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Explanation for:
Matthew
11
:
1
And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he passed from thence, to teach and preach in their cities.
11
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{"arr":[{"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":"As the Lord dispatched the disciples, He withdrew from their presence to provide them with an opportunity and setting to accomplish the tasks He had entrusted to them. Had He remained with them for their healing, individuals would have been unlikely to approach the disciples."},{"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":"Once the Lord commissioned His disciples to proclaim the Gospel, He chose to step back from performing miracles and focused solely on teaching in the synagogues. Had He continued to heal, His disciples would have had no opportunity to demonstrate their own calling. Thus, to provide them with the chance to heal, He withdrew from their midst."},{"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":"He moved on from there to proclaim the message and share His teachings in the towns of the disciples from whom they originated."},{"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":"After concluding His teachings, the Lord departed from His disciples momentarily, allowing them the chance to act upon His commands. If He had remained continually with them, none would have felt compelled to reach out to the disciples. The apostles then traveled through the towns, sharing the message of salvation and performing healings throughout the land. They proclaimed the need for repentance, cast out numerous demons, and anointed many who were ill, bringing them healing."},{"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":"He moved on from that place, where He taught His disciples and commissioned them to proclaim the Gospel in Judea and Galilee, likely in the vicinity of Capernaum while traveling through Galilee (Matt. 9:35). \\"In their cities\\" refers to the towns He visited—specifically, the cities of Galilee (see Matt. 4:23, Matt. 9:35, Matt. 12:9), possibly including those near Capernaum."},{"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":"After completing His teachings to the twelve disciples, Jesus traveled through the towns of Galilee to proclaim the Gospel. The disciples, sent out in pairs, ventured into the villages to preach repentance, drive out numerous demons, and anoint many with oil, bringing healing to the afflicted. The Evangelists do not elaborate on the Apostles' preaching among the Jewish communities; however, from a question posed by Christ upon their return—“Did you lack anything when I sent you?”—it becomes clear that the Apostles were in no need of essentials, as they took neither money, nor provisions, nor extra garments. The exact duration of their travels and the timing of their return remain uncertain; however, it is known that they reassembled with Jesus at the moment He received the news of John the Baptist's death."},{"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":"During this time, the Savior received an urgent yet brief message from John the Baptist, who was suffering in prison. Although he was imprisoned, news of Jesus’ preaching and miraculous deeds reached him, and he could not help but rejoice in the works of the One he had continually affirmed as the true hope of Israel. However, John's circumstances did not align with his hopeful expectations, leading some of his followers to voice uncertainties about his earlier declarations. To reassure them, he sent a few disciples to the Savior, asking, “Are you the One who is to come, or should we look for another?”"},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After completing His teachings to the twelve disciples, the Lord proclaimed the message in the towns of Galilee. The disciples embarked on their mission, traveling through various villages where they urged all to turn from their sins. They shared the good news of the impending Kingdom of God and simultaneously freed individuals from demonic oppression, healing many of the ill by anointing them with oil."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"According to the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist sent two of his disciples to inquire about Jesus due to reports regarding His miraculous works that had reached him. In the Gospel of Luke, after recounting the miracle of raising the widow of Nain's son, it is stated that \\"the word of this went out in all Judea and throughout the whole region.\\" The disciples conveyed all this information to John. Therefore, this inquiry stemmed not only from the general rumors of Jesus' miracles but specifically from the news of this profound resurrection event.\\n\\nAlthough John sent his messengers to speak on his behalf, even prompting them to ask the Lord directly, it is clear that this mission was primarily for the benefit of John’s followers and not solely for John himself. It seems unlikely that John harbored doubts about Jesus' Messianic identity since he had heard the divine proclamation from God the Father and witnessed the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at His baptism. John had also boldly identified Jesus as the Messiah.\\n\\nThe insights John had about Jesus's ministry and His purpose were so profound that the humbled state of Christ should not have been a source of skepticism for him. While John’s disciples were questioning Jesus on their leader’s behalf, the Lord was performing numerous miracles. In response to their inquiry, Jesus highlighted these very miracles, affirming His own testimony with tangible evidence. He referenced the prophetic words of Isaiah, thus linking His actions and identity to Old Testament prophecies that corroborated His claims.\\n\\nIn His message, He spoke of the poor receiving good news, referring to the politically oppressed and suffering people of Israel. Jesus also proclaimed, \\"Blessed is he who is not offended by Me,\\" acknowledging that He understood the discussions of John’s disciples with their teacher, which led them to seek clarification regarding His role in the kingdom of God."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"We should not assume that the rumors and anticipations overwhelmed the Lord. The crowds, often swayed by the teachings of the Pharisees and scribes, despite their affection for Jesus, found it hard to release the flattering expectations they associated with the Messiah’s arrival. Simultaneously, the Pharisees, whose views and doctrines Jesus had frequently challenged, were unlikely to readily embrace such a magnificent revelation. Furthermore, even John approached Jesus with the inquiry, “Are you the one who is coming, or do we look for another?” The disciples of the Baptist questioned whether their perspective of Him as the Messiah was misplaced. This does not seem to reflect doubt from John himself. He, who received the divine mission to proclaim repentance while preparing for the Messiah, recognized Jesus as the promised one when the Spirit descended upon Him, signifying the Messiah’s identity.\\n\\nJohn, having heard the Father’s voice affirming Jesus, testified to the thrill he felt as he witnessed Jesus’ growing glory, celebrating his role as His friend and forerunner (John 3:29). It is evident that he did not send his disciples to inquire merely for his own sake. If John was uncertain, he would not have sought answers from Jesus, as it would imply he was questioning his role as the forerunner and that he himself had identified Jesus without divine prompting. The question posed by John’s disciples, illustrated by “or do we look for another?” suggests they held no doubts about John, but rather about Jesus. To them, John could remain the forerunner even if Jesus was not the Messiah, indicating that the Messiah could still arrive. Such thoughts cannot logically be assigned to John, for if he questioned Jesus, he would also have doubted his own calling, renouncing the title of Forerunner altogether, a title confirmed by divine endorsement.\\n\\nAlternatively, one might argue that John's inquiry stemmed not from disbelief but from eagerness to see the inauguration of the Messiah's reign and to be liberated from his own imprisonment. However, it seems implausible that John would entertain such thoughts. He called the Messiah the Lamb and knew he would suffer indignities. Therefore, he wouldn’t likely align himself with the common expectation of a grand proclamation of the Messiah’s realm, which would inherently affect his own fate. Thus, this was not truly John’s question.\\n\\nNevertheless, John sent his disciples to Jesus with this inquiry from prison, aiming to resolve any misconceptions about Him. It is very likely that the doubts these disciples felt were incited by the Pharisees, who attempted to turn John against Jesus in Judea and used John's disciples to criticize Jesus' followers regarding their lack of fasting in Galilee, a point that Jesus Himself addressed in His discourse (Matthew 11:16-19)."},{"author-name":"Nekrasow A.A. Prof.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"When Jesus completed His teaching to the twelve disciples, He moved on to proclaim the good news and minister in their towns. The term \\"them\\" refers most accurately to the twelve apostles, who are the focus of this passage. It is noteworthy that nearly all the apostles hailed from Galilee. If it were true that the Lord began preaching in their towns only from that point onward, it would imply that He had not previously been active in Galilee. However, He had indeed been proclaiming the message in Galilee prior to this moment. In the eighth chapter, it is recorded that He traveled to Capernaum, a city within Galilee, and subsequently crossed the Lake of Gennesaret, also in Galilee, to reach a town in the region of the Gergesenes. Further in chapter 9, it notes that He returned to His own city, Nazareth in Galilee, and verse 35 summarizes that \\"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching the gospel and healing every illness and ailment among the people.\\" The phrase \\"all the towns\\" likely encompasses either the cities of the entire Jewish realm or those of Judea specifically. The term \\"their\\" could imply all those who received the Savior's messages, but it is reasonable to consider that the local populace was significantly larger than that of Judea and Samaria. Therefore, \\"their towns\\" likely refers more to those in Galilee. This understanding is further supported as there is no indication in the Gospels of His teaching in Judea prior to this time; rather, it can be inferred that He taught in Galilee, as indicated in the same chapter where woes are pronounced upon Chorazin and Bethsaida for not repenting despite witnessing His miracles.\\n\\nGiven that the Lord had been active in Galilee before teaching the apostles, what does it mean when it says He \\"went from there to teach and preach in their towns\\"? The phrase implies a transition to a locale where He had not previously been. However, the Gospel writer clearly states that Jesus was indeed teaching and preaching in Galilee up until that point. This raises the question of how He could be described as moving within Galilee. If the understanding in the Russian translation were accurate, one might expect the original text to articulate that He \\"went to teach and preach in their towns\\" using the phrase εἰς τὰς πόλεις αὐτῶν rather than ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν. The verb μεταβαίνω denotes a journey from one location to another. Thus, the semantic implications of the term μετέβη suggest “transcended” teaching and preaching within their towns. The term can also suggest a cessation of presence, indicating “to become in another location,” which metaphorically would mean to stop doing what was previously done.\\n\\nConsequently, it could be interpreted that Jesus “moved away from that place,\\" indicating that His teaching and preaching focus shifted from populated cities to more remote and sparsely populated areas, except for the synagogues and possibly rural locations. Following the sending of the apostles, the Lord refrained from His preaching in Galilee until they returned to report on their ministry. Blessed Theophylact notes that after dispatching the disciples, Jesus temporarily withdrew from performing miracles, opting instead to teach in synagogues to ensure His disciples had the opportunity to minister without His overshadowing presence.\\n\\nThe term ἐκεῖθεν conveys the concept of both \\"from thence\\" and \\"from that time.\\" Based on these reflections, we propose a revised interpretation of the initial verse of Matthew 11: \\"And after Jesus had completed instructing His twelve disciples, it came to pass that He moved away from that time of teaching and preaching in their towns to engage in ministry in less populated and desolate areas.\\" This interpretation is further emphasized by the grammatical structure preceding the verbs indicating teaching and preaching. Typically, the genitive indicates separation rather than direction towards another entity. Thus, it suggests, \\"from that time, Jesus ceased from teaching and preaching in their cities.\\" This transitional phrasing aligns with the Greek structure, reinforcing the idea of moving away from His previous teaching and preaching focus toward a different context."}]}
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