S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI DE SERMONE DOMINI IN MONTE SECUNDUM MATTHAEUM LIBRI DUO .

 CAPUT PRIMUM. 1. Sermonem quem locutus est Dominus noster Jesus Christus in monte, sicut in Evangelio secundum Matthaeum legimus, si quis pie sobriequ

 CAPUT II.---4. Beati mites quoniam ipsi haereditate possidebunt terram: illam credo terram, de qua in Psalmo dicitur, Spes mea es tu, portio mea in t

 CAPUT III.---10. Sunt autem omnes istae octo sententiae. Jam enim caetera compellans loquitur ad illos qui aderant, dicens: Beati eritis, cum vobis ma

 CAPUT IV.---11. Videtur ergo mihi etiam septiformis operatio Spiritus sancti, de qua Isaias loquitur (Isai. XI, 2, 3), his gradibus sententiisque cong

 CAPUT V.---13. Beati eritis, inquit, cum vobis maledicent, et persequentur vos, et dicent omne malum adversum vos, mentientes, propter me. Gaudete et

 CAPUT VI.---16. Rectissime itaque sequitur, Vos estis sal terrae: ostendens fatuos esse judicandos, qui temporalium bonorum vel copiam sectantes, vel

 CAPUT VII.---18. Sic luceat, inquit, lumen vestrum coram hominibus, ut videant bona facta vestra, et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in coelis est. Sic

 CAPUT VIII.---20. In hac sententia sensus duplex est secundum utrumque tractandum est. Nam qui dicit, Non veni solvere Legem, sed implere aut addend

 CAPUT IX.---21. Dico enim vobis, quia nisi abundaverit justitia vestra plus quam Scribarum et Pharisaeorum, non intrabitis in regnum coelorum: id est,

 CAPUT X.---26. Deinde hic sequitur: Si ergo obtuleris munus tuum ad altare, et illic recordatus fueris quod frater tuus habet aliquid adversum te rel

 CAPUT XI.---29. Esto, inquit, adversario tuo benevolus cito dum es in via cum eo ne forte te tradat adversarius judici, et judex tradat te ministro,

 CAPUT XII.---33. Audistis quia dictum est antiquis, Non moechaberis. Ego autem dico vobis, quia omnis qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam

 CAPUT XIII.---37. Deinde sequitur, et dicit: Si autem oculus tuus dexter scandalizat te, erue eum, et projice abs te: expedit enim tibi ut pereat unum

 CAPUT XIV.---39. Dictum est autem, Quicumque dimiserit uxorem suam, det illi libellum repudii. Haec justitia minor est Pharisaeorum, cui non est contr

 CAPUT XV.---40. Illud magis solet sollicitare animum parvulorum, qui tamen secundum praecepta Christi jam vivere gestiunt, quod alio loco ipse Dominus

 CAPUT XVI.---43. Exoritur hic altera quaestio, cum Dominus causa fornicationis permittat dimitti uxorem, quatenus hoc loco intelligenda sit fornicatio

 CAPUT XVII.---51. Iterum, inquit, audistis quia dictum est antiquis, Non pejerabis, reddes autem Domino jusjurandum tuum. Ego autem dico vobis, non ju

 CAPUT XVIII.---54. Sed jam ut istam quoque concludamus summam, quid laboriosius et operosius dici aut cogitari potest, ubi omnes nervos industriae sua

 CAPUT XIX.---56. Sequitur ergo Dominus, et dicit: Audistis quia dictum est, Oculum pro oculo, et dentem pro dente. Ego autem dico vobis, non resistere

 CAPUT XX.---62. In his sane generibus trium exemplorum nullum genus injuriae praetermissum esse video. Namque omnia in quibus improbitatem aliquam pat

 CAPUT XXI.---69. Deinde adjungit, et dicit: Audistis quia dictum est, Diliges proximum tuum, et oderis inimicum tuum. Ego autem dico vobis, diligite i

 CAPUT XXII.---73. Sed illud magis urget istam quaestionem, quod dicit apostolus Joannes, Si quis scit peccare fratrem suum peccatum non ad mortem, pos

 CAPUT XXIII.---78. Quod autem consequenter positum est, Ut sitis filii Patris vestri qui in coelis est, ex illa regula intelligendum est, qua et Joann

 LIBER SECUNDUS. In posteriorem partem sermonis Domini in monte, contentam Matthaei capp. sexto et septimo.

 CAPUT PRIMUM.---1. Misericordiam, usque ad cujus tractationem liber primus terminum accepit, sequitur cordis mundatio, unde iste sumit exordium. Cordi

 CAPUT II.---5. Cum ergo facis eleemosynam, inquit, noli tuba canere ante te, sicut hypocritae faciunt in synagogis et in vicis, ut glorificentur ab ho

 CAPUT III.---10. Et cum oratis, inquit, non eritis sicut hypocritae, qui amant in synagogis et in angulis platea rum stantes orare, ut videantur ab ho

 CAPUT IV.---15. Sed jam considerandum est quae nos orare ille praeceperit, per quem et discimus quid oremus, et consequimur quod oramus. Sic itaque or

 CAPUT V.---17. Utatur ergo voce Novi Testamenti populus novus, ad aeternam haereditatem vocatus, et dicat, Pater noster qui es in coelis: id est, in s

 CAPUT VI.---20. Deinde sequitur, Adveniat regnum tuum. Sicut ipse Dominus in Evangelio docet, tunc futurum esse judicii diem, cum Evangelium praedicat

 CAPUT VII.---25. Quarta petitio est, Panem nostrum 1280 quotidianum da nobis hodie. Nolite cogitare de crastino de nobis hodie: Operamini escam quae

 CAPUT VIII.---28. Sequitur quinta petitio, Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Debita, peccata dici manifestu

 CAPUT IX.---30. Sexta petitio est, Et ne nos inferas in tentationem. Nonnulli codices habent, inducas, Ne nos patiaris induci in tentationem inducas.

 CAPUT X.---36. Sed harum septem petitionum consideranda et commendanda distinctio est. Nam cum vita nostra temporaliter nunc agatur, atque speretur ae

 CAPUT XI.---38. Videtur etiam mihi septenarius iste numerus harum petitionum congruere illi septenario numero, ex quo totus iste sermo manavit. Si eni

 CAPUT XII.---40. Sequitur de jejunio praeceptum, pertinens ad eamdem cordis mundationem, de qua nunc agitur. Nam et in hoc opere cavendum est ne subre

 CAPUT XIII.---44. Recte ergo sequitur, et praecipit, qui mundando cordi nostro instat, dicens: «Nolite vobis condere thesauros in terra, ubi tinea et

 CAPUT XIV.---47. Quod autem sequitur, et dicit, Nemo potest duobus dominis servire, ad hanc ipsam intentionem referendum est, quod consequenter exponi

 CAPUT XV.---49. Ideo, inquit, dico vobis, non habere sollicitudinem animae vestrae quid edatis, neque corpori vestro quid induatis. Nonne, anima plus

 CAPUT XVI.---53. «Nolite ergo, inquit, solliciti esse, dicentes. Quid edemus, aut quid bibemus, aut quid vestiemur: haec enim omnia Gentes quaerunt. S

 CAPUT XVII.---56. Quaerentibus enim primum regnum et justitiam Dei, id est, hoc praeponentibus caeteris rebus, ut propter hoc caetera quaeramus, non 1

 CAPUT XVIII.---59. Et quoniam cum ista vel procurantur in futurum, vel si causa non est quare illa impendas, reservantur, incertum est quo animo fiat,

 CAPUT XIX.---63. Et quoniam de temerario et iniquo judicio nos hoc loco Dominus monet: vult enim ut simplici corde et in unum Deum intento faciamus qu

 CAPUT XX.---67. Sed quoniam potest nonnullos Dei praeceptis obtemperare cupientes nomen simplicitatis decipere, ut sic putent vitiosum esse aliquando

 CAPUT XXI.---71. Cum igitur praeceptum esset ne sanctum detur canibus, et margaritae ante porcos mittantur, potuit auditor occurrere et dicere, consci

 CAPUT XXII.---74. Firmitas autem et valentia quaedam ambulandi per sapientiae viam, in bonis moribus constituta est, qui perducuntur usque ad mundatio

 CAPUT XXIII.---77. Sed hoc quia paucorum est, jam incipit de investiganda et possidenda sapientia loqui, quod est lignum vitae: cui utique investigand

 CAPUT XXIV.---78. Hic ergo illi qui promittunt sapientiam cognitionemque veritatis quam non habent, praecipue cavendi sunt sicut sunt haeretici, qui

 CAPUT XXV.---82. Sed quoniam quamvis quisque oculo mundo sit, id est, simplici et sincero corde vivat, non potest tamen cor alterius intueri quaecumq

Chapter IX.

21. “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven;”77    “With all their care, they had not understood the true spirit of the law” (Schaff). The rest of the Sermon is largely a comment on this verse, Christ giving His interpretation of the law, and the righteousness following upon its observance; showing that the purport goes beyond the external act of obedience to the purpose of the heart, and that in the external act of obedience the real purport might be ignored.    Or, as he expresses it in another place (Sermon lvii. 7), “to this life of our pilgrimage” (“ista vita peregrinationis nostræ”).i.e., unless ye shall fulfil not only those least precepts of the law which begin the man, but also those which are added by me, who am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. But you say to me: If, when He was speaking above of those least commandments, He said that whosoever shall break one of them, and shall teach in accordance with his transgression, is called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but that whosoever shall do them, and shall teach [men] so, is called great, and hence will be already in the kingdom of heaven, because he is great: what need is there for additions to the least precepts of the law, if he can be already in the kingdom of heaven, because whosoever shall do them, and shall so teach, is great? For this reason that sentence is to be understood thus: “But whosoever shall do and teach men so, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven,”—i.e. not in accordance with those least commandments, but in accordance with those which I am about to mention. Now what are they? “That your righteousness,” says He, “may exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees;” for unless it shall exceed theirs, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall break those least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least; but whosoever shall do those least commandments, and shall teach men so, is not necessarily to be reckoned great and meet for the kingdom of heaven; but yet he is not so much the least as the man who breaks them. But in order that he may be great and fit for that kingdom, he ought to do and teach as Christ now teaches, i.e. in order that his righteousness may exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. The righteousness of the Pharisees is, that they shall not kill; the righteousness of those who are destined to enter into the kingdom of God, that they be not angry without a cause. The least commandment, therefore, is not to kill; and whosoever shall break that, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall fulfil that commandment not to kill, will not, as a necessary consequence, be great and meet for the kingdom of heaven, but yet he ascends a certain step. He will be perfected, however, if he be not angry without a cause; and if he shall do this, he will be much further removed from murder. For this reason he who teaches that we should not be angry, does not break the law not to kill, but rather fulfils it; so that we preserve our innocence both outwardly when we do not kill, and in heart when we are not angry.

22. “Ye have heard” therefore, says He, “that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause78    Sine causa. The weight of critical evidence is against this clause, which is omitted by Tischendorf, Westcott, and Hort, the Vulgate and the Revised Version.    Isa. liv. 13; John vi. 45. shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the gehenna of fire.” What is the difference between being in danger of the judgment, and being in danger of the council, and being in danger of the gehenna of fire?79    The “judgment” (κρίσις) was the local court of seven, which every community was enjoined to have (Deut. xvi. 18). The “council” was the Sanhedrin, consisting of seventy-two members, sitting in Jerusalem. The “gehenna” was the vale of Hinnom, on the confines of Jerusalem, where sacrifices were offered to Moloch, and which became the place for refuse and the burning of dead bodies. In the New Testament it is equivalent to “hell.”    Ps. xxxi. 20. For this last sounds most weighty, and reminds us that certain stages were passed over from lighter to more weighty, until the gehenna of fire was reached. And, therefore, if it is a lighter thing to be in danger of the judgment than to be in danger of the council, and if it is also a lighter thing to be in danger of the council than to be in danger of the gehenna of fire, we must understand it to be a lighter thing to be angry with a brother without a cause than to say “Raca;” and again, to be a lighter thing to say “Raca” than to say “Thou fool.” For the danger would not have gradations, unless the sins also were mentioned in gradation.

23. But here one obscure word has found a place, for “Raca” is neither Latin nor Greek. The others, however, are current in our language. Now, some have wished to derive the interpretation of this expression from the Greek, supposing that a ragged person is called “Raca,” because a rag is called in Greek ῥάκος; yet, when one asks them what a ragged person is called in Greek, they do not answer “Raca;” and further, the Latin translator might have put the word ragged where he has placed “Raca,” and not have used a word which, on the one hand, has no existence in the Latin language, and, on the other, is rare in the Greek. Hence the view is more probable which I heard from a certain Hebrew whom I had asked about it; for he said that the word does not mean anything, but merely expresses the emotion of an angry mind. Grammarians call those particles of speech which express an affection of an agitated mind interjections; as when it is said by one who is grieved, “Alas,” or by one who is angry, “Hah.” And these words in all languages are proper names, and are not easily translated into another language; and this cause certainly compelled alike the Greek and the Latin translators to put the word itself, inasmuch as they could find no way of translating it.80    Raca is from the Chald. רִיָקא, and is a term of contempt equivalent to empty-headed (Thayer’s Lexicon). Trench translates, “Oh, vain man!”

24. There is therefore a gradation in the sins referred to, so that first one is angry, and keeps that feeling as a conception in his heart; but if now that emotion shall draw forth an expression of anger not having any definite meaning, but giving evidence of that feeling of the mind by the very fact of the outbreak wherewith he is assailed with whom one is angry, this is certainly more than if the rising anger were restrained by silence; but if there is heard not merely an expression of anger, but also a word by which the party using it now indicates and signifies a distinct censure of him against whom it is directed, who doubts but that this is something more than if merely an exclamation of anger were uttered? Hence in the first there is one thing, i.e. anger alone; in the second two things, both anger and a word that expresses anger; in the third three things, anger and a word that expresses anger, and in that word the utterance of distinct censure. Look now also at the three degrees of liability,—the judgment, the council, the gehenna of fire. For in the judgment an opportunity is still given for defence; in the council, however, although there is also wont to be a judgment, yet because the very distinction compels us to acknowledge that there is a certain difference in this place, the production of the sentence seems to belong to the council, inasmuch as it is not now the case of the accused himself that is in question, whether he is to be condemned or not, but they who judge confer with one another to what punishment they ought to condemn him, who, it is clear, is to be condemned; but the gehenna of fire does not treat as a doubtful matter either the condemnation, like the judgment, or the punishment of him who is condemned, like the council; for in the gehenna of fire both the condemnation and the punishment of him who is condemned are certain. Thus there are seen certain degrees in the sins and in the liability to punishment;81    It is important “to keep in mind that there is no distinction in kind between these punishments, only of degree. The ‘judgment’ (κρίσις) inflicted death by the sword, the Sanhedrin death by stoning, and the disgrace of the gehenna followed as an intensification of death; but the punishment is one and the same,—death. So also in the subject of the similitude. All the punishments are spiritual; all result in eternal death, but with various degrees, as the degrees of guilt have been” (Alford). but who can tell in what ways they are invisibly shown in the punishments of souls? We are therefore to learn how great the difference is between the righteousness of the Pharisees and that greater righteousness which introduces into the kingdom of heaven, because while it is a more serious crime to kill than to inflict reproach by means of a word, in the one case killing exposes one to the judgment, but in the other anger exposes one to the judgment, which is the least of those three sins; for in the former case they were discussing the question of murder among men, but in the latter all things are disposed of by means of a divine judgment, where the end of the condemned is the gehenna of fire. But whoever shall say that murder is punished by a more severe penalty under the greater righteousness if a reproach is punished by the gehenna of fire, compels us to understand that there are differences of gehennas.

25. Indeed, in the three statements before us, we must observe that some words are understood. For the first statement has all the words that are necessary. “Whosoever,” says He, “is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment.” But in the second, when He says, “and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca,” there is understood the expression without cause,82    Augustin helps us to understand how the word εἰκῆ (without cause) in the preceding clause crept into some of the Mss. In Retract. I. xix. 4 he makes the critical note and correction: “Codices græci non habent sine causa.” and thus there is subjoined, “shall be in danger of the council.” In the third, now, where He says, “but whosoever shall say, Thou fool,” two things are understood, both to his brother and without cause. And in this way we defend the apostle when he calls the Galatians fools,83    Gal. iii. 1. to whom he also gives the name of brethren; for he does not do it without cause. And here the word brother is to be understood for this reason, that the case of an enemy is spoken of afterwards, and how he also is to be treated under the greater righteousness.

CAPUT IX.---21. Dico enim vobis, quia nisi abundaverit justitia vestra plus quam Scribarum et Pharisaeorum, non intrabitis in regnum coelorum: id est, nisi non solum illa minima Legis praecepta impleveritis quae inchoant hominem, sed etiam ista quae a me adduntur, qui non veni solvere Legem, sed implere, 1240 non intrabitis in regnum coelorum . Sed dicis mihi: Si de illis mandatis minimis cum superius loqueretur, dixit minimum vocari in regno coelorum quisquis unum eorum solverit, et secundum suam solutionem docuerit; magnum autem vocari quisquis ea fecerit, et sic docuerit, et ex eo jam in regno coelorum futurum esse quia magnus est: quid opus est addi praeceptis Legis minimis, si jam in regno coelorum potest esse, quia magnus est quisquis ea fecerit, et sic docuerit? Quapropter sic est accipienda illa sententia, Qui autem fecerit et docuerit sic, magnus vocabitur in regno coelorum: id est, non secundum illa minima, sed secundum ea quae ego dicturus sum. Quae sunt autem ista? Ut abundet justitia, inquit, vestra super Scribarum et Pharisaeorum; quia nisi abundaverit, non intrabitis in regnum coelorum. Ergo qui solverit illa minima, et sic docuerit, minimus vocabitur: qui autem fecerit illa minima, et sic docuerit, non jam magnus habendus est et idoneus regno coelorum; sed tamen non tam minimus quam ille qui solvit: ut autem sit magnus atque illi regno aptus, facere debet et docere, sicut Christus nunc docet, id est, ut abundet justitia ejus super Scribarum et Pharisaeorum. Justitia Pharisaeorum est, ut non occidant; justitia eorum qui intraturi sunt in regnum Dei, ut non irascantur sine causa: minimum est ergo non occidere; et qui illud solverit, minimus vocabitur in regno coelorum: qui autem illud impleverit ut non occidat, non continuo magnus erit et idoneus regno coelorum, sed tamen ascendit aliquem gradum; perficietur autem, si nec irascatur sine causa: quod si perfecerit, multo remotior erit ab homicidio. Quapropter qui docet ut non irascamur, non solvit Legem ne occidamus, sed implet potius, ut et foris dum non occidimus, et in corde dum non irascimur, innocentiam custodiamus.

22. Audistis ergo, inquit, quia dictum est antiquis, Non occides: qui autem occiderit, judicio reus erit. Ego autem dico vobis, quia omnis qui irascitur fratri suo sine causa, reus erit judicio: qui autem dixerit fratri suo, Racha, reus erit concilio: qui autem dixerit, Fatue, reus erit gehennae ignis. Quid interest inter reum judicio, et reum concilio, et reum gehennae ignis? Nam hoc postremum gravissimum sonat, et admonet quosdam gradus factos a levioribus ad graviora, donec ad gehennam ignis veniretur. Et ideo si levius est reum esse judicio quam reum esse concilio; item levius est reum esse concilio, quam esse reum gehennae ignis; oportet levius esse intelligatur irasci sine causa fratri, quam dicere Racha, et rursus levius esse dicere Racha, quam dicere Fatue. Non enim reatus ipse haberet gradus, nisi gradatim etiam peccata commemorarentur.

23. Unum autem hic verbum obscurum positum est, quia nec graecum nec latinum est Racha: caetera vero in sermone nostro usitata sunt. Nonnulli autem de graeco trahere voluerunt interpretationem hujus vocis, putantes pannosum dici Racha, quoniam graece pannus ῥάκος dicitur: a quibus tamen cum quaeritur 1241 quid dicatur graece pannosus, non respondent Racha; deinde posset latinus interpres ubi posuit Racha, pannosum ponere, nec uti verbo quod et in latina lingua nullum sit, et in graeca inusitatum. Probabilius est ergo quod audivi a quodam Hebraeo, cum id interrogassem: dixit enim esse vocem non significantem aliquid, sed indignantis animi motum exprimentem. Has interjectiones grammatici vocant particulas orationis significantes commoti animi affectum: velut cum dicitur a dolente, Heu; vel ab irascente, Hem. Quae voces quarumque linguarum sunt propriae, nec in aliam linguam facile transferuntur: quae causa utique coegit tam graecum interpretem quam latinum vocem ipsam ponere, cum quomodo eam interpretaretur non inveniret.

24. Gradus itaque sunt in istis peccatis, ut primo quisque irascatur, et eum motum retineat corde conceptum: jam si extorserit vocem indignantis ipsa commotio, non significantem aliquid, sed illum animi motum ipsa eruptione testantem, qua feriatur ille cui irascitur; plus est utique quam si surgens ira silentio premeretur: si vero non solum vox indignantis audiatur, sed etiam verbum quo jam certam ejus vituperationem in quem profertur, designet et notet, quis dubitet amplius hoc esse, quam si solus indignationis sonus ederetur? Itaque in primo unum est, id est, ira sola; in secundo duo, et ira, et vox quae iram significat; in tertio tria, et ira, et vox quae iram significat: et in voce ipsa, certae vituperationis expressio. Vide nunc etiam tres reatus, judicii, concilii, gehennae ignis. Nam in judicio adhuc defensioni datur locus: in concilio autem quanquam et judicium esse soleat, tamen quia interesse aliquid hoc loco fateri cogit ipsa distinctio, videtur ad concilium pertinere sententiae prolatio; quando non jam cum ipso reo agitur, utrum damnandus sit, sed inter se qui judicant conferunt quo supplicio damnari oporteat quem constat esse damnandum: gehenna vero ignis, nec damnationem habet dubiam, sicut judicium; nec damnati poenam, sicut concilium; in gehenna quippe ignis certa est et damnatio et poena damnati. Videntur ergo aliqui gradus in peccatis et in reatu: sed quibus modis invisibiliter exhibeantur meritis animarum, quis potest dicere? Audiendum est itaque quantum intersit inter justitiam Pharisaeorum, et istam majorem quae in regnum coelorum introducit, quod cum sit gravius occidere quam verbo irrogare convicium, ibi occisio reum facit judicio, hic autem ira facit reum judicio, quod trium illorum peccatorum levissimum est: quia illic quaestionem homicidii inter homines agitabant; hic autem omnia divino judicio dimittuntur, ubi finis damnatorum est gehenna ignis. Quisquis autem dixerit quod graviore supplicio in majore justitia punitur homicidium, si gehenna ignis punitur convicium, cogit intelligi esse differentias gehennarum.

25. Sane in tribus istis sententiis subauditio verborum intuenda est. Habet enim prima sententia 1242 omnia verba necessaria, ut nihil subaudiatur: Qui irascitur, inquit, fratri suo sine causa, reus erit judicio. In secunda vero cum ait, Qui autem dixerit fratri suo, Racha, subauditur, sine causa, et ita jungitur, reus erit concilio . Jam in tertia ubi ait, Qui autem dixerit, Fatue, duo subaudiuntur, et fratri suo, et sine causa. Hoc est unde defenditur, quod Apostolus Galatas vocat stultos (Galat. III, 1), quos etiam fratres nominat: non enim id facit sine causa. Ideo autem hic frater subaudiendus est, quia de inimico postea dicitur quomodo etiam ipse tractandus sit majore justitia.