Глава VI

Matthew 6:1. Be careful not to do your alms in front of people so that they will see you: otherwise you will have no reward from your Heavenly Father. He is a hypocrite who, while giving alms, plays the trumpet loudly in front of him. A hypocrite is also the one who, while fasting, makes his face gloomy in order to outwardly show the emptiness of his stomach. He is a hypocrite and one who prays in meeting places and on street corners so that people can see him. From all this we get the idea that hypocrites are those who do something only to be glorified [or: to earn respect] from people. It seems to me that the one who says to his brother: “Let me take the speck out of your eye” (Matthew 7:4) does this out of vanity, in order to appear righteous himself. Therefore the Lord says to him: “You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye” (Matthew 7:5). So, in the eyes of God, it is not virtue that receives the reward, but the incentive to it [virtue]. And if you have deviated a little from the right path, then it makes no difference whether you go to the right or to the left, when you have lost the true path. Matthew 6:3–5. When you do alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stop and pray in the synagogues and on street corners, so that they may appear before people. And not only alms, but if you do any good deed, the left hand should not know, for if it knows, then the actions of the right hand immediately lose their purity (commaculantur). “Truly I say to you, they are already receiving their reward.” – Not God’s reward, but your own; after all, they were glorified by the people for whose sake they performed good deeds [exercised virtues – exercuree virtutes]. Matthew 6:6. But you, when you pray, go into your room and, having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. This instruction, simply understood, teaches the hearer to avoid vanity in prayer. But it seems to me that this commands us to primarily pray to the Lord with a hidden thought of the heart and without opening our lips (labiisque compressis), which Anna also did, as we read about this in the scroll of Kings. “Only her lips,” it says, “were in motion” (1 Samuel 1:13). 104 Matthew 6:7–8. [beginning]: And when you pray, do not say unnecessary things, like the pagans; for they think that for their many words they will be heard. Don't be like them. If a pagan speaks a lot in prayer, then a Christian, on the contrary, should say little, for “God is a hearer not of words, but of the heart” (Wis. 1:6). 105 Matthew 6:8. [continued]: For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8. [beginning]: “Pray like this:” Regarding this passage, a certain heresy has arisen, even a disastrous teaching of philosophers who say: “If God knows what we will pray for before we ask Him, and knows what we need, then in vain we turn to the one who knows.” The short answer to this is that we are not narrators [about our needs before God], but supplicants. After all, it’s one thing to inform someone who doesn’t know, and another thing to ask someone who knows. The first is an instruction, the second is humble submission. There we correctly state the case, here we humbly (miserabiliter) plead. Matthew 6:9. [continued]: Our Father who art in heaven 107 “Hallowed be Thy name, not in You, but in us, for if because of sinners the name of God is slandered among the pagans (Rom. 8), then, on the contrary, for the sake of the righteous it is hallowed. Matthew 6:10. Thy kingdom come. He asks either for a kingdom in general, so that the devil ceases to reign in the world, or asks that God reign in every person, and that sin does not reign in the mortal body of people (Rom. 6:12). At the same time, one must strive to ask for the [eternal] kingdom of God and not be afraid of judgment - which is a characteristic of great boldness [before God] and a clear conscience. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So that just as the angels serve You blamelessly in heaven, so people serve You on earth. Let those who imagine that destruction occurs daily in heaven be covered with shame at this thought. Indeed, what use will the likeness of heaven serve us if there is sin in heaven? Matthew 6:11–13. Give us daily the bread we need for subsistence. And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil." 108 What we expressed with the word “necessary for existence” (supersubstantialem) is expressed in Greek by the word έπιούσιον, a word which the Seventy very often translates with the word περιούσιον, that is, abundant, excellent. Therefore we turned to the Hebrew language, and where they translated περιούσιον, we found sgolla (םגןלה), which Symmachus translated with the word έξαίρετον, i.e. “special” or: “excellent,” although in one place he translated with the word "special, own." So, when we ask God to give us special, special bread, we ask Him who says: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:51). In the Gospel, which is called “from the Hebrews,” instead of the bread necessary for subsistence, there is the word mahar (םהד), which means “tomorrow”; so we get the following meaning: “Give us today our bread for tomorrow,” that is, “future.” By the word supersubstantialem we can also understand something else, namely bread, which stands above all substances and surpasses all creatures. Others - based on the words of the Apostle: “Having food and clothing, we will be content with these” (1 Tim. 6:8), They simply understand that saints should only care about their daily bread. Therefore, in the further words of [the Savior] it is commanded: “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). it is like a seal in confirmation of the Lord's prayer; Aquila translates: “undoubtedly true” (fideliter); we can translate: “truly” (vere). Matthew 6:14. For if you forgive people their sins, then your Father will also forgive you your sins. 110 Words of Scripture: “I said: You are gods and all sons of the highest. But you die like men and fall like one of the princes" (Ps. 81:6-7) are addressed to those of the gods who deserve to be people because of their sins. So, in justice, those whose sins are forgiven are also called people. Matthew 6:16. [end]: For they stretch out their faces to appear to be fasting before people. Truly I tell you that they have received their reward." 111 The word exterminant, which is often used in church writings by mistake of translators, has far from the meaning that is given to it in common parlance. Thus, exiles are said to be exterminantur, because they move outside the country. Therefore, instead of this expression we should always use demoliuntur, that is, “upset,” which in Greek is expressed by the word άφανίζουσι. And the hypocrite puts on an upset expression on his face 112 to show feigned sadness, and, greatly rejoicing in spirit, reveals grief in the expression of his face. Matthew 6:17–19. And you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to men as you fast, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. This is said in accordance with the customs (ritum) of Palestine, where heads are usually anointed on holidays. So, He teaches that during Lent we show ourselves joyful and triumphant. Many, reading the well-known word of the Psalmist: “Let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head” (Ps. 140:5), 113 in contrast to this, they say that that oil is good, which is spoken of elsewhere: “O God, Thy God hath anointed Thee with the oil of joy more than Thy companions” (Ps. 44:8), and that this is commanded so that we, practicing virtues, anointed with spiritual oil the most important part (ήγεμονικόν) of our heart. Matthew 6:21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This must be applied not only to money, but also to all passions in general [or: property]. For the gluttonous, his belly is his god. So, he has a heart where the treasure [or: there is a treasure]: the treasure of a person who loves luxury is exquisite dishes; for the lazy - funny games, for a lover - lust: “Everyone is in bondage to that which has victory over him” (2 Pet. 2:19). Matthew 6:22. [end], Matthew 6:23. If your eye is pure, then your whole body will be bright; if your eye is bad, then your whole body will be dark. So, if the light that is in you is darkness, then what is the darkness? Festering eyes usually see numerous lamps, a simple and pure eye contemplates the simple and pure. He will transfer all this to feeling. Indeed, just as the body is completely plunged into darkness if the eye is not simple, so the soul will keep all the senses in impenetrable darkness if it loses its original radiance. So, if the light that is in you is darkness, how great will be the darkness itself! If the feeling, which is light, is darkened by the vice of the soul, then think how much darkness the darkness itself will be shrouded in! Matthew 6:24. [end]: You cannot serve God and mammon. In the Syrian language 114 mammon is wealth. You cannot serve God and wealth! Let the miser listen to this, let him who 115 bears the name of Christian listen, that he cannot serve wealth and Christ at the same time. However, He did not speak about the one who has wealth 116, but about the one who is a slave (servit) of wealth. Indeed, whoever is a slave to wealth retains wealth as a slave, and whoever has thrown off the yoke of wealth distributes it as a master. Matthew 6:25. [beginning]: Therefore I say to you: Do not be troubled in your soul about what you will eat, nor in your body about what you will wear. 117 In some sacred lists it is added: “And what will you drink.” So, we are almost completely freed from concern about what nature has given to everyone and what animals, wild animals and people have in common. But we are commanded not to be anxious about what we will eat, for by the sweat of our brow we prepare bread for ourselves: we must work, but we must give up worrying. The words of the Lord: “Do not be anxious in your soul about what you will eat or in your body about what you will wear” 118 we must understand in relation to bodily food and clothing. On the contrary, we should always carefully worry about food and spiritual clothing. Matthew 6:25. [end]: Is not the soul more than food, and the body more than clothing? These words have this kind of meaning: He who cares about the greater will, of course, care about the less. Matthew 6:26. : “Look at the birds of the air, that they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns; and your Father in heaven feeds them. Aren't you much bigger than them?" 119 The Apostle teaches us not to philosophize more than we ought to philosophize. This instruction (testimonium) must also be observed in the appendix to this passage. Indeed, there are some interpreters who still want to go beyond the limits indicated by the [holy] fathers and revolve in height, plunge into depth, claiming that birds are heavenly angels and other forces in the service of God, who feed on God’s providence without their own concern [about it]. If this is so, as it seems to them, then how can we understand the following words relating to people: Are you not much greater than they?" So, this passage should be understood simply in the sense that if birds feed without care and without sorrow through the providential power of God - birds that exist today and that will not exist tomorrow, then how much more does God's will care for people who are promised eternal life! Matthew 6:27–28. [beginning]: Which of you who takes care [of himself] “can increase his height” [at least] “by one cubit? And why do you worry about clothes?” 120 Just as He shows that the soul is greater than food by comparing it with birds, He explains that the body is greater than clothing by comparing it with the following objects, saying: Matthew 6:28–30. [end of 28th]: Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin. But I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory did not dress like one of them. For if God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the oven tomorrow, how much more so than you [people] of little faith!” 121 [modicae fidei of moderate faith]. And in fact, what silk fabric, what royal purple and what weavers’ designs can compare with the flowers of plants? What makes a rose so red? What makes the lily white? And that the purple of the violet cannot be surpassed by any color of purple, this can be judged rather with the eyes than with the tongue. Matthew 6:31–34. [beginning]: So do not worry and say, “What shall we eat?” or: “What to drink?” or: “What should I wear?” Because the pagans seek all this, and because your heavenly Father knows that you need all this. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Thus, prohibiting worries about the future allowed us to have worries about the present. Therefore, the apostle says: “Working night and day, so as not to burden any of you” (1 Thessalonians 2:9). The word tomorrow in the Holy Scriptures means the future tense, as [patriarch] Jacob says: “And tomorrow my righteousness will hear me” (Gen. 30:33) 122 and when summoning the shadow of Samuel, the sorceress says to Saul: “Tomorrow you will be with me” (1 Sam. 28:19). 123 Matthew 6:34. [end]: Enough for [every] day of his own malice 124 Here he is not talking about malice as opposed to virtue, but about the difficulties, sorrows and oppressions of this age. In this way, Sarah also grieved Hagar, her maid (Gen. 16:6), which is meaningfully expressed in Greek by the words: έκάκοσε αύτήν, i.e. “made her angry.” So, it is enough for us to think about the present time: let’s leave concern for the future, which is unreliable. In the translation: The Gospel of Matthew - ed. – According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Her lips only moved” – ed. – According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “The true viewer of his heart, and the hearer of his tongue” - ed. By calling [Him] Father, we confess ourselves to be sons. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Give us our daily bread this day. And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “For if you forgive people their sins, then your heavenly Father will also forgive you” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “For they take on gloomy faces in order to appear to people as fasting. Truly I tell you that they are already receiving their reward - ed. In the lane: the hypocrite upsets his face - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “This is the best oil, which will not hurt my head” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Therefore I say to you: do not worry about your life, what you will eat and what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will wear - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; and your Father in heaven feeds them. Aren't you much better than them? – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And which of you, by caring, can add even one cubit to his height? And why are you worrying about clothes? – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Look at the lilies of the field, how do they grow? They neither toil nor spin; but I tell you that Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like any of them; But if God clothes the grass of the field, which exists today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, God clothes it so much more than you, O you of little faith! – ed. – According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And my justice will speak for me before you at the next time” – ed. – According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me” – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Enough for every day of its own care - ed. You might be interested in: