The answer
Some people take the word 'relative' in a wide sense in the same way that Paul used the word 'brothers' when speaking about the Jews as a whole: "... my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. " (Rom. 9:3-4)
St. Severus, the Patriarch of Antioch, however, had a different point of view.
He said that when the angel who appeared to Joseph in a dream called him, "Joseph son of David. " (Matt. 1:20), it was to
remind him of God's previous promise, that the Messiah would come from the descendants of David. It was with a similar intent that the words "Elizabeth your relative", which were addressed to Mary, were used to remind us of the link between Elizabeth and the distant past.
In actual fact it was written in the Book of Exodus, before the commandment which prohibited the taking of a wife from another tribe had been given, that Aaron, the first high priest, according to the Law, had "married Elisheba (whose name meant Elizabeth) daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon. " (Ex. 6:23) and Nahshon was, "the leader of the children of Judah. " (1 Chr. 2:10; Matt. 1:4)
Look at the unfolding of the wise design of God's holy plan, and see how it was arranged that the wife of Zechariah was called Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and was a relative of Mary, the Mother of God. We can trace it all back to Elisheba (or Elizabeth), whom Aaron married, and through whom came the union of the two tribes and by whom this Elizabeth became a close relative of the Virgin Mary.
CONTENTS
Introduction 1. The Spirits and Their Work 2. Can the Spirits Recognise Each Other? 3. No-one Has Ever Seen God 4. How Can Spirits See Spirits? 5. The Crown of Righteousness 6. Who Are the Seraphim? 7. Justified Freely By His Grace 8. Concerning the Jewish Religion 9. Praying for the Deceased 10. Is there an Eternity for the Wicked and for Satan? 11. Did God Need Christ in Order to Create and to Save Mankind? 12. The Relationship of the Apostles with the Holy Spirit 13. How Can I Tell Which leaflets are Orthodox and Which are Not? 14. Concerning the Divinity of Christ 15. Is there Life on the Other Planets? 16. Replying to a Question with a Verse 17. Questions About the Holy Spirit 18. Was the Holy Spirit the Angel Gabriel? 19. Why are there Seven Mysteries (Sacraments)? 20. Are the Sacraments Necessary for All People? 21. Is the Sacrament Still the Same When a Shortened Service is Used? 22. The Point of Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Eucharist 23. About the Prayer of the Anointing of the Sick being Said in Homes
24. The Number of Heavens 25. Can Satan Enter a Church? 26. Fasting and Eating Fish 27. The Ascent into Heaven and the Earth's Gravity 28. Why the Cross? 29. God's Justice and Mercy 30. About Being Re-Baptised 31. Is There a Third Place for Worshipping God? 32. Has Satan Been Released From his Prison, and is the Last Day Approaching? 33. Who Are the Seventh-day Adventists? 34. Was the Use of Incense Abolished in the New Testament? 35. Candles in Church 36. At the Right Hand of the Father 37. Atoning for Sins 38. When Should the Holy Chrism (Myron) be ' Made? 39. The Making of the Holy Myron in the Monasteries or in the Patriarchate 40. What is the 'Ghalilaun'? 41. Where Should the Offertory Bread be Placed? 42. When Should the Ordinary Bread be Distributed? 43. The Deacons and the Distribution of the Eulogia 44. The Deacons and Taking Communion 45. Can a Deacon Hold the Chalice During the Communion Service? 46. A Funeral Procession for a Deacon Who Has Departed 47. Preaching During the Communion 48. The Sunday Preceding the Lent and Getting Married 49. Why Women are not Permitted to Enter the Sanctuary 50. About Women During Menstruation Time
51. Why do we Beatify the Virgin Mary? 52. Concerning the Honouring of the Body of the Virgin Mary 53. Is the Virgin the 'Gateway' to Life? 54. You are the 'true Vine' 55. The Virgin Mary as a 'Wall' 56. Was the Virgin Mary Ever a Bride? 57. Is the Virgin Mary a 'Sister' to Us? 58. Did the Virgin Mary Know? 59. Did Christ Have Any Real Brothers? 60. The Relationship Between Mary and Elizabeth.
(((
Thrice-Blessed Pope Shenouda III of Blessed Memory