WE CONFESS
THE BIBLE
in the Armenian Apostolic Church
“We recognize the Holy Gospel as our Father
and the Apostolic Universal Church as (our) Mother”Surb Yegische, historian, 5th century
When we consider the role of the Bible in the Armenian Church, we think of the role of the blood as it circulates in the human body. Throughout the history of the Armenian Church, just as it is today, the Bible occupies a central position.
"Asdvadzaschunch" (Arm. "Breath of God") is the name of the Bible in Armenian. It is the book of books, the written revelation of God before mankind. It is the source on which the creed, theology, worship (in the broad sense of the word) and the whole life of the Church are based. The Armenians have great reverence for the Asdvadzaschunch precisely because it is inspired by God himself. It is precisely the divine inspiration that makes them so unique and their authority - irrefutable. Indeed, for Armenians, the Bible is the breath of God, spreading in the form of a spiritual and intellectual force to bestow grace and wisdom that transcend the literal meaning of the words themselves.
Reading the Bible is understood in the Armenian Church as an inseparable part of the communal life of the church (worship services, catechumenal classes, theology, etc.) and the personal life of the individual believer (personal prayer, spiritual life, etc.). The need for constant reading of the Bible is justified with the help of the Holy Scriptures themselves (cf. e.g Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Deuteronomy 11:18-21; Numbers 15:39-40; Psalms 1, 2; Century 5, 39; 1 Tim. 4:13-16 etc.). The Fathers of the Church point out that reading the Bible cannot be compared to reading any other book, because it is more than just receiving information, it is a conversation, a dialogue with the Creator himself revealed has the power to comfort, heal, and renew the souls of men: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) and "There is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). It is "helmet of salvation and sword of the spirit" (Ep 6, 17). It's a "hammer that shatters rocks" (Jeremiah 23:29) and a “fire” that burns up the impurity of souls. "It is a light that shines in a dark place until the day breaks and the morning star rises" in the hearts of believers (2 Pet. 1, 19). And ultimately it is the "Word of God" that shows us the way to eternal life (Phil. 2:16).
Recommendation: Brochure "Rediscovering the Bible as a Treasure" by the member churches of ACK Germany
“We recognize the Holy Gospel as our Father
and the Apostolic Universal Church as (our) Mother”Yegish, historians, 5th century
When we consider the role of the Bible in the Armenian Church, we think of the role of the blood as it circulates in the human body. Throughout the history of the Armenian Church, just as it is today, the Bible occupies a central position.
"Asdvadzaschunch" (Arm. "Breath of God") is the name of the Bible in Armenian. It is the book of books, the written revelation of God before mankind. It is the source on which the creed, theology, worship (in the broad sense of the word) and the whole life of the Church are based. The Armenians have great reverence for the Asdvadzaschunch precisely because it is inspired by God himself. It is precisely the divine inspiration that makes them so unique and their authority - irrefutable. Indeed, for Armenians, the Bible is the breath of God, spreading in the form of a spiritual and intellectual force to bestow grace and wisdom that transcend the literal meaning of the words themselves.
Reading the Bible is understood in the Armenian Church as an inseparable part of the communal life of the church (worship services, catechumenal classes, theology, etc.) and the personal life of the individual believer (personal prayer, spiritual life, etc.). The need for constant reading of the Bible is justified with the help of the Holy Scriptures themselves (cf. e.g Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Deuteronomy 11:18-21; Numbers 15:39-40; Psalms 1, 2; Century 5, 39; 1 Tim. 4:13-16 etc.). The Fathers of the Church point out that reading the Bible cannot be compared to reading any other book, because it is more than just receiving information, it is a conversation, a dialogue with the Creator himself revealed has the power to comfort, heal, and renew the souls of men: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) and "There is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). It is "helmet of salvation and sword of the spirit" (Ep 6, 17). It's a "hammer that shatters rocks" (Jeremiah 23:29) and a “fire” that burns up the impurity of souls. "It is a light that shines in a dark place until the day breaks and the morning star rises" in the hearts of believers (2 Pet. 1, 19). And ultimately it is the "Word of God" that shows us the way to eternal life (Phil. 2:16).
Recommendation: Brochure "Rediscovering the Bible as a Treasure" by the member churches of ACK Germany
Important information about the Bible:
READ THE BIBLE IN ARMENIAN
Bible Online (Armenian & German):
THE BOOKS OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
The Bible is a collection of different individual writings and books. Its canon was confirmed by the Church Fathers at the National Ecclesiastical Council in Partav, in 768, under the presidency of the Catholicos Sion I of Bavon. The Armenian Bible includes the 39 (22) books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. There are also 11 late writings of the Old Testament called Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical writings.
law books
The first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy are also called the five books of Moses ("Pentateuch", ie "Five-Scroll Book"). These are the Old Testament books of law. Because here the history of the people of Israel is described from the very beginning to the liberation from slavery in Egypt. In Judaism, these books are referred to as “Torah” (instructions).
history books
The books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther tell the story of Israel from entering the Promised Land to the banishment and return the Babylonian exile. They are called history books.
Textbooks and poetic books
The Old Testament wisdom books of Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are memorable proverbs and advice. Poetic books include the Psalter (a collection of prayers and songs) and the Song of Songs (love and wedding songs).
books of prophets
Depending on the volume of the prophetic books, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Ezechel) are among the so-called Great Prophets. The twelve prophets Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are called "minor prophets." The Lamentations of Jeremiah and the book of Daniel were added later.
history books
The four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as well as the Acts of the Apostles tell of the life and work of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the spread of Christianity in the early communities. But they shouldn't be viewed as just history books. Rather, they are a transmission of the gospel, the good news of the risen Lord.
letters
The 21 Epistles, written by the Holy Apostles themselves or under their names to various Christian communities and to individuals, are an important collection of apostolic doctrine. The Apostolic Epistles are divided into two groups: the "Paul Epistles" and the "Catholic Epistles".
The revelation
A special prophetic New Testament book is the Revelation of the Holy Apostle John. Above all, apocalyptic visions of the end of the world are presented here, combined with the hope of a new heaven and a new earth.
Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical writings
The Jewish scholars determined which books constituted the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures. Some books not included in this canon are known to us through the Greek tradition of the Old Testament. The Greek translation is known as the Septuagint. It was used not only by Greek-speaking Jews, but also by early Christians.
These books include Tobit, Judit, the Maccabees Books, the book of wisdom and Jesus Sirach, written in Greek additions to the book ester and to the book Daniel (including the well-known story of Susanna in the bath, which is often depicted in art), the book Baruch and the Letter to Jeremiah and the Prayer of Manasseh, that too 2 Chronicles 33, 12 heard.