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

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 myself over to the Jews, since the scriptures announced beforehand that this would happen, that the Jews are about to do these things. 299 Mt 26, 55 Does Christ then accuse the leaders of the Jews, because they did not prepare the trap of death for him prematurely? This is not what he wishes to declare, but that although it was possible for you to seize him as he was teaching daily in the temple, you did not lay hold of him; for I was rather reserving the necessity of suffering for the proper time. Therefore, Christ did not say these things accusing the madness of the Jews, nor indeed did he rebuke their slowness to bloodshed, because they had not seized him when he was present and seen at the beginning; but he rather refutes that his arrest was the work of their inherent strength, but of his own will, who economically accepted the unwilling suffering and made it willing. Not because suffering was good, but because the things resulting from it were about to restore human nature to what it was from the beginning, showing that his capture was the work of his own permission. 300 Mt 26, 63-65 God of all said somewhere through Moses: "if a soul sins and hears the voice of an oath, and this one is a witness or has seen or has known, if he does not report it," he says, "he will bear the sin". Therefore, an accusation of transgression was inscribed against some, if they made no defense, hearing the voice of an oath. For this reason Caiaphas cunningly puts the Lord under oath, so that if he should wish to remain silent even after this, he might condemn him as one who transgressed the law, knowing that one put under oath who remains silent becomes liable to the punishment from the law; but if he should speak the truth, they might kill him as a false Christ, as one saying he is God, having nothing more than other men according to the flesh and what is seen. Therefore Christ said: You have said so, instead of: your own mouth has henceforth confessed. But so that he might work a more burdensome judgment for them, I mean, for their not wishing to believe in him, he again makes his glory clear to them, saying: From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the power of God. In form, he says, you have made me, who became according to you, the Son by nature and truly of God the Father, of no account, and since you have descended to such ignorance, that you do not know his and my mystery, although you are learned in the law, I say this of necessity, that for impiety against me a short and appointed time was given to you until the precious cross; for after this I will immediately return to my own honor, I will ascend to the glory that was in the beginning, I will be a co-assessor with God the Father even with the flesh. When Christ said these things, Caiaphas tore his garments, saying: He has blasphemed. He did this, making the accusation more vehement and magnifying what was said through the action. And yet what blasphemy is this—this man most especially both shone forth and conquered with might. 301 Mt 26, 67-68 It would be fitting to say what one of the holy prophets said: "The heaven was astonished at this and shuddered exceedingly, says" the "Lord" the God of all, the king of kings and lord of lords; as one of us he is dishonored and endures being struck and bears the laughter from the impious, setting forth for us a type of his extreme long-suffering; for how could he who "tests hearts and kidneys," the giver of all prophecy, have been ignorant of who it was that struck him? 302 Mt 27, 11 They led Jesus to Pilate; they themselves were also handed over to the Roman armies. And the things spoken through the holy prophets about them were fulfilled

∆ώδεκα εἶπε λεγεῶνας· ἀντὶ ὑμῶν λέγων τῶν δώδεκα μαθητῶν, ὥστε οὐ τῆς ὑμῶν ἐπικουρίας δέομαι· οὐ γὰρ κέχρημαι τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ, ἀλλ' ἐκδίδωμι ἐμαυτὸν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ἐπείπερ τοῦτο ἐσόμενον προανήγγειλαν αἱ γραφαί, ὅτι ταῦτα μέλλουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ποιεῖν. 299 Mt 26, 55 Ἆρα οὖν αἰτιᾶται Χριστὸς τοὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων καθηγητάς, ὅτι μὴ πρόωρον αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ θανάτου πάγην ἐσκεύαζον; οὐ τοῦτο βού λεται δηλοῦν, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐξὸν ὑμῖν καθ' ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ διδά σκοντα κατασχεῖν, οὐκ ἐκρατήσατε· ἐταμιευόμην γὰρ μᾶλλον τὸ χρῆναι παθεῖν καιρῷ τῷ προσήκοντι. οὐ τοίνυν τῆς Ἰουδαίων μανίας καται τιώμενος ταῦτα ὁ Χριστὸς ἔφη, οὔτε μὴν ἐπιπλήττει τὸ βράδος αὐτῶν πρὸς μιαιφονίαν, ὅτι δὴ παρόντα καὶ ὁρώμενον οὐκ ἐν ἀρχαῖς κατε σχήκασιν· διελέγχει δὲ μᾶλλον ὡς οὐ τῆς ἐνούσης αὐτοῖς ἰσχύος ἔργον ἡ σύλληψις, ἀλλὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ βουλήσεως τοῦ τὸ ἀβούλητον πάθος οἰκονο μικῶς παραδεξαμένου καὶ ποιησαμένου θελητόν. οὐκ ἐπείπερ ἦν τὸ πα θεῖν ἀγαθόν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὰ ἐξ αὐτοῦ συμβαίνοντα τὴν ἀνθρώπου φύσιν ἀνακομίζειν ἔμελλεν εἰς τὸ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς δεικνύς, ὅτι τῆς αὐτοῦ συγχω ρήσεως ἔργον ἦν τὸ ἑλεῖν. 300 Mt 26, 63-65 Ἔφη που διὰ Μωυσέως ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεός· "ἐὰν ψυχὴ ἁμάρτῃ καὶ ἀκούσῃ φωνὴν ὁρκισμοῦ, καὶ οὗτος μάρτυς ἢ ἑώρακεν ἢ συνεῖδεν, ἐὰν μὴ ἀναγγείλῃ", φησίν, "λήψεται τὴν ἁμαρτίαν". ἐπεγράφετο τοίνυν παρανομίας ἔγκλημά τισιν, εἰ μηδὲν ἀπολογοῖντο, φωνὴν ἀκούοντες ὁρκισμοῦ. διὰ τοῦτο πανούργως ὁρκίζει τὸν κύριον ὁ Καϊάφας, ἵν' εἰ βούλοιτο καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο σιωπᾶν, ὡς παρανομήσαντα κατακρίνοι, εἰδώς, ὅτι ὁρκωθεὶς καὶ σιωπήσας ἔνοχος ἐγένετο τιμωρίᾳ τῇ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου· εἰ δὲ εἴπῃ τὸ ἀληθές, ὡς ψευδόχριστον αὐτὸν φονεύσωσιν ὡς λέγοντα ἑαυτὸν θεὸν οὐδὲν πλέον ἔχοντα τῶν λοιπῶν ἀνθρώπων κατὰ τὴν σάρκα καὶ τὸ ὁρώμενον. διὸ ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπε· σὺ εἶπας ἀντὶ τοῦ τὸ σὸν ὡμολό γησε στόμα λοιπόν. ἵνα δὲ φορτικωτέραν αὐτοῖς τὴν δίκην ἐργάσηται, τὴν ἐπί γέ φημι τῷ μὴ πιστεύειν εἰς αὐτὸν βούλεσθαι, πάλιν αὐτοῖς ἐναργῆ τὴν αὐτοῦ καθίστησι δόξαν εἰπών· ὄψεσθε ἀπ' ἄρτι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ θεοῦ. ἐν εἴδει, φησίν, τῷ καθ' ὑμᾶς γεγονότα ἐμὲ τὸν υἱὸν τῇ φύσει καὶ ἀληθῶς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς ἐν τῷ μηδενὶ πεποίησθε λόγῳ, καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀμα θίας εἰς τοῦτο καταβεβήκατε, ὥστε τὸ αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τὸ ἐμὸν οὐκ ἴστε μυστήριον, καίτοι νομομαθεῖς ὄντες, ἀναγκαίως ἐκεῖνό φημι, ὅτι τῆς κατ' ἐμοῦ δυσσεβείας βραχὺς ὑμῖν καὶ διεσταλμένος ἐδόθη καιρὸς μέχρι τοῦ τιμίου σταυροῦ· μετὰ τοῦτο γὰρ εὐθὺς εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παλινδρο μήσω τιμήν, ἀναβήσομαι πρὸς δόξαν τὴν ἐν ἀρχαῖς, σύνεδρος ἔσομαι τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ καὶ μετὰ τῆς σαρκός. ταῦτα λέγοντος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὁ Καϊάφας διέρρηξεν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ λέγων· ἐβλασφήμησεν. τοῦτο δὲ ἐποίησε σφοδροτέραν τὴν κατηγορίαν ποιῶν καὶ τὸ λεχθὲν ἐπαίρων διὰ τοῦ πράγματος. καίτοι ποία βλασφημία αὕτη-οὗτος μάλιστα καὶ ἔλαμψε καὶ ἐνίκησε κατὰ κράτος. 301 Mt 26, 67-68 Πρέποι ἂν εἰπεῖν ὅπερ ἔφη τις τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν· "ἐξέστη ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ ἔφριξεν ἐπὶ πλεῖον σφόδρα, λέγει" ὁ "κύριος" ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεός, ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλευόντων καὶ κύριος τῶν κυ ριευόντων· ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν ἀτιμάζεται καὶ διακαρτερεῖ τυπτόμενος καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ὑπομένει γέλωτα τύπον ἡμῖν τῆς εἰς ἄκρον ἀνεξι κακίας αὐτοῦ παρατιθείς· ὁ γὰρ "ἐξετάζων καρδίας καὶ νεφροὺς" ὁ προφητείας ἁπάσης δοτὴρ πῶς ἂν ἠγνόησε τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας αὐτόν; 302 Mt 27, 11 Προσήγαγον Πιλάτῳ τὸν Ἰησοῦν· παρεδόθησαν καὶ αὐτοὶ ταῖς Ῥωμαίων στρατιαῖς. καὶ πεπλήρωται τὰ διὰ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς