THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
A message directed at the shepherds themselves, who lament and roar like lions, despite continuing to tend to the sheep destined for slaughter, though they do so with great carelessness, as they did not take even a brief moment to mourn for those who had been sold and killed. Just as reckless shepherds, focused solely on their own indulgences and indifferent to the true owner of the flock, mercilessly slay some sheep, replicating the ferocity of wild beasts, and sell others without concern, reveling instead in their vile profits, ensnared by such disgraceful greed. In a similar fashion, I believe the leaders of the Jewish tribes have shown little regard for their flocks, seeking to amass wealth and fill their pockets with an insatiable desire.
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Consequently, the Saviour reprimanded them, saying: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith” (Matthew 23:23). Indeed, they were so trivially meticulous that they condemned those who failed to tithe on even the smallest items, while disregarding the more significant and necessary commandments. Their lack of genuine shepherding is declared through the words of Ezekiel: “O shepherds of Israel, ye shepherds of your own selves, do not the shepherds shepherd the sheep? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe yourselves with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not my sheep” (Ezekiel 34:3). Therefore, he instructs them to “feed the sheep of the slaughter,” referring either to those who are about to perish at the hands of the Romans or those they themselves will lead to slaughter, despite their role as shepherds. There was no other time designated for their demise, for after the advent of the Saviour a multitude of Jews were slain by the Roman swords, all while God displayed immense patience towards them. The Saviour also made known that the subjugated nations were merely property for the shepherds, as expressed in the saying: “I that have quenched their thirst, and they repented not.” They treated the spiritual vineyard belonging to the Lord—namely Israel, His beloved, as if they alone owned the flocks, harvesting the fruits for their own gain, continually enlarging their riches while permitting thieves to roam freely. Thus, those who had stolen were themselves slaughtered, while those who sold exclaimed, “Blessed be the Lord; we shall be rich.” We can even recognize these judges who barter with justice in legal matters, as if they had disregarded the law of Moses, which clearly states: “Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great” (Deuteronomy 1:17). It pleased them greatly to sell justice to those willing to pay. The saints have further testified to this. One of the holy prophets lamented concerning Jerusalem: “Her heads judge for reward” (Micah 3:11). And the holy Habakkuk nearly called out to God, saying: “How long, O Lord, shall I cry, and Thou wilt not hear? even cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save. Why dost Thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention” (Habakkuk 1:1-4). Thus, through unjust levies, they amass fortune, distort the truth, and trade verdicts, revealing themselves to be those who, as previously mentioned, proclaim, “Blessed be the Lord; we shall be rich.” Such utterances deserve genuine rebuke for their folly and audacity, for they presume to bless God as if He had aided them in their unrighteous gains and their enrichment through violence. It would have been far more virtuous to righteously pronounce, “Blessed be the Lord,” recognizing that by administering just sentences, we become true and lawful stewards of His divine ordinances. Hence, it stands as deceitful and dishonoring to proclaim blessings if our actions do not align with what pleases God.