على كُرْسِيِّ مُوسَى جَلَسَ الكَتَبَةُ والفَرِّيسِيُّون. فَٱعْمَلُوا بِكُلِّ مَا يَقُولُونَهُ لَكُم وٱحْفَظُوه، ولكِنْ مِثْلَ أَعْمَالِهِم لا تَعْمَلُوا
“إنجيل القدّيس متّى23/من01حتى12/:”كَلَّمَ يَسُوعُ الجُمُوعَ وتَلامِيْذَهُ قَائِلاً: «على كُرْسِيِّ مُوسَى جَلَسَ الكَتَبَةُ والفَرِّيسِيُّون. فَٱعْمَلُوا بِكُلِّ مَا يَقُولُونَهُ لَكُم وٱحْفَظُوه، ولكِنْ مِثْلَ أَعْمَالِهِم لا تَعْمَلُوا. فَهُم يَقُولُونَ ولا يَعْمَلُون. إِنَّهُم يَحْزِمُونَ أَحْمَالاً ثَقِيلَة، ويَضَعُونَها عَلى أَكْتَافِ النَّاس، وهُم لا يُرِيْدُون أَنْ يُحَرِّكُوهَا بِإِصْبَعِهِم. وجَمِيْعُ أَعْمَالِهِم يَعْمَلُونَها لِيَرَاهُمُ النَّاس: يُعَرِّضُونَ عَصَائِبَهُم، ويُطَوِّلُونَ أَطْرَافَ ثِيَابِهِم، ويُحِبُّونَ مَقَاعِدَ الشَّرَفِ في الوَلائِم، وصُدُورَ المَجَالِسِ في المَجَامِع، والتَّحِيَّاتِ في السَّاحَات، وأَنْ يَدْعُوَهُمُ النَّاسُ : رَابِّي! أَمَّا أَنْتُم فلا تَقْبَلُوا أَنْ يَدْعُوَكُم أَحَدٌ: رَابِّي! لأَنَّ مُعَلِّمَكُم وَاحِد، وَأَنْتُم جَمِيعُكُم إِخْوَة. ولا تَدْعُوا لَكُم على الأَرْضِ أَبًا، لأَنَّ أَبَاكُم وَاحِد، وهُوَ الآبُ السَّمَاوِيّ. ولا تَقْبَلُوا أَنْ يَدْعُوَكُم أَحَدٌ مُدَبِّرين، لأَنَّ مُدَبِّرَكُم وَاحِد، وهُوَ المَسِيح. وَلْيَكُنِ الأَعْظَمُ بَينَكُم خَادِمًا لَكُم. فَمَنْ يَرْفَعْ نَفْسَهُ يُوَاضَع، ومَنْ يُوَاضِعْ نَفْسَهُ يُرْفَع.”
فإِنَّهُم مَعَ كَثْرَةِ الضِّيقَاتِ الَّتي ٱمْتُحِنُوا بِهَا، فَاضَ فَرَحُهُم، وتَحَوَّلَ فَقْرُهُمُ ٱلشَّدِيدُ إِلى غِنًى بِفَضْلِ سَخَائِهِم
“رسالة القدّيس بولس الثانية إلى أهل قورنتس08/من09حتى09/:”يا إخوَتِي، نُعْلِمُكُم، أَيُّهَا الإِخْوَة، بِنِعْمَةِ ٱللهِ الَّتي وُهِبَتْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ في كَنَائِسِ مَقْدُونِيَة: فإِنَّهُم مَعَ كَثْرَةِ الضِّيقَاتِ الَّتي ٱمْتُحِنُوا بِهَا، فَاضَ فَرَحُهُم، وتَحَوَّلَ فَقْرُهُمُ ٱلشَّدِيدُ إِلى غِنًى بِفَضْلِ سَخَائِهِم. وأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُم، عَلى قَدْرِ طَاقَتِهِم، بَلْ فَوقَ طَاقَتِهِم، ومِنْ تِلْقَاءِ أَنْفُسِهِم، سَأَلُونَا بِإِلْحَاحٍ شَدِيدٍ نِعْمَةَ المُشَارَكَةِ في الخِدْمَةِ لإِعَانَةِ القِدِّيسِين. ولَقَدْ عَمِلُوا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا كُنَّا نَرْجُو، فَبَذَلُوا أَنْفُسَهُم لِلرَّبِّ أَوَّلاً، ثُمَّ لَنَا بِمَشِيئَةِ ٱلله؛ لِذلِكَ طَلَبْنَا إِلى طِيطُسَ أَنْ يُكَمِّلَ عِنْدَكُم تِلْكَ النِّعْمَةَ كَمَا بَدَأَهَا. وكَمَا تَزْدَادُونَ في كُلِّ شَيْء، في الإِيْمَان، والكَلِمَة، والمَعْرِفَة، والٱجْتِهَاد، والمَحَبَّةِ الَّتي أَوْدَعْنَاكُم إِيَّاهَا، فَلَيْتَكُم تَزْدَادُونَ أَيْضًا في تِلْكَ النِّعْمَة! ولا أَقُولُ ذلِكَ عَلى سَبِيلِ الأَمْر، ولكِنِّي بِٱجْتِهَادِ غَيْرِكُم أَخْتَبِرُ صِدْقَ مَحَبَّتِكُم. وأَنْتُم تَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّنَا يَسُوعَ ٱلمَسِيح: فإِنَّهُ، وهوَ الغَنِيُّ، قَدِ ٱفْتَقَرَ مِنَ أَجْلِكُم، لِتَغْتَنُوا أَنْتُم بِفَقْرِهِ.”
The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 23/01-12: “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
During a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
Second Letter to the Corinthians 08/01-09/: “We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you. Now as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”