Holy Bible

THE HEAVENLY FRIEND AND THE LITTLE FLOCK

 

In the previous chapter the Lord exposed the weaknesses of some of the religious leaderships, for what they bore of formalities in worship without depths ,and for the literality in understanding the law and the commandment without spirit; together with a bitter bond with the love of the world and the temporal honors. Now, the heavenly Friend came to set for Himself a new flock to be His One body; whose most important feature, is to be in harmony with the features of its heavenly Shepherd, its Groom, Savior, and Head working in the body.

 

 

 

 

1- The new flock and the leaven of the Pharisees	1 – 3
2- The new flock and the fear	4 – 5
3- The new flock and the trust in God	6 – 7
4- The new flock and the testimony	8 – 12
5- The new flock and the covetousness	13 – 21
6- The new flock and the temporal things	22 – 23
7- The new flock and the heavenly things	24 - 31
8- The new flock and the Father’s pleasure	32
9- The new flock and giving alms	33 – 34
10-        The new flock and the coming of the Friend	35 – 40
11-        The new flock and the faithful stewardship	41 – 48
12-        The new flock and the fire of the Spirit	49
13-        The new flock and the sufferings	50 – 53

 

• The new flock and the spirit of discernment 54 – 56
• The new flock and the forgiving love 57 – 59

 

 

 

• THE NEW FLOCK AND THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES:

 

 

Intending to set, out of His believers, a new flock that bear His heavenly features, the first commandment our heavenly Friend presented to His Church through His disciples was to purge out “the old leaven”, the leaven of the Pharisees, namely “hypocrisy”, lest the Church would be set on the wrong

foundation. He intended to purge out the corrupt old leaven, to present us as the new Passover unleavened bread. As according to Paul the apostle: “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?. Therefore, purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ was sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5: 6 – 8)

“In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all: ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (1)

 

 

 

By hypocrisy, the Pharisees intended to catch the Lord Christ by words of His mouth, to keep the people away from Him, so that their popularity, authority, and honor would not collapse; but they only got the opposite result; as tens of thousands of people came together around the Lord, longing to encounter Him …….Before the Lord warns His flock against hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the Evangelist Luke, with a practical lesson, showed how hypocrisy fails to realize the goal of those who walk according to it. Father Theophlactius says: [Truth is strong; whereas deception is weak].

 

 

By hypocrisy man may intend to draw all around himself, to keep them from the truth; but hypocrisy will eventually be revealed, and people will abhor the phypocrites, to get instead attached to the truth. On another aspect, the Lord Christ likened hypocrisy to the leaven that works actively in spite of its tiny size in the whole lump, to proclaim that it corrupts man, makes him lose every purity and spiritual virtue in the heart, mind, and feelings, even if he clothes himself with a deceptive garment of apparent godliness, ability to teach, and jealousy on the sanctities.

 

+`     Hypocrisy is hated by God and men, brings forth no reward nor benefit of salvation to the soul, but will rather be a cause of her perdition.

If it so happen that hypocrisy is not temporarily revealed, yet it does not endure for long, just like how an ugly woman appears after removing her outer makeup.

 

 

+       Hypocrisy is foreign to the features of the saints; for “

“For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known” (2).

As all our words and deeds will be revealed in the ultimate day of judgment, hypocrisy therefore brings trouble and carries no benefit. It is befitting of us to be justified as true worshippers who minister to God with clear and obvious features.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

+       Leaven may be commended for being bound to the bread of life; but would be reproached if it refers to malice and wickedness.

(St. Gregory the Nezianzen)

 

 

+       Hypocrisy is called “leaven”, for it deceives the intentions of those who practice it. Nothing would corrupt the personality of man like hypocrisy.

(Father Theophlactius, bishop of Bulgaria)

 

 

+       It is as though He says: [O Pharisees! Whatever you talk in the darkness, in the hidden places of your hearts, will be exposed in the light; for I am “The Light”; By My light, therefore, all your deceptions and oppression will be revealed, Whatever you whisper in the ears of one another will be loudly proclaimed on the rooftops

The “light” could also be understood as the (gospel), and by the “rooftops” as (the high souls of the disciples). Whatever plotted by the Pharisees, will be evealed through the light of the gospel, by the great preacher – the Holy Spirit -- who prevails on the high souls of the disciples.

 

• THE NEW FLOCK AND THE FEAR:

 

 

Seeking in His church (the new flock) to bear, not the leaven of the Pharisees, namely, hypocrisy, that makes her outer appearance differ from her inner self; the Lord seeks from her to walk only by the fear of God, and not of men. For whoever fears God will never care for the judgment of men; something that will take away from him every hypocrisy, for he seeks neither the commendation of men nor their rebuke; and demands neither reward nor fear of retribution.

 

 

“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.But I will show you whom you should fear; Fear him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell, yes, I say to you, fear Him” (4, 5)

 

 

+       We should fear the suffering of the soul, not the killing of the body; for death is a natural end of the temporal suffering of the body, but the suffering of the souls is eternal. We are committed to fearonly God.

 

(St. Ambrose)

 

 

+       This commandment concerns those who love Him……… But who are they? ……………We may say that they are those with similar mind, who are zealous to follow His lead; on which Peter the apostle exhorts us, saying: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind” (1 Peter 4: 1). He gave His life for our sake, “He was adrift among the dead like the slain who lie in the grave” (Psalm 88: 5).

Death did not attack Him because of sin like us, for He was, and still is, without sin; but endured the suffering for the sake of His unlimited love for us. Let us listen to Him saying clearly: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay one’s life for his friends” (John 15: 13). ……….Will it not be counted bitterly mean not to pay Christ His debt back?

In other words, we may say that, as His beloved, we are committed not to fear death, but rather to be like the saintly fathers. For when Abraham was tempted, he offered his own son, believing that God can raise him from the dead (Hebrew 1: 19). How can we have terror of death; when we know that “Life” was already made vain ?....... For Christ is the resurrection and the Life (John 11: 25).

Let us also put in mind that crowns are acquired by strife; the strong wrestlers in the arena will reach perfection by experience, and training. Courage and alert mind are necessary to win battles; whereas whoever cast his armor down and flee away, will be despised by the opponent; and

 

even if he survives the battle, he will live humiliated ever after. While whoever hold fast in the battle, and fight with courage and might, will be honored and crowned, even if he falls down wounded. It is befitting of us, therefore to endure with perseverance and courage in the struggle to earn the great reward, and to acquire for ourselves the blessings of God; because failing to endure the death of body for the sake of our love for Christ, will only bring upon us an eternal and unceasing punishment. For man’s anger (the opponent’s) will eventually come to an end by the death of the body; while God’s punishment will not be only on the body, but will come upon the soul to suffer as well, eternally.

I wish our portion would be the honorable death, which brings us up to the beginning of the eternal life, beside being necessarily bound to the abundance of the divine blessings. Let us despise and flee away from the shameful life, the hateful temporary life, which leads to a bitter eternal suffering.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

+       Notice how our Lord made His disciples, above all, and exhorted them to despise death that brings terror to everyone; and how, at the same time He confirmed to them the eternity of the soul.

 

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

+       According to a saint, because fearing temptations, makes the body a friend of sin; the Holy Spirit, therefore, bring it to death, for otherwise, it will not prevail on sin.

If man intends to be a dwelling place for the Lord, he has to conquer his body, minister to the Lord, do according to the commandments of the Spirit, and keep himself from the deeds of the body, about which the apostle said that its fruition will give no pleasure to God..

I would rather die here, than to see the true death of the soul, namely the separation from God. I would rather die here for the sake of the purity, rather than live an evil life. I have chosen this death by my own free will for the sake of my sins.

 

(St. (Mar) Isaac the Syrian)

 

 

 

3-  THE NEW FLOCK AND THE TRUST IN GOD:

 

Intending to encourage us in our spiritual strife, to keep us from fearing the death of the body, the Lord Christ confirmed to us His care even for our body, saying:

 

 

“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins. and not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (6, 7)

 

 

+       Meditate in the greatness of His care for those who love Him. If the Keeper of the universe so cares even for the things of little value, and condescends to talk about the little sparrows; how could He ever forget those who love Him, and are worthy of having Him visit them; being aware of all the little details of their life, even the count of the hair on their heads?

I wish we do not doubt that His rich hand grants His grace to those who love Him. …………He will either not allow for us to fall into temptation; or if, by His wisdom, He allows for us to fall into its snare, it would be to be glorified through our sufferings; granting us the power to endure, as testified by the blessed Paul, saying: “God is faithful, who will not allow you to to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, will also make the way to escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10: 13)

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

+       If God will not forget the sparrows, how could He forget man? ………If the sparrows and the count of the hair on our head are not hidden before His knowledge, how foolish would it be for us to think that God is not aware or disregard the faithful hearts?

The five sparrows, I believe, are the five senses of the body: the touch, the smell, the taste, the vision, and the hearing. The sparrows, being too weak to fly up to reach the exalted fruits and the spiritual banquet, have to seek their food on the ground, to fall into the nets of the hunters.

…………Our enflamed nature, activities, and purity, will all be scattered through our care for the earthly physical things, and our love to acquire the luxuries of this world. Now after being so captivated, there will be before us two options: either the bondage to sin, or the liberation from it. Christ sets us free, redeems and saves us; whereas the enemy puts us for sale to bring us to death. ……………Matthew referred to (two) sparrows, which are the body and the spirit.

By grace, we are granted to fly up; but the temporal pleasures captivate us and makes the spirit heavy by the snares of evil, to fall down to the level of the heavy nature of the body.

 

It is written that not one hair will fall down without the allowance of God; for the one to fall goes down to earth, whereas the one to fly is carried up by the divine care . Let us then not fear the authority of the devil, but fear the wrath of God.

The soul is likened to a sparrow, being said: “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowler” (Psalm 124: 7), and, “How can you say to my soul, ‘flee as a bird to your mountain?” (Psalm 11: 1); and “I am like a sparrow alone on the housetop” (Psalm 101: 7). …………Man is formed of two sparrows in one; like the unity of the two wings which cooperate to let the spiritual nature soars up beyond the physical nature.

There is the good sparrow that, by nature (spiritual) is able to fly; and an evil sparrow that cannot fly because of its love of the earthly defilements; the later one is sold for two copper coins ………..How cheap are sins! ………Death includes all, while virtue is precious! ………..The enemy puts us for sale like captive slaves, for low price; whereas the Lord treats us like good servants whom He created according to His image and likeness.; and highly evaluates us; according to the words of the apostle: “You are purchased for a high price” (1 Corinthians 6: 2); not of silver or gold, but of the precious blood. Christ died for our sake, and liberated us by His precious blood, as said by Peter the apostle in his epistle: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1: 18, 19). Yes it is precious blood, for it is of a blameless of body; the blood of the Son of God who redeemed us, not only from the curse of the law (Galatians 3: 13),, but also from the eternal death of sin

(St. Ambrose)

+       The five sparrows could be understood in a secret way as the five senses of high perception of the heavenly things: that behold God, hear the divine voice, taste the bread of life, smell the fragrance of Christ, and hold fast to the word of life.

 

(The scholar Origen)

 

 

+       These senses are sold for two copper coins, namely for the two testaments the old and the new; hence they are not forgotten before God.

(Father Theophlactios)

 

 

 

+       Man’s head – secretly –refers to his mouth; and his hair, to his thoughts, uncovered to God.

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

4-  THE NEW FLOCK AND THE TESTIMONY:

 

 

“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man will also confess before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men, will be denied before the angels of God. And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him, but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. Now, when they bring you before the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (8 – 12)

 

 

If sin has corrupted the five sparrows, namely our five senses; that, instead of setting forth by the Holy Spirit toward the divinities to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell what are eternal and divine; they fall into the snares of evil desires, get bound by the ropes of the world, under the violent authority of the enemy, to become helpless and unable to fly. Man, ……….. In his religion, man could not soar up, but, in his worship and preaching, became a

captive of vain glory, hypocrisy, and sometimes of covetousness for material things, that gave him the kind of mind of the Pharisees and the lawyers; to care for the deadly letter instead of the deep spirit that edifies.

The Lord redeemed us to set us free from these snares to live in this world as true witnesses to the Savior through our heavenly life, our new mind, and our spiritual man, the work of our God ………. We testify to Him here that the Son of Man would testify to us in the heavenly Sanctuaries. He, who paid His blood a price for getting us out of the snare of hypocrisy; and confirmed to us that what we say in the darkness will be revealed in the light; and what we whisper in the ear will be declared on the rooftops; and what we do here in the darkness, or whisper in the ear will be declared before His saintly angels and saints in the great day of the Lord.

If the hypocrites who do evil in secret are exposed, the manifest and hidden knowledge of the Church is the confession of the Savior, to be truly glorified.

 

 

+       The Lord therefore, is not convinced by the inner faith alone; but seeks from us the manifest confession; exhorting us toward trust and great love.

And as that will be of benefit for all, He says: “Whoever confessesMe................... ”.

 

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

+       “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10: 9)……….. In this phrase, the secret of Christ was made clear in a marvelousway.

Before anything, we are committed to confess that the Son is begotten from God the Father;……….. the only begotten Son from His very essence;……. God the Word; ………..the Lord of all; …………..has not got the Lordship from outside, but it is referred to Him being the Lord truly and naturally; the same as God the Father.

Secondly, it is befitting of us to believe that God has raised Him from the dead, namely, that He became Man, ………….suffered in the flesh for our sake, ……………and was raised from the dead……………The Son is the Lord, the Lord by nature, being God the Word above all creation. This is what the wise Paul the apostle teaches us, saying: “For even if there are so called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us, there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live” (1 Corinthians 8: 5, 6).

Whoever confesses Christ before men that He is the Lord God, He will confess him before His angels……… But where, and how? …… Obviously at the time when He comes down from heaven in the glory of His Father, together with the saintly angels, at the end of this world; when those who truly confess Him, with the sound and un-hesitated faith, will be crowned ……….There, the congregation of the saintly martyrs will glitter, those who endured the strife even to shedding their blood; those who honored Christ by their perseverance, did not deny the Savior; and His glory was not unknown to them. They are commended by the saintly angels, who glorify Christ, the Savior of all, for the sake of the honors He grants to His saints who are worthy of them. That is what is proclaimed by the Psalmist, saying: “Let the heavens declare His righteousness; for God Himself is Judge” (psalm 50: 6).

That is the portion of those who confess Him. ……….As for those who deny and despise Him, they will also be denied; when He says to them what was said by one of the prophets in the old: “As you have done, it will be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head” (Obadiah 15) ; He will deny them by saying: “I do not know you; ………Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity” (Luke 13: 27).

Who are those who deny, and be denied?

Those who, when they fall under persecution, and go through tribulation, deny faith. Such will entirely lose hope; no human words could express the extent of God’s wrath upon them; and the unquenchable fire they will go through.

The same will be the way of those who follow the heresies that dare to deny that He is the Word of God, the only begotten Son; and that He is God by nature.

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

 

+       There are other ways of denial as explained by St. Paul, saying: “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him” (Titus 1: 16); ………….

and, “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5: 8); ………..and, “Therefore, put to death …………covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3: 5).

And as there are different ways of denials, there are obviously, as well, different ways of confessing Him,………. In Greek, saying: “Whoever confesses (in Me)”; shows that confessing Christ will not be realized by man’s own strength, but by the help of a higher grace. As for the denial, He says: “Whoever denies Me…….”. If he reject the grace, he would deny; he, however, will be judged on account of that it is his own fault, having rejected the grace.

 

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

I wish therefore, we testify to the Lord and confess Him by our mouth, heart, true faith, and befitting behavior, through the work of His grace,

grantor of the strength of testimony and work; so that our Christ, risen from the dead will clearly show transfigured in our depths, through our daily new life we have in Him. By such testimony and this daily confession, we become worthy of our Lord confessing us before His angels; as He counts us heirs of God, together with Christ, partners in the eternal glory; and have a place in the bosom of God the Father.

 

And as the confession of the Lord Christ has its irreversible public eternal reward; so will His denial has its eternal punishment. That is why, lest anyone would probably collapse with the spirit of despair, in case he falls in denial, out of weakness; and lest he probably think that he cannot return and repent, but will fall into an eternal perdition; He says:

 

“Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him” (10);

 

 

by which He opens wide the door of hope through repentance; which is also confirmed by the rest of his declaration, saying:

 

 

 

“But to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven” (10).

 

 

Namely, Whoever rejects the work of the Holy Spirit, the Grantor of repentance and forgiveness, will lose His forgiveness. We

have already dealt in detail with the topic of “Blaspheming the Holy Spirit”; in which we confirmed that the unforgiven blaspheme is the persistence on no repentance

 

Some misunderstood that divine proclamation, counting that whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, being incarnated, it will be forgiven him, if he discovers the truth and repent; whereas whoever speaks a word against the Holy Spirit will have no repentance. This interpretation is unacceptable; on account of the Holy Book confirms that all sins on which repentance is presented will be forgiven. That was also proclaimed

by the fathers of the church, opening the door of hope, even before the heretics and their followers, who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit; if they retreat from their fault; and they were actually received by the Church when they did repent.

 

St. Ambrose confirms that the discernment here is based on the difference of the works of the Holy Trinity; and that denying or blaspheming the Holy Spirit means the complete rejection of His work; namely the rejection of the work of repentance, exhorted by the Spirit in us. Which is clearly shown by the same talk of the Lord, adding:

 

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (12).

 

 

Namely, whoever rejects His hidden work in the heart, will not be forgiven until he return and receive Him anew.

 

As testifying to the Lord Christ was most probably going to put His disciples before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authority; He granted them the possibility of work; by putting them in the hands of His Holy Spirit, saying: “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (12)

 

+       He says that what we utter and answer (in the time of tribulation) is granted to us in this very hour from heaven; namely, it is not we who speak but the Spirit of God who will never forsake those who confess Him, nor separate from them, but will speak in them, and is crowned in them.

 

 

+       His work is to make us conquer, and get the conquest by submitting the enemy in our great strife.

(St. Cyprian the martyr)

 

 

 

5-  THE NEW FLOCK AND THE COVETOUSNESS:

If in all His previous talk He exhorted us to testify to the Lord and to confess Him with the heart and the tongue, even in the darkest situations and tribulations; Now He seeks from us to testify to Him through the practical virtuous life; warning us against the most dangerous enemy that may come upon the believer, namely ‘covetousness and the love of the world’; which could confuse even the ministers of the Word into the temporal issues, to draw their hearts away from bearing the features of their heavenly Groom.

Then one from the crowd said to Him:

 

 

“Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me”, to which He answered him: ‘Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’; then He added:, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness’” (14, 15).

 

 

By this answer by the Lord, He meant:

• To raise the work of preaching the word above the material problems; so that the ministers of the Word would only care for bringing every soul forth into the salvation work and the care for

 

 

• Not to use faith to the account of the care for the temporal issues; but to concentrate on the eternal joy. 3- He warns His new flock against covetousness, that may corrupt the collective life, as well as the

 

+ The last phrase was given to prepare us to endure the suffering for the sake of the testimony to the Lord, to despise death; and to warn us against falling under punishment that waits for those who are not forgiven. And on account of that covetousness, generally, corrupts virtue, that is why a new commandment and a proverb were added: saying: “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

He, who came down for the sake of the divine things, did not wish to be a judge over the earthly things; …………the Judge of the living and the dead, who rewards everyone according to his deeds, refused to arbitrate in the laws concerning the riches of this world....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Whenever

you seek from Him, therefore, meditate in the Giver and not in the gift; and do not ever assume that the mind that cares for the high issues, could worry about the lowly ones. That is why the Lord sent away the one who cared for the mortal things and not the heavenly ones.

Choosing not to arbitrate between the brethren as a judge, the Lord showed that love, and not the court, should be the way for all the worldly affairs; for it is vain to accumulate the wealth, if man does not know how to spend it.

 

(St. Ambrose)

 

 

+       Yes, the Son appeared in our image; and God the Father set Him a Head and King over Zion, His holy hill (Psalm 2: 6); yet, the Son clearly

showed the nature of His mission, saying: “I came to preach the commandment of God”; meaning that our Lord, the Lover of virtue, wants us to forsake the temporal earthly things, to flee from the love of the flesh, from the vain worry on work, from the evil desires, and not to care for building storehouses; but to despise riches and the love of ugly profit; He wants us to be good, to ;love one another, not to gather treasures on earth, and to soar above controversies and envy; not to fight against our brethren, but welcome them even if they intend to abuse us; saying: “From him who takes away your goods, do not ask them back” (Luke 6: 30);but rather to strive for the sake of the things of benefit and necessary for the salvation of the soul.

Not leaving us without teaching, He found it a chance to present a faithful word of benefit. He proclaimed: ”Take heed and beware of covetousness” 15). He likened covetousness to the pit set by the devil to catch his victims, something hated by God (Colossians 3: 5),, and

 

called “idolatry” by the wise Paui; probably on account of that it only suits those who do not know God; or because it is equal to the iniquities done by the worshippers of idols and stone.

Covetousness is the snare set by the evil spirits, to draw the soul of man into the snares of the pit; To ensure their security, He said: Take heed and beware of every covetousness”, namely of both much and little covetousness; and of the deception of one man against another, for Covetousness is hated by both God and men.

This we learn fro God Himself who says on the mouth of His saintly prophets: “Therefore, because you tread down the poor, and take grain taxes from him; Though you have built houses of hewn stones, yet you shall not dwell in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink wine from them; for I know your manifold transgressions, and your mighty sins” (Amos 5: 11, 12). And, “Woe to those who join house to house, add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land. In My hearing, the Lord of hosts said, Truly many houses shall be desolate, great and beautiful ones without inhabitants; for ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah”(Isaiah 5: 8-10). Having acquired houses and fields through oppressing the others, it would turn vain with no inhabitants, of no benefit for him as an evildoer; for God’s wrath will justily dwell over him

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

+       On another aspect, covetousness will be of no use, “for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (15), and in his enjoyment of abundance, an obvious fact, as the duration of man’s life does not extend according to his riches. So says the Lord to rebuke those who gather the riches together, with the assumption that they are going to live a long life; something far from being guaranteed.

(Father Theophlactius)

 

 

“Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully; and he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do since I have no room to store my crops? So he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take you rease, eat, drink, and be merry’. But God said to him, ‘Fool, this night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (16 – 21).

 

 

In this parable, we should notice the following:

 

• According to St. John Chrysostom , that rich man erred to call his riches “goods”; for riches are not good nor evil in themselves. “Goods” are virtues like chastity, humility, etc.; if chosen by man; and “evil” is iniquity and transgression. Other things, though are counted as “natural”, neither good nor evil; but could be directed either way; For riches used for giving to the poor will be “goods”, whereas if they bear covetousness, will be counted as

 

The saint has made this concept clear in many of his writings; saying: [No one can harm another, unless the later harm himself]. Namely, neither riches nor poverty would not harm man; What harm him are the evil of his inner heart, and the misuse of riches or poverty.

 

And as riches in itself is not “good”, St. Clement of Alexandria, in his book, confirms: [Riches in itself is not evil, but useful if used properly; for many rich people enjoy the kingdom of God through their love of giving alms.

 

 

• That rich man, mentioned by the Lord Christ, through caring only for the earthly riches, had his heart filled to the rim with the love of worldly things, the barns of his evil soul exploded for covetousness; and thought that he is capable of building new ones; but his soul was required of him when its barns were completely

St. Basil the Great says: [He did not remember his fellow creatures, nor that he was supposed to give out of his abundance to the poor. While his barns were exploding for too much goods, the covetousness of his heart was never satisfied…… He said, “I Will pull down my barns”; Well said, for your evil barns are worthy to be pulled down, on account of that they give no comfort to anybody].

 

 

• That rich man did not perceive that God is the secret of the life of the human soul; whoever acquires Him will acquire life on an eternal level, and death will never prevail on him, but he will truly soar beyond the limits of

 

He erred when he evaluated his life by his riches; and once he came to have an abundance of riches, he thought that he already has many years

 

to enjoy his riches; and did not perceive that his soul would be reqired of him in the same night. According to St. Clement of Alexandria: [Man’s life is not set upon what he possesses]; And according to St. Cyril of Alexandria: [Man’s life, indeed, is not set upon what he possesses, but will counted blessed he who is rich by God].

 

• According to St. John Cassian: [The secret of the perversion of that rich man was his care for the morrow. I wish we never allow for ourselves to pervert away from the principles of asceticism].

And according to St. Augustine: [Do not you see that it would be out of covetousness to seek what are beyond the necessary things?...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Let

us then beware of every covetousness, if we intend to enjoy the eternal wisdom].

 

 

• In the introduction to this book we said that it is the “gospel of joy”; for our heavenly Friend came to grant us through His friendship, an eternal joy that would never be taken away from us. We saw how this book opened with joy and praise, and how it ends with joy ……….Intending to discern between the joy of the righteous, and that of the world, He gave that parable, in which the rich man says to himself “Be merry”; but within few hours his soul lost the fountain of her temporal merriness ………. and lost even her whole life, for she made the riches of this world the cause of her joy.

The material ma rejoices when he gets temporal things whatever their value are; but he will soon grieve if he loses even a little of what he gained, and loses his joy and peace. This is probably what St. Jerome intended to confirm by saying: [When we gain a penny we become full of joy; and when we lose half a penny we become drowned in grief].

 

 

• Commenting on the saying of the Lord, that his soul is required of him that same night, St. Gregory the Great says: [The soul is required by night is that who walked in the darkness of her heart, and not in the light of meditation]. And on it St. Augustine comments, saying: [You leave everything here, you, not only come out empty handed, but burdened with the sins over your shoulders. Whatever you gathered together here, will most probably fall into the hands of the enemies; and will be required fromyou].

 

 

6-  THE NEW FLOCK AND THE TEMPORAL THINGS:

 

 

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘Therefore I say to you do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing” (22, 23).

 

Intending to raise His new flock up to bear gradually, features befitting of Him, our heavenly Friend Lord Jesus Christ, after exhorting them to confess their faith in Him, He warned them against covetousness, as a dangerous enemy by which man would lose his relationship with God and men, and have his inner life destroyed; then He gave them the parable of the foolish rich man, who put his heart in earthly barns, exhorting them and us not to worry about the non-essentials; and now He brings them and us up to a higher level, namely not to worry even for the necessities like food and clothing.

Confirming that, being our Creator who gave us life, would He not care to provide us with food; and having made our bodies, would He not care to provide us with the things to put non? …………..He intends for His new flock, not to be in a condition of slothfulness or laziness, but to have a balanced mind with no worry nor anxiety; to lean peacefully upon the chest of His Good Shepherd.

 

 

+       The words: “Do not worry” do not mean (do not work); but not to have your minds bound to the earthlies; for man can work without having worries.

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

+       He did not just say, ”Do not worry”, but he added “about your life”; namely, do not concentrate your care on such things, but on greater things; for your life is indeed more than food, and your body is more than clothing. ………. Beside this, it would be mean for the zealous lovers of virtue, in order to be justified before God, to be preoccupied with nice attires like little children, or to hold rich banquets; for following such things will be a multitude of vicious covetousness; and the ultimate result would be to apostacise from God; being written: “Do not love te world or things of the world” (1 John 2: 15); and, “Do you not know that friendship of the world is enmity with God?” (James 4: 4). We should then keep our feet away

from the evil desires of the world; and rather to rejoice in the things that bring pleasure to God. …….. You may wonder: Who then will provide us with the necessities of this life? To this He answers: Let the Lord be the subject of your trust; for He obviously promised to provide you even with the little things (quoting His care for the lilies of the field and the ravens), to confirm that He would certainly care for the big things.

(St.Cyril the Great)

 

 

According to St. Ambrose: [God has created the body and the soul together in unity; for the body is the clothing for the soul; and the soul is the life for the body. He, therefore, intends for us not to worry about food and clothing, but about the soul and the body together, for the sake of reaching the perpetual eternal life. He intended for us to soar even beyond the necessities; not to disregard them, but not to let them absorb our mind, and destroy our inner peace; but to practice it by a holy mind, to see together with the apostle that whether we eat or drink, we would do it for the glory

 

of God; even our amusement, should be be in our Lord Jesus Christ. By that, man would live in the world without worry, and succeed here, and to gain hundredfold through his inner peace; and that would be counted as a deposit for him on an eternal level.

Life without worry is the secret of the prosperity, peace, and joy of the believer in this world, and his glory in the eternal world.

 

 

7-  THE NEW FLOCK AND THE HEAVENLY THINGS:

 

 

God does not intend to deny His rational flock of anything; for he has created everything for the sake of man; but, seeing how man got attached to the world, and corrupted his heart with covetousness, and his soul with worries, and his life with being preoccupied away from his creator, He counselled him to forsake the temporal things to enjoy the heavenly things; He intended for him to forsake the gift to get attached to the Giver with his whole heart, to have an abundance of gifts. Hence the Lord Christ continued His talk to us to confirm three things:

• God is not hard toward us, but He is a Lover of man. If, for our sake, He cares for His irrational creation, feed the ravens, and clothes the lilies of the field exalted beauty, Would He rather not care for man, for whose sake He created the ravens and the lilies of the field? (24)

 

• Worries will not reform us; If we will not be able to add one cubit to our stature, why then shall we live worried, and lose our inner peace and our relation with God, not even for temporal benefit?! (25).

 

 

• God does not intend deprivation for its own sake, but intends to grant us what is greater: “Seek the kingdom of God, and all these shall be added to you” (31). In other words, When the Lord finds our heart not worried about the temporal things, He will enter into it and sets His kingdom, without depriving us even from what we have

 

“Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouses nor barns, and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow, they neither toil nor spin, and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, o you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat, or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind, for

 

all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you” (24 – 31).

We have already quoted commentaries of some fathers on these evangelic phrases; Here we add more of them:

 

 

+       If the birds of heaven, which neither sow nor reap an abundance of harvest, are perpetually sustained by the divine care, it is rather befitting of us to see that our covetousness is a sign of our poverty.

The many and abundant sources of food for the birds of heaven, are not of its own making, for they do not know private possession; and the fruits given to them are possessed by all. We, on the other hand, have lost the public possessions , and sough the personal ones,

I wish you do not look at the goods as your own possession; for God intended for the food to be your mutual possession together with the animals and the birds.

The birds of heaven, not seeking private possessions, will never know need for food, noe envy ither birds.

“Consider the lilies, how they grow ………” ; By these words the Lord calls us to trust in Him that He grants us mercy. The literal meaning of these phrases is that we cannot add one cubit to our stature; while the spiritual meaning is that we are not able to surpass the limits of our level without help from God.

The Lord put the lily in a position higher than that of man himself, made it of more glory than men, represented by king Solomon, who enjoyed the privilege of building the temple of the Lord apparently, the representative of the Church of Christ, symbolically.

The attractive colors of the lily refer to the glory of the angels of heaven, the lilies of this world, who shone with their light upon the world, and distributed the sweet fragrance of Christ. Being supported by their prayers for our sake and their help, we could say: “For we are to God the

fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved” (2: 15). We should not be hindered by any emothion, nor be disturbed by any necessity of work, but keep in our souls the blessings of the divine freedom, and the gifts of the divine nature.

Yes indeed, it is fitting for the Lord to refer to Solomon, clothed in glory ……… for he used to cover his physical nature with the power of the spirit; and to clothe it with the splendor of the works of the spirit.

 

(St. Ambrose)

 

+       That is right, for the lilies of the field and the other flowers, bear an exalted beauty of their colors; which man kept on attempting to imitate by painting; yet however high was his artistic endeavor, he could never reach the high level of nature itself. We labor in vain however hard wetry.

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

+       I wish we do not seek the material food, but that which touch the salvation of the soul. I wish we do not seek the luxurious attire, but seek how we could keep our bodies from the eternal fire and judgment. …… Let us then seek His kingdom; Let us care to become partners of the kingdom of Christ.

 

 

+       Worrying about the seen things is the portion of those with no hope in the life to come; and those without fear of the judgment to come.

(St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa)

 

 

The Lord Christ intends to raise us, His new flock, to live like the birds of heaven, rising up toward the heavenlies; not to worry about personal possession, without earthly storehouses; but to soar as though in eternity, in an atmosphere of complete love; and to live like the lilies of the field, bearing the splendid angelic love, which is not of our own making, but of the exalted making of God….. To see in God, our Father (31) who cares for our partnership in His kingdom, presenting to us the temporal things, as something cheap and of secondary importance, compared to His eternal fatherly gifts.

 

8-  THE NEW FLOCK AND THE FATHER’S PLEASURE:

 

 

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (32)

 

How a comforting phrase to call God “Our Father” …………to be sure of His care and ordination to our account. Yes indeed, the Church will perpetually be “the little flock”, for many are called, but few are selected, and, even though they so few to disappear in the crowd of the world, they are counted in the eyes of the Lord who said to the prophet Elijah, when he thought that the little flock have completely perished: “I have reserved seven thousand in

Israel; all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 kings 19: 18).

They are a little flock, not only concerning their count, but also concerning the human possibilities, with no temporal power, but are the subject of the pleasure of God the Father, and heirs of the eternal kingdom………. Even though they are the little flock in the sight of the world, but, on the chest of God, they enjoy His divine grace, and take by force the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

+       This fact is a spiritual comfort, being the only way that leads us to the surefaith

By saying “Do not fear”, He means they should believe, without any doubt in that sure thing, that their heavenly Father grants the way of life to those who love Him; that He will never disregard His own, but will open up His hands to satisfy the entire world with goodness.

He, who grants such great and precious things, who gives the kingdom of heaven; Will He not have compassion on us?! Will He not provide us with food and clothing?!......... What earthly goods could be compared to the kingdom of heavens; or with what God will grant of unperceivable or unutterable things?! “of what eye has not seen, nor ear hears, nor have entered into the heart of man; the things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2: 9); for it is written that “All flesh is as grass ,and all the glory of man is the flower of the grass; the grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of God endures forever”(1 Peter 1: 24); and, “The world is passing away, and the lust of it” (1 John 2: 17). The things of the world could not be compared with the divine things; If God grants His kingdom to those who love Him, Will He not provide them with food and clothing?!

He called them “little flock”; for we are fewer than the uncountable hosts of angels, whose ability would unmeasurably surpasses our mortal things . That is what the Savior taught us by Himself in the parable He presented in the gospels, saying: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing more than in the ninety-nine which are not lost (Luke 15: 4, etc.)………Notice that, even though it is a little flock concerning its nature, number, and honor, if compared to the uncountable high spiritual hosts; yet they enjoy the indescribable goodness of the Father, and will be given a portion together with the exalted spirits, namely the kingdom of heaven.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

+ By “the little flock”, our Lord means those few who intend to become His disciples; to show that the saints in the world look few because of their optional poverty; or compared to the multitudes of angels who incomparably surpass all what we cherish…….. The title “little” has been given to His elect, compared to the huge count of the wicked ones; or for the sake of godly humility.

Father Theophlactius)

 

 

+       Make sure to belong to this elect few, and not to walk slothfully; live like the few to be worthy to enjoy God together with them; “For many are called, but few chosen” (Matthew 20: 16).

 

(Father John Cassian)

 

 

 

+       Each one of us has his own little flock whom he leads to the green pastures

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

 

9-  THE NEW FLOCK AND GIVING ALMS:

 

 

If the Lord Christ has called His flock as “little”, to be counted worthy of the pleasure og God the Father, who grants them the kingdom; it would be fitting of that flock to declare their longing for that free kingdom, through forsaking the treasures of the world, and giving them to the poor, as though keeping them in the new house, namely in heaven. By this the Lord Christ gives us a new concept of giving alms, which is emptying the heart of the love of the temporal things, to fill it instead with the heavenly ones.

 

 

“Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves moneybags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (33, 34)

According to St. Augustine: [I wish his works proclaim his voice]. Namely, if the believe talks about the kingdom; let him declare this talk of his, practically by giving alms.

 

 

 

+       Let our desire for the things to come hold fast; Let us store our hope in the things to come as a treasure for ourselves; Let us gather together for ourselves all those things by which we would become worthy of the gifts of God.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

+       Giving alms is a medication for every wound; Yet, it would be provided, not only by giving money, but also by giving everything by which man could gain another; For the physician treats, and the wise gives counsel.

 

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

+       On what basis are we committed to sell all what we possess? Is it because they are naturally harmful? Or they represent a temptation to our souls?

To this we answer, firstly, that if all things in the world are counted in themselves as evil, they would not be the creation of God, “for every creature of God is good” (1 timothy 4: 4); and secondly, that the commandment of our Lord teaches us to uproot the evil in us, and not to present it another, saying: “Give alms”.

 

(St. Basil the Great)

 

 

 

(10) THE NEW FLOCK AND THE COMING OF THE HEAVENLY FRIEND:

 

While raising the hearts of His little flock toward heaven, and seeking from them to present all their treasures to the heavenly storehouses, where no thieves approach, nor moth destroy; God enflames their hearts by the coming of the heavenly Groom, the Shepherd of the new flock; so that the body be girdled as though prepared to depart together with Him; and the soul as a lamp burning by love of the Groom to come; and all what are in the being of man to become in a state of watching and alertness, so that all would depart to where the Groom will be.

 

 

“Let your waist be girded, and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately” (35, 36).

 

 

 

What are the girded waists but the chaste body that walks in a proper and appropriate way? ……… And what are the burning lamps but the souls, kindled with the Spirit of God, the Grantor of enlightenment?! …………...And what are the men who wait for their master but the energies, motives, emotions, feelings, and gifts of man?!.......... All work with full alertness for the sake of the Groom to come and reign.

 

 

+       To gird the waists by a dead leather girdle, means that man brings to death all the members that embody the evil and unclean desires; to perpetually keep the commandment of the gospel: “Let your waists be girded”; interpreted by the apostle, saying: “Therefore, put to death your

members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5)............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ In

the Holy Book, we find that those who gird their waists are those who bring to perdition the seeds of the bodily evil desires; who strongly sing the words of David, saying: “For I have become like a wineskin in smoke” (Psalm 119: 83).

 

(St. John Cassian)

+       “Let your waists be girded” mean “Depart from evil” (Psalm 34: 14)………….. And, “And your lamps burning” do good”.

(St. Augustine)

 

 

 

+       The “girded waists” may men (virginity) or (chastity); and the “burning lamps” may mean (the good deeds).

(St Augustine)

 

+       By saying: “Let your waists be girded”, He means (control you evil desires); namely, do (chastity); while “Let your lamps be burning”, means (burn it with the good works), namely by doing righteousness.

 

(St. Augustine)

+       “Let your waists be girded”, namely, be perpetually ready to practice your Lord’s work; and “your lamps burning”, namely do not walk your life in the darkness; have the light of reason that reveals what you should do, and what you should nt; For this world is like night, in which those with girded waists practice an active practical life; like the servants who should have the burning lamps, namely, the gift of discernment, not only what they should do, but how to do it, lest he would probably hasten to fall into the pit of pride.

 

Let us, therefore strive to practice virtues, to have two burning lamps, namely, the reasonable understanding that shines in the soul, and the teaching by which we give light to others.

 

 

 

+       It is befitting of the apostles to gird their waists to carry the lamp of the gospel

(Father Theophlactius)

 

 

(St. Jerome)

 

 

+       Let no one say that the Lord intends for us to gird our waists and to hold the lamp of the gospel in our hands (in the literal meaning), for this interpretation only suits the foolishness of the Jews; For us, the girded waists means the readiness of the mind to work strongly in everything commended;…. And the burning lamp means the alertness of the mind and the reasonable joy.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

We can also say that these two things refer to the fellowship between the body and the soul in the holy life; for the waist refers to the body which

Was disciplined and brought into subjection by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 9: 27); not to destroy it, but to raise it by the Holy Spirit, to live holy for the Lord; and the burning lamp is the soul with all her energies that shines her light in the body, for man to live in unity and harmony under the leadership of the Spirit to the account of the kingdom of Light.

If these two works are practiced by man through the spiritual work, the commandment of the Lord came proclaiming the commitment to work through the continuous alertness and watching, until the Lord comes, and dwells in our midst as the Groom of the soul; saying: “And you yourselves be like men who wait for their master when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately” (36)

 

+       It is befitting of us to look forward to the second coming of the Lord Christ from heaven, when He comes in the glory of the Father together with the

saintly angels………….. Christ will come as though from a banquet, and dwells in weddings, which is befitting to Him; For up high, there is nothing there that bring grief to the nature above emotions, and beyond being affected by them.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

 

+       When our Lord ascended to heaven He went to the wedding, and as a Groom He got attached to the heavenly angels.

(Pope Gregory the Great)

 

 

He comes as though from a wedding, and as a Groom He seeks His human bride; and when He knocks, they open for Him immediately (36). Knocking on the door means issuing the command for the resurrection; and opening it immediately refers to their immediate readiness to encounter Him; having went to sleep on this hope, anticipating the eternal day of the wedding.

The true believers will open the door to let the Groom enter, as though into His kingdom; and He, in turn opens for them to enjoy the bosoms of God the Father. The wicked, on the other hand will be risen as well, but as though to eternal death, they do not bear the gladness of the resurrection, nor enjoy seeing the divine glories …………… Their doors remain closed, and through them the Groom will not enter; and “the everlasting doors” of the Groom will remain closed, and through them they cannot pass.

The Lord Christ goes on to say: “I say to you that He will gird Himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them” (37)……… How amazing that the Groom girds Himself and honors His bride, let her recline and serve her by Himself. He serves those who have previously girded themselves in the world, and served the others to the account of the heavenly Groom, by which they were worthy to be served by Him.

Such a scene kindles the heart of St. John Chrysostom to say: [Hearing these things, it is befitting of us to care, not only for those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6: 10), disregarding the others. In case you see one in tribulation, do not be inquisitive and bombard him with questions, but, as long as he is in tribulation, this should be enough for you to help him. For he is a man of God, whether he is a pagan or a Jew, in need of your help].

 

 

 

 

+       We shall be worthy of a like reward; He will gird Himself to serve those who have previously girded themselves.

 

 

+       He girds His loins with righteousness.

 

 

+       He girds His loins, namely prepares Himself for judgment.

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

(The scholar Origen)

 

(Pope Gregory the Great)

 

 

 

“He will gird Himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them” (37)

 

 

+        “He will have them sit down”, as though to alleviate their toil, presents to them spiritual pleasures; and prepares for them a banquet of exalted gifts..

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

+ Sitting down (reclining) here implies comfort from much toil; life with no anxiety; change to the nature of those who live in the light, who enjoy all the holy feelings, and on whom all gifts will be poured, to fill them with joy. Jesus Himself will let them sit down to grant them an eternal comfort, and to grant them countless blessings.

 

(St. Dionesius the Ariobaghian)

 

 

Having revealed the condition of the little flock who anticipate the coming of their unique Friend, the One Shepherd, and the heavenly Groom; He again confirms to them their commitment to watch for that coming, saying:

 

“And if He should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Therefore you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (38 – 40)

 

 

According to Father Methodeus, [The Lord Christ may come in the first watch of the night, when we are still in our childhood; may wait for us until the

 

second watch, namely, when we reach maturity (manhood); or even in the third watch, namely in our old age ………. We therefore should always be ready to encounter Him, whether as children, young men, or elders. ……………….St. Cyril the great presented to us the same interpretation.

 

11- THE NEW FLOCK AND THE FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP:

 

 

Having drawn the heart of His little flock to Him to anticipate His ultimate coming, to enjoy the kingdom of God, Now the Lord Christ proclaims to them their commitment to faithful stewardship, to have a portion in that kingdom. saying:

 

 

“Then Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people? And the Lord said, ‘Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom the master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion in due season?” (41, 42).

 

 

Having heard that parable concerning the coming of the day of the Lord, which the Lord will proclaim His coming all of a sudden, asking them to watch in anticipation for that coming, St. Peter asked His Lord if that parable concerns only the disciples or all the people. …… He probably wondered in his depths, what does the Lord mean by saying “those servants”; Does He mean the disciples made stewards over “the household of God”, as ministers and shepherds, until the coming of “the Master of the house”; or He means every believer, made steward over his own life, as the house of God, as a minister and a shepherd of the body, the soul, the energies, the talents, and all the possibilities to work together to the account of the Master of the house, the Lord Christ Himself?!

The answer of the Lord came as: “Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom the Master will make ruler over His household, to give them their portion in due season?” (42)

According to St. John Chrysostom [Our Lord did not present this question for He does not know who are the faithful and wise stewards, but He intended to reveal the rarity of their existence, in particular to be stewards over the church].

 

 

+       Whoever found faithful and wise, let him be ruler over the household of the Lord, to give them their portion in due season; namely to provide them with the word of teaching to nourish their souls; or the practical role model that conforms their life.

 

(Father Theophlactius)

+       The Lord ordained the apostles as stewards over His household, namely over those who were gained by faith to recognize His glory – faithful men of great understanding of the holy teaching.

He ordained them, commanding them to present the food allowed, not without discrimination, but in due season; namely the spiritual food presented as is befitting of every individual and whot satisfies him. For it is not befitting to give the instructions concerning all the points in the same way to all those who believe in Christ; being written: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks” (Proverbs 27: 23). For if we present to ways of truth to someone who recently became a student, we have to use a simple way to teach him, not including anything difficult to understand or perceive. …….Something totally different from the way used to educate those who are well advanced in their mind, who are able to perceive the height, the depth, the length, and the width of the exalted concepts of the Godhead.; for, as we already said: “Solid food belongs to those who are of full age” (Hebrew 5: 14).

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

The coming of the Lord separates the faithful and the wise stewards from the slothful and violent ones, who work to the account of their own heroism, and not to that of their master; saying:

 

 

“Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all that he

has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink, and be drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two, and appoint him with the unbelievers” (43 – 46)

 

 

+        He who gives his fellow servants their portion of food with wisdom and in due season, will be very blessed, according to the Savior; for he would be found worthy of greater things, and would receive a reward befitting of his faithfulness ….That is what the Savior taught us in another location, when He commended the good and faithful servant, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things; enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25: 21).

Whereas, if he was negligent and unfaithful in doing hi duties; did not watch over those chores, he considered not worthy of worrying about; and let his mind be preoccupied with the earthly things; corrupt it by unbefitting things; treats those under him with violence and cruelty; and does not give them their portion of food in due season; he will come to be in absolute misery; that is what He means by “cutting him in two, and appointing him

 

with the unbelievers.. For whoever does wong to the glory of Christ, or dare to despise the flock over whom he rules, will not differ much from those who do not know Christ, and will be counted among those who do not love Him. The Lord said to Peter: “Simon, son og Jonah, do you love

Me?........ Feed My lambs;…….. Tend My sheep” (John 21: 15, 16)……….. For whoever tend His sheep, would love them; whereas whoever neglect, and forsakes them, hates them; and would be punished by being counted among the unbelievers.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

+       “He will make ruler over all that he has”(44); not only over his household, but even over the heavenly and the earthly things to obey him; as it happened when the sun obeyed Joshua the son of Nun; and when the clouds obeyed the prophet Elijah……..All the saints as friends of God, used what belong to God.

Whoever lives his life in a virtuous way, and treats befittingly his fellow servants, provide them with their portions of food in due season; uses anger only against the haters of God for the sake of their repentance; ans practice physical desire within the limits, necessary b for the body, submitting it to God; God will set such a man over all what He has; for he is counted worthy to enjoy beholding the divine things through the light of meditation.

(Father Theophlactius)

 

 

I wish we then, be faithful stewards, not only as servants who give the spiritual food, befitting of every soul in due season, to be faithful over our fellow servants put under our rule; like the body with all its members, feelings,, the mind with allits energies, and the heart with all its emotions and instincts

………Let all we have in our hands, like a talent we received from the Lord, which we are committed to serve by the Holy Spirit; to provide it with satisfaction, not with the vain things of this life, but with the spiritual food, the word of God that satisfies our whole being. For then, God will set us rulers over all what He has; the heaven and earth would work together for our edification; and each of us would come to be like a king of authority in the Lord, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.

 

It would not be befitting of us to beat “the male and female servants”; the male servants refer to the energies of the soul, while the female servant refer to those of the body; the male servants are the sons of the soul; while the female servants are the daughters of the body. We are asked not to destroy these and those, but to nourish and to raise them, to make all holy for the Lord, work with harmony to the account of the kingdom of God.

 

 

 

Here the Lord presents to us an important principle for the reward; which is that the more the knowledge is, the more the responsibility will be, and consequently the reward saying:

 

And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required, and to whom much has been committed, of him they will as the more.” (47, 48).

 

+       He will be beaten with stripes, albeit few, he who does not know his master’s will and, consequently does not do according to it; Because he could have known if he had the intention to do.

 

 

It is a tough judgment under which those who know will fall; as shown by the disciple of the Lord Christ who said: “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 1: 3). For the spiritual gift is abundant to those who rule over the people; according to Paul the apostle who wrote to his disciple Timothy, saying, “May the Lord give you understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2: 7); and, “I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” n(2 Timothy 2: 6). By that it is shown that, as much as the Savior of all gives them, the more He requires of them. …………. What are the virtues He seeks from them? Abidance in faith, the sound teaching; a good foundation in hope; unshaken experience, unconquerable spiritual strength, joy and courage in every good thing. By all that we my come to be a role model for the others in the evangelic life. If we so live, the Lord Christ, will give us the crown, by, and with whom will be the praise and the authority to God the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, Amen.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

+   See how He clearly reveals that it would be a more serious thing for man of knowledge to sin, than for an ignorant man; Yet, we should not attempt to take refuge under the shadows of ignorance; for there is difference between being ignorant and not wishing to have knowledge. …….. He, about whom is written, “He has ceased to be wise, and to do good” (Psalm 36: 3), has the wrong will, and has no right to be excused by ignorance.

 

Although ignorance will not justify anyone or waive from him the punishment of eternal fire; yet it may probably make the punishment more endurable; for He did not say in vain, “taking vengeance on those who do not know God” (2 Thessalonians 1: 8)..

 

(St. Augustine)

 

 

+       What would be our excuse, we who were given the right to enter into the palace, ere counted worthy of entering into the temple, and became partners in the enjoyment of the holy sacraments, the Grantor of forgiveness; and yet, we still walk worse than the Greeks (the Gentiles), who did not have such a privilege?!

 

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

 

(12)    THE NEW FLOCK AND THE FIRE OF THE SPIRIT:

 

 

From where can we acquire the faithfulness and the wisdom by which we can live as faithful and wise stewards, as sought by theLord?!.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. They

are the gift of the fiery Holy Spirit, sent by the Lord Christ to His Church, to turn her members into what is like “a Cherubim throne kindled with fire”; to be worthy for having the Lord reign on us, to sit in us as though on His throne.

This divine fire is the gift of the Lord to us; saying,

 

 

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (49).

 

 

 

+       By this He intended to present to us a disciple full of warmth and fire; ready to endure every danger.

(St. John. Chrysostom)

 

+       That is why the Spirit appeared as fire; and yet we are growing cooler and cooler like ashes, and less alive than the dead; while we see Paul the apostle soars up in the high heavens and the heaven of heavens; more zealous than the flames; conquers everything;, and prevails on everything, the lowly and the high; the present and the future.

Let us remember the early believers who have forsaken all their possessions, profits, earthly interests, and temporal comforts, dedicated themselves completely to God; caring only to teach the word of God, day and night. This is the fire of the Spirit, who does not allow for an evil desire to be in us, for any of the things of this life to transfer us to another love.

 

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

+       He said so to proclaim the extent of kindling love which He seeks in us; As much as He loves us, He seeks from us to love Him.

(St. John Chrysostom)

 

 

+       He is God of all, “who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire” (Psalm 104: 4) ……….. Intending not to let the grace of the Spirit given to us to cool down, the blessed Paul warned us, saying: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5: 19), to remain having fellowship with Christ, if we holdfast until the end, to the Spirit we received, saying, “Do not quench the Spirit”; not that the Spirit is put under the authority of man, nor that He would endure any suffering by him; but because the non-thankful man, intends as though to quench the Spirit publicly, and comes to be one of the wicked who oppose the Spirit by unholy deeds …..

Such fire held fast to the prophet Jeremiah, when the word of God was in him like a burning fire, which he was weary of holding it back, and could not (See Jeremiah 20: 9)……… Our Lord Christ, the Lover of mankind, came to cast such a fire down on earth; “and how He wished it is already kindled” (49).

 

(Pope Athanasius the apostolic)

 

 

+       I wish the good understanding helps us, kindles and purifies our mind; He who came to send fire on earth to scatter the evil habits, and hasten to burn them down.

 

(St. Gregory the Nezianzen)

 

 

 

+       When the Holy Spirit dwelt upon the disciples, it is written, “There appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them”

(Acts 2: 3); ………. And as also said by the apostle, “fervent in Spirit” (Romans 12: 11); ………from Him comes the jealousy of love; for, “Because

the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us”; ……… contrary to what the Lord said, “The love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24: 12); for the perfect love is the perfect gift from God.

 

(St. Augustine)

 

 

+       That is the fire which committed the two disciples walking along the Emmaos road to say to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked to us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?!” (Luke 24: 32).

 

(St. Jerome)

 

 

+       He does not mean the consuming fire, but that which exhorts on the good works; that makes the golden vessels in the house of the Lord in a better shape, by setting fire to the wood and straw (1 Corinthians 3: 12); and setting fire to every temporal hidden place where the temporal and mortal evil desires are stored.

Such divine fire has burned the bones of prophets; as according to the prophet Jeremiah, “His word was in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not” (Jeremiah 20: 9)

 

 

There is fire for the Lord, about which is said, “A fire goes before Him”

 

 

The Lord says about Himself that He is a “Consuming fire” (Psalm 3: 2; 24: 17; Deuteronomy 4: 42; Hebrew 12: 29).

 

 

The fire of the Lord is the eternal light; by which the lamps burn; about which it is said, “Let your waist be girded, and your lamps burning” (35); and about which, Cleopas and his fellow disciple testified that it was the Lord who put that fire in them, saying, “Did not our heart burn within us?”.(Luke 24: 32); proclaiming the work of that fire that gives light to the depths of the heart. …….. Probably because of this, ”Behold, the Lord will come with

 

fire” (Isaiah 66: 15). to burn all iniquities in the resurrection, and to fulfill, by His presence, the longings of everyone of His believers, and shine by His light on works and intentions.

 

(St. Ambrose)

 

 

+       We confirm that this fire sent by the Lord Christ is for the salvation of mankind and for their benefit, wishing to fill all our hearts with it. The firehere is the salvation message of the gospel, and the power of His commandments; For all of us on the earth, cold like dead because of sin and ignorance, will be kindled with the godly work, and come to be “fervent in Spirit” (Romans 12: 11)…….. Besides, we shall be fellows of the Holy Spirit, like fire inside us

 

 

It is customary for the Holy Book, the divinely inspired Scripture, to call the divine holy words, sometimes, as “fire”, to show the activity and the power of the Holy Spirit, by whom we become fervent in Spirit.

 

 

One of the saintly prophets, speaking in the Person of God about the Lord Christ, the Savior of all, says: “The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple; even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming?, and who can stand when He appears, for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like the launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver” (Malachi 3: 1-3). …. By “the temple”, he means the truly blameless holy body, born from the saintly virgin by the Holy Spirit and the power of the Father; as it is said to the blessed virgin: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the highest will overshadow you” (Luke 1: 35). He counted Him “the Messenger of the covenant”, having come to reveal to us the good will of God the father, and to serve us; the way He says about Himself: “All things that I heard from My Father, I have made known to you” (John 15: 15)……… And as those who know how to refine the gold and the silver, use fire, so the Savior of all refines the mind of everyone who believes in Him through the teachings of the gospel by the power of the Spirit.

 

 

How could we interpret the live coal that touched the lips of the prophet (Isaiah 6: 6, 7), and purged him of every sin? It is the message of salvation, and the confession of faith in Christ; which purify everyone who receive it in his mouth; as confirmed by Paul the apostle, saying: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10: 9).

 

 

 

We may then say that the power of the divine message is like a live coal and fire. The God of all says to the prophet Jeremiah, “Behold, I will make My Words in your mouth fire; and this people wood, and it shall devour them”(Jeremiah 5: 14); and, “Is not My word like fire?” (Jeremiah 23: 29).

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

(13)    THE NEW FLOCK AND THE SUFFERING:

 

 

The Lord grants His new flock His fiery Holy Spirit, His fiery words, and His fiery love, to make them live on a fiery heavenly level, that the events of this world could not hinder their progress toward the eternities. The coming of Jesus Christ, indeed, kindles the hearts with love, yet, it, as well, stirs up those of the unbelievers, even the close relatives, to disturb them; whereas the believers endure every suffering and anguish with a wide heart, like their Lord who says:

 

 

‘But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished. Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you not at all, but rather division; for from now on, five in one house will be divided three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in- law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (50 – 53)

 

 

What is the baptism by which the Lord was baptized, but enduring passion even to death, giving His blood for our sake. It is befitting of us, therefore to bear His feature, and receive for His sake the spiritual strife even to blood, namely to death; as, according to the apostle: “For Your sake we are killed all day long” (Romans 8: 36).

 

 

Why is baptism so called?.......... for by it we bear the features of the Lord Christ; He buries us together with Him to be risen together with Him as well;, bearing the power of His resurrection in us. This, according to the scholar Tertullian, is acquired in the water of baptism, or through martyrdom. These two forms of baptism, according to him – came out from His pierced side, from which came blood and water (John 19: 34)

 

 

 

+       By His “baptism” He means His death in the flesh; and by His “distress”, becoming sad and disturbed until He accomplished it.         What

happened when He accomplished it? ……… The salvation message of the gospel was proclaimed, not only in Judea, but all over the world……….

For before the precious cross, and His resurrection from the dead, His commandments, and the glory of His divine miracles were done only in Judea; but, once Israel killed the Prince of life, He gave the commandment to His disciples, saying: “Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28: 19, 20).. ………..Behold, You now see the holy divine fire extended by the saintly preachers.

 

(St. Cyril the Great).

 

 

Now, as the Lord sprinkles His blood by which we are baptized; through which our heard kindles by the fire of His Holy Spirit, ………we are committed, the way He was distressed until He accomplished the work of redemption, to be, ourselves, distressed through suffering, to proclaim our perfect love for Him, to endure the tribulation even from our closest of kin, of our own household.

 

 

+       Do you think He intends to loosen the bonds among His beloved children? ………. How could that be, when “He, Himself ,is our peace who has made both one ?!” (Ephesians 2: 14); He who said: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you” (John 14: 27)?!

 

 

If He came to separate the fathers from the sons, and the sons from the fathers; How would He curse whomever does not honor his father (Deuteronomy 27: 16)?!

 

 

He intends for us to have God in the foremost place, to be followed by the love of the parents ………We should prefer what is for God to that for men; For, if the parents have rights, we have to give thanks to Him who gave them to us ………Besides, He added in another gospel: “He who loves father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me”(Matthew 10: 37). By this, God does not keep you from loving your parents, bot from preferring them to God. The natural relationship, being of the blessings of God, it would not be unbefitting of us to love the gift more than the One who gave it.

 

(St. Ambrose)

 

 

 

+       When you deny an earthly father for the sake of your godliness toward Christ, you will acquire Him who is in heaven, as your Father; ……..And if you reject a brother, on account of that he reproaches God and does not serve Him, you will be received by Christ as your Brother.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Forsake,

your mother according to the flesh, and acquire the High mother, namely the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother (Galatians 4: 26). Behold, you will have a glorified and strong membership in the household of the saints; and, together with them you will become a heir to the inexpressible, and unperceivable gifts of God.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

St. Ambrose wonders why the Lord Christ said: “Five in one house will be divided three against two, and two against three” (52); when He mentioned six persons: (the father, the son, the mother, the daughter, the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law)?...... The answer came as such:

 

• The “mother” and the “mother-in-law” could be one and the same person; as the mother of the son could be the mother-in-law of his

 

• Presenting to us a symbolic interpretation, he says: The house is man as a whole, according to the saying of the apostle Peter: “You also as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2: 5). In this house, there are two dwellers -- the body and the soul, if they are on accord with one another in the name of Christ, the Lord who makes both one (Ephesians 2: 14); will be in their midst (Matthew 18: 19); for through this unity the body is enslaved in the service of the soul (1 Corinthians 9: 27). These two will stand against the three -- the perverted mind, the evil desire, and the angry

 

 

• He also sees that house as including five senses -- smell, touch, taste, sight, and hearing. If, through the sight and hearing, we could separate these two senses together, to be sanctified, to oppose the sinful pleasures of the flesh, through taste (covetousness), touch, and smell; the two, therefore are divided against

According to some, this house refers to the world as a whole; the two refer to the Jews and the Gentiles, who oppress the Christians who believe in the Holy Trinity.

 

The father who stands against his son, is the devil who set himself father of the heathens, to find out that his own son has forsaken him through receiving the Christian faith, to have a heavenly Father.

The mother who stands against her daughter, is the Jewish Synagogue, stirred up against the Church of the Gentiles, who accepted the unity with the heavenly Groom Jesus Christ, He who, having come as a Son of the Jews according to the flesh. It is as though the Jewish Synagogue was stirred up against its own daughter and daughter-in-law……… against the Church of Jewish origin, and against the Church of the Gentiles.

The daughter and the daughter-in-law rebelled against that synagogue (the mother and the mother-in-law); when the Church rejected the literal works of the Jewish law, like the circumcision, and the bodily washings and purifications.

 

 

 

(14) THE NEW FLOCK AND THE SPIRIT OF DISCERNMENT

 

 

As the new flock confront suffering to partake of the passion of their Groom, it is befitting of them to walk with wisdom; and to have the spirit of discernment.

 

 

“Then He also said to the multitudes, ‘Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, a shower is coming, and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, there will be hot weather, and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?” (54 – 56).

 

 

+       Here the Lord rebukes those who could discern the face of the sky, and are not able to reveal the time of faith; when the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

(St. Augustine)

 

+       Concentrating their attention on such matters, and through long experience, they could predict ahead the falling of rain, or the blowing of storms; something in which the sailors are experts. The Lord says that, it would good for those who could do such predictions, to concentrate their attention on important issues, as well…………What are these issues? ……… The law predicted ahead the secret of Christ, and revealed that He will shine at the end of time over the inhabitants of the earth, and will offer Himself a sacrifice for the salvation of all. If the law commanded to offer a lamb as a symbol of Christ at the evening time, when the lamps are lit; it is to make us understand that, when the world is about to come to an end, like the day, the great, precious, and indeed faithful passions will be realized; and the door of salvation will be opened wide before all who believe in Him; and will have their portion of an abundant happiness.

 

 

In the introduction of the Song of songs we find Christ call the bride, described in the book, to represent the Church, saying, “Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come” (Song 2: 10 – 12)…….. As I already said, a kind of the tranquility of the springtime dwells on those who believe in Him.

The blessed prophets, with several ways, prophesied, preaching the secret of Christ; something that no one could doubt.

According to the Lord, it was their duty, yes, it was their duty, having such understanding, and ability to discern the face of heaven and earth, to experience the things to come, and not to let the storms to come on this world, escape their notice; when the south wind will blow, and the rain will pour; ………It was befitting of them not to let the time of salvation escape their notice; namely, the coming of our Savior, to present to humanity the perfect knowledge of the Truth, and when the grace will shine to purify the wicked.

 

(St. Cyril the Great)

 

 

If, according to St. Cyril the Great, that was a warning from the Lord Christ to the Jews who cared for the prediction of the atmosphere, more than for the prophesies concerning His coming, and consequently fell under the rain of the divine wrath, and the fire of the punishment through their denial; we can, as well, consider the talk of the Lord Christ from another angle, which is that He wishes for His flock to bear the spirit of discernment, not to protect themselves against the disturbance of the atmosphere conditions, but to enjoy the heavenly spiritual atmosphere. For the rain, as we found out in our interpretation of several of the books of the prophets, symbolized the gift of the Holy Spirit. The early rain was the gift of the Spirit in the Old Testament, before the coming of Christ; whereas the late rain, which grants maturity to the plants, is the gift of the Spirit in the New Testament, sent by the Lord over

 

His Church on the day of the Pentecost, as an unceasing deposit, to be enjoyed by every member through the water of Baptism. …………….That rain that water the soul and turn it from barrenness to a fruitful paradise to the account of the Lord, dwelt on us through the clouds coming from the west, namely through the Lord Christ, who came to us through the human nature……………..The ‘heat’, on the other hand, refers to the fiery Spirit who kindles the heart, as we have seen in the same chapter (verse 49)……… We are in need of both the rain and the fire, namely of the water and the fire;

………both refer to the gift of the Spirit, particularly through the water of Baptism.

 

 

16-                THE NEW FLOCK AND THE FORGIVING LOVE:

 

 

The goal of “the spirit of discernment” is most probably for this flock to carry the spirit of forgiving love toward the faults of the others, to be worthy of bearing the feature of their heavenly Groom, the lover of mankind; hence He says:

 

 

“Yes, and why, even of yourselves; do you not judge what is right? When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart from there, till you have paid the very last mite” (57 – m59)

 

 

+       Let us now see who is that adversary with whom we must settle, lest he will deliver us to the judge ………If you err, the Word of God will be your adversary …………an adversary to your willo, until it comes to be the source of your salvation; ………. What a good and useful adversary!.......

It is our adversary as long as we are our own adversaries; Namely, as long as you are your own adversary, the Word of God will be your adversary. Be your own friend, to conform to the Word of God………….. The “way” is this life.

 

If you have a good will with your adversary, and settle with him; you will find a father instead of a judge; and instead of a tough officer, you will have an angel who carries you into the bosom of Abraham; and instead of the prison, you will find a paradise………… See how all things soon change on the way, in case you conform with your adversary!

(St. Augustine)

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