Глава VII

Matthew 7:1–2. Judge not, lest ye be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. If He forbids judging, then on what basis (qua consequentia) does the Apostle Paul condemn the fornicator in Corinth and the Apostle Peter convict Ananias and Sapphira of lying? But from further [prohibitions] He showed what exactly He forbade, saying: “For as you judge, so will you be judged.” So, He did not forbid judging, but He taught. Matthew 7:3–5. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not feel the plank in your own eye? Or, as you say to your brother: “Let me take the speck out of your eye”; But is there a beam in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Here we are talking about those people who, although they themselves are guilty of mortal sin, do not absolve their brothers of lesser sins, [as if] straining 125 a mosquito and devouring a camel (Matthew 23:24). So, in fairness, because of their feigned righteousness, as we said above, they are called hypocrites, who through the beam of their own eye see the speck in their brother’s eye. Matthew 7:6. Don't give sacred things to dogs. The holy thing is the bread of the sons. So we must not throw away the children's bread and give it to the dogs. “And do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.” 126 The pig does not notice the precious jewelry that is lying in the muddy mud, and, according to the saying of the Proverbs of Solomon: “If she has a gold ring, it will seem even more vile” (Proverbs 11:22). 127 Some consider it possible to understand by dogs those who, having believed in Christ, return to the filth of their sins, and by pigs - those who have not yet believed in the Gospel and are still spinning in the impurity of unbelief and vices. Therefore, it is indecent for people of this kind to quickly entrust the beads 128 of the Gospel, lest they trample on them and, returning, begin to destroy them. Matthew 7:7–10. Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, push and it will be revealed to you. For everyone who asks receives, and whoever seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks him for bread, hands him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?" 129 He who above forbade the demand for carnal things [now] shows what we should seek. If it is given to the one who asks, and if the seeker finds, and the one who pushes 130 is opened, then, consequently, the one to whom it is not given, who does not find, to whom it is not opened is the one who asked, sought and pushed 131 not as he should. So, he will push 132 at the door of Christ, about which it is said: “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter into them” (Ps. 118:20), so that when we enter through them, the hidden treasures in Christ Jesus will be revealed to us, in whom is all knowledge (Col. 2:3). Matthew 7:11–12. So if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him. So in everything, whatever you want people to do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. It should be noted that He called the apostles evil, unless in the person of the apostles the entire human race is condemned, whose heart from childhood, in comparison with Divine mercy, is disposed towards evil. Read the book of Genesis (Gen.8:21). And it is not surprising if He calls the people of this age evil, when the Apostle Paul reminds us [of the same saying:] “Evaluating the time, because the days are evil” [mali sunt] (Eph. 5:16). 133 Matthew 7:13–14. Enter through the narrow gate; For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go there; for narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few find it. The broad way is the pleasures of the world that people seek; and the close one is the one that is opened by labor and fasting and which the apostle entered (2 Cor. 6:6-11) and convinces Timothy to enter (1 Tim. 5). At the same time, pay attention to how clearly He spoke about both paths. Many walk the broad path, but few only find the narrow one. We are not looking for the broad path, and there is no need to look for it: it is freely open to us, and is the path of the erring; but not everyone finds the narrow path, and those who find it do not enter it directly. If many, having found the path of truth, are caught up in the pleasures of this age, then they return again from the middle of the path. Matthew 7:15–17. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? So every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. This passage can also be understood in relation to all those who promise one thing in appearance and in words, but in reality reveal something else. But this should be especially understood in relation to heretics, who, through abstinence, chastity and fasting, seem to be dressed in some kind of clothing of piety, but inside they have a soul, as if infected with poison, and deceive the hearts of simpler brothers. So, according to the fruits of [their] soul, with which they corrupt innocence, they are equated to predatory wolves. Matthew 7:18–20. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you will know them by their fruits. Let us ask the heretics who claim that there are two opposite natures: if, according to their understanding, a good tree can never bear bad fruit, then how did Moses, the good tree, sin at the water of contradiction (Deut. 32:51). 134 and David, having killed Uriah, fell into adultery with [his wife] Bathsheba (Bethsabee) (2 Samuel 11:15-27). Peter also denied during the Lord’s suffering, saying: “I do not know man” (Matthew 26:72). Or how (qua consequentia) Jethro (lethro) Moses' father-in-law, an evil tree, who, of course, did not believe in the God of Israel, gave Moses good advice (Ex. 18:15-23) or Achior said something useful to Holofernes (Judith. 5:5-21) and the Comedian said (and his words were confirmed by the Apostle Paul as something well said): The morals were good corrupted by wicked falsehoods in conversation (1 Cor. 5). 135. And when the heretics do not find an answer, we will remind them that Judas, once a good tree, bore evil fruits after he sold [or betrayed] the Savior, and Saul, an evil tree at the time when he persecuted the Church of Christ, bore good fruits after that, when he turned from a persecutor into a chosen vessel. So, a good tree does not produce evil fruit as long as it constantly remains in the exercise of virtues; and the evil tree remains in sinful fruit until it turns to repentance. Indeed, no one who is in the state in which he was becomes (incipit esse) what he has not yet begun to be. Matthew 7:21. Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord! God!" He who does the will of My Father in Heaven will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as He said above that those who have the outer cover of a good life should not be accepted due to the unsuitability of their teaching, so now, on the contrary, He asserts that even for those who, although strong in the purity of faith, live dishonestly and violate the purity of the teaching with evil deeds, their faith does not bring any benefit; for the servants of God need both, so that the deed is confirmed by the word, and the word is expressed in deeds. This thought may seem contradictory [the famous words of the apostle]: “No one can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). But it is characteristic of Holy Scripture to take 136 words in the meaning of actions, so that immediately in the following words it is confirmed that He rejects those who boast of the knowledge of the Lord without good works, and they hear from the Savior: “I do not know you where you are from; Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27). In this sense, the apostle says: “They say that they know God; but by works they deny [Him] (Titus 1:16). Matthew 7:22. Many will say to Me on that day: “Lord! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name? and was it not in Your name that they cast out demons? and didn’t they do many miracles in Your name?” To prophesy, to manifest powers [of miracles] and to cast out demons is not the merit of the one who acts; he does this either through calling on the name of Christ, or it is served for the sake of the condemnation of those who call, and for the benefit of those who see and listen; so that, although people despise those who perform miracles, they must honor God, as a result of invoking whose name so many miracles are performed; because Saul (1 Samuel 10:11–12), and Balaam (Numbers 23:16), and Caiaphas (John 11:49–51) prophesied without knowing what they were saying; both Pharaoh (Gen.41:17) and Nebuchadnezzar (Dan.2:1-45) foreknow the future in dreams, and the sons of Sceva, according to the book of the Acts of the Apostles, clearly 137, cast out demons (Acts 19:14). After all, it is also told about the Apostle Judas that, having the soul of a traitor, he, among the other apostles, performed many signs. Matthew 7:23. And then I will tell them that I never knew you." 138 He said significantly “I will express” (confitebor), because many times before He had feignedly said: “I don’t know you.” The Lord does not want to know those who are perishing. Pay attention also to why He added: “I never knew you,” if, according to some, people always turned between rational creatures. Matthew 7:23. [end], 24: Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity (iniquitatem). Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them will be likened to a wise man who built his house on the rock. He did not say: those who did unrighteousness, so that it would not seem that He was rejecting repentance, but those who do unrighteousness, that is, you, who until now, when the hour of judgment has already arrived, still have an inclination [to sin] (affectum), although you no longer have the ability to sin (facultatem peccandi). Matthew 7:25. And the rain fell, and the rivers overflowed, and the winds blew, and rushed against that house; and he didn't fall. This rain, which seeks to overthrow the house, is the devil. The rivers are all antichrists who philosophize against Christ. The winds of the air [or: spiritual] are the indecencies committed [by spirits] in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Matthew 7:26. [end of 25th and 26th]: Because it was founded on stone. But everyone who listens to these words of Mine and does not fulfill them will become like a foolish man. On this rock the Lord founded the Church (Matthew 16); The Apostle Peter received his name from this stone. No trace of a serpent will be found on a stone of this kind (Prov. 30:19). 139 Concerning him, the prophet speaks with conviction: “He set my feet on a rock” (Ps. 39:3). And in another place: “The rock is a place of refuge for hares,” or: “hedgehogs” (Ps. 103:18). 140 Every timid animal rushes into the crevices of the rock: an animal that has hard skin and is armed on all sides with thorns also enjoys such protection. Therefore, Moses, who fled from Egypt and was timid (lepusculus) before the Lord, is told at that time: “Stand in a cleft of stone: and you will see the reflection of My shadow” (Exodus 33:21). 141 Matthew 7:27–28. [end of 26, 27 and 28]: Who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the rivers overflowed, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and he fell, and his fall was great. And when Jesus finished these words, the people marveled at His teaching. The foundation that the creator the Apostle laid (1 Cor. 3:11) is one [or: one] our Lord Jesus Christ. On this stable and strong foundation, which has strength in itself, the Church of Christ is built. And on the moving sand, which cannot unite and submit to one connection, the word of heretics is built in order to be overthrown. Matthew 7:29. For He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees. Indeed, they taught the nations what was written by Moses and the prophets. And Jesus, like the God and Lord of Moses himself, quite freely (pro libertate voluntatis suae) either added to the law what seemed insignificant, or preached to the people, changing the teaching, as we read above: “It was said for the ancients; I'm telling you." In the translation: The Gospel of Matthew - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Like a gold ring in a pig’s nose, a woman is beautiful and reckless” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “pearls” – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Is there a man among you who, when his son asks him for bread, would give him a stone? And when he asks for a fish, would you give him a snake? – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: the knocking one - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: those who knocked - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: knocking - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Treasuring time, because the days are evil” - ed. The indicated place in the new Synodal Russian translation: “Because you sinned against Me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilderness of the Son, because you did not show My holiness among the children of Israel” - ed. Question mark in the text of the “Interpretation” - ed. In the lane: But the Holy Scripture is usually - ed. In the lane: apparently - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And then I will announce to them: “I never knew you” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “The Way of the Serpent on the Rock” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Stone cliffs are a refuge for hares” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “This is my place, stand on this rock” - ed. You might be interested in: