The Four Gospels

Overview

The work of Archbishop Averky (Taushev) stands apart in an intellectual climate that prizes innovation over tradition, headlines over the Truth, and intellectualism over divine revelation. Writing in the tradition of biblical exegetes such as St John Chrysostom and Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria, Archbishop Averky provides a commentary that is firmly grounded in the teaching of the Church, manifested in its liturgical hymnography and the works of the Holy Fathers. Analyzing all four Gospels chronologically and simultaneously, he allows the reader to see the life of Christ as an unfolding narrative in accessible, direct language. Using the best of pre-Revolutionary Russian sources, Archbishop Averky also remained abreast of developments in Western biblical scholarship, engaging with it directly and honestly. He was adamant, however, about the primary importance of Patristic exegesis in understanding the Scriptures. He approaches the Gospels first and foremost not as a literary work of antiquity, but as the revelation of Jesus Christ as God in the flesh.Archbishop Averky’s commentaries on the New Testament have become standard textbooks in Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary and have been published in Russia to widespread acclaim. They will be an indispensable addition to the library of every student of the Gospels.

Author Biography

Archbishop Averky (Taushev) (1906–1976) was the fourth abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. Through his long years of pastoral and episcopal service, he became well known among Orthodox Christians for his staunch defense of the Church's faith and traditions. Father Seraphim (Rose) wrote, "Archbishop Averky was one of the last giants of 20th-century Orthodoxy . . . . [He] was an Orthodox scholar in the unbroken tradition of patristic thought which has come down to us from the ancient Fathers to our own days.” Archbishop Averky's writings have been published in many languages, including Russian, English, Romanian, and Serbian.