Commentarii in matthaeum (in catenis) 1 mt 1, 2 abraham was justified through faith and to him, having believed, god said: i will multiply your seed

 Having believed in god, he shone forth those, therefore, who believe in god, even if they come from obscure and lowly origins, are raised up by god a

 Despising the son of a carpenter, they clearly also considered his commandments to be cheap and despised, but for their insolence and contempt toward

 He made them so that they become imitators of him who both rains upon the just and sinners and makes the sun rise on all alike. 22 mt 6, 3 4 let not,

 Being bodiless it neither eats nor drinks, but do not be anxious for the soul about what you might eat or what you might drink for the soul puts fort

 Wanting it ready at hand. for lest someone should say, i have come to judge not wishing to reproach or grieve my brother, but taking thought to clean

 As we understand the gate and the way that leads to eternal life to be called narrow, not even my yoke is easy and my burden is light will contradic

 To them the sins, for which was the sacrifice, they both promised and seemed to accomplish, but a paralyzed man they were in no way strong enough to h

 Of grace, but they fasted according to the old custom. it was therefore unfitting and inappropriate for those appointed as lawgivers and heralds of th

 But they pursue the royal houses. since, therefore, you have supposed no such thing about the man, but you knew him to be a prophet in deeds and words

 To those who have despised wealth and renown and parents as well as children and death itself. but before the teaching of christ and the coming of joh

 You have received, or rather through which you have abundantly enjoyed the benefaction, through those things it was necessary, if you are ungrateful,

 His own creation, being led by good works to the knowledge of both himself and of his own father and of the consubstantial and co-powerful spirit. the

 Made man, and to hear the voice of god united to flesh hypostatically. 61 mt 13, 24 52 the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of god is said to be

 Knowledge and comprehension as he says: for this reason every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven, and so forth for through knowled

 For the children considered nothing of their own labors and resources to be their own, but they brought everything to their fathers, fearing lest they

 He awaited an opinion and testimony about him for if he had said: whom do men say that i, the son of god, am, the disciples' response would have been

 The narrative of higher and more wondrous things. but the lord does not offer to the scribes a solution appropriate to the seeming difficulty, showing

 They escaped the civil disturbances. and elijah dwelt on carmel, but john tarried in the desert, and in other respects the similarity between them was

 From there by a mist they were able to perceive none of the things being done, but later, having been freed from that confusion and having come to the

 Of evils) not only does he subtly and wisely exclude wealth from the appellation of 'good,' but also all other things, by his declaration concerning a

 They will convict the disobedient jews, but they themselves will be shining in honor and glory, while the others are in utmost disgrace and dejection.

 Unbearable, but what appeared heavy and unbearable by the judgment of those priests themselves for what they themselves do not move even with a finge

 Seek the rank of deacons and of those who are last, that is, practice humility for through this it is possible to obtain true primacy and inexpressib

 To kill the righteous. therefore you bear witness to your forefathers as impious, desiring to become like them. and you, he says, fill up the measu

 Always having the inflamed passion of avarice, he is indignant everywhere when deprived of profit. therefore the master, looking to their thought and

 Will be preached, not depriving the one reward of the other for each of the sins has found forgiveness and through the deed is preached throughout th

 He says, that before the entire first cockcrowing is completed, you will deny me three times. but when mark says, “before the cock crows twice, you wi

 This has been permitted for security, that we may always be sober, that even if we seem to do any good work, we may always consider it a gift from abo

 For them who are being saved, their commonwealth is on earth, but in heaven is their reward and inheritance. but since, he says, i have received autho

his own creation, being led by good works to the knowledge of both himself and of his own father and of the consubstantial and co-powerful spirit. There are therefore four classes of those who do not keep the teaching and the commandments of Christ, as he also revealed through the parable those appearing in each class. For of these, some through complete neglect and laziness and their own wickedness of choice kept nothing of what they had received, but suffered the loss of all things; others indeed held on when nothing troubled them, but when temptations troubled them, they too pushed away what had been held until then, remaining destitute of the teaching just like the former; a third group, who receive the seed not superficially but in depth, but because of dividing their diligence also toward other, unfitting things, they caused thorns to grow up with the good seed. For it is the custom of scripture to call the sting of sin a thorn. Therefore, because of these thorns, those who received the good seed suffer loss, and if a swift cutting out of them through diligence does not happen, it is necessary for the entire seed to be choked and destroyed by them. 57 Mt 13, 11 12 To you it has been given; to whom? to those who have prepared themselves through obedience and attention as worthy of the gift; but to them it has not been given. to whom? to those who do not choose to receive, but have shown themselves to be unworthy of the gift through their voluntarily evil mind and hardness; for whoever has choice and diligence, to him it will also be given by God, not according to the measure of the diligence and choice of those who are diligent, but more generously and more abundantly; for it will be given to him, it says, and he will have abundance. But whoever does not have diligence and care nor contributes what is from himself to the grace of God, even what God wished to provide for him to possess by the ineffable wealth of his love for mankind, even these things will be taken away, not by someone else taking them away, but by that very person depriving himself of the gift through his own neglect and wickedness. 58 Mt 13, 16 The savior blesses the disciples, since from their own choice they showed faith in him, through which also knowledge was given to them as having been deemed worthy of a divine hearing. 59 Mt 13, 16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see rightly and blamelessly, not hiding and blinding the truth of things with envy and shamelessness, and your ears, because they hear the word of teaching clearly and without malice and antipathy. 60 Mt 13, 16 17 That is, he says their eyes and ears will be blessed at the time of the resurrection. And concerning every eye that sees divine things and ears that have heard spiritual words, these things might be said instead of "of the one who understands with the inner ears of the heart"; for the one uncircumcised in heart has been deafened in the inner ears. Wherefore also the very hearing which they seemed to have of the law and the prophets, was taken away and was given to those who have the new covenant. But that he means neither this sight nor this hearing, but that from the mind, is clear. For these also were Jews, but nevertheless they were in no way harmed by the prophecy, since they had a well-disposed choice and mind; for they would not have been blessed, if the good deed had not been their own. Then he also confirms it from another quarter, saying: For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see and did not see it. The righteous who desire to see the things they long for received knowledge of what they desired. They therefore saw only by faith, but you by sight; for what, he says, the prophets desired to see and did not see, the times not permitting, of these things you have now been deemed worthy. And he speaks of, along with other things, his presence and miracles and teaching. But not all the prophets nor all the righteous men who desired to see or hear did not see or did not hear, but many; for some, having desired, saw and heard, such as Abraham and Moses and the more distinguished. But he who accepts these things will make those who desired out to be less than those who did not desire. And they desired to see what the apostles were seeing, God

οἰκεῖον πλάσμα ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀναγόμενον αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τοῦ οἰκείου πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου καὶ ἰσοσθενοῦς πνεύματος. τέσσαρες οὖν εἰσι τάξεις τῶν τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίαν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς μὴ συντηρούντων, ὡς καὶ διὰ τῆς παραβολῆς τοὺς καθ' ἑκάστην τάξιν ὑποφαινομένους παρεδήλωσεν· τούτων γὰρ οἱ μὲν ἀμελείᾳ καὶ ῥᾳθυμίᾳ παντελεῖ καὶ οἰκείᾳ μοχθηρίᾳ προαιρέσεως οὐδὲν ὧν ἐδέξαντο συνετήρησαν, ἀλλὰ πάντων ἐζημιώθησαν· οἱ δὲ παρακατέσχον μὲν μηδενὸς ἐνοχλοῦντος, ἐνοχλησάντων δὲ πειρασμῶν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸ τέως κατασχεθὲν ἀπεώσαντο μείναντες τῆς διδασκαλίας ὥσπερ οἱ πρότερον ἔρημοι· τρίτοι, οἵτινες τὸν μὲν σπόρον οὐκ ἐξ ἐπιπολῆς, ἀλλ' ἐν βάθει ὑποδέχονται, διὰ δὲ τὸ καὶ πρὸς ἕτερα μὴ προσήκοντα τὴν σπουδὴν μερίσαι καὶ ἀκάνθας ἀναφῦναι τῷ καλῷ σπέρματι παρεσκεύασαν· ἄκανθαν γὰρ τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας κέντρον ἔθος τῇ γραφῇ ὀνομάζειν. διὰ ταύτας οὖν τὰς ἀκάνθας οἳ ὑπεδέξαντο σπέρμα καλὸν ζημιοῦνται, ὧν εἰ μὴ ταχεῖα δι' ἐπιμελείας ἡ ἐκκοπὴ γίνηται, ἀνάγκη ταύταις ὅλον ἐναποπνιγῆναι καὶ ἀφανισθῆναι τὸ σπέρμα. 57 Mt 13, 11 12 Ὑμῖν δέδοται· τίσιν; τοῖς παρασκευάσασιν ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς καὶ προσοχῆς ἀξίους τοῦ δωρήματος· ἐκείνοις δὲ οὐ δέδοται. τίσιν; τοῖς μὴ προαιρουμένοις λαβεῖν, ἀλλ' ἀναξίους τῆς δωρεᾶς διὰ τῆς ἐθελοκάκου αὐτῶν γνώμης καὶ πωρώσεως ἑαυτοὺς ἀποφήνασιν· ὅστις γὰρ ἔχει προαίρεσιν καὶ σπουδήν, τούτῳ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ δοθήσεται οὐ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς τῶν σπουδασάντων ἐπιμελείας καὶ προαιρέσεως, ἀλλὰ φιλοτιμότερόν τε καὶ περισσότερον· δοθήσεται γὰρ αὐτῷ φησιν καὶ περισσευθήσεται. ὅστις δὲ οὐκ ἔχει σπουδὴν καὶ ἐπιμέλειαν μηδὲ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ χάριτι συνεισφέρει τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ, οὗτος καὶ ἅπερ ὁ θεὸς ἀφάτῳ φιλανθρωπίας πλούτῳ παρέχειν ἐβούλετο καὶ κατέχειν αὐτόν, καὶ ταῦτα ἀφαιρεθήσεται οὐκ ἄλλου τινὸς ἀφαιροῦντος, ἀλλ' αὐτοῦ ἐκείνου διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἀμελείας καὶ μοχθηρίας ἀποστεροῦντος τῆς δωρεᾶς ἑαυτόν. 58 Mt 13, 16 Μακαρίζει τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁ σωτήρ, ἐπειδὴ ἐξ ἰδίας προαιρέσεως ἐπεδείξαντο τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πίστιν, δι' ἧς καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἡ γνῶσις ὡς ἀξιωθεῖσι θείας ἀκροάσεως. 59 Mt 13, 16 Ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοί, ὅτι βλέπουσιν ὀρθῶς καὶ ἀνεπιλήπτως, οὐ φθόνῳ καὶ ἀναισχυντίᾳ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθειαν ἐπικρύπτοντες καὶ τυφλώττοντες, καὶ τὰ ὦτα, ὅτι εὐκρινῶς καὶ χωρὶς βασκανίας καὶ ἀντιπαθείας τὸν τῆς διδασκαλίας λόγον ἀκούουσιν. 60 Mt 13, 16 17 Ἤτοι μακαρίους αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ τὰ ὦτα ἔσεσθαί φησιν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἀναστάσεως. καὶ περὶ παντὸς δὲ τοῦ βλέποντος τὰ θεῖα ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὤτων ἀκηκοότων τῶν πνευματικῶν λόγων ταῦτα ἂν λέγοιτο ἀντὶ τοῦ συνιέντος τοῖς ἔνδοθεν ὠσὶν τῆς καρδίας· ὁ γὰρ ἀπερίτμητος τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐκωφώθη τοῖς ἔνδοθεν ὠσί. διὸ καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀκοήν, ἣν ἐδόκουν ἔχειν τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, ἤρθη καὶ ἐδόθη τοῖς ἔχουσιν τὴν καινὴν διαθήκην. ὅτι δὲ οὐδὲ ταύτην λέγει τὴν ὄψιν οὐδὲ τὴν ἀκοήν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀπὸ διανοίας δῆλον. καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι Ἰουδαῖοι ἦσαν, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν παρεβλάβησαν ἀπὸ τῆς προφητείας, ἐπειδὴ τὴν προαίρεσιν καὶ τὴν γνώμην εὖ διακειμένην εἶχον· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐμακαρίσθησαν, εἰ μὴ αὐτῶν ἦν τὸ κατόρθωμα. εἶτα καὶ ἑτέρωθεν αὐτὸ βεβαιοῖ λέγων· ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδον. οἱ ἐπιθυμοῦντες ἰδεῖν δίκαιοι τὰ καταθύμια γνῶσιν ἔλαβον, ὧν ἐπεθύμουν. ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν τῇ πίστει ἐθεάσαντο μόνον, ὑμεῖς δὲ τῇ ὄψει· ἅπερ γάρ φησιν οἱ προφῆται ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν καὶ οὐκ εἶδον μὴ συγχωρούντων τῶν καιρῶν, τούτων νῦν ὑμεῖς ἠξιώθητε. λέγει δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ θαύματα καὶ τὴν διδασκαλίαν. οὐ πάντες δὲ οἱ προφῆται οὐδὲ πάντες οἱ δίκαιοι οἱ ἐπιθυμήσαντες ἰδεῖν ἢ ἀκοῦσαι οὐκ εἶδον ἢ οὐκ ἤκουσαν, ἀλλὰ πολλοί· τινὲς γὰρ ἐπιθυμήσαντες εἶδον καὶ ἤκουσαν ὡς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Μωυσῆς καὶ οἱ διασημότεροι. ὁ δὲ προσιέμενος ταῦτα ἥττονας δώσει εἶναι τοὺς ἐπιθυμήσαντας τῶν μὴ ἐπιθυμησάντων. ἐπεθύμουν δὲ ἰδεῖν, ἃ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἔβλεπον, θεὸν