ACC ~ Luke 11 v45 - 54

THE LAWYERS WORTHY OF THE SAME REBUKE AS THE PHARISEES

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Savior of all was rebuking the Pharisees as men who were wandering far from the right way and fallen into unbecoming practices. … The band of wicked lawyers was indignant at these things, and one of them stood up to contradict the Savior’s declarations. He said, “Teacher, in saying these things, you reproach us also.” … These men subject themselves to blame. Rather, the force of truth showed that they were liable to the same accusations as the Pharisees and were of one mind with them. They are partners of their evil deeds if they consider that what Christ said to the others was spoken also against them. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 85. [1]

[1] CGSL 343**.

THE PHARISEES EMULATE THEIR ANCESTORS

AMBROSE: It is also a good argument against the vainest superstition of the Jews, who by building the tombs of the prophets condemned the actions of their ancestors. Then, by imitating their ancestors’ actions, they turned the judgment back on themselves. By building the tombs of the prophets, they accused those who had killed them of their crime. By the imitation of similar acts, they declared themselves heirs of their ancestors’ iniquity. Not the building but the imitation is an offense. Those who by crucifying the Son of God added a crime worse than their ancestors’ wrongdoing cannot be absolved of their hereditary wickedness. He fittingly added elsewhere, “Fill up then the measure of your fathers,” [1] because there is no worse sin that they can commit than the assault on God. Wisdom sends the apostles and the prophets to them. Who is Wisdom if not Christ? EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 7.106-7. [2]

[1] Mt 23:32.

[2] EHG 274-75**.

THE PHARISEES AND LAWYERS BUILD THE TOMB OF CHRIST

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: What wicked act were they guilty of in building the tombs of the saints? Were they not rather doing them a distinguished honor? What doubt can there be of this? It is necessary to see what Christ teaches us. From time to time, the ancestors of the Jews put to death the holy prophets who were bringing them the word of God and leading them into the right way. Their descendants, acknowledging that the prophets were holy and venerable men, built tombs over them, as bestowing on them an honor suitable to the saints. Their ancestors murdered them, but they, believing that they were prophets and holy men, became the judges of those who murdered them. By determining to pay honor to those who were killed, they accused the others of doing wrong. They, who condemned their ancestors for such cruel murders, were about to become guilty of equal crimes and commit the same, or rather more abominable, offenses. They murdered the Prince of life, the Savior and Deliverer of all. They also added to their wickedness toward him other abominable murders. They put Stephen to death, not for being accused of anything shameful but rather for admonishing them and speaking to them what is contained in the inspired Scriptures. Besides this, they committed other crimes against every saint who preached the gospel message of salvation to them. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 85. [1]

[1] CGSL 345**.

JESUS OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REPENTANCE

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: He said, “That all the blood of the just may come on you,” [1] because they killed the Avenger of the righteous ones’ deaths. The vengeance for their deaths is sought from their hands. One who kills the judge is indeed a friend of murderers, because in killing the judge, he has suppressed vengeance and opened the way for murderers. The Lord also said, “From the blood of Abel, the righteous one, to the blood of Zechariah,” [2] and not only until then but even until this day. Although still among them, he did not avenge his own blood until after they killed him, lest they say that it had been predetermined that he do this. He pronounced the sentence of judgment in relation to the righteous who had gone before, so that they might respect the righteous who were to follow. He gave them an opportunity to do penance for having put him to death, although according to the law, there could be no opportunity for repentance for one who murders the prophets. The law says, “Let the one who kills die,” [3] and not, “See if he does penance, and then pardon him.” He gave them an opportunity to do penance, if they had wished, for having put him to death. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 18.9. [4]

[1] Mt 23:35.

[2] Mt 23:35.

[3] Ex 21:12.

[4] ECTD 274-75**.

JESUS AS THE DOOR INTO THE PROPHETS

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: Woe to you, lawyers, because you have hidden the keys! That is, because they had hidden the knowledge of our Lord’s manifestation which was in the prophecies. If our Lord is the door, as he has said, [1] it is clear that the keys of knowledge belong to him. The scribes and Pharisees did not want to enter through this door of life, in keeping with what he had said, “See, the kingdom is among you.” [2] [He was referring to] himself, for he was standing in their midst. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 18.8. [3]

[1] Jn 10:7-9.

[2] Lk 17:21.

[3] ECTD 274.

THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE THAT OPENS THE KINGDOM

JEROME: John says in the book of Revelation, “He who has the key of David, he who opens and no one shuts, and who shuts and no one opens.” [1] The scribes and Pharisees held this key in the law. The Lord warns them in the Gospel, “Woe to you lawyers, who hold the key of the kingdom of heaven.” O you Pharisees, who hold the keys of the kingdom and do not believe in Christ who is the gate of the kingdom and the door. The promise is made to you, but it is granted to us. You have the flesh, but we have the spirit. Since you deny the spirit, you have lost the flesh with the spirit. HOMILY ON PSALM 88 (89). [2]

[1] Rev 3:7.

[2] FC 57:66-67*.

THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE IS TO INTERPRET THE LAW IN CHRIST

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: We consider that the key of knowledge means the law itself, and by faith in him, I mean justification in Christ. Although the law was in shadow and type, yet those types show to us the truth, and those shadows depict to us in many ways the mystery of Christ. A lamb was sacrificed according to the law of Moses. They ate its flesh. They anointed the lintels with its blood and overcame the destroyer. The blood of a mere sheep could not turn away death. Christ was typified under the form of a lamb. He endures to be the victim for the life of the world and saves by his blood those who are partakers of him. One might mention many other instances as well, by means of which we can discern the mystery of Christ sketched out in the shadows of the law. When speaking to the Jews, he once said, “There is one that accuses you, even Moses, whom you trusted. For if you had believed Moses, you should have also believed me, because he wrote of me.” [1] “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me.” [2] Every word of divinely inspired Scripture looks to him and refers to him. As it has been shown, if Moses speaks, he typified Christ. If the holy prophets that you name speak, they also proclaimed to us in many ways the mystery of Christ, preaching beforehand the salvation that is by him. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 86. [3]

[1] Jn 5:45-46.

[2] Jn 5:39.

[3] CGSL 349-50**.

KEY OF KNOWLEDGE LOST BY THE PHARISEES BUT FOUND BY THE APOSTLES

MAXIMUS OF TURIN: This key is Christ the Lord, by whom the hidden places of our hearts are unlocked to believing faith. The Pharisees lost this key, and the apostles found it. The Lord says to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” The hand of the synagogue, abandoning Christ, withered up among the leaders of the Jews. The hand of the synagogue grew unhealthy, for whoever deserts the source, which is Christ, immediately gets sick and is found sicker than all the other members. SERMON 43.2. [1]

[1] ACW 50:108*.