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Explanation for:
Matthew
12
:
30
He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
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":"Let no one assume that this term solely pertains to heretics and those who cause divisions, although it can be interpreted that way. Based on the context of the discourse and the subsequent words, it must primarily refer to the adversary. The deeds of the Savior cannot be equated with those of Beelzebub. The devil seeks to ensnare human souls, whereas the Lord seeks to liberate them. The enemy proclaims idolatry, while the Lord reveals the knowledge of the one true God. The tempter entices individuals toward sin, while the Lord invites them to embrace righteousness. Thus, how can there be any unity among those who are disparate in their actions?"},{"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":"Whoever is not in alignment with me is in opposition, and those who do not work alongside me contribute to decay. Thus, I tell you that every transgression and slander may be forgiven to humanity, except for the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man can be forgiven; however, anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit shall not receive forgiveness, not in this present age nor in the age to come. Those who do not support Me are against Me, and those who refuse to unite with Me lead to loss. Here we have the fourth counterargument. What is My aim? Christ expresses His mission: to guide humanity to God, teach them righteousness, and declare the kingdom to them. Opposing this are the devil and his forces. Therefore, how can someone who does not work with Me or stand in support of Me truly assist? Rather, they undermine what I seek to achieve. How can such a person, who does not support Me and even works against Me, collaborate with Me in casting out demons? It appears that He is not addressing only the devil but also Himself, for He actively opposes the devil and dismantles his influence. Why then does He state, ‘He who is not with Me is against Me?’ It is because such a person fails to rally together with Him. If this is correct, what must someone be who stands in opposition? If inaction towards Christ designates one as an adversary, surely one who directly attacks Him is even more so. This illustrates His profound and unyielding enmity with the devil. Consider, is not one against you who refuses to assist you when fighting against a foe? However, when He states in another context, ‘He who is not against you is for you’ (Luke 9:50), it does not conflict with His statement here. In this instance, He clarifies who the enemy is, while in that instance, He reveals who stands in solidarity, for it is recorded that by Your name they cast out demons (Matt. 7:22). It seems Christ is also referencing the Jews, aligning them alongside the devil, as they opposed Him and undermined what He sought to gather. The subsequent words of the Savior confirm this implication: ‘This I say unto you, that every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men.’"},{"author-name":"Anonymous Commentary (Opus Imperfectum)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He who does not stand with Me stands in opposition to Me. What is the aim of the adversary? Malice. And what does the Lord express as My intention? Goodness. Thus, since I do not align myself with the adversary, I stand opposed to him. Just as righteousness cannot coexist with wickedness, remaining ever in opposition, so their desires and actions are entirely contrary. The adversary entices with immorality while I extend the call to purity. He draws in the impure and those of ill-repute, whereas I attract the virtuous and the upright. He promotes discord, while I advocate for peace. He gathers those who are rebellious and discontent, but I unite those who seek tranquility and harmony. Therefore, recognize that I am not in coalition with him; rather, I am distanced from him. His words may convey little yet imply much. If he who is not with Me is against Me, then certainly one who stands against Me cannot be with Me. He does not stand with Me because he fails to follow My example. He opposes Me by engaging in actions contrary to Mine. For instance, I am in the process of constructing something. Even if someone does not obstruct My efforts, their lack of support indicates they are not with Me; they are opposed to Me since they choose not to assist, despite their ability to do so. However, should they deliberately undermine My work, their opposition to Me becomes all the more profound."},{"author-name":"Chromatius of Aquileia","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a3df6d7a747a33b4f4a_Chromatius%20of%20Aquileia.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"He rightfully stated, Whoever is not with Me is against Me; and whoever does not gather with Me scatters, to emphasize that His mission is distinct from that of the devil, whose role is the adversary of human salvation. The devil seeks to squander for the sake of ruin, while Christ's purpose is to unite for the sake of salvation. Thus, it is evident that those opposed to the Lord cannot ally with Him. By making this declaration, the Lord seemed to hold the Pharisees accountable, as they rejected the call to unite with Christ and became adversaries of the Lord. Moreover, He refers to all heretics and those who create divisions, whether through twisted teachings or by perpetuating strife, who establish unholy gatherings against the Church—or more accurately, against the Lord—and endeavor to fracture and corrupt the united body of the Church and the harmony of faith. They overlook the wisdom of Solomon: He who chops wood may be in danger from it (Ecclesiastes 10:9), indicating that those who introduce division within the Church risk eternal peril."},{"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 asks, how can Beelzebub assist Me when he stands against Me more fiercely than others? I promote righteousness, while he advocates wickedness. How can he possibly be on My side? I draw individuals towards salvation, while he drives them away. He also refers to the Pharisees, as they, despite His teachings and the good He brought to many, caused division among the people to prevent them from approaching Him. Thus, the Lord illustrates that they are truly akin to demons."},{"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":"Another perspective suggests that the ruler of the demons stands as Christ's most formidable adversary. It is clear from their actions that he is not aligned with Christ; he neither supports nor unites with Him. While Christ imparts goodness, encourages love, and heals the afflicted, the other promotes wickedness, fosters hatred, and inflicts harm upon the healthy. Consequently, since he does not share in Christ's mission or contribute to the gathering of faith, he must be opposed to Him and works to disrupt the assembly that Christ forms. When He stated, “He that is not with Me is against Me,” He made this point clearer by adding, “And he that is not with Me is scattered.” He included the Jews among those against Him, who, to the best of their ability, sought to dismantle what He had brought together."},{"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":"Who stands in communion with the Lord? It is the one who lives and acts in His Spirit, rejecting any thoughts, feelings, desires, intentions, words, or actions that displease Him and contradict His clear commandments and teachings. Conversely, those who behave differently are not aligned with the Lord; they do not gather but rather squander. What exactly do they squander? Not just their energy and time, but also what they amass. For instance, wealth is not truly amassed with the Lord by those who hoard it for themselves, neglecting to share and even denying themselves what they require. Furthermore, those who, when they do acquire riches, allocate a portion for lavish living, wasteful offerings, or leave it to their heirs are spiritually destitute. When they transition to the next life, they arrive with nothing and become the most impoverished of all. In contrast, those who gather wealth with the Lord—by serving the poor and the needy—transfer what they have accrued into eternal treasures. Upon their death, they will discover that all they have preserved is intact, even if they seemed to waste their lives before. The same principle applies to the accumulation of knowledge. Here, the waste is even more pronounced. Many pursue knowledge as if it were mountains of wisdom, yet they amass little of genuine value; instead, it becomes mere shadows of truth rather than the truth itself. Such individuals not only lack true knowledge, but they also forfeit their sense of humanity, becoming delusional like those lost in slumber. Examine the philosophies of materialists, and you will see this reality reflected."},{"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":"In His final remarks addressing the slander of the Pharisees, the Saviour exclaimed, \\"THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITH ME ARE AGAINST ME; AND THOSE WHO DO NOT GATHER WITH ME SCATTER.\\" His mission is to lead souls to the Father, to instruct them in righteousness, and to announce the Kingdom to them. However, what do the forces of darkness desire? The exact opposite. How can someone who is not aligned with Me truly assist Me? In fact, they merely seek to squander what is Mine. How can they expel demons alongside Me? In this manner, the Lord demonstrated His profound and insurmountable opposition to the adversary! Yet, this firm declaration is not solely directed at the devil. Even those who may not actively work against Him but remain indifferent to their own salvation, and those who have the ability yet choose not to aid in the salvation of others, do not gather with Christ. If one does not gather, they scatter and thus stand in opposition to Him. This serves as a grave admonition to all who are negligent!"},{"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 who is not with me, etc.: the fourth rebuttal, understood as follows: 'My purpose is to lead individuals to God, instruct them in righteousness, and announce the Kingdom to them - but what do the adversary and his minions desire? The exact opposite. Therefore, how can one who does not unite with Me and is not on My side assist Me? (Chrys., cf. Theophil.). - This applies in the current context to the Pharisees and to all those who oppose Christ. Anyone among those who are aware of and listen to His teachings, yet does not support Him, stands as an adversary, even if they do not take active measures against Him; they are an enemy simply by not working for His cause. They become even more of an enemy if they directly oppose Him. - Gathers - wastes away: the meaning remains consistent; the imagery draws from the harvest (cf. Matt. 3:12, Matt. 6:26, Jn. 4:36)."},{"author-name":"Nicodemus (Milash)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c895f1d0fc7ffcd1788940_Nicodemus%20(Milash).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Jesus Christ states that those who do not stand with Him stand against Him (Luke 11:23; Matthew 12:30), and opposition to Christ inherently signifies opposition to His church. Every heretic becomes estranged from the church by rejecting one or more foundational aspects of the Christian faith, thereby disregarding the revealed truth and, ultimately, the Truth Himself, Jesus Christ, the church’s cornerstone. In light of this, it is understandable that such individuals may be excluded from the church's prayers and from the grace that can only be received through the Orthodox Church. As prescribed by established norms, those who fall into heresy are typically barred from entering the church where this grace is offered. When asked whether divine services can be conducted in the presence of a heretic, particularly an Arian, Timothy of Alexandria responded affirmatively, but only under the condition that the heretic commits to abandon heresy and embrace orthodox belief."}]}
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