ACC ~ Matthew 22 v30

THEY ARE LIKE ANGELS

ORIGEN: Our Savior does not explain the meaning of the passage from Moses’ law, rejecting them as unworthy of the knowledge of such a great mystery. He only represents matters in the simplest way as he speaks and teaches from the divine Scriptures concerning the resurrection of the dead. He teaches that there is no marriage in heaven but that those who are risen from the dead are like the angels in heaven. And, just as the angels in heaven neither marry nor are given in marriage, so he says it is with those who are risen from the dead. But I think he means that only those who are considered worthy of the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage as the angels in heaven. Furthermore, their “humble” bodies are changed to become like the bodies of the angels, ethereal and brilliant. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 17.30. [1]

[1] GCS 40:670-71.

THEY NEITHER MARRY NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: Idiots! They thought that this world was like the next. In this world because we die, so there too we die since we are born. Hence we take wives, since in dying this life is made less, but in being born it is increased. Therefore remove the necessity of death and the usefulness of being born will be found superfluous. Remove the utility of being born and the reason for marriage is explained. For this world is of the flesh; that one, of spirits. As the soul in this world is a pilgrim, so the flesh in that world is extraneous. In this world, the soul is subject to the flesh, that is, to human passions, where in the other world, the flesh is subject to the spirit. A particular thing is always stronger in its own country and it overcomes. So if the soul, powerful as it is, can be closed up in this infirm world and so be subdued by the grip of the body, so that nothing by its own efforts is able to grow or increase spiritually in its own nature, then how much more so in that world will our weak and vile flesh become worthy of our spiritual dignity and nothing be able to grow physically or to increase according to its own nature? HOMILY 42. [1]

[1] PG 56:869.

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