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

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 all things, making the exclusion of wealth both unsuspected and readily acceptable; for he says, "No one is good except God alone." and also rebuking beforehand the title of 'good' applied to him inappropriately and greatly straying from what follows; "Why," he says, "do you call me good?" instead of, "Why, thinking me a mere man, do you call me good?" If you consider me a mere man, do not call me good; but if you call me good, recognize me also as God. For no one is good except God, not a teacher, not a ruler, not one in authority, not one who conquers others in victories, not one who excels in beauty, not one who boasts in wealth, not even wealth itself, for which you are gaping; nothing at all of the present and fleeting things is good. Thus, then, the philanthropic Lord, from his first declaration, having rejected the supposed good address as being inconsistent with the man's other supposition about him, and having urged him to consider nothing good, not even wealth, except God, comes to the detailed enumeration and teaching of the commandments, for the time being bringing forward those which he knew the man was not ill-disposed toward, so that by his acceptance of and agreement with these, he might prepare him to consequently accept the cutting off and turning away from the love of money and wealth. But he, appearing ready and prepared for the commandments that were presented, was so far from being detached from avarice and wealth, that even when prizes and crowns were offered and suggested to him—I mean, to become perfect and to obtain heavenly treasures—not only did he not give up any of his attachment to wealth and money, but he even left the teacher and went away. So difficult and hard to conquer is the desire for money, so nearly incurable is the disease of avarice. Let us flee this passion before it masters us; let us shake off this tyranny before it completely masters and rules over us. For if we are mastered and enslaved by it, it will be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for us to enter the kingdom of heaven. 77 Mt 19, 24 Some say camel, others cable; but both mean not the animal, but the rope that binds the anchors. 78 Mt 19, 27 Peter does not say, "Behold, we have left our wealth and followed you" (for being poor and a fisherman he had no wealth), but, "Behold, we have left everything," so that you, being poor, should not be displeased as if you are at a disadvantage compared to the rich man in giving up your possessions. For just as that man, by unburdening himself of his wealth, both becomes perfect and receives heavenly treasures in exchange, so also will you if you leave all that is yours, even if it is cheap and humble and consists only of nets and a few small fish. If, therefore, you leave these things and follow Christ, you will be shown to be a co-heir and partaker of his glory, just like the apostles. But not if you simply leave them, but in order to follow Christ, since not even the rich man was deemed worthy of those prizes for simply putting aside his wealth, but by also undertaking to follow Christ; for he says, "and come, follow me." What then is it to follow him? To keep his commandments and the others, to be ready for death for his sake, if need be, and to accept it with joy and eagerness. And he is ready for death for his sake who does all things for the keeping of his commandments, and despises death, and neither shrinks from power nor is led to court royalty, nor is puffed up by flattery, nor is stolen away by friendship, but overlooks all things and <for> the keeping of the Lord's commandments casts aside the rest. 79 Mt 19, 28 Since it is the custom for those who convict to be cross-examined and in a <certain> way to be of the same rank as those who are convicted, Christ, showing that the apostles were not of this kind of those who cross-examine

κακῶν) οὐ μόνον τὸν πλοῦτον λεληθότως ἅμα καὶ σοφῶς τῆς ἐπικλήσεως ἐκβάλλει τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἅπαντα, τῇ περὶ πάντων ἀποφάσει ἀνύποπτόν τε καὶ εὐπαράδεκτον τὴν τοῦ πλούτου ποιούμενος ἐκβολήν· οὐδεὶς γάρ φησιν ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός . προεπιτιμῶν δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐπ' αὐτοῦ κλῆσιν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἀναρμόστως προσενεχθεῖσαν καὶ πολὺ τῆς ἀκολουθίας παρασφάλλουσαν· τί με , φησίν, καλεῖς ἀγαθὸν ἀντὶ τοῦ τί με ἄνθρωπον ἡγούμενος ψιλὸν ἀγαθὸν καλεῖς; εἰ ψιλὸν ἄνθρωπον ἡγῇ, μηδὲ ἀγαθὸν κάλει· εἰ δὲ καλεῖς ἀγαθόν , ἐπιγίνωσκε καὶ θεόν· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀγαθὸς πλὴν θεοῦ, οὐ διδάσκαλος, οὐκ ἄρχων, οὐκ ἐξουσιαστής, οὐχ ὁ νίκαις κρατῶν τῶν ἄλλων, οὐχ ὁ κάλλει διαφέρων, οὐχ ὁ πλούτῳ κομῶν, οὐδ' αὐτὸς ὁ πλοῦτος, πρὸς ὃν σὺ κέχηνας· οὐδὲν ὅλως τῶν παρόντων καὶ ῥεόντων ἐστὶν ἀγαθόν. οὕτως οὖν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος δεσπότης ἐκ πρώτης ἀποφάσεως τήν τε νομιζομένην εὐφημίαν ἀσύμβατον οὖσαν τῇ ἄλλῃ αὐτοῦ ὑπολήψει διακρουσάμενος καὶ μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν ἡγεῖσθαι μηδὲ τὸν πλοῦτον πλὴν θεοῦ προτρεψάμενος ἐπὶ τὴν κατὰ μέρος ἔρχεται τῶν ἐντολῶν ἀπαρίθμησιν καὶ διδασκαλίαν, ἐκείνας τέως προάγων εἰς μέσον, πρὸς ἃς μηδ' ἐκεῖνον δυσφόρως ἐγίνωσκεν ἔχειν, ἵνα τῇ περὶ τούτων ἀποδοχῇ καὶ συγκαταθέσει καὶ τὴν τῆς φιλοχρηματίας καὶ τοῦ πλούτου ἐκτομὴν καὶ ἀποστροφὴν ἀκολούθως καταδέξασθαι παρασκευάσῃ. ὁ δὲ πρὸς τὰς προενεχθείσας ἐντολὰς ἕτοιμος καὶ προπαρεσκευασμένος φανεὶς τοσοῦτον ἐδέησεν ἀποσπασθῆναι τῆς φιλαργυρίας καὶ τοῦ πλούτου, ὥστε καὶ προτεινομένων αὐτῷ καὶ ὑποτεινομένων ἐπάθλων καὶ στεφάνων, φημὶ δὴ τὸ τέλειον γενέσθαι καὶ οὐρανίων θησαυρῶν εὐπορῆσαι, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ἐνέδωκε τῆς προσπαθείας τῆς πρὸς τὸν πλοῦτον καὶ τὰ χρήματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν διδάσκαλον λιπὼν ἀνεχώρησεν. οὕτως ἐστὶ χαλεπὸν καὶ δυσκαταγώνιστον ἡ τῶν χρημάτων ἐπιθυμία, οὕτως ἐστὶν ἀνίατον σχεδὸν τὸ νόσημα τῆς φιλαργυρίας. φύγωμεν τὸ πάθος πρὶν κατακυριεύσει ἡμῶν, ἀποσεισώμεθα τὴν τυραννίδα ταύτην πρὶν ἢ κατακυριεύσει κατὰ κράτος καὶ δεσπόσει ἡμῶν· ἂν γὰρ κατακυριευθῶμεν καὶ καταδουλωθῶμεν ὑπ' αὐτῆς, εὐκοπώτερον εἰσελεύσεται κάμηλος διὰ τρυπήματος ῥαφίδος ἢ ἡμεῖς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. 77 Mt 19, 24 Οἱ μὲν κάμηλον, οἱ δὲ κάρμηλόν φασιν· ἀμφότεροι δὲ οὐ τὸ ζῷον, ἀλλὰ τὸ σχοινίον λέγουσι τὸ τὰς ἀγκύρας δεσμεῦον. 78 Mt 19, 27 Οὐ λέγει ὁ Πέτρος· ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν τὸν πλοῦτον καὶ ἠκολουθήσαμέν σοι (οὐ γὰρ εἶχεν πένης καὶ ἁλιεὺς ὑπάρχων πλοῦτον), ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ ἀφήκαμεν πάντα, ὥστε πένης ὢν καὶ σὺ μηδὲν δυσχεράνῃς ὡς ἐπὶ τῇ ἀποβολῇ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἐλαττούμενος τοῦ πλουσίου· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἀποφορτιζόμενος τὸν πλοῦτον τέλειός τε γίνεται καὶ θησαυροὺς οὐρανίους ἀντιλαμβάνει, οὕτως καὶ σὺ ἂν ἀφῇς πάντα τὰ σά, κἂν εὐτελῆ καὶ ταπεινὰ καὶ δίκτυα μόνα καὶ ὀλίγα ἰχθύδια ὑπάρχῃ. ἂν οὖν ταῦτα ἀφῇς καὶ ἀκολουθήσῃς τῷ Χριστῷ, τῆς αὐτοῦ δόξης συγκληρονόμος καὶ συμμέτοχος καθάπερ καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἀναδειχθήσῃ· οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ ἂν ἀφῇς, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῷ ἀκολουθῆσαι Χριστῷ, ἐπεὶ οὐδ' ὁ πλούσιος ἐπὶ τῇ ἁπλῶς ἀποθέσει τοῦ πλούτου ἐκείνων ἠξιοῦτο τῶν ἐπάθλων, ἀλλὰ προσλαμβάνων καὶ τὸ ἀκολουθῆσαι Χριστῷ· καὶ δεῦρο γάρ φησιν καὶ ἀκολούθει μοι . τί οὖν ἐστιν ἀκολουθῆσαι αὐτῷ; τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας τηρῆσαι, ἕτοιμον εἶναι πρὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, εἰ δέοι, θάνατον καὶ τοῦτον μετὰ χαρᾶς καὶ προθυμίας προσίεσθαι. ἕτοιμος δέ ἐστιν εἰς τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ θάνατον καὶ ὁ ὑπὲρ τῆς συντηρήσεως τῶν αὐτοῦ ἐντολῶν πάντα πράττων καὶ θανάτου καταφρονῶν καὶ μήτε δυναστείαν ὑποπτήσσων μήτε βασιλείαν θεραπεύειν ὑπαγόμενος μήτε κολακείαις χαυνούμενος μήτε φιλίᾳ κλεπτόμενος, ἀλλὰ πάντα παρορῶν καὶ <ὑπὲρ> τῆς συντηρήσεως τῶν δεσποτικῶν ἐντολῶν τὰ λοιπὰ παρωθούμενος. 79 Mt 19, 28 Ἐπειδὴ ἔθος τοὺς ἐλέγχοντας ἀντεξετάζεσθαι καὶ τρόπον <τινὰ> τῆς αὐτῆς τάξεως εἶναι τοῖς ἐλεγχομένοις, δεικνὺς ὁ Χριστός, ὅτι οὐ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον τῶν διελεγχόντων οἱ ἀπόστολοι