Voices and influences
Theophylact of Ohrid
He wrote clear, useful Gospel commentaries while stuck serving a difficult Balkan diocese he never wanted.
Summary
This site quotes Theophylact of Ohrid 461 times across 25 books, and lists 0 works.
- Lived died 1107.
- Quoted here most in Acts: 176 of 461.
Theophylact of Ohrid
- Lived
- died 1107
- Tradition
- Patristic
5 of 461 quotations
Own words
Quoted at 50 words or fewer, because Theophylact of Ohrid's works are in copyright.
As the Lord promised the covetous ruler a treasure in heaven, he nevertheless did not heed, for he was a slave to his treasures, and therefore "became sorrowful" upon hearing the Lord urge him to part with his possessions, since he desired eternal life precisely …
Luke 18:23 But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy. BSB
For that day will not come with observation, but unexpectedly, secretly, like a net capturing those who are inattentive to themselves. Another person might perhaps investigate in detail the expression: "dwelling (sitting) upon the face of all the earth." That day will capture in its …
Luke 21:35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of all the earth. BSB
Everywhere alongside virtue there is vice. Some marveled, others reviled. The former were truly devout; they lived in Jerusalem precisely because the law permitted them to appear three times a year at the temple in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:7 Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? BSB
Because the words "pray to the Lord for me" Simon said not because he repented and converted, but only for the sake of appearances. For otherwise, where is the weeping? Where is the remorse and confession of sins?
Acts 8:24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” BSB
"Having called the saints and widows, he presented her before them alive" – to the former as a consolation, and to the latter as a protectress.
Acts 9:41 Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive. BSB
Influence, on the record
This site quotes Theophylact of Ohrid 461 times across 25 books.
This site’s own count of what it does with the voice
The life, in order
The life told as one accountfrom this site's record
Theophylact was born about 1050 on the island of Euboea, came to Constantinople, and studied under Michael Psellos, the outstanding scholar of eleventh-century Byzantium. He did well in the capital: he was a deacon of Hagia Sophia, held the post of maistor ton rhetoron — master of the rhetors, the senior teaching chair of the church — and was made tutor to Constantine Doukas, the young heir to the throne. Then, some time in the 1080s or early 1090s, he was appointed archbishop of Ohrid, the head of the Bulgarian church, and sent to the Balkans. His letters make no secret of what he thought about it. He was a Greek intellectual dropped into a Slavic province he found rough, poor, and provincial; he complains about the food, the smell, the mud, the tax collectors who bled his people, and the isolation. He calls himself an exile. He served there for something over twenty years — he was still writing after 1107, and the date of his death is not known. He was also, by the evidence of the same letters, a real pastor. He defended his flock against imperial tax officials, intervened for the poor, argued with governors, and stayed. He learned to respect the Bulgarians he had complained about, and he wrote a life of Clement of Ohrid, the disciple of Cyril and Methodius who had brought Slavic Christianity to that region, honouring the local tradition rather than replacing it. His commentaries are why he is on this wall. He wrote on all four Gospels, on Acts, on the epistles of Paul, on the catholic epistles, and on several minor prophets. They are not original, and he never claimed they were. They are largely a distillation of John Chrysostom, compressed, simplified, and made continuous — Chrysostom's exegesis without Chrysostom's length. That turned out to be exactly what people needed. Theophylact's Gospel commentary became the most widely used handbook on the Gospels in the Greek-speaking church, and it was read in the West too: Erasmus used it, Aquinas used it, and Calvin cites him. He also wrote a temperate treatise on the errors of the Latins, notable in a polemical age for how much of the quarrel he was willing to call a matter of custom rather than heresy. A man who wanted a chair in the capital, got sent to the mountains instead, and spent his exile writing the plainest commentaries in Byzantium. Sources: Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on the Gospels (Migne, Patrologia Graeca, vols. 123–126); Theophylact, Letters; Margaret Mullett, Theophylact of Ochrid: Reading the Letters of a Byzantine Archbishop; The Catholic Encyclopedia (1913).
461 quotations across 25 books
Where this voice is quoted
“Men of Israel,” he said, “consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.
“He brings two examples and mentions not ancient events, but recent ones, because these latter are more powerful for persuasion. Therefore, pointing to them, Gamaliel said "before these days."”
But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia.
“"They entered into a dispute with Stephen." In irritation and anger they argue in order to force him to say something.”
Then they prompted some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
“"Then they suborned certain men to say." The disputants do not testify themselves — because they would immediately be exposed as slandering Stephen out of envy — but they bribe others, so that the matter would not be considered unjust — because they did not…”
‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’
“"But I," said God, "will judge that nation which they shall serve..." Those who afflicted them did not do so with impunity, because the Jews endured bitter and harsh slavery, since the Egyptians regarded them not as slaves, but as enemies and adversaries.”
Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
“"They sold Joseph into Egypt." Not knowing of any fault in their brother, they treated him so badly, and moreover at the time when he had come to them with food for them, and by their action they furthered the prophecy without realizing it, involuntarily…”
As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
“The expression "as the time of the promise drew near" indicates not that they multiplied over the course of four hundred years, but that the end had to draw near, since four hundred and more years had already passed in Egypt.”
But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
“But pay attention to the response: "Who made you a ruler and judge over us?" The very same words that were later said to Christ. To repay good with insult — that is in the spirit of the Jews.”
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
“"Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground." The place is holy because of the appearance of Christ and is worthy of greater wonder than that which was in the Holy of Holies, because there was never…”
This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’
“That Moses, who was in danger for his life, whom the Israelites counted as nothing and rejected, God raised up and "sent through the Angel who appeared to him in the burning bush." The one whom Stephen calls an Angel, Moses saw and called God.”
At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
“"And they made a calf in those days." The same is found in David: "and they made a calf at Horeb" (Ps. 106:19).”
On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged, and they gnashed their teeth at him.
“If the Jews wanted to kill Stephen, then why did they not kill him immediately? Because they wanted to present a plausible pretext for their audacity, since the insult he had caused them was not a plausible pretext for killing him; moreover, what they considered…”
At this they covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice, and rushed together at him.
“When Christ said: "You shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand" (Matt. 26:64), the Jews called this blasphemy and attacked Him. So too now: having heard the words of Stephen, they rushed at him.”
God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
“"And devout men buried Stephen." If they were "devout," then how did they "make great lamentation?" This is because they were not yet perfect.”
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
“This is not the apostle Philip who is counted among the twelve, but one of the seven chosen for the care of widows, who also baptized the eunuch and catechized Simon.”
Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
“"Simon himself also believed." He believed not for the sake of faith, but so that he too might work miracles. How did he think to work miracles?”
Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
“According to the fables of the heretics, it was superfluous to say to Simon: "repent," because he was created evil. They say that a man, being evil by nature, is incapable of changing by choice.”
For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
“"For I see that you are full of bitter gall and in the bond of iniquity." Words full of anger.”
Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
“Because the words "pray to the Lord for me" Simon said not because he repented and converted, but only for the sake of appearances. For otherwise, where is the weeping? Where is the remorse and confession of sins?”
And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.
“"And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned back to Jerusalem." Perhaps they returned because of Simon, so as not to be deceived and so as to remain firm afterwards.”
In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
“"In His humiliation His judgment was taken away." He indicates the unlawful judgment against Him, carried out at a time when the truth was hidden. "But who shall declare His generation?"”
“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
“"I ask you to tell me, of whom does the prophet say this?" To know that the prophets sometimes speak about others as well, or about themselves in another person, because this is what his question shows — the quality of a very observant man.”
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless. They heard the voice but did not see anyone.
“"And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one." The light shines upon all who were with him, so that they might bear witness to this apparition, but it blinds not all of them, but only Paul alone…”
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
“Why did Ananias, not being among the most memorable and well-known disciples of the Savior, receive the authority to catechize and heal Paul, who was destined to become such a great preacher of the Gospel?”
And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”
“"Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all." How was this known to them? It was natural for those living in fear to inquire and find out what was being plotted against them.”
and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
“"Having risen, he was baptized, and having taken food, he was strengthened," because his strength had weakened partly from the journey, partly from fear, partly from hunger, and partly from faintheartedness.”