Chancellor’s Diary

by Fr. John Jillions

November 21, 2014

Entrance Theotokos
Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos at St. Sergius Chapel

The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple

Acts 7:1-53 Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin

This rather long and important passage from Acts is given further below.  Stephen is responding to the charge that he has been speaking against the Temple and the Law of Moses, saying that…

November 19, 2014

Acts 6:8-15 Arrest of Stephen

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyre′nians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cili′cia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not…

November 18, 2014

Acts 6:1-7 Community in Conflict

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.…

November 14, 2014

Acts 5:33-42 Gamaliel

33 When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gama′li-el, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you do with these men. 36 For…

November 13, 2014

Saint John Chrysostom

Acts 5:27-32

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles…

November 12, 2014

Acts 5:17-26 “Speak to the people all the words of this Life”

St Peter
St Peter’s Liberation From Prison (Murillo, 1667)

17 But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sad′ducees, and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the…

November 11, 2014

Acts 5:12-16 The apostles heal many

12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, 15 so…

November 7, 2014

Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira

Ananias
The Death of Ananias (Raphael)

But a man named Anani′as with his wife Sapphi′ra sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Anani′as, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the…

November 5, 2014

Acts 4:32-37 One heart and soul, everything in common

2 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon…

November 4, 2014

Acts 4:23-31 Threats and Boldness

23 When they were released they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who by the mouth…

October 31, 2014

Acts 4:1-22 Boldness

4 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sad′ducees came upon them, 2 annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the morrow, for it was already evening. 4 But…

October 30, 2014

Acts 3:11-26 Apostolic Speaking

11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s, astounded. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people, “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of…

October 29, 2014

Acts 3:1-10

Jesus healing lame man
Peter healing the lame man (Raphael, Vatican)

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into…

October 21, 2014

Dear friends,

I’ll be taking a short break from writing the Chancellor’s Diary, and will resume Wednesday, October 29th. The bishops of the Holy Synod arrived yesterday for their annual Fall session and I will be taken up with meetings and activities related to that. Then on Thursday night I go to England to participate next Monday as an examiner…

October 17, 2014

Acts 2:42-47 The Christian Community

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they sold their possessions…

October 16, 2014

Acts 2:14-41 The First Christian Public Speech

St Peter
The Apostle Peter

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is…

October 14, 2014

Acts 2:1-13 The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. 4 And they…

October 10, 2014

Acts 1:15-26 Restoring the Twelve

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was…

October 9, 2014

Acts 1:12-14

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away; 13 and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot…

October 8, 2014

Acts 1:6-11: the Ascension of Jesus

6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall…