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Explanation for:
Matthew
3
:
12
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
13
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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":"The pattern observed among the Jewish people was that, amidst blessings, they would quickly become indifferent and even worse. Thus, John delivers another warning, stating, \\"But to him, the shovel is in his hand.\\" Previously, he had alluded to judgment, but now he reveals the Judge, depicting the everlasting nature of the sentence: the chaff, he indicates, will be consumed by unquenchable fire. This illustrates that the Lord of all creation is also a laborer, despite it being mentioned elsewhere about the Father, \\"My Father is a worker” (John 15:1). He initially refers to the axe, ensuring we recognize that this task does not require toil in a conventional sense; he clarifies its simplicity through another example, demonstrating that the entire world falls under His dominion because He does not punish those who do not belong to Him. Presently, all things coexist, and though the wheat may gleam, it is mixed with the tares, akin to being on a threshing floor rather than secured in a barn. A significant separation will occur then. Where are those who reject faith in Gehenna? John associates two roles with Christ: baptizing with the Holy Spirit and casting the unfaithful into the fire. Therefore, if the first must be accepted, so too must the second. He merges both prophecies, ensuring that the one already fulfilled lends credence to the yet-to-be fulfilled. In a similar manner, Christ often speaks of dual prophecies, fulfilling one here and vowing to fulfill the other in eternal life, so that the realized promise solidifies faith in what is still awaited. For instance, to those who surrender everything for Him, He pledges to restore their fortunes a hundredfold in this life while granting eternal life thereafter, using present rewards as assurances of future blessings. John mirrored this in the present instance by prophesying both Christ’s baptism with the Holy Spirit and His fiery judgment. Therefore, if Christ were not to regularly baptize the apostles and all who seek it with the Holy Spirit, one might question the latter aspect. Yet, if that which seems loftier and beyond comprehension has been continuously fulfilled, why doubt the truth of what is straightforward and within our grasp? Hence, after declaring, \\"He that baptises with the Holy Ghost and with fire,\\" and promising numerous blessings, John quickly reminds us, lest we become complacent, to consider the shovel symbolizing imminent judgment. He cautions that baptism alone is inadequate if followed by a life of wickedness; much greater virtue is required. Thus, from the axe he transitions to grace and the water of baptism, subsequently warning of the shovel and unquenchable fire. Among the unbaptized, he does not differentiate, proclaiming, \\"Every tree that does not produce good fruit shall be sown\\" (Luke 3:9), indicating the fate awaiting all unbelievers. However, after baptism, a distinction is made, as many who believe have conducted themselves unworthily. Hence, no one shall be a tare, nor shall anyone be easily led astray or excessively indulged in evil desires to the point of being swept away. If you are wheat, even in the face of temptation, you will not be harmed; for even on the threshing floor, the cart's sharp wheels do not destroy the wheat. But if you mingle with the weak straw, you shall suffer from dire calamities and face eternal punishment afterward. Indeed, such individuals, even now before the ultimate judgment, become fodder for foolish appetites, akin to straw for mindless beasts, and in the end, they will be fuel for the flames. If John had directly stated that Christ would judge our deeds, his words may not have resonated as effectively; yet through parable, where everything was conveyed, he inspired greater conviction, making the message more received by listeners. For this reason, Christ similarly employed familiar imagery, using analogies like a threshing floor, a harvest, grapes, a winepress, and every ordinary element surrounding them. The Baptist also demonstrated the gift of the Holy Spirit as the strongest testament to his proclamation. He who wields the authority to forgive sins and impart the Holy Spirit can assuredly carry out a greater work. Have you recognized how the mysteries of resurrection and judgment have been foreshadowed here? It may be questioned why he did not mention the signs and wonders poised to be performed through Christ, for the conferral of the Spirit stands as the pinnacle of miracles, with all others merely enacted in its pursuit. By addressing this central point, he encompasses everything else: the triumph over death, the eradication of sin, the nullification of the curse, liberation from relentless struggle, entry into paradise, ascension to heaven, communion with angels, and partaking in future blessings; the granting of the Spirit serves as surety for all these promises. Having addressed these aspects, he has also spoken of the resurrection of bodies, the signs therein, participation in the kingdom, and the unseen blessings, which \\"eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have come upon man's heart.\\" All these gifts accompany that divine bestowal. Thus, it was unnecessary to discuss the impending signs, which would be judged by their clarity; rather, it was essential to clarify that which was uncertain, namely, that Christ is the Son of God, far surpassing John, who removes the sins of the world, who will bring our actions to light, and who assures us that life does not end here but rather that everyone will face a just reckoning after death. These truths cannot be fully realized yet."},{"author-name":"Basil the Great","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c889927158e4af30595484_Basil%20the%20Great.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Who are those likened to 'straw' that are consumed by 'unquenchable fire'? The answer lies in understanding that they are individuals who, similar to straw in relation to wheat, provide assistance to those deserving of the heavenly kingdom. However, their contributions, whether in spiritual gifts or physical support, lack the true essence of love for God and love for one’s neighbor, leaving them incomplete in their spiritual journey."},{"author-name":"Caesarius of Nazianzus","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a176e0f4c3aeca7aee3_Caesarius%20of%20Nazianzus.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Question: What does the Lord mean when He states, ‘He has a shovel in His hand. He will destroy his threshing floor (current), and he will gather the wheat into the barn, and he will burn up the tares with unquenchable fire’? \\n\\nResponse: The shovel symbolizes God's righteous judgment, which assigns a place for each individual based on their actions in alignment with God's Law throughout their lives, reflecting their merit. The threshing floor represents the universal Church, encompassing all believers, and the resurrection of humanity from the dead. Within this threshing floor, God's judgment acts like a shovel, separating the decayed and soiled grain, which has been scattered by various sinful influences and is devoid of substance, destined for eternal destruction by fire. In contrast, the good wheat, which has nourished others and is abundant in virtue, is gathered by God into a barn that can truly be called Salvation. This barn represents our true dwelling, for life itself is not a permanent structure; rather, it is more akin to a tent, a temporary shelter that is easily taken down."},{"author-name":"Hilarius of Poitiers","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88cb92f12b3278598f946_Hilarius%20of%20Poitiers.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Those baptized in the Holy Spirit will endure the trial of judgment, for He holds a shovel in His hand, ready to purify His threshing floor, gathering His wheat into the granary, while the chaff will be consumed by unquenchable fire. The shovel serves to distinguish the fruitful from the unfruitful. The wheat, representing the righteous outcome of believers, destined for the granaries, signifies that judgment is under the Lord's authority. In contrast, the chaff symbolizes the futility of those who are unproductive and barren, destined to be eliminated in the fires of judgment."},{"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":"The Church represents the threshing floor, the Kingdom of Heaven symbolizes the granary, and the world is akin to the field. Similarly, as the master sends out reapers to gather the grain from the field and bring it to the threshing floor for the purpose of separating the wheat from the chaff, the Lord sends forth the Apostles and other teachers of faith, who act as reapers to collect all the nations of the world into the Church's threshing floor. It is here that we undergo the process of being threshed and purified. Just as a kernel of wheat trapped within a sheath of chaff cannot emerge without being threshed, a person enveloped in worldly struggles and sinful behaviors, similar to chaff, finds it challenging to break free unless they endure trials and tribulations. A ripe grain, shaken slightly, easily separates from the ear, yet a smaller grain is released with greater difficulty, and an empty grain will not exit at all, instead remaining attached to the straw from which it came; in the same way, individuals who indulge in sinful pursuits are like grains within the straw. A faithful person, possessing a good kernel within their heart, when slightly shaken, eagerly turns to God, casting aside all fleshly desires. If their faith is not steadfast, they may approach God only after considerable struggle and distress. However, those who are empty of faith, even upon facing turmoil, will remain as hollow grains, never able to break free from their worldly distractions and concerns, instead becoming entrenched in evil and ultimately crushed, destined to be cast out with the unbelievers as worthless chaff."},{"author-name":"Isidore of Pelusium","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88d94130e668938c9ae9d_Isidore%20of%20Pelusium.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"Have you ever longed to comprehend the significance of the tool the Lord employs to clear His threshing floor? To elucidate, the threshing floor signifies the universal Church, where the Lord collects the entirety of humanity's harvest. The tool symbolizes divine judgement, which assigns each individual to their rightful place, casting into the fire those akin to chaff—namely, those who are faint-hearted and easily swayed by the whims of sin. In contrast, those marked by the integrity of their deeds and the fruits of repentance are directed by the Righteous Judge to be gathered into a safe haven, one befitting His faithful and deserving servants, which He refers to as a dwelling of salvation (John 14:2). In truth, that is where our true home lies. Meanwhile, the current existence serves merely as a fragile tent, one whose construction is swiftly succeeded by ruin."},{"author-name":"Photios of Constantinople","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89714cf3e65c36024d2b8_Photios%20of%20Constantinople.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":9,"exegesis-text":"What is conveyed by the phrase “His shovel in His hand” (Matt. 3:12)? The Forerunner, when proclaiming the arrival of the Savior, mentioned that He would immerse those who approach Him with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt. 3:11). The term “will baptize” signifies the richness of His gift and the abundance of His grace, for the One who grants redemption and adoption showers us with endlessly flowing streams of divine favor. Yet, in sharing these life-giving truths, the Forerunner, displaying remarkable generosity, felt it necessary to correct any misguided assumptions that the Savior possesses only the desire and power to impart such grand blessings and lacks the just reason to discipline the guilty and disobedient. To dispel this potential misunderstanding, he added, “His shovel is in His hand, and He shall clear His threshing floor.” This indicates that He is not merely the Benefactor generously bestowing rewards upon the righteous but also one who administers justice against lawlessness and wrongdoing; “His shovel in His hand” suggests His equal readiness to sanction wrongdoing as to reward virtue. Hence, He holds the authority to distinguish between those who deserve punishment and those worthy of grace.\\n\\nConsequently, He gathers the grain, symbolizing the assembly of the righteous, into lofty places, into barns “where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). Conversely, those whose unrepentant misdeeds result in rampant evil will be cast into unquenchable fire, which brings everlasting punishment. The spade in His hand signifies His swiftness and preparedness; He separates the good from the evil not through prolonged scrutiny but immediately, executing judgment without delay. The moment He desires, separation occurs, judgment is rendered, and punitive consequences follow—everything is immediate with God. Punishment, alongside retribution, serves as both the assistant and agent of God’s judgments and the highest reward, through which He bestows goodness upon us.\\n\\nSacred Scriptures refer to those who, having retained their original purity and value, have preserved the genuine and saving nature planted by God until it yields fruit. In contrast, the straw and the fuel for fire represent those who have allowed the impurities of weeds to choke the spiritual seed, rendering it barren and discarding the anticipated fruition into worthless debris. The phrase “shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire” does not imply that two distinct elements contribute to one act of baptism, as the Spirit's presence is sufficient. Instead, “by fire” serves to illustrate the purifying and transformative work of the Spirit. The gifts of the All-Holy Spirit are diverse, and among His divine workings lies the ability to purify and eliminate the worst aspects of our nature. For those who receive this divine intervention, everything that pollutes is rendered incapable of hiding. Thus, when “by the Holy Spirit” was stated, the addition of “and by fire” emphasizes how the Spirit cleanses and eradicates the wicked passions within us, leading to our sanctification through a fiery yet purifying action. “For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), vanquishing every form of corruption that has crept into our nature due to negligence."},{"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":"Do not assume that after being baptized by Him, if you commit sin, He will simply grant you forgiveness. He possesses a tool of scrutiny and judgment, symbolized as a shovel. \\"And He will cleanse His threshing floor,\\" referring to the church filled with many who have been baptized. Just as on a threshing floor, all that is gathered from the field is sorted, some of what is collected may be tares, representing the frivolous and those swayed by evil spirits, while the other part constitutes wheat—those who contribute positively to others and provide nourishment through their teachings and actions. \\"By an unquenchable fire.\\" This fire cannot be extinguished. Thus, Origen was mistaken when he proposed that there would be an end to punishment."},{"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":"This indicates that He will also serve as the Judge in the coming age. He refers to the Church, which encompasses the entirety of creation, as the threshing floor, where, by God's Providence, all laborers are assembled. The shovel symbolizes His righteous judgment, which will cast those influenced by the winds of iniquity, akin to straw, into the unquenchable flames of Gehenna, while those who uphold the virtues will be gathered into the heavenly storerooms. Although wheat and straw coexist on the threshing floor now, there will come a significant division when the bread is collected for the barn. It is mentioned that it is in His hand, as He is fully equipped to carry out judgment. Notice that following His baptism, He purifies His threshing floor with the Holy Spirit and fire; thus, after you have received baptism, do not remain passive."},{"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 oppose the influence of His grace will face destruction by eternal fire in Gehenna, for He is not merely the Redeemer but also a fearsome Judge. The entirety of humanity resembles a threshing floor, encompassing both the virtuous and the vile; ultimately, these will be sorted. His winnowing fork is in His grasp, and He will purify His threshing floor. As the sovereign Ruler of His threshing floor, as Almighty God, He will distinguish the weeds from the grain, separating the righteous from the unrighteous. He will gather His wheat (the just) into His house (the Kingdom of Heaven) and will consign the tares (the wicked) to unquenchable fire. St. John powerfully illustrates Christ’s authority here. His words echo the prophecy of Isaiah: His dominion is upon His thighs, His strength is His own, and the Forerunner proclaims that He who follows him will cleanse not God’s but His own threshing floor, gathering the grain not into God’s barn but into His own, affirming His divinity. He will purify the threshing floor, piercing to the very depths of human hearts; without this, how could true discernment arise? St. John Chrysostom asks, “Where are those who doubt Gehenna?” Here John attributes to Jesus Christ two distinct actions: to baptize with the Holy Spirit and to consign the unbelievers to the fire. If the first must be accepted as truth, so too must the second. Do not assume that the baptism of Christ is enough for salvation; if we lead ungodly lives after baptism, we risk being cast into Gehenna. Let us not be like light tares or chaff, swayed by every sinful desire; instead, let us be heavy wheat on God’s threshing floor, standing resolutely against temptation. Such faithful servants make up the wheat of Christ. When Emperor Trajan condemned St. Ignatius the Theotokos to be fed to lions, the holy martyr wrote to the Christians of Rome: “Oh, if only the beasts were ready for me! I am the wheat of God, and must be threshed by the teeth of beasts to become the pure bread of Christ.” St. John Chrysostom warns us, “Let us not be complacent; while we are still on the threshing floor, we may yet transform from tares into wheat. There is no judgment yet, allowing many to turn from deceit to virtue. Therefore, let us proceed with caution, heeding the Forerunner’s message about fire: this fire is unquenchable. You may wonder, ‘How can it be unquenchable?’ Do we not see the sun burning endlessly? Do we not witness the burning bush of Moses, ablaze and yet not consumed? May the compassionate Lord, through the intercession of His Forerunner, save us from this everlasting and unquenchable fire, which burns without annihilating and consumes without destroying."},{"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":"A \\"shovel in His hand\\" symbolizes a tool used in agriculture, instrumental in the process of threshing grain, which involves the separation of edible seeds from their husks. The term ‘threshing-floor’ refers to an area used for this operation—a flat space, usually situated on hilly terrain, where foot traffic has compacted the ground (cf. Gen. 50:10-11). In the eastern cultures, where moisture management for grains was less of a concern, threshing floors typically lacked any structural enclosures. Elevated locations were favored for this task, as they allowed for the easy dispersal of chaff by the wind, a natural force that could not be curtailed. \\n\\nThe act of 'purifying' involves distinguishing the grain from the chaff and straw, gathering the valuable seeds into storage, while the refuse is designated for destruction through \\"unquenchable fire,\\" signifying flames that remain lit until everything unusable is consumed. In this context, the threshing floor represents the people of Judah; the wheat symbolizes the righteous and virtuous individuals deemed worthy of entering the kingdom of Christ, while the chaff or straw reflects the unrighteous, often depicted in Scripture as dust swept away by the wind (Job 21:18; Psalm 1:4; Isaiah 17:13) or as tares destined to be burned (Isaiah 5:24). \\n\\nThis imagery communicates that a time of judgment is approaching, where the righteous will be distinguished from the wicked—those who deserve to participate in the kingdom of the Messiah will be safeguarded by God, while the unworthy will face condemnation. Though these expressions initially addressed the Jewish people prior to the establishment of the Messiah's reign, they hold significant relevance for all members of Christ's kingdom throughout history. The ultimate judgment, delineating the good from the evil, the righteous from the sinners, will occur at the culmination of time (cf. Matt. 13:37-43, Matt. 25:31-46)."},{"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":"He will distinguish the pure grain of wheat from the seeds of thorns and chaff, and just as the pure grain of wheat is collected into the barn while the thorns and chaff are consumed by fire, similarly, he will separate the just from the unjust; he will usher the just into his heavenly realm, whereas the unjust will face eternal punishment."},{"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":"John replied that he was not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet; he identified himself simply as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” He was merely a forerunner and messenger of the One whose shoes he felt unworthy to untie. This One would baptize not with water but with the Holy Spirit and fire, and He already had a winnowing fork in His hand, ready to clear His threshing floor, to collect the wheat into His barn, while the chaff—those who had not repented by His arrival—would be discarded."}]}
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