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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