A daily note from the team at OCABS.ORG, drawing on the published works of Fr. Paul Nadim Tarazi, with citations to his books and lectures. Readings: Colossians 1:24-29; Luke 9:49-56. Paul tells the Colossians that he rejoices in sufferings and, in his flesh, "complete[s] what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church," of which he is a minister according to the divine economy given him. Fr. Paul stresses that this "mystery hidden for ages and generations" is not a secret reserved for an illumined elite; it is the gospel itself, now made manifest and proclaimed openly to all nations, as the parallel wording of Romans 16:25-27 confirms. Christ among the Gentiles and among the Colossians is present the same way God is present in scripture: through hearing the word preached, not through some hidden vision. Paul's own labor continues what God did in Christ: he proclaims, warns, and teaches every man so that every man may be presented perfect, mature, in Christ, just as God reconciled and will present the believer holy before him. Fr. Paul notes that Paul calls this toiling and striving work done "with all his [God's] energy... poured... in me with power," a work that, like God's work in Christ, does not end until death; Paul is God's co-worker, continuing his apostolic mission within the house church gatherings rather than inventing new methods. In Luke, John reports a man casting out demons who does not follow with the disciples, and Jesus answers that whoever is not against them is for them; Fr. Paul observes this shows the disciples still do not get it, since only the true opponent is excluded. Jesus then sets his face toward Jerusalem, language Fr. Paul traces to Ezekiel's hardening of the face against the city he is about to judge for its refusal, which is why the narrative can then move outward toward Rome. When a Samaritan village refuses him for this reason, James and John want fire called down as Elijah did, but Jesus rebukes them; Fr. Paul links the rejection to the pattern, developed later in Luke, of towns that will not "receive" the word, while Samaria itself foreshadows the wider mission beyond Jerusalem taken up in Acts. The root pair of the day · שׁ-כ-נ šin–kaf–nun, מִשְׁכָּן miškan · س–ك–ن sīn–kāf–nūn, مِسْكِين miskīn · dwelling-place; settle down; abide. The root ʿalam/ʿalima, 'conceal, be concealed,' matches the mystery Paul says was 'hidden for ages and generations' in Colossians 1:26. The note insists this hiddenness is not an esoteric secret for an illumined few, but a word now proclaimed openly; Greek lanthano, 'be hidden,' and huperorao, 'neglect,' echo how what was once overlooked or concealed is now made known through preaching, not hidden vision. cf. The Consolation of Consonants Sources: Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 41; Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 56; Tarazi, 1 Corinthians: A Commentary, p. 54; Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 50; Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 57; Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 58; Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 58; Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 56; Tarazi, Colossians and Philemon: A Commentary, p. 59; Orthodox Audio Bible Commentary, Luke (vol. 42), part 1, at 3:38:56; Orthodox Audio Bible Commentary, Luke (vol. 42), part 1, at 3:41:07; Tarazi, The New Testament: An Introduction, vol. 2, Luke and Acts, “The Ascension (50–53)”; Tarazi, The New Testament: An Introduction, vol. 2, Luke and Acts, “Woe to Unrepentant Cities (13–16)”. The note on ocabs.org Opening music: Taksim Arbi, Bichi Slama, oud (Tunis, Archives de la Parole, 1930s), public domain. Source: gallica.bnf.fr / BnF. The digital voice Fāṭima (فَاطِمَة) is named in honor of the learned women of al-Andalus, particularly Fāṭima bint Yaḥyā al-Maghāmī, Fāṭima al-Sharrāṭ, and Fāṭima bint al-Muthannā, whose legacies embody the Andalusian traditions of scriptural scholarship, jurisprudence, education, and wisdom.
