Fragments on Matthew

 had lost food, so the new Adam, by abstaining also from what he was not commanded through an excess of virtue, might be restored to the original good.

 to spare not even the most necessary things, if through them some wicked action might risk coming to be. One must not cut off the members, but as it w

 is forced to bear its burden. And old wineskins are also old men but new wine is the new word, which they do not contain for their rottenness is bur

 you, by retreating from those who persecute you, will last for the time of the evange lization not

 the spirit of Elijah. And since what was said was unclear, he left the knowledge to those who were able to understand. 63 Mt 11, 14 The angel Gabriel

 not giving to such a one. But the remission through baptism may have been passed over in silence in such cases, since it was not yet the time to disco

 76 Mt 13, 18-23 In these things it is investigated, how he has not said that the word is sown in the beginning nor said the seed sown by the wayside,

 82 Mt 16, 1-4 But indeed, neither does a physician fulfill the inopportune desires of the sick, seeking what is curative of the disease, not what is f

 no one being permitted to pay a half-shekel, not even if he were rich but the mystery was to the effect that neither was the Son incarnate with a fat

 But evil has prevailed so much as to overturn this reasoning. Therefore, the argument requires two things of us: both to remember one's own sins and t

 perfection is from him. 98 Mt 19:23-26 The apostolic word fits well here, laying aside every weight for the comparison to a camel indicated the wei

 102 Mt 20, 10-12 What the first ones thought, that they would receive more, indicates the nature of the matter, not the thought of the holy men for n

 to him, according to which, having been delivered from the plot of foreigners, he remained in his own land. and the tower, the temple, in which those

 » of God, David, and this does not yet fit the Spirit, but it is spoken with respect to his own spirit. At any rate, he was speaking in spirit also wh

 putting itself outside of God through sinning but the bird is fruitful and warm in its love and caring for its children and giving itself up for them

 to seek obedience from men, to whom you have not given a willing ear through your word. And for this reason, fearing lest I become ineffective, I guar

 of all, he says, through the one righteous one the many will be established. This indeed he also indicates here, that one suffers for many. But Apolli

 of his flesh and on earth a hiding took place. 137 Mt 27, 11-14 Good is the looking away from the slanderers for those hearing were not seeking the t

 that each of those who die is added «to his people» for below was the place and the abode of souls, and this downward journey the Lord transfers to t

the spirit of Elijah. And since what was said was unclear, he left the knowledge to those who were able to understand. 63 Mt 11, 14 The angel Gabriel also said this concerning him: "and he will go" before "him in the spirit and power of Elijah," showing that this is he, even if the one seen was other than that one. 64 Mt 11, 19 Instead of: it was declared that all things had happened justly; for from the ways in which he benefited some, it was shown that what had happened was not accomplished idly nor rashly and in vain; for this is to justify wisdom, that her own, like children, accept her presence. Wisdom is justified also by works accomplished according to wisdom, or by words. 65 Mt 11, 23 And you, he says, Capernaum, corresponding to the honor also the

condemnation will you endure. 66 Mt 11, 25-26 Foreseeing the transition of the word to the Gentiles because of the disobedience of Israel, on behalf of us who are to be benefited he hymns and glorifies the Father. And he gives thanks to his own Father, but Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord conforming himself to the servants and offering thanksgivings on behalf of servants to the master. And he says that according to the good pleasure of the Father the mystery concerning him was hidden from Israel, the wise nation, but would be revealed to the nations that were formerly without understanding. Through which it is proven that what was to come did not escape God's notice, nor did the presence of Christ fail in its intended purpose, but these things happened with God foreknowing and preordaining the transition of grace. The justice of the good pleasure is passed over in silence here, but is shown in another way. For God's good pleasure is not irrational, nor do people fail to attain knowledge and wisdom in any other way than through themselves. 67 Mt 11, 30 If the yoke is easy and the burden is light, how did he call "the way" "narrow"? It is narrow for the slothful, for to the zealous the Lord's commandments are light; for even if it has bodily toil for a little while, yet the God-fearing person, now being nourished by good hopes, bears these things lightly.

68 Mt 12,7 Having examined them, he proves them bitter and not humane

against those who do no wrong. Therefore he also remembers the prophetic saying, which prefers mercy even to sacrifice. 69 Mt 12,13 And you, O man, if you have a withered hand, having heard from the Savior: stretch out your hand to good works while the

Jesus is at work, and it will be restored healthy like the other. 71 Mt 12,19-21 Those who teach in the public squares do this not for the sake of benefit, but out of arrogance and boastfulness at the same time. Therefore, in addition to being slandered by all, they also fail in the purpose of their teaching. Therefore the Savior teaches us these things not only by word, but also by manner, neither to cry out nor to be ostentatious and to publicize our achievements; for it is as harmful for us to be so disposed as the opposite is most useful and beneficial. 72 Mt 12,28 Again, the fact that in the spirit <he casts out demons> is possible as a man who is immutably able to possess according to the economy. But if the energy of the spirit is the kingdom of God, let us in no way consider the spirit to be introduced to the divinity, being brought in from the servile creation into the of the divine kingdom

establishment. 73 Mt 12,31-32 He says that blasphemy against God is unforgivable by the name of the spirit, and he says that reviling of God is unpardonable, having no pardon; for that against himself it has, in comparison with that one, inasmuch as he was considered and seen to be a man and had come through humility and of a contemptible race. And the "will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come" he interprets as the judgment according to the law and the future one; for when the law commands that the one who curses God be put to death, the Lord also ratifies the law, forgiveness for the

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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 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

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