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Explanation for:
Matthew
13
:
50
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
9
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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":"In terms of grammar, the term ‘their’ in both the Greek original and the Russian translation pertains to the word ‘righteous,’ yet its intended meaning should actually apply to ‘them’ in reference to the unrighteous. Only the third parable from the second series receives a partial explanation."},{"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":"Following the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy, where it is written: \\"Behold, I will send a multitude of fishers\\" (Jer. 16:16), Peter, Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee—James and John—responded to His call: \\"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men\\" (Mt. 4:19). They fashioned a net, a collection of the Gospel teachings from both the Old and New Testaments, and cast it into the sea of this world. This net continues to extend into the depths of the waters, ensnaring all that comes within its reach, encompassing both the righteous and the unrighteous, or the finest and the most wretched of souls. As stated by Christ, \\"When the end of the world comes\\" the net will be drawn to the shore, revealing the true judgment, which will serve as the sign for distinguishing between the fish. Those deemed good will be safely gathered into the vessels of eternal life, while the wicked will be condemned to the flames of Gehenna, where they will face destruction."},{"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":"In the twenty-fifth chapter, it is stated that He will personally divide them from one another. What should we make of this? He will execute this separation through His word, while the angels will carry out the task as faithful servants following the Master's orders. To separate is to draw apart. At the conclusion of the parable, He emphasizes that the unrighteous will be removed, ensuring that no one considers such a separation to be without peril. He illustrates this by saying, \\"and they shall cast them into the furnace of fire,\\" and so forth."},{"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":"Every deed, whether righteous or wicked, is viewed as sustenance for the soul, as the soul possesses its own intellectual capacities. Therefore, in that moment, the soul will grind away, chastening its expressive faculties for having engaged in such actions."},{"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":"Those who sin will be cast into the fiery furnace, facing eternal suffering, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, a manifestation of despair and self-condemnation. It is no surprise that St. Chrysostom refers to this parable as ‘terrible’, while Gregory the Great expresses that it is more to be feared than understood. The Lord only elaborated on its conclusion, amplifying the fear; Chrysostom notes that those who think the wicked will merely be separated underestimate the grave danger in Christ's declaration that they will be thrown into the furnace, a place of gnashing teeth and unbearable torment. The parable of Christ reveals that many who appear to be within the embrace of Christ, or those who seem to belong to His Church, will ultimately be cast out. Let us wholeheartedly align all our actions, desires, and thoughts with the teachings of Christ, so that when His net is full of the saved and drawn at the end of time, we may be a worthy catch and be privileged to be gathered into the heavenly vessels."},{"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 fourth parable recounted by Jesus to His disciples is that of a net cast into the sea, which gathered fish of every variety. This parable illustrates a future time when the proclamation of the Gospel will reach every corner of the globe, and the Church established by Christ will encompass all nations. At this point, the net will be drawn to shore: the good fish will be collected into containers, while the undesirable will be discarded. Then, angels will emerge to distinguish the unrighteous from the just, casting them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. \\n\\nTo clarify the terms ‘furnace of fire,’ Gehenna, and outer darkness, Jesus presented the fate of sinners to His audience, indicating that those judged by Him at the end of times would be thrown into the furnace of fire, characterized by weeping and gnashing of teeth. The question arises whether we should take the phrase ‘furnace of fire’ literally or if it serves as a metaphor for the torment that awaits the unrepentant. It appears that a literal interpretation could only be suitable if Jesus consistently described the future of sinners in this manner; however, it is recorded that on various occasions He articulated the concept differently. For instance, in the Sermon on the Mount, He referred to the suffering of sinners as akin to being in the valley (Gehenna) of fire (Matt. 5:29). Later, when discussing the destiny of the Jews, He referred to them being cast into outer darkness, where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth, while many would come from the east and west to recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 8:11-12).\\n\\nThe imagery of being burned in a furnace would have been familiar to Jesus' audience through the Old Testament. For example, Judah, the son of Jacob, condemned his daughter-in-law Tamar to be burned (Gen. 38:24), while David subjected the inhabitants of Rabbah to a fiery execution (2 Samuel 12:31). Additionally, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the execution of Ananias, Mishael, and Azariah by fire for refusing to worship a golden idol (Dan. 3:21). Generally, immolation was a recognized and gruesome method of capital punishment in the Eastern cultures of that time, known for its extreme pain and horror. Therefore, when Jesus spoke of the dire fate awaiting unrepentant sinners in eternal life, He employed the image of the furnace to convey a vivid picture of their potential judgment if they did not turn from their ways and embrace a new life.\\n\\nLater, in addressing the Sadducees' inquiry about resurrection, Jesus compared those who would be raised to angels at the Last Judgment and clarified that the bodies of the resurrected would not be like the physical forms we possess in our earthly existence (Lk. 20:27-36). This suggests that the sufferings faced by the condemned may be more psychological than physical in nature."},{"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":"In the Church established by Christ, tares will grow alongside the wheat, a reflection of the enemy’s initial sowing; however, it is only the Divine Judge who can ultimately determine the fate of both at the final judgment. In this present era, everyone is afforded the chance to repent and transform from tares into fruitful wheat. Blessed Augustine noted that those who are tares today may very well become wheat tomorrow. To illustrate this principle, the Savior described the kingdom of heaven as akin to a net cast into the sea, capturing fish of every sort. Once it was full, the net was brought to shore, where the good were collected into containers while the worthless were discarded. Likewise, at the culmination of the age, angels will emerge to divide the wicked from the righteous, casting them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In the subsequent parable, Jesus Christ conveyed a relatable and profound image to His audience: He illustrated the vast ocean of life, into which the net of the Gospel message is cast to capture souls for salvation. The Kingdom of Heaven resembles a net thrown into the sea, gathering fish of every kind. When the net is full, it will be drawn ashore, where the good will be collected into containers and the wicked will be discarded. According to the Lord's own explanation, the shore and the disassembly of the fish symbolize the conclusion of the world and the impending judgment, at which the righteous will be distinguished from the sinners—the former destined for eternal joy and the latter for perpetual suffering. Thus, it will transpire at the end of the age: angels will emerge to separate the unrighteous from the just, casting them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Although this parable shares similarities with that of the tares, it uniquely portrays the wicked alongside the righteous as part of one spiritual community (the Church)—both having received knowledge and being drawn in, yet unable to be saved due to their corrupt lives, as noted by St. John Chrysostom. The divergence between these groups lies in their inner moral attributes, which are reflected in their particular ways of living; this distinction will ultimately be revealed at the final judgment, followed by the reward or punishment corresponding to each person’s actions."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In this new parable, the Lord enlightened the apostles that their mission of preaching should unify individuals from all nations into one body of Christ, who will ultimately be judged not by their heritage but by their moral character—whether good or evil. This parable resonates with the second one shared with the crowd, yet it also conveys the unity of the Church alongside the diversity of its members based on their backgrounds. The metaphor of the net serves as a reminder of Simon and Andrew's calling. The Lord provided an explanation specifically regarding the final judgment."}]}
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