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Explanation for:
Matthew
23
:
24
Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel.
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":"In my view, the camel symbolizes true discernment, compassion, and faithfulness, while the mosquito represents a focus on the minutiae of tithing—such as mint, dill, and cumin, alongside other less valuable plants. In contrast to God’s command, we often prioritize the minor details we find beneficial, neglecting what truly matters. Instead of upholding the significant, we apply our diligence to the trivial and misleadingly attribute to it the weight of religious devotion."},{"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":"In His teachings, Christ rebukes the scribes and Pharisees for their misguided actions, which brought contempt upon the foundational commandments. He had previously indicated that they impose burdensome expectations while failing to bear them adequately (Matthew 23:4); however, they simultaneously corrupted their followers by prioritizing trivial matters while neglecting essential responsibilities. The Savior comments on their blindness regarding the weighty practices of prayer, tithing, and fasting, while they abandon the more significant tenets of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. He emphasizes that these crucial aspects should not be overlooked (v. 23). \\n\\nOne might argue that where tithing exists, almsgiving too is present, questioning the harm in giving to those in need. Yet, the Lord does not criticize the scribes and Pharisees for adhering to the law in this regard; rather, He acknowledges the importance of fulfilling these obligations without dismissing them. However, when discussing inner and outer purity, He clarifies that true cleanliness must originate from within, rather than the other way around. When addressing human behavior, He does not make such a differentiation, as the time for the law's direct and explicit cessation had not yet arrived. Christ begins to address the observance of ritual cleansings, more pointedly opposing these practices. He articulates that while it is good to practice charity, the same cannot be said about ritual cleansings.\\n\\nTherefore, He observes that while they scrub the outside of plates and cups, their insides remain tainted with greed and injustice. He advises them to first cleanse the inside, ensuring the outside becomes pure as well. Through this metaphor of the dish and the cup, He makes His point clear. To further highlight the significance of inner rather than outer purification, He refers to the trivial matter of bodily cleansing as a gnat and the more substantial necessity of soul purity as a camel, indicating that neglecting the soul leads to dire consequences. He remarks, \\"They strain out a gnat and swallow a camel\\" (v. 24). \\n\\nThe outward rituals mandated by the law were intended to symbolize inward purification through mercy and justice. Thus, even in the Old Testament, these rituals were rendered ineffective if they became detached from their spiritual purpose. Since the lesser practices were established to support the greater ones, their abandonment resulted in futility, as external actions cannot substitute for internal transformation. Consequently, it becomes evident from the Savior's teachings that prior to the arrival of grace, physical cleansing was not of utmost importance; rather, a deeper transformation was required. If such rituals were insignificant before grace, they are even less relevant now that the profound commandments of the New Testament have been declared, and there is no longer a need to maintain them.\\n\\nA corrupt life is always a serious affliction, particularly dangerous when the individual fails to recognize their need for repentance and even worse if such a person believes they have the authority to correct others. Christ identifies the scribes as blind leaders of the blind, highlighting the peril of a blind man who does not seek guidance—how much greater the peril when he attempts to lead others astray. The Savior’s criticisms aim to underscore the excessive veneration of the scribes and Pharisees, which drove them to madness. Their greatest downfall stemmed from their desire for appearances, diverting them from genuine faith and leaving them indifferent to true virtue, as they focused solely on outward purity rather than seeking to cleanse their souls.\\n\\nTherefore, in an effort to guide them toward authentic virtue and soul purification, Christ calls their attention to grace, mercy, and faith. These are the enduring principles that sustain our existence. The virtues that cleanse the soul include truth, love, and compassion. A genuine love for humanity urges us to forgive others, preventing us from harshly punishing those who stray and fostering empathy for those in distress. Truth compels us to reject deceit in all forms. When Christ asserts, \\"It is fitting to do these things, and not to forsake them,\\" He does not intend to reinforce Old Testament regulations, as previously discussed. Similarly, when He commands that one cleanses the inside of the cup and dish for the outside to be clean, He does not advocate for the trivial adherence to external customs; rather, He desires to demonstrate their futility. His directive emphasizes the need for inner purification, affirming that true external purity flows from an uncontaminated soul, with His focus being on the soul and body rather than mere vessels."},{"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":"He refers to them as blind guides because, despite their claims of wisdom and understanding, they were ineffective for anyone, even leading individuals into the pit of disbelief. As the Lord stated, they \\"gnawed at the gnat,\\" meaning they focused on minor faults, while simultaneously \\"swallowed up the camel,\\" indicating they ignored significant offenses."},{"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 adhere closely to the lesser demands of the law, yet you subtly miss the mark on the most significant ones."},{"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":"Leaders lacking true vision and hollow followers boast foolishly of their all-knowing wisdom, exemplifying the blind nature of their faith while the deceived continue to believe in their empty claims. You approach the traditions of your forebears with an excessive caution, as though you were extracting a bug from a beverage, yet you overlook the essential demands of the Law, fulfilling the saying about straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel. Forgetting this fundamental aspect renders the adherence to trivial rules of no real value."},{"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":"There is a saying among Arabs: \\"You can swallow an elephant but struggle with a mosquito.\\" This proverb speaks to individuals who focus on trivialities, mistaking them for significant issues while neglecting the more vital and profound matters. In reference to the Pharisees, it highlights their attempts to meticulously adhere to minor aspects of the law to avoid transgression, while disregarding the weightier principles of the law, failing to recognize their breaches. Consequently, they resemble those who filter out a mosquito from their drink yet inadvertently consume a camel. St. Chrysostom interprets this imagery, suggesting that the \\"mosquito\\" represents superficial external rituals, while the \\"camel\\" signifies actions that genuinely cleanse the soul."},{"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":"In your meticulous effort to observe every minor detail of tradition, you mirror those individuals who, as a well-known saying goes, painstakingly filter out a mosquito from their beverage while readily consuming an entire camel."},{"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 fifth indictment addresses those who meticulously adhere to even the tiniest commandments of the law while arbitrarily expanding their obligatory nature, all the while willfully ignoring the weightier matters that embody the spirit of the law. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you neglect the essence of the sacrificial system, the covenant, and the more significant tenets of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The leaders are spiritually blind, fixating on minute details, while they overlook the core principles. The law required the Israelites to contribute a tenth of their possessions for the support of worship and the Levites, yet it was ambiguous regarding specific items such as grains and herbs, as seen in Numbers 18:20-24 and Deuteronomy 14:22-24. Nonetheless, the Pharisees strained at gnats, being scrupulous in tithing even mint, dill, and cumin—items that were not explicitly mandated—just to appear as the most faithful observers of God's commands. In their fervor, they missed the vital demands of the law: equitable judgment, compassion for the vulnerable, and genuine faith in God, unmarred by misguided interpretations or mere outward appearances. As St. John Chrysostom pointed out, their primary fault was that their actions were motivated by a desire for public acclaim."},{"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 Pharisees, known for their meticulous adherence to the outward aspects of the law, demonstrated a profound disregard for its fundamental principles. They failed to uphold justice in the courts, showed a lack of mercy, and lacked genuine faith in themselves."}]}
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