Remember Lot's wife.
μνημονευετε της γυναικος λωτ
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 10 commentaries
The Lord uses Lot's wife as a cautionary tale. She looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26), signifying her failure to distance herself from sin. Instead of breaking free, she clung to it and became entirely corrupt, serving as a lasting symbol of the downfall she experienced.
It is essential for us to remain steadfast in our spiritual pursuits and to continue with unwavering determination, in order to avoid the same fate as the woman from Sodom. This is why we are reminded, "Remember Lot's wife," for though she was spared from Sodom, her reluctance to depart led her to become a pillar of salt, symbolizing a foolish and unyielding heart.
If anyone is in the field, He instructs, let him not look back. This means that if a person chooses to remain in the love of good deeds and in the pursuit of spiritual productivity, diligently reaping the rewards of their labors, they must stay committed and not look back. As Christ stated, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of heaven.’ Therefore, it is essential to cling to holy fervor with unwavering effort and to approach it with an undeniable passion, so that we do not experience what the woman from Sodom went through, whom He referenced by saying, ‘Remember Lot's wife.' For she left Sodom but, desiring to return, was turned into a pillar of salt; in other words, she lost her reason and became like stone.
The Lord warns us to "Remember Lot's wife," who lost her divine nature because she looked back (Genesis 19:26). She was entangled with Satan and Sodom. Therefore, we must flee from immorality and reject lasciviousness. It is important to note that not everyone is able to escape to the mountains. The one who forsook his previous desires—having initially chosen Sodom (Genesis 13:10)—was able to reach safety in the mountains. In contrast, the weaker individual who looked back could not attain the mountain with her husband's assistance and remained behind.
The reason the Lord instructs us to recall Lot's wife is found in the Gospel: Remember Lot's wife (Luke 17:32). When she turned back, she forfeited her true essence; for behind her lay Satan and Sodom. Thus, we must avoid lawlessness and corruption. To illustrate that not everyone can escape to safety, consider that one person refrained from returning to his former desires because he had severed ties with Sodom earlier; he was rescued because he ascended to the mountains. In contrast, the other was weaker: turning back and lacking support from her husband, she could not reach the safety of the mountains and was left behind.
This refers to the tragedy that had befallen her. When the Lord instructed Lot to escape from Sodom along with his family due to the impending destruction of the city and commanded him not to look back (Gen. 19:17), his wife disobeyed and turned to gaze behind her, resulting in her transformation into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26). A pillar symbolizes those who abandon the path of salvation to revert to previous sinful ways, while salt signifies the bitterness associated with sin.
Simultaneously, He conveyed to His disciples the revelation of His return in the judgment against the unfaithful, which would occur following His rejection by His own people. These moments will be challenging for Christ's followers, who will long for the days they now share with the Son of Man to return. They will be disturbed by misleading claims: "Here is the Christ" or "There is the Christ." However, on that day, His manifestation will be different from the present: He will come as lightning, not in a physical form, but in the divine judgment from heaven, illuminating the sky from one end to the other—wherever the disobedient are dispersed, facing the consequences of their actions. This day of reckoning will surprise many in their negligence, reminiscent of the times of Noah and Lot.
Those who value their salvation must relinquish everything and swiftly distance themselves from those destined for destruction. At that time, no one can ensure their safety if they choose to remain among them (For example, those on the roof, in the field, or two in one bed). The disciples inquired about the location of these events. The Lord replied: "Where the body is, there the eagles will gather," signifying that judgment will befall those subject to it.
Much of what Luke records echoes the profound prophetic discourse of Christ regarding the fall of Jerusalem and the culmination of the age, which He shared with His disciples shortly before His passions. It is quite plausible that Jesus addressed the same themes on multiple occasions, and certain utterances may have been reiterated by Him. Furthermore, the Gospel writers may have incorporated additional remarks made by Christ at different times and contexts.
Having embarked on the journey of spiritual redemption, we must not look back; we must continue onward without pause. When we glance back, we expose ourselves to countless temptations; who can say if we will have the strength to withstand them? Might our hearts grow hard, becoming as unyielding as that of Lot's wife? Temptations can seize us so swiftly that we hardly have a moment to recollect. Let us advance without glancing back or growing weary! We must keep in mind that we are headed toward the narrow gate of the Kingdom of Heaven, and that the path to it is indeed constricted (Matthew 7:13-14).
"Consider Lot's wife" (Genesis 19:26): when she and her family departed from Sodom, she turned back, which was against the divine instruction, and for this, she faced God's judgment. To reinforce His directives for salvation during moments of crisis and at His enigmatic return to judge Jerusalem, the Lord references this incident from the Old Testament. His intent is to prevent a repetition of Lot's wife's fate among the disciples, ensuring they do not incur God’s wrath by failing to adhere to His explicit commands in those critical times.
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THEOSIS