(Luke 14:25-35 NKJV)

"The Scroll of Esther stands corrupted by various translators. Which (scroll) I, lifting up from the archives of the Hebrews, have translated more accurately word for word. The common edition drags the book by knotted ropes of words hither and yon, adding to it things which may have been said or heard at any time. This is as is usual with instruction by schools, when a subject has been taken up, to figure out from the words which someone could have used, which one either suffered injury, or which one caused injury (to the text).

And you, O Paula and Eustochium, since you have both studied to enter the libraries of the Hebrews and also have approved of the battles of the interpreters, holding the Hebrew Book of Esther, look through each word of our translation, so you may be able to understand me also to augmented nothing by adding, but rather with faithful witness to have translated, just as it is found in the Hebrew, the Hebrew history into the Latin language. We are not affected by the praises of men, nor are we afraid of (their) slanders. For to be pleasing to God we do not inwardly fear those caring for the money of men, "for God has scattered the bones of those desiring to be pleasing to men" (Ps 52.6), and according to the Apostle, those like this are "not able to be servants of Christ" (Gal 1.10)."
-St. Jerome

http://www.marcboulos.com/

Special guest Jonathan Simmons, my first-cousin and brother, joins the program to discuss the story of the Possessor and the Fleeting Breath.

This is an episode inspired by Prof. Matthew J. Thomas' recent appearance on The Way podcast by Fr. Dustin Lyon. We rehash some of their discussion on justification, or being declared righteous by God, that he has been researching for years and is the subject of his book Paul's 'Works of the Law' in the Perspective of Second Century Reception
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830855262/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Here are a couple of other writings he mentioned for further reading.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/new-testament-studies/article/origen-on-pauls-authorship-of-hebrews/EE7CB61DBFC2EF4C7667E1B3B03D8654/share/b868b47edf6105709404e1482edd4463bbac1a65

http://evangelicaltextualcriticism.blogspot.com/2019/09/origen-did-think-paul-wrote-hebrews.html

A Light in the Darkness: Bible Study for Children and Teens introduction alongside author Bethany Saros. This is an OCABS Press publication.

I encouraged my friend Qalkeedan (Kalkidan) Amare to sing scripture. Many hymns and spiritual songs are written. Some are fine, some are error-prone. To weed out the wheat from the chaff, I told her we could sing scripture and form hymns and spiritual songs from scripture. I had her and another friend flip through and play with Matthew 5 & 23, and Galatians. On her own, she played with Isaiah 55-59.

This is the concluding chapter to the first scroll of the Apostle Peter. He exhorts the presbyters of Rome (which he calls Babylon) to function as shepherds, and he gives you a sneak-peak into how these scrolls were written (dictation). Amanuensis is a good word to know.

An introduction to my brotha Rmani Crawford; who was instrumental in my spiritual growth during my undergraduate and graduate studies. We examine the story of Obadiah (the slave of yhwh) within the Scroll of the Twelve (Minor Prophets).

For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God. (Deuteronomy 4:24 RSV)

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. (Zechariah 8:2 RSV)

Dr. Michael Wingert is a Syriac scholar, Semiticist, Dean of Agora University, and UCLA lecturer. This is his first appearance on the podcast as a guest on the live Tewahido Bible Study with the english-speaking adults of Virgin Mary's EOTC in Los Angeles, CA. Here you will hear a general overview of Syriac biblical exegesis, and some specific quotes and on-going scholarship are presented.

The Apostle Jacob calls us to not discriminate based on status or prestige. He wants us to follow the king's law, namely love. He says faith is only alive when dovetailing works.

A conversation with Dcn. Mihret regarding the feast of feasts, Pascha. Gruesomeness, contextualization, sadness, lament, triumph, love, and hope are brought up. 

P.S.
These conversations and interview episodes will be bonus episodes that will happen infrequently. Regularly expect Monday episodes sequentially going through the sacred scriptures. This forthcoming Monday Godwilling brings us to the Scroll of James (Jacob) Chapter 2.

"His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered..." (John 12:16 RSV) 

Dcn. Mihret and I have served together for years at the Virgin Mary's EOTC in Los Angeles, CA. We usually take turns in delivering homilies to the youth before the entire congregation of the cathedral, after Aba Thomas' communion homily, and prior to us heading to private rooms to teach our other groups in more depth. Keedane Weld Kiflé says በልጅ ፡ አማክኝቶ ፡ ይበሏል ፡ ዐንጕቶ ። (teachings designed for children are also useful for the learned)

“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28 LEB)

"The burning bush which Moses saw in the desert (wilderness), the wood of which was not consumed is a similitude of Mary"

You may read and download this prayer for free at

https://independent.academia.edu/HenokElias

"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them" (RSV). 

If you take nothing else away from this, simply love each other.

Susanna's story is a story of hope for those who face injustice in the here-and-now. This was shared, digitally and telephonically, with the youth of Mount Calvary Savior of the World EOTC in Nashville, Tennessee.

ጻድቃን : እንደ : ሆኑ : በራሳቸው : ለሚታመኑና : ሌሎቹን : ሁሉ : በጣም : ለሚንቁ : ይህን : ምሳሌ : ነገራቸው (Luke 18:9 Haile Silasé Bible)

"you will call his name YHWH Saves, because he will save his people from their sins"

"But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him" (Jude 1:9 or simply Jude 9 RSV)

"Hear another ምሳሌ(misalé) parable"

"Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts" (Mark 2:6 RSV)

The Orthodox Synod of Ethiopians in Exile has sent these verses to feed its flocks of believers dispersed outside of their ancestral lands. As a sheep of one of said flocks, it is my duty to present their thoughts before I present mine.

His eminence, Head of the Archbishops Merqoreywos, says "all Ethiopians must put their differences aside, and cooperate through love and oneness (unity) for the peace, oneness and development of Ethiopia, and to justly lift this tribulation that has reached the Ethiopian peoples."

http://godneighboryou.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-orthodox-response-to-30-martyrs-of.html

"and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17 RSV)

"My breath of life magnifies the Lord..."