Synodicon of Orthodoxy - Part 4

"The recompense of Christ is those who have been purchased by His death and who have believed in Him, both by the preaching of the word and by the representation in icons, whereby the redeemed know the great work of His Oeconomy both the Cross and all His sufferings and miracles both before the Cross and after it; from which the imitation of His sufferings passes over unto the apostles and thence to the martyrs, and descending from them to the confessors and ascetics."

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Recompense of Christ: In the last post we ended with a strange statement that Christ and his recompense had been reproached by his enemies. The Christ part I understood. I didn't understand what was meant by "recompense". But that's okay becuase the very next section explains. Those who believe in Jesus are his recompense. The enemies were not just attacking Christ but they were going after his property. It like the bad guy in the movie who shoots the marshal and then, out of spite, shoots the marshal's dog.

Believed in him How? : "by the preaching of the word and representation in Icons." That's interesting. The part of the liturgy we usually don't think of as being inspired, the part of the liturgy that is sometimes omitted by the priests, is put onthe same level as the Holy Icons. Maybe we have been underappreciating preaching.

What do the preaching and Holy Icons do? : They teach the redeemed to know the life, ministry, Cross, miracles, and sufferings of Jesus.

What passes over what? : When I first read that last line I thought it was saying something passed over the preaching and Icons to the Apostles, Martyrs, and Ascetics. But that doesn't make since because the Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, and Ascetics are the subjects of the Icons. So,whatI think it is is that from the Cross the imitation of Jesus' sufferings passes to the Saints, and they are saints preceisly becuase they share in Jesus sufferings.

Descending : Well it seems that my guess a few days ago about the Orthodox Church having a hierachy ofSaints was correct. Apostles at the top, followed by Martyrs, Confessors, and then Ascetics. (I know where the Mother of God comes in this hierarchy, but what about evangelists, passion-bearers, the OT personages, and others?)