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

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 very sober man could escape sinning in his mind. Therefore, as far as human weakness is concerned, no one is saved; but as far as the gentleness of the one who saves is concerned, salvation is not despaired of; for not every sin is unto death. 221 Mt 19, 29 So that no one should think that what was said applies only to the disciples, he extended the word to all who do similar things; for even if the rest will not attain the same things as the disciples, yet they will have, instead of relatives according to the flesh, intimacy with God and brotherhood with the saints (that is, he means the elders and elder women of the church, whom they had as relatives through love, beloved by disposition, who love much more than relatives according to the flesh, from whom they also received money, so that they might manage it as they wish, with the future good things also laid up for them), and instead of fields, paradise, and instead of houses of stone, the Jerusalem above, the mother of the firstborn. It should be noted that even if the rest do not attain the same things as the disciples, yet they will have, instead of relatives according to the flesh, intimacy with God and brotherhood with the holy city, the mother of the firstborn. 222 Mt 19, 29 He does not say, then, that they will receive many fathers in place of one, or many mothers in place of one, or many fields in place of a few, but that the heavenly things will surpass all earthly things by incomparable excellences, and the things that are saved will be more precious than those that are perishing. 225 Mt 19, 29 Luke has also added concerning a wife; and this is according to Paul, who commands to honor "older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity"; just as, therefore, he gives as brothers those who are not brothers, and as parents those who are not parents, and as children those who are not children, so also he gives as a wife one who is not a wife, fulfilling the relationships in another way, that is, a spiritual one, not a physical one. It is good to leave one's kin according to the flesh for the sake of the spiritual life; for he says to be separated from parents and from a wife at that time when they draw one towards impiety; for just as it is necessary to despise soul and body for the sake of piety, so one must also prefer it to all things. 226 Mt 20 , 1-16 Fleeing ambition, the Lord speaks as if about another householder, being himself the householder and dispenser of the kingdom of heaven. And he calls the "day" the whole age, during which at different times after the transgression of Adam he calls certain righteous ones to pious labor, having set a wage for them for their works. Therefore, those around the first hour are those around Adam and Enoch, and those around the third are those around Noah and Shem and the righteous from among them; for the time is second and the call is second, when the customs were also different. And the laborers called around the sixth hour are those in the times of Abraham, during which again there was the legislation of circumcision, those of the eleventh are at the coming of Christ, concerning whom alone it is said, "Why do you stand here all the day idle," because having no hope in the Lord and being without God in the world and idle in every good work, they resemble those standing in the marketplace and grasping at nothing at all, but running through their own life randomly and in vain. whom the Lord also exhorts, saying: Why have you stood (so he says) idle? To whom they answer, saying: No one has hired us; for neither Moses nor any of the saints preached to the nations, but only to Israel. Nevertheless, the Lord sends them also into the vineyard. And he <says> there were five calls, in order to show that in each time there were those who were approved and those who missed the mark, as the "five wise virgins and the five foolish" indicate, being in the same

τοῦ καταγνωσθῆναι λόγον, τίς οὐκ ἂν εὐθύνοι τὸ λοιπὸν τὴν ἐφ' ἑνὶ παρά βασιν οὐδὲ φυγών; οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν διαδρῴη τὸ κατὰ νοῦν ἁμαρτεῖν καὶ ὁ σφόδρα νηφάλιος. ὅσον οὖν ἧκεν εἰς ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν, οὐδεὶς ὁ σῳζόμενος· ὅσον γε μὴν εἰς τὴν τοῦ διασῴζοντος ἡμερότητα, οὐκ ἀπόγνωστος τὴν σωτηρίαν· οὐ γὰρ πᾶσα ἁμαρτία πρὸς θάνατον. 221 Mt 19, 29 Ἵνα μή τις οἰηθῇ ἐπὶ μόνων τῶν μαθητῶν ἁρμόζειν τὸ εἰρη μένον, ἐπεπλάτυνεν ἐπὶ πάντας τὸν λόγον τοὺς τὰ ὅμοια ποιοῦντας· εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν τοῖς μαθη ταῖς τεύξονται οἱ λοιποί, ἀλλ' οὖν ἕξουσιν ἀντὶ μὲν τῶν κατὰ σάρκα συγγενῶν τὴν πρὸς θεὸν οἰκειότητα καὶ τὴν ἀδελφότητα τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους (ἤτοι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ πρεσβύτιδας τῆς ἐκκλησίας λέγει, οὓς ἔσχον δι' ἀγάπην ὡς συγγενεῖς, τοὺς κατὰ διάθεσιν ἀγαπητούς, τοὺς πολλῷ μᾶλλον τῶν κατὰ σάρκα συγ γενῶν ἀγαπῶντας, παρ' ὧν καὶ χρή ματα ἐδέξαντο, ἵνα διοικήσωσιν αὐτὰ ὡς βούλονται, ἀποκειμένων αὐτοῖς καὶ τῶν ἐσομένων ἀγαθῶν), ἀντὶ δὲ τῶν ἀγρῶν τὸν παράδεισον καὶ ἀντὶ οἴκων τῶν ἐκ λίθων τὴν ἄνω Ἰερουσαλήμ, τὴν τῶν πρωτο τόκων μητέρα. Ἐπισημαντέον, ὅτι κἂν μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν τοῖς μαθηταῖς οἱ λοιποὶ ἐπι τύχωσιν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἕξουσιν ἀντὶ μὲν τῶν κατὰ σάρκα συγγενῶν πρὸς θεὸν οἰκειότητα καὶ τὴν ἀδελφό τητα τὴν πρὸς ἁγίαν πόλιν τὴν τῶν πρωτοτόκων μητέρα. 222 Mt 19, 29 Οὐ πολλοὺς οὖν ἀνθ' ἑνὸς πατέρας ἢ πολλὰς ἀντὶ μιᾶς μητέρας ἢ ἀγροὺς ἀντὶ ὀλίγων πολλοὺς ἀπολήψεσθαί φησιν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τῶν ἐπι γείων ἁπάντων ἀσυγκρίτοις ὑπεροχαῖς ὑπερκείσεται τὰ οὐράνια καὶ τῶν ἀπολλυμένων ἔσται προτιμότερα τὰ σῳζόμενα. 225 Mt 19, 29 Προστέθεικε δὲ ὁ Λουκᾶς καὶ περὶ γυναικός· τοῦτο δὲ κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον κελεύοντα τιμᾶν "πρεσβυτέρας μὲν ὡς μητέρας, νεωτέρας δὲ ὡς ἀδελφὰς ἐν πάσῃ ἁγνείᾳ"· ὥσπερ οὖν ἀδελφοὺς δίδωσι τοὺς οὐκ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ γονεῖς τοὺς οὐ γονεῖς καὶ τέκνα τὰ οὐ τέκνα, οὕτω καὶ γυναῖκα τὴν οὐ γυναῖκα ἑτέρῳ τρόπῳ δηλαδὴ πνευματικῷ τὰς οἰκειότητας ἐκπληρῶν, οὐ σωματικῷ. ἀπολείπειν δὲ τὸ κατὰ σάρκα γένος ἀγαθόν ἐστι διὰ τὴν πνευματικὴν ζωήν· τότε γὰρ λέγει χωρίζεσθαι ἀπὸ γονέων καὶ ἀπὸ γυναικός, ὅταν πρὸς ἀσέβειαν ἕλκωσιν· καθὼς γὰρ δεῖ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος καταφρονεῖν διὰ θεοσέβειαν, οὕτω χρὴ καὶ πάντων ταύτην προτιμᾶν. 226 Mt 20 , 1-16 Φεύγων τὸ φιλόδοξον ὁ κύριος ὡς περὶ ἑτέρου λέγει οἰκοδεσπό του αὐτὸς ὢν οἰκοδεσπότης καὶ τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας διανομεύς. ἡμέραν δὲ λέγει τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα, καθ' ὃν ἐν διαφόροις καιροῖς μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ παράβασιν προσκαλεῖταί τινας δικαίους εἰς ἐργασίαν θεοσεβῆ μισθὸν αὐτοῖς ὁρίσας ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις. εἰσὶν οὖν περὶ τὴν πρώ την ὥραν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ καὶ τὸν Ἐνώχ, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὴν τρίτην οἱ περὶ Νῶε καὶ Σὴμ καὶ οἱ ἐξ αὐτῶν δίκαιοι· δεύτερος γὰρ ὁ καιρὸς καὶ ἡ κλῆσις δευτέρα, ὅτε καὶ διάφορα τὰ νόμιμα. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὴν ἕκτην κεκλημένοι ἐργάται οἱ κατὰ τοὺς Ἀβραάμ εἰσι χρόνους, ἐφ' οὗ πάλιν ἡ τῆς περιτομῆς νομοθεσία, οἱ ἑνδεκάτην οἱ κατὰ τὴν Χριστοῦ παρουσίαν, ἐφ' ὧν καὶ μόνων λέγεται τὸ τί ὧδε ποιεῖτε ὅλην τὴν ἡμέ ραν ἀργοί, ὅτι κυρίου ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες καὶ ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἀργοὶ ἐν παντὶ ἔργῳ ἀγαθῷ ἐοικότες τοῖς ἐν ἀγορᾷ ἑστῶσιν καὶ μηδὲν ὅλως ψηλαφῶσιν, ἀλλ' εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην τὸν ἑαυτῶν διατρέχοντες βίον. οὓς καὶ προτρέπεται ὁ κύριος λέγων· τί ἑστήκατε (οὕτως λέγων) ἀργοί; πρὸς ὃν ἀνταποκρίνονται λέγοντες· οὐδεὶς ἡμᾶς ἐμισθώ σατο· οὔτε γὰρ Μωυσῆς οὔτε τις τῶν ἁγίων ἐκήρυξε τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἀλλὰ μόνῳ τῷ Ἰσραήλ. ὅμως ὁ κύριος εἰσπέμπει καὶ αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. πέντε δὲ κλήσεις <λέγει> γενέσθαι, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι ἐν ἑκάστῳ καιρῷ ἦσαν εὐδοκιμοῦντες καὶ ἀστοχοῦντες ὡς αἱ "πέντε παρθένοι φρόνι μοι καὶ αἱ μωραὶ πέντε" δηλοῦσιν κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς οὖσαι