Our righteous God wishes us to be blessed with His divine friendship. He thus established us as a new flock that He Himself cares about. He grants us the heavenly qualities and enters with us through the partaking of His suffering to the power of His resurrection. Now, He reveals to us the door of His fold that He has prepared for us under His shelter, which is the ‘active repentance’. This is the door by which we enter to His kingdom, so that every soul lives under His care, and be blessed with His divine deeds in its behavior and worship.
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1- A call for repentance |
1- 5 |
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2- God asks for fruits |
6- 9 |
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3- God loosens the weak ties |
10- 17 |
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4- The Parable of the mustard seed |
18- 19 |
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5- The Parable of the yeast and the dough |
20- 21 |
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6- Repentance and the narrow gate |
22- 30 |
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7- Declaring His death |
31- 35 |
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1- A Call for Repentance: |
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The Lord Jesus has come asking for our friendship, and offering His life a price to this friendship, intiaiting His love. But we cannot encounter Him and accept His love in us in any other way than that of repentance. This is what the Lord Himself confirms saying (luke13: 3,5) “unless you repent, you will ass perish as they did”, this was when some told Him about the Galileans that Pilate mixed their blood with their sacrifices. (Luke13:2, 3) “He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you: but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did”.
Who are these Galileans?
Neither St. Cyril the great nor St. Ambrosios offered any comment on this part of the chapter. But in an excerpt of St. Cyril the great, it was mentioned in Catena Aurea that those Galileans were followers to Judas the Galilean (Acts5:7) referred to by St. Luke in Acts. Of the Apostles. It was he who said that no one should be called master or lord. He was surrounded by many who refused to call Caesar lord to them, and so Pilate punished them. They also claimed no sacrifice should be offered to God that is not mentioned in the Mosaic low they forbade the people from offering sacrifices to God for the sake of the emperor’s peace and the roman empire’s peace. This provoked Pilate, and so he asked they be killed when offering their sacrifices in the temple according to the covenant; thus their blood was mixed with the sacrifice they offered. In the same excerpt it was stated their was a belief those Galileans were punished justly because they sowed discord among the people and motivated them to rebel against their rulers. Those who mentioned this case to the Lord, wished to know the opinion of the Lord Jesus concerning it.
In addition to this, some scholars think when the Lord Jesus spoke of the compromise with the adversary so he would not be handed over to the magistrate, and so be put in jail until he pays the last penny, those people wished to complain to the king of the Jews who was long awaited for, the despotism of theroman occupation to the Jewish nation. Or, they might
have wished to tell Him of ‘the problem of pain sufferance’ to which the Jews found no solution across the ages.
The Jews may have expected the Lord Jesus to rebel against Pontuis Pilate who disrupted the reverence of the temple when he sent his officers chasing those Galileans who have come in with their sacrifices to the sepulchre. They wished to hold the altar horns, and so the officers did not cease chasing them until they killed them when offering their sacrifices. Some historians think what Pilate did to them was only a pretext for the enmity between him and Herod, (Luke222: 12) because they were of his subjects. Some others think that Barabas was arrested due to this betrayal (luke23: 19).
At any rate, the Lord Jesus seized this news as an opportunity not to speak of outer matters, but to enter to the souls of His listeners to the life of repentance so they be blessed in relief not because of the fear of Pilate, but due to their fear of sin, which is the source of perdition. His response revealed the following:
Firstly: The Lord manifested the outer disasters and hardships are not necessarily the ailment of particular sins. The killing of those people does not necessarily mean they were more evil than other Galileans. For He says (Luke13: 2) “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you.” This is because the Jews thought every tribulation man was exposed to, was a sign of God’s wrath to them.
Secondly: When God permits ordeals and tribulation to happen sometimes, this is only for the sake of repentance; not only the repentance of the fallen ones under sufferance, but also for others’ repentance as well. For the Lord Jesus goes on to say “But unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” If those ones have died, and their blood was mixed with their sacrifices, they are not necessarily more evil than those not killed. Let their killing be an opportunity for every person to reconsider himself in repentance so he would not perish forever.
+God punishes sinners by cutting off their wickedness, such as them being killed, so their punishment be lessened. Or, it could be so they do not fall under an eternal punishment later on. At the same time, when those living in sin see these things, they would learn how to correct themselves.
Once more, others are not punished so that when they reconsider and repent, they escape the present and forth-coming punishment. But if they continue to sin, they will fall under more severe punishment.
This shows at this point, that He allows them to endure this pain, so He warns strictly the heirs of the kingdom of these tribulations when they are living, and so that repent.
You might say “Is someone punished so my own situation be corrected?” never, he is punished due to his crimes, and this gives an opportunity for onlookers to be saved.
St. John Chrysostom The Lord Jesus goes on to say (Luke13: 4, 5) “or, those eighteen who were killed
when the tower of Siloam fell on them .. do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
They mentioned the Galileans’ case committed by Pilate’s officers, but the Lord Jesus mentioned the case that happened in Siloam next to the holy temple. This was not by any human hand, but by God’s permission in the city, as a warning to all the Jews.
Both instances imply a symbolic meaning urging people for repentance. Pontuis Pilate’s killing of some Galileans refers to Satan’s war against humanity even at the worshiping moments when in the holy sites, offering their sacrifices. ‘Pilate’. Means ‘the mouth of he who has a cudgel’. It is as if he is Satan who does not cease hitting as if with a hammer. Or a cudgel, by using sweetly coated words to make us lose our purity even at
moments of worship. As for the second case, the number eighteen on whom the tower fell, in Greek it is like this ‘1H’. these are the first two letters to the name Jesus, and Siloam means ‘the messenger’. Form this we understand this accident refers to the Jews’, perdition inside their tower; that is, within their ‘law’ itself. This is due to their rejection of Jesus as a Savior, sent from God the Father to save the entire world. We can say that the Lord is urging us to repent, by rejecting the sweet and deceptive words of Satan. He warns us lest we are offended in the Lord Jesus Himself who has come asking for our salvation.
2- God asks for fruits:
When the Lord offered us the invitation to accept His friendship to us by means of repentance, He assured us of the necessity of grafting repentance with the spiritual fruits, joyful to the heart of God. He compared humanity to a fig tree planted in His vineyard. It remained for three long years not bearing any fruits. These three years are: the stage of downfall inside paradise, the stage prior to the Mosaic Law, and the stage of the law. The tree was exposed to being cut down, since it bore leaves by which Adam and Eve covered their nakedness, without treating their nature. The real vinedresser intervened, our Lord Jesus, and asked it be left for another year, which is the ‘age of grace’ so He would upturn the soil and put fertilizer roved it. He takes care of it, for it is His divine plant, so it could bring forth the appropriate real fruit. The shepherds, too, were granted to carry the Spirit of their Lord, and thus they interceded for every tree for it might bring forth-spiritual fruit.
Now, the vinedresser that intercedes for it, is every saint who prays in the church for the sake of those outside of it. What does he pray for? “Lord, leave it this year as well, that is, leave it in the age of grace. Leave the sinners, leave the unbelievers, leave those barren people who are unfruitful, (Luke13: 8,9) “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”
What is the digging round it other than the teaching of modesty and repentance? For the pit is a lowland.
The manure is the defilement that in its reaction produces forth good fruit. The defilement of the planter is the sighing of the sinful repentant ones, having filthy clothes on. If repentance is done in understanding and truth, then to such a tree it is said (Matt.3: 2) “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is athand.”
St. Augustine
+ (On some commentary about the putting of manure round the tree.)
I wish we put manure to this field that is ours, following the example of those struggling planters who are not ashamed to satisfy the land with manure, and to throw the dirty dust on the field, so they harvest a better crop.
St. Paul the apostle taught us how to fertilize our field by his words (Phil.3: 8) “I regard everything as loss... in order that I may gain Christ.” In a good or bad reputation, I am aware of pleasing the Lord Jesus.
St. Paul read about Abraham that he had confessed he was nothing more than dust and ashes (Gen.18: 27). He also read about Job that he had sat on the ashes (Job2: 8) and in this way he regained all what he had lost (Job.42: 10). He also heard from David’s mouth that God (Ps.113: 7) “He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap.” I therefore wish we are not to be ashamed any longer o confessing our sins.
It is actually shameful and embarrassing for man to confess his sins. But this shame is likened to the process of digging the earth, and removing the weeds from it, and cleaning it of the thistles. In this way we shall make blossom the fruits that were not thus before.
Let us follow the example, therefore, of he who has turned up the soil of his field diligently in search of the eternal fruit (1Cor.4: 12, 13) “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day”.
St. Ambrosios
+ The parable of the fig tree applies to the synagogue; for the tree has been covered with many leaves, and it has deceived its owner, who has waited in vain for the expected fruit. Similarly, in the synagogue the teachers of the law show off their words as the ornamental leaves that have no job to do.
Accurately speaking, we find this kind of tree as being different in its fruits than those of other trees. In other trees, the blossom precedes the fruit, for it announces the forthcoming fruit. But as for the fig tree, it bears the fruit from the very beginning without the appearance of any blossoms. The blossoms fall off from the other trees once the fruit appears in its place. But with this tree the first fruit falls, to be replaced by another one. The first fruit falls and the stem dries up and weakens, and leaves a place for another stem to make more use of the squeezed juice. But there are some very few ones of the first fruits that do not fall off, since they are on short stems between the branches. These fruits are kept and nourished as if in nature’s embrace, and its food supply is more plentiful.
The Jews are like the first fruits in the synagogue; weak fruits that fall off to leave a place for fruits of our nature that remain forever. The people of the first synagogue had no depth for its deeds were dry, and they could not drink enough of the juice of the natural fruitful wisdom. Thus they fell of like useless fruits, and consequently the new church congregation fruit appeared on the same branches through the juice of the old righteousness. But as for the best Israelites that have been carried by the trunk of the law reaching up to the cross, these have been dyed in their entrails by the two juices, and thus they have ripened. To them it was said (Matt.19: 28) “Judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” This is not new to know, since Adam and Eve, the source of our being and the source of our downfall, these have been clothed with the leaves of this tree, and were deserving of being expelled from paradise when they became aware of their nakedness, they hid from the Lord’s face when they heard Him walking in paradise. This reveals the Jew at the end of times when the Lord and Savior comes; for then He came to call him, the Jew realised Satan’s temptations have unclothed him of every righteousness. In his fear of the pricking of his conscience he loses his strength and is ashamed of his dishonesty, and he knows well enough he has strayed away from the Lord. He attempted t cover up his debased deeds by too many words. this is why those who have taken the fig leaves without any fruits, were expelled from God’s kingdom, since they were ‘a living being.’
The second Adam came to ask for the fruits and not for the leaves, because he was (1Cor.15: 45) “A life-giving spirit.” For with the spirit we obtain the fruits of righteousness by which we worship the Lord.
The Lord asks for the fruits, not because He does not know that the fig tree has no fruits, but to refer by this symbol that He has come at the time of harvesting the fruits, and that He has not come before His due time. He has come for three years (Luke13: 7) “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He has come to Abraham, when He asked for the circumcision; He has come to Moses offering him the law; He has come to Mary, incarnate in her womb to grant us grace. In other words, He has come as a Seal to the covenant, with Abraham through the circumcision, and in the law and in the body. We His lovers, know His blessings on us; sometimes He purifies, at other times He sanctifies or justifies. The circumcision purifies, the law sanctifies, and grace justifies. Despite this, the Jewish people could not be purified because theyhave taken the physical circumcision, not
the spiritual one. They could not be sanctified because they were ignorant of the value of the law by cleaving on to the physical, not to what is spiritual, even though the law is spiritual (Rom.7: 14). They could not be justified either, since they did not repent of their sins, and so they were ignorant of any grace. This is why the command was given it be cut down, but the good gardener came to intervene, He who has come to the Gentiles and not to the people of circumcision so the tree be not cut down; for He was sure that the Jewish people, if they accept the Messaiah, the Savior, then they will be saved. This is why He said, “Sir, let it alone for one mere year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.” He digs with the apostolic spade and searches around it, destroying the cruelty of their hearts. He digs, with the double-edged sword, deep in their shut hearts because of their negligence this long time. He opens their hearts and so their feelings are enlivened, breathing in the air, and so they be not choked in their rooted wisdom, and they would not be buried under the soil weight. He says ‘I put manure’, by which the barren earth becomes fruitful, and the wilderness becomes planted. On the manure sat Job in his tribulation and so he was not defeated. St. Paul the apostle, too, considered himself like trash or manure so as to gain Christ (Phil.3: 8). For the earth that is dug well, and in which manure is put, this brings forth fruit; the Lord thus uplifts the miserable one sitting in the dust, and up lifts the poor one from the rubbish (Ps.112: 27).
I wish what is said about the Jews, generally speaking, is to be focused on in our life, so we do not occupy the church land that is fruitful, and keep it as a fruitless tree.
St. Ambrosios In this way St. Ambrosios offers us in this parable a live image of the Jewish people
that remained unfruitful for three years. They did not profit by the circumcision before the law, from Abraham to Moses. Neither did they benefit from the law, form Moses to the coming of Christ; or from the grace offered us by the Lord Jesus. Despite this, God does not cease to work for the salvation of the entire world, even those who resist Him. He is eager to hit with the evangelical and apostolic writings round the tree, so the earth opens up, and our deep roots would smell the breeze of spiritual life. He would then put the manure of modesty so He raises it up and brings forth heavenly and spiritual fruits.
We can also see in these three years, concerning humanity at large, the following
points:
1st) When man was in paradise, he left it with the weight of sin and the seeds of death and corruption.
2nd) Man, prior to the law, remained in his corruption and in worshiping idols.
3rd) Man , when under the law, could only misuse it, and could not understand it spiritual nor could he fulfil it. He rather fell under the curse for breaking its commandments.
Finally, the good Gardener came forth, our Lord Jesus, in the fullness of time, giving us one more bonus year which is the year of divine grace, in the hope that we accept His work in us. At this point we shall carry the fruit of His Holy Spirit, the mystery of the Father’s pleasure, the landlord of the vineyard.
+ Our nature was called for three times, and yet it never offered any fruit. Once was when this nature of ours disobeyed the commandment when in paradise. Another time was when it made a bull under the law. A third time was when this nature rejected the Savior.
These three years could also be understood as standing for the three life-stages: Youth, manhood and old age.
+ The Lord came up to the fig tree times: He searched for man’s nature before the old law, when under the law, and when under the grace. He was awaiting, giving advice and calling on us; and yet He found no fruit as there were wicked ones whose hearts were not corrected by the natural law in them. Neither were they disciplined by the command.(not found p.474)
As for the three years in which He asked for fruits, and could find none, they are, as I think, the three stages in which the Jewish synagogue did not offer any fruits. The first year cold be interpreted as the year in which Moses and Aaron and his children who served God by means of their priestly duties according to the covenant. The second is the stages of Joshua son of Nun and the judges who followed him. The third stage is the one in which the devout prophets appeared until St. John the Baptist. During these phases Israel offered no fruits. This is why He says, (Luke13: 7) “For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” It is as if He is saying “Keep this old tree’s place vacant so that you may plant another tree in its place.” This is what happened; since He called the Gentiles in Israel’s place, and they have obtained its inheritance. The Gentiles have become God’s people, the paradise was planted, a good and honorable seed, that knows how to offer fruits. This is not through shadows and symbols, but rather through perfect and pure and blameless service, practiced by the spirit and truth, offered to the living and non-materialistic God.
If anyone says the vinedresser is the Son, then this opinion has its acceptable evidence that is quite appropriate, for He is (1John2: 1) “We have an advocate with the Father.” He is our Redeemer, and the Vinedresser of our souls; who cuts off from us all that is harmful, and He fills us with sanctified and sensible seeds, so we carry His fruits in us. As He Himself said (luke8: 5) “A sower went out to sow”. The Son said to the saintly apostles (revise John15: 1) “I am the vine and you are the branches, and My Father is the Vinedresser.”
Let Him therefore intercede for us, saying “Sir, let it alone for one more year until I dig around it and put manure on it.” What does this year stand for? It is this is why I say that the fig tree mentioned in the parable, is the Jewish synagogue, that is, the Israelites.(not found p.476)
This is a live example of the real Physician who heals the soul of its wounds. It is He who grants the repentance and it is He who gives the healing!
The evangelist says (Luke13: 11) “Now He was teaching in one fo the synagogues on the Sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to standup straight.”
St. John Chrysostom says that He was teaching in the synagogues peacefully, so as to declare He did not come to resist the law, but rather to fulfil it. As for His teachings on the Sabbath, this was because the Jews were preoccupied with their listening to His words about the law.
This woman who had an infirm spirit, as St. Augustine says, is the exact one as the barren fig tree that remained for three years bearing no fruits. This refers to Jewish nation that bore no fruits during the three stages. The eighteen years refers, pointing to the work of God in the creation until the sixth day. It is as if this nation has rejected in each stage God’s work with it. God wishes to renew His creation, but it is man who rejects God’s divine work. In this way the three stages have gone by, so that the Lord of glory comes as if on the seventh day, the day of His rest. He declares the completion of His rest by the renewal of our creation, and the straightening up of our backs that were bent down in sin across the entire history.
Once more we repeat with St. Augustine, “This woman in understood to be as a
symbol t the church that has become straightened up, and whole, by means of the Lord, after it had been bent with infirmity through Satan’s ties to it. Here are the words of the psalm speaking of the hidden enemies (Ps.57: 6) “My soul was bowed down.” (Not found p.478)
+ It could be said that this bending woman was suffering of this due to Satan’s cruelty. Because this is the condition so all mankind, therefore God who is good in His nature, has not left us like this in our suffering of the punishment of long sickness, and that is impossible to cure. He has rather freed us of our bonds, and He has declared His presence and Himself in
the world, as a glorified cure for mankind’s pain. He has come to renew our situation and bringing it back to its origin. He also wrote “God did not create death, neither is He pleased by the perdition of those alive ones. For He has created all so go to remain, and that those born in the world are safe, and have no deadly poison in them. Also “Death has entered the world due to Satan’s envy.”
Now the Word has become incarnate, and has embodied the human nature so as to destroy death and devastation, and to get rid of the envy embedded by the old serpent against us. This was the primary iniquity of wickedness. This is evident to us from the actual facts; for He has freed Abraham’s daughter (16) from her long time sickness and He told her (Luke 13: 12) “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” This is a very appropriate discussion by God that embodies immense natural power. With His royal will He took away the disease. he also put His hand on her, and on the spot it is said she stood up straight. We can also easily see at this point His sanctified body that embodies the divine authority and the divine power.
St. Cyril the great.
+ Because she had an infirmity due to a spirit, she was quite unable to lift up her head. In such a way does sin bend our necks, and at the same time it binds our feet.
+ Any person who is sick due to a spirit, he bends and looks (Not found p.480)
But the Lord answered him and said “Your hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donlsey form the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day? “When He said this, all His opponents were put to shame, and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that He was doing.”
+ The Lord mad this deed on the Sabbath to signify what is to be fulfilled, which is that man fulfils the law by being blessed with grace (Luke13: 8,10). With Christ’s mercy we could be freed from the toils of this weak body, so we enter the Sabbath which is the rest.
He gave the sanctification in the image of Moses, through the restful Sabbath, because the forthcoming sanctification and the work by the Spirit, have the basis of departing form the temporal deeds. This is why the Lord rested on the seventh day from the works of the age, and not from all of His works. For His work is continuous, incessant, as the words of the Son (John5: 17) “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” We likewise are following God’s model, we stop doing the deeds of the world, but not stopping from doing God’s deeds.
The leader of the synagogue did not understand this fact, and thus he did not approve of the healing process on the Sabbath, even though the Sabbath referred to the forthcoming rest, and so we do not cease from doing the good deeds, but rather the evil ones. He commands us not to carry the yoke of sin, but to go on doing the righteous deeds so we achieve the forthcoming Sabbath after our sleep. This is why the Lord answered him referring to the spiritual meaning (Luke13: 15) “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath, untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water?” Why hasn’t the Lord mentioned any other beast? Is it not to point to the Jewish nation, as well (not found p.482)
Rest, also your ox, your horse, and all your cattle. If He has given rest to mankind by releasing them from their diseases, and you were to forbid this; then it is you who is breaking the Sabbath, law, for you do not allow restfulness to those in pain of the diseases and sufferings, those ones who are bounded by Satan.
When the malicious ruler of the synagogue saw the woman crippled with her bent body to the ground, and how she accepted Christ’s mercy and became entirely straightened up as soon as He touchedher, and could walk along with Him who has become human in
straight pace, praising God for her salvation, the ruler became furious and resisted the Lord’s glory. He was confused in his envy, and so indignant at this wonderful miracle that he tried to defame it.
Tell me, you who are enslaved to envy, what kind of work does the law forbid when you forbid every manual work on the Sabbath? Do you forbid the work of the mouth and of words? Then you too, should stop food and drink, and should stop discussion and praise singing on the Sabbath. If you cease doing these things, and so not read even the covenant, then of what use is the Sabbath? But if you specify the forbidding of manual work, then do you consider the woman’s healing with a word, as manual work? If you consider it work because the woman was actually healed, then you too are working, by blaming her healing, because you have spoken just as Christ has spoken.
He has said (Luke13: 12) “Woman, you are set free from your ailment,” and she has become freed of it. This is good! Do you also not untie your girdle on the Sabbath? Do you not untie your shoes, prepare your bed, wash your hands before eating when they are dirty? Then why are you angry at one word that the Lord has said ‘you are set free’?
What kind of work did the woman make after He has said (erased) God commanded the people to cease from working on the Sabbath? It is to make your servants take a this word? Has she gone to work for a sculptor, a carpenter, or a builder? Has she begun on the same day to weave or to sew?
Merely to be healed is counted as work, but no, you are not really angry because of the Sabbath, but it is because you have seen Jesus honored, worshiped for He is God. Thus you were furious and bit with envy. You have hidden in your heart one thing and showed quite another one.
(Luke13: 15) “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water?”
He says, “You are amazed that I have untied Abraham’s daughter, whereas you give some rest to your ox or your donkey, and relieve it of its weariness, and you lead it to drink. At the same time you can see a woman suffering from a disease, and healed miraculously, and God showed mercy on her, and yet you blame them both as being disobedient; One for healing, and the other because she was cured of her disease.
I am asking now the leader of the synagogue: is man, in his opinion, of a lesser degree than a beast? His ox or his donkey deserved care on the Sabbath, and yet in his envy, he did not wish Christ to save the woman of her infirmity for she was bent. He did not wish her to return to her normal shape.
The leader of the synagogue preferred the woman who was straightened up to have remained bent as the four legged beast rather than be healed, and return to man’s proper nature. He did not wish Christ to be glorified nor to be declared that He is God through the wonders that He made.
(Luke13: 17) “When He said this, all His opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that He was doing.”
Those who uttered these infamous words were put to shame. They are the ones who were offended in the main corner- stone and so they were destroyed. They have resisted the physician, and had a conflict with the skilful potter who was busy fixing the shattered vessels; and so they had no answer to give. They had to be convinced and could offer no answer. But as for the crowds who enjoyed the benefits of the miracles, these were over rejoiced.
St. Cyril the great
+ The leader of the synagogue was justly called a hypocrite; for he had the semblance of a law keeper and observer, but his heart was deceitful and envious. What frustrated him was not the breaking of the Sabbath, but rather the glory of Christ.
St. John Chrysostom
+ In a probing way, the barren fig tree means the bending woman, because the human nature willingly drove itself towards iniquity. It did not bear the fruit of obedience, and so it lost its straightened up position. The fig tree also means the woman who has become erect and could stand up straight.
Father Gregory the great
- The Parable of the Mustard Seed:
Even though the work of the Lord Jesus with His people was amazing indeed, since He lifted them up from the constant bending towards the dust, so their inner vision be raised up towards heaven, yet He found resistance from the leader of the synagogue. This resistance is similar to the soil surrounding the little and live mustard seed. It cannot destroy the seed, but it rather becomes an obstruction to the soil, and so it becomes a big tree where the birds of heaven take shelter in its branches, and under its shade the wild beastsrest.
We have previously spoken at length of the mustard seed in our study of the gospel of our teacher the evangelist St. Matthew (13: 31). We have mentioned the beliefs of some of the fathers such as Father Gregory the great, and the saints Chrysostom, Ambrosios, Jerome, Augustine and Hillary, we have also mentioned the opinion of St. Gregory the great in our study of the gospel of St. Mark the evangelist (4: 30).
+ Anyone who accepts the mustard seed, that is, the gospel word, that is sowed in his heart’s garden, becomes a great tree bearing branches. There, the birds of the air take rest, that is those who give praise on the earth, between its branches that is those who are sublimely meditating. St. Paul accepted the teaching of Hananiah (Acts9: 17) as a little seed sowed in his paradise; thus it produced many useful teachings in which many of those who have sublime meditations dwelt, such as Dionysius.
Father Theophlactius
- The Parable of the leaven and the dough:
One more time, the Lord compares His divine work in the life of His new flock as a little leaven that is able to transform the nature of the whole dough. He said (Luke13: 20,21) “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed it with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” We have previously mentioned the opinion of some church fathers about this parable in our study of St. Matthew’s gospel (13: 33).
+What is the woman other than the Lord’s body? What is the yeast other than the gospel?
What are the three measures other than all the Gentiles that have issued from Noah’s three children?
St. Augustine
+ The three measures of flour spoken of by the Lord is the human race. Remember the flood, since there remained only three from whom all humanity came. Noah had three sons from whom the human race was renewed.
The woman who hid the yeast is wisdom.
You can see all the world crying out in God’s Church (Ps.135: 5) “For I know that the Lord is great.” But undoubtedly, those who are saved are few. Struggle hard to enter the narrow gate (Luke13: 24). Through it, few will be able to go in.
St. Augustine
+ it is appropriate for us to understand that the woman is the soul. As for the three measure, they are its three sides: the mind, the emotions and the desires. If man hides God’s word in these three sides, everything in him becomes spiritual. He begins no discussion by his mind or his wrath or his desire; for everything is changed immeasurably and is formed according to God’s word.
Father Theophlactius St. Ambrosios mentions in his comments on St. Luke’s gospel several interpretations
to this parable that were spread at his time. Among which are:
- Some think the Lord Jesus Himself is the ‘Yeast’ offered by the church, that is, the woman here, so He leavens us the flour by His righteousness and thus we bear His qualities in us. The Word of God became incarnate, bearing our human nature but by the power of His divinity He works in us, not to change our mere outer appearance but rather our inward nature. For he says. “The yeast changes the nature of the flour and not only its appearance. In this way Christ works in ”
If this woman refers to the holy church, then we are the flour of the church. The Lord Jesus has to hide in the depth of our hearts so we accept the heavenly wisdom inside us.
- Some think the three measures of flour that have accepted the yeast, refer to the law, the prophets and the gospel; where Christ was hiding by means of the symbols of the law and the prophetic prophecies, and was manifested through the gospel. In this way the believer appropriately bears in his heart these three measures, so he discovers his Christ inside himself. Or, as St. Ambrosios says ‘we have to search diligently and accurately in the law, the prophets and the gospel for Christ to be declared to
(C) St. Ambrosios mentions elaborately, the interpretation of the ‘Yeast’, being ‘the church edification’ (Matt.16: 6) which is different than the yeast of the scribes and the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. St. Paul the apostle says (1Cor.5: 8) “Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
By means of the church yeast, which is the gospel edification, the three measures of flour are leavened. Which is man’s body and his spirit and his soul. Thus he is blessed with the sanctification of life in every aspect of his life. The work of the church is man’s life extends up to his whole being, so the body lives in submission to the soul and the spirit under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. This is supported by St. Paul’s words (1Thes.5: 23) “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The church offers her yeast which is the Lord Jesus’ teachings, which grants us internal unity; and thus the body no longer lusts against the soul, and neither the soul lusts against the body (Gal.5: 17). This unity is enjoyed by its earnest or pledge in this world when we conduct ourselves when still in the body, not according to the body but according to the soul as the apostle said. We shall be blessed with its fulfillment in the resurrection. St. Ambrosios says, “In this way we can keep safe the partnership of the body, the soul and the spirit together in the resurrection, without any corruption.”
Let us live here with this earnest as the Lord Jesus Himself has said (Matt.18: 19) “Truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.” For, some think that the two are the body and the soul when they agree together under the leadership of the Lord’s Spirit. Thus the enmity will be taken away whereas true love will dwell in the soul as well as in the body, and Christ will be glorified in man as a whole.
In addition to this, the Lord confirms that if two or three are gathered in His name, He will be there in their midst. This gathering is the sign of man’s unity and his perfection physically, spiritually and emotionally in the Lord.
As for St. Cyril the great, he comments on this analogy saying “The yeast is small in size yet it affects the entire dough, and soon enough it gives the dough its impact. In the same way does God’s word work in us when it dwells in us. It makes us saintly and blameless. It pierces our minds, hearts and makes us spiritual. As St. Paul says, (1Thes.5: 23) “may your spirit and soul and body be dept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, the God of everyone manifests that the divine Word is poured into the depths of our understanding; for through Him one of His saintly prophets says (Jerusalem.31: 31-33) “The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt- a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” In this way we receive in our mind and understanding the divine and sensible yeast, so that with this precious, pure and sanctified yeast we be found as spiritual bread, that bears no evil yeast of the world inside us. The power of the gospel preaching that grants life, comes into our minds and thus changes the soul, the body and the spirit so they bear the gospel qualities, so we become pure and saintly and partners to Christ.
- Repentance and the Narrow Gate:
When the evangelist St. Luke presented us with ‘repentance’ as the way to be blessed with salvation from perdition (Luke13: 1-5), he then revealed God’s long forbearance to us, for He stands as if to intercede for us. He gives us new opportunities, for repentance, just like a good gardener who is patient with the unfruitful fig tree (Luke13: 6-9). He takes care of it Himself by digging round it, and adding fertilizer to it so it blossoms. He declared that He in truth, He alone, is the mystery for our healing and salvation. He commands the bent soul that is under the physical passions so it becomes straightened up, (Luke13: 10-17). He offers His gospel to our hearts, just as it were a small mustard seed that becomes a huge tree where the birds of the sky take shelter in its branches. Also as a yeast in our minds that sanctifies the body together with the soul and the spirit. Now, lest we assume that our role in salvation is a passive one, He assures us of our commitment in struggling, so we enter with His grace through the narrow gate. For the evangelist says,
(Luke13: 22-24) “Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as He made His way to Jerusalem. Someone asked Him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you , will try to enter and will not be able to.”
The door of the kingdom is narrow, and the way is arduous, and few are they who will be able to find it; for it is the way of the cross that will not be truly found and entered into except by him who has disappeared in the Crucified.
We have previously spoken of this way in our comment on St. Matthew’s gospel (Matt.7: 13, 14) and we mentioned some quotes by St. John Chrysostom, Caprianos and Jerome.
We notice here the evangelist St. Luke mentions the Lord’s words about the ‘narrow door’ after he had declared that Jesus ‘went through one town and village after another teaching as He made His way to Jerusalem.’ It is as if the goal of His preaching was to everyone: to the city dwellers who cared about the foremost positions, wealth and showing off, and also to the modest village inhabitants. He wanted to carry everyone in Him and with Him to His cross, so they be blessed with His kingdom through the narrow door. He would
then release them not to the earthly Jerusalem, but to the heavenly one, so they witness His real peace and live it.
+ “Strive to enter through the narrow door” (Luke13: 24).
The straight way is a narrow one; any deviation from it is risky, whether it be on the left or the right. It is like a bridge that he who deviates from it, will surely fall in the river.
St. Basilious
+ When He wanted to speak of entering the narrow door, He began by saying ‘Strive...’, because unless the mind strives strongly the waves of the world will not be overcome. It is these waves that pull the soul down to the bottom.
Father Gregory the great
+ I think it appropriate that I mention the narrow door through which man enters into life.
He who wishes to enter it, necessarily has to have, firstly, the straight faith that is uncorrupted. Secondly, his conduct has to be undefiled and blameless according to the standard of human righteousness. It is in this way that David the prophet pleaded to God (Ps.7: 8) “Judge me O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.” This is because the purity of the saintly angels and their righteousness is way farther than the purity and righteousness of the earth dwellers. What concerns others is of a lesser and lower kind from every aspect; their nature, too, is baser than the angels’ nature. Inspite of this, he who wishes to live in sanctity, will not be able to without striving. Because the way that leads to righteousness is arduous at all times and sloping, too difficult for most people to go through. A lot of toil shows up, and so we need persistence, patience, a noble conduct, and indeed we need an undefeatable mind that does not participate in the base pleasures, and is not moved by the physical lust or bohemic feelings. He who has this mind and spiritual persistence goes easily through the narrow door, and he even runs through the narrow way. It is said (Prov.16: 26) “The appetite of workers works for them... and leads them in a way that is not good.” Here you can hear the prophet speaking dearly that man owns victory over his perdition, by means of violence. The Lord also says, (Matt.11: 12) “the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.”
St. Cyril the great
+ What then do the Lord’s words mean at another place (Matt.11: 30) “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Actually there is no contradiction between both quotes. One speaks of the nature of tribulation, as the narrow door, and the other speaks of the feelings of those who overcome them. What causes hardship to our nature could be counted as easy if we accept it willingly. Moreover, the way of salvation is narrow in its entrance, but once you get in you will find a spacious place of rest, contrary to the way leading to perdition.
St. John Chrysostom The LordJesus continue speaking about the ‘narrow door’ saying, (Luke13: 25-27) “When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying‘Lord open to us’, then in reply He will say to you ‘I do not know where you come from’. Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with You, and You taught in our streets’. But He will say, ‘Ido not know
where you come from; go away from Me’, you evil-doers’.”
Those who are careless enough are unable to find the narrow path, not due to their ignorance in thinking, but rather due to their ignorance in their actual live experience.
They read about Him, or hear of Him, yet they do not experience Him. This is why they ask for Him with their thoughts but not with their hearts; with their tongue and not with their life. These are deprived of knowing the ‘narrow door’ or ‘the way to the kingdom’. Their reward, therefore, will be of the same kind as their work. They do not know the Lord’s way in their life, and hence the Lord will not know them at Hisfinal coming. This does not
mean He will not know them personally, but He will count them unworthy of knowing them, for they are out of the light of His glory and splendor. They have rejected going in through His door when they were still in the world; thus He shuts the door when He comes and finds them unworthy of entering, even if they have practiced the form of worshiping, or bore His name yet His life was not in them.
+ The Lord knows His own, which means He accepts them in a strong relation due to their works.
+ The Lord does not know the sinner, but He knows the righteous one.
St. Basilious the great
St. Jerome
+ He says to those who are proud of their miracles, without their leading a virtuous life. ‘I do not know you’ (Matt.7: 23) for the Lord does not know the way of the evil ones.
Pope Athanasios the apostolic
+ (Luke13: 27) “Go away from Me, you evil-doers”; for there is no partnership between light and darkness. It is im9possible for him who has touched the corruption of sin and did not wash in His blood, to draw near to God who is so entirely pure.
It is also appropriate for us to ask “What does it signify when those who tell Christ ‘We ate and drank with You, and You taught in our streets.” Those are surely the Israelites, to whom Christ has said (Luke13: 28) “There will be weeping and gnashing or teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out”. How were they eating and drinking before God? The answer is: by their carrying out the ministry and the service according to: the covenant; for, when they were offering the sacrifices to God in shedding blood, they used to eat and be happy. Moreover, they have listened to Moses’ writings in their temples, and interpretations to God’s messages, for they always introduced His words saying “In this way the Lord said.” But to worship God by shedding the animal blood is not enough for any justification. Man’s iniquities are not washed merely by his hearing the divine commandments, unless he practices what he has been commanded to do.
In other words, we may say, because they have rejected accepting the faith that justifies the vagabonds, and because they did not follow the gospel commandments by which they practice the sublime and selective life, then how could they possibly enter God’s kingdom?
Once more, who are they who say, ‘We have eaten before You...”? Many have believed in Jesus Christ, and have honored the sanctified feasts to glorify Him, and often go to the churches so as to hear the gospel edification, and yet, despite this, they do not keep in mind anything at all of the facts of the Holy Book. To practice righteousness to them is difficult, whereas they void their hearts entirely of the spiritual fruit. Those too, will cry bitterly and gnash their teeth because the Lord rejects them.
St. Cyril the great
- Declaring His death:
When He spoke of ‘the narrow door’, and showed that the Gentiles will come from the east, west, north and south and rest in God’s kingdom (Luke13: 29) through this door, whereas the children of this kingdom will be cast out because they reject this door, in this way the last shall be first and the first shall be last (Luke13: 30). St. Luke began to reveal to us how our Christ lived in this (incomplete p. 494)
‘ narrowness’, and that He rather came to enter through the narrow door, and how He endured death for our sakes, so He carries us with Him to His resurrection.
The evangelist says, (St. Luke31- 33) “at that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Him ‘Get away form here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for Me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish My work. Yet today, tomorrow and the next day I must be on My way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem’.”
Many fathers think that the Pharisees here stand for wolves that came in the semblance of lambs. They pretend to be loving towards the Lord Jesus, whereas their motive for their action was their envy, because He attracts the crowds away from them, and hence they lost their honor and their gains. They therefore wished to cast Him out of the area subject to the rule of Antipas Herod, and so they advised the Lord of go away lest He be killed by Herod. As St. Cyril the great says, “their hearts were on fire with envy. They did not wish Him to live in Jerusalem so He would not benefit the people, who were absolutely thrilled by His divine miracles on one hand, and on the other hand He shone on them with the accurate light of seeing God through His teachings of the real facts that surpass what was mentioned in the old law.
They resisted the Lord in various ways: once by their scorn of His authority in performing miracles, and their audacity in accusing Him, that what He did was only by means of Beelzebol. At another time they pushed Him to be taken by Caesar’s followers, with the accusation of His forbidding the Israelites from paying the taxes to Caesar (Luke20: 22).
Then, why did they draw close to Him, saying, (Luke13: 31) “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” What is their purpose for doing so? The evangelist answers by telling us “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Him...” what does he mean by ‘that very hour’ when the Pharisees came and said these words to Jesus? As He was busy teaching the Jewish multitudes, one asked Him if there were many to be saved. The Lord expressed His response to answer appropriately what they should b e informed with. It is the way in which humans should go so they become heirs to the heavenly kingdom. For He said, “Strive to enter the narrow door.” He told them if they rejected this, they will see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the other prophets in God’s kingdom whereas they themselves would be cast out (Luke13: 28). He also added (Luke13: 30) “Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last,” meaning, the call for the unbelievers to come to the faith. These signs provoked the Pharisees to anger. They saw the multitudes repent and adopt the faith in Him eagerly. They only needed a few more things to realise His glory and the mystery of His great incarnation that is worthy of all worship. In this way,the Pharisees almost lost their authority as leaders of the people, and also lost then monetary gains, for they were avid and greedy in their love of covetousness and luxury. They pretended as if to love Him and so drew close to Him saying “Go away from here for Herod wants to kill you.” They thought they would be able to deceive Him who said (Job.38: 2) “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? ...I will question you, and you shall declare to Me... Tell Me if you have understanding...” (The seventiethtranslation)
The Pharisees believed they were able to deceive the Lord. But he answered them as a Perceiver of the hearts and innermost being, the One who knows every secret and all the future, in peace and amazing wisdom. It was a conclusive strong response for the construction of the listeners, for He manifested the following in His answer:
Firstly: He proved His courage by sending them to Herod, calling him the ‘fox’. He wished, on one hand, to declare to them He would not withdraw from serving the multitudes however dangerous this might be, but that they themselves would rather withdraw if they wished to and get busy with what does not hinder thesalvation of their brethren; on the other hand, He
called Herod ‘fox’, for He knew the ferocity of his heart and his love for shedding innocent blood in great malice.
Some think Herod here refer to the heretics who wish to kill the faith in Christ, and snatch it away from God’s children, and this is why he is called ‘fox’. Since they use malice and deceit.
Others think Herod refers to the love of temporal honor, or being linked to what is earthly. This matter kills our faith in Christ, and runs our partnership with Him, and this is why he was called ‘a fox’, for he digs in the earth and lives in holes. As St. Clemendos the Alexandrian says, “He calls the malicious and earthly ones who are preoccupied with wealth, for they dig in the earth as foxes do.”
Secondly: He also manifested His mission, that He was not a rival to Herod in his earthly kingdom; but that rather, He was a heavenly King working for the construction of the souls, and casts at the devils and He heals offering up Himself willingly to death (Luke13: 32, 33). He has come to destroy the work of Satan, and heal humanity form its deadly wounds, and appoint His church as a spiritual kingdom. As St. Augustine says, “understand these things He uttered in a mystical sense, referring to His body that is the church. For the devils are cast out when the nations depart from superstition and come to cleave to Him. The absolute healing is fulfilled by means of His commandments, after the devil is denied as well as all the world in the resurrection. At this point the church becomes perfect in the fullness of the angelic life, by the immortality of the body as well.”
This is His kingdom that is fulfilled by His work, as His words are ‘Today and tomorrow, and on the third day it is fulfilled.’ He means by the third day, our resurrection with Him as on the third day, what Satan will be absolutely destroyed and no trace of his injuries will be in us.
The Lord wished to stress that His kingdom was a spiritual one, not based on any political foundation, by comparing His care to His congregation to a hen that embraces her little chicks under it wings (Luke13: 34). This stands in contrast to the Roman eagle that used to be set up in the Roman empire in great haughtiness and arrogance, as a sign of dominance, pride and violence.
Thirdly: The Lord manifested His knowledge of the future by His words “I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish My work.” This is a Hebrew symbolic expression that means His days on earth are almost done and are to be counted (Hos.6: 2).
By saying ‘I finish My work’ He revealed His passion was the mystery of His glory, for by it His work of salvation for His people will be fulfilled.
Fourthly: He uncovered His mission; that He has come to shed His blood for His own that is Jerusalem, for He said, (luke13: 33) “Yet today, tomorrow and the next day I must be on My way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.” As St. Cyril the great says, “The Pharisees thought herod’s authority would threaten Him, and He would thus fear him. But He is the Lord of hosts who begets in us the spiritual courage by His words (Matt10: 28) Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” He paid no concern to human violence; He rather says that He has to work today, tomorrow and what follows (Luke13: 33). When He says ‘I have to’, this does not mean He is obliged to, but He ‘has to’ so willingly, out of His own self-will. Without any danger, He can go anywhere throughout Judea, without anyone resisting Him, or plan against Him; so that He accepts the suffering by His own will through the precious cross. With His own self will He accepted the passion so that by His body’s death, He would delete death and rise. When He rises from the dead, He resurrects the entire human nature with Him. He renews it, and grants it the incorruptible life.
Fifthly: He manifested His super care to His people, yet it is not obligatory, for He sanctifies our freedom. We could either accept it and react with it, or reject it. For He says (Luke13: 34, 35) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing. See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see Me until the time come when you say ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord’.” We have previously explained this phrase (Matt.23: 37- 39) in our interpretation.
+ he does not only not surpass us, but He also does not want to leave us unless we want this.
He showed we are the ones who begin in deserting Him. We have thus become the pretext of our perdition. But as for God, He does not wish to desert us or even punish us. If He punishes us, He does so as if He is forced to. He says, (Ezek.18: 32) “I do not wish the sinner’s death, but I rather wish him to come back and live.”
Christ grieves over Jerusalem’s perdition, Just as we grieve the perdition of our friends.
St. John Chrysostom