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

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 neither will they think this at the time of the resurrection, nor will they complain then. Something more is owed to the former, because they lived their lives while death and the devil prevailed; for this is the burden of the day and the heat, when not even the dew of the Spirit was present to help men towards righteousness. 103 Mt 20 , 22 And by cup and baptism He means death; a cup to be drunk, as of wine, just as in Jeremiah the punishment is said to be a 'cup of wine' capable of stupefying and casting down; and baptism He has said on account of the descent into Hades, which had its ascent from there, just as the one being baptized descends into water and again ascends; and by saying water He has shown the troubled state of things in Hades.

104 Mt 21, 2 What is happening is a sign; for not from the Mount of Olives to

Jerusalem for the Lord as He was entering was there any need to sit on a donkey, He who went through all of Judea and Galilee on foot, but His being seen riding upon the colt indicates the heavenly leader and king of Jerusalem taking His seat upon the new people; for the colt showed the newness of the calling, but also the former uncleanness of those now being called; for a donkey is not clean according to the Law, but is separated from clean animals by both marks of uncleanness, because the donkey is both single-hoofed and does not chew the cud. 105 Mt 21, 2 The untamed colt is the people, upon whom neither law nor prophets sat, awaiting their lord; for this also the Savior said to the disciples who were sent: 'Untie them and bring them to me.' To what then was the donkey tied? To the vine according to what was said: 'Binding his colt to the vine and his donkey to the tendril.' Therefore, having untied it from the vine, from the first covenant, bring it to me, so that what was said might be fulfilled: 'The ox knows its owner and

the donkey its master's manger.' 106 Mt 21, 12-13 Concerning the times, the three evangelists were not at all concerned in the narrative of the ascent to Jerusalem; for John, having related this more accurately before, says these things were done in the first ascent and relates the passion in the third Passover. Therefore, they were concerned only with relating the event and have made the different ascents into one. 108 Mt 21, 17 The word 'leaving' indicates a departure as from those who are unworthy; for He has come to the passion to take away the kingdom from Jerusalem through it and to transfer grace to us as was foretold through the prophets, as Jeremiah prophesies: 'I have forsaken my house, I have abandoned my inheritance,' and what follows. He came, therefore, as to His own inheritance, but leaves them as strangers, so that His departure to Bethany was done as a type of the future departure, and He did these things while also pitying the city. And this Luke says: 'And as

He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,' and what follows. 109 Mt 21, 18-19 But the fig tree here must be understood as the synagogue of the Jews and the worship in types and shadows, having no fruit that is edible and pleasing to God, that is, worship in spirit. Therefore, as it was not producing sweet fruit, the Lord Jesus withered it, in a way hungering and seeking the fruit from humanity. Therefore, from what He said, 'May no fruit ever come from you again,' He teaches that the modes of worship according to the Law can no longer benefit the

Jews. 110 Mt 21, 33-41 By householder He means God, the master of all, and by vineyard, the people of Israel, established through piety, and by hedge, the security provided by the help of God

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102 Mt 20, 10-12 Τὸ ἐνόμιζον οἱ πρῶτοι, ὅτι πλείονα λήψονται τὴν τοῦ πράγ ματος ἐνδείκνυται φύσιν, οὐ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν διάνοιαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τοῦτο νομιοῦσιν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως οὐδὲ ἐγκαλέσουσι τότε. πλεῖόν τι τοῖς προτέροις ὀφείλεται, ὅτι θανάτου καὶ διαβόλου κρα τοῦντος ἐπολιτεύοντο· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ὁ καύσων , ὅτε μηδὲ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος δρόσος παρῆν ἐπικουροῦσα πρὸς δικαιοσύνην ἀνθρώποις. 103 Mt 20 , 22 Ποτήριον δὲ καὶ βάπτισμα τὸν θάνατον λέγει· ποτήριον μὲν ἐκπιεῖν λέγων ὥσπερ οἴνου καθὰ ἐν τῷ Ἰερεμίᾳ λέγεται τὴν τιμωρίαν «οἴνου ποτήριον » εἶναι καρῶσαι καὶ καταβαλεῖν δυναμένου· βάπτισμα δὲ διὰ τὴν κάθοδον εἴρηκεν τὴν εἰς ᾅδου, ὃ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἄνοδον ἔσχεν, ὥσπερ ὁ βαπτιζόμενος καταδύεται εἰς ὕδωρ καὶ πάλιν ἀναδύεται· ὕδωρ δὲ εἰπὼν τὸ ταραχῶδες τῶν ἐν ᾅδου δεδήλωκεν.

104 Mt 21, 2 Σημεῖον τὸ γινόμενον· οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους τῶν ἐλαιῶν εἰς

Ἰερου σαλὴμ εἰσιόντι τῷ κυρίῳ χρεία τις ἐπ' ὄνου καθέζεσθαι, ὃς τὴν Ἰου δαίαν καὶ Γαλιλαίαν ἅπασαν διῄει πεζός, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἔποχον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ πώλου θεωρεῖσθαι δηλοῖ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ νέου λαοῦ καθέζεσθαι τὸν οὐράνιον ἡγεμόνα καὶ βασιλέα τῆς Ἰερουσαλήμ· τὸ γὰρ νέον τῆς κλήσεως ἐδή λωσεν ὁ πῶλος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ πάλαι μὴ καθαρὸν τῶν νῦν καλουμένων· ὄνος γὰρ οὐ καθαρὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, ἀλλ' ἑκατέροις τοῖς γνωρίσμασι τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας κεχωρισμένον ἀπὸ ζῴων καθαρῶν, ὅτι καὶ μονῶνυξ καὶ μὴ μαρυκώμενος ὁ ὄνος. 105 Mt 21, 2 Ὁ ἀδάμαστος πῶλος ὁ λαός, ἐφ' ὃν οὔτε νόμος οὔτε προφῆται ἐκάθισαν, ἐκδεχόμενος τὸν αὐτῶν κύριον· τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ εἶπεν τοῖς ἀποσταλεῖσι μαθηταῖς· λύσαντες ἀγάγετέ μοι . τίνι οὖν ἐδέδετο ἡ ὄνος; τῇ ἀμπέλῳ κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· «δεσμεύων πρὸς ἄμπελον τὸν πῶλον αὐτοῦ καὶ τῇ ἕλικι τὴν ὄνον». λύσαντες οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀμπέλου, ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης διαθήκης, ἀγάγετέ μοι, ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ εἰρημένον· «ἔγνω βοῦς τὸν κτησάμενον καὶ

ὄνος τὴν φάτνην τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ ». 106 Mt 21, 12-13 Περὶ τῶν χρόνων οὐ πάνυ τοῖς τρισὶν εὐαγγελισταῖς ἐμέλησεν ἐν τῇ διηγήσει τῆς ἀνόδου εἰς τὴν Ἰερουσαλήμ· ὁ γὰρ Ἰωάννης ἀκριβέστερον τοῦτο προϊστορήσας ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἀνόδῳ ταῦτα πεπρᾶχθαί φησιν καὶ ἐν τρίτῳ πάσχα τὸ πάθος ἱστορεῖ. τοῦ οὖν ἱστορῆσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα μόνον ἐμέλησεν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς διαφόρους ἀνόδους μίαν πεποιήκασιν. 108 Mt 21, 17 Τὸ καταλιπὼν τὴν ὡς ἀπὸ ἀναξίων ἀναχώρησιν δηλοῖ· ἥκει γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀφαιρησόμενος τῆς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς μετοίσων τὴν χάριν καθὰ προελέγετο διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὡς ὁ Ἰερεμίας προφητεύει· «ἐγκαταλέλοιπα τὸν οἶκόν μου, ἀφῆκα τὴν κλη ρονομίαν μου » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἦλθεν οὖν ὡς ἐπὶ κληρονομίαν ἰδίαν, κατα λιμπάνει δὲ αὐτοὺς ὡς ἀλλοτρίους, ὥστε τὸ ἀναχωρεῖν εἰς τὴν Βηθα νίαν εἰς τύπον τῆς μελλούσης ἀναχωρήσεως ἐποίει καὶ ταῦτα ἔπραττε μετὰ καὶ τοῦ οἰκτείρειν τὴν πόλιν. καὶ τοῦτό φησιν Λουκᾶς· «καὶ ὡς

ἤγγισεν, ἰδὼν τὴν πόλιν ἔκλαυσεν ἐπ' αὐτὴν » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 109 Mt 21, 18-19 Συκῆν δὲ νοητέον ὧδε τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγὴν καὶ τὴν ἐν τύποις καὶ σκιαῖς λατρείαν καρπὸν οὐκ ἔχουσαν βρώσιμον καὶ ἀρέσκοντα τῷ θεῷ, τὴν ἐν πνεύματι λατρείαν. διὸ ὡς μὴ ποιοῦσαν καρπὸν γλυκὺν ἐξήρανεν αὐτὴν ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς τρόπον τινὰ πεινῶν καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἀνθρω πότητος ζητῶν καρπόν. οὐκοῦν ἐξ ὧν εἶπεν, ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἐκ σοῦ καρπὸς γένηται , διδάσκει, ὅτι οὐκέτι αἱ κατὰ νόμον λατρεῖαι ὠφελῆσαι δύ

νανται τοὺς Ἰουδαίους. 110 Mt 21, 33-41 Οἰκοδεσπότην μὲν λέγει τὸν τῶν ὅλων δεσπότην θεόν, ἀμπελῶνα δὲ τὸν διὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας κατασκευασθέντα λαὸν Ἰσραήλ, λέγων καὶ φραγ μὸν τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ βοηθείας ἀσφάλειαν παρασχεθεῖσαν

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