St. Mary & St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church
 
Bible Study w/ Abouna Zakaria
Notes Written by Servant Serving in Mexico

Chapter 3-Children to God
Vs.1-2 and the love of God makes us his true children through grace
Christains are the only ones who can call God their father
This is because Jesus became incarnate and is considered our brother therefore by relation we are children of God
Because there are so many people who don’t want to know God, verse 1 will always be true for 
us but verse 2 is our hope and joy
during the liturgy the priest turns the body of Christ towards the congregation twice, as if to say God has come once and He is coming again
Verse 3 as children of God our responsibility is to be pure
As christians we should be constantly be purifying ourselves and never stop. We should not platau or think that we have reached our maximum because throught the Holy Spirit we can always become more pure
Vs4-5 our responsibility as children of God is in writing not to do?
Ignoring the voice of God in our lives and continuing to sin makes his voice solfter and after a while sin dosent seem like sin anymore because the voice of God is no longer heard.
For example: when you stain a new white shirt the stain is obvious. However, when you continue to stain the white shirt it becomes harder and harder to tell the original color of the shirt.
In our spiritual lives the more our shirt is stained the more we need to pray for Gods help in removing that sin from our lives.
Vs.6-21
Verse 6 (refer back to chapter 2 verse 1) vs. 6 refers to not wanting to return from sin
Vs.9 we are born with sin but through baptism and chrismation we are reborn with vs.9
We have both voices within us telling us what to do. we should listen to the right voice so it can grow stronger in our lives.
Vs.10 practice righteousness and love your brother
Vs.11-12 no love=murder but love for God=love for others
Vs.13-15 hate=murder but love=life (vs.14)
Example: St. Stephen the first martyr Acts 7:54-60
When priest washes His hands during the liturgy and shows them to the people he is asking if he has wronged anyone to the point where they cant forgive him…if that is the case their blood is on his hands
Vs.16-21
Giving to those in need=love of God
Vs.16-18: how to treat your brother
Vs.19-21 signs of your spiritual status
Vs.22-24Trust in God our Father
1) Believe in Jesus Christ
2) Love one another
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Bible Study w/ Abouna Zakaria
Notes Written by Servant Serving in Mexico

Chapter 2 common love and God is good
1John 2:1-2 the love of Christ to us or accept the Lord is to admit that you sin
Jesus is our advocate 
In Spanish the word advocate is the same as the word lawyer “avocato”
We are all on trial and Jesus is our defense lawyer
Romans 8:33-4
He is not only our defense lawyer but also our judge!
Propitiation in Hebrew is “cover”
Like parents take the blame for their children’s actions God took our punishment
1John 2:3-11our love to him and heed his best conservation concentrated in brotherly love
God is like the motor inside you- you stop it from working by cutting off the fuel source
Love of God never stops
Vs.8 sin→no power and new commandment=Jesus
We are reminded of this through communion
Vs.6 God in the middle of us
Vs.12-14 children of our loving God
4 things that children of God receive
Vs.12- sins forgiven
Vs.13- knoing Christ “from the beginning” like in John chapter 1
How did Jesus Christ always exist?- was just not in the flesh ( aka incarnated) so we did not see Him. However, like the wavelegnths that create the picture on a tv screen He was always there and we just couldn’t see Him. When he wanted us to see Him he took a form we could see and understand like turning on a tv in order to see a picture.
Vs.13- knowing the Father
So all in all you are in company with the Holy Spirit

The Trinity is not a line it is a triangle
If this triangle is gold the three corners are all gold but they are not the same
In the same way the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all God but they are not all the same
St. Athanasius compared it to water
1) water=Father
2) water=Son
3) water moving= Holy Spirit
vs.14 “I have written to you”- he had not literally written to them before but rather written to them through his life
When you know God you are the written word of God. Your life is God’s book.
St. John is saying the word is in you and this book is simply to remind you.
Ex: Genesis 39:9 There was no written law for Joseph but he knew because he had the word of God in his heart
The image of God is already in every person but when we sin it is like putting plastic over a picture, it becomes harder to see. When Jesus died for us He removed all that and allowed us to see Him clearly.
Vs.15-17 to reject the love of the world 
The church puts these verses after every reading of the catholicon to remind us
Things of the world=vs.16
Vs.18-23to reject the dissident sects on God and His church
The Antichrist=Many people. Have come and are here now and will still come in the future. Antichrist is everyone who denies the son
Vs.20=Holy Mayroon
Vs.27=Holy Spirit
Vs.18-23 Children of God reject things that are not of the church vs.19
Don’t complain about the church but rather light a candle in the dark and if you see something wrong do the right.
Whether directly or indirectly always preach the word of God. 
Vs.24-27
We are like branches on a tree. The Holy Spirit is like the tree trunk in our lives. When we cut off the influence of the Holy Spirit we are killing ourselves 
We are partners with the Holy Spirit and must work as such
Vs.28-29 Lovers of God and waiting for His coming and lovers of God and Make best
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Bible Study w/ Abouna Zakaria
Notes Written by Servant Serving in Mexico

5 St.Johns in the Bible
Who: St. John
For/ Who: His children
Why: To dispel the heresy of God not being divine (only being human) and heresy that sin is good because it helps us know God better
What about: God is love
When: 1st Century after the devastation of Jerusalem (72-73) end of 1st Century

Chapter 1 purpose of incarnation
Another reference Incarnation of the Word by St. Athanasius
1John1:1-4
Verse one reads “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- It embodies the word of God and their life
The four things:
-heard
-seen
-looked upon (meaning thought about)
-hands have handled
Are the four criteria that make an experience real
He also says “we” to say the he is not the only person who has experienced it
Verses 2-4---- to have company and the enjoyment of life and joy
“that life”=Jesus
When God commanded Adam not to eat from the tree He said “or you shall surely die”
When Adam and Eve lived in communication with God they had concern for Him and His word. When that was cutoff through sin they became essentially dead, and we as well through heritage. When Christ came “the life was manifested” life=God. Fellowship with God=joy.
“these things we write to you that your joy may be full” life=joy
Fellowship with each other=the love of God
1John 1:5-10---follow the path of God in the light and we must confess our sins
God is without darkness and without sin
Things that aren’t good are satisfied in darkness 
As humans we decide what is good and bad based on surroundings but God is unchanging and always good. He is perfect and therefore He is our moral compass. Therefore we cannot say God is good and evil. We also define good and evil for ourselves through Him. 
Metaphor: Light Bulb
Adam sinned and cut the cable to the power source(God) that provides light(life) for the light bulb
Jesus reconnected it. Now we have the option of turning the light on and off (We can now decide if we want life or not, it was not an option before)
Repentance is the light bulb needing to be fixed. We are still connected to Christ but need to change something in our lives
Spiritual death is like the generator being broken. It is something that God must fix.
Live every day like it is your last
Bible + Prayer=Life because through them you know God and thereby know what is good and evil.
“Dissernment” 
Abraham’s relationship with God was special
Hebrews 11:17-22
Received promises from God that he would receive a son and laughed, but the promises came true. By default the promises God said about the son had to come true. God promised Abraham that the son would give him generations of descendants.
When God told him to kill that son Abraham recognized God’s voice. He obeyed Him without question for one reason, he knew Gods promises were true so whether he killed his son and brought him back to life or stopped him from killing his son God would not take his son away from him. Genesis 22:5 he said “we” will come back to you. He knew he would return WITH his son.
As for us the way we discern Gods voice is because it provides inner peace and it agrees with the bible. For example the shepherds when they heard the good news about Christ’s birth they were shocked and afraid but came away with joy and inner peace. 
Other cross references for 1John1:5-10:
Psalm 14:1-3
Romans 3:12
Romans 7:7-12
 

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    Father Zakaria is the current priest at St. Mary and St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church in Tlayacapan, Mexico

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