THE FRIEND WHO UNCEASINGLY WORKS
In the last chapter we saw the Lord Christ open His heart to all, to embrace in His friendship the foreigners and the sinners ……… Now we see Him accompanied by several women “who provided for Him from their substance” (1 - 3). He, not only received the sinful woman, and commended her before the Pharisee, but cared to sanctify the talents of women and their possibilities as living members in His Holy Body. In His friendship we see Him not discerning between man and woman, but we see Him even not giving much weight to the physical relationship according to the flesh (19 - 21). Seeking the friendship with all, He unceasingly work for the sake of the disturbed (22 – 25), the rejected, and even the demon-possessed (26 – 29), purifies the defiled (43 – 48), and raises the dead .
|
1- The Lord cares for the service of women |
1 - 3 |
|
2- The Lord works as the sower (the parable of the sower) |
4 - 15 |
|
3- The Lord grants the light |
16 - 18 |
|
4- The Lord seeks all to be related to Him |
19 - 21 |
|
5- The Lord calms down the rage of the waves |
22 - 25 |
|
6- The Lord heals the demon-possessed man |
26 - 39 |
|
7- The Lord heals the woman with the flow of blood |
43 - 48 |
|
8- The Lord raises the daughter of Jairus |
49 – 56 |
- THE LORD CARES FOR THE SERVICE OF WOMEN:
“Now it came to pass afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with Him, and certain women….” (1, 2)
After the banquet of Simon the Pharisee, that referred to the appearance of the Lord Christ in the midst of the Jews -- His own (the house of Simon); whom He denied Himself, because of the pride of their hearts, for His friendship to be taken by force by the Gentiles (the woman sinner), through her love springing from a humble heart; The Lord Christ departed from Capernaum to preach in every city and village, and with Him were the twelve disciples and certain women; It is as though He set forth to the world through His Church to proclaim His kingdom.
We should pause a little to notice that John the Baptist had previously preached that the kingdom of God is close at hand; But here, the Lord Christ came to present the kingdom as already dwelling in our midst, saying: ““Indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17: 21).
He set forth to work, and with Him were the twelve and certain women, on which the Evangelist Luke concentrated saying;
“And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities – Mary, called ‘Magdalene’, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance” (2, 3)
In the introduction we said the Evangelist Luke, writing the gospel according to him, to the Greeks, concentrated on the Lord’s care for the service of women. In the text before us we notice the following:
- The company of those women was set upon their experience of the salvation work; for some of them were healed of evil spirits and infirmities; and some others tasted the sweetness of the word of God. That company lasted long, for those women followed the Lord even until the momentsof the cross; and certain of them preceded the disciples in the moments of the burial, to become preachers of the resurrection. Then they kept company with the disciples in their worship, and together with them enjoyed the feast of ‘Pentecost’, as it came in the book of
Anyway, if the old covenant did not utterly disregard the role of women, the new covenant, on the other hand, raised her status, according to the prophecy saying: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy (Joel 3:28). The Church looks at women and girls as members in the body of Christ, fellow partners together with men; their hearts are altars for the Lord, and a temple for the Holy Spirit.
- Their service for the Lord was not temporary, for the expression “were serving Him” implies the continuation of work
- Having become poor for our sake to make us rich, the Creator Lord did not object to be sustained by It is indeed a sign of an exalted love for the Satisfier of the souls and bodies to accept to be served by the weak human hands.
- THE LORD WORKS AS A SOWER (The parable of the Sower):
As a true Friend, the Lord Christ likens Himself to a sower who never cease to sow the seeds of His love on every soil, in the hope that they would receive them to grow and produce fruition without any obstacle, as unceasing fruition of love. We have already talked about this parable, together with some comments by many fathers, in our interpretation of the gospel according to Matthew (13: 10), and the gospel according to Mark (4: 2). I shall here only include the following points:
- According to Father ‘Theophlactius’, Bishop of Bulgaria (765 – 840 AD): [The Lord Christ used parables to draw the attention of His listeners; for people were used to be drawn to vague issues; and at the same time, to keep them vague for the unworthy, namely those who do not care of the salvation of their souls
- Our heavenly Friend came, not to condemn humanity, but to sow her hearts with exalted He came to sow the seeds by Himself, when He, Himself is the seeds sown in the heart. Generously granting us Himself, He does not present outside seeds as men of the old covenant used to do; But being a lover of all, He presented Himself, even if we are a way paved with stones and thorns................................ According to Father‘Theophlactius’, the Son of God does not cease to sow the
seeds of the Word of God in our souls, not only as a Teacher, but as a Creator, by throwing the good seeds in us].
St. Gregory the Nezianzen confirms that the different kinds of soils, as it came in this parable, do not mean the existence of different and unchangeable human types, as claimed by some heretics, counting man as being driven forth (against his will) by nature; But the expression said by the Lord “To you it has been given” (10) came to proclaim that this parable was given to those who have free will, and could enjoy change in the Lord.
- THE LORD GRANTS THE LIGHT:
The Lord throws Himself as seeds that work inside our hearts, for the fruition of the Holy Spirit to be shown in us, to be light for the others; saying:
“ No one , when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light” (16, 17).
As we have already commented on these divine phrases in our interpretation of the gospel according to Mathew (5: 15) and the gospel according to Mark (4: 21), Here, we shall only include the following points:
- What is the lighted lamp, but the heart kindled by the fire of the Holy Spirit, we have got in the sacraments of Baptism and ‘Meron’; the fiery Spirit who makes us ministers of God, kindled with fire. The Lord confirmed “I come to send fire on earth” (Luke 12: 49). He set the fire in our inner life, which will remain enflamed in us if we respond to the work of the Holy Spirit of God, to be counted as lighted lamps. But if we cover it with a vessel, or put it under a bed, instead of setting it on a lampstand, we would lose this light… Hence the apostle says: “Do not quench the spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5: 17).
If the apostle called the body “an earthen vessel” that carries the power of God in it, as an excellent treasure (2 Corinthians 4: 7); hiding that lamp inside the vessel implies isolating the work of the Spirit through the evil desires of the body, instead of sanctifying the body by the fire of the Spirit. In other words, I wish we do not hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in us through the works of the body; but have the body with all its energies and senses sanctified by the fire of the Spirit.
If the vessel represents the body; the bed represents the life of sleep and slothfulness; for nothing would corrupt our spiritual life like slothfulness and laziness. In other words, I wish we do not quench the holy fire in us through the bed of negligence and slothfulness, but rather respond to Him through watching and strife.
The lampstand, refers to the life of preaching and testimony to the Truth; for the light in us would shine more through the spiritual ministry and the testimony to the crucified Lord.
- What is the secret that will be revealed, and the hidden that will be known and proclaimed, but the life of the Lord Christ Himself, which He presents as seed inside us; to be planted, to grow to become a tree of life that would fill the heart with heavenly spiritual fruition that could never be hidden. The Lord Christ is proclaimed in us through our inner life, of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness”(Galatians 5: 22); which are translated through our apparent
behavior and movements! For what we receive through our secret life and personal worship, will be proclaimed through our behavior.
- The Lord Christ presents to us, as a main principle in our spiritual life: ““Whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him” (18), which we may call “The dynamics of the fellowship with God in His Son”; namely that if we are faithful, we would receive “the life of Christ in us”; for this life would never stand idle or hard, but will perpetually grow in ……Having“The life in Christ in us”, He would give us the perpetual growth, hoping that we would eventually reach the full stature ofChrist;.................................................................................................................................................. Christ would grant us what is
His, to become our own, as live seeds that give fruition in us, and the growth that unceasingly increase….......... Whereas
“Whoever does not have”; namely whoever does not receive the work of God in him, even what he assumes to have of natural talents and inherited blessings, would all be taken away from him.
In other words, our life in Christ is dynamic and never stops; and so is evil. Whoever responds to the Lord, would unceasingly grow; and whoever receives evil would continue to roll down.
- THE LORD SEEKS ALL TO BE RELATED TO HIM:
If the Lord Christ, as a True Friend, unceasingly works in us, the Evangelist Luke intended to show the level of His friendship as close to the physical or flesh relationship; for He wishes for all of us to be His relatives, members in His heavenly household. When He was told that His mother and brothers came seeking Him and could not approach Him because of the crowd, He answered and said:
“My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it” (21)
By that the Lord Christ did not mean to belittle the familial relationships; but, while He so loves His mother, and cares for her, even in the moments He wascrucified; He intends to lift us up to a relationship on the level of uniting with Him, not only as listeners to the Word, but as workers by it as well (See the interpretation of the gospel according to Mathew 12: 46; and the gospel according to Mark 3: 21).
+ The Lord did not say that, as though he denies his mother, but rather to proclaim her honor, which is set, on only on having given birth to Him, but on her enjoyment of every virtue.
(Father Theophlactius, Bishop of Bulgaria)
+ You should notice that, in every occasion, He did not deny the relationship according to the flesh, but added to it what are through virtue.
(St. John Chrysostom)
+ It is befitting of the Lord, as a Teacher, to present Himself as a Role Model to others. He commands and executes what He commands While saying that “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:
37; Luke 14:26) He intended to be the first to obey this commandment, not to oppose the honor befitting to be given to the father and the mother; having said before: “Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt” (Deuteronomy 2716; Exodus 20: 12); but He knows that “He must be about His Father’s business” (2: 49), more
than about His emotions toward His mother; Namely, to Him the bonds of the Spirit are more holy than those of the flesh.
Those who sought Jesus should not stay outside; for the Word, you hear from within, so also you see the light; hence it is said: “The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart that you may do it” (Deuteronomy 30: 14; Romans 11: 8); and it is said, “Come close to Me to beenlightened” If He did not know His relatives according to the flesh who
remained outside, how would He know us if we so remain?!
The Lord Christ could never deny His own mother; for He cared for her while on the cross (John 19: 26); but He intended to honor the divine commandments more than the bonds according to the flesh........................................................................................................................ By His relatives, Christ refers
that, He will put the Church that believed in Him ahead of the Jews, from whom He came according to the flesh.
(St. Ambrose)
- THE LORD CALMS DOWN THE RAGE OF THE WAVES:
Now, having showed His friendship, working unceasingly to bring all into a relationship with Him, through keeping and practicing the commandment, He started to show His authority on nature, giving command to the wind and water to be instantly obeyed, He
proclaims His possibility to work in us, even in case nature seems un-cooperating. He has the authority to enter into our hearts, as He did into the boat, to calm down the raging storms, and to set His exalted peace (See the interpretation of the gospel according to Matthew 8: 23; and of the gospel according to Mark 4: 35)
“Now it happened on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples, and He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side of the lake’, And they launched out” (22)
While His relatives according to the flesh remained outside, He departed from the location, and set forth, together with His disciples in a boat, crossing over to the other side of the lake. It is a symbolic portrait of the divine work, when the Jews, His own, remained outside, and He, together with His disciples, through His Church or His cross (the boat) set forth to the Gentiles, the other side of
the lake of this world................. Up till now, the Lord Christ perpetually, works through His disciples in His Church, longing for the
renewal of the life of all.
“But as they sailed, He fell asleep; and a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were i jeopardy” (23)
This is the first time it is said that the Lord “fell asleep”; by which the Evangelist intended to confirm the truth of His incarnation, that he ate, drank, slept, and suffered, etc. The expression “fell asleep” probably refers to (feeling comfortable); for entering together with His disciples into the boat of ministry, he feels comfort in them. The expression “fell asleep”, here probably also refers to that when the boat of our ministry encounters a windstorm, and it is filling with water; while the Lord seems fallen asleep, not caring that we are perishing; even though He is the Almighty, and everything happening is through Hispermission............................................................................................................... His sleep is nothing
but postponing His waking up to mute the tribulations; to give us the chance to strive by His grace, and to cry out seeking His help; that by Him we would conquer and be crowned.
According to St. John Chrysostom: [The Lord has fallen asleep to give His disciples the chance to discover their fear, and that He is there to deal with it in them]. Whereas, St. Augustine sees in the sleep of the Lord a symbol of the sleep of our faith in Him inside us; for “by faith the Lord Christ dwells in our hearts” (Ephesians 3: 17). If this faith falls asleep, and the rage of the storms is stirred up against us, there would be urgent need to wake Him up by our cry out, namely by remembering His words of activity in our life.
Commenting on the Lord falling asleep while crossing over the lake, St. Ambrose says:
[No one can cross over this world without Christ..................... If those with whom is the Lord Christ, find difficulties in encountering the
temptations of life;…......... And if the Lord dealt that way with His own disciples; it would be to make you perceive that no one who
forsakes this world to worship Him, and the temptations of life would not stand in his way to hinder him; so that in him the work of faith would be justified.
If even the experienced sailors may face such danger in the windstorms, to whom shall we resort except to Him about whom it is written:
“Then He arose and rebuked the wind” (24).
Fallen asleep with the body, He cared for them with His Godhead. Everyone was afraid, and He alone was sound asleep
undisturbed……. He partakes, not only of our nature, but is there in our midst in the time of danger, even if He seems to be asleep in the flesh, for He is awake with His Godhead.
Being worthy of reproach, He said to His disciples: “O you, of little faith” (Matthew 8: 26; 14: 31); for they had fear even though Jesus was with them. They did not perceive that whoever abides in Him would never perish. The Lord brought faith back to them, when he restored peace, and calmed down the waves andthe winds; to (whom) the archangel Michael said: “The Lord rebuke
you” (Jude 9).
When the Lord rebukes the stirred up storms in us, we would never fear death, but the disturbance of our life would calm down. I wish we watch, lest we see Him fall asleep in us; when our body is overcome by the sleep of slothfulness].
- THE LORD HEALS THE DEMON-POSSESSED MAN:
We have previously presented the comments of many of the fathers of the Church on the healing of the demon-possessed man of
the country of the ‘Gadarenes’ which is opposite Galilee. (interpretation of Mathew 8: 28; Mark 5: 1). What we want to confirm here, is that the Evangelist Luke presents the Person of the Savior as a Friend who works unceasingly for the sake of one man or two,………… even if they are out of their mind, demon-possessed, and dwelling in the tombs; even if healing them would
lead to the perdition of thousands of swine, or to being Himself driven out of the country................ Yet that was how the Lord Christ
evaluates the human soul; how He works in her whatever the cost is; ready to comfort her at the expense of His creation, and at the expense of how many would feel toward Him.
Who was that man who was demon-possessed for a long time, wore no clothes, lived in the tombs, kept under guard and bound in chains andshackles?! He represents humanity who remained for a long time enslaved by the devil, bound by the chains of
sin, and the shackles of evil,.................... had no strength to work to the account of the kingdom of God, to be edified, nor to think
about the heavenlies; ……………bared of the garment of the divine grace; and harms herself by herself;..................... She who came
to dwell out of the city, out of the paradise which was set specially for her; to be denied the dwelling with God in His true sanctuary; to be driven out into the wilderness, as she does not endure the life of love, and the fellowship with God and men.
Commenting on that man, St. Ambrose says:
[The naked man is he who lost the garment of his (early) nature, and his virtue.
The demon-possessed man refers to the Gentiles, as they were covered with transgressions, and naked by their ignorance; whom iniquities took off hisclothes St. Matthew cared to mention that he dwelt in the tombs; for the bodies of un-believers are
nothing but some kinds of tombs in which the dead souls are buried, for not having the Word of the Lord dwelling in them.
“He set forth to the wilderness”, namely to the places barren of the virtues of the Spirit, dwelt by those who went astray from the law, and from the prophets, and were consequently rejected by the grace….......................................................................................................................... He was tormented, not by a single demon, but by a
legion of them].
So it was, as humanity became a toy in the hand, not of one demon, but of many, to play with in turn to humiliate her. Then the Lord came out to liberate her from that enemy, to give her back her royal attire and the divine dwelling place; to grant her reason, wisdom, and fellowship with Him.
Counting that the salvation of man by the Lord’s hand, is perdition to him, the enemy, finding pleasure in our suffering, and torment in our salvation; says: “I beg You not to torment me” (28); for he probably perceived that at the ultimate end of the salvation work, he will fall under judgment, for his cup would be full to the rim.
Anyway, even in spite of the violence and cruelty shown by the devil, as apparent in the way of life of that demon-possessed man before he was healed, and in the herd of swine that perished; yet, before the Lord, he, according to St. John Chrysostom, could not enter into one swine, unless allowed to do by the Lord.
I wish we, in our spiritual life, would not be like “a sow, wallowing in the mire of sin, lest we would be swept by the enemy, down to the pit, to drown and to perish.
Finally, the man who was healed, seeking from the Lord to let him stay in His company, the Lord answered him: “Return to your own house ad tell what great things God has done for You” (39).
According to St. John Chrysostom: [Let us retreat from all the world things, and dedicate ourselves to Christ, to be counted equal to the apostles – according to His proclamation – and to enjoy the eternal life]...................................................................................................................................... In other words, I wish we do not care for the
outer appearances, but retreat to our new house, namely to “our life with Christ”, to practice our right in worship and testimony, for God to be glorified in us, and His works to appear as light on the world.
- THE LORD HEALS THE WOMAN WITH THE FLOW OF BLOOD:
We have already talked about that episode in our interpretation of the gospel of Matthew 9: 18, and the gospel of Mark 5: 22; But we would like to draw the attention here to that healing that woman came on the way between the Lord’s encounter with Jairus, and raising his daughter from the dead While on Hisway to Jairus’ house; which was for a specific goal, to show that Jairus,
even though he was the ruler of the synagogue, but his faith was weaker than that of the pagan Roman centurion; for the former asked the Lord to come to his house to heal his daughter who was dying; whereas the later had faith that the Lord is able to heal his servant from afar by uttering just a word, and therefore, there was no need to trouble Him to come to his house, particularly that he felt unworthy for Him to enter under his roof.
Yet, it is obvious that with Jairus’ heart, being so disturbed, and as the situation was so critical, he was anxious for the Lord to hasten to go to his house before his daughter dies; taking into consideration, as well, that he did not believe in the raising from the dead. …………Who can imagine how he felt when the Lord stopped the whole procession to say: “Who touched Me?” (45)……….
But by that, the Lord had the intention to give Jairus a lesson in faith, by showing to him how an unknown foreign woman took the divine power by force through only touching the hem of his robe, and got what the multitudes have not; and proclaiming to him the possibility to enjoy the work and power of the Messiah.
Most probably, while setting forth to the house of Jairus, the Lord intended to give him, as well as to the multitude, a lesson in “His active Friendship”; namely, that while caring for the ruler of the synagogue, He did not disregard an unknown foreign woman, defiled by her flow of blood, according to the law; to show how He works to the account of all, and for the sake of all.
We showed how He is the Friend who unceasingly works to the account of the ruler of the synagogue who came to beg Him to come to his house to heal his daughter, and at the same time to the account of an unknownwoman;....................................................................................................................................... how He works publicly
by setting forth to Jairus’ house, and in secret , saying:
“Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out of Me” (46).
On another aspect, He intended to confirm that there is no specific time for work, but all His time is dedicated for work; by healing, while on the way to heal.
That woman who, even though, has lost hope in the human hands (she spent all her money on physicians), did not lose her trust and faith in the Savior; and by touching his robe she got what the multitude who thronged and pressed Him have not. Intending
to be glorified in her, the Lord proclaimed that He perceived that power has gone out of Him.
“Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately” (47)
The Lord did not mean to rebuke, but rather to justify her, as she came to represent the Church that bears the fear of God, worship in truth, and testifies to the work of her Christ.
Before such a scene that drew the hearts of all, the Greatest Friend flooded her with more of His love by saying:
“Daughter! Be of good cheer, your faith has made you well; Go in peace” (48)
She had faith, and He increased her faith more and more, by saying to her “Be of good cheer”; for faith is a gift from God to whoever seeks it; so is the increase in faith for whoever practices faith........................................................................................................................... He grants us faith if we seek it from Him, and increases it if we
kindle what He gave us.
Beside granting her the increase of faith, He also proclaimed giving her the gift of “Sonhood” by addressing her: “Daughter”; a gift that surpasses every other gift or talent… While she believed, got, and glorified Him by her faith, He, in turn, glorified her by
saying: “Your faith had made you well”................. And finally, He gave her the gift of spiritual peace, by saying to her: “Go in
peace”................... How amazing: How He, as a Friend, cared for healing her body, and for her soul by giving her peace, and for her
spirit, by granting her to become a daughter partaking of His heavenly glories.
- RAISING THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS:
After having been much disturbed at first for fear that the delay would cost him his daughter’s life, Jairus, Watching that scene, became filled with faith; the woman with the flow of blood became a teacher for the ruler of the synagogue on the way to faith.
Yet the Lord, intending to increase Jairus’ faith more and more, allowed for him to pass through a more bitter anguish; as:
“someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him: ‘your daughter is dead, Do not trouble the
Teacher’”(49); But before uttering a word, he heard the Lord saying to him: “Do not be afraid, only believe; and she will be made well” (50).
We have already talked about raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead in our interpretation of the gospel according to Matthew 9, and of the gospel according to Mark 5.