Neocaesarea - Canon 4

If any man lusting after a woman purposes to lie with her, and his design does not come to effect, it is evident that he has been saved by grace.

This canon was peculiar in that it did not directly regulate a matter of polity but focused on thoughts and intentions in relation to actions: probably both having a view of discipline in mind. The man was certainly guilty of adultery/fornication according to his intentions (Matt 5:27-30), but the canon recognized the sanctifying work that grace has wrought in keeping him from physically fulfilling his desire and thus keeping him from further harm and degradation.  Such is the work of our Lord for his people.

This does not absolve the man from need to contend with his sin nature and consider his members dead (Rom 6:12-14).  Obviously, some work remains to be done by the abiding word and Holy Spirit.

Neocaesarea - Canon 3

Concerning those who fall into many marriages, the appointed time of penance is well known; but their manner of living and faith shortens the time.

This canon applied to multiple spouses whether contiguously (polygamy) or consecutively (digamy or trigamy).  An already accepted time of penance was prescribed to be carried forward for these cases with the understanding that the evidence of Christian growth manifesting itself might lessen the period.

Times of penance, though enacted and carried down, were not always officially recorded. Basil had recounted in a letter to Amphilochius concerning trigamy that the time was "not by the canons, but following the precept of our predecessors,"¹ thus giving deference to the wisdom demonstrated in past practice.


¹ "To Amphilochius, concerning the Canons," Basil: Letters and Select Works, (NPNF² 8:225).

Neocaesarea - Canon 2

If a woman shall have married two brothers, let her be cast out until her death.  Nevertheless, at the hour of death she may, as an act of mercy, be received to penance, provided she declare that she will break the marriage, should she recover.  But if the woman in such a marriage, or the man, die, penance for the survivor shall be very difficult.

While polygamy has had a wide acceptance, the same cannot be said of the reverse.  A moral society might accept and even promote a man taking more than one wife based either on cultural norms or rationalizing from the biblical patriarchs and kings.  And marrying sisters might even be considered acceptable from Isaac's example with Leah and Rachel.  Only the most corrupt would consider such a relationship for a woman with multiple husbands and being brothers besides.

If a polyamorous woman had been brought in as a believer, she was to be excommunicated without mercy until her deathbed.  At that point allowing a penitential position of the woman is allowed if she agreed to be rid of her extra husband through whatever means.

In the event that one spouse might die, the other would be hard-pressed to find mercy even to be penitent.  So great was the sin committed by virtue of the union that the church assumed those in the relationship could not be a true follower of Christ.

Neocaesarea - Canon 1

This begins a series on the council of Neocaesarea in Pontus. This council followed Ancyra but predated the others.¹

If a presbyter marry, let him be removed from his order; but if he commit fornication or adultery, let him be altogether cast out and put to penance.

This canon echoes a sentiment behind Ancyra - Canon 10 concerning matrimony for church leaders.  This canon gave a strict ruling in regards to elders for either marriage or sexual sin. To the former, the council required that the elder be removed from his position in the church, though some measure of respect would continue based on wisdom and experience.  As for the latter case, the elder was removed from communion altogether.  This rule recognized the severity of sin in spiritual leaders, and the need to deal with it "in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear " (1 Tim 5:20).


¹ The Seven Ecumenical Councils, (NPNF² 14:78).

Wearing Ink: Inside or Outside?

Just recently I became aware of a promotion by City Church of Anaheim, CA to get visitors in the door.  Twelve congregants with the pastor received tattoos because of a promise made for reaching a goal.  This article is three months old, but it goes squarely to a problem found in the church of North America.  We're all about gimmicks.  The preponderance of attention gets directed to the flashy and cutting-edge groups.  I wonder what would have happened if the thirteen that received tattoos had instead turned their attention to making disciples of all nations.^§

But who am I kidding?  Tattoos require much less discomfort and commitment.


§ I am not opposed to tattoos.  I am opposed to them as gimmicks taking the place of discipleship.

Ancyra - Canon 25

One who had betrothed a maiden, corrupted her sister, so that she conceived.  After that he married his betrothed, but she who had been corrupted hanged herself.  The parties to this affair were ordered to be received among the co-standers after ten years [of penance] according to the prescribed degrees.

The recounted sins in this canon were many: adultery, suicide, and murder in one scenario.  A betrothed man slept with his future sister-in-law.  He went on to marry his fiancée, but the sister-in-law found herself pregnant and disgrace, so she decided to end both her life that of the unborn child.

Why would an unwed pregnant woman consider ending her life and that of her child?  Rome had no social welfare system to care for widows, orphans, unwed mothers, poor, etc. except for the extended family.  If none was available, the situation was hopeless.  Based on that condition and lack of prospects, we can understand why the woman would choose to end her life rather than face the harsh future.

Those involved in were to be prevented from full fellowship for ten years.  The man was complicit in the death of the woman though not an active agent in carrying it out. 

Lastly, lest we think the Roman empire was overly harsh in this regard, note that our Bibles say the same thing: the family is to care for its own.  The responsibility for social justice is squarely on the individual.  Within the Mosaic covenant were laws given to care for those who could not care for themselves.  Most were directed to toward to what the individual family units were obligated to do (Lev 23:22; Deut 24:19), though every three years the tithe was set aside for the Levite, orphan, and widow in their towns (Deut 14:28-29).

Digital Story of the Nativity

Ancyra - Canon 24

They who practice divination, and follow the customs of the heathen, or who take men to their houses for the invention of sorceries, or for lustrations, fall under the canon of five years’ [penance], according to the prescribed degrees; that is, three years as prostrators, and two of prayer without oblation.

Any who had fallen into practicing divination or attempting to bring in those who might bless a house or family through charms and incantations were separated from full communion for a five-year period.  Such a person was seen as seeking help from idols or demons rather than from the one true God who could perform above and beyond all that could be asked or thought.

Galatians (ZECNT), Thomas R. Schreiner - Book Review

Zondervan has initiated the Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (ZECNT) series designed to assist the preacher and teacher with practical help from evangelical scholars in better comprehending the underlying the Greek text without being overly technical or detailed.  Each scripture passage includes the author's translation and is broken into the following sections with descriptions edited from "Series Introduction" (10-12):

Literary Content	Concise discussion of how the passage functions in the broader literary context of the book.
Main Idea	A one- or two-sentence statement of the big idea or central thrust of the passage.
Translation and Graphical Layout	A graphical layout of the commentator's translation with the purpose of helping the reader visualize the flow of thought within the text.
Structure	The flow of thought in the passage and explanation concerning certain interpretive decisions regarding the relationship of clauses.
Exegetical Outline	Detailed exegetical outline of the overall structure.
Explanation of the Text	Using the Greek text to interpret the meaning of the text with an effort to make the commentary as readable and useful as possible even for the nonspecialist.
Theology in Application	The theological message of the passage is summarized in terms of its place in terms of the book and the broader biblical-theological context.

In Schreiner's introduction he presents the background material for the book leading with the arguments regarding the long-disputed recipients and date (South Galatia, pre-Jerusalem council; North Galatia, post-council).  The arguments are given fair treatment on both sounds with an acknowledging that the theological understanding of the book will be based partially on the decision, but leaning toward the early, southern view.  Following this, various views are given concerning the source of opposition coming on the church of Galatia. The epistle's date has bearing here as well, since the regions were variously affected by Jews, Romans, and other pagan influences.  The book's structure and outline are presented last with no real surprises and form the remaining commentary's chapters with the divisions.

The given outline of Galatians is given in three major divisions with a fourth as summary.  The first and fourth are as expected (1:1-2:21 and 6:11-18 respectively).  The unique break came between divisions two and three with the latter beginning at 4:12 with the change of language from chastisement for being led astray to beseeching of fellow brethren.  The argument for placing the break here seems sound.

The book clarifies how Galatians was written not only to demonstrate that justification is by faith, but that sanctification also comes through the same way.  Works are unnecessary, and even counter-productive, for a right standing before God whether initially at salvation or anytime thereafter.  Works are a result of grace, not the vehicle for gaining it.

Schreiner's conservative understanding of the text manifests itself in his complementarian handling of the relationship between men and women in 3:28. He does so gracefully by showing how "Paul affirms the oneness of males and females in Christ, but he does not claim that maleness and femaleness are irrelevant in every respect" and "the equality of men and women in Christ does not cancel out, in Paul's mind, the distinct roles of men and women in marriage…or in ministry contexts" (259).

I found the commentary to be enjoyable with several good thoughts, the graphical layout of the translation being a particularly useful feature.  Those who use Logos software know the value of the sentence diagramming offered in the exegetical tools.  The book uses less technical language for diagramming and is more readable.  Though it claims to be directed to someone with some Greek training, I found the explanatory sections to be sufficient in overcoming any lack of training one might have.  I wholeheartedly recommend this book for the library of anyone desiring to teach in the local church.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ancyra - Canon 23

Concerning involuntary homicides, a former decree directs that they be received to full communion after seven years [of penance], according to the prescribed degrees; but this second one, that they fulfill a term of five years.

Part three of those canons involved with manslaughter on some level, this concerned involuntary cases.  From a modern, American perspective this seems unusually harsh.  The first question to arise might be: why would anyone need to do penance for an involuntary act?  The answer may be found in understanding our cultural laxity toward the sanctity of life.  The biblical response to involuntary manslaughter (Num 35:22-29) was two-fold: 1) the victim's family had the right of blood vengeance; and 2) the perpetrator was not guilty of blood as long as he remained in one of the six cities of refuge¹ that had been established or until the high priest's death.²  This canon, in the same way, addressed both the seriousness of what happened with its due consequence of justice and the mercy to be extended by virtue of its involuntary nature.


¹ I presume this included the surrounding lands attached to the city as well.
² Upon the high priest's death, the shedder of blood was free from his "house arrest" without fear of reprisal from the victim's family.