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

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 find it? And what is the equivalent prize for those who suffer this? For this reason, that he might turn them away from such thoughts and, as it were, reforge them towards courage by instilling in them a desire for the good repute that would be theirs, he says: There are some of those standing here and what follows, alluding to Peter and the sons of Zebedee; for these were taken along with him in the transfiguration, which he calls a kingdom as having revealed the ineffable nature of his authority and the unchangeable nature of his authenticity with the Father; and in it he also signified the dignity and awesomeness of the second coming, showing this one as a prelude and, as it were, a confirmation of that one. For he will come in the glory of God the Father, not in the humble state according to us. 196 Mt 16, 27-28 By glory he means the transformation and change of our nature beyond the currently seen form into a glorious and incomparable glory; and of those whose glory is one, much more so is their substance. Or otherwise, by glory he means the transformation and remodeling of our nature, which has a glorious and incomparable glory beyond the currently seen form. 197 Mt 17, 1 He goes up on the mountain, showing that a lowly mind would not be fit for contemplation, but one that is private and outside worldly cares in quiet. 198 Mt 17, 2 We say that the transfiguration took place, not indeed by the body changing its human form, but by a certain light-like glory enveloping it; for while the body remained in its form, its features were colored to a more glorious state by a light-like color. 199 Mt 17, 3-7 By what they say to one another, it is shown that the ancient prophets uttered the same things as Christ, even if through riddles. But the disciples fall from extreme fear, and the Savior raises them, showing that if he had not been incarnate and mediated between God and men and strengthened his nature, it would not have been able to bear hearing the voice of God. 200 Mt 17, 4 He did not know what he was saying; for before the passion and resurrection of the Savior and the destruction of death and the corruption of our bodies, it was impossible for Peter to be with Christ and to desire the tents in heaven; for these things must happen after the Savior's resurrection and ascension into heaven. 1 Mt 17, 5 He commanded to listen to him, since it is no longer the will of God the Father for us to obey the letters of the law, nor the sketches in a type, but rather to follow the things commanded to us through the Savior without pushing aside Moses and the prophets; for they stood with him and spoke with him, so that their presence might signify to us a servant's ministry, and their speaking with him an intimacy with Christ and, as it were, an identity of speech. 2 Mt 17, 6 The voice of God the Father is both good and worthy of admiration, but being now seized by an overpowering fear, the disciples fall, so that indeed, again and through this, we may learn that the mediation of our Savior has been revealed as most necessary to those on earth, understood, that is, according to the manner of the incarnation; for if he had not become as we are, which of us would have borne God approaching from above and revealing his ineffable glory, which is perhaps bearable to none of created beings; for "he dwells in unapproachable light," as the blessed Paul also said; and before this such a voice was brought forth at the Jordan, and a crowd was present. 3 Mt 17, 11-12 Christ shows that the Jews are very ignorant of the scriptures, from which they did not know John, that is, the first Elijah, the one who "prepared the way of the Lord," whom being ignorant of and killing, the forerunner of Christ, they were also ignorant of the Lord himself and killed him. 4 Mt 17, 14-18 If

περιπεσεῖν ἀσθενείαις καί τι τοιοῦ τον ἐννενοηκότας εἰπεῖν· πῶς ἀρνήσεταί τις ἑαυτόν; ἢ πῶς ἀπολέσας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν εὑρήσει αὐτήν; τί δὲ τοῖς τοῦτο παθοῦσιν τὸ ἰσοτιμοῦν γέρας; διὰ τοῦτο, ἵνα τῶν τοιούτων αὐτοὺς ἀποστήσῃ λογι σμῶν καὶ οἷον μεταχαλκεύσῃ πρὸς εὐανδρίαν τῆς ἐσομένης αὐτοῖς εὐ κλείας ἐπιθυμίαν ἐντεκών, φησίν· εἰσίν τινες τῶν ὧδε ἑστηκότων καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, Πέτρον αἰνιττόμενος καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου· οὗτοι γὰρ ἐν τῇ μεταμορφώσει συμπαρελήφθησαν, ἣν καλεῖ βασιλείαν ὡς ἐκ φήνασαν τῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ ἄφατον καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸν πατέρα γνησιότητος τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον· ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ καὶ τῆς δευτέρας παρουσίας τὸ ἀξίωμα καὶ τὸ φρικτὸν ὑπεδήλωσε προοίμιον ταύτην ἐκείνης καὶ οἷον βεβαίωσιν ἐνδειξάμενος. ἥξει γὰρ ἐν δόξῃ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρός, οὐκ ἐν σμικρο πρεπείᾳ τῇ καθ' ἡμᾶς. 196 Mt 16, 27-28 ∆όξαν φησὶ τὸν μετασχη ματισμὸν καὶ μεταλλαγμὸν τῆς ἡμε τέρας φύσεως παρὰ τὸ νῦν ὁρώ μενον σχῆμα εἰς εὐκλεᾶ καὶ ἀσύγ κριτον δόξαν· ὧν δὲ καὶ δόξα μία, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ οὐσία. ∆όξαν δὲ ἄλλως τὸν μετα σχηματισμὸν καὶ μεταπλασμὸν τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως τὸν εὐκλεᾶ καὶ ἀσύγκριτον ἔχοντα τὴν δόξαν παρὰ τὸ νῦν ὁρώμενον σχῆμα. 197 Mt 17, 1 Εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἄνεισι δεικνύς, ὅτι ὁ χθαμαλὸς νοῦς οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο πρὸς θεωρίαν ἐπιτήδειος, ἀλλ' ὁ κατ' ἰδίαν γεγονὼς καὶ ἔξω φροντίδων βιωτικῶν ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ. 198 Mt 17, 2 Πεπρᾶχθαι δέ φαμεν τὴν μεταμόρφωσιν οὐχὶ δήπου τὸ σχῆμα τὸ ἀνθρώπινον μεταβαλόντος τοῦ σώματος, ἀλλὰ δόξης τινὸς φωτοειδοῦς περιστελλούσης αὐτό· μείναντος γὰρ τοῦ σώματος ἐπὶ τοῦ σχήματος ἐπὶ τὸ ἐνδοξότερον οἱ χαρακτῆρες διὰ φωτοειδοῦς χρώματος διεχρών νυντο. 199 Mt 17, 3-7 ∆ι' ὧν συλλαλοῦσι δείκνυται, ὅτι τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ Χριστῷ καὶ οἱ πάλαι προφῆται ἐφθέγξαντο, εἰ καὶ δι' αἰνιγμάτων. ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἄκρας δειλίας πίπτουσιν οἱ μαθηταὶ καὶ ἀνίστησιν αὐτοὺς ὁ σωτὴρ δεικνύς, ὅτι εἰ μὴ ἐσαρκώθη καὶ ἐμεσίτευσε θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἰσχυροποίησεν τὴν αὐτοῦ φύσιν, οὐκ ἂν ἔφερε φωνὴν θεοῦ ἀκοῦσαι. 200 Mt 17, 4 Οὐκ ᾔδει τί ἐλάλει· πρὸ γὰρ τοῦ πάθους καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ τῆς καταλύσεως τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς τῶν σωμάτων ἡμῶν ἀδύνατον ἦν τὸν Πέτρον συνεῖναι Χριστῷ καὶ τῶν σκηνῶν ἐφίεσθαι τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ· ταῦτα γὰρ δεῖ γενέσθαι μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἀνάστασιν καὶ εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνάβασιν. 1 Mt 17, 5 Αὐτοῦ προστέταχεν ἀκούειν, ἐπειδήπερ οὐ νομικοῖς ἔτι πείθε σθαι γράμμασιν ἡμᾶς θελητὸν τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ταῖς ἐν τύπῳ σκιαγραφίαις, ἕπεσθαι δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς διὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῖν ἐντεταλ μένοις οὐκ ἐξωθουμένων Μωσέως τε καὶ τῶν προφητῶν· συμπαρειστή κεσαν γὰρ καὶ συνελάλουν αὐτῷ, ἵν' ἡ μὲν παράστασις τὴν οἰκετικὴν ἡμῖν σημαίνῃ λειτουργίαν, τὸ δέ γε συλλαλεῖν τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν οἰκειότητα καὶ οἱονεὶ τὴν ταὐτολογίαν. 2 Mt 17, 6 Ἡ μὲν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς φωνὴ καλή τε καὶ ἀξιάγαστος, ἀκράτῳ δὲ ἤδη κατεχόμενοι δείματι πίπτουσιν οἱ μαθηταί, ἵνα δὴ πάλιν καὶ διὰ τούτου μάθωμεν, ὡς ἀναγκαιοτάτη τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς ἡ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀναπέφανται μεσιτεία νοουμένη δηλαδὴ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τρόπον· εἰ μὴ γὰρ γέγονε καθ' ἡμᾶς, τίς ἂν ἡμῶν ἤνεγκεν ἄνω προσ βάλλοντα θεὸν καὶ τὴν ἄφατον αὐτοῦ δόξαν οὐδενὶ τάχα τῶν γεννητῶν φορητὴν ἐμφαίνοντα· "φῶς" γὰρ "οἰκεῖν" αὐτὸν "ἀπρόσιτον" καὶ ὁ μα κάριος ἔφησε Παῦλος· καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἠνέχθη φωνὴ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου τοιαύτη καὶ ὄχλος παρῆν. 3 Mt 17, 11-12 ∆είκνυσιν ὁ Χριστὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους λίαν ἀγνοοῦντας τὰς γραφάς, ἐξ ὧν τὸν Ἰωάννην οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τὸν πρῶτον Ἠλίαν τὸν "τὴν ὁδὸν ἑτοιμάσαντα τοῦ κυρίου", ὃν ἀγνοοῦντες καὶ ἀποκτείναντες τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρόδρομον καὶ αὐτὸν ἠγνόησαν τὸν κύριον καὶ ἀπέ κτειναν αὐτόν. 4 Mt 17, 14-18 Εἰ