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Explanation for:
Matthew
10
:
1
And having called his twelve disciples together, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities.
11
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The Lord and Sovereign is full of grace and compassion; He does not feel threatened by the abilities of His servants and followers. Just as He Himself cured every ailment and affliction, He empowered His apostles to heal all manner of disease among the people. However, it is important to recognize the significant distinction between possessing and distributing, between receiving and giving. The Master operates through the might of God; whereas the disciples, whenever they act, acknowledge their own frailty and the strength of the Lord, proclaiming, \\"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk\\" (Acts 3:6). It is essential to observe that the miraculous power bestowed upon the apostles represents the twelfth miracle performed by the Savior."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"After instructing, \\"Pray to the Lord of the harvest\\" (Matthew 9:38), He Himself immediately designates them to this role without them needing to ask or pray, reminding them of what John spoke regarding the threshing floor, the shovel, the tares, and the wheat. It becomes clear that He is the Creator, the Lord of the harvest, and the Lord of the prophets. If He dispatched them to gather, it was definitely not with a foreign seed, but rather what He had planted through the prophets. Not only did He motivate them by labeling their task as a harvest, but He also empowered them for this mission. However, the Spirit had not yet been bestowed: the Holy Spirit was not present with them since Jesus had not yet been glorified (John 7:39). How did they cast out spirits? Through the command and authority of Christ. Notice, then, the appropriateness of this mission. He did not send them out at the outset, but only after they had faithfully followed Him for a significant time and had witnessed His miracles—raising the dead, calming the sea, expelling demons, healing the paralyzed, forgiving sins, and cleansing lepers. Once they were sufficiently assured of His might, both in action and in teaching, He commissions them; He does not send them into perilous tasks—there was no threat in Palestine at that time—they only faced the potential for criticism. Yet, He does forewarn them about coming challenges, preparing them in advance and helping them adjust through frequent reminders."},{"author-name":"Marcus the Ascetic","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c894db4cf63c9754af102d_Marcus%20the%20Ascetic.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"In essence, by dispelling the consequences of desires and healing the suffering, he restores those who lack godliness through hope and proficiency in it, and revives those who are ailing from apathy through the message of faith. For the one instructed to stand upon the heads of serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19) also eradicates the finality of sin."},{"author-name":"Maximus the Confessor","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8951a1dea23713695271e_Maximus%20the%20Confessor.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":7,"exegesis-text":"The one who can serve as an Apostle also brings healing to ‘every sickness and every disease and casts out demons’ (Matthew 10:1): to ‘cast out demons’ means to remove the harmful effects of sinful desires; to ‘heal diseases’ signifies restoring a righteous spirit to those who have lost it through hope; he cures ailments by awakening those who have grown complacent and fortifying them with the message of truth. Furthermore, he who has been granted ‘authority to tread on the serpent and the scorpion’ (Luke 10:19) eliminates both the root and the consequences of sin."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"He selected twelve disciples, corresponding to the twelve tribes, and endowed them with strength. He sent them forth, even though their numbers were small, much like those who strive to walk in close unity. He granted them the ability to perform wonders, hoping that by captivating others with these miraculous deeds, they would draw attention to their teachings."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"If the number of disciples was limited, why did He not increase their ranks by bringing in more? He did amplify their influence, not quantitatively but in strength: He empowered them, referring to them as \\"little\\" not due to a deficiency in power, but because of their limited numbers. Initially, He appointed them healers of the body and subsequently entrusted them with the greater task of curing souls. In His name, they expelled evil spirits and cured ailments."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The commission given to the disciples was not simply an election but rather an appointment to serve as messengers in Judea. The number of the twelve corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel. He bestowed upon them the authority to perform miracles, enabling them to awe the public through these wonders, thereby attracting listeners who would be receptive to their teachings."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"St. Luke, while narrating the selection of the Apostles, notes that the Savior dedicated the preceding night to prayer to God, His Father. This was significant as He was establishing the foundational pillars of the Holy Church through this selection. Moreover, He aimed to instruct His Apostles on the importance of prayer when choosing individuals to serve the Church, urging them to seek God's guidance in identifying the worthy candidates. Subsequently, they followed this practice. \\n\\nWhen the day arrived, He summoned His twelve disciples, paralleling the twelve tribes of Israel, so that the elect of the New Covenant would have twelve spiritual forebears; He named them apostles, meaning those sent forth to proclaim His teachings. All of them were Israelites, not Gentiles or foreign Greeks, since it was through Abraham's descendants that blessings would flow to all humanity. HE GAVE THEM AUTHORITY OVER UNCLEAN SPIRITS, TO DRIVE THEM OUT, AND TO HEAL EVERY DISEASE AND INFIRMITY. He equipped them with the gift of miracles, so that their wondrous acts would draw attentive audiences to His teachings. St. Chrysostom poses the question of how they expelled spirits and answers: By His command and authority. Notice, then, the thoughtful manner in which He sends them forth. He did not commission them at the outset, but only after they had been His followers for a considerable time, witnessing His miracles—raising the dead, calming the seas, casting out demons, healing the paralyzed, forgiving sins, and cleansing lepers. Once they were fully assured of His power, both through His actions and words, did He send them out, though not on perilous missions, as Palestine presented no significant threats at that time, but rather to endure slander. Nevertheless, He cautioned them about the potential dangers, preparing and conditioning them through continual reminders. \\n\\nEarlier, St. Matthew had described the calling of Peter, John, and their brothers, focusing solely on them. However, he now finds it essential to list all the Apostles by name to caution the faithful against various deceptive apostles, as noted by Blessed Theophylact."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"It had been over a year since Jesus emerged from His retreat in Nazareth to proclaim a new message. During this period, as He preached in Judea and Galilee, He undoubtedly conveyed all that was essential for salvation. He demonstrated His all-knowing nature, supreme power, and divine awareness to the people. He revealed to His adversaries that He was aware of their innermost thoughts; He performed remarkable miracles by His own authority, without seeking assistance from God, miracles that only God could accomplish; ultimately, He asserted His identity as the Son of God, in equality with the Father (John 5:18). In essence, Christ articulated everything His listeners needed to understand about His identity and validated His claims with specific signs to enable them to place their faith in Him and accept His teachings as absolute truth. To further affirm the truth of His message, He clarified that He was not delivering His personal doctrine as a mere man, but was relaying what He had received from His Father—the commands of the One who sent Him. He also unveiled the mystery of humanity’s existence and elucidated the purpose of life. However, the Jews were not the only ones who required this knowledge. The Son of God descended from heaven for the salvation of all people; His message needed to reach every nation on earth, necessitating the selection of preachers who would internalize His teachings and, with faith in Him as the Son of God, convey them throughout the world. It was crucial to choose, mentor, and equip such preachers, ensuring they embodied the faithfulness and conviction needed for the mission at hand—preachers whose words and actions would align, who would live out the truths they shared with others. The Lord aimed to select and prepare such messengers for the challenges that lay ahead. Frequently, Christ dedicated long nights to prayer on mountains or in solitary places, communing with His Father. Thus, prior to the selection of those who would carry His message, He ascended a mountain and spent the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Jesus traveled through the surrounding towns and villages, sharing the message of God; He gathered a large crowd that came from great distances, eager to listen and seek healing for their many afflictions. Out of compassion for them and to avoid drawing them all to Himself, as noted by Chrysostom, He sent His disciples. This sending was not solely for that purpose; it also served as training, enabling them to prepare for their future missions in the world, as if they were in a kind of spiritual training camp in Palestine (Interpretation on the Gospel of Matthew. 32). The Evangelist Matthew specifically names all the Apostles. When Jesus commissioned the apostles to preach, He understood that they would need to provide evidence of their divine appointment, so He granted them authority over unclean spirits, the ability to cast them out, as well as the power to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, and raise the dead."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Tired from His preaching, the Savior sought solitude and spent the night on a mountaintop in prayer, preparing for the significant event that awaited Him the following day. When morning arrived, Christ summoned His most devoted disciples and selected twelve individuals from among them. These twelve would no longer be mere followers but would become His apostles, tasked with the responsibility of both receiving and disseminating the new teaching. The choice of twelve was intentional, paralleling the chosen people of the Old Testament, establishing twelve spiritual forefathers for the new covenant. Each of these chosen individuals was a true Israelite, not a Gentile or proselyte, for it was through the lineage of Abraham that the blessings of the new covenant would reach the Gentiles, distinct from the tribe of Levi or the Aaronic priesthood, as Christ was instituting a completely new priesthood. In making His selections, the Savior was mindful of the spiritual attributes of those chosen. He did not opt for the wealthy, the learned, or the influential of this world, but rather for the simplest souls, whose worth lay in their untainted spirits and pure hearts, creating an ideal foundation for the growth of the new gospel."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Until this point, the Apostles had journeyed with Jesus Christ, absorbing His teachings and witnessing the miracles that authenticated His Divinity. However, after empowering them to drive out unclean spirits and heal various ailments, He sent them out to preach on their own. St. John Chrysostom compares this to “young chicks taking to flight,” indicating that He provided them the broadest platform for action that matched their abilities, enabling them to embark on greater endeavors later. Initially, they were appointed as healers of physical afflictions, preparing them for the more significant charge of ministering to souls. The Apostles were instructed to go forth in pairs, not only for increased courage, as Blessed Theophylact notes, but also to satisfy the legal stipulation requiring at least two witnesses to confirm the truth (Deuteronomy 19:15)."}]}
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