Theophylact Bulgarian. Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 16: 1. And the Pharisees and Sadducees came and, tempting Him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
Although the Pharisees and Sadducees differed from each other in dogmas, they acted in accordance with Christ. They ask for a sign from the sky, for example, for the sun or moon to stop. For they thought that the signs on earth were performed by the power of the devil and by Beelzebub. The foolish did not know that Moses in Egypt also made many signs on the earth; the fire that came down from heaven on Job's property was of the devil. Therefore, not everything that is from heaven is from God and not everything that happens on earth is from demons.
Matthew 16: 2. He answered and said to them: in the evening you say: it will be full, because the sky is red;
Matthew 16: 3. and in the morning: today it is bad weather, because the sky is purple. Hypocrites! you know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot distinguish the signs of the times.
He denounces their tempting question, calling them hypocrites, and says: how from the phenomena in the sky, one serves as a sign of bad weather, and the other is buckets, and there is no one who, seeing a sign of bad weather, would wait for buckets, and there is no one who, seeing a sign of a bucket, expecting bad weather, so should think about Me: one is the time of My first coming, and the other is the coming. Now signs are needed on earth, but heavenly ones are saved for that time, when the sun is darkened, the moon will be darkened and the sky will change.
Matthew 16: 4. A wicked and adulterous generation is looking for a sign, and no sign will be given to it, except for the sign of Jonah the prophet. And leaving them, he departed.
A wicked generation because they tempt Him, and an adulterer because they depart from God and cling to the devil. Although they ask for a sign from heaven, but He does not give them, except for the sign of Jonah, that is, that after having been three days in the belly of the great whale - death, he will be resurrected. Regarding this sign, you can say that it is from heaven, for at His death the sun was darkened and all creation was changed. Pay attention to the objection: 'A sign will not be given to him except the sign of Jonah the prophet.' Signs were given to them, that is, they were for their sake, although the Jews did not believe. Therefore, leaving them as incurable, the Lord left.
Matthew 16: 5. Having crossed over to the other side, His disciples forgot to take the loaves.
Matthew 16: 6. Jesus said to them: Look, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Just as leaven is sour and old, so the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which acidified and introduced the ancient traditions of the elders, hurt souls. And just as leaven is a mixture of water and flour, so the teaching of the Pharisees is a mixture of words and corrupted life. He did not tell them clearly: beware of the teachings of the Pharisees - in order to remind them of the miracles over loaves.
