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Explanation for:
Matthew
11
:
27
All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.
13
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Irenaeus of Lyon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88d41db83be493e87135c_Irenaeus%20of%20Lyon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":2,"exegesis-text":"Should the mother (Ahamoth, a concept introduced by the Gnostics) or the seed comprehend and declare the truth, which is the Father, then they would assert that the Savior was deceptive when he claimed: ‘No one knows the Father except the Son.’ Therefore, if the Father were to be recognized by the mother or her seed, it would undermine the statement, ‘No one knows the Father but the Son,’ unless they refer to their seed or mother as ‘no one.’"},{"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":"All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. The relationship between the Father who sends and the Son who receives must be grasped in a sacramental context; otherwise, if we try to comprehend it through our flawed nature, we must assume that when He who received began to possess, He who gave ceased to possess what was given. The term \\"all that has been given\\" refers not to the heavens, the earth, or the elements, nor to any other creations arranged by Him, but rather to those who, through the Son, come to the Father—individuals who were once in opposition to God but have now begun to recognize Him within themselves. \\n\\nNo one truly knows the Son except the Father, and likewise, no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Himself. Let Eunomius feel shame for presuming to claim as much understanding of the Father and the Son as they share with one another. Should he persist in this assertion and seek assurance for his misguided intellect with the phrase \\"to whom the Son chooses to reveal,\\" let him realize that knowing according to the nature of what one sees is distinct from understanding through the gracious revelation of the one who discloses it."},{"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":"Moreover, so that you don't mistakenly assume that when the Lord stated, “Thou hast confessed to them which thou hast concealed, and hast revealed to babes,” He possessed a different power than that which He granted to others, He expresses gratitude, claiming, “All things have been delivered unto Me by My Father.” In response to those who are pleased that even demons submit to them, He questions, “Why do you marvel that the devils obey you?” All things belong to Me; all things have been entrusted to Me. However, when you encounter the term “entrusted,” do not interpret it with human limitations. This phrase is not intended to suggest the existence of two uncreated Gods, but rather affirms His unique sonship and His sovereign rule over all, which is evident from numerous sources. He then emphasizes an even greater point to direct your understanding: “And no one knows the Son but the Father; nor the Father but the Son.” To the uninformed, these statements might appear separate from the previous thoughts; however, they are intimately linked. After declaring, “All things are delivered unto Me by My Father,” the Lord clarifies, “Why should you be surprised that I am Lord of all things when there is something more? I know the Father and share His nature.” He straightforwardly indicates that only He knows the Father, emphasizing this exclusive knowledge with, “No man knoweth the Father, but the Son only.” It is crucial to observe that He communicates this to the apostles after they have experienced His authority through His works, witnessing not only His miracles but also performing miracles themselves in His name. Furthermore, having mentioned previously, “Thou hast revealed this to babes,” referring to the Father, He indicates that this, too, is part of His ministry. He says, “Who knows not the Father, but the Son, and to him also if the Son chooses to reveal.” It does not merely state: to whom He commands, but to those whom He wishes. In revealing the Father, the Son also reveals Himself. Yet, He omits this last part since it is generally acknowledged, and He elaborates on the first; He consistently does this, as for example when He proclaims, “No one can come to the Father but by Me.” With these words, He conveys another truth, namely that He agrees with the Father in all matters. He asserts that He neither opposes nor holds animosity against Him, but rather underscores that no one can approach Him apart from Christ. Since the Pharisees were particularly troubled by the perception that He acted contrary to God, He makes every effort to disprove this notion, addressing it as earnestly as He does the miracles, if not more so. When He states, “Who knows the Father but the Son,” it does not imply that no one knows the Father at all; instead, it asserts that no one possesses the level of knowledge about the Father that the Son possesses. Similarly, it can be said of the Son that He does not refer here to an unknown deity, as Marcion claims, but rather highlights our limited understanding of Him, affirming our inability to fully comprehend the Son as we ought. Paul echoes this sentiment, stating, “We understand in part, and prophesy in part.” \\n\\nHe reveals insight about the Father not to the extent of His complete knowledge, but as much as we can grasp. This task is not solely undertaken by Christ; Paul, too, addresses his disciples by saying, “And I could not speak to you, brethren, as to spiritual, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, and not with solid food; for you were not yet able, and even now you are not able, because you are still carnal.” Some may argue that this was directed only at the Corinthians. However, what if I showed that he had knowledge of a truth unknown to others, which he alone grasped at the time of his death? Where is this found? In his Epistle to the Corinthians, where he states, “and heard unspeakable words, which cannot be told to man.” Yet, the individual who experienced those “unspeakable words” lacked full knowledge; he had partial understanding of these truths. He had declared, “we know in part, and prophesy in part,” and again, “when I was a child, I spake as a child, thought as a child, reasoned as a child,” and once more, “Now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face.”"},{"author-name":"Hilarius of Poitiers","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88cb92f12b3278598f946_Hilarius%20of%20Poitiers.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"To ensure that nothing is regarded as lesser in Him than in God, He declares that all things are entrusted to Him by the Father. The Father is known solely through the Son, and the Son chooses to reveal the Father to those He desires. This revelation instructs us that their mutual knowledge signifies the same divine essence; for he who knows the Son also knows the Father through the Son. Everything is committed to Him by the Father, and only the Father comprehends all that resides within the Son, just as the Son alone understands what belongs to the Father. Therefore, within this profound mystery of mutual knowledge, it becomes evident that there is nothing in the Son that the Father does not know."},{"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":"‘No one knows the Father except the Son.’ For who understands the Thought except the Word that emanates from it? The Son is the Word, surpassing all comprehension, and all the thoughts that arise are beneath Him. If knowledge were solely derived from sight and sound, it would be required that anyone who has beheld the Lord would know Him. ‘If,’ He states, “they had known Him, they would not have taken Him to the Cross” (cf. 1 Cor. 2:8). Similarly, He said: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not’ (Lk. 23:34). The sun, the moon, the trees, and the rocks also visibly honored Him, yet they lacked understanding of Him. Thus, the Son embodies the thought of the Father. He who comprehends the tree also delights in its fruit; therefore, He states, ‘No one knows the Father but the Son,’ to unify the knowledge of both. He willed, and God was revealed through the manifestations of His will, and the Son through His actions. The blasphemers of the Holy Spirit contend that since it is stated, ‘No one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father,’ it would imply that the Spirit does not know Him. However, if that were the case, then when it is written, ‘no one knows ... man except he who dwells in man, so no one knows God except the Spirit of God’ (cf. 1 Cor. 2:11), it would then mean that God is also unknown by the Son."},{"author-name":"Athanasius the Great","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c889457b66f7fc274d1066_Athanasius%20the%20Great.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"And in their ignorance, Eusebius and his followers, who subscribe to the teachings of Arius, sinfully misinterpret the Lord's declaration: \\"If all things are delivered up,\\" which they take to mean control over creation, claiming it happened when He lacked them. They contend that if He lacked them, He cannot be of the Father. Yet, if He were truly from the Father, being eternally generated from Him, He would possess those things and would not need to receive them. Their irrationality is evident, for this statement does not indicate authority over the creation, but aims to convey the concept of construction. If all things were entrusted to Him with these words, it is clear that prior to His reception of them, creation had not the Word inherent within it. Hence, how can it be stated that \\"All things in him consist\\" (Col. 1:17)? If all things were delivered to Him at the moment of creation, there would be no reason for a transfer since all came into being through Him (John 1:3); it would be redundant to hand over what He Himself had created. He inherently held dominion over creation simply by being its Creator. However, if all things were already surrendered to Him upon creation, this brings us to a paradox. If He was betrayed and accepted, while the Father withdrew, we risk falling into the false notion that the Father had abandoned the Son, as though He betrayed Him and removed Himself from the world. Conversely, if the Son contains all things, the Father must also contain them, suggesting rather that the Father communed with the Son, much like Paul did with Silouan. This scenario too reveals confusion. God requires nothing from anyone and did not need to receive the Son as an aid; rather, as the Father of the Son, He accomplishes all through Him. The Father does not delegate the care of His creation to Him but operates through Him, ensuring that not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the Father’s will, nor is any grass adorned without God’s input. Just as the Father acts, so does the Son even now (John 5:17). Thus, the folly of the wicked is made clear. Their interpretation does not align with the truth but instead reveals the Lord's work in the flesh.\\n\\nWhen humanity transgressed and fell, causing chaos throughout creation, death multiplied from Adam to Moses (Rom. 5:14), the earth was cursed, hell was opened, paradise was closed, heaven was troubled, mankind was corrupted to the core and became like beasts, and the devil jostled with us. At this juncture, God, in His mercy and unwilling to let those made in His image perish, asked, \\"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?\\" All were silent until the Son replied, \\"Here am I, send me.\\" The Father then gave him the command to go (Isa. 6:8, 9) and entrusted humanity to Him, that the Word might take flesh and restore all creation. The Word acted as a Healer to cure humanity from the grip of sin, as Life to resurrect the dead, as Light to dispel darkness, and as the Word itself to renew the earthly creatures. Thus, once all things were entrusted to the Word and He embraced humanity, all things were transformed: the earth received blessings instead of curses, paradise opened to the thief, hell was dismayed, tombs were unsealed when the dead were raised, and the gates of heaven were lifted for the one who comes from Edom (Ps. 23:9). The Savior, illustrating how all is delivered to Him, proclaimed, \\"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest\\" (Matthew 11:28). They are entrusted to Him to bring rest to the weary and to give life to the dead. John's testimony echoes this: \\"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand\\" (John 3:35). This is given so that just as He created all things, He might also renew them. It is not that He received power from the powerless or took possession of all things for His enrichment; rather, it is for Him as Savior to restore all. It was fitting that all should come into being through Him at creation, and then later, when all had fallen, that the Word became flesh, thereby renewing everything. He achieved rest for us by suffering, provided for us by hunger, and liberated us by descending into hell. At the beginning of all things, creation was commanded to exist, to generate, and to be (Gen. 1:3, 20); likewise, it was appropriate during restoration for everything to be delivered to Him, that the Word Himself might become man, renewing all things in Him. Thus, those who are associated with Him are given life. This is why the Word united with humanity, to liberate us from the power of sin. That is also why the psalmist petitioned God for humanity, saying, \\"O God, give Thy judgement to the kings\\" (Psalm 71:1), that mortal judgment should not have dominion over mankind. In this way, the condemnation that sought to ruin us was entrusted to the Son, who has abolished it through His own death, recognizing our plight. The Savior Himself testified, \\"Thy wrath is established upon Me\\" (Psalm 87:8), for He bore the wrath that was rightfully upon us, as stated in Psalm 137: \\"The Lord will recompense for Me\\" (Psalm 137:8).\\n\\nTherefore, we must comprehend the statement \\"All things are delivered unto the Savior\\" in this manner: that which He did not possess is entrusted to Him. Initially, He was not man, but He took on human form for the purpose of salvation. The Word was not flesh in the beginning but became flesh so that through it, enmity was reconciled, and the teaching of the commandments was abolished, bringing both into one new man, forming peace and reconciling all to the Father (Eph. 2:15, 16). All that the Father possesses is also the Son's, as affirmed in John: \\"All that the Father has is Mine\\" (John 16:15); this statement is particularly revealing. When He became what He was not, then all things were entrusted to Him. When He wished to affirm His unity with the Father, He does not conceal it and teaches, saying, \\"All that the Father hath is Mine.\\" The precision of His language is remarkable. He did not say, \\"All that the Father hath given to Me,\\" leading to the misconception that He once lacked these things. Instead, He refers to \\"My substance;\\" for that which remains with the Father also belongs to the Son. However, we should consider, what does the Father possess? If this refers to creation, then it must be noted that the Father possessed nothing before creation, leading to the mistaken belief that what He has is merely borrowed from creation. Let us not entertain such notions! Just as the Father existed before all creation, He likewise possesses all that He has before it, which we believe also pertains to the Son. For if the Son is within the Father (John 14:10), then all that the Father possesses also belongs to the Son. By this assertion, the deceit of wrong thinkers is dismantled, who claim, \\"If all things are delivered to the Son, then the Father relinquishes His authority over what He has entrusted to Him.\\" They assert that the Father places the Son in His stead because \\"the Father judges no one but has committed all judgement to the Son\\" (John 5:22). But let the mouths of those who speak unrighteousness be silenced (Psalm 62:12)! For the Father did not forfeit His power by conferring all judgement to the Son; rather, entrusting all things to the Son does not mean that He ceases to be sovereign over all. When they separate the only-begotten of God in their misguided words, they do not comprehend that the light is inseparable from the sun, as it inherently dwells within it.\\n\\nThus, it is impossible for anyone to conceive that sunlight, which illuminates all, shines without the sun, for the light is united naturally with the essence of the sun. If light were to claim, \\"I draw from the sun to enlighten all things, strengthening them with my heat,\\" it would be madness to disassociate the sun's name from its nature as light. Similarly, it is sound to recognize the divine essence of the Word as one with the Father in nature. The statement we examine provides a clear interpretation of the matter; the Savior proclaimed, \\"All that the Father hath is Mine.\\" This signifies that He always exists with the Father, as the phrase \\"All that the Father hath\\" denotes dominion while \\"My substance\\" indicates an indivisible unity. Thus, it is essential to envision that the Father encompasses timeless existence, eternity, and uncreatedness, which reside in Him not as something external but like water in a fountain, resting both in Him and in the Son. To understand the Son, one must first grasp what is within the Father and then believe that the same is also in the Son. If the Father were a creature or a created being, then the Son would likewise be. If it were permissible to claim that the Father once was not, that He originated from non-existing things, then this could equally be attributed to the Son. However, if it is inappropriate to affirm this regarding the Father, it must also be wrong to impose it upon the Son. For whatever pertains to the Father also extends to the Son; anyone who honors the Son honors the Father who sent Him (John 5:20); whoever receives the Son receives the Father (John 13:23); and whoever sees the Son has seen the Father (John 14:9). Therefore, as the Father is not a created being, neither is the Son; and just as it is impossible to assert of the Father that there once was a time when He was not or that He is from non-being, it is also unfitting to assert such notions about the Son. Rather, as the Father embodies endless existence, immortality, eternity, and uncreated essence, so too should we regard the Son, according to what is written: \\"But as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given the Son also to have life in Himself\\" (John 5:26). The term \\"give\\" pertains to the Father who bestows; yet, as it is in the Father, so too is it in the Son, establishing the inseparability and eternality of existence. Thus, the Savior articulates with precision, \\"Whatever the Father has,\\" to clarify that here He does not identify as the Father Himself. He did not say, \\"I am the Father,\\" but \\"If only the Father wills.\\"\\n\\nThe only-begotten Son of the Father is also referred to as the Father, not in a manner that leads you, deceived Arians, to misinterpret; rather, He is the Son of the Father who begets Him and the Father of the age to come. Your presumptions must be completely dismissed. The prophet declares, \\"Unto us a Son is born, and a child is given unto us. And the governance shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace\\" (Isaiah 9:6). Hence, the Only-begotten is the Father of the future age, and the Son of God is indeed Mighty God and Ruler, as it is established that all that belongs to the Father is also alongside the Son, and just as the Father grants life, so the Son has the power to give life as He wills (John 5:21). \\"For it is declared that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they shall live\\" (John 5:25). The Father and the Son share a singular will and desire because their natures are unified and indivisible. The Arians labor in vain, misunderstanding our Savior's proclamation: \\"All that the Father hath is Mine.\\" Through these words, the fallacy of Sabellius is refuted, and the irrationality of today's Jews is unveiled. According to the reasoning of these declarations, the Only-begotten possesses life in Himself just as the Father possesses life in Him; and He alone knows the Father, for He abides in the Father and encompasses the Father within Himself. He is the image of the Father, which incorporates everything that belongs to the Father. He embodies the perfect seal that reflects the Father; He is the living, true Word, power, wisdom, sanctification, and our salvation. In Him we live and move and exist (Acts 17:28), and no one knows the Father except the Son, nor knows the Son save the Father.\\n\\nHow dare the wicked speculate on matters unlawful for them to ponder when they cannot even comprehend the things of this world? Indeed, I ask them to define their own nature, should they possess the capability; how audacious and presumptuous they are, unafraid to approach the glory that angels desire to understand (1 Pet. 1:12), who are exalted above us in both nature and status. What could be nearer to God than the cherubim and seraphim? These beings do not dare to look or stand tall; even without their divine veils, they silently glorify, their faces unveiled, offering praise through their still lips in harmony with the Trisagion hymn; worshiping not other beings but glorifying solely the ineffable essence of God. None among the divinely inspired prophets, those who have attained such knowledge, failed to convey that when they pronounce the first holy name, the seraphim respond with great volume, the second with quieter intonations, while the third is whispered low, revealing that only the first holy name is magnified, while the second is subordinated, and the third rests even lower. Let not this madness of the impious and brazen heretics approach us! The All-Holy, Honorable, and Venerable Trinity is one, indivisible, and beyond human words. It exists in harmonious unity—inseparable while manifesting distinct persons. Thus, these revered living beings, through their thrice-repeated proclamation of praise, cry out: “Holy, Holy, Holy,” reflect the three perfect Hypostases and, with unity in their declaration of “Lord,” signify the one essence. Those who diminish the only-begotten Son of God blaspheme and harbor erroneous views of completeness, clinging to the notion of His imperfection, and thus drawing upon themselves the gravest condemnation; for those who blaspheme any of the Divine Hypostases will find no forgiveness for their sins, in this life or in the life to come. Yet, God has the power to open their hearts to recognize the Sun of righteousness, so that upon knowing Him whom they formerly spurned, they might glorify Him alongside us continuously with godly understanding; for to Him belongs the kingdom, of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen."},{"author-name":"Cyrill of Alexandria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a8ea5c988a4fc073480_Cyrill%20of%20Alexandria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"The one who beholds the Son, who embodies the likeness of the Father, perceives the Father Himself. The Son discloses the Father by revealing Himself as the archetype, simultaneously manifesting the original through His likeness. This should be interpreted in a manner appropriate to the divine nature. Since it has been declared that all things are entrusted to Me, this was added to clarify that He does not possess a different essence or is inferior to the Father, highlighting that His being is profound and beyond full comprehension, akin to that of the Father. Only the divine nature within the Trinity understands itself completely. Only the Father comprehends His own Son, the expression of His essence; only the eternally Begotten recognizes the One from whom He originates; only the Holy Spirit discerns the depths of God, which are the thoughts of the Father and the Son (1 Cor. 2:10)."},{"author-name":"John Damascene","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88f1652142a026a0c6d53_John%20Damascene.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":8,"exegesis-text":"No one has ever witnessed God at any time: The only begotten Son, who is in the embrace of the Father, has made Him known (John 1:18). Consequently, the divine essence remains inexpressible and beyond comprehension. For it is written, \\"No one knows the Father except the Son, and no one knows the Son except the Father\\" (Matt. 11:27). Moreover, the Holy Spirit understands the things of God just as the human spirit perceives the thoughts within itself (1 Cor. 2:11). Therefore, aside from the First and Blessed Being, no one—whether among humanity or from the celestial orders, including the Cherubim and Seraphim—has ever come to know God, unless He has chosen to reveal Himself to them."},{"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":"All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. Previously, the Lord addressed the Father, stating, \\"You have disclosed, Father.\\" Thus, to prevent the misunderstanding that Christ acts independently while all authority rests with the Father, He affirms, \\"All things are entrusted to Me.\\" Both Mine and the Father's authority are unified in this declaration. When you hear \\"entrusted,\\" do not assume it implies servitude or inferiority; rather, it signifies His position as the Son, for He was begotten by the Father, hence He is 'entrusted.' Had He not been born of the Father and shared in His divine essence, it could not rightly be said that all things were 'entrusted' to Him. Observe the phrase, \\"All things are entrusted to Me,\\" not from a mere sovereign, but from \\"My Father.\\" This is akin to a beautiful child claiming, \\"My beauty has been inherited from my father.\\" The Son is known exclusively by the Father, while the Father is known solely by the Son and by those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. It is thus proclaimed: it is no surprise that I am sovereign over all, as I possess even greater knowledge—I know the Father intimately, and this understanding enables Me to disclose knowledge of Him to others. Recall that earlier, He mentioned how the Father reveals mysteries to the humble, yet here He speaks of revealing the Father Himself. Therefore, it is evident that both the Father and the Son share the same divine authority, for both are engaged in the act of revelation."},{"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":"All authority has been entrusted to Me by My Father. This encompasses everything that belongs to the Father, as He states, “All that the Father hath is Mine” (John 16:15). If all authority has been given to Him, He reigns over everything, and if He reigns over everything, He is undeniably equal to the Father. It is important to understand the term \\"entrusted\\" in a manner fitting divine majesty; this does not imply that He lacked it before, but rather that it was designated to Him subsequently. Nothing exists prior to Him, not even the Father, for both the Father and the Son are together and share dominion over all. Nevertheless, He speaks in this manner with respect to the intentions of the divine plan, thereby honoring the Father. Keep this interpretation in mind in similar contexts. ...and no one comprehends the Son except the Father; and no one comprehends the Father except the Son. This comprehension transcends mere superficial knowledge and pertains to their true essence. While we believers recognize what the Father and the Son are, the nature of the Father and the Son remains beyond full human understanding. As Luke conveys, “No man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father: and who the Father is, but the Son” (Luke 10:22). By stating this, Christ emphasizes His equality with the Father: if only they possess complete knowledge of one another, then they are indeed equal. ...and to whom the Son chooses to reveal. This too affirms their equality. If the Father reveals, as referenced earlier, then the Son also reveals; thus, they share equality. He will disclose the nature of the Father to the deserving in the age to come. If He reveals the Father's nature, then inevitably He will also reveal His own and that of the Holy Spirit, as they are one and the same in the Trinity. When He said, “No one knows,” He referred to created beings, certainly not including the Holy Spirit who is uncreated. Why did He not speak clearly about Him? The time for such disclosure had not yet arrived. It was essential for the understanding of the Son to be firmly planted in the minds of the disciples before the Holy Spirit could be fully revealed to them."},{"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":"The apostles were filled with childlike joy at the fact that even the demons were subject to them in the name of the Lord. In this moment, the Lord expressed gratitude to His Father in heaven for disclosing the mysteries of His redeeming grace to these humble believers. However, to ensure they understood that He shares the same power and authority as the Father, the Lord clearly stated, \\"ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO ME BY MY FATHER.\\" This was not to imply He lacked anything beforehand, but rather to affirm their shared authority. Blessed Theophylact notes, \\"Do not assume that everything is entrusted to Him as a servant; rather, it is as a Son. If He were not of the same essence as the Father, these things would not belong to Him.\\" He emphasizes that Christ's declaration signifies, “all things have been entrusted to Me—not by My Lord, but by My Father.” Just as a child might say their excellent appearance is inherited from their father, we must also understand Christ’s statement in this context. St. Athanasius of Alexandria explained, \\"To Me, humanity is entrusted as a Physician to heal the bite of the serpent, as Life to resurrect the dead, as Light to illuminate their darkness.\\" \\"All that the Father has is mine\\" (John 16:15). \\"Christ speaks this in alignment with the purpose of His mission, honoring the Father,\\" as E. Zigaben puts it. The Lord indicates that there is nothing astonishing about His role as Lord and Sovereign over all; in fact, He possesses even more. Though His humble appearance may lead people to doubt Him—because they do not truly know Him—He asserts that \\"NO ONE KNOWS THE SON,\\" for no created being, whether human or angelic, comprehends Who He is in His Divine Nature before the Father. Only the Father, who is united with Him, fully knows the Son. Those who believe that I offend God by calling myself the Son, whose essence is the same as the Father's, do not truly know the Father. \\"NO ONE KNOWS THE FATHER BUT THE SON,\\" for the Father resides in unapproachable light, a mystery beyond the full comprehension of any creature, save for the Son, who has been intimately connected with the Father from eternity. No one possesses the level of understanding of the Father that the Son does. St. Cyril of Alexandria interprets the Lord’s words to reflect their shared knowledge: \\"I know the Father, who knows Me, and the Father is known by Me.\\" The entire creation is devoid of such knowledge, since it cannot partake in this divine essence. Some may glimpse a small fragment of this truth, for I reveal as much as possible to whomever I choose about the Father’s nature. Blessed Theophylact observes that the Father and the Son possess the same power, thereby demonstrating His perfect equality with the Father. St. Chrysostom comments that the Lord does not refer to some distant God who has remained hidden, but rather emphasizes the limitations of our understanding of Him, echoing Paul’s words: \\"For we know in part, and prophesy in part\\" (1 Cor. 13:9). This assurance came to them when they experienced His divine power firsthand, recognizing that they were able to perform miracles in His name. In stating that \\"He revealed these things to babes,\\" He illustrates that this is also His divine action; \\"No man knoweth the Father,\\" He affirms, \\"but the Son, and to whom the Son WANTS TO reveal Himself.\\" God discloses Himself to humanity as much as they can grasp, and this revelation is realized through the Son; to truly know Him in the Son requires faith in Him and love that draws one to the grace and favor of the Son. The Son desires to disclose the Father to all, yet it is essential for individuals to be capable and worthy of receiving such insight. Why, then, does the Lord focus solely on Himself and the Father and not clearly mention the Holy Spirit? One commentator (E. Zigaben) suggests that it was not the appropriate moment to teach about the Spirit; it was first necessary to establish the disciples’ understanding of the Son before revealing the role of the Holy Spirit. After affirming His equality with the Father, the Lord then speaks profound words of divine love and unmatched mercy, directed not only at the apostles but at all people throughout history, including us sinners:"},{"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":"\\"All authority has been entrusted to me\\": When you encounter the term 'entrusted,' do not assume a human connotation, for this phrase should not lead you to believe in two firstborn Deities (Chrysostom). The governance of the universe is Christ's as the intercessor and mediator in the redemption of humanity (Eph. 1:20-22). He guides all things for the benefit of His holy church until He reestablishes the entire kingdom to God the Father (1 Cor. 15:24). - \\"No one knows the Son\\": The essence of the Son of God, the profound mystery of the divine and human natures united in Him, along with the exaltation and purity of His divine attributes, is beyond complete human comprehension; only God the Father has perfect knowledge of Him. - \\"Except the Father\\": This does not imply ignorance on the part of the Spirit but asserts that the Father possesses the primary understanding of the Son’s nature (Vas. V. 7, 166). The same principle applies to the subsequent phrase, \\"except the Son.\\" - \\"And no one knows the Father\\": Neither humanity, nor angels, nor any created being can fully grasp or understand God in the brightness of His unapproachable glory. Only the Son, \\"who is in the bosom of the Father,\\" has complete knowledge of Him (John 1:18). \\"When He states, 'no one knows the Father except the Son,' it does not imply that no one acknowledges Him, but rather that nobody possesses the understanding of the Father that the Son possesses.\\" The same can be said concerning the Son. \\"For we also do not comprehend the Son as we should\\" (Zlat.). \\"To whom the Son chooses to reveal Himself\\": God has made Himself fully known to humanity in the Son (John 14:8, 9) and through the Son (Heb. 1:1, 2). However, to truly know Him in and through the Son, one must receive the Son's favor and grace through faith and love (John 14:21, 23). The Son desires to make the Father known to all, but this revelation can only be received by those who are able and worthy."},{"author-name":"Theophan the Recluse","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8983a6e0f4c3aecaae3fc_Theophan%20the%20Recluse.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"No one has knowledge of God the Father except for God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; equally, no one truly knows the Son apart from the Father and the Holy Spirit; and no one understands the Holy Spirit without the Father and the Son. This interconnectedness fosters shared will and shared action, which, when united, results in a harmonious expression of purpose and intention. Just as all Persons are one, so too does each Person dwell within the others. Each Person's unity comes solely from generation and procession. It is important to clarify that the Father, when begetting the Son, does not distance Him from Himself or from the Spirit, and in begetting the Holy Spirit, He does not separate Him from Himself or from the Son. Upon His birth, the Son remains inseparable from the Father and the Spirit; similarly, the Spirit’s procession does not create a separation from either the Father or the Son. The Father begets the Son, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son without any implication of dominance or superiority. In the same way, the Son is begotten by the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, maintaining perfect unity with Him, not diminishing in stature, but remaining equal to Him in every aspect."}]}
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