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Explanation for:
Matthew
12
:
11
But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?
12
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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":"He addresses the issue put forth by the inquirers by charging them with greed. He states, If you are quick to rescue a sheep or any creature that has fallen into a pit on the Sabbath, driven not by concern for the animal but by your own selfish desires, then how much more should I be entitled to save a person who is of far greater value than a sheep?"},{"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 encourages them through this example to abandon their boldness and to refrain from accusing Him again of wrongdoing. Observe how Christ consistently defends His actions regarding the Sabbath with dignity and propriety. When He performed the healing of the blind man, He did not offer a defense even though He was accused at that time; the very act of the miracle sufficiently indicated His authority as the Lord of the law. However, when faced with accusations for healing the paralyzed man carrying a mat, He justifies Himself both in His divine nature and as a man. He justifies His humanity by stating, ‘If a man receive circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law be not broken (He did not say, that a man may benefit), why are you upset with Me because I have made all men well (John 7:23)?’ He justifies His divinity by proclaiming, ‘My Father worketh hitherto, and I work (John 5:17).’ When His disciples are accused, He responds, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he entered the house of God and ate the showbread (Matthew 12:3, 4)?’ He brings forth the priests as an instance of mercy. Likewise, He asks, ‘Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath? Is there anyone among you who has one sheep (Mk. 3:4, 5)?’ He understood that their hearts were more selfish than compassionate. Another gospel writer notes that Christ, in asking this question, looked at them to stir their hearts with His gaze; yet, they remained unyielding. Here, He performs the miracle with a command, and on other occasions, He heals through the laying on of hands. Neither method softened their hearts; rather, as the man regained his health, their condition worsened. He desired to heal them even before the man with the withered hand, employing various means of restoration, both through prior actions and words; yet, since their affliction was beyond remedy, He moved forward to the miracle itself."},{"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":"Demonstrates that they violate the Sabbath for their own benefit to avoid losing a sheep, yet for the sake of condemning humanity, they refuse to allow it."},{"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":"Notice how He illustrates through this example that their affection lies more with possessions than with humanity: they show compassion towards animals while lacking mercy for people. Also, take note of how, in various contexts, He provides different justifications for violating the Sabbath, demonstrating a wise intention to fulfill the law rather than confuse the Jewish people."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"A negative response to this inquiry could have led to allegations against Jesus Christ of lacking mercy, while a positive response might have resulted in accusations of violating the Sabbath. Thus, without directly addressing His challengers, the Lord spoke to the man with the withered hand, saying, \\"Arise and stand in the midst,\\" effectively bringing him forward to touch the hearts of those present, hoping they would abandon their hostility (St John Chrysostom). Then He posed a pivotal question: What is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save or to destroy a soul? His adversaries, ensnared by their own trap, fell silent. However, this silence, which they believed would shield them from the complications of their predicament, availed them nothing, as Jesus illustrated through familiar scenarios that they had already answered His question through their actions, in a manner aligned with truth and His perspective: Which of you, having a single sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Is a person not worth much more than a sheep? Therefore, it is right to do good on the Sabbath."},{"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 Lord provides a compelling counterargument to the unjust tradition set by the elders, which prohibits even acts of kindness on the Sabbath. If a man's single sheep, which holds greater value for him than for someone with many, falls into a pit and is at risk of being lost, will he not strive to rescue it? Certainly, he will, motivated by his compassion for the creature and his concern for his possession. The welfare of a person is far greater than that of a sheep. If one can show kindness on the Sabbath towards an innocent animal, they should exhibit even greater compassion and mercy towards humanity—the reflection of God, for whom the Savior came to secure salvation and the promise of eternal life."},{"author-name":"Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896ffb7a2ebaf99e46539_Philaret%20of%20Moscow%20(Drosdow).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"What does the Gospel teach us regarding the rigid observance of the Sabbath or the Lord’s Day? Consider this: if one among you has a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath, would he not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep? Thus, the Sabbath was made for humanity, not humanity for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27-28). From these insights, we can derive two principles. First, acts of necessary intervention are permitted on the Lord’s Day. Second, deeds of compassion and humanity are appropriate for the Lord’s Day. However, we must conclude that both the Gospel and the ancient law prohibit on the Lord's Day those activities that do not involve essential need or a sense of moral purpose and benevolence."},{"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 addressed them, saying, Which of you, having a single sheep that is precious to him, would not rescue it from a pit on the Sabbath? Would he not lift it out? If you see no wrongdoing in saving a sheep on the Sabbath, then how can it be wrong to show compassion to a person in need?"},{"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":"Understanding the intentions behind the Pharisees' inquiry and being aware of their inner thoughts, Jesus, aiming to clarify that performing good deeds on the Sabbath is not sinful, instructs the man with the withered hand to rise in the center of the synagogue for all to see. He then counters the Pharisees with a probing question: \\"What is lawful to do on the Sabbath, to do good or to do evil, to save life or destroy it?\\" They remain silent, unable to formulate a response in line with their teachings, seemingly indicating their lack of comprehension. \\n\\nJesus then articulates His point in a clear manner. Since they are unsure whether saving a person is acceptable on the Sabbath, He directs their focus to their own self-interest: if a sheep of theirs fell into a pit, would they not rescue it on the Sabbath? They are mute, fully aware that there is none among them who would refrain from such action."},{"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":"To further illustrate the unfounded nature of the Pharisees' hostility toward those they alleged violated the Sabbath, the Savior seized an opportunity that arose in the synagogue of a nearby town on that very day. There, a man, identified as a bricklayer, had suffered an accidental injury that left his hand withered. He earnestly sought Christ’s healing touch, yearning to escape the painful necessity of soliciting for alms. His presence and intent were known to all in attendance, prompting the scribes and Pharisees to occupy the prominent seats, their malevolent gazes fixed on Christ as they awaited His actions to use against Him later."},{"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":"On a different Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue where a man with a withered right hand was present. The scribes and Pharisees closely observed Him, intent on determining if He would breach the Sabbath by healing the afflicted man. They did not merely observe silently, but as Matthew notes, they posed a challenge to Him. The Lord called the man with the withered hand to the forefront and addressed the Pharisees, asking, “Which of you, having one sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lift it out?” He continued, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? To save a life, or to destroy it?” After surveying His adversaries, He looked at them with anger, feeling sorrow for the hardness of their hearts. He then commanded the man to stretch out his hand, and it was restored to wholeness. The Pharisees, already shamed by previous confrontations with Jesus, faced a particularly humiliating defeat this time; Christ openly rejected their teaching that healing was prohibited on the Sabbath, demonstrating this not only through His words but also through the miraculous act of restoring the man's hand. In response, the Pharisees conspired to eliminate Jesus, and according to Mark’s account, they collaborated with the Herodians, supporters of Herod’s regime. This reveals the depth of animosity the legal guardians felt towards Christ; although the Pharisees despised the Herodians for their allegiance to a foreign dynasty, they were willing to unite with them against a common adversary."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"During the following two Sabbaths, the significance of the Sabbath and the sanctity of its rest became more clearly articulated and thoroughly explained, as previous discussions had been overshadowed by ongoing disputes with the Pharisees. On one occasion, as the Lord's disciples traveled from Jerusalem and passed through a grain field, they, feeling hungry, plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate. On another occasion, the Lord healed a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, doing so solely with a command, without any intermediary action. This latter event occurred in Galilee. \\n\\nIn defense of His disciples and the miraculous healing of the man, the Lord highlighted to the Pharisees—who were diligently watching His every action—instances where holy men had set aside certain rules due to urgent circumstances. For instance, David, while fleeing from Saul, had requested the showbread from Abiathar and consumed it with his companions (1 Sam. 21:1). He also noted that the Pharisees themselves broke the Sabbath by rescuing an animal that had fallen into a pit and recognized that even the priests were unable to adhere strictly to the command of rest, as they were required to make sacrifices, particularly on ordinary days.\\n\\nHowever, the Lord emphasized that something greater than the temple was present among them. Thus, His disciples, by adhering to this higher principle, did not violate the sanctity of the temple, which is a transient dwelling of the Almighty, nor His laws. The Lord reminded them not to overlook the prophetic words of God: \\"I desire mercy, not sacrifice\\"—implying that compassion shown to the man with the withered hand is more important than adhering to an idle rest. He underscored that the Sabbath was made for humankind, rather than humankind for the Sabbath. The Sabbath, like any other time, is meant for performing good deeds, not for committing evil; failing to do a beneficial act for one's neighbor also constitutes a violation. Ultimately, the Lord reiterated what He had previously declared in Jerusalem: the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."}]}
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