They had to direct their hearers toward what is pleasing to God alone, turn them away from sin toward the desire to do what befits them, and make the law, I mean the evangelical law, the rule of their life.
Therefore He necessarily commands them to count as nothing the hatred that comes from the world.
By the world He means those who think worldly thoughts and have chosen a pleasure-loving and impious life.
But what again is the meaning of this?
Tell me, someone may ask, did Christ think it necessary to give such a command to His disciples in order to show that hatred is generally necessary or indifferent, even in wholly useless matters?
Far from such foolishness. His discourse does not go to such an extreme.
He advises them not to be overly cautious about hatred, not from everyone in general, but speaks definitely, clearly, and distinctly: “If the world hates you.”
That is, if those who honor worldly things and think only of earthly things make you the object of their hatred, then know, He says, that the Teacher suffered this before you.
That the Savior’s commandment will bring no small benefit to teachers of good is very easy for anyone to see, if he attends to the nature of things.
For lovers of filth, who have reached the extreme limit of worldly abomination, always find it pleasant, and generally make it their aim, to reject teaching that makes them wise.
They regard such teaching as burdensome and hateful to them.
Following only their own pleasures, they attack those who strive to spread the best teachings, through which men can become better than they were before.
Thus the Jews held to the letter of Moses alone.
They gave their mind to what was done in figures “until the time of reformation” (Heb 9:10), and they attached no value at all to the teaching of the Gospel.
They thought the preachers of it should be regarded as more hateful than their most evil enemies.
Those who shared another error, and ascribed the ineffable glory of God to creation, I mean the Gentiles, also did not very willingly receive the teaching that could enlighten them.
Imbued with ancient evil, they considered their ignorance most pleasant and were very unwilling to depart from their inborn disease.
With matters in this state, who could doubt that the Savior’s disciples had to be hated by the Jews and despised by those who suffered from Greek error?
They would be least pleasing, indeed unbearable, to those who had given themselves over to sensuality and chosen an empty life of luxury.
But if the Savior’s disciples must endure hatred from any of the people already named, and must with greater zeal seek in every way the love even of those suffering such diseases, then is it not clear to all what follows?
They would not become glorious if they offered teaching that could bring no benefit to anyone.
On the contrary, if they directed their efforts toward flattery, and set aside bold rebuke from the face of God, they would say and present only what pleased each person.
Therefore an exhortation is necessary: not to strive too much to acquire friendship, and even to count as nothing being hated by someone, if he will benefit from correction.
We see that Paul did this and said plainly: “Am I now pleasing men or God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I still wished to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal 1:10).
Likewise, after rebuking one of the Corinthians and learning that he had fallen into very heavy grief, he says: “If I grieve you, who is there to gladden me but the one grieved by me?”
“For godly grief produces repentance leading to salvation without regret” (2 Cor 2:2; 7:10).
Therefore it must be absolutely undisputed that a word that gives pleasure to hearers, and does not direct them to what is beneficial, will flatter the world rather than help it.
But the one who obeys the Savior’s words will not preach in this way. How could he?
He will rather choose to please Him, and will count even hatred itself from the harshest enemies of virtue as spiritual wealth for himself.
If hatred from the world ever appears directed against your good repute, He says, let even this obstacle be removed victoriously.
Do this by not rejoicing too much in honors from friends, if they do not permit teaching that can be beneficial to them.
Let hatred by no means become heavy, since I, your Lord and Teacher, suffered it even before you.
I think it is not difficult to show that those who chose to think worldly thoughts and despised heavenly blessings hate Christ Himself, to the destruction of their own head.
For He Himself said to certain people in the Gospels: “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify concerning it that its works are evil” (Jn 7:7).
Thus here again, presenting Himself as an example for the holy Apostles, He commands them to follow the same path.
In another place He again spoke plainly: “Blessed are you when they persecute you and revile you and say every evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be glad, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mt 5:11-12).
THEOSIS