Saturday, May 22, 2004
The Martyr Basiliskos of Comana
2nd Vespers of Holy Fathers: Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17 Apostle: Acts 20:7-12 Gospel: St. John 14:10-21
Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17, especially vs. 16: "And I charged your judges at that time, Hear the
cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien that is with him." We are
right to speak of a Judeo-Christian tradition, for the concept illumines the great consistency of God's revelation to His
People over the course of history. Thus, the command of the Holy Prophet Moses quoted above has applied in the courts of
ancient Israel, the Councils of the Church, and the judicial proceedings of Orthodox Christian nations. In fact, the
Prophet's charge lays down what God expects of all findings called just.
Whatever travesties men may make of right judgment - to distort it to their personal favor, to conform decisions to popular
ideological inventions, or to bend findings to benefit the powerful or wealthy - God sees and condemns all such as
aberrations. The fact is that, from a Judeo-Christian perspective, all courts in all lands stand under this Mosaic command,
for the great Seer gave to God's People truth for all peoples at all times in all places.
Therefore, we should not at all be surprised to find the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles charging the Faithful: "Do not
cause division, but make peace between disputants. Judge justly. Do not show partiality in reproving transgressions. Do
not be of two minds whether or not something should be." Nor should we be surprised, as we celebrate the Feast of the
Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, to see that their deliberations exactly fit the Prophet's charge.
First of all, great Moses enlarged the command to judge righteously by stating this truth both in the negative and in the
positive and by applying it specifically: "You shall not be partial in judgment, you shall hear the small and the great alike"
(vs. 17). This the First Ecumenical Council did in the case of hearing the Priest Arius of Alexandria.
As a Priest serving the large and wealthy parish of Baucalis in Alexandria, Arius' views concerning the Person of Christ
drew much interest and support. In an open discussion of his views in the Clericus of Alexandria, he and his Bishop could
openly disagree. Local Councils were called in support of both sides. Then the matter was taken to the first of the
Ecumenical or general Councils of the Church sponsored by the Emperor Constantine at Nicaea. Arius was given his day in
court, until finally his views were roundly condemned by the majority of the assembled Holy Fathers. They strove to act
impartially in resolving what began as a matter between a Priest and his Bishop, the small and the great in the Church being
given equal hearing.
Likewise, despite strong support from many throughout the Church for Arius' views, including the popular Bishops of three
influential dioceses (Nicomedia, Nicaea, and Chalcedon), the Holy Fathers of the First Council were not "afraid of the face
of man, for the judgment is God's" (vs. 17), and they sought to be faithful to the truth of Divine revelation as they had
received it, for the very life-giving and saving truth of God was at stake. For this reason, only after no other phrases of
Holy Scripture could be found did they utilize the non-Biblical word "homousion," of "one essence," to express the relation
of God the Father and God the Son.
Nicaea itself was the final court of appeal, for numerous Councils had been held in the East and West, as well as within the
jurisdiction of the See of Alexandria. When the "case [was] too hard" (vs. 17) for these earlier, regional Councils to settle
definitively, appeal had to be made as Moses first charged, for he instructed the "wise and experienced men" (vs. 15) of the
tribes to appeal to him as a higher authority (vs. 17). In the Church it required an Ecumenical Council.
Ye have given all, O thrice-blessed Fathers, to know the Trinity clearly, He being the Cause of the creation of the world,
for ye have appeared as champions of the Orthodox word.
