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Explanation for:
Matthew
23
:
34
Therefore behold I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you will put to death and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
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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":"As previously mentioned, the phrase ‘But add to the measure of your fathers’ pertains to the Lord, who was destined to be put to death by them. This phrase can equally apply to His disciples, of whom it is stated, ‘Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall put to death, and crucify on the cross, and scourge in your assemblies, and persecute from city to city.’ Additionally, consider the words of the apostle addressed to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 7:17-24), which highlight the diversity of gifts among the Christ’s disciples: some serve as prophets who predict future events, others possess the wisdom to know when to speak, while others are learned in the law as scribes. Among these, Stephen was stoned, Paul was beheaded, and Peter was crucified; the book of Acts recounts that the disciples faced scourging and were driven from city to city, ultimately being expelled from Judea and scattering among the Gentiles."},{"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":"Observe how earnestly Christ cautioned them! He declared, \\"Ye condemn your forefathers, saying, Ye would not join in their wrongdoing,\\" and with this, He did not shame them lightly. He went on to say, \\"You, by condemning them, commit even greater wrongs,\\" which was sufficient to humiliate them further. Ultimately, He added, \\"This will not escape punishment,\\" instilling in them profound fear, as He reminded them of Gehenna. Yet, since Gehenna felt distant, Christ brought their attention to the calamities of the present, stating, \\"All these things shall come upon this generation.\\" \\n\\nHe also associated the gravest calamities with their punishment, indicating they would endure the most severe consequences; however, none of this improved them. If one were to ask why they deserved the worst punishment, I would respond that it is because they act with greater cruelty and worse intent than others, having failed to learn from the past. Have you not considered Lamech's words, \\"From Lamech I will avenge myself with seventy weeks\\" (Genesis 4:24), which imply, \\"I merit a more severe punishment than Cain.\\" Why is that? Because Cain did not take heed of the consequences of his actions (Ex. 20:5-7). \\n\\nIt is not that any of them will be punished for the sins of others, but that, despite witnessing many sinners punished before them, they instead chose to continue sinning, thereby deserving the same fate. Notice how skillfully Christ reminded them of Abel, illustrating that this act of murder was also born from jealousy. What can you possibly say to this? Are you not aware of Cain's fate? Did God overlook what transpired? Was he not subjected to the harshest of punishments? Have you forgotten how your ancestors treated the prophets? Were they not met with unspeakable torments and sufferings? How have you not improved in character? \\n\\nBut why should I delve into the punishments your forefathers faced? You who judge your fathers, why do you surpass their actions in wrongdoing? You yourself have pronounced the sentence that the wicked shall be destroyed (Matthew 21:41). What defense can you offer for such blatant acts of transgression following that decree? And who exactly is this Zechariah? Some contend he was John’s father, others perceive him as a prophet, or a priest known also as Joddai. Note the severity of this atrocity; they did not merely slay the saints, but did so within holy places. \\n\\nIn stating these words, Christ not only instilled fear in them but also provided comfort to His disciples, indicating that the righteous had previously suffered similar fates. He scared them by foretelling that just as others had been punished, so they too would face severe retribution. Consequently, He designates His followers as prophets, wise men, and scribes, thereby removing any basis for justification the Jews might claim. He asserts, now, \\"You cannot say that I sent from among the Gentiles, so you have fallen into temptation; you have reached the point of becoming murderers, thirsting for blood.\\" Thus, He previously indicated, \\"I will send prophets and scribes.\\" \\n\\nMoreover, all the prophets admonished them for their actions, declaring that they mix blood with blood and that they are a people of violence (Hosea 4:2). This is why God demanded blood sacrifices from Himself, emphasizing that if blood holds such value within the voiceless, it is even more precious in mankind. Therefore, He tells Noah, \\"I will avenge all blood that is shed\\" (Gen. 9:6). Numerous other instances exist demonstrating that God forbids killing. Consequently, God did not command the consumption of anything strangled. How immense is God’s mercy, who, despite knowing that the Jews would gain nothing from it, still executed His plan! He said, \\"I will send,\\" acknowledging that they would indeed kill the prophets. \\n\\nIn this way, the Jews were rebuked for their empty claim, \\"We would not be accomplices of our forefathers.\\" Yet these individuals proceeded to murder the prophets in the synagogues, disregarding the sanctity of the locations and the dignity of those involved. They did not kill ordinary men, but rather prophets and wise men, aiming to avoid being reproached by them. By referring to prophets, Christ speaks of the apostles and their successors, due to the prophecies many declared. \\n\\nThen, wishing to amplify their fear, He proclaimed, \\"Truly, truly, I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation,\\" meaning all these misfortunes will be brought upon you, and I will exact justice severely. For those who have witnessed numerous sinners but failed to take heed, committing the same sins, and even worse, shall face far greater punishment than those before them. Just as one who is willing may find immense benefit and improvement from the examples of others, if one fails to reform themselves, they become deserving of heavier consequences due to the many opportunities they had to learn from those who sinned and were subsequently punished, yet gained no benefit for themselves."},{"author-name":"Ambrose of Milan","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88871ceef8c96e0998cd0_Ambrose%20of%20Milan.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The empty devotion of the Jews is vividly illustrated here, as they construct the tombs of the prophets to condemn their ancestors. Yet, in mirroring the sins of their forebears, they bring condemnation upon themselves. By raising grand monuments for the prophets, they publicly denounce the acts of murderers, but in replicating such actions, they reveal themselves to be the genuine successors of their fathers’ wickedness. It is not the act of constructing graves that signifies wrongdoing, but rather the emulation of their misdeeds. Those who engage in greater wickedness cannot escape the consequences of inherited sin, particularly when they have crucified the Son of God, thereby intensifying the burden of their ancestors' transgressions. Thus, it is appropriate for Him to assert in another passage, \\"Fulfil the measure of your fathers\\" (Matthew 23:32); their offenses against God could not be more severe. This is why Wisdom dispatches apostles and prophets to them. Who is Wisdom, if not Christ? Refer to 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30. Additionally, in Matthew it is stated: \\"Behold, I send to you prophets and wise men\\" (Matthew 23:34)."},{"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":"For this reason, in order that you may increase the measure of your forefathers’ iniquity, He declared: I will send, highlighting His divine authority. He designates the Apostles and their successors—pastors and educators of the Church—as prophets, wise individuals, and scholars. They possess the gift of prophecy, wisdom in Him, and understanding of the Scriptures. Their messages reveal that not everyone will face punishment, and not all will be put to death."},{"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 condemns the deceitfulness of their claims, stating, \\"If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have slain the prophets.\\" Look, He declares, \\"I am sending prophets, wise individuals, and teachers, yet you will also put them to death.\\" It is the apostles; empowered by the Holy Spirit, they serve as teachers and prophets, overflowing with divine wisdom. Through the phrase \\"I send,\\" He reveals the power of His divinity."},{"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":"“Behold, I am sending prophets to you,” which signifies the commissioning of the apostles and their companions (Eph. 4:11). These individuals served the church of Christ in a manner similar to how the prophets functioned in the Old Testament, alongside the wise men and scribes who followed. The use of these titles resonates with the Jewish tradition, as they generally referred to their religious teachers in this way. \\n\\n“Some of you will kill”: this is exemplified in the cases of Stephen (Acts 7:59) and James, the son of Zebedee (Acts 12:1-2). “And you will crucify”: this is reflected in the martyrdom of Simeon, the brother of the Lord (Euseb. Church Hist. 3:32). “Others you will scourge in the synagogues”—this too was realized in the experiences of the apostles (cf. Acts 22:19-24, 2 Cor. 11:24-25). “To be persecuted from city to city”: this was the typical outcome faced by nearly all of the apostles (cf. note on Matt. 10:23)."},{"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":"I, the incarnate Wisdom of God, am sending to you prophets, wise individuals, and teachers. I send forth my apostles, who are genuine wise men and teachers, not merely learned from books, aware in advance that you will not show them mercy; indeed, you will put to death those whom I send (including Stephen the first martyr, James the son of Zebedee, and many others). You will crucify them, just as Simeon, a relative of the Lord, was crucified. You will also strike them in your places of worship, similar to how the apostles endured beatings at the hands of the Sanhedrin and within the synagogues, and you will pursue them from one city to another, as was witnessed with the other apostles of Christ. The jealousy, a malady of the adversary, has such a grip on your hearts that you have shown no mercy to the righteous and will similarly not spare my apostles."},{"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":"I will continue to send my disciples, who will proclaim my message with the integrity of the prophets and the insight of the teachers; yet I am aware that you will respond to them with the same hostility as your forefathers showed to the prophets they murdered. Some of my messengers you will put to death and crucify, others you will flog in the synagogues and drive from town to town. By doing this, you will bear the guilt for the blood of all the righteous shed by your ancestors, starting from the blood of righteous Abel, slain by his brother Cain, all the way to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the altar and the temple. (For clarification regarding Zechariah, refer to Luke 11:51.)"},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"With these statements, the Lord profoundly communicated to His audience that a time of judgment was approaching for all injustices committed on earth, beginning with the murder of Abel (Gen. 4:8) and extending to the killing of Zacharias, likely the one stoned within the temple courts (2 Chron. 24:21). These two significant incidents, one at the dawn of Old Testament history and the other at its close, captured the Lord's attention, even though the saga of the Jewish people was rife with violent acts that demanded retribution. The blood of the righteous, spilled on earth, was destined to fall upon the Jews of that era; as Blessed Theophylact observes, they were to face harsher consequences than their forebears because they failed to learn from such examples, repeating the transgressions of their ancestors."},{"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":"Regarding the discussion on the murderous plots of the Pharisees against Him, Christ foresaw all the killings of God's messengers outlined in the Old Testament and those that would transpire in the New Testament. He then rendered a solemn judgment on the Jewish people, indicating that they would face consequences for the shedding of innocent blood throughout history, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachias. Upon delivering this pronouncement, the Lord affirmed that this judgment would indeed be realized upon this generation, specifically noting that the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish populace were manifestations of this decree. \\n\\nIn reference to Zechariah, it is more likely that it pertains to Zechariah, the son of Jodahia, who was killed at the behest of King Joash within the temple court, as described in 2 Chronicles 24:20-21. The murder of Abel is acknowledged as the first recorded instance, while the killing of Zechariah is recognized as the last mentioned in the Old Testament scriptures. This latter act was particularly egregious and thus memorable for the Jewish people, as Zechariah was the son of a high priest who had faithfully served Joash; he was slain in the temple, pleading with God by saying, \\"Let the Lord see and judge.\\" The discrepancy in the names of the father could be attributed to the fact that Zechariah was known by different names."}]}
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