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Explanation for:
Matthew
13
:
16
But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
8
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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":"Sin is not inherent, nor is it a matter of necessity or coercion. Consider the words of Christ to the apostles, “But blessed are your eyes that see, and your ears that hear,” indicating that true sight and hearing transcend mere sensory perception and engage the mind. The apostles, being Jews raised under the same law, were not adversely affected by prophecy, as the foundation of righteousness—namely, reason and will—was firmly rooted within them. Notice that the phrase “it is given unto you to know” does not imply that knowledge is obligatory. If it were so, how could they be deemed blessed if this virtuous endeavor were not theirs to choose? Do not claim that His teachings were beyond comprehension. The Jews, like the disciples, had the opportunity to seek Him for understanding, yet they chose not to, driven by their own carelessness and indifference. What I mean is that they were not merely disinterested; they actively opposed Him, as they not only disbelieved and ignored His words but also rebelled against His teachings, which the Lord reproached through the prophet, saying, “they hardly hear.” In contrast, such was not the case with the disciples, which is why they were esteemed as blessed."},{"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":"Christ thus bestows glory upon them for hearing the voice of the Son and for the privilege of witnessing Him. Through Him and in Him, they spiritually perceived the essence of God the Father. This is the honor that the saints of antiquity received, along with a complete experience of spiritual blessings."},{"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":"Blessed are the physical eyes and ears of the apostles, yet even more deserving of appreciation are their spiritual eyes and ears, for they have come to recognize Christ."},{"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":"\\"Blessed are the eyes - and the ears\\": This refers to perception and comprehension that transcends mere physical senses (Chrysostom). You are truly fortunate because you perceive with your sight, grasping the deeper meaning and importance of what you observe, and because you hear with your ears, discerning the essence and value of what you listen to. This stands in stark contrast to the Jews, who, though they saw with their physical eyes, were blind in understanding; similarly, their hearing did not lead to true comprehension."},{"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":"Alas for those who willfully blind themselves to the truth! BLESSED are YOUR spiritual EYES for perceiving this truth, and BLESSED are YOUR spiritual EARS for receiving it. Though you belong to the Jewish heritage, the words of Isaiah do not pertain to you, for you sincerely hunger for the truth with all your heart; you recognize me as the Messiah sent by God, and thus you grasp the truth."},{"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":"The phrase \\"Whoever has, to him shall be given and increased, and whoever does not have, from him shall be taken away even that which he has\\" when considered in isolation may appear perplexing. However, if we view it in light of the context, which explains that the Word of God concerning the Kingdom of Heaven is truly apprehended only by those with a receptive mind and heart, it becomes clear that the focus is not on the literal accumulation of material wealth for the wealthy or the deprivation of the poor. Rather, it concerns the enrichment of a person's spiritual life through genuine knowledge of God. Some might ask: What fault lies with a person who lacks such receptivity to God's Word? Why should they lose what little understanding they possess? Our response is that the inclination toward divine knowledge is intrinsic to all people as rational beings, yet many have allowed their minds to be clouded by misleading doctrines and their hearts to harden, leading them to listen reluctantly to the Word of God. Even when they do listen, they do not truly hear; instead, they echo superficial statements like the idea that the Gospel contains many mysteries, thus avoiding its teachings. This is their failing, resulting in the loss of whatever understanding they had. However, if these individuals approach the Word of God without biases, reading with faith and a genuine intent to comprehend, they will certainly attain understanding. As they immerse themselves in the magnificence of this Word, their understanding will deepen, and divine truth will become increasingly luminous to them. Blessed will be their eyes, for they see, and their ears, for they hear. Many prophets of the Old Testament longed to witness the fulfillment of their prophecies, and many righteous individuals yearned to behold the coming of the Messiah and to hear Him. Yet they neither saw nor heard Him. But how blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear."},{"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":"Despite its remarkable simplicity and clarity, even the disciples struggled to grasp its significance. Upon the Saviour's return to the house of Peter, one of the apostles, in Capernaum, they were eager to seek an explanation. Their inquiry demonstrated that the parable had profoundly impacted them, stirring a thought that craved understanding. The Saviour readily provided the apostles, who would be His future representatives, with a thorough interpretation of the parable. When questioned about His use of parables in teaching the crowds, the Saviour explained that this format was the most effective way to convey His message to a people who, as Scripture states, “who seeing see not, and hearing hear not, nor understand.” He quoted the prophet Isaiah, saying, “the heart of these people is hardened, and they hear with their ears, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts.” It was His hope that these outward symbols would remain etched in people's memories, allowing them, when more receptive, to unlock their deeper meanings, which they were not yet ready to comprehend. Only to His chosen disciples was granted the knowledge of “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,” to whom the Saviour could also unveil the significance behind the parable’s external images."},{"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 dismissing the crowds, the Lord entered a house and, when alone with His disciples, the twelve apostles and others who gathered around Him posed the question, \\"Why do you teach in parables?\\" He explained, \\"It is because to you has been granted the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to them it has not been given. They encounter these teachings only as parables, as those who have sight do not truly see, and those who have ears do not truly hear or comprehend. The prophecy of Isaiah is thereby realized in them, stating, 'By hearing you will hear and not understand; and seeing you will see and not perceive.' This prophecy (Is. 6:9-10), as cited by the Evangelist Matthew from the translation of the LXX, initially referred to those in Isaiah’s time; the contemporaries of the Savior were no better than their forebears, showing even greater obstinacy as they remained deaf and blind to the proclamations and deeds of their Messiah. However, this did not apply to the Lord’s disciples, who had their spiritual eyes and ears opened to receive the words of eternal life (John 6:68). They were blessed to receive His preferential praise compared to the righteous of old: 'Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear; truly, I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.' St. John Chrysostom adds that this refers to the manifestation of Christ in the flesh, His miracles, His voice, and His teaching."}]}
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