Ways Of Teaching

Ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος, καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ προσῆλθαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ: καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων... Διὰ τί πρόσκειται τὸ, Ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ; φαίνεται γὰρ, ὅτι περιττόν ἐστιν. Ἀλλ' οὐχί· καὶ μή ἀνοίγων γὰρ τὸ στόμα, ἐδίδασκεν. Πῶς; δὶα τοῦ βίου καὶ τῶν θαυμάτων· νῦν δὲ ἀνοίγων τὸ στόμα, διδάσκει. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον, Κεφαλὴ E' Source: Migne PG 123.188a

Seeing the crowd He went up the mountain, and His disciples came to Him sitting there, and He opened His mouth, teaching them, saying... 1 Why does it say here that 'He opened His mouth'? It seems to be superfluous. But it is not at all. He had been teaching them without opening His mouth. How? With His life and miracles. And now opening His mouth, He teaches. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 5.1-2