The Gospel of Matthew was written at the end of the first century. The main leitmotif is the preaching and life of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The text contains a huge number of references to the Scriptures of the Old Testament.
The story begins with a listing of the Lord's genealogy. Thus, the writer shows the reader that the Lord is a descendant of Abraham and King David. The time for all the prophecies has come and they have been fulfilled.
You can read the Gospel of Matthew for free in Church Slavonic here orthodic.org/gospel/verses/book/1/chapter/1.
Preface
The Holy Gospel of Mark was written in Rome ten years after the Ascension of Christ.
This Mark was a student and follower of Petrov, whom Peter even calls his son, of course, spiritual. He was also called John; was a nephew of Barnabas; accompanied the Apostle Paul. But for the most part he was with Peter, with whom he was also in Rome. Therefore the faithful at Rome asked him not only to preach to them without Scripture, but also to set down for them the works and life of Christ in Scripture; He barely agreed to this, however, he wrote. Meanwhile, it was revealed to Peter by God; that Mark wrote the Gospel. Peter testified that it was true. Then he sent Mark as a bishop to Egypt, where with his preaching he founded a church in Alexandria and enlightened everyone living in the midday country. The distinctive features of this Gospel are clarity and the absence of anything difficult to understand. Moreover, the real evangelist is almost similar to Matthew, except that it is shorter, and Matthew is more extensive, and that Matthew at the beginning mentions the Nativity of the Lord in the flesh, and Mark began with the prophet John. Hence, some, not without reason, see the following sign in the evangelists: God, sitting on the cherubim, whom Scripture depicts as four-faced (Ezek. 1:6), taught us a four-fold Gospel, animated by one spirit. So, each of the cherubim has one face called like a lion, another like a man, a third like an eagle, and a fourth like a calf (Ezek. 1:10); so it is in the matter of evangelical preaching. The Gospel of John has the face of a lion, for the lion is the image of royal power; so John began with royal and sovereign dignity, with the Divinity of the Word, saying: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God” (John 1:1). The Gospel of Matthew has a human face because it begins with the carnal birth and incarnation of the Word. The Gospel of Mark is compared to an eagle because it begins with a prophecy about John, and the gift of prophetic grace, as the gift of acute vision and insight into the distant future, can be likened to an eagle, which is said to be gifted with the keenest vision, so that it alone Of all the animals, without closing his eyes, he looks at the sun. The Gospel of Luke is like a calf because it begins with the priestly ministry of Zechariah, who offered incense for the sins of the people; then they also sacrificed the calf.
So, Mark begins the Gospel with a prophecy and a prophetic life. Listen to what he says!
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Chapter Six
Having raised us to the highest virtue - love, the Lord now rebels against vanity, which follows good deeds. Notice what it says: Beware! speaks as if of a fierce beast. Be careful that he doesn't tear you to pieces. But if you know how to perform mercy in front of people, but not in order to be looked at, you will not be condemned. But if you have vanity as your goal, then even if you did it in your cage, you will be condemned. God punishes or crowns the intention.
The hypocrites did not have trumpets, but the Lord ridicules their intention here, since they wanted their alms to be trumpeted. Hypocrites are those who appear to be different from what they really are. So, they seem merciful, but in reality they are different.
Truly I tell you, they are already receiving their reward.
For they are praised, and they have received everything from people.
He said this exaggeratedly: if possible, hide it from yourself. Or this way: the left hand is vain, and the right hand is merciful. So, let vanity not know your alms.
Preface
The power of the Holy Spirit, as it is written (2 Cor. 12:9) and as we believe, is accomplished in weakness, in the weakness not only of the body, but also of the mind and eloquence. This is evident both from many other things, and especially from what grace showed in the great theologian and brother of Christ. His father was a fisherman; John himself was engaged in the same trade as his father; not only did he not receive Greek and Jewish education, but he was not learned at all, as the divine Luke notes about him in Acts (Acts 4:13). And his fatherland is the poorest and most humble, like a place where they were engaged in fishing, and not in science. Bethsaida gave birth to him. However, look what kind of Spirit this unlearned, ignorant, unremarkable in any respect received. He thundered about what none of the other evangelists taught us. Since they preach the gospel of the incarnation of Christ, but did not say anything quite clear and demonstrative about His eternal existence, there was a danger that people, attached to earthly things and unable to think about anything lofty, would think that Christ only began His existence when born of Mary, and not born of the Father before the ages. As is known, Samosatsky Pavel fell into such an error. Therefore, the great John announces the birth on high, without failing, however, to mention the incarnation of the Word. For he says: “And the Word became flesh” (John 1:14).
Others say that the Orthodox asked him to write about the birth on high, since at that time heretics appeared who taught that Jesus was a simple man. They also say that Saint John, having read the writings of the other evangelists, marveled at the truth of their narration about everything and recognized them as sensible and did not say anything to please the apostles. However, what they did not clearly say or were completely silent about, he disseminated, clarified and added to his Gospel, which he wrote while he was in captivity on the island of Patmos, thirty-two years after the Ascension of Christ.
Perhaps it is not inappropriate to make out the names of John’s mother and the evangelist himself. The mother called Salome means peaceful, and John means her grace. So, let every soul know that peace with people and peace from passions in the soul becomes the mother of divine grace and gives birth to it in us. For a soul that is indignant and fighting with other people and with itself is unnatural to receive divine grace.
We also see another marvelous circumstance in this Evangelist John. Namely: he is the only one, but he has three mothers: his native Salome, thunder, for for the great voice in the Gospel he is “the son of thunder” (Mark 3:17), and the Mother of God, for it is said: “Behold, your Mother! » (John 19:27).
Having said this before explaining, we must now begin to analyze the speeches of John themselves.
Source
Text of the book “Interpretation of the Holy Gospel”
Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria Commentary on the Holy Gospel
Recommended for publication by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church (IS R18-826-3515)
The text is printed according to the edition:
Blagovestnik. Interpretations of the Holy Gospels by Blessed. Theophylact, Archbishop. Bulgarian. SPb.: Type. P. Soikina, 1910
© Blagovest Publishing House – text, design, original layout, 2018
Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Bulgaria and his works
Blessed Theophylact was from the city of Chalkis in Greece. The year of his birth is not known with certainty; one can only say that he was born approximately in the first half of the eleventh century.
He spent the first half of his life, and most of it, in Constantinople. Here he received an excellent education and here he began his service for the benefit of the Church with the rank of deacon of the Great Church. Despite their small rank, this title was very important at that time, since these deacons were the patriarch’s close assistants in almost all matters of his ministry.
Theophylact's duties were to explain the Holy Scriptures and deliver teachings. In this matter, he showed remarkable oratorical talent and great knowledge not only in patristic literature, but also in secular literature, so that his contemporaries considered him an exemplary preacher and in this sense called him “the teacher of rhetoricians.”
He remained in the rank of deacon of the Great Church for quite a long time, since the Patriarch of Constantinople did not want to let him go for a long time, as an outstanding, gifted employee, and only at a rather advanced age, approximately in 1081, he was appointed to Bulgaria, in church terms dependent on Constantinople, - the first hierarch of this country, the Archbishop of Ohrid.
His activities in the rank of archbishop proceeded in very difficult conditions, since the flock was dark and rude and, in addition, there were a lot of heretics in Bulgaria. The Paulicians, Bogomils and other heretics, due to their large numbers, greatly dispelled their errors among the people and armed the people against Orthodoxy and the archbishop. Realizing that such evil can only be fought through enlightenment and the appointment of worthy shepherds, Blessed Theophylact, on the one hand, zealously taught the people, orally and in writing, expounding on the basis of the patristic works the true meaning of the New Testament Scriptures and sending out numerous messages - as a result, many remained after him messages to various persons, brief discussions about heretics and various interpretive works - on the other hand, when choosing pastors, he was guided either by the piety of the candidates, the severity of their life, or by their learning and eloquence. In this case, no outside motives, no kinship, no friendship, no requests, no pressure from secular power could force him to choose an unworthy or unknown person. Thus, one day the duke (prince) of Skopia asked him to make an unknown person a bishop, and blessed Theophylact answered him with dignity and strength:
“Neither you, my lord, should interfere in this great work, which must be done with fear, nor should I frivolously decide to communicate Divine grace.
The ruler promised to thank the saint for the fulfillment of his request, but blessed Theophylact answered this too:
- My lord! If the one for whom you are interceding is the same (i.e., like the other chosen ones), then it is not you who should thank me, but I who should thank you. If he is unknown neither in our Church nor in Constantinople has earned special approval for his piety and enlightenment, then do not insult God and do not order us; for we are commanded to “obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29).
Carrying out strict and attentive supervision over all the shepherds, Blessed Theophylact avoided drastic measures, but always tried to influence with gentle suggestion and persuasion. An example of this is his behavior during clashes with a Triadic bishop who was unjustly persecuting an elderly monk. Blessed Theophylact all the time tried to influence the bishop with exhortations and messages, but he not only did not listen to him, but even, having become an enemy, went to Constantinople and tried to slander his archbishop there. And so, despite all these actions of the rebellious bishop, Blessed Theophylact subsequently treated him with love and forgiveness when he turned to him with a request to forgive him. “Just pray for me,” wrote Blessed Theophylact to the bishop, “and bless, and do not curse, the one who loves you.”
Finally, he had to fight against propaganda. A monument to this struggle remains his “Discourse on what the Latins are accused of.” In it, Blessed Theophylact avoids quarreling about minor differences and customs, for, as he says, not every difference in customs should lead to division, but only that which concerns dogmas.
Although he calls all Latin disagreements, in addition to dogmas, unjust, he considers it possible to cover them with Christian love.
He is mainly armed against the addition of “and from the Son” to the Creed.
“Here,” writes Blessed Theophylact, “is the most dangerous evil, and if they do not allow corrections to be made, then there is no need to give in, even if they spoke from the throne, which those who ascend so boast, even if they put forward the confession of Peter, even if they promised bliss, even if showed us the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven... However, in this regard, there is no need to argue about words, but look at the deed; we must pay attention to whether anything here depends on the poverty of the language; moreover, in conversations there may be expressions that are not precise; only complete certainty must be demanded from the confession of faith. Let us not argue too much with the rebellious minds of these people, neither about unleavened bread, nor about fasting, nor about anything else. We must endure evil in order to prevent greater things; we must allow what cannot be changed, so as not to destroy the communion of love. Following the example of the apostles, one must appear weak to the weak and follow the example of the Savior, who laid down His soul in order to gather the scattered children into a single herd.”
Although Blessed Theophylact was a Greek by birth and upbringing, he was a true father for the Bulgarian Church. Despite the sorrows that he had to experience during his archbishopric, he stood with unflagging zeal for her independence, for her property and all her interests, if they were threatened with damage from any quarter. And this had to be met from all sides. Firstly, with the internal and external decline of the Byzantine Empire, which controlled the Bulgarian kingdom, the Bulgarian Church had to bear the burden of double taxes - in favor of the state and to satisfy the greed of the collectors themselves. Being far from the capital, these officials, without any fear, plundered church property under the pretext of legal collection. Secondly, the Bulgarian Church in his time suffered a lot from hostile attacks from neighboring peoples. The barbarians, devastating the country, robbed and burned churches, plundered church property and forced the clergy to hide in forests and deserts.
During the attack on the Bulgarian kingdom of the Allurians, blessed Theophylact himself had to flee from Ohrid to Thessaloniki. The zealous archpastor, paternally sympathizing with the sorrows of the Bulgarian Church, used all the means in his hands to alleviate its disasters, and when he did not find them at home, then he turned to others for help. Very often these concerns prompted him to travel even to Constantinople to personally intercede on her behalf, and these trips always brought good results. His Constantinople friends either interceded on his affairs with the emperor, or helped the poor Bulgarian churches with their property.
Despite all the disasters that the Bulgarian Church had to experience, Blessed Theophylact never agreed to sacrifice its independence and place it under the protection of the Patriarch of Constantinople, just as even some patriarchs did. Although this would have guaranteed both himself and the Bulgarian Church great peace, he still did not want to give up its eternal rights for the sake of temporary benefits.
In order to better see the needs of the Bulgarian Church, Blessed Theophylact gathered bishops to councils and here considered everything that required correction and improvement. Here he also subjected to a general discussion what was needed for mutual consultation.
He considered convening these councils such an important duty that even illness could not keep him from fulfilling it. “I had not yet freed myself from a serious illness,” he wrote one day while preparing for a council, “when the sacred voice of church rules prompted me to convene a sacred council. The voice of Christ truly awakens from the bed, gives strength to free movement and travel, and commands the bed itself to be carried.”
Despite the fact that Blessed Theophylact was a worthy shepherd, he still had many personal enemies. Lawless collectors, heretics, disgraced shepherds - they all tried to slander him not only in Bulgaria among the people, but also in Constantinople before the emperor and patriarch.
However, as one might expect, these slanderers did not have much success anywhere. In Bulgaria, the people, although dark, but simple-hearted and sincerely religious, soon highly appreciated their worthy archpastor and therefore did not easily succumb to the slanderous suggestions of his enemies, and in Constantinople lived many of his friends, among whom was the pious Empress Maria herself, and who were good to him. they knew from his previous activities in Constantinople, they knew his truly Christian virtues and therefore always supported him in the difficult circumstances of his life.
In general, it must be said that Blessed Theophylact spent a lot of work and energy in governing the Bulgarian Church, he had to experience a lot of sorrows and troubles, but nothing defeated his apostolic zeal, which he maintained until the end of his arduous life. He died around 1107, having served as a Bulgarian bishop for about thirty years. In his letters dating back to this year, Blessed Theophylact often spoke about his ailments and illnesses, which hindered his archpastoral activities and confined him to his bed. Since among the known letters belonging to this saint, not a single one has reached us that could be attributed with full confidence to a later time than 1107, there is reason to believe that it was at this time that he died.
Blessed Theophylact is one of the most respected teachers of the Church. His works were always revered by church writers on a par with the works of other holy fathers and teachers of the Church, and some even called him a saint. This name is found in some ancient lists of his creations, as well as in early printed editions of the Blagovestnik in the Slavic language. Blessed Theophylact is also named in the “Church History” of the famous Greek writer Meletius of Athens, and our Saint Demetrius of Rostov speaks of him in his sermon “The Most Precious Pearl” as “Saint Theophylact, Archbishop of Bulgaria”, and in another place calls him “the interpreter Evangelical, Saint Theophylact." In general, Blessed Theophylact always enjoyed great respect as the father and teacher of the Church. He fully deserved this attitude towards himself, since his entire life and activities for the benefit of the Church, as we have seen, were distinguished by true apostolic zeal, and his works, written under the great influence of patristic literature, fully reflect its holy and deep character.
From the works of Blessed Theophylact, in addition to the mentioned “Discourse” against the Latins and several brief arguments against heretics, more than one hundred and thirty letters are known, several words (on the week of the veneration of the cross, on the day of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a word of praise to Emperor Alexei Komnenos, a word on the martyrdom of the Tiberiupol martyrs), an essay on the royal education and, finally, its interpretation:
1) for the five minor prophets - Hosea, Habakkuk, Jonah, Nahum and Micah,
2) four evangelists (“Blagovestnik”),
3) on the Acts of the Apostles,
4) on the Council Epistles,
5) on the epistles of the Apostle Paul.
The Interpretations are the most extensive and valuable work of Blessed Theophylact. He could acquire the skill to explain the Holy Scriptures even at the time when he settled in Constantinople and, with the rank of rhetorician of the Great Church, or Hagia Sophia, began to interpret the Bible for edifying purposes before the people.
Although Blessed Theophylact is not completely independent in his interpretations, being well acquainted with the patristic works and loving them, he skillfully collected from them and combined everything that was best and most essential for the understanding and interpretation of Holy Scripture.
This quality constitutes the main advantage of his interpretations, and therefore they greatly facilitate the work for anyone who would like to study the New Testament Scriptures according to the works of the holy fathers, who would like to be imbued with the truly patristic spirit of understanding the New Testament or to become acquainted with the patristic attitude towards it.
Of all the Church Fathers, the greatest influence on him was St. John Chrysostom. This was his favorite interpreter of the Holy Scriptures. He gives his interpretations in his works either literally, or by shortening them a little and inserting only partly his own expressions and some thoughts.
Of the entire interpretative works of Blessed Theophylact, the greatest is his “Good News”, or interpretation of the four Gospels. And everything that we have said about the nature of his works must be said in particular about the “Blagovestnik”. Therefore, this work can be especially recommended to anyone who is dear and interested in becoming acquainted with the true patristic interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.
Preface by the author
Those divine men who lived before the law did not learn on the basis of scriptures and books, but, having a pure mind, were enlightened by the illumination of the All-Holy Spirit, and thus recognized the commandments of God, for God Himself spoke with them mouth to mouth. Such were Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job and Moses. When people became vicious and unworthy of being enlightened and taught by the Holy Spirit, the humane God gave the scriptures so that, at least thanks to them, they would remember the commandments of God. So Christ Himself personally spoke with the apostles and sent them the grace of the Holy Spirit as a teacher. But since heresies were to grow after that and our morals were to deteriorate, the Lord wanted the Gospels to be written so that we, having learned from their truths, would not be carried away by the lies of heresies, and so that our morals would not deteriorate completely.
The Lord gave us the four Gospels, perhaps because on the basis of them we learn the four main virtues - courage, wisdom, justice and chastity: courage, when the Lord says: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10, 18); wisdom, as he says: Be wise like a serpent (Matthew 10:16); justice when he teaches: “And whatever you want people to do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:31); chastity, when he says: “Whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Moreover, the four Gospels exist because they are the pillars of the world. But just as the world has four sides - east, west, north and south - there had to be four pillars. Then the four Gospels also exist because they contain subjects of four kinds, namely: dogmas and commandments, threats and promises. Those who believe in the dogmas and keep the commandments are promised future benefits. Those who do not believe in the dogmas and do not keep the commandments are threatened with future punishment. The Gospel received its name because it tells us about good and joyful things for us, that is, good things, such as: remission of sins, justification, ascension to heaven, adoption by God. It also proclaims that we receive these benefits easily, because we did not work to acquire them and did not receive them for our good deeds, but by the grace and love of God we were rewarded with such great benefits.
There are four evangelists. Of these, two - Matthew and John - were from among the twelve, and the other two - I mean Mark and Luke - were from the seventy. Mark was Peter's companion and disciple, and Luke was Paul's. Matthew was the first of all to write eight years after the Ascension of Christ the Gospel in Hebrew for the Jewish believers. John is said to have translated it from Hebrew into Greek. Mark, taught by Peter, wrote the Gospel ten years after the Ascension, Luke - after fifteen, and John the Theologian - thirty-two years later. For they say that after the death of the three evangelists, three Gospels were brought to him at his request in order to examine them and discuss whether they were written correctly. John, having looked through them and received the abundant grace of truth, himself completed what they omitted, and expanded what they said briefly in his Gospel. Therefore, he began with the doctrine of God the Word. For while others did not mention the eternal existence of God the Word, he theologized about this, so that they would not think that the Word of God is simply a man, that is, alien to the Divine. Matthew speaks only of the life of Christ in the flesh, because he wrote for the Jews, for whom it was enough to know that Christ was born of Abraham and David. For the Jewish believer calms down as soon as he is convinced that Christ came from David.
But you say to me, “Wasn’t one evangelist enough?” So listen: one was enough, but in order for the truth to stand out more clearly, for this purpose four received permission to write them. And when you see that these four, although they did not meet and did not sit in one place, but were each apart, and yet wrote about the same thing as if with the same lips, then don’t you marvel at the truth of the Gospel and say, what the evangelists said by the Holy Spirit!
Don't tell me they don't agree on everything, look at what they disagree on. Did one of them say that Christ was born and the other that he was not, or did one say that Christ was resurrected and the other not? It won't happen! They agree on what is more necessary and more important. So, if they do not disagree on the most important things, then why are you surprised if they seem to disagree on the unimportant? Their truth is reflected most of all in the fact that they do not agree on everything. Otherwise they would have been thought to have written while seeing each other and consulting. Now what one omitted was written by another, which is why it seems that they sometimes contradict. And so it is. Let us begin the interpretation.
Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
Chapter first
1. Pedigree...
Why did not St. Matthew say “vision” or “word”, like the prophets, for they thus wrote: Vision of Isaiah
(Isaiah 1:1) or
the Word that was in the vision of Isaiah
(Isaiah 2:1)?
Do you want to know why? Because the prophets addressed the hard-hearted and rebellious, and therefore they said that this was a Divine vision and the word of God, so that the people would be afraid and not disdain what they said. Matthew spoke to the faithful, well-meaning, and obedient, and therefore did not first say anything like the prophets. I also have something else to say: what the prophets saw, they saw with their minds, contemplating it through the Holy Spirit; that's why they called it a vision. Matthew did not mentally see Christ and contemplate Him, but morally remained with Him and sensually listened to Him, contemplating Him in the flesh; therefore he did not say: “the vision that I saw,” or “contemplation,” but said: genealogy.
Jesus...
The name “Jesus” is not Greek, but Hebrew, and translated means “Savior,” for the Jews use the word “yao” to talk about salvation.
Christ...
Kings and high priests were called Christs (“Christ” in Greek means “anointed one”), for they were anointed with holy oil poured out from a horn, which was placed on their heads. The Lord is called Christ both as a King, for He reigned against sin, and as a High Priest, for He offered Himself as a sacrifice for us. He was anointed with the true oil, the Holy Spirit, and anointed above others, for who else had the Spirit like the Lord? The grace of the Holy Spirit acted in the saints, but in Christ it was not the grace of the Holy Spirit that acted, but Christ Himself, together with the Spirit of Consubstantiality with Him, performed miracles.
Son of David...
After Matthew said “Jesus,” he added “Son of David” so that you would not think that he was talking about another Jesus, for there was another famous Jesus, the leader of the Jews after Moses. But this one was called the son of Nun, and not the son of David. He lived many generations before David and was not from the tribe of Judah, from which David came, but from another.
Son of Abraham...
Why did Matthew put David before Abraham? Because David was more famous; he lived later than Abraham and was a glorious king. Of the kings, he was the first to please God and received a promise from God that Christ would arise from his seed, which is why everyone called Christ the Son of David. And David actually retained the image of Christ in himself: just as he reigned in the place of Saul, rejected by God and hated by God, so Christ came in the flesh and reigned over us after Adam lost the kingdom and power that he had over all living things and over demons .
2. Abraham gave birth to Isaac...
The evangelist begins the genealogy with Abraham because he was the father of the Jews, and because he was the first to receive the promise that through his seed all nations would be blessed (see Gen. 12:3). So, it is fitting to begin the genealogy of Christ from him, for Christ is the seed of Abraham, in whom all of us who were pagans and were formerly under the curse were blessed. “Abraham” in translation means “father of tongues”, and “Isaac” means “joy”, “laughter”. The Evangelist does not mention the illegitimate children of Abraham, for example, Ishmael and others, because the Jews did not descend from them, but from Isaac.
Isaac gave birth to Jacob; Jacob gave birth to Judah and his brothers.
You see that Matthew mentioned Judas and his brothers because the twelve tribes came from them.
3. Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar.
Judah gave Tamar in marriage to Er, one of his sons; when this one died childless, he married her to Ainan, who was also his son. When this one also lost his life for his shame, Judas no longer united her in marriage with anyone. But she, strongly desiring to have children from Abraham’s seed, put aside the clothes of widowhood, took on the form of a harlot, mixed with her father-in-law and conceived two twin children from him. When the time came for the birth, the first of the sons showed his hand from his spoon, as if he would be the first to be born. The midwife immediately marked the child's hand with a red thread so that he could recognize who would be born first. But the child carried his hand into the womb, and first another baby was born, and then the one who first showed his hand. Therefore, the one born first was called Pharez, which means “break,” because he disturbed the natural order, and the one who carried away the hand was called Zara. This story points to some mystery. Just as Zara first showed his hand, and then drew her away again, so did life in Christ: it was revealed in the saints who lived before the law and circumcision, for all of them were not justified by keeping the law and commandments, but by the life of the gospel. Look at Abraham, who for the sake of God left his father and home and renounced his nature. Look at Job, Melchizedek. But when the law came, such a life was hidden, and just as there, after the birth of Perez, later Zara came out of the womb again, so after the giving of the law, the life of the gospel later shone forth, sealed with a red thread, that is, the blood of Christ. The Evangelist mentioned these two babies because their birth meant something mysterious. In addition, although Tamar apparently does not deserve praise for intermingling with her father-in-law, the evangelist also mentioned her in order to show that Christ, who accepted everything for our sake, also accepted such ancestors. More precisely: in order to sanctify them by the fact that He Himself was born of them, for He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance
(Matt. 9:13).
3–5. Perez begat Hezrom; Hezrom begat Aram; Aram gave birth to Abminadab; Amminadab begat Nahshon; Nahshon begat Salmon; Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab.
Some think that Rahab is that Rahab the harlot who received Joshua’s spies (see Joshua 2:1-21): she saved them and was saved herself. Matthew mentioned her in order to show that just as she was a harlot, so was the whole assembly of the Gentiles, for they committed fornication in their deeds. But those of the pagans who accepted the spies of Jesus, that is, the apostles, and believed in their words, these were all saved.
5. Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth.
This Ruth was a foreigner; nevertheless she married Boaz. So the church of the pagans, being a foreigner and outside the covenants, forgot its people and the veneration of idols, and its father the devil, and the Son of God took her as a wife.
5–6. Obed begat Jesse; Jesse begat David king; King David begat Solomon from Urieh's daughter.
And Matthew mentions Uriah’s wife here for the purpose of showing that one should not be ashamed of one’s ancestors, but most of all try to glorify them with one’s virtue, and that everyone is pleasing to God, even if they were descended from a harlot, if only they have virtue.
7-11. Solomon begat Rehoboam; Rehoboam gave birth to Abijah; Abijah begat Asa; Asa begat Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat begat Joram; Jehoram begat Uzziah; Uzziah begat Jotham; Jotham begat Ahaz; Ahaz begat Hezekiah; Hezekiah begat Manasseh; Manasseh begat Amon; Amon gave birth to Josiah; Josiah begat Joachim; Joachim gave birth to Jeconiah and his brothers before moving to Babylon.
The Babylonian migration is the name given to the captivity that the Jews later suffered when they were taken all together to Babylon. The Babylonians fought with them at other times, but they embittered them more moderately, and then they completely resettled them from their fatherland.
12
-16.
After moving to Babylon, Jeconiah gave birth to Salathiel;
Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel; Zerubbabel begat Abihu; Abihu begat Eliakim; Eliakim begat Azor; Azor begat Zadok; Zadok gave birth to Achim; Achim begat Eliud; Elihu begat Eleazar; Eleazar begat Matthan; Matthan gave birth to Jacob; Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Why is the genealogy of Joseph given here, and not of the Virgin Mary? What part did Joseph have in that seedless birth? After all, Joseph was not the true father of Christ, so that the genealogy of Christ could be traced from Joseph. So, listen: indeed, Joseph did not have any participation in the birth of Christ, and therefore had to give the genealogy of the Mother of God; but since there was a law - not to conduct genealogy through the female line (see Numbers 36: 2-9), Matthew did not give the genealogy of the Virgin. Moreover, having given the genealogy of Joseph, he also gave Her genealogy, for the law was not to take wives either from another tribe, or from another clan or surname, but from the same tribe and clan. Since there was such a law, it is clear that if the genealogy of Joseph is given, then the genealogy of the Mother of God is also given, for the Mother of God was from the same tribe and the same family; if not, then how could She be betrothed to him? Thus, the evangelist complied with the law, which forbade genealogy through the female line, but, nevertheless, gave the genealogy of the Virgin Mary, giving the genealogy of Joseph. He called him Mary’s husband according to the general custom, for we have the custom of calling the betrothed the husband of the betrothed, although the marriage has not yet been consummated.
17. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the migration to Babylon to Christ there are fourteen generations.
St. Matthew divided the clans into three parts to show the Jews that whether they were under the government of judges, as it was before David, or under the government of kings, as it was before the exile, or under the government of high priests, as it was before the coming of Christ, - they received no benefit from this in relation to virtue and needed a true judge, king and high priest, who is Christ. For when the kings ceased, according to the prophecy of Jacob, Christ came (see Gen. 49:10). But how is it possible that from the Babylonian migration to Christ there are fourteen generations, when there are only thirteen of them? If the genealogy could include a woman, then we would include Mary and complete the number. But woman is not included in the genealogy. How can this be resolved? Some say that Matthew counted the migration as a face.
18. The birth of Jesus Christ was like this: after the betrothal of His Mother Mary to Joseph.
Why did God allow Mary to be betrothed, and, in general, why did He give people reason to suspect that Joseph knew Her? So that She has a protector in misfortunes. For he cared for Her during the flight into Egypt and saved Her. At the same time, She was betrothed in order to hide Her from the devil. The devil, having heard that the Virgin would be pregnant, would watch Her. So, in order for the liar to be deceived, the Ever-Virgin becomes engaged to Joseph. The marriage was only in appearance, but in reality it did not exist.
Before they were united, it turned out that She was pregnant with the Holy Spirit.
The word “combine” here means intercourse. Before they were united, Mary conceived, which is why the amazed evangelist exclaims: it turned out -
as if talking about something extraordinary.
19. Joseph, Her husband, being righteous and not wanting to make Her public, wanted to secretly let Her go.
How was Joseph righteous? While the law commands the adulteress to be exposed, that is, to be reported and punished, he intended to conceal the sin and break the law. The question is resolved, first of all, in the sense that already through this very thing Joseph was righteous. He did not want to be harsh, but, loving mankind in his great kindness, he shows himself above the law and lives above the commandments of the law. Then, Joseph himself knew that Mary conceived from the Holy Spirit, and therefore did not want to expose and punish the One who conceived from the Holy Spirit, and not from an adulterer. For look what the Evangelist says: “It turned out that She was with child from the Holy Spirit.” For whom did it “turn out”? For Joseph, that is, he learned that Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit. That is why I wanted to secretly let Her go, as if not daring to have as a wife the One Who had been honored with such great grace.
20. But when he thought this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said...
When the righteous man hesitated, an angel appeared, teaching him what he should do. It appears to him in a dream because Joseph had strong faith. The Angel spoke to the shepherds as rude in reality, but to Joseph as righteous and faithful, in a dream. How could he not believe when the Angel taught him what he reasoned with himself and what he did not tell anyone? When he was thinking, but did not tell anyone, an Angel appeared to him. Of course, Joseph believed that this was from God, for only God knows the unspeakable.
Content
This book is called “The Acts of the Holy Apostles” because it contains the acts of all the apostles.
And the person who narrates these acts is the Evangelist Luke, who also wrote this book. Being an Antiochian by birth and a doctor by profession, he accompanied the other apostles, especially Paul, and writes about what he knows quite thoroughly. This book also tells how the Lord ascended to heaven at the appearance of the Angels; further tells about the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and on everyone present then, as well as the election of Matthias instead of Judas the traitor, the election of seven deacons, the conversion of Paul and what he endured. In addition, it tells about the miracles the apostles performed with the help of prayer and faith in Christ and about Paul’s journey to Rome. So, Luke sets out the acts of the apostles and the miracles performed by them. The miracles he describes are as follows: 1) Peter and John heal in the name of the Lord a man lame from birth, who was sitting at the door 2 called Red. 2) Peter exposes Ananias and his wife Sapphira for withholding part of what they promised to God, and they immediately died. 3) Peter raises the weakened Aeneas to his feet. 4) Peter in Joppa resurrects the dead Tabitha with prayer. 5) Peter sees a vessel coming down from heaven filled with animals of every kind. 6) Peter’s shadow, falling on the weak, heals them. 7) Peter, held prisoner in prison, is freed by an Angel, so that the guards do not see this, and Herod, eaten by worms, gives up the ghost. Stephen works signs and wonders. 9) Philip in Samaria casts out many spirits and heals the lame and paralytic. 10) Paul, approaching Damascus, sees the apparition and immediately becomes a preacher of the Gospel. 11) The same Philip meets a eunuch reading on the way and baptizes him. 12) Paul in Lystra, in the name of the Lord, heals a man lame from birth. 13) Paul is called by vision to Macedonia. 14) Paul in Philippi heals a woman (youth) possessed by an inquisitive spirit. 15) Paul and Silas are imprisoned and their feet are placed in stocks; but in the middle of the night an earthquake occurs and their bonds fall away. 16) Ubrists - aprons - from the body of Paul were placed on the weak and possessed, and they were healed. 17) Paul in Troas resurrects Eutychus, who fell from a window and died, saying: “His soul is in him” (Acts 20:10). 18) Paul in Cyprus condemns the sorcerer Elymas, and this sorcerer becomes blind. 19) Paul and all those with him on the ship are overtaken by a fourteen-day storm on their way to Rome. And when everyone was expecting death, an Angel appeared to Paul and said: “Behold, God has given you all those who sail with you” (Acts 27:24) - and everyone was saved. 20) When Paul got off the ship, 3 he was bitten by a viper, and everyone thought that he would die. And since he remained unharmed, they considered him to be God. 21) Paul, by laying on of hands, heals the father of the chief Poplius, who was suffering from dysentery, on the island; He also treats many other patients.
Travels of St. Paul the Apostle
Main Subjects of the Book of Acts
About the teaching of Christ after the resurrection, about the appearance of His disciples and the promise to them of the gift of the Holy Spirit, about the form and image of the Ascension of the Lord and about His glorious second coming. Peter's speech to his disciples about the death and rejection of Judas the traitor. About the Divine descent of the Holy Spirit on believers on the day of Pentecost. About the healing in the name of Christ of a man lame from birth; The favorable, admonishing and salvation-disposing edification made by Peter on this occasion. On the unanimous and complete communion of believers. About how the apostles imprisoned in prison were brought out of it at night by the Angel of God, commanding them to preach Jesus without restraint. On the election and ordination of seven deacons. Revolt and slander of the Jews against Stephen; his speech is about God's covenant with Abraham and about the twelve patriarchs. About the persecution of the Church and the death of Stephen. About the sorcerer Simon, who believed and was baptized with many others. That the gift of the Holy Spirit is not given for money and not to hypocrites, but to believers according to their faith. That God favors salvation for good and faithful people, as can be seen from the example of the eunuch. About the Divine calling of Paul from heaven to the work of the apostleship of Christ. About the paralytic Aeneas, healed in Lydda by Peter. About how an angel appeared to Cornelius and how again there was a proclamation from heaven to Peter. How Peter, condemned by the apostles for associating with the uncircumcised, tells them in order everything that happened, and how at the same time he sends Barnabas to the brethren who were in Antioch. The prophecy of Agave about the famine that was going to happen throughout the entire universe, and the help provided by the Antiochian believing brethren in Judea. The murder of the Apostle James 6 is also about the punishment of the guards and the bitter and disastrous death of the wicked Herod. About Barnabas and Saul, sent by the Divine Spirit to Cyprus, and about what they did in the name of Christ with the sorcerer Elimas. Pavlov's rich teaching about Christ based on the law and the prophets, with historical and evangelical characteristics. About how, preaching Christ in Iconium, the apostles were expelled from there after many believed. About the healing by the apostles in Lystra of a man lame from birth; as a result of which they were accepted by the inhabitants for the gods who had descended to them; Paul is stoned. That we should not circumcise converted pagans; reasoning and decree of the apostles. About the instruction of Timothy and the revelation to Paul to go to Macedonia. 7 About the disturbance that occurred in Thessalonica as a result of the gospel preaching, and about the flight of Paul to Beria and from there to Athens. About the inscription on the altar in Athens and about the wise preaching of Paul. About Aquila and Priscilla, about the quick faith of the Corinthians and about the foreknowledge of God's favor towards them, which was communicated to Paul through revelation. About the baptism of those who believed in Ephesus, about the communication of the gift of the Holy Spirit to them through the prayer of Paul and about the healings performed by Paul. On the death and calling to life of Eutychus by the prayer of Paul in Troas; Pastoral exhortation to the elders of Ephesus. The prophecy of Agabus about what will happen to Paul in Jerusalem. James exhorts Paul not to forbid Jews to be circumcised. About the indignation aroused in Jerusalem against Paul and how the captain took him away from the hands of the crowd. About what Paul suffered when he appeared before the Sanhedrin, what he said and what he did. About the atrocities that the Jews plotted against Paul, and about their denunciation of him to Lysias. About the accusation of Paul by Tertill before the hegemon and about his acquittal. About Felix Fist's successor and the latter's mode of action. The arrival of Agrippa and Bernice and the communication of information about Paul to them. Paul's sea voyage to Rome was filled with many and very great dangers. How Paul arrived in Rome from Melitus. About Paul's conversation with the Jews who were in Rome.
Chapter Eight
The leper, being reasonable, did not climb the mountain so as not to interrupt the teaching.
But when Christ came down from the mountain, he bowed to Him and, showing his great faith, did not say: “if you pray to God, you will heal me,” but “if you want.” That is why Christ acted this way. The Lord touched the leper, showing that He is not subject to the law, which commands not to touch the leper, but that He is His Master, that for the pure there is nothing unclean, and that His holy flesh imparted sanctification. However, avoiding glory, the Lord orders not to tell anyone, but to show himself to the priest, for if the priest had not said that the leper had been cleansed, he would have remained outside the city. Christ commands to bring a gift as a witness to the Jews, that is, as if saying: “If I am accused as a lawbreaker,” be a witness, whom I commanded to bring, what is brought by the law.”
And this one did not come up to the mountain, so as not to interrupt the teaching. This is the same centurion as in the Evangelist Luke. Although the evangelist Luke says that he sent others as ambassadors to Jesus, this does not contradict Matthew, who says that the centurion himself came. It is obvious that first the centurion sent others, and then, when the danger increased, he went himself and said:
The centurion did not bring the boy on the bed, believing that the Lord could heal him even when he was absent. And therefore:
If, he says, being a slave of the king, I command the soldiers subordinate to me, then all the more can You command death and illness so that they move away from one and turn to another, for bodily illnesses are warriors and punishers with God. Therefore, Christ is surprised, saying: “Even among Israel I did not find such faith as I found in this pagan.”
He did not say that many pagans would lie down, so as not to upset the Jews, but he said covertly: “from the east and the west.” He mentioned Abraham in order to show that He is not an opponent of the Old Testament. Speaking about external darkness, he showed that there is also internal darkness, lighter than the first, for the degrees and torments differ. He calls the Jews sons of the kingdom, since the promises were given to them: “Israel is My Son, My firstborn.”
Having healed with a word, the Lord showed that He also spoke the truth regarding the expulsion of the Jews.
He entered Peter's house to eat food; touching the hand, he not only calmed the fever, but also returned the woman to full health, so that her strength returned and she was able to serve. And we really know that it takes a lot of time for patients to get stronger again. While other evangelists say that the Lord was asked and therefore He healed the sick woman, Matthew, caring for brevity, did not say this. For I told you at the beginning that one of them omits what the other says. But learn also that marriage does not in the least hinder virtue, for the chief of the apostles had a mother-in-law.
The sick were brought in in the evening and at the wrong time, but He, as a lover of mankind, healed everyone. Then, so that you do not have doubts about how He could heal so many diseases in a short time, the evangelist brings Isaiah as a witness. True, the prophet says this about sins, but Matthew applied his words to illnesses, because most of them come from sins.
He was not ambitious, but at the same time he avoided the envy of the Jews.
A scribe calls one who knows the books of the law. This one, seeing many miracles, thought that Jesus was profiting from them, so he was trying to follow Him in order to collect riches himself. But Christ, going to meet his intention, almost said this: “by following Me, you hope to collect riches; but don't you see that I don't even have a house? So should My follower be.” The Lord said this for the purpose of convincing him to follow Him, to change his mood: but the scribe leaves. Some people mean demons by foxes and birds. So, the Lord says to the scribe: “The demons have rest in you, therefore I do not find rest for Myself in your soul.”
The Lord took only his disciples with Him so that they could see the miracle. Allows them to be exposed to danger in order to prepare them for temptation and so that, having seen a miracle, they will believe all the more. He sleeps for the purpose that the disciples, being frightened, would realize their weakness and turn to Him in prayer. Therefore it is said:
The Lord does not call them unfaithful, but of little faith, because when they said: “Lord, save us,” they showed their faith, but the word “we perish” is not from faith. They had no need to fear as the Lord sailed with them. Please note that by reproaching them as timid, the Lord shows that timidity attracts danger. Therefore, He first calmed their spiritual storm, and then calmed the sea excitement.
Then, getting up, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great silence.
They were surprised because in appearance He was a man, but in deeds He was God.
While those in the ship are perplexed: where does this come from, that both the winds and the sea obey Him? – Demons are preachers. Evangelists Mark and Luke talk about one sick person who had a legion of demons, because one of these sick people was more terrible than the other. The Lord Himself approached them, since no one dared to bring them.
Demons lived in coffins, wanting to instill in people the idea that the souls of the dead become demons. But let no one think this, because the soul, having left the body, does not wander in this world, but the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; As for the souls of sinners, they too are taken away from here, like, for example, the soul of a rich man.
Behold, they proclaim Him to be the Son of God after having previously discovered enmity towards Him. They consider it torment that they were not allowed to harm people; understand the words “before the time” in the sense that the demons thought that Christ, not having endured their too strong anger, would not wait for the time of punishment, which in reality is not the case, for they are allowed to fight with us until the end of the century.
Demons strive, by destroying pigs, to sadden their owners so that they do not accept Christ. Christ yields to the demons, showing what malice they have against people, and if they had power and did not encounter obstacles, then they would treat us worse than pigs. He protects the possessed so that they do not kill themselves.
And so, the entire herd of pigs rushed down a steep slope into the sea and died in the water.
Saddened and thinking that after this they will suffer worse, they ask Him about it. Find out that where there is a pig's life, it is not Christ who dwells there, but demons.
Source
General preliminary information
Theophylact of Bulgaria is revered by the Church as an outstanding theologian and church writer. He is known to a wide circle of people as an interpreter of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament.
We cannot say with certainty about the day or even year of birth of Theophylact of Bulgaria. According to various evidence and estimates, very approximate, his date of birth is determined by the period from 1050 to 1060. The future Bishop Theophylact was born on the island of Euboea, probably in the city of Chalkis. From the historical information that has reached us, it is known that he had the surname Ifestus.
Apparently he received a good education in his youth. He studied in Constantinople, the greatest cultural, political and educational center of the country. It is believed that one of the teachers who greatly influenced the formation of Theophylact's worldview as a theologian was the famous thinker, Michael Psellus.
Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Bulgaria
About the Four Gospels
T
e Divine men who lived before the law did not learn on the basis of scriptures and books, but, having true reason, were enlightened by the illumination of the All-Holy Spirit and, thus, recognized the commandments of God, for God Himself spoke with them mouth to mouth. Such were Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job and Moses. When people became vicious and unworthy of being enlightened and taught by the Holy Spirit, the man-loving God gave the scriptures so that, thanks to them, they would remember the commandments of God. So Christ Himself personally spoke with the apostles and sent them the grace of the Holy Spirit as a teacher. But since heresies were to grow after that and our morals were to deteriorate, it was pleasing to the Lord that the Gospels were written so that we would learn the truth on the basis of them, not be carried away by the lies of heresies, and so that our morals would not deteriorate completely.
The Lord gave us the four Gospels, perhaps because on the basis of them we learn the four main virtues - courage, wisdom, justice and chastity. Courage when the Lord says: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul
(Matt. 10:28);
wisdom when he says: Be wise as serpents
(Matthew 10:16);
justice when he teaches: And as you want people to do to you, do so to them
(Luke 6:31);
chastity when he says: He who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart
(Matthew 5:28). Moreover, the four Gospels exist because they are the pillars of the world. But since the world has four sides - east, west, north and south, there must be four pillars. Then, the four Gospels also exist because they contain objects of four kinds, namely: dogmas and commandments, threats and promises. Those who believe in the dogmas and keep the commandments are promised future benefits. Those who do not believe in the dogmas and do not keep the commandments are threatened with future punishment. The Gospel received this name because it tells us about good and joyful things for us, that is, about blessings, such as: remission of sins, justification, ascension to heaven, adoption by God. It also proclaims that we receive these benefits easily, for we did not work to acquire them and did not receive them for our good deeds, but by the grace and love of God we were rewarded with such great benefits.
There are four evangelists. Of these, two—Matthew and John—were among the twelve, while the other two—I mean Mark and Luke—were among the seventy. Mark was Peter's companion and disciple, and Luke was Paul's. So, Matthew, the first of all the evangelists, wrote, eight years after the Ascension of Christ, the Gospel in Hebrew for the Jewish believers. John is said to have translated it from Hebrew into Greek. Mark, taught by Peter, wrote the Gospel ten years after the Ascension, Luke after fifteen, and John the Theologian thirty-two years later. For they say that after the death of the three evangelists, three Gospels were brought to him at his request in order to examine them and discuss whether they were written correctly. John, having looked at them and received the abundant grace of truth, himself completed what they omitted, and expanded what they said briefly in his Gospel. Therefore, he began with the doctrine of God the Word. For, while others did not mention the eternal existence of God the Word, he theologized about this, so that they would not think that the Word of God is simply a man, that is, alien to the Divine. Matthew speaks only of the life of Christ in the flesh, because he wrote for the Jews, for whom it was enough to know that Christ was born of Abraham and David. For the Jewish believer calms down as soon as he is convinced that Christ came from David.
But you say to me, “Wasn’t one evangelist enough?” So, listen: one was enough, but in order for the truth to stand out more clearly, for this purpose four received permission to write them. And when you see that these four, although they did not converge and did not sit in one place, were each separately, and, meanwhile, wrote about the same thing as if with the same lips, then won’t you marvel at the truth of the Gospel and not will you say that the evangelists spoke by the Holy Spirit? Don't tell me they don't agree on everything, but look at what they disagree on. Did one of them say that Christ was born and the other that he was not, or did one say that Christ was resurrected and the other not? It won't happen! They agree on what is more necessary and more important. So, if they do not disagree on the most important things, then why are you surprised if they seem to disagree on the unimportant? Their truth is reflected most of all in the fact that they do not agree on everything. Otherwise they would have been thought to have written while seeing each other and consulting. Now what one omitted was written by another, which is why it seems that they sometimes contradict. And so it is. Let us begin the interpretation.
Diaconal ministry
Upon completion of his studies, Theophylact remained in the capital. Here he was elevated to the rank of deacon, here he served in the Church of Hagia Sophia.
At that time he bore the title of rhetorician of the Great Church. For some time he served in a school at the Patriarchal Department. One of his central duties was to teach rhetoric, interpret the texts of Holy Scripture, and compose teachings for the glory of God, for the benefit of believers.
Theophylact's talents, devotion to the ideals of the Christian faith, and zeal made him famous at the court of Emperor Michael VII. The son of Michael VII and Maria Alanskaya, Tsarevich Constantine Ducas, a potential heir to the throne, was a pupil of Theophylact.
Maria Alanskaya provided Theophylact with pious patronage. At her request, the latter compiled several theological works.
After some time, Theophylact retired to Ohrid. It is believed that the reason for the relocation could be connected with the disgrace experienced by the family of the deceased Michael (the son of Emperor Alexei Komnenos, John, was declared heir to the throne).
Bishop's ministry. The beginning of the way
The date of Theophylact's elevation to the archbishop's Bulgarian see is covered in oblivion. According to some sources, this happened in the period 1089 - 1090; according to others, several years earlier.
It is known that the beginning of Theophylact’s activity in a new place of ministry was accompanied by numerous difficulties. When he was just entering Ohrid, the townspeople greeted him with shouts. However, these were not cries of general popular joy, jubilation and friendly delight. On the contrary, the city residents expressed distrust of him, mocked and protested.
Such an unusual reception was associated not with the personal qualities of the bishop, but with the memory of those who greeted him about the former independence and independence of the Bulgarian Church. In the new Archbishop Theophylact, residents saw a stranger, an appointee from the outside.
All this could not help but affect the internal mood of the new archpastor; it could not help but confront him with a question that was as necessary as it was difficult: how to manage a flock that was initially inclined to be hostile to their archbishop?
Fighting difficulties. The True Shepherd of Christ
At first, Theophylact yearned for the capital, but at the same time he well understood the meaning of his episcopal calling and destiny, and, trusting in God, he tried to avoid the harmful feelings of despondency and despair.
A great danger to the flock entrusted to him was posed by widespread heretical and schismatic movements that were tearing apart the community of believers from within. He countered this misfortune with prayer and preaching, and the organization of parish life.
The blessed father tried to overcome the current crisis. Showing zeal, wisdom, patience, and leadership abilities, he still managed to establish trusting relationships with his flock and take the situation under vigilant pastoral control.
Realizing that the flock of Christ does not need shepherds in general, but virtuous and responsible clergy, he paid great attention to the selection of candidates for priests and bishops.
One day, a local ruler decided to ask him to elevate one of his favorites to the rank of bishop. At the same time, he promised to thank the blessed father. The saint replied that if that person were worthy, then it would not be him, Theophylact, who should be thanked, but he himself, Theophylact, should be grateful to the ruler for his recommendation and advice; but since that person is not known as a righteous person either in the local Church or in Constantinople, then how can he be elevated to bishop?
The struggle for church property also took a lot of energy from him. Considering the remoteness of the local Church from the capital, local tax collectors sought to take much more from Church servants than was required by law. In this regard, he received many alarming signals from the clergy.
Theophylact's opposition to the desire to enrich the collectors at the expense of God's field inflamed their anger against him personally. Driven by a thirst for profit and more, the wicked began to spread rumors about him in Constantinople, as if he, in order to enrich himself, was obstructing the policies of the authorities.
In Bulgaria itself, Lazarus, a clergyman acting with their support, spread false rumors about the saint, wanting to turn against him, first of all, those whom he (Theophylact) punished either for heresies or for unseemly behavior, and secondly, the masses.
With the help of God, blessed Theophylact overcame all these difficulties, and his good deeds brought good fruits. In the minds of sincere believers, he remained a responsible and active archpastor, a caring father.
Many times he personally traveled to Constantinople to intercede for his flock. Among his acquaintances were also influential people who helped Bulgarian churches and monasteries.
After Mary, who had previously patronized him, retired from business and devoted herself to asceticism, he continued to communicate with her as a friend and as a sister in Christ.
We do not know when exactly the death of Blessed Theophylact occurred. Some of his works that have survived to this day date back to the first quarter of the 12th century.
According to information contained in a number of Serbian historical sources, at the end of his earthly life he moved to Thessaloniki, where he met his earthly death.
Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
In Orthodox theology there are various methods of interpreting the Bible. The most famous theological schools are Alexandrian and Antiochian. Many Holy Fathers interpreted the inspired text.
Among the famous interpreters: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Maximus the Confessor, Gregory the Theologian, Theodoret of Cyrus, Theophylact of Bulgaria.
Each of them found amazing things in Scripture and, inspired by the Holy Spirit, interpreted the text according to Orthodox theology and Sacred Tradition.
In the fifth century, the text was divided into chapters to make it easier to navigate. The Gospel of Matthew consists of 28 chapters. A very brief summary of each chapter in the form of abstracts is presented below.
Chapter 1
The reader becomes acquainted with the genealogy of the Lord. Next, the evangelist talks about Joseph’s reaction when the righteous elder learned that the Blessed Virgin was pregnant. His desire to let go of the Most Pure One was stopped by an Angel. Having to go to Bethlehem for the census. Birth of the Infant God.
Chapter 2
The Magi discovered a star in the sky that foreshadowed the birth of the Savior of the world. It describes how they came to Herod with congratulations. The ruler of Judea wants to kill the born King.
The Magi bring gifts to the Infant God. The Lord reveals to the Magi the plan of the wicked ruler of Judea. Herod destroys children in Nazareth. Flight of the holy family to Egypt.
Chapter 3
Sermon of John the Baptist. The last Old Testament prophet calls for repentance. He points out to the Pharisees and Sadducees the need for moral purification. Repentance is not just a ritual, but a holistic change in the entire internal state. The Lord comes to John. The Forerunner is trying to refuse the Baptism of the Savior Himself. The word is that Jesus Himself will baptize with fire and spirit.
Chapter 4
After Baptism, the Lord retires to the desert, where he remains in fasting and prayer. A forty-day fast in the desert, which ends with the incredible exhaustion of the Savior. Temptations come from the Devil, who is trying to tempt Christ with the power of this world. The calling of the apostles. The first miracles, healings of sick, blind people.
Chapter 5
Pronunciation of the Sermon on the Mount. The perfection of the new moral law. A parable about the salt of the earth. The Lord calls not to be angry, to live in peace, to try not to offend or be offended. Try to pray for your enemies. Never swear by heaven, earth, or the name of God.
Chapter 6
Continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. Giving the Lord's Prayer. A lesson about the need for fasting and forgiveness of offenses.
The word is about the birds of the air, which neither sow nor reap, but the heavenly Father feeds them. The true treasure is not on earth, but in heaven. It is necessary to make a choice between earthly goods and faith in God.
Chapter 7
Continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. The Lord reveals to his listeners the perfect law, expressed in the Beatitudes. He says Christians are the salt of the earth. A word about the beam in one's own eye. Pronunciation of parables that had a huge influence on people.
Chapter 8
Many miracles of the Lord were performed by Him and described in the sacred text. This chapter tells about the healing of a leper and talks about the faith of a Roman soldier. Control of the earth's elements, wind and sea. Jesus has nowhere to sleep, not a single house sheltered Him. The healing of the demoniac in Capernaum, the expulsion of Christ from the city.
Chapter 9
Temptation by the Pharisees and Sadducees, healing of a paralyzed man. Forgiveness of sins. Various parables. Sharing food with sinners is a response to lawyers. Resurrection of a dead girl. Healing of a woman who had suffered from an unknown disease for 40 years.
Chapter 10
The Lord gives his disciples power and sends them to preach. Instructs them to preach everywhere and not be afraid to go anywhere. Evangelism of the Gospel is a special work that should not be paid.
All hard work will be rewarded in heaven. The Lord also repeatedly says that the apostles will suffer a lot for preaching his teachings.
Chapter 11
John the Baptist sends his disciples to the Lord. Jesus Christ calls John a true prophet. After this, the Lord rebukes the proud. Reveals the teaching about the heavenly Jerusalem that infants and people who are struggling with their passions, sins and lust can go there. Proud people are deprived of the opportunity to go to heaven.
Chapter 12
God the Father does not need sacrifice. Instead, love and mercy should dominate. Teaching about the Sabbath. Parables and denunciations of the lawyers and other Jews. It is necessary to live not according to the law, but according to the call of the heart, according to the law of God's love. He talks about the sign of the prophet Jonah. The Lord says that the disciple John the Theologian will be taken to heaven, just like the Most Holy Theotokos.
Chapter 13
Parables need to be understood simply, because they speak about very complex things, in a language understandable to all people around them. A series of parables about wheat: tares, sowers, weeds. The doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven is revealed. The Lord compares the word of the Good News to a grain that has fallen into the ground and begins to sprout.
Chapter 14
Herod seizes the prophet John the Baptist, puts him in prison, and then executes him. The Lord feeds many people with five loaves.
Jesus Christ walks on the sea, the Apostle Peter wants to move on the sea on foot. However, after leaving the boat, Peter begins to drown. Convicting the apostles of lack of faith.
Chapter 15
Convicting the Jews of hardness of heart and deviation from the instructions of God. The Lord intercedes for the pagans. Repeatedly He points out that for the Pharisees and Sadducees the law became just a set of rules. It is necessary to fulfill the will of God not only externally, but also internally. He feeds 4,000 people and then performs many signs and wonders. Healing a man born blind.
Chapter 16
He begins to warn the apostles that He will soon be betrayed and crucified on the cross. The ardor of the Apostle Peter and praise from the Lord. The Apostle Peter will become the new foundation of the Church. Disciples need to remember the deceit of the Pharisees. Only those who follow the Savior to the end can save the soul.
Chapter 17
Casting out demons is possible only through fasting and prayer. Journey of Jesus Christ to Mount Tabor. Transfiguration. The apostles witness the miracle and run away in fear. The Lord forbids them to talk about what they saw and heard, but they still tell people, and word quickly spreads throughout Judea.
Chapter 18
It's better to lose part of your body than to seduce someone. It is necessary to forgive a person who has sinned many times. A story about a king and a debtor. God the Father cares for every person. Nothing bad will ever happen to those who love God and follow Him. The salvation of the soul is the main goal of human life.
Chapter 19
Teaching about the life of the righteous. Blessing people to create families. Husband and wife are one flesh. Divorce is possible only if one of the spouses cheats. People's material well-being makes the path to God difficult. The people who follow Christ will judge with Him in heaven.
Chapter 20
The Lord tells a parable about the winegrower's workers who came at different times, but received the same salary. He tells His followers directly that He will be killed on the cross. Seeing hesitation in the disciples, He convicts them of lack of faith.
After this, Jesus Christ heals two blind people.
Chapter 21
The Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The joy of the people and the bitterness of the Savior. The teaching is about the need not only to speak, but also to do pious deeds. A story about the evil workers of a winegrower. The answer to the question - what is the main stone of God? It is necessary to fulfill the law not in words, but by doing good deeds.
Chapter 22
Jesus Christ tells the apostles about the Kingdom in heaven. It is necessary to separate the responsibilities of a believer and a citizen of the country. The answer to the question: to Caesar - what is Caesar's, to God - what is God's. Man has a mortal nature and therefore must always be ready to stand before the judgment of God. People don’t come to a wedding in dirty clothes; you also need to prepare your soul by cleansing it to stand before the Lord.
Chapter 23
All apostles are brothers; there is no need to try to stand out from everyone else and then command. It is necessary to have a righteous court, give alms and believe in God. Inner beauty is more important. The Jews should not be arrogant and proud that they were chosen by God the Father, because they have the blood of the prophets on them, whom they mercilessly killed.
Chapter 24
You must always be prepared for death. The Lord reveals to the apostles that the end of the World is already near. Soon the earth will plunge into darkness, the sun will darken, there will be epidemics, the earth will stop bearing fruit and yielding crops. Animals will begin to die, rivers will dry up. Terrible wars will begin, people will turn into wild animals.
Chapter 25
A parable about smart maidens. All good people will be rewarded. The Lord told his followers a parable about a good and a bad servant. A good, conscientious slave will be rewarded according to his merits, and an unscrupulous worker who evades his obligations will be very severely punished.
Chapter 26
Establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Betrayal of Judas. Journey to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayer for the Cup. Taking Christ into custody. The Apostle Peter defends Jesus Christ and attacks one of the High Priest's servants. Christ heals the victim and orders the disciples to lay down their arms.
Chapter 27
Pilate's trial. The speech of Pontius and the choice of the people of Barrabas. The scourging of Jesus Christ. Iscariot comes to the high priests and returns the money, but they refuse to take it back. Suicide of Judas.
Crucifixion of the Lord. Two thieves on crosses and the repentance of one of them. Burial of Jesus Christ. Security at the tomb.
Chapter 28
Resurrection. The soldiers guarding the coffin fled in fear. The myrrh-bearing women go to the burial place to anoint the body of the Lord with incense. An angel announces a miracle to Mary. At first, the disciples do not believe in the miraculous uprising of the Teacher. The apostles saw the Savior. Unbeliever Thomas. Ascension of the Lord.
