The question of how to correctly read the Gospel at home arises not only among beginners, but also among experienced Christians. Sometimes small difficulties may arise, so this matter must be taken with complete seriousness.
They turn to clergy for advice or look for answers in specialized literature. The material below will help you get the answer you need and save valuable time.
Difficulties in mastering Scripture
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When starting to read, many people notice an interesting feature. No matter how hard a person tries to study the text quickly, it does not work. Sometimes it just makes you feel sleepy, which is not so easy to fight. This causes some inconvenience. How can we explain this? The priests believe that this is an obstacle that demons create on the path to God for a beginning Christian.
The test must be overcome, and then the power and beauty of the Gospel will be fully revealed to the persistent reader. For churchgoers, such problems almost never arise, since they are strong in spirit and their faith is unshakable. Any temptations and difficulties recede if you show perseverance and make certain volitional efforts.
You must approach the beginning of reading by discarding all negative thoughts, calming down internally, and moving away from everyday small affairs and fuss. Only after this will mastering the holy pages be successful.
Save your spiritual frame
Reading the Gospel once and calming down is, to put it mildly, strange, because the Holy Scripture is food for the soul. We feed the body three to four times a day, and also have a snack in between. What about the soul? We must not forget: when a person prays to God, at that moment he is talking with the Creator, and when he reads Scripture, the Creator is talking with him. How can you limit your communication with God to just one time in your life? For a Christian this is impossible. Just read the Bible and check the “read!” - this is somehow quite petty.
A person changes, matures, gets wiser. All sorts of age-related transformations occur with him, he gains life experience - and all this affects the perception of the text. Rereading a work of fiction, he will discover something new every time. Obviously, “War and Peace” is one book at fourteen years old, and a completely different one at forty. So it is with the Gospel and with other texts of Holy Scripture, which I also encourage you to read. The Epistles and Acts of the Holy Apostles, Revelation, the Old Testament - this spiritual framework cannot be lost.
Now there is a very big problem: Orthodox Christians practically do not read the Old Testament, which results in an inferior, one-sided, flat perception of the Holy Scriptures. But all the saints teach us not to neglect it! St. Seraphim of Sarov attached great importance to it and said that our mind should swim in the words of Scripture. He himself read the entire New Testament every week. It is clear that St. Seraphim was a monk and an ascetic, but what prevents us from reading at least a few lines every day?
Main rules for reading the Gospel
Certain standards have been established that the believer must observe when reading the Gospel texts.
- For the first time you need to read from cover to cover. When you next turn to the book, you can selectively refer to your favorite pages and passages.
- Reading takes place standing.
- There is no haste.
- Nobody forces you to read continuously.
- You cannot be distracted by extraneous things: TV, music, conversations, etc.
Due to numerous requests from readers, we have prepared an “Orthodox Calendar” application for smartphones. Every morning you will receive information about the current day: holidays, fasts, days of remembrance, prayers, parables. Download for free: Orthodox Calendar 2021 (available on Android)
These are generally accepted rules, but there are also interesting myths. About them below.
Additionally to the question about reading
Some believe that if a woman takes on gospel study, she should be dressed neutrally and have her head covered. Others argue that it is not necessary to observe this at home.
In any case, it will not be possible to memorize all of Scripture by reading it many times; it is better to read than to try to reproduce it from memory or replace it with prayer.
If something is not clear in the words, there is no need to interrupt because of this. With each new reading, more and more hidden and interesting things will be revealed to a person. Sometimes, in order to understand the full meaning of what you read, it is worth looking at interpreters. There are such books. You should only use those approved by the church.
The Holy Gospel is the main book of humanity
Based on all of the above, you need to understand that the Holy Gospel is the main book of humanity, which contains life for people. It contains Divine truths that lead us to salvation. And it itself is the source of life - a word truly filled with the power and wisdom of the Lord.
The Gospel is the voice of Christ himself. In a symbolic and spiritual sense, when reading the Gospel, the Savior speaks to us. It is as if we are transported in time to the flowering plains of Galilee and become eyewitnesses of the incarnate God of the Word. And He speaks not only universally and timelessly, in general, but also specifically to each of us. The Gospel is not just a book. This is life for us, it is a spring of living water and a source of life. It is both the Law of God, given to humanity for salvation, and the Mystery of this salvation being accomplished. When reading the Gospel, the human soul unites with God and is resurrected in Him.
How to correctly read the Gospel daily
It's no secret that often a person turns to God only in the difficulties and troubles that life sometimes presents. In fact, the reading of Scripture must be logical. We must strive for regularity and a certain consistency.
When starting to read the Gospel at home, you must treat every word with respect and attentiveness. Understand that in your hands is not just an ordinary book, but God’s Revelation.
It is recommended to read chapter by chapter, i.e. it is better to read the entire chapter at a time, without interruption and without leaving work halfway. If time permits, it is better to start your day with reading and end it with the next part.
When you have finished reading the last page, you need to start again. With each new reading of sacred phrases, a Christian receives new spiritual strength, and something that was previously unknown is revealed to him.
Why is it hard to master the Gospel?
Difficulties with reading the Bible arise for most believers at the beginning of their righteous path to God. The phenomenon is associated not only with the style of writing divine texts, which is unusual for the laity. There are always distractions, important things get in the way, or laziness overcomes, and when a person takes the Gospel in his hands, he suddenly begins to yawn or suddenly feels sleepy.
According to the clergy, such sensations confirm the existence of a subtle world in which angels and demons live. The conductors of dark forces do not at all like the fact that we turn to God at home, intending to read the Gospel. Therefore, dark spirits build all sorts of intrigues to distract a person from a godly work. The prayer rules recommend contrasting thoughts of everyday life and absent-mindedness, which often overcome beginners, with the Lord’s Prayer.
Important. Even if you don't completely remember what you read, don't stop reading. Connecting to the aura of holy thought forms enlightens us, completely changing our mental attitude and is reflected in our actions.
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, in his collection of sayings of the monks “Fatherland,” through the mouth of an elder, gave an answer to the question of whether or not to read Scripture if the text is incomprehensible and not remembered:
The saint suggests saying the following prayer before and after turning to the Gospel:
There are no strict rules regarding the text of prayers before and after turning to the Bible; what is important is purity of thoughts, sincerity of appeal, and a passionate desire to be heard by the Lord.
Patristic advice
We must proceed from the inner needs of the believer, but it is better to include reading the New Testament, including the Holy Scriptures, in home prayer reading. It’s better to have two parts from Acts and one from the Gospels.
With the onset of Lent, we need to make even more efforts. It is especially important to pay attention to the chapters that tell about the last earthly days of Christ. His torment, crucifixion, resurrection. It is more than appropriate to do this during Holy Week.
In what position to read
The question of whether to read the Gospel standing or sitting is often asked to priests. The ideal option, of course, is when it is done standing. For example, Seraphim Slobodskoy advised standing, and before starting, be sure to cross yourself once. As soon as the reading process has come to an end, you must put up the cross three times again.
If, for various reasons, a person is sitting, sick or tired, then the posture should be decent, without legs crossed or thrown over one another. The well-known phrase of St. Philaret that it is better to meditate on the Lord in a sitting position than to meditate on one’s legs while standing, perfectly illustrates the question.
You can read the following prayer before opening the book. Upon completion, they also resort to prayers, but this is not strictly necessary, but only at the request of the believer himself. You should read it soulfully and slowly.
Prayer is required
Before reading the Gospel, you need to read a prayer. There is no strict one prayer; you need to turn to God in order to be heard and only after that begin to pray.
The soul must be pure and sincere in its desire to read prayers.
You need to read the Gospel in a calm environment; it is best to do this early in the morning, immediately after waking up, or late in the evening, before going to bed. All family members are asleep, and nothing distracts from careful reading.
There should be no loud extraneous sounds around, the lights should be dimmed, and it is also better to temporarily move pets into another room. Nothing should distract the reader.
Everything that will be read must be heard with your heart and soul. It is better to read a little, one or two chapters, but to fully comprehend and understand them.
How to Read the Gospel at Home with Children
It is advisable to introduce your child to this wonderful activity as early as possible. However, you should not take any lightweight texts, much less use fairy-tale forms. This approach is wrong.
Reading adult Scripture is encouraged, but if the child can listen, it is better to purchase special Orthodox texts adapted for children. Now they can be purchased in some church shops.
From the very first days it is necessary to make it clear that this is not just another entertainment, but a serious matter. There is no need to overload the child with large volumes. It is better to introduce it in small portions.
Interpretations of the Holy Fathers
Of course, it is advisable to read not only the Holy Gospel, but also the interpretations of the holy fathers, since much of the Holy Scripture may be incomprehensible to us due to the antiquity of what is happening, much due to our spiritual inexperience. This is “Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew” by St. John Chrysostom; interpretation of the Gospel of Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria; “Interpretation of the Gospel” by B.I. Gladkov, highly appreciated by the holy righteous John of Kronstadt; works of Archbishop Averky (Taushev), Metropolitan Veniamin (Pushkar), Explanatory Bible of the Old and New Testaments by Alexander Lopukhin, other works. Let us fall, brothers and sisters, with our hearts “hungering and thirsting for righteousness,” to the pure, life-giving spring of the Holy Scriptures. Without it, the soul is doomed to wither and spiritual death. With him she blossoms, like a flower of paradise, filled with verbal life-giving moisture, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Priest Andrey Chizhenko
By the second century the Gospel was compiled into four books by four evangelists
By the second century, the Gospels were organized into four books—from the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Gospel is part of the books of the New Testament.
The cover of the Gospel that is being carried out is decorated with iconographic images of the risen Jesus Christ with the evangelists turning to Him
Each of the authors of the Holy Gospel tried to focus on those moments of the life of Jesus Christ that He considered the most important. But, nevertheless, each book is written in its own way, as each evangelist saw it.
The oldest manuscripts of the Gospel texts date back to the year 150.
It is read at the morning liturgy, at the all-night vigil, and during prayer services.
When the Gospel is brought out for reading, this is considered the most solemn moment of the Orthodox service.
Usually the cover of the Gospel that is brought out is decorated with iconographic images of the risen Jesus Christ with the evangelists turning to Him.
In addition to the Gospel, in the temple they read the Apostle - another book that contains parts of the New Testament
In addition to the Gospel, the apostolic readings for every day are also read in the church.
The Apostle is a liturgical book that contains parts of the New Testament, the epistles of the holy apostles, as well as a collection of general, Sunday prokeimenon, individual verses from the Psalter and other books.
Apostle of the Day - read also every day, like the Gospel. Which one is read, for example, the Apostle and the Gospel for today can be found in the Orthodox calendar.
The Apostle is a liturgical book that contains parts of the New Testament, the epistles of the holy apostles, as well as a collection of general, Sunday prokeimenon, individual verses from the Psalter and other books
Orthodox calendar on azbyka.ru There you can see an index of readings for each day of the year
On the website of the Orthodox calendar you can see an index of the Gospel and Apostolic readings for each day of the year. The index is designed in the form of a table to make it convenient to read books at home.
At home, before reading chapters from the Apostle, you need to say a prayer:
Psalm 119, 18, 19
Open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Your law. I am a stranger on earth, do not hide Your commandments from me.
It is necessary to read such prayers so that the Lord helps to understand sacred revelations, which not everyone can open to. If a person reads and understands what is written, then this is only with God’s help.
Before reading any Holy Scripture, whether it be the Apostle or the Gospel, you need to read the prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart, so that when I hear Your Word, I understand it and do Your will. Hide not Thy commandments from me, but open my eyes, that I may understand the wonders of Thy law. Tell me the unknown and secret of Your wisdom! I trust in You, my God, and I believe that You will enlighten my mind and meaning with the light of Your mind and that then I will not only read what is written, but also fulfill it. Make it so that I do not read the Lives of the Saints and Your Word as a sin, but for renewal and enlightenment, and for holiness, and for the salvation of the soul, and for the inheritance of eternal life. For You, Lord, are the illuminator of those who lie in darkness, and from You is every good gift and every perfect gift.
In one year, the Holy Gospel and the Apostle are reread 4 times.
During the year, the Gospel and the Apostle are reread 4 times. Moreover, reading them ends and begins at the same time.
The program “Reading the Apostle” on the “Soyuz” channel. Every day they read “Apostle of the Day” on it.
For example, on the Soyuz channel, there is a program where the Apostle of the Day is read every day.
See also article 4 of the evangelist
It's complicated?
Yes, it may be difficult at first, but it's not scary. The main thing is to read. In this regard, I remember a parable about how a novice came to his confessor and complained that he was reading the Scriptures, but did not understand anything. “Take a dirty jug, pour water into it, and then pour it out,” said the elder. The young man did what he was told. The elder asked to repeat this several times, and then look into the jug. "What do you see?" - he asked. “I see that the jug has become cleaner,” answered the novice. “So are you!” When reading the Gospel, we may not fully understand it, but the trace of reading remains: the soul, mind, heart become purer.
Nowadays it’s common to scold Kuraev, but he had good thoughts, which I agree with. He once said that he finds many things in Christianity that he does not understand, and this convinces him that it is true. If everything was clear, it would mean that people had gathered who came up with everything, wrote it down and logically sorted it into sections so that no doubts would arise. We have a whole list of theological questions that have no answers. And these incomprehensible moments convince us of one thing: we know about God exactly as much as He Himself revealed to us. He is incomprehensible - and, nevertheless, he became the same as us, he came into our world, and this is absolutely amazing.
The Gospel for us is a navigator, an instruction for life. If you build your life according to it, it heals the soul and relieves many problems: anxiety, neurotic concern, fears and phobias.
In summary, I would like to encourage our readers to study the Holy Scriptures, because it brings order and harmony to our will, mind and feelings. We need to read it so that there is no porridge in our heads, but, as St. Paisius the Svyatogorets writes, “a factory of good thoughts.” If the mind is occupied with reading Scripture, then it will be possible to restore order in life. If you change yourself, everything around you will change. Isn’t this a reason to turn to the Gospel as often as possible?
Archpriest Konstantin Lisnyak
The Gospel of Mark was written first - in the 40s
It is quite difficult to find out when the Gospels were written. They came to us in their entirety late - in the 4th century, in the Codex Sinaiticus. It is this that today serves as the model that is considered to be the closest to the original.
All that has been found before Codex Sinaiticus are fragments. Moreover, the texts often differ from each other.
The earliest fragment found is a fragment of the Gospel of Mark.
It dates back to the 40s AD. Undoubtedly, this is the oldest of the Gospels. True, it cannot be argued that the oldest passages constituted a full-fledged text, and were not just notes.
We cannot say that before the Gospel of Mark there were no other texts of the Gospels. They are simply not discovered. A popular version is that even in the time of Christ, the disciples wrote down his sayings, and the Gospels are a later literary adaptation of these notes.
It is unknown why the Gospels in the Bible are arranged in this order
The order of the Gospels in the Bible does not correspond to the time they were written. The tradition of arranging them as it is today did not appear immediately. There was, for example, this option: “Matthew, John, Luke, Mark.” The apostles were placed first, and the last two authors were placed along the length of their manuscript.
The approval of the current order was influenced by Eusebius and Jerome. Their version of order gained great popularity. We know nothing about the reasons why this order was chosen.
About proteins, fats and carbohydrates
— If we turn to your pastoral experience, do people come to you with questions about the Gospel? Or is it only with everyday, “applied” questions?
— No, according to the Gospel, there are also questions. But they are usually very similar. There are some passages in Scripture that you cannot understand on sight. For example, everyone is very worried about the fate of the withered fig tree - less so now, but before they were very worried: how bad, “non-ecologically”, mercilessly Christ acted towards nature!..
— Why read such a difficult, complex Gospel if there is more accessible, easy literature on spiritual topics?
— A lot goes into food. You can drink and eat tea with jam all the time. But you won't last long on such a diet. Because in addition to carbohydrates, a person needs proteins. The gospel is like protein, it is the main food. And so you need everything: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements.
— In the middle of the 20th century, the book “The Master and Margarita” was published. She aroused interest in the Gospel in many. Or the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar”: some testify that they came to faith after listening to it. Is it possible to create such things to introduce the Gospel to a wide audience that is not ready to read the original source?
- Sometimes it happens. They say that an apple fell on Newton’s head, and after that he thought about the law of universal gravitation. But this does not mean that if an apple bombing is carried out, then people will understand the whole cosmogony. In the same rock opera, after all, there is a distorted Gospel. And how many people got “stuck” on it and didn’t go any further? But the Lord, of course, reaches people in different ways. And like that too.
- But it would seem that the Gospels were not written by the most learned men and were written for everyone...
- It is for everyone. And everyone’s level of perception of the Gospel is different. There was such a case a long time ago - 1700 years ago. One young man was looking for spiritual life, came to the elder and said: “I want to learn spiritual life!” He replies: “Okay. Let's open the Psalter." And he reads the first psalm: “Blessed is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked...” He says: “That’s it, thank you, that’s enough.” And he leaves. But it turns out that he is not leaving for good. He comes 20 years later and says: “I tried to fulfill this one commandment that I heard.” He spent 20 years learning what this commandment was about and how to fulfill it!
It's like a pearl necklace: pearl after pearl is strung until you get a necklace. One commandment was his measure. But he fulfilled it and moved on. And another person may think that he knows everything, talk about everything, but not understand the most important thing. And then it influences a person’s life, it is not the reading itself that changes it, but only the acceptance of the Gospel in the heart. And it’s not even this that influences, but the depth of this acceptance.
