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Explanation for:
Matthew
10
:
29
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father.
10
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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 words of the Lord remain consistent with their essence, and the subsequent message naturally arises from what was previously stated. As a discerning reader, always be cautious of misleading interpretations, ensuring that you do not mold the Scriptures to fit your own ideas, but rather align your understanding with the Scriptures themselves. Earlier, He instructed: \\"Do not be afraid of them that kill the body, but of them that cannot kill the soul.\\" Now He proclaims: \\"Are not two sparrows sold for an asse? and not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father.\\" The implication of these words is clear: if even the smallest and most seemingly insignificant creatures do not perish outside of God's will, and if Divine Providence governs all, to the extent that nothing perishes without His knowledge, then you, destined for eternity, need not fear living apart from God's Providence. This truth is reinforced in His earlier words: \\"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?\\" (Matthew 6:26). He continues: \\"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow\\" (Matthew 6:28); and if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will He care for you, O you of little faith! (Matthew 6:30). Some interpret the two sparrows as representing the soul and the body through a contrived understanding. Additionally, the five sparrows mentioned in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 12:6), sold for two asses, are taken to symbolize the five external senses. However, reconciling these interpretations with the overall message of the Gospel presents a significant challenge."},{"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":"He does not expose them to peril but rather elevates them above it, succinctly imparting the teaching on the soul’s eternal existence. In just a few words, he instills the doctrine of salvation and offers them solace through various reflections. To prevent them from believing that their suffering, especially in the face of death and slaughter, indicates abandonment by God, he reiterates the concept of Divine Providence. He asks, what is more trivial than the little birds? Yet, not even they are captured without God’s awareness. He does not suggest that their fall occurs with God's assistance, which would be unbecoming of Him; rather, he emphasizes that nothing transpires outside of His knowledge."},{"author-name":"Basil the Great","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c889927158e4af30595484_Basil%20the%20Great.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Let nothing cause you to doubt your faith. Do not claim that events occur randomly or by mere happenstance. There is no chaos, uncertainty, futility, or accident in what exists. Refrain from calling something an unfortunate incident or an unfavorable moment; such expressions reflect a lack of understanding. 'Are not two sparrows sold for a penny, and not one of them falls to the ground apart from the will of your Father?' How many strands of hair are on your head? Not one of them is overlooked. Can you perceive the gaze of God, where even the smallest details are under His vigilant watch?"},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"\\"Two small birds sold for a mere coin.\\" The emphasis is on two, not one. This illustrates the triviality associated with the small bird. That which holds true value is sold alone, while what is inexpensive is grouped together, much like grass. \\"And not one of them shall fall to the ground without the will of your Father.\\" If even the small birds, which carry little worth and are akin to shadows, are not unprotected, the statement does not read \\"without the will of God,\\" but rather \\"without the will of your Father.\\" This reflects the Father's care even for the least of His creations and serves as a compelling testament to the abundant love and attention He extends toward us."},{"author-name":"Apollinarius of Laodicea","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It is important to understand that the mention of small birds is metaphorical, indicating that their worth is minimal in God’s eyes; as the apostle points out, “Does God care for oxen?” (1 Cor. 9:9). This imagery is used out of compassion for humanity, serving to illustrate a broader truth. Additionally, \\"assarius\\" represents a nominal expense."},{"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":"What is the implication when the Lord mentions in the Gospel that two little birds are sold for a single assarius (Matt. 10:29)? It is noted that an assarius is equivalent to ten nummahs, and the number ten represents the letter yodh, the first letter in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, both the ancient and the contemporary people, as well as the inner and outer person, find redemption through the name of the Lord."},{"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":"To ease the disciples' anxiety and assure them they had not been abandoned, he stated, “If even a tiny bird cannot be captured without my awareness, how could I possibly neglect you whom I cherish?”"},{"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":"An assarius is a minor coin, its name derived from the term for smallness noted in the proverb. Christ poses a rhetorical question, asking, 'Are not sparrows so inexpensive that two are sold for one assarius, which is the smallest coin?' Nevertheless, not a single one of them falls to the ground without God's knowledge, not by His action but by His allowance."},{"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":"He resumes his discourse on God's Sovereign Care, noting, 'Consider how God's Sovereignty encompasses even the seemingly trivial matters: do not two insignificant birds, like sparrows or turtledoves, fetch the price of a single assarion, the least currency? And NOT ONE OF THEM WILL DROP TO THE GROUND, whether it be from the sky or from a branch, WITHOUT THE PURPOSE and consent of your Father in heaven;"},{"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":"\\"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?\\" The Lord encourages His followers not to fear those who oppose them and their ministry by presenting two powerful examples of God's Providence, which encompasses even the most seemingly insignificant creatures: 1) He cares for the humble birds, and 2) He counts every hair on a man's head. The term \\"small birds\\" refers to creatures that are diminutive in size and considered of little worth. They likely denote sparrows or turtledoves, which the Jewish people associated with sorrow and solitude (Psalms 10:1, Psalms 38:3, Psalms 101:7-8), symbolizing those who feel abandoned and forsaken by God, akin to individuals left without divine support. The assarius, a minor Roman coin valued at one-tenth of a denarius or a drachma, serves to underscore the low worth attributed to these birds. The phrase \\"not one of them will fall to the ground\\" suggests that they cannot be ensnared or captured (Zlat., Euph. Sig.) or that they will not drop from the sky or a branch lifelessly. As for \\"without the will of your Father,\\" it should be understood not that their fall occurs with God's permission (for such would be unworthy of Him), but rather that nothing transpires outside of His knowledge (Zlat.)."}]}
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