Having entered the Christmas season, we ask those who find the work of the Mystagogy Resource Center beneficial to them to help us continue our work with a generous financial gift as you are able. As an incentive, we are offering the following booklet.

In 1909 the German philosopher Arthur Drews wrote a book called "The Myth of Christ", which New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman has called "arguably the most influential mythicist book ever produced," arguing that Jesus Christ never existed and was simply a myth influenced by more ancient myths. The reason this book was so influential was because Vladimir Lenin read it and was convinced that Jesus never existed, thus justifying his actions in promoting atheism and suppressing the Orthodox Church in the Soviet Union. Moreover, the ideologues of the Third Reich would go on to implement the views of Drews to create a new "Aryan religion," viewing Jesus as an Aryan figure fighting against Jewish materialism. 

Due to the tremendous influence of this book in his time, George Florovsky viewed the arguments presented therein as very weak and easily refutable, which led him to write a refutation of this text which was published in Russian by the YMCA Press in Paris in 1929. This apologetic brochure titled "Did Christ Live? Historical Evidence of Christ" was one of the first texts of his published to promote his Neopatristic Synthesis, bringing the patristic heritage to modern historical and cultural conditions. With the revival of these views among some in our time, this text is as relevant today as it was when it was written. 

Never before published in English, it is now available for anyone who donates at least $20 to the Mystagogy Resource Center upon request (please specify in your donation that you want the book). Thank you.



September 5, 2025

Prologue in Sermons: September 5

 
What We Give to God is Returned To Us a Hundredfold, Not Only in the Life To Come But Also in the Present One.

September 5

(On the Young Man Who Forged a Cross for Patrick, and Who Contributed Ten Gold Coins of His Own.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

There is no doubt that what we sacrifice for God will return to us a hundredfold in the future life. For example, the Lord says to the rich young man: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Matt. 19:21). The same truth is revealed by the Apostle James in the words: "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13). And finally, perhaps, the Apostle Paul testifies to the same thing, advising his disciple to command the rich that they should be rich in good deeds, so "that they may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:17-19). 

But here is the question: will our sacrifices made for God be rewarded by Him in this life? Can we hope that what we have given will be returned to us here? Will we receive what we have given to God in this age? Let us answer these questions with an example. 

One young man excelled in the art of forging various utensils from gold. A certain rich nobleman named Patrick once called him to himself, gave him a lot of gold and ordered him to make a cross for the church from it. Returning home from the nobleman, the young man thought and said to himself: 

“The nobleman will receive a great reward from the Lord for such a large amount of gold donated; but why should I not become a participant in the reward from the Lord along with him? I will take and put at least a little of my own gold into the cross, and I will hope that the Lord will accept my sacrifice just as He accepted the two mites of the Gospel widow.” 

And with these words he put his ten gold coins into the construction of the cross. When the cross was ready, the youth brought it to the nobleman. The latter placed the cross on the scales and, finding it to weigh more than the amount of gold he had given, suspected the youth of theft and said: 

"Why did you steal my gold, replacing it in the cross with some other metal?" 

"God, the Knower of hearts, sees that I have not appropriated any of your gold for myself; but I was jealous of the reward that will be for you, and wished to be a participant in it myself, and therefore, for my part, I put ten gold coins into the cross, believing that God would accept them just as He accepted the two mites of the widow in the Gospel." 

Hearing this, the nobleman was amazed and said to the youth: "Oh, my son, did you really do this?" 

"Yes, lord," answered the youth: "I did as I told you." 

Then the nobleman exclaimed: "So if you have truly given your goods to God out of love, desiring to have a share in His reward with me, then know that from this day I adopt you as my son and make you heir to all my property." 

And the nobleman did not hesitate to put his words into effect. For, the story concludes, both he and the youth, having lived together in love and peace, both received salvation. Thus, not only in the future life does the Lord return a hundredfold what was given to His glory, but also in this life He rewards the merciful and shows them miracles of His mercy. 

And more than one example just cited proves this truth. Thus, we know that Tobit made many sacrifices for God; for this reason, God freed his son from Asmodeus and granted him sight, along with wealth and a peaceful life. The widow of Zarephath shared her last flour with Elijah, and during the famine, the jar of flour did not run dry, nor did the jug of oil diminish (1 Kings 17:16). And finally, David also states that he, having lived to old age, has not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging for bread (Psalm 37:25-26). These examples seem compelling. 

Therefore, we believe, brethren, that there is no more to persuade you regarding this mentioned truth, and in conclusion, we can only wish from the depths of our hearts that we do not regret giving our good deeds to God, that we would be merciful and compassionate towards the unfortunate, and that we would more often wipe away the tears of widows and orphans, so that for your sacrifices and acts of philanthropy, the Lord God would bless you in all your endeavors in this life (Deuteronomy 15:7-10), and in the future, He would bring you into eternal mansions. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
 

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