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 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 corner, that is, the union of the two peoples into one, saying: "This was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes." Therefore the stone is salvation for the corner made by him, but crushing and destruction for those who have remained outside of this intelligible and spiritual concourse; for to some Christ is "a stumbling block and a rock of offense." 245 Mt 22, 2 He calls the union of the faithful with the Son a wedding feast, calling the Jews to it, long ago through the prophets, and later through the disciples before the passion and the resurrection. 246 Mt 22, 2-5 Those who were called by the first servants refused to come, who, having rejected the law given through Moses, turned to the teachings of men. And likewise also the second ones called after them through the second ones, that is the holy apostles, having neglected what was advantageous, departed as far away as possible to what seemed good to them; for some went to their own field, by which is signified the possession of earthly things and the concern for them; and others to their business, by which is again shown to us the passion for wealth and the convulsion concerning it; for loves of the flesh and worldly pleasures and vain distractions and the care for making money deprive us of eternal delight and of intimacy with God. 247 Mt 22, 7 Clearly, the invincible hand of the Roman army. But we say the Roman campaign is of God, inasmuch as He is master and creator of all. 248 Mt 22, 13 And otherwise, it is said that hands and feet are bound, as no one is any longer able to do good there; for the working of good extends until the present time. 249 Mt 22, 15 For since they saw that those with Theudas and Judas—through these words to cast [him] into such suspicion. 250 Mt 22, 17 The God of all indeed wished Israel to be free from human dominion. But since they have trampled upon the divine laws, they have come under the hand of those who held power at that time and they imposed tribute upon them. And so of the tribute—the rule having passed to the Romans. 251 Mt 22, 34-40 The Pharisees, being consumed with immense shamelessness, since, after the Sadducees had been put to shame, He was being praised by the crowds, again ask with hypocrisy, testing him, whether he might again add to the first commandment as if correcting the law, so that they might find an accusation against him. And Matthew and Luke said the one asking was a "lawyer," but Mark a "scribe." But this is not a disagreement; for some show him to be learned in the law, and others an introducer of scripture, which is an interpreter of the law to the people. But the Lord exposes their wickedness, that they did not come to ask in order to be helped, but from having nothing and being possessed by envy, and he teaches that one must not in part love God, and in part be attached to earthly things. But through what the Lord said, that this commandment was the chief of all, the lawyer thought to cast him into danger as one making himself God. Wherefore, though he had not said this, the lawyer praised him, as Mark says. The first commandment, therefore, teaches every form of piety; for to love God with the whole heart is the cause of every good, while the second contains righteous dealings towards men; and the first makes a way for the second, and the second is established from it; for he who has achieved love for God clearly also in all things loves his neighbor as himself. Such a person is a fulfiller of all the commandments. 252 Mt 22, 34-42 Since, after the Sadducees had been put to shame and departed, the Lord was being praised, the Pharisees, being consumed with envy at this by these things

ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα κοινωνία, δι' ὧν τις κτᾶται τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν. 244 Mt 21, 42 Ταύτην τεθαύμακε τὴν γωνίαν ἤτοι τῶν δύο λαῶν τὴν εἰς ταὐτό τητα σύνοδον ὁ μακάριος ∆αβὶδ λέγων· "παρὰ κυρίου ἐγένετο αὕτη, καὶ ἔστιν θαυμαστὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν". οὐκοῦν σωτήριος μὲν ὁ λίθος τῇ γωνίᾳ τῇ παρ' αὐτοῦ γενομένῃ, συντριβὴ δὲ καὶ ὄλεθρος τοῖς ἔξω μεμενηκόσι τῆς νοητῆς καὶ πνευματικῆς ταύτης συνδρομῆς· τοῖς μέν ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς "πέτρα προσκόμματος καὶ λίθος σκανδάλου". 245 Mt 22, 2 Γάμον λέγει τὴν πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν τῶν πιστῶν συνάφειαν, καλῶν εἰς τοῦτον Ἰουδαίους, πάλαι μὲν διὰ προφητῶν, ὕστερον δὲ διὰ τῶν μα θητῶν πρὸ τοῦ πάθους καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως. 246 Mt 22, 2-5 Ἀπειρήκασι τὴν ἄφιξιν οἱ διὰ τῶν πρώτων οἰκετῶν κεκλημένοι, οἳ τὸν διὰ Μωσέως παρωσάμενοι νόμον ἐτράποντο πρὸς διδασκαλίας ἀνθρώπων. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ οἱ μετ' ἐκείνους δεύτεροι κεκλημένοι διὰ δευτέρων τοῦτ' ἔστιν τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων τὸ συμφέρον παρέντες ὡς πορρωτάτω μετακεχωρήκασιν ἐπὶ τὸ σφίσι δοκοῦν· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸν ἴδιον ἀγρόν, δι' οὗ σημαίνεται τῶν ἐπιγείων ἡ κτῆσις καὶ ἡ περὶ ταῦτα σπουδή· πρὸς ἐμπορίαν δὲ ἕτεροι, δι' οὗ πάλιν ἡμῖν τὸ φιλόπλουτον δηλοῦται πάθος καὶ ὁ περὶ τοῦτο σπασμός· φιλοσαρκίαι γὰρ ἡμᾶς καὶ φιληδονίαι κοσμικαὶ καὶ εἰκαῖοι περισπασμοὶ καὶ ἡ τοῦ χρηματίζεσθαι φροντὶς ἀποστερεῖ ἡμᾶς τῆς εἰς αἰῶνα τρυφῆς καὶ τῆς πρὸς θεὸν οἰκειό τητος. 247 Mt 22, 7 ∆ηλονότι τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς στρατιᾶς τὴν ἀκαταγώνιστον χεῖρα. θεοῦ δέ φαμεν τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν στρατείαν, καθ' ὅ ἐστιν δεσπότης καὶ πάντων δημιουργός. 248 Mt 22, 13 Καὶ ἄλλως δεδέσθαι χεῖρας καὶ πόδας λέγεται ὡς μηδενὸς λοιπὸν χρηστὸν ποιῆσαι ἐκεῖσε δυναμένου· ἡ γὰρ τοῦ καλοῦ ἐργασία μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος ἐκτείνεται. 249 Mt 22, 15 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶδον, ὅτι οἱ περὶ Θευδᾶν καὶ Ἰούδαν-διὰ τῶν λόγων τούτων εἰς τοιαύτην ὑποψίαν ἐμβαλεῖν. 250 Mt 22, 17 Ἤθελε μὲν ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεὸς ἀνθρωπίνης δυναστείας ἐλεύθερον εἶναι τὸν Ἰσραήλ. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοὺς θείους πεπατήκασι νόμους, γεγόνασιν ὑπὸ χεῖρα τῶν τηνικάδε κεκρατηκότων καὶ δασμοὺς ἐπέθηκαν αὐτοῖς. καὶ φόρου λοιπὸν-Ῥωμαίων μεταπεσόντων ἀρχήν. 251 Mt 22, 34-40 Ἐξ ἀμέτρου ἀναιδείας διαφθονούμενοι οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, ἐπειδὴ κατ αισχυνθέντων τῶν Σαδδουκαίων ἐπῃνεῖτο ὑπὸ τῶν ὄχλων, μεθ' ὑπο κρίσεως πάλιν ἐρωτῶσι πειράζοντες αὐτόν, εἰ καὶ προστίθησι πάλιν τῇ ἐντολῇ τῇ πρώτῃ ὡς διορθούμενος τὸν νόμον, ἵνα εὕρωσι κατ' αὐτοῦ λαβήν. καὶ ὁ μὲν Ματθαῖος καὶ Λουκᾶς "νομικὸν" εἶναι ἔλεγεν τὸν ἐρωτήσαντα, Μᾶρκος δὲ "γραμματέα". οὐκ ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο διαφωνία· οἱ μὲν γὰρ νομομαθῆ τοῦτον ἀποδεικνύουσιν, οἱ δὲ γραμματεισαγωγέα, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τοῦ νόμου ἑρμηνεὺς τῷ λαῷ. ὁ δὲ κύριος δημοσιεύει αὐτῶν τὴν κακίαν, ὅτι οὐ διὰ τοῦτο ἦλθον ἐρωτῆσαι, ὥστε ὠφεληθῆναι, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ἔχειν καὶ τῷ φθόνῳ κατέχεσθαι, καὶ διδάσκει, ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ἐν μέρει μὲν ἀγαπᾶν τὸν θεόν, ἐν μέρει δὲ τοῖς γηΐνοις προσκεῖσθαι. δι' ὧν δὲ ὁ κύριος εἶπεν ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν κεφαλαιωδεστέραν οὖσαν πασῶν, ἔδοξεν ὁ νομικὸς ἐμβάλλειν αὐτὸν εἰς κίνδυνον ὡς θεοποιοῦντα ἑαυτόν. ὅθεν καὶ μὴ εἰπόντα τοῦτο ἐπῄνεσεν ὁ νομικὸς ὡς ὁ Μᾶρκος φησίν. ἡ μὲν οὖν πρώτη ἐντολὴ πᾶν εἶδος εὐσεβείας διδάσκει· τὸ γὰρ ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπᾶν αἴτιόν ἐστιν παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ, ἡ δὲ δευτέρα τὰ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους δίκαια περιέχει· καὶ ἡ μὲν ὁδοποιεῖ τῇ δευτέρᾳ, ἡ δὲ ἐκ ταύτης συγκροτεῖται· ὁ γὰρ τὴν πρὸς θεὸν ἀγάπην κατορθώσας δηλονότι καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν πλησίον εἰς πάντα ὡς ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ. πασῶν τῶν ἐντολῶν ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐκπληρωτὴς τυγχάνει. 252 Mt 22, 34-42 Ἐπείπερ καταισχυνθέντων τῶν Σαδδουκαίων καὶ ἀποχωρησάντων ἐπῃνεῖτο ὁ κύριος, ἐπὶ τούτῳ διαφθονούμενοι τούτοις οἱ Φαρισαῖοι