Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - February, 2005

Bible Study - Commentaries
Verses 3:7, 8

from Kaniyamparmabil Achen, the Great Teacher of Malankara

Verse - Matthew 3:7
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees, who came to be baptized, he said to them: Generation of vipers, who has taught you to flee from the wrath that is coming ?

Many types of people came to John. But he addressed the Pharisee and Sadducees as “Brood of vipers” (‘Acadina'), a salutation not given to any others. This was because of their false faith. St. John Chrysostom explains the uniqueness of these kinds of snakes.

They are:

1. when the female snake is conceived the male snake will die and when delivered the mother snake will die. So here the referance is to a sect of people who repeatedly killed the prophets.
2. After biting something or someone this snake looks for water. If it do not get water it dies. Just like that, the hypocrites do deadly sins and then seek the ‘water’ to be saved.
3. These snakes are attractive looking with spots all over but has deadly poison inside. These hypocrites are attractive outside and sinful inside.

Verse - Matthew 3:8
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance”

The factors that affect repentance are:

1. Humility (James 4:9.10)
2. Confession (Levi 26:41)
3. Despise oneself (Job 42:6)
4. Belief (Mat 21:32, Mark 1:15, Acts 20:21)
5. Prayer (Acts 8:22)
6. Turn to God (Acts 3:19)
7. Turn from their sin (2 Chronicles 6:26)
8. If one do not use the opportunity to repent, he will perish (Mat 11:20-24; Luke 13:3-5; Rev 2:22)

1. Israelites (Judges 10:15,16)
2. David (2 Samuel 12:13)
3. Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:12,13)
4. Job (42:6)
5. Nineveh (Johah 3:5)
6. Zakkai (Luke 19:8)
7. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:40,41)