ACC ~ Matthew 27 v39 - 40

THEY SHOOK THEIR HEADS

ORIGEN: No one standing still or directly approaching him blasphemes Jesus. “Those who passed by blasphemed him,” [1] and those who stayed behind plucked food from the vineyard wall demolished by God. Concerning this it is written, “Why then have you broken down its walls, so that those who pass along the way pluck its fruit?” [2] Therefore, as long as one does not pass along the way or avoid it and can say to God while standing, “You have set ‘my feet upon a rock,’” [3] one does not blaspheme Jesus. But if one should fall or pass by or cross over or turn away, one blasphemes God. Likewise, those who have fallen into evil works and those who have abandoned the “everlasting statutes” [4] and the way of the heavenly church “are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.” [5]

Now, if anyone should say that all heresies are “passing along” and turning away, that one will not be wrong. For this reason also those are held to be “passing along” and blaspheming Jesus who do not keep their head steady but are “wagging” it up and down. For they are not wise, nor do they have their eyes in their head where they belong, as we read in Ecclesiastes: “The wise man has his eyes in his head.” [6] Therefore those who pass by and turn away have need to blaspheme Jesus the Son of God, for “no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus be cursed.’” [7]

There are various forms of blasphemy. One of them is uttered by those who do not understand or hear what is being said or acknowledge what is true. Now Jesus had said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” [8] But those who were passing along, like “false witnesses” [9] against Jesus, related what he had not said, attacking him: “Aha, you who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself.” The truth is, he will not destroy the temple, but what others destroy he will build, whether it be the “temple of his body,” which the Jews delivered up to death, or the temple of his witnesses and all those who had God’s word in them and who, because of the snares of the wicked, died out of love for God (for “the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will live”). [10] And they lied not only when they said, “You who would destroy the temple,” but also when they said, “And I will build it in three days.” For he did not say that he would build the temple but raise it up. The verb build does not designate a sudden action, but “raise up” does. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 132. [11]

[1] Origen reveals that Jesus was blasphemed by those who were passing and who therefore did not stand still. Passing or being in motion symbolizes a negative spiritual condition, whereas standing still or stable is a positive condition.

[2] Ps 80:12 (79:13 LXX).

[3] Ps 40:2 (39:3 LXX).

[4] Prov 22:28.

[5] Eph 4:14.

[6] Eccles 2:14.

[7] 1 Cor 12:3.

[8] Mt 26:61; Mk 14:58; Jn 2:19.

[9] Mt 26:60.

[10] Jn 5:28-29.

[11] GCS 38.2:268-69.

THEY DERIDED HIM

CHRYSOSTOM: O cross most abominable, most execrable! Did not God rescue the prophets from their dangers? Did God not save the righteous? Why not him? What could equal this folly? The coming of dangers upon the prophets and saints did not injure their honor before God. But what happened to this incomparable person? By what he said and what he did he offended all our expectations to the utmost. He was forever correcting beforehand our assumptions about him. Even when all these ignominies were said and done, they could not prevail, even at that time. The thief who had lived depraved in such great wickedness, who had spent his whole life in murders and house breakings, when these things had been said, only then confessed him. When he made mention of his kingdom, the people bewailed him. These things that were done seemed to testify the contrary in the eyes of many who knew nothing of the mystery of God’s dispensations. Jesus was weak and of no ostensible power; nevertheless truth prevailed even by the contrary evidences.

So hearing all these things, let us arm ourselves against all temptations to anger and outrage. Should you perceive in your heart a swelling of pride, seal your breast against it. Set your hopes only upon the cross. Call to mind the humbling things that were then taking place. Then you will cast out as dust all rage by the recollection of the things that were done to him.

Consider his words. Consider his actions. Remember that he is Lord and you are his servant. Remember that he is suffering for you, and for you individually. You may be suffering only on your own behalf. He is suffering on behalf of all by whom he had been crucified. You may be suffering in the presence of a few. He suffers in the sight of the whole city and of the whole people of the covenant, both of strangers and those of the holy land, to all of whom he spoke merciful words.

Even his disciples forsook him. This was most distressing to him. Those who previously paid him mind suddenly deserted him. Meanwhile his enemies and foes, having captured him and put him on a cross, insulted him, reviled him, mocked him, derided him and scoffed at him. See the Jews and soldiers rejecting him from below. See how he was set between two thieves on either side, and even the thieves insulted him and upbraided him. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 87.2. [1]

[1] PG 58:771; NPNF 1 10:517.

THE SIGN OF JONAH

CHRYSOSTOM: This is the sign which previously Jesus had promised to give them when they asked for it, saying, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” [1] The sign of Jonah is Christ’s cross, death, burial and resurrection. And again, declaring in another way the efficacy of the cross, he said, “When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he,” [2] which has this meaning: When you have crucified me and think you have overcome me, then, above all, you shall know my power.

For after the crucifixion, the city was destroyed. The Jewish state came to an end. They lost their political order and their freedom. Meanwhile the gospel flourished. The word was spread abroad to the ends of the earth, by both sea and land. Both the inhabited earth and the desert would thereafter perpetually proclaim its power. These are the things Christ pointed to which began to occur at the very time of the crucifixion. For indeed it was much more marvelous that these things should be accomplished when he was nailed to the cross than when he was walking on earth. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 88.1. [3]

[1] Mt 12:39.

[2] Jn 8:28.

[3] PG 58:775; NPNF 1 10:520.

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