የአዲስ ኪዳን ታቦት (The Ark of the New Testament): EOTC Perspective – Part I

The concept of the Ark (ታቦት) has evolved significantly from the Old Testament to the New Testament, reflecting a profound transformation in its symbolism and function. While the Old Testament Ark was a sacred vessel comprising the Ten Commandments, the New Testament redefines this concept, integrating it into the Christian liturgical tradition. This essay explores the distinctive characteristics of the New Testament Ark (የአዲስ ኪዳን ታቦት) from an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) perspective, highlighting its unique features and the theological implications of its usage.

In the Old Testament, the Ark (ታቦት) was where the tablet (ጽላት) resided. The tablets were holy offerings, given by God to Moses, and carved (designed) from marble with the Ten Commandments inscribed on them. In the New Testament, however, the Ark(ታቦት) and the tablet (ጽላት) are made as one, and it is referred to as a tablet (ጽላት). It is also called an altar (መሰዊያ), where the Holy Body and Precious Blood of the Lord are offered in sacrifice. When the tablet is carved, it is designed to be portable, allowing it to hold a chalice (ጽዋዕ) and holy tray (ጻህል). The Lord's name, Alpha and Omega, is engraved on the tablet (ጽላት). Above it, the icon of the Holy Trinity is depicted; below it, the icon of the Crucifixion. On the right side is the icon of the Holy Virgin with her Son, and on the left, the icon of John the Theologian. The icon of the righteous (ጻድቅ) or martyr (ሰማዕት) for whom the church is dedicated will also be engraved, and their name will be inscribed.

First of all, as witnessed in Matthew 5:17, "እኔ ሕግንና ነቢያትን ለመሻር የመጣሁ አይምሰላችሁ፤ ልፈጽም እንጂ ለመሻር አልመጣሁም," it is essential to understand that the laws and regulations of the Torah (ኦሪት) have not been entirely abolished. If they had been, Peter and John would not have gone to the temple to pray according to the Torah's practice (Acts 3:1), nor would St. Paul have expressed concern over God's Ark, saying, "የእግዚአብሔርን ታቦት በጣኦት ቤት የሚያኖር ማን ነው?" (2 Corinthians 6:16, translated from the Geez Bible). Moreover, it would not have been stated, "የብሉይ ኪዳኑ ሥርዓትም ለሐዲስ ኪዳኑ ሥርዓት ጥላ ነው" (Hebrews 10:1). Additionally, the declaration God Himself made, "ለዘላለምም ስሜ በዚያ ያድር ዘንድ ይህን የሠራኸውን ቤት ቀድሻለሁ፤ ዓይኖቼና ልቤም በዘመኑ ሁሉ በዚያ ይሆናሉ" (1 Kings 9:3), shows that not all the laws and regulations of the Torah have been nullified. This is further affirmed in the New Testament by Christ Himself, who declared, "ቤቴ የጸሎት ቤት ትባላለች" (Matthew 21:13).

Therefore, it must be understood that temple service (የመቅደስ አገልግሎት) remains significant in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant (የቃል ኪዳኑ ታቦት) was never separated from the temple (መቅደስ). Likewise, in the New Testament, the Ark of the Covenant is not seen apart from the temple. John the Theologian confirmed this truth in his revelation: "በሰማይም ያለው የእግዚአብሔር መቅደስ ተከፈተ፥ የኪዳኑም ታቦት በመቅደሱ ታየ" (Revelation 11:19). The rituals performed before the temple and the Ark—such as the ceremony of incense (ዕጣን), thanksgiving with drums (ከበሮ) and cymbals (ጽናጽል), and singing in beautiful garments—form a link between the Old and New Testaments, as well as the temple and the Ark (Malachi 1:11, Matthew 2:11, Ezra 3:10, 2 Chronicles 20:21-22). Thus, the core laws and regulations of the Torah (ኦሪት) continue to be integrated with the law of the Gospel. This is why it is said, "በሐዋርያትና በነቢያት መሠረት ላይ ታንጻችኋል፥ የማዕዘኑም ራስ ድንጋይ ክርስቶስ ኢየሱስ ነው" (Ephesians 2:20).

Unlike other Christian nations, Ethiopia uniquely honors the Torah (ኦሪት) by transforming Old Testament laws and practices into Christian traditions, rather than adhering to them directly. Remarkably, Ethiopia is the sole country in the world that preserved the Ark of the Covenant, treating and safeguarding it with exceptional reverence and care.Bottom of Form

Many people often mistakenly assume that the Ark of the Ethiopian Church (የአዲስ ኪዳን ታቦት) is entirely identical to the Ark of the Old Testament.

In the time of the Torah, the Ark was the throne (ዙፋን) where God, covered in a cloud, spoke to Moses and Aaron and revealed Himself to Israel for help. However, the Ark of the New Testament (የአዲስ ኪዳን ታቦት) is where the Holy Flesh and Blood of the Lord are consecrated. The engraving and use of the Ark and Tablets of the New Testament are guided by the Church canon, which can be adjusted. When possible, the canon can be improved, and if not, it remains acceptable. One key contribution of our Church’s canon is the specific regulation regarding the engraving and use of the Ark and Tablets of the New Testament.

Therefore, if acacia wood (የግራር እንጨት) is not available to carve the Ark in the New Testament, we can use any other type of wood, as Genesis 1:31 declares, "እግዚአብሔርም ያደረገውን ሁሉ አየ፥ እነሆም እጅግ መልካም ነበረ።" God does not disapprove of His creation. The height, width, and circumference of the Ark will be determined by our scope, and the use of gold inside and outside will also depend on our resources. Since it is guided by canon, if we do not have the resources, the use of gold may be omitted.

Similarly, when it comes to the tablet (ጽላት), if we have the resources, we can carve it from precious stone or marble. If not, we can use durable wood that doesn’t scratch (የማይነቅዝ). Likewise, if possible, we can place two tablets in one Ark as in the Old Testament. If not, one tablet per Ark is sufficient. Furthermore, if there is no Ark that holds the tablet, the tablet (ጽላት) itself can be called an Ark (ታቦት) and used as such because this is in line with the canon.

In the New Testament, the Ark (tablet) serves to consecrate the Holy Flesh and Blood of the Lord, as Christ Himself declared: “ሥጋዬን የሚበላ ደሜንም የሚጠጣ የዘላለም ሕይወት አለው፥ እኔም በመጨረሻው ቀን አስነሣዋለሁ። ሥጋዬ እውነተኛ መብል ደሜም እውነተኛ መጠጥ ነውና። ሥጋዬን የሚበላ ደሜንም የሚጠጣ በእኔ ይኖራል እኔም በእርሱ እኖራለሁ።” (John 6:54-56).

In this way, the Ark (tablet) in the New Testament becomes the Altar of Mercy (የምሕረት መሰዊያ), where His Holy Flesh and Precious Blood are consecrated (የሚቀደሱበት/ የሚከብሩበት), fulfilling the divine word of the Lord. This allows all who believe to partake in this great mystery.

So, why do we call the altar or ark the place where the Holy Flesh and Blood of our Lord are consecrated?

Ethiopia embraced Christianity after first practicing the Old Testament belief. Although she followed the Old Testament faith before Christianity, unlike the Jews, she does not continue to await the coming of Christ. Ethiopia stands as the only nation in the world that has successfully transitioned from the Old Testament to the New Testament! Before accepting Christianity, Ethiopia had the temple system as described in the Old Testament, offering animal sacrifices and making pilgrimages (መንፈሳዊ ጉዞዎች) to Jerusalem for prayer twice a year.

As a result, Ethiopia calls the ark (ታቦት) the "altar" (መሰዊያ), upon which Alpha and Omega, the name of Jesus Christ is inscribed on it. She also refers to it as the "ark" (ታቦት). In addition to "ark," she calls it "tablet" or "altar."

However, Ethiopian Church Ark (the New Testament Ark) in terms of "structure," "content," "size," "function," and "service," has nothing in common with the Ark of the Old Testament except sharing the name.

Here are the distinctions between the New Testament Ark/Tablet/Altar and that of the Old Testament:

New Testament Ark/ Tablet/ Altar	Old Testament Ark
It is where the Lord’s Holy Flesh and Blood are consecrated.	It is where God would speak to the prophets.
It can be made of wood or marble.	It is a large box made of wood, coated with gold on the inside and outside, holding two tablets.
It is carried by one man on his head, with honor and reverence.	It is carried by four people.
The name of Jesus Christ, "Alpha and Omega," is engraved on it.	Inside are the tablets of Moses, with the Ten Commandments written on them.

 

Is the "altar" commonly referred to as an "Ark" unique to Ethiopia? Not at all.

Christians worldwide who believe in the Eucharist as the true flesh and blood of Jesus Christ have their own version of an "altar." This includes not only sister Orthodox churches like Egypt, Syria, India, and Armenia but also Eastern Orthodox Churches such as Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. Additionally, the Roman Catholic Church also has an "altar."

In Egypt, the altar is called Loḥi (ሉሕ), and it is essential for blessing the Holy Flesh and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Eastern Orthodox Churches refers to it as "Antimension" (አንቲሜንሲዮን), meaning "In place of the Ark." This altar is a white silk cloth featuring an image of the Lord's Crucifixion and remains fixed in place on the pulpit (መንበር). Without it, they do not consecrate the Lord's Flesh and Blood. The Roman Catholics call it "Mensa," or Holy Table.

The altar symbolizes the holy table upon which the Lord declared to His apostles on Holy Thursday (ዕለተ ሐሙስ), "This is my flesh, this is my blood," and presented to them. It is also symbolized by the wooden holy cross, on which, the following Friday, His body was suffered and His sacred blood was shed. What we receive is the Sacrifice of Calvary (ጎልጎታ/ቀራንዮ), which He offered once and for all as both the Sacrifice and the Receiver.

Ethiopia's altar, or "Ark of the New Testament," stands apart from those of other countries due to its unique mobility. Unlike the altars of other Christian traditions, it can be moved from place to place.

In 2 Corinthians 3:3, it is written, "እናንተም በሕያው እግዚአብሔር መንፈስ እንጂ በቀለም አይደለም፥ ሥጋ በሆነ በልብ ጽላት እንጂ በድንጋይ ጽላት ያልተጻፈ፥ በእኛም የተገለገለ የክርስቶስ መልእክት እንደ ሆናችሁ የተገለጠ ነው።" Some people cite this verse to argue that the tablet (ark) is not needed in the New Testament. However, this verse refers specifically to the Old Testament tablet on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church does not use such tablets. As St. Paul explains, in the New Testament, the Ten Commandments are written in our hearts. Therefore, this verse does not support the claim that the tablet or ark is unnecessary in the New Testament.

In conclusion, the New Testament Ark (የአዲስ ኪዳን ታቦት) represents a profound evolution from its Old Testament forerunner, adapting its sacred role to the Christian liturgical context. This evolution highlights the continuity of divine worship and the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s interpretation of the Ark exemplifies a unique synthesis of ancient and modern faith practices, bridging the Old and New Testaments in a living expression of worship. Through this distinctive practice, the New Testament Ark stands as a testament to the enduring and transformative power of sacred traditions within the Church.

“የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” (Matthew 1:25): EOTC’s Perspective Part III

This final part of the essay concludes the examination of the phrase “የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” in (Matthew 1:25) from the perspective of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC). Parts I and II explored the terms "firstborn" (በኩር) and "till" (እስከ), revealing that “የበኩር ልጅ” emphasizes Christ’s distinct and eternal identity as the Son of God without origin or successor. The term "till" (እስከ) signifies an “endless till” (ፍጻሜ የሌለው እስከ). In this final part, we will focus on the interpretation of “Knew her not” (አላወቃትም) within this phrase.

The phrase “የበኩር ልጇን እስክትወልድ ድረስ ዮሴፍ ድንግል ማርያምን አላወቃትም” means that Joseph did not know who Mary truly was until the day she gave birth to the Lord. Only after the miraculous events surrounding the birth of Christ in Bethlehem—the singing of the angels and shepherds, the prostration (ስግደት) of the wise men from the East, and the heavenly star illuminating Bethlehem did Joseph come to recognize the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. Thus, the phrase "የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ" underscores that Joseph did not fully grasp Mary’s divine motherhood until the birth of Christ.

The term “Knew her” (አወቀ) does not necessarily refer to an earthly marital relationship, and any interpretation suggesting otherwise leads to a severe error.

The Holy Bible provides clarification on this matter through the following passages. In Luke 24:30-31, it is written: “ከእነርሱም ጋር በማዕድ ተቀምጦ ሳለ እንጀራውን አንሥቶ ባረከው፥ ቈርሶም ሰጣቸው፤ ዓይናቸውም ተከፈተ፥ አወቁትም.” Here, “አወቁት” (knew him) signifies understanding and recognition, not a physical relationship. Those disciples only realized who Christ was after he blessed, broke the bread, and gave them.

In Genesis 4:17, it is written that “ቃየንም ሚስቱን አወቀ ጸነሰችም::” Here, the phrase “አወቀ” (knew) is directly linked to a physical marital act, clarified by the subsequent word “ጸነሰችም” (she conceived). This shows that when the Bible intends to describe marital relations, it includes specific terms like “conceived” “ጸነሰችም” or “bore” (ወለደችም ).” However, in Matthew 1:25, after stating “የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም,” no additional words like “ጸነሰችም” or “ወለደችም” are present. As demonstrated in the biblical verses above, without those specific additional words, the phrase “አወቀ or አወቃት” can never be interpreted as referring to a marital relationship. Importantly, there is no biblical evidence that suggests that the Holy Virgin bore anyone other than Christ the Lord.

In summary, the EOTC’s interpretation firmly upholds that “Knew her not” (አላወቃትም) means Joseph did not understood Mary’s divine role as the Theotokos, the Mother of God, until Christ’s birth. The term “አላወቃትም” does not refer to an earthly marital relationship but rather points to a profound recognition of Mary’s unique and sacred mission.

P.S. Please also refer to Genesis 4: 1 “አዳምም ሚስቱን ሔዋንን አወቀ፤ ፀነሰችም፥ ቃየንንም ወለደች”

Genesis 4: 25 “አዳም ደግሞ ሚስቱን አወቀ፤ ወንድ ልጅንም ወለደች። ስሙንም፦ ቃየን በገደለው በአቤል ፋንታ እግዚአብሔር ሌላ ዘር ተክቶልኛል ስትል ሴት አለችው።”

“የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” (Matthew 1:25): EOTC’s Perspective Part II

Part I of this essay explored the profound meaning of "firstborn" (በኩር) in the phrase “የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” (Matthew 1:25) from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) perspective. It revealed that “የበኩር ልጅ” highlights Christ’s unique and eternal identity as the Son of God, without origin or successor. In this second part, we will explore the biblical meaning of "till" (እስከ) in Matthew 1:25 EOTC’s perspective, emphasizing its representation of “endless till” (ፍጻሜ የሌለዉ እስከ)።

Some individuals mistakenly interpret the word “እስከ” in the phrase “እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” to mean “till with an ending point” (ፍጻሜ ያለው “እስከ”). However, the meaning of “እስከ” in Matthew 1:25 is quite different from what some people assume.

In 2 Samuel 6:23, it states, “የሣኦል ልጅ ሜልኮል ‘እስከሞተችበት’ ቀን ድረስ ልጅ አልወለደችም።” Does this imply that she gave birth after her death?

Isaiah 22:14 states, “ይህም ነገር በሠራዊት ጌታ በእግዚአብሔር ጆሮ ተሰማ፦ ‘እስክትሞቱ’ ድረስ ይህ በደል በእውነት አይሰረይላችሁም ይላል የሠራዊት ጌታ እግዚአብሔር፡፡” Does this imply that forgiveness will be granted after death?

Romans 5:14 states, “ከአዳም ጀምሮ እስከ ሙሴ ድረስ ሞት ነገሠ::” Does this imply that death ceased to exist after Moses?

Psalms 110፥1 writes “እግዚአብሔር ጌታዬን ጠላቶችህ ለእግርህ መቀመጫ ‘እስካደርግልህ’ ድረስ በቀኜ ተቀመጥ አለው.” This verse speaks about Christ. Does it mean that after our Lord defeated His enemies in His power, He stopped sitting at the right hand of the Father?

Matthew 28፥20 states, “እነሆም እኔ እስከ ዓለም ፍጻሜ ድረስ ከእናንተ ጋር ነኝ፡፡” Does this mean that Christ will no longer be with us after the end of the world?

Genesis 8፥7 states, “ቁራውንም ሰደደው እርሱም ወጣ ውሃውም ከምድር እስከሚደርቅ ድረስ ወዲያና ወዲህ ይበር ነበር፡፡” After the water dried up, does this mean that the raven (ቁራ) stopped flying back and forth?

Therefore, as clarified in the verses above, the term “እስከ” in the verse “የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” in Matthew 1፥25 signifies an endless “እስከ.” Thus, it indicates that Joseph never had a marital relationship with the Holy Virgin, even after the birth of her firstborn.

In conclusion, the term "እስከ" in the verse “የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” in Matthew 1:25, as understood by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, denotes an endless period, affirming the perpetual virginity of the Holy Virgin Mary. The biblical examples provided illustrate that "እስከ" does not imply a change in state after a certain point, rather, it conveys an endless “እስከ". Therefore, this verse confirms that Joseph never had a marital relationship with the Holy Virgin, even after the birth of her firstborn, maintaining her ever-virginity as a foundational truth of the Orthodox faith.

“የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” (Matthew 1:25): EOTC’s Perspective Part I

 

The phrase “የበኩር ልጅዋንም እስክትወልድ ድረስ አላወቃትም” (Matthew 1:25) has often led to confusion regarding the term "firstborn" (በኩር). Many people mistakenly interpret “በኩር” or “የበኩር ልጅ” as implying that an individual must have followers. However, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) provides a scriptural and theological interpretation for this term. This essay explores the biblical meaning of "firstborn" “(በኩር)” from the EOTC perspective, emphasizing its significant implications for affirming Christ’s unique and eternal nature as the Son of God, without origin or successor.

The Holy Bible provides a clearer understanding of the term “በኩር” as follows:

In Exodus 13፥1-2 it is written “እግዚአብሔር ሙሴን ከእስራኤል ልጆች ዘንድ ከሰውም ከእንስሳትም ማኅጸንን የሚከፍት በኩር ሁሉ ለእኔ ቀድስልኝ የእኔ ነው።”

Within this context, “በኩር” straightforwardly refers to any child born first, meaning those who emerge from their mother's womb for the first time. It is not mandatory to have siblings for the firstborn. If one fails to grasp this fundamental concept, he or she encounters a risk of falling into significant misunderstanding.

For example, in Colossians 1:15-16, we find a profound statement about Christ that says, “ከፍጥረት ሁሉ በፊት በኩር ነው”. If we interpret "በኩር" as an indicator of rank or a comparison with other beings, we could erroneously conclude that the Lord is merely another creature, created before all other creations. This interpretation leads such interpreters into serious heretical territory that deviates from core Christian beliefs.

Furthermore, Hebrews 1:6 states, “ደግሞም በኵርን ወደ ዓለም ሲያገባ፦ የእግዚአብሔር መላእክት ሁሉም ለእርሱ ይስገዱ:: “ This verse speaks about Christ, and if we view “በኵር” through fleshly lens, again we easily fall into significant error. Here, Christ as “በኵር” signifies that God the Father sent His Son—who has neither beginning nor end—into the world to be born and ultimately crucified for the sake of humanity. Since this verse mentions “በኵር”, does it suggest that God the Father has a Son other than Christ? A literal interpretation of biblical terms leads to profound theological errors.

Thus, when we read “የበኩር ልጇን ወለደች,” it signifies that Mary gave birth to the Lord—one who is eternal and exists without beginning and successor (ተከታይ). This understanding underscores the divine nature of Christ, setting Him apart from any fleshly-oriented concept of lineage or “በኩር”.

In conclusion, clarifying the meaning of "በኵር" is crucial for accurately understanding Christ's role in the Christian faith. Misinterpretations surrounding this term can lead to larger theological errors, impacting our understanding of God's nature and His relationship with humanity. By embracing the biblical meaning of “በኩር,” we affirm the unique and eternal identity of Christ as the Son of God, who has no beginning and successor.

 

“እጮኛ ፣ ሳይገናኙ” (Matthew 1:18): EOTC’s Understanding

The betrothal of the Virgin Mary to Joseph, as detailed in Matthew 1:18, is often misunderstood. This essay explores the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's (EOTC’s) perspective on the terms "እጮኛ" and "ሳይገናኙ" clarifying that their relationship was not a marital union but served specific divine purposes.

1. Betrothal or Espousal (እጮኛ)

Matthew 1:18 states: "የኢየሱስ ክርስቶስም ልደት እንዲህ ነበረ። እናቱ ማርያም ለዮሴፍ በታጨች ጊዜ ሳይገናኙ ከመንፈስ ቅዱስ ፀንሳ ተገኘች።” While this passage mentions Mary’s betrothal to Joseph, it is crucial to understand that their union was not meant for a marital relationship. The reasons for their betrothal are as follows:

1. To Affirm Mary's Humanity: St. Athanasius clarifies this, stating, “Isaiah prophesied, ‘እነሆ፥ ድንግል ትፀንሳለች’ (Isaiah 7:14), and St. Luke records “…ዮሴፍ ለሚባል ሰው ወደ ታጨች ወደ አንዲት ድንግል” (Luke 1:27), to affirm her humanity.
2. Protection from Stoning: Since Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit without a man, her betrothal to Joseph was to protect her from the penalty of stoning under Jewish law (Deuteronomy 22:20-21).
3. To Include Mary in Jewish Genealogy (የዘር ሐረግ): Jewish lineage was traced through the male side, and the betrothal to Joseph allowed Mary’s genealogy to be recognized through him (Matthew 1:1-16).
4. To Provide Protection and Support: Joseph served as Mary’s guardian during their flight to Egypt, ensuring her safety and the safety of the newborn Christ.”(Matthew 2:13)

Therefore, Mary’s betrothal to Joseph was not for marriage, but to fulfill these divine purposes.

2. ሳይገናኙ ( Before They Came Together)

In Matthew 1:18, the phrase "ሳይገናኙ" has often been misunderstood, with some claiming they had a marital relationship after Christ’s birth. However, this phrase is used to mark the time when Mary conceived Jesus and clarifies that no marital union followed.

St. Jerome counters a man called Helvedius, the 4^th-century opponent, by using an analogy: if one says, “Helvedius, before he repented, was cut off by death, “ሄልፊደስ ንስሐ ከመግባቱ በፊት በሞት ተወግዷል፡፡” ብንል ይህ ማለት “ከሞተ በኋላ ንስሐ ገብቶአል” ማለት ነውን ?” it does not imply he repented after death but that he never repented at all. Similarly, "ሳይገናኙ" emphasizes that Mary and Joseph’s betrothal never transitioned into a marriage.

St. John Chrysostom further explains that this phrase does not mean Mary entered the bridegroom’s house (ሙሽራ/ጫጉላ ቤት) as a wife. Although Mary lived in Joseph’s house after conceiving and giving birth to Jesus, they lived together not as husband and wife but as guardian and servant. The Jews had a custom of keeping their betrothed virgins at home. In Genesis 19:8-14, Lot's sons-in-law (አማቾች) were in the same house with Lot's virgin daughters.

In conclusion, the Virgin Mary’s betrothal to Joseph was divinely purposed, ensuring her protection and affirming her humanity, while "ሳይገናኙ" underscores that their relationship remained non-marital, as guided by God's plan.