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Explanation for:
Matthew
25
:
42
For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink.
12
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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":"Such warnings He proclaims daily. But you may question how often we truly support Him. Is it just for a few days? Is it ten, or twenty? Yet He desires our care not only during those days but throughout our entire earthly existence. The wise virgins possessed oil, but it was not enough for their salvation. They lit their lamps, yet were excluded from the wedding feast. This was justly so, as their lamps had gone out before the bridegroom arrived. Thus, we must ensure we have an abundance of oil and compassion. Hear the prophet's call: ‘Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy’ (Psalm 50:3). Likewise, we should extend mercy to others in correspondence with the great mercy we can offer. Our treatment of our fellow servants will prepare the kind of Master we will encounter. When is mercy considered great? It is when we give not from our excess, but from our need. And if our giving does not emerge from abundance, what hope can we grasp? What will rescue us from such challenges? Where can we find refuge and salvation? If the virgins, after enduring significant toil, found no comfort, who will advocate for us when we are confronted with those daunting words, when the Judge Himself chastises, saying, ‘You did not feed me when I was hungry’?\\n\\nWill we also hear this blessed voice? I cannot say this with certainty, for we often neglect the needs of the impoverished. Behold the season of fasting, the teachings on essential doctrines, the unceasing prayers, the daily gatherings—what value does this edification hold? None at all. As we depart this place, we see lines of beggars standing faithfully on either side, yet we pass by them unfeelingly, as if they were mere columns, not human souls. We rush home as if we were encountering lifeless statues rather than living beings. They suffer from hunger, we say. But let their hunger prompt us to pause; for those who are full, as the saying goes, fail to comprehend the plight of the hungry, and those in want, due to their own scarcity, can empathize with the needs of others. Yet, can they truly grasp the depth of that need? You race to the plentiful table and can scarcely bear to share even a little. Meanwhile, the destitute stands until evening, striving to gather enough for daily sustenance, plagued by the knowledge that the day has ended and insufficient money remains for their basic needs. Anxiety grips them as they are compelled to do what exceeds their capacity. Thus, in the evening, the beggars press upon us more urgently, swearing, crying, and extending their hands, often resorting to desperate measures without shame. They dread that after returning home, they may roam the city like wanderers in a desolate wilderness. As storm-tossed sailors clutching a plank seek to reach the shore before nightfall, so too the hungry rush before dusk, hoping to gather enough for bread, lest they be left abandoned as others retire for the night. Their refuge lies in the outstretched hands of those who can assist. \\n\\nYet we remain unmoved by their suffering, neither in the public square nor in the comfort of our own homes. In fact, even when abundance is prepared for us, often filled with countless luxuries—if we can call food consumed in light of our cruelty a luxury—when a feast is laid before us, we remain indifferent, even as we hear them walking along narrow paths, calling out loudly at crossroads, existing in utter darkness and emptiness. When we have eaten our fill and drift off to sleep, and during that time hear their wails once more, we disregard them, as if we were hearing a dog bark rather than a human lament. We ignore the hour—when late at night all are slumbering, one alone suffers—and the simplicity of the request—merely bread or a small amount of money, nothing more—and the gravity of their plight—as they battle relentless hunger. We overlook the humility of the one asking—who, burdened by need, does not dare to approach closely, but calls out from a distance. If they receive assistance, they send up countless prayers; if they do not, they bear no harsh words nor scorn those who could help but choose not to. Instead, just as a condemned person, led by an executioner to a cruel fate, pleads with passersby yet receives no mercy, so too this one, lured out by hunger as if by an executioner's command, stretches out their hands in deep distress, beseeching those within the houses, yet finding no compassion, is met with great cruelty and despair. But none of this resonates with us. After such inhumanity, we nonetheless dare to lift our hands to heaven, asking God for mercy and seeking forgiveness for our sins, with no fear that divine wrath might fall upon us following such prayers, amidst such callousness! How, I ask, do we retire to rest without concern that this beggar may dream of being thin, dirty, dressed in rags, sorrowful, weeping, and accusing us of our cruelty? I have frequently heard from many that after refusing assistance to the poor by day, they dreamt at night of being bound, dragged by the beggars, tormented and suffering greatly. But this is merely a dream, a fleeting torment. Are we not fearful, I ask, that this sorrowful, crying, pleading beggar may one day be seen in the bosom of Abraham, as the rich man saw Lazarus? (Luke 16:23). What comes next, I leave to your conscience, to comprehend—the bitter and inescapable punishments—the pleas for water that go unheard, the burning tongue, the unending torment, and the absence of pardon despite great entreaties. \\n\\nMay God grant us grace to avoid such experiences, having heard the warning in words, to shun it in actions, and, having proven ourselves worthy of the love of our forefather Abraham, to attain the same place with him, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom the Father and the Holy Spirit are glorified, now and forever, and unto ages of ages. Amen."},{"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":"It is concerning, O mortal, to think that those who are tormented are condemned not for being fornicators, murderers, or predators, nor for any other acts of wickedness, but rather for their failure to do good. Upon reflection, one who possesses abundance yet does not extend kindness, even if they have wronged no one directly, may still be likened to a predator. Whatever excess they hold beyond what is rightfully theirs is taken from those in need, especially when that assistance is not provided. Had they allocated their surplus for the common good, there would be no lack among others. However, by hoarding their excess and claiming it solely for themselves, they leave others in want. Therefore, the unkind person is akin to a thief, causing harm to as many as they can reach while withholding generosity."},{"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":"He did not proclaim, 'You have not rescued me from destitution, illness, and confinement,' but rather, 'You have not provided me with what I require, nor accomplished what is simple.' Initially, He praises those who show compassion, emphasizing that this act is not challenging, so that those who exhibit mercy may not face condemnation."},{"author-name":"Nicephoros (Theotokis)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8958407451968d9c204fb_Nicephoros%20(Theotokis).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":18,"exegesis-text":"God’s response to sinners unveils three calamities: separation from God: depart from me, cursed; the everlasting fire: into eternal fire; and association with wicked spirits: prepared for the devil and his angels. These three calamities are exceedingly severe in their intensity, agonizing in their duration, and horrifying in their designation—damnation—so that neither human understanding can fully grasp them, nor can any tongue adequately express them. Observe, therefore, that the most compassionate God has established only the kingdom for humanity since the beginning of time, not punishment and suffering. Instead, He has reserved the execution solely for the adversaries: depart, He declared, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. However, mankind only faces condemnation alongside the merciless devils in eternal fire when they are unrepentant and hard-hearted, mirroring the devils. For this reason, the righteous Judge addresses the merciless, saying, I condemn you: for I was hungry, and you did not feed Me; I was thirsty, and you did not give Me to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not welcome Me; I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me. What will the repentant sinners respond to this?"},{"author-name":"Tichon of Zadonsk","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989ff6b5b4c943e70095_Tichon%20of%20Zadonsk.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":18,"exegesis-text":"When an individual is called to court, they face judgment from those seated in authority, are confronted by witnesses, and criticized by the judges for their actions, transgressions, and violations of the law. In a similar manner, a sinner who has not sought forgiveness through repentance and is brought before the divine tribunal will find themselves assessed by God. They will confront their sins laid bare before them, hearing from the Just Judge the admonition: \\"Thou hast hated instruction and turned back My words. If thou sawest a thief, thou hast hastened with him, and with an adulterer thou hast partaken. Thy mouth hath multiplied backbiting, and thy tongue hath woven guile... And for thy mother's son thou hast laid a stumbling block\\" (Psalm 49:17-20). Furthermore, \\"I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me; I was naked, and you did not clothe me; I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit me\\" (Matthew 25:42-43). Thus, the passage from Scripture will come to fulfillment for the sinner: \\"I will rebuke thee, and bring thy sins before thy face\\" (Psalm 49:21). Those who stand rebuked at the judgment will be filled with shame and dread. Sinners will be overwhelmed with humiliation, fear, quaking, and terror during this reckoning. They will hear condemnation from God Himself, whom they failed to honor, rebuked for the ingratitude displayed toward Him, and their reprimand will be evident to all. \\n\\nA lawbreaker denounced in court is stripped of their status as a good citizen and is viewed as a villain rather than a member of the community. Likewise, Christians who violate the law without repentance will find themselves separated from faithful believers at this judgment, like goats parted from sheep, deemed unfaithful and false rather than true followers of Christ. A lawbreaker faces condemnation in court to punishment or death as prescribed by law. Similarly, at the final Judgment, sinners will face eternal punishment. \\"Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels\\" (Matthew 25:41). A criminal condemned to execution is separated from loved ones and departs with deep sorrow toward their inevitable fate. In parallel, sinners destined for everlasting punishment will be eternally cut off from God, His holy angels, and His faithful, doomed to perpetual weeping, quaking, fear, and despair as they enter into eternal torment. \\"And these shall go into everlasting torment\\" (Matthew 25:46). \\n\\nO wretched sinner! Repent and wash away your sins with a contrite heart and tears, so that you may escape such fates. Show mercy, O Lord, show mercy upon Your creation! \\"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy bounties, cleanse my iniquity. Turn away Thy face from my sins, and cleanse all my iniquities\\" (Psalm 50:3, 11). \\"But if Thou callest iniquity, O Lord, O Lord, who will stand?\\" (Psalm 129:3). Turn away Thy countenance from my offenses, and instead focus Thine eyes on Christ my Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy only begotten Son, who for me, an undeserving and destitute sinner, endured suffering and death, offering Himself as a sacrifice and pleasing aroma to Thee, O heavenly Father and Creator. By His grace and incarnate love, pour out Your mercy upon me, and cleanse all my transgressions with His blood, willingly shed for my sake. Amen."},{"author-name":"Tichon of Zadonsk","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989ff6b5b4c943e70095_Tichon%20of%20Zadonsk.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":18,"exegesis-text":"A rude individual may insult a servant in the presence of their master. Similarly, when a sinner wrongs a Christian, they do so in the sight of the Lord God, who is everywhere and knows all things. This includes: Adulterers who unlawfully invade another’s intimacy; those who harm others’ well-being; murderers who strike and take a life; individuals who slander and insult others; those who spread malicious gossip, either secretly or openly; thieves and robbers who unlawfully seize the possessions of others; merchants who mislead customers by selling inferior products as if they were of high quality; landlords who either brutally oppress their workers or impose excessive burdens upon them; judges who allow bribery to cloud their judgment instead of adhering to the truth; those who fail to compensate laborers fully for their work; workers who accept fair wages but neglect their duties, or perform them deceitfully; employers who do not pay their employees what they are owed, or pay them inadequately; and anyone who engages in cunning, deceitful, or hypocritical dealings with their neighbor, causing harm or offense. All such acts are offenses before the Lord God against His people. The offense directed towards a servant in the presence of their master impacts the master and deeply troubles him. In the same way, the wrongs done to Christians affect Christ the Lord Himself and deeply disturb Him. Just as Christ the Lord attributes the good deeds done to His followers to Himself, as He stated, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40), so too does He regard offenses against His followers as offenses against Himself. The servant who is wronged in front of their master seeks justice from their master. Likewise, a Christian, as one wronged before the Lord, must turn to Him and entrust their grievances to Him, who judges justly, for He declares, “To me I will avenge, I will repay” (Romans 12:19). \\n\\nWe see from this that: whoever sins against a person simultaneously sins against God. Offending a person is an offense to God. Offense against an individual is an offense against the Lord. For to wrong a person is to violate God’s command and offend His servant in the presence of the Lord. \\n\\nConsider how serious the transgressions of such individuals are. It should trouble you when someone insults your servant in your presence. Yet some dare to offend a Christian, a servant of Christ, before their Lord. Do you believe that the Lord of all does not perceive your actions simply because you do not see Him? Absolutely not! No one who commits wrongdoing, nor any sinful deed, can escape His all-seeing gaze. Whether you are on the road or in the wilderness, in your home or the marketplace, whether in private or public, or even if you scheme unrighteousness deep within your heart—He is omnipresent, witnessing all that you do, where you conduct yourself, and what you plot. All actions are recorded in His book, and on the final day, He will confront you with all these deeds before the entire world, for He has declared, “I will rebuke you and bring your sins before your face” (Psalm 49:21). \\n\\nIf you insult, malign, curse, or disparage your neighbor, He is present, hearing your wicked words and seeing the harm. If you slander your brother, He hears your accusations. If you strike or take a life, He is near and witnesses your wrongdoing. If you steal or plunder the possessions of others, you commit theft in the view of His holy eyes. If you lie or deceive, He sees your falsehood. In essence, anything you do to your neighbor is done before the Lord of all. This illustrates how you provoke His majesty and how seriously you sin. It is indeed far better to suffer repeatedly than to offend Christ the Lord, who loved us so much that He willingly died for us, despite our sins. \\n\\nO person who offends your neighbor! Take a moment to reflect on your actions, consider whom you are harming, and recognize before Whom you conduct yourself. Reflect before it is too late! You identify yourself as a Christian, you make the sign of the cross, you attend church, you worship and pray to God, you sing ‘Alleluia,’ and most importantly, you approach the altar to receive the Life-giving Sacrament of Christ while listening to His Word. These are indeed markers of Christianity. However, if you persist in offending your neighbor without repentance, you risk becoming an adversary of Christ rather than a follower. Evaluate how you treat your neighbor, and repent; amend your ways while the opportunity for repentance remains. \\n\\n“Or do you neglect the riches of the goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering of God, not realizing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each one according to their deeds: to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory, honor, and immortality, eternal life; and to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, wrath, and indignation. Tribulation and anguish will be upon every soul of man who does evil, first to the Jew, then also to the Gentile” (Romans 2:4-9)."},{"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":"FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU DID NOT GIVE ME FOOD; I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU DID NOT GIVE ME DRINK; I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU DID NOT RECEIVE ME; I WAS NAKED AND YOU DID NOT CLOTHE ME; I WAS SICK AND IN PRISON AND YOU DID NOT VISIT ME. This proclamation from the Divine Judge pronounces three dreadful penalties for transgressors: separation from God, everlasting suffering, and a companionship with the wicked one for eternity. The anguish borne from these afflictions is so severe, so excruciating, so unbearable, and carries such a dreadfully heavy title – the accursed – that the human mind struggles to fathom them. I will heap disasters upon them (Deuteronomy 32:23) - God warns the unrepentant. The accumulation of all evils, all sorrows and afflictions intertwined – this embodies the condition of the damned in hell! All the bitterness of grief is merged into a single cup, all the fires of ceaseless torment are merged into one flame, and all the agonies of eternal suffering are condensed into one moment...’ (words of St. Elijah Minyatii)."},{"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":"The suffering of the damned will be perpetual, just as the joy of the righteous will also be everlasting. This is reflected in various scriptures such as Mark 16:16, Luke 16:26, John 3:36, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, Revelation 14:11, Psalm 9:17, and Isaiah 33:14."},{"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":"And you—when I sought help from you in my hunger, you turned away and offered me no bread. In my thirst, you did not provide me with water, and when I knocked on your door as a weary traveler seeking refuge, you rejected me. You disregarded my threadbare clothing and did not acknowledge my need for warmth; not only did you neglect to visit me in my illness, but you also recoiled at the thought of touching me. You regarded me with disdain during my confinement. Depart from Me even now! Go to the place of everlasting anguish prepared for the devil and his fallen angels! \\n\\n'Lord!—When did we ever see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and not assist You? Such a thing has never occurred; we have never encountered You, especially not in such dire circumstances.' \\n\\n'Indeed,' Christ will respond, 'you have not seen me in such conditions; however, you have turned away from the multitude of the needy who, in my name, pleaded for your assistance. You shunned them, fearing their presence might disrupt the trivial comforts of your idle existence. Yet, you ought to have understood that in denying them, you are denying me.'"},{"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 unrepentant and hardened sinners will encounter the fearful judgment of God, a determination that will seal their sorrowful destiny for eternity. The King will then proclaim to those on His left: Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels; St. John Chrysostom speaks to the Lord's words, saying, “I prepared the kingdom for you, but the fire is not meant for you, but for the devil and his angels; and since you have thrown yourselves into the fire, you have only yourselves to blame.” At God's judgment, the period of mercy and the call for repentance will have ended; there will be no further opportunities for salvation, no sacraments for the cleansing of sins or sanctification of the soul. Instead, mercy will give way to justice, and patience will yield to righteous retribution based on one’s actions. \\n\\n“I was hungry, and you did not provide for Me. I was thirsty, and you did not give Me drink. I was a stranger, and you did not take Me in. I was naked, and you did not clothe Me. I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit Me.” Then they will respond, “Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?” He will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, if you did not do these lesser deeds for one of the least of these, you did not do them for Me.” Thus, the Lord depicts the dreadful judgment, declaring, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”"},{"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":"In this portrayal of God's ultimate global judgment, Christ illustrates both the qualities that Christians are encouraged to nurture above all else and the destiny that awaits the righteous and the wicked following this profound judgment. Foremost, Christians are called to foster love and compassion for their neighbors, as love serves as the essence and foundation of all virtues; indeed, without love, true virtue cannot exist (Matt. 22:37-40; 1 Cor. 13). Acts of love and mercy toward others will be held in immeasurable esteem during God's reckoning, such that those who have shown kindness to the least of their brethren will be acknowledged by Christ as having extended that kindness to Him; conversely, those who fail to show mercy to their neighbors will be deemed unmerciful to Christ in God's judgment. This impending global judgment will represent the ultimate reckoning, determining each individual's fate for eternity. The first phase of this judgment, following the appearance of the Son of Man in His divine glory with His holy angels and the gathering of all nations before Him, will involve the separation of the righteous from the unrighteous, placing the former on His right and the latter on His left. Subsequently, the Lord will invite the righteous to receive the eternal joy that has been prepared for them by God from the beginning, while the wicked will be separated from His presence and cast into eternal flames, destined for everlasting torment, a fate meant for all of God’s adversaries, particularly the devil and his angels."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In summary, the Lord proclaimed that upon His return in glory, He will ensure that every righteous act carried out in His name is duly recognized and rewarded, irrespective of how humble or insignificant the individuals who performed them may seem. He graciously accepts these acts on their behalf. Conversely, those who, out of pride and indifference, neglect human needs while only pursuing their own interests will face judgment for their actions. The former will receive eternal joy, while the latter will endure everlasting suffering alongside the adversary in the fiery depths of Gehenna."}]}
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