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Explanation for:
Matthew
26
:
53
Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions of angels?
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":"I do not require the support of twelve apostles, even if they were all standing by my side, as I have the power of twelve legions of heavenly hosts at my command. In ancient times, a legion consisted of six thousand soldiers. We will not delve into the specifics of these numbers due to our limited time; it suffices to note that twelve legions equal seventy-two thousand angels, reflecting the multitude of nations that humanity comprises. Furthermore, His additional words reveal His willingness to endure suffering; if the Lord had not validated the truth of the prophets through His own suffering, their prophecies would have held no significance."},{"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":"Who is the person who severed the ear? According to the evangelist John, it was Peter (Jn. 18:10). This action stemmed from his passionate zeal. However, it warrants examination: for what reason did the disciples of Jesus carry swords? It is clear not only from this incident but also from their response indicating that they possessed two swords. Why, then, did Christ allow them to have swords? The Evangelist Luke recounts that when Christ inquired of them, “When I sent you out without a bag, and without a purse, and without shoes, did you lack anything?” and they replied, “Nothing,” He responded, “But now, whoever has a bag, let him take it, and likewise a purse; and whoever does not have one, let him sell his garment and buy a sword.” When they responded, “Behold, here are two swords,” He replied, “It is enough” (Luke 22:35-38). What was His purpose in permitting them to have swords? It was to prepare them for His impending betrayal, emphasizing the necessity of being conscious of their circumstances. Therefore, He tells them to buy a sword, not for the sake of arming themselves, but to draw attention to the coming betrayal.\\n\\nChrist also admonished Peter with grave severity for wielding the sword in vengeance against the servant, even though this action came from a fervent desire to protect his Master rather than himself. Nevertheless, Christ did not allow any harm to arise from the incident. He healed the servant, performing a remarkable miracle that demonstrated His humility and authority, as well as reflecting the loving obedience of the disciple—Peter's act was a sign of his affection, while Christ's was one of submission. Upon hearing the command, “Return your sword to its place,” Peter immediately complied and never acted thus again.\\n\\nAnother evangelist records that the disciples questioned Him, “Shall we not strike with the sword?” (Lk. 22:49). However, Christ prohibited this, healed the servant, and warned Peter to help him grasp the gravity of the situation: “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.” He provided further clarity, saying, “Or do you think that I cannot now ask My Father, and He will provide for Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled?” With these words, He quelled their eagerness, demonstrating that the events unfolding were in line with Scripture. He urged His disciples to accept what was occurring with a heart of submission, understanding it was God’s will. He aimed to comfort them for two reasons: first, the warning against retribution—“All who take up the sword will perish by the sword”; and second, the truth that He endured the situation willingly—“I can ask My Father.”"},{"author-name":"Hesychius of Jerusalem","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ca04ac3836441d1cf62_Hesychius%20of%20Jerusalem.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"Through these words, He revealed that He restrained the might of His divinity so that the mystery of the divinely foretold edifice could be accomplished through Him."},{"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 did not proclaim, \\"I could summon twelve legions of angels,\\" but rather, \\"to plead with My Father,\\" expressing this with understanding, as a human, due to the frailty of His disciples. He exhibited profound humanity—sweating and feeling dread—so it would not have been persuasive for Him to assert, \\"I alone can command the angels.\\" Instead of the twelve, it is the disciples he mentions. If I had desired, twelve legions of angels would have come to My aid. A legion represents the largest contingent, comprising six thousand cavalry. However, He states that it is necessary for all these events to transpire, so that the Scriptures predicting these occurrences may be accomplished. The wrongdoing of the Jews does not stem from the Scriptures’ foreknowledge of these events, but rather from their willingness to act wickedly, as revealed by the Spirit."},{"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":"A legion represents the largest unit within an army. He refrained from stating, \\"I can destroy them,\\" to avoid making His words sound unbelievable, particularly in light of His prior sufferings including heartbreak, sorrow, despair, perspiration, and all that He had recently endured in human form. Their understanding of Jesus Christ was still incomplete; hence, He referred to Himself with modesty. He mentioned numerous legions of angels to uplift the disciples, who were overwhelmed by fear, recalling that one angel had once dispatched one hundred and eighty-five thousand in a brief moment (4 Kings 19:35)."},{"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":"\\"Do you believe,\\" etc.: Peter's response, although born from genuine devotion to the Lord, not only proves unproductive and potentially hazardous but also reveals a deficiency in trust in God’s assistance and a failure to surrender to His divine plan. Had God intended to rescue His Son, He could have dispatched legions of angels at the mere utterance of His prayer. There are two reasons He aimed to comfort His followers: first, through a warning of retribution for those who initiate violence, for He stated, \\"they that take the sword shall perish by the sword\\"; and secondly, by demonstrating that He willingly accepts this suffering, as He declared, \\"I can beseech My Father\\" (Chrysostom). - \\"The Twelve\\": this number may correspond to those directly involved in the confrontation (Jesus and the eleven disciples, excluding Judas). - \\"Legions\\": see the commentary on Matthew 27:27. - \\"Here again illustrates humility. If one angel was capable of striking down one hundred and eighty thousand soldiers, did Christ really require twelve legions of angels against just a thousand? Certainly not. He mentioned this due to the fear and frailty of His disciples, who were paralyzed by terror\\" (Chrysostom)."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Gumilevski)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896f4b6fd32caa244b5d7_Philaret%20(Gumilevski).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"It may seem that I am unable to seek the aid of my Father. The Lord, embodying gentleness and humility, places all trust in the Father. If it were vital and aligned with the Father's will, He would have requested all that was needed for Peter's protection. In response to the Master’s supplication, God the Father could have dispatched more than twelve legions of angels. Given that even a single angel from heaven was capable of destroying 185,000 men in one night among the wicked troops of Sennacherib, what might twelve legions achieve? The Lord of all creation could have summoned fire from the heavens upon His adversaries, just as He did for Sodom, and the earth could have opened beneath them at His command, mirroring the fate of Korah and Dathan. However, He does not desire such outcomes. Long ago, He declared: ‘I lay down my life for the sheep’ (John 10:18). Will not the Almighty Father safeguard us against our foes, no matter how formidable they may be? He will offer His protection when He deems it necessary. Yet, should He permit us to fall into the hands of our enemies, it must serve His divine purpose, leading us to endure trials, through which we may ultimately secure our salvation."},{"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":"OR DID YOU BELIEVE THAT I CANNOT NOW REQUEST MY FATHER, and if I so wished, HE WOULD SEND MORE THAN TWENTY LEGIONS OF ANGELS instead of these twelve disciples? But in such a scenario, HOW WOULD THE SCRIPTURES fulfill their purpose, how would the prophecies come to pass, and WHY SHOULD IT BE that the Messiah must endure suffering and die for the sins of humanity? ‘In guiding Peter toward the life of the Gospel, the Lord instructs him not to draw the sword, even though anyone may think to seek vengeance for God’ (Blessed Theophylact). ‘The Lord healed the servant,’ St. Chrysostom observes, ‘performing a wondrous miracle that demonstrated both His gentleness and power, His loving kindness, and the obedience of the disciple. Why did He not ask, Do you believe that I cannot vanquish them? Because His disciples lacked a true comprehension of Him. Mere moments before, He had expressed to them, ‘My soul is deeply troubled to the point of death,’ and had pleaded, ‘let this cup pass from Me;’ He had been in great distress, sweating, and was even being ministered to by an angel. Thus, since He exhibited many human emotions, His statement, ‘Do you think that I cannot overcome them?’ would not have been believed. Instead, He declared, ‘Or do you think that I cannot now implore My Father?’ Here He again demonstrates humility by saying, ‘and He will send more than twelve legions of angels.’ If merely one angel struck down one hundred and eighty thousand armed soldiers, did Christ truly require twelve legions against a mere thousand men? No, He spoke in consideration of His disciples’ fear and weakness, for they were filled with dread. The Lord of heaven and earth could have summoned fire from above to smite His adversaries, just as He did with the inhabitants of Sodom, or made the earth open up beneath their feet, as it did for Korah and Dathan. However, He refrained from doing so. The last words spoken by the disciples’ Savior were a firm rebuke directed at the officers and religious leaders. Their initial fear had now completely vanished. The great Prophet willingly surrendered to them; He was now their powerless captive. No thunder rolled, no angels descended from heaven to rescue Him, and no miraculous fire consumed them. They beheld merely a weary, unarmed man, whose arrest caused a few frightened Galileans to tremble in despair. Already, some priests and elders were gathering around Him with brazen curiosity. It would seem that the divine display of the Lord's power when He proclaimed, ‘It is I,’ the miraculous healing of Malchus, and Peter’s resolute refusal to defend Him should have led them to understand that He chose to surrender Himself to them. They had previously attempted to seize Him without success, yet in their triumphant gaze, there was no indication of recognition that they could do nothing to Him unless He permitted it."},{"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":"Jesus proceeded to address Peter's impulsiveness, stating: “Do you believe you can obstruct the fulfillment of my Father's purpose? Is it conceivable that I could refuse the cup that my Father has placed before Me? (John 18:11). How feeble is your faith! Do you think they can seize Me against My will? Or do you suppose I cannot now request My Father to send more than twelve legions of angels to protect Me?”"}]}
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