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Explanation for:
Matthew
23
:
39
For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth till you say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
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":"This message is directed toward Jerusalem and its Jewish inhabitants. The verse that the children vocally declared upon the arrival of the Lord Savior into Jerusalem—crying out, \\"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest\\"—is cited from Psalm 117, which clearly pertains to the arrival of the Lord. The meaning of His words is clear: \\"Unless you turn away from your sins and acknowledge that I am the One foretold by the prophets, the Son of the Almighty Father, you will not see My face.\\" The Jewish people are granted an opportunity to repent; if they declare that blessed is He who arrives in the name of the Lord, they will behold the face of Christ."},{"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":"This is the expression of a passionate love that draws individuals powerfully, not solely through past occurrences but also through future promises, as He speaks of the anticipated day of His glorious return. But what of their encounters with Him since that time? When He mentions, “From henceforth,” He does not refer to the present moment but rather to all the time that transpired prior to His suffering. Having frequently been accused of being in opposition to God, He seeks to inspire a genuine love for Himself by demonstrating His unity with the Father and His presence through the prophets; thus, He adopts the language of a prophet. With these very words, He predicted His resurrection and His second coming, making it evident even to skeptics that they would one day undeniably worship Him. How did He convey this message? He foretold numerous future events, including the sending of prophets, their persecution even in synagogues, and the severe afflictions that would befall them; He proclaimed that their house would be left desolate, and that they would endure unprecedented trials. For the foolish and obstinate among them, all these signs were a clear indication of His coming again. Let us pose the question: Did He not send prophets and wise individuals to them? Did they not persecute these messengers in their synagogues? Has their house not been rendered empty? Have not all manner of calamities struck this people? These facts are undeniable, and none can contest them. As all these events have unfolded, so too will His final prophecy come to fruition, and undoubtedly, they will respond to Him; however, this acknowledgment will serve as no justification, neither for them nor for all who will come to repent in the face of their nation’s ruin."},{"author-name":"Cyrill of Alexandria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a8ea5c988a4fc073480_Cyrill%20of%20Alexandria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"These insights offer a faith-based reflection. When the complete number of the Gentiles (Rom. 11:25) is fulfilled, and they place their faith in Christ, the Jews who come to believe afterward will witness the splendor of Christ's divinity. They will recognize the Father in the Son and proclaim that He is the Savior foretold by the prophets, as the prophet indicated He would come in the name of the Lord (Ps. 117:26). The previous prophets did not come in this name; they declared, \\"I am a servant of the Lord,\\" and revered the God of heaven (Jon. 1:9)."},{"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":"Christ declares that you will not behold Him until His return. At that time, the Jews will honor Him, even against their desires, proclaiming, “Blessed is He who comes.” The phrase “From henceforth” should be understood as referring to the moment of the crucifixion, rather than the instant these words are spoken. Following that moment, the Jews encountered Him on multiple occasions, but after His crucifixion, they did not see Him again, nor will they do so until His second coming."},{"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":"When will they utter it? Not of their own accord—they will never proclaim it willingly, but rather involuntarily at the moment of His glorious return, when He arrives in tremendous power and majesty, at a point when such a declaration will no longer hold any value for them. “Ne imate Mene videtet”—these words come from a deep yearning, reflecting the sentiments of one who loves dearly but faces rejection and thus experiences profound sorrow. In referencing afar, He indicated not only that specific moment but all the times preceding His afflictions, after which He was no longer seen. While He did show Himself to some following the Resurrection, the unbelieving Jews were not among those to witness Him. “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord”—this proclamation from David is further elucidated in the twenty-first chapter."},{"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":"You will no longer behold Me: the time of grace has ended for you, and I will not be seen as your compassionate Savior again—I will stand before you as a fearsome Judge. When He says \\"henceforth,\\" He is not referring to this moment alone but to the entire period leading up to His suffering. In the temple, the Lord was no longer recognized as such from that point forward, but following His resurrection, He revealed Himself \\"not to all the people,\\" but only \\"to the witnesses chosen beforehand by God\\" (Acts 10:41). \\"Until you will proclaim, 'Blessed is He,'” He speaks of the future moment of His return. He conveys to the most skeptical that they will ultimately worship Him involuntarily at that time. It is also likely that during the profound and fearful return of the Savior in judgment, particularly with His people during the fall of Jerusalem, many Jews, perceiving this as a manifestation of God’s wrath for their rejection of the Messiah, turned to faith in Him, and thus, in their spirits, they welcomed this mysterious arrival."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Jerusalem, viewed as a frequent target for the persecution of prophets (Luke 13:33), was destined to face God's condemnation. Thus, the Lord voiced His sorrow and love, reproaching the city with poignant words: \\"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!\\" He concluded His lament with a dire warning: \\"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate; for I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.\\" Saint John Chrysostom interprets this as a reference to the future day of His Second Coming, assuring that even the most resolute skeptics, like the scribes and Pharisees, will ultimately acknowledge His divinity, albeit reluctantly, when they witness Him as the Judge of the living and the dead, returning on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory (Matthew 24:30). Following this, the Lord departed from the temple, never to return. The house of Israel was rendered desolate, and a significant period began for all of Judea, marked by its severe repercussions."},{"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 contemplation of Jerusalem's impending destruction stirs a profound compassion in the Lord, leading Him to sadly declare His judgment upon it—withdraw His presence from the temple, revoke His bodily companionship, and remove His protective care."},{"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 assure you, from this moment on, you will no longer behold Me, nor will you hear My call to salvation; the opportunity for grace has passed for you, and I shall stand as your formidable judge. You will not experience My presence until the prophesied hour arrives at the end of time when the full measure of the Gentiles has entered the Kingdom of God, prompting you to turn from your obstinacy and recognize Me as your Savior, until you proclaim, ‘BLESSED IS THE GREAT GOD IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.’ Yet, if even then some of you persist in your disbelief and hardheartedness, a significant day will still come— the last day of the world, the day of My Final Judgment. On that day, I will return in all My splendor, accompanied by angels and saints, when all nations of the earth will mourn upon seeing Me—then, at that moment, even the most skeptical will acknowledge the Messiah, whom they have spurned, and though they may long to exclaim, ‘Blessed is He who comes,’ it will be too late. ‘With these words, the Lord departed from the inner sanctum of the temple into the outer court,’ as Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson, notes, ‘as if to indicate that the fulfillment of this final warning was now set in motion.’"},{"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":"Certain Gospel interpreters believe that Jesus Christ expressed anger towards the scribes and Pharisees. However, this is not the case. His denunciation of these wicked and hypocritical leaders stemmed not from anger, but from immense sorrow—an immense sorrow that we might struggle to comprehend. This sorrow was evident during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where, despite the nation’s rejoicing, He wept for the fate of the holy city and God's chosen people. It was the same sorrow that led Him, just two days later, to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane for a delay in the fulfillment of God's will. To suggest that Christ harbored anger towards the scribes and Pharisees is to misplace their shortcomings onto Him. \\n\\nWhile we might have felt anger towards these wicked individuals and considered reacting violently, Christ instead felt compassion for both them and the people they misled. He admonished them with the hope that they would recognize their wrongs, repent, and abandon their deceitful ways. His public rebuke was sparked by His love for this misguided populace, as He sought to warn them against the false teachings of the Pharisees. Holding back His own tears, He delivered His final word, a warning imbued with profound sadness, to both the leaders and the people. He prepared to leave the temple for the last time, marking the conclusion of His ministry as the Messiah.\\n\\nGod's chosen people, who eagerly awaited the Messiah’s arrival, acknowledged Him as a miracle worker and exploited His divine abilities. Yet, despite their intention to herald Him as the earthly King of the Jews—seeking conquest under His reign—they ultimately rejected Him as the true Messiah. In such heartbreaking circumstances, could He truly exhibit anger during His final appeal to the Pharisees and the crowds in His last attempt to save them from dire condemnation? Certainly not! It was not anger He contained within Himself, but tears. After His denouncements, He cried out, His eyes filled with unspeakable longing and sorrow: \\"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate; for you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'\\""},{"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":"The storm of retribution was looming over them, ready to unleash its full fury upon their guilty heads. Yet, at that moment, the voice which had been filled with just wrath shifted to express the deepest compassion for the afflicted city: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left desolate. For I say to you, you will not see Me from now on until you declare, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,’’ which means you will proclaim this as the crowd did upon My entry into Jerusalem, but by then it will be too late. This prophecy was fulfilled with chilling precision during the siege and conquest of Jerusalem when indeed ‘the house of the Jews was left empty,’ reduced to ruins and decay."}]}
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