Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
Read Chapter 13
Alexander of Alexandria
AD 250
For even though one saying may refer to the Father Himself, yet it would now be more aptly spoken of the Word, because when He became man, He changed not; but, as says the apostle, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and for ever."
Yesterday, and to-day, and the same for ever. That is, Christ is the same merciful and powerful advocate and protector, in regard of all that serve him faithfully to the end of the world. (Witham)
In these words, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and for ever, yesterday means all the time that is past: today, the present: for ever, the endless which is to come. That is to say: You have heard of an High Priest, but not an High Priest who fails. He is always the same. As though there were some who said, 'He is not, another will come,' he says this, that He who was yesterday and today, is the same also for ever. For even now the Jews say, that another will come; and having deprived themselves of Him that is will fall into the hands of Antichrist.
726. – Having instructed them how to bear with evil, the Apostle now tells them how to act in doing good. Hence, according to a Gloss he is beginning his moral instruction after commending and urging them to imitate him. in regard to this he does two things: first, he urges them to good; secondly, he prays for them (v. 20). In regard to the first he does three things: first, he shows them how to do good to their neighbor; secondly, to themselves (v. 4); thirdly, to prelates (v. 7).
727. – He says, therefore: Thus, we have said that an immovable kingdom has been promised to us. If we would enter it, we must have charity: Let brotherly love continue: ‘He that does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see’ (1 Jn. 4:20); ‘Honor one another; love the brotherhood’ (1 Pt 2:17). But because charity is not idle, as Gregory says, he urges them to acts of charity: ‘Let us love not in tongue but in deed and in truth’ (1 Jn. 3:18). Hence, he says that we should...
