Theophylact of Ohrid — Commentary on Scripture

Matthew 16:18

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The Lord gives Peter a great reward, that the Church will be built on him. Since Peter confessed Him as Son of God, the Lord says, "This confession which you have made shall be the foundation of those who believe, so that every man who intends to build the house of faith shall lay down this confession as the foundation." For even if we should construct a myriad of virtues, but we do not have as a foundation the orthodox confession, our construction is rotten. By saying "My Church" He shows that He is the Master of all, for the whole universe is the servant of God. The gates of hades are those persecutors who from time to time would send the Christians to hades. But the heretics, too, are gates leading to hades. The Church, then, has prevailed over many persecutors and many heretics. The Church is also each one of us who has become a house of God. For if we have been established on the confession of Christ, the gates of hades, which are our sins, will not prevail against us. It was from these gates that David, too, had been lifted up when he said, "O Thou that dost raise me up from th…

The Lord gives Peter a great reward, that the Church will be built on him. Since Peter confessed Him as Son of God, the Lord says, "This confession which you have made shall be the foundation of those who believe, so that every man who intends to build the house of faith shall lay down this confession as the foundation." For even if we should construct a myriad of virtues, but we do not have as a foundation the orthodox confession, our construction is rotten. By saying "My Church" He shows that He is the Master of all, for the whole universe is the servant of God. The gates of hades are those persecutors who from time to time would send the Christians to hades. But the heretics, too, are gates leading to hades. The Church, then, has prevailed over many persecutors and many heretics. The Church is also each one of us who has become a house of God. For if we have been established on the confession of Christ, the gates of hades, which are our sins, will not prevail against us. It was from these gates that David, too, had been lifted up when he said, "O Thou that dost raise me up from the gates of death" (Ps. 9:13). From what gates, O David? From those twin gates of murder and adultery.

Matthew 16:19

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

. He spoke as God, with authority, "I will give unto thee." For as the Father gave you the revelation, so I give you the keys. By "keys" understand that which binds or looses transgressions, namely, penance or absolution; for those who, like Peter, have been deemed worthy of the grace of the episcopate, have the authority to absolve or to bind. Even though the words "I will give unto thee" were spoken to Peter alone, yet they were given to all the apostles. Why? Because He said, "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted." Also, the words "I will give" indicate a future time, namely, after the Resurrection. "The heavens" also mean the virtues, and the keys to the heavens are labors. For by laboring we enter into each of the virtues as if by means of keys that are used to open. If I do not labor but only know the good, I possess only the key of knowledge but remain outside. That man is bound in the heavens, that is, in the virtues, who does not walk in them, but he who is diligent in acquiring virtues is loosed in them. Therefore let us not have sins, so that we may not be bound b…

. He spoke as God, with authority, "I will give unto thee." For as the Father gave you the revelation, so I give you the keys. By "keys" understand that which binds or looses transgressions, namely, penance or absolution; for those who, like Peter, have been deemed worthy of the grace of the episcopate, have the authority to absolve or to bind. Even though the words "I will give unto thee" were spoken to Peter alone, yet they were given to all the apostles. Why? Because He said, "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted." Also, the words "I will give" indicate a future time, namely, after the Resurrection. "The heavens" also mean the virtues, and the keys to the heavens are labors. For by laboring we enter into each of the virtues as if by means of keys that are used to open. If I do not labor but only know the good, I possess only the key of knowledge but remain outside. That man is bound in the heavens, that is, in the virtues, who does not walk in them, but he who is diligent in acquiring virtues is loosed in them. Therefore let us not have sins, so that we may not be bound by the chains of our own sins.

Matthew 16:20

Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Before the Cross, Christ wanted to obscure His own glory. For if, before the Passion, men heard that He was God and then saw Him suffering, how could they not be scandalized? This is why He hid Himself from the multitude, so that after the Resurrection He might be known without causing any scandal, the Holy Spirit removing all doubt by means of the miracles performed.

Matthew 16:21

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

. To them He foretells the Passion, lest it come upon them unexpectedly and they be scandalized, thinking that He suffered unwillingly and without foreknowing it. When they had heard, in Peter’s confession, that He was the Son of God, then He also revealed the Passion to them. But to the sorrow He adds the joy, that He would rise on the third day.

Matthew 16:22

Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

Peter rightly confessed what had been revealed; in what had not been revealed, he erred: that we may learn that Peter did not utter that great truth without God’s help. Not wanting Christ to suffer, and being ignorant of the mystery of the Resurrection, Peter said, "Be it far from Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee."

Matthew 16:23

But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

. When Peter spoke rightly, Christ called him blessed, but when he was irrationally dismayed, and did not want Him to suffer, then Christ rebuked him and said, "Get thee behind Me, Satan." "Satan" means "the adversary." "Get thee behind Me," that is, do not oppose Me, but follow My will. He calls Peter this because Satan, too, did not wish Christ to suffer. What He is saying, then, is this: with human reasoning you think that suffering does not befit Me, but you fail to understand that by this means God is accomplishing salvation and that this, on the contrary, greatly befits Me.

Matthew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

"Then" — when? When He had rebuked Peter. Wishing to show that Peter erred in hindering Him from suffering, He said, "You are hindering Me, but I say to you that not only is My not suffering harmful to you [since without it you cannot be saved], but neither can you be saved unless you yourself also die, nor can anyone else, whether man or woman, rich or poor. He says "desireth’’ to show that virtue hinges on free will and not coercion. He who follows behind Jesus is not he who only confesses Him to be the Son of God, but rather it is he who also undergoes all tribulations and endures them. Christ’s words, "Let him deny himself," indicate utter denial. That is to say, let him not be kindly disposed towards his own body, let him look down on it, just as we have the expression "So and so denied so and so." Therefore no one should have any friendship towards the body, so that he can take up his cross, that is, choose death and even eagerly desire the most ignominious death, for this is what the cross meant to the ancients. But He also said, "Let him follow Me, for many robbers and thieve…

"Then" — when? When He had rebuked Peter. Wishing to show that Peter erred in hindering Him from suffering, He said, "You are hindering Me, but I say to you that not only is My not suffering harmful to you [since without it you cannot be saved], but neither can you be saved unless you yourself also die, nor can anyone else, whether man or woman, rich or poor. He says "desireth’’ to show that virtue hinges on free will and not coercion. He who follows behind Jesus is not he who only confesses Him to be the Son of God, but rather it is he who also undergoes all tribulations and endures them. Christ’s words, "Let him deny himself," indicate utter denial. That is to say, let him not be kindly disposed towards his own body, let him look down on it, just as we have the expression "So and so denied so and so." Therefore no one should have any friendship towards the body, so that he can take up his cross, that is, choose death and even eagerly desire the most ignominious death, for this is what the cross meant to the ancients. But He also said, "Let him follow Me, for many robbers and thieves are crucified but they are not My disciples." So "let him follow," that is, let him also show forth every other virtue. The one who yesterday was dissolute denies himself and today he is temperate. Such was Paul who had denied himself when he said, "I live yet it is no longer I, but Christ that liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20). He that has mortified and crucified himself to the world is he that takes up his cross.

Matthew 16:25

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

He exhorts us to confess Christ even at the cost of a martyr’s death. For he who denies Christ, finds his life in the present, that is, he saves his own life, but he also loses it later. But he who confesses Christ as a martyr, loses his life, but for Christ’s sake, and so he "shall find it" incorrupt and eternal.

Matthew 16:27

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Let us suppose, He says, that you have gained the whole world: what profit is it if your body prospers while your soul suffers ill? That would be as if the lady of the house dressed in tattered rags, while her maidservants were gorgeously arrayed. For in the age to come a man can give nothing in exchange for his soul. Here one can give tears, sighs, and alms, but there, nothing. For it is a Judge who takes no bribes that will receive us, and He judges each one according to his deeds. But He is also awesome and dreadful, and comes in His glory with His angels, not in lowly form.

Matthew 16:28

Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

. He had said that the Son of Man would come in His glory. So that they would not disbelieve Him, He says "there be some here" who would see, as far as they were able, the glory of the second coming in the Transfiguration. At the same time He shows what great glory will belong to those who suffer for His sake. For as His flesh shone like lightning on that occasion, so in due proportion will the saints shine forth then at His second coming. Here He is hinting at Peter, James and John, whom He took with Him on the mountain and showed them His kingdom, that is, the future condition in which He would come and both He and the righteous would be radiant. He is saying, therefore, "Some of you here shall not die until you have seen Me transfigured." See, then, that it is those who stand firm in goodness who see Jesus radiantly transfigured, and they are ever advancing in faith and in the commandments.

Matthew 17:1

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

This does not contradict what Luke says, "And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings" (Lk 9:28). For Luke counts both the first day and the last day on which they ascended the mountain. But Matthew counts only the days in between. Christ took Peter because of Peter’s strong love for Him; He took John, because Christ loved him; and He took James, because James, too, was zealous. That James had zeal is evident from his promise to drink the cup that Christ would drink (Mt. 20:22) and from the fact that Herod slew him with the sword to please the Jews.

Matthew 17:2

And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

He brings them up onto a high mountain, showing that unless a man is raised up high, he does not become worthy of such divine visions. A mountain set "apart," because Christ would often perform the most wondrous of His miracles in secret, lest the multitude see Him as God and think that He was human in appearance only. When you hear "He was transfigured," do not think that He had cast off His body at that moment, for His body remained in its own form, as you hear mention of His face and His clothing. But it appeared more resplendent, the divine exhibiting in small part its effulgence as much as they were able to see. This is why He had also previously spoken of the Transfiguration as "the kingdom" of God (Mt 16:28), for it exhibited the indescribable majesty of His power, it showed that He is the true Son of the Father, and it had the aspect of the second coming on account of the ineffable radiance of Jesus’ face.

Matthew 17:3

And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

What were they talking about? "The ending," says Luke, "which He should accomplish in Jerusalem" (Lk. 9:31), namely, the Cross. Why did Moses and Elijah appear? To show that He is Lord of the law and of the prophets, and of the living and of the dead. For Elijah was a prophet and still lived, while Moses was a lawgiver and had died. They also appeared so that it might be seen that He was opposed neither to the law nor to God, for Moses would not have spoken with one opposed to his own laws, nor would Elijah the zealot have endured one who was opposed to God. And they appeared for yet another reason, to prove false the opinion of those who said that He was Elijah or one of the prophets. How did the disciples know that these two were Moses and Elijah? Not of course from icons, for at that time it was considered impious to draw pictures of men. It would seem, then, that they recognized them by the words which they were speaking. For Moses perhaps was saying, "Thou art He whose Passion I prefigured when I slaughtered the lamb and performed the Pascha;" and Elijah, "Thou art He Whose Resu…

What were they talking about? "The ending," says Luke, "which He should accomplish in Jerusalem" (Lk. 9:31), namely, the Cross. Why did Moses and Elijah appear? To show that He is Lord of the law and of the prophets, and of the living and of the dead. For Elijah was a prophet and still lived, while Moses was a lawgiver and had died. They also appeared so that it might be seen that He was opposed neither to the law nor to God, for Moses would not have spoken with one opposed to his own laws, nor would Elijah the zealot have endured one who was opposed to God. And they appeared for yet another reason, to prove false the opinion of those who said that He was Elijah or one of the prophets. How did the disciples know that these two were Moses and Elijah? Not of course from icons, for at that time it was considered impious to draw pictures of men. It would seem, then, that they recognized them by the words which they were speaking. For Moses perhaps was saying, "Thou art He whose Passion I prefigured when I slaughtered the lamb and performed the Pascha;" and Elijah, "Thou art He Whose Resurrection I prefigured when I raised the widow’s son;" and such words as these. By showing Moses and Elijah to the disciples, Christ teaches the disciples to imitate them, to be both meek and leaders of men, as was Moses, to be zealous and, when necessary, unyielding, as was Elijah, and to be fearless, as they both were, for the truth.

Matthew 17:4

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Peter, out of great love, did not want Christ to suffer, and so he said, "It is good to stay here and for Thee not to go down and be slain. And if anyone should come here we have both Moses and Elijah to help us. For Moses contended with the Egyptians, and Elijah called down fire out of heaven: such opponents do we have for any enemies who might come here." He spoke these things out of great fear, not knowing, as Luke says, what he was saying (Lk. 9:33). For either the extraordinary nature of the event had dumb founded him, or he truly did not know what he was saying, when he spoke of wanting Jesus to remain on the mountain and not come down and suffer for our sake. But fearing to appear presumptuous, Peter said, "If Thou wilt."

Matthew 17:5

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

. You, Peter, desire tabernacles made with hands, but the Father has formed around them another tabernacle not made with hands, the cloud, showing that just as He Himself appeared as God in a cloud to the men of old, so also does His Son now appear in a cloud. Here the cloud is bright, not dark as in the time of old, for He desires not to bring fear but to teach. Out of the cloud came the voice, to show that it was of God. "In Whom I am well pleased," that is, in Whom I rest and take pleasure. And He teaches: "Hear ye Him and if He willeth to be crucified, oppose Him not."

Matthew 17:8

And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

. Not able to endure the brightness of the cloud, nor the voice, the disciples fell to the ground. Their eyes were also heavy with sleep, as Luke says (See Lk. 9:32.), ("sleep" indicating the daze caused by the vision). Lest the fear grip them for a long time and obliterate the memory of what they had seen, the Lord rouses them and reassures them. He is seen to be alone, so that you will not imagine that the voice was for Moses or Elijah; indeed, the voice was for Christ, as He is the Son.

Matthew 17:9

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

. Out of humility He orders them to tell no one, and also, so that those who might hear such things would not later be scandalized when they saw Him crucified. For they would think that He was a deceiver who had conjured up God-like visions. But you, O reader, learn that after six days, that is, after the six days in which the world wascreated, comes the vision of God. For if you do not transcend the world and are not raised up on the mountain top, you will not see glorious things: neither Jesus’ face, which is His divinity, nor His clothing, which is His flesh. May you then also see Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus. For the law, the prophets, and Jesus speak harmoniously as one. But also, when you find someone brilliantly interpreting the meaning of Scripture, know that this man is beholding the brilliant face of Jesus; and if that man is rendering the words of Scripture clear and bright, know that he is beholding the white clothing of Jesus. For the words are the clothing of the thoughts. But do not say, as did Peter, "It is good for us to be here." For one must always be adv…

. Out of humility He orders them to tell no one, and also, so that those who might hear such things would not later be scandalized when they saw Him crucified. For they would think that He was a deceiver who had conjured up God-like visions. But you, O reader, learn that after six days, that is, after the six days in which the world wascreated, comes the vision of God. For if you do not transcend the world and are not raised up on the mountain top, you will not see glorious things: neither Jesus’ face, which is His divinity, nor His clothing, which is His flesh. May you then also see Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus. For the law, the prophets, and Jesus speak harmoniously as one. But also, when you find someone brilliantly interpreting the meaning of Scripture, know that this man is beholding the brilliant face of Jesus; and if that man is rendering the words of Scripture clear and bright, know that he is beholding the white clothing of Jesus. For the words are the clothing of the thoughts. But do not say, as did Peter, "It is good for us to be here." For one must always be advancing and not standing still on the same level of virtue and vision, but moving on to another place.

Matthew 17:10

And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

The scribes were deceiving the people, saying that Jesus was not the Christ, for if He were, Elijah would first have come. But they did not know that there are two comings of Christ, the Forerunner of the first being John, and of the second, Elijah. Christ then explains this to the disciples. Listen:

Matthew 17:13

Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

By saying, "Elijah truly shall come," Christ shows that he has not yet come, but that he will appear as the forerunner of the second coming; and when he appears, he will restore all teachable Jews to faith in Christ, as if restoring them to their paternal inheritance which they had lost. But when Christ says, "Elijah is come already," He is speaking of John the Forerunner; for the Jews "did unto him whatsoever they desired" when they slew him; they slew him when they permitted Herod to slay John, though they could have prevented it. Then the disciples became keener in perception and understood that He was calling John Elijah, as John was the Forerunner of the first coming, just as Elijah would be the forerunner of the second coming.

Matthew 17:14

And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

That this man is exceedingly faithless is clear from the words which Christ spoke in reply to him, O faithless generation, and from the fact that the man himself blamed the disciples. The moon was not the cause, but rather, the demon would take note when the moon was full, and then would set upon his victim, so that men would blaspheme the created works of God as maleficent. You, then, O reader, understand that it is a foolish man that changes as the moon, as it is written [Sirach 27:11], at times waxing great in virtue, at other times waning and vanishing altogether. Then the foolish man becomes deranged and falls down into the fire of anger and lust, and into water, that is, the waves of the many cares of life, in which Leviathan the devil dwells, he who reigns over the waters. For are not the cares of the rich like waves that follow each other in quick succession?