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
For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
“He gently rebukes them, showing that they acted rashly and that it was not proper to hold a public assembly for private reasons.”
But Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!”
“He did not say "he will rise, for I will raise him," but rather "his life is in him." Note his humility and his desire to comfort.”
I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,
“"I did not hold back anything profitable, which I would not have preached to you." There was, then, also that which it was not necessary to know. Just as concealing something is a sign of envy, so disclosing everything is a sign of imprudence.”
And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
“"I am bound by the Spirit." The word "bound" should be separated by a comma, so that the following meaning emerges: I go to Jerusalem, being bound, not having learned beforehand from the Spirit what will happen to me.”
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
“"Clean," he says, "am I from the blood of all," if you are weighed down by sleep and die at the hands of the murderer of souls, because I have fulfilled the duty of a teacher, "for I did not shrink from declaring to you…”
When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
“It should be noted that the one who is departing ought to kneel and pray with all those present, and only then depart.”
After we had torn ourselves away from them, we sailed directly to Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.
“Luke uses a strong expression, saying "having parted from them" ("torn away from them"). And this is quite expressive, because after the tearing away they could not put out to sea. What does "we came with a straight course" mean?”
Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded it and set sail.
“"Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia." Perhaps this ship had its anchorage here, in Patara; and they, not finding a ship departing for Caesarea, but finding a ship sailing to Phoenicia, set out on it and left Cyprus and Syria to the side…”
We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
“If the Spirit commanded Paul, then why did he resist? For the disciples spoke, knowing from the Spirit about the dangers threatening him.”
He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.
“The deacon Philip had daughters. But notice that his daughters were virgins and prophetesses, and that they attained through piety above all else to the point that they were even deemed worthy of the gift of prophecy.”
When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
“The others wept, but Paul comforted them: and he who did not fear his own trials grieved on account of their tears.”
When he would not be dissuaded, we fell silent and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
“When they could not persuade him, they fell silent, because they recognized that this was the will of God. It should be noted that one ought to restrain those who hinder someone from doing a noble deed, even if they weep.”
The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.
“"On the next day Paul came with us to James." James was the bishop of Jerusalem; this is the brother of the Lord, a great man and worthy of admiration.”
Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved.
“"Taking them, purify yourself with them, and take upon yourself the expenses for the sacrifice for them." That is, he says, the sacrifices which, according to the law, must be offered for them, provide yourself, in order to destroy every suspicion.”
So the next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them.
“Paul had his hair cut and fulfilled all the Jewish rites, but not because he changed his opinion (for that would have been a thing impure from vice), but because love is condescending.”
The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.
“They wanted to kill him and dragged him out of the temple, so that they could commit the murder with greater boldness.”
Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:
“Much contributed to him the very place — the stairs — namely, that he spoke while standing high up and being bound. To see Paul, bound with two chains, speaking to the people — what spectacle could equal this?”
“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
“The expression "fathers" is a sign of respect, and the expression "brethren" is an indication of kinship. Notice, his speech is both free from flattery and full of gentleness. He did not say "lords," but "brothers," which was especially pleasing to the people.”
When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
“"And when they heard that he spoke… in the Hebrew language." You see how it affected them that he spoke the same language as they did — they had a certain kind of respect for that language.”
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city.
“With such a beginning he paves the way for his speech: "I," he says, "am a Jew." To hear this was most pleasant of all for them.”
I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
“"A zealot," he says. Since Paul had already spoken many praises of himself, he summarizes: "As you all are today." But pay attention to how many witnesses he appeals to: both the elders, and the high priest, and the citizens.”
Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.
“He said beautifully: "The God of our fathers," in order to show that they are not Jews, but apostates from the law, and that they do not act out of zeal for God. "He saw the Righteous One."”
You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
“Because you will not betray nor forget what you have seen and heard. "What you have seen and heard." The Lord persuades Saul by means of both senses, that is, by means of sight and hearing. "Because you will be His witness before all people."”
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
“Why did he say "it is known to them?" He said this not contradicting Christ, but wishing to understand such an incomprehensible thing. But Christ did not explain it to him, and only told him to go.”
And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
“"And when the blood of Stephen was being shed." He reminded them of one cruel murder, when Stephen was reproving them at that time, and they could not endure it.”