Terminology -

HOLY TRADITION –  the doctrine of the faith, the law of God, the sacraments, and the ritual as handed down by the true believers and worshipers of God by word and example from one to another, and from generation to generation. All true believers united by the holy tradition of the faith, collectively and successively,… Read More

HOLY SCRIPTURE – Certain books written by the Spirit of God through men sanctified by God, called Prophets and Apostles. These books are commonly termed the Bible.  In holy Scripture we read the words of the Prophets and Apostles precisely as if we were living with them and listening to them, although the latest of… Read More

BOOKS OF THE LAW – The five books written by Moses–Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  Jesus Christ himself gives to these books the general name of the law of Moses. Luke xxiv. 44.

GENESIS  – The account of the creation of the world and of man and afterwards the history and ordinances of religion in the first ages of mankind.  Book of the Old Testament, one of the five books written by Moses. The Book of Genesis contains the pre-history of the people of Israel. It starts the… Read More

EXODUS – The history of religion in the time of the Prophet Moses, and the Law given through him from God. Book of the Old Testament, one of the five books written by Moses. This book speaks of the deliverance of the People of Israel from bondage in Egypt and the making of a Covenant… Read More

LEVITICUS – The history of religion in the time of the Prophet Moses, and the Law given through him from God. Book of the Old Testament, one of the five books written by Moses. Leviticus contains extremely specific details of the laws and priestly rituals. The first 16 chapters and the last chapter make up… Read More

NUMBERS – The history of religion in the time of the Prophet Moses, and the Law given through him from God. Book of the Old Testament, one of the five books written by Moses. The title Numbers refers to the census or numbering of the people of Israel at the beginning of this book, but… Read More

DEUTERONOMY – The history of religion in the time of the Prophet Moses, and the Law given through him from God. Book of the Old Testament, one of the five books written by Moses. The basic theme of Deuteronomy which means Second Law, is the renewal of the Covenant. At the end of the book… Read More

HISTORICAL BOOKS  (of the Old Testament)  – The books of Jesus the son of Nun (Joshua), Judges, Ruth, Kings, Paralipomena, the book of  Esdras, and the books of  Nehemiah and Esther. HISTORICAL BOOK (of the New Testament)  – Acts of the Apostles  

JOSHUA (Jesus the son of Navi) – One of the books known as the historical books of the Old Testament.   The book of Joshua is the story of the Conquest of the Promised Land. The story opens with the passage of the Jordan River and the sack of Jericho (Ch. 1-6); it then tells how… Read More

JUDGES – One of the books known as the historical books of the Old Testament. Despite the initial conquest of Palestine, the process of subjugation continued and, in fact, some parts of the country were never conquered. Heroes (Judges) rose up amongst the people in times of crisis, and this book is primarily an account… Read More

RUTH – One of the books known as the historical books of the Old Testament. The book of Ruth speaks of the marriage of Ruth (a Moabitess a foreigner) to a Hebrew man and how, on his death, she chose to return to Judah with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to share the fortunes of her husband’s… Read More

KINGS – Books known as the historical books of the Old Testament. The two books of the Samuel (1st and 2nd Kingdoms in the Orthodox Bible) are concerned primarily with the history of Israel during the times of the Prophet Samuel, King Saul and King David. Originally one unified work, Samuel was early divided into… Read More

PARALIPOMENA (Books of Chronicles) – Books known as the historical books of the Old Testament. First and Second Chronicles (1st and 2nd Paralipomenen in the Orthodox Bibles) were originally one book in the Hebrew Bible and can be seen as part of a larger history including the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. These books are… Read More

ESDRAS – One of the books known as the historical books of the Old Testament. This book (2nd Esdras in Russian Bibles) was written probably in the 2nd Century B.C. by an unknown Greek-speaking Jew, whose purpose was to emphasize the contributions of Josiah, Zerubbabel and Ezra to the reforms of Israelite worship. It basically… Read More

NEHEMIAH – One of the books known as the historical books of the Old Testament. Forms part of a larger history which includes 1st and 2nd Chronicles. The theme of these books are the religious and political reorganization of Judah after the Return from the Babylonian Exile in the time of the Persian Empire (Kings… Read More

ESTHER – One of the books known as the historical books of the Old Testament. Forms part of a larger history which includes 1st and 2nd Chronicles. The theme of these books are the religious and political reorganization of Judah after the Return from the Babylonian Exile in the time of the Persian Empire (Kings… Read More

DOCTRINAL BOOKS (of the Old Testament)  – The book of Job, the Psalms, and the books of Solomon. DOCTRINAL BOOKS (of the New Testament)  -The seven general Epistles: namely, one of the Apostle James, two of   Peter, three of John, and one of Jude; and fourteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul: namely, one to… Read More

JOB – One of the books known as the Doctrinal books of the Old Testament. The book of Job is concerned with the problem of suffering in the world. It does not attempt to explain the mystery of suffering or to justify the ways of God with men, but rather aims to probe the depths… Read More

PSALMS OF DAVID – One of the books known as the Doctrinal books of the Old Testament. The Psalter (also known as the Psalms of David) is the Old Testament book that contains hymns and poems traditionally ascribed to the Holy Prophet and King David, ancestor of our Lord Jesus Christ. Virtually every aspect of worship—praise,… Read More

SOLOMON (Wisdom of Solomon) – One of the books known as the Doctrinal books of the Old Testament. This book is probably the last book of the Old Testament and was written around 100 B.C. by an Alexandrian Jew, although he probably used earlier materials even those possibly written by King Solomon. Here the concept… Read More

PROPHETICAL BOOKS (of the Old Testament)  – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the twelve others so-called minor prophets:  Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah,  Mica, Nahum, Habakkuk,  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zechariah, and  Malachi. PROPHETICAL BOOKS (of the New Testament)  – Revelation

CHARITY – In Christian theology charity, or love (agape), means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others. We find the elements of the doctrine of charity in the Ten Commandments of the Law of God.   (The term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving.)

IMAGE OF GOD – It consists, as explained by the Apostle Paul, In righteousness and holiness of truth. Eph. iv. 24.