An inherent aspect of Syriac theology is the great caution in avoiding [what I assume the Syriac Fathers would think of as] overreaching speculation. There is a great deal of meditation upon mystery, and, again, any mystery revealed is considered a voluntary act of mercy by the hand of God. There also develops a certain, almost esoteric language through which thinks are referred to and I will point to several items I think are indicative of this mystique.
An interesting typology is employed in the Sedro. The revelation of the Old Testament is brought to a new light (no pun intended) by Jesus, the true light. Reminiscent of psalm 119, the Sedro implores the revealed Word to be "an illustrious lamp to our feet and an inextinguishable light to our path." But what exactly does it mean for someone to be our light? Well if one looks further down, the Hoosoyo continues to identify "sin" as "darkness" and "wickedness and demonic influence" as "blackness." Since light is the opposite of darkness, Jesus is the opposite of these impediments to sight. For us to strive to live in a live of light, we must act in a Jesus-like manner - we must strive for theosis. If one limits following Jesus to charitable acts, they are mistaken; one can be humanitarian without believing in God, for whatever motivation. We do not simply consider action to be self-sufficient - being a "good person" in itself is not sufficient (primarily because it is impossible for someone to live in the abstract of being a good person). Our nature makes us inherently unworthy. However, if we join our actions to Jesus we gain the remission of our errors and become the inheritors of light. For the same purpose the Bo'oto mentions the Our Father, it was taught to us so that we may seek forgiveness and be in contact with the Father, who is inherently hidden from us.
There are a few phrases I would also like to look at briefly. In the Qolo, there is a vague reference to the "holy one." English makes it difficult to translate the fullness of the sense, but it is referring to a holy female, i.e. Mary. And as the verse remarks, her body may be far from us but her prayers are always with us, as she is a refuge for sinners. And just as the Father is hidden, so was the Son in her flesh. However, the hidden Son makes Himself manifest so that God Himself may be translated from a seeming abstract to a tangible reality. Even once He leaves from amongst us physically, He stills leaves with us the tangible "treasure of life," which the Qolo says He placed in the "Holy Church." The treasure of life is, of course, His flesh. The fruit of eternal life was withheld after Adam had fallen so that he would not eat of it and live forever with separation from God but after Jesus defeated death by His death, He also made available the gift that was withdrawn at a prior time in compassion.
The "Sons of the Right" is another phrase I'd like to address. It occurs in the final verse of the Qolo. It refers to simply those who sit on the right of God during the Final Judgment. There is a constant evocation in Syriac liturgy, particularly in night offices, of the Last Judgment that will occur before the Throne. In fact, the very frontal part of a Syriac church before entering into the sanctuary, where the readings are read, is called a bema - Throne or Judgment Platform.
The last esoteric phrase I would like to remark upon is "sons of mystery" in the bo'oto. To my knowledge, this is an exclusively Syriac phrase. Son of mystery is a literal translation of the Syriac, and according to the Payne Smith Syriac Dictionary means something like a "sharer of a secret" and by extension a "partaker of Holy Communion." The mystery that we are partaking in in Holy Communion is that of Jesus's life-giving dispensation - incarnation, teaching, suffering, death and resurrection. Through the consumption of His flesh and blood we approach a path of theosis, however slowly we move. Through this, we move closer to being with the Light we seek to illumine our lives, as was discussed in the beginning of this post. Those who disregard liturgy or its importance do not fully understand, in the first place, the purpose of being an Apostolic Christian and what we strive for in a Christian existence.
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Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!
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