Anna Karenina: Part V, Chapter 4

The Parasol,  Franciso Goya

We have four connections to Scripture from today's passage. I focused on the first two last week and we'll look at the final two in this post.  And in case you are wondering if this will wrap up the wedding of Kitty and Levin -- no, it will not!

The following is from Part V, Chapter 4 of Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy:

"Thou who didst from the beginning create male and female," the priest read after the exchange of rings, "from Thee woman was given to man to be a helpmeet to him, and for the procreation of children. O Lord, our God, who hast poured down the blessings of Thy Truth according to Thy Holy Covenant upon Thy chosen servants, our fathers, from generation to generation, bless Thy servants Konstantin and Yekatrina and make their throth fast in faith, and union of hearts, and truth, and love . . ."

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". . . O Lord, our God, who hast poured down the blessings of Thy Truth according to Thy Holy Covenant upon Thy chosen servants, our fathers, from generation to generation . . ."

^{Hebrews 9:15
English Standard Version*}

Therefore [Christ] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

For more about the "Old Covenant" which was referred to previously in the wedding of Kitty and Levin go HERE. 

"...make their throth fast in faith, and union of hearts, and truth, and love."

I don't even know where to begin with this one. Shall I just quote the whole Bible? 
Here's a couple verses drawn out of a hat, so to speak -- I'm sure many of you have a favorite you could add! 

John 15:12

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Ephesians 4:3

 ^[Endeavour] to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

I Peter 1:22-23

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently . . .

John 17:21

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

I would also like to add the next thing Tolstoy wrote after the blessing (because it's just too good not to share):

Levin felt more and more that all his ideas of marriage, all his dreams of how he would arrange his life, were mere childishness, and that it was something he had never understood  and now understood less than ever, though it was happening to him. In his breast a tremor rose higher and higher, and tears that would not be checked came into his eyes.

*All Scripture quotes are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated.

(Source: BibleGateway. Image Source: WikiPaintings)

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