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Explanation for:
Matthew
18
:
14
Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
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":"He alludes to the preceding notion, namely, the statement: See that you do not despise one of these little ones. The new Synodal Russian translation reads: See that you do not despise any of these little ones. Thus, it conveys the lesson that the vulnerable should not be scorned. Furthermore, in the phrase, ‘It is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should perish, it is made clear that the loss of even one of these little ones does not occur according to the Father's desire."},{"author-name":"Apollinarius of Laodicea","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It is fitting, therefore, that the parable presented aligns with His arrival in the world. The lost sheep symbolizes an individual—part of the flock of one hundred, representing the multitude of heavenly beings—who shares their nature, possessing reason and thus included among them. This sheep strayed due to the sin of Adam. Naturally, there is a desire for its return, as it is connected to those who dwell close to God, fulfilling a necessary role so that the Shepherd does not suffer from a lack, which would hinder Him. This is why Paul referred to the reconciliation of all things under the authority of Christ (Eph. 1:10) as the restoration of that which had fallen away; the unity of all creation in Christ remains incomplete due to the absence of the lost sheep."},{"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 considered as a whole, this suggests that God is invested in the repentance of sinners and finds greater joy in their transformation than in the unwavering righteousness of the virtuous."},{"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 lesson imparted by the parable reveals that He refers to Himself as the Father of His disciples, not merely in the role of Teacher, but as their Creator as well. It is important to recognize that He occasionally identifies His Father in one instance and Himself in another. The phrase 'Before your Father' serves as an idiomatic expression, akin to saying 'in your Father.' Yet, one may wonder why He did not provide a clear indication to differentiate between the least of these. This omission encourages us to avoid despising anyone due to a lack of discernment regarding the worthy, prompting us instead to show care for all."},{"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":"The discussion regarding the safeguarding of the faith's young ones in the Gospel of Mark, particularly in verses 49-50, seems to reach a conclusion. However, the Gospel of Matthew offers an extension to this narrative. Here, Christ emphasizes a lesser transgression against these faithful ones, shifting focus from direct temptation to neglect. By addressing the apostles' dismissive view towards the lesser ones in faith, Jesus illustrates their significance in the eyes of God: 1) the Lord has entrusted their guardianship to exalted beings like the angels, who perpetually behold the face of the Father in heaven, and 2) He has sent His only begotten Son for their redemption. The parable of the lost sheep further elucidates this notion of the Son of God's mission on earth to seek and save the lost. Verse 14 serves as the culmination of this parable, connecting it to the broader theme of the discourse."},{"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":"It is not the desire of your heavenly Father that even one of these little ones should be lost. I tell you that there is greater joy in Heaven over a single sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous individuals who don’t require repentance. The Divine Shepherd of souls is immensely gracious; in the heights of Heaven, there are not merely ninety-nine, but countless multitudes of souls He tends, guided by the voices of His radiant celestial beings. Yet, He does not disregard even one frail, straying sheep that has wandered from Him through its own choices, lost in the wilderness of the earth. He joyfully lifts it onto His shoulders, carrying it home with tenderness. His heart rejoices at the restoration of the sinner, summoning all His angels to partake in this joy, for our existence brings Him delight, and our ruin brings Him grief.\\n\\nDo you perceive how many reasons the Lord provides us to care for our less fortunate brethren? He placed a child among them and proclaimed that unless you become like little children, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven; and whoever welcomes such a child in His name receives Him; but whoever leads one astray, it would be better for that person if a millstone were tied around their neck and they were cast into the depths of the sea. Not content with this warning, He adds further admonition: woe to the one through whom temptation arises (Matthew 18:4-7), and commands us to avoid such individuals, even if they are like our own hands or eyes. He also urges us to honor those to whom His angels are entrusted—the vulnerable among us. His will and suffering compel us towards this, for when He declares, \\"The Son of Man has come to save that which was lost,\\" He directs our attention to His cross. The Father's will echoes this sentiment: He does not desire any of the little ones to be harmed, culminating in the parable of the shepherd who earnestly seeks the lost sheep and rejoices upon its return. Therefore, if God rejoices so profoundly over the recovery of the least among us, why do you disregard those whom He cherishes so dearly? You are called to lay down your life for one of these little ones. Is it because they are weak and needy? This calls you to act with urgency to safeguard their souls. My focus here is not just on their physical peril but more importantly, on the spiritual threats to which the adversary exposes them."},{"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":"God’s will is evident in His active pursuit of the lost, orchestrating various means for their repentance and transformation. To summarize, the essence is that the Lord values the redemption of sinners and celebrates their return with greater joy than that of the righteous who are already steadfast in their goodness."},{"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":"Do not look down upon those who appear to be mired in their transgressions, for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Just as each person, when one sheep among many goes missing, will actively search for that wayward one, rejoicing even more upon its return than over the others that remained safe, so too did the Son of Man descend to the earth to find and rescue those who are perishing. It is the desire of your heavenly Father that everyone may attain salvation and that none should be lost. If this is God's intention, if He sent His Son to redeem sinners, how can we scorn those who reflect our own humanity, regardless of their greater sins? Instead of casting judgment on the wayward, embrace the individual within, serve him, and lead him back to the path of truth from which he has wandered, restoring him to grace."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Lord illustrated this profound truth with a vivid example drawn from the life of shepherds, which he also referenced at another time (Luke 15:3-7): “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains to seek the one that is lost? And if he finds it, truly, I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.” The heavenly Father, who sent His Son into the world for its redemption (John 3:17), values the believers; they are precious to Him. Thus, it is not His will that any of these little ones should perish. After understanding this, how can we disregard those whom God cherishes so deeply?"},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"An additional caution pertains to our interactions with those outside the faith: when your wrongdoing could potentially lead others into temptation, exercise vigilance and do not presume that I can overlook the actions of any individual, for they bear significance. Can one be deemed insignificant when their guardian angel perpetually stands before the face of the Almighty? Is a person truly of little worth when the Son of Man Himself came to rescue those who had strayed? This teaching is further illustrated through the parable of the lost sheep and the joy found in its recovery. \\n\\nWhat follows is a succession of actions and teachings that mark the completion of Jesus Christ's journey through Galilee. From His departure to Caesarea and His inquiry, \\"Who do men say that I am?\\" to the instruction on resisting temptation and the parable of the Son of Man searching for the lost, every element interweaves in a profound and harmonious connection."}]}
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