Gospel of Matthew. Chapter 19
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1 When Jesus finished saying these words, he left Galilee and came to the borders of Judea, on the side beyond Jordan.[1] Mk. 10:1.
2 Many people followed Him, and He healed them there.
3 And the Pharisees came to Him and, tempting Him, said to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
4 He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who created in the beginning made them male and female?”[4] Gen. 1:27. Mk. 10:6.
5 And he said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh,” [5] Gen. 2:24. Mk. 10:7-8. 1 Cor. 6:16. Eph. 5:31. 6 so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. So, what God has joined together, let no man separate.
7 They said to Him: How did Moses command to give a letter of divorce and to divorce her?[7] Deut. 24:1ff. Mf. 5:31.
8 He says to them: Moses, because of your hardness of heart, allowed you to divorce your wives, but at first it was not so; marries another
commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.[9] Mf. 5:32. Mk. 10:11. OK. 16:18.
10 His disciples said to Him: If this is the duty of a man to his wife, then it is better not to marry.
11 He said to them, “Not everyone can receive this word, but only those who have been given it.” 12 For there are eunuchs who were born like this from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who are castrated from people; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever can contain it, let him contain it.[12] Is. 56:3. 1 Cor. 7:7.
13 Then the children were brought to Him, so that He could lay His hands on them and pray; the disciples rebuked them.[13] Mk. 10:13. OK. 18:15.
14 But Jesus said, Let the little children come, and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.[14] Mf. 18:3.
15 And he laid his hands on them and went away from there.
16 And behold, someone came and said to Him: Good Teacher! What good thing can I do to have eternal life? [16] Mark. 10:17. OK. 18:18.
17 And he said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. If you want to enter eternal life,
keep the commandments.[17] Jacob 1:17.
18 He said to Him: Which ones? Jesus said: Do not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; don't steal; do not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and: love your neighbor as yourself.[19] Ref. 20:12-16. A lion. 19:18. Deut. 5:16-20.
20 The young man said to Him: I have kept all this from my youth; what else am I missing?
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.
22 When the young man heard this word, he went away sad, because he had great possessions.
23 Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven; 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
25 When His disciples heard this, they were greatly amazed and said, “Who then can be saved?”
26 And Jesus looked up and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”[26] Job. 42:2.
27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what will happen to us?[27] Mk. 10:28. OK. 18:28.
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the end of life, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.[28] OK. 22:30.
29 And everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
30 But many who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.[30] Mk. 10:31. OK. 13:30.
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Some fragments of the Geneva Bible and Barkley commentaries are used.19:1-3 When Jesus had finished these words, he left Galilee and came into the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordanian side.
2 Many people followed Him, and He healed them there. 3 And the Pharisees came to Him and, tempting Him, said to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” After Galilee - again the borders of Judea, masses of people wanting to be healed, healing and meeting with the Pharisees, wanting to test Christ for knowledge of the law of God, and at the same time satisfy their interest through the mouth of Christ, just in case: as we have already said in detail in the analysis of Matthew 5:31 ,32 - the Pharisees, scrupulous in all matters of morality - were slightly behind in matters of divorce and their opinion on this was divided into three schools - Hillel, Akiba and Shammai -
depending on their personal attitude towards divorce: either one can only get divorced because of adultery (Shammai) , or for any occasion (Hillel), even if you just like a more beautiful woman (Akiba). Each of the Pharisees, naturally, adopted for himself the school of rabbis that would meet his expectations.
Although ideally in Judea divorce was considered a despicable matter, the theory of the ideal and the practice of divorce did not agree. Asking their question whether divorce is allowed FOR ANY REASON, the Pharisees were sure that divorce was not prohibited by God, for according to the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 24:1) a husband can divorce his wife if “she does not find favor in his eyes, because he finds “ something disgusting” in her.
But how to understand the phrase “
something nasty” -
the Pharisees decided to find out from Christ for comparison with the opinion of the rabbis of the three schools.
19:4-6
He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who created in the beginning made them male and female?
5 And he said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh, 6 so that they are no longer two, but one flesh.” So, what God has joined together, let no man separate. Christ’s answer surprised and irritated them, because it did not correspond to the expectations of the Pharisees, which, they say, “yes, get divorced for any reason.” Well, or at least a list of reasons should have been listed by Christ in their expectations. However, Jesus showed them the PRINCIPLE of creating a family and the PURPOSE of its creation, which God pursued when creating Eve for Adam. According to the Creator's plan, not only a man and a woman, but also them as husband and wife for each other - God meant a strong family union of two, constituting ONE WHOLE in the eyes of God for benefit throughout eternity, and not temporarily. Therefore, the Pharisees, who wanted a list for divorce, heard from Christ a PROHIBITION on divorce, for God did not even provide for it for husband and wife.
19:7
They said to Him, “How then did Moses command to give a letter of divorce and to divorce her?”
Here the Pharisees brought the Biblical basis for their divorces from Deut. 24:1, they say, they convicted Christ of ignorance of the law of God, and what kind of messenger of heaven is he then if he does not know such elementary things given by God to His people. God himself allowed divorce, and Christ, therefore, believes that God is wrong if he refuted this point of the Mosaic Law.
19:8
He says to them: Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but at first it was not so;
Jesus, however, was not at all embarrassed by the fact that he allegedly answered the Pharisees’ question incorrectly. He did this on purpose, having the opportunity to hear the question in such a form that it would be possible to show God’s true attitude to the union of husband and wife and to the meaning of the Mosaic Law for the people of God: The Mosaic Law was given by God taking into account sinfulness - hardness of heart, which does not allow to strictly fulfill the will of God even regarding the choice of a marriage partner. Therefore, so that the situation of living together, which, due to the hard-heartedness of the spouses, in some cases brings more harm to the family and society than good (which, according to God’s plan, a family should bring), God allowed such useless and harmful unions to be dissolved. But this point is not the norm, but an EXCEPTION from the norms of God due to the difficulties of achieving the ideal of family union in the conditions of this wicked age.
19: 9
But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife for reasons other than adultery and marries another commits adultery;
and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Why did Jesus say this?
In Israel, if a woman’s status is “divorced,” it means that her husband is alive and the divorce was not committed because of the spouse’s adultery (Deut. 24:1-4).
If a spouse committed adultery, he would be stoned and the innocent party would be considered a “widow” rather than a divorcee (Lev. 20:10). But since Jesus speaks of the status of “divorce” for a woman, it means that she and her husband simply, for example, did not agree in character, but before God they still remain husband and wife (bound by the law of one flesh). That’s why it is said that if a divorcee (married before God), then you commit adultery before God (having someone else’s wife, bound by the union of one flesh with her husband).
About the union of one flesh - it is written in detail in Matthew 5:32 , we quote: Why can one divorce and remarry only in the case of adultery of one of the spouses? Because the adulterer, having united himself in adultery with another flesh, ceased from that moment to be one flesh with his marriage companion - 1 Cor. 6:16. According to the Mosaic Law, adulterers were stoned, so an adulterer in the eyes of the innocent party is the same as dead, even if Christianity does not allow stoning in such cases. The innocent party in this case is free from the marriage union - Rom.7:2,3 and can remarry.
Why does someone who marries a divorced woman NOT because of her ex-husband’s adultery become an adulterer himself? Because a divorced woman (not through the fault of her spouse’s adultery) is one flesh with him even after the divorce until the spouse remarries (becomes one flesh with someone else, thereby freeing her from himself). Therefore, the one who marries her at the moment when her flesh still belongs to another becomes an adulterer himself.
However, how should a Christian approach divorce? Just like God, like Jesus and like Paul, who further explained situations that the Jews did not have: among the Jews, marriage with people of other faiths was not allowed, but among Christians this can happen, because not everyone in one family necessarily accepts Christ in the same way, We quote from Matthew 5:32: The fact is that later the Apostle Paul mentioned cases in which God still allows divorce in Christianity (if an unbeliever wants to get a divorce, a believer has the right from God to agree to a divorce -1 Cor. 7:15 and if anyone -if he is divorced through no fault of adultery, he must remain celibate or return to his marriage partner -1 Cor. 7:10,11) - firstly, it confirms the idea that Jesus spoke about the absolute prohibition on divorce - to the Jews of the conditions of that historical time to show them the absurdity of their understanding of family. And secondly, that divorce for a Christian is not a categorically unacceptable phenomenon (sin); simply, someone divorced through no fault of adultery must remain celibate in the future or be reconciled with their marriage partner.
19:10
His disciples said to Him: If this is the duty of a man to his wife, then it is better not to marry.
The disciples of Christ, having heard the “sentence” regarding the impossibility of getting a divorce, became depressed precisely because the marriages of this century sometimes do not correspond to God’s plan, in which marriage brings benefit and joy, and husband and wife harmoniously complement each other into one whole and live in harmony and in happiness forever. Judging by their reactions, they had some idea of what it was like to live with a wife not very happily and have no hope of improvement until death.
And, of course, rather than getting married in this century and not knowing what family life will be like, it is easier to live alone and not get married. (note that we are talking here about marriages among fellow Jews, and those, as we see, did not always bring satisfaction. What can we say about marriages between a believer and an unbeliever? Such marriages have even less chance of happiness. That is why Paul asked Christians to marry only in the Lord, that is, both the bride and groom must be Christians, other options are simply unreasonable, such options are not combined by God, but by people themselves, contrary to common sense, and therefore there are countless divorces.)
19:
11,12 He said to them, “Not everyone can receive this word, but to those who have been given it,” 12 for there are eunuchs who were born from their mother’s womb in this way;
and there are eunuchs who are castrated from people; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever can contain it, let him contain it. Jesus hastened to the rescue of his disciples, explaining that not everyone can understand his word about the relationship of a husband to his wife in God’s plan, and not all Christians have the same need for marriage: some, due to physical injuries, do not have the need to get married, Whether it’s will or not, it doesn’t matter to them. And someone decided, instead of getting married, to serve God and for the sake of this to neglect marriage. This is strictly individual, but celibacy in itself is NOT FOR THE SAKE of the Kingdom - it does neither harm nor benefit to the servant of God. By and large, it may indeed be better for a Christian not to marry, but only on the condition that he does not marry FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM, and not because God has a strict view of marriage. Jesus himself, for example, was not married. Pavel too. But all Christians are different, and each one will be asked differently, according to their individual characteristics.
19:13-15
Then the children were brought to Him, that He might lay His hands on them and pray;
the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, Let the little children come and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away from there. The disciples fuss excessively about protecting Christ from what they think are unnecessary difficulties: well, what are children to let them come to Christ and allow them to bother him over trifles? Here, you know, global, fateful issues are discussed, but children get in the way. However, Jesus forbade the disciples to prevent children who wanted to receive the blessing of Christ from going to Christ for the blessing. Actually, this is all Jesus expects, to DESIRE the blessing of God received through Christ. And it doesn’t matter by age who desires this - such are the Kingdom of Heaven in the sense that God’s world order with the heavenly Ruler is intended specifically for those who want God’s blessing, and children who are not tempted by the evils of “adulthood” have a greater chance of having this desire. The disciples of Christ did not yet understand this.
About a rich Jew who keeps the commandments of God from his youth and wants to live forever. See also Mark 10:17-24
19:16
And behold, someone came and said to Him: Good Teacher!
What good thing can I do to have eternal life? In most translations of the Bible, the word “good” to the word “teacher” is missing (
A man once came to Him and asked: “Teacher, what good must I do to receive eternal life?”, R.V
) By asking this question, the young man hoped that Jesus will reveal to him some special knowledge about good deeds, say something beyond what is written in the law (“some secret”), and which will help him achieve eternal life.
19:17
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? No one is good except God alone. If you want to enter into [eternal] life, keep the commandments. - Why are you asking Me about good things?
God alone is good, Jesus answered him. - And if you want to enter Life, keep the commandments, R.V.
Jesus replied, “Why are you asking me about the meaning of goodness when you should be asking God?” Only God gives knowledge about good, and this knowledge about good is set out in the commandments of God. Fulfill them and you will receive eternal life (there is nothing beyond the commandments of God for inheriting eternal life in the Promised Land) 19: 18,19 He said to Him: which ones?
Jesus said: Do not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; don't steal; do not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and: love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus briefly listed to him the essence of the Law of Moses, the fundamental commandments for those who worship God.
19:20,21 The young man said to Him: I have kept all this from my youth; what else am I missing? 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.
The young man, as it turned out, always fulfilled all these commandments. But he seemed to understand that Jesus brought something additional and new to the doctrine of eternal life that he would like to know about. Jesus did bring an addition to the famous law of Moses: a message about how to achieve spiritual perfection in this age (which the Mosaic law did not provide) so that as a result of this you will be able to receive eternal life in heaven (to sit with Christ on the thrones of heaven, Luke 22 :28-30).
Let us pay attention to this: in order to enter into eternal life in the Promised Land according to the Mosaic Law, it would be enough to fulfill the commandments of God according to the Mosaic Law (to completely trust God and be a decent person living according to the principles of the Creator, as many today preach: form there is a decent, caring, sensitive, kind, etc. person in oneself - and this is enough for salvation, for a person of the new world order is exactly what he should be). However, to achieve spiritual perfection (if you want to be perfect
) and the acquisition of spiritual treasures (treasures in heaven, Matt. 19:21; 6:20) - one must learn more than just fulfilling a set of righteous deeds of the Mosaic Law: one must take on the cross of Christ and follow in his footsteps (accept Christ) . That is, you need to be prepared for self-sacrifice and self-denial. In other words, you need to be prepared to place serving God and following Christ above your own and any attachments. Only in this way can Jehovah become God for a person - the most important person in his life, which will help him achieve spiritual perfection - with the help of His Christ (be transformed into the image of God and reflect Jehovah in oneself in the same way as Jesus Christ reflected him, Col. 1 :15).
And if some kind of attachment to someone or something is more important for us than God’s expectations and requirements for us, then a god/idol for us is precisely that to which we are more attached than to Jehovah and His Christ. And this will prevent us from achieving spiritual perfection (reflecting the image of Jehovah in ourselves with the help of His Christ). Whoever can follow Christ exactly in this age (who is not prevented from doing so by any personal affections) will be able to gain treasures in heaven - and in the literal sense (not only achieve spiritual perfection (become like Jehovah and His Christ ), but also to sit with Christ on the heavenly thrones, Luke 22:28-30).
Why did Jesus tell this young man to give up all his possessions and get rid of them? Because for this particular young man, apparently, possessions were too much of an attachment - his idol, absorbing all his attention (Jesus advised each disciple at the meeting to break with various attachments, cf. Luke 9:59-62). Whoever was most attached to what, Jesus invited those who wanted to follow him to leave. In order for God to take first place in the life of a believer (not the only place, but precisely the first, since we can have many attachments, but they should not become more important for us than attachment to God) - we must be ready to make a choice in favor of serving God
, and for this purpose - to abandon their previous attachments if they interfere with fulfilling the will of God.
However, Jesus understands that not all people of the earth in this century are able to give up their personal earthly attachments and interests - for the sake of acquiring the heavenly treasures of the Kingdom of God, observing the interests of God and His Christ: not everyone is ready for this to acquire a pearl of spiritual blessings, having lost ALL their earthly values (Matt. 13:46). And not everyone will be able to “castrate” themselves for this (19:11,12). Therefore, there will be few firstborn helpers of Christ for heaven (only 144,000, Rev. 14:1-5).
19: 22,23
When the young man heard this word, he went away sad, because he had great possessions.
23 Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven; The young man's love of wealth and refusal to give it away in order to follow Jesus shows that he was not ready to give up his "god" possessions (self-denial) at this point.
And, in fact, by refusing he violated the greatest of the commandments of the law: “ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength
.” Why? Because at that moment he loved himself and his personal values more than Christ of God (Deut. 6:5; cf. Matt. 22:37).
Since the young man himself refuses to achieve spiritual perfection in this age and the honor of living forever with Christ in heaven (as one who has achieved spiritual perfection), then, naturally, he will not be able to
achieve it (not yet ready to choose the true God, clings to his earthly “idols” in the form of property and wealth).
Although he fulfills certain commandments of God, and without these works of righteousness, eternal life cannot be achieved (10:19), however, only works of righteousness
without true love and affection for Jehovah, without accepting His Christ and without the willingness to renounce His interests in order to preserve His interests their personal interests for the benefit of God's interests will not help to achieve eternal life - even in the Millennium (if not in this century), because in the Millennium everyone who wants to
achieve eternal life
will have to learn to love God's interests more than their own. Otherwise, the last test of the devil is not to pass (Rev. 20:7-10).
Bottom line: not many in this century will want to leave everything and follow Christ in EVERYTHING. But even of those who want to, not many will be able to achieve the spiritual height of Christ, his purity and virginity. That is why in the heavenly Zion WITH CHRIST there will only be 144,000 who will have the name of the Father of Christ written on their foreheads - Rev. 14:1-5. And this is very little compared to the number of humanity living in the period of the New Testament and having the opportunity to become Christians.
19:24,25
And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
25 When His disciples heard this, they were greatly amazed and said, “Who then can be saved?” Since wealth was considered evidence of God's favor in Palestine, the Jews believed that the rich were the most likely and prime "candidates" for the Kingdom.
Jesus changed their idea of salvation, which is why the disciples asked him: “ So who can be saved
?” (if not rich)
19:26 And Jesus looked up and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Jesus emphasized that a person on his own, whether rich or poor, will not be saved even if he fulfills all the points of the law.
Only with God's help is salvation possible: for the salvation of humanity, God sent Christ into the world. He who accepts him as the son of God and the redeemer from sin and death will be saved. 19:27
Then Peter answered and said to Him, Behold, we have left everything and followed You;
what will happen to us? Then Peter remembered Christ’s words to the rich Jew about leaving everything and following Christ and said: “So we left EVERYTHING and followed you... what should we expect from God?” That is, Peter is wondering if salvation depends on God, then how will He treat those who have left everything according to the word of Christ?
19:28
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sitth on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jesus reassured Peter by explaining that those who leave EVERYTHING and FOLLOW HIM (not just leave everything as before and do something new, personal and more interesting) have a sure hope in the future, when Jesus sits on the royal throne - to sit with him next to fellow kings on their thrones and decide the fate of the 12 tribes of Israel.
And since the throne of Christ is in heaven, the co-rulers will also have the opportunity to be heavenly co-rulers - they will just receive the very treasure in heaven in the literal sense that is prepared for those who have become perfect in this age (see conversation with the rich Jew 19:16-23) - Open 14:1, 20:6.
How do we understand that the apostles will judge the 12 literal tribes of Jacob-Israel when recreating the world of God? (re-existence). 1) In fact, the co-rulers of Christ will judge not only the 12 tribes of Israel, but also the entire human world, and even the angels who have sinned: Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? ..Don’t you know that we will judge the angels..?
(1 Cor. 6:2,3) But, speaking about the 12 tribes of Israel, Jesus made them understand what is the difference between the disciples of Christ of the era of N.T.
from the servants of Jehovah in the era of the O.T.: since in the O.T. Jews did not communicate with pagans - how would Jesus tell them that they would judge the pagans? They wouldn't have kept that promise. And later, when the Gentiles were accepted into the new people of God, Paul said that their functions as judges would expand to the whole world of earth and heaven. 2) When will the literal 12 tribes of Israel be judged? In the 1000 year reign of Christ, ALL Israel (representatives of all the tribes of old) will return to life on earth through the resurrection - John 11:24, (along with everyone else awaiting the resurrection from the New Testament), for they are all also redeemed by Christ: Remember this, Jacob and Israel , for you are My servant; I formed you: My servant, O Israel, do not forget Me. I will blot out your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a cloud; turn to Me, for I have redeemed you - Isa.44:21-26
Therefore, thus says the Lord, Who redeemed Abraham - Isa.29:22. Otherwise, Paul's confidence that ALL Israel would be saved (Rom. 11:26) would have been unfounded. So, the apostles got the chance to reach the spiritual age of Christ - even in this century, to become in the coming century - co-rulers of Christ, taking the thrones promised to them next to him, and to observe the life of the resurrected 12 tribes of Israel - all the other descendants of Abraham according to Jacob - Israel, except those who are honored to go to heaven. (like the apostles, for example).
The Apostle Paul explained the function of Christ’s co-rulers this way: those of whom the whole world was not worthy wandered through deserts and mountains, through caves and gorges of the earth. And all these, who testified in faith, did not receive what was promised,
because God has provided
something better
for us they would not reach perfection without us
.
(Heb. 11:38-40) With their help, the 12 tribes of Israel and all others whom God decides to raise in the 1000-year reign of Christ will be under the care of those who sit on the throne with Christ and receive the necessary instructions in order to achieve spiritual perfection (they will judged, their actions will be assessed by judges, their wrong actions will have to be corrected under the supervision of heavenly judges);
3) 144,000, resurrected to life in heaven, will be judged with Jesus Christ and the spiritual “12 tribes of Israel” - these are all the servants of Jehovah of the New Testament period. of all times (from the 1st century AD to the end of this century), from which 144,000 will be chosen (see analysis of Rev. 7: 3-8). They must prepare the Earth for Armageddon and determine who will be saved from destruction forever and who will be numbered among the goats (see the parable of the division of people into sheep and goats, Matt. 25: 31-46).
19:29
And everyone who leaves houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
But at the same time, Jesus also explained what is included in the concept of
THEY LEAVE ALL
: “
Whoever leaves houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for
MY NAME’S SAKE , will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life
” That is, before receiving what Christ promised ONE HUNDRED TIMES (in addition to the eternal life promised to ALL who lead a righteous life, verses 17 and 18) and becoming Christ’s, you need to leave PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING that binds you to earthly life, all your attachments to someone or something.
Only IN SUCH CASE will the reward be appropriate - the opportunity to be a co-ruler with Christ. But in what sense could his disciples LEAVE lands, houses, wives, children, fathers - for the sake of Christ and in order to follow Christ? (not just leave and abandon everyone for the sake of improving personal circumstances). For example, in order to fulfill Christ's commission, they could leave real estate - a house or land - and assign someone to look after it, sell it, rent it out, and if all else fails, then abandon it in the end. And if they THEMSELVES sat near this and took care of all this THEMSELVES, they would not be able to engage in Christ’s affairs, much less follow Christ everywhere in the literal sense, walking through cities and villages with the word of the gospel.
But in what sense was it possible to leave families FOR THE WAY OF CHRIST? Is it good if we literally take it and leave them all to their own devices? No, of course, a Christian cannot perceive these words of Christ THIS way, for whoever does not take care of his family is worse than an infidel - 1 Tim. 5:8.
There is a known case when Jesus did not allow one disciple to watch his father until his death, saying that those relatives of his father who were not interested in the way of Christ (spiritually dead) would also be able to worry about this - Matt.8:22. There is the example of Aquila and Priscilla, who together carried out the work of God.
So, the principle is this: a Christian, if he has a Christian family, may well do God’s work with his family, but devote more time to God’s work than to personal family matters. If a family, for example, opposes him and prevents him from performing Christian service and a person’s enemies are his family, a Christian can try to organize everything so that the family has everything necessary for life, and he himself can carry out the work of God, not taking into account the resistance of the family or their requirement to sit next to them without fail.
19:30
But many who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.
To summarize, Christ emphasized the idea that salvation with God may differ from the expectations of the Jews: those who consider themselves the first candidates for salvation (like the rich, for example) may turn out to be the last in it, that is, not saved. And everyone who, from the point of view of the Jews, is unworthy of salvation and is considered the “last” (the dregs of society) - they can just be saved. In a word, everything is possible for God, including saving someone who does not even hope for the opportunity to be saved.
Chapter nineteen
Matthew 19:1. When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and came to the borders of Judea, on the Trans-Jordan side.
Matthew 19:2. Many people followed Him and He healed them there.
The Lord comes again to Judea so that the unbelieving inhabitants of Judea would not have an excuse to justify themselves by the fact that He visited the Galileans more often than them. So, after the teaching, at the end of the conversation, miracles again follow. For we must both teach and do. However, the foolish Pharisees, while they should have believed at the sight of miracles, tempt Him. Listen:
Matthew 19:3. And the Pharisees came to Him and, tempting Him, said to Him: Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?
Matthew 19:4. He answered them: Have you not read that He who created in the beginning made them male and female (Gen. 1:27)?
Matthew 19:5. And he said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh,
Matthew 19:6. so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. So, what God has joined together, let no man separate.
Oh, the madness of the Pharisees! With such questions they thought to block the mouth of Christ. Namely, if He had said: it is permissible to divorce a wife for any reason, they could object to Him: how did You say before that no one should divorce, except from an adulterous wife? And if He said: it is completely impermissible to divorce your wife, then they thought to accuse Him of contradicting Moses, for the latter allowed the removal of his hated wife without a plausible reason. What about Christ? It shows that monogamy was ordained by our Creator from the very beginning. “In the beginning,” says Christ, “God united one husband with one wife, therefore one husband should not be united with many wives, nor one wife with many husbands, but as they were united from the beginning, so they should remain, not dissolving cohabitation without reason.” In order not to amaze the Pharisees, Christ does not say: “I” created man and woman, but says vaguely: “He who created.” So, according to Him, God is so pleased with marriage that for its sake He even allowed parents to leave in order to cleave to their spouse. Why, now in the book of Genesis it is written that the words: “for this reason shall a man leave his father and mother,” said Adam, and here Christ says that God Himself said: “for this reason he will leave,” etc. We affirm: what Adam said , he said at the inspiration of God, so that the word of Adam is the word of God. But if Adam and Eve, as a result of natural love and copulation, became one flesh, then just as it is criminal to cut one’s own flesh, it is just as unlawful to separate spouses. The Lord did not say: “Let not Moses separate,” so as not to outrage the Pharisees, but said in general: “Let not man separate,” expressing the great distance between God who united and the man who separates.
Matthew 19:7. They say to Him: How did Moses command to give a letter of divorce and divorce her?
Matthew 19:8. He says to them: Moses, because of your hardness of heart, allowed you to divorce your wives, but at first it was not so;
Matthew 19:9. but I say to you: whoever divorces his wife for reasons other than adultery and marries another
commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The Pharisees, seeing that the Lord had stopped their mouths, were forced to refer to Moses, who in his instructions seemed to contradict Christ. They say: how did Moses command to give a letter of divorce and get a divorce? But the Lord, turning every accusation on their head, defends Moses and says: Moses, giving such a law, does not contradict God; He made such a decree because of your hardness of heart, so that you, due to your moral licentiousness, intending to marry other wives, would not begin to destroy your first wives. Indeed, being cruel, the Jews would go so far as to kill their wives if the law forced them to live with them. In view of this, Moses decreed: let wives hated by their spouses receive a divorce document. But I,” the Lord continues, “tell you: it is good to divorce only a criminal, adulterous wife; when someone drives away a wife who has not fallen into fornication, he will be guilty if she begins to commit adultery. It can also be understood this way: “he who is united with the Lord is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17). In this regard, there is a certain combination of the believer with Christ, since we have all become one body with Him and constitute members of Christ. In fact, no one can dissolve this union, just as Paul says: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (Rom.8:35). For what God has joined together, “neither man, nor any other creature, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,” as Paul says, can separate (Rom. 8:38-39).
Matthew 19:10. His disciples tell Him: if such is a man’s duty to his wife, then it is better not to marry.
The disciples were confused and said: if a husband and wife are united in order to remain undissolved for the rest of their lives, so that the husband should not drive away his wife, even if she is evil, then it is better not to marry. It is easier not to marry and fight natural lusts than to endure an evil wife. Christ calls the “duty of man” the indissoluble marital union. Some interpreters, however, understand it this way: if such is a person’s fault, that is, if a husband, illegally driving away his wife, is subject to censure and condemnation, then it is better not to marry.
Matthew 19:11. He said to them: not everyone can receive this word, but to those who have been given it,
Since the disciples said that it is better not to marry, the Lord says that although virginity is a great thing, not everyone can preserve it, but only those whom God helps. The word “given” here stands for “to whom God helps.” It is given to those who ask, as it is said: “Ask, and it will be given to you.” Everyone who asks receives."
Matthew 19:12. for there are eunuchs who were born like this from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who are castrated from people; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever can contain it, let him contain it.
The Lord says: the virtue of virginity is accessible to few. “There are eunuchs from their mother’s womb,” that is, there are people who, by the very structure of their nature, do not experience attraction to women: their chastity has no value. There are, further, those who are castrated by people. Those who castrate themselves for the Kingdom of Heaven are not those who cut off their ouds - no, this is cursed - but those who have abstinence. Understand this: there is an eunuch by nature - a person who, according to his natural structure, is not excited to lust. The one who, as a result of the instruction of other people, has removed, as if cut out, the kindling of carnal lust, is castrated by people; one who castrates himself is a person who has inclined toward chastity not by the instructions of others, but by his own disposition. This last one is the most perfect: he was not brought to the Kingdom of Heaven by anyone else, but he himself came to it. The Lord, wanting us to voluntarily practice the virtue of virginity, says: “Whoever can accommodate, let him accommodate.” He does not force virginity and does not despise marriage; He just prefers virginity.
Matthew 19:13. Then the children were brought to Him so that He could lay His hands on them and pray; the disciples rebuked them.
Matthew 19:14. But Jesus said: Let the little children come and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for to such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Mothers brought children so that their children would receive blessings through the touch of His hands. But women with children approached in disorder and with noise, and therefore the disciples did not allow them. In addition, the disciples believed that the dignity of their Teacher could be humiliated if they offered children. But Christ, showing that the one in whom there is no guile is more pleasing to Him, says: “Let in the children, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” He did not say “these,” but “such,” that is, simple, innocent, non-evil. Therefore, if even now Christians come to any teacher, offering children’s questions, then the teacher should not remove them from himself, but should accept them.
Matthew 19:15. And laying his hands on them, he went away from there.
Matthew 19:16. And so someone came up and said to Him: Good Teacher! What good thing can I do to have eternal life?
Matthew 19:17. He said to him: Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.
This man approached not with the goal of tempting Christ, but with the goal of receiving instruction, since he thirsted for eternal life. Only he approached Christ as a simple man, and not as God. That’s why the Lord says to him: “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone,” that is, if you call Me good, while at the same time considering Me to be an ordinary teacher, then you are mistaken: in reality, none of the people are good. Firstly, we very easily shy away from goodness, and secondly, human kindness itself in comparison with the goodness of God is nothing more than malice.
If you want to enter eternal
, keep the commandments.
Matthew 19:18. He says to Him: which ones? Jesus said: Do not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; don't steal; do not bear false witness;
Matthew 19:19. honor your father and mother; and: love your neighbor as yourself.
The Lord refers the questioner to the commandments of the law, so that the Jews could not say that He despises the law. What?
Matthew 19:20. The young man says to Him: I have kept all this from my youth; what else am I missing?
Some condemn this young man as a boastful and vain person. How, they say, did he love his neighbor perfectly while he remained rich? He who loves his neighbor as himself cannot be richer than his neighbor. A neighbor is every person. Others understand it this way: suppose that I kept all this: then what else would I be missing?
Matthew 19:21. Jesus said to him: if you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.
Matthew 19:22. Hearing this word, the young man went away sad, because he had great possessions.
What, he says, you did according to your words, you did only in the Jewish way. If you want to be perfect, that is, My disciple and a Christian, then go, sell your property and immediately give everything away, leaving nothing behind under the pretext that you want to constantly give alms. He did not say: “give to the poor,” but “give everything and become poor.” Then, since others, although merciful, lead a life full of all uncleanness, Christ says: “and come and follow Me,” that is, have all the other virtues. But the young man was saddened. Although he desired, although the soil of his heart was deep and rich, the seed of the word of the Lord was suppressed by the thorns of wealth, “for,” the evangelist notes, “he had great possessions.” He who has little is less entangled in the bonds of property, but the greater the wealth, the stronger the shackles it imposes. Also: since the Lord was talking to the rich man, he said: “You will have treasure in heaven,” if you are already a lover of wealth.
Matthew 19:23. Jesus said to His disciples: Truly I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven;
Matthew 19:24. Again I tell you: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
A rich man will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven while he is rich and has excess, while others do not have what they need. But when the rich man shakes off everything and thus enters the Kingdom of Heaven, he will no longer enter rich. It is just as impossible for one who has much to enter, just as it is impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Look how Christ said above: “it is difficult to enter,” but here he says that it is completely impossible. Some people by camel do not mean an animal, but a thick rope that sailors use when throwing anchors.
Matthew 19:25. Hearing this, His disciples were greatly amazed and said: So who can be saved?
Matthew 19:26. And Jesus looked up and said to them: With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
The philanthropic disciples ask not for themselves, for they themselves were poor, but for all people. The Lord teaches us to measure the work of salvation not by human weakness, but by the power of God. If someone begins to avoid greed, then, with the help of God, he will first succeed in cutting off what is superfluous, and then he will reach the point where he will spend what is necessary on the poor; so God’s help will lead him in a good way to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 19:27. Then Peter answered and said to Him: Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what will happen to us?
Although Peter, being poor, apparently did not leave anything big, know that in fact he also left a lot. We humans can be strongly attached to little things. Peter neglected everything pleasant in the world, even suppressed natural love for his parents. These passions fight not only against the rich, but also against the poor. What about the Lord?
Matthew 19:28. Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Will they really sit down? No: the Lord designated a special honor by the manner of sitting. But will Judas also sit down? Again, no: this is said about those who followed, that is, remained faithful to Christ to the end, but Judas did not remain so. God promises benefits to those who are worthy, but when these people change and become unworthy, these benefits are taken away. The same thing happens with disasters: God sometimes threatens us with disasters, but does not send them if we change. By “rebirth” we mean resurrection.
Matthew 19:29. And everyone who leaves houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for My name’s sake will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Lest anyone think that what was said above concerns only the disciples, the Lord extended the promise to all who act like His disciples. And they, instead of relatives according to the flesh, will have property and brotherhood in Christ, instead of fields - paradise, instead of stone houses - heavenly Jerusalem, instead of father - elders in the church, instead of mother - old women, instead of wife - all faithful wives, not by marriage - no, but out of spiritual love and care for them. But the Lord does not necessarily command you to separate from your family, but only when they interfere with a pious life. In the same way, He commands to neglect soul and body, and not in the sense that one must kill oneself. Look how God, being good, not only returns to us what we have abandoned, but in addition gives us eternal life. Try to sell your property and give it to the poor. And for an angry person this property is his anger, for an adulterer his adulterous inclination, for a vindictive person - remembrance, etc. Sell it and give it to the poor, that is, to demons who have nothing good. Return your passions to the perpetrators of passions and then you will have treasure, that is, Christ, in heaven, that is, in your mind, which has risen to heights. You can have heaven within you if you become like the One who is above all heavens.
Matthew 19:30. But many who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.
Here Christ points to Jews and Gentiles. Those who were first became last, and the Gentiles who were last became first. So that you clearly understand what is being said, He adapts the following parable to this.
Interpretation of the Holy Gospel
Chapter Five
1. Seeing the people, He went up the mountain...
He ascends the mountain, teaching him not to do anything for show. Intending to teach, He trains us to move away from noise when we teach.
And when he sat down, His disciples came to Him.
The people come to see miracles, but the disciples come to learn. Therefore, in order to perform miracles and heal bodies, He also heals souls, so that we may learn that He is the Creator of both souls and bodies.
2. And He opened His mouth.
Why is it added that He opened His mouth?
It seems unnecessary. But no, for He taught without opening His lips. How? With your life and miracles. Now He teaches with His mouth opened.
Taught them by talking.
He taught not only the students, but also the people. And he began with beatitudes, just as David began with beatitudes (see Ps. 1:1).
3. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Presents humility as the basis of life. Since Adam fell from pride, Christ restores us through humility. For Adam hoped to be God. The broken in soul are the poor in spirit.
4. Blessed are those who mourn; for they will be comforted.
Of course, weeping about sins, and not about anything in life. Said those who were crying,
that is, always, and not just once, and not only about your own sins, but also about the sins of your neighbors. They will be consoled here too, for whoever cries over sin rejoices spiritually here, and even more so there.
5. Blessed are the meek; for they will inherit the earth.
Some under the word earth
They mean the spiritual earth, that is, heaven, but you also understand this earth. Since the meek are usually considered despicable and devoid of importance, He says that they primarily have everything. The meek are not those who are not angry at all (for they are devoid of reason), but those who have anger, but refrain, becoming angry when necessary.
6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they will be satisfied.
When He intends to talk about mercy, He first of all shows that one must adhere to justice and not make alms out of stolen goods. Truth must be sought with all diligence, for this is what the words hungering and thirsting mean.
Since the selfish also seem to live in contentment and satiety, He says that much more will the righteous be satisfied here, for they dispose of their property safely.
For, says the prophet, those who seek the Lord do not lack any good
(Ps. 33:11).
7. Blessed are the merciful; for they will receive mercy.
Mercy can be shown not only with property, but also with words, and if there is nothing, then with tears. They receive mercy here too from people, for the one who showed mercy yesterday, if he loses everything today, will meet with mercy from everyone; but God will especially help him later, after his death.
8. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they will see God.
Many people don't rob; but rather are merciful, but they commit fornication and thus become unclean in other respects. So, Christ commands, along with other virtues, to preserve purity or chastity, not only in the body, but also in the heart, for apart from holiness or purity no one will see the Lord. Just as a mirror, if it is pure, reflects images only then, so the contemplation of God and the understanding of Scripture is accessible only to a pure soul.
9. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they will be called sons of God.
Of course, we mean not only those who themselves live peacefully with everyone, but also those who reconcile those at war. Peacemakers are also those who, through teaching, convert the enemies of God to the truth. These are the sons of God, for the Only Begotten Son of God reconciled us to God.
10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of truth; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Not only martyrs are persecuted, but also many others for helping the wronged and in general for any virtue, for all virtue is truth. Thieves and murderers are also persecuted, but they are not blessed.
11. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you...
Finally, the Lord speaks to His apostles, showing that it is most common for teachers to endure reproach.
And in every way it is unjust to slander Me.
It is not just the one who is reviled who is blessed, but only the one who is reviled for Christ and falsely. Otherwise, he is unhappy, because for many he serves as a temptation.
12. Rejoice and be glad; for great is your reward in heaven...
The Lord did not speak about the great reward for other virtues, but here he spoke about it, showing by this that to endure reproach is a great and most difficult thing, for many have taken their own lives. And Job, who had suffered other temptations, was especially indignant when his friends reviled him as if he was suffering for his sins.
So they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
So that the apostles would not think that they would be persecuted for preaching something contrary to the teachings of Christ, the Lord consoles them, saying that the prophets before you were persecuted for virtue; therefore in their sufferings you have consolation.
13. You are the salt of the earth...
Prophets were sent to one people, but you are the salt of the whole earth, strengthening the weak with teaching and reproof, so that they do not give birth to constant worms. In view of this, do not reject the bitterness of reproof, even if they hate and persecute you.
If the salt loses its strength, then what will you use to make it salty? It is no longer good for anything except throwing it out there for people to trample underfoot.
If the teacher becomes possessed (loses his mind. - Ed.),
that is, if he does not reprove, correct, and becomes lazy, then with what will he be salted, that is, corrected? He must be deprived of his teaching rank and trampled upon, that is, subjected to contempt.
14. You are the light of the world.
First salt, then light, for the one who exposes hidden deeds is light. After all, everything that becomes visible is light
(Eph. 5:13). The apostles enlightened not just one nation, but the world.
A city standing on top of a mountain cannot hide.
The Lord instructs them to strive and be attentive to their lives, because everyone will be looking at them. Do not think, He says, that you will hide; you will be visible; Therefore, pay attention to living chastely, so that you do not serve as a temptation to others.
15. And having lit a candle, they do not put it under a bushel, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
I, he says, lit the unquenchable light of grace. Let it be the work of your feat so that the light of your life shines on others.
16. So let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Didn’t say: “you show your virtue” (for this is not good), but let it shine
she herself so that your enemies will be surprised and glorify not you, but your Heavenly Father. Therefore, when we do good, we should do it for the glory of God, and not for ours.
17. Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Since He intended to introduce new laws, so that they would not think that He was an opponent of God, He, preventing such suspicion on the part of many, says: “I did not come to violate
law,
but to fulfill
it.” How did He fulfill it? Firstly, by the fact that he accomplished everything that was predicted about Him by the prophets (see Isa. 53:9). That is why the evangelist often says: “so that what was spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled.” He fulfilled all the commandments of the law, for He committed no iniquity and no flattery was in His mouth. He fulfilled the law in another respect, that is, He completed it, for He fully outlined what the law gave only one shadow. He said: “Do not kill,” and Sey said: “And do not be angry in vain.” Like a painter, He does not erase the original drawing, but completes it.
18. For verily I say unto you... Verily
(amen) is an affirmative particle, instead of “by it, I tell you.”
Until heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law until it is all fulfilled.
Here the Lord shows that the world will pass away (end. - Ed.)
and will change.
Therefore He says that as long as the universe stands, not even the smallest letter of the law will disappear. Some understand the twelve commandments by an iota and a line, while others mean the cross. Iota is
the straight beam of the cross, and
the line is
transverse. So, they say that what was said regarding the cross will be fulfilled.
19. So, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so, he will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
By the least commandments he means those that He Himself intended to give, but not the commandments of the law. He calls them the least because of His humility, in order to teach you to be modest in your teaching. He will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven
means: in the resurrection he will be the last and will be thrown into Gehenna. For he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven: no; but by the Kingdom here we mean the resurrection.
And whoever does and teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
First it’s worth creating,
and then
he will teach;
for how can I guide others on a path that I myself have not walked? On the other hand, if I do, but do not teach, then I will not have such a reward, but perhaps I will suffer punishment if I do not teach out of envy or laziness,
20. For, I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
By righteousness the Lord means every virtue, just as in the words: Job was blameless, just and fearing God.
(see Job 1:1). So, tremble, O man, consider how much is required of us. Then the Lord teaches us how to excel and lists the virtues.
21. You have heard what was said to the ancients: “Thou shalt not kill”; whoever kills is subject to judgment.
He does not say by whom it was said, because if he said: “My Father said to the ancients, I tell you,” then it would seem that He was establishing something contrary to the Father. On the other hand, if he had said: “I spoke to the ancients,” then they would not have listened to His words. Therefore he says vaguely: “it was said to the ancients” (see Ex. 20:13). With these words He shows that the law is outdated. And if it is outdated and close to destruction, then it should be abandoned and run to a new one.
22. But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without cause will be subject to judgment.
The prophets, intending to present a prophecy, declared: “This is the Lord speaking,” but Christ, showing His Divine authority, says: “I speak.” They were slaves, and He is the Son and has everything that belongs to the Father. He who is angry with his brother in vain will be condemned, but if someone is angry for reasonable reasons, for the purpose of education or out of spiritual jealousy, he will not be condemned. And Paul speaks angry words to Elyma, the sorcerer and high priest, but not in vain, but out of jealousy. We are angry in vain if we are angry because of wealth or fame.
Whoever says to his brother: “raqa” is subject to the Sanhedrin.
By “Sanhedrin” we mean the Jewish court, and the cancer
identical to the word "you". We are in the habit of saying to a person whom we despise: “Go away”; and therefore the Lord encourages us not to ignore such unimportant expressions and encourages us to respect others. Some say that “raqa” means “despicable” in Syriac. So, if anyone dishonors his brother, calling him despicable, he will fall under the council of the apostles when they sit down to judge the twelve tribes.
And whoever says, “crazy,” is subject to fiery hell.
Many people say and think that this is a difficult and severe sentence, but no. Is he not worthy of Gehenna who deprives his brother of reason and meaning, deprives him of what makes us different from animals? He who reviles and dishonors destroys love, and when love is destroyed, virtues that are strong only in the existence of love are destroyed. So, everyone who dishonors, destroying all virtues, thereby destroys love and is therefore justly awarded fire.
23-24. So, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
God neglects his own honor so that we love each other. By the way, if your brother has something against you
did not add anything else: whether he has a fair or unjust point, be reconciled. He did not say: “if you have anything against him,” but said: “if he has anything against you, try to reconcile him with yourself.” He commands you to leave the gift so that you have a need for reconciliation: having wished to bring your gift, you will, of necessity, have to be reconciled. At the same time, it shows that love is also a true sacrifice.
25-26. Make peace with your adversary quickly, while you are still on the way with him, lest your adversary hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the servant, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you: you will not leave there until you have paid the last coin.
Some think that under a rival
of course the devil, and by the way - life, and they believe that the Lord exhorts in this way: “while you are in this life, break your connection with the devil, so that he cannot subsequently expose you for your sins as having anything from him, and so that you will not then be given over to punishment until you have destroyed even the smallest sins (for a kodrant is equal to two mites). But you understand that the Lord says this regarding the local rivals, teaching not to judge and not to deviate from the affairs of God. If, he says, you are offended, then do not go to court, but make peace on the way, so as not to suffer the worst thanks to the power of your opponent.
27. You have heard what was said to the ancients: “You shall not commit adultery.”
(Ex. 20, 14).
Adultery is one thing, fornication is another. Adultery is a sin with a married woman, and fornication is a sin with a free woman.
28. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Whoever stops, kindles lust with his sight and looks again with greater desire, has already committed the sin of adultery in his heart. If he did not add to this, then what follows from this? Only that he was not able to, and if he could, he would immediately commit evil. But know that if we desire, but then encounter an obstacle to the fulfillment of our desire by deed, then it is clear that we are under the cover of grace. And women, if they decorate themselves in order to please, sin, even if they are not liked. For they prepared the drink, although no one drank it.
29-30. If your right eye offends you, pluck it out and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members perish, rather than your whole body being cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you, for it is better for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
When you hear about the eye and the hand, do not think that this is said about the members: for He would not have added: right
and
right.
Here we are talking about those who seem to be our friends and harm us. Thus, a young man has dissolute friends and suffers harm from them. Leave them, says the Lord. With this, perhaps, you will save them too, if they come to their senses, but if not, then at least yourself. If you maintain love for them, then both you and they will perish.
31. It is also said that if anyone divorces his wife, he should give her a divorce decree.
Moses commanded (see Deut. 24:1) that if anyone hates his wife, he should divorce her, so that the worst does not happen; for the one who was hated could have been killed, - and he gave the divorced woman a letter of divorce, which was called a leave of absence, so that the woman released would never return to him and there would be no discord when the husband began to live with another.
32. But I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for the guilt of fornication, gives her a reason to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The Lord does not break the Mosaic Law, but corrects it, forbidding a husband to hate his wife for unreasonable reasons. If he releases her for a good reason, that is, as having committed adultery, then he is not subject to condemnation, but if in addition to adultery, then he is subject to judgment: for he forces her to commit adultery. But the one who takes her to himself is an adulterer - for if he had not taken her, she might have returned and submitted to her husband. A Christian should be a peacemaker in relation to others, and even more so in relation to his wife.
33. You have also heard what was said to the ancients: “Do not break your oath, but fulfill your oaths before the Lord.”
That is, when you swear, be truthful (see Lev. 19:12).
34-35. But I say to you: do not swear at all: not by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor the earth, for it is His footstool; nor Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.
For the Jews heard God saying: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
(Isa. 66:1), then they swore by these objects. But the Lord, forbidding them to do this, does not say: since the sky is beautiful and huge, and the earth is useful, therefore do not swear, but do not swear by these objects because the sky is the throne of God, and the earth is the footstool, so as not to give rise to idolatry. For the elements were recognized as deities by those who swear by them, which was the case before.
36. Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.
God alone swears by Himself, as not depending on anyone. But we have no power over ourselves, so how can we swear on our own heads? We are the property of another. For if the head is your property, then change, if you can, one hair.
37. But let your word be: “Yes, yes”; "no no".
No matter what you say: but how will they believe me? “He says: they will believe you if you always tell the truth and never swear, for no one loses trust more than the one who immediately swears.”
And anything beyond this is from the evil one.
An oath other than “yes” and “no” is unnecessary and is the work of the devil. But you ask: was the law of Moses, commanding one to swear, bad? Find out that at that time an oath was not a bad thing; but after Christ it is a bad thing, just like being circumcised and generally committing Judaism. After all, it is proper for a baby to suck the breast, but it is not proper for a husband.
38. You have heard that it is said: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
The law, out of leniency, allowed equal retribution, so that out of fear we would suffer equal retribution and not offend each other (see Ex. 21:24).
39. But I tell you: do not resist evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him.
The Lord here calls the devil evil, who acts through man. So, shouldn't the devil be resisted? Yes, it should, just not with a blow on your part, but with patience, for fire is extinguished not with fire, but with water. But do not think that here we are talking only about a blow to the cheek, but also about any other blow, and about any offense in general.
40. And whoever wants to sue you and take your shirt, give him your outer clothing too.
Give him your outer clothing too if they take you to court and harass you, and not when they simply ask you. In our country, a shirt is, in fact, an underdress, and outer clothing is an outer dress. But these names are said one instead of the other.
41. And whoever forces you to go one mile with him, go with him two miles.
“What am I saying about the shirt and outerwear? - says the Lord. “And give your very body to the one who is dragging you by force, and do more than he wishes.”
42. Give to the one who asks from you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Whether an enemy, a friend or an infidel asks you for money or other help. Lent, he says, not with growth, but simply for the benefit of one’s neighbor, for even during the time of the law they lent without interest.
43-44. Have you heard that it was said: “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy”
(Lev. 19, 18).
But I say to you: love your enemies...
For Moses and Paul loved the Jews who were at enmity against them more than themselves, and all the saints loved their enemies.
44. Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who use you and persecute you.
For they should be revered as benefactors, because everyone who persecutes and tempts us reduces the punishment for our sins. On the other hand, God will reward us with a great reward for this. For listen:
45. May you be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
Do you see what benefit someone who hates and insults you gives you, if only you are willing to endure? By rain and sun he means both knowledge and teaching, for God sanctifies and teaches everyone.
46. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don't publicans do the same?
Let us tremble, for we are not even like publicans, but we hate even those who love us.
47
-48.
And if you greet only your brothers, what special thing are you doing?
Don't the pagans do the same? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Some people, of course, friends, to love, while others to hate is an imperfection; perfection is to love everyone.
