Class 02 - Living the Gospel - Matthew 1-5

OVERVIEW:
This class covers two topics:
1. Some of the Orthodox scriptural commentaries available, particularly for the New Testament.
2. A review of St. Matthew's Gospel, chapters 1-5. In this series of classes, we'll be focusing on living the commandments of Christ in the Gospels as St. Ignatius Brianchaninov taught in The Arena. I mostly pull from Blessed Theophylact's commentary, but also from prior patristic readings that I've done.

HOMEWORK:
Read a chapter a day from the Gospels. We'll work through Matthew, Mark, and Luke. By the next class (August 14), have the first 14 chapters of St. Matthew read.

More articles on scriptural commentary and Christian pacifism can be found on my website www.orthodoxroad.com

12 RULES (PREREQUISITES) FOR STUDYING THEOLOGY:
1. Destroy the idols (distractions) that keep you from spending time with God. Nothing is more important than getting your life right with God. Nothing.
2. Read a chapter a day from the Gospels. Consider taking notes to help you engage with the text more deeply. Don’t read on a full stomach.
3. Pray! If you want to survive spiritually and eternally, you’ll need to set aside time for prayer every day. Prayer is communion with God. You’ll need a prayer book and lots of determination to not get derailed by the devil.
4. Spend time in silence. Every day, we should set aside a ten minute window in which we do the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me”) in mental silence (no images, music, noise, distractions).
5. Go to church. We can’t go it alone; we need each other. Part of our spiritual healing involves standing through the church services and receiving a little bit of God’s grace – even when we’re tired or busy.
6. No discussing religion, spirituality, doctrine, or politics online.
7. Learn to talk less and listen more. Give your opinion only when it’s asked for, and even then, do so with hesitancy.
8. Reorient your attitude toward food. Avoid gluttony (eating until you’re full); lose weight if needed, and eat healthy meals. St. Seraphim of Sarov wrote, “One should not think about the doings of God when one’s stomach is full; on a full stomach there can be no vision of the Divine mysteries.”
9. Follow the fasts. Typically means eating vegan on Wednesdays and Fridays. Also, the first two weeks of August (our current month) are fast days.
10. No sex except to your married spouse. No fornicating, pornography, or anything else the Church doesn’t bless. Married people should try to refrain during fasting seasons.
11. Disconnect from electronics as much as you can. Get rid of social media, especially on your phone. Be deliberate, make a plan about how you’re going to spend less time scrolling and more time with God.
12. Do things for others. Give others your time, attention, compassion, money, kind words and encouragement. Look for ways to edify others. Also, help out around the church and at home when things need to be cleaned or set up. Focusing on others can help us when we’re feeling weak or emotionally low.

FURTHER RESOURCES:
• The Commentaries on Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Blessed Theophylact)
• Unseen Warfare (Saints Nicodemus and Theophan the Recluse)
• Spiritual Struggle (St. Paisios the Athonite)
• Discourses and Sayings (St. Dorotheos of Gaza)
• The Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It (St. Theophan)
• The Arena (St. Ignatius Brianchininov)