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royal, of Judah I say, having come into being. But after these things, when the brothers Aristobulus and Hyrcanus had come to strife and fought over the rule, finally the kingdom passed to Herod, who was not a Jew by race; for he was the son of Antipater, who happened to be an Idumean. Indeed, at the time of his reign, the Lord Christ appeared, when the kings and rulers of that race had ceased.

7 Mt 2, 2 For this reason the magi proclaimed Christ, as they were unsuspected and not natives like the Jews, but having come from a distant land, so that they might announce to all through the places they traveled the reason for which they were going to Judea. 9 Mt 2, 16 He commanded that not only the children in Bethlehem, but also those in its borders, be killed, thinking that among the multitude of those seized the one being sought would also be killed. And he ordered those from two years old and under to be slaughtered; for he suspected so much time had passed from the birth of Christ in the flesh, partly because the magi were delayed in their journey, and partly because he himself was occupied with royal cares. But he also added to the time in order to achieve his purpose. The birth of Christ is not the <cause> of the killing of the children, but a revelation of Herod's child-murder, which then took the opportunity to do evil, since also those who crucified Christ did not become wicked then, when they seized Christ, but being wicked they then took the opportunity to commit the murder. But for this, the children are about to receive some good reward, bearing away a worth equal to the martyrs. For as much time as Herod suspected had passed from the birth of Christ through the coming of the magi, he ordered children of that many years to be killed. Therefore do not suppose the birth of Christ to be the cause of the unjust slaughter of the children, but the godlessness and unholiness of Herod; for neither did those who crucified Christ become wicked then, but being so beforehand and seizing the opportunity, they revealed themselves for who they were.

11 Mt 3, 2 The form of the proclamation was very persuasive and able to convince

<those> who approached him with great earnestness, from which they were about to receive complete forgiveness of sins. 12 Mt 3, 2-11 And this not incidentally, but as in a mystery and a type; for the camel is counted neither completely with the unclean animals, nor with the clean, but holds a certain middle rank and is ambiguous in its properties; for to bring up the cud, that is, to bring up food once swallowed and again send it to the teeth and chew it again is a characteristic of clean animals, which the camel also possesses; but not having a cloven hoof, belongs to the unclean. And the base of the camel's foot at the point of the nails is not divided. Therefore, for this reason, John wore the hair of this animal, showing that the evangelical call and the kingdom of God which he said was at hand would accept both those from Israel, the clean people, and those from the unclean nations, and that he proclaimed repentance to these and to those equally. 13 Mt 3, 15 The baptism of John was both perfect and imperfect; perfect according to the command of the law, but imperfect because it did not grant remission of sins, but made people ready for the perfect one. Therefore Christ also, being perfect according to the law, was baptized with this baptism, that is, the one of John. And he indicated this by saying: for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. 14 Mt 3, 15-17 It is asked by many, what then was the baptism with which the Lord was baptized? What then is it? Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the salvation of all became man and indeed of a certain extraordinary life

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βασιλικήν, τοῦ Ἰούδα λέγω, γεγενημένης. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα εἰς ἔριν ἐλθόντων Ἀριστοβούλου τε καὶ Ὑρκάνου τῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς διαμαχεσαμένων τέλος εἰς τὸν Ἡρώδην ἡ βασιλεία περιέστη οὐκ Ἰουδαῖον ὄντα τὸ γένος· Ἀντιπάτρου γὰρ ἦν υἱὸς Ἰδουμαίου τυγχάνοντος. οὗ δὴ κατὰ τὸν τῆς βασιλείας καιρὸν ὁ δεσπότης ἀνεφάνη Χριστὸς παυσαμένων τῶν ἐκ τοῦ γένους βασιλέων τε καὶ ἀρχόντων.

7 Mt 2, 2 ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οἱ μάγοι ἐκήρυξαν τὸν Χριστὸν ὡς ἀνύποπτοι καὶ μὴ ὄντες ἐγχώριοι ὡς οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ἀλλ' ἐκ μακρᾶς γῆς ἐλθόντες, ἵνα διαφημίσωσι πᾶσι δι' ὧν ὥδευον τὴν αἰτίαν δι' ἣν ἀπῄεσαν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν. 9 Mt 2, 16 Οὐ μόνον τοὺς ἐν Βηθλεὲμ παῖδας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἐκέλευσεν ἀναιρεθῆναι οἰόμενος, ὅτι ἐν τῷ πλήθει τῶν αἱρουμένων συναναιρεθήσεται καὶ ὁ ζητούμενος. τοὺς ἀπὸ διετοῦς δὲ καὶ κατωτέρω ἐκέλευσεν σφαγῆναι· τοσοῦτον γὰρ ὑπώπτευσεν εἶναι χρόνον ἀπὸ τῆς κατὰ σάρκα γεννήσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ πῇ μὲν τῶν μάγων βραδυνάντων ἐν τῇ ὁδοιπορίᾳ, πῇ δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ ἀσχοληθέντος διὰ τὴν βασιλικὴν φροντίδα. πλὴν καὶ προσετίθη τῷ χρόνῳ διὰ τὸ ἐπιτυχεῖν τοῦ σκοποῦ. οὐκ ἔστι δὲ τῆς τῶν παίδων ἀναιρέσεως <αἰτία> ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γέννησις, ἀλλ' ἐκκάλυψις τῆς Ἡρώδου παιδοφονίας τότε ἀφορμὴν λαβούσης τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι, ἐπείπερ καὶ οἱ τὸν Χριστὸν σταυρώσαντες οὐ τότε πονηροὶ γεγόνασιν, ὅτε εἷλον τὸν Χριστόν, ἀλλὰ πονηροὶ ὄντες τότε ἀφορμὴν ἔλαβον τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸν φόνον. ὑπὲρ δὲ τούτου μέλλουσιν οἱ παῖδες ἀμοιβῆς τινος ἀγαθῆς τυχεῖν τὴν ἴσην τοῖς μάρτυσιν ἀξίαν ἀποφερόμενοι. Ὅσον γὰρ χρόνον ὑπώπτευσεν ὁ Ἡρώδης εἶναι ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ γεννήσεως διὰ τῆς τῶν μάγων ἐλεύσεως, τοσούτων ἐτῶν παῖδας ἀποκτεῖναι παρεκελεύσατο. μὴ τοίνυν ὑπολάβῃς αἰτίαν εἶναι τῆς τῶν παίδων ἀδίκου σφαγῆς τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ γέννησιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἡρώδου ἀθεΐαν τε καὶ ἀνοσιότητα· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ τὸν Χριστὸν σταυρώσαντες τότε γεγόνασι πονηροί, ἀλλὰ προϋπάρχοντες καὶ καιροῦ λαβόμενοι ἑαυτοὺς ἐφανέρωσαν, οἵτινες ἦσαν.

11 Mt 3, 2 Τὸ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας εἶδος σφόδρα ἐπαγωγὸν ἦν καὶ παραπεῖσαι

δυνάμενον <τοὺς> μετὰ πολλῆς αὐτῷ προσελθόντας σπουδῆς, ἀφ' οὗ παντελῆ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων λαμβάνειν τὴν συγχώρησιν ἔμελλον. 12 Mt 3, 2-11 Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ οὐ παρέργως, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν μυστηρίῳ καὶ τύπῳ· καὶ γὰρ ἡ κάμηλος οὔτε τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις τελείως κτήνεσιν, οὔτε τοῖς καθαροῖς συνηρίθμηται, μέσην δέ τινα τάξιν ἔχει καὶ ἐπαμφοτερίζει τοῖς ἰδιώμασιν· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀνάγειν μηρυκισμόν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἀναφέρειν τὴν ἅπαξ καταποθεῖσαν τροφὴν καὶ πάλιν τοῖς ὀδοῦσι παραπέμπειν καὶ ἀναμασᾶσθαι τῶν καθαρῶν ἴδιον ζῴων, ὃ καὶ τῇ καμήλῳ πρόσεστιν· τὸ δὲ μὴ δίχηλον τὴν ὁπλὴν ἔχειν, τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις προσπέφυκε. καὶ ἡ τῆς καμήλου δὲ βάσις κατὰ τὴν τῶν ὀνύχων προσβολὴν οὐ διῄρηται. ταύτης οὖν ἕνεκα τῆς αἰτίας ὁ Ἰωάννης τὰς τρίχας τοῦ ζῴου τούτου περιεβάλλετο δεικνὺς ὡς ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ κλῆσις καὶ ἣν ἐγγίζειν ἔλεγε βασιλείαν θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ καθαροῦ λαοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ἐθνῶν παραδέξεται καὶ ὅτι καὶ τούτοις κἀκείνοις ὁμοτίμως ἐκήρυττε τὴν μετάνοιαν. 13 Mt 3, 15 Τὸ τοῦ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα καὶ τέλειον ἦν ἅμα καὶ ἀτελές· τέλειον μὲν κατὰ τὴν νόμου παραγγελίαν, ἀτελὲς δέ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐδίδου ἁμαρτημάτων ἄφεσιν, ἀλλ' ἐπιτηδείους πρὸς τὸ τέλειον ἐποίει. διὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τέλειος ὢν κατὰ τὸν νόμον τοῦτο ἐβαπτίσατο τὸ βάπτισμα, τοῦτ' ἔστι τὸ τοῦ Ἰωάννου. καὶ τοῦτο ἐδήλωσε λέγων· οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. 14 Mt 3, 15-17 Ζητεῖται παρὰ πολλοῖς, τί ποτε ἄρα ἦν τὸ βάπτισμα, ὅπερ ὁ κύριος ἐβαπτίσθη; τί οὖν ἐστιν; ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ σωτὴρ Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁπάντων σωτηρίας γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος καὶ δὴ βίου τινὸς παραδόξου