J vend javak f papja
“Krisztus pedig, mint j vend javak f papja a nagyobb s t k letesebb s toron t jelent meg, amely nem emberk z alkot sa, azaz nem ebb l a vil gb l val .” (Zsid.9,11)
Kedves Testv reim!
A Zsid khoz rt lev l id zett vers ben nyilv nval kar csonyi zenet hangzik. Krisztus megjelent, k z tt nk van, vel nk l! A betlehemi kicsi gyermek, mint Isten megjelent egysz l tt Fia, akkor, s napjainkban is, t bbeket elgondolkoztat, s t vannak, akiket megbotr nkoztat. Az sz vets get felcser l jr l elmondjuk, hogy a m lys gb l val ki t, a s t ts gb l val szabadul s, vagy a tehetetlen ember j es lye, s Isten minden rtelmet meghalad kegyelmes irgalma. Ahhoz, hogy a j vend javak rt k nek rkez s t, a m lys g s t tj ben haldokl embert meg j t szeretetet meg rts k, szint n kell magunkr l s a v ltoztat s rem nys g t ltet Istenr l besz ln nk. A Zsid khoz rt lev l kend zetlen l besz l az sz vets gi ember istentisztelet nek ” rny kos” oldal r l. Ezek a papok mennyei dolgok k pm s nak s rny k nak szolg lnak, ahogyan Isten parancsolta M zesnek, amikor el akarta k sz teni a s tort. Mert gy sz lt: “Vigy zz, mindent aszerint a minta szerint k sz ts el, amelyet a hegyen megmutattam neked” (2M z.25,40), (Zsid.8,5). Isten pontosan megadta a mint t, amit M zes h s gesen el is k sz tett. Ezzel minden megvolt, hogy a f ld por b l a n p a menny fel forduljon. Isten nem ereszkedett al , ennek ellen re az ember, b r t k r ltal hom lyosan, s m gis f lre rthetetlen l tisztelhette, szolg lhatta volna t. Ebb l az ” rny kos” istentiszteletb l egyed l az ember folytonos roml sa miatt lett b lv nyim d s, istenk roml s s teljes s t ts g. Az embert semmi s sohasem menthette volna fel b ne al l, amivel a mintak vet sz vets gi istentisztelett l elhajlott, hanem csak J zus Krisztus f paps ga ltali jsz vets g, a benne meg jul ember s meg j tott szolg lat.
Kar csony nnep n elm lked s nk lelki hozad ka akkor lesz teljes, ha mi is szembe tudunk n zni el deink ltalunk is elk vetett hib ival, mert gy a r gi sz vets gi mintak vet istentisztelet rt k nek elismer se alapja lehet az j istentisztelet csod inak felismer s hez, s az j letforma elfogad s hoz. K lvin J nos gondolatmenet t k vetve, az sz vets gi istentisztelet h rom dolog miatt volt l nyeges. El sz r, mert egy rtelm en a mennyei vil got t rta a n p el , s az emberek helyzet t. M sodszor, mert nem lehet az istentisztelet emberi tlet, t rekv s, hanem szigor an mennyb l rkez rendelet. Harmadszor, minden Krisztusra tekint az istentiszteleten, de minden istenk roml s, ha vigy zatlanul idegen elemek, hamis mint k, vagy ls gos szok sok vegy lnek Isten gy hez. Az jsz vets gi istentisztelet olyan letforma, mely folyamatosan t pl lkozik Isten kijelent seib l, a Szent r s teljess g b l, s olyan magatart sforma, mely igyekszik vigy zni a mennyei mint ra.
Christmas Greetings
“But now Christ has come as the high priest of the good things to come. He passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation-“ (Hebrews 9:11)
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
The above quoted verse is a Christmas message: Christ has come; He is with us, He lives in us! The new-born Bethlehem Child, as the Son of God, brings wonder and joy to many people, while others reject Him and are even offended by Him. However, the New Covenant offers a path that leads believers out of darkness, from the depths of our sin. It is a new chance for us, as weak human beings, to witness the power of God-s grace and His great mercy, which is beyond our understanding.
The Book of Hebrews bluntly speaks about the “shaded” side of worship by Old Covenant people. Old Covenant priests observed the rituals, utilizing the objects and ornaments that God described to Moses, which were created, according to His prescribed patterns for the sanctuary: “Now be sure to make them according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain” (Exodus 25:40).
Our human condition can easily lead us into darkness, when we fall prey to idolatry, blasphemy, and all forms of evil. As the Old Covenant people turned away from God, they rejected Him. They abandoned the commanded patterns of worship. However, in the New Covenant, the high priesthood of Jesus Christ releases us from our sins, by His sanctification.
At Christmas, we should acknowledge our mistakes -both known and unknown-, which our fore-fathers also committed. Further, we must obey the heavenly patterns of worship. Indeed, by respecting and honouring the Old Covenant, we can worship and bring into being the New Covenant, which promises us blessings and miracles, through New Covenant worship. By “living” the New Covenant, we can enjoy a “lifestyle” that assures us of God-s promises, in His Holy Scriptures.
Christ was born! He stepped out of the “shade” to lead His people out of deadly darkness. We must appreciate and keep the God-s precious promises, because Satan is always ready to wrestle them from our hearts (John 10:10).
The high priest of the good things to come was born! Hallelujah!
May God bless this Christmas celebration! And the goodwill of His people!
Advent 2015
Istv n Cs ry bishop
(Ford totta/translated by Antal J nos)
Preot al bunurilor viitoare
– Scrisoare pastoral de Cr ciun –
“AZns atunci c nd Cristos, ca Mare Preot al lucrurilor bune care au venit, a intrat n cortul mai mare AYi perfect care nu este f cut de m ini – adic nu este parte a acestei crea ii” (Evrei 9:11)
Dragilor Fra i n Iisus-Hristos,
AZn versetul citat din Epistola c tre evrei ni se adreseaz un mesaj de Cr ciun. Hristos a ap rut, este printre noi, tr ieAYte cu noi. Pruncul din Betlehem, adic primul n scut Fiu al lui Dumnezeu, a pus pe g nduri mult lume, atunci ca AYi n zilele noastre. Testamentul cel nou, spre deosebire de cel vechi, ne convinge c exist ieAYire din ad ncuri, exist eliberare din ntuneric AYi c se deschide o nou AYans pentru omul neputincios, datorit harului dumnezeiesc care se afl deasupra oric rei ra iuni umane. Ca s n elegem valorile bunurilor care vor sosi AYi esen a iubirii nnoitoare fa de omul muribund, trebuie s vorbim cu sinceritate despre noi nAYine AYi despre speran a dumnezeiasc a schimb rii omului .
Epistola c tre evrei ne vorbeAYte n mod direct despre fa a “umbrit ” a omului Vechiului Testament. Preo ii aceia sunt slujitori ai chipurilor AYi umbrelor lucrurilor cereAYti, aAYa cum le poruncise Moise n momentul n care vroia s construiasc cortul. C ci i-a spus: “Vezi s faci acestea toate dup modelul ce i s-a ar tat n munte”) 2 Moise 25,4,), Ei fac o slujba, care este chipul si umbra lucrurilor cereAYti, dup poruncile primite de Moise de la Dumnezeu, c nd avea sa fac Cortul: “Ia seama”, i s-a zis, “s faci totul dup chipul care ti-a fost ar tat pe munte.”(Evreii 8,5). Dumnezeu a dat modelul, iar Moise a procedat ca atare. Totul era dat poporului s se ridice din praful p m ntesc c tre cer. Azi totuAYi, omul L-a cinstit AYi L-a slujit pe Bunul Dumnezeu dup felul s u: din aceast cinstire “umbrit ” s-a n scut idolatrizare, sacrilegiu AYi bezn total . Nimic nu l-ar fi putut salva pe om de povara p catului de a se fi ndep rtat de Dumnezeu, numai AYi numai noul testament preo esc al lui Iisus Hristos, care ntegreaz omul nou AYi slujba cea nou .
Cu ocazia Cr ciunului trebuie ca AYi noi s privim fa n fa greAYelile comise de str moAYii noAYtri AYi de noi nAYine, c ci astfel, prin recunoaAYterea valorii slujbei din Vechiul Testament putem pune bazele miraculoase ale noii slujbe AYi a noului mod de a tr i. Urm ndu-l pe Jean Calvin slujba cea veche este important din trei motive: ea arat poporului mp r ia cereasc , ea nu este o idee oarecare a omului, ci o r nduial strict a cerului; AYi ea l are n vedere ntotdeauna pe Hristos. Dar totul devine sacrilegiu n momentul n care este molipsit de elemente str ine, de modele sau obiceiuri false. AZn schimb, slujba care este conform cu noul Testament AYi trage seva din Cuv ntul lui Dumnezeu din Sf nta Biblia, n totalitatea ei.
S-a n scut Mesia! A ieAYit din umbr ca s -AYi conduc pe ai s i din bezna mortal . Primul Cr ciun este un proces continuu, c ci Hristos se lupt n continuare cu ademenirea ntunericului. Trebuie s ne d m seama c t este de important s cinstim AYi s p str m tot ce vine de la Bunul Dumnezeu. Trebuie s avem grij de Biblie, c ci n timp ce ne lupt m ntre noi pentru a stabili care din cele dou testamente este cel adev rat, poate al ii ne v nd alte aAYa-zise scripturi sfinte. AZn timp ce ne cert m pentru prioritatea p m ntului natal, vin al ii de pe alte meleaguri AYi ni-l ocup . At ta timp c t nu avem unul, sau doi copii care s moAYteneasc pentru avu ia noastr , ne trezim c titlul de proprietate se completeaz pentru al ii. Azi am putea continua-
Dar s-a n scut Mesia! Azi el poate da exemplu c ci ne-a adus model din mp r ia cerului “printr-un cort mai mare AYi perfect” ca s ne putem orienta.
S-a n scut Preotul bunurilor viitoare. S fim recunosc tori, s -L s rb torim pe El din toat inima AYi din tot sufletul!
Oradea, la Cr ciunul anului 2015-12-16
Sub leg m ntul p cii:
Cs ry Istv n episcop
(Traducere: Tolnay Istv n)