ACC ~ Matthew 12 v10

THEIR BITTERNESS INTRACTABLE

CHRYSOSTOM: “Is it allowed” to heal on the sabbath? He knew their love of wealth. He knew that they were all the more taken up with love of things than persons. And indeed the other Evangelist [1] said that Jesus also scrutinized them as he asked this question, that by his very glance he might win them over, but they did not become softened. While in other cases he healed manually by the laying on of his hands, in this case he only speaks and gazes. But nothing would make them more gentle. Rather, even while the man was being healed, their condition was becoming worse. Jesus’ desire was to heal first their bitterness before he healed the withered hand. But even in his various attempts to offer them healing, both by what he said and did, their malady proved all the more intractable. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 40.1. [2]

[1] The recourse to parallel passages in the other Gospels (here Mk 3:3; Lk 6:8) permits Chrysostom to deepen the interpretation of Matthew.

[2] PG 57:440; NPNF 1 10:259-60**.

Mt