The King’s Victory When the king is enthroned it is essential for him to present for his people something appropriate for his kingly role. This is why there starts or open conflict against Satan for the account of this people .so they can be granted victory. He ……. Them away from Satan’s kingdom and establishes them as a kingdom of his own .The Lord gets into this battle for the sake of this people, and every triumph is only given for their account. 1-The Trial and Temptation 1-11 2-The leaving to Galilee12-17 3-The Calling of the Disciples18-22 4-Preaching and Work23-25 +++ 1-The Trial and Temptation : The temptation of the Lord Jesus occupies a major role in our salvation since it is part and parcel of God’s work in salvation. The evangelist spoke in detail making clear the times of the temptation, and the role of the Holy Spirit in it, as well as the place when the temptation took place, and who the tempter was ,the link between the temptation and fasting. The temptation is of three kinds; how you are attacked, and the way to overcome, and the fruits of that trial. Firstly; The time of the temptation; (Matt.4: 1)” Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wildness to be tempted by the devil”. The evangelist begins speaking about the temptation by the word ‘then’. It is as if the temptation is a normal matter, essential for the Lord to encounter in an open conflict with Satan, the ruler of the dark kingdom. Prior to that, the Lord had accepted to go into the baptism waters instead of us. He had opened the way to heaven, granting us the right of being the Father’s children in him. It is just like the kingdom of heaven offered us by our Messiah; our king has cost immensely. The issue did not end with his incarnation and his entering the baptism waters, but like moreover went into a long battle, one of its images, was seen in the temptation on the mount. It has also glittered in its perfection on the cross. We too, when we go into the baptism waters and wear Jesus Christ we are committed to entering the battle aroused by the darkness. Behind every grace from God is a spiritual war. As St. John Chrypostom says ‘Wherever Chris is present, there must be a spiritual war. The Lord Himself has opened the way of tribulation saying (Is. 63:3) ‘ I have trodden the wine press alone and from the peoples no one was with me. Each of us becomes zealous to climb with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the war land all by himself. There is no father or mother to support, he just carries in him the Lord Jesus the Conqueror who alone is able to fight with us and for us on the account of His kingdom in us. St. Paul apostle saw in the Lord a living example for every soul that enters into the tribulation wilderness. He is not though, or outer, far away example to follow, but he is rather luring example overpowering us with the capabilities of triumph. His capabilities are considered our own, for the soup https://coptic-treasures.com/ (Heb. 2: 17,18 ) therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement …….. for the sins of the people. Because He Himself was tested by what He suffered He is able to help those who are being tested.” The secret of the Lord’s victory is that He entered the tribulation conflict without Satan having a place in Him. Satan could not enter into Him or forcefully take what he has. F0r the Lord says (John 14:30) for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me. St. Paul the apostle also says (Heb. 4:15)”but we have one who is every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. +The Lord has given us but his example, how we can triumph as He did when tempted. Father Serapion +Jesus our leader. Allowed himself to be tempted so as to teach His children how to fight. St. Augustine +Since He is our interceptor, who helps us to overcome tribulation and has become our example. St. Augustine +Indeed, it is appropriate that He who has come to die instead of us, to also overcome our trial with His own. Father Gregory the Great Secondly: the Role of the Holy Spirit The evangelist says The Jesus was led us up by the Spirit into wilderness (Matt. 4:1). It is as if the Holy Spirit is the One that led Him to the battle. This was not haphazard, but rather to fulfill God’s plan, which gives pleasure to the Father and also the Son. He did not climb like one being led involuntarily. The Holy Spirit is only His Holy Spirit one in essence. What He does is only to fulfill the will of the Spirit, which is one with the Father’s will and the Son’s will. He did not climb up the wildness as one obliged to, of as a prisoner. He was rather led easily to the conflict St. Jerome +Satan went up to man (Adam) to tempt him but Satan cannot attack Jesus, it was Jesus who went up to him. St. John God’s love has urged the Lord Jesus to go to into conflict against Satan for our sake and account. In this way the Holy Sprit kindles the believers heart not only to bear the https://coptic-treasures.com/ temptation joyfully, ……….. by the Lord Jesus who dwells in him, but also to bend in love so as to consider the trials oh His bothers as His own. Their bondage is His and the moans over their weakness and suffers for every soul’s sake that is careless about the salvation way. After being a sign of God’s wroth, these tribulations have become a gift God allows for His children so they carry the victory that is Christ’s’ in them + Satan’s temptation are directed mostly aquarist those who have been sanctified, for he is all the more eager to obtain victory over the righteous. St. Hilary, bishop of Boitier. + It was not only Jesus who was led to the wildness bye the Spirit, but all the children of God as well, those filled with the Holy Spirit. They are not convinced of being slothful, but are urged by the Holy Spirit to do something great. They therefore go out to the wildness as if struggling with Satan where there are unjust deeds motivated by Satan. This is because all of the righteous ones are out of this world and body. They have no will that belongs to the world or to the body. They just go out to the wildness to be tempted. St. John Chryspostom ………….. God does not take away temptations, but He rather allows us to experience them. St. John …… gives us the following reasons: Firstly: To inform you that you have become of greater strength. Secondly: To keep you humble and not to be puffed up with your great gifts, since temptation has pressure on you. Thistly: Moreover, to make evil Satan be assured that with temptations you have absolutely left him, and you have escaped his grasp. Fourthly: By temptation you become more strengthened and harder than steel. Fifthly: To obtain a clear guide to the treasures promised you. Satan does not wish to fight you unless he sees you in greater honor. As an example of, at the beginning he attacked Adam, because he saw him in great honor. For the very same reason, Satan got prepared for the fight against Job because he saw him crowded in glory, praised by all. Father Tadros presents several reasons for God allowing those temptations to happen. One of which is for correcting us and making us more distinguished. It also could be because of certain sin we committed, or to reveal the glory of God, or may be as a sign of God’s punishment for us. a) So as to test them, as we have read about the righteous Abraham and Job, and other uncountable saints who have faced tribulations. b) For the sake of correction; when God disciplines those who are righteous on account of their simple involuntary sins and lapses. He wants to uplift to a greater to a greater level of purity. This is according to the words (Heb. 12:5-8) “ My child, no not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, and lose heart when you are punished by Him, for the Lord disciplines those who He loves, and chastises every child whom He accepts…for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not His children.” c) As a punishment for sin, as God threatened to do by inflicting the children of Israel with plaques and diseases (Deut. …32:24) “The teeth of beasts I will send against them, with venom ……of things crawling in the dust”. https://coptic-treasures.com/ d) Indeed, we find a fourth cause mentioned in the Holy Book, it is that the hardships boon lit ….. upon us are simply to reveal the glory of God and His deeds, as the Gospel says (John 9:3) “ Neither this man nor his parents sinned, he was born blind so that God’s work might be revealed in him.”. Also (John 11:4) “ This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for the glory of God so that the Son of God may be glorified through it”. e) There are others kind of inflictions that blight those who disregard the sinful ties in their life. We read about Dothan, Abiram ……, ….. and Koroh that were punished. Also about those spoken of by the apostle (Rom 1:26,28) “ …God gave them up to degrading passions ….God gave them up to a debased mind and to things …..that should not be done”. These are all considered deserving ….. punishment because they are not worthy to be healed by God’s care, the Giver of life. We may add to the previous justifications an important matter in the believer’s life, which is that temptation is a right and suitable climate for the crucified Messiah to be transfigured in the believers life. At the beginning of the temptation, Satan was doubtful about the personality of the Lord Jesus. He constantly asked the question “If you are the Son of God..”. But when the Lord overcome him, angels came to minister to Him, and Satan was expelled away from the face of the Messiah, not through words, but through deeds. As much as we go in conflict with the enemy, the Messiah is revealed, He who dwells in us, and declares His Kingdom in us. It is there that the angels serve us and Satan’s weakness is revealed before us, and also before the Lord Jesus who works in us. Indeed, what the wise Christian takes as blessings in a certain tribulation is not equal to what he obtains because of his worship for long years at relaxing times! The cross is the panorama for the crucified Messiah to appear in His Holy bride! Thirdly: The Place of the Tribulation: The Lord Jesus chose the wildness to be the site for the tribulation, in other words, it is the open battle filed between Him and Satan. The choice of this site offers us spiritual concepts that concern our life with God, among which are: a) According to the Jewish traditions, the devil and evil spirits are looked upon as to dwell in the wildness, barren places and graveyards…etc. It is as if the Lord Himself wished to face the battle with Satan on his own land, i.e. like someone in the lion’s den. When speaking of St. John the Baptist in the previous chapter we saw how he set out to preach in the wildness of Judea, forerunning to the Messiah, the King, the human nature as a barren wildness, so he would change it to paradise with the waters of His Holy Spirit. I can say that the battle field is in fact the ‘wildness of the human nature’, which has become barren and a homeland for the devils. The Lord entered it to take it away from those that Satan had possessed to establish his kingdom in it. In this way, every sinner realizes that the spiritual battle is not his own, but it is rather the battle of God with Satan. As for the sinner, he is only the site of the battle and its field; and if he hides behind the Messiah, he will overcome by Him. https://coptic-treasures.com/ b) The Lord was led up to the wildness to b tempted, declaring that wherever the person is in isolation, that is to say in the wildness, the devils get bold enough to fight him. But the Lord was not in inward isolation, since He never came to be separated from His Father and His Holy Spirit. He did not get isolated of humanity either, it was rather there in His heart. In other words, he was in isolation according to the body, outwardly, but not inwardly. This is why there was no place for the enemy in Him. Likewise, if we become isolated from God and people, Satan finds a dwelling for him in us. I mean the inward isolation; that is to say, lacking the love for God, and being a member in the spiritual church. Satan finds us all by ourselves and he overcomes us. But if we are in love unity with God and people, even if it is in apparent isolation, we shall overcome him. St. John Chryspostom ….. says, “Look where the Spirit leads Him; not to a city, or a public place, but to the wildness. In this way He lured the devil, giving him an opportunity not only by fasting but also by means of the site. It is at this point in particular, that Satan wrestles with deserted people left all by themselves. He did likewise with Eve at the beginning when he caught her all by herself, away from her man. When Satan seas us among others, all in one unity, he has not enough confidence to attack us. We are greatly in need of constantly assembling together so that we wouldn’t be exposed to Satan’s attacks.” Isolation at this point does not mean to be physically separated from others, but to be isolated in a heart filled with selfishness, a heart unable to enclose others within. This heart only asks for what concerns Him only, but not for others. As the wise one says (Prov. 18:1) “ The one who lives alone is self hen God reproached Israel for its evil, He said (Hosea 8:9) “For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild …. Wandering alone”. St. Jude describes the herectics (Jude 17,18) “ there will be scoffers, undulgring their own ungodly lusts. It is there wordly people, devoid of the Spirit…”. Fourthly: Who ois the Tempter? After the evangelist had confirmed that it was the Holy Spirit that led Him up to the wildness to be tempted, he made it clear that the tempter was Satan himself. In reek he is called ‘Diapholos’ i.e. the one to complain. He has no other work than to complain of us so as to stop God’s mercies from reaching us. He was also called Satan i.e. the one to resist. He is an opponent who never ceases to resist us, as the apostle says (1Pet. 5:8) “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” St. John Chryspostom …. Says, “Satan was desperate when he saw Jesus fasting for forty days. But when he saw Christ fasting …., he began to hope once more. ‘the tempter came to Him (Matt 4:3). You too, if you fast , and suffer from a certain temptation do not tell yourself ‘ I have lost the fruit of my fasting.’ Because if u fast, and are tempted, you will overcome that tribulation. Fifthly: The link between fasting and temptation: War begun with the beginning of the forty days fasting. As St. Luke the evangelist says (Luke 4:1,2) “ … and was led by the Spirit in wildness, where for forty days He was https://coptic-treasures.com/ tempted by the devil. It was severe when He got hungry. Hunger was like Satan’s luring to argue with Him. At the same time, fasting is the weapon the Lord provides to His believers to shield themselves during the spiritual battles, blended with prayer. The Lord was not in need of fasting, since there was no sin in Him. But He fasted so as to sanctify our fasting with His own. He encourages us to fast, just as a mother who tastes the medicine before her sick child so He, too, would drink it. + In your hunger, draw near to Him, so He would teach you the greatness of fasting, and how it is the strongest shield against Satan. It is necessary that after the baptism bowl, one has to fast, and not to go to luxury, eating and drinking. He fasted not because He needed to, but so as to teach us, without controlling your tummy, Adam was kicked out of paradise and the flood occurred in Noah’s time, and thunder befell Sodom. By committing adultery, there came the warning to control the tummy. This is what Ezekiel meant by saying (Ezek. 16:49) “ This was the guilt of your sister Sodom; she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease.” In this way also, the Jews indulged in their great evil by slipping into iniquity through their drinking and their indulgence,(Is . 5:11, 12). St. John Chryspostom ….. +When there is excessive conflict by the tempter, we have to fast, so that the body could perform the Christian duty in the war against the world passions. This is by repentance and urging the soul to triumph, all in modesty. St. Augustine Father Hillary, bishop of Boitier says, “ He hungered after forty days… This does not mean He was defeated as a result of asceticism, but rather in submission to the human law”. The 3ord has fasted for forty days, and the church likewise sanctifies this forty days fasting, since it has been sanctified by the Lord Himself. The church presents the issue of temptation’ at the beginning of the fasting reading to announce to its children that where there is struggle there comes war. And where war is, there must be spiritual struggle, through fasting and prayer. Why has the Lord hungered at the end of forty days? This is to confirm his humanity, for if he fasted more than Moses (ex. 24;18 ) or Elijah (1 kings 19:8 ) they would have through His shadow, not having a real body as we do. He hungered so as to give the chance to renew the war with Satan. St. John Chryspostom …………. says ’Satan became desperate when he saw Jesus fasting for forty days But when he saw Him hungry, hope begun to rise once more, and it was then that the tempter came up to Him.” As for the number ‘40’ this has a symbolic meaning. St. Augustine thinks number 40 implies number ‘10’ four times. Number 1’10’ points to our complete blessing, or to ‘knowledge’. Number ‘4’ points to ‘time’. Therefore the number 40 signifies the perfection of our time in a blessed life or a life full of knowledge. The number 4 points to time because the cycle of the year contains four seasons (summer, winter, autumn, spring ). The cycle of the day includes four hourly stages (dawn, noon, evening, nighttime) https://coptic-treasures.com/ The number 10 points to the completeness of knowledge and blessedness, for this includes the knowledge of the Creator (3) that is to say the Holy Trinity, in addition to His creation of man (number 7 = the soul according to the model of the Trinity + the body of the world – the four corners of the world). 10 (the perfection of the knowledge) = 3 (the knowledge of God) + 7 (the perfect knowledge of man) Moreover, the fasting of the Lord Jesus for forty days, signifies our commitment o abstinence all the days of our estranged life, so as to live a totally blessed life. Also, so as to have a sincere knowledge towards God and His creation. Father Gregory the great gives us another interpretation for number ‘4’. He says, “In this earthly dead body here are four elements. Through this same body we submit to the commandments of God and the commandments of the law given to us through the Ten Commandments. Through the bodily passion we have scored the Ten Commandments. Therefore it is only fair to discipline that very same body four times ten times”. Sixthly: The first temptation or the ‘bread’ temptation: (Matt. 4:3,4) “ The tempter came and said to Him, ” If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But He answered ‘It is written’ One does not live by read alone, but by every word that comes from the month of God.” The devil was confused when he saw He whom heavenly. Father spoke of saying’ This My beloved Son’ during the baptism to get hungry. He was bewildered about Him, and this is why in every temptation he wished to be assured He is the Son of the God, saying’ If you are the Son of God’. St. Jerome also says; Satan wished to know by means of these temptations if He were truly the Son of God. But our savior was very accurate in His answers, and left Satan skeptical. ‘Satan wished to use the same weapon he uses when the attacks humanity. It is the weapon of doubts about the Fatherhood of our God to us. About his care and protection to us. As for the Lord’s approving weapon \, it is the Word of God. In every temptation, relies on God’s written word sating ‘It is written’. In this way He carries us to Him as God’s word incarnate so we hide in Him, cling to the written word by which we condemn the devil himself. The apostle says (2Cor. 6;3) ‘Don’t t you know we shall judge angels?’ The first temptation was that of the bread, or the temptation of the ‘tummy …….’, a satisfied soul tramples even on honey. The enemy can not find a place inside us for himself, if our souls are filled with the Lord in a state of satisfaction and overflow. In this state we are similar to the life of angels, and the tummy ……. Has no power over us. + The first man yielded to the tummy ……. and therefore he was expelled from paradise to the valley of tears. St. Jerome + Just as the resurrection provides us with a life equal to that of the angels, those same angels have no food. This is enough to believe that man who lives according to the https://coptic-treasures.com/ rituals of angels will be liberated of this act ______ that of being enslaved to food and drink. St. Gregory El Neissy Be assured that the devil attacks the heart by means of filling up the tummy. Father John of Chryspostom Satan asked of him to change the stones into bread. But as t. says “the Savior decided to overcome Satan not by disposition (the changing of stones into bread) but by humility he also refused to change the stones into bread to declare that he who does not feed on God’s word does not live.” St. Jerom +Be master over your turnery before it over powers you, that who feed his greed, and hopes to overcome it by the spirit of vulgarity is similar to he who puts out fire by using oil. St. John Klimakos +Essayer, because of his greed, lost his prime hood and became his brother’s killer St John Chryspostom Seventhly: The Second temptation: on the pinnacle of the temple: (Matt. 4:5-7) “ Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the son of God, Throw yourself down, for it is written “He will command this angels concerning you and on their hands they will bear you up, lest you dear our foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, “Do not put the lord your God to the test.” Satan offers us his temptations in sweetly coated words that are full of poison. “This words are smoother than oil whereas they are sharpened swords. “ He uses the word of God after deviating it. In (Psalm 91:11,12) it says “For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.” This is a sign of God’s constant care of us. Satan used this to push the lord Jesus to tempt his Father. Also Satan wished to ruin his mission away from that if carrying the cross, and exposing his ability to ask the angels to protect him instead of passing through the life of suffering. St. Jerome says, “The devil interprets the written words wrongly. It was more appropriate for him to complete the same Psalm which is addressed against him that says you tread upon the serpents and scorpions and vanquish the lion and dragon. He speaks of the support of the angels as if they were weak and in need of help. But he is deceitful, for he never mentioned he would be trodden on by feet.” What is so bitter is that Satan struggles with the children of God in the holy city on the pinnacle of the temple. This is the very highest of the holy sites, and he actually never ceases to fight us whenever we may be. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Satan’s words to Jesus to throw himself down are commented in by St Jerome “there are constantly Satan’s words, for he wishes that downfall of all.” St. John Chrysolion was greatly touched as to how patient the Lord Jesus was ever in his dealing with Satan during the tribulation, He says, “Jesus did not deride him or rebel against him, but very greatly he talked with him for the second time out of the Holy Book. He teaches us how to overcome Satan not by miracle making, but by being tolerant and long suffering, and not to do anything with the aim of pride and vain glory.” Eighthly: Te third temptation: The easy way : (Matt. $:8-10) “again the devil took their to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, and the said to him ”all these I will give you, if you fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “ away with you Satan! For it is written “ worship the Lord you God, and serve only him.” Satan was called a liar, and a father to liars; he never ceases to deceive with his lies. This is his nature, which he cannot get rid of. He thought he was able to deceive the Lord by saying ‘All these I give You, and there is no need for the cross if only You worship me.’ These are the same blows the adversary uses against so many. He opens the quick feasible way to fulfill goals that seem successful and effective. But the Lord was not deceived, because He knows the real power of His Father, and what is His Father’s is only His own…He was in no need of anything. In this way the believer is aware of the richness of his heavenly Father, and his eyes are open to see he is an heir with Jesus. The adversary will not entice him in any way, however easy or quick or be it a fulfillment of xxxxx or any temporary honor of any sort. St. Jerome says “ He showed Him the transient glory of the world from the top of the mountain. But as for the Savior, He came down to the bottom places to overcome Satan in all humility.” St. Jerome also says, “ You are so proud and puffed up! Satan does not possess the entire world s to give his kingdoms away. But, rather, as you know it is God alone who grants the kingdom to so many. Anba Antonious thinks the words of the Lord ‘ Get away Satan’s is a grant offered by the words of the Lord’ Get away Satan’ is a grant offered by the Lord to His believers. They are able to speak of Jesus who dwells in them, the very same words in full authority. He therefore says “ Let Satan be put to shame by our means, because what the Lord says is said only for our sakes. When the devils hear these words from us, they flee away through the Lord who has rebuked them by these words.” These three temptations the Lord faced and overcame are the very same temptations that faced Adam and had met his downfall as a result, when he was in paradise. These are greed, vain glory, and covetousness. The adversary lured him to eat and fill his tummy, trough this was not allowed him, and to become he and his wife as God. Consequently he would obtain the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. What the first Adam fell into, the second Adam overcame. As the eternal glory will be ours through the last Adam. St. John Chryspostom thinks these three tribulations enfold all the rest of the other tribulations,” It seems to me that with reference to the major tribulations, this speaks of all the ordeals as they are included in it. This is because the leaders of evil, which are https://coptic-treasures.com/ countless, are these: to be enslaved to food and work for the sake of vain glory and to yield to the madness of riches.” The evangelist concluded his speaking of tribulations saying that Satan left Him and angels came to serve Him and minister to Him (Matt 4:11). St. Luke the evangelist says that Satan left Him for a while (Luke 4:13). War never ceases or gets peaceful. But with every victory the angels rejoice, and they come to us carrying this victory as a crown of glory which uplifts him to heaven for our eternal account. They serve us here, not in the bodily service, but in spiritual service. They therefore cherish us as our guards do. St. Jerome says, “ Tribulation comes prior to victory then the angels come to serve to make firm the……………. of the victorious ones”. St. John Chryspostom says, “ After your victories that spring up from His victories, the angels receive you as well, and praise you and serve like your guards would do, in every day”. Father Serinous speaks of the unceasing war of the devils against us, saying, “ The evil spirits fall in grief because they perish by our means, in the same way they desire our own perishing. But their defeat does not mean they will leave us alone with no return”. 2- His departure to Galilee. The lord Jesus departed to Galilee. He left Nazareth and came To live in Capernaum, by the sea, in the suburbs of Zebulon and Nephtali (Matt 4:14-16) “ so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ‘ Land of Zebulon, land of Nephtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’ The Galilee region is kind of circular and includes twenty cities that Solomon gave us gifts to Hiram, king of Sor. The Jews were rather few, and most of the inhabitants were Phoenicians, Greeks and Arabs. This is why it as been called the ‘Galilee’ of Nations, or Gentiles. The condition of this region reached its very worst level. Then the Lord Jesus came, the Teacher of humanity, the sun of righteousness who shines on those sitting in darkness, (Isaiah 9:1,2). As for Capernaum which means ‘the Comforter’, this is considered one of the most important regions in Galilee. It is a Roman citadel well xxxxxx fortified by Roman commanders. 3-The Calling of the Disciples: At the sea of Galilee the Lord called the two brothers Simon Peter and Andrew and also the other two brothers James and John, the sons of Zabadee. The sea of Galilee is a sweet water lake, 13 miles long. Galilee is on the west boundary, where the river Jordan pours its waters in the north. This is called Aenasseret and the sea of Tiberius. It derives its names from countries linked to it from various angels. From Galilee, where there is jet darkness, and a place scored and disregarded, Jesus called four of His disciples. They were fishermen, and as St. Paul says (1 Cov. 1:17) “ He chose the ignorant of the world to put to shame the wise ones”. Oregeurs, the xxxxx says, “ It seems to me that if Jesus had chosen some f the seemingly wise ones, of the ability to think and speak with the multitude, and if He had used them to preach His teachings, then https://coptic-treasures.com/ many would have doubted that He used similar ways as the philosophers who are leaders of a certain seet, and His teachings wouldn’t have seemed from God”. St. Jerome says, “ The first ones to be called to follow the Savior were illiterate fishermen. He sent them to preach so that no one relates the change of the believers to eloquence and knowledge, but rather to the work of God”. 4-Preaching and Work: When the Lord Jesus called his disciples to work in His kingdom, He wished to make clear that His message was not for an earthly kingdom, and neither was it to get rid of the Roman political burden as the Jews thought, but rather to liberate the heart of the power of sin so that He reigns over it.
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