Part One: Chapter Six: Meanings of the Book
The Book is the word of God and therefore it is inexhaustible and we will never finish understanding it: (Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away).
Our father Sheikh Yacoub, head of the Monastery of David the Righteous
1- The Sheikh’s lineage and his childhood years. Asia Minor, which gave birth to many saints in our church, is the homeland of Father Jacob. He was born in
Justin, the philosopher and martyr
Justin wrote many works, of which only three have reached us: two defenses of Christianity and a dialogue with Tryphon the Jew. In was born
Saint Hilarion, Bishop of Poitiers
Saint Hilarion was born in the city of Poitiers (France) around the year 315, and he descended from a noble pagan family. He converted to Christianity and was baptized
Malachi the prophet
He is one of the prophets of return from exile. His name means messenger or angel, and the Prophet himself borrowed it, as is accepted, from his book
Chapter Thirteen - The Holy Deposit of the Church
The truth of salvation in Christ is not a rigid letter that can be preserved in a book. It is a treasure that the Lord gave to the apostles so that their union would be the sure guarantee of their possession of the truth of salvation. The apostles passed this treasure on to the bishops so that they might complete the mission, in their union with the Church - the Body of Christ, where the Holy Spirit works. In doing so, they do not express their own opinion, but the will of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the Church.
Matthew the Apostle Evangelist
Matthew, which means “a gift from God” in Hebrew, was a tax collector in the city of Capernaum. His name is included in the list of the twelve apostles
Chapter Eleven - The Most Holy Theotokos
من ينكر مساهمة العذراء الشخصيّة في عمل خلاصنا، ولا يقدّم الإكرام الواجب لوالدة الإله، فانه لا يتحرك داخل الجذر الجديد للمسيح ولا داخل الخليقة الجديدة، بل يبقى في نطاق السقوط والفساد ويتّصل بجذر آدم القديم، أي بجذر الخطيئة وحده، لأن ولادة المسيح بالنسبة إليه تكون وكأنها لم تحصل
Chapter Eight - The Renaissance
We have seen that the nature of man itself was transformed, as a result of the fall. Consequently, Adam passed on to his descendants a heavy legacy, for he bequeathed to them a sick and worn-out nature, whose lot is death and corruption. So how can the descendants of Adam, that is, all of humanity, be saved?
Chapter Two: Announcement and Interpretation
The Bible does not contain all the historical, legislative and devotional texts that exist, but rather a select few of them. This select few became authoritative through their use - especially in the liturgy - in the community and through the value given to them by the Church.
Dionysius the Areopagite, judge of scholars
He is a disciple of Saint Paul the Apostle. He was mentioned in the Book of Acts of the Apostles among those who believed in the gospel of Saint Paul in Athens:
Great Holy Week: Holy Saturday - The Tomb of Christ
On Holy Saturday the Church focuses our attention on the tomb of the Lord. This day is the most complex day of the liturgical year (64), because