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

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 of Christ. And the saints who rose and appeared to many signify that death was abolished through the death of Christ. 315 Mt 27, 51 The tearing of the curtain was a clear sign that the temple itself, so to speak, was mourning both itself and those who had been brought down to ruin and destruction, who crucified the master of the temple itself; and perhaps also the event was rebuking them for their impiety against Christ through their own custom; for it was a custom for the Jews to tear their garments when God was blasphemed. And what happened seems to hint to us something else necessary for our benefit; for the curtain, hiding the holy of holies within, is torn at the appointed time, when the shadow of the law had to be withdrawn and worship in types had to cease, and the holy of holies had to be opened to those justified through faith in Christ, as if God himself were showing them to the worthy, so that henceforth, with nothing preventing it, those who follow in the footsteps of Christ might run to the inner tent. 316 Mt 27, 54 "And the crowds" that had come for "the spectacle, beating" their "breasts, returned," perhaps absolving themselves of the impiety against Christ by crying out against those who crucified him, even if not openly because of the unholiness of the leaders. So great was the power of the crucified one—this centurion having later acted bravely in the faith. The Lord was speaking truly when he said, "when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself"; for behold, being lifted up on the precious cross, he began to draw many into the net of the knowledge of truth; he drew, at any rate, the centurion, and he also drew some of the Jews, who were "beating their breasts," being surely filled with compunction and looking up to the Lord with the eyes of their mind. 317 Mt 28, 1-7 Since the Lord endured the passion on the cross for us and gave his own flesh as a ransom for the life of all and was in a tomb like one "helpless among the dead, free" according to what is sung in the psalms, the women ran, bringing things for the care of the body and being full of spices; for they thought that he would lie together with the others and would remain dead in the tomb. And do not marvel if women did not know that, being God and life, he would destroy the power of corruption and return to life, when even to the apostles themselves the account of his resurrection seemed to be simply nonsense and a fabricated matter, because they themselves did not know the divinely-inspired scripture. Therefore the women arrived at the tomb, but not finding the body of Christ, on account of their love for him, they see a holy angel. And indeed he became for them an evangelist and herald of the resurrection; for "do not seek," he says, "the one" who is always "living," being life by nature, "among the dead; for "he is not here," that is, in death and a tomb, "but he is risen," having become a way of return to incorruptibility not for himself, but rather for us; for for this reason he submitted himself to emptying and underwent likeness to us, so that "by the grace of God," as the blessed Paul says, "he might taste death for everyone" and this might become the death of death and the abolition of the curse once brought upon the first-formed man; for the Lord prepared us to be within such hope by saying: Amen I say to you: "he who believes in me, though he die, shall live"; for it is necessary to know that just as angels announced the birth to the shepherds in Bethlehem, so now rational powers proclaim the resurrection. Heaven has therefore ministered to the things concerning him

κατὰ τῶν πεπαρ ωνηκότων εἰς αὐτόν. τὸ δὲ ῥαγῆ ναι τὰς πέτρας τὰς τῶν ἐθνικῶν ψυχὰς ἀνεωχθῆναι δηλοῖ εἰς τὸ παραδέχεσθαι τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πίστιν. οἱ δὲ ἀναστάντες τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ὀφθέντες πολλοῖς σημαίνουσιν, ὅτι κατηργήθη ὁ θάνατος διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 315 Mt 27, 51 Τὸ διαρραγῆναι τὸ καταπέτασμα σημεῖον ἦν οὐκ ἀσυμφανὲς τοῦ καὶ αὐτὸν μονονουχὶ πενθῆσαι τὸν ναὸν καὶ τοὺς εἰς ὄλεθρον καὶ ἀπώ λειαν κατενηνεγμένους, οἳ τὸν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ναοῦ δεσπότην ἐσταύρωσαν· ἴσως δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ δυσσεβείᾳ τῇ κατὰ Χριστοῦ διὰ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῖς συνη θείας ἐλέγχοντος αὐτοὺς τοῦ συμβεβηκότος· ἔθος γὰρ ἦν Ἰουδαίοις τὴν ἐσθῆτα περιρρήγνυσθαι βλασφημηθέντος θεοῦ. ἔοικε δέ τι καὶ ἕτερον τῶν ἀναγκαίων εἰς ὄνησιν ὑπεμφαίνειν ἡμῖν τὸ γεγενημένον· τὸ γὰρ καταπέτασμα κρύπτον εἴσω τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων ἐνστάντος καιροῦ, καθ' ὃν ἔδει συστέλλεσθαι τὴν τοῦ νόμου σκιὰν καὶ τὴν ἐν τύποις καταλῆξαι λα τρείαν, ἀνεῳχθῆναι δὲ τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων τοῖς διὰ πίστεως τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν δεδικαιωμένοις, περιρρήγνυται δεικνύοντος ὥσπερ αὐτὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῖς ἀξίοις, ἵνα λοιπὸν εἴργοντος οὐδενὸς εἰς τὴν ἐσωτέραν τρέχωσι σκηνὴν οἱ κατ' ἴχνος ἰόντες Χριστοῦ. 316 Mt 27, 54 "Καὶ οἱ ὄχλοι" δὲ οἱ παραγενόμενοι εἰς "τὴν θεωρίαν τύπτοντες" αὐτῶν "τὰ στήθη, ὑπέστρεφον", τάχα που τῆς κατὰ Χριστοῦ δυσσεβείας ἀπαλλάττοντες ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τοῦ τῶν σταυρωσάντων καταβοᾶν, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐμφανῶς διὰ τὴν τῶν ἡγουμένων ἀνοσιότητα. τοσαύτη τοῦ σταυρουμένου ἡ δύναμις-τοῦ κεντουρίωνος τούτου ἀν δρισαμένου μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῇ πίστει. ἀληθὴς ἦν λέγων ὁ κύριος, "ὅταν ὑψωθῶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, πάντας ἑλ κύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν"· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐν τῷ τιμίῳ σταυρῷ ὑψούμενος ἤρξατο τοῦ σαγηνεύειν πολλοὺς εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας· εἵλκυσε γοῦν τὸν ἑκατόνταρχον, εἵλκυσε δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τινάς, οἳ καὶ "τὰ στήθη" ἔτυπτον κατανυττόμενοί που πάντως καὶ τοῖς τῆς διανοίας ὄμμασιν ἀναβλέποντες πρὸς κύριον. 317 Mt 28, 1-7 Ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ δι' ἡμᾶς ὑπομεμένηκε πάθος ὁ κύριος καὶ τῆς ἁπάντων ζωῆς ἀντάλλαγμα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δέδωκε σάρκα καὶ ἦν ἐν μνημείῳ καθάπερ τις "ἀβοήθητος ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερος" κατὰ τὸ ἐν ψαλμοῖς ὑμνούμενον, ἔδραμον αἱ γυναῖκες τὰ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ σώματος θεραπείαν ἐπικομιζόμεναι καὶ ἀρωμάτων οὖσαι μεσταί· ἐνόμιζον γάρ, ὅτι κείσεται τοῖς ἄλλοις ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀπομενεῖ νεκρὸς ἐν μνημείῳ. καὶ μήτοι θαυμάσῃς, εἰ γυναῖκες ἠγνόουν, ὅτι θεὸς ὢν καὶ ζωὴ τὸ τῆς φθορᾶς καταλύσει κράτος καὶ παλινδρομήσει πρὸς ζωήν, ὅπου καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ὁ περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως αὐτοῦ λόγος ἔδοξεν εἶναι λῆρός τις ἁπλῶς καὶ πρᾶγμα κατεψευσμένον διὰ τὸ μηδὲ αὐτοὺς εἰδέναι τὴν θεόπνευστον γραφήν. οὐκοῦν ἀφίκοντο μὲν αἱ γυναῖκες ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα, οὐχ εὑροῦσαί γε μὴν τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀγάπης ἕνεκα ὁρῶσιν ἅγιον ἄγγελον. καὶ δὴ γέγονεν αὐταῖς εὐαγγελιστὴς καὶ κῆρυξ τῆς ἀναστάσεως· μὴ γὰρ ζητῆτε, φησίν, "τὸν" ἀεὶ "ζῶντα" κατὰ φύσιν ὄντα ζωὴν "μετὰ τῶν νεκρῶν· οὐκ ἔστι" γὰρ "ὧδε", τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἐν θανάτῳ καὶ μνήματι, "ἀλλ' ἠγέρθη" ὁδὸς τῆς εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ἀναδρομῆς οὐχ ἑαυτῷ μᾶλλον, ἀλλ' ἡμῖν γενόμενος· διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καθῆκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς κένωσιν καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὑπῆλθεν ὁμοίωσιν, ἵνα "χάριτι θεοῦ", καθά φησιν ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος, "ὑπὲρ παντὸς γεύσηται θανάτου" καὶ γένηται τοῦτο τοῦ θανάτου θάνατος καὶ κατάλυσις ἀρᾶς τῆς ἐπενηνεγμένης τῷ πρωτοπλάστῳ ποτέ· τοιαύτης γὰρ ἐλπίδος παρεσκεύασεν εἴσω γενέσθαι ὁ κύριος εἰπών· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· "ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ κἂν ἀποθάνῃ ζήσεται"· εἰδέναι γὰρ δεῖ ὡς ἄγγελοι τοῖς ποιμέσι ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τὸν τόκον εὐηγγελίζοντο, καὶ νῦν λογικαὶ δυνάμεις κηρύττουσιν τὴν ἀνάστασιν. λελειτούργηκε τοίνυν ὁ οὐρανὸς τοῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ