ACC ~ Matthew 10 v21

CHILDREN WILL RISE AGAINST PARENTS

HILARY: This entire saying of the Lord refers to the Jews and the heretics: “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents.” The family in a single house will disagree among themselves. This means that whereas the people were formerly united (for the “people” is meant under the names of parents and relatives), we will now be exposed to vicious hatred. We will be offered up to earthly judges and kings, who attempt to secure either our silence or our cooperation. For we are to bear testimony to these people and to the Gentiles, and after that testimony has been borne, our persecutors will be deprived of the excuse that they are ignorant of divine things. When Christ has been prophesied by the words of the martyrs amid the tortures of savage persecutors, the way will be open for the Gentiles to believe in him, though they remain stubborn. ON MATTHEW 10.12. [1]

[1] SC 254:230.

THOSE YOU TRUSTED WILL BETRAY YOU

ANONYMOUS: He therefore told them to be wary of people as though of the worst kind of evils. Now if he had not said this in finding fault with people, it would have been sufficient for him to say, “Beware, for they will betray you.” But now he adds “Beware of men,” for he intends to show that of all evils human beings are the worst. In fact, if you compare them with the wild animals, you will find that they are the worst. For though an animal may show cruelty, its cruelty falls short of human cruelty since an animal is irrational. When a person, who is rational, is cruel, it is not easy to escape his or her cruelty. If you compare a human with a snake, you will find that a human is worse than a snake. Even though a snake is venomous, it is afraid of people. If it can take them by surprise, it will bite them; but if it cannot, it will flee. People are venomous like a snake, but they do not have a snake’s fear. Therefore, as long as a person has the time, he lies in wait like a snake. If he comes upon his prey, he will lunge forward like a wild animal. The moment a snake is threatened, it becomes deadly; but if it is not threatened, it slithers away. People, even when not threatened, fly into a rage; and they rage even more against those who have not threatened them. In short, every wild animal has a peculiar evil of its own, whereas humanity has within its will every evil. INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 24. [1]

[1] PG 56:758.