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him to heal the son of the royal official; for he is worthy that you should grant this to him, because he himself also built our synagogue. Give, he says, always and do not refuse, whether the one asking happens to be friend or foe, believer or unbeliever, and continually do good to the one in need of your help. 39 Mt 5, 44 Pray for your enemies, in this defending yourself against them, in that they do not understand, persisting in wickedness. 40 Mt 5, 44 The law of the Lord surpasses both nature and the divine law, I mean that of Moses; for the things impossible for men are possible with God. Nevertheless, Christ does not legislate impossible things, as Stephen showed at the time of his passion, kneeling and praying for those stoning him, and likewise Paul, who suffered so much from the Jews and prayed for them. The rarity of it, therefore, shows that it is not impossible, even if for many it is difficult to accomplish because of not practicing virtue to the highest degree. 42 Mt 5, 45 The imitator of God and Christ makes the word in him a sun and the righteousness shining in him rise upon the evil and the good, and he providentially rains the word of his mouth like a shower upon the just and the sinners. 43 Mt 5, 45 All those wishing to be deemed worthy of adoption as sons must, as far as possible, imitate God in doing good without distinction. 44 Mt 5, 46 God does not wish to repay anyone for the sins committed against us by him, but rather to love and care for them in every way, because they were harmed by hating us who were benefited.

45 Mt 6, 16-17 He now speaks of disfiguring the face as appearing pale like an ascetic out of vainglory; but anointing and washing should not be understood literally, but as having a cheerful face, by which one tries to conceal that he is fasting; for this is the charge of vainglory, which, being a stain on the soul, one must wash away. Moreover, one must also brighten the ruling part of the soul through virtue and for this reason wash clean the intelligible eyes of the face and make them sharp for the understanding of the contemplation of better things. Therefore, through the more commanding parts of the body he signifies the purity of the soul; for in the face are the many senses, which the mind uses for the service of good or evil things, which the Lord says to wash by abstinence from evil, and to brighten by the working of good. 46 Mt 6, 22 The lamp of the body is the mind, which, when it is pure like an eye, guides and bridles the bodily passions toward what is seemly and pleasing to God. 47 col1 Mt 6, 22-23 The physical eye sees all things that come before it, but the simple mind with discernment sees the good things, but turns away from the evil, closing its eyes, so to speak, so as not to see or touch them; for the evil is darkened by the darkness of wickedness, and the intelligible light is illumined by the light of truth. The physical eye perceives visible things and discerns each one, which of them is white, which black, and which is between these; but the mind is perceptive and discerning of intelligible things, and knowledgeable of good and evil and of what is between these. Hence, if the eye of the body is darkened, the whole body will be dark, but if the mind suffers, not only will the soul be darkened, but with it the body also.

48 Mt 7, 14-15 He prepared them to be watchful not only in this way, by it being narrow

and afflicted, but also by adding that it has many who trip people up, and what is indeed more difficult, that they do not attack openly, but hiding themselves; for such is the race of false prophets. 49 Mt 7, 15-16 He secures the hearer, lest by desire to hear a solemn word he run to one of those who try to pervert the doctrines of the church, who, promising to be sheep, are wolves killing the rational sheep of Christ. 50 Mt 7, 15-20 Many are those who

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αὐτὸν ἰάσασθαι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλικοῦ· ἄξιος γάρ ἐστιν ᾧ παρέξεις τοῦτο, ὅτι καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν ἡμῶν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν. ∆ίδου, φησίν, ἀεὶ καὶ μὴ ἀναίνου, κἂν φίλος, κἂν ἐχθρός, κἂν πιστός, κἂν ἄπιστος τυγχάνῃ ὁ αἰτῶν καὶ εὐεργέτει διηνεκῶς τὸν δεόμενόν σου τῆς ἀντιλήψεως. 39 Mt 5, 44 Ὑπερεύχου τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐν τούτῳ αὐτοὺς ἀμυνόμενος, ἐν τῷ μὴ συνεῖναι αὐτοῖς ἐμμένουσι τῇ πονηρίᾳ. 40 Mt 5, 44 Ὁ τοῦ κυρίου νόμος καὶ φύσιν καὶ τὸν θεῖον ὑπεραναβαίνει νόμον, φημὶ δὴ τὸν Μωσέως· τὰ γὰρ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀδύνατα, δυνατὰ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. πλὴν οὐκ ἀδύνατα νομοθετεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς ὡς ἔδειξε Στέφανος ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ πάθους κλίνων τὰ γόνατα καὶ ὑπερευχόμενος τῶν λιθαζόντων αὐτόν, ὁμοίως καὶ Παῦλος ὁ τοσαῦτα παθὼν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων καὶ ὑπερευχόμενος αὐτῶν. τὸ οὖν σπάνιον δείκνυσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀδύνατα, εἰ καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐστι δυσκατόρθωτα διὰ τὸ μὴ εἰς ἄκρον τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐργάζεσθαι. 42 Mt 5, 45 Ὁ μιμητὴς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ τὸν ἐν αὑτῷ λόγον ἥλιον καὶ τὴν ἐν αὑτῷ λάμπουσαν δικαιοσύνην ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ τὸν διὰ στόματος λόγον αὑτοῦ ὑετὸν οἰκονομικῶς βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἁμαρτωλούς. 43 Mt 5, 45 Πάντας τοὺς θέλοντας υἱοθεσίας ἀξιωθῆναι δεῖ κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν μιμεῖσθαι θεὸν ἐν τῷ ἀδιακρίτως εὐεργετεῖν. 44 Mt 5, 46 Οὐ βούλεται ὁ θεὸς ἀνταποδιδόναι τινὶ τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἁμαρτανομένων ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀγαπᾶν μᾶλλον καὶ κήδεσθαι παντοίως, ὅτι ἐβλάβησαν μισοῦντες ἡμῶν ὠφεληθέντων.

45 Mt 6, 16-17 Ἀφανισμὸν προσώπου λέγει νῦν τὸ διὰ κενοδοξίαν ὠχρὸν φαίνεσθαι ὡς ἀσκητήν· τὸ δὲ ἀλείφεσθαι καὶ νίπτεσθαι οὐ πρὸς τὸ γράμμα δεῖ νοεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὸ φαιδρὸν ἔχειν τὸ πρόσωπον, δι' οὗ τις πειρᾶται λαθεῖν, ὅτι νηστεύει· τοῦτο γὰρ φιλοδοξίας ἔγκλημα, ὅπερ ὡς ῥύπον ὄντα τῆς ψυχῆς δεῖ ἀπονίπτειν. πλὴν δεῖ καὶ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς δι' ἀρετῆς φαιδρύνειν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀποπλύνειν τοὺς νοητοὺς τοῦ προσώπου ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ ποιεῖν ὀξεῖς πρὸς κατανόησιν τῆς τῶν κρειττόνων θεωρίας. διὰ οὖν τῶν ἡγεμονικωτέρων τοῦ σώματος μερῶν τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς καθαρότητα σημαίνει· ἐν γὰρ τῷ προσώπῳ εἰσὶν αἱ πολλαὶ τῶν αἰσθήσεων, αἷς ὁ νοῦς κέχρηται πρὸς ὑπουργίαν καλῶν ἢ φαύλων, ἃς νίπτειν λέγει ὁ κύριος τῇ ἀποχῇ τῶν κακῶν, φαιδρύνειν δὲ τῇ τῶν καλῶν ἐργασίᾳ. 46 Mt 6, 22 Λύχνος σώματος ὁ νοῦς, οὗ καθαρεύοντος ὡς ὀφθαλμοῦ ὁδηγεῖται καὶ ἡνιοχεῖται τὰ σωματικὰ πάθη ἐπὶ τὸ εὐπρεπὲς καὶ θεῷ ἀρέσκον. 47 col1 Mt 6, 22-23 Ὁ αἰσθητὸς ὀφθαλμὸς πάντα τὰ παρεμπίπτοντα ὁρᾷ, ὁ δὲ νοῦς ὁ ἁπλοῦς διακριτικῶς τὰ μὲν ἀγαθὰ ὁρᾷ, τὰ δὲ πονηρὰ ἀποστρέφεται, μύων τρόπον τινὰ τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν ἢ ψηλαφῆσαι αὐτά· τὸ γὰρ φαῦλον σκότει πονηρίας σκοτίζεται καὶ φῶς νοητὸν φωτὶ ἀληθείας φωτίζεται. Ὁ αἰσθητὸς ὀφθαλμὸς τῶν ὁρατῶν ἀντιλαμβάνεται καὶ διακρίνει ἕκαστον, ποῖον μέν ἐστι τούτων λευκόν, ποῖον δὲ μέλαν καὶ ποῖον ἐν μέσῳ τούτων· ὁ δὲ νοῦς τῶν νοουμένων ἐστὶν ἀντιληπτικός τε καὶ διακριτικὸς καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τε καὶ φαύλων καὶ τῶν ἐν μέσῳ τούτων γνωστικός. ὅθεν τοῦ μὲν ὀφθαλμοῦ τοῦ σώματος σκοτισθέντος ἔσται τὸ σῶμα ὅλον σκοτεινόν, τοῦ δὲ νοὸς παθόντος οὐ μόνον ἡ ψυχὴ σκοτισθήσεται, ἀλλὰ σὺν αὐτῇ καὶ τὸ σῶμα.

48 Mt 7, 14-15 Οὐ ταύτῃ μόνον νήφειν παρεσκεύασεν τῷ εἶναι αὐτὴν στενὴν

καὶ τεθλιμμένην, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ προσθεῖναι, ὅτι πολλοὺς ἔχει τοὺς ὑποσκελίζοντας καὶ τὸ δὴ χαλεπώτερον, ὅτι οὐδὲ φανερῶς προσβάλλουσιν, ἀλλὰ κρύπτοντες ἑαυτούς· τοιοῦτο γὰρ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν τὸ γένος. 49 Mt 7, 15-16 Ἀσφαλίζεται τὸν ἀκροατήν, μή πως ἐπιθυμίᾳ τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον σεμνὸν προσδράμῃ τινὶ τῶν τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πειρωμένων διαστρέψαι δόγματα, οἳ πρόβατα εἶναι ὑπισχνούμενοι λύκοι εἰσὶ θανατοῦντες τὰ λογικὰ πρόβατα τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 50 Mt 7, 15-20 Πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ