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

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 it are not many; for Christ has fully assured us of this, not, of course, saying that whatever comes from many will be certain, but if even two in number should define it harmoniously and circumspectly, having promised that it will come to pass; for "I will be with them," He says, "and I will define with them, if only two should be gathered for My sake"; for not <the> number of those present, but the power of piety and love for God, He says, will become active. 216 Mt 18, 24-35 216 When the God of all forgives us the grievous offenses, this is signified by the many talents, if we ourselves do not remit to our fellow servants the 100 denarii, that is, the few worldly faults out of their inherent hatred of evil, the angels who are set over us and are under the same yoke of dominion as we are make a denunciation before God, not as signifying to one who does not know—for He knows all things as God—but rather asking, as is likely, that those who have chosen to be contemptuous and to dishonor the laws of mutual love be usefully disciplined. And if indeed we should suffer condemnation for these things, we are either disciplined in the present life, handed over as it were to certain torturers, to temptations and sicknesses, or at least we are punished in the age to come. And that God disciplines with a view to conversion, refashioning the disobedient and intractable toward the better, is not difficult to see; for the divine Scripture is full of such things, such as that which is wisely said: "whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and scourges every son whom he receives," and again "Endure for discipline," and so on. 217 Mt 18, 25 Through the selling of the wife and the rest is signified the complete removal and utter falling away from the delights that are from God. And the selling denotes the alienation, clearly that from God; for alienated from God are those to whom that bitter and unsmiling word would be spoken: "Depart from me, you workers" of iniquity; for "I never knew you." 218 Mt 19, 17-18 When Christ said, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments," that man, expecting Him to say nothing other than "immediately mine," says: "Which ones?" But he was very much mistaken in his hope; for Christ did not answer him as he thought, but refers him to the Law, not because the Law is perfection (for "no one is justified by the law," according to what is written), but because the practice according to the Law is, as it were, a certain preliminary approach to eternal life, gradually accustoming the mind of those being instructed to higher things. For "the law has become our tutor unto Christ"; therefore the law is the beginning of a bodily way of life, but Christ is the perfection; for, he says, the beginning of good things is to do just things. The law, then, points out what is just, but Christ, what is good. The one, then, taught to defend oneself with equal measures against those wishing to do wrong (for "a tooth for a tooth" and "an eye for an eye"), but the other, that we, leaving aside the equivalent, [should move] to the greater ... for to the one striking you "on the right, turn to him the other also; and to the one who wants to sue you," He says, "and take your tunic, let him have your cloak also." 219 Mt 19, 24 And here he says "camel" not meaning the beast of burden, but the thick rope with which sailors tie their anchors. He does not show this to be entirely impossible, but by its being exceedingly difficult, he now somehow places the matter near and at the very door of impossibility. whence it is shown not just any person—there is need of grace for one who is going to accomplish this. 220 Mt 19, 26 One could not have a soul entirely free from passions, even if one were among the most hardworking of all; for "who is clean from filth," according to what is written, or "who will boast of having a pure heart"? And if also "he who has stumbled in one point has become guilty of all," according to the

μεταφοιτώντων τῶν ἅπαξ ἐκκλινάντων πρὸς ἔφεσιν ἀρετῆς, χρὴ δεδιέναι τὰς τῶν ἁγίων φωνάς, κἂν μὴ πολλοί τινες εἶεν οἱ διορίζοντες· πεπληροφόρηκε γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ὁ Χριστός, οὐχὶ δήπου πάντως ὅ τι ἐκ πολλῶν ἔσται βέβαιον εἰπών, ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ δύο τὸν ἀριθμὸν συμφώνως καὶ περιεσκεμμένως ὁρίσειαν, εἰς πέρας ἥξειν ἐπαγ γειλάμενος· συνέσομαι γάρ φησι καὶ συνοριῶ, εἰ μόνοι δύο συναχθεῖεν δι' ἐμέ· οὐ γὰρ <τὸν> τῶν συνόντων ἀριθμόν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ φιλοθεΐας δύναμιν ἐνεργὸν γενήσεσθαί φησιν. 216 Mt 18, 24-35 216 Ἀφιέντος ἡμῖν τοῦ πάντων θεοῦ τὰ χαλεπὰ τῶν πλημμελημάτων, διὰ τῶν πολλῶν δηλοῦται ταλάντων, εἰ μὴ τοῖς συνδούλοις ἀνίεμεν αὐτοὶ τὰ ρʹ δηνάρια, τοῦτ' ἔστιν τὰ ὀλίγα κοσμικὰ πταίσματα ἐκ τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτοῖς μισοπονηρίας, οἱ τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς ἐφεστῶτες ἄγγελοι καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν αὐτὸν ἡμῖν ὄντες τῆς δεσποτείας ζυγὸν τὴν παρὰ θεῷ ποιοῦνται κατάρρησιν οὐχ ὡς ἀγνοοῦντι σημαίνοντες- πάντα γὰρ οἶδεν ὡς θεός- ἐξαιτοῦντες δὲ μᾶλλον κατά γε τὸ εἰκὸς χρησίμως παιδεύεσθαι τοὺς ἑλομένους καταφρονεῖν καὶ τοὺς τῆς φιλαλληλίας ἀτιμάζειν νόμους. εἰ δὲ δὴ πάθοιμεν τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις καταβολήν, ἢ παιδευόμεθα κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον οἱονεί τισι βασανισταῖς πειρασμοῖς τε καὶ ἀρρωστίαις παραπεμπόμενοι ἢ γοῦν εἰς αἰῶνα τὸν μέλλοντα κολαζόμενοι. ὅτι δὲ παιδεύει θεὸς ἐπιστρεπτικῶς τὸν ἀπειθῆ καὶ δυσάγωγον μετασκευάζων ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον, ἀταλαίπωρον ἰδεῖν· μεστὴ γὰρ τῶν τοιούτων ἡ θεία γραφή, ὁποῖόν ἐστι τὸ σοφῶς εἰρημένον "ὃν ἀγαπᾷ κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱόν, ὃν παραδέχεται" καὶ πάλιν "εἰς παιδείαν ὑπο μένετε" καὶ ἑξῆς. 217 Mt 18, 25 ∆ιὰ τῆς πράσεως τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν σημαίνεται τῶν παρὰ θεοῦ τερπνῶν ἡ εἰς ἅπαν ἀφαίρεσις καὶ ἀπόπτωσις παντελής. ἡ δὲ πρᾶσις δηλοῖ τὴν ἀλλοτρίωσιν δηλονότι τὴν ἀπὸ θεοῦ· ἀλλότριοι γὰρ θεοῦ πρὸς οὓς ἂν γένοιτο λόγος ὁ πικρὸς ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἀμειδής· "ἀπό στητε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ἐργάται" τῆς ἀνομίας· "οὐδέπω" γὰρ "ἔγνων ὑμᾶς". 218 Mt 19, 17-18 Εἰπόντος τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολὰς οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐκεῖνος προσδοκήσας ἐρεῖν αὐτὸν ἢ "εὐθὺς τὰς ἐμάς" φησιν· ποίας; πολὺ δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐσφάλλετο· οὐ γάρ, ὅπερ ᾠήθη, πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπεκρίνατο ὁ Χριστός, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸν νόμον ἀνάγει αὐτόν, οὐχ ὅτι τελειότης ὁ νόμος ("δικαιοῦται" γὰρ "οὐδεὶς ἐν νόμῳ" κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον), ἀλλ' ὅτι προεισβολή τις ὥσπερ τῆς εἰς αἰῶνα ζωῆς ἡ κατὰ νόμον μελέτη κατὰ βραχὺ προσεθίζουσα τοῖς ἀνω τέρω τῶν παιδαγωγουμένων τὸν νοῦν. "γέγονεν" γὰρ ἡμῖν "ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς εἰς Χριστόν"· ἀρχὴ τοιγαροῦν σωματικῆς πολιτείας ὁ νόμος, τελειότης δὲ ὁ Χριστός· ἀρχὴ γάρ, φησίν, τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὸ ποιεῖν δίκαια. παραδείκνυσι μὲν οὖν τὸ δίκαιον ὁ νόμος, τὸ δὲ ἀγαθὸν ὁ Χριστός. ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐδίδασκεν τοῖς ἴσοις ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἀδικεῖν βουλομένους ("ὀδόντα" γὰρ "ἀντὶ ὀδόντος" καὶ "ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ"), ὁ δὲ τὸ ἰσορροποῦν ἀνέντας ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ μεῖζον ... τῷ γὰρ παίοντί σε "εἰς τὴν δεξιάν, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην· καὶ τῷ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι", φησίν, "καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἄφες αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον". 219 Mt 19, 24 Κάμηλον δὲ ἐνταῦθά φησιν οὐ τὸ ζῷον τὸ ἀχθοφόρον, ἀλλὰ τὸ παχὺ σχοινίον, ἐν ᾧ δεσμεύουσι τὰς ἀγκύρας οἱ ναῦται. οὐκ ἀνήνυτον παντελῶς τοῦτο δείκνυσιν ὄν, τῷ δὲ ἄγαν δυσχερεῖ λοιπὸν ἤδη πως ἐγγὺς καὶ ἀγχίθυρον τοῦ ἀδυνάτου τὸ χρῆμα τιθείς. ὅθεν δείκνυται οὐχ ὁ τυχών-δεῖ τῆς χάριτος τῷ μέλλοντι τοῦτο κατορθοῦν. 220 Mt 19, 26 Οὐκ ἂν γένοιτό τις παθῶν ἐλευθέραν εἰς ἅπαν ἔχων ψυχὴν καὶ εἰ σφόδρα τις εἴη τῶν ὅτι μάλιστα φιλοπονωτάτων· "τίς γὰρ καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ῥύπου" κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον ἢ "τίς καυχήσεται ἁγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν"; εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ "πταίσας ἐν ἑνί, γέγονε πάντων ἔνοχος" κατὰ τὸν