Fragments on Matthew

Fragmenta in Matthaeum

Apollinaris of Laodicea · c. 310–c. 390 AD · PG

Apollinaris on Matthew§1

1And Apollinaris is said to accept only the last genealogy; for Matthew's genealogy is natural, having the succession of those born, but Luke's is considered to be of the sons inscribed according to the law for those who did not beget; for in this way, it happened that "Joseph is inscribed to Eli" (Mt 1:16), a descendant of Jacob, from Jeconiah. Thus, having started from different origins, Matthew comes from "Solomon" and Luke from "Nathan" to the same Joseph.

For Apollinaris says, indeed, that a boy is inscribed to a father (Mt 1:19). But his father is Joseph by grace, and at the same time by flesh through the woman. And it is certain for him to be the father of Christ, who was born of his own flesh, which is Mary, where even for the deceased it was certain that the child being born of his wife and of the living brother was his own. For if that of the law is strong, much more is that of grace. And the beginning was also an announcement to a man, not to a woman. For he is the preceding living being and closer to God, and thus the one according to the image. In both the generations of Christ, Joseph is shown to be father, both by grace and by flesh; by grace indeed through the virgin betrothed to him, and by flesh indeed because both the virgin and Joseph are of the same tribe.

And Apollinaris, having set forth this example, also applied the explanation of the blessed John and Theodore.

Many testify from the beginning to our salvation, but the beginning of all these seems to be the firstfruits of the Magi. This is also said to be the firstfruits of all the Gentiles. And not this alone, but being guided by God and by a star, they also revealed the things that were to come, and, having solved the perplexity of the Jews, they proved them condemned for not believing the signs.

How did the evangelist bring the word to the children in Matthew 2:18? The infants slaughtered by Herod are taken as a type of the people. Rachel is remembered by the prophet as the mother of Ephraim and the father of Benjamin, of whom the part is according to Jerusalem, the so-called Ramah. Just as a resurrection awaits the infants, so it is shown, just as the people shall be saved from death through faith. As a type of the people of Israel, the evangelist received the prophet's word regarding the children slaughtered by Herod.

Regarding Matthew 3:17, some say concerning the saying of the voice: 'This is my beloved Son,' that it was an angelic substitute for the person of the Father, or something else prepared by chance. But the saying 'in whom I am well pleased' was spoken in the context of other sons, who were neither becoming beloved nor being extremely pleasing to him; for those in the law were also worthy of adoption. Yet, through the witness of the Father and the descent of the Spirit, the hypostases of the Holy Trinity are demonstrated.

Apollinaris the heretic says that food from paradise served him so that, just as Adam, who was not commanded, was losing the food there, so the new Adam, from whom nothing was commanded, might restore the original goodness through an excess of virtue in Matthew 4:11.

In Matthew 5:6, the hungry are remembered simply by Luke as 'the hungry,' but now Matthew specifies those who abstain because of the desire for the good, from the delights of the flesh. Thus, we hear similarly from both. He who thirsted for the righteousness of God found the truly desired thing, whose longing he fulfilled not in any way merely by the one acting according to appetite; for he did not only desire the participation of the righteous as food, for it was incomplete. Now, he made this good thing also drinkable, so that the warmth and the clarity of desire might be the passion of thirst.

Greek · §1

Fragmenta in Matthaeum Mt 1, 16 Καὶ Ἀπολινάριος δὲ τὴν τελευταίαν μόνην ἀποδεχόμενός φησιν· ἡ μὲν τοῦ Ματθαίου γενεαλογία φυσικὴν ἔχει τὴν διαδοχὴν τῶν γεννηθέντων, ἡ δὲ τοῦ Λουκᾶ νομίζεται τῶν ἐπιγραφέντων υἱῶν κατὰ τὸν νόμον τοῖς μὴ γεννήσασιν· οὕτως γὰρ «Ἰωσὴφ ἐπιγράφει τῷ Ἠλὶ» γενόμενον ἐξ < Ἰακώβ , ἀπογόνου> Ἰεχωνίου. οὕτως ἐκ διαφόρων ἀρχῶν ἀρξάμενοι ὁ μὲν Ματθαῖος ἀπὸ τοῦ «Σαλομῶνος», ὁ δὲ Λουκᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ «Ναθὰμ» εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἔρχονται. 2 Mt 1, 16 Φησὶ γοῦν Ἀπολινάριος, ὅτι πατρὶ παῖς ἐπιγράφεται. πατὴρ δὲ αὐτοῦ κατὰ χάριν ὁ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ ἅμα κατὰ σάρκα διὰ τῆς γυναικός. καὶ βέβαιον αὐτῷ τὸ εἶναι πατέρα Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας αὐτοῦ σαρκὸς γεννηθέντος ἥτις ἐστὶ Μαρία , ὅπου γε καὶ τῷ τεθνεῶτι βέβαιον ἦν τὸ ἴδιον εἶναι αὐτοῦ παιδίον τὸ γεννώμενον ἐκ τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ ζῶντος ἀδελφοῦ. εἰ γὰρ ἰσχυρὸν τὸ τοῦ νόμου, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ τῆς χάρι τος. ἦν δὲ καὶ ἡ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπαγ γελία πρὸς ἄνδρα, οὐ πρὸς γυναῖκα. οὗτος γὰρ τὸ προηγούμενον ζῷον καὶ θεῷ προσεχέστερον καὶ οὕτως ὁ κατ' εἰκόνα. Κατ' ἀμφοτέρας τὰς γενέσεις τοῦ Χριστοῦ πατὴρ ἀναδείκνυται ὁ Ἰωσήφ , κατά τε χάριν καὶ κατὰ σάρκα· κατὰ χάριν μὲν διὰ τῆς μνηστευθείσης αὐτῷ παρθένου, κατὰ σάρκα δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς εἶναι φυλῆς τήν τε παρθένον καὶ τὸν Ἰωσήφ . 3 μτ 1, 19 Ἀπολινάριος δὲ τὸ δειγματίσαι καὶ αὐτὸς παραθέμενος τὴν τοῦ μακαρίου Ἰωάννου καὶ Θεοδώρου ἐξήγησιν ἐπήγαγεν. 4 Mt 2, 1®12 Πολλὰ τὰ μαρτυροῦντα ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ τού των ἁπάντων ἀρχὴ φαίνεται εἶναι ἡ τῶν μάγων ἀπαρχή. αὕτη δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων ἀπαρχὴ λέγεται εἶναι. καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θεόθεν ὁδηγούμενοι καὶ ὑπὸ ἀστέρος τὰ μέλλοντα γενήσεσθαι ἐδήλωσαν καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπορίαν λύσαντες κατακρίτους αὐτοὺς ἀπέδειξαν μὴ πεισθέντας τοῖς σημείοις. 6 Mt 2, 18 Πῶς εἰς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ εἰρημένην τὴν λέξιν εἰς τοὺς παῖδας μετήγαγεν ὁ εὐαγγελιστής; ὅτι ἐν τύπῳ τοῦ λαοῦ τὰ βρέφη τὰ σφαγέντα ὑπὸ Ἡρώδου παρείληπται. ἡ δὲ Ῥαχὴλ ὡς μήτηρ τοῦ <πατρὸς τοῦ> Ἐφραὶμ ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου μνημο νεύεται. ἔστι δὲ μήτηρ καὶ τοῦ Βενιαμίν, οὗ μέρους τοῦ κατὰ Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἡ λεγομένη Ῥάμα . ὥσπερ οὖν τοῖς βρέφεσιν ἡ ἀνά στασις ἀπόκειται, οὕτω δηλοῦται καθάπερ ἐκ θανάτου σωθησόμενος ὁ λαὸς διὰ τῆς πίστεως. Εἰς τύπον τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὰ ὑπὸ Ἡρώδου σφαγέντα παιδία παρέλαβεν ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἀνάγων εἰς αὐτὸν τὴν τοῦ προφήτου λέξιν. 9 Mt 3, 17 Τινὲς δέ φασιν τὴν λέγουσαν φωνήν· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἢ ἀγγελικὴν εἶναι ὑπουρήσασαν τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ πατρὸς ἢ ἑτέραν ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμα κατασκευασθεῖσαν. τὸ δὲ ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα ἐν παραθέσει ἑτέρων υἱῶν εἰρῆσθαι οὔτε ἀγαπητῶν γενομένων οὔτε ἀρέσαι σφόδρα δυνηθέντων αὐτῷ· υἱοθεσίας γὰρ ἠξίωντο καὶ οἱ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ. διὰ δὲ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς μαρτυρίας καὶ τῆς τοῦ πνεύματος καθόδου δείκνυνται τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος αἱ ὑποστάσεις. 10 Mt 4, 11 Ἀπολινάριος ὁ παράφρων τροφάς φησιν ἐκ παραδείσου διηκόνουν αὐτῷ ἵνα ὥσπερ ὁ μὴ ἀποσχόμενος οὗ προσετέτακτο Ἀδὰμ τὴν ἐκεῖ 1 τροφὴν ἀπωλωλέκει, οὕτως ὁ νέος Ἀδὰμ καὶ ὧν μὴ προσετάχθη ἀποσχό μενος καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἀρετῆς εἰς τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καλὸν ἀποκαταστῇ. 11 Mt 5, 6 Παρὰ τῷ Λουκᾷ μνημονεύονται μακαριζόμενοι ἁπλῶς «οἱ πεινῶν τες », νῦν δὲ ὁ Ματθαῖος διορίζει τοὺς ἑκόντας καὶ διὰ τὸν τοῦ καλοῦ πόθον τῶν κατὰ σάρκα ἡδέων ἀπεχομένους. ὁμοίως οὖν ἀμφοτέρων ἀκουσόμεθα. ὁ τὴν δικαιοσύνην τοῦ θεοῦ ποθήσας εὗρε τὸ ἀληθῶς ὀρεκτόν, οὗ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν οὐχ ἑνὶ τρόπῳ τῷ κατὰ τὴν ὄρεξιν ἐνεργου μένῳ ἐπλήρωσεν· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὡς βρῶσιν τὴν τοῦ δικαίου μετουσίαν ἐπόθησεν· ἡμιτελὴς γὰρ ἦν. νῦν δὲ καὶ πότιμον τὸ ἀγαθὸν τοῦτο ἐποίησεν, ἵνα τὸ ἔνθερμόν τε καὶ διακαὲς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τὸ πάθος τῆς δίψης

The Vision of God through Purity§2

2It shall be shown. Such a person is said to be filled. But this fullness is not from a turning away, but it makes an increase of the desire. The heart sees God (Mt 5:8); for the incorporeal seizes the incorporeal. And the heart, having completed the perfection it was receiving, will then see the perfect thing. This happens through the cleansing of what hinders, just as the eye, once cleansed of obstacles, sees the light.

How then does the divine Scripture say, 'No one has ever seen God' and 'No one shall see my face and live' and 'Whom no man has seen, nor is able to see'? (Mt 5:8) How then do you say that 'no one has ever seen God'? We say that He is seen and seized through the Word; or, through the divine Scripture, we see God with the eyes of knowledge, or through the wisdom manifest to all, we see through reasoning the One who made all things, just as in the case of human creations, the maker of the work in question is seen in a certain way by the intellect. But not the nature of the artisan is seen, but only the technical skill. Thus also, he who sees God in creation does not depict the essence, but the wisdom of the One who made all things is portrayed. Is it not then true that the Lord says God shall be seen by the pure in heart, promising so, and the Scripture does not lie, neither saying that anyone has seen God nor saying that anyone is able to see?

But he who is removed through righteousness, the present things and the future things, instead of these, will bear fruit, for righteousness is not unjust toward its own (Mt 5:10). For it is necessary to strive to keep the brightness given to us in a high place and not to cover it up through sloth, of which the couch resting the body with fleshly pleasures is a symbol (Mt 5:15); for the beautiful is not to us by nature, but by a gift. But such a thing, being neglected, departs. And the glory of God, placing the end of works before us, leads us away from our own ambition.

A virtuous life is light (Mt 5:16). The law judges fleshly things, those things done through the flesh, but the Lord, sanctifying spirits, requires blessedness through the Spirit (Mt 5:21-22). Therefore, he calls the spiritual one 'brother,' the one dwelling according to the Spirit, being named brother.

Because of this, Paul will be indignant with those who are sinning (Mt 5:22). But if it is not said in vain, as some wish it not to be—for if he sins, he is not spiritual, and the one who is not spiritual is not truly a brother—he hands the murderer over to the judgment of the law, but the one raging is handed over to the eternal judgment. Theodore and Theodore are recorded as saying in vain what was not actually said.

Regarding Matthew 5:22, he says that the one who called his brother 'Raca' is liable to the judgment of the saints. For he who blasphemes against the common part sins. Raca, indeed, calls the despised one, as another says; for so also among the Syrians the scoundrel is called. But what he says regarding the soul rather, he speaks of judgment and testing; for not indeed, if someone says only these things, will he be responsible for the punishment, but he will be much more without responsibility having said other things.

Regarding Matthew 5:29-30, concerning the bodily things he speaks of members; and excessively, not that one must actually cut off the members, but such as to kill them and to set them aside sluggishly for sin, as the Apostle has said; and not to spare even the most necessary things, if through them someone is to experience a bad activity. It is not necessary to cut off the members, but such as to kill these and make them inactive toward sin. Regarding Matthew 5:34, the heaven is therefore the throne of God, since God is holy and 'rests among the saints'; but He is not contained by such a throne, but pervades all things by a creative and watchful and sanctifying power. Regarding Matthew 5:48, the man is perfect in imitation of God in his own measures.

Regarding Matthew 6:1-2, in other matters he speaks of righteousness, thus calling almsgiving. But the aim of almsgiving he sets before us as the glory from God, not from men; for whoever wishes to please someone, he receives praise as a reward from them. Not indeed he who has already been seen has done it for the sake of being seen, but he who wishes to be seen and is doing this also. Regarding Matthew 6:11, give us today the coming and destined food, the life-giving one, and in the present age, as if providing a pledge, providing the Holy Spirit. Regarding Matthew 6:34, if caring for one day is heavy and wretched, how is the excess not unmanageable? If caring for one day is both heavy and burdensome, how much more would caring for many things be wretched and senseless. Regarding Matthew 7:6, the word is holy and a pearl, the heretics are dogs and pigs.

Greek · §2

ἐνδείξηται. ὁ τοιοῦτός φησιν ἐμπλησθήσεται. ἡ δὲ πλησμονὴ οὐκ ἀπο στροφήν, ἀλλ' ἐπίτασιν ποιεῖ τῆς ὀρέξεως. 12 Mt 5, 8 Καρδία θεὸν ὁρᾷ· ἀσωμάτῳ γὰρ τὸ ἀσώματον καταληπτόν· τελειω θεῖσα δὲ ἡ καρδία τὴν ἐνδεχομένην τελείωσιν οὕτως ὄψεται τὸ τέλειον. τοῦτο δὲ αὐτῇ γίνεται ἐκ καθάρσεως τῶν ἐμποδιζόντων, ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ἐκκαθαιρόμενος ἐκ τῶν ἐμποδίων τῆς ὁράσεως ὁρᾷ τὸ φῶς. πῶς οὖν ἡ θεία φησὶ γραφή, ὅτι «θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν πώποτε » καὶ «οὐδεὶς ὄψεται τὸ πρόσωπόν μου καὶ ζήσεται » καὶ «ὃν εἶδεν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν δύναται »; 13 Mt 5, 8 ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται . πῶς οὖν φησιν, ὅτι τὸν «θεὸν οὐδεὶς ἑώρακε πώποτε »; λέγομεν, ὅτι λόγῳ ὁρᾶται καὶ καταλαμβάνεται· ἢ ἐκ τῆς θείας γραφῆς τοῖς τῆς γνώσεως ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρῶμεν θεὸν ἢ ἐκ τῆς ἐμφαινομένης τῷ παντὶ σοφίας ἔστι τὸν πεποιηκότα στοχαστικῶς ἰδεῖν, καθάπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων δημιουργημάτων ὁρᾶται τρόπον τινὰ τῇ διανοίᾳ ὁ δημιουργὸς τοῦ προκειμένου ἔργου. ὁρᾶται δὲ οὐχ ἡ φύσις τοῦ τεχνιτεύσαντος, ἀλλὰ μόνη ἡ τεχνικὴ ἐπιστήμη. οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἐν τῇ κτίσει βλέπων τὸν θεὸν οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ τὰ πάντα πεποιη κότος ἀνατυποῦται. οὐκοῦν καὶ ὁ κύριος ἀληθεύει ὀφθήσεσθαι τὸν θεὸν τοῖς καθαροῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ , ἐπαγγειλάμενος καὶ ἡ γραφὴ οὐ ψεύδεται μήτε ἑωρακέναι τινὰ τὸν θεὸν μήτε ἰδεῖν δύνασθαι. 14 Mt 5, 10 ὁ δὲ διὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἀφαιρεθεὶς τὰ παρόντα τὰ μέλλοντα ἀντὶ τούτων καρπώσεται, ὅτι οὐκ ἄδικος ἡ δικαιοσύνη πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτῆς. 15 Mt 5, 15 Σπουδάζειν γὰρ χρὴ τὴν δοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν λαμπρότητα φυλάττειν ἐν ὑψηλῷ καὶ μὴ συγκαλύπτειν ἀργίᾳ, ἧς σύμβολον ἡ κλίνη ἀναπαύουσα τὸ σῶμα ταῖς σαρκικαῖς ἡδοναῖς· οὐ γὰρ φυσικῶς ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐκ δόσεως τὸ καλόν. τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον ἀμελούμενον ἀφίσταται. ἀπάγει δὲ ἡμᾶς τῆς ἰδίας φιλοδοξίας τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ δόξαν τέλος τῶν ἔργων προτιθείς. 17 Mt 5, 16 Φῶς ἐστιν ἡ ἐνάρετος πολιτεία. 19 Mt 5, 21®22 Ὁ νόμος σαρκικὰ προστάττων τὰ διὰ σαρκὸς πραττόμενα δικάζει, ὁ δὲ κύριος πνεύματα ἁγιάζων πνεύματος ἀπαιτεῖ μακαριότητα. ἀδελφὸν οὖν λέγει τοῦ πνευματικοῦ τὸν κατὰ πνεῦμα οἰκεῖον ὀνομαζόμενον ἀδελφόν. διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Παῦλος ἁμαρτανόντων ἀγανακτήσει *** εἰ δὲ μὴ εἴρηται εἰκῇ, ὥς τινες βούλονται μὴ εἶναι *** καθὸ γὰρ ἁμαρτάνει, οὐκ ἔστιν πνευματικός· ὁ δὲ μὴ πνευματικὸς οὐδὲ ἀδελφὸς ἀληθῶς. τὸν φονέα παραδίδωσι τῇ κρίσει τοῦ νόμου, τὸν δὲ ὀργιζόμενον τῇ αἰωνίᾳ κρίσει . Θεόδωρος δὲ καὶ Θεόδωρος παραγράφονται τὸ εἰκῇ ὡς οὐκ εἰρημένον. Mt 5, 22 Τῷ τῶν ἁγίων συνεδρίῳ ἔνοχός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν ἀδελφὸν καλέσας ῥακά. ἁμαρτάνει γὰρ εἰς τὸ κοινὸν ὁ τὸ μέρος βλασφημῶν. ῥακὰ μὲν οὖν καλεῖ τὸν κατάπτυστον, ὡς ἄλλος φησίν· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ παρὰ Σύροις ὁ πτύελος καλεῖται. τὸ δὲ εἴπῃ ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν μᾶλλον λέγει κρίσεως τε καὶ δοκιμασίας· οὐ γὰρ δή, εἰ ταῦτά τις μόνον εἴποι, ὑπεύθυνος ἔσται τῇ κολάσει, ἀνεύθυνος δὲ πολλῷ βαρύτερα εἰπὼν ἕτερα. 23 Mt 5, 29®30 Περὶ τῶν σωματικῶν μὲν λέγει μελῶν , ὑπερβολικῶς δέ, οὐχ ὅτι τῷ ὄντι ἐκκόψαι δεῖ τὰ μέλη , ἀλλ' οἱονεὶ νεκρῶσαι καὶ ἀργὰ κατα στῆσαι πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν ὡς ὁ ἀπό στολος εἴρηκεν· καὶ μὴ 2 φείσασθαι μηδὲ τῶν ἀναγκαιοτάτων, εἰ δι' αὐτῶν τις ἐνέργεια φαύλη κινδυ νεύσαι γίνεσθαι. Οὐ δεῖ τὰ μέλη ἐκκόψαι , ἀλλ' οἷον νεκρῶσαι ταῦτα καὶ ἀν ενέργητα ποιῆσαι πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν. 24 Mt 5, 34 Θρόνος τοίνυν ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῦ θεοῦ , ἐπειδὴ ἅγιος ὁ θεὸς καὶ «ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναπαυόμενος »· οὐ περιέχεται δὲ τῷ τοιούτῳ θρόνῳ, ἀλλὰ διήκει ἁπάντων τῇ δημιουργικῇ καὶ ἐποπτικῇ καὶ ἁγιαστικῇ δυνάμει. 25 Mt 5, 48 Τέλειός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐν μιμήσει τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις μέτροις. 26 Mt 6, 1®2 Ἐν ἄλλοις τὴν δικαιοσύνην φησὶν οὕτως τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην καλῶν. σκοπὸν δὲ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης προτίθησιν ἡμῖν τὴν παρὰ θεῷ δόξαν, οὐ τὴν παρὰ ἀνθρώποις · οἷς γάρ τις ἀρέσκειν βούλεται, παρὰ τούτων μισθὸν ἔχει τὸν ἔπαινον. οὐ μὴν ὁ θεαθεὶς ἤδη πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι πεποίηκεν, ἀλλ' ὁ θεωρεῖσθαι βουλόμενος καὶ τοῦτο ποιῶν. 28 Mt 6, 11 Σήμερον τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν καὶ μέλλουσαν τροφὴν τὴν ζωοποιὸν δὸς ἡμῖν καὶ ἐν τῷ παρόντι αἰῶνι ὡς ἐν ἀρραβῶνι χορηγῶν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. 29 Mt 6, 34 Εἰ τὸ περὶ μιᾶς ἡμέρας φροντίζειν βαρὺ καὶ κακωτικόν, πῶς τὸ περισσὸν οὐκ ἀφόρητον; Εἰ τὸ περὶ μιᾶς ἡμέρας φροντίζειν βαρύ τε καὶ ἐπαχθὲς ὑπάρχει, πολλῷ ἂν εἴη <μᾶλλον> τὸ περὶ πολλῶν μεριμνᾶν κα κωτικόν τε καὶ ἀνόητον. 31 Mt 7, 6 Ἅγιον καὶ μαργαρίτης ὁ λόγος, κύνες καὶ χοῖροι οἱ αἱρετικοί,

The Renewal of the Disciples and the Manner of Service§3

3The dispute and logomachy around him is a trampling of the Word, and the contempt and dishonor of those speaking is a casting down.

How does the evangelist lift up the word brought to the cross according to Isaiah (Isa 53:5) into healings (Mt 8:17)? Because even his passion was a healing for men, and the Lord suffered no more than he worked through those dishonoring him and through his own death, preparing and fighting against the life of men by setting himself apart for them. Isaiah brought the word to the cross, but Matthew to the healings of diseases; and he did this because even that passion of the Savior was a healing for men, and it is evident that his death also granted life to us.

“You have come,” they say, “before the time of the prophetic words” (Mt 8:29), the demons hearing, because Christ is about to come into the world through the flesh of your flesh and because he is about to judge them in the consummation. “You have come to torment us before the time,” that is, before the consummation.

Why then are they worthy to enter into the swine (Mt 8:31)? When they are not able according to men, they desire according to the irrational, of those things which are through man, just as the misanthropes harm him or his own things. Seeing such a small sign, the Gergesenes entreat Jesus to depart from their borders (Mt 8:34), because they had no desire for the good. For they did not say this judging themselves unworthy, but as being unfeeling and exceedingly unfaithful.

Because they had no desire for the good, but were lazily dividing and sluggishly toward the grasping of the great good.

“An old garment,” he said, speaks the old man; “but a coarse cloth” the new Word (Mt 9:16-17), and a joining of these does not happen; immediately the fast and the spiritual joy; for spiritual susceptibility in a bodily man is not. For having been accustomed to seeking the things of the flesh, he will never find joy in these, but the matter will appear harsh and unendurable to him and will be separated from him more, because the thing being dragged along burns him. And the fasts are old and the old men; but new wine is the new Word, which they cannot contain; for their soft material is torn, not bearing the strength of the spiritual life. And the Word was not given to such people for what is necessary.

not much, but only as much as it advanced toward them for destruction. These things, therefore, the Lord says, regarding the renewal of the foremost of the disciples which is about to be at his resurrection, with which it is already the time for spiritual exercises (Mt 9:27-31). No one boasts if the power speaks about itself that it is able; but it would be boasting for one who does not have the power by nature, but receives it by grace to say 'I am able.' And the Savior commanded the blind not to say anything about what happened, teaching us not to show that it is necessary; for it was not boasting toward God to speak the truth about it. And the confession of those who were healed concerning the healing did not bring a charge, but testified to gratitude.

He did not completely cut off those from the Gentiles about to believe, nor the Samaritans, desiring 'all people' (Mt 10:5-6) to be 'saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,' but it was necessary first to go to 'the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' just as he himself says toward the Canaanite: 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' which God promised to seek through the prophet Ezekiel. But they lost the law having been given to them, not having guarded it.

And he says 'has come' (Mt 10:7) not as if it were approaching; for it had approached of the incarnate Lord, but as far as those who have not yet believed, it seems Christ is far from them. For I want to show the deacons of the Gospel to be entirely free and prudent, not being humbled by care for any single thing of the body (Mt 10:9-10). And Matthew says both he and Luke say 'neither sandals' 'nor' a garment 'nor a staff,' which seems to be the most modest thing to take, 'on the way.' But Mark seems to permit them to take a 'staff' and 'to have put on sandals' in some of the copies. For he says in others that 'he commanded them so that they might carry nothing on the way,' neither a 'staff' nor a 'bag' nor 'bread' nor 'copper into the belt' nor 'having put on sandals.'

Not two tunics, but the 'seamless' and 'woven from above' Christ Jesus; 'for as many as were baptized into Christ, you have clothed yourselves with Christ' (Gal 3:27); for it is necessary 'to strip off' the old man (Eph 4:22) along with his 'deeds' and his 'desires.' This...

Greek · §3

καταπάτησις τοῦ λόγου ἡ περὶ αὐτὸν ἔρις καὶ λογομαχία, ῥῆξις τῶν λεγόντων ἡ καταφρόνησις καὶ ἀτιμία. 37 Mt 8, 17 Πῶς δὲ Ἠσαΐου εἰς τὸν σταυ ρὸν ἀνενέγκαντος τὸ ῥητὸν ὁ εὐαγ γελιστὴς εἰς τὰς ἰάσεις ἀνάγει; ὅτι καὶ τὸ πάθος αὐτοῦ ἴασις ἦν ἀν θρώπων καὶ οὐδὲν μᾶλλον ἔπασχεν ὁ κύριος ἤπερ ἐνήργει διὰ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἀτιμιῶν καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου θανάτου τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ζωὴν κατασκευάζων καὶ καταπολεμῶν τοὺς κακῶς ἑαυτοὺς διατιθέντας. Ὁ Ἠσαΐας εἰς τὸν σταυρὸν ἀνήνεγκε τὸ ῥητόν, ὁ δὲ Ματθαῖος εἰς τὰς τῶν νοσημάτων θεραπείας· τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίησεν, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ πάθος τοῦ σωτῆρος ἴασις ἦν ἀν θρώπων καὶ δηλονότι καὶ ὁ θάνα τος αὐτοῦ τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῖν ἐχαρίσατο. 38 Mt 8, 29 Ἦλθες , φασίν, πρὸ καιροῦ τῶν προφητικῶν λόγων ἀκούοντες οἱ δαίμονες, ὅτι μέλλει παραγενέσθαι εἰς τὸν κόσμον ὁ Χριστὸς διὰ σαρκώ σεως καὶ ὅτι μέλλει αὐτοὺς κρίνειν ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ. ἦλθες , φασίν, βασα νίσαι ἡμᾶς πρὸ καιροῦ , τοῦτ' ἔστιν πρὸ τῆς συντελείας. 39 Mt 8, 31®34 ∆ιὰ τί δὲ αὐτοὶ εἰς τοὺς χοίρους ἀξιοῦσιν εἰσελθεῖν; ὅταν κατὰ ἀνθρώπων μὴ δύνωνται, κατὰ ἀλόγων βούλονται τῶν δι' ἄνθρωπον ὄντων, ὥσπερ αὐτὸν ἢ τὰ αὐτοῦ κακοῦσιν οἱ μισάνθρωποι. ἰδόντες δὲ τηλι κοῦτον σημεῖον οἱ Γεργεσηνοὶ παρακαλοῦσιν τὸν Ἰησοῦν μεταβῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν , ἐπειδὴ πόθον οὐκ εἶχον τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ. καὶ γὰρ οὐχ ὡς ἀναξίους ἑαυτοὺς κρίνοντες τοῦτ' εἶπον, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀναίσθητοι καὶ ἄγαν ἄπιστοι. 40 Mt 8, 34 Ἐπειδὴ πόθον οὐκ εἶχον τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, ἀλλ' ἀργῶς διέκειντο καὶ ὀκνηρῶς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ μεγάλου ἀγαθοῦ κατάληψιν. 41 Mt 9, 16®17 Παλαιὸν ἱμάτιον εἶπεν τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον· ῥάκος δὲ ἄγναφον τὸν καινὸν λόγον, ἕνωσιν δὲ τούτων μὴ γίνεσθαι· αὐτίκα ἡ νηστεία ἡ πνευματικὴ χαρά· πνεύματος γὰρ εὐπάθεια ἐν σωματικῷ ἀνθρώπῳ οὐκ ἔστιν· ζητεῖν γὰρ εἰωθὼς τὰ σαρκὸς οὐδέποτε ἐν τῇ τούτων στερήσει χαρήσεται, ἀλλὰ σκληρὸν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀφόρητον τὸ πρᾶγμα φανήσεται καὶ χωρισθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον, ὅτι 3 φέρειν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἐπαχθὲς ἀναγ κάζεται. ἀσκοὶ δὲ παλαιοὶ καὶ οἱ παλαιοὶ ἄνθρωποι· οἶνος δὲ νέος ὁ καινὸς λόγος, ὃν οὐ χωροῦσιν· ῥήγνυται γὰρ αὐτῶν τὸ σαθρὸν οὐ φέρον τὸ δυνατὸν τοῦ πνευματικοῦ βίου. καὶ οὐκ εἰς δέον ἐδόθη τοῖς τοιούτοις ὁ λόγος, ἀλλ' ὅσον ἐπ' αὐτοῖς εἰς μάτην ἐχώρησεν. ταῦτα οὖν ὁ κύριος λέγων τὴν ἀνακαίνωσιν προεδήλου τῶν μαθητῶν τὴν ἐσομένην ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει αὐτοῦ, μεθ' ἣν ἤδη καιρὸς τῶν πνευματικῶν ἐπιτηδεύσεων. 42 Mt 9, 27®31 Κόμπος οὐδείς, ἐὰν ἡ δύναμις λέγῃ περὶ ἑαυτῆς τὸ δύνασθαι· κόμπος δ' ἂν ἦν τῷ μὴ φύσει τὸ δύνασθαι ἔχοντι, ἀλλὰ διὰ χάριτος λαμβάνοντι λέγειν ὅτι δύναμαι . παρήγγειλε δὲ ὁ σωτὴρ τοῖς τυφλοῖς τὸ μηδενὶ ἐξειπεῖν τὸ γενόμενον, τὸ μὴ δεῖν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι διδάσκων ἡμᾶς· οὐ γὰρ θεῷ κόμπος ἦν τὸ τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγεσθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ. ἡ δὲ τῶν ἰαθέντων ὁμολογία περὶ τῆς ἰάσεως οὐκ ἔγκλημα ἤνεγκεν, ἀλλ' εὐγνωμοσύνην ἐμαρτύρησεν. 43 Mt 10, 5®6 Οὐ τελείως ἀπέκοψεν τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν μέλλοντας πιστεύειν οὔτε τοὺς Σαμαρείτας ὁ «πάντας ἀνθρώπους » θέλων «σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν », ἀλλ' ἔδει πρῶτον ἐπὶ «τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολω λότα οἴκου Ἰσραὴλ » πορεύεσθαι καθὰ καὶ αὐτὸς πρὸς τὴν Χαναναίαν φησίν· «οὐκ ἀπεστάλην εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ », ἅπερ ὁ θεὸς ζητήσειν ἐπηγγείλατο διὰ Ἰεζεκιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου. ἀπωλώ λεσαν δὲ τὸν δοθέντα αὐτοῖς νόμον οὐ φυλάξαντες. 45 Mt 10, 7 Ἠγγικέναι δὲ λέγει οὐχ ὡς ἀποῦσαν· ἦν γὰρ ἐγγίσασα τοῦ κυρίου σαρκωθέντος, ἀλλ' ὅσον πρὸς τοὺς μήπω πιστεύσαντας δοκεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς ἀπεῖναι αὐτῶν. 46 Mt 10, 9®10 Ἐλευθέρους γὰρ πάντη καὶ ἀφρόντιδας ἀποδεῖξαι <τοὺς> τοῦ εὐαγγε λίου διακόνους βούλομαι μηδεμιᾷ σώματος ἕνεκα μερίμνῃ ταπεινουμένους. καὶ ὁ μὲν Ματθαῖός φησιν καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς «μήτε ὑποδήματα » «μήτε » ἱμάτιον «μηδὲ ῥάβδον» , ὃ δοκεῖ πάντων εὐτελέστατον εἶναι λαβεῖν, «εἰς ὁδὸν» ἕλησθε. ὁ δὲ Μᾶρκος «ῥάβδον» δοκεῖ ἐπιτρέπειν αὐτοῖς λαμβάνειν καὶ «ὑποδεδέσθαι σανδάλια » ἔν τισι τῶν ἀντιγράφων. ἐν ἄλλοις γάρ φησιν, ὅτι «παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδὲν αἴρωσιν εἰς ὁδόν », μήτε «ῥάβδον» μήτε «πήραν» μήτε «ἄρτον » μήτε «εἰς τὴν ζώνην χαλκὸν » μήτε «ὑπο δεδεμένους <σανδάλια> ». 47 Mt 10, 10 Μήτε δύο χιτῶνας , ἀλλὰ τὸν «ἄρραφον » καὶ «ἄνωθεν ὑφαντὸν » Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν· «ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύ-σασθε »· «τὸν » γὰρ παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον « ἀποδύσασθαι δεῖ » σὺν ταῖς πράξεσι « καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις » αὐτοῦ . τοῦτον

Commentary on Matthew 10§4

4Having left Joseph in the hands of Egypt, he went out naked. Mt 10:10 'Nor sandals.' It is not fitting for an apostle in journeys to carry death, but to walk with life following the one saying, 'I am the way,' and to step out of a holy land wearing nothing; for they are not 'paths of serpent upon rock,' Mt 10:10 and perhaps not of any other beast.

For as much as you have the Savior lighting your darkness and guarding 'your entrance and your exit,' Mt 10:10 you have no need of sandals. Where there is no disorder, but gentleness, there is no need for a rod, so as not to frighten in the beginning by means of the rod; for beautiful sheep turn to the shepherd by voice alone, so if you have the staff, do not fear the rod, which Paul holds up against the Corinthians. Mt 10:10

He says these things so that glory might not be carried away by an easy and ready mind among those dwelling in the city. Mt 10:11-15 But the punishment is equal to the Sodomites for those not receiving them, since those who seemed to have received the angels as hospitality rebuked them, but those calling for a kingdom entreated them. Mt 10:11-15

Just as the serpent withdraws from those pursuing and hides himself, Mt 10:16 so also you, withdrawing from those pursuing, will endure the time of the Gospel without pre-empting it.

He prepares the apostles so as to become ready for the things that will happen and not to be disturbed, Mt 10:19-22 and at the same time shows the power of God helping them and his own proclamation, and neither the madness nor the unbelief of the Jews being spared, nor even of their own. 'And you will be hated,' he says, 'by many'; Mt 10:22 for this is that which is by all; for many were there receiving them in their houses and loving them. 'And he who endures until the end, this shall be saved,' he says; Mt 10:22 for he who only having been bold and believing in the beginning, but not until the end, this one is not a partaker of the promised good things; for in every matter, both good and bad, the end is indicative.

For if even these are not from God, Mt 10:29 but not without God's forgiveness, allowing toward a useful end, and these to the one working them out pre-emptively, just as I said concerning Job.

the saying about the sparrows is spoken excessively

Greek · §4

καταλείψας Ἰωσὴφ «ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ » Αἰγυπτίας γυμνὸς ἐξῆλθεν. 48 Mt 10, 10 Μηδὲ ὑποδήματα . ἀποστόλῳ πρέπον ἐν ταῖς πορείαις μὴ ἔχειν νέκρωσιν, ζῶσι δὲ ποσὶν ὁδεύειν τὸν εἰπόντα· «ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδός », καὶ ἐκβαίνειν ἁγίας γῆς μηδὲν ὑφορώμενον χαλεπόν· οὐ γάρ εἰσιν «ὁδοὶ ὄφεως ἐπὶ πέτρας », τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ ἄλλου θηρίου. 49 Mt 10, 10 Ὅσον γὰρ ἔχεις τὸν σωτῆρα φωτίζοντα τὸ σκότος σου καὶ φυλάσ σοντα «τὴν εἴσοδόν σου καὶ τὴν ἔξοδόν σου », οὐκ ἔχεις χρείαν ὑποδη μάτων. 50 Mt 10, 10 Ὅπου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀταξία, ἀλλ' ἡμερότης, οὐ χρεία ῥάβδου, ἵνα μὴ ἐν ἀρχῇ δόξῃ ἐκφοβεῖν διὰ τῆς ῥάβδου· τὰ γὰρ καλὰ πρόβατα διὰ μόνης φωνῆς ἐπιστρέφουσι τοῦ ποιμένος, ὥστε εἰ ἔχεις τὸ πρᾶον, μὴ φοβοῦ τὴν ῥάβδον, ἣν Κορινθίοις ἐπανατείνεται ὁ Παῦλος. 51 Mt 10, 11®15 Ταῦτά φησιν ὥστε μὴ εὐκόλου καὶ προχείρου γνώμης ἀποφέρεσθαι δόξαν παρὰ τοῖς τὴν πόλιν οἰκοῦσιν. ἰσόρροπον δὲ τοῖς Σοδομίταις τὴν τιμωρίαν τοῖς μὴ δεξαμένοις ἐπάγει, ἐπειδήπερ οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ ξενίαν ἐλη λυθέναι δοκοῦντας τοὺς ἀγγέλους ἐνύβρισαν, οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ βασιλείαν καλοῦν τας παρῃτοῦντο. 52 Mt 10, 16 Ὥσπερ ὁ ὄφις ὑποχωρεῖ τοῖς διώκουσι καὶ κατακρύπτει ἑαυτόν, οὕτω καὶ 4 ὑμεῖς ὑποχωροῦντες τοῖς διώκουσι διαρκήσετε τὸν τοῦ εὐαγγε λισμοῦ χρόνον μὴ προαναιρούμενοι. 53 Mt 10, 19®22 Προπαρασκευάζει τοὺς ἀποστόλους ὥστε ἑτοίμους γενέσθαι πρὸς τὰ συμβησόμενα καὶ μὴ θορυβεῖσθαι, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ δύναμιν <δεικνὺς> τὴν ἐπικουροῦσαν αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ κηρύγματος καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων μανίαν τε καὶ ἀπιστίαν μὴ φεισομένων μηδὲ τῶν οἰκειο τάτων. μισούμενοι δὲ ἔσεσθε , φησίν, ὑπὸ πολλῶν· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ ὑπὸ πάντων · καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ ὑπῆρχον οἱ παραδεχόμενοι αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις αὐτῶν καὶ φιλοῦντες. καὶ ὁ μέχρι τέλους ὑπομείνας, οὗτος σωθήσεται , φησίν· ὁ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ μόνον θαρρήσας καὶ πιστεύσας, μὴ μέντοι γε μέχρι τέλους, οὐκ ἔστιν οὗτος μέτοχος τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν· παντὸς γὰρ πράγματος ἀγαθοῦ τε καὶ φαύλου τὸ τέλος ἐστὶν ἐνδεικτικόν. 55 Mt 10, 29 Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ ταῦτα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἄνευ θεοῦ συγχωρήσεως πρός τι χρήσιμον τέλος ἐπιτρέποντος καὶ ταῦτα τῷ ἐργάζεσθαι αὐτὰ προαιρουμένῳ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰὼβ ἔφηνεν. ἰστέον δὲ καὶ τὸ τῶν στρουθίων ἐξ ὑπερβολῆς εἰρημένον, ἅτε μὴ πάνυ τῷ θεῷ διαφερούσης τῆς περὶ ταῦτα προνοίας κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον εἰρηκότα «μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ θεῷ »· ἀνθρώπων γὰρ ἕνεκα ταῦτα προνοίας τῷ δεδόσθαι αὐτὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰς χρῆσιν, τὸ δὲ ἀσσάριον εὐωνίας σύμβολον. 56 Mt 10, 32®33 Ὑπερέχει ὡς παρὰ θεοῦ τὸ ἔπαθλον· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἴσον ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων ὁμολογήσαντας ἐπὶ θεοῦ ὁμολογηθῆναι. ἐξ ἀντιστρόφου δὲ ὁ φόβος τοῖς ἀρνουμένοις· μέγα γὰρ καὶ φοβερὸν τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν κύριον ἀρνή σασθαι τοὺς δόξαντας εἶναι δούλους ὡς μάτην ἐπιγραψαμένους τὸ ὄνομα. δεῖ δὲ τὸν πιστεύοντα καρδίᾳ καὶ στόματι ὁμολογεῖν. «καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύ εται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν ». 57 Mt 10, 34 Τὸ τῶν ἀπίστων ἀσύμφωνον πρὸς τοὺς πιστοὺς αἴτιον τῆς ἐσομένης ἔσται διαφορᾶς. ἐπεὶ οὖν πρεπῶδες αὐτῶν εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ εἰρηνοποιόν, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· μὴ νομίσητε αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων προσήκειν σῴζεσθαι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰρηνεύειν πρὸς πάντας ὀφείλετε. εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ πρὸς εἰρήνην τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀντιταττόμενοι, ὧν τὴν εἰρήνην ὑμῖν οὐ παρα δεκτέον· μόνη γὰρ ἡ κατὰ θεὸν πρὸς εἰρήνην συμφωνία· τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα εἰρήνη. 58 Mt 10, 34 Εἰ οὖν ἡμᾶς δεῖ φιλεῖν τοὺς πιστοὺς διὰ τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀγάπην, κἂν ἀλλότριοι τυγχάνωσι κατὰ συγγένειαν, δίκαιον ἂν εἴη τοὺς ἀπίστους μισεῖν, κἂν ὦσιν οἰκειότατοι. 59 Mt 11, 2®3 Τινές φασιν, ὅτι οὐδὲ τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἡ οἰκονομία πρό δηλος ἦν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῷ τέλει τῶν πραγμάτων γινώσκεται. οὐδὲν οὖν θαυ μαστόν, εἰ καὶ Ἰωάννης ἠγνόει καὶ ὅτι προσεδόκησε μὲν ἥκειν λυτρωτὴν τὸν κύριον, οὐχ ἑώρα δὲ τὴν λύτρωσιν, ἀλλ' ἦν αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἐν δε σμωτηρίῳ . διὰ τοῦτο <διὰ τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπε> μὴ πάντη μὲν ἀπολύειν τὴν ἐλπίδα, διστάζειν δὲ καὶ ὥσπερ ἐπιστηρίζεσθαι βούλεσθαι καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐρωτᾶν, εἰ τῷ ὄντι, καθάπερ ᾠήθη μὲν αὐτός, εἴη παραγεγονὼς ἢ ἕτερος προσδοκητέος . 60 Mt 11, 10®13 Σαφῶς ἐξηγήσατο τὴν Ἰωάννου πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους διαφοράν, ὅπερ ἦν τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἀκροτελεύτιον νόμου καὶ προφητῶν καὶ συνάπτειν πρὸς τὸ κήρυγμα τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, ὃ δὴ καὶ ἑξῆς ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ <παραγενέσθαι> ὁ κύριός φησιν. ἐπακολουθεῖ ἕως

Divine Will and the Manner of Teaching§5

5Now what is being proclaimed is this: it is until the continuous end; for 'until' means being sent along with all time up to this point. He says that the kingdom of the heavens comes by force to those to whom it comes, because it is necessary by force to grasp bodily nature and to be held together by spirit, having died to the world but living to God, which thing law and prophets did not yet have (Mt 11:14).

And he says that Elijah is John according to the power and the spirit of Elijah. And since what was being said was unclear, it was left to those capable of understanding the knowledge. This also the angel Gabriel said concerning him: 'and he will go out before him in the spirit and power of Elijah,' showing this one to be so, even if the one seen was a different person (Mt 11:14).

Instead of 'that all things had happened justly'; for from which he repented some, it was being shown not idly nor in vain that the things having happened were fulfilled; for this is the justifying of wisdom, to receive the presence of wisdom as its own, just as children. And wisdom is also justified from works, according to wisdoms being performed, or from words (Mt 11:19).

'And you,' he says, 'Capernaum, resisting the honor and undergoing judgment' (Mt 11:23). Foreseeing the transition of the Word to the nations because of the disobedience of Israel, he praises and glorifies the Father on our behalf, the ones who shall be benefited. And he gives thanks to his Father and to the Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord being in symmetry with the slaves and offering thanks for the things of slaves toward a Master.

And he says, according to the pleasure of the Father, that the mystery concerning him should be hidden from Israel, the wise nation, but be revealed to the foolish nations first. Through which it is shown both that the coming did not fail to encounter God, nor did the presence of Christ fail the intended purpose, but these things happened because God had forewarned and having pre-ordained the plan of grace...

The justice of God's good pleasure is kept silent here, but is shown in another way. For the good pleasure of God is not irrational, nor do men attain knowledge and wisdom in any other way than through themselves.

If the yoke is kind and the burden light (Mt 11:30), how did he call it a 'narrow' 'way'? It is narrow for the reckless, for the earnest find the commands of the Lord to be light; for even if there is a little bodily toil, the God-fearing man, now being nourished by good hopes, bears these things.

Having examined the bitter ones, they demonstrate them to be not philanthropists against those who do no wrong (Mt 12:7). Therefore also he remembers the prophetic word, which prefers showing mercy over sacrifice.

And you, man, if you have a withered hand, having heard from the Savior: stretch out your hand while Jesus is working at good deeds, and it shall be restored to health like the other (Mt 12:13).

Those teaching in the marketplaces do not do this for the sake of benefit, but of pride and also of vainglory. Therefore, they fail in the purpose of teaching and in being slandered by all. Thus the Savior teaches us not by word alone, but also by manner, neither shouting nor making a show and publishing faults; for it is so harmful for us to be disposed in this way, whereas the opposite is both most useful and most profitable.

Again, the power to cast out demons by the Spirit (Mt 12:28) is as much possible for a man to have without being turned aside, according to the economy. If the energy of the Spirit is the kingdom of God, I do not by any means think the Spirit to be an addition to the divinity, being brought in from the servile creation into the construction of the divine kingdom.

He says that blasphemy against God is unpardonable regarding the name of the Spirit (Mt 12:31-32), but says that blasphemy against God, not having forgiveness, is an insult; for it has something against itself in comparison to that, as has been thought and...

Greek · §5

ἄρτι τὸ κη ρυττόμενον, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἕως τοῦ διηνεκοῦς· τὸ γὰρ ἕως ἄρτι συμπαρα πεμπτέον τῷ παντὶ χρόνῳ. βίᾳ δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν παρα γίνεσθαί φησιν οἷς παραγίνεται, διότι βίας δεῖ πρὸς τὸ κρατῆσαι φύσεως σωματικῆς καὶ πνεύματι συγκραθῆναι, κόσμῳ μὲν ἀποθανόντας, ζῶντας δὲ τῷ θεῷ, ὅπερ οὔπω νόμος ἔχει καὶ προφῆται. 62 Mt 11, 14 Ἠλίαν δὲ λέγει τὸν Ἰωάννην κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὸ 5 πνεῦμα τοῦ Ἠλίου. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἦν τὸ λεγόμενον ἀσαφές, τοῖς δυναμένοις συνιέναι τὴν γνῶσιν κατέλιπεν. 63 Mt 11, 14 Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν περὶ αὐτοῦ Γαβριήλ· «καὶ αὐτὸς προελεύσεται » ἔμπροσθεν «αὐτοῦ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ δυνάμει Ἠλίου » δεικνὺς αὐτὸν τοῦτον ὄντα, εἰ καὶ παρ' ἐκεῖνον ἕτερος ἦν ὁ ὁρώμενος. 64 Mt 11, 19 Ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀπεφάνθη πάντα δικαίως γεγενημένα· ἀφ' ὧν γὰρ ὤνησέν τινας, ἐδείκνυτο οὐκ ἀργῶς οὐδὲ εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην πεπληρῶσθαι τὰ γεγενη μένα· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ δικαιῶσαι τὴν σοφίαν, τὸ τοὺς οἰκείους αὐτῆς καθά περ παῖδας ἀποδέχεσθαι τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτῆς. δικαιοῦται δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ ἔργων σοφία κατὰ σοφίαν ἐπιτελουμένων ἢ ἀπὸ λόγων. 65 Mt 11, 23 Καὶ σύ , φησίν, Καπερναούμ , ἀντίρροπον τῇ τιμῇ καὶ τὴν κατά κρισιν ὑπομενεῖς. 66 Mt 11, 25®26 Τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη μετάβασιν τοῦ λόγου προορῶν διὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἀπείθειαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τῶν εὐεργετηθησομένων ὑμνεῖ καὶ δοξάζει τὸν πατέρα. εὐχαριστεῖ δὲ πατρὶ μὲν ἑαυτοῦ, κυρίῳ δὲ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς , συσχη ματιζόμενος τοῖς δούλοις ὁ κύριος καὶ τὰς ὑπὲρ δούλων πρὸς δεσπότην ἀναφέρων εὐχαριστίας. λέγει δὲ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς εὐαρέστησιν κε κρύφθαι μὲν ἀπὸ Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ σοφοῦ ἔθνους τὸ κατ' αὐτὸν μυστήριον, τοῖς δὲ πρῶτον ἀσυνέτοις ἔθνεσιν ἀποκαλυφθήσεσθαι. δι' ὧν ἀποδείκνυται μὲν ὡς οὐ διέλαθεν θεὸν τὸ ἐσόμενον οὐδὲ ἀπέτυχεν ἡ Χριστοῦ παρουσία τοῦ προκειμένου σκοποῦ, ἀλλὰ προειδότος θεοῦ ταῦτα ἐγένετο καὶ προ τεταχότος τὴν τῆς χάριτος μεταβολήν. τὸ δὲ δίκαιον τῆς εὐδοκίας ἐνταῦθα παρασιωπᾶται, ἑτέρως δὲ δείκνυται. οὐ γὰρ ἄλογος εὐδοκία θεοῦ, οὐδ' ἑτέρως ἢ δι' ἑαυτοὺς ἀποτυγχάνουσι γνώσεως καὶ σοφίας ἄνθρωποι. 67 Mt 11, 30 Εἰ χρηστὸς ὁ ζυγὸς καὶ τὸ φορτίον ἐλαφρόν , πῶς «στενὴν » ἐκάλεσεν «τὴν ὁδόν »; στενή ἐστι τοῖς ῥᾳθύμοις, τοῖς γὰρ σπουδαίοις ἐλαφρὰ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἐπιτάγματα· εἰ γὰρ καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἔχει σωματικὸν πόνον, ἀλλ' ὁ νῦν ἐλπίσιν ἀγαθαῖς τρεφόμενος ὁ θεοσεβὴς κούφως φέρει ταῦτα. 68 Mt 12,7 Πικροὺς ἐξετάσας ἀποδείκνυσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ οὐ φιλανθρώπους κατὰ τῶν οὐδὲν ἀδικούντων. διὸ καὶ μέμνηται τῆς προφητικῆς λέξεως, ἣ τὸ ἐλεεῖν καὶ τοῦ θύειν προτιμᾷ. 69 Mt 12,13 Καὶ σὺ ἄνθρωπε, ἐὰν ἔχῃς χεῖρα ξηράν, ἀκούσας παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος· ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς ἐνεργοῦντος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἀποκατασταθήσεται ὑγιὴς ὡς ἡ ἄλλη. 71 Mt 12,19®21 Οἱ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις διδάσκοντες οὐκ ὠφελείας ἕνεκα τοῦτο ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ὑπερηφανίας ἅμα καὶ ἀλαζονείας. διὸ πρὸς τῷ διαβάλλε σθαι ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ τοῦ σκοποῦ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀποτυγχάνουσιν. ταῦτα οὖν ὁ σωτὴρ οὐ λόγῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρόπῳ διδάσκει ἡμᾶς μήτε κραυ γάζειν μήτε φανητιᾶν καὶ δημοσιεύειν τὰ κατορθώματα· τοσοῦτον γὰρ βλαβερὸν τὸ οὕτως ἡμᾶς διακεῖσθαι, ὅσον τὸ ἐναντίον χρησιμώτατόν τε καὶ ὠφελιμώτατον. 72 Mt 12,28 Πάλιν τὸ ἐν πνεύματι <ἐκβάλλειν αὐτὸν τὰ δαιμόνια> δυνατὸν ὡς ἄνθρωπον ἀτρέπτως δυνάμενον ἔχειν κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν. εἰ δὲ πνεύ ματος ἐνέργεια βασιλεία ἐστὶ θεοῦ, μηδαμῶς ἐπείσακτον τῇ θεότητι τὸ πνεῦμα νομίζωμεν ἀπὸ τῆς δουλικῆς κτίσεως ἐπεισαγόμενον εἰς τὴν τῆς θείας βασιλείας κατασκευήν. 73 Mt 12,31®32 Τὴν εἰς θεὸν βλασφημίαν ἀσύγγνωστον εἶναί φησιν τῷ τοῦ πνεύ ματος ὀνόματι, ἀσυγχώρητον δὲ εἶναι λέγει λοιδορίαν θεοῦ συγγνώμην οὐκ ἔχουσαν· τὴν γὰρ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἔχειν πρὸς σύγκρισιν ἐκείνης, καθὸ νενόμισται καὶ

The Seven Spirits and the Rejection of the Covenant§6

6A man was seen to have come through lowliness and a despised nature. But the judgment interpreted according to the law—neither for this present age nor for the coming one—is not to be forgiven. For when the law commands the condemned God to die, and the Lord is held against the law, it does not grant forgiveness for such a thing.

But if the forgiveness through baptism is kept silent in such matters, since there was not even a time to discourse with the Jews about this; for there is found a certain distinction between the judgment in this age and the coming one, that the one being baptized will be from this age; and a certain distinction is examined between the present and the coming life, and thus it holds a denial of the examination from the law, according to Paul the speaker saying, 'God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?' (Romans 8:33). Does not the doing of wonders and the loosening of demons, which only the Spirit does, leaving these things to the demon, leave you no forgiveness for the blasphemy? He says this, not refusing that the blasphemy against himself be forgiven, nor refusing a place of repentance for those blaspheming against the Spirit, if they wished, but claiming that the blasphemy against him, as against a man, would then only seem to be a lesser thing when compared to the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, but after the resurrection from the dead and the ascent to heaven and it being clearly shown that he is truly the Son of God and God. Even if he has become unchangeably a man, the blasphemy against him will not be forgiven, unless through a sincere repentance of his fault.

From this we learn (Mt 12:43-45) that a demon will not overpower a man of better disposition, but such a one will be an impassable barrier to him, having virtue preceding, and leaving no place for him, as the Preacher advises. On the contrary, the evil and reckless man is a rider for the evil spirit regarding the good. And we learn that the demons also possess a certain consolation for those who are suitable to themselves; for when they are not able to do this, they do not rest, just as it is said from the opposites that the rest of the Divine Spirit is the suitability toward men; for 'the Holy One rests in the holy ones' (Ps 99:2).

God. But the entering in with many after the one-time departure has a cause in the unchangeable wickedness of man. And the seven spirits are to be considered much; for among the multitudes, many times the seven are mentioned according to the divine Scripture. In the beginning, indeed, the evil spirit dwelt among the Jews, when in Egypt they were idolaters; but it departed when they were called by God. After these things, when it had failed against the one who was called, then the grace passed over to the Gentiles, and they were being given out. And the one among the Gentiles became a dwelling of the evil ones, both harsh and inaccessible, having received God, the Gentiles. But the return to Israel is easier than before, and with a great multitude of the exodus. Therefore, it is bad that they now pass through, being constantly arranged toward the blasphemy against Christ as in Egypt, not having the covenant toward Abraham, and not expecting according to justice even as then, but being cut off from hope, because they have rejected the fulfiller of this. Thus the Lord has made manifest in the words toward them both their remaining rejection and the judgment of the coming shame, and the already-established rule by the evil one.

That his brothers did not believe in him (Mt 12:46), we learn from John, and from Mark we have heard somewhat more: as if they were attempting to hold him having gone astray. With such a mind, the Lord did not remember them as his own, but he demonstrates the subjects; to these he foretells all the names of the relatives, who, according to the intimacy of obedience to him, were joined together. And even if Mary's opposition was only for a time, just as Simeon also foretold saying, 'and your own soul' and the following, it is fitting that the Lord also returned to these things favorably, remembering her passion and having joined her to the beloved disciple.

In these things it is sought how he did not say that the word had been sown in the beginning, nor did he say the seed beside the road was sown, but this is the one sown beside the road (Mt 13:18-23); even though after a little while he showed the seed to be existing in those in whom he says the word is being compressed and becomes unfruitful. And in the parable of the weeds he also says that the 'good seed' is 'the sons of the kingdom,' not that in...

Greek · §6

ἑωρᾶτο ἄνθρωπος ὢν καὶ δι' εὐτελείας ἐλθὼν καὶ γένους εὐκαταφρονήτου. τὸ δὲ μήτε ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος αἰῶνος μήτε ἐπὶ τοῦ μέλ λοντος ἀφεθήσεσθαι τὴν κατὰ νόμον ἑρμηνεύει κρίσιν καὶ τὴν μέλλουσαν· ὅτε γὰρ νόμος τὸν καταρώμενον θεὸν θανατοῦσθαι κελεύει καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐπιψηφίζεται τῷ νόμῳ συγγνώμην ἐπὶ τῷ 6 τοιούτῳ μὴ διδούς. παρα σεσιωπημένη δὲ ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἡ διὰ βαπτίσματος ἄφεσις εἴη, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ καιρὸς ἦν πω περὶ ταύτης Ἰουδαίοις διαλέγεσθαι· μεταξὺ γάρ πως εὑρίσκεται τῆς ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ καὶ τῆς μελλούσης κατακρίσεως, ὅτι ὁ βαπτιζόμενος ἔξεισιν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου· καὶ μεταξύ πως τῆς παρούσης καὶ τῆς μελλούσης ζωῆς ἐξετάζεται καὶ οὕτως παραίτησιν τῆς ἐκ νόμου ἐξετάσεως ἴσχει κατὰ τὸν λέγοντα Παῦλον «θεὸς ὁ δικαιῶν· τίς ὁ κατακρινῶν ». οὐκοῦν τὸ τὰ θαύματα καὶ τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων κατά λυσιν, ἃ μόνου τοῦ πνεύματος ποιεῖν, ταῦτα τῷ δαίμονι περιτιθέναι οὐδεμίαν ὑμῖν συγγνώμην τῆς βλασφημίας καταλιμπάνει. ταῦτα λέγει οὔτε τὴν εἰς ἑαυτὸν βλασφημίαν ἀφεθήσεσθαι ἀποφαινόμενος οὔτε τοῖς βλασφημοῦσι κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος χώραν μετανοίας, εἰ βούλοιντο, μὴ ἀφιείς, ἀλλ' ἐν παραθέσει τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν βλασφημίαν ὡς εἰς ἄνθρωπον τότε γίνεσθαι μόνον δοκοῦσαν ἐλάττονα φάσκων εἶναι, ὅταν τῇ βλασφημίᾳ τοῦ ἁγίου συγκρίνηται πνεύματος, μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν καὶ τὴν εἰς οὐρανὸν ἄνοδον καὶ σαφῶς ἀποδειχθῆναι, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀληθῶς υἱὸς θεοῦ καὶ θεός. εἰ καὶ ἀτρέπτως γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, οὐδὲ ἡ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀφε θήσεται βλασφημία , εἰ μὴ διὰ πταίσματός τε εἰλικρινοῦς μετανοίας. 74 Mt 12,43®45 Ἐκ τούτου μανθάνομεν, ὅτι μὴ κρατήσει δαίμων ἀνθρώπου τὰ καλλίω προαιρουμένου, ἀλλ' ἀνεπίβατος ὁ τοιοῦτος ἔσται αὐτῷ ἔμφραγμα τῆς εἰσόδου τὴν ἀρετὴν προϊσχόμενος καὶ τόπον αὐτοῦ μηδένα ἀφιείς, ὡς ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστὴς παραινεῖ. τοὐναντίον δὲ ὁ κακὸς καὶ ῥᾴθυμος περὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἱππήλατός ἐστι τῷ πονηρῷ πνεύματι. μανθάνομεν δέ, ὅτι καὶ παραμυθίαν τινὰ τὴν εἰς τοὺς ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιτηδείους ἐνοίκησιν οἱ δαίμονες ἴσχουσιν, εἴ γε ὅτε μὴ δύνανται τοῦτο ποιεῖν οὐκ ἀναπαύονται, ὥσπερ ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων λέγεται καὶ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος ἀνάπαυσις ἡ πρὸς αὐτὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπιτηδειότης· «ἅγιος » γὰρ «ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναπαυόμενος » ὁ θεός. τὸ δὲ μετὰ πλειόνων ἐπεισιέναι τὸ ἅπαξ ἐξελθὸν αἰτίαν ἔχει τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀμετάβλητον πονηρίαν. ἑπτὰ δὲ πνεύματα λογιστέον τὰ πολλά· ἐπὶ γὰρ πλήθους πολλάκις τὰ ἑπτὰ παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ γραφῇ. κατ' ἀρχὴν μὲν ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἐνῴκησε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πονηρόν, ὅτε κατ' Αἴγυπτον εἰδωλολάτρουν, ἐξῆλθε δὲ ὅτε προσεκλήθησαν ὑπὸ θεοῦ· μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ὅτε ἐξήμαρτον εἰς τὸν προσκαλεσάμενον, τότε μετέβαινεν ἡ χάρις ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη, οἱ δὲ ἐξεδίδοντο. καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὥσπερ ἐν ἀνύδροις τισὶ τόποις κατοίκησις ἐγένετο τῶν πονηρῶν χαλεπή τε καὶ δύσβατος θεὸν ὑποδεξαμένων τῶν ἐθνῶν. ἡ δὲ εἰς τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπάνοδος ῥᾷον ἢ πρότερον καὶ μετὰ πολλοῦ πλήθους τῆς ἐφόδου. διὸ κάκιον νῦν διάγουσιν ἢ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ παραταττόμενοι μὲν εἰς τὰς κατὰ Χριστοῦ βλασφη μίας ἀεί, τὴν δὲ πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ διαθήκην οὐκ ἔχοντες κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον προσδοκᾶν κἂν ὥσπερ τότε, ἀλλὰ ἀποκοπτόμενοι τῆς ἐλπίδος, ὅτι τὸν πληρωτὴν ταύτης ἠθετήκασιν. δεδήλωκεν οὖν ἐν τοῖς πρὸς αὐτοὺς λόγοις ὁ κύριος καὶ τὴν ἐσο μένην ἀποβολὴν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν ἐπικρίσεως τῆς μελλούσης αἰσχύνην καὶ τὴν ἤδη κράτησιν ὑπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. 75 Mt 12,46 Ὅτι δὲ μήπω ἐπεπιστεύκεσαν εἰς αὐτὸν «οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ » , μανθάνομεν παρὰ Ἰωάννου, παρὰ δὲ τοῦ Μάρκου καί τι πλέον ἀκηκό αμεν· ὡς γὰρ ἐξεστηκότα κατέχειν ἐπεχείρουν. ἐπὶ τῇ τοιαύτῃ διανοίᾳ καὶ ὁ κύριος οὐχ ὡς οἰκείων αὐτῶν ἐμνήσθη, ἀλλ' ἀντεπιδείκνυσι τοὺς ὑπηκόους, τούτοις τὰ τῆς συγγενείας προγράφων ἅπαντα τὰ ὀνόματα, οἳ κατ' οἰκειότητα τῆς ὑπακοῆς αὐτῷ συνήπτοντο. εἰ δὲ καὶ πρόσκαιρον ἔσχε τὴν Μαρίας ἀντιλογίαν, καθὰ καὶ προεῖπεν ὁ Συμεὼν λέγων· «καὶ σοῦ δὲ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, εἰκότως ἐπανῆλθεν ἐπὶ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ κύριος αὐτῆς εὐμενῶς ἐπὶ τοῦ πάθους μνησθεὶς καὶ συνέστησεν αὐτὴν τῷ ἀγαπητῷ μαθητῇ. 7 76 Mt 13, 18®23 Ἐν τούτοις ἐπιζητεῖται, πῶς οὐ τὸν λόγον εἴρηκεν σπείρεσθαι κατ' ἀρχὴν οὐδὲ εἶπεν τὸ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπέρμα σπαρέν, ἀλλ' οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς , καίτοι γε μετ' ὀλίγον τὸν λόγον ἐδήλωσεν ὄντα τὸ σπέρμα ἐν οἷς λέγει συμπνίγεσθαι τὸν λόγον καὶ ἄκαρπον γίνεσθαι. λέγει δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν ζιζανίων παραβολῇ τὸ «καλὸν σπέρμα » εἶναι «τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς βασιλείας » οὐ τὸ ἐν

The Net and the Fish§7

7He shows not that it is sown into them, but they themselves. Therefore we say that the Word is both seed and that which received the word through comparison and likeness to himself. Because of this, Christ is formed in us and we are being formed according to Christ.

He likens the world to a sea because of the bitterness and the billows of trouble within it (Mt 13:47), but the power of the Word, casting a net upon the world, gathers from various thoughts of the old and new Scripture, from Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish, men and women, free and slaves, righteous and wicked. The net is filled when the master who casts it knows; for this is not for a man to recognize. When the Word of instruction already has the measure of the fullness, then not all who have undertaken the learning of the Word will be found worthy to the master of the net, but a distinction then will occur between the wicked and the good; and to the useless, the end will appear as destruction, but to the good, the dwelling placed by the Lord into different vessels: for many are the dwellings by the Father. But the wicked, who are counted temporarily with the righteous, will no longer have with them the indistinguishable state through weariness, leaving behind for themselves a sweet life, just as fish in the sea; they will undergo the most painful punishment in fire, where nothing remains for the consolation of evil.

The Savior likened the world to the sea because of the trouble and confusion within it, but the power of the Word, casting a net upon the world, was being fulfilled from various thoughts of old and new Scripture gathered from every kind of Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish. Of more wonders and greater events by our Savior (Mt 14:17), it is not less that there is not always use of authority for the abundance of food, but it is necessary many times to be in need and to be without (Mt 15:2).

The Lord turns the evil state of the Pharisees into opposites; for those caring for the bodily things despised the spiritual, but the Savior, introducing the spiritual, renounces the bodily.

Indeed, following the preceding demonstration, the voice of the prophet was applied at the right time, possessing much concord with it (Mt 15:8). Where did the Canaanite woman come from? (Mt 15:21-22) From the idolatry of Tyre and Sidon, from her own people, and from 'the house of her father.' Where did she come from? She came forth as a fragrance of myrrh for the Savior; for she holds a type of the Church from among the Gentiles. But also the Savior came out from the 'kinship' of Israel and from 'his own house,' which is Jerusalem. And the Canaanite woman receives him, she who also received Elijah, the widow; and what did she cry out, shouting: 'Lord, Son of David!'? How did she know to call thus, having studied neither the law nor the prophets? She called him 'Lord' according to his divinity, but 'Son of David' according to the flesh. Consider for me the widow's son who was dead, that is, the body which had been made dead, and the soul having been purified from the demon; he restored both the body and the soul.

For neither does a physician satisfy an untimely desire of those who are sick by seeking the remedy of the disease, nor the fulfillment of pleasure; nor does the Savior fulfill an irrational desire in order to show power. For it is not profitable for such people to be showered with graces which, not being sufficient, do not suffice. Moreover, they ask for a sign from heaven, such as foods like those in the days of the fathers, or a standing of the elements like in the days of Joshua. Having said that they are a wicked generation, he leaves the faithful Zion, the synagogue of the Jews, like a bridegroom leaving a city that has become a prostitute. Just as a physician does not give an untimely desire to those who are sick as a way of loosening their disease, nor does he satisfy their pleasure with harmful foods, so also the Savior does not fulfill an irrational desire to show his power; for many signs from heaven they have seen: 'a spirit descending like a dove' (Mt 16:1-4), the heavens having been opened and the paternal 'voice saying: This is my beloved Son.'

Yet he does not provide an apology to those who work the passion through these things; for the mindset and the conspiracy of the Jews did not harmonize with the counsel of God, nor did they hasten then, which God managed; so that for them, what was being done was impiety according to their opinion, but to God it was a wise dispensation and, to mankind, a saving benefit (Mt 16:23).

And that which is in the glory of his Father: he says 'the glory,' meaning the glory of God, because having become man, he is the Son of God (Mt 16:27).

Greek · §7

αὐτοῖς σπειρόμενον δηλῶν, ἀλλ' αὐτούς. φαμὲν οὖν, ὅτι καὶ ὁ λόγος σπέρμα καὶ ὁ τὸν λόγον δεξά μενος διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν σύγκρισίν τε καὶ ὁμοείδειαν. διά τοι τοῦτο μορφοῦται Χριστὸς ἐν ἡμῖν καὶ ἡμεῖς κατὰ Χριστὸν μορφούμεθα. 77 Mt 13, 47®50 Θαλάττῃ τὸν κόσμον ἀφο μοιοῖ διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ πικρίαν καὶ τοὺς κλύδωνας τῆς ταραχῆς, σα γήνην δὲ ἐπιβαλλομένην τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν τοῦ λόγου δύναμιν ἐκ ποικίλων νοημάτων παλαιᾶς καὶ καινῆς γρα φῆς συνάγουσαν ἐξ Ἑλλήνων τε καὶ βαρβάρων, σοφῶν τε καὶ ἀνοήτων, ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν, ἐλευθέρων τε καὶ δούλων, δικαίων τε καὶ πο νηρῶν. πληροῦται δὲ ἡ σαγήνη τότε, ἡνίκα ὁ δεσπότης ὁ ἐπιβάλλων αὐτὴν οἶδεν· οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώπου τὸ τοῦτο ἐπιγνῶναι. ὅταν δὲ ἤδη τὸ μέτρον ἔχῃ τῆς πληρώσεως ὁ τῆς διδα σκαλίας λόγος, τότε οὐ πάντες οἱ τὴν τοῦ λόγου μαθητείαν ὑπελθόντες εὑρεθήσονται δόκιμοι τῷ τῆς σα γήνης δεσπότῃ, ἀλλὰ διάκρισις τότε γενήσεται πονηρῶν τε καὶ ἀγαθῶν καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἀχρείοις φανεῖσι τὸ τέλος ὄλεθρος, τοῖς δὲ ἀγαθοῖς ἡ παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ μονὴ κατατιθεμέ νοις εἰς ἀγγεῖα διάφορα· «πολλαὶ » γὰρ αἱ παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ «μοναί ». οἱ δὲ πονηροὶ καὶ τέως μετὰ τῶν δι καίων ἀριθμούμενοι οὐκέτι τότε τὴν ἀδιάκριτον ἕξουσιν σὺν αὐτοῖς δια τριβὴν τόν τε ἡδὺν αὐτοῖς ἀπολεί ποντες βίον, ὥσπερ ἰχθύες τὸν ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ, τὴν ὀδυνηροτάτην ὑπο στήσονται ἐν πυρὶ κόλασιν, ἔνθα μηδὲν εἰς παραμυθίαν κακοῦ λείπε ται. Τῇ θαλάττῃ παρείκασεν ὁ σωτὴρ τὸν κόσμον διὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ ταραχήν τε καὶ ζάλην, σαγήνην δὲ ἐπιβαλλομένην τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν τοῦ λόγου δύναμιν ἐκ ποικίλων νοημάτων παλαιᾶς τε καὶ νέας συγκειμένην καὶ ἐκ παντὸς γένους Ἑλλήνων τε καὶ βαρβάρων, σοφῶν τε καὶ ἀνοή των πληρουμένην 78 Mt 14, 17 Πλείστων θαυμάτων καὶ μεγίστων γεγονότων παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν οὐκ ἔλαττόν ἐστι τὸ μὴ ἀεὶ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ χρῆσθαι πρὸς τὴν εὐπορίαν τῆς τροφῆς, ἀλλὰ δεῖσθαι πολλάκις καὶ ἀπορεῖν. 79 Mt 15, 2®6 Εἰς τὰ ἐναντία περιίστησιν ὁ κύριος τὴν πονηρὰν κατάστασιν τῶν Φαρισαίων· οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σωματικῶν φροντίζοντες κατεφρόνουν τῶν πνευματικῶν, ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ τὰ πνευματικὰ παρεισάγων παραιτεῖται τὰ σωματικά. 80 Mt 15, 8 80 Σφόδρα μετὰ τὴν προκειμένην ἀπόδειξιν ἡ τοῦ προφήτου φωνὴ καιρίως ἐπήχθη πολλὴν ἔχουσα τὴν συμφωνίαν. 81 Mt 15, 21®22 Πόθεν ἐξῆλθεν ἡ Χανανῖτις; ἀπὸ τῆς εἰδωλολατρίας Τύρου καὶ Σιδῶνος , ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπὸ «τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρὸς » αὐτῆς. ποῖ ἐξῆλθεν; εἰς ὀσμὴν μύρου τοῦ σωτῆρος· τύπον γὰρ ἐπέχει τῆς ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἐκκλησίας. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ ἐξῆλθεν «ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας » τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ «καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρὸς » αὐτοῦ, τῆς Ἰερουσαλήμ. καὶ ὑποδέχεται αὐτὸν ἡ Χανανῖτις, ἡ καὶ τὸν Ἡλίαν δεξαμένη χήρα· τί δὲ ἐβόα κράζουσα· κύριε, υἱὲ ∆αβίδ ; πόθεν ᾔδει οὕτως καλεῖν, μήτε νόμον μήτε προφήτας μελετήσασα; κύριον μὲν κατὰ τὴν θεότητα, υἱὸν δὲ ∆αβὶδ κατὰ τὴν σάρκα. νόει μοι τὸν τῆς χήρας υἱὸν νεκρὸν ὄντα, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τὸ νενεκρωμένον σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν καθαρισθεῖσαν τοῦ δαιμονίου. ἀπεκατέστησε τὰ ἀμφότερα σῶα. 8 82 Mt 16, 1®4 Ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὔτε ἰατρὸς ἀκαί ρους ἐπιθυμίας τῶν νοσούντων ἐμ πίπλησι τὸ τῆς νόσου λυτικὸν ζητῶν, οὐ τὸ τῆς ἡδονῆς πληρωτικόν, οὔτε ὁ σωτὴρ ἐπιθυμίαν ἄλογον πληροῖ πρὸς τὸ δεῖξαι τὴν δύναμιν· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὔξιμον τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐπιδαψι λεύεσθαι τὰς χάριτας οἳ μὴ ταῖς δοθείσαις ἱκαναῖς οὔσαις ἀρκοῦνται. ἐξ οὐρανοῦ δὲ σημεῖον αἰτοῦσιν οἷον τροφὰς ὧσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν πατέρων ἢ στάσιν στοιχείων ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰη σοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ. εἰπὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς γενεὰν πονηρὰν καὶ μοιχαλίδα καταλείπει ὡς νυμφίος τὴν γενο μένην πόρνην πόλιν πιστὴν Σιὼν τὴν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγήν. Οὔτε ἰατρὸς ἄκαιρον ἐπιθυ μίαν δίδωσι τοῖς νοσοῦσιν ὡς λύου σαν αὐτῶν τὴν νόσον οὔτε τὴν ἡδο νὴν αὐτῶν ἐμπίπλησι βρωμάτων βλαβερῶν, ὡσαύτως καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ ἐπιθυμίαν ἄλογον οὐ πληροῖ πρὸς τὸ δεῖξαι τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ· πολλὰ γὰρ ἑωράκασιν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ση μεῖα· «πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ πε ριστεράν », τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀνεῳγ μένους καὶ τὴν πατρικὴν «φωνὴν λέγουσαν· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός ». 83 Mt 16, 23 Οὐκ ἀπολογίαν δὲ τοῖς δρῶσιν τὸ πάθος διὰ τούτων παρέχει· οὐ γὰρ συνέπνει τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ βουλῇ τὸ Ἰουδαίων φρόνημα καὶ ἐπιβούλευμα οὐδὲ τότε ἔσπευδον, ὅπερ ᾠκονόμει θεός, ὥστε ἐκείνοις μὲν κατὰ γνώμην τὸ πραττόμενον ἀσέβημα ἦν, θεῷ δὲ καὶ σοφὸν οἰκονόμημα καὶ ἀνθρώ ποις σωτήριον εὐεργέτημα. 84 Mt 16, 27 Τὸ δὲ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ· τῇ δόξῃ φησὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, διότι καὶ ἄνθρωπος γενόμενος θεοῦ υἱός ἐστιν

The Fish and the Lost Sheep§8

8As it shows in parallel, having placed both as the Son of Man, saying and that he would appear in the glory of his Father. And he confirms what is being said also with his angels; for the angels are of God, and not of any creature, nor of man. Because of this, indeed, 'Lord of Powers' is a name for God. And a name of identity is a mark of knowledge. And he says that such one appearing gives to each according to his deed.

Regarding Matthew 17:5, the Father announcing the Son appears from the voice heard there, as if proclaiming and itself the testimony coming from above through all; for a voice of God is not to be considered heard by the ear, nor is the sensible from the incorporeal. And just as 'no one has seen God ever' (John 1:18), neither has anyone heard God. But what you hear of his dispensation has the power of necessity; for he says it is rather than the prophets introduced by Moses, that the time has already advanced and to depart from the introduction toward perfection, from the types toward the truth; for the law having been introduced through the appearance from above, it was not possible for the greater to prevail among men if not introduced by the appearance from above.

Regarding Matthew 17:22-23, he therefore says that what is going to happen in Jerusalem is not yet approaching, nor the time according to which it was necessary to suffer, so that he might reveal the divine foreknowledge being such, and that he was about to suffer voluntarily, not departing from where he was to be persuaded through ignorance. And it happened for the disciples' benefit so that they would not be troubled as if men had prevailed against him.

Regarding Matthew 17:24, this was a legal matter concerning the drachmas, having been determined by Moses saying: 'each will give a ransom for his own soul, the half of a drachma' (Exodus 30:13). These things indeed the Jews were collecting from everyone, and the drachma was being given as a ransom for two souls according to the law; neither was it being added to the rich one, as the law has said, nor was it being diminished for the poor one 'from the half of a drachma'. That is, he says, the holy thing is according to the drachma, nothing else being hinted at regarding the matter, or the true ransom, since all things were being shadowed toward this. And the true ransom was the Lord, having the Father in himself by power, as a divine character is, of which the giving of the drachma is a symbol, even though it is a drachma...

Regarding the redemption, no one can give more than half, even if they become rich. The mystery was that the Son could not be separated from the Father, nor could one understand anything lacking of perfection concerning Christ, whence it is said, 'all the fullness of deity dwells in him bodily' (Col 2:9).

He presents himself as creator and lord of the sea and those in it and every element, as the proper Son of God and Father. For this fish held a type of the church, which of old was seized by the salt and dread of unbelief and was deeply submerged in the depth, and was baptized and tossed by the storm and surge of worldly pleasures; but it was hauled up by the hook of the apostles, through teaching and fishing and the word that hunts, toward the knowledge of God, 'who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light' (1 Pet 2:9).

Because of this, it is fitting to adapt his coming into the world to the previously set parable as if it were a sheep that has become lost; that is, the man being among the hundred sheep, from the multitude of the heavenly powers, being similar to them as a rational being, being counted as a sheep among sheep, yet being the least compared to the great multitude, and therefore one hundred among sheep. But his wandering is the stumbling of Adam. It is sought appropriately that he also remain similar to those remaining with God, and for their replenishment it is necessary, so that the shepherd might not be lacking and be a stump, just as Paul said that they might 'recapitulate all things' in Christ (Eph 1:10), the recovery of the part that had flowed away, since the standing together of the whole in Christ is not complete due to what is missing and lacking.

It is peculiar to the parable to command that the woman and children and all that she has be sold and returned; for regarding human affairs this is possible, but regarding the judgment from Christ, things not owned are not being sold, nor would the repayment of debts occur. But the taking away of all things which someone has for pleasure and for enjoyment, and the repayment through sufferings, is shown; and regarding opposites, the opposite is released; thus, labors dissolve pleasures. Therefore also the...

Greek · §8

ὡς δηλοῖ παράλληλα τιθεὶς ἑκάτερα υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου λέγων καὶ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ παρεσόμενον. προσβεβαιοῖ δὲ τὸ λεγόμενον τῷ καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων αὐτοῦ · θεοῦ γὰρ οἱ ἄγγελοι, ποιήματος δὲ οὐδενὸς οὐχ ὅπως ἀνθρώπου. διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ «κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων » ὄνομα θεῷ. ὄνομα δὲ τῆς ἰδιότητος γνώρισμα. τὸν δὲ τοιοῦτον ἐπιφανέντα φησὶν ἀποδώ σειν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὐτοῦ . 85 Mt 17, 5 Πατὴρ υἱὸν μηνύων φαίνεται τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἠχούσης φωνῆς οἷον ἐκτυ πούσης καὶ αὐτῆς τὴν ἄνωθεν ἐρχομένην παρὰ πάντας μαρτυρίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἐξάκουστον φωνὴν θεοῦ νομιστέον· οὐδὲ γὰρ αἰσθητὸν ἐξ ἀσωμάτου. καὶ ὥσπερ «οὐδεὶς ἑώρακεν θεὸν πώποτε », οὐδὲ ἀκήκοεν θεόν. τὸ δὲ ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ διαστολῆς ἔχει δύναμιν ἀναγκαίας· αὐτοῦ γάρ φησιν μᾶλλον ἢ Μωσέως εἰσηγησαμένων προφητῶν, ὅτι προελθεῖν ἤδη καιρὸς καὶ μετελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα, ἐκ τῶν τύπων ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν· νόμου γὰρ εἰσαχθέντος διὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐπιφανείας οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν τὸ μεῖζον ἰσχῦσαι παρὰ ἀνθρώποις μὴ οὐχ ὑπὸ τῆς ἄνωθεν ἐπιφανείας εἰσηγμένον. 86 Mt 17, 22®23 Λέγει τοίνυν τὸ συμβησόμενον ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ οὔπω πλησιάζοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ χρόνου καθ' ὃν ἔδει παθεῖν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν πρόγνωσιν θείαν οὖσαν ἀνακαλύψῃ καὶ ὅτι ἑκουσίως πάσχειν ἔμελλεν, ἅτε μὴ ὑπ' ἀγνοίας ἀπιὼν ἔνθα πείσεσθαι ἔμελλεν. καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς δὲ πρὸς ὠφελείας ἐγίνετο πρὸς τὸ μὴ ταράσσεσθαι ὡς ἀνθρώπων ἰσχυσάντων κατ' αὐτοῦ. 87 Mt 17, 24 Νομικὸν ἦν τοῦτο τέλος τῶν διδράχμων διὰ Μωυσέως ὁρισθὲν λέγοντος· «δώσουσιν ἕκαστος λύτρα τῆς ψυχῆς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κυρίῳ, τὸ ἥμισυ τοῦ διδράχμου ». ταῦτα δὴ συνέλεγον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι παρὰ πάντων καὶ ἐδίδοτο τὸ δίδραχμον δύο ψυχῶν λύτρωσις κατὰ τὸν νόμον οὔτε τοῦ πλουτοῦντος προστιθέντος ᾧ ὁ νόμος εἴρηκεν οὔτε τοῦ πενομένου ἐλαττοῦν τος «ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡμίσεως τοῦ διδράχμου ». ὅ ἐστιν, φησίν, κατὰ τὸ δίδραχμον τὸ ἅγιον, οὐδὲν ἕτερον αἰνιττομένου τοῦ πράγματος ἢ τὸ λύτρον τὸ ἀλη θινόν, ἐπείπερ ἐσκιαγραφεῖτο πάντα εἰς τοῦτο. τὸ δὲ λύτρον τὸ ἀληθινὸν ὁ κύριος ἦν δυνάμει τὸν πατέρα ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ, καθὸ χαρακτήρ ἐστι θεϊκός, οὗ δὴ σύμβολον τὸ δίδοσθαι τὸ δίδραχμον, καίτοι δραχμῆς οὔσης τῆς λυτρουμένης καὶ μὴ πλέον τοῦ 9 ἡμίσεως ἐξὸν μηδενὶ καταβάλλειν μηδὲ εἰ πλουτοίη· τὸ δὲ μυστήριον ἦν εἰς τὸ μήτε μετὰ πατρὸς σεσαρ κῶσθαι τὸν υἱὸν μήτε ἐνδεές τι τῆς τελειότητος ἐννοῆσαι δύνασθαι περὶ τὸν Χριστόν, ὅθεν εἴρηται «πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος ἐν αὐτῷ κατ οικεῖν σωματικῶς ». 88 Mt 17, 27 Παρίστησιν ἑαυτὸν καὶ θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ παντὸς στοιχείου δημιουργὸν εἶναι καὶ κύριον ὡς υἱὸν ἴδιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρός· ὁ γὰρ ἰχθὺς οὗτος τύπον ἐπεῖχε τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς πάλαι τῇ τῆς ἀπιστίας ἅλμῃ καὶ δεισιδαιμονίας κατειλημμένης καὶ βαθέως ἐν βυθῷ κεκα λυμμένης καὶ ταραχῇ καὶ ζάλῃ τῶν βιωτικῶν ἡδονῶν καταβεβαπτισμένης, ἀναχθείσης δὲ τῷ ἀγκίστρῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων τῷ διδασκαλικῷ καὶ ἁλιευ τικῷ καὶ θηρῶντι λόγῳ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ γνῶσιν, «τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ἡμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς ». 89 Mt 18, 12®13 Κατὰ τοῦτο εἰκότως καὶ τὴν εἰς κόσμον αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν τῇ προ κειμένῃ παραβολῇ προσαρμόζει ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς γεγονυῖαν πρόβατον, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπὸ τῶν προβάτων ὄντα τῶν ἑκατόν , ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν οὐρανίων δυνάμεων, ὁμοιογενῆ αὐτοῖς ὄντα καθὸ λογικός, καθὸ πρόβατον ἐν προβάτοις ἀριθμούμενον, ἐλάχιστον δὲ ὡς πρὸς τὸ πολὺ πλῆθος καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐν προβάτοις ἑκατόν . πλάνη δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ πταῖσμα τοῦ Ἀδάμ. ζητεῖται δὲ εἰκότως, ὅτι καὶ ὁμοιογενὴς τοῖς παρὰ θεῷ μείνασι καὶ πρὸς ἀναπλήρωσιν αὐτῶν ἀναγκαῖον, ἵνα μὴ ἐνδεὴς εἴη ποιμὴν καὶ κολοβὸς εἴη, καθὸ καὶ ἀνακεφαλαίωσιν «τῶν πάντων » εἶπεν ὁ Παῦλος «ἐν Χριστῷ » τὴν τοῦ περιρρυέντος μέρους ἐπανάληψιν οὐκ ἐντελοῦς οὔσης τῆς τῶν ὅλων ἐν Χριστῷ συστάσεως διὰ τὸ ἐκλεῖπον καὶ ἐλλεῖπον. 90 Mt 18, 25 Ἴδιον παραβολῆς τὸ κελεῦσαι πραθῆναι τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἔχει καὶ ἀποδοθῆναι · ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρω πίνων πραγμάτων τοῦτο δυνατόν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς παρὰ Χριστῷ κρίσεως οὐκ οἰκείων πιπρασκομένων οὐδὲ χρημάτων ἡ ἀπόδοσις ἂν γένοιτο τῶν ὀφειλο μένων. ἀλλ' ὑποδείκνυται ἡ πάντων ἀφαίρεσις ὧν τις ἔχει τερπνῶν καὶ καθ' ἡδονὴν καὶ ἡ διὰ τῶν παθημάτων ἀπόδοσις· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων τὸ ἐναντίον λύεται· τὰς οὖν ἡδονὰς οἱ πόνοι λύουσιν. διὸ καὶ ὁ

The Forgiveness of Sins and the Divine Philanthropy§9

9Having willed to pay the debts of the sins of the world, the Savior has suffered on our behalf. The fellow-servants who also report the one who used the master's servant without restraint are both angels and men entrusted with the administration, such as Paul was, who delivered the most shameful wrongdoer to the devil. And just as the one who has canceled the debt becomes free, so the one who suffered for those against whom he was wronged is set free toward salvation.

One must pay attention even to that, that he was conversing about the necessity of forgiving one another among men, and for this purpose, having used the parable, he began thus: 'For this reason the kingdom of heaven was made like...' (Mt 18:31). For our fellow-servants, not bearing our wickedness, accuse us before God, not as if He were ignorant, but as those indignant against those who strike the laws of philanthropy. And he speaks of angels appointed to the tortures. But 'until he pays all that is owed'—that is, he continuously delivered him over to be tortured—for he was never able to pay; here, indeed, God turns the man toward trials, diseases, and other tortures, but in the future, to be tortured unceasingly for eternity (Mt 18:35). And he did not say 'thus your Father will do to you,' but 'my Father'; for such are unworthy to be named sons of God. Therefore, the word traces in brief the unutterable philanthropy of God, which the one not imitating as much as possible will undergo punishment from the righteous judge. And even if it has been said: 'the gifts of God are unchangeable,' yet wickedness was so powerful as to overturn this word. Thus, the word requires two things of us: to remember a certain one of his own sins and to be unforgetful of kindness toward the one who falls.

The Savior has discussed this in a human manner according to the didactic form, not revealing himself to be the creative Word, nor indeed separating the created Son from the creating Father, but perhaps including the Word in the name of the Father, saying 'all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being' (John 1:3). He says that adultery is not living with one's own; but he who abandons his own is not living with his own. Therefore, 'he commits adultery against her'—that is, against the second, whom he joins to the one who is naturally conjoined to him, if he abandons his own. How then does the law not contradict the one saying 'you shall not commit adultery' (Ex 20:14)? We say that the law forbade the manifest adultery when another destroys the one living with him; but the Savior forbids even the one not living in agreement with all, nor even known by nature, nor...

Greek · §9

σωτὴρ ἀποδοῦναι τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ κόσμου βουληθεὶς πέπονθεν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. 91 Mt 18, 31 Οἱ σύνδουλοι οἱ καὶ μηνύοντες τὸν ἀπηνῶς χρησάμενον τῷ συν δούλῳ ἄγγελοί τέ εἰσι καὶ ἄνθρωποι τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐγκεχειρισμένοι ὁποῖος ἦν Παῦλος ὁ τῷ διαβόλῳ παραδοὺς τὸν αἴσχιστα ἠδικηκότα. καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ τὸ χρέος ἐκτείσας ἐλεύθερος γίνεται, οὕτως ὁ παθὼν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἠδίκησεν ἐλευθεροῦται πρὸς σωτηρίαν. προσεκτέον δὲ κἀκείνῳ, ὅτι περὶ τοῦ δεῖν συγχωρεῖν ἀλλήλοις τοῖς ἀνθρώποις διαλεγόμενος καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο τῇ παραβολῇ κεχρημένος οὕτως ἤρξατο· «διὰ τοῦτο ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ». 92 Mt 18, 31®35 Οὐ φέροντες γὰρ τὴν πονηρίαν ἡμῶν οἱ ὁμόδουλοι ἡμῶν ἄγγελοι κατηγοροῦσιν ἡμῶν ἐπὶ θεῷ, οὐχ ὡς ἀγνοοῦντι, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀγανακτοῦντες κατὰ τῶν τοὺς φιλανθρωπίας πατούντων νόμους. βασανιστὰς δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν κολάσεων τεταγμένους ἀγγέλους λέγει. τὸ δὲ ἕως οὗ ἀποδῷ πᾶν τὸ ὀφειλόμενον , τοῦτ' ἔστιν διηνεκῶς αὐτὸν παρέδωκεν εἰς τὸ βασανίζεσθαι· οὐ γὰρ ἠδύνατο ἀποδοῦναί ποτε· ἐνταῦθα μὲν γὰρ ἐπι στρέφων τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ θεὸς πειρασμοῖς καὶ νόσοις καὶ βασάνοις ἑτέραις παραδίδωσιν, ἐν δὲ τῷ μέλλοντι ἀκαταπαύστως βασανίζεσθαι εἰς τὸ διηνεκές. οὐκ εἶπε δὲ οὕτως καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ποιήσει ὑμῖν , ἀλλ' ὁ πατήρ μου · ἀνάξιοι γὰρ οἱ τοιοῦτοι ὀνομάζεσθαι υἱοὶ θεοῦ. διαγράφει τοίνυν ὡς ἐν συντόμῳ ὁ λόγος τὴν ἄφατον τοῦ θεοῦ φιλαν θρωπίαν, ἣν ὁ μὴ μιμησάμενος κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἀπότομον ὑποστήσεται τιμωρίαν παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ. εἰ δὲ καὶ εἴρηται· «ἀμεταμέλητα τὰ χαρίσματα » τοῦ θεοῦ, 10 ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον ἴσχυσεν ἡ κακία ὡς τοῦτον ἀνα τρέψαι τὸν λόγον. δύο οὖν ἡμᾶς ἀπαιτεῖ ὁ λόγος καὶ μεμνῆσθαί τινα τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ ἀμνησικακεῖν τῷ πταίοντι. 93 Mt 19, 4 Τοῦτο ἀνθρωπίνῳ τρόπῳ διείλεκται ὁ σωτὴρ κατὰ τὸ σχῆμα τὸ διδασκαλικόν, οὐκ ἀποκαλύπτων ἑαυτὸν εἶναι τὸν δημιουργὸν λόγον οὐδὲ μὴν χωρίζων ἀπὸ τοῦ κτίζοντος πατρὸς τὸν κτίσαντα υἱόν, ἀλλ' ἐν πατρὸς ὀνόματι καὶ τὸν λόγον ἐμπεριλαμβάνων εἴγε «πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν ». 94 Mt 19, 9 Μοιχείαν δέ φησι τὸ τῇ ἰδίᾳ μὴ συνεῖναι· οὐκ ἰδίᾳ δὲ σύνεστιν ὁ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπολιπών. διὰ τοῦτο « μοιχᾶται ἐπ' αὐτήν », τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἐπὶ τὴν δευτέραν, ἣν ἐπεισάγει τῇ κατὰ φύσιν αὐτῷ συνημμένῃ, ἐὰν τὸν ἴδιον καταλίπῃ. πῶς οὖν ὁ νόμος οὐ συνεχώρει ὁ τὸ «οὐ μοιχεύσεις » λέγων; ἐροῦμεν, ὅτι ὁ μὲν νόμος τὴν προφανῆ μοιχείαν ἀπεκώλυσεν, ὅτε τὴν συνοικοῦσαν ἕτερός τις διαφθείροι· ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ καὶ τὴν οὐχ ὁμολογου μένην παρὰ πᾶσιν οὐδὲ γινωσκομένην τῇ φύσει οὐδὲ

The Capacity for the Kingdom§10

10Being reproved that she is an adulteress, Christ forgives the one who, having committed fornication, departs, because this has dissolved the natural union and it no longer happens by the man. Regarding the division of the Lord, it is possible for those who live in the lower realm to endure the sorrow of this world rather than think as the righteous do (Mt 19:10), but for those who can rise above the world, as if carried by swift wings toward higher righteousness, they experience no pain and are free from the world's sorrows.

Therefore, not imposing a yoke, he said: not all grasp the word, but those to whom it is given. And that 'to whom it is given' is a manifestation of natural gifts, which anyone might call a natural aptitude and the intelligence from birth toward the achievement of temperance; for there are indeed some differences by nature toward each virtue, some being more, others less, disposed toward it. Even if natural things are by no means perfect, nor are they unchangeable and entirely unachievable, but even the apt toward good is perfected by practice, and the unapt is healed by much struggle. Not all say they grasp the word, but those to whom it is given. And that 'to whom it is given' is a manifestation of natural gifts and of the intelligence from birth toward the achievement of temperance.

Only evil and corruption of the creation prevents approaching the Creator, but the deficiency of wisdom is not a hindrance to the approach; for he seeks fullness, and by this the approach is granted. Therefore also the precise expression of such things is 'the kingdom of the heavens' (Mt 19:14); for he did not say of these, but of such as these, since there is also a deficiency of wisdom in children, which the apostle was turning away from saying: 'do not become children in mind, but in wickedness be sober' (1 Cor 14:20). And Mark also went beyond the text stating the reason and as if interpreting: 'of such as these is the kingdom' of the heavens (Mk 10:14); 'Amen I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a child, will by no means enter into it' (Lk 18:17). And the same also Luke, and even more Matthew said: 'whoever shall humble himself like this child, this is the greater in the kingdom of the heavens' (Mt 18:4); for whatever those things have by nature, these things us...

Greek · §10

διελεγχομένην, ὅτι μοιχεία ἐστίν, τὴν μέντοι πορνεύσασαν ἀποστῆσαι συγχωρεῖ Χριστός, ὅτι δὴ διέλυσεν αὕτη τὴν φυσικὴν σύζευξιν καὶ οὐκέτι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τοῦτο γίνεται. 95 Mt 19, 10®12 Πάρεστιν ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου διαιρέσεως τοῖς μὲν ἐν <τῷ> κάτω βαδίζουσιν ὑπομένειν τὸ ἐν κόσμῳ λυπηρὸν μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦ δικαίου κατα φρονεῖν, τοῖς δὲ δυναμένοις ὑπερ βαίνειν τὸν κόσμον οἷον ὑπὸ πτέ ρυγος φέρεσθαι πρὸς τὴν ἄνω δι καιοσύνην, ἀλύπους δὲ ὄντας καὶ ἐλευθέρους ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν κόσμῳ λυ πηρῶν. οὐκ ἐπιβάλλων οὖν βρόχον εἶπεν· οὐ πάντες χωροῦσι τὸν λόγον, ἀλλ' οἷς δέδοται . τὸ δὲ οἷς δέδοται χαρισμάτων φυσικῶν ἐστι δηλωτικόν, ὅπερ ἄν τις καὶ φύσεως ἐπιτηδειότητα λέγοι καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ γεννήσεως εὐφυίαν εἰς τὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης κατόρθωμα· εἰσὶ γάρ τινες καὶ ἐκ φύσεως διαφοραὶ πρὸς ἑκάστην ἀρετήν, τῶν μὲν μᾶλλον, τῶν δὲ ἧττον πρὸς αὐτὴν πεφυκό των. εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα μὴ ἐντελῆ τὰ φυσικά, μηδ' ἂν ἀμετακίνητα καὶ ἀκατόρθωτα παντελῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐπιτήδειον εἰς ἀγαθὸν ἀσκήσει τελειοῦται καὶ τὸ μὴ ἐπιτήδειον ἀγῶνι πολλῷ θεραπεύεται. Οὐ πάντες φησὶν χωροῦσι τὸν λόγον, ἀλλ' οἷς δέδοται . τὸ δὲ οἷς δέδοται χαρισμάτων φυσι κῶν ἐστι δηλωτικὸν καὶ τῆς ἀπὸ γεννήσεως εὐφυίας εἰς τὸ τῆς σω φροσύνης κατόρθωμα. 96 Mt 19, 14®15 Μόνη κακία καὶ διαφθορὰ τῆς δημιουργίας ἀποκωλύει προσελθεῖν τῷ δημιουργῷ, τὸ δὲ τῆς φρονήσεως ἐνδεὲς οὐ κωλυτικὸν τῆς προσόδου· πλήρωσιν γὰρ ἐπιζητεῖ, ταύτῃ δὲ ἡ πρόσοδος χαρίζεται. διὸ καὶ ἀκριβὴς ἡ λέξις τῶν τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν · οὐ γὰρ τούτων εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ τῶν τοιούτων , ἐπειδὴ πρόσεστιν καὶ τὸ τῆς φρο νήσεως ἐνδεὲς τοῖς παισὶν οὗπερ ἀποτρέπων ὁ ἀπόστολος ἔλεγεν· «μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε ». ὁ δὲ Μᾶρκος καὶ ἐπεξῆλθε τὴν αἰτίαν λέγων καὶ οἷον ἑρμηνεύων· «τῶν τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία » τῶν οὐρανῶν· «ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὃς ἂν μὴ δέξηται τὴν βασι λείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς αὐτήν ». τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς καὶ ἀνωτέρω δὲ ἔλεγεν ὁ Ματθαῖος· «ὅστις οὖν ταπεινώσει ἑαυτὸν ὡς τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ μείζων ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν »· ἅπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνα ἔχει τῇ φύσει, ταῦτα ἡμᾶς

Divine Will and the Perfection of Love§11

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11God desires to have through choice simplicity, the forgetfulness of wrongs, and the loving of parents even if they beat him. He placed hands upon the children of the place of the hands, teaching the arming of the divine power.

The early stage of the law is good, and Christ does not annul it; rather, he says, 'if you wish, enter into life' (Mt 19:17), keeping the commandments, showing the beginning of this way, but not fulfilling it; and his law is not something else, testifying through this; but perfection is with him. It is good for the apostolic way here to fit 'laying aside all wealth' (Mt 19:23); for the wealth was shown by the comparison to the camel; 'for narrow and afflicted is the way leading into life' (Mt 19:24). Do the evils then also fit? For where it is said that God follows the good, no healthy person would even conceive that evils are possible for God, or that he would say it is not a weakness to not do good things; for the doing of evils is the opposite of strength, and Paul calls sins weaknesses, saying: 'for while we are still weak, Christ died for the ungodly according to the time' (Rom 5:6), and the Psalmist says: 'their infirmities' (Ps 38:3); he calls sins infirmities. But no one would accuse him by the word that says all things are possible for God, as they are accustomed to say. Is it then possible that the making of the race did not occur for God? For such a thing is useless to him again; and nothing is received as useless before the power of God. Thus all the slanders according to the word are excessive.

Having said, Mark says, that 'Jesus, looking at him, loved him' (Mk 10:21), he stirs up a question: how was he loved who was not going to follow into 'life'? Regarding the former, he who kept the law and these things from youth was worthy of love, but regarding perfection, he did not allow the love upon the following things to become perfect through a lack of time, just as he also did not show perfection. Therefore Paul, having understood all in the law as incomplete, hurried toward perfection. Not as if they were leaving great things, but they, from those which they had, stood up and showed the choice preferring all (Mt 19:27).

Greek · §11

ὁ θεὸς θέλει ἔχειν τῇ προαιρέσει, τὴν ἁπλότητα, τὴν ἀμνησικακίαν, τὸ ἀγαπᾶν τοὺς γονέας, κἂν τύπτηται ὑπ' αὐτῶν. ἐπετίθη δὲ τὰς χεῖρας τοῖς παιδίοις τῆς ἐπι θέσεως τῶν χειρῶν διδασκούσης τὴν τῆς θείας δυνάμεως ὅπλισιν. 97 Mt 19, 17 Καλὴ ἡ τοῦ νόμου προπαίδεια καὶ οὐκ ἀναιρεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτήν, ἀλλ' εἰ θέλεις, φησίν, εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν , τήρει τὰς ἐντολὰς ἀρχὴν τῆς ὁδοῦ ταύτης ἐπιδεικνύων, οὐ συμπλήρωσιν· καὶ τὸ μὴ ἀλλό τριον εἶναι ἑαυτοῦ τὸν νόμον διὰ τούτου μαρτυρῶν· ἡ 11 τελειότης δὲ παρ' αὐτοῦ. 98 Mt 19, 23®26 Καλὸν τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἐνταῦθα ἁρμόζει τὸν «ὄγκον ἀποθέμενοι πάντα »· τὸν γὰρ ὄγκον ἐδήλωσεν ἡ πρὸς κάμηλον ὁμοίωσις· «στενὴ γὰρ καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν ». ἆρ' οὖν καὶ τὰ κακά; ὅπου γὰρ ὁ θεός, εἴρηται, τὸ καλὸν ἕπεται καὶ οὐδ' ἂν ἐννοήσαι τις ὑγιαίνων, ὅτι τὰ κακὰ θεῷ δυνατὰ οὐδὲ ἀδυναμίᾳ εἴποι ἂν τὰ καλὰ μὴ ποιεῖν· ἀσθένεια γὰρ τοὐναντίον ἡ τῶν κακῶν ποίησις καὶ ἀσθενείας τὰς ἁμαρτίας ὁ Παῦλος καλεῖ λέγων· «ἔτι γὰρ ὄντων ἡμῶν ἀσθενῶν κατὰ καιρὸν Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανεν » καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδός· ἐπλήσθησάν φησιν «αἱ ἀσθένειαι αὐτῶν »· τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀσθενείας καλεῖ λέγων. ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἐκεῖνό τις ἂν ἐγκαλέσειεν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ λέγοντι πάντα θεῷ δυνατὰ οἷον λέγειν εἰώθασιν. ἆρ' οὖν καὶ τὸ γένος ποιῆσαι μὴ γεγονέναι θεῷ δυνατόν ἐστιν; ἀχρεῖον γὰρ αὐτῷ πάλιν τὸ τοιοῦτον· οὐδὲν δὲ ἀχρεῖον ἐπὶ θεοῦ δυνάμεως παραλαμβάνεται. ὥστε περισσαὶ πᾶσαι αἱ κατὰ τοῦ λόγου συκοφαντίαι. εἰπὼν δὲ ὁ Μᾶρκος, ὅτι «Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ ἠγάπησεν ἀυτὸν » ζήτησιν κινεῖ, πῶς ἠγαπήθη ὁ μὴ μέλλων ἀκολουθεῖν ἐπὶ «τὴν ζωήν ». ἔστι δὲ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῖς προτέροις ἀγάπης ἄξιος ὁ τὰ τοῦ νόμου φυλάξας καὶ ταῦτα ἐκ νεότητος, τῇ δὲ περὶ τὸ τέλειον ὀλιγωρίᾳ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς πρόσθεν ἀγάπην τελείαν οὐκ εἴασε γενέσθαι, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τὴν τελειότητα ἐδείξατο. διόπερ ὁ Παῦλος ἀτελὲς ἅπαν τὸ ἐν νόμῳ κατα λαβὼν ἐπὶ τὴν τελειότητα ἔσπευσεν. 99 Mt 19, 27 Οὐχ ὡς μεγάλα τινὰ καταλελοιπότες, ἀλλ' αὐτῶν, ὧν εἶχον, ἐκ στάντες καὶ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἐπιδείξαντες τὴν ἁπάντων προτιμῶσαν

Spiritual Kinship and the Gospel§12

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12Christ. According to Matthew 19:28-29, the apostles judge by virtue, reproving evil. And 'now' is the enjoyment of manyfold things according to fellowship, not according to possession; just as the Savior set forth all the things of the brothers for those fighting for the sake of the gospel—thus many houses, and brothers and sisters, and mothers and children, and farms—as an existence for those leaving their own, because love has filled all with kinship and all need.

And Luke also added concerning a woman; and this is according to Paul commanding to honor 'elders' as mothers, and 'younger women' as sisters in all purity. For just as he gives non-brothers as brothers, and non-parents as parents, and non-children as children, so also he gives a non-wife as a wife in another way, namely, manifesting kinship through fullness, not fleshly.

Therefore, to leave behind according to the flesh is a good thing because of the spiritual life, just as Moses said long ago concerning the tribe of Levi: 'He who says to father and mother, I have not seen you, and to his sons, he has kept your words and your covenant and has preserved them. They shall declare your judgments to Jacob and your law to Israel; they shall offer an incense in your anger for all time upon your altar' (Deuteronomy 33:6-8). For there, because of the divine zeal of the race, there is apostasy, and here it is the same; for he does not accept the separation as if God were a stranger, but as if it were not an opportunity to spend time on these things for the one about to be raised up in the ministry of the gospel.

So, therefore, not even the separation from wife and marriage is to be counted as something evil to be praised, but so that even this is not an obstacle to the minister; and the preference of spiritual things altogether shows that the fleshly things are not foreign, unlike the Manichaeans who invalidate the creation of God. And it is no difference to say 'for my sake' or 'for the sake of the gospel' as Mark, or 'for the sake of the kingdom of God' as Luke. For the very name of Christ is the power of the gospel and of the kingdom, and the gospel is hung upon the name of Christ, and the kingdom of God is granted through his name.

Greek · §12

Χριστόν. 100 Mt 19, 28®29 Κρινοῦσιν οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῇ ἀρετῇ τὴν κακίαν ἐλέγχοντες. ἔστι δὲ «νῦν » ἡ τῶν πολλαπλασίων ἀπόλαυσις κατὰ τὴν κοινωνίαν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν κτῆσιν· ὥσπερ δὲ προτέθεικεν ὁ σωτὴρ τὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἅπαντα τοῖς ὑπὲρ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου στρατευομένοις οὕτως καὶ οἰκίας πολλὰς καὶ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ ἀδελφὰς καὶ μητέρας καὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀγροὺς ὕπαρξιν τοῖς τὰ ἴδια καταλείπουσιν, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη πᾶσαν ἐπλήρωσεν οἰκειότητα καὶ πᾶσαν χρείαν. προστέθεικεν δὲ ὁ Λουκᾶς καὶ περὶ γυναικός· τοῦτο δὲ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον κελεύοντα τιμᾶν «πρεσβυτέρας » μὲν «ὡς μητέρας, νεωτέρας δὲ ὡς ἀδελφὰς ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ ». ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀδελφοὺς δίδωσι τοὺς οὐκ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ γονεῖς τοὺς οὐ γονεῖς, τέκνα τὰ οὐ τέκνα, οὕτως καὶ γυναῖκα τὴν οὐ γυναῖκα ἑτέρῳ τρόπῳ δηλαδὴ τὰς οἰκειότητας ἐκ πληρῶν, οὐ σωματικῶς. ἀπολείπειν δὲ οὖν κατὰ σάρκα γένος ἀγαθόν ἐστι διὰ τὴν πνευματικὴν ζωήν, καθὰ καὶ πάλαι περὶ τῆς Λευὶ φυλῆς ἔλεγεν Μωυσῆς· «ὁ λέγων τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῇ μητρὶ οὐχ ἑόρακά σε, καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ, ἐφύλαξεν τὰ λόγιά σου καὶ τὴν διαθήκην σου δι ετήρησεν. δηλώσουσιν τὰ δικαιώματά σου τῷ Ἰακὼβ καὶ τὸν νόμον σου τῷ Ἰσραήλ· ἐπιθήσουσι θυμίαμα ἐν ὀργῇ σου διὰ παντὸς ἐπὶ τὸ θυσι αστήριόν σου »· ἐκεῖ τε γὰρ διὰ τὴν θείαν σπουδὴν τοῦ γένους ἀπόστασις καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἴσον· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὡς ἀλλοτρίων ὄντων θεοῦ τὸν χωρισμὸν ἀποδέχεται, ἀλλ' ὡς οὐ σχολὴν οὖσαν περὶ ταῦτα διατρίβειν τὸν ἀνακεῖσθαι μέλλοντα τῇ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου λειτουργίᾳ. οὕτως τοίνυν οὐδὲ τὸν ἀπὸ γυναικὸς καὶ γάμου χωρισμὸν ὡς ἀπό τινος πονηροῦ νομιστέον ἐπαινεῖσθαι, ἀλλ' ὥστε μηδὲ τοῦτο ἐμπόδιον εἶναι τῷ λειτουργῷ καὶ καθάπαξ ἡ τῶν πνευματικῶν προτίμησις οὐκ ἀλλότρια δείκνυσι τὰ σαρκικὰ ὡς ἐπιχειροῦσιν οἱ Μανιχαῖοι τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κτίσιν ἀθετοῦντες. ἀδιάφορον δὲ τὸ λέγειν ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἐμοῦ ὀνόματος ἢ «ἕνεκεν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου » ὡς ὁ Μᾶρκος ἢ «ἕνεκεν τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ » ὡς ὁ Λουκᾶς. τό τε γὰρ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμίς ἐστι τοῦ εὐαγγελίου καὶ τῆς βασιλείας, τό τε εὐαγγέλιον εἰς ὄνομα ἀνήρτηται τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ χαρίζεται.

The Departure and the Fig Tree§13

13What the first ones thought—that they would receive more—demonstrates a nature, rather than the intellect of holy men; for they do not reckon this at the time of the resurrection, nor will they accuse then (Mt 20:10). More is owed to the former, because they were living under the rule of death and the devil; for this is the burden of the day and the scorching heat, when even the coolness of the Spirit was not present to assist men toward righteousness.

Regarding the cup and baptism, he speaks of death (Mt 20:22); saying 'to drink a cup' as if of wine, just as it is said in Jeremiah that the punishment is to be a 'cup of wine' which one is able to drain and cast down; and 'baptism' signifies the descent into Hades, which had its ascent from there, just as the one being baptized dives into water and rises again; and by saying 'water' he revealed the turbulence of those in Hades.

The event is a sign (Mt 21:2); for it is not a necessity for the one entering Jerusalem with the Lord to sit upon a donkey, who traversed all Judah and Galilee on foot, but to be seen on a colt at that specific time shows the heavenly leader and king sitting upon the new people of Jerusalem; for the colt made the newness of the calling manifest, but also the old, which is not clean according to those now called; for a donkey is not clean according to the law, but is set apart by the various recognitions of uncleanness from clean animals, because the donkey is nocturnal and does not chew the cud.

The people are the untamed colt, upon which neither law nor prophets had seated, awaiting their Lord; for this is also what the Savior said to the sent-off disciples: 'loosening, bring to me' (Mt 21:2). To what, then, was the donkey tied? To the vine, according to what was said: 'binding his colt to the vine and the donkey to the halter.' Loosening, therefore, from the vine, from the first covenant, bring to me.

That it was done so that the said thing might be fulfilled: 'The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's manger' (Ps 32:8). Regarding the times, it did not concern all three evangelists much in the narration of the ascent to Jerusalem; for John, having foretold this more accurately in the first ascent, says that these things were done, and in the third Passover he recounts the passion. Therefore, it only concerned them to recount the event, and they have made the narrative into one of the various ascents.

He shows the departure as if from the unworthy; for he comes to take the kingdom away from Jerusalem because of the passion, and to give the grace to those migrating to us, just as it was foretold through the prophets, as Jeremiah prophesies: 'I have forsaken my house, I have left my inheritance' (Jer 12:7), and the following. He came therefore as if to his own inheritance, but he leaves them as strangers, so that the withdrawing into Bethany was doing as a type of the coming departure, and he was doing these things along with also mourning for the city. And Luke says this: 'And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it' (Lk 19:41), and the following.

But the fig tree is to be understood here as the synagogue of the Jews and the worship in types and shadows, not having fruit that is edible and pleasing to God, the worship in the Spirit. Therefore, as one not producing sweet fruit, the Lord Jesus dried it up in a certain way, being hungry and seeking fruit from out of humanity. Surely, from what he said, that 'fruit shall by no means come from you' (Mt 21:19), he teaches that the worships according to the law are no longer able to benefit the Jews.

He calls the Householder the God who is the master of all, and the vineyard the people of Israel constructed through piety, saying that he was provided with the security of the help of God, by which, having been delivered from the plot of the strangers, he remained upon his own (Mt 21:33-41).

Greek · §13

12 102 Mt 20, 10®12 Τὸ ἐνόμιζον οἱ πρῶτοι, ὅτι πλείονα λήψονται τὴν τοῦ πράγ ματος ἐνδείκνυται φύσιν, οὐ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν διάνοιαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τοῦτο νομιοῦσιν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως οὐδὲ ἐγκαλέσουσι τότε. πλεῖόν τι τοῖς προτέροις ὀφείλεται, ὅτι θανάτου καὶ διαβόλου κρα τοῦντος ἐπολιτεύοντο· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ὁ καύσων , ὅτε μηδὲ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος δρόσος παρῆν ἐπικουροῦσα πρὸς δικαιοσύνην ἀνθρώποις. 103 Mt 20 , 22 Ποτήριον δὲ καὶ βάπτισμα τὸν θάνατον λέγει· ποτήριον μὲν ἐκπιεῖν λέγων ὥσπερ οἴνου καθὰ ἐν τῷ Ἰερεμίᾳ λέγεται τὴν τιμωρίαν «οἴνου ποτήριον » εἶναι καρῶσαι καὶ καταβαλεῖν δυναμένου· βάπτισμα δὲ διὰ τὴν κάθοδον εἴρηκεν τὴν εἰς ᾅδου, ὃ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἄνοδον ἔσχεν, ὥσπερ ὁ βαπτιζόμενος καταδύεται εἰς ὕδωρ καὶ πάλιν ἀναδύεται· ὕδωρ δὲ εἰπὼν τὸ ταραχῶδες τῶν ἐν ᾅδου δεδήλωκεν. 104 Mt 21, 2 Σημεῖον τὸ γινόμενον· οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους τῶν ἐλαιῶν εἰς Ἰερου σαλὴμ εἰσιόντι τῷ κυρίῳ χρεία τις ἐπ' ὄνου καθέζεσθαι, ὃς τὴν Ἰου δαίαν καὶ Γαλιλαίαν ἅπασαν διῄει πεζός, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἔποχον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ πώλου θεωρεῖσθαι δηλοῖ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ νέου λαοῦ καθέζεσθαι τὸν οὐράνιον ἡγεμόνα καὶ βασιλέα τῆς Ἰερουσαλήμ· τὸ γὰρ νέον τῆς κλήσεως ἐδή λωσεν ὁ πῶλος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ πάλαι μὴ καθαρὸν τῶν νῦν καλουμένων· ὄνος γὰρ οὐ καθαρὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, ἀλλ' ἑκατέροις τοῖς γνωρίσμασι τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας κεχωρισμένον ἀπὸ ζῴων καθαρῶν, ὅτι καὶ μονῶνυξ καὶ μὴ μαρυκώμενος ὁ ὄνος. 105 Mt 21, 2 Ὁ ἀδάμαστος πῶλος ὁ λαός, ἐφ' ὃν οὔτε νόμος οὔτε προφῆται ἐκάθισαν, ἐκδεχόμενος τὸν αὐτῶν κύριον· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ εἶπεν τοῖς ἀποσταλεῖσι μαθηταῖς· λύσαντες ἀγάγετέ μοι . τίνι οὖν ἐδέδετο ἡ ὄνος; τῇ ἀμπέλῳ κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· «δεσμεύων πρὸς ἄμπελον τὸν πῶλον αὐτοῦ καὶ τῇ ἕλικι τὴν ὄνον». λύσαντες οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀμπέλου, ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης διαθήκης, ἀγάγετέ μοι, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ εἰρημένον· «ἔγνω βοῦς τὸν κτησάμενον καὶ ὄνος τὴν φάτνην τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ ». 106 Mt 21, 12®13 Περὶ τῶν χρόνων οὐ πάνυ τοῖς τρισὶν εὐαγγελισταῖς ἐμέλησεν ἐν τῇ διηγήσει τῆς ἀνόδου εἰς τὴν Ἰερουσαλήμ· ὁ γὰρ Ἰωάννης ἀκριβέστερον τοῦτο προϊστορήσας ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἀνόδῳ ταῦτα πεπρᾶχθαί φησιν καὶ ἐν τρίτῳ πάσχα τὸ πάθος ἱστορεῖ. τοῦ οὖν ἱστορῆσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα μόνον ἐμέλησεν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς διαφόρους ἀνόδους μίαν πεποιήκασιν. 108 Mt 21, 17 Τὸ καταλιπὼν τὴν ὡς ἀπὸ ἀναξίων ἀναχώρησιν δηλοῖ· ἥκει γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀφαιρησόμενος τῆς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς μετοίσων τὴν χάριν καθὰ προελέγετο διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὡς ὁ Ἰερεμίας προφητεύει· «ἐγκαταλέλοιπα τὸν οἶκόν μου, ἀφῆκα τὴν κλη ρονομίαν μου » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἦλθεν οὖν ὡς ἐπὶ κληρονομίαν ἰδίαν, κατα λιμπάνει δὲ αὐτοὺς ὡς ἀλλοτρίους, ὥστε τὸ ἀναχωρεῖν εἰς τὴν Βηθα νίαν εἰς τύπον τῆς μελλούσης ἀναχωρήσεως ἐποίει καὶ ταῦτα ἔπραττε μετὰ καὶ τοῦ οἰκτείρειν τὴν πόλιν. καὶ τοῦτό φησιν Λουκᾶς· «καὶ ὡς ἤγγισεν, ἰδὼν τὴν πόλιν ἔκλαυσεν ἐπ' αὐτὴν » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 109 Mt 21, 18®19 Συκῆν δὲ νοητέον ὧδε τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγὴν καὶ τὴν ἐν τύποις καὶ σκιαῖς λατρείαν καρπὸν οὐκ ἔχουσαν βρώσιμον καὶ ἀρέσκοντα τῷ θεῷ, τὴν ἐν πνεύματι λατρείαν. διὸ ὡς μὴ ποιοῦσαν καρπὸν γλυκὺν ἐξήρανεν αὐτὴν ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς τρόπον τινὰ πεινῶν καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἀνθρω πότητος ζητῶν καρπόν. οὐκοῦν ἐξ ὧν εἶπεν, ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἐκ σοῦ καρπὸς γένηται , διδάσκει, ὅτι οὐκέτι αἱ κατὰ νόμον λατρεῖαι ὠφελῆσαι δύ νανται τοὺς Ἰουδαίους. 110 Mt 21, 33®41 Οἰκοδεσπότην μὲν λέγει τὸν τῶν ὅλων δεσπότην θεόν, ἀμπελῶνα δὲ τὸν διὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας κατασκευασθέντα λαὸν Ἰσραήλ, λέγων καὶ φραγ μὸν τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ βοηθείας ἀσφάλειαν παρασχεθεῖσαν 13 αὐτῷ, καθ' ἣν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἀπαλλαγεὶς τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἔμεινεν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκείας

The Cessation of Action and the Nature of Resurrection§14

14The temple is a tower, in which those approaching were required to offer the fruits of piety to God, all of them fulfilling everything according to the law. Moreover, the altar is a threshing floor upon which the blood of the sacrifices was poured out; the priestly order are farmers, and all those handling this service, so as to prepare for the people the harvest from the teaching of the law to offer to God with a 'good' 'conscience'.

A prophet speaks of the servants who departed according to the appointed time, those who were sent to make the people or the priests mindful of what is owed to God. For the rebuke was continuous against them, especially against those, more than the rest, who were the causes of the ruin; and they remained enduring all sorts of evils from the Jews, and especially from those who seemed to be in authority among them, without yielding any more. Regarding the Son, he speaks of his arrival (παρουσίαν), having suffered by them and having risen and having destroyed them wickedly (Mt 22:1-14).

This is a wedding of a church being joined to the Word, and a preparation for the wedding through the giving of the gifts of the rich, which is likened to those being prepared for guests in a rich banquet. For Paul says that we are 'in everything' 'made rich' in Christ, 'in word and in knowledge'. The first and second servants are called: the first being those who ran toward the presence of the Lord as fellow-workers and successors of the apostles. But neglect prevents those who are called; for those 'walking according to the flesh' do not follow the divine call toward Christ.

Furthermore, there is the call of the Gentiles, and no longer is there a distinction of race, nor does Israel have the privilege; rather, grace is for those who are negligent and those who are rejected, for 'both the wise and the foolish' as Paul says, and both the evil and the good as the parable says. For he calls those who have taken care of themselves, comparing them to the generally wicked. And the evil may undergo a transition from wickedness, if they entirely obey the good-doing call and 'put on the new man'; but if not this, they were indeed called, but they were not chosen, and indeed their call is overturned; for they are rebuked even for having been convinced of a false entrance. But the ministers who cast out such people are angels. And the binding of feet and hands is...

A cessation of all activity. For no longer is any practice given to the wicked, the time of strangers having been fulfilled in which they have done nothing good. But by saying 'darkness' more externally, he speaks further on of divine virtue and glory.

Regarding the question of those testing him, as it is recorded (Mt 22:16), witnesses who wished to be present wanted to appear as those most opposed to the true Christ, saying that Christ is of Herod, and as being in authority and able to accuse.

We know, however, that even regarding this word, those from Valentinus and Marcion still contend, bringing the word up to souls; for they say that these live, and have spoken concerning these as being the god of the god of these. But the dispute with the Sadducees was not about souls, but about bodies, so that the answer was about these (Mt 22:23). It is said then that the dead rise, when the soul is with a body, not as if the soul were dissolved in the interval, but as being inactive and lacking the proper things of life which are with a body; for man and life are one thing in common, and both must be reunited toward the life from death.

He did not say 'Lord of the Spirit', but 'of David' (Mt 22:43); for not because he called Christ 'Lord' while speaking in spirit, must the Father be made a slave, as those impious toward the Spirit dare to do. For David says, 'and a son' of the handmaid of God, and this does not yet fit with the Holy Spirit, but is said regarding his own spirit. He spoke in spirit, for instance, when he said, 'do not take your Holy Spirit from me' (Psalm 51:11). And 'do not take your spirit from me' did not yet fit with the Holy Spirit; for he was not about to take it from himself, nor even when he confessed his sin were those confessions of the Spirit.

Look, that there are not by nature any sons of Gehenna (Mt 23:15); rather, it should be sought whether the Gentiles, before they were baptized, were not sons of Gehenna. Because they marveled at gold, they valued the gold in the temple above the temple, it being necessary not to value the matter, but the name, since the temple was called by the name of God, and the gold was shown to be precious because of the name of the temple (Mt 23:16). And because they profited from the sacrifices because of the gains from them,

Greek · §14

γῆς. πύργον δὲ τὸν ναόν, ἐν ᾧ συνιόντας ἐχρῆν τοὺς τῆς εὐσεβείας καρποὺς προσκομίζειν τῷ θεῷ, ἅπαντα πληροῦντας ἐκεῖ τὰ κατὰ νόμον. ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ληνὸν τὸν βωμόν, ἐφ' οὗ τὸ τῶν θυσιῶν ἐξεχεῖτο τὸ αἷμα, γεωργοὺς δὲ τὸ ἱερατικὸν τάγμα καὶ ἅπαντας τοὺς τοῦτο ἐγκεχειρισ μένους, ὥστε σκευάζειν τὸν λαὸν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ νόμου διδασκαλίας ἐπικαρπίαν τῷ θεῷ δι' «ἀγαθῆς » προσάγειν «συνειδήσεως ». ἀποστα λέντας δούλους τοὺς κατὰ καιρὸν λέγει προφήτας, οἳ ἀπεστέλλοντο πρὸς τὸ εὐγνώμονα γενέσθαι τὸν λαὸν περὶ τὰ ὀφειλόμενα τῷ θεῷ ἢ καὶ τοὺς ἱερέας· συνεχὴς γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὁ ἔλεγχος κατ' ἐκείνων μάλιστα ἐγίνετο ὡς καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς αἰτίων τῆς βλάβης· παθόντες δὲ ὅσα μυρία παρὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων κακὰ καὶ μάλιστα παρὰ τῶν ἡγεῖσθαι δοκούντων ἐν αὐτοῖς διετέλεσαν ἀνύοντες πλέον οὐδέν· ἄφιξιν δὲ λέγει τοῦ υἱοῦ τὴν αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν παθόντος ὑπ' αὐτῶν καὶ ἀναστάντος καὶ κακῶς ἀπ ολέσαντος αὐτούς· 111 Mt 22, 2®14 Γάμος οὗτος ἐκκλησίας συναπτομένης τῷ λόγῳ καὶ παρασκευὴ τοῦ γάμου διὰ τῆς τῶν πλουσίων χαρισμάτων δόσεως, ἅπερ εἰκάζεται ταύροις καὶ σιτιστοῖς ἐν εὐωχίᾳ πλουσίᾳ παρασκευαζομένοις· «ἐν παντὶ » γὰρ «πεπλουτίσθαι» ἡμᾶς ἐν Χριστῷ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν, «ἐν λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει». πρῶτοι δὲ καὶ δεύτεροι δοῦλοι καλοῦνται, πρῶτοι μὲν οἱ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου παρουσίαν προσδραμόντες ἀποστόλων συνεργοὶ καὶ διάδοχοι. ἀμέλεια δὲ κωλύει τοὺς καλουμένους· οἱ γὰρ «κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦντες » οὐχ ἕπονται κλήσει θείᾳ τῇ κατὰ Χριστόν. εἶτα λοιπὸν ἡ κλῆσις τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ οὐκέτι διάκρισις γένους οὐδὲ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἡ προνομία, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἠμελημένοις καὶ τοῖς ἀπερριμμένοις ἡ χάρις, «σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις » ὡς ὁ Παῦλός φησιν, πονηροῖς τε καὶ ἀγα θοῖς ὡς ἡ παραβολὴ λέγει· τοὺς γὰρ ποσωσοῦν ἑαυτῶν ἐπιμεληθέντας συγκρίσει τῶν ἐξ ὅλου φαύλων οὕτως καλεῖ. καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ δὲ πρὸς μετάστασιν τὴν ἐκ πονηρίας, ἐάνπερ ὅλως ὑπακούσωσι τῇ κλήσει τῇ ἀγαθοποιῷ καὶ «ἐνδύσαιντο τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον»· εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο, ἐκλήθησαν μέν, οὐκ ἐξελέχθησαν δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ κλῆσις αὐτῶν ἀνα τρέπεται· ἐλέγχονται γὰρ καὶ τὴν εἴσοδον οὐκ ἀληθῆ πεποιημένοι. διάκονοι δὲ οἱ ἐκβάλλοντες τοὺς τοιούτους ἄγγελοί εἰσιν. ποδῶν δὲ καὶ χειρῶν δέσις ἡ πάσης ἐνεργείας ἐποχή· οὐ γὰρ ἔτι πρᾶξις οὐδε μία τοῖς πονηροῖς ἐνδίδοται πεπληρωμένου τοῦ καιροῦ τῶν ξένων ἐν ᾧ πεπράχασιν οὐδὲν ἀγαθόν. σκότος δὲ ἐξώτερον λέγων τὰ πορρω τάτω λέγει τῆς θείας ἀρετῆς τε καὶ δόξης. 112 Mt 22, 16 Ἀλλ' ὅτι οἱ τὸν Ἡρώδην Χριστὸν εἶναι λέγοντες, ὡς ἱστορεῖται, τούτους δὴ ὡς ἐναντιωτάτους τῷ ἀληθινῷ Χριστῷ καὶ ὡς περὶ τὸν ἄρ χοντα ὄντας καὶ δυναμένους κατηγορεῖν μάρτυρας παρεῖναι βούλονται τῇ ἐρωτήσει τῶν πειραζόντων. 113 Mt 22, 23®33 Ἴσμεν δέ, ὅτι καὶ πρὸς τὴν λέξιν ταύτην οἱ ἀπὸ Οὐαλεντίνου καὶ Μαρκίωνος ἔτι διαμάχονται ἐπὶ ψυχὰς ἀνάγοντες τὸν λόγον· ταύτας γὰρ ζῆν καὶ περὶ τούτων εἰρηκέναι τὸν κύριον ὡς τούτων ὄντος θεοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. οὐ δήπου δὲ Σαδδουκαίοις περὶ ψυχῶν ἦν ἡ ἀντιλογία, ἀλλὰ περὶ σωμάτων, ὥστε περὶ τούτων ἡ ἀπόκρισις. λέγεται δὲ τότε ἀνίστα σθαι ὁ νεκρός, ὅτε μετὰ σώματος ἡ ψυχή, οὐχ ὡς ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ τῆς ψυχῆς διαλελυμένης, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀπράκτου οὔσης καὶ τὰ τῆς ζωῆς ἴδια ὅσα μετὰ σώματος οὐκ ἐχούσης· ἓν γάρ τι τὸ συναμφότερόν ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἡ ζωὴ κοινὴ καὶ ἑκατέρων δεῖ πρὸς τὸ τὴν ἐκ θανάτου ζωὴν πάλιν συστῆναι. 114 Mt 22, 43 Οὐκ εἶπε δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος κύριον , ἀλλὰ τοῦ ∆αβίδ · οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ ἐν πνεύματι λαλῶν κύριον ἐκάλεσεν τὸν Χριστόν, διὰ τοῦτο δουλοποιητέον τὸν πατέρα ὡς τολμῶσιν οἱ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα ἀσεβοῦντες. λέγει γοῦν «καὶ υἱὸν » αὐτὸν «τῆς παιδίσκης 14 » τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ ∆αβὶδ καὶ οὐδέπω τῷ πνεύματι τοῦτο ἁρμόζει, ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ ἴδιον πνεῦμα εἴρηται αὐτό. ἐν πνεύματι γοῦν ἐλάλει καὶ ὅτε ἔλεγεν «τὸ πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἅγιον μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ». καὶ οὐδέπω τῷ πνεύματι ἥρμοζεν «μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ τὸ πνεῦμά σου »· οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ ἔμελλεν ἀνταν αιρεῖσθαι οὐδὲ ὅτε ἁμαρτίας ἐξωμολογεῖτο καὶ αὐταὶ τοῦ πνεύματος ἦσαν ἐξομολογήσεις. 115 Mt 23, 15 Ὅρα, ὅτι οὐ φύσει τινὲς υἱοὶ γεέννης · ζητητέον δὲ εἰ πρὶν ἰου δαΐσαι οἱ ἐθνικοὶ οὐκ ἦσαν οἱ υἱοὶ γεέννης . 116 Mt 23, 16®22 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ χρυσὸν ἐθαύμαζον, τὸν ἐν τῷ ναῷ χρυσὸν ὑπὲρ τὸν ναὸν ἐτίμων δέον μὴ τὴν ὕλην τιμᾶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὄνομα, ὅτι θεοῦ ὀνό ματι ὁ ναὸς ἀνέκειτο καὶ ὁ χρυσὸς διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ ναοῦ τίμιος ἀπε δείκνυτο. καὶ ἐπειδὴ τῶν θυσιῶν ὠρέγοντο διὰ τὰ ἐξ αὐτῶν κέρδη,

Wings, Shelter, and the Gathering of the Saints§15

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15The gift of the altar was more glorified because what was previously placed on the altar as a sheep or a calf or something like that, through the placement upon the altar, was already a gift of God and was called so and was shown to be holy; for the altar was anointed with the oil that sanctifies, and the gift through that received sanctification. Not however in the spiritual things is it thus; for gold in the present temple of God is the Spirit itself, and the body of Christ is the gift upon the spiritual altar. Therefore, the things being put in are greater now than the things receiving; for these indeed sanctify, but those are sanctified.

Through symbols the law taught purity in life. And the custom according to the Jews was such a thing, to cleanse the cups and the vessel of the dish from the ancient traditions, so that they might hold this clean from the touch of sinners and thus avoid the fellowship of sinners, as if they were not even touching the vessels they had touched. But much more they prepared through such customs to flee from sin itself. But those who carefully observed these customs, while themselves seizing and violently gaining profit, became abominations through their works. 'Therefore, flee from injustice, O blind Pharisee, not even seeing what you do' (Mt 23, 25-26), he says; 'and clean to you are the things in the cup and in the dish, if they are not taken through injustice. Much better is the vessel cleansed by righteousness beside the water.'

Those having spiritual wisdom, which Paul says, and scribes who interpret the old things newly, so that the names are the same as with the prophets and sages and scribes of old, but the things themselves are not the same; for neither is the prophecy, nor the wisdom, nor the scribal art about the same things. But he who said 'I will send' showed the divine; for it is God's to send prophets and sages and scribes, the one capable of giving the Spirit of prophecy and wisdom and knowledge.

On account of which he was about to bring wounds upon her because she is a murderer (Mt 23, 37). Therefore he charges her as a murderer; for she, he says, is killing the prophets and stoning those sent to her, and because she, being able many times to receive mercy, was not willing; for it showed many times and many generations...

After He brought the people back from captivity, they were scattering themselves through sins. He teaches the God-befitting thing by speaking of wings and shelter, as it was said by Moses concerning God: 'He received them under His wings' (Ps 91:4); and by David: 'the children of men hope in the shelter of Your wings' (Ps 17:8). For since Satan was scattering them, partly into idolatry and partly into loves of pleasure, He sent prophets, and then came through Himself so as to 'gather' them 'into one.'

But they did not endure to be under His shelter; for He says, 'As a devoted bird, I always had you, drawing you back toward myself, but you did not want to, but were scattering yourself through sinning, casting yourself away from God.' But the bird is motherly and warm in love, caring for the children and giving herself up for them. Therefore, He pre-announces two convergences: one of Jerusalem, the second of the whole inhabited world. And who came in His name? Simon the Magician, saying he was the great power; Mani came; a certain Dositheos the Samaritan came, claiming to be the prophet proclaimed by Moses.

Montanus alone said in his local writings: 'I am the Word, the Bridegroom, the Paraclete, the Pantocrator, I am all things.' He speaks of the wilderness because John lived in the wilderness so much (Mt 24:5); and of the treasuries because Christ was born in a cave and a small hut at the first appearance (Mt 24:26). He says he contrasts the inhabited world with the desolate wilderness through the treasuries (Mt 24:26).

For just as eagles tear at a dead animal to be fed, so when Christ appears, the saints will be drawn to Him (Mt 24:27-28). For it will not be as at the first appearance, moving from place to place through the flesh during the transition, but at the second, His appearance will be manifest to all 'in the twinkling of an eye' (Mt 24:27), like a lightning bolt that does not need to be signaled. And immediately all the saints, having grown wings like eagles, are gathered to Him; for where Jesus fell as a corpse according to the economy of suffering, in order that He might raise those who fell, all will be gathered together, not by chance, but those who...

Greek · §15

τὸ δῶρον τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου μᾶλλον ἐδόξαζον ὃ πρὶν μὲν ἐπιτεθῆναι τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ πρόβατον ἦν ἢ μόσχος ἤ τι τοιοῦτον, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἐπίθεσιν θῦμα ἤδη θεοῦ ἦν καὶ ὠνομάζετο καὶ ἅγιον ἐπεδείκνυτο· καὶ γὰρ τὸ μὲν θυσιαστήριον ἐχρίετο τῷ ἁγιάζοντι χρί σματι, τὸ δὲ δῶρον δι' ἐκείνου μετελάμβανεν ἁγιασμοῦ. οὐ μὴν ἐπί γε τῶν πνευματικῶν οὕτως· χρυσὸς γὰρ ἐν τῷ νῦν ναῷ θεοῦ τῷ πνευμα τικῷ τὸ πνεῦμα ἦν αὐτὸ καὶ δῶρον ἐπὶ τοῦ πνευματικοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ. διόπερ τὰ ἐνόντα μείζονα νῦν ἢ τὰ δεχόμενα· ταῦτα μὲν γὰρ ἁγιάζει, ἐκεῖνα δὲ ἁγιάζεται. 117 Mt 23, 25®26 ∆ιὰ συμβόλων ὁ νόμος ἐδίδασκεν τὴν ἐν τῷ βίῳ καθαρότητα. καὶ ἡ κατὰ Ἰουδαίους συνήθεια τοιαύτη τις ἦν, ἐκ τῶν ἀρχαίων παραδόσεων ἀποκλύζειν τὰ ποτήρια καὶ τὸ τοῦ ὄψου σκεῦος, ἵνα καθαρὸν ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐπαφῆς τοῦτο κατέχοιεν καὶ οὕτως τὴν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν φεύγοιεν κοινωνίαν, ὡς μηδὲ ὧν ἐφήψαντο σκευῶν ἐφάπτεσθαι. πολλῷ δὲ μᾶλλον παρεσκευάζοντο διὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἐθῶν αὐτὴν φεύγειν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. οἱ δὲ τὰ μὲν ἔθη ταῦτα ἐφύλαττον ἐπιμελῶς, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἁρπάζοντες καὶ βιαίως κερδαίνοντες βδελυροὶ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐγίνοντο. ταύτην οὖν, φησίν, ἀπόφυγε τὴν ἀδικίαν, ὦ Φαρισαῖε τυφλὲ καὶ μηδὲ ἃ πράττεις ὁρῶν· καὶ καθαρά ἐστί σοι τὰ ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ καὶ ἐν τῇ παροψίδι μὴ ἐξ ἀδικίας λαμβανόμενα. πολὺ κάλλιον καθαίρει τὸ σκεῦος ἡ δικαιοσύνη παρὰ τὸ ὕδωρ. 118 Mt 23, 34 Σοφοὺς τοὺς πνευματικὴν σοφίαν ἔχοντας, ἣν ὁ Παῦλός φησιν, καὶ γραμματεῖς τοὺς τὰ παλαιὰ καινῶς ἑρμηνεύοντας, ὥστε τὰ μὲν ὀνόματα τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς πάλαι προφήταις καὶ σοφοῖς καὶ γραμματεῦσιν, οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ δὲ πράγματα· οὐδὲ γὰρ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἡ προφητεία οὔτε ἡ σοφία οὔτε ἡ γραμματεία. τὸ δὲ ἀποστελῶ εἰπὼν τὸ θεϊκὸν ἔδειξεν· θεοῦ γὰρ τὸ ἀποστέλλειν προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ δυναμένου τὸ πνεῦμα διδόναι τῆς προφητείας καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώ σεως. 121 Mt 23, 37 Ὑπὲρ οὗ ἔμελλε πληγὰς αὐτῇ ἐπαγαγεῖν διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὴν μιαι φόνον. αἰτιᾶται τοίνυν αὐτὴν ὡς φονικήν· ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα γάρ, φησίν, τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ὅτι πολλάκις δυναμένη τυχεῖν ἐλέους οὐκ ἠθέλησεν· τὸ γὰρ ποσάκις πολλοὺς ἔδειξε χρόνους καὶ πολλὰς γενεάς, ὅτε τὸν λαὸν ἐξ αἰχμαλωσίας ἐπανήγαγεν. οἱ δὲ ἐσκόρπιζον ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. εἰπὼν δὲ πτέρυγας καὶ σκέπην διδάσκει τὸ θεοπρεπὲς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν ἀνθρωπίνῃ μορφῇ οἷον τὸ ὑπὸ Μωυσέως εἰς θεὸν εἰρημένον· «διεὶς τὰς πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ ἐδέξατο αὐτούς »· καὶ ὁ ∆αβίδ· «οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώ πων ἐν σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων σου ἐλπιοῦσιν »· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ σατανᾶς διεσκόρπιζεν αὐτοὺς πῇ μὲν εἰς εἰδωλολατρίαν, πῇ δὲ εἰς φιληδονίας, ἀπέστειλε προφήτας, εἶτα καὶ δι' ἑαυτοῦ ἦλθεν ὥστε «συναγαγεῖν » αὐτοὺς «εἰς ἕν». οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο ὑπὸ τὴν σκέπην αὐτοῦ εἶναι· ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ, φησίν, ὡς ὄρνις φιλόστοργος ἀεί σε εἶχον προσεπισπᾶσθαι πρὸς ἐμαυτόν, σὺ δὲ οὐκ ἤθελες, ἀλλ' ἐσκόρπιζες 15 ἑαυτὴν διὰ τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν ἔξω ποιοῦσα ἑαυτὴν τοῦ θεοῦ· ἡ δὲ ὄρνις πολύτεκνος καὶ θερμὴ περὶ τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ κηδομένη τῶν τέκνων καὶ ἑαυτὴν παραδιδοῦσα ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν. 122 Mt 24, 5®14 διὸ καὶ δύο συντελείας προαναφωνεῖ· μίαν μὲν τὴν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων, δευτέραν δὲ τὴν τῆς οἰκουμένης πάσης. καὶ τίνες ἦλθον ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ; Σίμων ὁ μάγος λέγων ἑαυτὸν εἶναι τὴν δύναμιν τὴν μεγάλην, ἦλθεν Μανιχαῖος, ἦλθεν ∆οσίθεός τις Σαμα ρείτης τὸν ὑπὸ Μωσέως ἀνακηρυχθέντα προφήτην λέγων ἑαυτόν. Μον τανὸς εἶπεν ἐν οἰκείοις συγγράμμασιν· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ λόγος, ὁ νυμφίος, ὁ παράκλητος, ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ἐγὼ τὰ πάντα. 123 Mt 24, 26 τὴν ἔρημον δὲ λέγει διὰ τὸ τηνικάδε τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν ἐρήμῳ διάγειν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ταμείοις διὰ τὸ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ παρουσίᾳ ἐν σπηλαίῳ καὶ οἰκίσκῳ μικρῷ γεγεννῆσθαι. 124 Mt 24, 26 Τῇ ἀοικήτῳ ἐρήμῳ ἀντιδιαστέλλων τὴν οἰκουμένην <ἣν> διὰ τῶν ταμιείων σημαίνει, φησίν. 125 Mt 24, 27®28 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ νεκρῷ ζῴῳ οἱ ἀετοὶ καταρράσσουσιν, ἵνα τραφῶσιν, οὕτω καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὀφθέντος συνενεχθήσονται αὐτῷ οἱ ἅγιοι· οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῇ πρώτῃ παρουσίᾳ ἀπὸ τόπου εἰς τόπον ἐποιεῖτο τὴν μετά βασιν διὰ τὴν σάρκα, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς δευτέρας ἔσται, ἀλλ' «ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ » πᾶσι κατάδηλος ἔσται ἡ παρουσία αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἀστραπὴ μὴ δεομένη τοῦ μηνύοντος. καὶ εὐθέως πρὸς αὐτὸν συνάγονται πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι πτεροφυήσαντες ὡς ἀετοί· ὅπου γὰρ τὸ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τοῦ πάθους πτῶμα πεσόντος Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα τοὺς πεσόντας στήσῃ, συνα χθήσονται οὐχ οἱ τυχόντες, ἀλλ' οἱ

The Nature of the Passover and Christ's Sympathy§16

16Disciples, bearing wings as Solomon described. Regarding Matthew 24:27-28, a certain likeness and a parable and an example has been spoken; for just as, when a carcass and a dead body is found lying, eagles and other flesh-eating birds are suddenly lifted up from the unseen to be fed, being carried from those high places through the air, so also, he says, the presence of the Son of Man shall be. For his appearing again upon the earth according to the second and glorious presence to judge the inhabited world, and angels in host, wielding spears, shall be manifest, and all the saints, being moved, 'in an instant, in the blink of an eye' (1 Cor 15:52) according to the last trumpet, as the apostle says, just as certain birds, eagles, being swift in movement, shall appear from the unseen; most fittingly being likened to eagles because of thinking the high and heavenly things and being worthy to live the citizenship of the kingdom of heaven. But some have attempted to explain this spoken word in this way, saying that in the second presence of the Lord, all those who have lived justly and, like eagles, are high and heavenly in their mind, will be left behind the parable, and will be gathered to that place where the carcass became of Adam and the transgression of the commandment, through which he fell into sin.

Regarding Matthew 24:31, the Son of Man will send, saying, his angels, God showed the Son of Man; for angels are of God, and to send them is God's own. And that from the ends of the heavens to their ends teaches us the same to be both ends of earth and heaven, so that one must believe in Christ and not be deceived, as the smallest part of the earth is in the midst of the heaven exceeding it in infinite greatness.

Regarding Matthew 25:24, 'Hard,' he says, 'is your command, to seek obedience from men, to whom you did not make the hearing easy through the word. Therefore, fearing that I might become ineffective, I kept only what was for myself, and did not strive concerning others.' 'Hard,' he says, 'is your command, because you seek obedience from men, to whom you have not given the hearing through your word. And because of this, fearing to be ineffective...'

May I become only a person of my own nature, not being unhurried regarding others. Because you involve yourselves, the fault stands around you. The power of things is shown by the impression of the words, as if the righteous were saying these things and as if hearing what the nature of the matter possesses; for it is clear that they would not say these things then, nor would they seek them, when it has been dissolved by the one spoken of by Christ (Mt 25:34). But so often in the words of the scriptures, things lying in the matter are characterized.

But Mark and Luke did not say he had said, 'I will give the Passover,' as he says 'as another,' but 'Where is the lodging, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples' (Mt 26:17-18). These things are able to indicate the 'preparation of the Passover,' not the eating; for John indicates according to the day of the Passover, lest the Passover be eaten by the Jews, since, as we said, it was necessary according to the same day and hour that both the type of Passover and the truth be fulfilled. Nor was it yet intended for the man to indicate that the Passover is being prepared, but before the knowledge of it, it was necessary to be Passover, unless even this I noted by saying 'my time is near.'

And he also indicates in that supper that which he himself ate as the supper; for Luke says: 'When it became hour, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God' (Luke 22:14-18). For he did not say again 'I shall not eat it,' but 'I shall not eat,' indicating his sympathy toward the disciples, because he pitied them, as they were going to have the feast unobserved due to his departure; for this is the 'I desired to eat the Passover with you before I suffer,' bringing forth that they shall have sorrow, and he will prefer, over their cheerfulness, that which is profitable to both them and the whole world—not to eat the Passover, but to become himself a Passover, whose fulfillment is 'in the kingdom of God,' when it completely surpasses death; for this is what the word Passover indicates, signifying a surpassing.

The preparation of the Passover has indeed happened. And it is a supper, and not yet the eating of the Passover; for not even...

Greek · §16

πτεροφυοῦντες μαθηταὶ καὶ κατὰ τὸν Σολομῶνα κατασκευάσαντες πτέρυγας. 126 Mt 24, 27®28 Καθ' ὁμοίωσίν τινα καὶ παραβολὴν εἴρηται καὶ παράδειγμα· ὥσπερ γάρ, ὅταν πτῶμα καὶ σῶμα νεκρὸν εὑρεθείη παρακείμενον, ἀπὸ τῶν ὑψηλο τάτων τόπων δι' ἀέρος φερόμενοι καὶ ἀετοὶ καὶ ἄλλοι σαρκοφάγοι ὀρνίθων ἐκ τοῦ ἀφανοῦς ἀδοκήτως ὑφίστανται τραφησόμενοι, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον, φησίν, ἔσται καὶ ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου · φαινο μένου γὰρ αὐτοῦ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ τὴν δευτέραν καὶ ἔνδοξον παρου σίαν ἐπὶ τῷ κρῖναι τὴν οἰκουμένην καὶ ἀγγέλων τάγματα δορυφοροῦντα φανήσεται καὶ πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι διαναστάντες «ἐν ἀτόμῳ, ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ » κατὰ τὴν σάλπιγγα τὴν ἐσχάτην, ὥς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος, καθάπερ ἀετοί τινες πτηνοὶ καὶ ὀξεῖς τὴν κίνησιν ἐκ τοῦ ἀφανοῦς θᾶττον ἐπιφανήσονται, μάλα εἰκότως ἀετοῖς παρεικασθέντες διὰ τὸ φρονεῖν τὰ ὑψηλὰ καὶ οὐράνια καὶ ἀξίως τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν πολιτεύεσθαι. τινὲς δὲ τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦτο οὕτως ἐπειράθησαν ἐπεξηγήσασθαι καὶ ἔφασαν ὡς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ τοῦ κυρίου πάντες οἱ δικαίως πολιτευσάμενοι καὶ κατὰ τοὺς ἀετοὺς ὑψηλοὶ καὶ οὐράνιοι τῷ φρονήματι τὸν παρά δεισον ἀπολείψονται καὶ κατ' ἐκεῖνον συναχθήσονται τὸν τόπον, ὅπου τὸ πτῶμα γέγονε τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τῆς ἐντολῆς ἡ παράβασις, δι' ἧς εἰς ἁμαρτίαν κατέπεσεν. 127 Mt 24, 31 Ἀποστελεῖ λέγων τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου θεὸν ἔδειξε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· θεοῦ γάρ εἰσιν ἄγγελοι, καὶ τὸ ἀποστέλλειν αὐτοὺς ἴδιον θεοῦ. τὸ δὲ ἀπ' ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὐτῶν διδάσκει ἡμᾶς τὰ αὐτὰ εἶναι καὶ γῆς καὶ οὐρανοῦ ἄκρα, ὥστε Χριστῷ πιστεύειν δεῖ καὶ μὴ ἀπατᾶσθαι ὡς ἐλαχίστου μορίου τῆς γῆς οὔσης ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀπείροις μεγέθεσιν ὑπερβάλλοντος αὐτήν. 128 Mt 25, 24 Σκληρόν , φησίν, τὸ ἐπίταγ μά σου συνεῖδον, τὸ ζητεῖν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ὑπακοήν, οἷς οὐκ ἐνε ποίησας διὰ τοῦ λόγου τὸ εὐήκοον. διὸ φοβηθεὶς μὴ ἄπρακτος γένω μαι τὸ κατ' ἐμαυτὸν ἐφύλαξα μόνον, τὸ δὲ περὶ ἑτέρους οὐκ ἐσπούδασα. Σκληρόν , φησίν, συνεῖδον τὸ ἐπίταγμά σου διὰ τὸ 16 ζητεῖν παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπακοήν, οἷς οὐ δέδωκας διὰ τοῦ λόγου σου τὸ εὐ ήκοον. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φοβηθεὶς μὴ ἄπρακτος γένωμαι τὸ κατ' ἐμὲ ἐφύ λαξα μόνον μὴ ἐσπουδακὼς περὶ ἑτέρους. 129 Mt 25, 34®46 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὑμεῖς ἑαυτοὺς ἐμβάλλετε, τὸ ἔγκλημα εἰς ὑμᾶς περιίσταται. δηλοῖ δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν δύναμιν ἡ τῶν λόγων ὑπο τύπωσις ὡς ἐρούντων ταῦτα τῶν δικαίων καὶ ὡς ἀκουσομένων ἅπερ ἡ τοῦ πράγματος ἔχει φύσις· δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἐροῦσιν αὐτὰ τότε καὶ οὐ ζητήσουσιν, ὁπότε λέλυται ἐν τῷ εἰρημένῳ ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ· ἀλλ' οὕτω πολλάκις ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς ῥήμασι χαρακτηρίζεται τὰ ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι κείμενα. 130 Mt 26, 17®18 Μᾶρκος δὲ καὶ ὁ Λουκᾶς οὐκ εἶπον αὐτὸν εἰρηκέναι, ὅτι ἔδομαι τὸ πάσχα ὡς ἕτερός φησιν, ἀλλὰ «ποῦ ἐστιν τὸ κατάλυμα, ὅπου τὸ πάσχα μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν μου φάγω». δύναται δὲ ταῦτα τὴν «παρασκευὴν τοῦ πάσχα » δηλοῦν, οὐ τὴν βρῶσιν· ὁ γὰρ Ἰωάννης δηλοῖ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ πάσχα ἡμέραν μήπω τὸ πάσχα βρωθὲν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων, ἐπει δήπερ ὡς ἐλέγομεν ἐχρῆν κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἡμέραν καὶ ὥραν τό τε τυπι κὸν πάσχα καὶ τὸ ἀληθὲς ἐπιτελεσθῆναι. οὐδέπω δὲ ἔμελλεν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δηλοῦν, ὅτι παρασκευάζεται μὲν τὸ πάσχα , πρὸ δὲ τῆς γνώσεως αὐτοῦ ἔδει πάσχα , εἰ μή τι καὶ τοῦτο ὑπεσήμηνεν εἰπὼν ὁ καιρός μου ἐγγύς ἐστιν . δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ <τῷ> δείπνῳ, ὅτι ὃ βέβρωκεν αὐτὸς τὸ δεῖπνον· λέγει γὰρ ὁ Λουκᾶς· «ὅτε ἐγένετο ὥρα, ἔπεσεν, καὶ οἱ ιβʹ ἀπόστολοι σὺν αὐτῷ. καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα τοῦτο τὸ πάσχα φαγεῖν μεθ' ὑμῶν πρὸ τοῦ με παθεῖν· λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν οὐ μὴ φάγω αὐτὸ ἕως οὗ πληρωθῇ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ »· οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν οὐκέτι μὴ «φάγω αὐτό », ἀλλ' «οὐ μὴ φάγω » δηλῶν μὲν τὴν συμπάθειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰς τοὺς μαθητάς, ὅτι ᾤκτιρεν αὐτοὺς μέλλοντας τὴν ἑορτὴν ἀνεόρταστον ἕξειν τῇ ἀπολείψει αὐτοῦ· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ «ἐπε θύμησα μεθ' ὑμῶν φαγεῖν τὸ πάσχα πρὸ τοῦ με παθεῖν », ἐπιφέρων δέ, ὅτι λύπην ἕξουσιν καὶ προτιμήσει τῆς ἐκείνων εὐθυμίας τὸ καὶ αὐτοῖς καὶ παντὶ κόσμῳ συμφέρον τὸ μὴ φαγεῖν τὸ πάσχα , ἀλλ' αὐτὸν πάσχα γενέσθαι, οὗ ἡ πλήρωσίς ἐστιν «ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ », ὅτε παντελῶς ὑπερβαίνει θάνατον· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ λέξις τοῦ πάσχα δηλοῖ ὑπέρβασιν σημαίνουσα. 131 Mt 26, Ἡ μὲν ἑτοιμασία γέγονε τοῦ πάσχα. δεῖπνον δέ ἐστιν καὶ οὔπω τοῦ πάσχα βρῶσις· οὐδὲ γὰρ

The Passover and the Type of Communion§17

17It was the custom of those eating the Passover, and they were dining. And John has said nothing of a remembrance of the Passover, having made it by saying: 'Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them unto the end' (John 13:1) and the following. 'Before the feast of the Passover' he says, not in the feast of the Passover, so that we also received 'the first of the unleavened' (Mt 26:11) naturally, having understood it as before the unleavened.

It has been said that the good thing is not to have come to execution (Mt 26:24); for non-existence is a preferable state from a bad existence. When Judas went out, John made it manifest; for the servant of the Christ-killer would not have accepted the saving communion; even though the Lord brought him through all other things, but this no longer was permitted.

And for us the type is to expose the wicked regarding the holy communion, even if we bear them through all other things by forbearance; for it is clear that he would kill the Savior, 'he went out' (John 13:27) after being delivered to the devil; for 'after the morsel he entered,' he says, 'into him the Satan' (Mt 26:26), so as having taken him, he led him away as a traitor.

And speaking of many, he says that the blood is being poured out, concerning all, he says that through the one righteous many shall be established (Mt 26:28). This indeed also here shows that one suffers on behalf of many. And Apollinaris makes a type of the participation of the body and blood of that which is being performed in the Spirit for the believers, having imprinted it with the bread as the body and the wine as the blood.

Since the Spirit is the bread of the coming age, which is a food of life for the one approaching the age, and 'the bread which I will give' to you is 'my flesh for the life of the world' (John 6:51), and the blood is living in the body; and for this reason Moses said 'the life of all flesh' (Leviticus 17:11) regarding 'the blood' as being unified by blood. He clearly distinguished the type by the name of the truth, saying: 'this is my body'; and for this reason he named the types with the names of the truth, so that they would not be trivialized by what is seen, but would marvel at the power. Thus, eating and drinking showed the participation which would not have occurred without a body; for if the divine power had not been joined to a body and unified by blood, we would not have had communion through it to God.

Observe that Judas did not die from strangulation, but lived on after being driven to it before being suffocated. And the deeds of the apostles declare this, that 'having become rash he struck' (John 13:27) and the following. But this is more clearly recounted by Papia, the pious disciple of John the Apostle, saying: Judas fell upon a great example of impiety in this world; for having become so much a part of the flesh, such that he could not easily pass through the narrowness, it is said that his entrails were spilled out by the narrowness. Having become so much a part of the flesh that he could not pass easily even where the narrowness passes, he could not pass even just the size of the head; for they say the eyelids of the eyes were so swollen that he could not see the light at all, and his eyes could not even be seen by a medical lens; such depth they had from the external appearance. And his genitals, for all shame, were loathsome and greater...

Greek · §17

ἦν σχῆμα τῶν τὸ πάσχα ἐσθιόντων, ἀλλ' ἀνέκειντο δειπνοῦντες. καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης δὲ δεῖπνον εἴρηκεν οὐδεμίαν μνή μην τοῦ πάσχα ποιησάμενος λέγων· «πρὸ δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὅτι ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα, ἵνα μεταβῇ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ἀγαπήσας τοὺς ἰδίους τοὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, εἰς τέλος ἠγάπησεν αὐτοὺς» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. «πρὸ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα» λέγει, οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ τοῦ πάσχα, ὥστε καὶ «τὴν πρώτην τῶν ἀζύμων » οἰκείως ἐδεξάμεθα τὴν πρὸ τῶν ἀζύμων νοήσαντες. 132 Mt 26, 24 Τὸ δὲ καλὸν εἶναι τὸ μὴ γεγεννῆσθαι πρὸς τὴν κόλασιν εἴρηται· κακῆς γὰρ ὑπάρξεως ἀνυπαρξία αἱρετωτέρα. 133 Mt 26, 26 Ὅτι προεξῆλθεν Ἰούδας, Ἰωάννης ἐδήλωσεν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐδέξατο τῆς σωτηρίου κοινωνίας τύπον ὁ τῆς χριστοκτονίας ὑπηρέτης· καίτοι τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἤνεγκεν αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οὐκέτι συνεχωρεῖτο. καὶ ἡμῖν ὁ τύπος εἰς τὸ τῆς ἁγίας κοινωνίας ἀπείργειν τοὺς πονηρούς, εἰ καὶ εἰς τὰ ἄλλα πάντα δι' ἀνεξικακίας φέρομεν αὐτούς· δῆλον γάρ, ὅτι ὀλέσειν τὸν σωτῆρα «ἐξῆλθεν » παραδοθεὶς τῷ διαβόλῳ· «μετὰ » γὰρ «τὸ ψωμίον εἰσῆλθεν », φησίν, «εἰς ἐκεῖνον ὁ σατανᾶς », ὥστε λαβὼν αὐτὸν ἔκδοτον ἀπήγαγεν. 134 Mt 26, 26®28 Περὶ πολλῶν δὲ λέγων ἐκχύννεσθαι τὸ αἷμα περὶ 17 πάντων λέγει διὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς δικαίου κατασταθήσεσθαι τοὺς πολλούς. τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα δηλοῖ, ὅτι εἷς ὑπὲρ πολλῶν πάσχει. τύπον δὲ ποιεῖ Ἀπολινάριος τῆς μετοχῆς τοῦ σώματος καὶ αἵματος τῆς ἐν πνεύματι τελουμένης εἰς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐκτυπώσας καὶ τῷ ἄρτῳ τὸ σῶμα καὶ τῷ οἴνῳ τὸ αἷμα. ἐπειδὴ καὶ «ἄρτος ἐπιούσιος » τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦτ' ἔστιν τροφὴ ζω οποιὸς εἰς τὸν ἐπιόντα αἰῶνα «καὶ ὁ ἄρτος, ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω » ὑμῖν «ἡ σάρξ μού ἐστιν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς », καὶ τὸ αἷμα ζωτικὸν ἐν σώματι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Μωυσῆς «ψυχὴν πάσης σαρκὸς » εἶπεν «τὸ αἷμα » ὡς ἑνουμένην αἵματι δηλῶν· ἐναργῶς δὲ τὸν τύπον τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας ὀνόματι προσηγόρευσεν εἰπών· τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου · καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δὲ τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ὀνόμασιν ὠνόμασεν τοὺς τύπους, ἵνα μὴ πρὸς τὸ ὁρώμενον ἐξευτελίζωνται, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν θαυμάζωνται. ἡ βρῶσις οὖν καὶ ἡ πόσις ἐδήλωσε τὴν μετοχὴν τὴν οὐκ ἄνευ σώματος γινο μένην· εἰ γὰρ μὴ σώματι συνήφθη καὶ αἵματι ἡνώθη ἡ θεία δύναμις, οὐκ ἂν ἔσχομεν μετουσίαν δι' αὐτῆς πρὸς θεόν. 136 Mt 27,5 Ἰστέον, ὅτι ὁ Ἰούδας οὐκ ἐναπέθανε τῇ ἀγχόνῃ, ἀλλ' ἐπε βίωσεν κατενεχθεὶς πρὸ τοῦ ἀπο πνιγῆναι. καὶ τοῦτο δηλοῦσιν αἱ τῶν ἀποστόλων πράξεις, ὅτι «πρηνὴς γενόμενος ἐλάκησεν » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. τοῦτο δὲ σαφέστερον ἱστορεῖ Πα πίας ὁ Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἀποστόλου μαθητὴς λέγων· μέγα ἀσεβείας ὑπό δειγμα ἐν τούτῳ τῷ κόσμῳ περι επάτησεν ὁ Ἰούδας· πρησθεὶς γὰρ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον τὴν σάρκα, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι διελθεῖν ἁμάξης ῥᾳδίως διερχομένης, <λέγεται> ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμάξης πταισθέντα τὰ ἔγκατα ἐκκε νωθῆναι. πρησθεὶς ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον τὴν σάρ κα ὥστε μηδὲ ὁπόθεν ἅμαξα ῥᾳ δίως διέρχεται, ἐκεῖνον δύνασθαι δι ελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ αὐτὸν μόνον τὸν τῆς κεφαλῆς ὄγκον· τὰ μὲν γὰρ βλέφαρα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν φασι το σοῦτον ἐξοιδῆσαι, ὡς αὐτὸν μὲν καθόλου τὸ φῶς μὴ βλέπειν, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς δὲ αὐτοῦ μηδὲ ὑπὸ ἰατρικῆς διόπτρας ὀφθῆναι δύνα σθαι· τοσοῦτον βάθος εἶχον ἀπὸ τῆς ἔξωθεν ἐπιφανείας. τὸ δὲ αἰδοῖον αὐτοῦ πάσης μὲν αἰσχύνης ἀηδέ στερον καὶ μεῖζον

The Physical Corruption of Judas§18

18It appears that, through him, discharges and worms emerge from the whole body in excess. After many tortures and punishments, they say he died in a private place, and because of the stench, this place became a desert and uninhabited until now; but even until today, no one is able to pass through that place unless he stops his nose with his hands.

Judas did not die by strangulation, but lived on after being cast down before being suffocated. And this the acts of the apostles demonstrate, that 'becoming precipitate, he struck the ground, and all his bowels were poured out' (Mt 27:5). This is more clearly recounted by Papias, the disciple of John, saying thus in the fourth explanation of the Lord's words: Judas walked in this world as a great example of impiety. Having become so corrupted in the flesh that he could pass through even where no one passes easily, yet not even the volume of his head could pass; for they say the eyelids of his eyes were so diminished that he could not see the light at all, and his eyes could not even be seen by a physician's instruments; such was the depth from the external appearance. His filthiness, indeed, appeared more loathsome and greater than all ugliness, and through it the discharges and worms dragging from the whole body are carried forth to an excess of only the necessary things. After many tortures and punishments, they say he died in a private place, and because of the stench, this place became a desert and uninhabited until now; but even until today, no one is able to pass through that place unless he stops his nose with his hands. Such was his concealment through the flesh, and into the earth.

A good hiding place for those who slander; for those listening were not seeking the truth, and the response was according to the common custom, which also Luke showed in the history, saying to those asking, 'If you are the Christ, tell us; if I tell you, you will not believe; but if I ask, you will not answer' (Lk 23:8). The scourges were instead of the sins of the world, for many are the scourges of the sinner, and according to the prophecy saying, 'I gave my back to scourges' (Isa 50:6). And the righteous has been fulfilled on behalf of the sinners, and the extreme of goodness has been fulfilled, when the 'righteous suffered for the unrighteous' (Isa 53:5), so that 'by his wound we might be healed,' as Isaiah says.

Not because they were strong, but because it seemed to God that these things should happen for the redemption of men, through the dishonoring of the 'Lord of glory' on our behalf, because of the dishonor falling upon us, and the day of the righteous glorifying that which is always being mocked by the uninstructed. Since the cloth was stained with the color of blood,

Greek · §18

φαίνεσθαι, φέ ρεσθαι δὲ δι' αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐξ ἅπαντος τοῦ σώματος συρρέοντας ἰχῶρας καὶ σκώληκας εἰς ὕβριν δι' αὐτῶν μό νων τῶν ἀναγκαίων. μετὰ δὲ πολλὰς βασάνους καὶ τιμωρίας ἐν ἰδίῳ φασὶ χωρίῳ τελευτήσαντος ἀπὸ τῆς ὀ σμῆς ἔρημόν τε καὶ ἄοικον τοῦτο τὸ χωρίον μέχρι τῆς νῦν γενέσθαι, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ μέχρι σήμερον δύνασθαί τινα ἐκεῖνον τὸν τόπον παρελθεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ τὰς ῥῖνας ταῖς χερσὶν ἐπιφράξῃ. Οὐκ ἐναπέθανε τῇ ἀγχόνῃ ὁ Ἰούδας, ἀλλ' ἐπεβίω καθαιρεθεὶς πρὸ τοῦ ἀποπνιγῆναι. καὶ τοῦτο δηλοῦσιν αἱ τῶν ἀποστόλων πράξεις, ὅτι «πρηνὴς γενόμενος ἐλάκησε μέ σος, καὶ ἐξεχύθη πάντα τὰ σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦ ». τοῦτο δὲ σαφέστερον ἱστορεῖ Παπίας ὁ Ἰωάννου μαθητὴς λέγων οὕτως ἐν τῷ τετάρτῳ τῆς ἐξηγήσεως τῶν κυριακῶν λόγων· μέγα δὲ ἀσε βείας ὑπόδειγμα ἐν τούτῳ τῷ κό σμῳ περιεπάτησεν Ἰούδας. πρησθεὶς ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον τὴν σάρ κα, ὥστε μηδὲ ὁπόθεν ἅμαξα ῥᾳ δίως διέρχεται, ἐκεῖνον δύνασθαι διελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ αὐτὸν μόνον τὸν ὄγκον τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ· τὰ μὲν γὰρ βλέφαρα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ φασι τοσοῦτον ἐξοιδῆσαι, ὡς αὐτὸν μὲν καθόλου τὸ φῶς μὴ βλέ πειν, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς δὲ αὐτοῦ μηδὲ ὑπὸ ἰατροῦ διόπτρας ὀφθῆναι δύνασθαι· τοσοῦτον βάθος εἶχον ἀπὸ τῆς ἔξωθεν ἐπιφανείας. τὸ δὲ αἰδοῖον αὐτοῦ πάσης μὲν ἀσχημο σύνης ἀηδέστερον καὶ μεῖζον φαί νεσθαι, φέρεσθαι δὲ δι' αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐξ ἅπαντος τοῦ σώματος συρρέον τας ἰχῶράς τε καὶ σκώληκας εἰς ὕβριν δι' αὐτῶν μόνων τῶν ἀναγ καίων. μετὰ πολλὰς δὲ βασάνους καὶ τιμωρίας ἐν ἰδίῳ φασὶν χωρίῳ τελευτήσαντος καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ τῆς δυσωδίας ἔρημον καὶ ἀοίκητον τὸ χωρίον μέχρι τῆς νῦν γενέσθαι, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ μέχρι τῆς σήμερον δύ νασθαί τινα ἐκεῖνον τὸν τόπον παρ ελθεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ τὰς ῥῖνας ταῖς χερσὶν ἐπιφράξῃ. τοσαύτη διὰ τῆς 18 σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ἔκρυσις ἐχώρη σεν. 137 Mt 27, 11®14 Καλὴ ἡ ἀποσκόπησις πρὸς τοὺς συκοφαντοῦντας· οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκούον τες ἐζήτουν τὸ ἀληθὲς καὶ κατὰ κοινοῦ ἡ ἀπόκρισις, ὃ καὶ ἔδειξε κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν τοῦ Λουκᾶ εἰπὼν πρὸς τοὺς ἐρωτῶντας «εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός, εἰπὸν ἡμῖν· ἐὰν ὑμῖν εἴπω, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε· ἐὰν δὲ ἐρωτήσω, οὐ μὴ ἀποκριθῆτε ». 138 Mt 27, 26 Αἱ μάστιγες ἀντὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τοῦ κόσμου, ὅτι πολλαὶ αἱ μάστιγες τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὴν προφητείαν τὴν λέγουσαν «τὸν νῶτόν μου δέδωκα εἰς μάστιγας ». καὶ πεπλήρωται μὲν τὸ δίκαιον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτω λῶν, πεπλήρωται δὲ τὸ τῆς ἀγαθότητος ἄκρον, ὁπότε «δίκαιος ὑπὲρ ἀδίκων » πέπονθε, ἵνα «τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἰαθῶμεν », ὡς Ἠσαΐας φησίν. 139 Mt 27, 28®29 Οὐχ ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι ἴσχυον, ἀλλ' ὅτι θεῷ ἐδόκει ταῦτα γίνεσθαι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκλύτρωσιν ἀτιμασθέντος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τοῦ «κυρίου τῆς δόξης » διὰ τὴν ἡμῖν ἐπιβάλλουσαν ἀτιμίαν καὶ δοξάζοντος τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν δικαίων τὴν ἀεὶ διαπαιζομένην ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπαιδεύτων. ἐπειδὴ χρώ ματι αἵματος ἡ χλαμὺς ἐκέχρωστο,

The Mockery of the King and the Cosmic Darkness§19

19Because of this, those killing him, not understanding what they were doing, instead performed a symbol: this robe, which is the red garment of Joshua in Jesus, and the one who 'stretched out his hand' being one of the sons of Judah from Tamar, signifies the lifting up of the Savior for the salvation of all, against the blood of the world and the people in it. But those being suffocated by 'cares, wealth, and pleasures,' having taken the word of God and not bringing it to completion, crown Jesus with thorns, insulting him; but he, having taken up our thorns, dissipates them with his own head. And they put a reed in his right hand, supposing it to be his kingship.

The Jews, playing at the Lord as if regarding the name of the prophet, were performing a child's game (Mt 27:28, 30), hence they were saying, 'Prophesy to us, Christ, who is he who struck you'; but the soldiers play at the name of the king; for this is why there is a red robe instead of purple, a crown of thorns instead of gold, a reed instead of a scepter, and the bowing as to a king and saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews.' Upon which was also the spitting and the striking with the reed, which was a practice for training soldiers and a folly of a foolish people playing a game, just as they have always been accustomed to unfolding the emn things, being suddenly fulfilled upon the Lord of the prophecy which says: 'I gave you a dream of a fool; I was made mute and did not open my mouth, because you are the one who made me' (Psalm 22:2).

And Phlegon, a philosopher among the Greeks, remembers this darkness as having happened paradoxically on the fourteenth of the moon (Mt 27:45), when no eclipse usually occurs, when the interval from the sun is far, as from the beginning of the heaven to the end; for eclipses happen when these two luminaries approach one another; for a solar eclipse happens by the moon running to meet it, not at the full moon, when it is at the diameter of the moon. This happened as the creation was mourning over what occurred, and therefore making it manifest, that because this opposition was done by the Jews, their mind was darkened and the intelligible sun departed from them. For perhaps they thought him to be the sun—for that darkness was raging and a sign of what the hybrids will take in the future; for this happens after all the acts of this opposition, when they received a reward from the mockers and did all they wished.

And this is also the beginning of the transfer of souls into the heavens. As many as follow Christ are transferred, as Stephen showed by saying, 'Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit' (Acts 7:59), and Paul, 'It is better to depart and be with Christ' (Phil 1:23). On the contrary, concerning the old things, it was said...

Greek · §19

διὰ τοῦτο οἱ φονῶντες κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐνέδυσαν αὐτὸν μὴ νοοῦντες, ὃ ἐποίουν, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ ἐν Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ κοκκίνου ῥάμματος καὶ τοῦ ἐνδήσαντος «τὴν χεῖρα » ἑνὸς τῶν ἐκ τῆς Θάμαρ Ἰούδα υἱῶν σύμβολον ἡ χλαμὺς αὕτη τῷ τὰ αἵματα τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ ἀνθρώπων ἀνειληφέναι ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας πάντων τὸν σωτῆρα. οἱ δὲ «ὑπὸ μεριμνῶν καὶ πλούτου καὶ ἡδονῶν » συμ πνιγόμενοι λαβόντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μὴ τελεσφοροῦντες πλέ κοντες ἀκάνθας στεφανοῦσι τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀτιμάζοντες, ὁ δὲ τὰς ἀκάν θας ἡμῶν ἀναλαβὼν ἀναλίσκει τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῇ. κάλαμον δὲ ἔθηκαν ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ οἱ διάκενον νομίζοντες αὐτοῦ εἶναι τὴν βασιλείαν. 140 Mt 27, 28®30 Οἱ μὲν Ἰουδαῖοι διαπαίζοντες τὸν κύριον ὡς πρὸς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ προφήτου τὴν παιδιὰν ἐποιοῦντο, ἔνθεν καὶ ἔλεγον· «προφήτευσον ἡμῖν, Χριστέ, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε », οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται πρὸς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ βασι λέως διαπαίζουσιν· πρὸς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ χλαμὺς ἀντὶ τῆς πορφύρας κοκκίνη καὶ ἐξ ἀκανθῶν στέφανος ἀντὶ χρυσοῦ καὶ ὁ κάλαμος ἀντὶ σκήπτρου καὶ τὸ προσκυνεῖν ὡς πρὸς βασιλέα καὶ λέγειν· χαῖρε ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων . ἐφ' οἷς ἦν καὶ τὸ ἐμπτύειν καὶ τύπτειν τῷ καλάμῳ στρατιωτῶν ἀπαιδεύτων ἔργον καὶ ἄφρονος λαοῦ τοῦ παίζειν ὑπόθεσιν ποιοῦντος, ὥσπερ εἰώθασιν ἀεὶ τὰ σεμνὰ διαπτύειν πληρουμένης ἐξαιρέτως ἐπὶ τοῦ κυρίου τῆς προφητείας τῆς λεγούσης· «ὄνειδος ἄφρονι ἔδωκάς με. ἐκωφώθην καὶ οὐκ ἤνοιξα τὸ στόμα μου, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ποιήσας με ». 142 Mt 27, 45 Καὶ Φλέγων δέ τις παρ' Ἕλλησι φιλόσοφος μέμνηται τούτου τοῦ σκότους ὡς παραδόξως γεγενημένου ἐν τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τῆς σε λήνης, ὅτε οὐ πέφυκεν ἔκλειψις γίνεσθαι, ὅτε ἀπέχει πολὺ τοῦ ἡλίου διάστημα, ὅσον ἀπ' ἀρχῆς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἕως τέλους· τότε γὰρ γίνονται ἐκλείψεις, ὅταν πλησιάσωσιν ἀλλήλοις οἱ δύο οὗτοι φωστῆρες· γίνεται γὰρ ἡλίου ἔκλειψις συνόδῳ ὑποδραμούσης αὐτὸν σελήνης, οὐ πανσελήνῳ, ὅτε διάμετρός ἐστι τῇ σελήνῃ. τοῦτο δὲ γέγονεν, ὡς πενθούσης τῆς κτίσεως ἐπὶ τῷ γεγονότι καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δηλούσης, ὅτι τῆς παροινίας ταύτης πραχθείσης ἐκ Ἰουδαίων ἐσκοτίσθη αὐτῶν ὁ νοῦς καὶ ἀπέστη ἀπ' αὐτῶν ὁ νοητὸς ἥλιος. εἴτε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐνόμιζον–ὀργιζομένου γὰρ ἦν τὸ σκότος ἐκεῖνο καὶ δεῖγμα τοῦ μέλλοντος λαβεῖν τοὺς μιαιφόνους· διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ μετὰ πάντα τὰ τῆς παροινίας τοῦτο γίνεται, ὅτε κόρον ἔλαβον τῶν σκωμμάτων καὶ πάντα ἐφθέγξαντο ὅσα ἐθέλησαν. 143 Mt 27, 50 Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἀρχὴ τῆς τῶν ψυχῶν εἰς τὰ οὐράνια μεταθέσεως. ὅσαι δὲ ἀκολουθοῦσι Χριστῷ, μεθίστανται, ὅπερ ἐνεφάνισε Στέφανος εἰπών· «κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, δέξαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου » καὶ ὁ Παῦλος· «κρεῖσσον τὸ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι ». τοὐναντίον δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν παλαιῶν ἐλέγετο τὸ

The Resurrection and the Proclamation§20

20That for each of the dying it should be added, 'to his own people'; for the dwelling and the possession of souls was below, and the Lord through himself transfers this downward journey into the upper realms.

The rising of the bodies of the saints made manifest the death of Christ, being the cause of life (Mt 27:52). Not indeed were they shown before the Lord's rising, because first the resurrection of the Savior had to be known, and then those rising through him were to be seen; and it is clear that they rose again for the sake of a sign; for the firstborn of the dead were not being raised to some eternal life, but just like the rest. Luke says that the crowds who came were 'beating their breasts and turning back'; thus even the Jews did not perceive, and in this very passion and dishonor of the Savior, the divine excess was not perceived, but the usual forgetfulness of men weighed them down and the deception of the teachers brought many. So that it might not be thought that what happened was a fantasy, they were shown to many. And the centurion believed, and those playing and mocking in this way were struck by what happened. Some say also that it is a testimony of this centurion standing firm in the faith after these things.

And indeed they move from their own wickedness, but they serve what is profitable for the matter, not wishing to; for the one who opposes God, through whom God opposes, cooperates as those who, through their deed, prepared the foretold glory which they expected to prevent by their deed, having acted against Joseph. The Savior does not forbid worship, but he forbade touch, as John writes; for to be similarly mixed with him was no longer possible before the renewal of men; for it is proper for the new to touch the new.

And Judas indeed betrays Jesus for silver, overlooking the signs he saw, but the soldiers, having received sufficient silver, after seeing it immediately reported to the chief priests, beating their breasts terribly, and they spoke of things that did not happen. For the disciples would not have stolen the body, if they had truly been associated with his teaching as to both being dishonored and dying through it, as they themselves reported.

And it does not seem to me to be without purpose that these words were spoken on the mountain of Galilee and not elsewhere; for Galilee is interpreted as the 'overturned' by the Greek language. Therefore also the wheel is called Gelgel. So then, just as these words, having been brought forth from the mouth of the high mountain of salvation, rolled like a wheel against the inhabited world and ran over all, all the nations and cities were baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:16-19).

Greek · §20

19 προστίθεσθαι τῶν ἀποθνῃσκόντων ἕκαστον «πρὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ »· κάτω γὰρ ἦν ἡ χώρησις καὶ ἡ κατοχὴ τῶν ψυχῶν καὶ ταύτην τὴν κάτω πορείαν ὁ κύριος εἰς τὰ ἄνω μεθίστησι δι' ἑαυτοῦ. 144 Mt 27, 52 Τὸ τὰ σώματα τῶν ἁγίων ἀνίστασθαι ἐδήλου τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Χριστοῦ ζωῆς αἴτιον ὄντα· οὐ μὴν ἐνεφανίσθησαν πρότερον πρὶν τὸν κύριον ἀναστῆναι, ἐπειδὴ πρώτην ἔδει τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος γνωσθῆναι ἀνάστασιν καὶ τότε τοὺς δι' αὐτοῦ ἀναστάντας ὀφθῆναι· δῆλον δέ, ὅτι καὶ τεθνήκασι πάλιν σημείου χάριν ἀναστάντες· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνεδέχετο πρωτοτόκους τῶν νεκρῶν ἐπὶ τῇ αἰωνίῳ ζωῇ τινας ἐγερθῆναι, ἀλλ' οὕτως ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποί. λέγει δὲ ὁ Λουκᾶς τοὺς ὄχλους τοὺς παραγενομένους «τύπτοντας τὰ στήθη ὑποστρέφειν »· οὕτως οὐδὲ Ἰουδαίους ἔλαθεν καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ πάθει καὶ τῇ ἀδοξίᾳ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡ θεία ὑπερβολή, ἀλλ' ἡ συνήθης τοῖς ἀνθρώποις λήθη κατέσκεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἡ τῶν διδασκάλων ἀπάτη παρῆγεν πολλούς. 145 Mt 27, 54 Ἵνα μὴ νομισθῇ φαντασία εἶναι τὸ γεγενημένον, πολλοῖς ἐνεφανίσθησαν. καὶ ὁ κεντουρίων ἐπίστευσε καὶ οἱ οὕτω παίζοντες καὶ χλευάζοντες ὑπὸ τῶν γεγενημένων μετεβλήθησαν. τινὲς δέ φασιν, ὅτι καὶ μαρτύριόν ἐστι τοῦ κεντουρίωνος τούτου ἀνδρισαμένου μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῇ πίστει. 146 Mt 27, 62 Καὶ κινοῦνται μὲν ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτῶν πονηρίας, ὑπηρετοῦσι δὲ τῷ συμφέροντι τοῦ πράγματος μὴ βουλόμενοι· ὁ γὰρ ἀντιπράττων θεῷ δι' ὧν ἀντιπράττει συνεργεῖ ὡς οἱ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ πεπρακότες διὰ τῆς πράσεως κατεσκεύασαν τὴν προειρημένην δόξαν ἣν κωλύσειν τῇ πράσει προσεδόκησαν. 148 Mt 28, 9 Ὁ σωτὴρ τὴν μὲν προσκύνησιν οὐκ ἀποκωλύει, τὴν δὲ ἐπαφὴν ἀπεκώλυσεν, ὡς Ἰωάννης γράφει· τὸ γὰρ ὁμοίως ἀναμίγνυσθαι αὐτῷ καθὰ καὶ πρότερον οὐκέτι δυνατὸν ἦν πρὸ τῆς ἀνακαινώσεως τῶν ἀνθρώπων· καινοῖς γὰρ καινοῦ ἅπτεσθαι προσήκει. 149 Mt 28, 11®15 Καὶ Ἰούδας μὲν ἀργυρίων προδίδωσι τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιλαθόμενος ὧν εἶδεν σημείων, οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται ἀργύρια ἱκανὰ λαβόντες ἃ μὲν ἰδόντες προαπήγγειλαν τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι τεράστια ἐσιώπησαν, εἰρήκασι δὲ τὰ μὴ γενόμενα. 150 Mt 28, 11®15 Οὐ γὰρ ἂν κλέψαντες τὸ σῶμα οἱ μαθηταὶ ὡς αὐτοὶ διεφήμισαν οὕτω γνησίως αὐτοῦ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ συνηγωνίζοντο ὡς καὶ ἀδοξεῖν καὶ ἀποθνῄσκειν δι' αὐτήν. 151 Mt 28, 16®19 Καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἀπὸ σκοποῦ μοι δοκεῖ τὸ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ μὴ ἑτέρωθί που ταῦτα εἰρῆσθαι τὰ ῥήματα· Γαλιλαία γὰρ ἡ κατακυλιστὴ τῇ Ἑλλάδι γλώσσῃ ἑρμηνεύεται. διὸ καὶ Γελγὲλ ὁ τροχὸς ὀνομάζεται. καθάπερ οὖν ἐξ ὄρους ὑψηλοῦ τοῦ σωτηρίου στόματος ἐξενεχθέντα ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα δίκην τροχοῦ κατὰ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐκυλίσθη καὶ πᾶσαν ἐπέδραμε, καὶ ἐβαπτίσθησαν ἅπαντες καὶ τὰ ἔθνη καὶ πόλεις εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος . 20

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