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

Commentaries on Matthew

1 Mt 1, 1 The Hebrews used to call salvation Iao, but he said Christ's because the ancient kings and priests were anointed with oil through the horn. But our Jesus Christ was not called Christ because he was anointed with the horn, but because with the divine spirit; for truly and properly he himself had the Holy Spirit. 2 Mt 1, 1 He mentions Abraham, because he was the first type of the two peoples who were to believe in Christ; for both while uncircumcised he believed and after being circumcised he remained faithful again. And he especially mentions David, since he too became a type of Christ; for just as when Saul was cast out as unworthy, David was appointed second as a king pleasing to God, so also when the first man, I mean Adam, was cast out on account of his disobedience and no longer ruled over the rest at all, a second Adam was brought in, Christ the king of all, so that what was lost in Adam might be restored to men through Christ, king not only of earth, but also of heaven; and he is called son of man by nature, as having all that Adam had, being now God. Abraham, being uncircumcised, believed in God; then having received the promises and being circumcised, he kept his faith inviolate. Reasonably, therefore, the saying will be referred to another contemplation concerning the church of Christ, both from the circumcision and from the gentiles; for he was, as is likely, a type of the two peoples who have believed in Christ. But there, uncircumcision came before circumcision; for uncircumcision is the work of nature, but circumcision of commandment and law. For this reason the former preceded the latter, and after this circumcision returns to it, since it is better for nature and law to be together than to be separate from each other. But David also was a type of Christ; for when Saul was cast out, David was brought in instead. So also when Adam was driven from Eden on account of his disobedience, the second Adam was brought in instead, so that he might restore the first Adam to his original state. 3 Mt 1, 2 For this reason he makes the names of the genealogy from men, since "woman is the glory of man," being an accompaniment and not the beginning of the man. 4 Mt 1, 12 Zerubbabel built the temple which had long ago been built by Solomon but was burned by the Babylonians. And the Lord is the true builder of the rational temple that was ruined by transgressions and burned with a foreign fire, which we ourselves kindled, not only by having prepared the intellectual part of the soul to follow the carnal mind slavishly, but also by shamelessly igniting the matter of the passions through action. But Zerubbabel also has a stone in his hand adorned with seven eyes. The Lord also has a stone, which is faith in him; and in his hand, because it is in the practice of the commandments that faith in Christ is made manifest. For the hand is clearly a symbol of action. Therefore, by carrying the stone in his hand, the Lord teaches us to have a faith in him that is active, adorned with the seven energies of the spirit. 5 Mt 1, 16 The fact that he did not say 'through whom he was born,' perhaps, but 'from whom,' refutes the heresy of Apollinarius who said that Christ passed through the virgin as through a channel and took nothing from her. For the evangelist does not say that Jesus was born 'through' her, but 'from' her, that is, from her most pure blood; and such is also the saying of the apostle; for he says, "God sent forth his Son, born of a woman," but not 'through' a woman. 6 Mt 1, 20 The angel called her a wife, so that he might free the virgin from all suspicion regarding another person; for if her as Joseph's wife

Commentarii in Matthaeum

1 Mt 1, 1 Ἰαὼ τὴν σωτηρίαν οἱ Ἑβραῖοι ἔλεγον, Χριστοῦ δὲ εἶπε διὰ τὸ τοὺς παλαιοὺς βασιλεῖς τε καὶ ἱερεῖς τῷ ἐλαίῳ χρίεσθαι διὰ τοῦ κέρατος. ὁ δὲ ἡμέτερος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς οὐ διὰ τὸ τῷ κέρατι χρισθῆναι προσ ηγορεύθη Χριστός, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῷ θείῳ πνεύματι· ἀληθῶς γὰρ καὶ κυρίως αὐτὸς εἶχε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. 2 Mt 1, 1 Μέμνηται τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, ἐπει δὴ ἐκεῖνος πρῶτος ἐγένετο τύπος τῶν δύο λαῶν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν τῷ Χριστῷ· καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ ὢν ἐπίστευσε καὶ μετὰ τὸ περιτμηθῆναι ἔμεινεν πάλιν πιστός. μέμνηται δὲ κατ' ἐξαίρετον καὶ τοῦ ∆αβίδ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὐτὸς τύπος γέγονεν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ὥσπερ γὰρ τοῦ Σαοὺλ ἐκβληθέντος ὡς ἀδοκίμου ∆αβὶδ δεύτερος προ εχειρίσθη βασιλεὺς εὐάρεστος τῷ θεῷ, οὕτως καὶ τοῦ πρώτου ἀν θρώπου, τοῦ Ἀδάμ φημι, ἐκβλη θέντος διὰ τὴν παρακοὴν καὶ μηκέτι βασιλεύσαντος τῶν λοιπῶν ὅλως εἰσηνέχθη δεύτερος Ἀδάμ, ὁ Χρι στὸς βασιλεὺς τῶν πάντων, ἵνα τὸ ἐν Ἀδὰμ ἀπολωλὸς διὰ Χριστοῦ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐπαναληφθῇ, βασι λεὺς οὐ μόνον γῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὐρα νοῦ· υἱὸς δὲ ἀνθρώπου φύσει κα λεῖται ὡς πάντα ἔχων, ὅσα εἶχεν ὁ Ἀδάμ, νυνὶ θεὸς ὤν. Ἀβραὰμ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ ὢν ἐπίστευσε τῷ θεῷ· εἶτα δεξάμενος τὰς ὑποσχέσεις καὶ περιτμηθεὶς ἀλώβητον τὴν πίστιν διετήρησεν. εἰκότως τοίνυν ἀναχθήσεται τὸ ῥητὸν εἰς ἕτερόν τι θεώρημα περὶ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκκλησίας τῆς τε ἐκ περιτομῆς καὶ τῆς ἐξ ἐθνῶν· τύπος γὰρ ἦν, ὡς εἰκός, τῶν δύω λαῶν τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκό των. ἀλλ' ἐκεῖ μὲν προτέρα ἡ ἀκρο βυστία τῆς περιτομῆς· φύσεως γὰρ ἔργον ἡ ἀκροβυστία, ἐντολῆς δὲ καὶ νόμου ἡ περιτομή. διὰ τοῦτο ἐκείνη ταύτης προηγήσατο καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰς αὐτὴν ἡ περιτομὴ ἀνακάμπτει, ἐπεὶ καὶ βέλτιόν ἐστι φύσις ἅμα καὶ νόμος ἢ τὸ διεστηκέναι ἀπ' ἀλλήλων χωρίς. ἀλλὰ καὶ ∆αβὶδ τύπος ἦν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· τοῦ γὰρ Σαοὺλ ἐκ βληθέντος ἀντεισήχθη ∆αβίδ. οὕ τως καὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ διὰ τὴν παρα κοὴν τῆς Ἐδὲμ διωχθέντος ὁ δεύ τερος ἀντεισήχθη Ἀδὰμ ὡς ἂν πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν τάξιν τὸν Ἀδὰμ τὸν πρῶτον ἀποκαταστήσῃ. 3 Mt 1, 2 ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀνδρῶν ποιεῖται τῆς γενεαλογίας τὰ ὀνόματα, ἐπειδὴ "ἡ γυνὴ δόξα ἀνδρός ἐστι", παρακολούθημα οὖσα καὶ οὐκ ἀρχὴ τοῦ ἀνδρός. 4 Mt 1, 12 Ὠικοδόμησεν ὁ Ζοροβάβελ τὸν ἀπὸ Σολομῶνος μὲν πάλαι ᾠκοδομηθέντα ναὸν ὑπὸ δὲ Βαβυλωνίων ἐμπρησθέντα. καὶ ὁ κύριος ἀληθινὸς οἰκοδόμος ἐστὶ τοῦ διαρρυέντος τοῖς παραπτώμασι λογικοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἐμπρησθέντος ἀλλοτρίῳ πυρί, ὅπερ ἡμεῖς ἐξεκαύσαμεν οὐ μόνον τῷ σαρκικῷ φρονήματι τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς νοερὸν ἕπεσθαι δουλικῶς παρασκευάσαντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν τῶν παθῶν ὕλην ἀναιδῆ δι' ἐνεργείας ἐξάψαντες. ἀλλὰ καὶ λίθον ἔχει ὁ Ζοροβάβελ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ ἑπτὰ ὀφθαλ μοῖς κοσμούμενον. ἔστι καὶ τῷ κυρίῳ λίθος ἡ εἰς αὐτὸν πίστις· ἐν τῇ χειρὶ δέ, ὅτι ἐν τῇ πράξει τῶν ἐντολῶν ἡ πίστις τοῦ Χριστοῦ διαφαίνεται. πράξεως δέ ἐστι σύμβολον προδήλως ἡ χείρ. φέρων οὖν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ τὸν λίθον ὁ κύριος ἔμπρακτον ἡμᾶς διδάσκει τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πίστιν ἔχειν ταῖς ἑπτὰ κοσμουμένην ἐνεργείαις τοῦ πνεύματος. 5 Mt 1, 16 Τὸ δὲ μὴ εἰπεῖν δι' ἧς ἐγεννήθη ἴσως, ἀλλὰ ἐξ ἧς, ἀνατρέπει τὴν αἵρεσιν Ἀπολιναρίου λέγοντος ὡς διὰ σωλῆνος τῆς παρθένου τὸν Χριστὸν διελθεῖν καὶ μηδὲν ἐξ αὐτῆς προσλαβεῖν. ὁ γὰρ εὐαγγελιστὴς οὐ δι' αὐτῆς φησι γεννηθῆναι τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτῆς, τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἐκ τῶν πανάγνων αὐτῆς αἱμάτων· τοιοῦτον καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου· "ἀπέστειλε" γάρ φησιν "ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός", ἀλλ' οὐ διὰ γυναικός. 6 Mt 1, 20 Γυναῖκα αὐτὴν ἐκάλεσεν ὁ ἄγγελος, ὅπως πάσης ὑποψίας τῆς πρὸς ἕτερον πρόσωπον ἐλευθερώσῃ τὴν παρθένον· εἰ γὰρ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ γυναῖκα αὐτὴν