament.
Within the Orthodox faith, the Gospels are seen as central to the entire Bible. The Gospels, wrote Archbishop Averky Taushev:
comprise the very essence of the law of God's new covenant with mankind, for they show us the salvific events of Jesus Christ's life and His divine teaching.1
"Everything we need to know for our salvation," one Orthodox priest I know states during almost every sermon, "is contained in the Gospels."
The Epistles, on the other hand, are an "interpretation of the teachings of Christ, as applicable to various situations in life."2 Father Lawrence Farley writes of the Epistles:
The epistles witness to this corporate reality, and give examples of how Christian life is lived out in this body. We do not need a divine rule book outlining what to do in every conceivable situation. For that day to day direction we have the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The epistles give us something more valuable than a book of instructions. They give us models, glimpses of life, slices of apostolic reality to taste and feed upon. If we didn’t have the Holy Spirit, no doubt a comprehensive rule book thundering away would be helpful. But since we do have the Holy Spirit, the epistles fit our need precisely.
Also relevant here, I think, is the fact that each Epistle in the New Testament addressed some specific set of issues that were causing conflicts for believers. Paul wrote the Romans to help them understand how they should relate to Jews and non-Christians; he wrote to the Corinthians largely to address divisions within the community and address immoral behavior; he wrote the Galatians because they were backsliding back into Judaistic practices; etc. We might conclude that since nothing seems to be written regarding how one should be respecting Mary (who was probably still alive at the time), then apparently no one was going around insulting her, claiming she wasn't a virgin, etc.
The Epistles are not viewed within the Orthodox Church - I think it is correct to say - as some corpus of dogma that needs to be appended to the Gospels (along with Acts and Revelation) to create a sort of comprehensive manual of systematic theology. In the Orthodox view, this turns the Bible into a kind of pseudo-Koran.
1.The Four Gospels, p.xiv
2.Ibid., p.xiv
More post
- 📝 Does being a Christian mean being a Bible literalist?
- 📝 In Catholic teaching, to what scripture is each of the seven sacraments referenced?
- 📝 Looking for source of quote about "doing what you should be"
- 📝 Looking for an apologetic to the "Cosmic Child Abuse" objection
- 📝 Did Joseph Smith create any secular writings?
- 📝 Indication of the possibility to discern the spirit of a man by/without listening to his words
- 📝 The nature of Jesus's 40 days post-resurrection but pre-ascension
- 📝 God the Father's possession of a body of flesh and bones
- 📝 What is the Catholic understanding of the first sin committed by Adam and Eve?
- 📝 Where does this Augustine quote come from?
- 📝 If Jesus is "a god" would not Jehovah’s Witnesses be polytheists?
- 📝 Has Revelation 14:9 changed from bibles printed over 40 years ago?
- 📝 1 Samuel 15:3 killing of children
- 📝 Who do Seventh Day Adventist think the Harlot is in Revelation chaps 17 & 19?
- 📝 Has any Latter-day Saint published a very detailed description of how the Holy Spirit confirmed to them the truth of the BofM, as per Moroni 10:3-7?
- 📝 Is it true that anyone who prays the rosary cannot be touched by Satan?
- 📝 Where did Martin Luther say that he placed "his Christ higher than any dogma or council"?
- 📝 Can you only have a sacramental marriage?
- 📝 What are Christians trusting God about, when in fallen world circumstance?
- 📝 Were all the various systems of Gnosticism Docetist?
- 📝 What are the relationships of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost to the beatitudes and virtues?
- 📝 Who is a Christian according to the Catholic Church?
- 📝 Is it presumptuous to seek to become a priest?
- 📝 What's the Difference Between a Guardian and a Saviour?
- 📝 What is the difference between the way Catholics view The Blessed Virgin Mary and Unitarians view Jesus?
- 📝 Of the 1752 Catholic Canon Laws, how many does the average Catholic need to be aware of in order to practice faithfully?
- 📝 Seeking a Catholic framework for interpreting Bible verses about God's rewards that are commensurate with a believer's work
- 📝 How common is intinction in the Catholic Church?
- 📝 The Meaning of St. Philip Neri's "to Despise being Despised''
- 📝 What Pagan elements were adopted in christianity?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What is the Orthodox Position On Lack of Veneration for Mary in NT Epistles?
- 📝 What is the basis for the claim that Ezekiel 44 is about Mary the Mother of Jesus?
- 📝 What is the origin of the Orthodox belief that Sts. Joseph and Mary were betrothed but not married?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, to what extent is the spiritual growth of a Christian impaired by his/her lack of devotion to Mary and the Saints?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the special mediatorial position of the Pope, Cardinals, etc in the Catholic church?
- 📝 What is the basis for the position that the woman of Revelation 17 refers to Rome?
- 📝 What is the basis for the position that only Paul's writings are applicable to the church today?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the belief that Mary is the mother of God?
- 📝 What paths exist in the Catholic Church for a certain theological position to become recognized as dogma?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for Mary being given immense authority in heaven?
- 📝 What are the requirements for establishing an Eastern Orthodox church or mission?
- 📝 What is the Scriptural basis for Catholics praying to Mary and the various saints?
- 📝 What is the significance of the Julian calendar for the Orthodox church?
- 📝 What is the Biblical support for a distinction between veneration and worship?
- 📝 What objective, foolproof method do Eastern Orthodox have for working out which side is correct in the case of a Schism?
- 📝 What is the basis for saying Mary is not the mother of God from a trinitarian perspective?
- 📝 For Eastern Orthodox churches, what are the main references concerning Biblical Interpretation methodology?
- 📝 What is the Old Testament basis for the position that God is a God of love, compassion, and mercy?
- 📝 What is the theological justification for believing in the real presence of Mary in the Eucharist?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the position that embryonic stem cell research is immoral/sinful?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for saying one won't be healed if they lack sufficient faith?
- 📝 What do the Catholic officials intend to do for unity with the Orthodox Church? [2017]
- 📝 What NT evidence is there for the idea that the apostle Paul's introductions to his letters were to authenticate his position as an apostle?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the belief that Mary and/or other saints are in heaven?
- 📝 What is the basis for the Catholic teaching that Mary is holy?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for Mary being the Tree of Life?
- 📝 What are the details for the Catholic position on the inspiration of Scripture?
- 📝 Do Mary and the other saints know what we are praying for before we ask them?
- 📝 Is there a name for a category of Christians who lack a doctrinal position in the debate about God's nature?
- 📝 What explanations are there for God's lack of culpability for the sin that was a part of the plan of salvation?
