The Right Faith to the Wrong People?

[Chesterton]

I read this sentence on a website today:

"As the Orthodox are so fond of saying, 'God gave the right faith to the wrong people'."

1. Are the Orthodox fond of saying this?

2. What does it mean?

If there is anything offensive about this saying (if it is a saying), I apologize in advance, but I don't know because I honestly do not know what it's supposed to mean.

 

[Constantine_Orthodox]

It 's just an idea, maybe it means that God gave the right faith (to 1 God) to the wrong people (the Jews, who rejected his Son).

 

[Mikeb85]

I read this sentence on a website today:

"As the Orthodox are so fond of saying, 'God gave the right faith to the wrong people'."

1. Are the Orthodox fond of saying this?

Never heard it before from any Orthodox Christian.

 

[nutroll]

I don't know whether Orthodox are fond of saying that, but it is said often. I have never heard it used in reference to the Jewish people, but rather as a sad commentary on the nominalism of many Orthodox Christians, or on some of the bad traits often associated with hyper-ethnic parishes where the churches become social clubs and not much more.

 

[Macarius]

God gave the right faith (His gospel) to the wrong people (us; if there's a way for us to screw it up, we'll find it. It is only by the grace of the Holy Spirit that the Truth survives - and that is often in spite of our best efforts to the contrary).

 

[Philothei]

aha... I knew Macarius would know ... I was wondering too... until I read his post

 

[rwprof]

My first priest was fond of saying it. As for the meaning, the Jews had nothing to do with it, except perhaps when anti-Semitism raises its ugly head wearing a cross. Just a little historical retrospective should make the meaning clear.

 

[Kristos]

I have never heard it before.