Commentaries on Matthew

 it speaks of one who is uninitiated toward it, therefore the virgin has no thought of suspicion toward any other man. 8 Mt 1, 21 If he has a people ev

 flower, this name is found among many for Daniel calls him holy of holies. And Isaiah: a rod from the root of Jesse and a flower from it and the

 he was asking for he was unrepentant, but so that he might draw Christ into vainglory. Knowing this, the Savior did not obey him. 32 Mt 4, 3-4 Wishin

 making peace with him. Blessed are such as these, as having imitated the Son of God for they will be called sons, having partaken of immortality, tha

 which Luke, clarifying, named lepton. But let us be reconciled both with the enemy and avenger, that is, the devil, while we are on this way, and wi

 61 Mt 5, 31 He who casts out the chaste woman gives her permission to be married to another, which is a form of adultery as if the union were not diss

 6, 14 Jesus is also able as God to forgive sins, but as his disciples were still imperfect he had not yet clearly delivered the teaching concerning hi

 they condemn. For they sometimes say about someone: so-and-so is harsh, inhuman, greedy for gain, a lover of money, cruel, foolish, and then, attribut

 and 'the living bird' he sent out of the city into the field. Observe, therefore, how Christ is completely portrayed for us through the things tha

 having cast down the tyranny of the devil. You have come, they say, before the time for they knew in the word, that Christ was to come and that he ha

 if a profane person approaches a holy one, he must be turned away according to the saying: You shall not abhor an Edomite or an Egyptian. But in the

 what is not his, for suddenly those who bite him will rise up, and your plotters will awake, and you will become plunder for them· for Satan gathered

 He says the cities of Israel are also the assemblies of the faithful, which exist until the consummation of the age, and the teachers and the taught d

 rather from God. John indeed was born of a woman, but those who have accepted the faith are no longer called born of women, but were born of God. An

 in all my heart. But those of a twisted mind say, Behold, he gives thanks to the Father then how is he not less than him? To this, one of those wh

 the new covenant proclaimed through Jeremiah is alongside the first covenant, it is altogether necessary to use not the ancient laws, but the new ones

 to do. But they said this as if He was not able to do any of the things befitting God, being blinded in their mind for to open the eyes of the blind

 for those who have had a spark of intelligible light, but have turned to unintelligent knowledge, even the little gleam which they have will be exting

 having a sea-faring trade, they let down the net, not distinguishing, but whatever is caught in the meshes, this they drag completely and entirely to

 spiritual and able to sow seed and to teach the rest and strong enough to measure to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. 180 Mt 14

 The Lord calls them foolish who are concerned with the body, like the Pharisees, and who have not yet passed over to the inner man. Foods, therefore,

 to fall into weaknesses and, having thought of something like this, to say: How will someone deny himself? Or how, having lost his own soul, will he f

 and it was necessary for the father of the possessed one to go away grieving, not having obtained the favor, since he did not make his approach blamel

 of painful things and they feel more of these than of the most pleasant. 211 Mt 17, 24 And they cunningly ask Peter. Since, he says, it is his custom

 of those returning who once turned away from the desire for virtue, it is necessary to fear the voices of the saints, even if those who are defining i

 a reason for condemnation, who would not hereafter hold responsible the transgression against one thing, not even one who has fled? For not even the v

 times, and that some were found virtuous, but others despised the future age because of foolishness. But at the end of life, which is evening (for the

 being by nature also the Son of the Father became man and came in the name of the Lord, being called the Lord. This one therefore, as God by nature, i

 When the Jews were cast out of the temple with the typical sacrifices, the blind and the lame are healed, who are a type of the Gentiles. However, let

 a way and the fellowship with the Spirit, through which one obtains the kingdom of the heavens. 244 Mt 21, 42 The blessed David has marveled at this c

 they came into the midst and a certain lawyer, considered very learned among them, asks what is the great commandment in the law, thinking that he was

 having become their confessors, that the prophets have become revered and honored, they adorned for them the crowns, that is, the monuments, assigning

 it has an intelligible vision through faith for when the fullness of the gentiles has come in and they believe in Christ, then the Jews who believe

 the narrative and to try to be as precise as possible in detail. But if they should wish to learn excessively something beyond their own measure, to r

 for such a one is a partaker of the master's entire kingdom for this is what is meant by he will set him over all his possessions. He does not say

 280 Mt 25, 1-13 He compares the leaders of the peoples to virgins the minister must be spotless in both soul and body, just as Paul says, that she m

 the present time is for work, but the future for reward. 281 Mt 25, 6-9 Souls that neglect virtue wither and are, as it were, extinguished and proceed

 of the blessed David he accused, saying: But you, a man of one soul, who together with me shared sweet morsels. And again: He who eats my bread has

 sending into the souls of those who worship him and distributing according to the measure of each but that we will be in spiritual joys, the divine D

 He said twelve legions: speaking instead of you, the twelve disciples, so that I do not need your assistance for I have not used my power, but I give

 foretold for one says: Woe to the lawless one evil will befall him according to his works. And another: as you have done, so it shall be to you

 to be renewed, even if the former, like one of the robbers, refused, saying we have no king but Caesar and asking for the innocent blood to be on hi

 against those who had transgressed against him. And the rending of the rocks signifies that the souls of the Gentiles were opened to receive the faith

 with proclamations, and the armies of the spirits above attend to the son as master and lord of all, and when he became flesh, that is, man. 318 Mt 28

in all my heart." But those of a twisted mind say, "Behold, he gives thanks to the Father; then how is he not less than him?" To this, one of those who know well how to defend the doctrines of the truth might say: And what prevents, O best of men, the consubstantial Son from acknowledging and praising his own Father, who through him saves the world under heaven? But if you think that because of the confession he is less than the Father, look also at what follows. For he confesses and calls the Father Lord of heaven and earth. And the Son of God who rules over all things surely reigns with him over all things, not as lesser or of a different substance, but as God from God, crowned with equal glories and having in every respect an essential equality with him. 146 Mt 11, 27 The knowledge of God is according to various concepts: of the creator, as he created; of the judge, <as he judged, and the rest. And all these things are manifest to whomever the Son> may reveal them, being in no other way the Son of God. <Therefore> he who, having received the power to become a child, when he has it does not know, does not have the Father; but when he becomes one by Jesus's revealing it, he will know him as a brother. 147 Mt 11, 27 Just as, therefore, the Father is said to have made all things, although he makes all things through the Son, so also he is said to hand over all things to the Son, he himself having power and ruling over all things through him and being with him. However, if he is also said, according to the economy, as a man to receive authority, since it is not in the nature of man to rule, not even this is unreasonable. 148 Mt 11, 27 He who sees the Son, having the image of the Father in himself, sees the Father himself. And he reveals the Father as he himself appears to the Father in the prototype, while in turn suggesting in his own form the archetype. And these things must be understood in a manner befitting God. But since he said, "All things were delivered to me," lest he seem to be of another tribe and inferior to the Father, he added this, to show that his own nature is ineffable and incomprehensible, just like the Father's; for only the divine nature of the Trinity knows itself. Only the Father knows the Son, his own fruit of his own nature; only the divine offspring knows the one from whom he was begotten; only the Holy Spirit knows "the depths of God," which is the thoughts of the Father and of the Son. 149 Mt 11, 28 Therefore, he who has heard the call and drawn near and joined himself to the one who commanded, this one finds rest. Turn away, he says, from the love of sin and the love of the flesh, and turning to praiseworthy things, draw near to me, that you may become "partakers of the divine nature" and sharers of the Holy Spirit. And he calls all, and not only those from Israel, as creator and Lord of all; and he calls those who labor, the Jews, who are not strong enough to bear the yoke of the law; and those who are burdened, the idolaters, who have been weighed down by the devil and are heavy-laden with the multitude of sins. You, therefore, he says, O Jews, turn to the truth and recognize me, your guardian and master, and reap the profit of your approach from near at hand. For I release you from the slavery under the law, in which you endure much labor, being neither able to fulfill it easily and preparing for yourselves "the burden" of the greatest sins, inasmuch as it was fitting for you to observe more things, acting in accordance with the law. 150 Mt 11, 30 The yoke of Christ is light, since it does not punish us as the law does, demanding sinlessness and impassibility, but in simple words it has the promise and the model of virtue. 152 Mt 12, 1-2 For where nothing great and noble happens, they are quiet; but where they see some being saved, they are more burdensome than all; thus they are enemies of the salvation of men and ignorant of the sacred writings. For if another

ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου". ἀλλ' οἱ διεστραμμένοι τὸν νοῦν· ἰδού, φασίν, χάριν ὁμολογεῖ τῷ πατρί, εἶτα πῶς οὐκ ἐλάττων ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ; πρὸς τοῦτο φαίη τις ἂν τῶν εὖ εἰδότων τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας συνασπίσαι δόγμασι· καὶ τί τὸ κωλῦον, ὦ βέλτιστοι, τὸν ὁμοούσιον υἱὸν ἀποδέχεσθαι καὶ ἐπαινεῖν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα, σῴζοντα δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανόν; εἰ δὲ νομίζεις διὰ τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν ἐν ἐλάττοσιν εἶναι αὐτὸν τοῦ πατρός, ὅρα καὶ τὸ ἐφ' ἑξῆς. κύριον γὰρ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ὁμολογεῖ καὶ ἀποκαλεῖ τὸν πα τέρα. ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ τῶν ὅλων κρατοῦντος θεοῦ πάντως που σὺν αὐτῷ δεσπόζει τῶν ὅλων, οὐχ ὡς ἐλάττων ἢ ἑτεροούσιος, ἀλλ' ὡς θεὸς ἐκ θεοῦ ταῖς ἴσαις εὐκλείαις στεφανούμενος καὶ τὴν κατὰ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἰσό τητα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχων οὐσιωδῶς. 146 Mt 11, 27 Κατὰ διαφόρους ἐπινοίας ἡ θεοῦ γνῶσις· κτίστου, ᾗ ἔκτισεν, κριτοῦ <ᾗ ἔκρινε καὶ τὰ ἄλλα. ταῦτα δὲ πάντα φανερά, ᾧ ἂν ὁ υἱὸς> ἀποκαλύψῃ, οὐχ ἑτέρως ὄντι υἱῷ θεοῦ. <τοιγαροῦν> ὃς λαβὼν ἐξουσίαν τέκνον γενέ σθαι ὅτε μὲν ἔχει οὐκ ἔγνω, οὐκ ἔχει τὸν πατέρα· ὅτε δὲ γίνεται ἀπο καλύψαντος Ἰησοῦ ὡς ἀδελφῷ γνώσεται. 147 Mt 11, 27 Ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ πατὴρ λέγεται πεποιηκέναι τὰ πάντα, καίπερ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ πάντα ποιῶν, οὕτω καὶ λέγεται τῷ υἱῷ πάντα παραδιδόναι αὐτὸν ἔχων δύναμιν καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ κατάρχων τῶν ὅλων καὶ συνὼν αὐτῷ. πλὴν εἰ καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἐξουσίαν λαμβάνειν οἰκονομικῶς λέγεται ὡς μὴ πεφυκυίας ἀνθρώπου φύσεως δεσπόζειν, οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἔξω τοῦ εἰκότος. 148 Mt 11, 27 Ὁ ὁρῶν τὸν υἱὸν τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς εἰκόνα ἔχοντα ἐν ἑαυτῷ αὐτὸν ὁρᾷ τὸν πατέρα. ἀποκαλύπτει δὲ τὸν πατέρα ὡς ἐν πρωτοτύπῳ αὐτὸς τῷ πατρὶ φαινόμενος, ὑποφαίνων δὲ ἂν πάλιν ἐν ἰδίᾳ μορφῇ τὸ ἀρχέ τυπον. ταῦτα δὲ θεοπρεπῶς νοητέον. ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶπε πάντα μοι παρε δόθη, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ἑτέρας φυλῆς εἶναι καὶ παρὰ τὸν πατέρα ἥττων, ἐπήγαγε τοῦτο, ἵνα δείξῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν ἀπόρρητον καὶ ἀκατάληπτον οὖσαν ὡς τὴν τοῦ πατρός· μόνη γὰρ ἡ θεία φύσις τῆς τριάδος ἑαυτὴν ἐπιγινώσκει. μόνος ὁ πατὴρ οἶδεν τὸν υἱὸν τὸν ἴδιον τὸν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ φύσεως καρπόν, μόνον τὸ θεῖον γέννημα ἐπιγινώσκει τὸν ἐξ οὗ ἐτέχθη μόνον τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα οἶδεν "τὰ βάθη τοῦ θεοῦ", ὅ ἐστι τὰς ἐννοίας τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ. 149 Mt 11, 28 Ὁ οὖν ἀκούσας τῆς κλήσεως καὶ ἐγγίσας καὶ κολληθεὶς τῷ προσ τάξαντι, οὗτος ἀναπαύεται. ἀποστάντες, φησίν, τῆς φιλαμαρτήμονος γνώμης καὶ τῆς φιλοσαρκίας καὶ μετατρεπόμενοι ἐπὶ τὰ ἐπαίνου ἄξια πράγματα ἐγγίσατέ μοι, ἵνα γένησθε "θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως" καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος μέτοχοι. πάντας δὲ καλεῖ καὶ οὐ μόνους τοὺς ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ ὡς πάντων δημιουργὸς καὶ κύριος καὶ κοπιῶντας μὲν λέγει τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς μὴ ἰσχύοντας βαστάσαι τὸν νομικὸν ζυγόν, πεφορ τισμένους τοὺς εἰδωλολάτρας τοὺς διὰ τοῦ διαβόλου καταφορτισ θέντας καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καταβαρυνομένους. ὑμεῖς οὖν, φησίν, ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι, νεύσατε πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ ἐπίγνωτε ἐμὲ τὸν ὑμέτερον κηδεμόνα καὶ δεσπότην καὶ ἐγγύθεν τῆς προσόδου τὸ κέρδος κομιζόμενοι. ἀπαλλάττω γὰρ ὑμᾶς τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον δουλείας, ἐν ᾗ πολὺν ὑπομένετε κόπον, οὔτε ῥᾳδίως ἐξανύειν αὐτὸν δυνάμενοι καὶ μέγιστον τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων "τὸ φορτίον" ἑαυτοῖς κατασκευάζοντες, ὅσῳ πλείονα φυλάττειν προσῆκεν ὑμᾶς ἀκόλουθα τῷ νόμῳ διαπραττομένους. 150 Mt 11, 30 Ἐλαφρός ἐστιν ὁ ζυγὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπεὶ οὐ κολάζει ἡμᾶς καθάπερ ὁ νόμος τὸ ἀναμάρτητον ἀπαιτῶν καὶ ἀπαθές, ἀλλ' ἐν ἁπλοῖς ῥήμασιν ἔχει τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπογραμμόν. 152 Mt 12, 1-2 Ἔνθα μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν γίνεται μέγα καὶ γενναῖον, ἡσυχάζουσιν, ἔνθα δὲ ὁρῶσί τινας σῳζομένους, καὶ πάντων εἰσὶ φορτικώτεροι· οὕτως ἐχθροὶ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰσὶ σωτηρίας καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν γραμμάτων ἀνεπιστή μονες. εἰ γὰρ ἑτέρα