Christ as the principle, the resurrector and the treasury of life. Review of the book: Malkov P. Yu. Ancient church interpretations of the difficult passages of the gospel of john: theological analysis of the sources content: three essays / P. Yu. Malkov. 2nd ed., rev. Moscow: PSTGU Publishing House, 2024. 320 p.

The article is a review of the monograph by P. Yu. Malkov dedicated to studying the patristic exegesis of three mysterious episodes of the fourth Gospel: the miracles of Christ’s healing of the man born blind and his raising St. Lazarus from the dead, as well as the appearances of the risen Savior to St. Mary Magdalene and St. Apostle Thomas. The relevance of studying saint fathers’ interpretations of the Holy Scriptures is noted. The book contents are briefly presented, as well as the researcher’s main conclusions regarding the understanding of the episodes by ancient Church authors. The article’s author provides his clarifications and additions concerning the theological problems of the Christ’s theophanies to St. Magdalene, St. apostles and St. Thomas, in particular on the relationship between the missions of the Holy Spirit in John 20 and Acts 2, as well as on the nature of the Savior’s resurrected body.