Cyril of Alexandria

When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

“That servant who was sent is Christ Himself, who being by nature God and the true Son of God, emptied Himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant. But He was sent at supper time.”

Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against…

“"Or what king, He says, wishing to make war with another king, does not consider with himself, whether with his ten thousand he can prevail over one who is more mighty than himself?" And what does this mean?”

Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned?

“"Salt is good, but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what can it be seasoned? It is cast out," he says. He continues, "Let there be salt in you," that is, the divine words that bring salvation.”

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.

“Being lovers of money, they repeatedly did not judge matters before them according to what was agreeable to the laws of God.”

As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance

“The Saviour next manifests His glory by drawing over Israel to the faith. As it follows, And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, men who were banished from the towns and cities, and counted unclean, according…”

When Jesus saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were on their way, they were cleansed.

“The law also ordered, that those who were cleansed from leprosy should offer sacrifice for the sake of their purification.”

For just as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will be the Son of Man in His day.

“At the end time of the world, he will not descend from heaven obscurely or secretly, but with godlike glory and as dwelling in the light which no one can approach. He declared that his coming will be like the lightning.”

But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

“Now His disciples supposed that He would go to Jerusalem, and would at once make a manifestation of the kingdom of God.”

Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.

“But the way in which a man loses his life that he may save it, and how he who imagines that he is saving loses it, Paul clearly shows, where he says of the saints, "They that are Jesus Christ's have crucified the flesh, with…”

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:

“Or else; Whenever men inflict injury upon us, we must then think it a noble thing to be forgetful of the evil; but when they offend against the glory of God by taking up arms against the ministers of God's ordinance, we then approach God…”

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

“What profit is there in fasting twice in the week if it serves only as a pretext for ignorance and vanity and makes you proud, haughty and selfish? You tithe your possessions and boast about it.”

But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven.

“But what of the publican? He stood, it says, "afar off," not even venturing, so to speak, to raise up his eyes on high.”

Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

“As the ruler therefore was too infirm of purpose, and could not be prevailed upon even to listen to the advice of selling his possessions, although it would have been good for him, and full of reward, our Lord lays bare the malady which has…”

“Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents…

“The rich man who has despised many things will naturally expect a reward, but he who possessing little resigns what he has, may fairly ask what there is in store for him; as it follows, Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all.”

Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets have written about the Son of Man will be…

“The blessed prophet David has spoken one of those things which are of great importance for our benefit, especially as it refers to what is of constant occurrence, so to speak, to men's minds. "For I was prepared, he says, and was not troubled."”

But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying.

“The Savior of all then declared these things beforehand to the holy apostles. It says, "They did not understand what was said, and the word was hid from them." They did not then know accurately what the holy prophets proclaimed.”

So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son…

“Having been brought up a Jew, he was not ignorant that of the seed of David should God be born according to the flesh, and therefore he addresses Him as God, saying, Have mercy upon me.”

Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had been brought near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

“The voice of one invoking in faith stops Christ, for He looks back upon them who call upon Him in faith.”

Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people who saw this gave praise to God.

“Now that he was delivered from his blindness, did he neglect the duty of loving Christ? He certainly did not. It says, "He followed him, offering him glory like to God." He was set free from double blindness.”

But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’

“It says that his citizens hated him. Likewise, Christ admonishes the Jewish crowds, saying, "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father."”

Then he told those standing by, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

“It is the work of teachers to engraft in their hearers' minds wholesome and profitable words, but of divine power to win the hearers to obedience, and render their understanding fruitful.”

After Jesus had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

“As long as it was fitting that he should travel the country of the Jews trying to win by lessons and admonitions superior to the law many to the grace that is by faith, he did not cease to do so.”

So those who were sent went out and found it just as Jesus had told them.

“Those men who were directed, when they were loosing the colt, did not use their own words, but spoke as Jesus had told them, that you may know that not by their own words, but the word of God, not in their own name but…”

“I tell you,” He answered, “if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.”

“But the Lord forbade not them that glorified Him as God, but rather forbade those that blamed them, so bearing witness to Himself concerning the glory of the Godhead.”

Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.

“As one who possessed authority over the temple, he took care of it.… Their duty was to worship him, as One who with God the Father was Lord of the temple.”