ACC ~ Matthew 10 v41

RECEIVING A RIGHTEOUS PERSON’S REWARD

ORIGEN: This passage has a deeper [1] meaning. One who has properly extracted the meaning of the apostle’s writing, and has not misunderstood it is receiving the apostle as well as Christ who speaks and dwells in the apostle and is the source of the apostle’s teaching. And since the divine mind of the Father is also in the Son, one who receives the word “of wisdom” [2] and everything that is Christ is receiving God the Father of all things. The first part refers mystically to the new covenant, the last part to the old covenant. And if one believes that the prophets spoke wisely, not from their own understanding but because they were moved by the Holy Spirit, when one receives the meaning in them he possesses the prophetic Spirit and quite reasonably receives a prophet’s reward. And if one who understands righteousness and unrighteousness (and does not live unrighteously himself) receives a righteous person, that one is not only hospitable but righteous in addition. That one receives a righteous person’s reward. FRAGMENT 218. [3]

[1] Or mystical.

[2] 1 Cor 2:4; 12:8.

[3] GCS 41.1:104.

RECEIVE THE RIGHTEOUS

THEODORE OF HERACLEA: The one who receives people sent by anyone gladly honors the one who sent them, and vice versa. Or alternately: the one who receives the apostles who preach the Trinity receives “the fullness of deity” [1] itself. And I think it likely that even in our days we receive them in spirit, if we receive their counsels with an open mind. FRAGMENT 72. [2]

[1] Col 2:9.

[2] MKGK 76.

RECEIVE THE TRAVELING PROPHET

ANONYMOUS: By the word prophet he means to signify all preachers of Christ, and by “righteous man” he means every Christian person. For not only teachers may wander from city to city because of persecution but so may all righteous Christians who believe in Christ. And so “because he is a prophet” means “as a prophet of Christ.” And “because he is a righteous man” means a righteous servant of Christ. Now, two things must happen if this good deed is to have its reward. You must both receive a Christian and receive that one as a Christian, whether a minister or a lay believer. But you will not receive the reward of a Christian if you do not receive a Christian, nor will you receive a reward if you receive a Christian but do not receive that one as a Christian. Thus what is the meaning of “He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward”? This means that whatever reward there is for the traveler, the one who receives that traveler for God’s sake will have the same reward. And so these two are made equal, both the one who suffers for God’s sake and the other who gives refreshment for God’s sake. INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 26. [1]

[1] PG 56:770.