Day 10: The Mission of the Twelve

10:1 He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. 10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother; 10:3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 10:4 Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

10:5 Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans. 10:6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 10:7 As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. 10:9 Don’t take any gold, nor silver, nor brass in your money belts. 10:10 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. 10:11 Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on. 10:12 As you enter into the household, greet it. 10:13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you. 10:14 Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet. 10:15 Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. 10:18 Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. 10:19 But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 10:21 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 10:22 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come. 10:24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. 10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! 10:26 Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. 10:27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 10:28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. 10:29 “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will, 10:30 but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 10:31 Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. 10:32 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. 10:33 But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.

10:34 “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. 10:35 For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 10:36 A man’s foes will be those of his own household. 10:37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. 10:38 He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. 10:39 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. 10:40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 10:41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 10:42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

Chapter Summary:

• The Calling of the Twelve


• The Mission of the Twelve


• Sheep in the Midst of Wolves


• Take Up Your Cross

There are any number of ways the verses in this chapter might be grouped. I have tried to organize them in a way that makes sense; but perhaps some of the blocks should be broken down a bit more.

The Calling of the Twelve

Most of these names are familiar to us. One that may not be is “Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus.” Not every English translation of this chapter contains that information; instead, we are given the name, Thaddaeus. As far as I know, there are no lists of “major” and “minor” apostles, as there are for the prophetic books in the Old Testament; but beyond being named in the lists of the twelve in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we hear nothing more about some of them. This particular phrase, giving the name “Lebbaeus,” points out something that will occur again in this chapter, and, indeed, throughout the Gospels: the manuscripts from which the Bibles are translated. There are some variations between these source texts; some, as we have noted, contain this phrase, while others do not. Another instance: Simon the Canaanite is given the title, Simon the Cananaean. The meaning is the same; and, indeed, while these variations do occur, there are, to my knowledge, none that are substantive – none that, if included, change the message the Gospels are meant to convey.

The Mission of the Twelve

Having been selected by our Lord to be a part of His “inner circle,” if you will, they are given a mission, and the power and the authority to accomplish it. What are they to do? Preach the coming of the kingdom of heaven; and to heal the sick and cast out demons. In verse 8, we encounter another textual variation. Some source texts read as it is given above; but some add, “raise the dead” as well to what the twelve are empowered to do.

They are also given other instructions. They are sent to the Jews, not to the Gentiles, nor to the Samaritans. They are to take no reward for what they do; and they are not to worry about any provisions for their journey: they are not to take any food, clothing, or baggage; and they are not to take anything of value that might be used by them to pay for food or lodging, or any another expense. They are to rely upon what people in the villages they visit will provide for them – ultimately, to trust that God will provide all their needs. When they come to a village, they are to stay with someone who was worthy. (I must admit to being intrigued by the concept of being “worthy.” St. John Chrysostom gives no more guidance on that than does the text itself. Does anyone have any ideas to offer on what this might mean?)

They were to give their greeting to the household when they entered, and, if the house was worthy, to allow their peace to remain; otherwise, their peace was to return to them when they left. (Remember that “house” means more than the building: it also means “family.”) As with “worthy,” this is intriguing: what is this “peace?” Fortunately, St. John Chrysostom does discuss this point. He says that the instructions our Lord is giving to those being sent out to proclaim the coming of the kingdom, rather than being greeted as teachers, are to greet others first – an act of humility on the part of the disciples. So they are not so much giving a greeting when they enter, but a blessing; which, if the house is worthy, will find the blessing will, indeed be given to them. If the house is not worthy, the first punishment it suffers is that it will lose the peace that would be found by the members of the household as a result of having the disciples stay with them and teaching them. They would also be at risk of being sentenced to destruction, as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. This, of which we are told in the 19th chapter of the book of Genesis, was the result of the sinfulness of these cities, which were destroyed when fire and brimstone – burning sulfur – fell upon both cities, completely destroying them.

Sheep in the Midst of Wolves

The Lord tells the twelve that they are being sent out as sheep among wolves. As such, He advises them that they must be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. (In some versions, such as the King James, the phrase is, “as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves.”) What then, is the wisdom or shrewdness of the serpent? What is the innocence or harmlessness of the dove?

St. John Chrysostom (where would we be without his insights?) actually begins to decipher this for us by going back to the first phrase, of the sheep in the midst of wolves. As were the disciples being sent, so, too, are we to be sheep – who are generally gentle creatures not given to attack – rather than wolves, who attack and kill with their teeth. This is connected to the harmlessness of the dove. He further explains that, as the serpent will not vigorously defend its tail, but even allow it to be severed from the body so as to preserve its head – the tail will grow back – so are we to be willing to give up everything except our faith: houses, property, goods, even our limbs or our lives may all be lost to us, but if we preserve our faith, we shall not lose our reward in heaven; only those things on earth which are ultimately transitory, shadows. So to be as wise as a serpent means to preserve our faith; while to be as innocent as a dove is to cause no harm to any other person.

A warning is then given to the disciples: Be on guard. There will be acts of betrayal, even by those who are close to us, even members of our own families. The faithful may be arrested, questioned, imprisoned, tortured, even killed. We are not to worry about these things, not even what answer we shall give when questioned: the Spirit of the Lord will instruct us in what we are to say. We will be hated; but if we stand firm to the end, we shall be saved – perhaps in this world, but certainly in the world to come. (See chapters 2 and 3 of the book of the revelation to St. John for the promises given to those who endure until the end.)

One other little side trip before leaving this section. Our Lord says, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!” Remember that, when the people of God who had made the exodus from Egypt came to the Promised Land, it was necessary for them to drive out the inhabitants of the land, who worshipped idols. One such idol was Ba’al. This word, Semitic in origin (as is Hebrew), may be applied to either a divine being or a human being; it means “master” or “lord.” In some instances, it is a “stand-in” for the deity Hadad, the Lord of heaven and the god of rain, thunder, and agriculture. (Among the Hebrews, the name of God was too sacred to be spoken; and so reference to God used the “stand-in” term, “Adonai” – “Lord” – in place of “YHWH.”) In the Bible, it does not usually carry that meaning, but instead is a general reference to the diversity of “gods” worshipped by the Canaanites. The name, “Baal-Zebul” would mean “Prince Baal” or “Baal the exalted one.” In the Bible, the term is corrupted – probably intentionally – to “Beelzebub” or “Beelzebul”: “Lord of the flies.” The term came to be applied to Satan. If you recall, in chapter 9, the Pharisees said of our Lord that He cast out demons by the prince of demons. They were, in effect, calling Him, “Beel-zebub.”

Take Up Your Cross

Having set before His disciples the possible challenges and dangers they may encounter as they go about their mission, He reminds them of their importance, of the great love that God has for all mankind, made in His image and called to live in His loving presence. He tells us not to fear those whose power to destroy extends no further than being able to take away our life in this world. We should only fear the One who can destroy both the body and the soul in hell. Of course, if we live as we have been instructed by Him, we have no reason to fear: for if we acknowledge our Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of our lives in word and in deed, He will, at the great and terrible Day of Judgment, acknowledge us in heaven. Those who do not risk being disowned by our Lord on that Day. We are, of course, called to love our parents; we are called to love our brothers and sisters; we are called to love our children – but we must not let this love be more important than our love for the Lord; nor let this love pull us away from Him. This is part of the Cross we are called to carry: to love the Lord with all of our being, and to love those who are made in His image and after His likeness – even those who will hate us, and act on that hate, because of our love for, and loyalty to, Jesus Christ the Son of God, our Lord.

(The quotations from Scripture found in the above come from the World English Bible.)

Day 7: Matthew 7

7:1 “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 7:2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? 7:4 Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 7:5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

7:6 “Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

7:7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 7:8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 7:9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 7:10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 7:12 Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

7:13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. 7:14 How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 7:16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 7:17 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. 7:18 A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. 7:20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 7:22 Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ 7:23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

7:24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. 7:25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 7:26 Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. 7:27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.”

7:28 It happened, when Jesus had finished saying these things, that the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 7:29 for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

Chapter 7 is the third of three chapters in which the Sermon on the Mount is presented. Beginning with the Beatitudes, through the course of His teaching, our Lord is telling those who would follow Him about the life of holiness, and how we may do our part in the transformation of our being from the state of fallen human nature to recovering what was lost when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, including their theosis: our deification, salvation from our fallen state by participation in the life of God, given to us when we receive the life of our Lord Jesus Christ at the time of our baptism. What is established in us is the potential for the expression of this new life in our own thoughts and words and deeds and feelings. To actually realize this potential takes work: ascetic labors along the pathways shown to us throughout the Sermon on the Mount.

We can sum up today’s instructions in this way:

1. Do Not Judge Others


2. Holiness


3. Ask, Seek, Knock


4. The Golden Rule


5. The Narrow Gate


6. Warnings


7. Building Upon Rock

The chapter closes with a description of the impact of our Lord’s teachings upon those who had gathered to hear Him. They were, we are told, astonished, for He taught as “one with authority,” and not in the way that the scribes taught the Scriptures. On this point, St. John Chrysostom has this to say: “He said what He said, not with reference to another, to Moses or the prophets, but indicating that He Himself had the power of deciding. When setting forth His laws, He would say, ‘You have heard that is was said’; but He kept adding, ‘But I say to you…’” The multitude had gathered to hear Him because of the miracles of healing He had performed; and, after having taught on the mountainside, He went forth again, showing His power – the power of His authority to speak and so interpret the Law of Moses – by working miracles.

Do Not Judge Others

The key to understanding our Lord’s instruction not to judge is not to turn a blind eye to sin, or be silent; for to do so may be to allow another to come to destruction, either in this world, or in the next. Here is the key: You shall be judged according to the same standard by which you judged others. If we are merciful to others, we have the hope of mercy for ourselves; while if we apply the law strictly, so, too, shall the Law be applied to us. St. John Chrysostom says, “…we should not find fault with others severely, but rather caution them, and remind them of their duty. We should not speak abusively to them; we should, rather, advise them as friends. We should not attack them from our pride, but correct them tenderly… We do not correct others as an enemy, or as an opponent assessing a penalty, but as a physician providing medicine.”

Part of the danger of judging is the damage it does to our own hearts, and to our own souls. If we happen to, as St. John puts it, put on “a mask of benevolence,” pretending to care for another person, but work wickedness by finding someone else guilty of the same sins that we commit, we are, as our Lord says, hypocrites. Before we try to help someone else – and certainly before we judge someone else – we must first deal with our own sins. But this is not “natural” to us in our fallen state; it is a quality that we must labor to acquire, as we also labor to set aside our own sins, including that of being judgmental.

Holiness

St. John Chrysostom tells us that the dogs mentioned here are those who do not believe; while the swine are believers who lead a filthy and shameful way of life. Offering them the pearls of the holy Mysteries has no good outcome. They will despise them – that is, trample them under their feet; and will turn on us to pour contempt on our faith.

The Narrow Gate

Few, we are told, will enter by this narrow gate, while the road to destruction carries many people. The narrow gate consists of trials: those undertaken voluntarily, such as fasting; and those that are involuntary, such as persecution or imprisonment. Another unknown church father equates the narrow gate and the burden we must carry as we go along the way as the commandments. These, he says, are light and good for those who sincerely desire eternal life and blessings; but are heavy and tedious for those who, rather than striving for the life to come, are more interested in what this life and this world have to offer. This is why few are saved; and he adds, “See to it that you are one of the few.”

Day 6: The Sermon on the Mount, Part 2

6:1 “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.6:2 Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6:3 But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, 6:4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 6:5 “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner 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. 6:7 In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 6:8 Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. 6:9 Pray like this: ‘Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. 6:10 Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 6:11 Give us today our daily bread. 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15 But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 6:16 “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 6:18 so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 6:19 “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 6:22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. 6:23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. 6:25 Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 6:26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 6:27 “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 6:28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 6:29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 6:31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 6:32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 6:33 But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 6:34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

The Sermon on the Mount, which began in chapter five, continues here in chapter six. It is full of advice, set before us in a very straightforward and understandable presentation. Perhaps we could sum it up in a few phrases:

1. Giving and Hypocrisy


2. Praying and Hypocrisy


3. Simplicity in Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer


4. Fasting and Hypocrisy


5. Earthly versus Heavenly Treasure


6. Light versus Darkness


7. God and Mammon


8. Important versus Unimportant Needs

Each one of these phrases would be a profitable study. The amount of time required to do that in for daily blog entry makes that extremely impractical! But two points intrigue me; so, with your indulgence, I will explore them a bit more. Before that, a quick observation about verse 19ff. It says, “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal…” Notice the action of the thieves. It’s not “break in,” as we would say today. It’s “break through.” (Well, OK, in some versions, it is, “break in”; but the point remains the same.) The Greek text uses a word which, translated, actually says, where thieves dig through and steal. When you consider that many of the dwelling places in which people live at that time had walls made of earth, to “dig through” and steal wasn’t that hard – all you needed was a lookout and a little bit of time!

How is the eye the lamp of the body? How does a eye that is sound fill you with light, while an eye that is evil fill you with darkness?

St. John Chrysostom tells us that our Lord is teaching us concepts that we would not ordinarily comprehend if He immediately went to the main point. Instead, we learn from the analogy, talking about the health or disease of the body, in order to then comprehend the health or disease of our mind, and then the health or disease of our soul – for these are all connected. When the eyes are blinded, he says, most of the energy of the other parts of the body is quenched as well. The same is true when the mind is depraved; the rest of life is filled with countless evils. As the eye is to the body, so is the mind to the soul. If the organ by which we see light is put out or clouded over, then we cannot see clearly, and so are at risk. When we take the ability to reason and understand, given to us by God to drive away ignorance, and to make correct decisions, so as to avoid what might cause us injury, and neglect or misuse this gift to try to obtain what is unnecessary and useless (in terms of life, not in this world, but rather in the kingdom of heaven), then the light in us is darkness – that is, no light at all. The mind has the power to control the passions; but when we misuse our minds, we rob them of this power; and then, how great is the darkness within us then? We are blinded by our wicked desires; and only our Lord Jesus can restore our sight to us.

The other phrase that particularly draws my attention right now would actually be a subset of the “Important vs. Unimportant” category; specifically, verse 33: “But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.”

We need to see that, in this part of the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord is building upon earlier ideas to bring us to the core of what needs to be done. He began this part of the teaching by calling us to turn aside from the treasures of this world and to devote ourselves to setting aside for ourselves treasures in heaven. After all, the wealth of this world will not endure; nor can anyone take anything of material value with them when they depart from this life. What good, then, is wealth? We want to be rich, He says, so that we can obtain whatever it is that we desire: food, drink, clothing, and so on. He connects with the discourse about the eye and light, and warns us about allowing our spiritual and moral vision to become clouded, or even lost, by pursuing what is unnecessary, even harmful. We were not born to eat, or to drink, or to wear fine clothing; we were born to worship and glorify God. When we grasp this, and learn to set our souls to labor for that purpose, rather than a worldly one, we are set free from anxiety about such things. The Lord knows what we need, better than we know ourselves; and He will provide what we need to do our part in bringing about our salvation. Our attention, our energy, even our prayers, are to be to the end of coming to dwell in the kingdom of God, and helping others to do the same; and when we do this, whatever else we need will be given to us, as well. (And if we didn’t get it, it’s because we didn’t need it – but you have to learn to put aside the anxiety of, “what will I do if I don’t?” – and then you will find peace in the midst of the worst of circumstances.) May God grant that this will be so for us all!

Scripture texts are taken from the World English Bible.

Day 5: The Sermon on the Mount, Part 1

Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He opened his mouth and taught them, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.’ But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. “It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. “Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,’ but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Oh, my. Forty-eight verses, and every one of them just chock-full of meaning. Chapter 5 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew begins, “Seeing the multitude…” What multitude? Chapter 5 begins, in a way, with the concluding verses of chapter 4:

Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

Clearly, His was a message they wanted to hear; and the miracles of healings added to the curiosity factor that drew many, as well as those who desired to be healed. We do not know the place where this event occurred, apart from being on a hillside able to accommodate a large number of people.

Now, to be honest, this would be a fantastically long blog entry, even if all that I did was to highlight one point of each verse. I taught a class that was five one-hour sessions covering this material! Can you imagine the length of the transcript? St. John Chrysostom preached four sermons just on chapter 5! As you may know, his sermons were anything but brief. You can find them here.

The chapter’s teaching begins with the Beatitudes. If you are not already familiar with these from church, may I suggest you make an concerted effort to get to church before the Divine Liturgy begins? The best place to learn our faith, after all, is in the worship of the Church. Other forms of instruction – even silly little things such as this blog – can be helpful; but nothing can take the place of being there for worship – and that means in body, mind and spirit – not just standing in church while your mind goes wander… The Beatitudes address the way to true happiness; a blessed state that the world cannot give. We have to understand at least some small part of this before we can pursue the things that will allow us to be transformed, and so achieve what our Lord tells us is possible: the peace of God that passes all understanding, by which we can endure all hardships without condemning or striking out at others, and be patient and gentle and loving and forgiving, and anything but weak.

Our Lord tells us we are salt and light. Salt has two main uses: to flavor food, and to preserve food. St. John Chrysostom tells us that our human nature was flawed; in terms of food, it was spoiled, rotten, decaying. We had “lost our savor.” No amount of salt could change that situation; but our Lord can, and did, renew our nature. Now our nature has need of salt, so that it is preserved, and not allowed to spoil again. What is the nature of this salt, which we represent, which we are? It is the ascetic way of life; it is living the Beatitudes: poor in spirit; mourning for our sins; meek; hungering and thirsting for righteousness; being merciful; being pure in heart; being peacemaker; enduring persecution; being diligent in the struggle against the passions that lead us into sin, and fighting them with all our might. Not only is this good for us, to preserve the new life we have been given, the new nature freed from corruption; but by living in this way we also add savor to the lives of those around us, making their lives better, and helping to draw them closer to the Lord, so that they, too, may become salt.

We are light. Light banishes the darkness; light reveals what is before us. We stumble and fall in the dark; but it is easier to avoid doing so in the light. A city on a hillside cannot be hidden; and, indeed, in our world today, a city cannot be hidden in the night – unless there’s been a power failure. The light shines out from the city into the surrounding darkness; and, like moths to a flame, we are drawn by our nature from the darkness to come into the light – unless we have learned to love the darkness because, in the darkness, our vile deeds and desires are more easily hidden. You’d think we would immediately recognize that anytime we’re trying to hide something that we’re doing for fear of being caught, that we’d recognize how inherently wrong that whole scenario is, and we would change our behavior. May God grant us to make it so! Similarly, what’s the point of lighting a candle in a dark room, and then covering the candle, so that its light is hidden? As a candle is put on a candle stand to light a room, so, too, are we meant to be candles bringing the light of our transformed being, the light of Christ in us, to shine in the darkness of this world, so that those who still dwell in darkness may see the light, be drawn to it, and walk the path of salvation with us. The light, we are told, comes from our good works: works of mercy; works of patience; works of love; works of giving, helping, caring, feeding. Clothing, of spending time with those who are sick or in prison or are otherwise alone. When we go against the grain of the culture of the world, and think of others rather than focusing primarily on ourselves, a light shines in the darkness, and some will come to the light. How will they see it if we don’t live it?

I’ve already written more than I had intended! Let my conclude today’s entry with a quick summary. The remaining part of chapter 5 is our Lord taking the Law that had been given by God to Moses, and showing its deeper truth, and its deeper power, and its deeper meaning. He is preparing us for the change in the Law that will soon be inaugurated for us. The Law, prior to this time, was written by God on tablets of stone. In a way, it is an exoskeleton; something from outside of our being that guides us to a way of life that is beneficial to us and to others, and pleasing to God. But soon the Law will be written, not on tablets of stone, but on the hearts of those who come to Christ; and then it will no longer be an external that we put on, but instead come from the core of our being, and reaches out beyond us – but I’m getting ahead of where we are…