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Explanation for:
Matthew
18
:
9
And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
9
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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":"Temptations are an inevitable part of the world, yet woe to the individual whose sinful actions introduce them. Every desire must be subdued and every tendency set aside to prevent even the smallest opportunity for temptation from affecting the faith of the believer. If, as He teaches, someone is as close to you as your hand, foot, or eye, providing support and care, while also serving as a source of temptation, drawing you away from salvation; it is wiser to distance yourself from that person and any worldly benefits they may offer, so that in gaining them you do not discover your path to destruction. Hence, in our love for the Lord, we should not place above Him our brother, spouse, child, friend, or any other attachment that might divert us from the kingdom of heaven. Each believer is aware of what poses a danger to their soul, and what continuously entices them into temptation. It is preferable to lead a life of solitude than to forfeit eternal life for the fleeting necessities of this world."},{"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":"To illustrate that evil does not stem from necessity, consider the subsequent teachings of our Lord. After expressing sorrow for those who lead others into temptation, He continues... The Saviour refers not only to the physical members of our body but rather to our close companions and family, who are, in a sense, essential to us. This has been stated previously and is reiterated now. Nothing is more detrimental than forming associations with individuals who embody vice and moral decay. What necessity fails to generate, companionship often brings forth, for both good and ill. Therefore, the Saviour urges us, with great intensity, to distance ourselves from those who are harmful, specifically those who lead us towards temptation. Observe how Christ seeks to avert the dangers associated with temptations: First, He warned that temptations would undoubtedly arise, encouraging vigilance among His followers; second, He acknowledged that temptations represent a significant evil, underscoring this by stating: \\"Woe to the world because of temptations\\"—a poignant reminder of the serious damage they inflict; third, and importantly, He designated the individual who brings forth temptations as wretched, asserting that “Woe to that man” implies he will face grave punishment. Moreover, His comparative language amplifies this warning. Yet beyond these comments, He outlines a path to evade temptation. What is this path? He instructs us to discontinue friendships with those who are wicked, even if they seem to favor us, backing this with convincing reasoning. He states that if such individuals remain your allies, you will prove useless to them and bring ruin upon yourself. However, if you forsake those friendships, you at least secure your own salvation. Thus, if a relationship is detrimental, it is wise to break it off. Just as we would sever a limb from our body when it becomes irreparably diseased and harmful to the rest, so too should we distance ourselves from harmful companions. If evil were a matter of nature, such advice would be unnecessary, and the prior warning would carry no weight; however, given that this guidance is indeed essential, it is clear that evil relies on our will."},{"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":"The words of the Lord can be appropriately applied to each one of us. We recognize that the severing of a hand or foot, or the extraction of an eye, symbolizes relationships with family members or rogue ministers and leaders within the Church. The hand, in this context, represents the priests: their essential work contributes to the vitality of the Church, as illustrated in the Song of Solomon, where it is stated that his hands (that is, the body of the Church) are golden roundels adorned with topazes (Song 5:14). The feet are understood to signify the deacons; by participating in the sacred rites of the Church, they serve the body akin to how feet serve the body, as reflected in the same passage from the Song of Solomon, which describes his shins as marble pillars set on golden bases (Song 5:15). Therefore, if these hands or feet—meaning a priest or deacon—become a stumbling block to the Church due to heretical beliefs or immoral conduct, the Lord instructs that such an individual be removed from the body of the Church and cast out, to prevent their temptation and departure from faith from jeopardizing the entire congregation."},{"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":"When we refer to hand, foot, and eye, we are speaking of those friends among us. Thus, if even these close companions become detrimental, we must regard them as unhealthy members and remove them, to prevent further harm to others. This illustrates that while temptations, represented by unwholesome individuals, may arise, it is unnecessary for us to be led astray. If we follow the teachings of the Lord and separate ourselves from those who cause us injury, even if they are friends, we will not experience any detriment."},{"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":"The same chapter conveys a message that warrants no repetition. Truly, nothing is more detrimental than association with the unrighteous. If we find it necessary to sever ties with some of our own members when they are beyond healing and have a negative influence on others, it is even more imperative to do so with family, friends, and acquaintances who may lead us into temptation or hinder our pursuit of righteousness. It is preferable to achieve salvation apart from them than to face destruction together. After advising us to steer clear of the wicked, he instructs us to respect and uphold the virtuous. He declares:"},{"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":"To resist temptation, the Lord provides guidance on how to do so: \\"IF YOUR HAND,\\" He instructs, \\"OR YOUR FOOT CAUSES YOU TO STUMBLE, CUT IT OFF AND CAST IT FROM YOU; IT IS MORE BENEFICIAL FOR YOU TO ENTER INTO LIFE LAME OR MAIMED, THAN TO BE THROWN INTO THE FIRE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT WITH BOTH HANDS AND BOTH FEET.\\" Similarly, \\"IF YOUR EYE LEADS YOU ASTRAY, GOUGE IT OUT AND THROW IT AWAY; IT IS BETTER TO ENTER LIFE WITH ONE EYE THAN TO HAVE TWO EYES AND BE CAST INTO THE FIRES OF HELL, into unending torment.\\" The Savior is not merely referring to physical limbs but rather to relationships with friends and family members that we hold dear. We must sever ties with those who engage in wickedness, no matter how supportive they may seem. Hold nothing back and abandon everything that obstructs your path to salvation, no matter how challenging or sorrowful that may be. Without significant sacrifices, self-denial, and heroic acts, one cannot gain entry into the Kingdom of Heaven."},{"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":"In Matthew 5:29-30, the phrase 'cut off and throw away, tear off and throw away' does not refer to physical body parts, but rather to the sinful desires that lead us to wrongdoing and the situations or influences that provoke these desires, even if these are things we hold most dear, such as family and friends who could jeopardize our spiritual journey. We are called to relinquish anything that obstructs our path to salvation, prioritizing it above all worldly attachments. The term 'Enter into life' signifies the promise of eternal joy in the kingdom of Christ, in contrast to the eternal suffering of the soul in Gehenna. When referring to being 'without hand or foot - with one eye,' it does not imply that the resurrected body will be incomplete or flawed; rather, the message is that it is far more beneficial for an individual to forsake all temptations to sin in this life to secure eternal life than to indulge in earthly pleasures that lead to spiritual ruin, thereby sacrificing their place in heaven, in the kingdom of Christ. The concept of 'everlasting fire, Gehenna of fire' is reiterated in Matthew 5:29-30."},{"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":"When is it appropriate to sever all ties with a neighbor? In discussing temptation, the Lord reaffirmed His teachings from the Sermon on the Mount regarding how to confront tempters. By comparing a close companion to one's right hand and right eye, the Lord emphasized the critical importance of maintaining a relationship with such a friend. However, He also stated that if this friend leads one to temptation or entices them towards sinful behavior, one must be willing to part ways and cease all communication with that individual (refer to Mt. 5:29-30)."},{"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 course of His discussion, while holding a child in His embrace and using it as an illustration, the Savior cautioned against the severe culpability and peril associated with causing offense, temptation, or leading astray those who embody purity and righteousness. He admonished that instructing anyone with evil or planting wicked thoughts in the hearts of these little ones—whose angels continually behold the face of His Father in heaven—would bring dire consequences. Such malevolent deceivers, those who do the devil's bidding, He declared with unmatched intensity, face a fate so wretched that it would be more favorable for them to have a millstone fastened around their neck and be submerged in the depths of the sea. He emphasized that no sacrifice is too great to prevent the temptation of placing barriers in the path of one's soul or the souls of others. It is preferable to sever one’s right hand and enter the kingdom of heaven without it, to lose a foot and proceed into the kingdom of heaven limping, or to pluck out an eye and enter the kingdom of heaven sightless, rather than allow a hand, foot, or eye to serve as an avenue for sin, which nurtures the unquenchable worm and ignites the everlasting fire. It is far better to perish in this life with a millstone around one’s neck than to bear the weight of moral and spiritual temptation that could plunge the guilty soul into the fiery lake of eternal death."}]}
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