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 the land, so also the power of the preaching and the wonderful and manifold teaching of the sacred lessons, which the good fishermen, the apostles, wove, draws from every kind and gathers to God. And it gathers until a time, which will be fulfilled at the time of the consummation, at which time, having dragged those caught in the net out of this life, the angels of God appointed for this will make the distinction of all, separating the wicked from the midst of the righteous. 172 Mt 13, 52 A scribe is one who, through persistent reading of the scriptures, both the old and the new, has stored up for himself a treasure of knowledge. Therefore he blesses those who have combined in themselves the teaching of the law and of the gospel, so as to bring forth from the treasure new and old things. These he also likens to a scribe just as he also says elsewhere: "I send" to you "wise men and scribes." Do you see how he does not cast out the old—through which the soul is beautified. 174 Mt 14, 13-21 Now he also filled baskets and that rather to each one of the disciples was given as a reward for their service, by which it is signified that those who serve will have a great reward. Since the other evangelist also says the loaves were "of barley," the purpose of the contemplation looks to this: barley is food for beasts, which is the contemplation through Moses offered to the more irrational; for this reason we also say there were five loaves because of the fivefold writing of Moses, and two fish, by which is indicated the twofold writing of the fishermen, both apostolic and evangelic. 175 Mt 14, 15 What "send them away" is, let us examine precisely. Some of those following Christ were begging to be delivered from evil spirits possessing them, and others were seeking a release from other illnesses. Therefore, since the disciples knew that by only nodding he accomplishes for the sick what they desire, they say, "send them away," not because they themselves were weary as the hour had grown late, but because they were possessed by love for the crowds and, as it were, already practicing the pastoral science and beginning to care for the people. 176 Mt 14, 19 Fulfilling the mystery of the economy, the savior looks up to heaven; for he took the form of a servant, being God by nature, and through the hands of the disciples he gives the food to the crowds, hinting at the nearness of the saints to God. Therefore those who are not such stand outside of him. 177 Mt 14, 19 So that in every way he might be recognized as being God by nature, he multiplies the little, and he looks up to heaven as if asking for the blessing from above. And he did this economically for our sake. For he himself is the one who fills all things, the blessing from above and from the Father. But so that we might learn that, when beginning a meal and about to break bread, we ought to offer it to God, placing it as it were in upturned hands, and bring down upon it the blessing from above, he has economically become for us the beginning and type and way of the matter. 178 Mt 14, 20 That the fragments of the loaves were left over, after a crowd of no small number of men was satisfied, would be a clear assurance, that the practice of hospitality has a rich recompense from God. And it is possible to see the new things corresponding to the more ancient wonders, and being workings of one and the same power. He rained down manna in the wilderness for those of Israel, but behold now again in the wilderness he has abundantly supplied those in need of food, as if sending it down from heaven; for to multiply the little and, as it were, from nothing to feed so great a crowd would not be unlike the first sign. 179 Mt 14, 21 The male is always chosen by God as being most warlike and to have come to maturity, that is, to a good state of body

θαλασσουργικὸν ἔχοντες ἐπιτήδευμα χαλῶσι τὸ λίνον οὐ δια κρίνοντες, ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἂν τοῖς βρόχοις ἐναποληφθῇ, τοῦτο πάντη καὶ πάν τως ἕλκουσιν εἰς γῆν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ κηρύγματος καὶ ἡ θαυ μαστὴ καὶ πολύπλοκος τῶν ἱερῶν μαθημάτων διδασκαλία, ἣν οἱ καλοὶ ἁλιευταὶ ἀπόστολοι ἔπλεξαν, ἐκ παντὸς ἕλκει γένους καὶ συνάγει πρὸς θεόν. συνάγει δὲ μέχρι καιροῦ, ὃς πληρωθήσεται κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς συντελείας, καθ' ὃν τοὺς σαγηνευθέντας ἐκτὸς τοῦ βίου ἑλκύσαντες οἱ ἐπὶ τούτῳ τεταγμένοι ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν πάντων διάκρισιν ποιήσονται ἀφορίζοντες τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ μέσου τῶν δικαίων. 172 Mt 13, 52 Γραμματεύς ἐστιν ὁ διὰ τῆς ἐπιμόνου ἀναγνώσεως τῶν γραφῶν τῆς τε παλαιᾶς καὶ τῆς νέας θησαυρὸν γνώσεως ἑαυτῷ ἀποθέμενος. διὸ μακαρίζει τοὺς συνενεγκόντας ἐν ἑαυτοῖς νομικὴν παιδείαν καὶ εὐαγγελικήν, ὥστε ἐκβάλλειν ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ νέα καὶ παλαιά. τούτους καὶ γραμματεῖ ὁμοιοῖ καθὼς καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν· "ἀποστέλλω" ὑμῖν "σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς". εἶδες πῶς οὐκ ἐκβάλλει τὴν παλαιάν-δι' ὧν καλλωπίζεται ἡ ψυχή. 174 Mt 14, 13-21 Νῦν δὲ καὶ κοφίνους ἐγέμισεν καὶ ὅτι μᾶλλον ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐδόθη εἰς μισθὸν τῆς διακονίας, δι' οὗ σημαίνεται, ὅτι οἱ διακονούμενοι πολὺν ἕξουσιν τὸν μισθόν. ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ ἄλλος εὐαγγε λιστὴς "κριθίνους" λέγει τοὺς ἄρτους, ὁ τῆς θεωρίας σκοπὸς εἰς τοῦτο ὁρᾷ· ἡ κριθὴ κτηνώδης ἐστὶ τροφή, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ διὰ Μωσέως θεωρία τοῖς ἀλογωτέροις προσενεχθεῖσα· διὰ τοῦτο δὲ καὶ πέντε τοὺς ἄρτους φαμὲν διὰ τὸ πενταμερὲς τοῦ Μωσέως συγγράμματος, δύο δὲ τοὺς ἰχθύας, δι' ὧν δηλοῦται ἡ διττὴ τῶν ἁλιέων συγγραφή, ἀποστολική τε καὶ εὐαγγελική. 175 Mt 14, 15 Τί τὸ ἀπόλυσόν ἐστιν, ἐξετάσωμεν ἀκριβῶς. οἱ μὲν τῶν ἀκολου θούντων τῷ Χριστῷ πονηρῶν πνευμάτων συνεχόντων αὐτοὺς ἀπαλλάττε σθαι παρεκάλουν, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἑτέρων ἀρρωστημάτων ἐζήτουν ἀπόθεσιν. ὡς οὖν εἰδότες οἱ μαθηταὶ ὅτι κατανεύσας μόνον ἀποπεραίνει τοῖς κάμ νουσι τὸ ποθούμενον, ἀπόλυσον αὐτούς φασιν, οὐκ αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον ἀκη διῶντες ὡς παρακμάσαντος τοῦ καιροῦ, ἀλλὰ τῆς εἰς τοὺς ὄχλους ἀγάπης ἐχόμενοι καὶ οἷον μελετῶντες ἤδη τὴν ποιμαντικὴν ἐπιστήμην καὶ τοῦ κήδεσθαι λαῶν ἀρχόμενοι. 176 Mt 14, 19 Τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας μυστήριον πληρῶν ὁ σωτὴρ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέπει· καὶ γὰρ δούλου μορφὴν ἀνέλαβε θεὸς ὢν κατὰ φύσιν καὶ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν τῶν μαθητῶν δίδωσι τὰς τροφὰς τοῖς ὄχλοις τὴν τῶν ἁγίων αἰνιττόμενος πρὸς θεὸν ἐγγύτητα. διὸ οἱ μὴ τοιοῦτοι ἔξω ἑστήκασιν αὐτοῦ. 177 Mt 14, 19 Ἵνα διὰ τρόπου παντὸς θεὸς ὢν φύσει ἐπιγινώσκηται, πολυ πλασιάζει τὸ βραχύ, βλέπει τε εἰς οὐρανὸν οἷον τὴν ἄνωθεν εὐλογίαν αἰτῶν. ἐποίει δὲ καὶ τοῦτο οἰκονομικῶς δι' ἡμᾶς. ἔστι μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ πάντα πληρῶν, ἡ ἄνωθεν καὶ παρὰ πατρὸς εὐλογία. ἵνα δὲ μάθωμεν ἡμεῖς, ὅτι τραπέζης ἀρχόμενοι καὶ μέλλοντες ἄρτους διακλᾶν θεῷ προσά γειν ὀφείλομεν ὑπτίαις ὥσπερ ἐνθέντες χερσὶ καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν εὐλογίαν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς καταφέρειν, ἀρχὴ καὶ τύπος καὶ ὁδὸς τοῦ πράγματος γέγονεν ἡμῖν οἰκονομικῶς. 178 Mt 14, 20 Τὸ τῶν ἄρτων περισσεῦσαι τὰ κλάσματα πληθύος ἀνδρῶν οὐκ ὀλίγης κατακορεσθείσης πληροφορία σαφὴς ἂν γένοιτο, εἰ τῆς φιλο ξενίας τὸ χρῆμα πλουσίαν ἔχει παρὰ θεοῦ τὴν ἀντέκτισιν. ἔξεστι δὲ ἰδεῖν τοῖς ἀρχαιοτέροις θαύμασι τὰ νέα συμβαίνοντα καὶ μιᾶς ὄντα καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς δυνάμεως ἐνεργήματα. ἔβρεξεν ἐν ἐρήμῳ τὸ μάννα τοῖς ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ δὴ πάλιν ἐν ἐρήμῳ τοῖς ἐν ἐνδείᾳ τροφῆς κεχορήγηκεν ἀφθόνως οἷον ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καθιεὶς αὐτήν· τὸ γὰρ πολυπλασιάσαι τὸ βραχὺ καὶ οἷον ἐκ τοῦ μηδενὸς τὴν οὕτω πολλὴν ἀποθρέψαι πληθὺν οὐκ ἀπεοικὸς ἂν εἴη τῷ πρώτῳ σημείῳ. 179 Mt 14, 21 Ἐκλεκτὸν ἀεὶ θεῷ τὸ ἄρρεν ὡς μαχιμώτατον καὶ εἰς ἥβην ἐλθεῖν ἤγουν εἰς εὐεξίαν