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Explanation for:
Matthew
23
:
13
But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter.
11
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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":"The experts in the law and the Pharisees, well-versed in the teachings of the Scriptures, recognize that Christ is the Son of God; however, they fail to grasp that He was born of a virgin. While they exploit the faithful for their own gain, they not only shut themselves out of the kingdom of heaven but also prevent others who could enter. This is echoed by the prophet Hosea, who condemns, \\"The priests hid the way and killed in Sikim,\\" and further notes, \\"The priests did not inform where the Lord was.\\" It stands to reason that any teacher who leads his followers astray with immoral actions effectively bars the kingdom of heaven from them."},{"author-name":"Athanasius the Great","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c889457b66f7fc274d1066_Athanasius%20the%20Great.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"According to Luke, you have seized the key of comprehension (Luke 11:52), which signifies faith in Christ. This faith serves as the pathway to grasping the truth and teachings of Christ. They deprived those prepared to enter with this key."},{"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":"If one who gains nothing is deemed culpable, how can someone who harms their neighbors and obstructs their pathway expect to receive mercy? What does it mean to say ‘those who seek to enter’? It implies being capable. When it came time to impose requirements on others, the scribes burdened them with intolerable demands; yet when faced with fulfilling the very mandates of the law, they acted in a completely different manner: not only did they refrain from taking any action themselves, but even worse, they led others astray. Such individuals deserve to be regarded as a plague, devoted to undermining others, standing in stark contrast to genuine educators. If the role of a teacher is to rescue the lost, then the role of the destroyer is to bring ruin to those who wish to be saved."},{"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":"‘Woe’ expresses deep anguish. This is why He states that they obstruct access to the kingdom of heaven for others, as they conceal in the law the solace found in the truth of Christ. They overlook His incarnation, prophesied by the seers, obscured by their own teachings. Not only do they fail to follow the way to eternal life through Christ, but they also prevent others from embarking on that journey."},{"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":"The Lord expresses that it is not only that you lack belief and act wickedly, but you also lead others away from faith in me, causing their destruction through your conduct. Individuals often model their behavior after their leaders, particularly when those leaders lean towards wrongdoing. Thus, every mentor and educator must be mindful of the goodness they embody. How tragic it is if one's life hinders others from doing what is right."},{"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":"You have kept it closed to others, specifically to yourselves and your followers, as you lack faith in Me and prevent others from entering as well. He invites those who are willing and capable to come in. This reprimand is severe. While failing to do good to anyone is condemnable, it is even more grievous to hurt and destroy another soul. Luke stated, “Take the key of understanding,” indicating that faith in Him leads to the comprehension of genuine doctrine and profound wisdom; and this key they seized, effectively denying it to the people."},{"author-name":"Theophan the Recluse","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8983a6e0f4c3aecaae3fc_Theophan%20the%20Recluse.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"This message is directed at bishops who fail to guide their congregations along the path to salvation and do not instruct their priests to do the same. It also concerns priests who neglect their responsibilities, leaving parishioners uninformed about what is essential for their spiritual well-being. Consequently, the faithful remain in ignorance: some are complacently confident in their spiritual condition, while others, aware of their spiritual shortcomings, do not seek the right path because they lack knowledge about how or where to find it. This negligence leads to various misguided beliefs among the people, which explains why schismatics, Molokans, and others with erroneous views find acceptance. It also accounts for the influx of troublesome teachings that easily infiltrate their circles. Often, a priest may believe that everything is well within his parish until the problems escalate and become overt. By that time, remedies are difficult to implement. It is vital for the priest to prioritize his duty to develop the faith of adult believers and to nurture the younger generation from their earliest years, imparting vital knowledge appropriate for their understanding. There is no need to wait for formal schooling; instruction can be done verbally by gathering children in the church or at home on Sunday evenings or whenever is most suitable."},{"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":"\\"Woe to you\\" signifies the misfortune, disaster, and penitence that you will face. - Scribes and Pharisees: refer to Matthew 3:7 for context. - \\"Hypocrites\\": see the commentary on Matthew 7:2. - \\"You shut up the kingdom of heaven\\": the kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 3:2) is likened to a structure (see Matthew 16:18-19) with doors meant for entry. The Pharisees and scribes barred access to this kingdom, refusing to enter it themselves and hindering others who wished to do so. They misperceived the Messiah and misled the people with their false teachings, imposing burdens of their own traditions. By standing against the Lord and portraying Him as a sycophant among the masses, they obstructed the eager and willing from entering the kingdom of heaven, meaning the church of Christ, and prevented them from becoming part of it."},{"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":"After cautioning His disciples against mimicking the Pharisees, the Lord directs His admonitions squarely at the Pharisees themselves. Echoing the prophets of old, He issues repeated declarations, foretelling the severe consequences of divine judgment due to their wickedness and sins. With the authority of the Judge of all creation, He declares upon them the eightfold woe, revealing and condemning the depravity within their hearts. “The first woe,” He calls out against them for their erroneous understanding of God’s Law and Scriptures, distorting the very essence of divine law, thus preventing both themselves and others from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. The “second woe” addresses their insatiable greed camouflaged by false piety. The “third woe” is for the corruption and spiritual ruin of those they have led to faith from the Gentiles. “The fourth woe” is for twisting the meaning of oaths for their own gain. The “fifth woe” is due to their unwillingness to grasp the true spirit of the Law while adhering to trivial traditions, neglecting God's commandments concerning truth, mercy, and fidelity to His Law. “The sixth woe” critiques their excessive focus on external cleanliness, while ignoring the necessity of inner purity. The “seventh woe” is pronounced upon them for their spiritual deadness, disguising their lack of good works with pretentious piety. Finally, the “eighth woe” is for their constant animosity towards God’s messengers—the prophets—whom they deceptively honored by adorning their graves to mask their true feelings. In a fit of righteous anger, our Lord labels the Pharisees as serpents, the offspring of the snake: creatures that instill fear and revulsion, embodying the role of cunning, malevolent adversaries to God, who corrupt innocent souls with the poison of false teaching. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” He proclaims, “YOU shut the Kingdom of Heaven to mankind! While God opens the doors to all, welcoming everyone, you stand guard at the threshold: you do not enter, nor do you permit others who wish to enter. You have distorted the truth of the Messiah and His Kingdom to fulfill your selfish desires; you have claimed the authority to interpret the Law, seized the key to understanding Scripture, and twisted its pure intent with your fabricated traditions; you continue to spurn Me! You maliciously defame Me, branding Me as a glutton and a drunkard, a flatterer and a companion to tax collectors and sinners, accusing Me of performing miracles by the power of the evil one… Many among the people are prepared to believe in Me, eager to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, yet you confuse their consciences. They regard you as divinely appointed teachers, awaiting your counsel, and hesitate to step forward, remaining outside the gates of My Kingdom… Many yearn for truth and salvation, but are disillusioned by your hypocrisy, your deceitful lives, your avarice and emptiness, leading them astray; as adversaries of God, you not only withhold entry for yourselves but also block others from entering God’s paradise… Truly, you ought to be regarded as a plague upon the people, destroyers rather than teachers!... And you inflict so much harm upon your neighbors solely to satisfy your insatiable greed and vanity!"},{"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":"Jesus, addressing the Pharisees and the scribes, proclaimed: \\"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, for leading the people to hypocritically bypass God’s laws that reveal His will! You misguide them away from the path that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven, and you obstruct its gates for those who wish to enter. They seek the way to it and come to you, asking for guidance, yet you veil the true path and present a different route that leads to ruin. Woe to you, for through your sinful actions, you close off the Kingdom of Heaven to yourselves and prevent others from entering!\\" Bishop Theophanes comments on these words of the Savior, stating: \\"This applies to those in the priesthood who neglect their flocks, failing to instruct them in what is essential for the salvation of their souls. Consequently, the people remain in spiritual blindness; some are falsely confident that all is well, while others sense the truth but do not know how or where to turn for help. This leads to a proliferation of misguided beliefs among the community; it invites schismatics, the Molokans, and other factions; it creates an environment where various erroneous teachings can easily take root. Often, the priest believes all is well within his parish and only addresses the issues when they become overtly damaging; by then, however, it may be too late to amend the situation.\\""},{"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":"Enveloped, as was typical, by a multitude of onlookers that included both scribes and Pharisees, the Savior addressed the latter group directly. From His mouth flowed words of admonition that could only stir a conscience long desensitized. \\"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!\\" He commenced His condemnation, and with a voice that echoed like thunder, He proclaimed severe and compelling rebukes, highlighting how they, as guardians of the Mosaic law, exemplified its most brazen disregard through their actions."}]}
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