I shouldn't have to put a disclaimer like this, but since people sometimes misunderstand the purpose of a quotation, I will simply bluntly say that I'm not posting this as an endorsement of the work.
Averky Taushev of Syracuse, Archbishop of Jordanville, (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia) (1906-1976), wrote a commentary on Revelation. The following is from Chapter 12, pp. 135-6, of "The Apocalypse of St. John: an Orthodox commentary." (available here)
CHAPTER TWELVE
THE THIRD VISION: THE BATTLE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH THE POWER HOSTILE TO IT OF ANTICHRIST: THE CHURCH OF CHRIST UNDER THE IMAGE OF THE WOMAN TRAVAILING IN BIRTH
12:1-2 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Certain commentators have seen in this mystical woman the Most Holy Theotokos, but such outstanding commentators as St. Hippolytus, St. Methodius, and St. Andrew of Caesarea find that this is "the Church clothed in the Word of the Father, shining more brightly than the sun." This brilliance of the sun signifies likewise that she possesses the true knowledge of God and His laws and contains His revelations. The moon under her feet is a sign of the fact that she is above everything that changes. St. Methodius considers the moon allegorically as the "faith of those cleansed of corruption by the bath, that is, baptism, since upon the moon depends the nature of moisture."
On her head is a crown of twelve stars that, being originally gathered together from the twelve tribes of Israel, she subsequently was guided by the twelve apostles who comprise her light-bearing glory.
From the fact that she is in pain during childbirth, it is evident that it is incorrect to see in this woman the Most Holy Theotokos, for the giving birth from Her of the Son of God was without pain.
These torments of birthgiving signify the difficulties which had to be overcome by the Church of Christ when it was being established in the world (martyrdom, the spreading of heresies). At the same time it signifies, in the explanation of St. Andrew, that "the Church is pained for each one of those who is reborn by water and the Spirit until, as the divine Apostle has said, Christ shall be formed in them. St. Methodius says. "The Church is pained giving rebirth from natural to spiritual men and transforming them in appearance and image in the likeness of Christ" (St. Andrew, ch. 33).
Notice that Averkii is crystal clear that the woman is the Church, not Mary.
"From the fact that she is in pain during childbirth, it is evident that it is incorrect to see in this woman the Most Holy Theotokos, for the giving birth from Her of the Son of God was without pain."
ReplyDeleteThat ought to stump the average papist.