› ›

Coptic Defender Thread

mike_henainmike_henain
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
Peace and Love of Jesus Christ be with you all:

I am writing an article in the Faith section and I'm doing 3 surverys so bear with me here....Also I have a question, does anyone know where I can get the 10 commandments in Coptic?

God Bless.

Mike

Comments

  • arubaiscrazyarubaiscrazy
    u really love these poles dont u coptic defender...lol.. :) :) :)i wish that i could go to church more...in the summer me and my friends practically lived there...but now that school started i try my best to go as often as i can!! :) :)
  • mike_henainmike_henain
    Last summer was the best: First, I got ordained an Epsaltos and got to learn a lot, I wish I could go to Church as much as I did last summer but school is just holding me captive.

    God Bless.

    Mike
  • mikhail_90mikhail_90
    i go...hmmm, too much tyms....lol

    sunday, Holy Liyurgy
    saturday, tasbeha, asheya and coptic lesons (private)
    wednesday nights, maths and english tutoring
    friday nights, science tutoring, choir, coptic lessons and i might start business studies tutoring
    tuesday nights, sometimes i go for prayer meeting
    and i go on every occasion possible, feasts, feast days, meetings, etc...
    and i also go to Anba Daniels house for a liturgy in his house, only in the holidays coz i have skool, and i go there if abouna or sayedna needs me to do anything....thats still kinda counted as a church right?
    lol
    GBU ;)
  • mike_henainmike_henain
    hmmm, well by attending Church I mean actual services like Mass or Ashia, not extra stuff like tutoring....God Bless.

    mike
  • mike_henainmike_henain
    I understand, when I counted how many days I attend I decided to pick the days I;m sure of going on.....

    God Bless.

    Mike
  • HKelleyHKelley
    Hello Mike!

    You guys have some interesting polls! Really kind of cute.

    Times in church during the week. Since I am clergy, I am there often, both for services and for instruction.

    Sunday A.M. - Service (Mass)
    Sunday P.M. - Special services
    Tuesday P.M.- Bible Instruction - Currently teaching
    the Book of Revelation
    Thursday - Service
    1st Sunday - A.M. - Service in the local Men's Prison
    (Serve the Eucharist)
  • Coptic_AvengerCoptic_Avenger
    guess we all like going to church

    dont you sometimes feel like skipping skool to go to church; i sure do a lot of times
  • mmatt95mmatt95
    yeahhhhhhhhhhhh :D
    especially on feasts and passion week
    I skipped wednesday a couple of weeks ago to attend the Feast of the Cross lol, i had only 2 lessons that day though, but yeah, i do it sometimes :)
  • Unknown
    i luv church, especially loooooooong hymns.
  • mike_henainmike_henain
    Wow, lots of posts..

    Actually Kelley, this poll is for an article I'm writing, but thanks anyways. I have one question, what clergy rank are you?

    Mike
  • HKelleyHKelley
    Mike:

    I trust that the article is coming along nicely. I anticipate reading it as soon as possible.

    My clergy rank: Elder. I am one of the two Teaching Elders in the church. I also travel and do ministry as a Conference Speaker, teaching Church Leadership/ Missions Leadership/Evangelism/Mentoring.

    Mike, I will share with you that there is much to consider as the Holy Spirit is leading me on this journey in the study of Orthodoxy.

    Walk with the King and be a blessing today!

  • egyprincessegyprincess
    sorry for my stupidness, but wats an elder, n i didnt know that we had any in the Coptic Church.
  • HKelleyHKelley
    Princess:

    An 'Elder" is taken from the word: presbuteros

    Scriptural references for "Elder":

    Acts 14:23
    Acts 20:17
    Phil 1:1
    1 Tim. 5:17
    Titus 1:5

    The duty of "elders" is described by the verb episkopeo. Elders were appointed according as they had given evidece of fulfilling the divine qualitification.

    You will also see the word 'eder' in the Book of Revelations: 24-elders enthrone in heaven around the throne:

    Rev. 4:4,10
    Rev. 5:5-14
    Rev. 7:11, 13
    Rev. 11:16
    Rev. 14:3
    Rev. 19:4

    I do not fellowship in a Coptic church. I do not know if this position is utilized in the Coptic tradition. You can probably check with your priest to ascertain this. It is my limited understanding that these positions are found in the Coptic church: Priest (pastor)/ Bishop/Deacon.

    I pray you experience God's grace & peace today!

  • Michael_ThomaMichael_Thoma
    In the Orthodox and Catholic Church episkopos is the role of the Bishop, also called the episcopate or metropolitan. Presbuteros is the priesthood. Diakonos is the diaconate.
    We also differentiate the priesthood of all believers - which is from the Greek hiereus - applies to all baptized Christians, from the ordained priesthood of Bishops, priests, and deacons.
  • HKelleyHKelley
    It is an interesting study of the origins of the "priesthood". The word priest is found 741 times in the O.T. More than 1/3 of the references to the 'priests' are found in the Pentateuch. The Hebrew word of priest is the word: kohen. The term was used to refer not only to the Hebrew priesthood, but to Egyptian 'priests' (Gen. 41:50), the Philistine 'priests
    (1 Samuel 6:2), the priests of Dagon (1 Sam 5:5), priests of Baal (2 Kings 10:19), priests of Chemosh (Jer. 48:7), and the priests of Baalim & Asherim (2 Chron. 34:5)

    A 'priest' is an authorized ministry of deity who officiates at the altar and in other rites. The priest would perform sacrificial, ritualistic and mediatorial duties; and represents the people before God.

    The Jewish priestly office was established by the Lord in the days of Moses. But prior to the institution of the high priesthood and the priestly office, we read of the priesthood of Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18) and of Midianite priests (Exo. 2:16, 3:1, 18:1).

    The duties of the priesthood were clearly defined by the Mosaic law. These duties were assumed on the 8th day of the service of consecration (Lev. 9:1). The Lord told Aaron: "Therefore thou and thy sons with theee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the veil, and ye shall serve..." (Num. 18:7)

    The priests were to act as teachers of the Law (Lev. 10:10-11; Deut 33:10, 2 Chron. 5:3; 17:7-9; Ezek. 44:23; Mal. 2:6-9).

    Now for the word 'hiereus', which means one who offers sacrifice and has the charge of things pertaining thereto.'
    So there is the understanding that this Greek word pertains not only to the Jewish priests (Matt. 8:4; 12:4-5; Luke 1:5,where allusion is made to the 24 courses of priests appointed for service in the Temple, but also of the believers, Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6. Since all believers, both Jew and Gentile are constituted as a 'kingdom of priests,' 'a holy priesthood and 1 Peter 2:5, and royal v. 9.

    The divine institution of the priesthood culminated in the 'high priest,' it being his duty to represent the whole people. Christ is set forth in this respect in Hebrews, where He is spoken of as a high priest (4:15; 5:5, 10; 6:20; 7:26; 8:1, 3.

    Then there is the word hierateuma, "a body of priests" consisting of all believers, the whole church (not a special order from among them). Hiereus is associated with offering spiritual sacrifices; and hierateuma with the royal dignity of showing forth the Lord's excellencies.

    Having been ordained a presbuteros (elder), my function is principally a Teaching Elder, providing Biblical Instruction for the entire congregation. God has blessed me to serve in this manner, and it is my desire to serve, in the power of the Holy Spirit, as He would have me to serve.

    In the Protestant tradition where I fellowship, we recognize the priest (usually the senior pastor); Bishop; elders; Deacon/ Deaconess. In terms of the spiritual giftings noted in Ephesians 4: Apostle, prophet, pastor, evangelist and teacher function in the church as well.

    It is interesting to see the 'traditional history' of the priesthood and its origins. I firmly believe that Orthodoxy draws from this traditional history. It is important that we remember first and foremost that Christ Jesus was a practicing Jew, and a keeper of the Holy Days as instituted by God the Father. As Christians we recognize that Christ is the fulfillment of these; for in these Holy Days we see Christ presented to us as a type of 'icon'.

    Holy Days Commanded by God and observed by Christ:

    Passover
    Feast of Pentecost
    Feast of Tabernacles (A.K.A. the Feast of Ingathering)
    Feast of Trumpets
    Day of Atonement

    The three major feast were Passover, Pentecost & Tabernacles. All males of Israel were required to travel to the temple in Jerusalem to observe these (Exo. 23:14-19)

    Feast Observed in addition to the Holy Days:

    Feast of Purim (Esther 5:14; 9:18-32)
    Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) (1 Maccabees)

    Michael, the one thing we have in common is John 3:16. I recognize that you are one of the "whosoevers", and I trust that you will be sensitive to the fact that I am one of the "whosoevers" as well.

    I will always respect your right to evaluate/see things from a different light, with the understanding that God alone is the ultimate judge of it all. It is my love for God's people that draws me to understand others in the universal Body of Christ. I thank God for those of the Orthodox tradition--I firmly believe there is a liturgy; a beauty and majesty that we Christians from other traditions need to come to understand and learn from.


    Grace be unto you Michael.

Sign In or Register to comment.