The Typology in the Story of Susanna

In the Septuagint version of Daniel there is a story about a righteous and God-fearing woman named Susanna. Some wicked elders among the Jews falsely accused her of having committed adultery with a young man in her garden. The prophet Daniel defended her of these charges and she was acquitted. This story contains some prophetic imagery that pertains to Christ, the Church, and the Sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation.

I have decided to let St. Hippolytus explain the typology in the story about Susanna.

What is narrated here, happened at a later time, although it is placed before the first book (at the beginning of the book). For it was a custom with the writers to narrate many things in an inverted order in their writings. For we find also in the prophets some visions recorded among the first and fulfilled among the last; and again, on the other hand, some recorded among the last and fulfilled first. And this was done by the disposition of the Spirit, that the devil might not understand the things spoken in parables by the prophets, and might not a second time lay his snares and ruin man.

“Called Joacim.”* (Dan. 1:1, LXX) This Joacim, being a stranger in Babylon, obtains Susannah in marriage. And she was the daughter of Chelcias the priest (II Kings 22:8, LXX), who found the book of the law in the house of the Lord, when Josiah the king commanded him to purify the holy of holies. His brother was Jeremiah the prophet, who was carried, with the remnant that was left after the deportation of the people to Babylon, into Egypt, and dwelt in Taphnae (Jer. 1:1; 43:8); and, while prophesying there, he was stoned to death by the people.

“A very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord,” etc. (Dan. 1:2, LXX) For by the fruit produced, the tree also is easily known. For men who are pious and zealous for the law, bring into the world children worthy of God; such as he was who became a prophet and witness of Christ, and she who was found chaste and faithful in Babylon, whose honour and chastity were the occasion of the manifestation of the blessed Daniel as a prophet.

“Now Joacim was a great rich man,” etc. (Dan. 1:4, LXX) We must therefore seek the explanation of this. For how could those who were captives, and had been made subject to the Babylonians, meet together in the same place, as if they were their own masters? In this matter, therefore, we should observe that Nebuchadnezzar, after their deportation, treated them kindly, and permitted them to meet together, and do all things according to the law.

“And at noon Susannah went into (her husband’s garden).” (Dan. 1:7, LXX) Susannah prefigured the Church; and Joacim, her husband, Christ; and the garden, the calling of the saints, who are planted like fruitful trees in the Church. And Babylon is the world; and the two elders are set forth as a figure of the two peoples that plot against the Church—the one, namely, of the circumcision, and the other of the Gentiles. For the words, “were appointed rulers of the people and judges,” (mean) that in this world they exercise authority and rule, judging the righteous unrighteously.

“And the two elders saw her.” (Dan. 1:8, LXX) These things the rulers of the Jews wish now to expunge from the book, and assert that these things did not happen in Babylon, because they are ashamed of what was done then by the elders.

“And they perverted their own mind.” (Dan. 1:9, LXX) For how, indeed, can those who have been the enemies and corruptors of the Church judge righteously, or look up to heaven with pure heart, when they have become the slaves of the prince of this world?

“And they were both wounded with her (love).” (Dan. 1:10, LXX) This word is to be taken in truth; for always the two peoples, being wounded (instigated) by Satan working in them, strive to raise persecutions and afflictions against the Church, and seek how they may corrupt her, though they do not agree with each other.

“And they watched diligently.” (Dan. 1:12, LXX) And this, too, is to be noted. For up to the present time both the Gentiles and the Jews of the circumcision watch and busy themselves with the dealings of the Church, desiring to suborn false witnesses against us, as the apostle says: “And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 2:4)

It is a kind of sin to be anxious to give the mind to women.

“And when they were gone out, they parted the one from the other.” (Dan. 1:14, LXX) As to their parting the one from the other at the hour of dinner (luncheon), this signifies that in the matter of earthly meats the Jews and the Gentiles are not at one; but in their views, and in all worldly matters, they are of one mind, and can meet each other.

“And asking one another, they acknowledged their lust.” (Dan. 1:14, LXX) Thus, in revealing themselves to each other, they foreshadow the time when they shall be proved by their thoughts, and shall have to give account to God for all the sin which they have done, as Solomon says: “And scrutiny shall destroy the ungodly.” (Prov. 1:32, LXX) For these are convicted by the scrutiny.

“As they watched a fit time.” (Dan. 1:15, LXX) What fit time but that of the passover, at which the layer is prepared in the garden for those who burn, and Susannah washes herself, and is presented as a pure bride to God?

“With two maids only.” (Dan. 1:15, LXX) For when the Church desires to take the laver according to use, she must of necessity have two handmaids to accompany her. For it is by faith on Christ and love to God that the Church confesses and receives the laver.

“And she said to her maids, Bring me oil.” (Dan. 1:17, LXX) For faith and love prepare oil and unguents to those who are washed. But what were these unguents, but the commandments of the holy Word? And what was the oil, but the power of the Holy Spirit, with which believers are anointed as with ointment after the laver of washing?** All these things were figuratively represented in the blessed Susannah, for our sakes, that we who now believe on God might not regard the things that are done now in the Church as strange, but believe them all to have been set forth in figure by the patriarchs of old, as the apostle also says: “Now these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the world are come.” (I Cor. 10:11)

“And they went out at privy doors” (Dan. 1:18, LXX); showing thus by anticipation, that he who desires to partake of the water in the garden must renounce the broad gate, and enter by the strait and narrow. (St. Matt. 7:13,14)

“And they saw not the elders.” (Dan. 1:18, LXX) For as of old the devil was concealed in the serpent in the garden, so now too, concealed in the elders. he fired them with his own lust, that he might again a second time corrupt Eve.

“Behold, the garden doors are shut.” (Dan. 1:20, LXX) wicked rulers, and filled with the workings of the devil, did Moses deliver these things to you? And while ye read the law yourselves, do ye teach others thus? Thou that sayest, “Thou shalt not kill,” dost thou kill? Thou that sayest, “Thou shall not covet,” dost thou desire to corrupt the wife of thy neighbour?

“And we are in love with thee.” (Dan. 1:20, LXX) Why, ye lawless, do ye strive to gain over a chaste anti guileless soul by deceitful words, in order to satisfy your own lust?

“If thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee.” (Dan. 1:21, LXX) This wicked audacity with which you begin, comes of the deceitfulness that lurks in you from the beginning And there was in reality a young man with her, that one of yours; one from heaven, not to have intercourse with her, but to bear witness to her truth.

“And Susannah sighed.” (Dan. 1:22, LXX) The blessed Susannah, then, when she heard these words, was troubled in her heart, and set a watch upon her mouth, not wishing to be defiled by the wicked elders. Now it is in our power also to apprehend the real meaning of all that befell Susannah. For you may find this also fulfilled in the present condition of the Church. For when the two peoples conspire to destroy any of the saints, they watch for a fit time, and enter the house of God while all there are praying and praising God, and seize some of them, and carry them off, and keep hold of them, saying, Come, consent with us, and worship our Gods; and if not, we will bear witness against you. And when they refuse, they drag them before the court and accuse them of acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, and condemn them to death.

“I am straitened on every side.” (Dan. 1:22, LXX) Behold the words of a chaste woman, and one dear to God: “I am straitened on every side.” For the Church is afflicted and straitened, not only by the Jews, but also by the Gentiles, and by those who are called Christians, but are not such in reality. For they, observing her chaste and happy life, strive to ruin her.

“For if I do this thing, it is death to me.” (Dan. 1:22, LXX) For to be disobedient to God, and obedient to men, works eternal death and punishment.

“And if I do it not, I cannot escape your hands.” (Dan. 1:22, LXX) And this indeed is said with truth. For they who are brought into judgment for the sake of God’s name, if they do what is commanded them by men, die to God, and shall live in the world. But if they refuse to do what is commanded them by men, they escape not the hands of their judges, but are condemned by them.

“It is better for me not to do it.” (Dan. 1:23, LXX) For it is better to die by the hand of wicked men and live with God, than, by consenting to them, to be delivered from them and fall into the hands of God.

“And Susannah cried with a loud voice.” (Dan. 1:24, LXX) And to whom did Susannah cry but to God? as Isaiah says: “Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer thee; whilst thou art yet speaking, He shall say, Lo, here I am.” (Isaiah 58:9)

“And the two elders cried out against her.” For the wicked never cease to cry out against us, and to say: Away with such from off the earth, for it is not fit that they should live. In an evangelical sense, Susannah despised them who kill the body, in order that she might save her soul from death. Now sin is the death of the soul, and especially (the sin of) adultery. For when the soul that is united with Christ forsakes its faith, it is given over to perpetual death, viz., eternal punishment. And in confirmation of this, in the case of the transgression and violation of marriage unions in the flesh, the law has decreed the penalty of death.

“Then ran the one and opened the gates” (Dan. 1:25, LXX); pointing to the broad and spacious way on which they who follow such persons perish.

“Now Susannah was a very delicate woman.” (Dan. 1:31, LXX) Not that she had meretricious adornments about her person, as Jezebel had, or eyes painted with divers colours; but that she had the adornment of faith, and chastity, and sanctity.

St. Susanna

“And laid their hands upon her head” (Dan. 1:34, LXX); that at least by touching her they might satisfy their lust.

“And she was weeping.” (Dan. 1:35, LXX) For by her tears she attracted the (regard of) the Word from heaven, who was with tears to raise the dead Lazarus.

“Then the assembly believed them.” (Dan. 1:41, LXX) It becomes us, then, to be stedfast in every duty, and to give no heed to lies, and to yield no obsequious obedience to the persons of rulers, knowing that we have to give account to God; but if we follow the truth, and aim at the exact rule of faith, we shall be well-pleasing to God.

“And the Lord heard her voice.” (Dan. 1:44, LXX) For those who call upon Him from a pure heart, God heareth. But from those who (call upon Him) in deceit and hypocrisy, God turneth away His face.

“O thou that art waxen old in wickedness.” (Dan. 1:52, LXX) Now, since at the outset, in the introduction, we explained that the two elders are to be taken as a type of the two peoples, that of the circumcision and that of the Gentiles, which are always enemies of the Church; let us mark the words of Daniel. and learn that the Scripture deals falsely with us in nothing. For, addressing the first elder, he censures him as one instructed in the law; while he addresses the other as a Gentile, calling him “the seed of Chanaan” (Dan. 1:56, LXX), although he was then among the circumcision.

“For even now the angel of God.” (Dan. 1:55, LXX) He shows also, that when Susannah prayed to God, and was heard, the angel was sent then to help her, just as was the case in the instance of Tobias and Sara. (Tobit 3:17) For when they prayed, the supplication of both of them was heard in the same day and the same hour, and the angel Raphael was sent to heal them both.

“And they arose against the two elders” (Dan. 1:61, LXX); that the saying might be fulfilled, “Whoso diggeth a pit for his neighhour, shall fall therein.” (Prov. 26:27)

To all these things, therefore, we ought to give heed, beloved, fearing lest any one be overtaken in any transgression, and risk the loss of his soul, knowing as we do that God is the Judge of all; and the Word Himself is the Eye which nothing that is done in the world escapes. Therefore, always watchful in heart and pure in life, let us imitate Susannah. (Fragments from Commentaries, "On Susannah," by St. Hippolytus of Rome, 170-236 A.D., vol. 5, pp. 191-194, Ante-Nicene Fathers)

The Jews and the Protestants unfortunately placed this story about Susanna in the Apocrypha. It is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles though. It is a very good story and it is full of practical wisdom as well as prophetic material that point to Christ and the Church.

Steve

* Our Lord's grandfather's name is Joachim. He is the Virgin Mary's father.

** A reference to the Sacrament of Chrismation.

Bibliography

Ante-Nicene Fathers, edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D., volumes 1-10, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, Massachusetts

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, edited by Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. & Henry Wace, D.D., volumes 1-14, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, Massachusetts

Is There Salvation Outside the Church?

One lesson that we learn from the story of Noah's ark is that there is safety in the Church. Only eight people were saved from the waters of the Flood. Everyone who was not in the ark perished. The ark typifies the Church. Just as there was no salvation outside the ark, so there is no salvation outside the Church.

In explaining this concept, I need to first talk about salvation — what it is and what are we saved from. Then, I will explain the path to salvation. Finally, I will explain what exactly is the Church.

For many people, salvation is nothing more than having one's sins forgiven. The concern with many people is whether or not God accepts them. Forgiveness is part of the salvation package, but it is not the only part of the package. Freedom from the enslaving power of sin is also part of that salvation package. When we sin repeatedly, we become enslaved to sin. (St. John 8:34; Rom. 6:16,17; II Pet. 2:19) As servants of sin, we need to be set free from our sins. We need to become servants of righteousness and not sin. (Rom. 6:18-22) This is a lifelong process. It is not something that happens instantaneously after saying a short prayer. It requires work and discipline. So, becoming a holy and righteous person in one's life is also part of the salvation package. Another problem that we have is that we die. Our bodies are mortal, but are souls are immortal. Actually, we all have started dying from the very moment that we were born. Our bodies need to be saved from death. They need to be made immortal. The deliverance of our bodies from corruption and mortality is also part of the salvation package.

I will deal with the first part of the salvation package now. We all sin and we do need God to forgive us. God has already sent His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. (Heb. 10:12; I John 4:14) Jesus died on the Cross and bore our sins in His body. (I Pet. 2:24) He carried them to the Father and the Father forgave us. (Col. 1:14) Jesus and the Holy Spirit forgave us, too. (Col. 3:13; II Cor. 5:19; 13:14) There is, therefore, forgiveness for those who sin. However, under the New Covenant, God forgives people's past sins at their baptisms. (Acts 2:38; 22:16) Baptism is a Sacrament of the Church. One cannot receive baptism unless one first goes to church. So, the Church is important in receiving forgiveness of sins.

Baptism is also important in helping us live the life that God wants us to live. When we are baptized, our fallen natures are regenerated so that we can more easily obey God's commandments.

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. (St. John 3:5)

After one is baptized, one must be chrismated. Chrismation is the Sacrament of the Church that is given to those who have been newly baptized. It is important that one be chrismated so that one can be sealed with the Holy Spirit. (II Cor. 1:21,22; Eph. 4:30) This sealing of the Holy Spirit helps one to effectively fight the spiritual battle against the devil, the world, and fleshly desires. An unchrismated person is ill-equipped to fight the ongoing spiritual battle over his or her soul. One can only receive chrismation in the Church.

Another thing the Holy Spirit does is give life to our mortal bodies. (Rom. 8:11) We need the Holy Spirit so that our bodies can become immortal in the general resurrection of the dead at Christ's return.

Then, there is the Eucharist. After one receives baptism and chrismation, one receives the immortal, resurrected Body and Blood of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is for the healing of soul and body. When we receive the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ becomes part of our bodies. By becoming part of our bodies, we become part of our Lord's body. St. Paul said:

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. (Eph. 5:30)

and:

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? (I Cor. 6:15)

Just as He was resurrected, so then all those who are united to Him in the Eucharist will be resurrected after they die. One receives not just part of Jesus in the Eucharist. One receives all of Him. We receive His soul, His body, His humanity, His divinity — all of Him. So, He heals not only our bodies when we receive Him, but also our souls. In order to receive the Eucharist, one needs to go to church.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (St. John 6:53,54)

As we live our lives, we are faced with temptations. We commit sins and we need forgiveness of these sins. We may even become enslaved to new sins after our baptisms. To fight these spiritual battles and gain victory over temptations and habitual sins, we must do what the Church prescribes for us to do — fasting, prayer, Bible reading, Confession, Eucharist, obedience.

Fasting is something that Jesus and the apostles did. (St. Matt. 4:1-11; Acts 13:2; II Cor. 6:1-5) We fast in order to be able to win our battles against Satan, his demons, and our own fleshly desires.

Prayer is talking with God. We need to pray daily. There are different types of prayer. There is liturgical prayer, that is, praying the prayers in an Orthodox prayer book. This is a spiritual discipline. By practicing liturgical prayer, we exercise our souls. We do a spiritual work-out, just like an athlete does a physical work-out when he does physical exercises. There is also spontaneous prayer. This is praying off of the tops of our hearts. It is a free form of prayer. Our spontaneous prayers are greatly improved when we practice liturgical prayer. So, we should not only pray spontaneously, but also liturgically. Then, there is the Jesus Prayer: "O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner." This is a prayer that we should pray as we go through the day. If we pray the prayer enough times, it will become a background prayer in our subconscious minds.

Then, there are the prayers to the Saints, angels, and the Mother of God. We need to remember that they know what we are doing and want to help us. (Heb. 12:1,2,22,23; St. Luke 15:10) They help us by praying for us. Talking to the Saints and the angels in prayer is actually quite Scriptural. In the Book of Daniel, the three holy children say to some of the Old Testament Saints:

O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt Him above all for ever. (Dan. 4:87, LXX; Song of the Three Holy Children 64, Protestant Apocrypha)

In the Psalms, the Psalmists Aggaeus and Zacharias say to the angels:

Praise ye Him, all His angels: praise ye Him, all His hosts. (Psalm 148:2, LXX)

Having séances to raise the dead is, of course, forbidden.

There shall not be found in thee one who purges his son or his daughter with fire, one who uses divination, who deals with omens, and augury, a sorcerer employing incantation, one who has in him a divining spirit, and observer of signs, questioning the dead. (Deut. 18:10,11, LXX)

I once read a story about a young Russian girl who had ventured out into the woods by herself. She met a man in the woods who tried to rape her. He was unsuccessful, though. As the young girl struggled against her attacker, she continued to pray a prayer to the Mother of God. She prayed the Kontakion of the Feast of the Annunciation — a prayer that is also prayed in Orthodox evening prayers.

"To thee, O Mother of God, victorious leader of the triumphant hosts, we, thy servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks: but since thou possessest invincible might, set us free from every calamity, that we may cry unto thee: Hail, O Bride Unwedded. Most glorious ever-virgin Mother of Christ our God, bring our prayer to thy Son and our God, that by thee He might save our souls. All my hope I lay upon thee, Divine Mother, preserve me beneath thy protection. O Virgin Mother of God, despise me not, a sinner, who seek thy help and thine intercession; for in thee hath my soul hoped; have mercy upon me," the young girl prayed repeatedly.

As she continued to pray, a woman appeared and shook her finger at the man who was trying to rape her. The man became frightened and left the young girl alone.

Later, the man who tried to rape this young Russian girl went to her house. When he walked in, he saw an icon of the Mother of God on a table in her home. He pointed to the icon and said to the girl, "There she is. She is the one I saw when I tried to hurt you."

The lesson from this story is plain. We do need heavenly help. We need help from God. That is true, but God often provides us help through His Saints, angels, and the Most Holy Theotokos.

We need to make friends in high places and talk to them as well as to God. They are part of the Church. So then, even when we are not in church, even when we are alone by ourselves, the Church is still present with us through the Saints and angels. We need the Church.

Reading the Bible is also important. In the Bible we see what is God's will for our lives. We see how He wants us to live our lives. We see what kind of people we must strive to be if we want the second part of the salvation package — holiness and righteousness of life. However, we still need the Church. The Church is the "pillar and ground of the truth." (I Tim. 3:15) The Church helps us understand the Bible rightly. If we read the Bible without the Church's guidance, we might get the wrong interpretation and start believing things that are not true.

The Sacrament of Repentance is also important. We can ask God to forgive our sins in our personal prayers at home. Many of the prayers in the prayer book contain petitions to God to remit our sins. Even the Lord's Prayer is like this. In it, we pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." (St. Matt. 6:12) However, we need accountability to someone. Otherwise, we might have a tendency to continue committing the same sins over and over again. We need a priest to hear our confessions. In the Sacrament of Repentance, we receive absolution. Our sins are remitted. (St. John 20:23) We also receive spiritual guidance. Confession is good for the soul. Once again, we need the Church.

I have already mentioned the Eucharist and how important it is for our salvation. Obedience is the next thing we need to practice. After all, those who want salvation are trying to become obedient to God. Jesus said:

He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. (St. John 14:21)

To understand how important obedience is, think about this example. There is a man who commits fornication with women. He is a "Romeo" kind of guy — one who has no trouble seducing a woman. He becomes a Christian and is baptized. All of his sins are forgiven. However, he goes back to being what he was. He continues to seduce women. He continues to commit fornication. Every time he does it, he says, "God forgive me." He feels guilty one day and confides in someone about his sins. His confidant tells him that he is "saved by grace." This person explains to him that "God sees him through the blood of Jesus." The man continues to think that he is "saved," but he still fornicates with women. He is enslaved to the sin of fornication. One day, the man dies in a car accident. Is he really saved?

Forgiven, but not being made holy. He has part of the salvation package, but not the rest of it; and actually, the part of the package he thought he had — the forgiveness part, he did not have at all. St. Paul said that fornicators are excluded from the Kingdom of God and that they are under God's judgment.

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. (I Cor. 6:9,10)

But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Heb. 13:4)

He said that people who sow to the flesh, like the fornicator was doing when he was indulging in his carnal desires, reap corruption and not everlasting life. They will be in the resurrection of the unrighteous and not in the resurrection of the just when Christ returns.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Gal. 6:7,8)

As for the forgiveness part of the salvation package, all of the fornicator's past sins are now remembered by God on account of him returning to his old sinful way of living. God now rewards him for none of his righteous deeds that he did after his baptism.

But when the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, according to all the transgressions which the transgressor has wrought, none of his righteousness which he has wrought shall be at all remembered: in his trespass wherein he has trespassed, and in his sins wherein he has sinned, in them shall he die. (Ezek. 18:24, LXX)

Now, I will deal with the question: What is the Church? The Church is not made up of just one individual. It is made up of many. So, the so-called "stay-at-home" Christian is not a church by himself.

Each member of the Church is a Christian. Christians acknowledge that Jesus is the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. So, Jews are not part of the Church. They do not believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Christians worship the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So then, Unitarians and Muslims are also not part of the Church.

In the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Creed it says that there is "one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church." The Church is holy. It is the Bride of Christ. (II Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7-9; 22:17) So, she is special to Him. The Church is catholic. Catholic means universal. It also means complete. The Church is made up of people from many different ethnic backgrounds. It is not confined to just one particular nation. There are Russians, Greeks, Arabs, Serbs, Americans, British, French, Irish, Mexicans, and all sorts of other people who make up the Church. The Church is complete in the sense that it has everything we need for our salvation: the Sacraments, the assistance of the Saints and angels, the Divine Liturgy and the other liturgical services, the clergy, and many other things. The Church is apostolic. It has bishops that can trace their lineage of ordination all the way back to the apostles. The Church did not begin in the 16th century, nor did it originate in the 19th century. It began in the first century after Jesus ascended into Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to His disciples. The Church is also apostolic in the sense that it continues to teach the apostolic faith. It is possible to verify that it is doing so by comparing its teachings with those of the majority of the Church Fathers and all of the Ecumenical Church Councils.

The question may, then, arise as to the salvation of those outside the Church. There is salvation in the Church. That is definitely true. The Orthodox Church, however, does not have an official statement on the subject of whether or not anyone outside the visible Church can be saved as far as I know. I have asked a priest about this once and he told me that some say that only the faithful Orthodox will be saved, others say that everyone but the Orthodox will be saved (That I think is a statement made in humility.), and others say that the faithful Orthodox will be saved along with some others who have an invisible connection to the Church known only to God.

There are two Bible verses that are often used by Orthodox when talking about the possible salvation of those outside of the visible Church.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. (St. Matt. 7:1)

and:

But them that are without God judgeth. (I Cor. 5:13)

We say in response to such a question, "We do not judge them. God judges them."

We have to remember that God loves everyone (Wisd. 11:24; St. John 3:16) and desires that everyone be saved. (I Tim. 2:4; II Pet. 3:9) So, maybe God does have some way of saving those outside of the visible Church. However, we do not know for a fact that He does. Out of love for our fellow man, we Orthodox should, of course, still desire everyone's salvation, but no, it is not all right for someone to pursue his or her salvation outside of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We should still point them in our direction. We should try to lead them to the Orthodox Christian faith. The Church is the Ark of Salvation and there is safety in the Ark.

Steve