ACC ~ Matthew 22 v34

THE MOTIVE IS ENVY, NOT UNDERSTANDING THE LAW

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: After the humiliation of the Sadducees Jesus was highly regarded by the crowds. The Pharisees, filled with envy out of an immeasurable shamelessness, again were testing him, hypocritically asking if he might deliver a ruling concerning the first commandment. By doing so, perhaps Jesus would amend the commandment in a manner that might lead to an accusation against him. Now, Matthew and Luke call the person who asked the question a lawyer, while Mark calls him a teacher of the law. This does not indicate a disagreement. [1] For they both represent the questioner as one learned in the law and as a teacher of the law who is an interpreter of the law to the people. But the Lord publicly reveals their evil. They were not coming to have him interpret the law so that they might benefit but because they were seized by envy. So Jesus teaches that one should not measure out one’s devotion, loving God in part but also clinging in part to the concerns of this world. Through his teaching Jesus said that his commandment was the summary of all the commandments. The lawyer thought he could cast Jesus into danger as one who makes himself out to be God. Jesus failed to respond in the manner he expected, but he ends up praising Jesus, as Mark says. [2] FRAGMENT 251. [3]

[1] Diaphōnia is the technical term for an apparent contradiction between one Gospel and another. See the discussion of Augustine’s Harmony of the Gospels in Matthew 1-13 (ACCS), p. l.

[2] Mk 12:32-33.

[3] MKGK 238.

THE PHARISEES CAME TOGETHER

INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW: They came at him as one, that is, they overcame him as a crowd, since they could not overcome him by argument. In the face of the truth, they show themselves to be naked. Now they arm themselves with a crowd. For they said to him, One speaks for all and all speak for one, as if when one conquers, all seem to be victors. However, just as one may be a victor, one alone may also be confused. O Pharisees, you know and do everything on account of such men! Indeed, because at first you come as one, so must you be conquered by one alone. With one many were conquered. Yet all do not understand that they have all been conquered by one. Do not your own consciences acknowledge that they are confused? For it is a very superficial consolation for the man confused in his own conscience that he is ignored by others. HOMILY 42. [1]

[1] PG 56:872.