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Christ in Capernaum, it seemed to be exalted to heaven, which through unbelief, having fallen a tremendous fall, reached as far as Hades. But if someone should say: And why did the signs not happen in Sodom? we will say that Christ arranged what was suitable for each time; when it was necessary, the Word was incarnate and performed the signs, however to each generation he gives accountability according to proportion. And the Tyrians and the Sidonians transgressed only the natural law, but the Jews, disobeying Christ, both the law of Moses and the prophets. And perhaps he says these things even more emphatically, as if in a comparison wishing to show their wickedness to be greater; for it would also have happened in Tyre and Sidon, and Sodom and Gomorrah, if not these things, then at least others, if indeed the place had accepted a change. But as I said, he intensifies the comparison for a greater demonstration of their wickedness. Christ performed many signs in the city of Capernaum and for this reason those dwelling in it ought rather to have believed. Therefore on account of the miracles he says this one was exalted to heaven, but on account of the sin and unbelief of those in it a tremendous fall happened, even to Hades. 80 Mt 11, 25 Here he calls the Jews wise either because they were entrusted with the oracles of God or because they were evildoers and wise to do evil, and the apostles infants. Or the scribes and Pharisees are the wise, not having true wisdom, but that which seems so from cleverness of words, and the infants are the fishermen who are simple in wickedness. Therefore, in that it is made known to the simple, the grace of God is shown. However Christ does not say this as if rejoicing, but that it is the best way for the wicked not to know the power of the divine words, so that after knowing and rejecting it they do not fall into a greater punishment. even though Christ himself did this very thing, yet by giving thanks for what the Father did, he shows that the will of both is one and their love for us, giving thanks for the good things we receive. 81 Mt 11, 28-29 He calls 'laboring' those having the burden of sins in the soul, and 'yoke' he calls the virtuous life, by which one imitates Christ in meekness and humility. 82 Mt 11, 30 The yoke of Christ is light and easy, even if it seems heavy to those who through covetousness bear the weight of sins as if it were very light. 83 Mt 11, 30 The yoke is kind, because it is not punishing like the law; and the burden is light, because the pattern of virtue is even in simple and easy undertakings.

84 col1 Mt 12, 1-8 You will also understand thus: to know God is more necessary than the inactivity of the Sabbath, which for this reason was given to the Jews who had turned to idolatry in Egypt, so that they would not say the world was uncreated and without providence, but that God is also provident and he is the one who made the world in six days and rested on the seventh, reminding them of which, as God, he commanded to be idle on the Sabbath, which is finally superfluous after it has become known to all that God is the creator of all things; for if the principle had something useful, he would not have led men alone to do this, but also the sun and moon, and he himself would not work on the Sabbath the good deeds for us, but also from the foundation of the world this commandment would have been given to men. It is better to know God and more necessary than the inactivity of the Sabbath; for if it were necessary or useful to be idle on the Sabbaths and to do nothing, God would not work on the Sabbaths the good deeds for men. 85 col1 Mt 12, 18-21 The Father proclaims meekness through these words; and a reed, because they were weak as a bruised reed and as a smoldering wick, being near to being extinguished. He did not oppose them for long, but withdrew, so that they might not utterly perish on account of their excessive weakness. and the "until he brings forth" [means] he endured them, until he might fulfill the purpose of the economy; for this is to bring forth judgment to the end, after which the nations

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Χριστὸς ἐν Καπερναούμ, ἐδόκει ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψοῦσθαι, ἥτις διὰ ἀπιστίαν πτῶμα πεσοῦσα ἐξαίσιον ἕως ᾅδου ἔφθασεν. εἰ δέ τις εἴποι· καὶ διὰ τί οὐ γέγονε τὰ σημεῖα ἐν Σοδόμοις, ἐροῦμεν, ὅτι ἑκάστῳ καιρῷ πρόσφορον ὁ Χριστὸς ᾠκονόμησεν· ὅτε ἔδει, ἐσαρκώθη ὁ λόγος καὶ ἐποίησε τὰ σημεῖα, πλὴν ἑκάστῃ γενεᾷ κατὰ ἀναλογίαν δίδωσι τὰς εὐθύνας. καὶ οἱ Τύριοι δὲ καὶ οἱ Σιδώνιοι τὸν φυσικὸν μόνον παρέβησαν νόμον, Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ ἀπειθήσαντες τῷ Χριστῷ καὶ τὸν Μωσέως νόμον καὶ τοὺς προφήτας. λέγει δὲ αὐτὰ ἴσως καὶ ἐπιτατικώτερον, ὡς ἐν παραθέσει μείζονα τὴν κακίαν αὐτῶν δεῖξαι βουλόμενος· ἢ γὰρ ἂν καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι, Σοδόμοις τε καὶ Γομόρροις, εἰ καὶ μὴ ταῦτα, ἀλλ' οὖν γε ἕτερα, εἴπερ δὴ μεταβολὴν ὁ τόπος ἐδέχετο. ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἔφην, ἐπιτείνει τὴν σύγκρισιν εἰς μείζονα ἔνδειξιν τῆς τούτων κακίας. Πολλὰ σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν τῇ πόλει Καπερναοὺμ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐχρῆν μᾶλλον πιστεύειν τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ οἰκοῦντας. διὰ γοῦν τὰ θαύματα ὑψοῦσθαί φησι μέχρις οὐρανοῦ ταύτην, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ ἀπιστίαν τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ πτῶμα ἐξαίσιον γέγονεν ἕως ᾅδου. 80 Mt 11, 25 Σοφοὺς ὧδε τοὺς Ἰουδαίους καλεῖ ἢ ὅτι ἐμπιστευθέντες ἦσαν τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγια ἢ ὅτι κακοῦργοι ἦσαν καὶ σοφοὶ τοῦ κακοποιῆσαι, νηπίους δὲ τοὺς ἀποστόλους. ἦ σοφοὺς μὲν τοὺς γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαίους οὐ τὴν ὄντως σοφίαν ἔχοντας, ἀλλὰ τὴν δοκοῦσαν ἀπὸ δεινότητος λόγων, νηπίους δὲ τοὺς ἁλιεῖς τοὺς ἀφελεῖς ἐν κακίᾳ. ἐν ᾧ οὖν τοῖς ἀφελέσι γνωρίζεται, δείκνυται ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ χάρις. πλὴν οὐχ ὡς χαίρων τοῦτο λέγει ὁ Χριστός, ἀλλ' ὅτι ὁδὸς ἀρίστη ἐστὶν τὸ μὴ γνῶναι τῶν θείων λόγων τὴν δύναμιν τοὺς πονηρούς, ἵνα μὴ μετὰ τὴν γνῶσιν διαπτύσαντες εἰς μείζονα ἐμπέσωσιν κόλασιν. εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦτο ἐποίησεν, ἀλλ' οὖν δι' ὧν εὐχαριστεῖ ἐφ' οἷς ἐποίησεν ὁ πατήρ, δείκνυσιν ἀμφοτέρων μίαν οὖσαν τὴν βουλὴν καὶ τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην εὐχαριστῶν ἐφ' οἷς εὐεργετούμεθα. 81 Mt 11, 28-29 Κοπιῶντας λέγει τοὺς τὸ ἄχθος τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἔχοντας ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, ζυγὸν δὲ τὸν ἐνάρετον λέγει βίον, δι' οὗ τις μιμεῖται Χριστὸν ἐν πραότητι καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ. 82 Mt 11, 30 Ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ζυγὸς ἐλαφρός ἐστι καὶ εὔκολος, εἰ καὶ βαρὺς εἶναι δοκεῖ τοῖς διὰ πλεονεξίαν τὸ βάρος τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ὑποφέρουσιν ὡς κουφότατον. 83 Mt 11, 30 Χρηστὸς ὁ ζυγός, ἐπειδὴ μή ἐστιν κολαστὴς ὡς ὁ νόμος· ἐλαφρὸν δὲ τὸ φορτίον, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐν ἁπλοῖς ἐγχειρήμασι καὶ εὐκόλοις ὁ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπογραμμός.

84 col1 Mt 12, 1-8 Νοήσεις καὶ οὕτως τὸ γνῶναι θεὸν ἀναγκαιότερον τῆς τοῦ

σαββάτου ἀργίας, ἥτις διὰ τοῦτο ἐδόθη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τραπεῖσιν εἰς εἰδω λολατρείας ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ πρὸς τὸ μὴ λέγειν ἀγένητον τὸν κόσμον καὶ ἀπρονόητον, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ θεός ἐστιν προνοητὴς καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ἓξ ἡμέραις ποιήσας τὸν κόσμον καὶ τῇ ζʹ καταπαύσας, ὅπερ αὐτοὺς ὑπομιμνῄσκων ὡς θεὸς προσέταξεν ἀργεῖν τὸ σάββατον, ὃ περιττὸν λοιπόν ἐστι μετὰ τὸ γνωσθῆναι πᾶσιν, ὅτι θεὸς ποιητής ἐστι τῶν ὅλων· εἰ γὰρ εἶχέν τι χρήσιμον ὁ λόγος, οὐ μόνοις ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἐπῆγε ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡλίῳ καὶ σελήνῃ, καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ εἰργάζετο ἐν σαββάτῳ τὰς εἰς ἡμᾶς εὐεργεσίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου ἐδίδοτο αὕτη τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἡ ἐντολή. Κρεῖττόν ἐστι τὸ γνῶναι θεὸν καὶ ἀναγκαιότερον τῆς τοῦ σαββάτου ἀργίας· εἰ γὰρ ἦν ἀναγκαῖον ἢ χρήσιμον τὸ ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν ἀργεῖν καὶ μηδέν τι ἐργάζεσθαι, οὐκ ἂν ὁ θεὸς ἐν τοῖς σάββασιν εἰργάζετο τὰς πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εὐεργεσίας. 85 col1 Mt 12, 18-21 Τὸ πρᾶον ὁ πατὴρ διὰ τούτων ἐξαγγέλλει· κάλαμον δέ, ἐπειδὴ ἀσθενεῖς ἦσαν ὡς κάλαμος συντετριμμένος καὶ ὡς λίνον καπνιζόμενον ἐγγὺς ὂν τοῦ σβεσθῆναι. οὐκ ἀντέλεγεν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ πολύ, ἀλλ' ὑπεχώρει, ἵνα μὴ ὁλοτελῶς ἀπόλωνται διὰ τὴν ἄγαν ἀσθένειαν. τὸ δὲ ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ ἠνέσχετο αὐτῶν, ἕως πληρώσῃ τὸν τῆς οἰκονομίας σκοπόν· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν εἰς τέλος ἐκβαλεῖν τὴν κρίσιν, μεθ' ἣν τὰ ἔθνη