Friday, October 15, 2004
Hieromartyr Lucian of Antioch
1st Vespers, Fathers of 7th Council: Genesis 14:14-20 Epistle: Philippians 3:8-19
Gospel: St. Luke 7:11-15
Genesis 14:14-20 LXX. Chedorlaomer (vs. 15) was king of Elam at the
dawn of history, in the age of the Patriarchs. His country today is a small, southern, piedmont
territory shared by Iran and Iraq. However, during his reign, he wielded an influence much
greater than the small territory that comprised his kingdom. He was, in fact, the overlord of
much of western Asia between the Mediterranean coast and the mountains of what today is Iran
(Gen. 14:1-5). The earlier verses of Genesis, Chapter 14:1-13, tell how Abram's nephew, Lot,
became a captive of the coalition forces under Chedorlaomer. The point is that Lot and his
family were about to disappear forever into the oblivion of slavery had not the righteous Abram
mobilized the small resources available to him in his own household to engage a huge army
under the four flags of Chedorlaomer and his vassal princes. In addition, do not overlook the fact
that Abram went out against a proven military force that already had subdued peoples over a wide
tract of the Middle East, including the crushing of a rebellion by five former vassals of
Chedorlaomer, "four kings against five" (Gen. 14:5-12).
What should we make of the account of Abram's victory which the Church assigns for our study
and meditation before the Feast celebrating the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council?
Well, certainly both Abram and the Seventh Council won victories by small bands of God's
Faithful who defeated powerful coalitions that long had suppressed the People of God and His
truth. Both victories were marked by 1) unquestioning trust in God's prompting, 2) the darkness
under which the enemies of God's truth camped which contributed to their defeat, and 3)
liturgical worship and thanksgiving by the People of God.
Abram's victory came as result of the Patriarch's trust in the power of God. As St. John
Chrysostom observes about his triumph over Chedorlaomer's forces: "The Patriarch prevailed
against them not by physical strength but through faith in God. He achieved all this under the
protection of help from on high, not by wielding weapons and arrows and spears or by drawing
bows or raising shields but with a few retainers of his own household."
Likewise, the Seventh Ecumenical Council barely was able to support the Empress Irene in
declaring that icons "should be set forth in the churches of God." Even that victory was short-lived, since forces in Constantinople that favored iconoclasm far outnumbered those supporting
the icons and were able to have Irene exiled in 802, ending hope for the return of the icons. It
would not be until 843 that another Empress-Mother, Theodora, would be able to reverse her late
husband's iconoclast policies and allow Patriarch Methodios to declare the sacred images lawful.
Victory came at last because of the persisting faith of those who knew that icons were of God.
Abram won his victory because his small band came upon Chedorlaomer's armies encamped "by
night"and so was able in the cover of darkness to smote and pursue them (Gen 14:15). Also, the
darkness of iconoclasm was defeated by the light and wisdom of those like St. John of Damascus
and St. Theodore of Studion, for "the Light...is never overtaken by night."
The sure victory of God's Truth over darkness and death is a cooperative work brought about by
the faith of God's beloved and the grace of the Lord, which together always prevail so that "the
most high God Who delivers...enemies into [the] power" of His People will be blessed (vs. 20).
As the Prophet David said, "The Lord is my light and my savior, whom then shall I fear? The
Lord is the defender of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?" (Ps. 26:1 LXX)
"In Thee is the fountain of life, in Thy light shall we see light. O continue Thy mercy unto them
that know Thee, and Thy righteousness unto the upright of heart." (Ps. 35:10,11 LXX)
