Commentarium in evangelium matthaei

 Angels of god may gather up the evil doctrines attached to the soul and hand them over for consumption, overturning them with what is called burning f

 He did not speak to them», and not to the crowds when he came «into the house» does he speak, but to the disciples who came to him in it, it is clear

 They have sold their possessions, so that, by having sold and given those things away and in exchange for them having received from god a good purpose

 In the strait, not in the pinnae, which is a kind of pearl-bearing shell, but in those called mussels. and for these, i mean those of the bosphorus, t

 Of christ” one might be able to attain, having been first exercised in the, so to speak, knowledges which are surpassed by the knowledge of christ. bu

 Of bad kinds, as among fish, to the fine ones, or from the better to the worse, but among men, the just or the wicked can always be seen either reachi

 The calling from every kind of nation. and those who served the net cast into the sea are the lord of the net, jesus christ, and the angels who came a

 You will know that i the lord have poured out my wrath upon you.” 10.14 have you understood all these things? they say, yes (13, 51[52]). christ jesus

 Of the heavens is within you, and especially through the repentance from the letter to the spirit, because whenever someone turns to the lord, th

 Might make him like himself, until the disciple becomes as the teacher, imitating first the imitator of christ, and after this one, also <τὸν> chris

 He was doing greater things than those in the time of elijah and elisha, and even before, in the time of moses and joshua son of nun. but those who ma

 For they consider judea their homeland and that israel their kinsmen, and perhaps the body their house for all were dishonored in judea by the israel

 Paying attention, if on account of living very intensely and reproving those who sin he should be hated and plotted against, as one persecuted and rev

 Baptist (14, 1. 2[-11]). and thus in mark and thus in luke. the jews held different opinions concerning these matters, some false, such as the sadduce

 He passed over in silence in his histories. 10.21 the text of matthew has it thus: for herod, having seized john, bound him in prison. concerning thes

 Free among the dead.” “for though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of god.” furthermore, behold the people among whom clea

 Into the desert, was in it, because his word and teaching were peculiar compared to what was customary and established among the gentiles. and the cro

 To give the loaves of the blessing to the disciples, so that they might set them before the crowds, he healed the sick, so that having been made wel

 The disciples say they have five loaves and the two fish in matthew and mark and luke, without noting whether they were of wheat or of barley but joh

 “all flesh is grass,” that is, to make the flesh subject and to subordinate “the mind of the flesh,” so that in this way one might be able to partake

 Of those who come to the name of jesus, those who know “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” might be called disciples but those to whom such a th

 Jesus [compelled] the disciples to get in, or perhaps the struggle of temptations and circumstances, into which one is compelled by the word and, as i

 To lead us to the other side. for it is not possible to reach the other side without having endured the trials of waves and a contrary wind. then, whe

 Having sent them, since they were not able, on account of being very ill, to approach on their own, and they did not themselves touch the fringe, as t

 Jesus does not accuse them concerning a tradition of the jewish elders, but concerning two of the most necessary commandments of god, of which the one

 By the name of the treasury wishes to give to the poor rather than to the relatives of the givers, if they happen to be in need of necessities and the

 The hidden things. and all these words will be to you like the words of the sealed book, which if they give it to a man who knows letters, saying, ‘re

 For which things the carnal jews and the ebionites who differ little from them accuse us of breaking the law, for not thinking that the obvious meanin

 Drink” and the rest, teaching us that the things according to the letter are a shadow, but the true meanings of the law underlying these are good thin

 Guides of the blind. who then? the pharisees, whose 'minds the god of this age has blinded,' being 'unbelievers' because they had not believed in jesu

 What enters into the mouth goes into the stomach and is cast out into the latrine, and the food that is sanctified through the word of god and prayer

 And jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of tyre and sidon, and behold a canaanite woman (15, 21. 22 [-28]). from where there? or fr

 To see the difference of those who approach, who approach him, as it were, as the one who was made “of the seed of david according to the flesh,” and

 He answered and said: it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. one might inquire into the meaning of this saying,

 Blind in soul and not seeing the true light, and others lame and not able to walk according to reason, and others maimed and not able to work accord

 Of the loaves (jesus) went out and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick. and when it was evening, the

 To her “o woman, great is your faith let it be to you as you desire,” he healed her daughter “from that hour,” yet it is not written that he sent he

of the loaves "(Jesus) went out and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick. And when it was evening, the disciples came to him, saying: 'The place is deserted and the hour is already late; send them away'" and so on; but now after the healing of the deaf and the others, he has compassion on the crowd that has already waited with him for three days and has nothing to eat. And there the disciples make the request concerning the five thousand, but here he speaks of his own accord concerning the four thousand. And those are fed in the evening after having spent the day with him, but these, after it was attested that they remained with him for three days, partake of the loaves, so that they might not faint on the way. And there the disciples say they have only "five loaves and two fish" without being asked, but here they answer him when he asks, concerning seven loaves and a few small fish. And there he commands "the crowds to recline," not to lie down, "on the grass"; for Luke wrote "make them recline," and Mark says he "commanded them all to recline," but here he does not command but orders the crowd to lie down. Again, there the three evangelists say in the <taῖς> same words that "taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed," but here, as Matthew and Mark wrote, Jesus gave thanks and broke. And there they recline "on the grass," but here they lie down on the ground. But you will find in the respective passages the variation of John, who wrote concerning that deed that Jesus said, "Make the people lie down," and that "having given thanks, he gave" of the loaves "to those who were reclining," but of this one he did not even mention the beginning. Therefore, paying attention to the difference of what is written in the respective passages concerning the loaves, I think these are of a different order from those; wherefore these are fed on a mountain, but those in a deserted place, and these after remaining with Jesus for three days, but those for one, at the evening of which they were fed. Furthermore, if it is not the same thing for Jesus to do it of his own accord as to do it after hearing from the disciples, see if those who were benefited by Jesus, who nourished them immediately for their benefit, do not differ ***. But if according to John the loaves were of barley, from which the twelve baskets "were left over," but nothing of the sort is said about these, how are these not better than the former? And of those, "he healed the sick," but here he heals not the sick with the crowds, but the blind and lame and deaf and maimed; wherefore also the four thousand marvel at these things, but concerning the sick nothing of the sort is said. And better, I think, are those who ate from the seven loaves for which thanks were given than those who ate from the five which were blessed, and those who ate from the few small fish than those who ate from the two; and perhaps also those who lay down on the ground than those who reclined "on the grass." And those leave "twelve baskets" from fewer loaves, but these leave seven large baskets from more, as being more receptive of greater things. And perhaps these trample upon all earthly things and lie down upon them, but those "on the grass" only upon their own flesh; for "all flesh is grass." And notice after this that Jesus does not wish to send these away fasting, lest they faint as being empty of the loaves of Jesus, and also be harmed while on the way to their homes. But note if it is written anywhere that Jesus sent away, so that you may see the difference between those sent away after being fed by him and those sent away otherwise; and an example of one sent away otherwise is "woman, you are loosed from your infirmity." And besides these things, the disciples who are always with Jesus are not sent away from him, but the crowds, after eating, are sent away. Just as again the disciples, thinking nothing great concerning the Canaanite woman, say: "Send her away, for she cries out after us," but the Savior in no way appears to send her away; for having said

ἄρτων «ἐξελθὼν (ὁ Ἰησοῦς) εἶδε πολὺν ὄχλον, καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ' αὐτὸν καὶ ἐθεράπευσε τοὺς ἀρρώστους αὐτῶν. Καὶ ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ λέγοντες· Ἔρημός ἐστιν ὁ τόπος καὶ ἡ ὥρα παρῆλθεν ἤδη· ἀπόλυσον αὐτοὺς» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς· νῦν δὲ μετὰ τὴν θεραπείαν τῶν κωφῶν καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν σπλαγχνίζε ται ἐπὶ τὸν ὄχλον τρεῖς ἤδη ἡμέρας προσμένοντα αὐτῷ καὶ μὴ ἔχοντα φαγεῖν. Καὶ ἐκεῖ μὲν οἱ μαθηταὶ περὶ τῶν πεντακισχιλίων ἀξιοῦσιν, ἐνθάδε δὲ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ περὶ τῶν τετρακισχιλίων λέγει. Κἀκεῖνοι μὲν ὀψίας τρέφονται ἡμέραν αὐτῷ συνδιατρίψαντες, οὗτοι δὲ μαρτυρηθέντες ὅτι αὐτῷ τρεῖς ἡμέρας προσέμειναν μεταλαμβάνουσι τῶν ἄρτων, ἵνα μὴ ἐκλυθῶσιν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ. Κἀκεῖ μὲν «πέντε ἄρτους καὶ δύο ἰχθύας» φασὶν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἔχειν μόνους οὐ πυθομένῳ, ἐνθάδε δὲ πυθομένῳ ἀποκρίνονται περὶ ἑπτὰ ἄρτων καὶ ὀλίγων ἰχθυδίων. Κἀκεῖ μὲν κελεύει «τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνακλιθῆναι» οὐκ ἀναπεσεῖν «ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου»· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Λουκᾶς «κατακλίνατε αὐτοὺς» ἀνέγραψε καὶ ὁ Μᾶρκος «ἐπέταξε» φησὶν «αὐτοῖς πάντας ἀνα κλῖναι», ἐνθάδε δὲ οὐ κελεύει ἀλλὰ παραγγέλλει τῷ ὄχλῳ ἀναπεσεῖν. Πάλιν ἐκεῖ μὲν <ταῖς> αὐταῖς λέξεσιν οἱ τρεῖς εὐαγγελισταί φασιν ὅτι «λαβὼν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ηὐλόγησεν», ἐνθάδε δέ, ὡς ὁ Ματθαῖος καὶ Μᾶρκος ἀνέγραψαν, εὐχαρισ τήσας ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἔκλασε. Κἀκεῖ μὲν «ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου» ἀνακλίνονται, ἐνθάδε δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἀναπίπτουσι. Ζητήσεις δὲ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τοὺς τόπους τὸ τοῦ Ἰωάννου παρηλλαγμένον, ὃς ἐπ' ἐκείνης μὲν τῆς πράξεως ἀνέγραψεν ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· «Ποιήσατε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀναπεσεῖν» καὶ ὅτι «εὐχαριστήσας ἔδωκε τοῖς ἀνακειμένοις» ἀπὸ τῶν ἄρτων, ταύτης δὲ οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐμνημόνευσε. Προσέχων οὖν τῇ διαφορᾷ τῶν κατὰ τοὺς τόπους ἐπὶ τοῖς ἄρτοις γεγραμμένων, τούτους νομίζω τάγματος εἶναι διαφέροντος παρ' ἐκείνους· διόπερ οὗτοι μὲν ἐν ὄρει τρέφονται, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐν ἐρήμῳ τόπῳ, καὶ οὗτοι μὲν τρεῖς παραμείναντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἡμέρας, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ μίαν, ἧς ἐν τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ ἐτράφησαν. Ἔτι δὲ εἰ μὴ ταὐτόν ἐστι τὸ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸν Ἰησοῦν τῷ ἀπὸ τῶν μαθητῶν ἀκούσαντα πρᾶξαι, ὅρα εἰ μὴ διαφέρουσιν οἱ εὐεργετηθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ αὐτόθεν ἐπὶ τῷ εὐεργετῆσαι θρέψαντος αὐτούς ***. Εἰ δὲ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωάννην κρίθινοι ἦσαν οἱ ἄρτοι, ἀφ' ὧν «ἐπερίσσευσαν» οἱ δώδεκα κόφινοι, οὐδὲν δὲ τοιοῦτον περὶ τούτων λέγεται, πῶς οὐ βελτίους οὗτοι παρὰ τοὺς προτέρους; Κἀκείνων μὲν «τοὺς ἀρρώστους ἐθεράπευσεν», ἐνταῦθα δὲ τοὺς μετὰ τῶν ὄχλων οὐκ ἀρρώστους θεραπεύει, ἀλλὰ τυφλοὺς καὶ χωλοὺς καὶ κωφοὺς καὶ κυλλούς· διὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις μὲν θαυμάζουσιν οἱ τετρακισχίλιοι, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς ἀρρώστοις οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον λέλεκται. Κρείττους δέ εἰσιν, οἶμαι, οἱ φαγόντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἑπτὰ εὐχαριστηθέντων ἄρτων τῶν φαγόντων ἀπὸ τῶν πέντε εὐλογηθέντων, καὶ οἱ φαγόντες ἀπὸ τῶν ὀλίγων ἰχθυδίων παρὰ τοὺς φαγόντας ἀπὸ τῶν δύο· τάχα δὲ καὶ οἱ ἀναπεσόντες ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν παρὰ τοὺς ἀνακλιθέντας «ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου». Καὶ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἀπὸ ὀλιγωτέρων ἄρτων «δώδεκα κοφίνους» καταλείπουσιν, οὗτοι δὲ ἀπὸ πλειόνων ἑπτὰ σπυρίδας, τῷ χωρητικώτεροι εἶναι μειζόνων. Καὶ τάχα οὗτοι μὲν ἐπιβαίνουσι πάντων τῶν γηΐνων καὶ ἀναπίπτουσιν ἐπ' αὐτῶν, οἱ δ' «ἐπὶ τοῦ χόρτου» ἐπὶ μόνης τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτῶν· «πᾶσα» γὰρ «σὰρξ χόρτος». Πρόσχες καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὅτι τούτους ἀπολῦσαι ὁ Ἰησοῦς νήστεις οὐ θέλει, ἵνα μὴ ἐκλυθῶσιν ὡς κενοὶ τῶν ἄρτων Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἔτι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τυγχάνοντες τῇ ἐπὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα βλαβῶσι. Σημείωσαι δὲ εἴ που ἀναγέγραπται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπολελυκέναι, ἵν' ἴδῃς διαφορὰν τῶν μετὰ τὸ τραφῆναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἀπολυθέντων καὶ τῶν ἄλλως ἀπολυθέντων· παράδειγμα δὲ ἄλλως ἀπολυθέντος τὸ «γύναι, ἀπολέλυσαι τῆς ἀσθενείας σου». Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οἱ μὲν ἀεὶ συνόντες τῷ Ἰησοῦ μαθηταὶ οὐκ ἀπολύονται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι φαγόντες ἀπολύονται. Καθὰ πάλιν οἱ μαθηταὶ μηδὲν μέγα φρονοῦντες περὶ τῆς Χαναναίας φασίν· «Ἀπόλυσον αὐτήν, ὅτι κράζει ὄπισθεν ἡμῶν», ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ οὐδαμῶς αὐτὴν ἀπολύων φαίνεται· εἰπὼν γὰρ