final Flashcards
the first five books are called
the law (torah)
who wrote the first five books (torah)
moses in the early 1400 BC
what is TaNaKh
the hebrew scripture for the jews, an acronym for the three sections: Torah, Nebiim, Ketubim
the holy bible was written over a span of
1600 years
the holy bible was written by over how many authors in how many languages
in 3 languages (aramaic, hebrew, greek) by over 40 authors
‘apocrypha’ means
hidden
the apocryphal books
- the sets of books written between 400 NC and the time of Christ
- church fathers had varying views about these books
- the protestant reformers later rejected these books
syriac orthodox view of apocryphal books
- considers them deuterocanonical books
- peshita contains 11 apocryphal books
deuterocanonical meaning
of, pertaining to, or constituting a second canon
what does the syriac word “Peshita” mean
simple or common version of the Bible
what langauge did Jesus Christ speak
aramaic
- syriac was derived from aramaic
canon
- greek words that means a measuring rod
- in relation to scripture, it refers to the rules and standards by which the various books and writings were measured to determine whether or not they are inspired by god and should be accepted by the church
describe the main points of the heresy of Marcion
- he made a canon which is considered to be the first attempt to canonize the new testament
- according to him, Christ was not the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament and thus he completely rejected the OT
- God in the OT was jealous and punished mankind for its sins through suffering and death
- Believed Jesus as supreme God that has compassion and love for mankind, is the Son Of God but believed that incarnation in a diff way
- he taught that Jesys’ body wad only an iimitation, denying Jesus’ physical birth
what is the muratorian fragment
- is the oldest known list of New Testament
what led to the role of holy synods in canonization
- there was major disagreement among the fathers of the church regarding which books should be apart of the scripture
- became necessary for the strong authority of the Holy Synod to finalize the Canon
- they had the final word of the Canon
what does septuagint mean in latin
70
How many sections are the books of Septuagint divided?
4
- books of law
- books of israels history
- books of wisdom
- books of prophecy
what is the books of law known as
torah or pentateuch
who wrote the torah
moses
what is the meaning of genesis
beginning
what is the meaning of exodus
departure
what is leviticus about
shows details of worship dictated by god to be led by the tribe of levi
what is the book of numbers abt
people who were rebellious, discouraged, and refused to believe that the Lord would take care of them
deuteronomy meaning
second law
what happens in deuteronomy
moses gives the laws to israel for the second time
what does joshuas name mean
salvation
what happened during the battle of gibeon
the lord made huge hailstones fall from the sky and crush the enemy soldiers
who wrote the book of judges
samuel
who is the author of ruth
unknown
who was the first king of israel
saul
who wrote the first and second kingdoms
prophet samuel
what is the third and fourth kingdoms known as in the old testament
called 1 and 2 Kings in the septuagint
who wrote the first and second chronicles
prophet ezra
during what time was first and second ezra written
during the time of israelites returning to jerusalem from their captivity in babylon
who was nehemiah
neither a prophet nor a priest
what is tobit about
a fervent believer in exile in nineveh
what is the major theme of judith
judiths unfailing trust in god to protect her people
what is the major theme of maccabees
gods deliverance of israel during the jewish wars
what are the four sections of the septuagint
books of the law, books of israels history, books of wisdom, books of prophecy
how did esther use her royal position
to persuade the king to save her people from the evil plans of a general named haman
describe main details of 1st and 2nd chronicles
1 Chronicles:
- Highlights King David’s reign, military victories, and Temple preparations.
2 Chronicles:
- King Solomon’s reign and Temple construction.
- Chronicles the kings of Judah, focusing on their faithfulness to God.
- Concludes with the fall of Jerusalem, exile to Babylon, and Cyrus’s decree to rebuild the Temple.
how many books in the books of wisdom
7
who wrote the psalms
david, moses, temple musicians, etc
what is the book of job about
jobs unshakeable faith and innocent suffering
What is a collection of moral and religious instructions talk to the young people after they return to Israel from exile?
proverbs
what are the two apocryphal in the books of wisdom
wisdom of solomon and wisdom of sirach
How many hymns in Psalms according to Septuagint Old Testament?
151
who wrote psalm 151
david
The character of Job can be equated to who in the Bible, who suffers unjustly and rewarded for his obedience
jesus christ
king solomon is considered to be the main writer of what books
proverbs, song of songs, ecclesiastes
who wrote the wisdom of solomon
unknown jewish believer in egypt
what did prophet hosea teach
emphasizes the love of god, being steadfast and whole
what other names are prophet hosea referred to
prophet of love, salvation, deliverance
what did micah preach
peace for those who do justice and love kindness
What is the Wisdom of Sirach also known as and what book is it similar to?
aka ecclesiastes and is written similarly to proverbs
what is prophet joel known as
prophet of pentecost
which book is the shortest of the prophetic books of the holy bible
obadiah
what does jonah mean
a dove
what does nahums name mean
consolation
who is the first post exile prophet
haggai
Who is second of the post exile prophets and prophesied Christ’s humble coming?
zechariah
what did prophet malachi prophesy
the birth of a forerunner
who was baruch
the secretary of prophet jeremiah
when was lamentations of jeremiah written
after the destruction of jerusalem
what does ezekiel mean
god strengthens
what does the name amos mean
burden bearer
main theme of the book of jonah
universality of gods love and mercy
what are some themes covered in psalms
prophecies of the coming messiah, prayers for the king, personal lamentations, songs of praises and hymns for special feasts
Who among the major prophets described the new covenant and what did his book foretell?
jeremiahs book foretold the capture of the jews by the babylonians and the destruction of the temple in jerusalem
Where did Moses receive the 10 Commandments from God?
mount sinai
Who was Moses’ successor as the leader of the Israelites?
joshua
What did Moses throw into the water so that the Israelites could drink it?
a piece of wood
how long was the entire exodus
40 years
what was given from the heavens to eat
manna (bread from heaven)
how were the lives of moses and jesus similar
Moses and Jesus both faced threats as infants, with Moses escaping Pharaoh’s decree and Jesus fleeing Herod’s massacre. Each served as a liberator, with Moses leading Israel out of Egyptian slavery and Jesus offering spiritual salvation to humanity. Both performed miracles, delivered God’s law, and were rejected by their people, enduring suffering in their missions.
what challenges and insecurities did Moses face
Moses faced insecurities about his speaking abilities and leadership, feeling inadequate to fulfill God’s call. He also struggled with the constant disobedience and rebellion of the Israelites during their journey.
List and describe the qualities that enabled Moses to fulfill his God given mission.
Moses fulfilled his mission through unwavering faith in God, trusting in divine guidance even when facing immense challenges. He demonstrated remarkable patience and persistence, enduring the Israelites’ constant complaints and setbacks without losing focus. His obedience to God’s commands, regardless of difficulty, was central to his leadership and success in guiding Israel to the Promised Land.
the syrian orthodox christians maintain and practice an ancient faith system that values apostolic traditions and holy bible. tradition is divine, apostolic, and …
patristic
what is monasticism
a religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work
whos relationship in the bible is an excellent example of the love and commitment between family members after marriage (mil and dil)
ruth and naomi
salvation
the divine gift of saving a soul from sin and its consequences
what is the main difference in the beliefs of eastern orthodox and oriental orthodox churches
nature of christ
tithing
the act of setting aside 10% of ones wealth
according to the bible, when was tithing introduced as an act of setting aside 10% of ones wealth
in old testament as a law for the people of israel
what was the early christian spirtuality
christocentric
serving others is a sign of ______ and a gift from god
spirituality
what is a great tool to practice abstinence
observance of lent or fasting
abstinence
the fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something
which book is reffered to as the book of theology
the second book of ezra
who gave the name “peshitta” to the syriac translation of the holy bible in the 9th century
bishop moses bar kepha
during his farewell speeches what did moses perform in the book of deuteronomy
gave the laws to israel for the second time
who was the first to call st mary as the mother of god
elizabeth
once moses’ mission was completed, he handed over his responsibilities to joshua and went up to mount ________ where he breathed his last
mt. nebo
who was the likely audience for st lukes gospel
the greeks and gentiles
the third section of the old testament is known as the books of wisdom and has how many books
7 books
in philippi, st paul baptized a rich woman and her household. who was this lady?
lydia
what are the two types of epistles
pauline and general
what is the tricolor spread placed on and covering the tablitho called
virikoottam
what is the spiritual food for the church
hoky communion
what does the holy church celebrate through the elevation of the holy mysteries
ascension of jesus christ
the patriarch of constantinople, john chrysostom was also known as
st ivanius
the altar assistants wear a white robe also called a
kutino
the meaning of syriac word “shubukono”
absolution
what are the four major tenets of the nicene creed
the holy trinity, holy church, one baptism, and the final resurrection
before the public celebration of holy qurbono the celebrant performs a set of preparatory prayers in two orders of services. what is the name of this part of prayers and which are the two orders of services
this set of preparatory prayers is known as thuyobo. in the holy bible we see two orders of priesthood, one is the order of melchizedek and the other is the order of aaron. the priesthood in the holy church is that of our lord jesus christ in whom both these priesthoods were united.
tithing is not an obligation but it is a good practice of ideal christian financial stewardship. explain briefly
tithing is the act of setting aside ones wealth to god. when we tithe, we are purposely setting aside our first and best resources to Church, not out of obligation. Instead, we do so honestly and with a sense of gratitude for all that god and his church have given to us
list the four authorities jesus entrusted with his disciples
preach and teach, power of healing, perform the holy eucharist, authority of absolution and binding of sins
list two occasions when saint anthony’s (monk) return from cave helped to empower the church
- he visited alexandria in 316 AD to comfort the faithful during the persecution
- in 352 AD he came back again to help saint athanasius in his fight against arianism
list the three prophecies which can be attributed to the title as the fifth gospel of the book of Isaiah
- the virgin birth by st mary
- christs intense suffering with his resurrection from the dead
- his second coming
the holy fathers attended the synod of carthage selected 27 books as ‘books of the new testament’ based on these six standards. what are they?
- apostolic - must be written by an apostle or direct companion of apostle
- dogmas - book must agree with the universally accepted dogmas of the church
- christocentric - must be centered on christ and his redemptive acts
- inspirational - high moral and spiritual values to inspire one
- witness of holy spirit - the synod members must feel the inner witnessing of holy spirit in the books
- early acceptance - must have been already accepted and widely used in the majority of churchs
why isnt the book of revelation included in the church lectionary
revelation is an apocalyptic text written by john to demonstrate the prophetic history of the church in the end times. it can be considered a difficult text to read because of its rich imagery and symbolism regarding things we may not understand. for this reason, it is not included in our church lectionary
briefly describe any 3 virtues of theotokos (st mary)
- mary was incredibly humble. born into a poor family, she continued to live an ordinary life even after she bore the creator of the world.
- mary was always faithful in christ. she bore the betrayal, ridicule, torture, and crucifixtion of her son, enduring the pain with grace and her trust in god almighty’s plan
- mary was obedient, she accepted angel gabriels message without any protest.
what are the benefits of prefit prayers used in worship and prayer in syrian orthodx church
there are many preset prayers and hymns which allows for more discipline and exact guidance for the faithful. these prayers were formulated by spiritually enlightened fathers or saints. this in turn, prevents personak exaltation and help us to have a balanced and meaningful prayer
the first malankara syrian orthodox parish in north america was formed in
1975
the anointing of holy mooron is analogous to this in other churchs
confirmation
how many generations in both parties is needed so that there is not a close blood relation for marriage
7
mudakku
the bishops ability to take disciplinary actions like restraining a priest from his duties for a period of time to repent and reconcile with the church
jesus founded his holy church on the rock of true faith which was proclaimed by
st peter
abraham proved his faith to god by tithing to this high priest
melchizedek
the early christians believe that chrsit will come back within a short period of time; their spirituality was
eschatological
which holy father taught that fasting or practicing lent is not just controlling what goes into our mouth but controlling what comes out from the mouth too
john chrysostom
the belief that both human and divine natures were united in a single nature wihtout mingling, confusion, or alteration was reffered to as
miaphysite
the name malachi means
angel
where did moses live his second 40 years
the land of midian
the good samaritan, parables of the prodigal son and lazarus were written by
luke
mary is the syriac name meaning
sea of bitterness
the book of the septuagint has been divided into how many sections
4
when is the assumption of st mary celebrated
august 15
the third epistle of john is directed towards _______, whom st paul referred to in his letters to romans and corinthians
gaius
the last section of the old testament has 19 books and is called the books of
prophecy
how many missionary journeys did st paul take
4
what does selun bashslomo mean
go in peace
kaukbo
shaped frame made of two hoops of metal placed over the paten cover without touching the bread
which saint was the head of famous alexandria school of theology and the bishop of alexandria from AD 247-265 who was an eminent writer and defender of the true doctrine
st dionysius
the cape that the priests wear that symbolizes aarons robes of many colors and the saviors seamless robe
phayno
the present version of the 5th diptych (fpr the fathers of the church) contains how many holy fathers by name
29
in the holy qurbana there are how many occasions when the deacon urges the congregation to bow their heads
3
where does wealth come from
wealth is typically aquired by ones work. in order to work, one needs health, aptitude, motivation, skills, and favorable circumstances. god is the ultimate provider, and wealth and prespoerity are blessings from god
what is eastern spirituality
eastern spirituality is based on the holy bible and traditional teachings of early christian fathers, martyrs, ascetics and saints. Each believer can experience spirituality in an individual and communal level, both in this world and in the eternal world. the estern gives more importance to the divine intervention in all aspects of life and believe that gods presence in their life is beyond limits of human intelligence
the sacrament of priesthod was instituted by christ. describe what authority he gives his disciples to administer
- preach and teach
- power of healing
- perform the holy eucharist
- authority of absolution and binding of sins
describe the four quotes of the holy fathers and scholars regarding the importance of tradition and scripture
The Holy Fathers emphasize that both Scripture and Tradition are equally essential to the Christian faith. St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Irenaeus highlight how apostolic teachings were passed down both in written form and through oral tradition.
describe the kiss of peace
the prayer of peace is a prayer of reconcilation of the congregation, a requirement to partake in the holy qurbono. the kiss of peace shows our inward love and concord with our neighbor. being made at peace with one another, one is made at peace with god
briefly describe 4 components of the holy qurbono
- the celebrant - God is the actual celebrant and the priest is his ambassador
- the sacramental items - the leavened bread and wine are the primary sacramental items. after the consecration, these become the body and blood of our lord
- the book of the holy liturgy
- the congregation - the preparation and active participation of the recipients is required in any sacrament
list the 4 categories that the hymns of eucharistic devotion are divided into
- intercession of st mary
- intercession of the saints
- prayers for the departed clergy
- prayers for the departed faithful
what were some challenges faced by moses
Moses faced significant challenges leading the Israelites out of Egypt, including confronting Pharaoh’s stubbornness during the plagues and convincing his people to follow him. In the wilderness, he struggled with the Israelites’ complaints, disobedience, and lack of faith. Additionally, Moses bore the burden of guiding a large, often rebellious nation, all while staying faithful to God’s commands despite his own frustrations.
who was nehemiah
he was neither a prophet nor a priest. he was a common man with great faith in god that worked wonders in his community. with his utmost dedication and perseverance in gods fulfillment of his promises, he became the sole motivator in shapingthe religious practices of the jewish community after their return from exile in babylon
what does the patriarch of our church wear that is attached to the zunoro (belt) on the right side symbolizing his authority and position as a protector of faith
sakro
prophet ezekiel described her as the beauty of gods chariot and the church considers her as the human chariot of lord. who is she?
virgin mary
after his conversion, paul spent three years in the desert of ______, preparing him for god through divine visions
desert of arabia
according to acts 18:3 paul was a _____, who worked with his own hands
tentmaker
during the holy qurbono, what does the peelaso (paten) hold
eucharistic bread
the church is built on the bedrock foundation of the solid and strong confession of simon, whom jesus called by name ______, which means stone or rock in greek
peter
during the holy qurbono the proclamations with the blessing of the censor are a confession of faith in
the holy trinity
during the assumption, the holy girdle (belt) of st mary was handed over to who
st thomas
who was the first declared saint born in india
st gregorious of parumala
in the church, laying of hands by the apostles on the believers is represented by
the thronos (altar table) is referred to as the table of …
life
son, the second person in the holy trinity, humbled himself and became man for our
salvation
the mass of the catechumens are primarily intended for
in the new testament church, the sabbath is the lords day which is
sunday
this book begins with the account of moses taking the census of israelites and is named as the book of …
numbers
from the tribe of levi, aaron and the first born of his family were chosen by god to the rank of
high priest
st antony is considered the father of
monasticism
through marriage, husband and wife participate in gods creative act and in the
redemptive act of christ
what is the shortest prophetic book in the holy bible
obadiah
during the fourty years of exodus, god provided _____ to the israelites
manna
the gospel is the narrative of
incarnation of jesus christ
old testament spirituality was
the covenant relationshp between gpd and the chosen people
briefly explain what is referred to as the apostolic traditions
apostolic traditions are the tecahings of christ which were orally communicated to the apostles, then to their successors, and over time and history have been transmitted from generation to generation for the preservation of the holy church. this tradition includes the teachings of the apostles, the laws and messages they handed down to their disciples, constitutions of faith, and more
3 facts about the book of proverbs
- collection of moral and religious instruction taught to young people after their return to israel from exile
- king solomon is the main author of this book
- can be considered the forerunner to the beatitudes
list 6 prerequisites for a couple to be married under the tradition of the syriac orthodox church
-marriage should be officiated by a canonically ordained clergy for a man and woman who’ve obtained holy baptism and chrism
- they should be in their legal age to marry and should be mentally and physically stable
-should not have close blood relations
- they should not have any other living partner legally or illegally
- they should receive the sacraments of holy confession and qurbono
- premarital counseling under the church
7 laws of the holy church
- attend the holy qurbono on sundays and other obligatory days
- observe the five lents of the church
- observe the lent on wednesdays and fridays
- confess sins before a canonical priest
- receive holy communion
- abstain from marital relationship on prescribed days
- pay offerings, tithes, and dues to the church
list and briefly explain three subjects of false teachings
- salvation by faith alone - st paul gives more importance to faith and mention the unimportance of mosaic law
- confession by own mouth - if we consider the verses literally, as the false teachers do, then the deaf, dumb, and mentally challenged have no chance to enter the kingdom of god
- adult baptism only - some teach that this is the only way for salvation
where did moses receive his ten commandments from god
mount sinai
what does deuteronomy mean
second law
how many hymns are in psalms according to septuagint old testament
151
who wrote the book of psalms
david, moses, temple musicians
who is second of the post exile prophet and prophesied christs humble coming
zachariah
how many years was the exodus
40 years
who was the likely audience of st lukes gospel
the greeks and gentiles
which is the shortest and generally accepted as the first written gospel
mark
where did st paul start his missionary journeys
antioch
who instituted the sacrament of priesthood in the NT period
jesus christ
in jerusalem during his final journey, st paul was accused by the jews that he preached against
the mosaic law
according to sola scriptura, the bible contains
all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness
what do moses and elijah represent
moses represents law while elijah represents prophets
the sacrament of marriage is…
a covenant, a holy bond and unity, a great mystery
the central aspect of old testament spirituality is
the covenant relationship
the main difference between oriental orthodox and eastern orthodox is
the nature of christ
what does tablitho symbolize
the cross where jesus was crucicfied
the spirituality of early christians was
eschatological
what does lehmo mean
eucharistic bread
our churchs spirituality is centered on the
holy trinity
madbaho is from the root word dbah meaning
to sacrifice
our spirituallity is about
experiencing god in our daily lives
what is the tricolor spread covers the tablitho called
virikootam
the word priest is derived from the greek word _______ meaning _______
presbyteros, elder
when should the preparation of holy communion begin
previous evening
what are the two orders of priesthood, per the holy bible
melchizedeck and aaron
how did st paul become a martyr
beheaded by emperor nero
jesus found his holy church on the rock of _______, which was proclaimed by _______, the head of apostles
true faith, st peter
what is the first benediction known as
the apostolic benediction
what does shubkono mean
forgiveness
describe 3 signs of the second coming with references from the holy bible
- the preaching of the gospel to all nations
- the return of israel to christ
- wars, revolutions, famine, and natural disasters
biblical reference to tithing
the tithe is first introduced as a law in leviticus for people of israel to set aside 10% of their wealth to honor and give gratitude for all that god and his church have given us
list 3 critical tools to a successful spiritual life
- prayer
- scripture
- lent + fasting
list 3 ways to conquer addiction
prayer, spiritual support system, abstinence
what are the 4 important aspects of syriac orthodox spirituality? explain one
- holy trinity centered - we believe in triune god because he revealed himself in three persons: father, son, and holy spirit
- sacraments
- worship and prayers
- theology
explain the limitations of the sola scriptura
according to the belief in sola scriptura, by scripture alone, the bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness; nothing else should be used or supplemented with it.
briefly explain 2 parts of marriage service
- blessing of the rings - the rings are blessed and worn on the fourth finger of the bride and grooms right hand. it symbolizes a contract sealed and placed on the bride and groom by the priest who is representative of god. since the ring has no loose ends, it signifies the permanancy and lifelong nature of the relationship
- blessing of the crowns - crowning the bride and groom is deeply symbolic. the groom and bride are expected to share a;ike not only in goodness but also in the negeatives. the crown symbolizes the glory, the reward and honor of god granted to the newly married couple
bruefly explain any 3 roles of priesthood
- protect his sheep
- know his sheep by understanding the various needs of his parishioners and care for them accordingly
- seek lost sheep by being hospitable to strangers and merciful to the poor, needy, and lost
what are the 3 new testament traditions
divine tradition - teaching given by christ directly and by word of mouth to the holy apostles
apostolic tradition - the teachings of christ which was orally communicated to the apostles and was passed down for generations for the preservation of the holy church
patristic tradition - what the holy church has received from the dawn of its history from its holy fathers
describe 2 roles of sacraments in personal salvation
- holy baptism is the sacrament of entry into the church, the body of christ, the first step towards salvation
- holy confession allows us to ask for repentance. confession enables a cleansing of the soul that is essential to godly christian living
what are the books of law knwn as
pentateuch or torah
what is the main theme of the book jonah
universitality of gods love and mercy
who wrote the first and second kingdom
prophet samuel
how did esther use her royal position
to persuade the king to save her people
how many books in the books of wisdom
7
what us the book of job about
unshakeable faith in the face of tragedy
who wrote psalms 151
david
our holy church belongs to
oriental orthodox
the traiditon in what the holy church has received from the dawn of its history from its holy fathers is
patristic tradition
the term jacobites which is used to refer to our church is actually attributed to
st jacob baradaeus
how many diptychs in the holy qurbana
6
the word amen means
so be it
jesus fasted for how many days at the beginning of his ministry and defeat satan and his temptations
40 days
eucharist means
thanksgiving
christian tradition tells us that the sea of antioch was founded by st peter. in which year he established the throne of antioch
AD 37
why is the gospel of john different from other synoptic gospels
st johns intimate relationship with jesus christ gave him a close familiarity wiht our lord. beinig the primary eyewitness, johns account of the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of christ is more complete narration than the other gospels
what are the vows taken by those who practice monasticism as defined in the book
- absolute obedience to his spiritual superioir
2.voluntary poverty, signifying that he may take nothing from the world as his personal property - chastity oath to never marry and to remain chaste
explain how marriage is a covenant
a covenant is an agreement that involves promises and commitments that are everlasting. marriage is a covenant that involves more than just the couple, but rather God and the covenant that he has bound when a man and women vow their commitment before him.
explain the 3 main divisions of the church building
- madbaho - most sacred place in the church and represents golgotha where the divine sacrifice of the lord took place
- chancel - this is where priests and deacons assemble for the prayer
- common place - this is the larger area where the people stand during the prayers and lityrgy.
4 fundamental characteristics of the holy church based on the nicene creed
one, holy, catholic, apostolic
- the church is one, the church is holy as it is the body of our lord, it is catholic (universal) in nature without geographic boundary, it is apostolic because of its apostolic inheritance and faith
describe the different patterns of bresking the eucharistic bread
- lamb pattern - used from koodash etho to easter
- crucifix pattern - used from easter oto the feast of the holy cross
- cross pattern - to be used from feast of the holy cross to koodash etho
list the 7 laws of the holy church
- attend qurbana on sundays
- observe all 5 lents
- observe lent on wednesdays and fridays
- confess the sins before a canonical priest
- receive holy communion
- abstain from marital relationship on prescribed days
- pay offerings, tithes, and dues
