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

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 time from the coming of Christ until the consummation is that after the eleventh hour, as John says: "It is the last hour"), in which the householder, he says, from the last <commands> the wage to be given. But the householder might be understood <as> the Father; using the Son, He distributes, not as a subordinate, but as a <co-worker>, because through Him He administers and effects everything, whatever He wills. And He gives to all the denarius, which is the grace of the Spirit, making the saints conformed to God and impressing the heavenly characters upon their souls and leading them to life and incorruption. But in these things, the first seem to have labored more than the last, as having endured the fiery trial of the devil for longer, since sin and corruption and death had not yet been abolished. For the matter, if it were examined according to equality, suggests that something more was owed to the earlier ones, because they lived their lives while death and the devil held sway. For this is the burden of the day and the scorching heat, when not even the dew of the Spirit was present helping men toward righteousness. But the last, having the Master's generosity instead of labors, receive the wage first, since all those after the coming, through baptism and union with the Spirit, have become "partakers of the divine nature" and were called sons of God, whereas all those before the coming were called born of women, though they too were destined to be called to this. For even if the prophets became partakers of the spirit, yet not in the same way as the faithful, the Holy Spirit having become in a certain way like leaven to the souls of the faithful and transforming the whole person to another state of life. Therefore we too become "partakers of the divine nature" and with boldness we cry out, "Abba, Father." But the more ancient ones did not obtain the same grace. Therefore Paul also says: "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a spirit of adoption," as though the ancients received a "spirit of slavery," not having the dignity of adoption. Therefore, being the first to receive the spiritual denarius, we are necessarily said to be honored before the others. 227 Mt 20, 23 You ask if, then, some are going to sit; learn that no one is. For such a thing belongs only to the first substance and not to a human one. For the apostles, not understanding what it is to sit "on twelve thrones" and what being glorified then signifies, sought such a seat. 228 Mt 21, 1-7 Five days before His salvific passion, wishing to fulfill also the words of the prophets spoken concerning Him, He commands the two disciples to go to the village opposite Bethphage and Bethany and to bring His unridden colt. As for the fact that Matthew says a donkey and a colt were brought to the Lord, while Luke and Mark mentioned only one beast of burden, what is said is not a contradiction. For when the colt was being led as commanded by the disciples, the donkey also followed her own offspring, like an affectionate mother. 229 Mt 21, 1-3 He says there are two disciples, that is, apostles and evangelists, who became co-workers and servants of Christ for this purpose. Or He also calls messengers those who serve Christ for our redemption, "ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." But if the one who bound them with the chains of sins should ask, "What are you doing?" yet, unable to withstand the Savior's words, he will fall silent, not willingly, because of the exceeding power. And the divine calling is shown in this. 230 Mt 21, 7-9 Christ is said to be coming as having come from above, because He is God

χρόνους, καὶ ὅτι τινὲς ἐνάρετοι ηὑρέθησαν, τινὲς δὲ κατεφρόνησαν διὰ μωρίαν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος. ἐπὶ τέλει δὲ τοῦ βίου, ὅ ἐστιν ἑσπέρα (ὁ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ καιρὸς ἕως τῆς συντελείας ἐστὶν ὁ μετὰ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην ὥραν καθὼς ὁ Ἰωάννης φησίν· "ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν"), ἐν ᾗ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης, φησίν, ἀπὸ τῶν τελευταίων <κελεύει> δοθῆναι τὸν μισθόν. οἰκοδεσπότης δὲ νοηθεί<η> ὁ πατὴρ χρώμενος τῷ υἱῷ διανομεῖ οὐχ ὡς ὑπουργῷ, ἀλλ' ὡς <συνεργῷ> ὅτι δι' αὐτοῦ διοικεῖ καὶ ἐνεργεῖ πᾶν, ὅ τι οὖν βούλεται. δίδωσιν δὲ πᾶσιν τὸ ἀνὰ δηνάριον, ὅ ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος χάρις συμμόρφους ἀποτελοῦσα τοὺς ἁγίους θεῷ καὶ τοὺς ἄνω χαρακτῆρας ἐν ταῖς ἐκείνων ψυχαῖς ἐγχαράττουσα καὶ εἰς ζωὴν ἀνά γουσα καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν. ἐν τούτοις δὲ οἱ πρῶτοι δοκοῦσιν πλεῖον τῶν ἐσχάτων κεκοπιακέναι ὡς τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου πύρωσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον ὑπο στάντες οὔπω τῆς ἁμαρτίας κατηργημένης καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς καὶ τοῦ θα νάτου· τὸ πρᾶγμα γάρ, εἰ κατ' ἰσότητα ἐξετάζοιτο, πλεῖόν τι τοῖς προ τέροις ὀφειλόμενον ὑποβάλλει, ὅτι θανάτου καὶ διαβόλου κρατοῦντος ἐπολιτεύοντο· τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ ὁ καύσων, ὅτε μηδὲ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος δρόσος παρῆν ἐπικουροῦσα πρὸς δικαιοσύνην ἀνθρώποις. οἱ δὲ ἔσχατοι ἀντὶ κόπων τὴν τοῦ δεσπότου ἔχοντες φιλο τιμίαν πρῶτοι τὸν μισθὸν δέχονται, ἐπείπερ πάντες οἱ μετὰ τὴν ἐπι δημίαν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα συναφείας "θείας" γεγόνασιν "κοινωνοὶ φύσεως" καὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐχρημάτισαν τῶν πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας πάντων γεννητῶν γυναικῶν χρηματιζόντων, μελλόντων δὲ καὶ αὐτῶν πρὸς τοῦτο καλεῖσθαι· εἰ γὰρ καὶ γεγόνασι μέτοχοι πνεύματος οἱ προφῆται, ἀλλ' οὖν οὐχ ὡς οἱ πιστοί, τρόπον τινὰ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ταῖς τῶν πιστῶν ψυχαῖς ὡσανεὶ ζύμης γενομένου καὶ ὅλον τὸν ἄνθρω πον μετατιθέντος εἰς ἑτέραν βίου κατάστασιν. διὸ καὶ "θείας" γινόμεθα "κοινωνοὶ φύσεως" καὶ ἐκ παρρησίας βοῶμεν "ἀββᾶ ὁ πατήρ". οἱ δὲ ἀρχαιότεροι οὐ τῆς αὐτῆς ἔτυχον χάριτος. διὸ καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· "οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον, ἀλλὰ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας" ὡς ὅτι οἱ ἀρχαῖοι "πνεῦμα δουλείας" ἐλάμβανον οὐκ ἔχοντες τὸ τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἀξίωμα. πρῶτοι οὖν λαβόντες τὸ νοητὸν δηνάριον ἀναγκαίως τῶν ἄλλων προτετιμῆσθαι λεγόμεθα. 227 Mt 20 , 23 Ἐρωτᾷς, εἰ λοιπόν τινες μέλλουσιν καθεσθῆναι· μάθε, ὅτι οὐδείς· μόνης γὰρ τῆς πρώτης οὐσίας τὸ τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνης· μὴ νοήσαντες γὰρ οἱ ἀπόστολοι τί ἐστιν τὸ καθεσθῆναι "ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους" καὶ ὅ τι τὸ δοξασθῆναι τότε δηλοῖ τοιαύτην ἐζήτουν καθέδραν. 228 Mt 21, 1-7 Πρὸ πέντε ἡμερῶν τοῦ σωτηριώδους αὐτοῦ πάθους ἀναπληρῶσαι βουλόμενος καὶ τὰς φωνὰς τῶν προφητῶν τὰς περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰρημένας κελεύει τοῖς δυσὶ μαθηταῖς ἀπιέναι εἰς τὸ κωμύδριον τὸ ἀντικρὺ Βηθ φαγὴ καὶ Βηθανίαν καὶ ἐνέγκαι τὸν ἀσαλῆ πῶλον αὐτοῦ. ὅτι δὲ ὁ μὲν Ματθαῖος ὄνον καὶ πῶλον ἀγηοχέναι τῷ κυρίῳ λέγει, Λουκᾶς δὲ καὶ Μᾶρκος ἑνὸς μόνου ὑποζυγίου ἀπεμνημόνευσαν, οὐ μάχης τὸ εἰρημένον· τοῦ γὰρ πώλου ἀγομένου κατὰ τὸ κελευσθὲν ὑπὸ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐφήλατο καὶ ἡ ὄνος τῷ αὐτῆς τέκνῳ ἀκολουθοῦσα ὡς φιλόστοργος μήτηρ. 229 Mt 21, 1-3 ∆ύο δέ φησιν εἶναι τοὺς μαθητάς, ὅ ἐστιν ἀποστόλους καὶ εὐαγ γελιστάς, οἵτινες γεγόνασιν συνεργοὶ καὶ ὑπηρέται Χριστοῦ πρὸς τοῦτο. ἢ καὶ εὐαγγέλους λέγει τοὺς ὑπηρετοῦντας Χριστῷ πρὸς ἡμετέραν λύτρωσιν "ἀναβαίνοντας καὶ καταβαίνοντας ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου". εἰ δὲ ἐρωτήσει ὁ καταδήσας αὐτοὺς ταῖς σειραῖς τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν "τί ποιεῖτε", ἀλλ' οὖν οὐ δυνάμενος ἀντιστῆναι τοῖς τοῦ σωτῆρος λόγοις σιωπήσεται οὐχ ἑκὼν διὰ τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τῆς δυνάμεως· θεία δὲ ἡ κλῆσις ἐν τούτῳ δεδήλωται. 230 Mt 21, 7-9 Ἐρχόμενος λέγεται ὁ Χριστὸς ὡς ἄνωθεν ἐλθών, ὅτι θεὸς