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

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, is called blessed, that is, glorified. Christ therefore sat upon the colt, and she who bore it followed. And what was being done was a sign to us of a most necessary matter; for Christ rested upon the new people who were once idolaters, and in due time the synagogue of the Jews will also follow, although in the time of the calling it has seniority; for it had been called beforehand through Moses and the prophets. But since it has offended the saving God, for this reason it justly comes with difficulty behind the colt and has become a tail, that is, a follower and behind those from the gentiles, and the first has become last. But consider how he who knows "reins and hearts" showed the nature of man carried away to extreme irrationality; for both the synagogue of the Jews and the multitude of the gentiles itself are compared to a donkey, the most irrational of beasts; for the one group, having "served the creature rather than the creator" God, while the other, dishonoring the law which was their tutor, have become outside of a good mind and understanding, and having turned aside to every form of wickedness, "they are compared to the mindless cattle and are become like them," according to the voice of the psalmist. And a donkey is in another way a symbol of uncleanness; for the animal is unholy and has a curse from the law. And such are all who are led astray and are lovers of sin. 231 Mt 21, 7-9 The colt is brought by two disciples sent from Christ; for two orders serve him for this purpose, prophets and apostles, through whom the nations are drawn into faith as with a net. And it is brought from a certain village, so that from this also he might show the rustic mind of the gentiles, not brought up in the law, but rather living neglectfully and wildly, yet it was changed to a more civilized state; for it came to be under Christ who teaches these things. And children also, holding up "palm branches," ran before him and together with the disciples composed the doxology, so that through them also we might see the new people from the gentiles as if written on a tablet; for it is written: "and a people being created shall praise the Lord." 232 Mt 21, 9 Hosanna to the son of David, blessed; the Hebrew has it thus in the 117th psalm: ANNA ADONAI OSIANNA, ADONAI ASLIANNA, BARUCH ABBA BSAIM. 233 Mt 21, 12-14 There was in the temple a multitude of merchants, money-changers or collybists, and with them merchants of oxen and sheep, selling both turtledoves and pigeons. But these things were useful for the sacrifices of the worship according to the law. But the time had already come for the shadow to cease and for the truth in Christ to shine forth; For this reason, fittingly, Christ the truth, since he was being honored with his own Father in the temple that was his, commanded the sacrifices and smoke-offerings in the law to be curtailed, and the temple to be shown as a house of prayer; for to rebuke the merchants and to drive them from the sacred precincts, those selling things useful for sacrifice to some people, is certainly this and nothing else. But another of the evangelists says Jesus "also made a whip of cords" and threatened blows and raised it against them; for it was necessary for those honoring the legalistic worship to know, after the manifestation of the truth, that having "a spirit of bondage" and refusing to be set free, they will be under whips and will be subject to a servile punishment. He also builds up Isaiah as an accuser against them—for the evangelist says so. 234 Mt 21, 12 And he foretells the transfer of worship by casting out the sacrificed animals and the legal traditions. And he raises the whip, signifying that if they do the same things again, they will experience blows, and in order to show the servility of those under the law, he brings on a whip fitting for slaves. 235 Mt 21, 14 The event was a riddle, that of the

ὢν φύσει καὶ υἱὸς τοῦ πατρὸς γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἦλθεν ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου ὁ κύριος καλούμενος. οὗτος οὖν ὡς φύσει θεὸς εὐλογημένος λέγεται, τοῦτ' ἔστιν δοξολογούμενος. ἐπεκάθητο μὲν οὖν τῷ πώλῳ Χριστός, εἵπετο δὲ ἡ τεκοῦσα. καὶ σημεῖον ἡμῖν ἀναγκαιοτάτου πράγ ματος τὸ δρώμενον ἦν· ἐπανεπαύσατο γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς τῷ νέῳ λαῷ τῷ εἰδωλολατροῦντί ποτε, ἕψεται δὲ κατὰ καιροὺς καὶ ἡ τῶν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγή, καίτοιγε ἐν χρόνῳ τῷ κατὰ τὴν κλῆσιν τὸ πρεσβύτερον ἔχουσα· προεισκέκλητο γὰρ διὰ Μωσέως καὶ προφητῶν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ προσκέκρουκε τῷ σῴζοντι θεῷ, διὰ τοῦτο δικαίως τοῦ πώλου κατόπιν ἔρχεται μόλις καὶ γέγονεν εἰς οὐράν, τοῦτ' ἔστιν παρακολούθημα καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν ἐξ ἐθνῶν καὶ ἡ πρώτη γέγονεν ἐσχάτη. ἄθρει δέ, ὅπως εἰς ἐσχάτην ἀλογίαν ἀποκομισθεῖσαν ἔδειξε τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν ὁ "νε φροὺς" εἰδὼς "καὶ καρδίας"· ὄνῳ γὰρ παρεικάζεται τῇ λίαν ἀλογωτάτῃ καὶ ἡ τῶν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγὴ καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἡ πληθύς· οἱ μὲν γὰρ "λελατρευκότες τῇ κτίσει παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα" θεόν, οἱ δὲ τὸν παιδαγωγὸν ἀτιμάζοντες νόμον ἔξω νοῦ καὶ φρενὸς γεγόνασιν ἀγαθῆς καὶ πρὸς πᾶν εἶδος φαυλότητος ἀπονενευκότες "παρασυνεβλήθησαν τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις καὶ ὡμοίωνται αὐτοῖς" κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ψάλλαντος φωνήν. ὄνος δὲ καὶ ἑτέρως ἀκαθαρσίας σύμβολον· ἀνίερον γὰρ τὸ ζῷον καὶ τὴν ἐκ νόμου κατάρρησιν ἔχον. τοιοῦτοι δὲ πάντες οἱ πλανώμενοι καὶ φιλαμαρτήμονες. 231 Mt 21, 7-9 Ἄγεται ὁ πῶλος δύο μαθητῶν ἀπεσταλμένων παρὰ Χριστοῦ· ὑπηρετοῦσι γὰρ πρὸς τοῦτο αὐτῷ δύο τάγματα, προφῆται καὶ ἀπόστολοι, δι' ὧν σαγηνεύονται εἰς πίστιν τὰ ἔθνη. καὶ ἄγεται ἀπό τινος κώμης, ἵνα καὶ ἐκ τούτου τὴν ἄγροικον τῶν ἐθνῶν καταδείξῃ φρένα οὐκ ἐν νόμῳ τεθραμμένων, ζησάντων δὲ μᾶλλον ἀπημελημένως καὶ ἀγρίως, πλὴν μετέστη ἐπὶ τὸ ἡμερώτερον· γέγονε γὰρ ὑπὸ Χριστῷ ταῦτα διδά σκοντι. καὶ παῖδες δὲ "βάϊα φοινίκων" ἀνατείναντες προέτρεχον αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁμοῦ τοῖς μαθηταῖς τὴν δοξολογίαν συνετίθεσαν, ἵνα καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τὸν νέον καὶ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ὥσπερ ἐν πίνακι γεγραμμένον ἴδωμεν λαόν· γέ γραπται γάρ· "καὶ λαὸς ὁ κτιζόμενος αἰνέσει τὸν κύριον". 232 Mt 21, 9 Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ ∆αβὶδ εὐλογημένος· τὸ ἑβραικὸν οὕτως ἔχει ἐν τῷ ριζʹ ψαλμῷ· ΑΝΝΑ Α∆ΩΝΑΙ ΩΣΙΑΝΝΑ, Α∆ΩΝΑΙ ΑΣΛΙΑΝΝΑ, ΒΑΡΟΥΧ ΑΒΒΑ ΒΣΑΙΜ. 233 Mt 21, 12-14 Ἦν μὲν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ πληθὺς ἐμπόρων, ἀργυραμοιβοὶ ἤτοι κολλυ βισταὶ καὶ μετ' ἐκείνων βοῶναι καὶ προβάτων ἔμποροι τρυγόνας τε πιπράσκοντες καὶ περιστεράς. ταῦτα δὲ χρήσιμα ταῖς θυσίαις τῆς κατὰ νόμον λατρείας. ἀλλ' ἦν ἤδη ὁ καιρὸς τοῦ καταλῆξαι τὴν σκιὰν καὶ ἀνα λάμψαι τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀλήθειαν· ταύτῃ τοι Χριστὸς εἰκότως ἡ ἀλήθεια ἅτε δὴ μετὰ τοῦ ἰδίου πατρὸς ἐν τῷ παρ' αὐτῷ ὄντι ναῷ τιμώμενος, συστέλλεσθαι μὲν τὰς ἐν νόμῳ προστέταχε θυσίας καὶ τοὺς καπνούς, οἶκον δὲ προσευχῆς ἀναδείκνυσθαι τὸν ναόν· τὸ γὰρ ἐπιπλήττειν τοῖς ἐμπόροις καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων ἀποσοβεῖν αὐτοὺς τὰ εἰς θυσίαν χρή σιμα διαπιπράσκοντάς τισι τοῦτο πάντως ἐστὶν καὶ ἕτερον οὐδέν. ἕτερος δὲ τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν "καὶ φραγέλλιον ἐκ σχοινίων ποιῆσαι" λέγει τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ ἀπειλῆσαι πληγὰς καὶ ἐπανατείνειν αὐτοῖς· ἔδει γὰρ εἰδέναι τοὺς τὴν νομικὴν τιμῶντας λατρείαν μετὰ τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἀνάδειξιν, ὅτι "πνεῦμα δουλείας" ἔχοντες καὶ τὸ ἐλευθεροῦσθαι παραιτούμενοι ὑπὸ μάστιγας ἔσονται καὶ ὑποκείσονται κολάσει δουλοπρεπεῖ. ἐπιτειχίζει αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸν Ἠσαίαν κατήγορον-φησὶ γὰρ ὁ εὐαγγελιστής. 234 Mt 21, 12 Καὶ τῆς λατρείας δὲ τὴν μετάθεσιν προμηνύει ἐκβάλλων τὰ σφαγιζόμενα ζῷα καὶ τὰς νομικὰς παραδόσεις. ἐπανατείνεται δὲ τὴν μάστιγα σημαίνων, ὅτι ἂν πάλιν τὰ αὐτὰ ποιήσωσιν, πειραθήσονται πληγῶν, καὶ ἵνα δείξῃ τὸ δουλοπρεπὲς τῶν ὑπὸ νόμον, οἰκέταις πρέ πουσαν ἐπιφέρει μάστιγα. 235 Mt 21, 14 Αἴνιγμα ἦν τὸ γεγονός, ὅτι τῶν