By Fr. George Dorbarakis
The great Father and Hymnographer of Saint Epiphanios, Saint John of Damascus, repeatedly focuses our attention on what he considers the first thing we must notice: the Saint’s conversion from the Jewish faith to the grace of faith in Christ. For Saint Epiphanios, the Hymnographer notes, the Mosaic Law functioned in the way the Apostle Paul says: as a “schoolmaster unto Christ.” That is, Epiphanios did not have a veil over his mind when he studied the Old Testament. Rather, because his soul was open, he perceived the meaning of the Law, which is none other than Christ Himself. For we must not forget that the Old Testament also, as we learned from the Lord Himself, “points” to Christ. Without Christ it remains closed and uninterpreted. “What Moses and the prophets wrote, they wrote concerning Me,” revealed the infallible mouth of our incarnate God.
“The Law written in letters became for you a schoolmaster leading to Christ, Epiphanios, showing you the grace of the knowledge of God in the Savior, which shone forth and had been mystically prefigured and symbolized in the clearest way” (Sticheron of Vespers).
What was it that enabled Saint Epiphanios to receive this great grace of conversion — as also his sister did, moreover (Ode 3) — something his parents, for example, or many other Jews were unable to accept? Saint John of Damascus points it out clearly: apart from the benefaction he received from Kleovios, the “Godlike man” (Ode 1) who healed him, it was the purity of his search, his longing and love for the Law of God — first of the Old Testament and then of Christ Himself. And this is a great truth always proclaimed by the Christian faith: there is no person anywhere on earth who sincerely seeks the truth, who longs for God, even if at first he does not know Him, who will not be guided by Christ Himself — most often through His people — to encounter Him truly and inwardly. As the Lord Himself emphasized again: “Whoever loves the truth will hear My voice.”
“You were seized with longing for the divine Law and chose what is just over what is unjust, Father Epiphanios; therefore, through symbols, you accepted the saving faith of the Holy Trinity” (Ode 1).
Indeed, the Hymnographer considers this choice to be the supreme act of intelligence on the part of Epiphanios. He may have been enslaved to the Mosaic Law, but ultimately the grace of Christ shone within him and made him a disciple of the peace of the gospel. Thus he acted as one “intelligent,” because understanding the outcome of both Covenants, he passed from slavery into freedom.
“Like an intelligent man, understanding the outcome and purpose of both Covenants, you passed from slavery into freedom” (Doxastikon of the Vesperal Stichera).
And this means, by extension, that an intelligent person, according to Christian criteria, is not merely one who knows how to use his mind for earthly matters, but one who can distinguish the eternal from the temporary, that which enslaves from that which liberates — and this liberation is the Spirit of God (see also Ode 1).
From that point onward, the Holy Hymnographer devotes himself to revealing the wonders God performed through him: miracles and healings, but also gracious conversions brought about through his teaching, the foundation of which was his holy ascetic life.
“Your God-inspired life, joined with Orthodox-mindedness, prepared you to work miracles, Father, to drive away the arrogance of demons, and through your prayers to relieve the pains of grievous illnesses” (Vesperal Sticheron).
And for the holy poet, this union of a God-inspired life with Orthodox-mindedness is what defines a teacher of Christianity. That is, an Orthodox teacher is not merely someone who knows the dogmas of the faith in an intellectual or rationalistic way — perhaps even an atheist could “learn” these things. Rather, he is one who supports the teaching with his God-filled life. Did not the Lord Himself reveal this? “He who does and teaches shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who sent Me.” And Saint John of Damascus makes this important observation: such a teacher does not teach from himself, but is guided by the Lord Himself — his word bears the authority of God Himself. In the Doxastikon of the Aposticha at Vespers he writes:
“Because of your spiritual wisdom, blessed Epiphanios, you appeared as a teacher of the Orthodox faith; and having found Christ as your guide, you scattered the schemes of the cacodox heretics”
Saint Epiphanios was characterized by our Church (at the Seventh Ecumenical Synod) as one of her great Fathers. His anti-heretical work especially, as we have seen, destroyed the false teachings of the heretics and strengthened the Church. Yet one “strange” fact, at least for us later Christians, remains uncommented upon by the Holy Hymnographer: Saint Epiphanios also condemned Saint John Chrysostom. It was with his signature as well that the great Father and Ecumenical Teacher was exiled. Both are saints. Both are “eagles” of theology. Both are Fathers. Why and how could this happen? Perhaps because holiness is not measured by temporary decisions. Perhaps because in a world fallen into sin many factors are at work that we cannot fully define or avoid. Perhaps because even a saint is not… perfect! The great patrologist of blessed memory, Professor Stylianos (the monk Gerasimos) Papadopoulos, writes perceptively concerning Saint Epiphanios:
“The uncritical behavior of Saint Epiphanios in his struggle against Saint Chrysostom led to the condemnation of the latter, who at that time was the greatest figure in the Church. Thus the Orthodox Epiphanios, because he refused to follow the progressive course of theology and because he became dominated by zealotry, turned into a rigid traditionalist and consequently an opponent of the post-Athanasian shapers of ecclesiastical thought, namely the Cappadocians and Chrysostom. Nevertheless, the Church overlooked his errors, honors the rest of his noteworthy work, and celebrates his memory on May 12” (Patrology II, Athens 1990, p. 723).
Ultimately, the important thing is that both saints enjoy together, embraced in Christ, His blessed presence, praying together for our salvation and for that of the whole world. And this is the most important thing of all. For everything is judged by the end.
“O Holy King of kings, monarchic Trinity Who rulest over all, grant to those who hymn You forgiveness of sins and a life free from temptations, through the intercessions of Epiphanios” (Ode 9).
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.