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

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 knowledge of them we acquire the kingdom of heaven. 62 Mt 13, 31 32 The grain of mustard seed signified the lowliness of the expression and the teaching, from which the greatest and most fervent part of the faith of the whole world has prevailed. 63 Mt 14, 1 2 It is likely that Herod had often heard the things concerning Christ, but on account of the pride innate in tyrants and his arrogant mind, he disregarded and scorned what was being said. But when at last that whole land was filled with the miracles and countless multitudes were turning to the teaching, and the power of the events was conquering all envy and pride, then he himself, hearing at that time, was brought to fear and amazement, lest John, whom he had unlawfully put to death, had risen. For being in thoughts of the abomination he had committed (for the greatness of the man's virtue, the unsurpassable curse of the audacious act, did not allow the one who had dared the defilement to come to forgetfulness); therefore, being scourged in his reasoning by these things and astonished by the report of the paradoxical works, he imagined that the one who had been killed was all but present and exacting punishment for his audacious deed. Therefore he communicates his suspicion to his servants, not daring to reveal his anguish to others. Herod, having often heard the things concerning Christ, on account of his innate evil which always exists in tyrants, and his pride, disregarded and scorned the report. But when at last all had heard and ran to the teaching and the power of the events was conquering all envy and pride, then upon hearing he was greatly afraid, saying: lest John has risen, whom I beheaded; for wickedness is startle-prone, and so much so as even to fear the dead. 64 Mt 14, 9 10 Herod is grieved, being divided in two, on the one hand being restrained from the blood-guilt by the virtue of the man, and on the other hand being driven to the murder by the promise of his pledge, and on the one hand being pricked by his own conscience, but on the other hand being eager to show to those reclining with him that he was both true to his oath and spared nothing, acting for their pleasure and service; for it is likely that those intoxicated by the licentious gestures and movements of a licentious girl would not even permit the reward to be postponed for her who had welcomed them with the wantonness and insults against nature. And see how luxury and people-pleasing gave birth to murder, having made the oath a pretext. But if she had sought your own head, wretched man, what would you have done? Would you, revering your oaths and those reclining with you, have cut it off? But what if it was that of Herodias herself, as I wish it had been? But why do I say these things? If she had asked as a reward the fleeing from the unlawful union, would you have kept your promise? And yet how many good things there were in this; but you would not even have allowed the girl to get away well, you who long ago would have killed John for admonishing the separation, if fear of the crowd had not restrained you; for which reason your grief is also a fiction and a pretense and hypocrisy; for if it were perfect and true, there was nothing to prevent you from disregarding the fabricated pretexts and appearing clean of the blood-guilt. Herod was grieved, his soul divided; and at one time, revering the virtue of the man, he drew back from the blood-guilt, but at another time, wishing to fulfill his promise, he was roused to murder, wishing to show that he is true to his oath and spares nothing for the pleasure of those reclining. 65 Mt 15, 1 6 And what does the commandment exhorting that parents must be honored have in common with the accusation of the Pharisees which finds fault with unwashed hands? Suffering from love of money, the elders and the Pharisees and the scribes rejoiced in the fussiness of the traditions and seeing that the commandment bidding to honor one's parents was ruining them and cutting off their contrived source of revenue, what do they devise? They build up against it the greatest of all commandments, 'you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart' and so forth; the

ἐπίγνωσις καὶ κατάληψις καθώς φησιν· διὰ τοῦτο πᾶς γραμματεὺς μαθητευθεὶς ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ ἑξῆς· καὶ γὰρ διὰ τῆς γνώσεως αὐτῶν κτώμεθα τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. 62 Mt 13, 31 32 Ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σινάπεως τὴν τῆς φράσεως καὶ διδασκαλίας εὐτέλειαν ᾐνίξατο, ἐξ οὗ τὸ μέγιστόν τε καὶ θερμότερον τῆς πίστεως πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐκράτησεν. 63 Mt 14, 1 2 Εἰκὸς μὲν τὸν Ἡρώδην πολλάκις ἀκοῦσαι τὰ περὶ Χριστοῦ, διὰ δὲ τὸν ἔμφυτον τοῖς τυράννοις τῦφον καὶ τὴν ἀλαζόνος γνώμην ὑπερορᾶν καὶ καταφρονεῖν τῶν λεγομένων. ὅτε δὲ λοιπὸν πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ἐκείνη τῶν θαυμάτων ἐπεπλήρωτο καὶ πλήθη ἄπειρα πρὸς τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἐπεστρέφοντο καὶ πάντα καὶ φθόνον καὶ τῦφον ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐνίκα ἐνέργεια, τότε καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἀκούσας εἰς δέος καὶ θάμβος κατέστη, ὡς ἄρα μήποτε ὁ Ἰωάννης ἀνέστη, ὃν αὐτὸς εἴη παρανόμως ἀνελών. ἐν λογισμοῖς γὰρ ὑπάρχων τοῦ διαπεπραγμένου αὐτῷ μύσους (τὸ γὰρ μέγεθος τῆς ἀρετῆς τοῦ ἀνδρός, τὸ ἀνυπέρβλητον ἄγος τοῦ τολμήματος εἰς λήθην ἐλθεῖν τὸν τολμήσαντα οὐ συνεχώρει τοῦ μιάσματος)· ἐν τούτοις οὖν τὸν λογισμὸν μαστιζόμενος καὶ τῶν παραδόξων ἔργων τὴν ἀκοὴν ἐκπληττόμενος μόνον οὐ παρεῖναι τὸν ἀνῃρημένον καὶ δίκας εἰσπράττεσθαι τοῦ τολμήματος ἐφαντασιοῦτο. διὸ καὶ τοῖς παισὶ τὴν ὑπόνοιαν ἀνακοινοῦται οὐ θαρρῶν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν ἀγωνίαν. Ὁ μὲν Ἡρώδης πολλάκις ἀκούσας τὰ περὶ Χριστοῦ διὰ τὴν ἔμφυτον αὐτοῦ κακίαν τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν ἀεὶ τοῖς τυράννοις καὶ τὸν τῦφον, ὑπερεώρα καὶ κατεφρόνει τῆς φήμης. ὅτε δὲ λοιπὸν πάντες ἀκηκόασιν καὶ πρὸς τὴν διδασκαλίαν ἔδραμον καὶ πάντα φθόνον καὶ τῦφον ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐνίκα ἐνέργεια, τότε ἀκούσας ἐφοβήθη λίαν λέγων· μήποτε Ἰωάννης ἀνέστη, ὃν ἐγὼ ἀπεκεφάλισα· ψοφοδεὴς γὰρ ἡ μοχθηρία καὶ τοσοῦτον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς νεκροὺς δεδοικέναι. 64 Mt 14, 9 10 Λυπεῖται ὁ Ἡρώδης μεριζόμενος εἰς δύο, τῇ μὲν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετῇ ἀναστελλόμενος τῆς μιαιφονίας, τῇ δὲ τῆς ὑποσχέσεως ἐπαγγελίᾳ οἰστρηλατούμενος πρὸς τὸν φόνον καὶ τῷ μὲν οἰκείῳ κεντούμενος συνειδότι, δεῖξαι δὲ τοῖς συνανακειμένοις φιλοτιμούμενος, ὡς εὔορκός τε εἴη καὶ οὐδενὸς φείδεται πρὸς ἀρέσκειαν αὐτῶν καὶ θεραπείαν πράττων· εἰκὸς γὰρ τοὺς κόρης ἀσελγοῦς ἀσελγέσι σχήμασι καὶ κινήμασιν ἐκμεθυσθέντας μηδὲ τὸν μισθὸν ἀναβληθῆναι ἐπιτρέπειν τῆς ἐπὶ ταῖς τῆς φύσεως ἀκολα σίαις καὶ ὕβρεσιν αὐτοὺς δεξιωσαμένης. καὶ ὅρα ὡς τρυφὴ καὶ ἀνθρωποπαρέσκεια φόνον ἀπέτεκεν τὸν ὅρκον ποιησαμένη παραπέτασμα. εἰ δὲ τὴν σὴν ἐπεζήτησεν, ἄθλιε, κεφαλήν, τί ἂν διέπραξας; ἆρα τοὺς ὅρκους καὶ τοὺς συνανακειμένους ἀφοσιούμενος ἐξέτεμες ἄν; εἰ δὲ τῆς Ἡρωδιάδος αὐτῆς ὡς εἴθ' ὤφελεν; ἀλλὰ τί ταῦτα λέγω; εἰ μισθὸν ᾔτησεν τῆς παρανόμου μίξεως τὴν φυγήν, ἆρα τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ἐφύλαξας; καίτοι πόσα ὑπῆρχεν ἐν τούτῳ ἀγαθά· ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν οὐδ' ἀπαλλάξαι καλῶς ἐπέτρεψας τὸ κοράσιον, ὅς γε πάλαι νουθετοῦντα τὸν Ἰωάννην τὴν διάζευξιν ἀπέκτεινας ἄν, εἰ μὴ τοῦ πλήθους ἐπέσχεν ὁ φόβος· δι' ὃ καὶ ἡ λύπη σου πλάσμα καὶ σχῆμα καὶ ὑπόκρισις· εἰ γὰρ ἦν τελεία καὶ ἀληθής, οὐδὲν ἦν τὸ κωλύον ἀλογῆσαι τῶν πεπλασμένων προφάσεων καὶ καθαρὸν ὀφθῆναι τῆς μιαιφονίας. Ἐλυπεῖτο ὁ Ἡρώδης μεριζόμενος τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ ποτὲ μὲν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετὴν αἰδούμενος ἀνεχαιτίζετο τῆς μιαιφονίας, ποτὲ δὲ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν πληρῶσαι βουλόμενος διηγείρετο πρὸς τὸν φόνον δεῖξαι βουλόμενος ὡς εὔορκός ἐστι καὶ οὐδενὸς φειδόμενος τῶν πρὸς ἀρέσκειαν τῶν ἀνακειμένων. 65 Mt 15, 1 6 Καὶ τί κοινωνεῖ τῷ τῶν Φαρισαίων ἐγκλήματι τῷ αἰτιωμένῳ τὸ ἄνιπτον τῶν χειρῶν ἡ τιμᾶσθαι δεῖν παρακελεύουσα τοὺς γονεῖς ἐντολή; φιλαργυρίαν νοσοῦντες οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς ἔχαιρον τῷ περιέργῳ τῶν παραδόσεων καὶ ὁρῶντες λυμαινομένην αὐτοῖς τὴν τιμᾶν τοὺς γονεῖς κελεύουσαν ἐντολὴν καὶ τὸν ἐσπουδασμένον αὐτοῖς πόρον ἐγκόπτουσαν τί μηχανῶνται; ἐπιτειχίζουσιν αὐτῇ τὴν πασῶν μείζονα ἐντολῶν τὴν ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· οἱ