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Explanation for:
Matthew
21
:
16
And said to him: Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus said to them: Yea, have you never read: Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
11
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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 Jewish leaders, however, remained unmoved by this spectacle. Observing His final miracles and hearing the young men extolling Him, they were filled with rage and questioned Him, saying, \\"Do You hear what they are proclaiming?\\" To which Christ could have replied, “Are you not aware of their praises?” After all, these young men were honoring Him as God. In response to their blatant denial of unmistakable signs, Christ sought to strongly admonish and correct them by asking, \\"Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of babes and infants Thou hast established praise’?\\" It was fitting that He referred to their words as coming \\"out of their mouths,\\" for their utterances were inspired not by their own understanding, but by His divine power guiding their imperfect speech. This also serves as an analogy for the Gentiles, who were once unlearned but suddenly began to articulate profound truths with conviction and faith. To assure the apostles that even they, being simple and untrained individuals, could effectively preach to the nations, the praises of the young men eliminated their doubts and instilled within them a solid assurance that the One who had inspired these children to honor the Lord would also empower them with eloquence. This miracle demonstrated that He is indeed the Sovereign over all creation. The children, still in their tender years, uttered remarkable truths fit for heaven, while the adults spoke words laden with confusion and folly. Such is the nature of wickedness!"},{"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":"Jesus responds to them, saying, \\"Yes! Have you not read, 'Out of the mouths of babes and infants You have arranged praise'?\\" He wisely moderates His judgment, addressing and condemning their wicked speech simultaneously. Unlike what the scribes anticipated, He does not claim that children commend Him well, nor does He suggest that children make mistakes due to their young age and require forgiveness. Instead, He cites a passage from the Eighth Psalm, ensuring that the testimony of the children is validated by Scripture, even while the Lord remains quiet."},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The children joyfully declared, \\"Blessed is the Son of David.\\" However, the chief priests and the scribes grew indignant and questioned, \\"Do you not hear what they are saying?\\" Implying that if their praises offended Him, they ordered the children to be quiet. In both His birth and His death, His innocent little ones adorned the crown of His affliction. While still in His mother's womb, the child John proclaimed Him, and the infants who were slaughtered at His birth became the symbol of His joyous feast. When the day of His crucifixion arrived, once more the infants sang praises to Him. The city of Jerusalem was agitated at the time of His birth, just as it was disturbed and frightened when He made His entry into the city."},{"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":"The promised Messiah from the lineage of David arrived to deliver Israel, in alignment with David’s proclamation: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing, and it is wondrous in our sight. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, grant us salvation; O Lord, come quickly. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; blessed are you from the house of the Lord. God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us (Psalm 117:22ff.). This is why the accounts of the Gospel describe how the Pharisees and scribes reacted with anger upon witnessing that the people acknowledged the fulfillment of the Psalm in Christ, as the children shouted \\"Hosanna to the Son of David.\\" They questioned Him, saying, \\"Do you hear what these are saying?\\" Jesus replied, \\"Have you never read, out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise?\\" (Matt. 21:15-16; Lk. 19:38-40; Jn. 12:13), thereby affirming the one hundred and seventeenth psalm through the testimony found in the eighth psalm."},{"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":"\\"Consider the implications of their words\\": This reflects a form of derision regarding the fact that the Lord receives adoration from unsophisticated children. Those who harbor jealousy aimed to suggest to the Lord in front of the crowd that it lacks true significance for children (the audience is not explicitly named) who lack understanding to offer praise and glorification. Yet, through a prophetic utterance, the Lord skillfully redirects this scorn back to them. - \\"Out of the mouth of babes,\\" etc.: this phrase is drawn from Psalm 8, where David extols the majesty of God’s name across the universe, a splendor so evident in all creation that even the very young instinctively recognize it and glorify the Lord. It is aptly stated “out of the mouth,” for their expressions arise not from their own reasoning, but rather are inspired by His enabling power, which animates their still-developing speech. This also illustrates the transformation of the Gentiles, who were once unlearned but began to articulate profound truths with conviction and faith – simultaneously providing significant reassurance to the apostles. They need not question how they, being humble and uneducated, could proclaim the Gospel to the nations; the children alleviated their previous concerns and instilled steadfast hope that He who inspired the young ones to praise would also grant them the gift of eloquence. This miracle is a testament to His sovereignty over creation. The children, not yet fully grown, uttered profound and heavenly truths, while the learned spoke words filled with folly. Such is the nature of iniquity."},{"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":"As the children, unafraid due to their purity, joyfully proclaimed ‘Hosanna’ in the temple, the hypocrites seethed with rage. WHEN THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE SCRIBES OBSERVED THE MIRACLES HE PERFORMED AND HEARD THE CHILDREN CRYING IN THE TEMPLE, “HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID!” they were outraged and confronted Him, asking, ‘Are you not aware of what they are saying?’ They failed to comprehend the depth of their jubilation: how remarkable is such reverence directed toward You? However, the wicked adversaries of the Lord received a profound response from Him: JESUS replied, ‘I certainly hear them. But let me ask you, HAVE YOU NEVER READ in the Scriptures, “OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES AND INFANTS YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED PRAISE?” (Psalm 8:3). These cries are not trivial utterances, but the resonances of a pure spirit, which you too ought to regard. Those familiar with the Scriptures recognize the truth of what the Psalmist relays about God's Word, which is so powerfully felt even by the youngest, leading them to sing praises to God with sincerity and genuine joy, thereby shaming the enemies of the Lord. Instead of deriding the children, you ought to feel embarrassed by their unpretentious declarations: these little ones, in their simple faith, recognize me as the Messiah and offer you, the wise, an example to follow. Though they are merely children, the Holy Spirit speaks through them. St. Chrysostom notes, ‘He rightly said: “with their mouths,” for their expressions did not originate from their intellects, but His power guided their still-forming voices. This also symbolizes the Gentiles, who once were ignorant but then began to proclaim profound truths with conviction and faith, bringing immense comfort to the apostles. So that the apostles would not question how they, being unsophisticated and unlearned, could share the message with the nations, the young ones alleviated any apprehension they had beforehand, instilling a solid assurance that He who inspired the young to praise the Lord would also grant them eloquence. The Lord did not find it necessary to cite the subsequent lines of the Psalm to His adversaries, “to still the enemy and the avenger” (Psalm 8:3)."},{"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":"Reluctant to bring Jesus before the Sanhedrin for sentencing, they, filled with impotent rage, attempted to undermine the importance of the authentic joys expressed by the children and questioned Him, saying, “Do you hear what they are saying? They are just children who comprehend nothing; their worship is insignificant.” Jesus replied, “Indeed, I hear; yet I perceive this joy of children differently than you. Have you never considered the words of David, ‘Out of the mouths of babes and infants Thou hast arranged praise?’” The eighth psalm exalts the magnificence of God, acknowledged by all of creation to such a degree that even the youngest among us offer Him praise: “O Lord, our God, how majestic is Thy name throughout all the earth! Your glory is above the heavens! Out of the mouths of babes and infants Thou hast arranged praise” (Psalm 8:2-3)."},{"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":"As the crowd dispersed within the city, Christ made His way to the temple. The excited shouts of the populace resonated in that place. Even the children, likely from the temple choir, called out to Him, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” When the scribes and Pharisees, harboring concealed animosity, remarked on this, He replied, “Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of babes and infants Thou hast arranged praise?’”"},{"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 responded to the jealousy of his companions by quoting the psalm that celebrates the majesty of God, evident throughout creation—from the grandest beings to the smallest, including innocent children: “Have you not read that out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have perfected praise” (Psalm 8:3)? St. John Chrysostom further comments that “the young, who have yet to attain full maturity, proclaim truths worthy of the heavenly realm, while the adults speak words filled with various forms of folly.”"},{"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 the temple, there were joyful declarations; the children took the lead from the adults, and even the little ones hailed their Savior with cries of Hosanna to the Son of David. This brought great joy, yet it angered the Lord's adversaries to hear such innocent expressions of happiness. The leaders of the temple and those proud of their knowledge urged Him to silence the children, who were shouting and chattering without understanding the significance of their words. The Lord responded, saying that these are not mere nonsensical utterances; rather, they are the resonance of a pure heart, which you should heed as well. Those of you who are familiar with the Scriptures recognize the words of the Psalmist: \\"Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength.\\" The majesty of God is so clearly evident to children that even a young one can sing a simple yet profoundly sincere song of praise, which serves to expose the folly of God's opponents."},{"author-name":"Philaret of Moscow (Drosdow)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896ffb7a2ebaf99e46539_Philaret%20of%20Moscow%20(Drosdow).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Christ our Redeemer challenged the irreverence of the chief priests and the folly of the learned, while affirming the insight of children. He demonstrated through Holy Scripture that not only is the adoration of children just, but their actions also reflect the providential work of God, as foretold centuries ago in the Hubern. Ved. and echoed in Hebrews: \\"out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast made praise\\" (Matt. 21:16). Thanks be to God, this temple does not resemble the one that once stood in Jerusalem! We have witnessed the youth of this community proclaiming the same praises as the young people of Jerusalem, but with even greater clarity of truth: \\"I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who for our salvation was incarnate from the Virgin Mary, whose reign shall never end; 'Hosanna in the highest'\\" (Matthew 21:9). No one considered it cause for indignation; rather, those who reflect on this rejoice that Christian youths recognize and declare—drawing on the Hubern. Ved. and as noted in Hebrews—truths that surpass anything non-Christian sages have attained. The architects of true wisdom established this temple to ensure that young people may encounter Christ, who is now present here through grace, and that they may seek Him in faith and prayer, deepen their understanding of His word, and glorify Him in a manner befitting His majesty."}]}
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