Dear Bishop Alexander…bless me,

The preface of the four Gospels can be regarded to be the first four verses of the first chapter of Luke, in which the Apostle speaks of the careful study done for everything that he writes and describes the purpose of writing the Gospel: to know the firm basis of the Christian teachings. To this end, the Apostle John the Theologian adds in the 31st paragraph of the 20th chapter of his Gospel “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.”

As can be seen from St. Luke’s preface, he undertook the writing of his Gospel because by that time there had appeared fairly numerous similar works but lacking in authority and unsatisfactory in substance. He also regarded it as his responsibility (from his desire to reaffirm in the Faith one “sovereign Theophilus” and, at the same time, all Christians in general) to write an epistle on the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, carefully checking all the data from the words of “eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word.” Because he was, apparently, only one apostle of the seventy disciples of Christ and therefore could not be a witness to all events — such as the birth of John the Baptist, the Annunciation, the birth of Christ, and the meeting of Christ in the temple — he undoubtedly wrote a significant part of his Gospel from the words of eyewitnesses; that is, on the basis of tradition (here we can see the importance of tradition, which is rejected by Protestants and sectarians).

The foremost and most important eyewitness to the very early events of the Gospel’s history was surely the Holy Virgin Mary. Saint Luke specifically notes twice that she kept the recollections of all these events, retaining them in her heart (Luke 2:19 and 2:51).

There can be no doubt that the pre-eminence of the Gospel of Luke over other writings that existed before his is found in that he wrote only after a thorough examination of facts and the strict sequence of events. This pre-eminence over other writings is shared by the other three Evangelists, as two of them — Matthew and John — were of Christ’s original twelve disciples (they themselves were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word) while the third, Mark, wrote from the words of Christ’s closest disciple and an assured eyewitness and close participant in the Gospel’s events — the Apostle Peter.

The purpose given by St. John is seen particularly clearly in his Gospel, which is full of jubilant eyewitness of the Lord Jesus Christ’s divinity. But naturally, the other three Evangelists also have the same goal.

The Pre-Eternal Birth and the Incarnation of the Son of God.

(John 1:1-14).

While the Evangelists Matthew and Luke write of the earthly birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, St. John begins his Gospel by expounding the teachings about His pre-eternal birth and His incarnation as the Only Son of God. The first three Evangelists begin their narrations with that event as a consequence of which the Kingdom of Heaven received its beginning in time and space, while Saint John, akin to an eagle, soars to the pre-eternal basis of this Kingdom, observing the eternal existence of Him Who only in “these last days” (Hebrews 1:1) became a human being.

The second person of the Holy Trinity — the Son of God — is named by John as “the Word.” At this point, it is important to note and remember that the Greek word “logos,” unlike the corresponding word in Russian, doesn’t only mean the spoken word but also thought, reason, and wisdom expressed by word. Consequently, the naming of the Son of God as “the Word” means the same as His being named “Wisdom” (see Luke 11:49 and Matthew 23:34). The holy Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:24 calls Christ “the Wisdom of God.”

Undoubtedly, the teachings about “God’s wisdom” are expressed in the same sense in Acts (see especially the wonderful text of Proverbs 8:22-30). After this it’s strange to insist, as some people do, that St. John derived his teachings on the Logos as if from the philosopher Plato and his successors (such as Philo). St. John wrote about events that were known to him from the Holy Books of the Old Testament — and also about that which, as a beloved disciple, he learned from the Divine Teacher Himself, as well as what was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

“In the beginning was the Word” means that the Word is co-eternal with God. What’s more, St. John explains further that with respect to His existence, the Word does not separate from God, and consequently It is of one essence with God, and finally, he directly calls the Word God: “and the Word was God.” Here, the word “God” was applied in Greek without any article, giving rise to the assertion by the Arians and Origen that the Word is not the same God as God the Father. However, this is simply a misunderstanding. In reality, this hides a most profound conception of the distinction of the three countenances of the Holy Trinity. The use of an article in Greek indicates that the dialogue is about the same subject as that just spoken of. So if in saying “the Word was God,” the Apostle had used the same article and said “o Theos” in Greek, the result would have been the incorrect idea that the Word was the same as God the Father, Who had been referred to just before. Consequently, in speaking of the Word, the Evangelist calls Him simply “Theos” indicating by this His Divine quality, but also at the same time underlining that the Word has an independent hypostatic existence and is not identical to the hypostasis of God the Father.

As Blessed Theothylact notes, in revealing to us the teachings on the Son of God, St. John calls Him Word and not Son, “so that we, having heard of the Son, did not think in terms of passion and carnal birth. He called Him the Word, so that you would know that as the word is born from the mind without passion, so is He born from the Father without passion.”

The words “all things were made through Him” are not meant as though the Word was only an instrument in the creation of the world but that the world originated from the Primal Reason and Primal Source of all existence (including the Word Himself) — God the Father, through the Son, Who by Himself is already the source of everything that began to exist (that was made), only not for Himself and not for the other countenances of God.

“In Him was life” — here the meaning of the word life is not to be understood in the ordinary sense but as a spiritual life that induces intelligent creatures to strive toward the cause of their creation, toward God. This spiritual life is obtained through the path of communion and unification with the hypostatic Divine Word. Consequently, the Word is the source of genuine spiritual life for any intelligent being.

“And the life was the light of men” — has in mind that this spiritual life that emanates from the Divine Word enlightens a person with a full and complete guidance.

“And the light shines in the darkness . . .” The Word that presents light of genuine guidance does not cease to direct them amid sinful darkness, as the light is not absorbed by darkness: Those who persist in sin have preferred to remain in the darkness of spiritual blindness. However, “the darkness did not comprehend it” — did not restrict its activity and dissemination.

Then, in order to join the people who abode in sinful darkness with His Divine light, the Word undertook extraordinary measures: John the Baptist was sent, and, finally, the Word became flesh.

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John” — “there was” as stated in Greek is “egenetos” (“became”) and not “inos” as enunciated about the Word; that is, John “came to being,” was born at a point in time and did not exist eternally like the Word, Who Himself “gives light to every man coming into the world.”

The world did not recognize the Word, even though it was obliged to Him for its existence. “He came to His own,” i.e., to His chosen people of Israel, “and His own did not receive Him” — of course not everybody.

“But as many as received Him” with love and faith, “He gave the right to become children of God.” That is, He gave them the beginning of a new spiritual life, which, like a physical one, also begins through birth — although the birth is not from carnal passion but through a higher power, from God.

“And the Word became flesh.” Here the understanding of the word “flesh” does not mean the human body alone but the whole, complete person — in the same meaning as the word “flesh” is often applied in the Holy Gospels (e.g., Matthew 24:22). That is, the Word became a complete person, at the same time not ceasing to be God. “And dwelt among us . . . full of grace and truth.” It must be understood that grace means God’s goodness, as the gifts of goodness from God, revealing the access to a new spiritual life for humanity, i.e., gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Word that dwells among us was also filled with the Truth — complete guidance in everything that concerns the spiritual word and spiritual life.

“And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” The Apostles actually saw His glory in the Transfiguration, Resurrection, and Ascension to Heaven — glory in His Teachings, miracles, works of love, and voluntary self-abasement. He is — the “only Son of the Father,” for only He alone is the Son of God in essence, by His Divine nature. These words point to His immense superiority over God’s sons and children through grace, the faithful that are mentioned above.

The Observations by Archpriest Michael Pomazansky.

(An addition to Abp. Averky’s original text).

The attention of every Christian who is familiar with the Bible is drawn to the parallel between the first words at the beginning of the Old Testament Book of Genesis and those at the beginning of John’s Gospel. We too will pause on this parallel.

“En archi” — “In the beginning” — are the opening words of both Holy Writings. In Greek the word “archi” has three rudimentary meanings: (a) the beginning of an event or undertaking, in the ordinary and simple sense of the word; (b) command, rule, or authority; and (c) in a secular sense — ancient times, the past, long ago, and, in a spiritual sense — unconstrained by time, eternal.

In the original language of the book of the prophet Moses, the word “archi” is applied in the usual sense (as in “(a)” just above) — before all His actions beyond Himself, God created heaven and earth; i.e., before the created universe, there was only God, and nothing existed outside Him. The same phrase appears as the first phrase in John’s Gospel. However, the Holy Apostle elevates the meaning of the Greek Word “archi.” “In the beginning was the Word” — “Word,” as a personal Divine being, “in the beginning” — before any other type of being, and more than this — out of any time, in the limitless eternity. The same word appears once more in another part of the same Gospel, with the same meaning. When the Judeans asked Christ: “Who are You?” — Christ replied: “From the beginning, as I have told you.” Thus, the first books of the two Testaments begin with one and the same expressive word, but in the New Testament, it has a more elevated meaning than that in the Book of Genesis.

In the ensuing text of both books, especially in the first five verses of each one, we notice this internal association. Let it be unintentional on the part of the Evangelist — as it is not conveyed in a strict sequence but as a connection, which flows out by itself from the substance of the narration on the two topics. Here, the majesty of these New Testament events — with its comparison to the Old Testament — is clearly set out. For the sake of clarity, we show the parallel by placing the Old Testament first and the Gospel second.

The Book of Genesis	The Gospel
1. "In the beginning God . . ." "And God said, Let there . . ."	1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Here the mystery of monotheism is elevated in the revelation of the second hypostasis in God (the expression "was with God" is explained further on, in the 18th verse: "The only begotten Son Who is in the bosom of the Father").
2. "And the earth was without form and void . . ." (lifeless).	2. "All things were made through Him (the Word), and without Him nothing was made that was made." The verb "said" in "1" is made more precise as the words "said with the Word," the participation of the second Divine Hypostasis, Creator of the whole world, Fulfiller of the Father’s will.
3. "And God said, Let there be light . . ." said about physical light.	3. "In Him (in the Word) was life" (as contrast).
4. "And darkness was upon the face of the deep . . ."	4. "And the life was the Light of men." The subject of the thought is elevated immeasurably, notwithstanding that it is denoted by one and the same word. About the Word, the Son of God: "And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (as contrast).
5. On the Holy Spirit: "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters . . ."	5. The words of John the Baptist: "’I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.’ And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him’" (verses 31 and 32, as comparison).
6. "And God said, Let us make man in Our image . . ." And God created man in His Own image . . ."	6. On the incarnation of the Word: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father" (verse 14, as comparison).
7. "And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made . . ." (2:2).	7. The coming of the Word to earth, the glory of the Savior: "Hereafter you shall see Heaven open, and the Angels of God Ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" (verse 51, as comparison).

This coincidence of thoughts and of verbal expressions between these two holy books of the Old and New Testaments, this light of the first book in the light of the Church’s understanding of the Gospel — pertaining to the first book of the prophet Moses — is confirmed by the Apostle’s words in the same first chapter of his Gospel: “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (verses 16 and 17).

Consequently, it is not necessary to seek the source for the name “Logos” — “Word,” which has entrenched itself in Christianity. This understanding of the name is not at all foreign in general in the Old Testament: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth” (Psalm 33:6) — said in the Psalter, formerly read daily by the Judeans either in the ancient Hebrew text or in the translated form of the Septuagint.

However, Christ’s farewell talk with His disciples shines even more clearly for us: “The word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s Who sent Me” (John 14:24). “For all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). “All things that the Father has are Mine” (John 16:15). Here is the fundamental subject of this majestic dialogue, just as the first sacerdotal prayer uttered by Christ that followed it.

The Orthodox Church lovingly took to calling the Son of God “the Word” and widely applies this, not in a singular form but with one or another definition, attribute: “who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word” (the hymn to the Theotokos “Meet it is”), “the only-begotten Son and Word of God” (sung during the Liturgy), and “O Ruler of all, Word of the Father” (from the prayers before sleep).

The conception of Christ’s Forerunner, John.

(Luke 1:1-25).

This section tells of the appearance of God’s Angel to the priest Zacharias during a service in the temple. The Angel foretells the conception and birth of a son to Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, who is to be called John and who will be great in the sight of the Lord, and speaks of Zachariah’s punishment, in the form of muteness, for his disbelief.

King Herod (mentioned here) was by birth an Idumean (an Edomite), son of the Antipater who, at the time of Hyrcanus, last in the dynasty of the Maccabees, had authority over Judea. Herod received his title of king from Rome. Although he was even a proselyte, the Judeans did not regard him as one of their own, and his rule was such that “the scepter shall not depart from Judah,” after which the Messiah should appear (see the prophecy of Genesis 49:10).

The priests were divided into twenty-four divisions, among which Abijah headed one. Zacharias belonged to this division. Elizabeth also came from an ecclesiastical background. While they both were outstanding in their genuine righteousness, they were without children. This was regarded by the Judeans as God’s punishment for sinning. Every week, a divine service was conducted in the temple by each division (twice a year). With that, the priests allocated responsibilities among themselves by casting lots. Zacharias’ lot was to perform the censing of the temple. That’s why he entered the second part of Jerusalem’s temple — called the Holiest of the Holy or the sanctuary — where the incensory altar was located. At the same time, all the people were praying in a specially designated open area, a courtyard, of the temple. Having entered the sanctuary, Zacharias observed an Angel, and a great fear gripped him because according to Jewish understanding the appearance of an Angel foretold of impending death. The Angel calmed Zacharias, telling him that his prayer was answered and that his wife will bear him a son who will be “great in the sight of the Lord.” It is difficult to suppose that Zacharias with his righteousness, being old and at such a solemn moment of the religious service, would have been praying for a son. Apparently, as one of the finest people of that time, he prayed to God for a swift coming of the Kingdom of the Messiah — and it is precisely this prayer that the Angel said was answered. And here his prayer received its high reward: not only is his sorrowful infertility resolved, but also his son will be the Forerunner of the Messiah, whose coming he had waited for so intensely. His son will surpass everyone in his extraordinary, strict abstinence and from birth will be filled with particular, blessed gifts of the Holy Spirit. The son is faced with the task of preparing the Judean people for the coming of the Messiah, which he does with sermons on repentance and the reformation of their lives. He diverted toward God many sons of Israel who honored Jehovah formally but had distanced their hearts and lifestyles away from Him. To accomplish this, John will be given the spirit and strength of the prophet Elijah, to whom he will be likened by his fiery zeal, strictly ascetic life, sermons on repentance, and exposure of iniquities. He will have to call the Judeans from the abyss of their moral decline, returning into the hearts of parents the love for children, and to confirm thoughts of the righteous in the minds of those resisting the right hand of God.

As he and his wife were too old to hope for an offspring, Zacharias did not believe the Angel and asked him for a sign as proof of the authenticity of his words. In order to dispel Zacharias’ doubts, the Angel enunciates his name: he is Gabriel, which means God’s power, the same that brought the good tidings of the time of the Messiah’s coming to the prophet Daniel, having indicated the time with “sevens” (Daniel 9:21-27). For his disbelief, the Angel inflicts him with muteness and apparently at the same time with deafness, as all future communications with him are with signs. Normally, censing continues for a short period so that the people started to wonder: why is Zacharias lingering in the sanctuary? However, no sooner had Zacharias appeared and begun to gesticulate, that the people realized that he had a vision. It is remarkable that Zacharias did not cease but continued to fulfill his turn at serving at the temple — right up to the end. After he returned home, his wife Elizabeth did indeed conceived a son. For five months she hid this from fear of disbelief and ridicule from the public, while her soul rejoiced and thanked God for lifting the denouncements of her. The conception of John the Baptist is celebrated on the 23rd of September.

The Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary.

(Luke 1:26-38).

In the sixth month after John the Baptist’s conception, the Angel Gabriel was sent to the small town of Nazareth, situated in the Zebulun area of the southern part of Galilee, “to a Virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The Virgin’s name was Mary.” The Evangelist doesn’t say: “Virgin, Who was married,” but “betrothed to a man.” This means that formally and in the eyes of society, the Blessed Virgin Mary was regarded as Joseph’s wife, even though in reality, She was not.

Having lost Her parents at an early age, the Blessed Virgin Mary was consecrated to serving in the temple. When She turned fourteen, She was not allowed (according to the law) to remain at the temple, and was unable to return to Her parents. Following tradition, She was obliged to marry. Knowing that She made a promise to remain a virgin, the high priests and priests did not want to leave Her without a guardian, so they betrothed Her to Her relative, an eighty year old carpenter named Joseph, who was renowned for his righteousness and who also had an extensive family from his first marriage (Matthew 13:55).

In appearing to Her, the Angel called Her “full of grace,” i.e., having found favor with God (see verse 30) — God’s special love and benevolence, His help that is essential for holy and great deeds. The words of the Angel bewildered Mary by their extraordinary nature, and She commenced to ponder over them. Having calmed Her, the Angel foretells the birth of a Son from Her, Who will be great not like John, but much greater because He will not simply be full of God’s blessed gifts as John, but He Himself will be the Son of the Almighty. Why is the Angel saying that the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David and He will reign over the house of Jacob? Because the Jewish kingdom in the Old Testament was predetermined to prepare people for a spiritual, eternal Kingdom of Christ and to slowly transfigure into it. Consequently, David’s kingdom as such is one in which God Himself placed kings, which was ruled according to God’s laws, in which all forms of civil life was permeated with the idea of serving God, which was found in an uninterrupted link with the New Testament Kingdom of God.

Mary’s question, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” — would have been completely incomprehensible and would have made no sense, if She hadn’t given a promise to God, to remain a Virgin forever. The Angel explained that Her promise would not be violated, as She will give birth to a Son without a husband, by extraordinary means. The Holy Spirit, “the power of the Almighty,” will bring about this seedless conception; i.e., the Son of God Himself (see 1 Corinthians 1:24) will overshadow Her, will enter Her like a cloud akin to that which overshadowed the tabernacle, as expressed by Isaiah (19:1), “upon a swift cloud.” While the Blessed Virgin did not demand any proof, the Angel himself in confirmation of the authenticity of his words pointed to Elizabeth, who had conceived a son in her old age by the will of God, to Whom nothing is impossible. The Holy Virgin knew through the books of the prophets that not only glory awaits Her and Her Divine Son, but also grief. Nevertheless, completely obedient to God’s will, She replied: “Behold the Virgin servant of the Lord! Let it be to Me according to your word.”

The Annunciation is celebrated on the 25th of March. Having accepted the glad tidings, the Blessed Virgin said nothing to Joseph, and as St. John Chrysostom explains, She was justly afraid that he may not believe Her and think that through Her warning, She is trying to hide a transgression.

The meeting of the Holy Virgin Mary with Elizabeth.

(Luke 1:39-56).

The Holy Virgin hurries to share Her joy with Her relative Elizabeth, who presumably lived in Judea in a town named Juttah, situated close to the sacred city of Hebron. Elizabeth greeted Her with the same extraordinary words that were uttered by the Angel: “Blessed are You among women” — and added: “And blessed is the fruit of your womb!” — Although, as Her relative, she should have known about the promise given by Mary to remain chaste. Following this, Elizabeth exclaimed: “But why is this granted to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth immediately explains the meaning of her words, in that the child she was carrying “leaped in the womb” no sooner than she heard Mary’s greeting. Undoubtedly, under the infusion of the Holy Spirit, the child in Elizabeth’s womb sensed the other Child — He, before Whose arrival into the world, humanity would have to be prepared by him. That’s why he produced such an unusual movement in his mother’s womb. The reaction of the child to the Holy Spirit was imparted to his mother, and she, through the grace of foresight, instantly recognized what joyous tidings Mary conveyed. That’s why she glorified Her as the Mother of God with the same words as that of Archangel Gabriel. Elizabeth beatifies the Blessed Virgin for Her faith with which She received the Archangel’s tidings, contrasting this faith with Zacharias’ disbelief.

From Elizabeth’s words, the Blessed Virgin Mary understood that the mystery revealed to Elizabeth was from God Himself. Amid feelings of rapture and emotions at the thought that the time for the long-awaited Messiah and the liberation of Israel has arrived, the Holy Virgin praised God with a marvelous song. This song is now constantly sung in Her honor during matins: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and My spirit hath rejoiced in God My Saviour . . .” She wards off any thoughts of personal worthiness and praises God because He has been attentive to Her humility. In a prophetic prescience, She foretells that for this mercy from God, She will be glorified by all generations and that this mercy of God will be extended to all that are fearful of the Lord. She subsequently praises God that the promise given to the Fathers and to Abraham has been fulfilled and that the Kingdom of the Messiah, anticipated so much by the Israelites, has come— that His humble followers, despised by the world, will soon triumph, be uplifted and filled with goodness, while the proud and powerful will be disgraced and vanquished. It’s apparent that the Holy Virgin, not having waited for the Forerunner’s birth, returned home.

The Birth of Saint John the Baptist.

(Luke 1:57-80).

When the time had arrived for Elizabeth to give birth, relatives and neighbors joined in the joy which overtook her, and on the eighth day they gathered at her house so as to perform the rite of circumcision, established at the time of Abraham (Genesis 17:11-14) and demanded by the law (Leviticus 12:3). Through this ritual, the newborn entered the society of the chosen people. Consequently, the day of circumcision was regarded as a joyful family holiday. With circumcision, the infant was given a name, usually in honor of some senior relative. Consequently, the mother’s wish to name her son John would have aroused general consternation. Obviously, the Evangelist underscores this situation because it is quite miraculous: Elizabeth’s desire to call her son John was the result of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They turned to the father for his decision. As he was still mute, he wrote on a piece of flat wood, covered with wax: “His name is John.” Everyone was completely taken aback by the concordance of both parents’ wishes to give their son a name that did not exist among their relatives. And immediately, according to the Angel’s prediction, Zacharia’s tongue was freed and he could speak. In a state of prophetic inspiration and by now foreseeing the approach of the Messiah’s Kingdom, he began to exalt God Who visited His people and made possible their salvation, He Who “had raised the horn of salvation in the house of David.” Just as in the Old Testament, when offenders fled from their avengers to the altar for burning sacrifices and, seizing its horns, regarded themselves as inviolable (1 Kings 2:28), so does the whole human race, oppressed by sins and persecuted by God’s righteous judgment, find salvation in Jesus Christ.

This salvation is not so much liberation of Israel from its political enemies (as the majority of Jews believed, especially the scribes and Pharisees) as it is the fulfillment of God’s law, given to their Old Testament forefathers, fulfillment that would give all faithful Israelites an opportunity to serve God “in holiness and in righteousness.” Here the word “righteousness” is understood to mean the justification of humanity by Divine means, through the imputation to man of Christ’s redeeming accomplishments. “Holiness” here is the internal correction of a person that is achieved by the effort of the person himself with the assistance of grace. Zacharias goes on to foretell to his son the future that was predicted by the Angel, saying that his son will be designated the Almighty’s Prophet — Forerunner of the Divine Messiah. He also points out that the purpose of the Forerunner’s ministry is to prepare the people for the Messiah’s coming and to allow the people of Israel to realize that its salvation lies in none other than the forgiveness of sins. Consequently, Israel must seek righteousness and forgiveness of sins and not earthly greatness, which the then spiritual leaders were hoping for. The forgiveness of sins will come “through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us.” — that is the Messiah-Redeemer, by which name the prophets Jeremiah (25:5) and Zechariah (3:8 and 6:12) called Him.

According to tradition, the news of John the Forerunner’s birth reached the suspicious King Herod. When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem and inquired as to the place of birth of the King of the Jews, Herod remembered about Zacharias’ son and issued orders to execute all infants. He also sent his killers to Juttah. Having found out about this, Elizabeth fled with her son into the wilderness. Angered because the infant John could not be located, Herod sent his servants to Zacharias to find out where he had hidden him. Zacharias replied that he now serves the Lord God of Israel and that he doesn’t know his son’s whereabouts. Upon repeating his response after being threatened with death, he fell under the killers’ swords — between the temple and the altar, an event the Lord remembers in His denunciatory oration to the Pharisees (Matthew 23:35). The birth of John the Baptist is celebrated on the 24th of June.

The Earthly Lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38).

The lists of the earthly ancestors of the Lord Jesus Christ are contained in two Gospels — Matthew and Luke. Although both give witness of Christ’s origin from David and Abraham, the names listed in the two do not always coincide. As St. Matthew was writing for the Jews, it was important for him to prove that in accordance with the Old Testament prophecies, the Lord Jesus Christ did descend from Abraham and David. Consequently, he begins his Gospel with the Lord’s lineage and, moreover, takes us from Abraham and brings us to “Joseph the husband of Mary, of Whom was born Jesus Who is called Christ.” Invariably, the question arises: Why does the Gospel gives Joseph’s lineage and not that of the Holy Virgin Mary? The custom of the Jews was not to maintain any genealogy on the mother’s side. However, because the Blessed Virgin was undoubtedly the only child of Joachim and Anna, then in accordance with the demands of the Law of Moses, She had to marry a relative of the same branch, tribe, and clan. As Joseph was from the same tribe as David, it follows that She too was of the same descent.

Saint Luke placed a different task before himself — to show that the Lord Jesus Christ belongs to the whole of humanity and appears as the Savior of all people. That’s why he traces the lineage of Christ to Adam and to God Himself. However, this descent differs somewhat from that of Saint Matthew’s. As an example, according to Matthew, Joseph — the nominal father of our Lord — is the son of Jacob, while according to Luke, he is the son of Elias. Similarly, Salathiel, the father of Zerubbabel and a man mentioned by both Evangelists, is, according to Saint Matthew, the son of Jeconiah, while according to Saint Luke he is the son of Neri. Julius the African, a renowned intellectual of ancient times, explains this variance superbly through the code of living, whereby, if one of the brothers dies childless, the other brother has to take his wife for himself, and “The first child she bears, will remain with his brother’s (deceased) name, so that it is not erased in Israel” (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). This law extended not only to the immediate relatives but also to stepbrothers, who in fact were Jacob and Elias. While they had different fathers, they had the same mother, Esther. Thus, when Elias died, Jacob restored his brother’s lineage by marrying his widow and fathering Joseph. This is where the difference came about, as Saint Luke traces the origins of Joseph through Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel and Elias, while Saint Matthew does it through Abiud, the other son of Zerubbabel, and through Jacob, the other father of Joseph.

It is not by chance that Saint Matthew includes in the Lord’s lineage women that were formerly heathen or sinners. He wanted to show that God, having not disdained including such women in His chosen family, is not loathe to summon the heathen and sinners to His Kingdom: a person is not saved by his personal achievements but through the power of the purifying grace of God.

The Nativity of Christ.

Only two Evangelists narrate the birth of Christ and events related to it, Saint Matthew and Saint Luke. Saint Matthew discusses the revelation of the mystery of His incarnation to Joseph, the adoration of the Magi, the flight into Egypt, and the slaying of the innocents. St. Luke describes the circumstances under which Christ the Savoir was born in Bethlehem and the adoration of the shepherds.

The Revelation of the mystery of the incarnation to the betrothed Joseph.

(Matthew 1:18-25).

Saint Matthew informs us that soon after the Holy Virgin’s betrothal with eighty-year-old Joseph, “before they came together,” i.e., before the consummation of their marriage, Mary’s condition of being with child became clear to Joseph. Being righteous (and this means just and merciful), Joseph did not wish to expose Her seeming transgression before the public, so as not to subject Her to the shameful and agonizing death called for by the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 22:23-24), and intended to release Her without announcing the reason. As soon as he thought this, the Lord’s Angel appeared to him and explained “that which is conceived in Her is of the Holy Spirit” and not the fruit of a clandestine sin. The Angel further announces: “And She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” The name Jesus, Joshua in Hebrew, means Savior. So that Joseph has no doubts about the veracity of what was said, the Angel quotes Isaiah’s prophecy that witnesses to the fact that this great miracle of the seedless conception and birth of the Savior of the world by the Blessed Virgin was preordained in God’s pre-eternal counsel: “Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son . . .” (Isaiah 7:14). There is no need to imagine that the prophecy had not been fulfilled because the prophet had said “and shall call His name Immanuel,” whereas the Newborn was named Jesus. Immanuel is not a personalized name but a symbolic one meaning “God is with us.” So when this miraculous birth from a Virgin takes place, people will say “God is with us” because it is in this identity God came down to earth and lived among mankind. This is only a prophetic indication of Christ’s Divinity — indication that this extraordinary infant will not be an ordinary person, but God. Convinced by the Angel’s words, Joseph “took to him his wife,” that is, rejected his intention to send Her away and left Her to live in his house as a wife “and did not know Her till She had brought forth Her Firstborn Son.” This does not mean that he “knew” Her after the birth of Jesus and began living with Her as a wife. Saint John Chrysostom rightly notes that it is simply not credible to submit that such a righteous individual as Joseph would decide to “know” the Holy Virgin after She had so miraculously become a mother. While in Greek the word “zos” and in Church Slavonic “dondezhe`” mean “until” this cannot be interpreted in the way that those who do not honor the Holy Virgin do — Protestants and sectarians — as though Joseph did not “know” Her before Christ’s birth and then he did. He absolutely never “knew” Her. In the Holy Scriptures the word “zos” is used in the narration on the concluding stages of the Flood: “And he sent forth a raven, and it went forth to and fro, until (“zos”) the waters were dried up” (Genesis 8:6) — but the raven never did return afterwards. Or again, in the words of our Lord: “I am with you always, even to (“zos”) the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). As the Blessed Theothilact rightly observed, this doesn’t mean that Christ would not be with us after the end of the age. Definitely not, as it is especially then that He would be with us!

Jesus is named “Firstborn” not because the Blessed Virgin had other children after Him but because He was born first, and, being that, was her only child. In the Old Testament, God decrees that “all the firstborn” are to be consecrated to Him, irrespective of whether the family will have further additions or not. And if the Gospel mentions “brothers of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 13:55, John 2:12, and others), it certainly doesn’t mean that they were His brothers by birth. As tradition witnesses, Joseph’s children were from his first marriage.

The Circumstances and Time of the Nativity of Christ.

(Luke 2:1-20).

The most detailed narrative of the circumstances of the Nativity of Christ and of those times is provided by the Evangelist Luke. He refers the events of Christ’s birth to the time at which Caesar Augustus decreed a census of all citizens of the Roman Empire, the reign of the Roman Emperor Octavius, who received from the Roman Senate the title “Augustus” — “honorable.” Unfortunately, the exact date of this census was not preserved. However, the time of Octavius Augustus’s rule, a personality historically well known, gives us an opportunity to approximate the year of Christ’s Birth. With the aid of other facts, which we shall mention later, it is possible to determine this with a degree of accuracy — within a few years. A Roman monk Dionysius, named “the Small” introduced the accepted method of calculating the years “after Christ.” As the basis of his calculations, Dionysius estimated that the Lord Jesus Christ was born in the 754th year from the establishment of the city of Rome. However, further and more thorough calculations proved his computations flawed: the year he had nominated was at least five years later than the actual date. Nevertheless, from the tenth century, the application of this Dionysian period of time (which was originally intended for Church use only) was wide-spread among Christian countries and accepted by civil authorities, even though it was acknowledged as being flawed by all chronologists. The actual date of Christ’s birth can be determined accurately on the basis of the following facts found in the Gospel:

(1) The time of the reign of Herod the Great. From Matthew 2:1-18 and Luke 1:5, it is absolutely clear that Christ was born when Herod was in power. He ruled from the 714th year of the establishment of the city of Rome and died in the 750th, eight days before Passover (Pascha) and soon after the lunar eclipse. According to astronomers’ calculations, the eclipse occurred on the night of the 13th or 14th of March, while the Jewish Pascha fell on the 12th of April in that year. Consequently, Herod died at the beginning of April in the 750th year after the establishment of Rome — at least four years earlier than that established by Dionysius.

(2) The census mentioned in Luke 2:3, was ordered by Augustus’ decree in the 746th year after the founding of Rome. The census commenced in Judea during Herod’s reign, was suspended as a consequence of his death, and continued when Quirinius was governing Syria. This is mentioned in Luke’s Gospel (2:2). As a result of the census, there was a public uprising in Palestine. By Herod’s directive, the instigator was burned at the stake on the 12th of March in the 750th year of Rome. Consequently, the census commenced some time a little earlier.

(3) According to Saint Luke’s witness (3:1), Saint John the Baptist commenced his ministry in the fifteenth year of Caesar Tiberius’ rule, and “Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23). Two years before his death in January 765, Augustus accepted Tiberius as a co-ruler. Therefore, the 15th year of Tiberius’ reign would have commenced in January 779. As a result of Saint Luke's statement that the age of Lord Jesus was 30, then it follows that He was born in 749.

(4) Astronomical calculations show that Christ’s death on the cross could only have occurred in the year 783, (according to the data in the Gospel, this transpired in the year when the Jewish Pascha fell on a Friday evening). And as the Lord’s age was advancing toward 34 years, He therefore must have been born in the 749th year from the establishment of Rome.

So all the above facts testify to the fact that the year of the Nativity of Christ was necessarily in the 749th year from the founding of Rome.

Due to lack of facts in the four Gospels, it is impossible to determine the day upon which Christ was born. Initially, the Eastern Church celebrated it on the same day as Theophany, under the general title of “Epiphany” — “God came into the world” — the 6th of January. The Western Church has, for a very long time, celebrated Nativity on the 25th of December. From the end of the fourth century, the Eastern Church too began to celebrate this event on the 25th of December. This date was selected according to the following understanding.

There is a hypothesis that Zacharias was serving as the high priest when the Angel appeared to him behind the curtain within the Holiest of the Holy. This is where the high priest was allowed to enter once a year, on the day of purification. This day falls on the 23rd of September, which began to be regarded as the day when the Forerunner was conceived. Six months later, the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary took place (which is celebrated on the 25th of March), and after nine months, on the 25th of December, the Lord Jesus Christ was born. However, there is nothing to confirm the fact that Zacharias was the high priest. Consequently, a more plausible explanation is more likely a symbolic one. The ancients thought that Christ, as a second Adam, was conceived by the Holy Virgin during the Spring equinox, the 25th of March, and according to ancient tradition, the same day Adam was created. Christ — the light of the world, the sun of truth — appeared to the world after nine months, during the winter solstice, when the day begins to lengthen and the night, to shorten. Corresponding to this, the conception of John the Baptist (who was six months older than Christ) was to be celebrated on the 23rd of September, during the solar equinox, while the day of his birth — on the 24th of June, during the summer solstice, when the days were getting shorter. As Saint Athanasius cited the words of John the Baptist in John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Some confusion arises from the statement by the Evangelist Luke about the census conducted at the time of Christ’s birth, that “This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria,” whereas, according to historical facts, Quirinius was governor of Syria some ten years after the birth of Christ. The quickest way to resolve this misunderstanding is through the following: during the translation from the Greek text (and there is strong support for this), instead of the word “this” census, the word “same” census should have been applied. Augustus issued the decree for the census before the birth of Christ. However, because of the public’s unrest and the death of Herod, it was delayed and completed only some ten years later, during the governorship of Quirinius. There is further data that Quirinius served twice as governor of Syria, and the census, begun during his first tenure, was completed only during his second term in office. That’s why the Evangelist calls the census — commenced at the time of the birth of Christ — as the “first.”

Every person had to be registered “in his own city.” Roman politics always acceded to the customs of the conquered, so as the Jewish customs demanded that the census be conducted according to branch, tribe, and clan, everyone was obliged to turn up for registration in that city, where the head of his tribe once lived. As Joseph was David’s descendant, he had to go to Bethlehem — David’s city of birth. God’s wonderful providence can be seen in this: in accordance with the ancient prophesy from Micah 5:2, the Messiah was required to be born in this city. According to Roman law covering conquered nations, not only men but also equally women were subject to this census. Consequently, there is nothing amazing in that the Holy Virgin Mary, albeit in Her condition, accompanied the guardian of Her virginity — the “elder” Joseph — and undoubtedly being aware of Micah’s prophecy, could not but recognize God’s providence in the census that directed Her toward Bethlehem.

“And She brought forth Her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” The Evangelist emphasizes the fact that Holy Virgin Mary Herself diapered Her newborn Infant, meaning that the birth was completely painless. Again, Her Son is called “firstborn” not because the Blessed Virgin had other children after Him. According to the law of Moses, every first male child born was called firstborn, even though he was the only child in the family. Because of the multitude of travelers that had arrived earlier, but more so because of their poverty, the Holy Family were forced to settle in one of the many caves that were abundant throughout Palestine. These caves were used to shelter stock during inclement weather. It was here that the Divine Messiah was born. Instead of being placed in a child’s cradle, He was laid in a manger and thereby, from His Own Nativity, accepting the cross of abasement and suffering for the redemption of humanity. And by His Own Nativity, giving us a lesson in humility — that highest virtue, which He later taught His followers continually. According to ancient tradition, during the Savior’s birth, near His crib stood an ox and an ass, as though signifying that “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib” (Isaiah 1:3).

However, not only humiliation accompanied Him at birth and throughout His earthly life but also reflections of His Divine glory. God’s Angel, illuminated with Divine glory, appeared to the shepherds — who may have been the owners of the cave and were sleeping in the field due to the prevailing good weather — and announced to them “great joy” of the birth of the Savior in the city of David, “Who is Christ the Lord.” It is important to note here the words of the Angel “great joy . . . to all people.” The Messiah did not come to earth for the Jews only, but for the whole human race. With this, the Angel gave a “sign”, an indication as to how they will recognize Him: “You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And as though in corroboration of the veracity of the Angel’s words, there appeared “a multitude of the Heavenly host,” a whole mass of Angels praising the astonishing glory of the Newborn God-Infant — the Messiah: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” The Angels are praising God for sending the Messiah to earth; they are acclaiming the peace that will settle in people’s souls who have accepted the Savior; they are happy for the people to whom God’s grace had returned. The higher powers, the sinless eternal spirits, continually praise their Creator and Lord in the heavens. They especially praise Him for the extraordinary manifestation of His Divine clemency, which in fact is an expansion of His domain. The peace that was brought to earth by the incarnate Son of God cannot be confused with ordinary human tranquility and well being. This is a peace of conscience in the soul of the human-sinner who has been redeemed by Christ the Savior. It is a peace of conscience, reconciliation with God, with people and with yourself. And as much as this is God’s peace that surpasses all understanding (Philip. 4:7) and settles in the souls of humans that have accepted Christ, so does the inner peace become the heritage in human life. Redemption revealed the total greatness of God’s benevolence, His love toward humanity. Therefore, the purpose for the Angels’ praises is in the following: Worthy are the praises to God by the Heavenly Spirits, as peace and salvation has settled on earth, because humanity has become deserving of a particular Divine blessing. The shepherds — who were evidently pious — immediately hurried to the location indicated by the Angel and became worthy of the honor of being the first to worship the Christ-Infant. Wherever they went, they proclaimed the news about the appearance of the Angel and the Heavenly announcement, much to the amazement of their listeners. The Blessed Virgin Mary, filled with feelings of profound humility, memorized all that was happening, “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

The Circumcision and Meeting of the Lord.

(Luke 2:21-39).

After eight days had passed and in accordance with the law of Moses (Leviticus 12:3), the God-Infant was circumcised and given the name (as designated by the Angel) of Jesus, which means Savior.

According to the Law of Moses, a woman bearing a male child was regarded as unclean for the first forty days after the birth (eighty days if it was a female child). On the fortieth day, she had to bring a sacrifice of a one-year-old lamb to the temple for burning and a young dove as a sacrifice for her sins. In case of poverty, this could be replaced with two doves — one for each sacrifice. Complying with this law, the Holy Virgin and Joseph brought the infant with them to Jerusalem so as to pay the required five shekels for Him. This law came into being when on the eve of the exodus of Jews from Egypt, God sent His Angels to slay all the Egyptian new-born, while all the Jewish new-born were consecrated to serve at the temple. With the passing of time, this practice was allotted to the tribe of Levi only, while the new-born of other tribes were released from this obligation by paying a special levy of five silver shekels (Numbers 18:16). It can be seen from the Gospel’s narrative that the Holy Virgin and Joseph brought a sacrifice of the poor: two doves.

Why was it necessary to subject the Lord, Whose conception and birth were devoid of sin, to circumcision, and His Ever-Blessed Mother to the law of purification?

Firstly, this was in order to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15) and show by example complete submission to God’s law. Secondly, this was essential for His ministry as the Messiah in the eyes of His people. Uncircumcised, He would not have been part of the community of God’s people; He would not be able to enter the temple, nor the synagogue. Uncircumcised, He would be unable to have influence on the people or to be acknowledged as the Messiah. Equally, His Holy Mother, not being cleansed, would not be regarded as a true Israelite. At the time, the mystery of His chaste conception and birth was unknown to anyone besides the Holy Virgin Herself and Joseph. Consequently, everything that was required by the law had to be executed exactly.

At the time at which the Mother of God brought Her sacrifices and payment of indemnity to the temple, there was a pious “elder” named Simeon who was waiting for the “Consolation of Israel,” God’s promised Messiah, whose appearance would bring consolation to the Israelites (Isaiah 40:1). The Evangelist advises us only that Simeon was foretold by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until such time as he experienced the honor of seeing his expected “consolation”; that is, the Lord Christ. According to ancient tradition, Simeon was one of seventy-two erudite old men that were charged by the Egyptian King Ptolemais to translate holy books from the Jewish language into Greek. Given the Book of Isaiah to translate, Simeon became dubious when he came upon the prophecy of the birth of Immanuel from a Virgin (Isaiah 7:14). It was then that an Angel appeared to him and foretold that he would not die until his own eyes had witnessed the fulfillment of this prophecy. Through the Holy Spirit’s prompting, he apparently came to the sacrificial altar in the temple and, upon seeing the Virgin Mary’s Infant, recognized Him as the Messiah-Christ. The old man (tradition has it that he was three-hundred years old) took Him in his arms and proclaimed the inspired prayer of gratitude for being able to witness, in the face of this Infant, the salvation that has been prepared for humanity. “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word,” exclaimed the elder. He was saying: From this moment, the tie that connected me to life has been severed, and You, Master, are releasing me from this life into a new life, “according to Your word,” through the prophecy given to me from You by Your Holy Spirit, “in peace,” with complete spiritual tranquility, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation,” the salvation promised by God through His Redeemer-Messiah, Whom I now have the great happiness to see before me — the salvation, “which you have prepared before the face of all peoples,” not only for Jews but also for all peoples. This salvation is “A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel,” as coming out of its midst. Joseph and the Mother of the Divine Child probably marveled that everywhere they found people to whom God had revealed the secret of this Child.

Returning the Child to His Mother and blessing Her and Joseph, Simeon — by right of a profound elder on whom the Holy Spirit rested — foretells in a prophetic enlightenment that this Infant will be the subject of arguments and disputes between His followers and His enemies: “That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Depending on the diverse relationships of people toward this Infant, their true nature will be revealed, the disposition of their souls: Those who love the truth and strive to fulfill God’s will, will believe in Christ, while those who love evil and deeds of darkness will hate Christ and, in order to justify their malice, will slander Him in every way. This, in reality, took place in the figures of scribes and Pharisees and continues to be enacted in the form of all godless individuals and Christ-haters. For those who believe in Him, He stands “for arising,” or for eternal salvation, and for the disbelievers — “for falling,” or for their eternal condemnation, for eternal perdition. Simeon spiritually foresees those sufferings by the Blessed Virgin for Her Divine Son: “yes, a sword will pierce through Your own heart also.”

Present at the time was a woman named Anna, “daughter of Phanuel.” Because she was moved by especial actions of the Holy Spirit and because she possessed the gift of inspired speech, the Evangelist calls her a prophetess. Evidently, the Evangelist praises her as an upright widow, who devoted herself to God after living with her husband for just seven years. Having reached eighty-four years of age and not departing from the temple, she “served God with fasting and prayers night and day.” Like Simeon, she too praised the Lord and, apparently in a state of prophetic inspiration, repeated approximately the same words uttered by Simeon to everyone anticipating the liberation of Jerusalem, to those awaiting the coming of the Messiah.

The Evangelist says further that having fulfilled everything according to the law, the holy family returned to Galilee, “to their own city, Nazareth.” Saint Luke omits everything that transpired after the Meeting of the Lord, probably because Saint Matthew gives a detailed description of the events: the adoration of the Magi in Bethlehem, the holy family’s flight into Egypt, the slaying of the innocents, and the return of the holy family after the death of Herod. We often find this type of abridgement of narrative with writers of holy books.

The Adoration of the Magi.

(Matthew 2:1-12).

When Christ was born in “Bethlehem of Judea,” the Magi arrived in Jerusalem from the East. It is named here as Judean Bethlehem because there was another Bethlehem, in Galilee, in the region of Zebulun. The Magi who came to adore Christ were not those who are usually associated with this name, not sorcerers or wizards that create illusory miracles, calling up the spirits and interrogating the dead (Exodus 7:11, Deuteronomy 18:11), who are condemned by the Word of God. These were highly learned individuals possessing great knowledge, over whom Daniel presided in the land of Babylon (Daniel 2:48). They judged the future by the stars and studied the mysterious powers of nature. Such wise men were highly revered in Babylon and Persia, as they used to be priests and advisers to kings. The Evangelist says that they came “from the East,” not naming from which specific country. One proposition suggests this country was Arabia; another, Persia, and a third, Chaldea. However, the word used in the Gospel, “magos” is Persian, making it more than likely that they came from Persia or from a country forming part of the former Babylonian kingdom. There, during the Jews’ seventy-year bondage, the forefathers of these Magi may have heard from the Jews that they were waiting for a Great King, a Redeemer, Who will conquer the whole world. Also, the prophet Daniel lived there, having predicted the time of the coming of this Great King, and the tradition of the prophecy of the magus Balaam may have been preserved there, that there shall come forth a star from Jacob (Numbers 24:17).

The study of stars in the heavens was one of the major occupations of the Persian wise men, and the Lord summoned them through the appearance of an extraordinary star to adore the Newborn Savior of the world. At the time in the East, there was a widely spread belief that the Lord of the world would appear in Judea, to Whom adoration would be fitting from all peoples. That is why, upon arriving in Jerusalem, the Magi confidently inquire: “Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews?”

These words alarmed Herod the Great, as he himself had no legal right to the Judean throne, was an Idumean, and, being a tyrant, aroused hatred from his subjects. All of Jerusalem became alarmed with him because it was afraid of new repressive measures from Herod, who was agitated by the extraordinary news.

Bloodthirsty Herod, in deciding to exterminate the Newborn — regarding Him as his antagonist — summoned all his high priests and scribes and directly poses to them the question as to the place of birth of the Messiah, King of the Jews: “Where is Christ to be born?” The scribes immediately pointed out to him Micah’s well-known prophecy (5:2), not citing it literally but its meaning that the Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem means “house of bread” and Euphratus, “fertile field,” a name that characterizes the exceptional fertility of the soil.

It is striking that in Micah’s original prophecy there is the statement that the Messiah will only “come” from Bethlehem but will not live there and that His true origins “are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). In order to execute his bloody intentions with certainty, Herod also wanted to know the time of birth of the Judean King. He summons the Magi so as to interrogate them clandestinely as to the time of the appearance of the star and then sends them to Bethlehem so that when they return they can relate all they found out about the Newborn. When the Magi set out toward Bethlehem, the star that they saw in the East traveled before them, showing the accurate route until it stopped where the Newborn Infant was located.

What sort of star was it? There are varied thoughts on this issue. Saint John Chrysostom and the Blessed Theothilactus thought that it was a certain Divine and Angelic force, appearing in the form of a star. In relation to the star that was seen in the East, many defined it as a real star, inasmuch as some type of sign of a perceivable nature preceded many great events in a moral world. It is interesting to note, that in accordance with the calculations of the famous astronomer Keppler, in the year of Christ’s birth there was an incredibly rare coincidence of the three brightest planets — Jupiter, Mars and Saturn — becoming aligned in one spot and creating the visible effect of an unusually bright star. This heavenly event, known in astronomy as the “uniting of planets,” coincided with the great event of the birth of the Son of God — the Messiah, and this wonder is a manifestation of God’s providence in summoning the learned heathen to worship the newborn Messiah. The marvelous meaning of the Wise Men’s arrival from a distant land is explained excellently by Saint John Chrysostom: “Because the Judeans, listening ceaselessly to the prophets’ proclamations on the coming of Christ, did not pay any particular attention, the Lord instilled into the barbarians the need to come from a distant land, inquire about the King that was born among them, and the Judeans first recognize from the Persians that which they did not want to learn from the prophets.”

Naturally, the star that showed the way to the wise men from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, “till it came and stood over where the young Child was,” was now a real star — not a planet but a completely special and miraculous manifestation. When they saw the star, the wise men “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy,” because undoubtedly, they saw in it a new strengthening of their faith in the authenticity of the birth of this extraordinary Infant. It is said further about the Magi that they came to a house and there “fell down and worshipped” the Newborn. Consequently, the Magi did not come to the cave where Christ was born; by that time, the Infant and His mother could have resettled into an ordinary house. “And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Having received a Divine warning in a dream not to return to Herod, who had designs to kill the God-Infant, the Magi returned to their homeland along a different route, not through Jerusalem but probably to the south from Bethlehem.

The Flight into Egypt and the Slaying of the Infants.

(Matt. 2:13-23).

After the wise men’s departure, the Lord’s Angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and directed him to take the Infant and His mother and flee to Egypt, what he did at night. Egypt was located southwest of Judea, requiring a journey of some 100 miles to its border. At the time, it was also a Roman province where many Jews lived; they had their own synagogues and as Herod’s authority did not extend there, the Holy Family, having stopped at one of their compatriot’s houses, could feel themselves out of danger. To the question as to why Christ did not save Himself from Herod’s executioners, St. Chrysostom responds: "If the Lord started to work wonders in His initial years, then He would not have been acknowledged as a Human" (Discourse on Matthew 7). Many wonderful traditions have been preserved regarding the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt. One of them proclaims that when Joseph, God-Infant and His Mother entered an idolater’s temple that contained 365 idols, those idols fell and shattered on the ground: thus the prophecy about them came true: "Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud (on the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary), and cometh unto Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence" (Isaiah 19:1). In the fact that Child-Jesus had to flee specifically to Egypt and return from there, St. Evangelist sees the fulfillment of Hosea’s prophecy: "…called My Son out of Egypt" (11:1). In reality, these words of the prophet refer to the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, but because the chosen by God Jewish nation was a symbol of the true, one and only Son of God, Jesus Christ, then the withdrawal of the Jewish people from Egypt served as a symbol of Jesus Christ’s recall from the same Egypt. In the Old Testament, on the note of St. Chrysostom, everything had a symbolic meaning, everything served as the symbols of events in the New Testament.

When the wise men failed to return to Jerusalem, Herod became angry, felt "mocked of" and ridiculed by them. This produced greater wrath in him. Having learned from the Magi that the star appeared to them over a year ago, he concluded that even if the Infant is more than 12 months old, He would be less than 2 years old. Therefore he issued the brutal decree to slay all the infants "from 2 years old and under" in Bethlehem and all the coasts thereof, reckoning that among them will be Jesus Christ. According to the legend, there were 14,000 infants slain, who are commemorated, as of the martyrs for Christ, by our Church on the 29^th of December. The similar savagery was absolutely typical of Herod, about whom according to the testimony of the Jewish historian Joseph Flavius; it is well known that because of the groundless suspicion, he ordered his wife to be strangled and his 3 sons to be put to death. When Augustus was informed of this, he responded: "It is better to be an animal at Herod’s than his son." Up to this day, people are shown the grottos on the suburbs of Bethlehem, where mothers with the infants in their arms, attempting to avoid Herod’s soldiers, were killed together with their children. In the slaying of the children, the Evangelist sees the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping" (Jer. 31:15). In these words, the Prophet Jeremiah describes the calamity and grief of the Jewish people, led to the Babylonian captivity and previously gathered in Ramah, a small town of Benjamin tribe, to the north of Jerusalem). A witness of this event, Prophet Jeremiah depicts it like the weeping of Rachel about her children, who were led away to death. Saint Matthew sees in this a symbol of the true loss of Rachel’s children, who are buried close to Bethlehem.

For the precise date of Christ’s birth is not known, there is no definite data, how long the Holy Family lived in Egypt. However, it is clearly and definitively said that soon after the death of Herod, the Holy Family returned to the land of Israel, and this date can be regarded as more or less definite. As Joseph Flavius testifies, Herod died in a dreadful agony in March or the beginning of April, in the 750^th year from the foundation of Rome. If we assume that Christ was born on the 25^th of December, in the 749^th year from the foundation of Rome, then the Holy Family would have spent some 2 months in Egypt. If we suppose (as some do) that Christ was born earlier, in 748, then it can be said that they lived there over a year, and that the Divine Child was nearly 2 years old when He returned from Egypt. In any case, He was still a child — as the Angel called Him when he directed Joseph to return to Israel. Upon their return, Joseph apparently decided to settle in Bethlehem, where, as it seemed to him, the Son of David — future Messiah-Christ — had to be brought up. However, when hearing that the worst of Herod’s sons Archelaus, bloodthirsty and cruel, similar to his father, began to reign in Judea, he was "afraid to go thither". Having received a new warning in a dream, he headed towards the boundaries of Galilee and settled in the township of Nazareth, where he used to reside previously, pursuing his trade of carpentry.

St. Evangelist views in this the fulfillment of the prophecy, that the Lord Jesus Christ "shall be called a Nazarene". However, such a prophecy cannot be found in the Old Testament. There is a supposition that this prophecy might have been in the book, lost by the Jews. Another opinion is that the Evangelist is not referring to any specific prophesy, but means the general character of all the prophecies about the humiliating state of Christ-Savior, during His earthly life. To come out of Nazareth meant to be despised, humiliated, rejected. On the other hand, in the Old Testament as Nazarenes there were called the people, who have devoted themselves to God; maybe this was the reason why Jesus Christ was called a Nazarene, as the highest legate of the Nazarene vows — total dedication of oneself to serving God.

Jesus Christ’s adolescence.

(Luke 2:40-52).

Before His appearance in the society to serve the human race, Lord Jesus Christ remained in anonymity. Concerning this period, Evangelist Luke tells about one event from His life. As he wrote his Gospel "having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first," presumably, there were no outstanding facts in the Lord’s life in this earlier period. Saint Luke gives us the general characteristics of this period in the following words: "And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him". This is understandable, as the boy Jesus was not only God, but also human and as such was subjected to the laws of human development. Human wisdom — in the measure of its development — reflected or contained the whole depth and fullness of the Divine knowledge, which adolescent Jesus possessed being the Son of God.

Consequently, when adolescent Jesus became 12, this Divine wisdom revealed itself clearly for the first time. According to the Law of Moses (Deut. 16:16), all male Jews were obliged to appear in Jerusalem on the feast days of Pascha, Pentecost and Festival of Tabernacle; the only exception was made for sick children. An adolescent, turning 12, became "the Child of the law": from this point on, he had to learn all the demands of the law, fulfill its directions and in particular, go to Jerusalem for the feast days. Saint Luke states that Jesus’ "parents" went to Jerusalem every year. The mystery of the Divine Child’s birth remained a secret: Ever-Holy Virgin Mary and elder Joseph did not find it necessary or beneficial to reveal it; and in the eyes of the citizens of Nazareth, Joseph was Mary’s husband and the father of Jesus. The Evangelist uses this expression as being applicable to the social opinion. In another extract (3:23), he directly states that Joseph was only supposed to be the father of Jesus, and consequently, in reality he was not the one.

The celebration of the Passover continued for 8 days, after which the faithful returned to their homes, normally in groups. Joseph and Mary did not notice how adolescent Jesus stayed in Jerusalem, surmising that He walks nearby in another group, with His relatives or friends. Seeing that He did not join them for a long time, they began to look for Him, and having not found Him, they returned to Jerusalem in anxiety, where after three days of searching (presumably from the day they departed from Jerusalem), they found Him, seated in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and asking them questions. That happened, probably, in one of the parts of the temple, where the rabbis gathered, holding discussions between them and with the people, edifying in the law all willing to listen to them. In this discussion, adolescent Jesus already displayed His Divine wisdom — that was why everybody listening to Him marveled at His answers and His mind. His Mother, expressing their anxiety over Him, calls Joseph as the father of Jesus, as She could not call him in any other manner, because in everybody’s eyes, Joseph was the father. Adolescent Jesus responds to His Mother’s words by revealing His designation — to serve the will of the One that had sent Him, and then corrects His Mother by pointing out that not Joseph but God is His father: "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" However, neither Blessed Mary nor Joseph understood His words, as the mystery of Christ’s matters on earth was not fully revealed to them. Nonetheless, "His Mother kept all these things in Her heart" — this was an especially memorable day for Her, as this was the first time Her Son made it known of His high designation. For the time for His social service had not arrived yet, Jesus obediently went with them to Nazareth, and as the Evangelist notes, "and was subject" to his earthly parents, probably sharing the labors of His so-called father Joseph, who was a carpenter. Growing up, He succeeded in wisdom, and the especial love of God towards Christ became more evident to the attentive eye, which in turn attracted people’s love towards Him.

The Savior’s Social Service.

John the Baptist and his testimony about our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Matt. 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:15-31)

About the start of the sermon of John the Baptist and about his testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, correspondingly narrate all the Evangelists, in nearly the same detail. John is the only one, who omits something from that said by the others, instead, underlining only Christ’s Deity.

Saint Evangelist Luke gives the important information about the starting time of John the Baptist’s sermon, and together with that — the starting time of the social service of the very Lord. He says that this occurred "in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being the tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests" (Luke 3:1-2).

Beginning his narration about John the Baptist starting his sermon, Saint Luke wants to say that at the time, Palestine was the part of the Roman Empire, and was governed by tetrarchs, or the rulers of the fourth part of a province, in the name of Emperor Tiberius, the son and successor of Octavius Augustus, during whose time Christ was born. In Judea, the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate governed instead of Archelaus; in Galilee — Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who slew the innocent infants in Bethlehem; his other son, Philip, governed Iturea — the country, situated to the east of Jordan, and Trachonitus, located to the north-east of Jordan; the fourth province, Abilene, that was adjacent to Galilee in the north-east, at the foothill of Antilebanon, was under the rule of Lycinius. The high priests at the time were Annas and Caiaphas, this is necessary to understand this way: actually, the high priest was Caiaphas, and his father-in-law — Annas, who, though being precluded by the civil authorities from his post, had the authority and respect of the people, and in reality, shared the leadership with his son-in-law.

After the death of Augustus in the 767^th year from the foundation of Rome, Tiberius ascended the throne. However, two years before, in 765, he had already become a co-ruler, and consequently, his fifteenth year of ruling began in 779, when according to the most probable suppositions, Christ became 30 years old, about what Apostle Luke tells later, mentioning the age, in which Jesus Christ was baptized by John and commenced His social service.

Saint Luke testifies that "the word of God" came to John — in other words, a special calling or revelation from God that prompted him to begin his service. Saint Matthew calls the place where he commenced his service "the wilderness in Judea". Situated on the western shores of Jordan and the Dead Sea, it carried this name because of its sparse population. After God’s calling, John started to appear in the more populous areas of the region, like Bethabara on Jordan (John 1:28), or Aenon near Salim (John 3:23), closer to the water, which was necessary for baptism.

Evangelists Matthew (3:3), Mark (1:3) and Luke (3:4) call John the Baptist "the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His path straight". Exactly the same way John the Baptist calls himself in the Gospel of John (1:23). These words are taken from the Prophet Isaiah’s speech, where he comforts Jerusalem by saying that the period of their humiliation is over, and that soon the glory of the Lord will appear and "all flesh shall see it together" (Isaiah 40:5).

This prophecy was fulfilled when after the 70 year Babylonian captivity the Persian King Kir permitted 42,000 of Jews to return to their homeland. This return is portrayed by the Prophet as a joyful procession, led by God Himself and preceded by a messenger. This messenger proclaims that a path — along which the Lord and His people had to pass — should be prepared straight and even: hollows should be filled, mounds and hills – leveled, etc. This prophecy, the Evangelists and John himself (John 1:23), explain in the form of a symbol (all the Old Testament events had this type of meaning, foretelling by themselves the events of the New Testament): as God, leading the procession of His people, coming out of the captivity, there is meant the Messiah, while as His messenger — His Forerunner, John. In the spiritual sense, the wilderness are the people of Israel, while the unevenness that had to be leveled as the obstacles for the Messiah’s coming — are human sins; that is why the essence of the Forerunner’s sermon led to the only call: "Repent!" This Isaiah’s symbolic prophecy the last of the Old Testament Prophets, Malachi, expresses directly, calling the Forerunner, who was preparing the way for the Messiah, the "Messenger of the Lord". Saint Mark begins his Gospel with the same quotation (Mark 1:2). John the Baptist’s sermon about repentance was based on the approaching of the Kingdom of Heaven, i.e. the Kingdom of the Messiah (Matt. 3:2). As such a Kingdom the Word of God understands the liberation of the man from the authority of sin and the ascension of righteousness within his nature (Luke 17:21; Rom. 14:17), and also the unification of all nations, which were worthy of this, into one organism — the Church (Matt. 13:24-43, 47-49), and their eternal heavenly glory in the next life (Luke 23:42-43).

Preparing people for the entry into this Kingdom, which was soon to be revealed with the coming of the Messiah, John called people to repent and those who reacted to that call, he baptized with "a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke 3:3). This was not the blessed Christian baptism, but only the immersion into the water as a symbol that the person wished to be absolved of his sins, the same way as the water cleansed his body of the bodily grime.

John the Baptist was a strict ascetic, who wore the roughest raiment of camel’s hair and ate locusts and honey of wild bees. He was a sharp opposition to the contemporary teachers of the Jewish people, and his sermon on the coming of the Messiah, the coming of Whom so many were tensely anticipating — could not but attract general attention. Even the Jewish historian, Joseph Flavius, testifies that "the people, captivated by John’s teachings, flooded to him in the great number", and that the authority of this man over the Jews was so great that they were ready to do all following his advice, and even Herod the King was afraid of this great teacher’s power. Even the Pharisees and Sadducees could not watch indifferently as masses of people came to John, and they themselves went to him into the wilderness, but hardly with the sincere feelings. Therefore, it is little wonder that John greets them with the stern, reproaching words: "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Matt. 3:7). The Pharisees skillfully covered their vices with the strict observance of the purely outward instructions of the Law of Moses, while the Sadducees, succumbing to the bodily comforts, rejected that what went against their epicurean style of living: the spiritual life and retribution beyond the grave. John accuses them of arrogance, of their assurance in personal uprightness, and instills onto them that their hope of being Abraham’s descendants, will bring them no benefit if they do not carry out the fruits worthy of repentance, because "every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matt. 3:10; Luke 3:9), as useless. The genuine children of Abraham are not those who have originated from him by flesh, but those who will live in the spirit of his faith and devotion to God. "And 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" (Matt. 3:9; Luke 3:8).

According to the Evangelist Luke, this stern speech was directed to the people. But this cannot be treated as a contradiction, for in its significant part the people were infected with the false teachings of the Pharisees. Confused by the strictness of the speech, people began to ask: "What shall we do then?" (Luke 3:10). John answers that it was necessary to perform deeds of love and benevolence, and to refrain from any type of the evil. These would be the "fruits worthy of repentance".

Then there was the time of a general expectation of the Messiah’s coming, together with that the Jews believed that the Messiah, when He would come, He would baptize (John 1:25). So it is not surprising that many started to pose the question, if John is Christ Himself. To this John replied that he baptizes with water unto repentance (Matt. 3:11), i.e. as a sign of repentance. But the One, Who is coming after him is Mightier, Whom he, John, is not worthy to untie His sandals and carry them (Luke 3:16; Mark 1:7, 3:11), just as slaves do for their master. "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16; Mark 1:8) — the grace of the Holy Spirit will act in His baptism, searing every type of iniquity with fire. "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17) — Christ would clean His people, just as the master cleans his thrashing floor of weeds and dirt, collecting the wheat, i.e. gathering all those who have believed in Him into His Church, as though into a granary, and all those rejecting Him, will subject to the eternal suffering.

The Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Matt. 3:13-18; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-34).

The 4 Evangelists narrate about the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ. Saint Matthew depicts this event in the most detail.

"Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee…" Evangelist Mark adds that He came specifically from Nazareth of Galilee. Apparently, it was in the 15^th year of Tiberius Caesar’s ruling when, according to Saint Luke, Jesus became 30 — it was the age, required to be a teacher of faith. Saint Matthew writes that John refuses to baptize Jesus saying: "I need to be baptized by You, and are you coming to me?" But according to the Gospel of John, the Baptist did not know Christ before His baptism (John 1:33), until he saw the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descending upon Him. There is no contradiction here. Before the baptism, John did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. However, when He came to him requesting to be baptized, John, being a prophet who penetrated people’s hearts, immediately felt His holiness, purity and His eternal pre-eminence over him; therefore he could not but exclaim: "I need to be baptized by you…" When he saw the Holy Spirit ascending on Jesus, then he became finally assured that before him was the Messiah-Christ.

"For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" — responded Jesus Christ to the Baptist (Matt. 3:15); this meant that the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Human and the Head of new, regenerated by Him humanity had to show by His own example, the essentiality of all of God’s determinations. However, "when He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water" (Matt. 3:16), because being sinless, He had no need to confess, as had to do all the others being baptized — while they remained in the water. Saint Luke reports (3:21) that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, undoubtedly about that His Heavenly Father would bless the beginning of His service.

"The heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him". According to the text, John "saw" the Holy Spirit, and of course the Baptized Himself, as well as the people present, for the aim of the miracle was to reveal to the people the Son of God in Jesus, Who up to this time, dwelt in anonymity, that is why the Church sings on the feast day of Christ’s Baptism (also called Theophany): "Thou hast appeared this day to the whole world" (The contacion). As John says, God’s Spirit not only descended on Jesus, but "He remained upon Him" (John 1:32).

The voice of God the Father: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17, Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22), was the indication to John and those people present about the Divine entitlement of the One Baptized as the Son of God in the personal sense, the Begotten Son, in Whom the grace of God the Father abides eternally. Together with this, the words were the Heavenly Father’s answer to His Divine Son’s prayer, about the blessing of the great exploit of serving, for the sake of the mankind salvation.

Our Holy Church celebrates the Baptism of Christ on the 6^th of January, naming it the feast of Theophany, because this event revealed the whole Trinity to the people: God the Father — the voice from heaven, God the Son — the baptism, fulfilled by John in the river Jordan, God the Holy Spirit — the ascension upon Jesus Christ in the form of a dove.

The Forty-Day Fast and Tempting by the Devil.

(Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13).

The narration about the Lord Jesus Christ’s 40 day fast and His following tempting by the devil in the wilderness is contained in the Gospels of the first three Evangelists. Moreover, Saints Matthew and Mark tell about this in detail, while Saint Mark mentions it briefly, without depicting the details.

After the baptism, "Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Matt. 4:1). This was situated between Jericho and the Dead Sea. One of the mountains in this wilderness still carries the name of the "Forty days" because the Lord fasted there for 40 days. The first thing God’s Spirit (that resided in Jesus with the baptism) did was to lead Him into the wilderness, so that through fasting and prayer He could prepare Himself to the great service of saving mankind. There, He fasted for 40 days and nights, i.e. according to everything, not eating anything and finally "was hungry" (Matt. 4:2, Luke 4:2), that is, He reached the acute stage of hunger and drain of energy. "Now… the tempter came to Him" (Matt. 4:3). This was the concluding approach of the tempter, because according to Luke, during the whole period of forty days, the devil never ceased to tempt the Lord (Luke 4:2).

What was the sense of this devil’s temptation of the Lord?

Having come to the earth to destroy the works of the devil, the Lord of course could have obliterated them with one breath of His lips, however, it is necessary to remember that the devil’s works had taken root in the delusion of the free human soul, which the Lord had come to save without depriving it of God’s greatest gift — its freedom. The human was created neither as a pawn, nor as a soulless machine or an animal guided by instinct, but as a free and intelligent personality. In relation to the Divinity of Jesus Christ, this temptation appeared as a battle between the spirit of the evil and the Son of God that has come to save the human race, for the preserving of the power over the people with the help of the illusory happiness. This temptation is akin to that of Jehovah, which the Israelites permitted when they started to complain in Rephidim about the lack of water: "Is the Lord among us or not?" (Exodus 17:7). Likewise, the devil commences his temptation with the words: "If You are the Son of God…" Just as the Psalmist says of the sons of Israel that they tempted the Lord in the wilderness, so the devil tempted the Son of God with the intention of provoking Him, anger, reproach and insult (Psalm 78:40-41).

Mainly, the temptation was aimed against Christ’s human nature, over which the devil hoped to extend his influence and deviate it onto the false path. Christ came to the earth in order to establish His Kingdom among the people — God’s Kingdom. There were two paths that led to that: one, which the Jews were longing for, the path of a speedy and dazzling ascension of the Messiah as the world’s King, and the other path — slow and thorny, the path of voluntary moral rebirth of the people, combined with many sufferings not only for the followers of the Messiah, but for Himself. This is exactly what the devil wanted to do - to turn the Lord away from this second path, having attempted to entice Him in a human way with the ease of the first path, which promised no sufferings but only the glory.

In the first place, taking advantage of Christ’s hunger, which was torturing Jesus as a human the devil attempted to convince Him to use His divine power so as to rid Himself of that so hard to bear for every human being feeling of hunger. Pointing to the stones (which to this day retain the shape of loaves), he says: "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread" (Matt. 4:3; Luke 4:3). The devil hoped that having been tempted once, Jesus will react likewise in the future: surround Himself with the legions of Angels from His enemy hordes, come down from the cross and call Elijah to His aid (Matt. 26:53, 27:40, 49), and then the matter of saving humanity with His sufferings on the cross would not be realized. Having turned water into wine for the others and miraculously augmented the number of loaves, Human-God rejected this wily advice with the words of Moses, spoken in the regard to the manna which God sent to His people, while they were in the wilderness over a 40 year period: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Deuter. 8:3; Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4). Under the term "every word" one must understand God’s benevolent will that thinks of the man. The Lord performed miracles to satisfy not His needs but those of the others: if during all His sufferings, instead of tolerating them, He would have resorted to His Divine powers, He would not have been an example to us. Often repeating this miracle, He might have enticed those people that at the time were demanding "bread and signs", however, those people would not be trustworthy for the Kingdom of Heaven, being established by Him. His aim was in that the people would follow Him freely, through His word and not like slaves, enticed by the ease of possessing with the earthly blessings.

Having suffered a defeat with his first temptation, the devil started with the second one: he took Him to Jerusalem and setting Him on the pinnacle of the temple, suggested: "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His Angels charge over You, in their hands they shall bear You up, Lest You dash your foot against a stone" (Matt. 4:6; Luke 4:9-10). The proposal was aimed at astounding the people’s imagination with this miracle, which were tense of expectation for the coming of the Messiah — and thus enticing them easily. Of course, this would have been of no moral benefit for the people’s moral life, and the Lord rejected that proposal with the words: "It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God" (Matt. 4:7; Luke 4:12). These words were said by Moses to the people of Israel (Deut. 6:16). Jesus Christ meant that without necessity, it was inadvisable to expose oneself to danger, trying out the wonder-working power of God’s omnipotence.

Then the devil starts his third temptation by showing Christ, from a high mountain "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You fall down and worship me’" (Matt. 4:8-9, Luke 4:6-7). The devil unfolded before Christ’s eyes the scene of all the kingdoms of the world, which, as the spirit of the evil, he actually controlled. He showed Him, what forces and means are under his disposal in this world, to fight with God, Who came down to the earth in order to save humanity from his control. Apparently, he hoped that this scene would agitate Jesus’s human spirit, instill the fear and doubt in His soul about the possibility of achieving the great task of saving the human race. Indeed, what could be more frightening than the picture of the world, voluntarily submitting itself into the devil’s authority? The devil wanted to say with this: "You see my authority over humans? Do not interfere with my existence and control over the people in the future, and for this, I am ready to share my authority with You — You only have to join me. Only worship me and you will be the Messiah that the Jews are expecting". Naturally, with these words the devil promised Jesus the purely outward power over humans, only the outward authority over them, keeping for himself the inner, spiritual authority. But this was exactly what the Lord did not want, teaching that He did not come to rule outwardly, not to be served as an earthly ruler (Matt. 20:28), and that His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), His Kingdom is purely spiritual. That is why the Lord, using the words of Deuteronomy (6:13), drives the devil away from Himself: "Away with you Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Matt. 4:10). With this, Jesus wants to show that He does not accept the devil’s authority over the world, because the universe belongs to the Lord God, and He is the only One to be to be worshipped in it.

According to Evangelist Luke, the devil leaves Jesus Christ "until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13), because he soon begins to tempt the Lord through people, creating all types of snares.

Evangelist Mark makes an important reference to the fact that in the wilderness, Jesus "was with the wild beasts" (Mark 1:13). As the New Adam, the beasts would not venture to attack Him, acknowledging in Him their Sovereign.

The First Disciples of Christ.

(John 1:35-51).

After the devil’s temptations, the Lord Jesus Christ headed anew towards Jordan to John. In the meantime, on the eve of His return, John gave a new triumphant testimony of Him before the Pharisees — but this time, not as about the coming but the arrived Messiah. Only one Evangelist — John, narrates about this event. The Jews sent to John from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, who he is — maybe Christ? Because according to their understanding, only Christ-Messiah could baptize. "He (John) confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ" (John 1:20). To the question who he was, perhaps a prophet, he calls himself: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (John 1:23), and emphasizes, that his baptism with water — like his entire service — is only preparatory, and in order to put aside the further questions, he concludes his answer with a triumphant declaration: "There stands One among you Whom you do not know. It is He Who, coming after me, is preferred before me" (John 1:26-27). He emerges for His service after me, but has eternal existence and Divine worthiness, He is "Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose" (John 1:27). This testimony was given in Bethabara — where the masses of people used to flock to John.

"The next day," i.e. the next time, after the 40-day fast and the devil’s temptations, Jesus again comes to John at Jordan. Upon seeing Him, John announces to everyone: "Behold! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29); confirming that this is the One Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, the Son of God, as: "I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him" (John 1:32).

The following day, after the personal testimony of the arrived Messiah, the Son of God that had taken all the sins of the world upon Himself, John was once again standing on the bank of the river Jordan with two of his followers, while Jesus was passing by the bank. Seeing the Lord, John again repeats the same words about Him: "Behold! The Lamb of God". In calling Christ the Lamb, John relates to Him the wonderful prophecy of Isaiah where he presents Messiah as a sheep led to slaughter — a mute lamb before his shearers (Isaiah 53:7). Consequently, the basic thought of John’s testimony lies in that Christ is the sacrifice, brought by God for people’s sins. But in John’s words about Jesus: "Who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), this enormous live Sacrifice also represents the High Priest, Who sanctifies Himself: takes upon Himself the sins of the world and sacrifices Himself for the world.

After hearing this testimony on Jesus’s Divinity, this time both of John’s disciples accompanied Him to where He lived, and stayed with Him from the 9^th hour (or, in our terms since 4 o’clock in the afternoon) till late evening, listening to His speech, which increasingly was instilling in them the unshakeable belief that He is the Messiah. One of the disciples was Andrew, and the other — Evangelist John himself, who never mentioned himself in the narration about those events, in which he personally participated. Returning home after conversing with the Lord, Andrew was the first to announce that he and John had found the Messiah; he informs his brother Simon: "We have found the Messiah (which is translated, the Christ)". Thus, Andrew was not only the First-Called disciple of Christ, how they are used to call him, but he was also the first of the Apostles to preach about Him and to convert and bring the future leader of the Apostles. When Andrew brought his brother to Christ, the Lord, looking at him with a trying glance, called him Cephas, meaning "a rock," i.e. Petros in Greek, or — Peter.

The following day, after Andrew and John’s visit, Jesus wished to go to Galilee and summoned Philip to follow Him. Philip, locating his friend Nathanael, tried to invite him as well, saying: "We have found Him of Whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph". However, Nathanael objected: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Apparently, Nathanael shared the common with many Jews prejudice that Christ, as a King with earthly greatness, will come and appear in glory among the higher echelons of Jewish society; apart from this, at that time, Galilee was held in bad repute among the Jews, and Nazareth, this small town that is not mentioned anywhere in the holy writings of the Old Testament, seemed in no way to be the birthplace of the Messiah, Who had been promised by the Prophets. Nevertheless, Philip did not see the need to refute his friend’s prejudice and offered him to be convinced in the genuineness of his words, saying: "Come and see".

Being a forthright and sincere person, and wishing to investigate the veracity of his friend’s words, Nathanael went to Christ. The Lord testified of the simplicity and artlessness of his soul, and declared: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael expressed surprise, where the Lord knew him from, seeing him for the first time. So, to totally disperse Nathanael’s doubts and draw him towards Himself, Christ reveals His Divine omniscience by hinting at a private circumstance in Nathanael’s life, the meaning of which could only be known to no one but Nathanael: "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you".

Whatever Nathanael was doing under the fig tree is unknown to us, but as we can see, there is a hidden mystery in this event, about which besides Nathanael could know only God. This revelation startled Nathanael so much that all his doubts about Jesus dispersed in a moment: he realized that standing before him was not an ordinary human, but the One gifted with the Divine omniscience, and he instantly believed in Jesus as in the Divine Messenger-Messiah, expressing this with the words filled with fervent faith: "You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel". There is a premise that Nathanael was in the habit of performing his established prayer rites under the fig tree and, apparently, at that particular time, he probably experienced the peculiar anguish during the prayer, which clearly lodged itself in his memory and about which none of the people knew about. This is most likely why the Lord’s words aroused such fervent faith in Him as in the Son of God, to Whom the states of the human soul are opened.

To Nathanael’s exclamation, the Lord addresses not only to him alone, but to all His followers, predicting: "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man". With these words the Lord is saying that His disciples will see His glory with their spiritual eyes, that the ancient prophesy of heaven connection with earth by a mysterious ladder, which the Old Testament Patriarch Jacob foresaw, is fulfilled (Gen. 28:11-17), through the incarnation of the Son of God, Who had now become "Son of Man". The Lord often calls Himself with this name; there are 80 cases of this in the Gospel. Through this, Christ positively and irrefutably confirms His human nature, and also underlines that He is the Human in the highest meaning of the word: the ideal, universal and absolute Person, the Second Adam, the primal father of the new mankind, regenerated through His sufferings on the cross. This way, the similar name comes in no way to denigrate Christ, but expresses His superiority above the general level, indicating in Him the accomplished ideal of human nature, i.e. of such a man, which is necessary for Him to be in accordance with the thought of His Maker and His Creator — God.

The First Miracle at the Wedding at Cana of Galilee.

(John 2:1-12).

Only one Evangelist — John, narrates about the first miracle, made by Jesus Christ (turning water into wine at a wedding or "marriage," at Cana in Galilee. This occurred on the third day of His departure with Philip and Nathaniel to Galilee. Cana was a small town, located in 2-3 hours of walk towards the north of Nazareth and was called Galilean, unlike the other one — situated close to the city of Tyre. Nathaniel was a native of Galilean Cana.

By the custom of hospitality, Jesus was invited there as an ordinary person, like an acquaintance. His Mother was there already, having presumably arrived there earlier. The family that was celebrating the wedding was not rich, that was why, during the celebrations, they found out the lack of wine. The Ever-Holy Virgin took an active part in this circumstance, which threatened to spoil the innocent delight of the family’s jubilation. Her soul, filled with grace, manifested the first example of Her consideration and intercession for people before Her Divine Son. "They have no wine," — She says to Her Son, undoubtedly counting on His miraculous help to these poor people. "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?" In the word "woman" one should not see even a shade of disrespect — this form of addressing was usual in the East. During the hardest moments of His sufferings on the cross, the Lord likewise addresses His Mother, entrusting the care of Her to His beloved Disciple (John 19:26). "My hour has not yet come" — says the Lord. More likely, Christ meant, that not all the wine that had been saved for the wedding, ran out. In any case, from the further words of His Mother one can see that She did not interpret His response as a refusal. "Whatever He says to you, do it" — She says to the servants.

There were 6 stone waterpots, which served for frequent ablutions that were established by the Jewish laws, for example, for washing the hands before meals. The capacity of those waterpots was huge, for a "measure" or "bat" was equal to our measurement of one and a half buckets; therefore, there could be from 18 up to 27 buckets in the total capacity, the more sticking was the miracle, made by the Lord.

Jesus directed the servants to fill the waterpots with water, "and they filled them up to the brim". Jesus further orders them to draw some of it out and present it to master of the feast, so that he would be convinced in the authenticity of the accomplished miracle. As we can see, the Lord without even a touch, at a distance performed this miracle, what especially clearly testifies of His Divine power. As the Saint Chrysostom explains: "So as to show that He is the One Who converts the water into grapes and the rain into wine through the root of the grape; and that, what happens in the plant over a lengthy period of time, He accomplishes in an instant at the wedding". Not knowing where the wine came from, the master calls the bridegroom and gives witness through his words to the authenticity of the accomplished miracle, testifying with his words the veracity of the accomplished miracle and even emphasizing that the miraculous wine is of much higher quality than that which they had. From the words "when the guests have well drunk" one should not draw the conclusion that at this wedding, everybody was drunk. The conversation here is about the general custom and not about the specific usage concerning this case. It is well known that the Jews were noted for their moderation in the use of wine, which in Palestine was considered an ordinary drink and was diluted with water. To get drunk was regarded as extremely improper — and of course, the Lord Jesus Christ would not participate in a feast where many could have been drunk. The purpose of the miracle was to bring happiness to the poor people, fulfilling their family celebration. In this the Lord’s mercy became apparent. According to the Evangelist’s testimony, that was the first miracle that the Lord performed, having stepped on the path of His public service, which was also performed with the aim of revealing His glory as that of the Son of God, and to ratify His Disciples’ faith in Him. After this miracle and spending some time in Nazareth, the whole Holy Family headed to Capernaum, in order to travel from there to Jerusalem for the feast day of Pascha.

The First Pascha.

Driving the sellers out of the Temple.

(John 2:13-25).

The first three Evangelists do not tell quite clearly about the Lord’s stay in Jerusalem, they narrate in detail only about the Pascha, which was on the eve of Christ’s suffering. Only Saint John gives us sufficient detail about the Lord’s every visit of Jerusalem at Pascha during all three years of His public service, as well as His visits of Jerusalem on some other feast days. It was totally natural for the Lord to appear in Jerusalem on the great feast days, because all the spiritual life of the Jewish people was concentrated there, an on those days, people from all over Palestine, as well as from the other countries, gathered there, and it was important for the Lord to reveal Himself as the Messiah exactly there.

Driving the sellers out of the Temple, described by John at the beginning of His Gospel, differs from the same event, described by the other three Evangelists. The first event occurred at the beginning of Christ’s public service, while the last one (which in reality could be several) took place at the end of His public service, before the 4^th Pascha.

As it can be seen further, the Lord in the company of His Disciples traveled from Capernaum to Jerusalem, but this time, it was not simply because of the obligations to the law, but in order to render the will of His Sender, to continue the Messianic service that had commenced in Galilee. At the feast day of Passover, up to two million Jews gathered in Jerusalem, who were obliged to kill the Paschal lambs and bring the sacrifice to God in the Temple. According to the testimony of Joseph Flavius, in the year 63 AD, on the day of the Jewish Passover, some 256,500 lambs were given to the priests for slaying, not counting minor livestock and birds. For the sake of ease in selling such a large amount of animals, the Jews converted the so called area of "courtyard of the heathen" into a market-place: they gathered the sacrificial animals, placed cages with birds, erected shop-fronts for the sale of everything, necessary for sacrificial offerings and set up money-exchange centers. At the time, the official money in circulation was in Roman coins, while the law demanded that contributions to the temple were in Jewish shekels. The Jews arriving for Passover had to change their money, and this exchange brought great profit to the moneychangers. Striving for the maximum profit, the Jews were selling in the temple’s courtyard the other items, which had nothing to do with sacrificial offerings, for example, oxen. The high priests themselves took part in breeding doves for their sale at high prices.

The Lord, having made a whip out of ropes, which were apparently used to restrain the animals, drove the lambs and oxen out of the temple, overturned the money-changers’ tables, scattering their coin, and walking up to those who sold doves, said: "Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!" Thus, for the first time, calling God His Father, Jesus declared Himself publicly as the Son of God. Nobody had the audacity to oppose the Divine authority of the act, because apparently John’s witness of Him as of the Messiah had already reached Jerusalem, and it might be that the traders’ conscience woke. Only when He reached the doves (thereby affecting the self-interests of the high priests), He received a query: "What sign do you show to us, since you do these things?" Jesus answered to that: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up". Furthermore, as the Evangelist explains further, what Christ meant was the "temple of His Body", i.e. what He wanted to say with this to the Jews was: You are asking for a sign from Me — it will be given to you, but only not now: when you destroy the temple of My Body, I shall raise it up in three days and this should serve as a sign of that authority, with which I am doing this.

The high priests did not understand that with those words, Jesus predicted His Own death, destruction of His body and His resurrection from the dead on the third day. They took His words regarding the temple literally, relating them to the Jerusalem temple, and attempted to provoke the people against Him.

Meanwhile, the Greek verb "agaro" translated into Slavonic "I shall raise" actually means "I shall awaken" and therefore in no way can be applied to the destruction of a building, it matches sooner the notion of a body, immersed in sleep. Naturally, the Lord was speaking of His Body as of a temple, because it contained His Divinity; and finding Himself in a temple building; it was especially natural for the Lord Jesus Christ to speak of His Body as of a temple. Each time, when the Pharisees demanded some type of a sign from the Lord, He told them that they will see no other signs but that which He called the Prophet Jonah’s sign — the resurrection after the three days of interment. In the light of this, the Lord’s words addressed to the Jews could be understood thus: is it not enough for you to desecrate the hand-built house of My Father, by making it a house of merchandise? Your hatred is leading you to crucify and kill My body; carry this out and then you will see such a sign that will paralyze all My enemies with fear — I shall raise up My dead and buried body in three days.

However, seizing upon the literal meaning of Christ’s words, the Jews got armed with the outer sense of the words of Christ and attempted to make them absurd and impossible to fulfill. They pointed to the fact that that temple — the pride of the Jews — took them 46 years to build, so how could it be raised up in three days? They talk here about the restoration of the temple by Herod. The construction of the temple began in 734 from the establishment of Rome, i.e. 15 years before the birth of Christ, and the 46^th year falls on the 780^th year from the establishment of Rome, i.e. on the first Evangelical Passover. Even the Lord’s Disciples did not understand the sense of His words until the Lord’s resurrection from the dead and the moment when "He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures".

Further on, the Evangelist states that during the feast of Pascha, the Lord worked wonders, and many who saw them, believed in Him. However, "Jesus did not commit Himself to them", i.e. did not count on them or their faith, for the faith, based on wonders only, not warmed up by the love for Christ, cannot be counted as stable. The Lord "knew all men" as the Almighty God, "knew what was in men" — what was hidden in the depths of everyone’s soul, and therefore, did not trust the words of those, who, seeing His miracle, professed one’s faith in Him.

The Lord Jesus Christ’s dialogue with Nicodemus.

(John 3:1-21).

Driving the seller out of the temple and the miracles performed by the Lord in Jerusalem, so strongly influenced the Jews that one of the "princes" — or leaders of the Jews — Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, came to see Jesus. Apparently, he wanted very much to hear His teachings, but fearing to incur the wrath of his associates that were hostile towards the Lord, he arrived at night. Nicodemus calls the Lord "Rabbi," i.e. the teacher and thus acknowledging His right to teach, which, according to the view of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus was not allowed to have — not having finished the Rabbinic school. This already shows Nicodemus’s disposition towards Christ. Later, he calls Him "a Teacher come from God," accepting that He works wonders with the Divine power, typical of Him. Nicodemus speaks not only from his own name but from all the Jews, who believed in the Lord, and perhaps even from the name of some members of the Sanhedrin — although the majority of them was hostile towards the Lord.

The whole following discourse is remarkable, for it is directed towards destroying the false Pharisee outlook on the Kingdom of Heaven, and the conditions under which a human can enter this Kingdom. This conversation is divided into 3 parts: The spiritual rebirth as the basic demand for entry into God’s Kingdom; Redemption of humanity through the sufferings of the Son of God, without which, people would not be able to inherit God’s Kingdom; The nature of the judgment over the people that have not believed in the Son of God.

The type of a Pharisee at that time was the embodiment of the narrowest and fanatical, national particularity: they regarded themselves as completely different from the rest of the people. A Pharisee thought that just being a Jew, particularly being a Pharisee, he is a certain and worthiest member of the glorious Messiah’s Kingdom. According to their belief, the Messiah Himself must be like them, and will free the Jews from the foreign yoke and establish the world kingdom, in which they, the Jews, will occupy the leading position. Apparently Nicodemus, sharing these common for the Pharisees’ opinion, possibly felt that they were false deep down in his heart. Therefore, he came to Jesus, Whose remarkable personality caused spreading of so many rumors, to find out, if He was that expected Messiah. That was why he decided to come personally to the Lord to substantiate this. With the first words of His conversation, the Lord destroys the Pharisees’ false pretensions of being the chosen ones: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God". Or, in other words, it is insufficient to be a Jew by birth. There must be the complete moral rebirth, which is given to a person from above, from God, and one should as if be born again, become a new being (which is the essence of Christianity). For the Pharisees imagined the Messiah’s Kingdom as the physical and earthly kingdom, there is nothing surprising in the fact that Nicodemus also took the Lord’s words in a physical sense, i.e. that in order to enter the Messiah’s Kingdom, it is necessary to have the second carnal birth, so he expressed his bafflement, emphasizing the absurdity of such a demand: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?" Jesus then explains that the conversation is not of the physical birth, but of the special spiritual birth, which is distinguished from that bodily both in purpose and fruits.

This birth is "of water and the Spirit". Water is the means or weapon, and the Holy Spirit — the Power, which brings about the new birth and the Cause of the new existence: "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God". "That which is born of the flesh is flesh," — when a person is born from the earthly parents, he inherits from them the primal sin of Adam, nesting in the flesh, he thinks according to the flesh and pleases his physical passions and lusts. These deficiencies of the physical birth can be corrected through the spiritual birth: "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit". He who accepted the rebirth from the Spirit, himself enters the spiritual life that is higher than anything carnal or sensual. Seeing that Nicodemus still does not understand, the Lord begins to explain what this birth is made up of, comparing the means of this birth with the wind: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone born of the Spirit". In other words, in the spiritual rebirth, a person has access to observe the change only that takes place within him, but the power of rebirth and the method through which it acts, as well as the paths by which it arrives — all this is mysterious and subtle. In the same manner we feel how the wind affects us: we hear its "voice", but we do not see and know, where it comes from and where it goes, so free in its strife and in no way depending on our will. The effect of the Holy Spirit that gives us rebirth is akin to this: it is evident and sensory, yet enigmatic and unexplainable.

However, Nicodemus continues to remain in the state of incomprehension, and his next question "How can these things be?" are expressed the mistrust to the words of Christ and the Pharisee’s pride, with the pretension to understand all and to able to explain everything. It is this Pharisee’s sophistry that the Lord destroys with His response, and with such power, that Nicodemus is unable to object — and in his state of self-humiliation, little by little begins to prepare in his heart the grounds on which the Lord will later sow His seeds of the redemptive teaching: "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?" By these words the Lord not only accuses Nicodemus but also the high-minded Pharisee teachers, who, taking the key of understanding the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, neither entered it themselves nor allowed the others to do so. How was it that the Pharisees did not know the doctrine on the necessity of the spiritual rebirth, when in the Old Testament one often encountered the thoughts on the necessity of the spiritual regeneration, about God’s gift of a heart of flesh and not one of stone (Ezekiel 36:26). Even King David prayed: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10-11).

Passing to the revelations of the higher mysteries of Himself and of His Kingdom, the Lord remarks to Nicodemus in the form of a prologue that in opposition to the teachings of the Pharisees, He Himself and His disciples are proclaiming the new teaching, which is based directly on the knowledge and the contemplation of truth: "We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive our witness," — that is, you, the Pharisees — are the false teachers of Israel.

In the further words: "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you Heavenly things?" under "earthly" the Lord is thinking of the teaching on the necessity of rebirth, as the need of rebirth and its consequences happen within a person and are known through his inner experience. While speaking about the "Heavenly" the Lord means the sublime mysteries of God, which are higher than any human observation or knowledge: About the eternal unity of Triad-God, about accepting by the Son of God of the redeeming exploit for people’s salvation, about conjoining in this exploit of the Divine love with the Divine justice. Perhaps, about what happens within the person and with the person may be known by the person himself. But what a human can ascend to heaven and penetrate into the mysterious domain of the Divine life? Nobody, except the Son of God, Who in descending to earth did not abandon heaven: "No one has ascended to Heaven but He Who came down from Heaven, that is, the Son of Man Who is in Heaven". By these words the Lord reveals the mystery of His incarnation, convincing him in that He is greater than an ordinary messenger of God, akin to the ancient Prophets, for which Nicodemus takes Him, that His appearance on earth in the form of the Son of Man is the ascending from the highest state to the lowest, belittled one, because His genuine, eternal existence is not on earth, but in heaven.

Afterwards the Lord reveals the mystery of His redeeming exploit to Nicodemus: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up". Why is it that the Son of Man had to be raised on the cross for the human salvation? This is exactly what is that heavenly, which is impossible to comprehend with the earthly mind. As to the symbol of His exploit on the cross, the Lord points to the brass snake that Moses raised in the wilderness. Moses raised the brass snake in front of the Israelites, so that they, struck by snakes, would receive a cure by looking at it. Likewise, the whole human race, living in flesh and struck by the ulcer of sin, receives its cure by looking with faith at Christ, Who had come down in the form of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3). In the basis of the Son of God’s exploit of crucifixion lies God’s love for people: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". The everlasting life is established in a person by the grace of the Holy Spirit, while the access to the altar of grace (Heb. 4:16), is received by people through the redeeming death of Jesus Christ.

The Pharisees thought that Christ’s pursuit would consist of judging the people of other faiths. The Lord explains that He was currently sent to save the world, and not to judge. The unbelievers will condemn themselves, because together with their disbelief will be revealed their love for darkness and hatred for light, forthcoming from their love for dark deeds. Those who render truth, the honest and moral souls, walk towards the light themselves, not fearing the exposure of their deeds.

The Last Testimony of John the Baptist.

(John 3:22-36).

After the conversation with Nicodemus, which took place in Jerusalem during the Passover, "Jesus and His Disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized". Here we have an important indication from Evangelist John that the Lord Jesus Christ spent much time in the southernmost part of Palestine, in the region called Judea. The other three Evangelists do not mention this fact. The length of the period spent by the Lord in Judea can be determined from the fact that, when returning to Galilee and stopping at Samaria, He mentioned to His Disciples: "Do you not say "There are still 4 months and then comes the harvest?" (John 4:35). It can be concluded from these words, that the Lord was returning from Palestine some 4 moths before the harvest time, and since harvesting in Palestine takes place in April, then the Lord left Palestine not earlier than in November. Consequently, He stayed there not less than 8 months — from April till November. The first three Evangelists do not mention of this initial period of the Lord Jesus Christ’s public service: having narrated about His Baptism, fasting and the devil’s temptations in the wilderness, they immediately pass over to description of His activity in Galilee.

Being called by the Lord much later, Saint Matthew was not a witness to that what happened in Judea; and apparently, Saint Peter, from whose words Evangelist Mark wrote his Gospel, was not present, either, with the Lord in Judea; and it appears that Saint Luke did not have sufficient information on this period of Christ’s service. That was why Saint John felt his duty to add that what was omitted and to what he was an eyewitness. There is no indication of that the Lord spent all the 8 months in some specific area; it has to be supposed that He passed across all of this Holy Land with His sermon.

Saint John informs us that "Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His Disciples" (4:2). This baptism was identical to that performed by John the Baptist: it was with water and not with the Spirit, because at that time they did not have the Holy Spirit as "Jesus was not yet glorified" (John 4:39). It was only after the Lord’s resurrection from the dead that they received His directive to baptize in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).

At the same time, Saint John the Baptist continued to baptize "in Aenon near Salim" in the area which is difficult to determine, however, it appears it was not adjacent to Jordan, otherwise the Evangelist would have no need to add an explanatory note: "there was much water there". Saint John the Baptist’s disciples soon began to notice that there were fewer people coming to listen to their teacher than before, and in their blind, illogical affection to him, began to be vexed and envy the One, Who had great success among the people, i.e. Lord Jesus Christ. Undoubtedly, these malicious feelings within them were purposely fomented by the Pharisees, contriving arguments about cleansing, which lead to the debates about the comparative worthiness of the baptism performed by John and Christ’s Disciples. Wishing to vent their envy and vexation towards Christ to their teacher, John’s disciples came to him and said: "Rabbi, He Who was with you beyond the Jordan, to Whom you have testified — behold. He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him". The use of the word "all" is applied here with exaggeration, which was suggested by envy and the desire to arouse envy in John.

Absolutely devoid of any envy towards Christ, the Baptist begins his answer by directly revealing Christ’s greatness in comparison to himself, and gives the new (and final) solemn testimony of Christ’s Divine worthiness. Defending Christ’s right to baptize, John states that of all of God’s messengers, no one can assume that which had not been given to him from Heaven. That is why if Christ baptizes, then He has the authority from God to do that. The Baptist reminds them that as he said from the beginning, he is not Christ, but only His Forerunner. Instead of vexation and envy, John expresses his joy about Christ’s successes. He calls Him the bridegroom and himself as a friend of the bridegroom, who does not envy the bridegroom’s advantage but stands before Him as a servant and "rejoices greatly" hearing His voice. In the Old Testament, the union of God with the faithful — just as the union of Christ with the Church in the New Testament — is often presented in the Holy Scripture in the form of a marriage (Isaiah 54:5-6, 62:5; Ephes. 5:23-27). Christ is the Bridegroom of the Church, and John — His friend, a close, trustworthy individual, who can only rejoice about the Bridegroom’s success. To the Jews, the friend of the bridegroom played an important role during the time, prior to the wedding. Once the wedding took place and the bridegroom became a husband, the role of the friend ended. So it was with John: he had the leading role in the preparation of the people to accept Christ, but when Christ began His public service, John’s role was over. That is why he states: "He (Christ) must increase, but I must decrease", just as the morning star dims in the brightness of the rising sun.

Professing Christ’s superiority over him, John states that Christ is the One "Who comes from above" and therefore "is above all", i.e. that He is greater than all people, even God’s messengers, and that he, John, having the earthly origin, proclaimed God’s truth only to the extent as one, who originates from the earth, can; but coming from Heaven, Christ testifies about the Heavenly and Divine, as about that, what He directly saw and heard, and that no one human is capable to accept this testimony without the grace of God (Matt. 16:17; John 6:44).

Sadly noticing the unkind feelings in his disciples, John praises those who accept Christ’s testimony, because He proclaims to the people the words of God Himself: he who accepts His words as the truth, accepts the words of God the Father as true. God the Father gave in abundance the gifts of the Holy Spirit, beyond all measure, to His Son Jesus Christ., because He loves His Son, and handed everything in His hands. Consequently, those who believe in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, have eternal life, while the one who does not believe in Him, will not see eternal life but "the wrath of God abides on him".

Thus, in concluding his service, John for the last time triumphantly testifies about Christ’s Divinity, exhorting everyone to follow Christ. These words need to be treated as the will of the greatest of all the Prophets.

The Imprisonment of Saint John.

(Matt. 14:3-5; Mark 6:17-20; Luke 3:19-20).

Soon after Saint John the Baptist’s last testimony of Christ’s Divinity, he was seized and imprisoned for exposing the illegal co-habitation of king Herod Antipas and Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. The first three Evangelists narrate about this. Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who ordered the slaying of the infants in Bethlehem, ruled Galilee and Perea. Being married to the daughter of the Arab King Aretus, he started a love affair with Herodias, unhappy in her marriage with Philip. She openly moved into the palace, having banished Herod’s legal wife. Feeling insulted about his daughter, Aretus declared war against Herod. Herod himself had to leave to the fort Machaerus (to the east of the Dead Sea), to take command of the troops. There, Herod heard about John the Baptist as of the Prophet that attracted many people to himself. Hoping to find support in his campaign, he sent for John. However, instead of the supporting word, he heard the very unpleasant for him accusation: "It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife" (Mark 6:18).

These words annoyed in particular Herodias, and she used all her influence in order to incite Herod to kill John. Fearing the people, Herod did not dare to kill John but just imprisoned him in the Machaerus fortress. According to Evangelist Mark’s testimony, Herod even respected John as a righteous and holy man, and acted many times in accordance with his advice. Apparently, like all people of weak character, Herod entered into the arrangements with his conscience, hoping by performing a few good deeds (according to John’s advice) to be able to atone his major sin — against which was John. He even enjoyed listening to the advice given by the Baptist, but would not forsake his sin, and in the end he took away his liberty to the benefit of evil Herodias. That was how John’s service, as that of the last of the Old Testament Prophets, ended.

The Talk with a Samaritan woman.

(Matt. 4:12; Mark 1:14; John 4:1-42)

All the four Gospels speak about the departure of the Lord to Galilee. Saints Matthew and Mark note that this happened after John had been imprisoned, while Saint John adds, that the reason for that was the rumor that Jesus was receiving and baptizing more disciples than John, although the Evangelist explains that it was not Christ, Who was baptizing them, but His disciples. After John’s imprisonment, the Pharisees’ hatred focused on Jesus, Who started to seem to them more dangerous than the Baptist. As His time for the suffering had not arrived yet, Jesus leaves Judea and goes to Galilee, in order to avert the persecution of His envious enemies. Only Evangelist John narrates about Christ’s conversation with the Samaritan woman that happened on the way to Galilee.

The Lord’s way was through Samaria — the district located to the north of Judea and formerly belonging to the three tribes of Israel: Dan, Ephraim and Manasseh. There was the town in this district called Samaria, Israel’s former capital. The Assyrian king Salmanassar conquered the Israelites and took them into captivity, replacing the population with heathens from Babylon and other places. The mixture of these settlers with the remaining Jews gave birth to the Samaritans. They accepted the Five Books of Moses, worshipped Jehovah — as well as they did not forget their own gods. When the Jews returned from their Babylonian captivity and started to erect the temple of Jerusalem, the Samaritans also wanted to join them in their endeavors. However, the Jews rejected them, so they erected their own temple on the Mt. Gerizim. While accepting the Books of Moses, the Samaritans, however, rejected the writings of the Prophets and the entire tradition. Because of this, the Jews’ attitude towards them was worse than to heathens, they avoided the contact with them in every way possible, loathing and despising them.

Passing through Samaria, the Lord with His disciples stopped to rest near a well, which according to the tradition, was dug by Jacob close to the town named Sychema, called by Saint John as Sychera. Possibly, the Evangelist was mocking at this name, restructuring it from the word "shikar" — "ply with wine," into "sheker" — "lie." St. John points at the fact that it was "about sixth hour" (the noon according to our time), the time of the maximum heat, which most probably was the reason for having rest. "A woman of Samaria came to draw water". While the disciples of Jesus went to the town to buy some food, Christ turned to the Samaritan woman with a request: "Give Me a drink". Seeing by the clothing or manner of speech that the addressing her man was a Jew, the Samaritan woman expressed her surprise with that He, being a Jew, is asking her, a Samaritan, for water, meaning the hatred and contempt that the Jews felt towards the Samaritans. But Jesus, having come to the world to save everyone, but not only the Jews, explains to the woman that she would not be asking such things if she knew Who she was talking to and what great fortune ("Gift of God") God sent her through this meeting. If she only knew Who was asking her for a drink, then she herself would be asking Him to quench her spiritual thirst and reveal to her the mystery, which everybody is seeking to know: and He would give her "living water", which is meant to be understood as the grace of the Holy Spirit (see John 7:38).

The Samaritan woman misunderstood the Lord: she thought the living water meant the water found at the bottom of the well. That was why she asked Jesus, where she could get the living water if He did not have anything to scoop it up with, while the well was deep. "Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?" (John 4:12). She then recollects patriarch Jacob with pride and love, as the one who left the use of the well to his offspring. Then the Lord elevates her mind to the highest understanding of His words: "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:13-14). In the spiritual life, the blessed water has a different effect than the earthly water in the physical life. The one who is filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, will never feel the spiritual thirst, because all his spiritual needs have been satisfied; meanwhile, the one who drinks the physical water, as well as the one who satisfies some other type of the earthly needs, quenches his thirst for some time, and soon after "will thirst again".

Moreover, the blessed water will dwell in the man, establishing a spring within him, gushing (skipping — the literal translation from Greek) into eternal life, i.e. making that person a communicant of the eternal life. Still not understanding the Lord and thinking that He is speaking about the ordinary water — only some special type which quenches the thirst forever — she asks the Lord for some of this water, so as to get rid of the need to come to the well for the water. Finally, in order to make her realize that she is speaking with no ordinary man, the Lord initially directs her to call her husband, and afterwards, He directly accuses her that while she had 5 husbands, at that moment, too, she was living in the adulterous union.

Realizing that the one standing before her was a Prophet Who knows everything concealed, the woman turns to Him for the resolution of the problem, which greatly tormented the Samaritans in their relationship with the Jews: who is correct in the argument about the place for worshipping God. Were correct the Samaritans who, following their forefathers, built the temple at the Gerizim Mount, and worshiped God there, or, were correct the Jews who assured that it was allowed to worship God only in Jerusalem? Guided by Moses’s directive to deliver a blessing on this mountain, the Samaritans chose Mt. Gerizim for their worship. And although their temple that was erected there was destroyed by John Hyrcanus in the year of 130 BC, they continued to bring their sacrificial offerings to the location of the ruined temple. Responding to the woman’s question, the Lord explains that it is wrong to think that it is allowed to worship God only in one specific place — and that the argumentative question between the Samaritans and the Jews will soon lose its meaning by itself, because the both types of the divine service — the Jewish as well as the Samaritan — will cease in the nearest future. This prophecy was accomplished when the Samaritans, decimated by the soldiers, became disillusioned with the importance of their mountain, while Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and the temple was burnt in the year of 70 AD.

Nevertheless, the Lord gives His preference to the Jewish worship, meaning, of course, the fact that the Samaritans have accepted only the Pentateuch of Moses, rejecting the Prophetic writings, which contained the detailed description of the Personality and the Kingdom of the Messiah. But "salvation is of (will come from) the Jews" for the Redeemer comes from the Jewish people. Further, the Lord, elaborating His initial statement, points to the fact that the "hour is coming, and now is" (since the Messiah had already appeared), the time of the new, highest worship of God, which will not be constrained by any location, but will be everywhere, for it will be in the spirit and truth. Only this type of worship is genuine, because it corresponds to the nature of God Himself, Who is the Spirit. To worship God in the spirit and truth means to endeavor to please God, not only in the outward form but through the sincere and openhearted strife with all the strength of the spiritual being, for God as the Spirit, not through the sacrificial offerings, which both the Jews and Samaritans were making, as though this was the only way to honor God, -- but to know and love God, not falsely and hypocritically, wishing to please Him by fulfilling His commandments. Worshipping God in "Spirit and truth" by no means excludes the outward, ritual side of honoring God, like some false teachers and sectarians attempt to affirm, but the main power is not contained in this outward side of God’s worshipping. The actual ceremony of worshiping God should not be seen as prejudicial: it is both essential and unavoidable, for a human consists not only of the spirit, but of the body. Jesus Christ Himself physically worshipped God the Father, kneeling and prostrating Himself on the ground, and not rejecting similar worshipping of Himself from the people, during His life on the earth (see examples: Matt. 2:11, 14:33, 15:25; John 11:32, 12:3; and many other examples in the Gospel).

The Samaritan woman, somehow, begins to understand the meaning of Christ’s words and in her deliberation says: "I know that Messiah is coming (Who is called Christ). When He comes, He will tell us all things". The Samaritans were also awaiting the Messiah, calling Him — Gashageb — basing their expectations on the words of Genesis 49:10, and especially on Moses’s words in Deuteronomy 18:18). The Samaritans’ understanding of the Messiah was not as distorted as of the Jews, because they awaited Him as a Prophet and not as a political figure. That was why Jesus, not calling Himself the Messiah before the Jews for a long time, directly says to this simple Samaritan woman that He is the Messiah-Christ promised by Moses: "I (am the Messiah) Who speak to you am Me". Elated with joy from seeing the Messiah, the woman drops her water-pot near the well and hurries into the town to announce to everybody about the arrival of the Messiah, He to Whom all hearts are open, revealed to her all her past actions. Just then, His disciples arrived and were surprised to find their Teacher talking to a woman, for was condemned by the rules of the Jewish rabbis, who edified: "Do not speak for long with a woman" and "nobody should talk to a woman on the road, even with a lawful woman" and also: "It is better to burn the words of the law, than to teach them to a woman". However, being reverent to their Teacher, the disciples did not in any way show their amazement and just asked Him to taste the food that they brought.

Although Jesus-Man’s natural feeling of hunger was stifling His happiness about the Samaritan people’s conversion to Him, He was joyous that the seeds sown by Him had begun to produce a crop. That was why He refused to satisfy His hunger and replied to His disciples that the real food for Him was carrying out the task of saving humanity, a task conferred upon Him by God the Father. The Samaritan inhabitants that came to Him, seem to Christ as a cornfield, ripe for the harvest — while in the fields, the harvest is ready only in four months. Ordinarily, the one who sows the seeds collects the harvest: with the sowing of the seeds in the souls, the spiritual harvest, more often than not, goes to the others, but together with that, the sowing rejoices with the harvester, because he did not sow for himself but for others. That is why Christ states that He is sending His Apostles to collect the harvest in the spiritual field, which initially was not prepared and sown by them, but by the others — the Old Testament Prophets and by Himself. During those explanations, the Samaritans approached the Lord. While many believed in Him "because of the word of the woman", many more of them believed "because of His own word," when on their invitation, He stayed with them in the town for two days. In listening to the Lord’s teachings they were convinced, according to their own admittance, that "this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

The Arrival to Galilee and the Beginning of the Sermon.

(Matt. 4:13-17; Mark 1:15; Luke 4:14-15; John 4:43-45).

All four Evangelists testify about the Lord’s arrival to Galilee and the beginning of His sermons. Arriving to Galilee, He left His native town of Nazareth, testifying that a Prophet has no honor in His own town, and settled in Capernaum. This was treated by Saint Matthew as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: "In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulum and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time hath he made it glorious by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:1-2).

Jesus was received by the inhabitants of Galilee in a good way, as they too traveled to Jerusalem on the feast day and saw His deeds. Soon, the rumors about Him spread across the whole country. He went to synagogues and taught, beginning His sermon with the words: "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!" The remarkable thing is that John the Baptist used these same words to open his sermons. The New Kingdom, new order, which the Lord Jesus Christ came to install in people, differed so from their former sinful life, that it was indeed necessary for the people to leave everything from the past, and as though to be born again through repentance, i.e. to change completely internally. Repentance is the complete change in thoughts, feelings and aspirations.

Since the time the Lord returned to Galilee from Judea, Galilee became the constant location for His activities. This was the country not large in size but well populated, in which lived not only the Jews but the Phoenicians, Arabs and even Egyptians. The fertile grounds of this country attracted many settlers, who formed one people with the local inhabitants. Although the prevailing faith was Jewish, there were many heathens — hence Galilee was called heathen. On the one hand, this was the reason of the great religious ignorance of the people of Galilee, while on the other — the reason of their greater freedom from the religious prejudices of the Jews, particularly those concerning the Messiah. The Savior’s disciples were Galileans, and His other followers also walked freely along this fertile land. This might explain why the Lord chose Galilee as the prevailing location for His service — and we can also see that the Galileans indeed turned out to be more receptive to His sermon than the Jews.

The Healing of the Nobleman’s Son.

(John 4:46-54).

On the way to Capernaum, the Lord visited Cana where He performed His first miracle by turning water into wine. Having found out about this, one of the inhabitants of Capernaum, the former Herod’s noblemen, hurried to Cana to ask Jesus to come to Capernaum and heal his son, who was about to die. "Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe". The Lord appreciated faith that was based on the contemplation of miracles less than that, based on the comprehension of His pure and sublime Divine teaching. Faith, born from seeing miracles, demands more and more new miracles in order to sustain itself, because the previous ones become habitual and cease to amaze. Together with this, a person accepting the teaching that is accompanied with miracles can fall into delusion, accepting a lie to be true, as miracles might be false, from the devil. That is why the Word of God warns us to be wary of all miracles (Deut. 13:1-5). And the Lord speaks with some sorrow about the Galilee inhabitants’ indiscriminating attitude in this respect. However, after this reproach, the nobleman displays persistence, which shows the magnitude of his faith: "Sir, come down before my child dies!" And the Lord heals the nobleman’s son, and moreover, He does it by correspondence, saying: "Go your way; your son lives". At that precise time, the fever left the boy. Startled by the dying youth’s instant recovery, the nobleman’s servants hurried to their master to report him about the joyous news. The father, believing the Lord’s words but thinking that the healing will happen slowly, inquired, at what hour the youth recovered. When he found out that it was at the precise hour when the Lord said that his son was cured, the nobleman "himself believed, and his whole household", i.e. when he notified them of the miracle, his whole family and servants believed in the Lord. Perhaps, it was the same Chuza, whose wife, Johanna, later followed Christ, serving Him.

This was the second miracle, which "Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee".

The Calling of the Fisherman.

(Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11)

Three Evangelists narrate about the calling of the first Apostles: Matthew, Mark and Luke. Together with that, the first two mention the event very briefly, just stating the very fact, while Saint Luke gives the detailed description of the miraculous netting of the fish, preceding the calling. As Saint John writes, the first disciples, Andrew and John, designated by the Lord, followed Him even in Jordan, and later Simon, Philip and Nathanael joined him. However, having returned with Jesus to Galilee, they little by little turned to their former activity of catching fish. But the Lord calls them anew to follow Him, directing them to leave their fishing and dedicate themselves to another activity — catching people for the Kingdom of God.

The rumors of the Messiah’s arrival quickly spread all over Galilee, and the crowds of people started to converge to listen to His teaching. They were crowding around Him, and once, when He was on the banks of the Gennesaret lake, also called as the sea (apparently, because of happening there strong storms), there was such a huge gathering that He was forced to enter into a boat and distance Himself from the shore, in order to teach people from there. Having finished edifying the people, the Lord ordered Simon, who was the owner of the boat, to sail further away from the shore, where the water was deeper, and to cast his net. Simon, being an experienced fisherman and having fished all night without success, was convinced that the new endeavor would turn out to be fruitless. However, this time the catch was so great that even the net burst in some places. Peter and Andrew had to call their friends from the other boat for help in order to take all the fish out. The catch was so abundant that the both fully loaded boats started to sink. Overwhelmed with reverent fear, Peter fell before Christ’s feet, saying: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord". With those words, Peter wanted to express the extent of his unworthiness in the presence of such a great and mighty Wonder-worker. The Lord calms Peter with the meek word and predicts his future high designation. According to the testimony of Evangelists Matthew and Mark, the Lord tells both the brothers — Peter and Andrew: "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men". And thereupon, He called the other two brothers — James and John Zebedee — to follow Him. Leaving their nets, and the latter two, their father as well, they followed Christ.

Healing in Capernaum.

(Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37).

When in Galilee, Christ mainly remained in Capernaum — so much, that it became "His town". Capernaum, located on the border of two domains — Galilee and Iturea, was outstanding for its salutary climate, material abundance and in general, had everything for that the people, wanting to listen to Christ, could converge there in large numbers. Living in Capernaum, the Lord taught on Saturdays in synagogues — the houses where the Jews gathered for prayer. The church services and sacrificial offerings could only be performed in the temple of Jerusalem; however, while being in captivity, the Jews felt the extreme necessity to gather in prayer meetings for the common readings of the books of the Law and collective prayers. Such meeting-places became the synagogues. After the Jews’ return from captivity, the synagogues became an essential attribute in every Jewish settlement, both in Palestine itself, and in every place of the Jewish settlement. The synagogue contained the urn, in which the books of the Law were kept, the pulpit, from which these books were read and the seating area. Anyone that regarded himself capable could read and interpret the Law and the Prophets. The reader usually stood up while reading and sat down when he passed over to interpreting of the read. Continually listening to the lifeless word of their teacher-Scribes and Pharisees, the Galileans were astounded in hearing the Lord’s lively word. If the former interpreted the Law as its servants, Jesus spoke as the One, Who had authority. The Scribes and Pharisees, not understanding the Law themselves, distorted its meaning and therefore were unconvincing in their interpretations. Whereas Jesus was saying His own, i.e. that which He had heard from His Father, and spoke authoritatively, convincingly and persuasively, which was producing the strong impression on the listeners.

At the time, when the Lord was teaching in one of the synagogues in Capernaum, there was a man possessed by the evil spirit. He unexpectedly cried out in a loud voice: "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are — the Holy One of God!" This involuntary confession of truth wrenched through the presence of the Son of God was a cry of low, slavish fear, pretending and flattering in the deviation from judgment; a slave’s lament, whose imagination draws the tortures and torment awaiting him, when meeting with his master. Perhaps by this confession, the enemy was hoping to undermine the people’s trust in Jesus Christ, and we can see that the Lord indeed, forbade him to testify about Him, commanding: "Be quiet, and come out of him". The possessed instantly fell to the ground in the middle of the synagogue, but stood up fully recovered, because the demon, obeying, had left him. Both the Evangelists underline the extremely powerful impression this made on the people by the healing of the possessed person.

The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law.

(Matt. 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41).

The Evangelists Mark and Luke, place this in direct relationship with the preceding event. Leaving the synagogue, the Lord entered Simon Peter’s house probably to eat bread. Peter’s mother-in-law was found to be extremely ill, moreover, Evangelist Luke explains as a physician that it was a "high fever". On one word from Jesus, the fever instantly left the afflicted woman and even her strength returned to her to such an extent, that she got up and began to serve them. The expulsion of the evil spirit in the synagogue, and then the miraculous cure of Simon’s mother-in-law, produced such a powerful impression, that after the sunset (apparently, because this was Saturday), people started to bring the ill and possessed to the doors of Simon’s house, so that soon the whole town gathered outside; and the Lord healed many, suffering of the various illnesses, and expulsed many demons. Proving through his Gospel that Jesus is That Redeemer, about Whom the prophets foretold, Evangelist Matthew explains that through this mass healing, had been fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: "He Himself took our infirmities, And bore our sicknesses". To take infirmities, means to remove the weakness from the ill and destroy it; to bear sicknesses, means to ease the pain of the ill, to heal. Not wishing to hear the testimony of evil spirits, the Lord forbids them to pronounce through the lips of the possessed, that He is Christ, the Son of God.

The Sermon in Galilee.

(Matt. 4:23-25; Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44).

As a human being, Christ the Savior Himself suffered from physical exhaustion as a result of so many labors, and in that sense, it can be said, that He took upon Himself our infirmities and carried our illnesses. So in order to rest and restore His strength through the solitary prayer, in the early morning of next day, He left the people. However, the people again started to crowd around Simon’s house, and having discovered that Jesus was not there, started to look for Him. Realizing this, Simon and those with him, i.e. Andrew, John and James, also started to look for Jesus, and when locating Him, asked Him to come back to town, where everybody was waiting and looking for Him. However, the Lord told them that He had to go to other towns and settlements to preach, "because for this purpose I have come forth", i.e. to spread the good news for everyone. Leaving Capernaum, Jesus traveled over whole Galilee, preaching and working wonders. The rumor of Him spread far beyond the boundaries of Galilee, across all Syria, and the sick from distant lands were brought to Him: from Decapolis, from Judea and Jerusalem, from the other bank of Jordan; and He healed them. Many people followed Him, listening to His teaching.

The Sermon in the Nazareth Synagogue.

(Luke 14:16-30).

This event is described by Evangelist Luke in the very beginning of the Lord’s sermon, though there is a short narrative before that: "and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all" (Luke 4:14-15). Because of this, as well from the narrative on this event it can be seen that the Lord came to Nazareth long before the very beginning of His public service how one could have thought, but after many miracles, performed by Him in Capernaum, about which it was mentioned above. On the other hand, Evangelists Matthew and Mark as though assign this event to the later period of time. However, such noted interpreters of the Gospel, as Bishop (now Saint) Theophan the Recluse, regard that the Lord’s visit to Nazareth, about which is said by Saint Matthew in 13:53-58, and Saint Mark in 6:1-6, differs from the visit, described by Saint Luke. And indeed, with all the similarities, in these descriptions there are also seen the very substantial differences. In general, it must be said that it is almost impossible to establish the rather accurate and indisputable chronological flow of the Gospel’s events, for each Evangelist had his own system of narrating, in concordance with the task set, and the exact chronology was not the subject of their major care.

Having entered the Nazareth synagogue, the Lord began to read that part of Isaiah’s book, where the Prophet from the person of the arrived Messiah speaks figuratively about the purpose of His coming. Speaking through the lips of the Prophet, the Messiah states that He was sent by God to proclaim to all the beggars, the poor and the miserable that the Kingdom of God is at hand for them — the Kingdom of love and mercy. The Jews did not doubt that the prophecy referred to the Messiah, therefore, when the Lord Jesus said, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing", there remained nothing for them but to acknowledge Him as the Messiah. And indeed many, knowing and recalling of the miracles, performed by Him, were ready to accept Him as the Messiah. But among those in the synagogue, there were undoubtedly those Scribes and Pharisees, antagonistically disposed towards the Lord. They had the false understanding of the coming Messiah as of the mighty, though earthly king, the national leader of the Jewish people, who would place all other nations under the Jewish rule, and make the Scribes and Pharisees, as His confidantes, the heads of the authority. The Lord’s teaching of the kingdom of the poor and penitent hearts were totally unacceptable for them. Likewise, the rest of them, though they were delighted by the Lord’s sermons, knew Him from His childhood days as the son of a poor carpenter and therefore did not dare to acknowledge Him as the Messiah. They were just amazed with His wisdom and the miracles that He performed — instead of believing in Him. Then the Lord, not wishing to resort to miracles to prove His Divine origin before the unbelievers, made two examples from the ancient history about Prophets Elijah and Elisha, visually explaining, that those present were not worthy of those miracles and signs, which they were expecting. Having heard such bitter truth and comprehending from the words of Jesus, Whom they were used to treat as their equal, but not higher, that He puts them, the proud Jews, lower than the heathens, they "were filled with wrath". They drove Him out of the town and attempted to put Him to death by throwing Him off the mountain on which their town was situated, but they were withdrawn from committing that crime, by the power of God and "He went His way".

The Healing of the Leper.

(Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16).

Saint Matthew also narrates about the healing of the leper (8:1-4), and such an authoritative interpreter as Bishop Theophan, finds this to be a special miracle, performed by the Lord much later — after the sermon on the mount, whereas Saint Luke says that this occurred in the city. Of all the diseases mentioned in the Bible, leprosy is the most frightful and repulsive. It appears on the body in blotches, akin to herpes — first on the face around the nose and eyes, and then slowly spreads over the whole body, until it is covered with sloughs. With this, the face swells, the nose dries up and becomes pointed, the sense of smell totally disappears, the skin becomes brown and cracks, the voice grows hoarse, the hair falls out, the eyes become watery, there begin to form malignant ulcers that give off a stench, from the disfigured bloated mouth flows foul-smelling spittle, the joints of the arms and legs grow numb, the whole body becomes decrepit. Thereupon, fingernails start falling off, as well as the fingers and the separate digits, until finally the death arrives to terminate the agonies of the sufferer. Those born lepers live 30 or 40 and sometimes 50 years, dragging out their miserable existence. Moses, in the book of Leviticus (chap. 13), gave the detailed directives concerning those afflicted with leprosy. A priest had to define and investigate the disease, and remove the ill from the general public for to avoid spreading the infection.

The leper boldly violates the law that prohibits him coming close to the healthy people, by approaching them with a deep conviction that among them, there is the Lord Himself. His request about the healing is as full of profound humility, as of belief in the miraculous power of the Lord. While healing, the Lord touched the suffering in order to show that He is not bound with any laws, forbidding the touching of a leper — that for the Clean there is nothing unclean, at the same time expressing through that gesture the feeling of deep compassion towards the miserable. "I am willing; be cleansed", — says the Lord, indicating His Divine authority. He tells the former leper to go and show himself to the priest, i.e. to fulfill the Law of Moses, but not to tell anyone about the happened miracle. The main reason why the Lord forbad spreading the news about His miracles, can be seen in the humility, with which the Son of God demeaned Himself. Assuming the figure of a slave for our salvation, He did not want to walk the earth on a path of glory (see John 5:41), especially, if His glory of a wonder-worker could assist in strengthening the unnecessary, dreamy ideas about the Messiah’s Kingdom — the ideas with which He fought. The Lord directs the healed leper to show himself to the priest "as a testimony to them" in the sense that, the priest had to, according to the Law, testify of the fact of being cured from leprosy and allow the ill to return to the society, and as well to show that the Lord does not violate the Law, but fulfils its demands.

The Healing of a Paralytic in Capernaum.

(Matt. 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26).

Matthew, Mark and Luke are the three Evangelists who harmoniously narrate about this miracle. Moreover, Mark names Capernaum as its location, while Matthew states that the Lord performed this miracle, having come "to His Own city", Capernaum, which became worthy of this calling (as mentioned above); Saint Chrysostom testifies about this: "He was born in Bethlehem, brought up in Nazareth, but lived in Capernaum". The paralytic was brought to the Lord on a bed, and consequently, could not move by himself. Judging by the description, the actual name of the illness of such a type, as it is narrated in the Gospel, he suffered from the infirmity that in today's terms is called paralysis. Saints Mark and Luke add that because of the mass of people surrounding Christ inside the house, those that had brought the paralytic, were unable to enter, so they lowered him on his bed through the temporary roof over the courtyard. During the hot season, temporary roofs were erected over courtyards and were made out of planks, leather or cloth and were bordered by the walls of the houses with flat roofs, making it quite easy to get to the rooftop by the ladder. Only strong faith could move those who brought the paralytic to such a bold action. Seeing such faith, and also the faith of the suffering, who allowed himself to be lowered in such a risky manner to the feet of Jesus, the Lord says to him: "Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you", — thus showing the close connection between his illness and his sins. According to the teachings of the Word of God, illnesses appear as the result of sins (John 9:2) and are sometimes sent by God as a punishment for them (1 Cor. 5:3-5, 11:30). Often, the link between sickness and sin is quite evident, for example, the illnesses from drunkenness and dissoluteness. That is why, in order to cure the illness, one first have to remove the sin, get it forgiven. Apparently, the paralytic saw himself as such a great sinner that he hardly hoped to be forgiven; therefore, the Savior encouraged him with such words: "Son, be of good cheer!" Those Scribes and Pharisees, who were present, began to condemn Him in mind for His blasphemy, seeing in His words the unlawful appropriation of the authority, which belonged only to God alone. The Lord, knowing what they were thinking, let them know that their thoughts were known to Him by saying: "For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’" Clearly, both the first and the second do require the similar Divine authority.

"But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" — then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house". Saint Chrysostom excellently explains the coherency of the speech: "As you cannot see the healing of the soul, while the healing of the body is evident, then I join the last to the first, which, while being lower, is more evident so that through this to bring belief in the higher, the unseen". Following those Lord’s words, the miracle of healing confirmed that Christ, endowed with the Divine power, not in vain said it to the leper: "Your sins are forgiven you". Moreover, it must not be thought that the Lord performed the miracle only wishing to convince the Pharisees in His Divine omnipotence. That miracle, like all the others, was the act of His Divine goodness and mercy. The suffering testified of his full recovery by carrying the bed on which he was brought to the Lord. The result of the miracle was that the people became amazed, and praised the Lord for giving such power to humans; i.e. evidently, not only the Pharisees, but also the common people did not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, regarding Him as just a human.

The Calling of Matthew.

(Matt. 9:9-17; Mark 2:13-22; Luke 5:27-39).

This event is narrated by Matthew himself, as well as by the two other Evangelists — Mark and Luke. Furthermore, only Matthew calls himself with this name, while the others call him as Levi. Leaving the house after the miraculous healing of the leper, the Lord saw an individual sitting on a toll-bar (place where taxes were collected), called Matthew or Levi, and said to him: "Follow Me". And he instantly got up and followed Jesus. It has to be added, that the public overlords or toll collectors — to which belonged Matthew — were regarded as the very sinful and were despised by the Jews, because they gathered the dues for the benefit of the Roman authorities. Moreover, the permission for such due gatherings they took from the Roman authorities, and in their excessive craving for profit they collected from the people more than necessary, earning themselves the common hatred.

Such was the power of the Lord’s words, that the tax collector, a greedy and wealthy man, left everything and followed Him — One Who did not even have a place to rest His head. But this also proves that the sinners, realizing their sins and ready to genuinely repent, are closer to the Heavenly Kingdom than the Pharisees, proud with their false righteousness. Gladdened by the Lord’s calling, Matthew invited Him and His disciples to his house for some refreshment. According to the eastern custom, people invited for the lunch or dinner did not sit at a table, but reclined on the special benches or divans arranged around a low table, putting their left elbow on the pillow. Evidently, the friends of Matthew and other publicans and sinners, according to The Pharisees, came there too, reclining with the Lord and His disciples at the same table. This gave a chance to the Pharisees to condemn the Lord for joining the sinners. "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" — they addressed the Disciples. Saint Chrysostom explains these words like that: "They denigrate the Teacher before His disciples in the hope that they may be detracted from Him", throwing a shadow on the Lord as the One, seeking bad company. "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick", — was the Lord’s reply to this slander. The meaning of these words is in that there is no need of the Savior in those who imagine themselves to be righteous, like the Pharisees, but for those who are sinners. As though the Lord is saying: the place of a doctor is by the bed of the sick, while My place is with those, who ail with the realization of their spiritual illness — and I am with them, with the publicans and sinners, just as a doctor is with his patients. "But go and learn what this means" —adds the Lord — which means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice". The Pharisees suppose that righteousness is entailed in the bringing of sacrifices, established by the law. But at the same time, they forget God’s words, said through Prophet Isaiah’s: "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). The Lord means that the sacrificial offerings and all the formal piety, without love for the neighbor, without the works of mercy, are worthless in God’s eyes. "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance", or in other words, the Lord came so that the sinners would repent and change. He came to call for repentance those who humbly regard themselves as sinners and ask for God’s mercy, and not those who consider themselves to be righteous, imagining that they have nothing to repent about. Though, the Lord came to save everybody, including those false righteous individuals, but until they leave their fantasy of being righteous and acknowledge themselves as sinners, calling them would be fruitless and their salvation impossible.

Being defeated in this, the Pharisees transfer their accusations to the Lord’s disciples. To them join the followers of John the Baptist who, as we have mentioned before, thought their teacher to be higher than Jesus, and were envious about His constantly increasing glory. Saint John the Baptist was fasting strictly, and naturally, taught his disciples to such strict fasts. Apparently, at that time, he was already imprisoned and his followers increased the severity of their fast on that occasion. The Pharisees drew their attention to the fact that the disciples of Jesus do not follow such strictly established fasts, and so John’s disciples ask Jesus: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?" The Lord answers them with the words of their own teacher: "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast". This means: after all, your teacher called Me the Bridegroom and himself — the friend of the bridegroom, who should be joyful; that is why My disciples, being the sons of the of the bridegroom’s party, are happy while I am with them, and this happiness is incompatible with a strict fast, which is an expression of grief and sorrow. When the day comes that they will be left alone in the world, then they will fast. In memory of these words of Christ, our holy Church established the Passion Week fast, adjacent to the Great Lent fast, and the fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, exactly on those days, when our Bridegroom was taken away — the days of betrayal, His sufferings and death on the cross. Stating that the time for His disciples to fast had not yet arrived, the Lord develops this thought further in these words: "No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wines into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved".

According to Saint Chrysostom’s interpretation, new wineskins and new wine are the strict fast, the strict demands in general, while old garment and old wineskins are the infirmity and weakness of His disciples, who are not yet ready to bear great exploits. The Lord means the following: I find it is not correct time for Me to impose the burden of strict life and ponderous commandments upon My disciples, as they are still weak, while they have not been regenerated, not re-born by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Here, the Lord protects His disciples from reproofs with genuine fatherly love and condescension towards them.

The Second Pascha.

The Healing of a Paralytic at the Sheep Gate Pool.

(John 5:1-16).

This event is narrated only by Saint John, informing us in his Gospel about the Lord’s every feast day visit to Jerusalem. As for this particular occasion, it is not clear for which particular feast day the Lord arrived to Jerusalem, but more than likely, it was either Pascha or Pentecost. Only in this case, it appears that the Lord’s public service continued for three and a half years, as the ancient Church thought, being guided, in particular, by the chronology of the fourth Gospel. Thus, nearly half a year passed between the Lord’s Baptism and the first Pascha, described in the second chapter, then a further year — before the second Pascha, which is mentioned in the fifth chapter, then one more year — before the third Pascha, which is described in the sixth chapter, and finally another, the third, year — up to the fourth Pascha, before which our Lord suffered.

At the Sheep’s Gate, called so because the sacrificial animals were driven through it to the temple, or, because beside it there was the market where those animals were sold, on the north-eastern side of the city walls, on the way through the Cedar’s flow into Gethsemane and towards the Mt. of Olives, there was a pool, which was called in Jewish — Bethesda, which means "the house of mercy," or of God’s mercy: the water for that pool was gathered from a curative spring. According to the testimony of Evsevius, already in the 5^th century AD, the pool had 5 porches. This healing spring attracted many people with different ailments. However, this was no ordinary healing spring: it manifested its curative power only at times, when God’s Angel descended and stirred up the water, and then only that one that straight after stirring up the water entered the pool, could get cured; evidently, the water retained its healing properties only for a short time, and then was losing them.

Here, by the pool, laid a paralytic who suffered for 38 years and who had almost lost the hope for to be cured ever. Moreover, as he explained to the Lord, not having an assistant, he was incapable of utilizing the power of the miraculous spring, as he had no strength to move fast enough to immerse himself into the water, immediately after the water was stirred up. Having mercy on him, the Lord instantly cures the miserable with only one word of His: "Rise, take up your bed and walk". With this, the Lord showed the superiority of His saving grace over the Old Testament methods.

However, as this was Saturday, the Jews, under which name John the Baptist usually means the Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish elders, hostile towards the Lord Jesus Christ, instead of being happy for the miserable, who had been suffering for so much time, or be amazed with the miracle, got annoyed with the fact that the former paralytic had the audacity to violate the commandment about the tranquility of the Sabbath, while carrying his bed, and rebuked him. However, the cured paralytic, not without some effrontery, began to justify himself, stating that he is only carrying out the orders of the One, Who healed him and Who in his eyes, had sufficient authority to release him from following those enough narrow-minded regulations regarding Saturday. With the trace of contempt, the Jews inquire the former paralytic, Who the Person, that had the audacity to permit him to violate the public regulations, was.

Blessed Theothilactus makes an interesting remark concerning this: "Here is the sense of the malice! They do not ask Who cured him, but Who ordered him to carry his bed. They are not interested in that, which brings to amazement, but in that what is censured". Although they were not certain, they most probably guessed that the Healer was no one but the hated Jesus from Nazareth, and therefore did not want even to speak about the miracle. The cured paralytic could not answer them, as he did not know Jesus.

Soon afterwards, he most probably went to the temple in order to bring a sacrifice to God, in gratitude for his healing. Here, the Lord met him with the significant words: "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you". From these words, it can be especially clearly seen that a sickness overtakes a person for his sins, and the Lord warns the cured paralytic against repeating the sins, so as not to be afflicted with the greater punishment. Recognizing his Healer, the former ill went and told the Jews about Him: of course, not with any evil intention, but just to raise the authority of Jesus Christ. This evoked a new hatred attack of the Jews, and they "sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath".

On the Equality of the Father and the Son.

(John 5:17-47).

Jesus responded to the Jews’ plans to kill Him for violating the Sabbath, with the words: "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working". These words contain Christ’s testimony of Himself, as of the consubstantial Son of God. All the further words only develop this basic thought in the Lord’s reply to the Jews, only more wishing to kill Him for He is calling Himself the Son of God: "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner". For Him, as the Son of God, it is natural to follow the commandments given to Adam and his offspring, but only following the example of God the Father. And though God the Father rested on the seventh day, it was from the works of creation and not from the works of care. Having correctly interpreted the Lord’s words that He is teaching about His equality with God the Father, the Jews started to redouble their accusations that He deserved the death penalty for violating the Sabbath and blasphemy. In chapters 19-20, the teaching about the unity of actions of the Father and Son is revealed, applicably to the ordinary assumptions of the son, imitating the father, and the father loving his son and teaching him to do his deeds. The words "The Son can do nothing of Himself" have nothing of Arius’s heresy, but only the fact, as Saint Chrysostom says, that the Son does not do anything that is opposite to the Father, nothing that is alien to Him, nothing incompatible, contrary to His will. "And He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel", i.e. like the Father, the Son can not only heal the infirm, but also raise the dead (15:21).

Initially, the talk here is about the spiritual resurrection, about the awakening of the spiritually dead to the truth, holy life in God, and then about the general bodily resurrection, and both of these resurrections have the tight inner connection between themselves. The man’s perception of the true, spiritual life is the beginning of his triumph over death. Just as a spiritual ailment can serve as the cause of death, so the true spiritual life can lead to the eternal life, conquering death, as unavoidable.

The Lord joins the spiritual resurrection with His other great work — the judgment. In the first place, here is meant the moral judgment in the present life, which will unavoidably lead to the last, general Dread Judgment. Christ appeared as the Life and Light into the spiritually dead, steeped in the spiritual darkness world. Those who believed in Him, were resurrected to the new life and became the light themselves; those who rejected Him, remained in the spiritual death, spiritual darkness. That is why the Son of God’s judgment over the people continues throughout life, and will finally conclude in the last Dread Judgment. In this way, the fate of people eternally stays in the complete authority of the Son of God, that is why it is necessary to honor Him the same way, as the Father, for "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him". The verses 24-29 contain further depictions of the Son of God’s life-giving activity. Obeying the Savior’s words and faith in the fact He was sent, is the main condition for accepting true life, in which lies the pledge also of the physical blessed immortality. The words: "shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" mean: will not be subjected to Judgment. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live" — again, here is meant the spiritual revival, as a result of Christ’s sermon, as the Son is the source of life, granted to Him by His Father (5:26). The Son also has the power to judge — that is why He became human, being the Son of God by nature (5:27). This authority of the Son of God as a Judge will eventually be completed with the general resurrection and just retribution (5:28-29). This will be the just judgment, for it will be the result of full agreement of the will of the Judge with that of the Heavenly Father (5:30).

In verses 31-39, Jesus testifies with absolute decisiveness of His Divine worthiness. With this, He refers to the evidence of John the Baptist, who was highly respected by the Jews, but together with He says that He bears more testimony than John: this is the testimony of His God the Father, the testimony of signs and miracles that His Son performs according to His Father’s order, for they are included in the plan for the people’s salvation — which was given to Him by His Father for fulfillment. God the Father testified about His Son already at the moment of His baptism, though He gave the greater testimony about Him as the Messiah, through the Prophets in the Old Testament. But the Jews do not heed this Scripture, because the Word of God had not taken root in their hearts, and therefore is not there: they do not hear God’s voice or see His face in the self-revelation in His scriptures. "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me". Further on, Christ rebukes the Jews for their disbelief, telling them that He does not need glorification from them, for He does not seek the glory of the people, but He grieves for them, because, not believing in Him as in God’s Messenger, they reveal the lack of love towards God the Father, Who had sent Him. As they do not love God, they do not accept Christ that had come with His commandments — but when the other, the false messiah comes, with his self-styled teachings, they will accept him even without any signs.

Since Christ’s times, the Jews have had over 60 such false messiahs, and the last one will be anti-Christ, whom they will accept as their expected Messiah. The reason for their disbelief lies in that they seek human glory, and they welcome not the one, who accuses them, if though he had the right to do so, but the one who glorifies them, even without any right to do that. In conclusion of His speech, the Lord destroys the Jews’ last basis upon which they were building their hopes. He tells them that their accuser at God’s judgment will be none other than Moses, in whom they trust — and he will accuse them of disbelief in Christ, because he wrote about Him. Here He supposes both the direct prophecies and promises in the books of Moses (Genesis 3:15, 12:3, 49:10; Deuter. 18:15), and the whole law, which was a shadow of the coming blessings in Christ’s Kingdom (Heb. 10:1) and the tutor (the leader of children) in Christ (Gal. 3:24).

The Plucking of Cornheads on Saturday.

(Matt. 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5).

After this, Jesus left Judea and went to Galilee. On the way back to Galilee, on a Saturday that Saint Luke calls the "second Sabbath after the first", i.e. the first Saturday after the second day of Pascha. The Lord was passing with His Disciples through the sown fields. Feeling hungry, the disciples commenced to pluck the corn, rubbing them between their palms and eating the grain. This was permitted by the Law of Moses, forbidding only the use of scythes on a foreign cornfield (Deut. 23:25). Regarding even this as a violation of the Sabbath, the Pharisees did not miss the opportunity to reproach the Lord for allowing His disciples to do this. In order to defend His disciples from the censure, the Lord reminds the Pharisees about the incident with David, as described in the first book of Kings (21^st chapter).

Fleeing from Saul, David came to the city of priests, Nob, and asked Ahimelech the priest to give him 5 breads or whatever he could find. The priest gave him some bread that was brought as offerings and according to the Law, could only be eaten by priests. The efficacy of this example is in the fact that if no one judged David, who driven by hunger was eating that bread, then the Lord’s disciples do not deserve condemnation for that in serving God they sometimes do not have time even to eat and being overtaken by hunger on the Sabbath violated the peace of the Sabbath to such an unimportant extent. Thereupon, the Lord reveals the source from which the unjust condemnation of the disciples emanated: it is the erroneous understanding of the demands of God’s law. If The Pharisees understood that compassionate love for a sufferer is greater than the tradition and custom, they would not condemn the innocent that plucked cornheads in order to satisfy their hunger.

A human was not created for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was given to the human for his benefit; that is why the man himself and his preservation from death and exhaustion are more important than the law of the Sabbath. The fact that the law does not appear to prohibit any type of activity, can be seen from the fact that on the Sabbath, the priests in the temple slaughter the sacrificial animals, skin them, prepare the offering, and burn them. And they, nevertheless, are not guilty in violating the Sabbath. But if the innocent servants of the temple are not guilty in violating the Sabbath, then the more innocent are the servants of the One, Who is greater than the temple and Who is the Lord of the Sabbath, possessing the authority to abolish it, just as He had established it.

The Healing of the Man with a Withered Hand.

(Matt. 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11).

With this healing the Lord again aroused indignation of the Scribes and Pharisees that evidently accompanied the Lord everywhere with the aim of accusing Him of violating the Law of Moses. Posing the question to the Pharisees: "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?" (Matt. 12:11), the Lord showed that in His opinion, the works of mercy are far more important than the fulfilling of the law about the peace of the Sabbath, and that in general, for the sake of doing good, it is not only permissible, but necessary to interrupt this peace.

The Lord Avoids Fame.

(Matt. 12:15-21; Mark 3:7-12).

After leaving the synagogue where the Lord healed the man with a withered hand, He was followed by many people from Galilee, Judea and even from the Jordanian and heathen countries. He performed many miraculous healings, though prohibiting telling about Him. Saint Matthew sees in this the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy about the Beloved Son of God (42:1-4). Undoubtedly, in this prophecy which has to do with the Messiah, the Prophet glorifies the meekness and humility of Christ. In citing this prophecy, Saint Matthew wants to show the Jews that their idea of the Messiah as of the earthly king-conqueror, who will exalt the Jewish kingdom and will rule with the outward splendor and glory on the throne of David are false, and that the Prophets of the Old Testament predicted the meek and humble Messiah, Whose Kingdom will not be of this world, but Who, nevertheless, will present the law to the heathens, and on Whose name will rely all the nations.

Choosing the Disciples.

(Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-19).

Having spent the whole night on the mountain (in the opinion of the ancients, on the Mt. Tabor), in prayer, which was undoubtedly about the strengthening of the Church He had been establishing, the Lord called His disciples and chose the twelve from them, so that they would be constantly with Him, and later, would be able to testify about Him. They would be as though leaders of the future twelve tribes of New Israel. The figure 12 has a denominative meaning in the Holy Scripture, as a product of 3 and 4; three is the eternal non-created Divine Being, and four — the number of the world, of the four sides of the world. "Twelve" denotes the filling of the human and the earthly with the Divine. The first three Evangelists and the Book of Acts, give us the names of all the twelve Apostles. The remarkable thing about this list is that everywhere the Apostles are divided into 3 groups of 4 people each, and together with that in the head of every group are put the same names, and these groups include the same persons.

These are the names of the Apostles: 1) Simon-Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Thomas, 8) Matthew, 9) James, Althaeas son, 10) Lebbaeus (or Thaddeus, as Judas, the son of James), 11) Simon the Canaanite (or Zealot), 12) Judas Iscariot. Evangelist John calls Bartholomew, Nathanael. "Canaanite" is the Hebrew translation of the Greek word zealot, which means an ardent follower. "Zealot" was the name used by the Jewish party, zealously battling for the independence of the Jewish state. The word Iscariot is composite, made up of: is (man) and cariot (the name of the city). The very word apostle is the translation from Greek, and means a messenger, which corresponds to the designation of those chosen — to be sent for the sermon. In order to have greater success with their sermons, the Lord endowed them with powers of healing the sick and expulsing the demons.

The Sermon on the Mount.

(Matt. 5-7 chapters; Luke 6:12-49).

The full Sermon on the Mount is narrated only by Evangelist Matthew. Saint Luke recounts the Sermon in the abridged version, the excerpts of which are encountered in his entire Gospel. The Sermon on the Mount is remarkable, because it embodies the essence of the Evangelic teaching.

Not far from the sea of Gennesaret, between Capernaum and Tiberias, up to this day they show the "mount of beatitudes", from which, due to the great number of people, the Lord gave His Sermon on the Mount. Proud of being chosen and unwilling to accept their loss of autonomy, the Jewish people began to dream of such a Messiah, who would free them from the foreign domination, would take vengeance on all their enemies, rule them and conquer for them all the people on earth, while the Jews would receive the fairytale-like wellbeing: He will command the sea to expel all its pearls and other treasures, clothe them in purple robes and feed them with manna, even more sweeter than that sent to them in the wilderness. With such false wishes of the earthly blessings, which the Messiah would give them, the Jews surrounded Jesus in the expectation that He was about to declare Himself the King of Israel, and there would arrive that blessed, anticipated by them era. They assumed that the end of their suffering and humiliation was at hand, and from that point on they would be happy and blessed.

The Beatitudes.

(Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-19).

In response to these thoughts and feelings, the Lord reveals to the Jews His evangelical teaching about the beatitudes (blessings), shattering their fallacy at its core. He teaches them the same He said to Nicodemus: that in order to create God’s Kingdom on earth, that lost by the people paradise, it is essential that we should be reborn spiritually, and through this prepare for ourselves the blessings of eternal life in the Heavenly Kingdom. The first step towards this is to realize our spiritual poverty, our sin and insignificance, to be humble. That is why: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Mat. 5:3). Blessed are they, who in seeing and realizing their sins, which are impeding their entry into this Kingdom, weep, because then they have the opportunity to reconcile themselves with their consciences and be comforted. Those weeping over their sins reach such inner state of tranquility that they become incapable of being angry with anyone — they become meek. Indeed, the meek Christians have inherited the earth, which was previously ruled by the heathens. They also will inherit the earth in the coming life, which will arise after the destruction of this perishable world, "new earth" (Exodus 26:13; Rev. 21:1). "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Mat. 5:6), i.e. those who fulfill God’s will in everything, will attain that righteousness and God’s exculpation, which gives the genuine yearning to live according to God’s will. Merciful God demands mercy from people – the virtue, which is attained by those genuinely striving to live according to His will. For that reason: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mat. 5:7), and on the contrary: "For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy" (James 2:13). The genuine works of benevolence cleanse the human heart of all iniquities, and the "pure in heart" will "see God" (Mat. 5:8) with their spiritual eyes. Those who see God, strive to resemble Him, imitate His Son, who had reconciled the man with God and brought peace, i.e. tranquility to the human soul. Those seeing God abhor hostility and consequently become peacemakers, striving to instate peace everywhere. That is why they are blessed for "they shall be called sons of God" (Mat. 5:9). Those, having achieved such a high spiritual level, should be prepared for this sinful world, the world that "lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19), will hate them for God’s truth, the bearers of which they are. They will be denounced and vilified by it, and persecuted in all the ways for their fidelity to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Divine teaching. Those who would endure much in the name of Christ here, can expect great rewards in Heaven (Mat. 5:12).

These nine New Testament commandments, which are called the Commandments of Blessedness, present themselves as though the whole Gospel in the abridged form. Their characteristic differences from the Old Testament Ten Commandments are: the Old Testament examines the man’s outward actions and applies strict bans in the definitive form, whereas the New Testament speaks more about the inner disposition of the man’s soul, expounding not demands but only conditions, with observance of which the eternal joy is reachable.

Evangelist Luke makes the teachings of Saint Matthew on beatitudes more complete. He cites the words of Jesus Christ that contain a warning to those who see happiness only in the delight with the earthly blessings: "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation" (Luke 6:24) — says the Lord, comparing to them those poor in spirit. Here of course, are meant not simply those that possess some type of earthly welfare, but those who rely on it, proud, haughty, those who treat the others with contempt. "Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger" (Luke 6:25) — in comparison to those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness", because these people are not seeking God’s truth but are satisfied with their own false beliefs. "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep" (Luke 6:25) — here, the reference is made to the careless people, light-heartedly treating their sinful life, which is being seared. The world, steeped in the evil, loves those who indulge it, those who live in sin, that is why: "Woe to you when all men speak well of you" (Luke 6:26), for this is the sign of the unfortunate moral state.

The Light of the World.

Further on, the Lord states that all His followers who fulfill His directives will be called the "salt of the earth" (Mat. 5:13). Salt preserves food from spoilage, makes it sound and pleasant to the taste: similarly, the Christians should preserve the world from the spiritual spoilage and contribute to making it sound. Salt communicates its properties to any matter it comes into a contact with; similarly, the Christians should report Christ’s Spirit to all that are not yet Christian. Salt does not change the essence or outward appearance of the substance in which it dissolves, but only adds taste to it; similarly, the Christianity does not bring about any type of outward fracture in the man or human society, but ennobles the human soul and through it transforms his whole life, giving it the unique, Christian character. "If the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned?" (Mat. 5:13). Indeed, in the east, there is a type of salt that loses its taste under the influence of humidity, the wind and sun. It is impossible to restore the taste of such salt: similarly, those who once tasted the sublime communication with the Holy Spirit and subsequently fell into an unforgivable sin, are incapable of transforming spiritually without God’s special help.

The light of the world is essentially our Lord Jesus Christ, but because the believers in Him absorb this light and reflect it into the world, they too appear to be "the light of the world". Such are the Apostles and their successors, whose designation is to shine with Christ’s light: the pastors of the holy Church. They have to live in such a way, so that in seeing their good deeds, people would praise God.

Wishing to show His attitude towards the Old Testament, the Lord at the outset calms the Jews’ zeal about the Law, emphasizing that He came not to violate but to fulfill it. Indeed, Christ came to earth so that the entire Old Testament Word of God would be fulfilled in Him, to reveal, fulfill and confirm the whole power of the Law and the Prophets, to show the true spirit and meaning of the Old Testament. "How did He fulfill the Law?" — asks the blessed Theothilactus. — First, with the fact that He fulfilled all that was foretold about Him by the Prophets. He fulfilled all the commandments of the Law, for He committed no iniquities and there was no flattery in His words. He fulfilled the Law as well in that He completed it, having perfectly written that which was only a shadow in the Law". He gave a full and deep understanding of all the Old Testament commandments, preaching about the insufficiency of the outward and formal submissiveness to the Law alone. "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot (the smallest letter in the Jewish alphabet) or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled" (Mat 5:18) — says the Lord, emphasizing that even the smallest in God’s law shall not remain unfulfilled. The Pharisees divided the commandments into the major and "minor" ones — and did not think the violation of the latter, assigning there the commandments regarding love, mercy and justice, to be a sin. "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven". According to the quality of the Greek expression, shall be called the least, means — will be rejected and will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees is characterized by their outward fulfillment of the demands and prescriptions of the Law, and with that, mainly of the trivial ones: and therefore, this righteousness co-existed in their hearts with conceit, arrogance, without the spirit of humility and meek love, and was outward and hypocritical; behind this mask, there could nest various vices and passions, in which Christ repeatedly and vigorously accused them. Against such outward, false righteousness the Lord warned His successors.

Two Measures of Righteousness.

All along the 5^th chapter, commencing with the 21^st verse, Saint Matthew narrates about how the Lord testifies, in what specifically He came to complete the Old Testament law: He teaches the deeper and more spiritual understanding and fulfillment of the Old Testament commandments. It is not enough not to kill a person physically; one should not kill him morally by getting angry with him needlessly: "Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, "Raca" (an empty person), shall be in danger of the council (Jewish supreme court). But whoever says, "You fool!" shall be in danger of hell fire" (Mat. 5:22). Here, according to the Jewish understanding, the various degrees of anger at the neighbor are indicated. The ordinary city court dealt with lesser felonies than the Great Sanhedrin — the highest court, situated in Jerusalem and made up of 72 members, presided by a high priest. To call someone "raca" meant to express one’s scorn to him, while to say to someone "You fool" meant to express to the neighbor the extreme contempt or rejection: not only a foolish was called by this name, but also an indecent, shameless individual. The punishment for such excessive anger was "the Gehenna fire" (this was the name given to the valley of Hinnom, situated to the south-west of Jerusalem, where the unrighteous kings carried out the repugnant rituals to the god Moloch, by leading the children through the fire and bringing infants as sacrifices (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chron. 28:3). After these idolatrous practices ceased, the valley became the subject of horror and revulsion. They began to carry there all types of impurities and cadavers, left without a burial, from Jerusalem; sometimes, the executions were conducted there; the air in that valley was so infected that continuous fires were maintained in order to clear it. Consequently, the frightening and repulsive area, named as the "valley of fire", began to serve as an example of the eternal suffering of sinners.

The Christian meekness and love towards the neighbor should spread not only over not being angry with anyone, but also not evoking any anger against oneself from the neighbor, possessing the unkind feeling. This interferes with praying with the clean conscience, consequently, it is necessary to make peace with your brother before the prayer. In the Roman court proceedings, where the lender had the right to forcibly bring his debtor to court, our offended brother is called our rival, with whom we must make up while we are "on the road" of this earthly life, so that he does not give us out to Judge-God and we would not get the deserved retribution. Thus, Apostle Paul hastened the offender to make peace with the offended, saying: "Do not let the sun go down on your wrath" (Ephes. 4:26).

Likewise, it is insufficient to fulfill God’s 7^th Commandment purely outwardly: "Thou shalt not commit adultery!" by guarding oneself from sin just physically. The Lord teaches that not only actions but also thoughts, inner desire or a craving look at a woman — is already a transgression. Saint Athanasius the Great states: "A man commits adultery in his heart when he is willing to fulfill his desire, but is impeded by place, time or fear of the law". Not every glance at a woman is a sin — but a glance with the desire to commit the sin of adultery. In such cases, it is necessary to show total decisiveness to curb the temptation, not sparing even the most precious possession, which for the man are the parts of his body: an eye or a hand. In this instance, both an eye and a hand are shown by the Lord as a symbol of all that precious to us, which we must sacrifice in order to deracinate the passion and avoid sinning.

In connection with this, the Lord forbids a husband to divorce his wife, "except sexual immorality", i.e. if she had been found in adultery. The Old Testament law of Moses (Deut. 24:1-2) permits a husband to divorce his wife, giving her a certificate of divorce as a written testimony that she was his wife and that he is releasing her from him for a certain reason. In those days, the position of a woman was very hard.

In Mark’s Gospel, the Lord states that the permission to divorce with the wife was given to the Jews by Moses "because of hardness of the heart", although at the beginning, it was: "What God has joined together, let no man separate" (Mark 10:9). A marriage can break up only in the case of adultery of one of the spouses. However, if "whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery" (Mat. 5:32).

The law of the Old Testament forbids the use of God’s name in vows in the trifle matters, especially in lies. The third commandment of God’s law forbids the use of His name casually and any light-minded approach to a vow with God’s name. The contemporary to the Lord Jesus Christ Jews, wishing to fulfill this commandment in the literal sense, instead swore by heaven and earth, by Jerusalem, their heads, and consequently, although not mentioning His name in vain, still swore by Him in vain, and in lies. These are the types of vows that the Lord Jesus Christ forbids, for absolutely everything was created by God; and to swear by His creation is to swear by the Creator, and to swear in a lie is the same as to violate the sanctity of the vow. A Christian should be so much honest and righteous that he would be believed after his personal word alone, without any swearing. However, this does not forbid giving the lawful oaths or vows in the important matters. When the high priest exclaimed: "I put You under oath by the living God", the Lord Jesus Christ Himself confirmed the oath in judgment when He replied: "It is as you said", for such was the form of the judicial oath by the Jews (Mat. 26:63-64). And Apostle Paul swears, by calling God to be the witness to his words (Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1:23, 2:17; Gal. 1:20 and others). Empty and light-minded vows are forbidden.

In the Old Testament, the practice of vengeance was so widespread, that it had to be somehow curbed, and that did the Old Testament law. However with His new law, Christ totally forbids vengeance in any form, preaching love for the enemies. At the same time, the statement "not to resist an evil person" (Mat. 5:39) must not be understood in the sense of non-opposing the evil — as Leo Tolstoy and the similar to him false teachers do. The Lord forbids to revolt against the man who had inflicted evil, with the response of anger, but towards every type of evil, as it is, a Christian must be totally uncompromising and must fight with the evil with all the means at his disposal, not permitting it to enter his own heart under any guise. One should not understand the words: "But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him" (Mat. 5:39) in the literal sense, for we know that during the high priest Annas’s interrogation, Christ Himself reacted completely differently when He was slapped on the cheek by one of servants (John 18:22-23). What is prohibited is the evil feeling of vengeance, but not the struggle with the evil. And not only those doing evil, but also our offenders, we must try to change, about what there is the direct commandment from the Lord in the Gospel of Matthew (18:15-18). Quibbling is prohibited and instead, the satisfaction of the needs of your neighbor is prescribed: "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away". By itself, this commandment excludes those situations where help to that asking for it will not be beneficial but detrimental; genuine Christian love towards the neighbor, for example, will not allow a killer to pick up a knife, or, will not allow a person to access the poison to commit suicide.

The Old Testament does not have the commandment "Hate thy neighbor!" yet evidently the Jews extracted it from the commandment about love towards the neighbor, for they treated as neighbors those, who was close to them in faith, origin or by mutual favors. Whereas the rest, i.e. people of other faiths, strangers or those who have exhibited some type of animosity, were treated as enemies, and love for them was supposed to be inappropriate. But Christ decreed so: just like our Heavenly Father, a stranger to the feelings of anger and hatred towards anyone, loves everyone, even those bad and unrighteous, as His Own sons — so we, desiring to be the worthy sons of the Heavenly Father, should love everyone, even our enemies. The Lord wishes that in the moral sense, His followers should be higher than the heathens and Jews. Essentially, their love towards the others, is based on self-centeredness. On the contrary, love for the sake of God, for the sake of God’s commandments is worthy of a reward. But love through the natural inclination or for the sake of obtaining recompense, is unworthy and cannot deserve anything. Thus, in ascending higher and higher the ladder of the Christian completeness, a Christian will eventually reach the highest and most difficult level — impossible to reach for the not revived person — love for the enemies, with which the Lord concludes the first part of His Sermon on the Mount. And wishing to show how the fulfillment of this commandment brings the weak and imperfect man closer to God, He ascertains that the ideal for a Christian is — God: "Be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven" (Mat. 5:48). This is completely coincides with God’s plan, expressed with the creation of the man: "And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). The divine holiness is unattainable for us, which is why here we have the inequality between God and us. However, here is meant the inner likeness, the gradual advancement of the human soul towards its Primal Image with the help of the grace.

The Main Task is to Please God.

2. The second part of the Sermon on the Mount, narrated in the 6^th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, expounds the Lord’s teachings on mercy, prayers and fast, and also the exhortation for the man to strive towards the main goal in life — God’s Kingdom. Having warned His disciples what they have to, and what they shouldn’t, in order to reach the blessedness, the Lord went over to the question, how exactly they are to fulfill that, what He had commanded. No works of mercy, either worshipping of God — in particular fasts and prayers — should not be performed to show off, for the sake of fame among the people, because in this case, our only reward would be this public acclaim. Vainglory, like a moth, devours all good deeds, that is why it is better to perform them secretly, so as not to be deprived of our reward from the Heavenly Father. Naturally, one should give alms, but this has to be done without the aim of turning attention to oneself, seeking the praise from the people. It is not forbidden to pray in church - only to pray to show off intentionally. According to the Saint Chrysostom’s thought, one can pray in the room alone, led by vainglory, but then "the closed doors will not bring any benefit".

Verbosity in prayer is interpreted as the heathen’s opinion of prayer, as of a spell, which, when repeated many times, can produce a result. We pray not because God does not know our needs, but only for to cleanse our heart and become worthy of His mercy, having entered with our spirit into the inner communication with Him. This communication with God is the objective of prayer, the attainment of which is not reliant on the quantity of the pronounced words. Censuring verbosity, the Lord at the same time commands to pray with no ceasing, teaching that one has to always pray and not to faint (Luke 18:1), Himself spending the nights in prayer. A prayer must have sense: we must turn to God with such requests that are worthy of Him, the fulfillment of which will be saving for us. Teaching us to pray this way, the Lord gives, as a model, the prayer "Our Father" — for which it received the name of the Lord’s Prayer.

The Prayer "Our Father".

This prayer in no way excludes other prayers — the Lord Himself used other prayers (John 17). Calling God our Father, we acknowledge ourselves His children, and in relation to one another — brothers and we pray not only for ourselves, but also from everybody, from the entire humanity. Uttering the words "Who art in the Heavens", we separate ourselves from everything earthly and ascend with the mind and heart into the celestial world. "Hallowed be Thy name" means: Let Your Name be holy for all people, let all people glorify Your Name in word and deed. "Thy Kingdom come" — i.e. that the Kingdom of the Messiah Christ, about which the Jews were dreaming, is incorrect, concerning the visualization of this Kingdom; but here we also pray so that the Lord would rule in the souls of all people, and after this temporary earthly life, make us worthy of the eternal and blessed life, in communion with Him. "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven" — let everything occur according to the ever-good and ever-wise will of God, and let us humans fulfill His will on earth just as willingly, as do the Angels in Heaven. "Give us this day our daily bread" — means, give us today all that is essential for our body; what will happen with us tomorrow, we do not know and we need only the things of "this day" — i.e. the daily, necessary to support our existence. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" — Saint Luke in his Gospel (11:4) clarifies these words so: "And forgive us our sins". The sins are our debts, because in not sinning, we do not fulfill what is required of us, and become indebted towards God and people. Under debts, one should understand all that good we could have done, but we did not — because of our laziness or egotism. Thus, the understanding of the word debts is wider than the notion of sins, as of the direct violations of the moral law. The appeal for the forgiveness of debts with the special force suggests us the necessity to forgive all the offences committed against us by our neighbor, for not forgiving the others, we have no right to ask God to forgive our debts for Him, and we do not dare to utter the words of the Lord’s Prayer.

"And do not lead us into temptation" — here we are asking God to protect us from the downfall, if the trial of our moral forces is inevitable and necessary. "But deliver us from the evil one" — from every type of the evil and its cause — the devil. The prayer ends with the conviction: that what has been requested, will be fulfilled, because everything in this world belongs to God: the eternal Kingdom, the infinite power and glory. In translation from Jewish, the word "Amen" means "Thus, indeed, truly, let it be". It was said by those praying in the synagogues — in confirmation of the prayer, said by the elder.

The Lord’s teaching on fasting, which also had to be fulfilled for God and not for the public acclaim, clearly testifies of how wrong those who say the Lord did not prescribe fasting to His followers are. In fasting, one should not change his outward appearance, so as not to attract attention to himself, but appear before people the same as usual: it was common in the East that after a bath the body was rubbed with oil, especially the head; however the Pharisees, during fasts, did not wash and did not comb or oil their hair. This attracted the general attention to their unusual appearances, and that is what the Lord censured.

The Eternal Treasure.

From the 19^th verse of the 6^th chapter, Saint Matthew describes in his Gospel how the Lord teaches us to seek, first of all, God’s Kingdom and not to be distracted from this pursuit by other concerns — not to worry about accumulating the earthly, makeshift treasures, which are easily exposed to spoilage and disintegration. The person having such a treasure continually thinks of it, desires and feels it; that is why a Christian, who needs to have his heart belonging to Heaven, should not be aspired by the earthly accumulation, but strive for acquiring the Heavenly treasures, which are virtues. Therefore, it is necessary to guard the heart like the apple of our eye. We must protect our heart from the earthly vices, so that it remains chaste and would not stop being our bearer of the spiritual, Heavenly light, just as the eyes are our bearer of the physical light. The one, who intends to serve God and Mammon (Mammon is a Syrian deity; the protector of the earthly wealth, the personification of the earthly treasures) simultaneously, is like a servant trying to please two masters that have contrasting, almost opposite, characters and making the different, as well opposing, demands; and in this situation "he will hate the one or love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other" (Mat. 6:24).

The Lord leads us towards the heavenly and eternal, while the wealth — towards the earthly and physical. That is why in order to avoid such duality, which interferes with the matter of eternal salvation, it is essential to avoid excessive, needless, anxious and oppressive concerns about food, drinks and clothing — those anxieties that devour all our time and attention, and distract us from the concerns about the salvation of our souls. After all, if God cares so of the unwise creatures, giving food for birds and adorning the flowers in the fields, moreover, He will not leave the man, having created him in His similarity and called to be the inheritor of His Kingdom, without all the necessary. Our whole life is in God’s hands and does not depend on our efforts: as an example, can we ourselves increase our height by even one inch? At the same time, this in no way means that we have to put our concerns aside and plunge ourselves in idleness — just as some heretics interpreted this part of the Sermon on the Mount. Labor was commanded to the human by God already in Paradise, before his downfall (Gen. 2:15), which was confirmed anew when Adam was driven out of Paradise (3:19). It is not the labor that is criticized, but the excessive and onerous concern about the future, about the next day, which is not in our power and till which one still has to live. What is indicated is the degree of values: "But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness", for which the Lord Himself will reward us with His personal concern, so that we will have everything necessary for our earthly life. Therefore, thoughts about these things should not torture or oppress us like they do the unbelieving heathens. This part of the Sermon on the Mount (Mat. 6:25-34) presents to us the marvelous picture of God’s Providence, taking care of His creations. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things" — this means that the next day is not in our power for us to worry about, for we do not even know what it will bring: perhaps such cares that we did not and do not even think about.

Do Not Judge.

3. The third part of the Sermon on the Mount, contained in the 7^th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, teaches us not to judge our neighbor, protect the holy things from desecration, about steadfastness in prayer, about the wide and narrow paths of life, about false prophets, about true and false wisdom.

"Judge not that you be not judged" — Evangelist Luke conveys these words like this: "Judge not, and you shall not be judged" (6:37). It is not the opinion of a person that is forbidden, but judging him in the sense of gossiping, which mainly, come out from conceited and impure impulses — from vainglory, pride; what is forbidden is slander, bad-mouthing, malicious condemnation of others’ drawbacks, which emanate from the feeling of hatred and malevolence towards the neighbor. If in general, any opinion of the neighbor and his actions was forbidden, then the Lord would not have said: "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine" (Mat. 7:6); and the Christian would not be able to fulfill their responsibility — to expose and enlighten the sinners, which is decreed by the Lord Himself in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18, verses 15-17.What is forbidden, is malicious feeling, spitefulness, but not the appreciation itself of the actions of a neighbor. Because not noticing the evil, we would also easily start treating the good with indifference, and subsequently lose our feelings of differentiation between the good and evil.

This is what Saint Chrysostom says about it: "If somebody is committing adultery, surely I have the right to say to him that adultery is the evil, and surely I have the right to correct the profligate. Correct him — not as an enemy, subjecting him to punishment — but as a doctor, offering him a medicine. You need to enlighten, but not reproach and denounce; not accuse but lament; not to attack with pride but correct with love" (Discourse 23). Christ forbids reproaching people for their deficiencies, not noticing the own faults, which possibly are greater than theirs. Of course, this does not apply to the civil court, what some false teachers are trying to show, or to the general appreciation of the man’s actions. The Lord was talking about the conceited Pharisees, who treated other people with merciless judgment, regarding only themselves as being righteous. Immediately after, the Lord warns His disciples about preaching His teachings — this true pearl — to those people who like dogs or swine, are incapable of appreciating it because of their extreme petrifaction in the evil and who, deeply entrenched in depravity, vices and evil deeds, treat every type of the good with bitterness and hatred.

Steadfastness in Prayer.

Further on, it is said: "Ask, and it will be given to you" as the Lord teaches steadfastness, patience and fervency in prayer. A genuine Christian, recalling the Lord’s directive: "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness" will not start to pursue gaining anything harmful to the soul’s salvation, therefore he should be convinced that as the answer to the one who prays fervently, as the Lord promised, it will be given and it will be opened to him. Evangelist Matthew states: "Your Father, who is in Heaven give you good things to those who ask Him!"; while Saint Luke elucidates, which specific blessings one should and need to ask for, through the words: "Your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him". A father will not give something harmful to his son. That is why the Lord will give the man only that which is truly a blessing to him.

In concluding His directions, concerning our relationship with the others, the Lord pronounces the rule that they call golden: "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them". This rule contains "The law and the Prophets" (Mat. 7:12), for love for the others is the reflection of love for God, just as love for the brothers is the reflection of love towards parents.

The Narrow Path.

Christ warns that to follow His commandments is not that easy, because "difficult is the way that leads to life" and the "gate narrow" (Mat. 7:14), but they lead into the eternal and blessed life, while the path that is wide and spacious and attractive to those who dislike struggling with their sinful passions, leads to death.

About the False Prophets.

At the end of His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord warns the faithful against the false prophets, comparing them with wolves in sheep’s clothing. The "dogs’ and "swine" about which the Lord just spoke are not as dangerous to the faithful as the false prophets, because their iniquitous lifestyle is obvious and would only repulse from them. The false prophets pass off the lies as truth and their own rules of life as those of God. One has to be very perceptive and wise, in order to realize what spiritual danger they represent. Such comparison of the false prophets with wolves, pretending to be sheep, was very convincing for the Jews, which listened to Christ, because over the period of many centuries, these people tolerated many disasters, coming from the false prophets.

On the background of the false prophets, the virtues of the true Prophets were especially evident. The genuine Prophets differed in their non-covetousness, obedience to God, fearless exposure of people’s sins, deep humility, love, self-discipline and chaste life. Their aim was to attract people towards God’s Kingdom, and they were the constructive and uniting element in the lives of their people. Although these genuine Prophets were often rejected by the general mass of their contemporaries, and persecuted by the people who were the head of the authority, their actions cleansed the society, enlivened the best sons of the Jewish people for the virtuous life — in other words, led them towards the divine glory. Such were the fruits, brought by the activity of the true Prophets, which amazed the following generations of the faithful Jews. They recalled with gratitude such Prophets as Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the others.

The false prophets, who were not few, pursued completely different aims and had the other manner of acting. Avoiding the exposure of sins, they skillfully flattered people, and that secured their success among the common mass of people and the mercy of those with the earthly power. Promising prosperity, they lulled the conscience of the people, what in turn led to the societal moral decay. While the true Prophets were doing everything for the good and unity of God’s Kingdom, the false prophets sought the personal glory and benefits. They were not rejecting perjuring the true prophets and persecuted them. In the final run, their activity contributed to the nation's ruin. Such were the spiritual and social results of the false prophets’ activity. But the quick-ripening glory of these false prophets soon rotted quicker than their mortal bodies, and the following generation of Jews recalled with shame, how their ancestors submitted themselves to this deceit (Saint Jeremiah the Prophet, in his "Lamentations," bitterly complains about the false prophets that ruined the Jewish people, see Lamentations 4:13).

During the periods of the spiritual decline, when God sent His true Prophets so that they may direct the Jews towards the true path, simultaneously, a great number of the false prophets used to appear in their midst. Thus, for example, there was especially a great number of them preaching from the 8^th to the 6^th century BC, when the Israelite and Judean kingdoms were destroyed, and later — on the eve of the destruction of Jerusalem, in the seventies of our era. In accordance with Christ’s and the Apostles’ predictions, before the end of the world, there will come many false prophets, some of whom will even work astonishing wonders and signs in nature (of course, the false ones) (Mat. 24:11-24; 2 Pet. 2:11; 2 Thes. 2:9). In the New Testament time, just like in the days of the Old Testament, the false prophets caused much harm to the Church. In the Old Testament time — by lulling the people’s conscience, they accelerated the process of moral decay, and in contemporary days — by leading people away from the truth and implanting heresies, they tore the branches off the tree of God’s Kingdom. The contemporary abundance of every type of sects and "denominations," is undoubtedly, the fruit of the modern false prophets. All sects sooner or later disappear and others sprout in their place. Only the true Church of Christ will remain till the end of the world. About the future of the false teachings, Christ said that: "Every plant which My Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted" (Mat. 15:13).

It has to be explained, that it would be an exaggeration and strained interpretation to assign every contemporary pastor or non-Orthodox preacher to the false prophets. After all, among the religious ministers of different faiths, undoubtedly are many genuinely faithful, deeply selfless and decent people. They belong to one or another branch of the Christianity, not according to the objective choice but through inheritance. On the other hand, the false prophets are precisely the founders of the non-Orthodox religious flows. The modern television "wonder-workers," exalted demons’ exorcists and vain preachers that represent themselves God’s elects, and all those that have converted religion into the personal money-making enterprise, can be called the false prophets.

In His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord warns His followers against the false prophets, teaching them not to trust their outward attraction and eloquence but to pay attention to the "fruits" of their activities: "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit". The term "bad fruit" should not necessarily be understood as sins or abominable deeds, which the false prophets skillfully conceal. The harmful fruits of the false prophets’ labors, common to all of them, are pride and wrenching people away from God’s Kingdom.

A false prophet is unable to conceal his pride from the sensitive heart of a believer. One Saint commented that the devil could show the form of any virtue, except one — humility. Just as the wolf’s teeth become visible from under the sheep’s skin, so does pride emerge in the words, gestures and gaze of a false prophet. The seeking popularity false teachers love to perform, in front of the large amount of public, "healings" or "exorcism", to strike their audience with bold thoughts, and evoke excitement from the public. All their shows end with the large collections of money. How distant this cheap pathos and boldness is from the meek and humble image of the Savior and His Apostles!

Further on, the Lord reminds of the false prophets’ references to His miracles: "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?’" What wonders are they talking about? Can a false prophet work wonders? No! But the Lord sends His help according to the faith of the asking, and not through the merit of the individual that projects himself as a wonder-worker. The false prophets attributed to themselves those deeds that the Lord performed through His compassion towards people. It is also possible that the false prophets, in their self-delusion, imagined that they worked wonders. Anyway, on the Final Judgment Day, the Lord will reject them, pronouncing: "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

Thus, although the false prophets weaken the Church in wrenching careless sheep from It, the faithful children of the Church should not be embarrassed by the lack of Its members and the seeming weakness of the true Church, because the Lord prefers the small number of people that safeguard the truth, to the large number of misguided individuals — "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom" and promises to the faithful His Divine protection from the spiritual wolves, saying: "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (Luke 12:32, John 10:28).

Thus, you can distinguish the false prophets by their lives and deeds. The following words of the Lord, are targeted as if against the contemporary sectarians, who preach the man’s justification through faith alone, without good deeds: "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven" (Mat. 7:21). This clearly shows that only the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is insufficient, but what is also needed is the life that is consistent with faith, i.e. the fulfilling of Christ’s commandments, good deeds. In the initial stages of the Christianity preaching, there were indeed many, who worked wonders with Christ’s Name, even Judas received such power with the twelve Apostles on an equal basis. However, this does not save, if the man does not care about the fulfilling of God’s commandments.

In conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount, the Lord repeats this thought: the one, who hears the Lord’s words and does not fulfill them, does not do good deeds, is like a person that builds his house on the sand; while a person that fulfils Christ’s commandments in reality, is like a person that had built his house on the rock. Such a comparison was close, and therefore understandable for the Jews, for in Palestine the frequent torrential rains, accompanied by the storms that swept away the houses, built on the sandy soil, were a normal phenomenon. Only those that fulfill Christ’s commandments will be able to withstand in the hour of trial, alike to the storms of intense temptations., Those who do not fulfill these commandments, easily fall into despair and perish, denying Christ; that is why our Church asks in the cants to affirm us on "His rock of commandments".

Evangelist Matthew concludes his narration about the Sermon on the Mount with the testimony about how the people were amazed with this new teaching, because the Lord taught as One having authority and not like the Scribes and Pharisees. In the main, the Pharisees’ teachings consisted of trivialities, of useless verbiage and contentious words; while the teachings of Jesus Christ were plain and elevated because He spoke from Himself personally, as the Son of God: "And I say to you…" — one clearly feels His Divine authority and power in these words.

The Healing of the Leper.

(Mat. 8:1-4)

After the Sermon, when the Lord Jesus Christ came down from the mountain, a great multitude of people followed Him; they were undoubtedly very much struck. And as it happened once before, here again (about what Evangelists Mark 1:40-45, and Luke 5:12-16 narrate) He was approached by a leper, who was pleading to be cured from this terrible disease. Needless to say, this was far from being a single case of curing lepers, taking into account many miraculous healings, which the Lord performed during the period of His service to the people. It is also not surprising that this case is very similar to the first; it is not surprising either, that the Lord directed to the cured leper to come to a priest so that he, in accordance with the Law of Moses, would officially testify about the fact of healing. Without that, the former leper would not be able to return to the society of the healthy people, as everybody would avoid him and be scared of him, knowing that he had the dreadful and contagious leprosy.

Some interpreters suppose that if the cured leper had not gone to Jerusalem to the priest straight then, but would spread the news of the wonder happened to him everywhere, then that information would have reached Jerusalem before his arrival. Then the priests that treated the Lord with animosity would start to assert that the as if cured leper was never ill.

The Healing of the Capernaum Centurion’s Servant.

(Mat. 8:5-13)

Following this, the Lord went to Capernaum where, once again, He performed the miracle of distant healing of the Roman centurion’s servant, who was, as it seems, in the head of the local garrison of 100 soldiers. Some of the cities in Palestine, under the authority of the Roman Empire, were guarded by the military garrisons of Romans stationed there for protection. Although the centurion was a heathen by birth, he was disposed towards the Jewish religion, the testimony of what is the synagogue built by him. According to Saint Matthew, his servant suffered greatly with the paralysis, while according to Saint Luke — who tells about this case in more detail - states that he even was close to death.

Initially, the centurion sent the Jewish elders with a request to come and heal his servant. Thereupon, he sent his friends and finally — as Saint Matthew writes — he himself went out to meet the Lord, Who was approaching his house. His words: "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed" (Luke 1:6-7) sound so unusual for a heathen in terms of faith and humility, that the Lord — as both the Evangelists tell — "marveled" and considered it necessary to emphasize before those that were present, that He did not find such faith even among the representatives of God’s chosen people — the Israelites. Further on, as Saint Matthew alone tells, the Lord refutes the Jew’s opinion that only they can be the members of the Messiah’s Kingdom. He also foretells that many of the heathens "from the east and west" — together with the Old Testament forefathers — will be found worthy to inherit this Kingdom, while at the same time, the "sons of the Kingdom", i.e. the Jews, will be cast down into the absolute darkness, where "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mat. 8:12) for their disbelief in the arrived Messiah. As in many of the Lord’s sayings and parables, the Kingdom of Heaven is presented as a supper, or feast, at which (in the East) people did not sit but reclined. The guests who did something wrong, were led out of the banquet room, where was the supper, into the outside (absolute) darkness, into the cold, opposite to the warm and light room — where the driven out gnashed their teeth from cold and sorrow; this image, understandable to everyone, was taken to give the more visual presentation of the eternal torment of sinners in hell. The faith and humility of the centurion were instantly rewarded, as soon as the Lord pronounced: "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you" (Mat. 8:13).

The Resurrection of the Nain Widow’s Son.

(Luke 7:11-17).

Only Evangelist Luke describes this event, connecting it with John the Baptist’s subsequent dispatch of his followers to Jesus Christ.

The Lord traveled from Capernaum to the town called Nain, which was located close to the southern border of Galilee, on the northern side of the mount Minor Hermon, in the former territory of the Issachar tribe. Apparently, Nain (pleasant) received its name from its location in the magnificent and rich with grazing-grounds territory of the Esdraelon valley. The Lord was accompanied with His disciples and a multitude of people. In ancient times, the cities were ringed by the solid walls for their protection against the enemies, so that one could enter and exit the city only through one gate. And here at such a city gate, the Lord came across the funeral procession; a deceased youth, the only son of a widow, was being carried out of the city. Seeing the depressed by grief woman, the Lord had mercy on her. He said: "Do not weep" and touched the open coffin where the youth laid, giving by that the sign for the procession to stop, and resurrected the youth with the words: "Young man, I say to you, arise".

Everybody became gripped with fear, still none of those who saw the wonder did not acknowledge Jesus as the Wonder-Worker Messiah, regarding Him as a "great prophet", and this opinion spread throughout the whole Judea and its suburbs.

The Messengers of John the Baptist.

(Mat. 11:2-19; Luke 7:18-35).

Saint John the Baptist could not doubt the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ (see John 1:32-34). Nevertheless, finding himself in a dungeon, he sends two of his disciples to Jesus Christ with the question: "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" (Mat. 11:3; Luke 7:19). John did not need an answer to this question, but his disciples did, because in hearing much about the wonders of the Lord, they were baffled, why He does not openly proclaim Himself the Messiah, if He was the One indeed. However, the Lord does not give a direct answer, because for the Jews, the name of the Messiah was associated with the aspirations of the earthly glory and splendor. Only the one, whose soul had been cleansed by Christ’s teachings of everything earthly, was worthy to listen and know that Jesus was indeed Messiah-Christ. That is why instead of a direct answer, the Lord cites Isaiah’s prophecy (35:2-6), directing John’s disciples’ attention to His wonders as to the proof of His Divine Representation, adding: "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Mat. 11:6; Luke 7:23), or in other words: "Blessed is he who does not doubt in Me, seeing My humble appearance". And so that people did not think that John himself doubted the greatness of the Lord, after the departure of John’s disciples, the Lord began to speak of John’s high worthiness and ministry as the highest of all the prophets: "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist" (Mat. 11:11; Luke 7:28), — these words indicate the superiority of the Christianity over the highest Old Testament righteousness.

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John" (Mat. 11:12-13). Here, Christ’s Church of the New Testament is placed opposite to the law and the Prophets, i.e. the Old Testament Church. With John — standing on the border of both the Testaments — the Old Testament having only a temporary, preparatory meaning, ended, and Christ’s Kingdom, into which enters anybody who was taking pains, opened. Based on the prophecies of Malachi (4:5), undoubtedly concerning Christ’s Second Coming, the Jews were expecting the appearance of Elijah before the Messiah’s coming. But Malachi prophesied only of an Angel, who will prepare the way for the Lord (3:1). The Angel, foretelling Zachariah about the birth of John, said: "He will also go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17); but he would not be Elijah himself. John himself responded in the negative to the question as to whether he was Elijah. The meaning of the Lord’s words: "And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come" (Mat. 11:14) is such: if you understand Malachi’s prophecy on the coming of Elijah before that of the Messiah in the literal sense, then know that the one who had to appear before the Messiah, has arrived: this is John; pay particular attention to My testimony about John and "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Mat. 11:15).

In stating "But to what shall I liken this generation?" (Mat. 11:16; Luke 7:31), the Lord means the Scribes and Pharisees. Like capricious and willful children, they can never be satisfied by their friends. To them, the Pharisees and Scribes that were awaiting the Messiah as the great king-conqueror, the great faster John — calling them towards lamentation and contrition about their sins — could not please them: similarly, they could not be convinced by Jesus Christ Himself, Who, opposite to John, did not refuse to share His meal with sinners in the hope of saving them. The Lord’s words: "wisdom is justified by her children" (Mat. 11:19; Luke 7:35) are excellently interpreted by Blessed Theothylactus: "When, Christ says, neither John’s life nor Mine pleases you, and you reject all paths for salvation, then I — God’s Great Wisdom — turn out to be right, not before the Pharisees, but before My children." These "children of wisdom" — the common Jewish people, repenting publicans and sinners, who believed in Christ and accepted His Divine teaching with all their heart; they are the ones who "justified" God and His wisdom, i.e. showed that the Lord had arranged the salvation of the people correctly and wisely. And exactly to them was revealed the wisdom of God, inaccessible to the proud Pharisees.

Exposing the Cities of Galilee.

(Mat. 11:20-30; Luke 10:13-16 and 21_22)

It is with the sincere sorrow that the Lord pronounces "woe" to the cities of Chorazin (to the north of Capernaum) and Bethsaida (to the east of it) for not repenting, even though they witnessed many wonders made by Christ. The Lord compares these cities with the heathen Tyre and Sidon of neighboring Phoenicia, confirming that the situation of the latter, on the Day of Last Judgment, will be better than that of the Jews, who were given the opportunity for salvation, but who did not want to repent like after Jonah’s sermon repented Nineveh: dressed in a coarse garment, made of abrasive hair (which inflicted pain to the body), seated on ashes and sprinkling ashes on the head as a sign of deep contrition. The Lord also predicts the destruction of Capernaum, for its consequential pride and as a consequence of its internal fortuity and prosperity. The Lord compares Capernaum with the Greek cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by God for indecency with a rain of sulphur and fire. Indeed, God’s punishment fell on all these cities soon after: the Romans destroyed them to their foundations, as well as Jerusalem in the same war. Proud with their imagined wisdom and knowledge of the Holy Scripture, the Pharisees and Scribes did not understand the Lord Jesus Christ and His teachings because of their spiritual blindness. And the Lord praises His Heavenly Father that the truth of His teachings while concealed from the "wise and the prudent", turned out to be open to "the babies", i.e. simple and artless people, like the Apostles and His closest disciples and followers, who sensed not with their minds but with their hearts that Jesus was truly the Messiah-Christ.

"All things have been delivered to Me by My Father" (Mat. 11:27; Luke 10:22) — the Lord said, meaning the following: everything had been placed under His authority: the corporeal world, which is seen, and the spiritual world, the invisible — both given to Him not as to the Son of God, Who always has such authority, but as to Human God and the Savior of the people, so that He could turn all this over to mankind salvation. "And no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal to Him" (Mat. 11:27; Luke 10:22) — these words of the Lord mean that nobody can comprehend all the greatness and goodness of the Son, as well as the greatness and goodness of the Father. Only the Son, within Himself, reveals the Father to those who come to Him, while He in His turn, beckons for everyone to come to Him: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden" (i.e. exhausted from the fussy and fruitless labors under the pressure of sinful passions, emanating from pride and vanity), "and I will give you rest" (i.e. I will give you peace from these passions) (Mat. 11:28). In offering to take up His "yoke", the Lord means the yoke of the Gospel law, comparing it to the yoke of passions: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart" (Mat. 11:29), "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Mat. 11:30). The Lord Himself gives strength in the form of goodness of the Holy Spirit to bear His burden, and by the Personal example inspires us to carry His yoke.

Forgiving the Sinful Woman in the House of Simon the Pharisee.

(Luke 7:36-50).

One Pharisee, called Simon, who seemed to be nurturing love for the Lord, although not having the firm belief in Him, invited the Lord for a meal, in order that maybe, plunging into His speech and teaching, to enter into the closer association with Him. The woman, known throughout the town as a great sinner, entered unexpectedly, and having stopped humbly behind the Lord, she bent down to his feet, and seeing that His feet were not washed of the dust of the trip, began to shed floods of tears, washing, in such manner, the feet of the Lord, instead of water, with her tears and wiping them with her hair instead of a towel. Thereupon, kissing His feet, she began to anoint them with the expensive myrrh that she had brought with her. According to the Pharisees’ understanding, a touch of a sinful woman defiles that person, therefore Simon, completely unaffected by the moral conversion that had occurred in the soul of this wanton, does nothing but only judges the Lord for accepting these honors, thinking to himself that He cannot be a prophet for He would have known "what manner of woman this is" and would have rejected her.

Revealing the hidden thoughts of the Pharisee, the Lord narrated to him the parable about the two debtors. One owed 5oo denarii’s (approx. 125 rubles) while the other — 50 denarii’s. As they did not have the money to pay the lender, he excused both the debts. It is easy to respond to the Lord’s question: who of the two loved the lender more? Of course, the one that was forgiven more. In confirming the correctness of the answer, the Lord adds: "To whom little is forgiven, the same loves little". According to the context, those words were directed against Simon, who had little love for Christ and was sparse in good deeds — even though he invited Him to his house, he did not demonstrate any signs of attention towards Christ: kissing Him or washing His feet. From the parable, Simon should have understood that in the moral sense, the Lord places the repentant woman-sinner higher than him, Simon the Pharisee, because she showed more love towards the Lord than he did, and for such love her sins were forgiven. The words "to whom little is forgiven…" contain an oblique reference to Simon that because of his disposition towards the Lord, he too is forgiven some debts before God, although much less than the woman-sinner.

The other guests reclining with Simon (evidently, also Pharisees), did not understand the Lord’s words and began to be annoyed internally, that was why Christ sent the woman away with the words: "Go in peace!"

The Healing of the Possessed and the Exposure of the Pharisees.

(Mat. 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23).

The Lord heals the possessed, in which muteness and blindness accompanied the demon’s presence, and all the people marvel at this miracle. Wishing to eliminate among the people all discussions about Jesus being Christ (i.e. the Messiah), the Pharisees began to spread rumors that He expulses demons with the power of Beelzebub — the prince of demons — that He Himself has the unclean spirit (Mark 3:30), even calling Him Beelzebub (Mat. 10:25). The Lord responded to this with a questioning supposition: would satan begin to destroy his own kingdom? "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation" (Mat 12:25; Luke 11:17; Mark 3:24). In the devil’s kingdom, there should be the unity in authority and action, and consequently satan is incapable of acting against himself. "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?"— said the Lord (Mat. 12:27; Luke 11:19). Here, the word sons means both the Apostles, having received the power from Christ to expulse demons, and the disciples of the Pharisees that practiced exorcism, and that individual, about which the Apostles said to Christ, that he expulses demons with His name, while not being with Him (Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49).

"Therefore they (sons) shall be your judges" (Mat. 12:27; Luke 11:19) i.e. they will reveal their premeditated lies on the Judgment Day. "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit if God, surely the Kingdom of God has come upon you" (Mat. 12:28; Luke 11:20); here the Lord means that the Kingdom of God arrived, instead of the kingdom of satan, who is fleeing from the world, being pursued by Christ: expulsing demons, the Lord proves that He has "bound" the "strongest" — satan. The Lord then adds the following thought: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me, scatters abroad" (mat. 12:30; Luke 11:23). In Christ’s Kingdom: he, who is not with Him, is hostile to Him because he brings division into the united "house" under one authority. It is different, when a person is not yet in Christ’s Kingdom, yet has not been called there; then, he at least should not be against Christ, is not in unity with the world that is hostile to Christ. Such a person already partly belongs to Christ: he can have one goal with Him and enter His Kingdom. But the one, who is not with Christ in His struggle with satan in gathering all the people into God’s Kingdom, is against Him, for anybody, who, hearing and understanding Christ’s teaching, does not join Him, is already His enemy, and especially the one who goes against Him.

The conclusion from this is: "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" (Mat. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-29). God’s mercy is eternal, and there is no sin that could defeat it: but anyone that stubbornly rejects this very mercy, who stubbornly opposes the very saving grace of God, will obtain no mercy and his sin remains unforgiven, and such a person perishes. This intentional opposition to the saving grace of God, which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Lord calls blasphemy against the Spirit. This was clearly expressed in the fact that the Pharisees dared to call the almighty works of God the works of the devil. Why it happens that there is no forgiveness for this sin "either in this age, or the age to come?" That is because, if a person rejects the evident actions of the Holy Spirit’s saving grace, he would not be able to evoke the feeling of repentance, without which there is no salvation. If a person blasphemes against Christ, seeing Him in a humbled state, that sin will be forgiven, for this is a simple error, easily washed out through repentance.

This was not the case with the stubborn opposition against the actions of God’s saving power, which was noted by the Pharisees and was far from repentance. He explains the Pharisees’ slander against the Lord’s deeds with the anger, which is in their hearts: "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak of good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Mat. 12:34). The Lord threatens the Pharisees that they will have to answer for every idle word on the Judgment Day, because their angry replies show the presence of the evil and contrary to God will in them.

The Lord’s Answer to Those, Waiting for the Signs from Him.

(Mat. 12:38-45; Luke 11:29-32, 24_26)

The Jews were tempted by Jesus Christ’s humbleness and they were demanding a sign from Him, which would clearly indicate His Divine worthiness of the Messiah. Those miracles which Christ performed through His love for suffering people, on prayers of some individuals, were not enough for them. They wanted to see "a sign from Heaven" (Mat. 16:1). Like enemies, they hypocritically ask for signs and Him therefore calls them as "evil and adulterous generation" (mat. 12:39; Luke 11:29), in the sense that they are not faithful to God. At this unfaithfulness pointed already the Prophets, presenting the Jews’ idolatry in the form of unfaithfulness to God — adultery (Exod. 57:3; Ezekiel 16:15, 23-27). The Lord tells them that they will not be given any signs, pointing to the greatest miracle in the past and placing it as a symbol of the new: the preservation of Prophet Jonah in the bowels of a whale during 3 days; similarly Jesus, upon His physical death, will resurrect in three days. Actually, Christ spent one day and two nights in the tomb, but in the East there always existed the tradition to count the part of a day or night as a whole (e.g. 1 Kings 30:12; Genesis 42:17-18; 2 Chron. 10:5-12, and others). The Ninevians — the inhabitants of the city Nineveh, capital of the Assyrian kingdom on the bank of the Tiber river (to the north of Babylon) — who repented as a result of Prophet Jonah’s sermon, will judge the Jews at the Last Judgment for not accepting their Messiah’s sermons, and because of their stubbornness did not want to repent. Queen Sheba of the south, who came from Arabia, also will judge the Jews, because she came from far way to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon, while the Jews did not want to listen to the Very Incarnated Divine Wisdom, Which was "greater than Solomon". Further on, the Lord narrates the parable about the unclean spirit that after leaving a person re-entered him with the others that were more evil than him. Through this parable, the Lord visually explains that although He could force the Jews to believe in Him by performing an astonishing miracle, but because their moral decay is so great, -- within the short time, their disbelief would appear again with even greater strength and stubbornness. Disbelief and decay within them — is the very evil spirit from the parable about the possessed. If a person remains careless, idle and inattentive to himself, then the evil spirit and passions that once were driven out of him, return with greater ferocity.

A Woman Glorifies the Mother of Jesus.

(Luke 11:27-28; Math. 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21).

One woman was so astonished by the Lord’s sermon that she could not curb her delight, and publicly glorified Him and His Ever-Pure Mother, Who was outside their house with his brothers (Mat. 12:46 and Mark 3:31). According to the tradition, that woman was Martha’s servant (Luke 10:38), Marcella. That is why on the Mother of God’s feast-day, this fragment is always joined to the Scripture narrating about the Lord’s visit to Maria and Martha, and is read as one Gospel.

"Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You" (Luke 11:27), or in other words: blessed is the One, Who gave birth and brought up such a Teacher. At this point of time, commences the glorification of the Mother of God in fulfillment of Her own prediction: "Henceforth, all generations shall call Me Blessed". Saint Evangelist Matthew notes that it was specifically at this particular time when the Mother of God and the so-called brothers were outside the house, and sent a message to tell Him that they were unable to squeeze through, because of the crowd of people surrounding Him. The Lord always nurtured gentle feelings towards His Mother, and even when He was crucified, was still concerned about Her and charged His beloved disciple, Apostle John to care about Her. However, at this moment, in saying His exhortations to the people, He showed them that the fulfillment of the Heavenly Father’s will is greater than His family feelings: "Whoever does the will of My Father in Heaven is My brother and sister and Mother" (Mat. 12:50; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21).

The mentioned here Christ’s brothers in some sections of the Gospel, are named as: James, Josses, Simon and Judas (Mat. 13:54-56). Comparing the narrations of all the four Evangelists, it can be seen that the mother of all these "brothers" of Christ was Maria Clopas, whom Saint John calls as "His Mother’s sister" (John 19:25). Maria Clopas was supposed to be the cousin to the Mother of God, for She was the only daughter of Joachim and Anna. According to one tradition, that Maria was the wife of Clopas, who, in fact, was the father of Christ’s "brothers." While according to another, those "brothers" were Joseph the Betrothed’s children from his first marriage. In order to bring both traditions to the accordion, it can be accepted that the "brothers" were the sons of Joseph, and (according to the law of the family ties) of the wife of his brother that had died childless, or of a close relative of Maria Clopas. In any case, the Jews called as "brothers" not only their blood brothers, but also the first and second cousins, and close relatives in general.

The Lord Jesus Christ’s Teaching in Parables.

About the Sower; About tares; About the invisibly growing seed; About the mustard seed; About the leaven; About the treasure hidden in the field; About the precious pearl; About the dragnet, cast into the sea.

The word parable is made up of two Greek words: "paravoli" and "parimia." In the literal translation, the word "parimia" means "a brief statement that express the rules of life" (such for example, are the parables of Solomon); "paravoli" — is a story, containing the concealed meaning, that express the higher spiritual truth through the images, taken from everyday life. Correctly speaking, the Scripture’s parable is a paravoli. The parables, narrated in the 13^th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, and in the parallel sections of the other two forecasters, Mark and Luke, were told by the Lord before such a multitude of people, that He was forced to enter a boat, to distance Himself from the besieging crowd, and then address the people standing on the bank of the Gennesaret lake ("sea").

Saint Chrysostom explains: "The Lord spoke in parables to make His words more expressive, to imprint them in the memories of the listeners and present the actual matters visually". The Lord’s parables are the allegorical teachings, images and examples, taken from everyday life of the Jewish people and from the surrounding nature.

To the question: "Why do you speak to them in parables?" the Lord responded: "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given" (Mat. 13:10-11; Mark 4:10-11 and Luke 8:9-10). As the future messengers of the Gospel, the Lord’s disciples — through the special blissful mental enlightenment — were given the knowledge of the Divine truths, even though not fully, before the descent of the Holy Spirit. While the rest, not having such knowledge, were not ready to accept and understand those truths. This served as a reason for the moral coarseness and false ideas of the Messiah and His Kingdom, spread by the Scribes and Pharisees. Already Isaiah had prophesied that (6:9-10). If this truth was shown to the morally corroded and spiritually hardened people in its natural state, without enveloping it into something that they understood, then they would see it without seeing it, and hear it, without hearing it. Only when the truth is enveloped into a parabolic cover, joined with the notions of the well known subjects it, the truth, becomes suitable for perceiving and understanding: not forcibly, but by itself the coarsened thought rises from that what is seen to the unseen, from the outward aspect to the higher spiritual meaning.

In the fact that the Lord spoke in parables, Saint Matthew sees the fulfillment of Asaph’s prophecy: "I will open my mouth in a parable" (Psalm 77:2). Although Asaph was saying that about himself, but being a prophet, he was a symbol of the Messiah, which can be seen from the following words of the same verse: "I will utter dark sayings of old", which only befits the Omniscient Messiah, and not a mortal individual. The concealed mysteries of God’s Kingdom are of course, known only to God’s hypostatic Wisdom.

The Parable about the Sower.

(Mat. 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15).

In this parable, the Lord envisages Himself as being the Sower, the seeds as the preached by Him Divine Word and the soil upon which they are sown, as the hearts of the listeners. The Lord cogently reminded them of their native fields — interrupted by the road running through them, some sections of which were overgrown with thorny bushes (brambles), while the others were covered with only a thin layer of the ground. The sowing is a magnificent example of preaching God’s Word, which, falling into the heart, remains either fruitless or brings a fruit, greater or lesser — depending on its state.

"For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him", — repeatedly mentions the Lord throughout the different sections of the Gospel (e.g. Mat. 13:12, 25:29; Luke 19:26 etc.). The meaning of this saying is that with the effort, a rich person becomes richer, while a poor individual, if he is lazy, loses even what little he has. In the spiritual sense it means: you, the Apostles, already gifted with the knowledge of God’s Heavenly mysteries, are able to penetrate into these mysteries further and further, understand them more completely. At the same time, the people would lose even their sparse knowledge of those mysteries which they had retained if, with the revelation of those mysteries, they were not given the assistance through the sermon that was more appropriate for them. Saint Chrysostom explains it this way: "He, who wishes and strives to obtain the gifts of grace, God Himself would grant everything; but he, who has neither a wish, nor effort, would not have any profit from that what he seems to have". The one, whose mind is darkened and heart -- hardened to such an extent that he does not comprehend God’s Word, this Word settles on the surface of the mind and heart, not taking root, as the seed along the road, exposed to every passer-by, and the sly one — satan or a demon — entices it and makes the heard fruitless. The stony surfaces are those who, while interested in the Gospel’s sermon as with the good news — at times even sincerely and with the open heart, finding pleasure in the sermon, still have their hearts cold, hard and immovable, like a rock. Such people are incapable of changing their life-style, leaving their beloved, habitual sins for the sake of the Gospel’s demands and commence the struggle against temptations, tolerating sorrows and deprivations for the sake of the truth of the Gospel’s teaching. In their struggle with temptations, they become tempted, fall in the spirit and betray their faith and the Gospel. The ground with thorns represents the people’s hearts that are entangled with passions: to the wealth, delights, and the earthly blessings in general.

The good and fertile soil represents the people with kind and pure hearts, who hearing the Word of God firmly decided it to be the guide of their lives and to bring the fruits of virtues. "The kinds of virtues are different, just as are different those who succeed in the spiritual wisdom" (Blessed Theothylactus).

The Parable about the Tares.

(Mat. 13:24-30).

"The Kingdom of Heaven" is the earthly Church, established by the Heavenly Founder and leading people towards Heaven. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field". "But while men slept" — i.e. during the night, when things can be done in secret, hidden from everyone — what indicates the cunningness of the enemy — "his (people’s) enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way". Tares are called the weeds which, while they are small, very much resemble wheat. But when they are fully-grown and begin to differ from wheat, pulling them out poses a serious threat to the roots of wheat-stalks. The Teaching of Christ is being sown all over the world — but so does the devil sowing the evil among the people with his temptations. In the extensive field of the world, everybody lives together: both the worthy sons of the Heavenly Father (wheat) and the sons of the sly one (tares). The Lord tolerates the latter, leaving them until the "harvest time," i.e. until the Dread Judgment, when the inhabitants — God’s Angels — would gather all the "tares" and cast them into the fiery stove for the eternal hellish torture. The Lord will then direct the "wheat" to be gathered for His granary, i.e. into His Heavenly Kingdom, where the righteous will shine like the sun.

The Parable about the Invisibly Growing Seed.

(Mark 4:26-29).

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a seed that having been thrown into the ground invisibly grows by itself. This inner process of that can be neither grasped nor understood: how from a tiny seed the whole plant emerges — nobody knows. Similarly, the transfiguration of the human soul, performed with the power of God’s grace, can be neither grasped nor understood.

The Parable about the Mustard Seed.

(Mat. 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19).

In the East, a mustard tree can reach the enormous size, although its seed is that small that the Jews even had a saying: "Tiny, as a mustard seed". The meaning of the parable is in that, although the beginning of God’s Kingdom is evidently small and insignificant, the power concealed in it overcomes all the obstacles, and is capable of transforming it into the great and worldwide kingdom. St. Chrysostom comments: "With this parable, the Lord wanted to show the way in which the Gospel’s sermon will be spread. Although His disciples were the most helpless of all, and the most humble, but because they possessed the great hidden power, it (the sermon) spread throughout the whole universe". Christ’s Church, small in the beginning and unnoticeable to the world, expanded on the earth in such a way the multitude of nations shelter under its canopy, that like birds in the branches of a mustard tree. Precisely the same thing occurs with the soul of every individual: God’s winnowing grace, initially hardly perceptible, envelopes the soul more and more until it becomes the receptacle of various virtues.

The Parable about the Leaven.

(Mat. 13:33-35; Mark 4:33-34; Luke 13:20-21).

The parable about the leaven has the same meaning. "Like the leaven — says Saint Chrysostom — that reports its properties to the great amount of flour, so will you (the Apostles) transfigure the whole world". Likewise in the soul of every individual member of Christ’s Kingdom: the power of grace invisibly, but gradually and actively starts to possess all the powers of his spirit, and sanctifying, transfigure them. Some interpret the three measures as being the three powers of the soul: the mind, feeling and will.

The Parable about the Treasure Hidden in the Field.

(Mat. 13:44).

A person learns about the treasure, buried in a field that did not belong to him. In order to make use it, he sells all that he owns, buys the field and becomes the possessor of the treasure. Similarly, to the wise, God’s Kingdom presents itself as a treasure in the sense of the inner enlightenment and spiritual gifts. Having concealed the similar treasure, a follower of Christ sacrifices everything and rejects everything in order to posses it.

The Parable about the Pearl.

(Mat. 13:45-46).

The meaning of this parable is the same as that of the preceding one: in order to acquire the Heavenly Kingdom as the greatest treasure, it is necessary to sacrifice everything, all the welfare which one possesses.

The Parable about the Dragnet, Cast into the Sea.

(Mat. 13:47-50).

This parable has the same meaning as that of wheat and tares. The sea is the world, the dragnet is the teaching on faith, the fishermen are the Apostles and their successors. The "dragnet" represents people of all kind: the barbarians, Hellenes, Jews, fornicators, publicans, robbers. The beach and the sorting of fish are understood like the end of the world and the Dread Judgment, when the righteous will be separated from the sinners, just like the good fish will be separated from the bad fish, caught in the dragline. It is necessary to focus on the fact that Christ the Savior often takes opportunities to differentiate the fate of the righteous and the sinners in the next world. Consequently, one cannot agree with the opinion of those, who like Origen, think that everybody will be saved, even the devil.

Interpreting the Lord’s parables, one should remember that when He taught trough them, He used examples from everyday life of His listeners, and not those imaginary. According to Saint John Chrysostom’s explanation, the Lord acted that way to make His words more meaningful, to envelop the truth in a living image and to fix it deeper in the memory. Consequently, with parables, one has to look for similarities, likeness — but only in the general sense and not in the details — not in every word, taken separately. Naturally, apart from this, every parable has to be understood in the relation with the others, homogenous and with the general spirit of Christ teaching.

It is important to note that in His sermons and parables, the Lord Jesus Christ quite clearly delineates the understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven from that of God’s Kingdom. He calls Kingdom of Heaven that eternal blissful state of the righteous, that will be revealed to them in the next life, after the Final Dread Judgment. As God’s Kingdom He calls the community of believers that He had established, who try to perform the will of the Heavenly Father. This God’s Kingdom that was revealed with the coming of Christ the Savior enters into the souls of people and transfiguring them internally, prepares them for the inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom, which will open at the end of this age. The above-mentioned parables are devoted to the revealing of these notions.

When on the question posed to the disciples, whether they understood everything that was said, they responded in the affirmative, He called them "the scribes", but not those Scribes-Jews, hostile to Him, who only knew "the Old Testament things" and even then distorted and perverted them, understanding and interpreting them incorrectly, but those scribes, instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven, who were capable of being the preachers of the Kingdom of Heaven. Having been instructed by Jesus Christ, they then knew the "old" prophecy and the "new" teaching of Christ about the Heavenly Kingdom. Consequently, they will be able in their forthcoming sermon, just like a prudent owner that withdraws from his treasury both the new and the old, to use either one or the other, according to the prevailing need. Likewise, all the Apostles’ successors should use both the Old and the New Testaments in their sermon, because God has revealed the truths of the both.

About the Owner, Preserving the New and the Old.

(Mat. 13:51-52).

And Jesus asked them: have you understood all this? They respond: yes, Lord! He then told them: Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the Kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasury, things new and old.

The Lord’s Response to Those Hesitating to Follow Him.

(Mat. 8:18-22; Luke 9:57-62).

The Lord was surrounded and jostled by people to such an extent, that He was unable to seclude Himself for the prayer and conversation with the Apostles (Luke 4:42) — He did not even have time to eat (Mark 3:20). Then once, the Lord directed to His disciples to sail to the other side of the Tiberias Lake. When they were ready to enter the boat, a Scribe approached the Lord, expressing his desire to follow Him, wherever He went. Wishing to warn the Scribe that he, probably, was about to undertake the task that was beyond his capabilities, the Lord reminded him about His nomadic type of life: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head" (Mat. 8:20; Luke 9:58); i.e. the Lord wanted to say that He had no place where He could seclude and rest from His labors.

Calling Himself "the Son of Man", the Lord humbly underlines His human nature. Together with this, for those aware of Daniel’s prophecy (7:13-14), He incisively indicates His Messianic worthiness with this name. Apparently, this response made a great impression on the people with the Lord, who already belonged to the number of His disciples. And one of them started to evade the immediate following the Lord, saying that he first had to bury his father, to what the Lord said: "Follow Me, and let the dead bury the dead" (Mat. 8:22; Luke 9:60). The two words of the same root dead and the dead, used here, have two different meanings; the first has the meaning of the spiritually dead. The Lord meant that for the sake of the great undertaking, for the sake of the good news on the Kingdom of Heaven, it is necessary to leave everything and everybody who is "dead", deaf to the word of God, to His great undertaking. It is as though the Lord is saying: leave those who are totally attached to the earthly life to bury their dead, while you, heeding the word of life, which is being preached by Me, follow Me.

With alike, not fully understandable prohibition of giving last tribute to his deceased father, the Lord apparently wanted to either to test the character and loyalty of this disciple, or to save him from his relatives, who could have distracted him from following Him. Another disciple, not waiting to be called, expressed to the Lord his desire to follow Him. However, first he asks permission just to part with his relatives. To this request the Lord replied: "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God". In other words: the one, who decided to follow Christ, should not look back at the world with its family ties and earthly attachments, for any type of the earthly bond prevents from the complete commitment to the teaching of Christ.

Calming the Storm.

(Mat. 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25).

When they left the shore, exhausted from His daily activities, the Lord fell asleep at the bow of the boat. A great tempest arose, one of those that happened frequently on the Lake of Gennesaret, surrounded by mountains and ravines, therefore the local residents called it a sea. The disciples, nearly all of them being the local fishermen and accustomed to fighting with local storms, were exhausted and in desperation began to wake their Teacher. On the one hand, this decision expresses the fear for the personal safety, while on the other — the hope for the Lords omnipotence. According to Saint Mark, the disciples even permitted themselves to reproach Jesus: "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" (Mark 4:38). In response, the Lord rebuked them: "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:40; Mat. 8:26 and Luke 8:25). The Lord stopped the storm, rebuking the winds and the sea. The disciples and the people, apparently accompanying them in the other boats uttered in amazement: "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" (Mat. 8:27; Mark 4:41; and Luke 8:25)

The Casting Out of a Legion of Demons.

(Mat. 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-40).

Having crossed the lake, Jesus and His disciples arrived to the country lying on its southern bank, which Evangelists Mark and Luke call Gadarenes (after the name of one of its cities, Gadara), while Saint Matthew calls it Gergesenes (after the name of another city, Gergesa); both the cities were among the "Decapolis".

The possessed with the evil spirit met them on the bank. Evangelists Mark and Luke speak of one person, while Saint Matthew — about two. This variance happened most probably due to the fact that one of them was a well-known citizen of Gadara, being in the awful state of demonical possession, while in comparison the other individual was hardly noticed. The nature of possession is in the fact that the demons deprive the man of his conscience, and subduing his mind, control his whole body and spiritual strength, causing him the unbelievable tortures through his own actions.

The greatness and omnipotence of the Son of God, concealed from the human sight, but apparent to the evil spirits who have the perfect vision, brought them into terror and trepidation. And so the possessed begin to cry, calling Jesus the Son of God and begging Him not to cause them the intolerable torture, which they experienced because of His closeness. According to the Gospels of Mark and Luke, to Christ’s question what his name was, the most ferocious demon answered: "Legion" (Mark 5:9; Luke 8:30), indicating that countless numbers of demons dwelled in the possessed. The demons begged the Lord "that He would not command them to go out into the abyss" (Luke 8:31) and "that He would not send them out of the country" (Mark 5:10), but instead, permitted them to enter the big herd of swine, grazing nearby at the mountain. We are not that familiar with the nature of the evil spirits to understand why it is essential for them to dwell in the living beings. However, it is characteristic that they chose the most unclean, despised animal in the eyes of the Jews, so that the Lord would not drive them out of the country and thereby, would not deprive them from operating there. The Lord allowed them to enter the herd, and the swine, going mad, threw themselves from the mountain into the sea and drowned. Apparently allowing that, the Lord wanted to enlighten the Gadarenes who, despite the commandments of the Law of Moses, bred swine, and in such large numbers (according to Mark 5:13, nearly 2000).

Together with this, the situation attracted special attention of the inhabitants of that country to the Lord Jesus Christ, for they saw the well-known demonically-possessed, cured and sitting at the feet of Jesus. However, these events still did not enlighten them: they experienced inexplicable terror and, in all probability, misgiving, thinking that the Lord’s further stay might bring them more great losses. Their feeling of regret over the loss of their pigs triumphed over the natural, as it would seem, feeling of gratitude for the miraculous riddance of their country of the possessed — and they asked Him to leave. What huge folly it is on the part of those people who do not wish to have within their boundaries the One, Who came to destroy the devil’s deeds!

Contrary to the usual prohibition of the Lord to tell about His miracles, on this occasion Christ directs the cured possessed to return to his house and tell them what great things God had done for him. It has to be surmised that the Lord did that, because He did not have those misgivings in this country, which He had in Galilee and Judea, where the ideas of the Messiah were incorrect: as the earthly leader of Israel; and the Lord did not want His name to be linked with the political desires of the Jewish patriots, wishing the overthrow of the Roman rule. Apart from that, it was apparent that the Gadarenes were outstanding in their unusual religious-moral coarseness and wildness, so the Lord wanted to arouse their hearts with a sermon about Himself and His works through the healed possessed, endowed by Him with blessings, who indeed, as Saint Mark told, began to preach about the Lord throughout the whole Decapolis and thus prepared the country to the following Apostles’ sermon and conversion to Christ.

The Healing of a Woman with a Flow of Blood and the Resurrection of Jairus’s Daughter.

(Mat.9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:41-56).

Having entered the boat with His disciples, the Lord Jesus Christ sailed back to the opposite western bank of the Gennesaret Lake, where the town of Capernaum was situated. Here, crowds of people awaited Him, among them there was Jairus — one of the synagogue’s leaders — whose only twelve-year-old daughter was about to die. Although the leaders of the synagogue belonged to the party, hostile to Jesus (John 7:47-48), he apparently had heard about the many miracles performed by the Lord and perhaps, having witnessed the healing of the Capernaum centurion’s servant, was enlightened with hope that Jesus would heal his daughter. Although Jairus did not possess such faith for which the Centurion was praised by the Lord, He nevertheless went to the synagogue leader’s house and to lay His hands on the dying girl upon Jairus’s request. Seeing this, the crowd streamed after Him with especial curiosity towards Jairus’s house, and as everyone wanted to be close to the Great Wonder-worker, everybody jostled Him.

One woman, who suffered of a flow of blood for 12 years and had lost all hope to be cured, made her way behind Jesus and unnoticeably touched His clothing. According to the Law of Moses, the women having such a disease were regarded as unclean and were obliged to stay home. They are not permitted to come into contact with anyone (Lev. 15:25-28). However, that miserable woman had such fervent faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that she decided to leave the house and touch His clothing, being sure that only a touch would give her the total cure. And her faith was just: she was cured instantly as she felt the source of the flow of blood to desiccate. Saint Mark gives the most detailed description of this event. He tells that as Jesus felt His strength leaving Him, He asked those surrounding Him: "Who touched My clothes?" (Mark 5:30; Luke 8:45) Of course, He knew who did that, and posed the question for the people’s edification in order to reveal the faith of that woman in front of them, and the miracle that followed because of that faith. The woman, realizing she could not hide, fell before the Lord’s feet and exposed the truth to everybody. According to the understanding of the Jews, in entering the crowd and making every person that she had to touch unclean, she committed an offence; consequently, she awaited in fear and trepidation the condemnation of her act, but the Lord calmed her: "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace" (Luke 8:48; Mat. 9:22 and Mark 5:34).

During that time Jairus’s daughter had died, and someone of the family came with that sad message and to request not to burden the Teacher unnecessarily. Seeing the despair of the grief-stricken father, the Lord calmed him: "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well" (Luke 8:50; Mark 5:36). Arriving at the house, they found there the professional mourners invited to cry over the dead. Such type of mourning over the dead usually went on for 8 days, and over a well-known person — one month; flutes and pipes accompanied it. The Lord said to Jairus and his domestics: "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping" (Luke 8:52; Mat. 9:24 and Mark 5:39). These words cannot be understood in the literal sense, just as about Lazarus, having reposed 4 days in the coffin and commencing to decompose, the Lord said that he had fallen "asleep" (John 11:11-14), and only later added: "Lazarus is dead". The real death of the girl was so obvious to everyone that they began to laugh at Jesus. Because such a great miracle could only be witnessed by those worthy and capable of evaluating this mystery of the Divine omnipotence, the Lord directed that everybody should leave the room, except for His 3 Apostles — Peter, James and John — and the parents of the dead girl. Taking the girl’s hand, the Lord calls, saying: "Talitha, cumi", which means: "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" (Mark 5:41; Mat. 9:25 and Luke 8:54), resurrecting her immediately. With that, notwithstanding the long period of her grave illness, she was so strong that she began to walk as a health one. Everyone got amazed, and the Lord directed that she should be given some food so as to convince her parents, that before them was their real daughter — and not a ghost of the dead. According to His custom, the Lord banned spreading the news about the miracle.

The Healing of Two Blind Men.

(Mat. 9:27-34).

When the Lord left Jairus’s house, a crowd of people followed Him. Among them were two blind men, who were crying out: "Son of David, have mercy on us!" The Lord as if did not pay any attention to those cries, apparently aiming to test the faith of the two that were calling Him Son of David, i.e. the Messiah. Only when the Lord reached the house (of the unnamed owner), He asked the blind men, who were appealing to be cured, if they believed that He could cure them. Having received the affirmative answer, the Lord touched their eyes, and they opened. As in all such cases, the Lord strictly forbade them to speak of that miracle. However, moved by joy and their gratitude to their Healer, they could not restrain themselves and "spread the news about Him in all that country".

Just after the cured men left, the mute, possessed by the evil spirit, was brought to Jesus. The possessed could not plead for himself as the evil spirit took power of his tongue. Therefore, the Lord did not inquire (as He usually did) him if he had faith, but commanded the demon to leave him, and the ability to speak came back to the man. Amazed, the people declared that nothing like that had ever happened among the Israelites, while the Pharisees, intending to demean this effect that was created by the miracle, were saying that Jesus was casting out demons through the power of the prince of demons, i.e. the devil.

The Second Visit to Nazareth.

(Mat. 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6).

After that, Jesus returned "to His own country" (Mat. 13:54; Mark 6:1), i.e. to Nazareth — His Mother’s and His so-called father Joseph’s land of birth, and to the place where He was brought up. There, the Lord began to teach His countrymen in the synagogue, amazing them and prompting them to say: "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" (Mat. 13:54; Mark 6:2). This was not the type of amazement that was shown to Him in other places — this was mixed with scorn: as though, "Is this not the carpenter’s Son? Is not His Mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?" (Mat. 13:55; Mark 6:3). The Nazarenes either did not know, or did not believe in the miraculous incarnation and birth of Jesus Christ, regarding Him simply as the Son of Joseph and Mary. This is quite inexcusable, as in the past there were many inconspicuous parents who had children, who further on became famous. As an example, such were David, Amos, Moses and the others. The Nazarenes should have shown reverence towards Jesus, especially because having such plain parents He showed such wisdom that definitely proved to come not from the human education but from the Divine grace. Of course, the similar disbelief emanated from the usual human envy, which is always sly. People often look with envy and hatred upon those, who came from their own environment, and once revealed extraordinary gifts, thereby becoming more prominent than them. Perhaps, Christ’s friends in earthly terms and those of the same age that were in constant contact with Him, did not want to acknowledge His extraordinary abilities precisely due to this reason. "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house" (Mat. 13:57; Mark 6:4), — although this should not be so, it is more likely, for the people pay more attention to what is being preached, rather than to the preacher; and if someone is worthy of the Divine selection and calling, he is still regarded as an ordinary person that they are used to see, not finding the prophecies in his words and not believing them. The Lord adds this, in all probability, national saying: "and in his own house" meaning that even His own "brothers" did not believe in His Divinity (John 7:5). Nowhere Jesus found so much opposition towards Himself and His teaching, as in His own "native" town, where they even tried to kill Him (Luke 4:28-29).

In Nazareth, the Lord "did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Mat. 13:58, Mark 6:5), because He always performed miracles as a reward for having faith, and not to satisfy idle curiosity or to prove His supernatural powers.

The Plentiful Harvest, but Few Laborers.

(Mat. 9:35-38; Mark 6:6; Luke 8:1-3).

The crowds of people that the Lord observed in walking through the towns, He compares to the flocks of sheep, wandering without a shepherd — an allegory that was especially understood in Palestine, the land of shepherds. The spiritual leaders of these people are not true shepherds and teachers, they themselves are blind and not only do they not enlighten the people, but further corrupt them. "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few" (Mat. 9:37), a splendid representation, understood by all. The field that is covered with ripe wheat, which needs harvesting, but there are few reapers. The meaning of these words is this: there is the great number of people willing to enter into the Messiah’s Kingdom, and already prepared for this, but there are few that are ready for the great task of teaching. "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Mat. 9:38); i.e. to ask Father-God to facilitate the preparation of new workers that are not instructed in the Pharisee spirit, to preach on the coming Messiah’s Kingdom. During this trip of the Lord with the sermon in Galilee, the Lord was accompanied by a number of women, blessed by Him in one way or another and who, because of the feeling of gratitude, served Him with their personal resources. They were the ones that then followed the Lord to Golgotha and formed that image of the Myrrh-bearing Women, who are glorified by the Holy Church.

Christ Sends His Apostles on their Mission.

(Mat. 10:1-42; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6, 12:11-12).

Having mercy on the multitudes of people not having a pastor, and not having the opportunity to have them by His side perpetually, the Lord sends His disciples for the sermon, this mission is different to that which will follow Christ’s Resurrection. Then, the Lord will send the Apostles into the whole world to preach the New Testament to "every creature" and to lead all the peoples into His Kingdom through the Mystery of baptism, teaching them faith in Christ. However at this time, the Lord sends them only "to the lost sheep of Israel" (Mat. 10:6), i.e. to the Jews only. He directs them only to preach that "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Mat. 10:7). This sermon is only preparatory, for the Apostles had not been enveloped with Power from above, which was subsequently granted to them afterwards, through the descent of the Comforter — the Holy Spirit. The Lord sends the Apostles in pairs so that they would be able to support one another, and also, so that the Jews would believe their testimony more, as the Law of Moses states that "at the mouth of two witnesses….shall a matter be established" (Deuter. 19:15, John 8:13). Knowing that they will demand from the Apostles to show signs to prove the genuineness of their sermon, the Lord endowed them with the power over the demons, and the power to heal and resurrect the dead. In order that their sermon would be successful, He warns them against the love of money and all concerns about the food, clothing and dwelling, saying: "for a worker is worthy of his food" (Mat. 10:10). Consequently, God will not allow His workers, who divert any concerns about themselves for the sake of the service trusted to them, to be deprived of the necessary for life. In every town or village they had to stay at such a house that would not evoke criticism, so that, as Blessed Jerome states, "the sermon would not be compromised by the host’s unsavory reputation", and also not to go from one house to another, which is natural of the light-minded people. "And when you go into a household, greet it" (Mat. 10:12). Such a greeting was normal for the Jews, but to wish peace still does not mean to give it. That is why the Lord explains, that their desire for peace will really bring it to that household or town where they will be welcomed joyfully and with pure heart; in the contrary situation, the greeting will remain barren, and it would "let your peace return to you" (Mat. 10:13).

Further on, the Lord states that where the Apostles will be denied hospitality, they should shake the dust off their feet. The Jews considered that the very soil and dust upon which walked the heathens is unclean, and it was necessary to shake it from the feet in order to remain clean; so in giving such a directive, the Lord wanted to say that those Jews were like the heathens, and that "it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah (punished in their time for disgrace and debauchery) in the day of judgment than for that city" (Mat. 10:15; Mark 6:11), which will refuse to accept the Apostle’s sermon; and that those having rejected the sermon about Christ as the law of God, are more criminal than those who did not know the law of God but rejected only the demands of the natural law, which is not so clear and categorical.

Initially, the Lord sends His Apostles only to the Jews, because they were regarded as God’s chosen people, to which the Messiah was promised by the Old Testament Prophets, and among whom He appeared. Then later, there followed the edifications, concerning the apostolic service in general. The Lord warns them of those dangers, which the Apostles will be subjected to: they will feel themselves defenseless, akin to sheep, surrounded by wolves. "Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (Mat. 10:16) — says the Lord, i.e. be careful and without an extreme necessity, do not expose your life to danger. Consider where it is necessary to sow God’s seeds and where it is better to withhold — according to the law "nor cast your pearls before swine"; but at the same time, be such so that nobody could reproach you for anything blameworthy, be understandable for the people.

The Lord predicts that the Apostles would have to testify about Him before lords and kings, meaning not their current, temporary assignment, but their future, universal apostolic activity; that they would be subjected to much oppression and persecution. The Lord warns them not to be anxious or ponder over how and what to say at the forthcoming trials, for the Holy Spirit will be suggesting them the necessary words; and that the hatred towards the evangelical sermon and its preachers and confessors would be so strong in people of this world (called as wolves earlier), that even the strongest and sacred family ties will not be able to withstand it. All this was precisely fulfilled during the era of the Christian persecution, when indeed a brother subjected a brother to death, and when all the true followers of Christ experienced the most heinous hatred from the enemies of the Christianity. "But he who endures to the end will be saved" (Mat. 10:22), — predicted the Lord — meaning that the one who will tolerate everything up to the end (death) and will not renounce Christ, will attain the eternal joy in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord added that the Apostles themselves should not sacrifice their lives imprudently, for they carry within them the salvation of very many other people. Consequently, if they are being persecuted in one town, they are not forbidden to flee to another one. "You will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes" (Mat. 10:23). This does not refer to the Second Coming of Christ to judge before the end of the world. The coming of Jesus Christ in His Kingdom is the same as the moment of revealing of this Kingdom — and that revealing of Christ’s Kingdom occurred with His Resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, after what they went out into the whole world with the sermon about the revealing of it. This statement of the Lord has the following meaning: while the Apostles will still be traveling through Palestine with their sermon about the approaching of Christ’s Kingdom, the hour, revealing His Kingdom through His sufferings, the Resurrection from the dead and the ascension of the Holy Spirit will arrive.

The Lord showed to the Apostles the shortage of time at their disposal, for the hour of His sufferings at the cross and His departure from this world was approaching. Sending the Apostles for their preliminary sermon, which be useful for them, like Saint Chrysostom notes, as "a positive battlefield institution, in which they could prepare themselves for the exploits of the evangelical sermon in the whole world" (The interpretation of Mat. 32). The Lord warns them that they should not expect any honors and, on the contrary, be ready for insults, for if the Jews are rudely slandering the Lord Himself and calling Him Beelzebub, then they will even more defame His disciples: "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master" (Mat. 10:24). "Therefore do not fear them (enemies). For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known" (Mat. 10:26), — said the Lord to the Apostles; i.e. there is no need to fear slander: with time, faith and innocence will be clearly revealed.

"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops" (Mat. 10:27); here, the Lord means the following: that about what the Lord discussed with them in private and in the small corner of Palestine, they will have to preach throughout the whole world, to all nations — from the roofs of the houses. "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul" (Mat. 10:28), for without the will of God, nothing will happen because the Divine providence covers everything, even the smallest birds and the number of hairs on the man’s head. "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?" (Mat. 10:29, a copper coin, assary — 1/10 part of denary, something like 2 kopecks).

The one, who disregarding slander and persecution, will faithfully confess Christ before people, Christ will confess, as His true servant, at the judgment before the Heavenly Father. He will also turn away from those, who turn away from Him. "I did not come to bring peace but a sword" (Mat. 10:34); these words should not be understood in the literal sense. They mean that disagreement and enmity between people will be the inevitable and necessary reason for the Lord’s arrival to the earth, because human hatred will raise the severe war against God’s Kingdom, His followers and preachers. "And a man’s enemies will be those of his own household" (mat. 10:36); i.e. for the sake of serving Christ, one has to sacrifice all the earthly attachments, even family love. "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me" (Mat. 10:38; Luke 9:23), — this image is taken from the Roman custom, according which those condemned to crucifixion, had to carry their cross to the place of execution; these words of the Lord mean that, having become the disciples of Christ, we must bravely endure all trials and sufferings in His Name, even the most difficult and humiliating ones — if God decides to send them to us.

"He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Mat. 10:39; Luke 9:24): he who prefers the earthly blessings to those of the Heavenly Kingdom, who sacrifices the future blessings for the sake of the earthly ones, who even renounces Christ to save his earthly life, will destroy his soul for the eternal life; but he who sacrifices everything for the sake of Christ, right up to his own life, will save his soul for the eternal life.

Instructing and comforting the Apostles, the Lord Jesus Christ mentioned the reward awaiting all those who will receive them in His Name: "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him Who sent Me" (Mat. 10:40). The further words mean that the one who receives the Apostles as the prophets and righteous, will receive the same reward as a prophet or the righteous; and even if someone quenches the thirst of one of His disciples with a cup of cold water, he will not be left unrewarded.

Having finished His edification to the 12 Apostles, Jesus went out to preach in the towns of Galilee, while the Apostles, dividing themselves into pairs, went to the settlements "and preached that people should repent" (mark 6:12). The Apostles’ answer to the Lord’s question (Luke 22:35), posed to them at the Last Supper, clearly shows that during their sermon they did not lack anything necessary. Apparently, they all gathered anew with the Lord when He found out about John the Baptist’s death.

The Beheading of John the Forerunner.

(Mat. 141-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9).

The Evangelists describe this event in connection with that the tetrarch Herod-Antipas got the idea that Jesus Christ was the resurrected from the dead John the Baptist. Although Saint Luke does not fully narrate about that, he does explain in brief that that thought did not originate from Herod, but that he accepted it later, under the impression of the conversations with people surrounding him.

While the Jews were not accustomed to celebrating birthdays, Herod once on his birthday, in imitating the eastern kings, held a huge feast for the lords, military commanders and Galilean elders. According to the eastern custom, women were not permitted to be present at those feasts, except for slaves that danced before the men. Though Salome, the worthy daughter of her depraved mother Herodias, who cohabited illegally with Herod, ignoring that custom, appeared at the feast as a dancer in the skimpy costume of a dancer and fired Herod with her sensuous dance to such an extent, that he promised to fulfill everything she desired. Salome left the hall to consult with her mother, not present at the feast, who unhesitatingly stated that the best present she could get was the death of the hated John the Baptist — the accuser of her offensive connection with Herod. She demanded: "The head of John the Baptist". However, on the one hand Herod was afraid of the people and on the other, he respected the Baptist as "a just and holy man" and even "when he heard him…did many things" (Mark 6:20); consequently, fearing that the promise would not be fulfilled, Herodias suggested her daughter to demand the immediate execution. "Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter" (Mat. 14:8), — Salome demanded from Herod. "The king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it be given to her" (Mark 6:26, Mat. 14:9). It meant, Herod did not want to execute John, but his pride and false shame did not allow him to violate his vow, so he sent his executioner to cut off the Prophet’s head and bring it to the feast on a silver platter. It must be assumed that the feast did not take place at Tiberias, Herod’s usual place of residence, but in his beyond-the-Jordan residence in Julias, which was not far from the fortress at Machaerus where John was confined; or perhaps the feast was held at the fortress itself.

The tradition states that Herodias taunted the Baptist’s head for a long time: she was piercing his tongue with a needle for accusing her of wantonness and ordered his body to be thrown into the gully that surrounded Machaerus. John’s disciples picked up his beheaded body and as St. Mark states, placed it in the coffin, in a cave. According to the tradition, that cave, situated near the township of Sebaste, built on the place of former Samaria contained the remnants of Prophets Obadiah and Elisha. This sad event of John the Baptist’s beheading is celebrated each year by the holy Church on the 29^th Aug., having settled at this day the strict fast. Herod received the deserving his action punishment: he met with the total defeat at the war, and, traveling to Rome, he was deprived of all his privileges and estates, and together with unrighteous Herodias was imprisoned at Gaul, where he finally died. Whereas Salome, in traveling on a frozen lake, fell through the cracked ice and was decapitated by it.

Having buried their teacher, John’s disciples told the Lord Jesus Christ about what had happened, apparently seeking soothing, and at the same time wanting to warn Him of the possible danger, for exactly at that time He was preaching in the area that was under Herod’s control. Evangelist Mark tells us that by that time the Apostles gathered at the Lord’s side, telling him about everything that they managed to do and what they managed to teach the others.

Having learned of the Baptist’s violent death, the Lord withdrew into the wilderness. Evidently, at that time, He was somewhere close to the Gennesaret lake because He "departed from there by boat" (Mat. 14:13). That secluded i.e. sparsely populated area (according to Saint Luke), was situated close to the town of Bethsaida. Saint Luke also adds that Herod, under the influence of rumors and comments, thought that Jesus Christ was John the Baptist resurrected from the dead — and "sought to see Him" (Luke 9:9).

The Miraculous Feeding of Five Thousand People.

(Mat. 14:15-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15)

All the four Evangelists describe this miraculous event. Moreover, Saint John connects this with the Lord’s teaching about the heavenly bread and the Mystery of Communion of His flesh and blood and gives us the important chronological indication, that all this was happening at the time of "the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near" (John 6:4), the third Passover in the Lord’s service time.

Having received the news about John the Baptist’s death, the Lord Jesus Christ withdrew from Galilee with His Apostles, who recently returned from their preaching trip. They sailed across to the eastern side of the Sea of Tiberias, to a desolate area close to the town of Bethsaida. As only Bethsaida was located on the western bank near Capernaum, it can be supposed that this was another town, Bethsaida-Julias, situated to the east from the place, where the river Jordan flowed into the lake of Gennesaret. According to Evangelist Mark’s narration, the people, after having determined where the Lord was going with His Apostles, "ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him" (Mark 6:33). Seeing the multitude of people that have gathered around Him, the Lord took pity on them, "because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things" (Mark 6:33), and was telling them about God’s Kingdom (Luke 9:11) and cured the sick (Mat. 14:14). After a while, according to Saint John, He ascended the mountain and sat down there with His disciples, when He saw a crowd of people coming towards Him. The day was starting to give way to the evening. Then all the Apostles approached Him and exclaimed: "This is a deserted place and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food" (Mat. 14:15; Mark 6:35-36; Luke 9:12). However, the Lord did not want to send the people away, saying to His disciples: "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat" (Mat. 14:16; Mark 6:37; Luke 9:13).

Meanwhile, the Lord testing Apostle Philip’s faith asked him: "Where shall we buy, that these may eat?" (John 6:5), to what Philip replied: "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little" (John 6:7). The rest of the disciples were telling the same. Then the Lord said: "How many loaves to you have? Go and see" (Mark 6:38). Having found out, Andrew replied to Him: "There is a lad (probably, a person, selling food and following the crowd) here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" (John 6:9). Then the Lord said: "Make them sit down in groups of fifty" (Luke 9:14, Mark 6:39-40). And the people sat down on the green grass — 100 across and 50 crosswise. Thus, it was possible to count that there were 5000 individuals, excluding women and children (Mat. 14:21; Mark 6:44; Luke 9:14; John 6:10).

Taking the five loaves and two fish, the Lord raised His eyes to the sky, gave thanks (John 6:11), blessed them (Luke 9:16), broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, so that they distributed them among the people; likewise He divided the fish for all the people (Mark 6:32; John 6:11). "So they all ate and were filled" (Mat. 14:20; Mark 6:42; Luke 9:17). When everybody was full, the Lord directed His disciples to collect the remaining portions, so that nothing would be wasted; and they collected 12 full baskets.

Evangelist John tells us that the people, who witnessed that miraculous feeding of the five thousand, exclaimed: "This is truly the Prophet Who is to come into the world" (John 6:14); they wanted to come and unexpectedly take Jesus, and take advantage of the coming feast of Pascha, lure Him to Jerusalem and proclaim Him the King in the presence of people. But the Lord naturally did not want to indulge those false ideas about the Messiah as the earthly king. He directed His disciples to go to the western side of the lake, while He Himself having calmed the people excited by the miracle, sent them away and "departed again to the mountain by Himself alone" (John 6:15), for to pray.

The Lord’s Walk on the Water.

(Mat. 14:22-36; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21).

Compelled by the Lord to go to the western bank of the Gennesaret Lake, the Apostles got into the boat and sailed off. The darkness descended and "the sea arose because a great wind was blowing" (John 6:18), "the boat was now in the middle of the sea (i.e. lake), tossed by the waves" (Mat. 14:24), and the Lord was not with them; He remained alone on land, but "saw them straining at the rowing" (Mark 6:48). "They had rowed about three or four miles" (John 6:19) away from the eastern bank. It was the fourth watch of the night, i.e. close to the sunrise, and suddenly the Apostles saw Jesus walking on the water towards them "and would have passed them by" (Mark 6:48). They thought it was a spirit and cried out in fear. But the Lord calmed them with the words: "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid" (Mat. 14:27; Mark 6:50; John 6:20).

Possessing a fiery temperament, Apostle Peter became inflamed with the desire to greet the Lord by walking towards Him, and asked permission to do so — to which the Lord replied: "Come" (Mat. 14:29). Peter stepped out of the boat, and the power of his faith made a miracle — he walked on the water. However the strong wind and turbulent waves distracted Peter’s attention from Jesus: the fear that seized him weakened his faith, and he started to sink, crying out in despair: "Lord, save me!" (Mat. 14:30). The Lord immediately stretched forth His hand to support him and said: "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Mat. 14:31). As soon as "they got into the boat, the wind ceased" (Mat. 14:32), "and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going" (John 6:21). Then, everybody who was in the boat came up to Jesus and exclaimed: "Truly you are the Son of God" (Mat. 14:33).

As soon as the Lord landed, the local inhabitants immediately surrounded Him: they recognized Him and informed all the people in the neighboring settlements, who brought Him all their sick. The faith in the miraculous power that emanated from the Lord was so strong, that the local residents, in receiving permission from the Lord to touch His clothing instantly got cured.

The Talk about the Heavenly Bread.

(John 6:22-71).

The Lord’s miraculous crossing of the Gennesaret Lake, provoked amazement among the people, who already tried the miraculous bread. This event is narrated by Evangelist John alone, who also conveys the Lord’s sermon about Himself as about the bread that had descended from heaven, revealing the necessity to have communion of His Flesh and Blood in order to be saved.

Knowing that the Lord did not enter the boat with His disciples, the people sought Him in the wilderness. Having found Him on the other side of the lake, teaching in a synagogue at Capernaum, they were astounded and began to question Him about how He got there. The Lord did not respond the question; He used it as a reason to give the detailed sermon about Himself, as about the Heavenly Bread. He began the talk with reproaching the Jews for the fact that they remain slaves to their sensations in everything — even in following Him. "You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of loaves and were filled"; i.e. not because they were enlightened through the miracles by God’s goodness, which offers eternal and incorrupt blessings, but because through the miracle, made the day before, their hunger was satiated — just as the other miracles stopped the other physical sufferings; but nobody was concerned about the satisfaction of the needs of the spirit, for which, after all, Christ came down to earth. "I am the Bread of life, he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst," — this reproach of the Lord was directed at those who treat the Christianity valuable only because it is beneficial for establishing the welfares of our temporary earthly life. "Do not labor for the food which perishes" together with the body, "but for the food which endures to everlasting life," i.e. about that, which remains forever and serves the eternal life. This food "the Son of Man will give you" — says the Lord — "because God the Father has set His seal on Him". Under the word "seal" must be understood those signs and miracles, which the Lord performed on God’s will. Excited by the reproach, the Jews asked Him: "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" They understood that His words contained the demand for moral actions on their part, but they did not understand which ones exactly. To that, instead of pointing at many deeds of pleasing God according to the Law of Moses, the Lord points at just one: "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He sent". This is the main work that is pleasing to God, without which there is no life that is God-pleasing in general, for in it, like in a seed, are contained all the works that are pleasant to God. Comprehending that Jesus is calling Himself "the Messenger of God", the Jews reply that they do not have such faith in Him, as the Israelites had in God and Moses, His prophet, because the signs that He was performing were not enough.

Here is the proofHe had performed.He hafd of how unstable the faith, when it is based on miracles alone, is: it demands greater and greater miracles. And the Jews are no more satisfied that Christ had fed 5000 people with 5 loaves, and start demanding a greater miracle, something like the miraculous manna from Heaven that was sent to them during their forty-year wandering period in the wilderness. The Lord responds to that saying that the miracle performed by God through Moses is less important than that which He performed through Messiah-Jesus, giving them not the visual manna but "the true bread from Heaven". This bread "gives life to the world". However, the Jews understand that like the sensual, physical bread, although somewhat special — and they express their desire to always receive that type of bread. This response reflects their extremely physical inclination of their thoughts and ideas of the Messiah — as being a wonder-worker and nothing more. Then the Lord directly and decisively reveals the teaching about Himself as about the "bread of life", saying that He is that bread, which "comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world"; that the one who comes to Him will have no hunger, and the one who believes in Him will never thirst again. The Lord notes with sorrow that, although the Jews do not believe in Him, that will not interfere with the realization of the Heavenly Father’s will. Everybody seeking salvation through the Lord, "who come to Him", will become the inheritors of the Messiah’s kingdom established by Him, and they will be resurrected by Him on the last day and become worthy of the eternal life. Nonetheless, the Jews are bewildered and with complaints start to discuss among themselves how Jesus could say that He had descended from Heaven when everybody knows His earthly origin. The Lord explains their complaints by saying that they are not among those elected by God, whom God the Father attracts to Him through the power of His grace. Without such a blissful call, it is not possible to start believing in the Messiah — His Son, sent to the earth by Him to save the people. However, this thought does not destroy the concept of the man’s free will.

As blessed Theothylactus wrote: "God the Father attracts those who have the capability, with their consent; but those, who have made themselves incapable, He does not attract to faith. Just as a magnet does not attract all that it comes into the contact with, but only iron, so does God, coming close to everyone, attracts only those who are capable of revealing some resemblance to Him". It is as though the Lord is saying: "Do not complain about Me, but about yourselves, for not having the ability to believe in Me as in the Messiah."

All the Old Testament books testify to the coming of Christ, and those who consciously study them, cannot but be taught by God, and accept the Messiah-Christ sent by Him. The teaching given by God is not like looking at God, for God the Father is only seen by the One, Who is from Him, i.e. Messiah-Christ. A person studies as though directly from God Himself when he studies the Scripture attentively and with faith, for the main theme of the Scripture is Christ. "I am the Bread of life", says the Lord of Himself: not lifeless as the manna was, but the bread that is alive. The manna fed only the body, and that was why those who ate it died anyway; the real Bread, that comes down from heaven is such, that all who eat it will not die but receive the eternal life. And this Bread is the very Lord Jesus Christ. Following this, the Lord says more clearly and definitively: this Bread that has come down from heaven is His Flesh, Which He gives for the life of the world; here He is talking about His forthcoming death on the cross at Golgotha for the redeeming of humanity from its sins. In connection with the approaching feast of Pascha with Himself, the Lord teaches about Himself, as about the true Paschal Lamb that accepts the sins of the whole world upon Himself.

The paschal lamb was only a symbol of Lamb-Christ, — through which the Lord wanted to show His listeners that the time of the symbolism had passed, because the Very Truth had arrived in His person: the partaking of the paschal lamb will be replaced in the New Testament by the partaking of the Body of Christ, brought as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. The Jews, having accepted the words of the Lord literally, became confounded and started arguing among themselves over those words: "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" They indeed understood those words literally and not figuratively, just as the contemporary sectarians who reject the Mystery of the Holy Communion, which grants the blissful unity with Christ, want to treat them. In order to stop their argument, the Lord decisively and categorically repeats: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day". Here, the Lord reveals in all its fullness and clarity, His teaching on the necessity of Communion of His Flesh and Blood, in order to have the eternal salvation. With their fleeing from Egypt, the Jews smeared the door jambs and the entrances of their dwellings with the blood of sacrificial lambs, in order to save their new-born from the hands of the Angel-slayers (Exodus 12:7-13). With the killing of the paschal lamb at the temple, its blood was used to smear the entrance to the altar, reminding the doorjambs and entrances of the Jewish dwellings. On the paschal supper, the blood was symbolically replaced with wine. Because the paschal lamb was a symbol of Christ, just as the liberation of the Jews from the Egyptian captivity served as a symbol of the world’s redemption, then in the words of Christ that in order to have eternal life it is essential to "eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood", one should see as the replacement of the Old Testament lamb with Christ’s Body, and the symbolic wine — with His Blood. This is the New Pascha, which is prophetically depicted by the Lord in His sermon.

The meaning of Christ’s words is consequently in the fact that the one, who wants to understand the atonement performed by Christ through His death on the cross, must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. Otherwise, he will not become a participant of this atonement, will not have within himself eternal life, i.e. will remain alienated from God, which is, actually, eternal death. By the Lord’s own words, His Flesh and Blood are food indeed and drink indeed, for only they report to a person eternal life. This occurs because they give the partaker the closest internal communion with Christ, mysterious joining with Him (56). In such a way, through this Mystery, the man that had fallen into sin, is grafted a new life. Just like a gardener grafts a piece of cutting from one tree to another in order to make it fruit-bearing, so does Christ, wishing to make us the participants in the Divine life — He Himself physically enters into our body, desecrated by sin, and gives the start for the internal transformation and sanctification, making us a new creation.

In order to be saved it is not sufficient just to believe in Christ. It is necessary to fuse with Him, abide in Him so that He too may abide in us, and this is achieved only through the means of the Holy Communion of His Body and Blood. However, these words of the Lord were so unusual for the Jews that at that time not only His enemies but some of His disciples were tempted, saying: "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" Having read their thoughts and feelings, the Lord replied: "Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?" Here, the Lord means how they would be tempted, seeing Him crucified! Further on, the Lord explains how to understand His words properly: "It is the Spirit Who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life". So, Christ’s words need to be understood in the spiritual sense and not sensually or roughly, as though He is offering His Flesh, like the meat of an animal, to satisfy bodily hunger.

It is as though the Lord is saying that His teaching is not about the meat or food, which nourishes the physical life, but about the Divine Spirit, the grace and eternal life, which is developed in people through the blissful means. Stating "The flesh profits nothing", the Lord was not speaking of His own Flesh — not at all — but of those, who understood His words sensually. What does it mean to understand sensually? It is too look upon the objects simply and think about nothing more but satisfying one’s natural needs. In other words, it is to accept life purely physically or sensually. However, one should not judge according to what he sees. All its mysteries have to be viewed with the inner sight. This means to understand life spiritually (St. Chrysostom). If Christ’s Flesh was separated from His spirit, it would not be able to give life; and of course, it goes without saying, Christ’s words are not about His soulless and lifeless Flesh, but of the Flesh that is united with His Divine Spirit.

"But there are some of you who do not believe". Of course it is difficult to believe in the humble Divinity, without the assistance of God’s grace. As it can be seen later, these words of the Lord contained the first indication at Judas-betrayer. The teaching about the Holy Eucharist was and will be the touchstone of faith in Christ. There are many people that are impressed by Christ’s moral law, but who yet do not understand the necessity of unity with Him in this Mystery. Meanwhile, without this Mystery of unity with Christ, without the grafting of His "cutting," it is impossible to follow even the moral law in one’s life, because it is beyond the human power. That is why after this sermon, as the Gospel states, many people left Christ, especially because the talk went against the Jews’ earthly understanding of the Messiah. Then the Lord, testing His closest disciples, the twelve Apostles, in their faith in Him, asked if they would like to leave Him too. But in response Peter-Simon, speaking undoubtedly on the behalf of the rest, pronounces the great confession of faith in the Lord as "Christ, the Son of the living God". However, the Lord noticed that not all the twelve believed in Him, and that one of them was devil; of course, not in the literal sense, but as the enemy of Christ and His works. With that the Lord wanted to give a warning to Judas himself, as He knew beforehand that he was planning to betray Him. On the feast-day of Pascha, the Lord did not go to Jerusalem this time, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him (John 7:1), while the hour of His sufferings on the cross had not arrived.

The Third Pascha.

Exposing the Pharisees’ Traditions.

(Mat. 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23).

At the third Pascha, the Lord was not in Jerusalem. However, but the Jerusalem Pharisees never paused their surveillance on Him and not finding Him in Jerusalem, went to Galilee. Meeting Him with His disciples there, they renewed their previous condemnations of His disciples for not following the traditions of the elders. Their reason was that His disciples did not wash their hands before eating. According to the laws of the Pharisee piety, before eating and afterwards, the hands had to be washed obligatory. Moreover, the Talmud determines precisely the required measure of water; the time and order of washing the hands, depending on the fact if there were more than 5 people, or if there were less. Following these rules was supposed to be so important that those who violated them, were subjected to the Sanhedrin’s punishment — up to excommunication. The Jews believed that Moses received two sets of commandments on the Sinai: the one was recorded in books, while the other was not, and passed orally from fathers to sons, and thereafter was eventually recorded in the Talmud. That second law was named "the elders’ traditions", i.e. the traditions of the ancient men, ancient rabbis. The unwritten law was remarkable for its great pettiness. Thus, for example, the law on washing the hands, initially inspired by the strife for hygiene and was useful by itself, became a prejudice and together with the similar requirements, obscured the more important demands of the law of God, becoming senseless and harmful.

The disciples, with their Divine Teacher were working for a great matter, building God’s Kingdom on earth and did not have time to even eat bread (Mark 3:20, while the Pharisee’s demanded that they should strictly follow all these petty traditions. The Lord Himself responds to the Pharisees’ accusations: "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" (Mat. 15:3; Mark 7:9). "Through this, the Lord showed that the one sinning in great deeds should not note, with such solicitude, the minor transgressions of the others" (St. Chrysostom). Specifically, the Lord pointed out that in the name of their tradition, the Pharisees were violating the direct and definite commandment about honoring parents. This tradition permitted children to deprive their parents of the material support, if they declared their possessions as "Corban", i.e. as dedicated to God. And such dedication as a gift to God could include everything: a house, a field, sanctified and unsanctified livestock; at the same time, the one who dedicated could continue using his possessions by making a small payment into the temple’s coffer. But for that, he regarded himself free of any social obligations, even from the responsibility to take care of his parents — denying them even the very necessary for life and sustenance.

Calling the Pharisees hypocrites, the Lord ascribes Isaiah’s prophesy (29:13) to them, confirming that they honor God superficially, while their hearts are far away from Him; and it is futile to think that in such a way they are pleasing God, and fruitless that they are teaching the others to do the same thing. Addressing then all the people, the Lord further added that to expose the Pharisees: "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man" (Mat. 15:11; Mark 7:15). The Pharisees did not understand the difference between physical and moral cleanliness. They presumed that if food is unclean or is taken by the unclean hands, it was capable of soiling the person morally, making him unclean before God. But the Lord shows that what makes a person morally unclean is everything what comes out from an unclean heart.

However, sectarians and the other opponents of fasting, maintain a completely groundless presumption that these words of the Lord were against the fasts, established by the Holy Church. Naturally, the food entering the mouth does not make a person unclean, if this is not associated with gluttony, disobedience and other types of sinful inclinations of the heart. We fast not because we are afraid to desecrate ourselves with the non-Lenten food, but for the sake of making it easier to struggle with the other sinful passions, to conquer our sensuality, to train ourselves to curb our will through the obedience to the Holy Church determinations. For example, acknowledging that drunkenness is the evil, we do not assert that wine is the evil because it desecrates a person. The Pharisees got tempted because the Lord had no respect for the tradition of the elders, and evidently, not even for the Law of Moses, which established the strict difference between different types of food. The Lord calmed His disciples, calling the Pharisees "blind leaders of the blind" (Mat. 15:14), and so there was no need to follow the invented by them teaching: any similar teaching that does not emanate from God will be uprooted. Further on, the Lord explains to the Apostles that the food, coming through the mouth, bypasses the soul and is expurgated, not leaving any trace in the soul. But the sins that come forth from the mouth and heart of the man, desecrate him.

The Healing of a Canaanite Woman’s daughter.

(Mat. 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30).

Leaving Galilee, the Lord departed to "the region of Tyre and Sidon" (Mat. 15:21; Mark 7:24), i.e. to the heathen land of Phoenicia, to the northwest of Galilee, and their major towns of Tyre and Sidon. From the words of Saint Mark "and wanted no one to know it" (Mark 7:24), it can be assumed that the Lord’s aim of departing into the midst of other tribe’s population of different faith was to be alone for a while; to rest from the ubiquitous crowds following Him constantly in Galilee, and perhaps from the implacable hatred of the Pharisees. "But He could not be hidden" (Mark 7:24), because the woman, who Saint Matthew calls a Canaanite, while Saint Mark — a Syrian-Phoenician, heard about Him. According to Saint Mark’s words, an evil spirit possessed this heathen woman’s daughter and she began asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. Aware from the Jews of the coming Messiah, she called Him "Son of David" (Mat. 15:22), thereby professing her faith in His Messianic worthiness. Testing her faith, the Lord "answered her not a word" (Mat. 15:23), so that even the disciples began to ask on her behalf. Jesus replied: "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mat. 15:24); after all, the Jews were God’s chosen people and it was to them that God’s Redeemer was promised, and to nobody else, and it was to them specifically, that He had to come in the first instance; to save them and perform miracles among them.

Wishing to discover the full measure of the woman’s faith in front of His Apostles, and to edify them, perhaps the Lord adapted His words in such a manner as to reflect the Jews’ idea of the heathens. Gradually getting closer to Jesus, the woman finally, on the words of Saint Mark, fell at His feet, pleading for her daughter to be healed. Although knowing her faith, but continuing to test her, the Lord refuses the woman with the words that might have seemed cruel, if they were not said by the Lord, filled with love for the suffering humanity. "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs" (Mat. 15:26; Mark 7:27). The meaning of these words is that the Lord did not withdraw from the chosen people, so as to take away His grace-giving miraculous power and dissipate it in the land of the heathens. Of course, those words were uttered so as to reveal before everyone the power of that woman’s faith, and also to show that even the heathens, when they believe, are worthy of God’s mercy — contrary to the contempt that the Jews nurtured towards them. Through her response to the Lord, the woman truly displayed the full stature of her faith, together with the extraordinarily depth of humility, by accepting the offensive name of a dog, being a heathen: "Yes Lord, yet even little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters table" (Mat. 15:27; Mark 7:28). Such great faith and deep humility were rewarded immediately: "O woman" — said the Lord — "great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire" (Mat. 15:28; Mark 7:29). And at that moment, the daughter of the Canaan woman was healed. This miracle is noteworthy in that it was performed at a distance from the ill person, just as the healing of the Centurion’s servant at Capernaum (Mat. 8:13), also the same heathen, whose faith also earned God’s praise.

The Healing of the Speech-Impeded Deaf Person.

(Mat 15:29-31; Mark 7:31-37.

The Lord came through the borders of the Decapolis from Phoenicia to the Lake of Galilee. This land represented a union of ten cities, which, with the exception of the city Scythopolis, was situated to the east of the lake of Galilee; from the time of the Assyrian captivity of Jews, the land was populated essentially by the heathens. On the way, the Lord healed a speech-impeded deaf individual, about what is narrated only by Evangelist Mark. Usually, the Lord healed only with His word. However, that time He led the afflicted person aside — apparently to evade idle curiosity of the semi-heathen crowd — inserted His fingers into the ailing person’s ears, and having spat, touched his tongue: apparently all that was done to arouse faith in the sick person — an essential prerequisite for healing — for he was deaf, and it was impossible to communicate with him. Looking up to heaven He sighed in prayer, so as to make clear to the surrounding people that He is healing through the Divine — and certainly not through demon’s power, as the Pharisees said of Him in the slanderous rumors. Having pronounced authoritatively "Ephphatha" (Mark 7:34), what means "open" in Syrian, the Lord healed him. As usual, He commanded the surrounding eyewitnesses not to tell anyone, in order perhaps not to excite the people and thereby not to arm the Pharisees further against Himself. But no matter how much He prohibited that, the more those who had witnessed the miracle told and repeated about what they had seen.

According to Saint Matthew, having passed through Decapolis, the Lord arrived at the Lake of Galilee, more than likely, from the east or the northeast. Here, as usual, masses of people awaited and followed Him, and wherever He stayed, there was an instant congregation of people. They brought to Him the lame, blind, mute, maimed and those suffering with different types of illnesses. Their faith in Christ’s miraculous power was so great that they did not ask Him for anything, but just silently placed the ill at His feet, "and He healed them" (Mat. 15:30). Seeing those miracles, the people "glorified the God of Israel" (Mat. 15:31), regarding Him, like the chosen people, as their own God.

The Miraculous Feeding of Four Thousand People.

(Mat. 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9).

The Lord spent three days with the people on the barren bank of the Gennesaret Lake. The supplies of bread were over, there was nowhere to buy it and the Lord performed the miracle of feeding the masses anew; that time — feeding four thousand with 7 loaves. On this occasion, there were 7 baskets of bread remaining. Having fed the people, the Lord let them go, while He and His Apostles made their way to the western bank in the boat, to the region of Magdala or, as Saint Mark notes, to the Dalmanuthian region. Dalmanutha was a small village beside the city of Magdala that was located on the western bank of the Lake of Galilee.

The Exposure of the Pharisees Seeking the Signs.

(Mat. 16:1-12; Mark 8:11-21).

As soon as the Lord stepped off the boat, the Pharisees and Sadducees approached Him, evidently waiting for Him specially. Normally, the Pharisees (the conservatives) and the Sadducees (the liberals/free thinkers) were hostile towards each other, but they were united in one spirit against the Lord. They tempted Him, hypocritically and insincerely asking Him to show them such a sign from heaven that would serve as a definite proof of His Divine worthiness as the Messiah to them and to the rest of people. Being convinced that the Lord would refuse them, they wanted to use that as another reason to proclaim to the people that because Jesus could not give them a sign, He could not be the Messiah. The Lord sternly answered the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites, because while knowing how to judge on the forthcoming weather, they did not want to notice the evident signs testifying of His Messianic worthiness. And again He told them that no signs would be given to them, "except the sign of the prophet Jonah" (Mat. 16:4).

Not wishing to continue conversing with the hypocrites, the Lord, having just arrived at that side of the lake, got back into the boat with the Apostles and went back. Such a rash did not give the Apostles an opportunity to replenish their bread supply. Meanwhile, grieving over the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and wishing to warn His Apostles of the same destructive state, the Lord said: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Mat. 16:11). Saint Mark replaces the word "Sadducees" with another — "Herod’s", which doesn’t change the meaning of the phrase, for Herod-Antipas belonged to the Sadducees sect. However, the Apostles did not understand the Lord’s warning, thinking that He was reproaching them for wasting the opportunity of obtaining bread. The Lord then truly chastised them for their lack of faith, for their lack of understanding and forgetfulness, and reminded them of the twice happened miracle of feeding several thousands with few loaves. Only then did the Apostles realize that the Lord was warning them against the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ teaching.

The Healing of a Blind Person in Bethsaida.

(Mark 8:22-26).

The miracle about which only Saint Mark narrates, the Lord performed after He and His disciples went to the eastern bank of the Gennesaret Lake. On the way to Caesarea Philippi, in the town of Bethsaida (also known as Julias, in the name of Tetrarch Philip’s daughter Julia), a blind person was brought to the Lord so that He could cure him with the touch of His hands. More than likely, he was not born blind, for with the first touch of the Lord’s hands, he announced that he could see trees and people; i.e. he was already aware of what people and trees looked like. Having cured him, the Lord acted as He did with the healing of the speech-impeded deaf individual: He led the man out of the settlement, spat on his eyes and his sight returned, not instantly but gradually, after the Lord laid His hands on him twice. Apparently, by His actions the Lord once again was trying to arouse faith in the man, which was essential for the performance of the miracle. Thereupon, the Lord sent him home, commanding him not to enter the settlement, and not to tell anyone there about the miracle.

Peter’s Confession: Jesus is Christ, the Son of God.

(Mat. 16:13-20; Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-21).

From Bethsaida-Julias, the Lord and His disciples headed towards the land of Caesarea Phillipi. This city (formerly known as Panis, located on the northern boundary of Naphtali tribe, at Jordan’s river-bed, at the foothill of the Mount Lebanon), was expanded and decorated by the Tetrarch Philip, and named Caesarea — in honor of the Roman Caesar (Tiberius). In the contrast to the other — Palestinian Caesarea, situated on the banks of the Inland Sea, this Caesarea was called Philippi.

While the Lord’s earthly life was coming to the end, the preachers of His Teaching, those chosen by Him, were not so well-prepared for their grand mission. Consequently, the Lord sought opportunities to be alone with them more frequently. In His conversations with them, He attempted to accustom them to the idea, that the Messiah is not an earthly king that will help the Jews to conquer all the nations of the world, but that the Messiah is the King, Whose Kingdom is not of this world, Who will suffer for the world, Who will be crucified and will then resurrect from the dead. And so it was during that long journey, being left alone with His Apostles and wishing to provoke the talk about Himself, the Lord said: "Who do man say that I, the Son of Man, am?" (Mat. 16:13; Mark 8:27 and Luke 9:18) The Apostles answered that the people had different opinions of Him: for example, the court of Herod-Antipas regarded Him as resurrected John the Baptist, while the people considered Him to be the one of the great Old Testament Prophets (Elijah or Jeremiah or some other one). There was a belief among the people that before the arrival of the Messiah, another prophet will precede Him, and not regarding very Jesus as the Messiah, they supposed Him to be just the forerunner of the Messiah.

The Lord then poses a direct question to His disciples: "But who do you say that I am?" (Mat. 16:15; Mark 8:29; and Luke 9:20) Then the "always fervent Peter", "the voice of the Apostles" — as Chrysostom called him, exclaimed: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mat 16:16; Mark 8:29 and Luke 9:20). With those words, Evangelists Mark and Luke limit the narration of that episode, stating that the Lord commanded them not to tell anyone about this. However, Saint Matthew adds to this, that the Lord praised Peter, telling him: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood had not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in Heaven" (Mat. 16:17).

With those words, the Lord showed to Simon-Peter that he should not regard his faith as the result of his watchful mind, for it is the precious gift from God. "And I also say to you, — adds the Lord in the sense that, well you told Me, now I am telling you: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it" (Mat. 16:18). It was at the first meeting that the Lord named Simon as Peter in Greek, or Cephas in Syrian-Chaldean, meaning "a rock" (John 1:42). Then, He as if was witnessing that Peter was justifying the name given to him, and that he by the firmness of his faith is truly a rock. However, can an assertion be made that through these words, the Lord promises to establish His Church on Peter’s personality — just like the Roman Catholics are doing, trying to justify their false teaching on the primacy of the Roman Pope, as the successor of Apostle Peter, over the whole Christian Church?

Certainly not! If the Lord had in mind very Peter’s personality, He would have said something like this: "You are Peter, and I shall build My Church upon you!" However, what was said was totally different, which is especially evident in the Greek text of the Gospel, which it is necessary to consult in the cases of misunderstanding. The word Petros is not repeated there, although it too means a rock. What is used is the word petra, meaning a cliff. From this, it is clear that the Lord addressing Peter promises to establish His Church not on him but on that faith, which Peter displayed, i.e. on the great truth that "Christ is the Son of the Living God". This is the way how Saint Chrysostom and other great Fathers of the Church interpreted this extract. Under the word "rock" they understood the confession of faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Son of God, or even simply faith in very Jesus Christ, Who is often mentioned in the Holy Scripture as a rock (e.g. Exodus 28:16; Genesis 4:11; Romans 9:33; 1 Cor. 10:4).

It is remarkable that Apostle Peter himself in his first Epistle calls Jesus Christ as the stone, but not himself. He encourages the faithful to approach the Lord "as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious" (1 Peter 2:4), and themselves would "be as living stones" (1 Peter 2:5), being a part of the spiritual dwelling. Apparently, Peter is teaching the faithful to walk on the same path as he had done, having become "Petros" after confessing his faith in Christ the Rock.

Thus, the meaning of this profound and wonderful statement of Christ is in the following: "Blessed are you Simon, the son of Jonah, because you comprehended this not through the human means, but through My Heavenly Father’s revelation; and I shall tell you that it was not by chance that I named you Peter, having affirmed Myself on what you have confessed as on a rock; you will truly remain the rock and My Church will be erected indestructible; no hostile forces of hell will be able to conquer It".

The expression "the gates of hell" was characteristic of the eastern customs of those times: because of the possibility of attacks, the gates of a city or a fortress were always especially reinforced, and there the people in authority gathered for various deliberations, trials and punishment of the guilty individuals, as well as for other societal matters.

Apparently, the further promise was given to Peter alone: "And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven" (Mat. 16:19).

The same promise was later given to all the Apostles and is the part of the authority of the Apostles and their successors — bishops: to judge and punish sinners, up to their excommunication from the Church. The power to loose means the authority to forgive sins, accepting people into the Church through confession and baptism. After the Lord’s Resurrection, this grace was granted by Him to all the Apostles equally: "So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’" (John 20:21-23).

The Lord prohibited His disciples to speak of Him as of Christ, so as not to inflame passions among the people, as they had the false understanding of the Messiah.

The Lord Foretells His Death and Resurrection.

(Mat. 16:21-28; Mark 8:31-38 and 9:1; Luke 9:22-27).

The Lord summons the disciples for professing Him as the Messiah and the Son of God, and notifies them of the sufferings awaiting Him in Jerusalem in order to prepare them to the thought about the earthly fate of the Messiah, and also to refute the Jews’ sensual ideas of the Messiah and to consecrate them into the great Mystery of His redeeming exploit. Although already deeply devoted to the Lord, but still not free from the Jews’ ideas of the Messiah as of the earthly king, ardent and decisive Peter could not tolerate such a revelation of his deeply beloved Teacher, but, not wishing to disagree with Him in front of everyone, Peter takes Him aside saying: "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (Mat. 16:22). These words express the thought that suffering and death are incompatible with the worthiness of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, as the Son of God. The Lord responds to this with indignation: "Get behind Me, satan!" (Mat. 16:23; Mark 8:33). He clearly felt that it was not Peter that was saying that to Him — attempting to turn Him aside from the forthcoming sufferings — but the seducer-satan himself, taking advantage of Peter’s pure feelings, wanted Christ’s human nature to hesitate before His exploit of redeeming mankind. The remarkable thing is that the Lord, having just recently named Peter "a rock" suddenly calls him "satan"; this disproves the false Roman-catholic teaching that Christ’s Church was built upon Peter’s human personality. Can the foundation of Christ’s Church, when "the gates of hades shall not prevail against it", be so mutable, inconstant and unreliable? And if we are to take all of Christ’s words literally, we would be obliged to come to the completely absurd, yet strictly logical, from the catholic point of view, conclusion that the Church is established on satan!

The Lord further says: "You are an offence to Me!" (Mat. 16:23). Here, the Lord means that Peter, "in opposing Him and in wishing that the aim for which the Lord came and which has the eternal pre-destination of God not to happen, he becomes an obstacle" (Evph. Zigaben). And the Lord adds: "You are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (Mat. 16:23; Mark 8:33). In other words, the Lord wants to say that Peter is not thinking of that what is pleasing God, and what He had predetermined concerning the sufferings and death of the Messiah but about that, what is advantageous to the Jews: treating the Messiah as an ordinary person — although the powerful king-conqueror. It is natural for a person to preserve his life, avoid sufferings and strive for contentment and earthly pleasures and delights. But this is the path upon which the devil tries to attract people, wishing their destruction. This is not Christ’s path and that of His genuine followers. "If anyone desires to come after Me (be a faithful follower), let him deny himself (deny yourself, reject your natural will and inclinations), and take up his cross (condition yourself in such a way, in order be ready for any deprivations and sufferings, including death, for the sake of Christ), and follow Me (imitate Christ in His exploit of self-renouncement and self-denial). "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it (in the sense of earthly blessings), but whoever loses his life for My sake (who will not spare himself for Christ) will find it (will save his soul for eternal life). For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world (will attain all the world’s honors and pleasures, acquire all its impermanent treasures for his personal use) and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mat. 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-37 and Luke 9:23-25). The human soul is more precious than all the treasures of the world, and the ruined soul it would not be possible to save with anything, with none of the earthly treasures.

The Lord couples the thought about the eternal destruction of the people that maintain themselves for this world only, with the thought of His Second and Dread Coming, when each one will get rewards "according to his works" (Mat. 16:27). This is the important thought, as it refutes the Protestant and sectarian assertions that good deeds are not important in order to be saved. Evangelists Mark and Luke similarly report of the other important words of the Lord: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation (he who is ashamed to be in the number of the followers of Christ, particularly to fulfill the commandment of carrying his cross), of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed (will refuse to recognize him as His follower) when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy Angels (on the Judgment Day)" (Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26).

The Lord concluded this conversation with the following significant words: "Assuredly I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His glory" (Mat. 16:28; Luke 9:27). Those words gave (and are still giving) cause for some people to conclude about the nearness of the Second Coming of Christ — tempting them to think that the prophecy was not fulfilled. However, the other two Evangelists — Saints Mark and Luke — define this, making it possible to understand the Lord’s words correctly. Saint Luke conveys it so: "But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:27). Saint Mark adds to that: "They will see the Kingdom of God present with power" (Mark 9:1). From these words, it can be seen clearly that the conversation is not of the Lord’s Second Coming, but of the revelation of God’s Kingdom, i.e. about its blessed power on earth among the faithful — about establishing Christ’s Church. So "the Kingdom of God present with power" is Christ’s Church, established by the Lord, which dissemination across the face of the whole world many of His disciples and contemporaries were worthy to see.

The Transfiguration of the Lord.

(Mat. 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36).

All the three Evangelists narrate about this event; moreover, it is worthy to note that they all link it to the Lord’s sermon, made six days — 8 days according to Luke – prior to His forthcoming sufferings, about the carrying of the cross by His followers and about the imminent revelation of God’s kingdom, coming with power. Taking His closest and trusted disciples, who were with Him during the most triumphant and important moments of His earthly life — Peter, James and John — the Lord "led them up on a high mountain by themselves" (Mat. 17:1; Mark 9:2 and Luke 9:28). While the Evangelists do not name this mountain, the ancient Christian traditions unanimously testify that it was the Mount Tabor in Galilee, to the south of Nazareth, on the magnificent Israeli plain. This majestic mountain, the height of which is nearly 3000 feet, is covered halfway up with the beautiful vegetation, and the magnificent long-distant panorama presents itself from its top.

The Lord "transfigured before them", appearing before His disciples in all His heavenly glory, from which "His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light" (Mat. 17:2), while according to Saint Mark (9:3), "His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them", and Saint Luke (9:29) simply states: "His robe became white and glistening". Evangelist Luke also makes an important supplement, pointing out that the purpose of going up the mountain was to pray and that the Lord transfigured, "as He prayed" (Luke 9:29). The same Evangelist, as distinct from the others, adds that during the prayer, "Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep" (Luke 9:32) and having just awakened, saw the transfigured Lord’s glory and appearing in glory Moses and Elijah. They talked with Jesus Christ, as St. Luke clarifies, about His end, which He had to face in Jerusalem. As Saint John Chrysostom explains that the reason why especially Moses and Elijah appeared was because some of the people regarded Christ as Elijah, or as one of the Prophets. That is why "the major Prophets appear, in order to differentiate the servant from the Lord". Moses appeared to show that Jesus was not a violator of his law, which is what the Scribes and Pharisees often attempted to present Him as. Neither Moses — through whom God’s Law was given — nor Elijah would not present themselves or follow the orders of the One, Who was not truly the Son of God. The appearance of the deceased Moses and Elijah, who had not seen death as he was taken up to Heaven alive, denoted the Lord Jesus Christ’s sovereignty over life and death, over the heaven and earth. The particularly amazing, grace-filled feeling that overwhelmed the Apostles’ souls was expressed by Saint Peter’s exclamation: "’Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’ — not knowing what he said" (Luke 9:33; Mat. 17:4 and Mark 9:5). It was as though Apostle Peter wanted to say: it’s better not to return to the distant world of hatred and slyness, where sufferings and death await you. Evangelist Mark, undoubtedly from Peter’s own words, testifies that the feeling of joy so overwhelmed Peter, "he did not know what to say" (Mark 9:6).

A miraculous cloud — being an indication of the exceptional Divine presence — enveloped them (a similar cloud that was constantly present in the Holy of Holiest was called "sheheena" — 1 Kings 8:10-11). The voice of God the Father was heard from the cloud: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him" (Mat. 17:5; Mark 9:7 and Luke 9:35). The same words were heard during the Lord’s Baptism, but with an addendum "Hear Him", which must remind of Moses’ prophecy about Christ (Deut. 18:15), while its fulfillment is found in the persona of Jesus. So as not to arouse the sensate feelings of the Jews about the Messiah, the Lord directed His Apostles not to reveal this to anyone until His resurrection from the dead. Saint Mark adds a detail taken from Peter’s own words, that the disciples "kept this word to themselves" (9:10), bewildered, why the Lord had to die to resurrect later, and what means: "rising from the dead" (9:10).

Totally convinced that the Teacher Jesus is truly the Messiah, they inquire: "Why then do the Scribes say that Elijah must come first?" (Mat. 17:10; Mark 9:11). And the Lord confirms that indeed, "Elijah is coming first and will restore all things" (Mat. 17:11; Mark 9:12) (in Greek — apokatastisi, i.e. to restore). Just as the Prophet Malachi prophesied: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:5-6), i.e. it is necessary for Elijah to appear in the world and restore the original good and pure feelings in people’s souls, without what the Messiah’s work would not be successful, for it would not find the favorable ground in people’s hearts barnacled with sin and hardened by their ongoing iniquitous lifestyle. The Lord continues further: "But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished" (Mat. 17:12; Mark 9:13), i.e. Elijah had already come like John the Baptist, who was endowed by God with Elijah’s power and spirit — but they did not recognize him, threw him into a dungeon and put him to death. The Lord concludes His thought like this: "Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands" (Mat. 17:12; Mark 9:12), i.e. just as they did not recognize Elijah and killed him, so they will not recognize the Messiah and also put Him to death.

The Healing of the Possessed Adolescent.

(Mat. 17:14-23; Mark 9:14-32 and Luke 9:37-45).

Of this healing is narrated by all the three synoptic, indicating that it was performed by the Lord, directly after He came down from the mountain of Transfiguration. During that time, many people gathered around Christ’s disciples, waiting for Him at the foot of the mountain. According to Saint Mark, the disciples were arguing with the Scribes. The same Evangelist testifies that seeing Christ descending from the mountain, "all the people were greatly amazed". Apparently, this was because His face and His whole appearance retained some of the glow of that glory, in which the Lord glistened at Tabor. A man came to the Lord with an appeal to cure his son who, with every new moon frenzied and suffered greatly by throwing himself first into the fire, then water. With that, he added that he had already brought him to His disciples, but they were not able to cure him. Hearing about His disciples’ failure to heal, even though He gave them the power over the evil spirits, the Lord exclaimed: "O faithless generation (not having faith), how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?"

Some interpreters assign the Lord’s reproach to His disciples, because they were unable to cure the possessed because of their lack of faith, while the others — to all the Jewish people. Saint Matthew then narrates that the Lord directed the youth be brought to Him, and "rebuked the demon, and it came out of him". Evangelists Mark and Luke bring up some additional detail. When the youth was brought before the Lord, he went into a frightening fit of frenzy. To the Lord’s question, how long the youth had been that way, the father replied that since infancy, adding: "But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us". To that, the Lord said: "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes". Shedding tears, the father of the unfortunate youth cried out: "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" i.e. he humbly acknowledged that his faith was not complete, insufficient. Such humble confession was rewarded: the youth was released from the demon.

When the disciples inquired as to why they could not cast the demon out, the Lord replied: "Because of your unbelief". Perhaps learning from the father about the strength of the demon, the length of his presence and the tenacity of possession, that time they doubted that they could cast him out, and therefore failed to do so, just as Peter, having commenced walking on the water towards the Lord, and then seeing the strong wind and waves, began to have doubts in his ability to reach the Lord and started to sink. With that, the Lord added: "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you", i.e. even the smallest faith, if only it exists, is already capable to perform great miracles, because it contains the great power — similar to that hidden in a mustard seed nondescript in appearance, yet eventually growing into a huge tree. However, one should not think that faith has its own power: it is but an essential condition, with which God’s almighty power works. Faith is like the conductor of His almighty power. Naturally, God can perform miracles even with insufficient faith, like He cured the possessed youth, notwithstanding his father’s little faith. "All things are possible to him who believes" means, that the Lord is ready to do anything for a person, having his faith as the condition. Faith is like the receiver or bearer of God’s grace, which works wonders.

In conclusion, the Lord said: "However, this kind (i.e. demonic) does not go out except by prayer and fasting." This is because there is no genuine faith without the exploits of prayer and fasting. Genuine faith begets prayers and fasting, which in their turn further assist in strengthening it more. That is why the Orthodox Church chants praise prayer and fasting are the double-edged weapons against demons and passions. "Demons can sense a person that fasts and prays from afar," -- says Saint Theophan, the Recluse of Vyshensk, — "and flee from him so as not to receive a painful blow. Can it be surmised that where there is no fasting and prayer, there are demons? — Yes, it can be".

During that stay in Galilee with His disciples, the Lord once more "taught His disciples and said to them, ‘The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.’ But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him" (Mark 9:31-32). The Lord saw that it was especially at that time, that His disciples needed to know about the closeness of His sufferings, death and resurrection. Consequently, in order to prepare them for this, He reiterates that to them to fix it in their memory more firmly. However, they, who not yet renounced the usual Jewish ideas of the Messiah, found all that incomprehensible.

The Miraculous Payment of the Temple Tax.

(Mat. 17:24-27).

They required from the Lord Jesus Christ to give money for God’s temple, as though for God. Of course, as the Son of God, He should have been free from the payment. However, not wanting to give a new reason for the accusations in violating the law, and not having any money with Him, He showed Apostle Peter where and how to obtain the required statir, i.e. 4 drachmas, to pay the tax for the both of them. This miracle, according to the Gospel interpreter Bishop Michael, directly testifies about the Divinity of Lord Jesus: "If He knew that the first fish that Peter would catch had a swallowed statir in its mouth, then He is omnispective. If He knew that the fish had a statir in its mouth, then He is omnipotent".

The Talk about Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mat. 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48).

After the miraculous payment of the Temple tax in Capernaum, the disciples began an argument about who was the greatest among them, i.e. who would have preeminence in power and honor in that Messiah’s kingdom, which they expected to be revealed shortly. With that, they approached the Lord "saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’" The Lord’s response is direct and definite, aimed against any inclinations among His disciples towards supremacy: "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all". It is as though the Lord is saying: "Don’t strive for primacy in My Church, because this is connected with the greatest labors and greatest self-renouncement, and not peace and glory as you imagine". Having called a little child — who, according to Nicephorus’s testimony, further on became holy martyr Ignatius God-bearer, the Bishop of Antiochia — the Lord put him in the middle of His disciples and pointing at him said: "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven". In other words, if you do not abandon your false opinions about the Messiah’s kingdom and your conceited hopes to obtain the first places in that kingdom, then you shall not be able to enter it. Children have pure heart. They do not have preconceived thoughts about fame or possession. They are meek and humble, they do not have envy and vainglory yet, and the desire to be first — the qualities that should be imitated by those who wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven" — only the one who would humble himself, acknowledge his unworthiness to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, regard himself less worthy than the others, will appear as the greatest. Therefore, the one who would set aside the imagined self-importance, who would turn away from ambition and pride towards humility and meekness, and become as diminutive as a little child, would have the greater significance in the Heavenly Kingdom.

At the same time, the Lord taught His disciples a lesson on the interrelationship between the Members of Christ’s Kingdom: "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me", i.e. anybody who will treat these little children — or any meek and humble people, akin to the children — with love in the name of Christ, i.e. to fulfill My commandment about loving all the weak and humiliated, will do it as though for Me Personally. Here the speech of the Lord, narrated by Evangelist Matthew without a break, according to Evangelists Mark and Luke, was interrupted with Apostle John’s words about the man, casting the demons out with the name of Christ.

Working Wonders in Christ’s Name.

(Mark 9:38-41 and Luke 9:49-50).

The Lord’s words about the fact, that whoever, receiving anyone that is weak, timid and humble resignedly receives Christ Himself, reminded Apostle John of the seen by the Apostles person, casting out demons with Christ’s Name. But because he did not follow them, they prohibited him to do this. Apparently, Apostle John’s tender and sensitive heart felt that in that case the Apostles acted opposite to the Lord’s teachings. From the fact, that they left everything and followed Christ, as well as they became the part of His twelve closest and most trusted disciples, and accepted the grace of healing, they derived the reason for superiority and regarded themselves to have the right to prohibit the use of Christ’s name to the person who did not belong to their group. Meanwhile, during the evident hostility of the leaders of the Jewish people, it was not safe to be an apparent disciple of Christ and to follow Him everywhere. Consequently, the Lord had many secret disciples, among which, as it is known, was Joseph of Arimathea. Probably, the Apostles came upon one of such disciples when he was casting out the demons with Christ’s name, yet did not dare to follow Christ openly.

the Apostles refused to recognize him as one of them and forbad him to continue his activity, motivating it by the fact that he did not go with them. The Lord Jesus Christ did not approve of their action. "Do not forbid him", he told them, because the one, who performs a miracle with My Name, undoubtedly believes in Me; the one who believes in Me cannot be My enemy, at least not now and in the nearest future. "For he who is not against us is on our side"; consequently, do not forbid the performance of good deeds in My Name to those who, for some reason, do not openly declare themselves as My disciples; on the contrary, assist them and know that everyone who gives a helping hand to any of My followers in My name, even if it is just a cup of cold water to quench the thirst, "he will by no means lose his reward". The Lord spoke totally different about people that were like a meadow, which was well watered yet remained fruitless: if such people "are not for Christ", if they are neither cold nor hot, this already means that their inner being is "against Him" (Mat. 12:30).

The Teaching about the Struggle with Temptations.

(Mat. 18:6-10; Mark 9:42-50; Luke 17:1-2).

The Apostles’ argument on the primacy, the child embraced by the Lord, the news of a man casting out demons with Christ’s name — directed the Lord’s conversation towards the protection of the small and the weak, against temptations, to which they may be subjected by the powerful of this world: "But whoever cause one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea", — whoever tempts one of Christ’s followers, it would be better for him to die, because through temptation he can destroy the man’s soul for which Christ died. Consequently, that person is committing the greatest crime, deserving the most severe punishment. The word "millstone" means a large upper stone at the mill that was put into motion by a donkey. The Lord continues with a heavy heart: "Woe to the world because of offences! For offences must come", as the world cannot avoid temptations because it is immersed in the evil (1 John 5:19), people are in the state of sinful destruction while the devil constantly searches of prey among the people. However, this does not mean that it is permissible to tempt. On the contrary: "Woe to that man by whom the offence comes!" — woe to him that deliberately, or in contempt, or neglecting the neighbor, involves him into a sin. In order to show what enormous evil a person commits when he tempts, the Lord reminds anew of the sayings in His Sermon on the Mount, regarding the arm or leg that tempts. The expression that it is necessary to cut the tempting arm or leg off, either to pluck the tempting eye out and cast them away, means that there is no greater evil for a person than to sin. Consequently, in order to avoid falling into a sin, it follows, if necessary, to sacrifice that which is closest and dearest, so as to avoid the sinful downfall. Saint Mark’s expression: "Where their worm does not die" presents sinners in the image of a corpse that is being devoured by worms, where a worm is a symbol of conscience that incessantly tortures at the person with recollections of past transgressions (Isaiah 66:24).

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire" — every person has to be subjected to sufferings: consequently, the one who had not suffer in his earthly life, deadening and subduing his passions (1 Cor. 9:27), will suffer in the fire of eternal flames. Just as every sacrificial offering to God had to be seasoned with salt in accordance with the Law of Moses (Lev. 2:13), likewise, the flames of misfortune, trials and struggle must prepared the Apostles and all His followers as a sacrifice, pleasing God.

"Have salt in yourselves", i.e. those highest moral elements and rules, which cleanse the soul and protect it from the moral decay — the salt of genuine wisdom and sound teachings (Col. 4:6). "And have peace with one another", peace, as a fruit of love, as an expression of completeness, achieved through self-renouncement. One should not think of who is greater in the Kingdom of Heaven, because this can lead to divisions, dissatisfaction and animosity; but about how to be "salt" and be in peace and unity of love among themselves.

The Parable about the Lost Sheep.

(Mat. 18:10-20 and Luke 15:3-7).

This sermon depicts the boundless love and mercy of God towards the fallen human. "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones" — do not despise, almost the same as "do not tempt" i.e. do not regard them as being so insignificant as to find it unimportant to even tempt them; "those little ones" i.e. those that have, for Heavenly Kingdom’s sake, belittled themselves, — the genuine Christians. Each one of them has his Guardian Angel from God; therefore if God Himself is concerned about them, so might the people despise them? "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost" — this new encouragement is to not despise these little ones, because the Lord Himself came down to earth for their salvation. In order to show more evidently how dear the salvation of mankind in the eyes of God is, the Lord compares Himself to a shepherd, who leaving the whole flock, i.e. the countless legions of Angels, went searching for one lost sheep — the fallen man.

As Blessed Theothylactus explains, the meaning of this sermon is "that God is concerned about converting sinners, and rejoices over them more than over those confirmed in righteousness". Then follow the Lord’s directives on how to correct the neighbor, which is tightly bound with the prohibition of tempting him. If enticing the neighbor is contrary to love, then it is no less contrary to love to allow him to remain in sin and not worry about his correction when he sins. But this has to be done carefully, with brotherly love: initially, one should expose him privately, and if he acknowledges his sin and condemns himself, then "you have gained your brother", acquired that person, who was lost through the sin and ceased to be a member of Christ’s Kingdom, anew. If he does not listen to your brotherly exposure and admonishment, being persistent in his sin, then it is necessary to take one or two more people, who will be the witnesses of that brother’s persistent pausing in the sin, and at the same time will influence and encourage him to repent (the Law of Moses demanded that in all court matters, there had to be two or three witnesses present — Deut. 19:15). If he does not listen even to them, "tell it to the Church".

Here, the term "Church" naturally does not mean the whole community of believers but those placed in Its charge — the presiding clergy, the pastors to whom there has been given the authority to bound or to release. "But if he refuses even to hear the Church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector", i.e. if he had taken root in his sin so that he does not care about the authority of the Church pastors, then let him be excommunicated from the communication with you, just as all heathens and tax-collectors were excluded from the communication with the Jews, because they were regarded as the extremely defiled people. The meaning of the statement is such: the person who does not recognize the authority of the Church should not be regarded as your brother; put an end to your brotherly communication with him so as not to become infected with his sickness. Such obdurate sinners that reject the authority of the Church hierarchy are totally expunged from the Church, as it is shown by Apostle Paul’s example in 1 Corinthians 5^th Chapter. These words of Christ provide the foundation from the apostolic times on which the Church practices excommunication called "anathema", which is in full accord with Corinthians 16:22.

"Anathema" does not mean "curse", as many contemporary people think, condemning the Church, as though permitting the act against the Christian love. "Anathema" (excommunication) is the extreme enlightening measure for the persistent sinners, unwilling to change, and also for warning the others against following them. This right was given to the Church hierarchy by the Lord Himself, Who said: "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven." That, what was previously promised to Peter (16:19), now is being promised to all the Apostles. The Apostles passed this authority to bind or loose the sins to their successors — the pastors of the Church that have been placed to continue their work on earth. But in any other situation, when Christ’s Apostles join for a united prayer, concerning any need, the Lord promises to fulfill their desire, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them".

The Parable about the Unmerciful Debtor.

(Mat. 18:21-35 and Luke 17:3-4).

The Lord’s edification about the forgiveness of the sinned and repentant brother, caused Peter’s question as to how many times one should forgive the brother. The question was raised because according to the Jewish Scribes’ teaching, one might forgive only for three times. Wishing to surpass The Old Testament righteousness and appear generous, Peter asks if it is sufficient to forgive up to seven times. To that, the Lord responded that one had to forgive until seventy times seven, i.e. one needs to forgive always, the unlimited number of times. As an explanation for such constant and boundless all-forgiveness, the Lord narrated the parable about the merciful king and the unmerciful debtor. In this parable, God appears as a king, to whom his servants owe the certain sums of money. Similarly, the man appears as a debtor before God, because he does not have good deeds, which he is obliged to do, but sins instead. "To settle accounts" means to demand the debt to be paid, which is depicted in the Parable through Gods demand of the account of every person at the Dread Judgment, and partly, at the individual judgment after the death of each man.

The debtor that owed ten thousand talents represents every man-sinner who appears before God as an unforgiven debtor. Ten thousand talents is an enormous sum: one Jewish talent equaled 3000 sacred shekels, while in turn a shekel was worth 80 Russian silver kopeks. Therefore, one talent equaled 2400 silver rubles. Instead of an uncertain sum, the specific amount of the debt is nominated here. In accordance with the laws of Moses — Leviticus chp.25; the king ordered the unforgiven debtor to be sold. However, having mercy on him after his diligent plea, the king forgave him his debt.

This is a wonderful example of God’s mercy towards every penitent sinner. The forgiven debtor, locating his agent who owed him some 100 denarii, (one denary being worth 20 cents) — an amount that could not be compared to the first sum — started choking him (according to the Roman laws, the lender could torment his debtor until the amount was paid), demanding the repayment of that insignificant amount. He did not have mercy on him, in spite of his plea to wait and put into a jail. Having seen that and feeling upset, his friends went and told about all that to the king. Angered by the evil servant’s actions, the king summoned him, and after giving him a severe reprimand for not following his example of mercy towards his debtor, he was handed over to his tormentors, until the time, when he would pay his debt — i.e. forever, as he will be in no position to repay such a huge sum ever (a sinner is saved only through God’s mercy — he, with his own forces, is never in the position to satisfy God’s just judgment, just like the unforgiven debtor).

The meaning of the parable is briefly expressed in the last 35^th verse: "So My Heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses". Through this parable the Lord wishes to suggest us that as all of us sin so much, so that we appear before God as unforgiven debtors; the sins of our brothers against us are as insignificant as that sum of 100 denarii — in comparison with the huge sum of 10,000 talents; however, through His boundless mercy, the Lord forgives us our sins only if we, in our turn, reveal the merciful attitude towards our neighbors and forgive them their sins against us; although, if we show ourselves cruel and merciless towards our neighbors and do not forgive them, then the Lord will not forgive us, but will subject us to eternal tortures. This parable appears to be a wonderful demonstrative explanation of the petition in the Lord’s Prayer: "and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors".

Christ Goes to the Feast of Jerusalem.

(John 7:1-9).

Having described in the 6^th chapter the Lord’s conversation with the Jews about Himself as of the "bread of life", Evangelist John narrates that after that the Lord walked in Galilee. As we have read above, the Lord’s long stay in Galilee and His works there are depicted in detail by the first three Evangelists. The Lord didn’t want to go to Judea, as "the Jews sought to kill Him," while His hour of suffering had not arrived yet. "Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand". This was one of the three main Jewish feasts (Pascha, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles) and was celebrated for 7 days from the 15^th day of the month of Tisrah, according to our calendar, at the end of September and the beginning of October. It was established in the memory of the 40-year-wandering of the Jews in the wilderness. The whole 7 days of the feast was spent by the people in the tents, especially constructed for this occasion. Because the feast was celebrated shortly after the harvest time, the celebrations were very merry with partaking of wine, which gave cause for Plutarch to compare it with the heathen celebrations in the honor of Bacchus. Before that feast day came, the Lord had not already visited Jerusalem for nearly one and a half years (from the second to the third, and from the third to the Feast of Tabernacles were nearly 6 months), and His brothers were suggesting Him to go to Jerusalem for the feast. They wanted the Lord to enter Jerusalem triumphantly, like the Messiah in the absolute miraculous manifestation of His power. The Lord’s rejection of human glory was not understandable to them, and was tempting them. "For even His brothers did not believe in Him" notes the Evangelist: they were perplexed about their named Brother and wished to be released from that state of perplexity; on the one hand, they could not deny His extraordinary deeds, being the witnesses of them; while on the other hand, they were unwilling to accept the man, with Whom they were in the ordinary earthly relations since their childhood, as the Messiah.

In that state of the spirit, they suggested Him to get out from such an uncertain (in their opinion) position which Jesus maintained. If He was truly the Messiah, why He was afraid to appear before the whole world in Jerusalem, as the Messiah should do? He must appear there in all His greatness and glory (the Interpretation of the Gospel by Bishop Michael). In reply, the Lord explains to His brothers that His appearance in Jerusalem has a meaning, which differed to that, maintained by the others, including His brothers. His brothers will not see any hatred towards themselves there, because they belonged there; while the Lord will be met with hostility as the denouncer of the evil deeds of the world. Consequently, they can go there whenever they wish, but He can go there not any time, but only at the appointed hour of His suffering for the world, determined from above. Having let his brothers go, the Lord remained in Galilee with the intention to come to the feast secretly, only in the company of His trusted disciples.

The Samaritans do not Accept Christ.

(Luke 9:51-56).

The Lord was already famous in Samaria, but the hostility between the Jews and Samaritans was such that He didn’t hope to meet the kind reception. Consequently, he sent some of His disciples in advance to predispose the Samaritans. It is unknown which settlement the Lord’s messengers visited. However, it can be surmised that it was probably located in the north of Samaria, closer to Galilee, one day traveling distance from there, where presumably they would stay overnight. "Because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem", the Samaritans apparently did not receive Him because of the deep hatred they had for the Jews. James and John, who were named by the Lord "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17), because of their spiritual strength and energy, and for their rash and strong impulses, got the fire of zeal because of the insult of their Teacher’s honor. Recollecting how the Prophet Elijah dealt with those that were sent to seize him, destroying them with fire from the heavens (2 Kings 1:9-12), they asked their Teacher if He wanted them, by their word, to bring down fire from heaven and destroy as well those Samaritans? Through God’s will, they had already performed many miracles while giving sermons throughout Judea; consequently, they didn’t feel incapable of performing such a miracle, should that be accepted by their omnipotent Teacher. To that, the Lord told them that they didn’t realize of what spirit they were: the spirit of the New Testament was different to the spirit of the laws of the Old Testament — there, it was the spirit of strictness and punishment, whereas here, it was the spirit of love and mercy, because the aim of the Son of Man’s coming was not to destroy, but to save (Mat 18:11). Apart from that, the Lord apparently wanted to point at the fact that in the given case, within the Apostles was not love towards Him, but sooner the feeling of animosity towards the Samaritans — and that old feeling of animosity towards people had to be forgotten by servers of the New Testament. Receiving such a reception, the Lord apparently returned to Galilee and went to Judea with the other way, which was usually used by the Jews through the-beyond-Jordan district of Perea. From the subsequent descriptions of Saint Luke, it is evident that the Lord was also in Galilee and Perea, and only went to Judea much later.

Sending Seventy Disciples to Preach.

(Luke 10:1-16).

At that time, i.e. when the Lord decided to leave Galilee permanently, as the hour of His sufferings on the cross came close, He chose other 70 disciples — additional to the 12 He had chosen previously — and sent them out in pairs into the areas that He would visit. That was done, so that the testimony of Christ would be stronger in the eyes of the people, and that they would be prepared for His arrival. The number 70 was honored by the Jews, as the numbers 40 and 7. The Sanhedrin consisted of 70 members. The names of those 70 disciples are not known with full certainty. "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few" — Samaria and Judea were not much resound with Christ’s sermon, while there were many souls there that had ripened like the ears of corn, ready for Christ’s granary, for His Church. The instructions given further on to the 70 disciples, remind us in many ways the instructions given to the 12 Apostles before, about which Saint Matthew narrates in the 10^th chapter of his Gospel. The prohibition of greeting people, met along the road, is repeated.

The explanation for such a prohibition is that the people of the East, did not express greetings like we do, with a slight bow or a handshake, but with bows to the ground, embracing and kissing, together with expressions of various good wishes, what required much time. Through that prohibition, the Lord tried to suggest His disciples the haste, with which they should visit the towns and villages. Exactly the same instructions were given in his time by the Prophet Elisha to his disciple Gehazi, when he sent him with his baton to resurrect the son of a widow (2 Kings 4:29). "Son of peace" means the peaceful man, ready to accept that peace, with which he will be greeted by the messengers of peace, the Lord’s disciples, into his heart. Directing them to eat what they are offered, the Lord prescribes to His disciples to be decorous, non-demanding and non-choosy. He also tells them to disregard that squeamishness, with which the Jews treated the Samaritans, as it was unworthy of the preachers of peace and love. The Lord concludes His edification with the warning of God’s punishment to those cities, where His power was revealed, but yet they did not repent. He also points out how important His disciples’ sermons should be for everyone: the one, rejecting them, rejects Him, and the one rejecting Him, rejects the One Who sent Him, i.e. Father-God.

Jesus at the Feast of the Tabernacles.

(John 7:10-53).

Having sent His brothers to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Tabernacles, the Lord went there Himself some time later, "but as it were in secret," i.e. not triumphantly — like on the eve of His last Pascha when He was going for His sufferings — without the crowds of people that usually accompanied Him, but quietly and unobtrusively. "What a sad gradation is in the Lord’s appearance in Jerusalem," notes Bishop Michael, the Gospel interpreter, "enforced, of course, not by His own actions, but by the increasing hostility of His enemies. On the first Pascha, He triumphantly appears in the temple as the Son of God, the Messiah, with authority (John chap. 2); on the second (chap. 5), He appears as a traveler, but His actions and sermons arouse animosity towards Him, and intents to kill Him. As a consequence, He doesn’t go to Jerusalem for the next Pascha at all, but keeps away from it for 18 months, after what He is forced to come there secretly!"

Verses 11 to 13 give the visual representation of what was occurring at that time in Jerusalem. Everybody was talking about Christ there. It is evident that His enemies kept a vigilant eye on Him, watched Him and His actions, at what pointed the question: "Where is He?" Among the people, there were many ideas of the most contradictory nature about Him — but nobody spoke openly "for fear of the Jews", which Evangelist John understands to be the usual hostile to the Lord party of the Jewish leaders, with the members of Sanhedrin and the Pharisees at the head. Saint Chrysostom and Blessed Theothylactus both surmise that people in general spoke well of the Lord, while the leaders spoke hostilely: "The leaders said that He was deluding the people, while the people said that He was kind". This is evident from the fact that the leaders stood out from the people saying that "He was deceiving the people". It was only mid-way through the feast, i.e. apparently, on its fourth day, when the Lord entered the temple and began to teach, i.e. probably, He was interpreting the Bible, which was the custom of the Jews.

Being aware that the Lord did not study at school under any known Rabbi, the Jews were amazed with His knowledge of the Scriptures that He was revealing. Characteristically, they were deaf to the content of His teachings, but fixed their attention only at the fact that He didn’t study. This indicates their contempt and hostility towards the Lord. The Lord then solved their puzzlement: "My doctrine is not Mine, but His Who sent Me". With that the Lord as though said to them: "I didn’t study at your Rabbi schools, but I have the perfect Teacher, Who is the Heavenly Father that had Sent Me". The means to be convinced in the divine source of this teaching lies in the man’s decision to do "the will of the Father". The one, who decides to carry out the will of God, will be convinced through the internal feeling that the teaching is from God. The term "the will of God" must be understood as the complete moral law of God: both the law of conscience, and the Old Testament law. The one who wishes to go along the path of moral completeness in fulfilling this law, then that person through the internal feeling will understand that Christ’s teaching is the divine teaching. The Lord underlines that saying that He preaches, to seek glory of the One, Who had sent Him, and not for Himself, as the One preaching His personal teaching. Keeping in mind the Jewish leaders, the Lord says further that they seek to kill Him for violating the law, which they themselves are not fulfilling.

Unaware of their leaders’ intentions to kill Jesus, the people thought the Lord’s words were said about them, and feeling hurt, some of them exclaimed: "Who is seeking to kill You?" and isn’t it the evil spirit that prompts You to say this? "You have a demon". From the Lord’s following sermon, it is evident that the cure of the paralytic on Saturday continued to be the subject of the talks, especially as the consequence of His opposition to the exaggerated importance of the Sabbath. The Lord points to the fact that good deeds may be performed on the Sabbath because, as an example, the circumcision occasionally takes place on the Sabbath so as not to violate the law of Moses, which decrees this be carried out on the 8^th day after birth. After this, one should not be amazed that He cured the whole person on a Sabbath. The Lord concludes His sermon by calling to judge about the law not according to its written word, the outer form but by its spirit, so that the judgment can be regarded as correct. "Moses, who broke the Sabbath with circumcision, you free from the exposure, but judge Me for breaking the Sabbath through the good deed, made to the man"— excellently comments Blessed Theothylactus. "It is as though Christ remonstrates to the Jews, ‘If you judged My act of healing from the moral point of view and not from the formal one, then you wouldn’t have condemned Me; then, your judgment would have been just and not biased’" (Bishop Michael).

This powerful sermon of the Lord made an extraordinary impression upon the Jerusalemites, who knew of the Lord’s enemies’ intentions; that is why they find it strange that seeking His death, they permit Him to speak freely, not opposing Him. Unable to explain this, they express their thought that perhaps their leaders have been convinced "that this is truly Christ". But immediately, they also express their doubts. According to the rabbis’ teaching, the Messiah had to be born in Bethlehem. He then had to disappear unnoticeably, and then reappear in such a way that nobody would be aware from where and how. In response to the Jerusalemites’ interpretations that He cannot be the Messiah-Christ because they know where He is from, the Lord, with particular solemnity, responds in a raised voice that although they state that they know Him, their knowledge is incorrect. "Assuming that you know Me, you state that I came from Myself, i.e. I am the self-appointed messiah; but I came not from Myself but am the true messenger of Him, Who you don’t know — God". Those words were particularly hurtful to the proud Pharisees and "they sought to take Him", but "because His hour had not yet come", i.e. the hour of His coming sufferings, their attempt was unsuccessful: "no one laid a hand on Him" because apparently His enemies were afraid of the people, who were predisposed towards Christ. Perhaps, it was because their conscience was not yet completely extinguished, as happened subsequently. Many among the people believed in Him as the Messiah, at the same time, as though objecting to the Lord’s enemies, exclaiming: "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?", i.e. in other words, they wanted to say that the signs and miracles, performed by Jesus sufficiently powerfully testify of Him as of the Messiah.

Having heard such talks of the people, the Pharisees arranged a meeting with the high priests. At the same time, deciding not to postpone the realization of their intentions, they sent their servants to seize the Lord. Responding to their plan to seize and kill Him, the Lord said: "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me" — that aroused within Him the thought of His forthcoming death, and He admonished the Jews to take advantage of His presence by learning from Him. The further words of the Lord have the following meaning: "Currently you are pursuing and persecuting Me, but the time will come when you will be seeking Me as the omnipotent wonder-worker, able to deliver you from your woes — but it will be too late". But the cruel Jews were not enlightened by the Lord’s words and began to mock at Him: "Where does He intend to go? Does He intend to go to the Jews living in the heathen countries ("Hellenic Dispersion"), so that He can preach to the heathens as we well (the term "Hellenes" usually meant heathens in general.) This was the unintentional prophecy of the future enlightenment of heathens through the faith in Christ.

"On the last day, that great day of the feast," i.e. the eighth day, which was assigned, according to the Book of Leviticus 23:36, to the seven-day feast of Tabernacles and was celebrated with special great solemnity, Jesus stood and exclaimed, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink". In these and further words, the Lord took advantage of the rituals that were performed during the Tabernacles’ feast day: at the end of the morning offering in the temple, the serving priest and the people went to the holy well of Siloam, where the priest filled a golden vessel with water; accompanied by the joyful cries of the people and the sounds of trumpets and cymbals, he carried it into the temple and poured it over the altar of burnt offerings, thereby performing the "sacrifice of libation", which was meant to be the reminder of how Moses produced water from a rock during the Jews’ wandering in the wilderness. At that time the people were chanting to the music the words of Prophet Isaiah (12:3), addressed to the Messiah. The Lord Jesus Christ compares Himself with the rock that gave water to the thirsty people in the wilderness, pointing to Himself as being the Source of goodness, the image of which was that very rock. The Lord also points out that whoever believes in Him will also becomes the source of goodness, which will quench the spiritual thirst of everyone that seeks salvation. The Evangelist explains that here, the Lord means the grace of the Holy Spirit, which had to be sent to the people after the glorification, i.e. after Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension.

The Lord’s words impressed the crowd: many among decisively passed to His side, acknowledging Him as a "Prophet," while some were openly saying that "this is Christ". The Pharisees began to suggest the people — who were not aware that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem — that He couldn’t be the Messiah: "Will the Christ come from Galilee?’ and this started to quarrel over Him. Wanting to carry out the orders of the authorities, the servants of the Sanhedrin attempted to seize Jesus, but every time they could not raise their arms: they didn’t dare to do that: evidently, their conscience told them that it would be a sin to touch such a man. Returning to their masters in such a mood, they confessed that the power of the Lord’s word was so mighty and overwhelming, that they couldn’t carry out their instructions. That answer caused a most annoyed response from the members of the Sanhedrin: "Are you also deceived?" To the servants, originating from the simple people, they say that none of the "rulers" or "Pharisees" started to believe in Christ. "But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed" — that is the expression of mad fury of the Jewish leaders against the common people that believed in Christ. They attempt to discredit that faith, explaining it as "the ignorance of the law." But there, Nicodemus (himself a Pharisee and the member of the Sanhedrin) spoke, deciding to show them bravely that they themselves were forgetting the law: "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" The law in Exodus 23:1 and Deut. 1:16 demands that the matter of the accused should be investigated and the empty rumors should not be accepted. That only aroused annoyance: "Are you also from Galilee?", i.e. only a Galilean could think like that. They didn’t notice that they were falsifying the history, because for example, Prophet Jonah was from Galilee.

The Judgment of the Adulteress.

(John 8:1-11).

This is narrated by Evangelist John only. Having spent the night in prayer on the Mount of Olives — situated to the east of Jerusalem, behind the Cedron flow where the Lord used to withdraw to for the night at the time of His visits to Jerusalem — He came to the temple in the morning and again began to teach people. The Scribes and Pharisees, endeavoring to "have something of which to accuse Him", brought the woman caught in the sin of adultery, and "testing Him" they said: "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" If the Lord would have said: "stone her", He would have been accused by them before the Roman authorities, because the right of proclaiming death sentences by the Sanhedrin would be revoked — especially, and especially the right to carry it out. On the other hand, if He would have said "release her", He would have been accused before the people as being a violator of Moses’ law. Stooping, the Lord wrote on the ground with His finger, "as though He did not hear".

The Evangelist does not reveal what He was writing, and it’s useless to try to guess what it was. The most common supposition is that the Lord in response was writing the sins committed by those who posed the question. As they persisted in getting the answer, the Lord lifted His head and told them: "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her". The Lord’s words produced the striking reaction on the not yet completely sleeping conscience of the Pharisees. Evidently, in recollecting their own sins — evidently, similar to that of the woman’s — they started to leave one after another, accused by their conscience, until the Lord was left alone with the woman. Thus, as we can see, the Lord responded to the cunningness of the Pharisees by shifting their question of guilt of the woman, from the abstract-legal realm into a moral one. In doing so, the Lord, as the answer to the tricks of the Pharisees, wisely transferred the question of condemning that woman from the abstract-juridical field into the moral one and placed the very accusers into a position of the accused before their consciences.

The Lord acted that way, because the Pharisees that had brought the woman, did not represent the legal court that was capable of determining a measure of punishment for her crime. They brought the sinner to the Lord with the evil intentions, exposing her to shame, talking scandals and condemning her, while forgetting about their own sins, of which they were accused by the Lord.

It is characteristic that the woman did not take advantage of the favorable moment and did not leave quickly. Evidently, her conscience and the penitent feelings awoke. This would explain why the Lord then said: "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more". Naturally, one shouldn’t interpret these words as not condemning the sin. The Lord came not to judge, but to seek out and save lost souls (Mat. 18:11; Luke 7:48; John 3:17; 12:47): That’s why He condemns the sin but not the sinners, wishing to predispose them towards repentance. Consequently, the words addressed to the adulteress have the following meaning: "I am not punishing you for your sins, but want you to repent: go forth and sin no more" — all the potency is in these final words. This extract of the Gospel teaches us to avoid the sin of judging the neighbor. Instead, it offers us to condemn ourselves for our personal sins and repent in them.

The Conversation with the Jews in the Temple.

(John 8:12-59)

This conversation, which apparently took place also on the next day after the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, the Lord applied another image from the history of the Jews and their wandering in the wilderness to Himself — that of the fiery column that miraculously lit the way for the Jews at night. The column contained Jehovah’s Angel, in which the Holy Fathers see the second Face of the Ever-Holy Trinity. And the Lord begins His conversation with the words: "I am the Light of the world". Just as in the Old Testament, the column of fire showed the Jews the way out of Egypt towards better life in the Promised Land, so Christ in the New Testament shows, not only to the Jews, but to all humanity, the way from the realm of sin into eternal life. The Pharisees, relying on the commonly accepted rule that no person can be a witness to his own works, objected that His witness about Himself cannot be accepted as genuine. To that the Lord responded with exceptional power, that the human statement cannot be applied to Him, that He cannot be judged "according to the flesh", as the Pharisees are doing, regarding Him as an ordinary person. "I know where I came from and where I am going" — these words, according to Saint Chrysostom, mean the same as: "I know that I am the Son of God and not an ordinary person". This admittance of His origin from God the Father by the Lord confirms the absolute authenticity of His testimony about Himself, as well as the impossibility of self-deception. The Lord adds: "My witness is also genuine from the formal point of view, because not only I testify of Myself, "The Father who sent Me bears witness of Me".

Having heard the Lord’s sermons about His Father sending Him many times, they, pretending not to understand, mockingly and blasphemously pose Him the question: "Where is your Father?" The Lord responds that they don’t know the Father because they don’t want to know the Son. Here is the concealed indication to the consubstantiality of God the Son with God the Father, to the fact that the Father revealed Himself to humanity in His Son. The Evangelist notes that this was uttered by the Lord "in the treasury", which was located close to the meeting-hall of the Sanhedrin that was hostile to the Lord. Although the Lord testified of His Messianic merit before, so to speak, in front of the eyes and ears of the Sanhedrin, "no one laid hands on Him" because the hour of His sufferings had not yet arrived: in other words, the people themselves didn't have any authority over Him. The hostile mood of the listeners turned the Lord’s thoughts anew towards the sufferings awaiting for Him, and He once again said about their hopeless situation, in which they will find themselves in, after He would gone, if they did not believe in Him as in the Messiah (verse 21): "Where I go you cannot come". Those words, once again, irritated them and caused their mockery: "Will He kill Himself?", i.e. if He was thinking of a suicide? Ignoring their rough mockery, the Lord points at their moral character that prompts that type of their behavior: "You are from beneath…", i.e. you have lost the ability to comprehend the Divine, heavenly; you judge about everything through the example of mankind, led by the earthly and sinful concepts, and therefore if you don’t believe in Me ("that I am He" — meaning the Messiah), "you will die in your sins". The Lord didn’t call Himself the Messiah once, but He spoke so transparently, explaining it though the other words, so that the Pharisees had to understand that. However, they pretended not to understand, as they didn’t want to hear that name from Him, and therefore they asked Him: "Who are You?"

Likewise to that question, the Lord didn’t give them the direct answer that they expected. The Lord’s answer is translated into Church-Slavonic too literally ("tin arhin" — "the beginning") — which is the peculiarity of the Church-Slavonic translation, prompted by the fear of sinning by not translating the Greek text inexactly — so consequently, it doesn’t respond to the thoughts enclosed within it; the Russian translation — "from the Beginning" — is also incorrect. According to the ancient interpreters, the meaning of the Lord’s answer is: "I am That, about what I was telling you from the beginning" or: "Didn’t I call Myself the Son of God — right from the start? And such I am". Continuing His speech about the sad moral state of the Jewish people, the Lord explains that He has to do this, for the One Who sent Him is the very truth, and He has to testify about the truth that He had heard from Him. Once again they didn’t understand that He was telling them about the Father. That’s why He further tells them about the time when they will involuntarily realize the truth of His teaching about Himself and His Father Who sent Him: this will happen when they would raise Him on the cross, because the death on the cross served as the beginning of the Son of God’s glorification, that drew everyone to Him: the subsequent events, such as Christ’s Resurrection, His Ascension into Heaven, the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles — all that testified about the truth of Christ’s teaching and His Divine mission.

These words produced the great impact on the listeners, so that "many believed in Him", and evidently, even some from the number of those Jews hostilely inclined towards Him before. There were those new believers which Lord addressed with His next sermon. He instructs them how to become and remain His genuine disciples. For this, they "must abide in His word": only then they will know the truth — which contains genuine freedom — and the truth will liberate them from sin. Then among the listeners, the voice of national pride was heard. "We are Abraham’s descendants" and the Abraham’s descendants were promised by God the dominion over the world, and the blessing of the world through us (Gen. 12:7; 22:17), "and have never been in bondage to anyone". Amid such a passionate and painful cry of exacerbated nationalistic conceit, they seemingly forgot about their Egyptian, Babylonian captivity and the current Roman one.

The Lord responds that He is speaking about the different type of captivity — the spiritual one, which every sinner finds himself in: "Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin". The one who is committed to sin, cannot remain in the Messiah’s Kingdom, where there should be absolute spiritual freedom and where everybody should realize that they are nothing but the children of the Heavenly Father. "And a slave does not abide in the house forever" because the master, being dissatisfied with him, can sell or send him away: such a position of a slave is contrary to that of the son who, as the inheritor of the whole house, cannot be sold or sent away, but remains the son forever. "As those sinning, you are the slaves of sin. You can receive genuine freedom and become the sons of God, only if you believe in the Begotten Son of God, abide in His word — and He will liberate you from the captivity of sin". Further on, the Lord tells them that He does not reject their origin from Abraham — but doesn’t recognize them as his genuine children in the spirit, since they seek to kill Him only because "His word has no place in them", i.e. found no favorable soil in their hearts for its growth.

As Abraham didn’t commit anything like the things they had, then their father is not Abraham or God as they keep on insisting, but the devil who "was a murderer from the beginning" because he injected the lethal disease of sin into humanity. Speaking of the devil, the Lord indissolubly connects the fact that he is an ancient murderer with that he is the enemy of the truth and "father of lies." Accordingly, speaking of Himself, the Lord sets the same tight link between His sinless nature and the fact that He teaches the truth. If the Jews are not accepting the truth of His teaching, then let them prove the sinfulness of His life: "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" However, if nobody can accuse the Lord of leading sinful life, then as a consequence of His piety, the Truth taught by Him must be accepted as inseparable with it. According to the Lord’s words, the Jews clearly demonstrate through their disbelief they "are not of God".

That provoked their violent indignation: "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" because only Samaritans and those possessed by the demon that hate us, the Jews, can deny our Abraham origin. The Lord quietly ignores this insult and states that through such talks, which seem to them as those of the possessed, He only honors to His Heavenly Father: I speak with you this way, because I "honor My Father" while you dishonor the One, Who says the truth to you on the behalf of the Father. "I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges" — and that is the Heavenly Father, Who will condemn those who reject His Son. Then, addressing those that believed in Him, the Lord speaks: "I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death" — of course, in the sense that "he will receive eternal life". The non-believers pretended that they understood the Lord’s words literally — concerning the natural, physical death — and again found a reason to accuse Him of being possessed: "Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?"

The Lord answers to this that He is not glorifying Himself, but is glorified by His Father, Whom He knows and Whose word He fulfils. He then shows His predominance over Abraham, as though saying to the Jews: "Yes, I am greater than your father Abraham, for I was the subject of his expectations during his earthly life, and upon his death, was the subject of his joy — in Heaven": "he saw it and was glad". Assigning that, what was said by the Lord about Abraham, to the earthly life, the Jews find another incongruity, in order to reproach the Lord again: "You are not 50 years old and You have seen Abraham?" The Lord gives to this reproach the decisive answer, which would be understood even by the Pharisees that were blinded by their own hatred: "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM", i.e. "I am more ancient than Abraham himself, because I am — Eternal God".

How definitely the Lord teaches here about His Divinity! The Pharisees understood that correctly, but instead of believing in Him, they became embittered, seeing only blasphemy in His words, and picked up stones to beat Him. However, having finished His testimony of Himself on a triumphant note and surrounded by His disciples and other people, the Lord merged with the crowd that filled the Church yard, "going through the midst of them, and so passed by".

The Healing of the Born Blind Man.

(John 9:1-41).

Evidently, this great miracle performed in the temple straight after the Lord’s sermon to the Jews about His Divine origin and worthiness, is narrated only by one Evangelist, John, and in detail. Seeing the man — known to be blind from birth — begging for alms, the disciples asked the Lord: "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" The Jews believed that all major misfortunes happened with people, as the punishment for their personal sins, or the sins of their parents, grandparents or great grandparents. This belief was based on the Law of Moses that declared that God punished children for the sins of their fathers, up to the fourth generation (Exodus 20:5), and on the Rabbi’s teaching, which asserted that a child could sin in his mother’s womb, for he could differentiate between right and wrong from the day of his conception. In response to His disciples’ question, the Lord indicates the purpose for the man’s blindness instead of the cause: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned", although, of course, being human beings, they were not without sin in general, "but that the works of God should be revealed in him", i.e. so that his healing would reveal that Christ was the "Light of the world", that He came into the world for humanity’s enlightenment, which abode in the spiritual blindness, symbolized by the man’s physical blindness. "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day", i.e. while I am on earth and can be seen by everybody, because "night is coming", i.e. the time of My departure from the world, when Christ the Savior’s activity as a Wonder-Worker in the world will not be as apparent to everybody as it is now.

"As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world" — although Christ always was and will be the Light of the world, His visible activity on earth will continue only for the duration of His earthly life, which was coming to its end. The Lord performed many miracles with just a word of His, while sometimes He resorted to the particular preliminary actions. The same happened that time: "He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, ‘Go wash in the pool of Siloam". It can be assumed that all this was done in order to evoke faith in the healed man: to let him know that a miracle is about to occur with him. The bathhouse of Siloam was built on the Siloam spring, which flowed from the foot of the holy Mount Sinai, as a place of God’s special presence in Jerusalem and in the temple. Consequently, it was granted an a special gift, or sent by God to His people, as an extraordinary blessing, and therefore it was regarded as a holy spring with the symbolic meaning.

The Evangelist explains that "Siloam" means "the sent". Was the Lord Jesus Christ trying to express that He is the true Messenger of God, the fulfillment of all the Divine blessings, the representation and symbol of which the Siloam spring was to the Jews? Having washed himself in the Siloam waters, the blind man regained his sight. That miracle produced the strong effect on his neighbors and those who knew him, even that some of them hesitated if he was the one and the same blind person that they regularly saw begging for alms. However, the cured individual confirmed that it was he, and explained to them how the miracle had happened. After listening to his narration, the people took him to the Pharisees in order to examine such an extraordinary event and to learn their opinion, how to regard it, because the miracle was performed on a Saturday, when, according to the Pharisee law regarding the Sabbath’s tranquility, even treating the ill was not permissible. The cured man explained to the Pharisees all he knew about his healing.

This story caused a quarrel between the Pharisees. Some — and it must be assumed the majority — were saying: "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath". The others thought just: "How can a Man who is a sinner do such signs?" Then the unbelieving in the Lord Pharisees turned to the cured man with the question, about what he could say about his Healer. Apparently they were trying to find something in his words with what to find faults, in order to reject the authenticity of the miracle or to re-interpret it. However, the healed decisively declared: "He is a Prophet". Finding no support in him, the irate Jews summoned his parents for questioning. Afraid of being excommunicated from the synagogue, the parents gave the evasive answer: they confirmed that he was their son who was born blind, but to the question why he could see again — they answered that they did not know, suggesting that they ask himself as he was an adult and could speak for himself.

Summoning the cured man for the second time, the Jews attempt to suggest him that after the detailed investigation concerning that Person, they reached the indisputable belief that "this Man is a sinner". "Give God the glory" was an oath formula to say the truth under oath applied by the Jews in those times, meaning: acknowledge Him on your part as a sinner, who violates the laws of the tranquility of the Sabbath. But the cured individual gives an answer to the Pharisees, that is filled with truth and deep irony: "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see". Not having any success in their inquiries, the Pharisees once again request that he recount the miracle in hope of finding some new trait, which would give them a chance to condemn Jesus. However, this begins to annoy him: "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" This audacious sarcasm provoked a reproach for the daring confessor of the truth: "You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from". The Jewish leaders had to ascertain where that Person Who was constantly followed by multitudes of people, came from. But they lied when they said they did not know Him. Such a lie outraged the cured man even more, amplifying his boldness in defending the truth. "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from", he responds the Pharisees — yet you should know where He is from, having performed such an unheard of miracle: sinners are incapable of performing such miracles — therefore it is clear that He is a holy Man, sent by God. Astounded by such implacable logic of the simple person, the Pharisees were incapable of continuing their argument; exposing him in that he was "completely born in sins", they threw him out.

Learning about this and wishing to open his spiritual eyes as well, the Lord found him and by revealing Himself as his Healer, brought the cured man to the faith in Him, as in the Son of God. All those events gave occasion for the Lord to express His thoughts, that an unavoidable consequence of His arrival to the world was the sharp separation of people into believers and disbelievers. "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind". "Who do not see" — are the humble, poor in spirit who believed in Christ; "who see" — are those who thought themselves to be seeing and sensible, and therefore felt no need to believe in Christ. They are the false elders, which were the Pharisees, who rejected Christ; the Lord calls them as "blind" because they were spiritually blind, not seeing the Divine truth, which He had brought into the world. To this, the Pharisees asked: "Are we blind also?" But the Lord gave them an unexpected answer: "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains." The meaning of these words is such: if you were among those blind that I am speaking about, then you would have no sin, because your disbelief would have been a forgivable sin of ignorance and weakness. However, because you state that you can see, and regard yourselves as the experts and interpreters of God’s Revelation and you have at hand the laws and Prophets, in which you can see the truth — your sin is nothing else but that of stubbornness and obdurate opposition to God’s truth. And this sin is unforgivable because it is the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mat. 12:31-32).

The Sermon about the Good Shepherd.

(John 10:1-21).

This conversation is the continuation of the Lord’s accusatory words, addressed to the Pharisees in connection with the healing of the man that was born blind. Having explained to them their responsibility for "those who see may be made blind" the Lord (in an allegorical form) reveals them that they are not the true spiritual leaders of the religious life of the people, as they imagined themselves to be. Because they thought more of their personal profit than about the welfare of the people, they were not "good shepherds," and as a consequence, were leading the people towards destruction instead of salvation. The Pharisees only at the very end understood the sense of that marvelous allegorical sermon, borrowed from shepherd’s life in Palestine. The Lord compares the people with a flock of sheep and the leaders, with the shepherds of this flock. In order to protect the flock at nighttime from wolves and robbers, it was driven into caves or specially arranged compounds. It was common to have some flocks, belonging to different owners, driven in one compound. In the morning, the gate-keepers opened the gate, allowing the shepherds to come in and separate their flock by calling out the individual names of their sheep: the sheep would recognize the voice of their shepherds, listen to them and follow them out of the compound to graze — this practice can be witnessed in Palestine up to this day.

Naturally, afraid to confront the armed gatekeeper, the robbers secretly climbed over the fence into the compound. Making use of such a well-known example from life, the Lord uses the word "sheepfold" for the God-chosen Jewish people, or God’s Church of the Old Testament, from which the New Testament church was formed; the word "shepherd" means every genuine leader of the religious-moral living; the words "thieves" and "robbers" mean all false, self-styled prophets, pseudo-teachers, heretics, false leaders of the religious life of the people, thinking only of themselves and their own interests, like the exposed by the Lord Pharisees.

The Lord calls Himself "the Door" and the "good Shepherd", Who "gives His life for the sheep" protecting them from wolves. The Lord calls Himself the "Door" in the sense that He is the only genuine mediator between God and the people, the only path for the pastors and the flock: into the Kingdom of God, depicted by Him as the "sheepfold" and only through Him the entry can be gained. Everyone, who avoids Him, "climbs up some other way" (not the normal way)," are "thieves and robbers," i.e. not true pastors but the imposters that are pursuing personal goals, and not the good of the flock. "Sheepfold" is the earthly Church, while "pasture" is the Heavenly Church. The Pharisees didn’t understand the first part of the sermon. Consequently, in the second part, the Lord revealed Himself as the "good Shepherd". The meaning of the word "hireling" must be understood as that of the unworthy pastors who, according to the Prophet Ezekiel, "feed themselves" (34:2) and at the first sign of a danger, abandon their flock to the mercy of the four winds. The word "wolves" means the devil and his servants that destroy "sheep".

The Lord points out the main distinctive qualities of a genuine pastor: 1) Selflessness — even to the point of death for the sake of the flock. 2) Knowing his sheep. In the highest sense, this knowledge belongs to Him: this mutual knowledge of one another, pastor and sheep, should be akin to the mutual knowledge of God the Father and God the Son: "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father".

The Lord’s words "other sheep," "which are not of this fold" but which "also I must bring", mean the heathens who are also called into Christ’s Kingdom. The Lord concludes His parable with the words: "I lay down My life for the sheep" voluntarily: "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself," because He has the power to "lay it down" and "the power to take it again" — the expression of absolute freedom, i.e. Christ’s death was the chosen by Him and voluntarily fulfilled means of saving His flock. These words caused another quarrel among the Jews, resulting that some empathically accepted the Lord’s words, while the others continued to declare Him as the possessed.

The Sermon at the Feast of the Dedication.

(John 10:22-42).

This festival was established by Judas of Maccabea in 169 BC, and commemorates the restoration, purification and sanctification of the Temple of Jerusalem, desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes. This feast is celebrated annually over the eight-day period, commencing with the 25 of the month of December. It was cold, therefore the Lord walked around the covered gallery within the Temple. There, He was surrounded by the Jews asking Him: "How long do you keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." The Lord was unable to respond "plainly" because they associated the word "Messiah" with the false representation of the earthly leader of people, who was supposed to liberate them from the Roman rule. The Lord answers the question wisely: He points to His past testimonies of Himself, His works and His relationship to His Heavenly Father. From all this, they should have realized a long time before that He is the Messiah, although not in the same sense that they imagined. The reason why they did not understand that was because they "were not of His sheep" and "did not hear His voice." Remembering about His sheep, the Lord pronounces the promise about granting eternal life: nobody will be able to take them from His hand, because as He said: "I and My Father are one" There could be no more definite testimony of Christ’s Divine worthiness than those words.

When the Jews understood them correctly and picked up the stones to stone the Lord as a blasphemer, He disarmed them with the short question: "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" The unexpectedness of the question confused the Jews, and showed against their will, that they inwardly acknowledged the greatness of the Lord’s miracles. That was why they let the stones and tried to justify their actions, by stating that they didn’t want to stone Him for His good deeds, but for His "blasphemy". In response, the Lord refers to the 81^st Psalm, where the people called to judge and protect the weak from the infringements of the powerful, were titled "gods" — naturally, not in the direct sense.

In citing excerpts from this Psalm, the Lord is seemingly saying to the Jews: "you cannot accuse the Psalmist of blasphemy; if he called those that were worthy of having Divine authority, "gods," then how can you accuse Me of blasphemy — the One Who has named Himself the Son of God and having performed works that only God can do?" The Lord continues: "You could disbelieve Me, if I had not fulfilled the deeds that are typical of God alone. However, if I fulfill these deeds, you must understand that I and the Father — are One, "Father is in Me, and I in Him." Once again, the Jews attempted to seize the Lord, "but He escaped out of their hands" — left so that nobody dared to touch Him, and traveled over Jordan to Perea. There many, who had heard about Him from John’s sermon and convinced in its genuineness, believed in Him.

The Return of the 70 Disciples.

(Luke 10:17-24).

Evangelist Luke narrates about the return of the 70 disciples soon after their departure, although undoubtedly, the significant amount of time passed between their departure and return. Some presume that the meeting between the Lord and the disciples took place in Perea, where the Lord had not yet given any sermons. The others think that they returned to the place, from which they were sent out, i.e. to Galilee. Meeting the Lord, before anything else they expressed their joy about the fact that the demons obeyed them "in the name of Jesus". The latter words expressed their humility. The Lord responded to this: "Do not be surprised that the demons obey you, as their leader has already been toppled: "I saw satan fall like lightning from Heaven". The flash of "lightning" is used to present unexpectedness and swiftness. In other words, the Lord tells the Apostles that He witnessed the defeat of the prince of demons and his swift fall — like lightning — and therefore, if he was defeated, so were his legions. As the Conqueror of the hostile powers, the Lord makes possible for His disciples to feel the victory over them, calling the evil spirits allegorically as "snakes" and "scorpions". "The important thing is not this, but that you have become worthy of salvation and joy in Heaven." In the Scripture, God is sometimes depicted with a book in His hand, into which the names and the deeds of His faithful servants are recorded. To be written in heavens, is to be the citizen of the Heavenly Kingdom. This should make one rejoice more than from any earthly deeds, even though they might be extraordinary, like the casting out of the evil spirits. The Lord’s further words of honoring God the Father (in verse 21), the statements about the knowledge of God the Father and the Son (verse 22), and pleasing His disciples (verses 23-24) we also find with Evangelist Matthew, but expressed in different situations and under the different circumstances (see Mat. 11:25-27 and 13:16-17).

It is possible that the Lord repeated those statements a number of times. However, Luke’s chronological connection is indisputable, which is identified with the words: "In that hour," as well as the Lord’s movements: "turned to His disciples and said." The words "wise" and "prudent" do not refer to those that regard themselves as such. Apparently, in this instance, the Lord was talking about the Scribes and Pharisees proud with their knowledge of Moses’ Law. The word "babes" means the simple folk, not having studied human wisdom at schools and not having attended the schools of the Jewish Scribes. In this case, the Lord meant His Apostles, to whom He had revealed the mysteries of God’s Kingdom. Naturally, saying about God that He had "hidden", He did not mean it in the direct sense, but like, as for example, in the Romans 1:28. According to Saint Chrysostom, the word "hidden" doesn’t mean that God was the cause of that hiding, but it is rather used in the same sense as it is applied by Paul: "For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God" (Rom. 10:3). As Blessed Theothylactus says: "God hid great mysteries from those who think themselves to be wise, because they had become unworthy as they regarded themselves being wise". "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father" — the control of the world belongs to Christ as to the "Interceder" and "Mediator" in the atonement of mankind. Understanding of the divine nature is inaccessible to any mortal. However, God reveals Himself in His Son (John 14:8-9) and through His Son (Heb. 1:1), to the extent of that, how the person himself through faith and love is able to accept such a revelation. Further, the Lord praises the Apostles for being worthy of seeing Him, the incarnate Son of God — of that, what the living before Prophets and righteous fathers were unable of, seeing Him only through their faith, but not with their physical eyes, like the Apostles.

The Parable about the Good Samaritan.

(Luke 10:25-37).

This parable is narrated only by St. Luke, as the Lord’s reply to the tempter’s (Scribe’s) question, wishing to trap Him in His words: "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" The Lord forces the sly lawyer to answer his own question through the words of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, about love for God and for the neighbors. By pointing him at the demands of the law, the Lord wants to force him to plunge into the power and meaning of these demands, and comprehend how far he is from fulfilling them. Apparently, the lawyer felt this, and that’s why he, "wanting to justify himself" asked: "And who is my neighbor?" i.e. he wanted to show that even though he may not be fulfilling the law as required, it’s because of the uncertainty of its demands, for it is unclear, for example, whom one should regard as a "neighbor". In response, the Lord narrated the wonderful parable about a person that fell into the hands of robbers, and was subsequently ignored by the passing priest and Levite, and who only saw compassion from a Samaritan — the man, hated and despised by the Jews. That Samaritan knew better than the priest or Levite, that in order to fulfill the law, there shouldn’t be any distinction between the people: everyone is our neighbor. As we can see, the parable is not fully suitable to the question of the lawyer. While the lawyer was asking: "Who is my neighbor?" the parable indicated how and who of the three, seeing the miserable, became his neighbor.

Consequently, the parable doesn’t instruct on who should be regarded as a neighbor, but how one can make himself a neighbor for every person that is in the need of compassion. The difference between the lawyer’s question and Lord’s answer is of great significance, because in the Old Testament, in order to shield God’s chosen people from vile influences, there were found the differences between the surrounding people, and only the countrymen and people of the same faith were regarded as "neighbors" by the Jews. The moral law of the New Testament abolishes those differences and teaches the all-embracing Evangelical love towards all the people. The lawyer was asking: who is my neighbor — as if fearing to love those people that he shouldn’t. The Lord instructs him that he should make himself a neighbor to the one in need, and not question, whether he is his neighbor or not: he should not be looking at the people but into his own heart, so that he would not have the coldness of the pagan priest or Levite, but the mercy of the Samaritan. If you are going to differentiate logically between the neighbor and stranger, you will not be able to avoid the cruel coldness towards the people. You will pass those who "fell among thieves", just like the priest and Levite, even though that miserable — as a Jew — was their neighbor. Mercy is the condition of inheriting eternal life.

The Lord Jesus Christ in the House of Martha and Mary.

(Luke 10:38-42).

Apparently, a "certain village" that the Lord entered was Bethany — the settlement situated on one of the slopes of the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem. The two women that met the Lord, Martha and Mary, were easily recognizable as the loved by the Lord sisters of Lazarus, whose resurrection is narrated by Saint John in the 11^th chapter. Both of them appear here with the same qualities as described by Saint John: Martha was notable for her active and lively character, Mary — for quiet and deep sensitivity. Having received the Lord, Martha began to fuss over the preparation of food, while Mary sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to Him. Realizing that it was difficult to cope with everything herself, Martha turned to the Lord — as though with the reproach, which showed the friendly attitude of the Lord towards her family: "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me." Justifying Mary, the Lord responds to Martha with the same friendly rebuke: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

The meaning of this rebuke is that Martha’s efforts are directed at the transitory fuss, without which one can live, while Mary chose that, which is the only thing needed for a human being — attentiveness towards the Divine teaching of Christ and following it. What Mary is acquiring by listening to the Lord, will never be taken away from her. This segment of the Gospel is always read during every Liturgy that commemorates the Mother of God, because the figure of Mary appears as the symbol of Ever-Holy Virgin Mary, Who too had "chosen that good part". This segment is connected with the verses 11:27-28, where the Mother of God is directly glorified and again are honored those who "hear the word of God and do it".

The Parable about the Persistent Appeal.

(Luke 11:5-8).

Both Evangelist Matthew and Evangelist Luke in 11:1-4, expound the text of the Lord’s Prayer, beginning with the words "Our Father" and further, beginning with verse 5, the precise Lord’s teaching about the persistency in prayer. Following His inexplicable goals, God does not grant immediately that what is asked for, even though it may be in conformity with His will. By the narration about a friend, who was asking for bread and receiving it as the result of his insistence, the Lord wishes to instill the essentiality of resoluteness in prayer.

The Exposure of the Scribes and Pharisees.

(Mat. 23:1-39 and Luke 11:37-54).

The two condemnatory speeches, addressed to the Scribes and Pharisees, which are very similar in both the content and expressions, are mentioned by both Evangelists Matthew and Luke, but with a difference: the exposure presented by Saint Luke, was expressed by the Lord at the dinner to which He was invited by a certain Pharisee, concerning the washing of hands. On the other hand, the exposing speech, narrated by Matthew, was uttered by the Lord in the Temple of Jerusalem, shortly before His sufferings at the cross. It has to be assumed that the Lord not once exclaimed similar exposures in the similar expressions. It is quite probable that, while not narrating the Lord’s grim sermon that was described by Saint Matthew, Saint Luke quoted a few pronouncements from it, which he attributed to the Lord when he was exposing the Pharisees during the dinner, about which he narrated alone. In both the sermons, the Pharisees are exposed for the exaggerated attention to "outer" cleanliness, while neglecting their "inner" cleanliness, i.e. cleansing their souls of sinful passions and vices.

In both the sermons, the Lord compares the Pharisees with coffins, "which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all type of dirt". As well, the Lord condemns the Pharisees for their love of being honored, that they apply unbearable burdens on men’s shoulders, while they themselves "will not move them with one of their fingers," that they formally and punctually fulfill the outward requirements of the law on "tithes", "but have neglected the weightier matters of the law": justice, mercy and faith, i.e. being true to God and His moral law. The Lord also condemns the lawyers because they "have taken away the key of knowledge", i.e. as though they have taken complete possession of the Old Testament law, which was supposed to lead people towards Christ. And having taken possession of this key, do not enter Christ’s Kingdom themselves and do not allow the others to enter, falsely interpreting the law. The Lord also accuses the Pharisees in stoning God’s Prophets, sent to them by the "Wisdom of God", i.e. by Him, as He is the Hypostasis Wisdom of God, represented under such a name in the 8^th chapter of Proverbs.

In conclusion, the Lord calls upon them the blood of all the righteous, beginning with Abel, slain by his brother Cain, to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, killed between the altar and the temple. Apparently, this was the same Zechariah who by the order of Joash, was stoned in the courtyard of the Lord’s house. The others surmise that this was Zechariah — the father of John the Baptist.

The Parable about the Reckless Rich Man.

(Luke 12:13-21).

Seeing the Lord’s great influence, a certain person turned to Him with the request to order his brother to share the inheritance with him. The Lord refused him, because He didn’t come to earth to sort out the petty conflicts based on human passions. Apart from that, He preached the renouncement of earthly possessions. With that, any kind of His decision could raise dissatisfaction with one or the other side of the conflict, and even a clash and judicial lawsuit — something the Lord did not wish to happen. At the same time, that was not the reason why human interests in general were strange to the Lord, but in that His task was not to determine the exterior measures of order, but to re-educate the hearts and minds of the people. This is the example for all the preachers of the Gospel and servants of the Church.

In relation to the request addressed to Him, the Lord told a parable, warning against the sickness of "covetousness", i.e. the passion of acquiring possessions for the purpose of enjoying the earthly blessings. "One’s life", i.e. his well being or happiness, "does not consist in the abundance of the things he possess". One individual had the abundant harvest in his fields. Without any thought for his life thereafter, all he thinks about is how to utilize his wealth for the earthly pleasures. He has no thoughts of God, of spiritual life, but only about the animalistic, carnal pleasures: "eat, drink and be merry." He had no inkling that his last day on earth would arrive and he would be unable to enjoy his gained treasures. "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" — "you will not receive any benefit from the treasures you gained, and who will end up with those treasures, will be of no importance to you". Instead of accumulating earthly treasures for oneself, one must grow rich in God, i.e. be concerned about obtaining eternal, incorruptible treasures or virtues, which can be acquired by expending earthly riches not on the low, carnal pleasures but on good deeds of various types.

The Parable about the Servants, Awaiting the Return of their Master.

(Mat. 24:42-51 and Luke 12:35-48).

One has to be ready at all times, because it’s unknown when Christ’s Second Coming or death will arrive — which has the same meaning for a person. In both instances, a person will be obliged to give an account to God on how he lived his earthly life. "Let your waist be girded" — the image taken from the Eastern loose clothing: whenever anything had to be done, such loose and long attire was girded around the waist with a belt, so that it would not get in the way. Consequently, this expression means — to be ready. "Your lamps burning" expresses the same thought: the servants should be ready to meet their master with the lighted lamps when he returns home at night. Just as alert servants have to be ready to meet their master at any hour of the night, whenever he returns home — "come in the second watch, or come in the third watch" — so should the true followers of Lord Jesus Christ be morally ready to meet His Second Coming. The Lord promises blessedness for this spiritual vigilance — "blessed are those servants". This blessedness is figuratively presented in that the master will "gird himself" and begin to serve his servants, as if making them his guests — a tremendous honor that can only be bestowed to the servants according to the Eastern customs.

The Parable about the Wise House-Steward.

(Mat. 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-48)

The Lord does not give a direct answer to Peter’s question as to whether that parabolic speech is addressed to the Apostles only, or to everybody. But it can be seen from the further dialogue that the Lord’s exhortation about the spiritual vigilance applies to all the followers of Christ. In this second parable, the Lord praises the faithful and wise house-steward, "whom his Master made ruler over His household", for the proper fulfillment of the entrusted to him duty — "to give them food in due season". He also predicts the sad fate of that house-steward who, not expecting the early return of his master, begins to neglect his responsibilities through the improper behavior: he "begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards." Such a type of servant will be subject to great tortures: "cut him in two" — the punishment applied in the East to the worst criminals. Evangelist Luke adds that the punishment for such derelict servants will not be identical: the one who knew the master’s will, will bear the heavier punishment than the one who didn’t, although, the latter will be punished for not concerning to learn his masters will. The one, who was given more opportunity to fulfill that will, will be punished greater for neglecting to fulfill it.

About the Divisions among the People.

(Luke 12:49-53).

"I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled" — the Holy Fathers understand the word "fire" to mean spiritual zealousness, which the Lord came to implant in the human hearts, and which will inevitably spawn the division and hostility among people, because some will accept Christ’s teachings ardently, with all their hearts, while the others will oppose it. Because that flame of zealousness had to inflame with especial potency only after Christ’s cruciferous sufferings, His Resurrection, Ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, the Lord expresses His desire to be speedily "baptized" with that baptism that He "had to be baptized with", i.e. to undergo the sufferings, waiting for Him, for humanity’s salvation, which will result in the fire of zealousness being inflamed. As the result of Christ’s redeeming act, among the people there will exist no longer that evil world, which united the people on the grounds of a crime and distanced them from God, but the saving division will arrive: the fol