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Explanation for:
Matthew
24
:
18
And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat.
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":"For this reason, he states that anyone working in the field should not go back to retrieve their clothing. If those inside the house must escape without hesitation, then even more so should those outside refrain from returning."},{"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 abomination of desolation can also be interpreted as every erroneous teaching. When we observe it standing in the sacred space—specifically, within the Church—manifesting God through itself, we must escape from Judea to the mountains. This signifies abandoning the lethal doctrines and corruption of Judaism to ascend to the eternal heights, where God shines brilliantly, as noted in Psalm 75:5. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: Thou art glorious, mightier than the mountains of predation. We are to dwell under that protective shelter, a place where the fiery darts of the enemy cannot pierce, as affirmed in Psalm 115:5: I will make my vows unto the Lord before all His people. We should refrain from descending to claim anything from our previous residence or seeking what we have left behind. Instead, we ought to focus on planting seeds in the fields of spiritual truths so that we may bear fruit, as well as avoid taking any additional garments that are not permitted for the apostles. Regarding the topic of the abomination of desolation, as prophesied by Daniel and present in the holy place, Porphyry has uttered many blasphemies against us in the thirteenth book of his writings. He was countered by Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea, in three of his own books: the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth. Apollinaris has also provided an exhaustive examination of this matter, addressing the questions raised through numerous verses in great detail in one of his works."},{"author-name":"Caesarius of Nazianzus","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a176e0f4c3aeca7aee3_Caesarius%20of%20Nazianzus.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Question. If the world’s end and the return of Christ are near, why does the Lord instruct, \\"Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are on the housetops not go down to take anything out of their house, and let those who are in the field not turn back to get their cloak\\"? Additionally, He advises, \\"But pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. Alas for those who are pregnant and nursing in those days.\\" If the end were to occur in summer, on a Sunday or a Monday, would it be possible to escape? In a time of great gathering, why does He specifically lament for the pregnant and nursing mothers? Is it because they face the loss of parenthood or the agony of greater suffering? Answer. The Lord, anticipating the future exodus, instructs the Jews to seek refuge in the mountains. After Vespasian, Titus came and utterly devastated Jerusalem. He cruelly executed the Jews, slaying men with the sword, brutally tossing infants, and violently attacking pregnant women, all by every dreadful means consuming the faithful community. The city was besieged on the Sabbath, and due to the observance of the festival, the homes lay abandoned, complicating their escape from destruction and death. Those who sought refuge in upper rooms dared not retrieve their belongings, realizing that life itself is more precious than material possessions. Those in the fields not only did not return home but fled to safety upon witnessing the city ablaze and doomed. When interpreting faithfully the call to ‘Those in Judea, let them flee to the mountains,’ Judea can be understood as those steadfast in faith; they should seek refuge in Christ, who offers protection through their belief. Those on rooftops should not descend to reclaim what is in their homes, symbolizing that they must relinquish attachments to the transient life, elevating themselves above worldly desires. By conquering their inner passions, they should entrench themselves in spiritual richness, forsaking joy, sorrow, empty indulgences, or memories of wealth—all of which would be a descent from their elevated state. Likewise, the one in the field should not turn back to recover the outer garment; the individual who has shed the old self and rejected worldly desires is to don the new creation, renewed in the knowledge of God. Having cleansed themselves from all impurities, they remain free from evil, undeterred in their love for Christ. Christ taught that those regarded as mothers and brothers are such through their adherence to the commandments of salvation, emphasizing that the spiritual bond holds greater honor than the earthly. His disciples abandoned worldly feasts to embrace godliness and received the Word, demonstrating their faith not just by eloquent speech but through actions. Speaking well may hold charm, akin to a musical note, yet doing good reflects the divine."},{"author-name":"Isidore of Pelusium","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88d94130e668938c9ae9d_Isidore%20of%20Pelusium.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"In your letter, you requested an explanation of the signs of profound need that will appear at the end of days as revealed by the Lord for our understanding. Recognize their significance. Those in Judea should escape to the mountains. Those rooted in righteousness—this signifies Judea—should seek the highest refuge and protect themselves with their faith. If someone is on the roof, they should not descend to retrieve anything from their home. One who has disregarded their earthly dwelling, has risen above worldly concerns, and has cast off his inner desires should not be swayed by any distractions: neither fear nor apathy, nor pride, nor the love of material wealth; all these are a decline from spiritual heights. If someone is in the countryside, they should not turn back to collect their belongings. Those who have shed the old self and renounced the ways of the flesh should embrace the New Man, who renews them in the knowledge of God and cleanses them from impurity. All of these individuals will find safety during this significant tribulation."},{"author-name":"Epiphanius of Pavia","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":6,"exegesis-text":"The sacred scripture reminds us: And he who is in the field, let him not turn back to take up his garments. This field symbolizes the Church, as reflected in the words of the blessed patriarch Isaac to his son Jacob: Behold, the aroma of my son is like the aroma of the full field which the Lord has blessed (Gen. 27:27). This field is abundant with countless flowers that release the most delightful fragrances. Here, we see the Church clearly represented, where the flowers of the Lord reach their perfection—these include virginity, purity, self-control, confession, faith, love, justice, truth, and martyrdom. Such are the blossoms from the Church, which bring joy to the Lord and are rightly blessed by God. Thus, He commands, And he that is in the field, let him not turn back. Likewise, the Lord also said: Remember Lot's wife (Luke 17:32). As she fled from Sodom, which was doomed to destruction, she dared to look back and was transformed into a pillar of salt, serving as a lasting reminder of her folly. Therefore, the Lord encourages us, as we grow in love and faith towards Him, not to look back, but to strive for the salvation of our souls and eternal life."},{"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":"Those who reside in the city are escaping the devastation that looms over it, and even more so, those who are in the fields. In the Gospel of Luke (Luke 21:22), it is revealed that the cause of these grave tribulations is that these are days of retribution, fulfilling all that has been foretold (in the books of Daniel and other prophets) regarding this devastation; it is a time of reckoning for the crucifixion of the Lord. This aligns with historical accounts. However, on a deeper spiritual level, those who dwell in Judah—which symbolizes those who embody true piety—should seek refuge in the mountains. This signifies that one uplifted by his righteous life should avoid returning to the worldly desires he has forsaken. Similarly, he who lives a life of solitude, represented by being in the field, should not go back to retrieve his garments, which symbolize the sins he has cast aside long ago."},{"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":"Anticipating the certainty of trials, the Lord instructs His followers to escape without looking back, disregarding their possessions, garments, and other belongings left behind in their homes. Some scholars interpret the ‘abomination of desolation’ to represent the Antichrist, who is expected to rise during a time of cosmic upheaval and the ruin of the churches, even taking his place within the temple. Thus, the call to flee is understood as follows: those who have reached the pinnacle of virtue should not descend from that height to retrieve material possessions, for the body serves as the dwelling place of the soul. We are to separate ourselves from earthly matters, as the field symbolizes our earthly existence; nor should we cling to the old deeds we have come to reject, represented by the garment."},{"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":"Their clothing refers specifically to their outer garments, as they toiled in the fields without these upper layers, which they had left behind at home."},{"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":"Anyone who is working in the fields at that time should not return to the city, not even for essentials like their clothing or outer garments, which are typically needed for their labor. They should flee directly from the fields. There will be one means of salvation for everyone—escape. These are the days when prophetic warnings come to fruition, the fearsome days of judgment and heavenly retribution."},{"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":"Do not hesitate for a single moment to flee, and do not pause even to gather the essentials of life. If someone happens to be on the roof of a house, they should escape without entering the house to retrieve anything. Likewise, if one is working in the field and has removed their outer cloak, they must run without stopping to take it with them. Keep in mind that these are the days of God's judgment upon a faithless nation, as declared by the prophets."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After outlining a series of ominous events, the Lord focused on the imminent arrival of God's severe judgment concerning Jerusalem. He declared, \\"As for Jerusalem, its destruction is near, and in accordance with the words of Daniel, the abomination of desolation will manifest in the sacred place. Therefore, those who wish to avoid this calamity must flee from Judea without delay. Those who choose to remain will endure a tribulation unlike any that has occurred since the foundation of the world. Additionally, many false messiahs will arise, but do not be deceived by them. The Son of Man will come like lightning, not confined to a specific location or form, but rather as the divine judgment of God (Matthew 24:15-28). His glory will be fully revealed at the culmination of the ages (29-31)."}]}
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