Theophylact Bulgarian. Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 23:29. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, Matthew 23:30. and say: if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their accomplices in the shedding of the blood of the prophets.
Matthew 23:31. thus you testify against yourself that you are the sons of those who beat the prophets;
He proclaims grief to them not because they build tombs for the prophets, since this is pleasing to God, but because they do it with hypocrisy, because, condemning their fathers, they did worse than those, surpassed them in viciousness and clearly they lied, saying: if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have killed the prophets, but meanwhile they wanted to kill the Lord of the prophets Himself. Therefore, Christ also adds:
Matthew 23:32. complement the measure of your fathers.
Matthew 23:33. Serpents, offspring of vipers! how will you escape the condemnation of hell?
With the words: 'supplement the measure of your fathers' does not command, does not encourage them to kill Him, but expresses the following thought: since you are serpents and children of similar fathers, since you are not healed by your wickedness, then try to surpass your fathers as soon as possible, you will do it when you kill Me. You will fulfill all the measure of evil by murder, which is lacking for your fathers. But if you're so angry then how can you avoid punishment?
Matthew 23:34. Therefore, behold, I am sending to you the prophets, and the wise, and the scribes; and you will kill and crucify some, but you will beat others in your synagogues and drive them from city to city.
He exposes the lies of their words: 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have killed the prophets.' Behold, he says, I am sending prophets, wise and scribes, but you will kill them too. It is about the apostles; The Holy Spirit made them teachers, prophets, full of all wisdom. With the words: 'I send,' manifests the power of His Divinity.
Matthew 23:35. May all the righteous blood shed on earth come on you, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the temple and the altar.
Matthew 23:36. Truly I say to you, all these things will come to this generation.
All the blood that was shed unrighteously, according to the Lord, must come to the Jews of that time. They will be punished more heavily than the fathers, because they did not come to their senses after so many examples; so once Lamech, who lived after Cain, was punished more than he, although he did not kill his brother; punished more heavily because he did not understand the example of the punishment of Cain. Will come, according to the words of the Lord, all the blood from Abel to Zechariah. It is not without reason that Abel is mentioned here: he, like Christ, was killed, suffering from envy. But which Zechariah is mentioned here? Some say that this Zachariah is alone from among the twelve minor prophets, and according to others, this is the father of the Forerunner. A legend has come down to us that there was a special place in the temple where the virgins stood. Zechariah, being the high priest, placed the Mother of God here with the virgins after the birth of Christ from her; the Jews, indignant that he had placed the one who had given birth with the virgins, killed him. There is nothing surprising if the father of the Forerunner Zechariah called his father Barahiah, just like Zechariah the Prophet called his father. It is possible that as they themselves were tribesmen, so the names of their fathers coincided.
Matthew 23:37. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those sent to you! How many times have I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not.
Matthew 23:38. Behold, your house is being left empty.
Matthew 23:39. For I say to you: you will not see Me from now on until you exclaim: Blessed is the One Coming in the name of the Lord!
He repeats the name of Jerusalem, regretting it and calling with compassion. Threatening with punishment, the Lord justifies Himself before him, as if before a beloved, who neglects the lover; and Jerusalem accuses of murder, that when He Himself repeatedly wanted to have mercy on him, he did not want to. Jerusalem listened to the devil, who distracted him from the truth, and not the Lord, who called to heaven, for he removes sin from God, and unites the integrity of conscience with Him. My the Lord expresses love in the image of a bird. But, He says, since you did not want to, I leave the temple empty. From this we will understand that for our sake God dwells in temples, and when we become hopeless sinners, He leaves the temples as well. So, says Christ, you will not see Me until the second coming. Then the Jews will worship Him against their will and say: 'Blessed is the Coming One.' 'From now on' - should understand: from the time of the crucifixion, and not from the hour when it is said. For after this hour the Jews saw Him many times, but after the crucifixion they did not see Him and will not see until the time of His second coming comes.
