The Concepts of the New Kingdom After speaking of the rejection by some people of the new kingdom, and the acceptance by some simple hearted ones, Jesus began to speak of the concepts of this kingdom. This concerns the Sabbath worship, the humble demeanor, the struggle against the demons and salvation. 1. The Concept of the new Sabbath 1 – 13 2. The Precious Humility 14 – 21 3. Overcoming the devil 22 – 37 4. The concept of the Verse 38 – 45 5. Our Unity with Him 46 – 50 + + + 1. The Concept of the New Sabbath: The Sabbath was of particular importance to the Jews. They understood it in the literal sense that was fatal indeed. This why the Lord spoke of the new spiritual concept for the Sabbath. We have talked the Sabbath issue more than once in previous places. The Lord allowed his disciples to pick up corn ears and eat. This provoked the Pharisees; for the evangelist says (Matt 12:1,2) “At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.’” The law permitted picking heads of grain that belonged to others. (Deut 23:25) “When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, you array pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.” Because of love, God allowed man when hungry to pluck the heads of grain to eat. But he does not exploit love and use the sickle. This is why the Pharisees did not object to the mere plucking, but rather because of its being done on the Sabbath. They considered this a kind of harvesting and sowing, both of which forbidden on the Sabbath. The Lord wished to uplift them above the literal concept of the Sabbath, revealing to them that even on the Sabbath, God allowed things, even if apparently literal and forbidden. Among these: Firstly: King David the prophet and what he did (Matt 12:3,4) “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: How he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for hi to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?” The showbread eating was only allowed for the priests alone (Lev 24:5-9) King David the prophet is considered, literally speaking, to have broken the law (1 Sam 21:1-6). But God does not look upon the outer apparent https://coptic-treasures.com/ deed, but rather upon the aim of the inner heart. David was not easy in disregarding the law, but there was no other alternative for him. So he, and those with him, were not regarded as breakers of the law. Secondly: The priests’ attitude (Matt 12:5) “Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is one greater than the temple.” The priests in the Old Testament did not stop work on the Sabbath; it rather increased, because of the oblations and sacrifices, and the presence of a lot of worshipers. They did chores that if performed by others out of the temple, were considered defiling the Sabbath. Because of the honor of the temple, and the fulfillment of its mission, these people did not stop their work. If they did so, this would be considered negligence on their part for the right of the temple. This concerns the old temple. Well, what if the Lord himself, the dweller of the temple, has come down to earth? Will not our real Sabbath become the constant work for the account of the Lord of the temple? So, the Sabbath is not physical rest, springing up from work cessation, it is rather rest that springs up from our constant work with Christ Jesus our Lord, the God of the temple, and the mystery of our rest. Thirdly: what was mentioned in (Hosea 6:6) tells us “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” (Matt 12:7,8) “But if you had know what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” The Lord has founded the roots of the spiritual concept of worship and rituals in the Old Testament (Hosea 6:6) “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than sacrifices.” Sacrifice, are of great importance to God’s people; and yet God does not want the outward appearances. He wants what the sacrifice carries such as the mystery of love and mercy. Likewise, if the carrying out of the commandment of keeping the Sabbath as a sacrifice for God’s obedience so does God want the core of this obedience, which is the love and the mercy. Thus, the Lord Jesus did not break the Sabbath, he rather sanctified it by saying about himself he is ‘Lord of the Sabbath.’ Thus is similar to God’s pleasure when he says about himself “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Likewise he calls himself “The Lord of the Sabbath.” By saying so, he does not break the Sabbath commandment, but he rather reveals its depth. Indeed, the Old Testament stressed keeping the Sabbath is extreme accuracy. When the people found a man hewing rocks in the wilderness on a Sabbath, a divine decree was issued to Moses (Numbers 15:35) “The man must surely he put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” We spoke earlier of the importance of the Sabbath, and the crossing to Christ himself as the mystery of our real Sabbath. In it the Father is relieved regarding us, and we rest in it regarding the Father. https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. John Chrysostom says, “For real, the Sabbath fulfilled many useful beneficiaries,. For instance, it makes them kinder to the labors in their homes, showing them a humane spirit. It also taught them God’s care for his creation as mentioned in Ezekiel 20:21. Moreover, they have been gradually trained to avoiding evil, convincing them of the importance of spiritualities.” The Sabbath was the weekly feast they celebrated, to make them cross over to the real spiritual relief. As St. John Chrysostom says, “Keep the feast constantly, and make no evil pay this is the feast. Let our spiritual affairs be strong. Leave the earthly affairs so as to be blessed with the spiritual rest. Avoid all deeds of covetousness as the Jewish people did, by drawing themselves away from the sufferings inflicted upon them when in Egypt.” The old Sabbath according to St. John Chrysostom is to stop work, as if it were a bberation from the work of bondage the people suffered from in the olden times when in Egypt. It is a withdrawal from labor chores, or a constant exit. As for the new Sabbath, it is entrance to the Promised Land, and obtaining the divine promises of God. It is not only a cessation of the bondage labor, but it is also practicing the spiritual work in the land of Canaan. This is why he says, “We are committed not only to depart from Egypt (symbolic) but also to enter the Promised Land.” As for the action of the disciples, they have crossed over the heavenly plants in the new Sabbath. They have plucked ‘Christ’ the real head again as a heavenly food, which satisfies the soul, and supports it. What they did was in the name of the entire church, where it enters with the Holy Spirit to God’s alter, to accept the head grain of the ‘Eucharist’. It is a gift from god on which it feeds so as to reach perfection, and be ready for Jesus Christ, the eternal groom. The Lord wished to stress this spiritual concept of the Sabbath, by healing the withered hand on the Sabbath. It is not only the disciples that worked on the Sabbath, by plucking the heads of grain, and be blessed with rest when eating from the Eucharist grain, but also the Lord himself when he worked and found his rest in offering his divine love to us. This is to change the withered human nature to a source of constant work. It is as if on the Sabbath, man finds rest in God, and God finds rest in us. God is the One to grant healing, and transforms withering into life. Man accepts this so he may work with a new potential, and he does not come to a stop. The Jews in their literacy avoid work on the Sabbath, even when they are to defend themselves, their country or their family. Antigious seized this opportunity, and so he fought them and destroyed so many of them (1 Kings 2:31-38). We should not be surprised if we see some of the fanatics asking him (Matt 12:10) “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” This question was not posed for the sake of knowledge, but rather to make fun of his actions, and accusing him. But he answered them not as a defense for himself, but rather to take them with him for the knowledge of his kingdom. He spoke to them gently to arouse their compassion and tenderness, for he said (Matt 12:11,12) “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” It is said that the ruler of the syndicate https://coptic-treasures.com/ had a sheep that had fallen into a pit on the same day, and it was raised. It is as if the Lord wished to put him to same, declaring to him that man is of more value than a sheep. 2. The Precious Modesty or Humility: (Matt 12:14-17) “Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew from there. And a great multitude followed him, and he healed them all. Yet he warned them not to make him known.” In their envy, they wished to destroy him, but they actually destroyed themselves. They deprived themselves of him, for he departed from there. Hence, they were deprived of ‘life.’ In this way, when the heart is filled with envy, the Lord cannot stand staying there he leaves it for his own destruction. St. John Chrysostom comments on their attitude, saying “You do not harm the one you envy, but you only stab your inner self with the sword.” When Joseph’s brothers envied him, he was exalted, but as for them, they lost their peace. Father Ephrata speaks about envy, saying ‘Envy occurs between husbands and their wives, and so the children follow as disobedient to their parents! Because of envy, man kills his brother with his tongue, and he drags another mercilessly.’ This killing, and this perishing, actually regresses on the one who envies, because he bosses God’s grace and the heavenly peace. St. Basilious the great says, “There is nothing of more destruction to the soul than the pair of envy. It does not harm other, yet its evil impact reaches in particular the soul that receives it. Just as rust ruins iron, likewise envy ruins the soul it dwells in, and it absolutely destroys it. It is said that serpents are delivered by eating up its mother’s entrails. Likewise does envy devour the soul that gave it birth. Envy is suffering that springs up form the success of others. This is why the one who envies does not live without pain, and his mental depression does not leave him.” The flames of envy were kindled in the hearts of the Pharisees, and thus they wished to kill Jesus Christ. As is his attitude, he did not face evil to resist it, but “He departed from there.” By doing so he presented to us a living constitution in facing the evil of others to us, which is to go away from it as much as can. This is what we saw happing in the escape from the land of Egypt, and when speaking to his disciples (Matt 10:23). The Lord asked his disciples to depart form the city they are expelled from, and not to face those who disturb them. Pope Athanasios the apostolic defended his escape from the face of the Arisites. In the laws of St. Peter the last of the martyrs, it was mentioned it is not appropriate to provoke those who resist, so the fire of hardship would not be kindled. He says, “Maybe they do not know that the Lord of the house, and our greatest teacher, he withdrew far away, so many times from those who wished to entrap him. Sometimes he would not walk openly because of them, and in the time of his suffering, he withdrew. He did not hand himself over to them, because he expected their coming to him with swords and rods. He told them (Matt 26:55) “Have you come out, as https://coptic-treasures.com/ against a robber, with swords and clubs to take me?” They ‘handed’ him to Pilate (Matt 27:2), what happened to him was repeated with his disciples who followed his example. They recalled his divine words he said to make them firm in time of persecution, saying (Matt 10:17) “But between of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.” He says they will deliver us up, not that we deliver ourselves up. You will be let before rulers and kings for my sake; it is not you who will leak yourselves. He wishes us to go from one place to the other where those who persecute us are, and this is because of his name.” The Lord Jesus faced the uprising of the evil ones, and their wish to destroy him, by departing from that place of evil; he did not wish to rest, but he rather wished to offer love to all in his incessant work. He poured out his compassion and tenderness on all. He worked in humility, taking care of every soul, however wrecked it may be, and of whatever nationality. The evangelist says, (Matt 12:15-21) “And great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. Yet he warned them not to make him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying, ‘Behold! My servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased! I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench, till he sends forth justice to victory, and in his name the Gentiles will trust.” In this way the evangelist concentrates on the prophecy of Isaiah the prophet, that has been fulfilled in the person of the Messiah. He confirms to us that: A) The Chosen One to fulfill the Salvation. B) In Him, the Father is pleased with us. C) The desire and hope of the Gentiles. D) With Humility he grants Victory. E) He is patient with the Weak. The Father says about he Messiah the Savior “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.” The Father has chosen his only begotten Son to fulfill the salvation. He declared the perfection of divine love; we thus enter into him and obtain the membership in his body. Therefore we, too, become chosen by the Father, the center of his love and pleasure! St. Paul the apostle says, (Eph 1:3-5) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, recording to the good pleasure of his will.” In other words, the Lord Jesus does not resist evil, but he overcomes it with goodness. He offers his love instead of their envy and hatred. Therefore we, too, when we accept being united with his father in him, we appear as God’s chosen ones. We stand before the Father blamelessly, carrying the holiness of Christ since we are members in his body that in blameless and sanctified. The Father thus, calls us his children https://coptic-treasures.com/ according to our firmness in his only begotten Son. He is pleased with us because we love him, and in us his good will has been fulfilled. If the Father calls his only Son “My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,” therefore he, who finds a place in the Son, will hear these divine words addressed to him personally, and in hence considered God’s lover. He says, “I put my Spirit on him, and he informs the Gentiles of the truth.” Who is the Spirit of the Father other than the Spirit of the Son? The Father has sent his Holy Spirit on St. May to prepare the incarnation miracle of God. He sent his Holy Spirit to ascend with him to the mount, to enter the decisive fight with Satan on the tribulation mountain. It is the Spirit of the Son who will never be separated from him. From the very beginning, he is from the Father and dwells in him! Here, he is offering us his Holy Spirit, after the redemption has been fulfilled, and he has ascended on the right land of the supremacy, so we could carry the mission of Christ himself, “informing the Gentiles of the truth.” Through the cross, the Lord has been declared in the truth. He offered the perfection of God’s love to humanity. He paid the price of our sins, till the very last penny. What remains for us to do is to work in his Spirit, to testify to the truth that was given to us by the only begotten Son! No one can inform us of the truth in its completion, except the crucified Son. The work of the church, therefore, in its preaching, is to present Christ himself, by the Holy Spirit, to declare the truth. We should not be surprised to hear the savior say, “I am the truth.” It is as if there is no other work for us to do except to accept him in us, and testify for him. That is to say to present him to others through our life in him, and thus we shall be blessed with the truth, and others will be blessed by him as well. The Jews had thought that the truth would not be declared except it be by the force of time, or by using violence. They expected the Messiah to be an earthly king, and an adequate leader, who could seize other countries for Israel’s account, and hence would establish Dairds Kingdom to rule the entire world! This materialistic concept crept to the to the thoughts of the leaders as well as to the people. This is why the Lord wished to correct their thinking by every means, and on more than one occasion. Here the Lord confirms the mystery of his victory is to declare the truth through the humility that is filled with love. “He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench, till he sends forth justice to victory, and in his name the gentiles will trust.” Sin has harmed humanity and destroyed it. Its salvation therefore will not be by violence and force of time, but rather by the spirit of peaceful humility that is filled with love and gentleness. Humanity needs the Saviorer, not for his condemnation, but to have mercy on it, and that he might support every bruised reed till it is straightened. He supports every smoking flax till it is kindled. He is patient with all, so they may accept the truth by means of love. They would then be filled with hope instead of despair which had wrecked then. https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Paul the apostle possessed the Spirit of his Master when he wrote, (1 Thes 5:14) “Comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” St. Ambrosios also says, “Lord, grant me that the fall of each person be before me, so I could bear it with him. Let me not rebuke him disdainfully but rather grieve and weep. When I weep for others, I weep over myself, saying, (Gen 28:26) “Tamer is more righteous than myself.” St. John El Dergy says, “You active shepherds, ask for the lost one, and carry him on your shoulders joyfully, and you will be able to heal the painful fatal illnesses. Love makes great the strong ones, and it is the gift of the physician.”” 3. Overcoming the Demons: Christ the Lord presented anew concept of worshipping and a true spiritual behavior, and consequently he declared the concept of victory over the devil, by his healing the blind and mute; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the altitudes were amazed and said, ‘Could this be the Son of David?’ “The multitudes realized he was the Son of David, the Messiah, the King who is able to get out the evil spirit that has deprived this man of his mind, his vision and his utterance. The establishing of the Messiahs Kingdom therefore, only declares the collapse of the devil’s kingdom, that makes man lose his sound mind and blinds his spiritual vision from seeing the heavens, and it also dumles his tongue and could not utter any praises.” The multitudes saw by this miracle a declaration of the Messiah Kingdom, the Son of David’s Kingdom. But at the same time the Pharisees blasphemed against him, saying, (Matt 12:24-33) “Now when the Pharisees heard it they said ‘This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons! But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to the, ‘every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad. Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree in know by its fruit.’’” St. Augustine paid particular attention to this chapter, because some misunderstand the meaning ‘the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.’ The shut the door of hope before so many others and also before themselves. They suspect they have fallen in it, which will deprive them of forgiveness. For this reason, I shall mention briefly the words of the saint, after dividing his words into six sections. I wish first, to make clear that the blasphemy against the Spirit in reality is the insistence on no repentance. Man therefore sins against the Holy Spirit, which makes the church united and one entity. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Also the sharing among its members old together is Christ Jesus our Lord. By so doing, man deprives himself of the spring of forgiveness, and he deserves condemnation because of the Spirit being divided against himself. St. Augustine comments on this chapter about: Firstly: Christ is not Beelzebub the heard of the demons. Secondly: It is Satan’s kingdom and not the church that is divided against itself. Thirdly: Is there any man who did not blaspheme the Holy Spirit? Fourthly: was blasphemy meant to be a general one or a special one? Fifthly: What special meaning did the Lord mean by blasphemy? Sixthly: The surrounding circumstances in which the Lord spoke those words. Firstly: Christ is not Beelzebub: St. Augustine says: “For the Pharisees not the assume that Christ is the ruler of the devils, getting out devils, they have to listen to what he said (Matt 12:27) “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.” Undoubtedly, by them he means his disciples, those who are sons of these people. It is absolutely certain they have learnt nothing of the satanic art from their good Master, so they could overpower the demons. This is why he said to them ‘they will be your judges.’ They are loyal, and of the poorest category, and know no envy, but they are rather described as having my sanctifies strength. They are witnesses to me and judges to you. This is why he added “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” If I with God’s Spirit, cast out demons, then it is your children, whom I have taught nothing deceiving, but rather only the simplicity of faith, cast out demons…this is why the kingdom of God will come upon you, and the kingdom of Satan will perish, and you as well along with it.” By his saying, “By whom do your sons cast them out?” he manifests they do this according to his graces, and not as they deserve. This is why he says (Matt 12:29) “Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” Therefore, your sons who believed in him, and those who will believe in him, will cast out demons by the simplicity of holiness and not by power of Beelzebub. For real, they were as evil and as sinful as you are. They were in Satan’s house and a vessel for him; so how could they be saved from him? For it is he who tied them with darkness and overruled then, if the Lord had not tied him with the chains of his justice and has taken from him the vassal which was for scorn and degradation, and he made it for mercy? This is exactly what the devout apostle said when he rebuked those who relied on their own righteousness, saying, (1 Cor 4:7) “For who makes you differ from another?” That is to say, who will differ you from the eternal destruction that you inherited from Adam? Or who will change you from being a scornful and degraded vessel? No one is able to answer that in his self-righteousness he is changed from being a vessel of degradation. The apostle adds (Eph 2:3) “What other thing do you have, which you did not take?…and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” For he was a persecutor of the church, he was resistant and envious and he blasphemed. He was a vessel in the house of https://coptic-treasures.com/ this strong evil one. But Christ, who tied this strong devil, took the damned vessel and made it his chosen one. In this way the Lord Jesus confirms it is not by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons, that he casts out demons. But he is the only Son of God who works by his Holy Spirit. The sign for this is apparent in the life of the simple disciples who lived among them, and they realize their entire past life. Now, they carry power and authority, which confirms the manifestation of God’s kingdom.” The Lord says “but if I cast out demons by the spirit of god, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The Lord has appeared among us, crushing down Satan’s kingdom and establishing God’s spiritual kingdom. He performed and fulfilled his authority on our account, for all of us, and he granted it to his disciples, so God’s kingdom would be declared in all the nations. Pope Cyril the great says, “He said well ‘the kingdom of God has come upon you’; this means that since I have become man as you are, and cat out demons by God’s Spirit, by this humanity had become enriched in me from the kingdom of heaven. It has attained glory by casting out demons, and rebuking the evil spirits.” St. Ambrosios also says, “He had manifested by doing so, the existence of the royal authority of the Holy Spirti, which is God’s finger. We too, since the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we have become a royal dwelling. This is why he says on another occasion (Luke 17:21) “The kingdom of heaven is in you.”” Secondly: The Demon’s kingdom, and not the Church, is the one divided against itself: St. Augustine says, that Christ’s church represents God’s indivisible kingdom; it is the Catholic Church. But as for the heretics who carry Christ’s name, and are separated from the church, these do not belong to God’s kingdom. Their presence does not mean a division has happened in Christ’s body. They just have the name but not the membership. Indeed, any division whatsoever, be it on the level of the Catholic Church or the local one, or the church of the house, or inside the believer’s heart, is all foreign to Christ’s Spirit. Man loses his true membership in the Only Begotten Christ’s body. It is the work of Satan! Thirdly: The adversary makes the most of the Lord’s words concerning the unforgiveness of blasphemy against the Holy spirit, so he may crush down some souls. He makes them doubt they have thought of blasphemy against the spirits, so as to shut down the door of hope for salvation. St. Augustine suffered as a bishop regarding this point amongst his people. He wished to invoke in them the Spirit of hope, and thereby destroying all Satan’s doubtful attempts. He began by assuring us that each person is liable to have thoughts of blasphemy, whether it be by uttering a word of blasphemy particularly before his faith. Will salvation door be shut down before all? https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Augustine says, “Who is he who has not sinned with a word against the Holy Spirit before becoming a Christian, or before becoming a follower to the Catholic Church?” 1) The atheists: These worship many other false gods, and kneel down before statues, and say the Lord Jesus performed his miracles by the power of magic. They are like those who said by the power of demons he casts out demons. They blaspheme against our holies every day. Is not this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? 2) The Jews: Do not the Jews by uttering these words; have urged the discussion I am talking now? Do not they repeat, up till today, the blasphemous words against the Holy Spirit, by denying his presence in Christians? The Sadducees have denied the Holy Spirit; but the Pharisees have not denied him, and they rather confirmed his presence. But they denied his relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, for they considered him the ruler of demons, casting out demons, even though he cast them out by the Holy Spirit. 3) The Heretics: The Jews as well as the heretics who believe in the presence of the Holy Spirit, deny his relationship to Christ’s body, that is the one and only Catholic Church. These undoubtedly are as the Pharisees who despite their confessing the presence of the Holy Spirit, yet they denied his presence in the Lord Jesus. They attributed the casting out of demons as his being the ruler of demons. It has become clear that the atheists, the Jews and the heretics have all blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. Should these be disregarded, and lose the hope according to the words, “but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” Is it possible not to have any blasphemy against the Holy Spirit except it be by the Christian who has been raised up since his Childhood in the Catholic Church? Indeed, all those who believed in God’s Word, and have followed the Catholic Church, whether they be atheists, Jews or heretics, have obtained the grace and peace of Christ. If they have not obtained the grace and peace of Christ. If they had not obtained the forgiveness for the words they uttered against the Holy Spirit then our promise for them, and our preaching of returning the God to obtain peace and the forgiveness of sins…. All this would have been considered fake and false. The words did not say ‘It will not be forgiven except by the baptism’, but he rather said ‘will not be forgiven in this age or in the age to come.’ 4) The Christians: Some may think the Holy Spirit is not sinned against except by those who were washed in the water of the new birth. This sin of theirs is because of their ingratitude to the greatest gift that the Savior has granted them with. They threw themselves, after being given the gift, in the perishing sins such as adultery, killing, departing from Christianity or from the Catholic Church. But how can we prove the authenticity of this? I cannot say so, because the church will not reject the repentance for any kind of iniquity. St. Paul the apostle says it is possible to rebuke the heretics, that is to say the https://coptic-treasures.com/ Christians who have gone astray, for obtaining the reentrancy “I wish God would give them the repentance to know the truth, so they would wake up from Satan’s ambush, for he has then in his grip (2 Tim 2:25,26) of what use is their correction if they have no hope in attaining repentance? Likewise the Lord did not say ‘The baptized Christian who says a word against the Holy Spirit’, He rather said ‘But as for him who says a word … that is, he who says a word, whether he be an atheist, or a Jew, or a Christian or a heretic.’” Fourthly: By ‘blasphemy’, does he mean the general or specific meaning? St. Augustine had confirmed that the doors of God’s mercies are open to all, even to those exposed to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, whether it be before the faith in Jesus Christ, by the Jews or Gentiles, or even after the faith such as when falling into heresy against the Holy Spirit, or by committing bitter evil iniquity. He began to make clear the words of Jesus Christ about ‘the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.’ This is in the statement just mentioned, that he did not mean the general meaning, which is every blasphemy against the Spirit, he rather meant a specific implication. St. Augustine says, “The Lord did not say ‘every blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven’ or he who says any word”, but he said ‘but as for him who says a word.’ So, if you mention the word ‘every’, the church would not have been able to emlerace sinners, evil ones, and those who resist, so as to give them Christ and the holies of the church. They could be Jewish, Gentiles, atheists or heretics, or even those weak Christians who belong to the Catholic church itself. God forbid this would be his meaning! I say, God forbid he says ‘every’ or ‘any’ blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness. So, undoubtedly, there are blasphemies and certain words, that, if said about the Holy Spirit, these have no forgiveness. What is this word then? This is God’s will, to ask this question, so he reveals it to us; it is his will that we ask him, and not to protest his words. The Holy Book mostly uses this method: to express a certain issue, with no specification if it is of a general or personal meaning. By so doing, this is no urgency to understand it in the general or personal sense. For, he does not use the world ‘all’ or ‘some’. He does not speak in a general or personal method. Examples: A) To make this clearer, contemplate on the Lord’s words said by him about the Jews (John 15:22) “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin.” Here he does not define the meaning. He did not mean to say the Jews would have had no sin if Christ had not come and spoken to them. The truth is, he came and found them heavy with sin (Matt 11:28; Rom 5:2; Matt 9:13). How then, if Christ had not come they would have had no sin? He did not say ‘any sin’, lest the truth would lie. He did not say, either, in a specific way ‘certain specific sin’, lest we are not trained to search eagerly. For, the Holy https://coptic-treasures.com/ Book is rich in clear excerpts so we be trained in it. With the first, the hunger is stripped off, and with the second we obtain the sweetness. We return to his saying, and we find the Jews have necessarily committed some iniquity, but not all of them. These are they that were not existent before his coming, which is denying the faith in him. By his saying ‘they had no sin we do not understand.’ That is ‘They had not any sin’, merely some. Likewise, today, when we listen to today’s gospel ‘The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven’ we do not understand this as all blasphemy, but rather certain kinds of it. B) (James 1:3) it is said “God does not test anyone.” It should not be understood that God does not test anyone by any kind of ordeal, but he does not tempt them by certain ones, otherwise what is written would be fake (Deut. 13:3) “for the Lord you God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Therefore God does not test us by ordeals that lead us to iniquity, but he grants us to be tested by the ordeals that us to iniquity, but he grants us to be tested by the ordeals that he tests our faith with. C) Likewise when we hear (Mark 16:16) “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” Of course, we do not understand it as all who believe in whatever level of faith they have. In (James 2:19) “the devils also believe and treble.” We do not understand this as all those who were baptized; because Simon the sorcerer, despite accepting the baptism, yet he could not be saved. His words ‘He who believes in Me and is baptized,’ he did not mean all those who believe and are baptized, but rather only some of them. These are the ones who are well based in this faith made clear by the apostle’s words (Gal 5:6) “but faith working through love.” Fifthly: What was the personal meaning he meant by the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? St. Augustine interprets what the Lord meant here was ‘the insistence on no repentance, till the last breath in our life. He says the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son, of his properties is the partnership between the two trigasion. The Holy Spirit gives us the partnership will God, for with him God’s love is poured in us, and thus our sins are covered. By this his job is the forgiveness of sins, and our reconciliation with god.’ In the other hand, it is the Spirit that provides the partnership among the members of the one church in the Lord. He is the one to grant the member the repentance and regret, as well as giving the church the right to release the sins. Therefore, the function of the Holy Spirit in our life is repentance so as to obtain absolution. Thus blasphemy is the insistence on no repentance and consequently, the deprivation of being a true member in the church. St. Augustine says, “Brethren, you know well in the mystery of the invisible trinity, on which our faith is based, and on which the Catholic Church is established and https://coptic-treasures.com/ it preaches it, that the Father is not the Father to the Holy Spirit, but to the Son. The Son is not a Son to the Holy Spirit but to the Father. As for the Holy Spirit, he is not the Spirit of the Father alone, or of the Son alone, but is the Spirit of the Father and the Son. We have been hassled the concept of the Father, and the Son, and the partnership of the Holy Spirit, all these of one equality. By this, the Father’s pleasure has been for us to obtain by means of him who ties the unity between the Father and the Son, the partnership among us all, and with the Holy Trinity.” With the same gift we all gather in unity, which we obtain by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God, and at the same time God’s gift. The primary gift of God in the Holy Spirit is ‘forgiveness of sins.’ This is the key word of the Lord’s forerunner heraldry, John the Baptist, saying, (Matt 3:1,2) “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This is also what our God started in his heraldry (Matt 4:17) One of the subjects John the Baptist spoke of, to those coming to be baptized, are his words (Matt 3:11) “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” The Lord moreover said (Acts 1:5) “For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Although we may interpret fire as the ordeals suffered by the believers for Christ’s sake, yet it makes sense that what is meant here is the Holy Spirit himself. This is why when the Holy Spirit descended it was said (Acts 2:3) “Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” The Lord himself said (Luke 12:49) “I came to send fire on the earth.” The apostle says, (Rom 12:11) “fervent in spirit.” From the fiery Holy Spirit, there comes zealous love, fervency and fire, (Rom 5:5) “Because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” As a contrast the Lord said, (Matt 24:12) “…the love of many will grow cold.” Hence, absolute love is the gift of the absolute fiery Holy Spirit. But the foremost gift of the Holy Spirit is the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:13) “He has delivered us from the power of darkness” and (John 12:31) “Now the ruler of this world will be cast out,” who (Eph 2:2) “Now works in the sons of disobedience.” With the Holy Spirit, by whom God’s congregation are gathered in one, the evil spirit is expelled, that which is divided among itself. In this way St. Augustine makes us reach the function of the Holy Spirit, which is the life of partnership with God, and our brethren, through which there will be no place for Satan in us. This is achieved by means of repentance. He therefore goes on to say “An unrepentant heart utters a word against the Holy Spirit, against this fire gift, and against this divine blessing. Unrepentant is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, that will not be forgiven in this age or the one to come.” Can there be judgment on anyone because of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? St. Augustine says, “Unrepentance, or the unrepentant heart, is an unconfirmed issue as long as a person is alive physically. We should never be desperate at all of anyone as long as God’s forbearance leads the sinful one to repentance, and as long as https://coptic-treasures.com/ God has not taken him quickly form this world.” (Ezekiel 18,9) “If he has walked in my statutes and kept my judgment s faithfully – he is just; he shall surely live” says the Lord God. “A person could be an atheist today, but who can tell, he could be a Christian by tomorrow. Brother, the apostle urges you saying (1 Cor 4:5) “Therefore, judge nothing before the time.” I repeat my words that blasphemy cannot be attributed, under any condition, to a man still alive.” Why is blasphemy against the Son of Man forgiven, whereas blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgiven? St. Augustine says “Indeed, every sin and blasphemy is forgiven to people, and not only what is said against the Son of Man. As long as the sin of unrepentance is not there, that which is addressed against the Holy Spirit, by whom the Church forgives all kinds of sin, then all sins are forgiven. The words of the Lord of glory, “He who says a word against the Holy Spirit is greater than the Son. We have not heard of any nonsense admitting such a thing. What is meant by this is that he who resists the truth and blasphemes against it, which is Christ himself after he had declared himself among the people, for he had become man and dwelt among us, (John 1:14), and if he has not said a word against the Holy Spirit, that is if he has regretted his resistance and blasphemy against Christ, than his ins are forgiven him. Therefore, we should not assume what was said by some people, what is said against the Son of Man is forgiven him, and what is said against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven him, because of the incarnation of the Son. Consequently the Holy Sprit is greater from this angle. The Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and the only begotten Son in essence due to his godliness. If this were true, not every world or blasphemy would have been forgiven, except that which is said about the Son of Man regarding his humanity only. But we find the gospel saying, (Matt 12:13) “Every sin and blasphemy is forgiven to man.” Also (Mark 3:28) “all sins are forgiven to man, the blasphemy they blaspheme with.” This includes what blasphemy is said against the Father. Has the Father taken the enrage of a slave until the Holy Spirit has become greater than him regarding this issue? For the blasphemy said against the Father is forgiven, whereas the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven? For sure, it is not so.” In this way St. Augustine makes clear that all blasphemy is forgiven; but the specified ‘the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit,’ by which he means unrepentance, and not as distinguishing him from the Father or the Son. The Saints showed the Father that he forgives sins (Matt 6:14) and that the Son also forgives sins (Matt 9:6). This is because forgiveness is the work of the Holy Trinity, but is concerns the Holy Spirit since he is the Sprit of adoption (Rom 8:15) the Donor of partnership (Phil 2:1). Therefore, the forgiveness of sins is not granted unless by the Holy sprit through the Catholic Church that has the Holy Spirit. Sixthly: The Circumstances in which the Lord said these words: https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Augustine says, “The Lord has explained clearly what he wished us to know: that he who speaks against the Holy Spirit, that is he who resists, by unrepenting, the church unity that has been granted to give the forgiveness of sins, he will not be given this Spirit. Let no one think that Christ’s kingdom is divided against itself because of those who assemble in unusual assemblies, out of the fold, yet under the name of Christ. This is why I repeat (Matt 12:30) “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with Me Scatters abroad.” He who gathers without Christ, however much he has gathered in his name, will not have the Holy Spirit with him. He therefore obligates us to understand that forgiveness is not fulfilled for any sin or blasphemy, under any condition, except it be by our unity together in Christ him who knows no discrimination.” It is as if the Lord Jesus when speaking of ‘the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit,’ he not only warns us of not obtaining forgiveness by our unrepentance, but he also asks of what is positive: “The work for Christ’s account! He who does not work with him, is like him who resists him.” The Christian is committed to working for Christ’s account so as to build us the church. Otherwise he is considered as one who destroys his kingdom. As St. Jerome says, “He who does not belong to Christ is against him.” St. Kaprianos says, “He who breaks the peace of Christ and his words acts in contradiction to him he who gathers away from the church, such as in the heresy assemblies, scatters the church.” St. Ambsosios therefore says, “He speaks here of those who destroy the church unity.” When Heliodors’ family bitterly and crulfully resisted his going to the monastery, St. Jerome wrote to him of the words of the Lord “He who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me, scatters abroad.” He says “Remember the day your name was recorded in the church records, when you were buried with Christ in the baptism. You pledged loyal allegiance to him, and you declared that for him you leave your father and mother. Indeed, the enemy struggles to slaughter Christ in your heart. Run away in tearful eyes and go to the flag of the cross.” Lest some are obstructed by thinking they are naturally evil, these are they who are unable to offer repentance through good deeds. The Lord Jesus therefore speaks to the Pharisees saying, (Matt 12:33) “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” By so saying, he opens for them the door of hope. Even though they have fallen into blasphemy, but by their own will power they could be blessed with God’s ability to change the tree of their life. if their words that were full of blasphemy reveal the kind of tree inside their old self, yet they are able through the Lord to change the nature of their tree. St. Augustine comments on the Lord’s words, saying, “Man has to be changed, himself first, so that his deeds be changed as well. If a man remain in his evil state, his deeds can never be righteous. If he remains in a good state, he will never carry evil fruits.” He moreover says, “Change the heart, and thus the deeds will be changed, too. Uproot the passions, and implant love instead, for the love of money is the source of all evil (1 Tim 6:10) Likewise love is the source of all goodness.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Ignatuis comments on the statement ‘from the fruit, the tree is known’ saying, “He who speaks of faith is known by his deeds. It is not enough we declare our faith, but we have to manifest it practically till the very end.” If we are in need of changing the inner tree, which is the heart, by our Lord Christ, the Giver of the new man in the baptism water, through his Holy Spirit, so we could produce good fruits, and not one bad fruit be there, we are also obligated to struggle against uttering one bad or evil word. This is why the Lord continues to say, (Matt 12:36,37) “But I say to you that every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” St. John Chrysostom speaks of the tongue control, saying, “The gold vessel is not used for defiled things, since it is so expensive. How much more the tongue would be, which is of more value than gold and genies? We should not defile it by ugly words, swearing, and insulting others.” (Sirach 8:21) The wise one says those who have fallen due to the tongue’s obstruction are more than those who have fallen by the swords. And Jesus says, (Matt 15:11) “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” The wise one also says, “Put a door and a lock to your mouth,” (Sirach 8:29). Father John of Kronstadt says, “Be careful with your words, for the word is priceless! Speak of the creative word of God, for the word of God is source of all creation. In him you find the present, the past and the future.” He moreover says, “If you speak with your close one, speak with reason, and in decency, in a constructive way. Avoid every vain word since it is the poison of a serpent.” The Concept of the Verse: (Matt 12:38-40) “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered saying, ‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.’ But he answered and said to them ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’” St. Cyril the great thinks the Lord reused to give them any sign because they asked for this in deceit. The Lord had performed before this, miracles, and yet they accused him of being the ruler of demons, casting out demons. They therefore deserved no blessing of any of his miracles. He therefore says, “Their request sprang from deceit, and it was not answered, as the Book says, (revise Hosea 5:6) “The evil ones ask for me, but will not find me.” They attributed to Beelzebub great amazing works, and there were not ashamed to break down others as well as themselves with the very same matters that were supposed to make them firm in their faith of Christ. This is why he reused giving https://coptic-treasures.com/ them another sign, for the holies are not to be offered to the dogs, and neither the pearls to be thrown to the swine. For how can those ones who accused Christ bitterly for the miracles he fulfilled, to be blessed with other ones? This is why he told them they will be given except the miracle of Jonah which signifies the cross and the resurrection from the dead. Christ could have rejected to die physically on the cross, and would not have offered the sign to the Jews. But these sufferings were necessary for the world salvation, and it was given to the Jewish unbelievers so as to condemn them. In his words to them he said (John 2:19) “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” His trampling on death, and connecting the corruption by his resurrection is a great sign of the power of the incarnate word and his divine authority. This is enough evidence, as I think, of the serious people’s judgment. But they squandered great amounts of money to be given to Pilate’s men, so as to say (Matt 28:13) “His disciples came at night and stole him away.” His resurrection was not to be disregarded, but enough to convince the peoples of the entire world that Christ is God, and that he has willingly suffered physically, and rose again, commanding the bounds of death to depart, and corruption to be cast out. But the Jews did not believe even in this. This is why they were truly spoken of as (Matt 12:42) “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it.”” It is as if the Lord wished to assure them that the sign was not a way of showing off, but it was a godly and divine deeds, with the aim of man’s salvation. Prior to all this, is the sign that implied a symbolic significance to the Lord’s burial and his resurrection from the dead, so as to grant us being buried with him, and being blessed with the power of his resurrection, that is to say, the miracle of Jonah the prophet. The aim of the signs and miracles is ‘man’s spiritual life.’ This is why the fathers believe the righteous life is better than performing miracles. God does not condemns us if we do not live by his Holy Spirit, the appropriate life befitting his own children. The Lord confirms that in the great day, he will condemn the evil ones, even if they had performed miracles in his name, and he considers them as strangers to him. + We do not have to ask for miracles, but rather for the spirit’s health. Do not ask to see a dead one rise from the dead, for you have learnt that the entire world will rise. Do not ask to see a blind one have vision, but rather let all now hope to have a better vision and useful one. Also learn to look in purity, and thus correct your eyes. If we live appropriately, the sons of unbelievers will be amazed at us, more than those who perform miracles. + If you wish to perform miracles, you also have to get rid of any obstacles, and thus you will fulfill absolute miracles. St. John Chrysostom. https://coptic-treasures.com/ + We should to be deceived, merely because they are called in Christ’s name, without their having any deed. Even miracles should not deceive us, because the Lord who has performed the miracles to unbelievers, warned us not to be deceived by miracles, thinking that where there is the visible miracle there is the invisible wisdom. He therefore added (Matt 7:22,23) “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them ‘I never knew you; depart form me, you who practice lawlessness!’ For he knows no other than those who practice righteousness.” St. Augustine. The link between Jonah and Jesus Christ is the link of the symbol and the symbolized One. St. Cyril El Orshilymy says, “Just as Jonah was cast in the belly of the whole, likewise the Lord Jesus, he descended voluntarily where invisible whale of death is, to force him to throw up those he had swallowed. As is written (Hosea 13:14) “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.”” St. Basilious the great says, “He gave them a sign but not from heaven, since they did not deserve to see it. It was from the deep spit of hell; I mean the sign of his incarnation, his divinity, his sufferings, and his glorification due to his resurrection after he had entered into hell to release those who have died in hope.” St. Ambrosios says, “The sign of Jonah points to the Lord’s suffering. It is also a witness against the great iniquity done by the Jews. By Nineveh’s people he points to the penalty, because the Jews were the ones to torment the Lord Jesus. At the same time it signifies mercy; for the Jews should not despair of any forgiveness if they practice repentance.” The people of Nineveh were blessed with Jonah, the preacher released from the whale’s belly. As for us, we are blessed with the real Jonah, the one able to release us from the deep abyss, and make us enter with him to his heavenly kingdom (Matt 12:41) “indeed, a greater than Jonah is here.” We, furthermore, have him who is greater than Solomon. He not only spokes in wise words, but he also casts away from us Satan’s kingdom. (Matt 12: 42-45) “The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. When an unclear spirit goes out of man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” St. Cyril the great comments on this excerpt by saying, “This woman came to listen to Solomon. She came a very long way to fulfill this goal, so as to listen to his wisdom concerning the nature of visible issues, the animals and plants. But as for you, https://coptic-treasures.com/ you have among you the wisdom himself and you are listening to him. He has come to tell you of the heavenly and invisible issues, proving his words by hid deeds and his miracle. But you run away from his words, and go for away from its amazing nature. How then there is no one found greater than Solomon? He is here among you.” I ask you another time to notice his smart words, for he says ‘here’ and not ‘in me’. This is to attract us to his humility when he gives us his spiritual gifts. On the other hand, it is not appreciated among the Jews to hear him say ‘A greater than Solomon is in me.’ If they had heard him say this, they would have been bold enough to say, ‘Look! He is saying he is greater than the kings who ruled over us in glory.’ For the sake of wisdom, the Savior used the language of humility saying ‘Here’ instead of saying ‘in me.’ St. Ambrosios says, ‘Here, too, he is condemning the Jewish people, for he expresses himself forcefully about the mystery of the church in the queen of the south. She desired to obtain wisdom; for she came from so far away to hear the words of Solomon, the peace-maker, she is queen of the indivisible kingdom, comprising many different nations in one body.’ The Lord Jesus has come down, he who is greater than Jonah that led the people of Nineveh to repentance. He is also greater than Solomon to whom the queen of the South came from the farthest places, so as to listen to his wisdom. Now it has become possible for us to be blessed with the new kingdom. He has cast away the devil that has dwell in the heart for a very long time, so that the Lord would come in instead. This free gift given to us, condemns us if we are careless about it, and yield our heart to the adversary a second time due to our negligence. Satan will come forward in a more ferocious way, so as to dwell in what he has lost. We see this practically when the believer leaves the sanctified life, and becomes in his wickedness, way worse than before his faith or repentance. St. John Clemakos believes this divine saying applies perfectly to this enthusiastic young man who is successful in leaving the passions of the body and of the luxurious life; yet after entering the aesthetic monastic life, he falls due to his carelessness, inside the safe harbor. For he says, ‘what a pitiful sight this is: we can see those who survived the dangers of the sea, these suffer their ship wreckage inside the very harbor.’ 5. The Unity with Him: (Matt 12:46-50) “While he was still talking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with him. Then one said to him ‘Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you.’ But he answered and said to the one who told him, ‘who is my mother and who are my brothers?’ And he stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brother!’ For whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord stretched out his hand toward his disciples. This points to his incarnation and his dwelling amongst us. By doing so, he has taken us to a new relation, considering us his mothering and his brothers. In reference to St. John the Baptist’s words to the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Matt 3:7,9) “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ….Do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” We have to realize that St. John did not deny the physical relation to their father Abraham, but in their evil they lost their spiritual link to him, and have become children to vipers since they keep making the same things. On the other hand, the Lord Jesus did not deny St. Mary’s relationship to him, that is to say her motherhood to him according to the body. He assures us of it and on firms it through her life in the faith, working according to the Lord’s will. St. Mary the virgin has opened the way, not only to women but to every person as well, to carry the Lord Jesus spiritually in their hearts, and the spirit would be as a mother to him. + He did not say ‘You are not my mother’ but he said, “Who is my mother?” It is as if he is presenting a new concept in being tied to him, not through a physical link by means of the flesh and blood, and in laws. It is through obedience to the Father’s will. Can you see how, on every occasion he did not deny the natural relationship, but he has rather added to it what is by means of virtue? St. John Chrysostom. + This means that even my mother whom you call blessed; she is rather blessed for keeping the word of God. This is not only because the world of God has become in her physically and has lived among us, but also because she kept the word of God himself, he who has created her, and has become physical in her. I wish we do not get happy by physical marriages, but rather pride ourselves if spiritually he is bonded to God. St. Augustine. We have previously spoken of what we can call the motherhood of the spirit to the Lord Jesus, for she has carried him inside herself. As for the concept of ‘the Lord’s brethren’ since they were sons to Mary, Klopas’ wife, sister to St. Mary (John 19:25). This is in our book ‘St. Mary in the Orthodox Concept.’
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