And when Jesus entered into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast him out? And he said to them, "This kind cannot come out except by prayer and fasting."

The disciples feared that they might not have lost the grace given to them by the Lord, and perhaps for this reason they could not cast out the demon. Notice also their reverence in the fact that they approach Jesus alone. "This kind." What? The race of those who are possessed in each new moon, or in general the entire generation of demons, which is not cast out except by prayer and fasting. Both those who suffer from them and those who want to heal should fast; both need it, and it is especially required of the sufferer himself; and not only should we fast, but also pray, and not only pray, but also fast. For thus true prayer is performed when it is combined with fasting; when the worshipper is not burdened with food, praying is easy and without difficulty.

Coming out of thence, they passed through Galilee; and He did not want anyone to know. For He taught His disciples, and told them that the Son of Man would be delivered into the hands of men, and they would kill Him, and after He had been killed, He would rise again on the third day.

Everywhere Jesus connected the word of His suffering with miracles, so that they would not think that He suffered through weakness. And now, having said the sorrowful word that "they will kill Him," he also adds the joyful word that "on the third day He will rise again," so that we may know that sorrows will always be followed by joy, and therefore that we may not lose our spirits in vain in sorrows, but hope to receive something joyful.

But they did not understand these words, and they were afraid to ask Him. He came to Capernaum; And when he was in the house, he asked them, "What have you been discussing among yourselves on the way?" They were silent: because on the way they reasoned among themselves who was greater. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said unto them, Whosoever will be first, let him be last of all, and servant of all. And he took the little child, and set him in the midst of them, and embraced him, and said to them, Whosoever receiveth one of these children in my name receiveth me; but whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.

The disciples, still having human thoughts, argued among themselves about which of them was greater and more honorable with Christ. But the Lord, although He does not forbid the desire for greater honor (for He commands us to desire higher degrees), nevertheless does not allow us to steal the primacy from others; on the contrary, He wants us to attain exaltation through humility. Thus he placed a child in the midst of the disciples and teaches us to be like him. A child does not seek glory, does not envy, does not remember evil. And not only then, says Jesus, will you receive a great reward when you yourselves are like a child, but if you receive others like you for My sake, and for this you will receive the Kingdom of Heaven, inasmuch as you will receive Me; but when you receive me, you will receive him who sent me. Do you see what power humility and a simple and guileless disposition have? This instills in us the Son and the Father, and, consequently, the Holy Spirit.

And John said, "Teacher! we have seen a man who casts out demons in Thy name, and does not follow us; and they forbade him, because he does not follow us. Jesus said, "Do not rebuke him, for no one who has done a miracle in my name can soon curse me." For he who is not against you is for you.

It is not out of emulation or envy that the son of thunder forbids that man to cast out demons, but desires that all those who call on the name of Christ should follow Christ, and that all the disciples should form one body. At the beginning of the Gospel preaching, it happened that some, impelled by the passion of love of glory, desired to perform signs; but seeing how powerful the name of Jesus was, they called upon it, and thus performed signs, although they were strangers and unworthy of the grace of God. For it pleased the Lord that the preaching should be spread also through the unworthy. What about the Saviour? He did not allow John to rebuke the one who performed the signs: "Do not rebuke him," he says, "for no one who has done a miracle in My name can quickly curse Me." That is, how will he curse Me who by My name gains glory for himself and by calling upon Me performs miracles? Apparently, the Lord contradicts Himself, for in another place He says: "He who is not with Me is against Me." But these words are spoken about demons who try to distract those who exist from God and scatter God's inheritance, and here we are talking about people who are led to God through others who work miracles.

And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ's, verily I say unto you, shall not lose his reward. And whoever offends one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and thrown into the sea.

Not only do I, he says, forbid him who performs miracles in My name, but whoever gives you anything even the least for My sake, and not for the sake of the people of the world, he shall not be deprived of his reward. And he spoke about the cup of water, referring to people who excuse themselves with poverty. If, he says, you also give a cup of water, and nothing can be less than this, and it will not be lost with you. Thus, if you honor one of the little ones, then you will please God; If you offend one of the little ones, then you have sinned: it would be better to hang a millstone around your neck. By this he expresses that in such a case we will be subjected to the heaviest punishment. The Lord indicated sensual torment in order to frighten us with this visible example.

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than to go with two hands into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life lame, than to be cast into hell with two feet, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy eye offends thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to be cast into hell with two eyes, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is a good thing; but if the salt is not salty, how will you correct it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among yourselves.

Having made such a threat against the seducers that it would be better for them to be cast into the sea, the Lord now teaches those who are offended to beware of people who are ready to seduce and lead them astray from the path of truth. If your foot, or hand, or eye offend you, that is, if he who offends and stumbles in the work of salvation from among your household, or from among your neighbors in the flesh, cut him off, that is, reject love for him and friendship. And the worm and the fire that torment sinners are the conscience of everyone and the remembrance of the abominable deeds committed in this life. It bites like a worm and burns like fire. "Everyone," he says, "will be salted with fire," that is, he will be tempted, just as Paul says that all things will be tempted by fire (1 Corinthians 3:13). "And every salt sacrifice shall be salted" – Jesus quoted these words from the book of Leviticus (2:13). Therefore, we must salt our sacrifices with the salt of God, that is, offer sacrifices that are not stunted and weak, but strong and healthy. The Lord calls the Apostles by salt, and in general those who have a protective and astringent power. For just as salt protects meat and prevents worms from germinating in it, so the word of the teacher, if it is strong and viscous, restraining people from carnal passions, does not give place in them to the ever-sleeping worm. But if the teacher himself is without salt and does not have in himself the stimulating and astringent power, then with what will he be salted, that is, will he be corrected? Therefore, have salt in yourselves, that is, the strengthening and binding grace of the Spirit, so that you may be at peace with each other, being bound to the neighborly union of love. This is what it means to have salt, and this is why the words are spoken: Have peace with your neighbors. Of such Solomon said: "There are many horses in Pharaoh's chariot," and so on.

Chapter Ten

Departing from thence, he came to the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan side. Again the people gathered to Him according to His custom, He again taught them. The Pharisees came and asked, tempting Him, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" And he answered and said unto them, What hath Moses commanded you? They said, "Moses has allowed the bill of divorce to be written, and to be divorced. Jesus answered and said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heart, he has written this commandment for you." In the beginning of creation, God created them male and female (Gen. 1:27). Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh; so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man put asunder.