Calvin Synod Herald, 1984 (84. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)

1984-02-01 / 1. szám

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD

— 6 —

REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA

Brief Meditation

Scripture reading: Matthew 16:21—26. Text: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.

Introduction: The most widely used and the best known symbol of Christianity is the cross. The cross symbolizes everything what Jesus Christ had taught, lived, and died for. The cross in itself has no supernatural power and it is neither the guarantee for luck, success, and happiness just by mentioning it or wearing it in your neck on a chain. Apostle Paul had already spelled out for the Corinthians that the cross can be either FOLLY (according to other translation; foolishness, nonsense, complete absurdity) or divine POWER. But which one is the cross for you? And what makes the difference?

“FOR THE WORD OF THE CROSS IS FOLLY TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, ...”

— For many the cross is nothing else but a nice motive for decoration or jewelry, and a sign to mark those buildings which are used for religious purposes. The shape of the heart or the cloverleaf could be used as well.

— If the cross is interpreted as the symbol of hardship, difficulties and sacrifice we have to face, accept, and overcome then this is the popular philosophy of the world today;

— with sufficient education and wise

policy it can be avoided or refused, for there is no law which would require everyone to suffer, sweat and put up with it; or

— today people are smart enough and life is good enough to have our choices; if we must carry a cross obviously we will select the easiest one; or

— in a liberated world and free society everybody should have the privilege to put down the burden he or she finds too heavy. You can call it quit. Or

— with the help of psychology it is possible to make others help you to carry your cross. Even the Bible "offers and advice” in this respect; Galatians 6:2.

— The general opinion might be; the cross is rather a roadblock than a bridge, it is significant only for the church and the “believers” but for the ordinary people it has no practical and immediate help in the struggle of the everyday life.

“BUT FOR US WHO ARE SAVED IT IS THE POWER OF GOD.”

— Let one distinction become very clear; not the cross will divide the people into two groups; foolish and powerful, but the difference in the people’s heart will make the cross meaningless or effective. For example; not the instrument will make a musician play a beautiful melody but by the musician’s hands will an instrument produce ear-catching tunes.

— In what ways does the cross impart the divine power?

1. It makes our life meaningful and not necessarily comfortable. For the

modern man one of the most profound questions is; but who am I? In the eyes of the others you may be just one of the millions who hardly can make ends meet, who must carry the cross, put up with the world, be patient and satisfied with whatever is available. Only through the cross can you see that in the eye of God you are unique, precious, and dear. Please read; John 3:16, Luke 15:10, Matthew 10:29—31.

2. It offers a goal and not always an immediate reward. A bored mind is more susceptible to temptations than a busy one. Many like to aim for pleasure, profit, power, and prestige, however, the goals of the cross are prayer, penitence, pardon, and peace.

3. It provides direction and not protection. Only if you know the right direction can you be sure which one is the wrong step. How can a pilot land at the right airport if he does not know in which direction to fly? The members of the “old too soon and smart too late” club missed their goals because they pursued them in the wrong way. The simplest and the best moral code is introduced by the cross: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.

Conclusion: If you take the cross, not the one you prefer but what God has intended for you, at the end you will see that instead you carrying the cross it will carry you because the cross is the positive sign of God in a world full of need, negation,

and nonsense. _ A, , _ ,

Rev. Alexander J&lso

THE VIZSOLY BIBLE

The church at Gone was once Calvinist, but is has been Roman Catholic Church for almost three centuries. It is the burial place of Gaspar Karoli, the first Hungarian translator of the complete Bible. Gone is in a district where people, fleeing from the Turks after the lost battle of Mohács in 1526, found a resting place before proceeding further to North or West.

Gaspar Karoli was born a few years after that tragic battle. He became the minister of the Gone Calvinist congregation in 1563. He had years of studies in Wittenberg, Martin Luther’s town, and of journeying in Switzerland behind him, when he settled in this remote district. The Protestant preachers and schoolmasters returned from study abroad led not by careerism but because they felt a call. Karoli was a minister of religion at Taliya, also in County Zemplen, for a short time in the 1580s, then returned to Gone, where he began his great work, the translation of the Bible. He took the Latin text as his basis, but referred to the original Hebrew and Greek on obscure points. Although their names were not recorded, we know that he had helpers in this immense undertaking.

According to Balazs Vargha the “Bible of Gaspar Karoli was the greatest technical achievement of 16th century Hungary”. It is known as the Vizsoly Bible, because it was printed at nearby Vizsoly. A total of ten thousand operations with movable type were necessary to compose the 2,400 pages of the tome. Eight hundred copies were printed. The vast undertaking that began on the 18th February 1589 was nevertheless finished on the 20th July 1590. At the time Karoli had one more year to live.

An original copy is displayed in a small cabinet in the portico of the home of the Vizsoly Presbyterian minister. A facsimile edition was recently published.

“I should like to call your attention also to the church”, with those words the minister went off to get the keys. We passed a low, yet impressive building along the ditch-lined main street.

“That is where the old printing office used to be”, the minister said.

The garden of the tiny church is surrounded by a wall reminiscent of a miniature fortress. Scaffolds, evidence of restoration, are around. Layers of wall painting fragments are on the walls.

“We found a Romanesque gate as well as a Gothic one”, he said. “And have a look at these wall-paintings.” We looked at the sanctuary ceiling. There is no scholarly consensus on the age of this church. István Genthon believed it was built in the 13th century, but it is possible that the current restoration will modify earlier views.

Gaspar Karoli was fully aware of the importance of his undertaking when translating the Bible, but he could hardly guess what a rich spring he had tapped.

When a large part of Hungary was conquered by the Turks, and when the Habsburg rulers tried to force back the Reformation in the Northern districts the very existence of the Hungarian Bible signaled the power of survival. It left the forceful language of the Reformation to posterity, as a powerful influence on the Hungarian literature of later years.

László Marafko (Magyar Hirek)

THE CROSS