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

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, 23 And he prays not as one in need, but as a high priest making supplications on our behalf. and after a little while; until evening, in order to show that one must not be quickly satisfied concerning this, but patience and eagerness. And he also teaches this, that when there is need, we ought to speak things of common benefit to those we meet and after such a discourse and teaching to proceed to prayer. He prays not as God needing something, but as a high priest making supplications on our behalf, although insofar as he is conceived of and is God by nature he himself grants the requests to the saints. And he prays until evening, in order to show that one must not be quickly satisfied concerning him, but to show patience and long-suffering. He therefore went up there and prayed. 181 Mt 14, 27 By saying "take heart" he demands faith, through which each of those who sincerely believe in Christ is saved; and by adding "it is I" he dispels all fear; for "I am," he says, the one who is able to do all things. 182 Mt 15, 1-6 Some of the Jews came forward and were eager to consecrate their own souls to God, as still in type and shadow yet according to the law confessing the honors from themselves to those chosen to serve as priests and who attend to the divine altar, but there were some who desired such a glory, that of being sanctified, I mean, and holy and a divine offering, but who checked their desire because of a lack of money. But when the Pharisees and scribes urged them that it was necessary to be for this —for these men were exceedingly fond of money— they put forward their respect for their parents and speaking truly they said, that they were barely able to provide the necessities of life for themselves and them. But they dared to persuade them to consider the matter as nothing for the sake of God, and taught that even if their parents should approach seeking the customary support from them, it was necessary to say to the father or to the mother, "Whatever you might have gained from me is a gift," that is, whatever you might receive from me, know that you are harming a divine offering and laying your hands on sacred money; for I have dedicated myself and have been promised as a gift to God. And the parents, fearing the harm from sacrilege and shuddering at the laws concerning this, endured while wailing and insisted that piety toward God had become for them a pretext for starvation, crying out perhaps that the divine commandment was also wronging them in the most vital matters. "Why then," he says, "have you nullified the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" For it was necessary, it was necessary to honor those who begot you, not to annul the law concerning them for the sake of piety toward God. Therefore, one must neither neglect the things fitting for God for the sake of human things, nor indeed utterly neglect human things for the sake of God, but rather assigning the preeminence of love to the beginning of all things, that is, to God, as in a second and neighboring rank to convey immediately also to the ministers of one's birth the honors that are most fitting for them. 183 Mt 15, 4-6 When God commands to honor parents and has attached danger to those who transgress, you command children not to honor their parents, unless perhaps the children should wish to do this out of a sense of honor, but if they ask you for something, to say to them, "Whatever you might receive from me, know that you are depriving God of this; for I have promised to give it as a sacrifice." And one must indeed prefer God to parents, but it is necessary <I say> also to demand that honor toward parents be preserved; for they ought not, on the pretext of seeming to bring gifts to God, to sin against their own parents. 184 Mt 15, 13-14 A plant not from God is everything outside of God, which also will be uprooted; he who is formed by this is blind. 185 Mt 15, 17-18 And

πνευματικὴν καὶ σπερματίζειν καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς δι δάσκειν δυνάμενον καὶ ἀναμετρεῖν "εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ" ἰσχῦον. 180 Mt 14, 23 Εὔχεται δὲ οὐχ ὡς δεόμενος, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀρχιερεὺς τὰς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἱκεσίας ποιούμενος. καὶ μετ' ὀλί γον· ἕως ἑσπέρας, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ἁψικόρως ἔχειν περὶ τούτου, ἀλλ' ὑπομονὴν καὶ προθυμίαν. δι δάσκει δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὥστε ἐν ᾧ χρεία, ὀφείλομεν τὰ κοινωφελῆ λα λεῖν τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν καὶ μετὰ τὴν τοιαύτην διάλεξιν καὶ διδασκαλίαν ἐπὶ τὴν προσευχὴν χωρεῖν. Προσεύχεται οὐχ ὡς δεόμε νός τινος ὁ θεός, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀρχιερεὺς τὰς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἱκεσίας ποιούμενος, καίτοι καθ' ὃ νοεῖται καί ἐστι θεὸς φύσει αὐτὸς χορηγῶν τοῖς ἁγίοις τὰ αἰτήματα. εὔχεται δὲ ἕως ἑσπέρας, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι οὐ χρὴ ἁψικόρως ἔχειν περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ὑπομονὴν καὶ μακροθυμίαν ἐνδείκνυσθαι. ὁ μὲν οὖν ἀνέβαινεν ἐκεῖσε καὶ προσ ηύχετο. 181 Mt 14, 27 Εἰπὼν θαρσεῖτε τὴν πίστιν ἀπαιτεῖ, δι' ἧς ἕκαστος τῶν εἰλικρινῶς εἰς Χριστὸν πιστευόντων σῴζεται· ἐπαγαγὼν δὲ ἐγώ εἰμι λύει πάντα φόβον· ἐγὼ γάρ, φησίν, εἰμὶ ὁ πάντα δυνάμενος ποιῆσαι. 182 Mt 15, 1-6 Προσῄεσάν τινες τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ καθιεροῦν ἐσπούδαζον τῷ θεῷ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς, ὡς ἐν τύπῳ μὲν ἔτι καὶ σκιᾷ πλὴν κατὰ τὸν νόμον τὰς παρὰ σφῶν αὐτῶν ὁμολογοῦντες τιμὰς τοῖς ἱερᾶσθαι λαχοῦσι καὶ τῷ θείῳ προσεδρεύουσι θυσιαστηρίῳ, ἀλλ' ἦσάν τινες ἐφιέμενοι μὲν τῆς τοιᾶσδε δόξης, τοῦ ἡγιασμένοι εἶναι φημὶ καὶ ἱεροὶ καὶ θεῖον ἀνά θημα, σπάνει δὲ χρημάτων ἀνακόπτοντες τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν. προτρεπόντων δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖν εἶναι πρὸς τοῦτο τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ γραμματέων -ἐρασιχρήματοι γὰρ οὗτοι λίαν-τὴν εἰς γονέας αἰδῶ προετείνοντο καὶ ἀληθεύοντες ἔλεγον, μόλις δύνασθαι ἑαυτοῖς κἀκείνοις τὰ ζωαρκῆ πορίζεσθαι. οἱ δὲ ἀναπείθειν ἐτόλμων παρ' οὐδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸ χρῆμα διὰ τὸν θεόν, κἂν προσίοιεν οἱ γεγεννηκότες τὴν συνήθη παρ' αὐτῶν ζητοῦν τες ἐπικουρίαν, χρῆναι λέγειν ἐδίδασκον τῷ πατρὶ ἢ τῇ μητρί, ὅτι δῶρόν ἐστιν, ὅπερ ἂν ἐξ ἐμοῦ ὠφεληθῇς, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ὅπερ ἂν ἐξ ἐμοῦ λάβῃς, γίνωσκε τὸ θεῖον παραβλάπτων ἀνάθημα καὶ χρήμασιν ἱεροῖς τὰς χεῖρας ἐπάγων· ἀνατέθεικα γὰρ ἐμαυτὸν καὶ ὡς δῶρον ἐπήγγελμαι τῷ θεῷ. οἱ δὲ γονεῖς τὰ ἐκ τῆς ἱεροσυλίας δεδιότες βλάβη καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῷδε νό μους διαπεφρικότες διεκαρτέρουν οἰμώζοντες καὶ τὴν εἰς θεὸν εὐσέβειαν πρόφασιν αὐτοῖς γενέσθαι λιμοῦ διετείνοντο κατακεκραγότες τάχα που καὶ τῆς θείας ἐντολῆς ἀδικούσης αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰ καιριώτατα. διὰ τί τοίνυν, φησίν, ἠκυρώσατε τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τὴν παράδοσιν ὑμῶν; ἔδει γάρ, ἔδει τιμᾶν τοὺς φύσαντας, οὐ τῆς εἰς θεὸν εὐσεβείας ἕνεκα τὸν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς καταλύειν νόμον. οὐκοῦν οὔτε τῶν τῷ θεῷ πρε πόντων ἀμελητέον διὰ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα οὔτε μὴν εἰς ἅπαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ τὸν θεὸν καταμελητέον, ἀπονέμοντας δὲ μᾶλλον τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐξαίρετον τῇ πάντων ἀρχῇ, τοῦτ' ἔστιν θεῷ, καθάπερ ἐν τάξει δευτέρᾳ καὶ γείτονι παρακομίζειν εὐθὺς καὶ εἰς τοὺς τῆς γενέσεως ὑπουργοὺς τὰς αὐτοῖς ὅτι μάλιστα πρεπούσας τιμάς. 183 Mt 15, 4-6 Τοῦ θεοῦ παραγγέλλοντος τιμᾶν τοὺς γονεῖς καὶ κίνδυνον ἀπαρ τήσαντος τοῖς παραβαίνουσιν ὑμεῖς παραγγέλλετε τοῖς παισὶ μὴ τιμᾶν τοὺς γονεῖς, εἰ μήπου ἄρα οἱ παῖδες ἐκ φιλοτιμίας τοῦτο θελήσουσιν ποιεῖν, ἀλλ' ἐὰν ὑμᾶς αἰτήσωσί τι, λέγειν πρὸς αὐτούς, ὅπερ ἂν ἐξ ἐμοῦ λάβῃς, ἴσθι τοῦτο ἀποστερῶν τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰς θυσίαν γὰρ αὐτὸ ὑπεσχόμην δοῦναι. καὶ δεῖ μὲν τὸν θεὸν προτιμᾶσθαι τῶν γονέων, χρῆναι δὲ <λέγω> καὶ τὴν εἰς γονέας τιμὴν φυλάττεσθαι ἀπαιτεῖν· οὐ γὰρ διὰ τὸ δοκεῖν προφασίζεσθαι δωροφορεῖν θεῷ ὀφείλουσι πλημμελεῖν εἰς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν γονεῖς. 184 Mt 15, 13-14 Φυτεία ἐστὶν ἡ μὴ ἐκ θεοῦ πᾶν τὸ ἔξω θεοῦ, ὅπερ καὶ ἐκρι ζωθήσεται· ὁ ταύτῃ πεποιωμένος τυφλός ἐστιν. 185 Mt 15, 17-18 Καὶ