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返回The Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke, Comprised in Ten Books, by Saint Ambrose of Milan, Bishop.

The Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke, Comprised in Ten Books, by Saint Ambrose of Milan, Bishop.

The Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke, Comprised in Ten Books, by Saint Ambrose of Milan, Bishop.

Latin Text from public domain Migne Editors, Patrologiae Cursus Completus.

Translated into English using ChatGPT.

Table of Contents



Prologue

We think that the style of the Book of the Gospels, which the holy Luke arranged in a more complete way with a certain distinction of the Lord's events, should be explained first; for he is a historian. Indeed, the divine Scripture empties the discipline of worldly wisdom, because it is more adorned with the ambit of words than supported by the reason of things: yet if someone seeks in divine Scriptures even those things which they consider marvelous, he will find them.

For philosophers considered three things to be the most excellent in this world, namely that wisdom can be of three kinds: natural, moral, and rational. These three things we can also observe in the Old Testament. For what else do those three wells signify, of which one is the well of Vision, another of Abundance, and the third of the Oath, if not that these three virtues were present in the Patriarchs? The well of Vision is rational, because reason sharpens the vision of the mind and purifies the gaze of the soul. The ethical wellspring of Abundance; because as the extraneous elements recede, whose defects are symbolized by the appearance of the body, Isaac discovers the living essence of the mind. For the virtues of goodness flow forth in a pure manner, and goodness itself abundantly benefits others while being more restricted to itself. The third wellspring is that of the Oath, which is the natural wisdom that encompasses things that are beyond or outside of nature. For what is affirmed and sworn as if under the testimony of God, also embraces the divine, since the Lord of nature is invoked as a witness of faith. What's more, the three books of Solomon, one of Proverbs, another of Ecclesiastes, and the third of Song of Songs; unless these three show us that the holy Solomon was a wise man? He wrote about rational and ethical matters in Proverbs, about natural matters in Ecclesiastes; for Vanity of vanities, all is vanity (Eccles. I, 2), that which is established in this world, is subject to Vanity (Rom. VIII, 20): but about moral and rational matters in Song of Songs; because when the love of the heavenly Word is poured into our souls, and the rational mind is connected by a certain holy association; wonderful mysteries are revealed.


The Evangelists also, whom you think lacked wisdom, although they are filled with various kinds, each excels in a different kind. For true wisdom is found in the book of the Evangelist John. For no one, I dare say, has seen the majesty of God with such sublimity of wisdom, and has revealed it to us in our own language. He surpasses the clouds, he surpasses the Powers of heaven, he surpasses the Angels, and he found the Word in the beginning and saw the Word with God. But who pursued each individual more morally than the holy Matthew, who gave us the precepts of living? What could be more reasonable than that admirable conjunction, which the holy Mark immediately considered should be placed at the beginning? Look, he said, I send my angel (Mark 1:2-3): and, the voice of one crying in the wilderness; in order to arouse admiration and to teach that man should please in humility, abstinence, and faith, just as that holy John the Baptist ascended to immortality by these steps, in clothing, food, and message.


But indeed, Saint Luke, as if a certain historian, maintained a particular order, and revealed to us many miracles of the deeds of the Lord: thus, however, that the entire virtues of wisdom of this Gospel were encompassed in the history. For what is more excellent for natural wisdom than that he preserved that the Holy Spirit was also the creator of the Lord's incarnation (Luke 1:35)? Therefore, he teaches natural things if he creates spirits. And thus David, teaching natural wisdom, says: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created (Psalm 103:20). He teaches moral values in the same book, as he teaches me about the virtues: how I should love my enemy (Luke 6:27 et seq.): how I should not retaliate or strike back at someone who hits me: how I should do good, give things in return with no hope of getting them back, or receiving a reward or payment. For rewards are more easily obtained by those who do not expect them. He also taught practical wisdom when I read, because whoever is faithful in little things will also be faithful in greater things (Luke 16:10). What more can I say about the natural things that the virtues of the heavens move? (Luke 21:26) The Lord is the only begotten Son of God, in whose passion darkness came over the land during the day, the earth was obscured, and the sun fled. (Luke 23:44)

Therefore, true wisdom possesses the spiritual principality that worldly prudence falsely claims for itself, especially since, boldly, our faith itself, the very mystery of the Trinity, cannot exist without this triple wisdom; unless we believe both in the Father who naturally begot our Redeemer for us, and in the ethical Son who, being obedient to the Father even unto death as a human, redeemed us; and in the rational Spirit who has infused into human hearts the knowledge of worshipping divinity and governing life. And let no one think that we have made a distinction of power or virtue, since this false accusation can even be made against Paul. For he did not make a distinction when he said, 'There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of ministries, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all' (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). For he works all things and in all people, just as you have elsewhere, 'In all and in everything Christ' (Colossians 3:11). The Holy Spirit also operates, for the same Spirit operates all things, dividing to each according as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11). Therefore, there is no difference in operations, no distinction, whether in the Father, or in the Son, or in the Holy Spirit; there is no second fullness of power to any.

Therefore, when we read these things, let us consider diligently, so that they can shine more brightly to us in the very places. For whoever seeks, will find: and to him who knocks, it shall be opened (Matthew 7:8). Diligence opens the door of truth to oneself, and therefore let us obey the heavenly commandments. For it was not said to man in vain, what was not said to any other living creatures: In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread (Genesis 3:19). For to these animals, which are by nature irrational, it is commanded by God to provide food from the earth, but to man alone, that which he has received as rational, is commanded to exercise, and the course of life is prescribed in labor. For whoever is not content with the food of other animals, for whom it is not enough to have fruit-bearing trees provided for everyone's sustenance, but seeks the delights of various lavish feasts, summons delights from lands across the sea, sweeps delights from the waves, should not refuse to undergo the brief toil required for eternal life if he seeks sustenance through labor. Therefore, if anyone, coming into the contests of these sacred debates, divests himself of this life by exposing it to the danger of error and, naked of evil, like an athlete anointed with spiritual oil, embraces the contests of truth, undoubtedly he will obtain the eternal rewards of sacred crowns. For the labor of the good is a noble fruit: and the more contests, the more excellent the crown of virtues.

But let us return to the point. For in a historical style we have said that this book of the Gospel is composed. Finally, in describing things rather than expressing precepts, we see that more effort has been devoted to comparison with others. And the Evangelist himself took the beginning in a historical manner: There was, he says, in the days of King Herod of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias (Luke 1:5), and he pursues that story with full narration. Moreover, those who have interpreted the four forms of animals revealed in the Apocalypse (Rev. 4:7) as representing the four Gospel books, consider this book to be symbolized by the calf; for the calf is a priestly victim. And it is fitting that this Gospel book be represented by the calf, since it began with the priests and was completed in the calf, who, taking on the sins of all, was sacrificed for the life of the whole world; for that calf is priestly. For both the calf and the priest are the same: the priest, because he is our mediator; for we have him as our advocate with the Father: the calf, because it washes us with its own blood, and redeems us. And it is fitting that since we have said that the book of the Gospel according to Matthew is moral, this kind of opinion should not be omitted; for morals are properly called human.

However, most people believe that our Lord himself is portrayed in the four Gospels in the form of four animal figures, which are proven to be the same man, the same lion, the same calf, and the same eagle. Man, because he is born of Mary; lion, because he is strong; calf, because he is a sacrifice; eagle, because he is resurrection. And so in each of the books, the form of the animals is portrayed, so that the series of each book seems to correspond to the nature, virtue, grace, or miracle of the figures. Although all things may be in all, nevertheless there is a certain fullness of the individual virtues in each. One (Matthew) described the birth of man more fully, and also taught the character of man with more abundant precepts. Another (Mark) began with the expression of divine power, that the King from the King, the strong from the strong, the true from the true, by virtue disdain death. A third (Luke) introduced the priestly sacrifice, and elaborated the very immolation of the calf with a fuller style. The fourth [Evangelist] expressed more fully than the others the divine miracles of the resurrection. Therefore, [Christ is] one in all things, and one in all, as it is written (Colossians 3:11): not different in individuals, but true in all. But now we worship the very word of the Gospel.

Book One

(Chap. I. — Vers. 1)

(Chapter 1, Verse 1) For many have tried to arrange the narration of events.

Most of our people, just like the ancient Jews, are formed and influenced by similar causes and examples, and they arrive at similar outcomes. They begin and end in harmony: For just as many in that divine people prophesied by the infused Spirit, while others promised to prophesy and abandoned their profession with lies (Jeremiah 28:1), they were pseudo-prophets rather than true prophets, like Ananias son of Azor. But the people had the grace to discern spirits, so that they could determine who should be included among the number of prophets and distinguish those whom, like a skilled money changer, they should disapprove of and whose corrupt material would tarnish instead of reflecting the true splendor of light. Likewise, even now in the New Testament, many have attempted to write Gospels that have not been approved by skilled money changers. However, they considered that only one thing should be understood from all this, which is divided into four books.

And there is indeed another Gospel, which is said to have been written by the twelve. Basilides also dared to write a Gospel, which is called the Gospel according to Basilides. There is also another Gospel, which is written according to Thomas. I am familiar with another writing according to Matthew. We read some things (Dist. 37, cap. Legimus aliqua), so that they may not be read; we read, so that we may not be ignorant; we read not to hold onto them, but to reject them, and to know what these magnific ones exalt their hearts in. But the Church, although it has the four Gospels, abounds throughout the entire world with evangelists: heresies, on the other hand, although they have many things, they do not have one thing. For many have made the attempt, but they are deprived of the grace of God. Moreover, many have also brought together into one those things from the four books of the Gospel which they considered to be consistent with their poisonous assertions. Thus, the Church, which has one Gospel, teaches one God: but those who assert a different God of the Old Testament and a different one of the New, have made not one God, but many, out of many Gospels.


Since many, he says, attempted. Certainly those attempted who were unable to fulfill. Therefore, even Saint Luke testifies with a more abundant testimony, saying that many have attempted. For he who attempted to arrange, attempted with his own labor, and did not fulfill. For without effort, the gifts and grace of God are, which, when they have poured themselves out, usually irrigate; so that it does not need, but rather overflows, the talent of the writer. Matthew did not attempt, Mark did not attempt, John did not attempt, Luke did not attempt: but with the divine Spirit providing abundance of words and all things, they began and completed without any effort. And for this reason he says:

Since many have attempted to organize the narration of things that are complete in us or that abound in us.

For what overflows does not fail anyone: and when the faith is proven by the effects, the outcome reveals it. Therefore, the Gospel is complete and overflows to all the faithful throughout the whole world, and it irrigates the minds of all and strengthens their spirit. Therefore, being founded on the rock, and those who have embraced the fullness of faith and the firmness of constancy rightly say: Those things which are complete in us; since they discern the true and the false not by signs and wonders, but by the true word, who describe the saving deeds of the Lord or who direct their minds to His marvelous works. For what could be more reasonable than to believe that those deeds that are above human nature are of a superior nature; and yet when you read those things that are moral, do you believe that they are the passions of the body? Thus, our faith is based on the word and reason, not on signs.

(Vers. 2.)

(Verse 2.) As they have handed down, he said, to us who saw from the beginning ourselves, and were ministers of the Word.

This expression does not fit, so that we may believe it to be more of a ministry of the word seen than heard. But because it signifies not a proleptic verb, but a substantial Verb that was made flesh and dwelt among us, let us understand not a common word, but that heavenly one to which the Apostles ministered. And yet it is read in Exodus, because the people saw the voice of the Lord (Exod. XX, 18): and surely the voice is not seen but heard. For what is a voice, if not a sound that is not seen by the eyes, but perceived by the ears? Indeed, Moses wanted to declare with his highest genius that the voice appears to be of God; it appears to the inner eye of the mind; but in the Gospel, it is not the voice, but that which is more excellent than the voice, it is the Word that appears. And so the holy Evangelist John says: That which was, he says, from the beginning, what we have heard, and what we have seen with our eyes, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life: and the life appeared, and we saw, and we bear witness, and we announce to you the life which was with the Father, and appeared to us (1 John 1:1-2). Therefore, you see that the Word of God was both seen by the apostles and heard. For they not only saw the Lord according to the body, but also according to the Word; for they saw the Word, who, along with Moses and Elijah, saw the glory of the Word. (See Augustine, Epistle 148, al. 111). For these people saw Jesus, who saw Him in His glory; others did not see Him, who could only see His body; for Jesus is not seen with bodily eyes, but with spiritual eyes.


Finally, the Jews did not see Him because they did not see Him in the spirit. For Abraham saw Him; as it is written: Abraham saw My day and rejoiced (John 8:56). Therefore, Abraham saw Him, who did not see the Lord in the body, but who saw in the spirit, saw in the body. But whoever saw in the body and did not see in the spirit, did not see in the body what he saw. Isaiah saw Him; and because he saw in the spirit, he also saw in the body. Finally, He had neither appearance nor beauty, as it is written, (Isaiah 53:2). The Jews did not see Him; for their foolishness had blinded them. He Himself also testifies that He cannot be seen by the Jews, saying: Blind leaders, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24). Pilate did not see Him; nor did those who cried out: Crucify Him, crucify Him (John 19:6); for if they had seen Him, they would never have crucified the Lord of majesty. Therefore, whoever has seen God has seen Emmanuel, that is, has seen God with us; but whoever has not seen God with us could not have seen the one whom the virgin gave birth to. Finally, those who have not believed in the Son of God have not believed in the Son of the virgin.

7. So what is it to see God? Don't ask me, ask the Gospel, ask the Lord Himself, rather, listen to His teaching: Philip, whoever sees me, sees the Father who sent me. How can you say: Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me (John 14:9-10)? Certainly, a body is not seen in a body, nor is a spirit seen in a spirit: but only the Father is seen in the Son, or the Son is seen in the Father. For they are not seen to be dissimilar in dissimilar things: but where there is unity of operation and virtue, both the Son is seen in the Father, and the Father is seen in the Son. 'The works that I do,' he says, 'and he does' (John 5:19). In the works of the Father, Jesus is seen; in the works of the Son, the Father is perceived. He saw Jesus who witnessed that miracle (John 2:9), that is, he saw water turned into wine; which no one could do except the Lord of the world who can change the elements. I see Jesus, when I read that he anointed the eyes of the blind man with mud and restored his sight. I recognize him as the one who formed man out of clay and breathed into him the breath of life and the light of vision (Gen. II, 7). I see Jesus, when he forgives sins; for no one can forgive sins except God alone (Mark II, 6 and 7). I see Jesus, when he raises Lazarus; and those who see haven't seen (John XI, 44). I see Jesus, I also see the Father, when I raise my eyes to heaven, turn to the seas, and gaze upon the earth; for his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made (Rom. I, 20).


8. As they have handed down to us, who from the beginning saw and were ministers of the Word. Twin virtues are in the perfect man, that both intent and action may be present. Therefore, the holy Evangelist attributes both virtues to the apostles; for he says that they not only saw, but also ministered to the Word. The intent of vision is the ministry of action; but the end of intent is action: the beginning of action is intent. And, using the example of the apostles themselves, the intent is what Peter and Andrew, having heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'I will make you fishers of men' (Matthew 4:19), immediately leaving their net without any delay, followed the Word. But action does not immediately follow intention; nor is there even action yet, but only intention when Peter says: Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. (John 13:37) For it was the intention of the passion, but the action had not yet occurred; although there was already action in fasting, in watchings, in contempt of bodily pleasures; for this is the action of a Christian. For in all things, both intention and action do not occur simultaneously; but when it is the action of one thing, it is still the intention of another. For Peter himself had endured many apostolic virtues; but later, when the Lord said to him, 'Follow me' (John 21:22), he took up his cross and followed the Word, and underwent the action of suffering. However, in Peter, Andrew, John, and the other apostles, there was both equality of intention and action.

9. However, sometimes there is more in intention than in action, or more in action than in intention; as we see in the Gospel between the holy Mary and Martha there was a difference. For she heard one thing: she hurried about the ministry, which she stood and said: Lord, it does not bother you that my sister has left me alone to serve? Therefore, tell her to help me. And the Lord said to her: Martha, Martha. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken from her (Luke 10:40-42). Therefore, in one aspect there was the study of intention, in the other the ministry of action: yet both aspects were supplied with the study of each virtue. For if Martha had not heard the Word, she would not have undertaken the ministry, which is an indication of intention; and Mary, on the other hand, brought back from them both the excellence of virtue in such a way that she anointed the feet of Jesus, wiped them with her hair, and filled the whole house with the fragrance of her faith (John 12:3). There is also sometimes the greatest intention, but a futile action; as if someone intends to practice medicine, and after learning all the principles of healing, does not carry out their duties: and so it happens that because the action is futile, the intention is also futile. There is also sometimes a more fruitful action, but a less intent; as if someone receives the sacraments of baptism for salvation, and does not want to focus their mind on learning the precepts of various virtues, it often happens that they lose the fruit of their action due to carelessness of intention. Therefore, the fullness of both virtues must be sought, which the apostles were able to attain, about whom it is said: those who saw from the beginning and were ministers of the Word; so that through what they saw, the intention of divine knowledge may be understood: through what they were ministers, their action may be declared.

(Vers. 3)

(Verse 3) 'It seemed good to me also,' he said.

It is possible that what one declares to be true is not just his own opinion. For it is not only by the will of man that something is seen, but as it pleased Him who speaks in me, Christ. He works so that what is good may also seem good to us; for whoever He has mercy on, He also calls (II Cor. XIII, 3). And therefore, someone who follows Christ can, when asked why he wanted to become a Christian, respond: It seemed right to me. When he says this, he does not deny that it is seen by God; for the will of humans is prepared by God. For as God is honored by the holy, it is by the grace of God. Finally, many wanted to write the Gospel: but only four, who deserved divine grace, were received.

It seemed, he said, that having followed from the beginning, I diligently arranged everything in order.

11. No one doubts that this Gospel book is more extensive than the others. Not because it includes things that are false, but because it claims those things that are true. Indeed, it has obtained testimony from the holy apostle Paul for its diligence. For he praises Luke as follows: 'Whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the churches' (2 Corinthians 8:18). And truly praiseworthy is he who has earned praise from such a great teacher of the Gentiles. Therefore, he says that he has achieved not a few things, but all things, and having achieved all things, he deemed it necessary to write not all things, but things from among all things. For he did not write everything, but he accomplished everything; because, he says, those things which Jesus did, if they were written down, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books. For he purposely omitted even those things which were written by others, so that the diverse grace in the Gospel might shine forth, and certain individual books might excel in their own particular mysteries and deeds of miracles. For the soldiers of Christ divided the garments of the Lord among themselves, which will be explained more fully in its proper place. (Later in book 10, chapters 23 and 34).


Now, it is written that the Gospel is addressed to Theophilus, that is, to him whom God loves. If you love God, it is written to you; if it is written to you, accept the gift of the Evangelist: diligently keep the pledge of a friend in the innermost part of your soul. Guard the valuable deposit through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (2 Timothy 1:14): examine it frequently, discuss it often. Faith is owed to the pledge first: diligence follows faith; lest moths or rust destroy the entrusted pledges. For whatever has been entrusted to you can be consumed: the Gospel cannot be consumed. The Gospel is a good pledge: but beware that neither moth nor rust consumes it in your mind. Moth consumes it if you believe what you read well, poorly.

13. The tinea is heretical, the tinea is Photinus, the tinea is yours Arrius. He tears the garment, who separates from God the Word. Photinus tears the garment, when he reads: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). For the garment is whole if you read: And the Word was God (ibid.). He tears the garment who separates from God Christ. He tears the garment who reads: And this is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God (John 17:3); unless he also knows Christ. For it is not only eternal life to truly know the Father as the true God, but also to know Christ as the true God, true from true, God from God, is eternal life. It is a sin to know Christ without faith in His divinity or the sacrament of His body. It is a sin of Arius, a sin of Sabellius. The spirit of the wavering suffers from these sins, the spirit that does not believe that the Father and the Son are one in divinity. He divides what is written: 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30), dividing them into separate substances. It suffers this moth-like spirit, who does not believe that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh: and he himself is the moth; he is indeed the antichrist. But those who are of God, hold the faith; and therefore they cannot suffer the moth, which divides the garment. For everything that is divided among itself, like the kingdom of Satan, cannot be everlasting.

14. There is also rust of the mind, when the keenness of religious intention is covered with the filth of worldly desires, or when the purity of faith is discolored by the cloud of treachery. Rust of the mind is a familiarity with worldly things; rust of the mind is carelessness; rust of the mind is ambition for positions, if in them the highest hope of present life is placed. And therefore, being turned toward divine things, let us sharpen our intellect, exercise our emotions; so that we may always be able to have that sword, which the Lord commands to be bought with a sold garment, (Luke 22:36), prepared and shining as if hidden in the sheath of the mind. For spiritual and strong weapons must always be present for the soldiers of Christ in order to destroy fortifications; lest, when the heavenly leader of the army comes, being offended by the state of our weapons, he separates us from the fellowship of his legions.

(Vers. 5, 6)

(Vers. 5, 6) There was, he said, in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

15. The divine Scripture teaches us that not only the virtues of those who are worthy of praise, but also parents should be praised; so that, like an inherited legacy of unblemished purity, they surpass those whom we desire to praise. For what other purpose does the holy Evangelist have in this place, if not to ennoble the parents of St. John the Baptist through miracles, character, calling, and suffering? Similarly, the mother of the holy Samuel, Anna, is praised; thus Isaac received nobility of piety from his parents, which he bequeathed to his descendants. So Zacharias, not only a priest, but also from the division of Abijah, that is, noble among the higher families.

And his wife, he said, is of the daughters of Aaron. Therefore, not only does the nobility of St. John the Baptist extend from his parents, but also from his ancestors; he is not exalted by secular power, but venerable by the succession of religion. For such ancestors were necessary to herald the coming of Christ; so that the faith of the Lord's advent would not appear to be suddenly conceived, but received from his ancestors and infused by the right of nature itself.

17. 'Both,' he said, 'were just, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. What do those who, seeking solace for their sins, think that a man cannot exist without frequent sins, and use the verse; for it is written in Job: No one is clean of filth, even if his life is only one day on earth, his months are countless from him (Job. XIV, 4 and 5)? To which it must be answered, first let them define what it means for a man to be without sin: whether he has never sinned at all, or whether he has ceased to sin?' For if they think that to be without sin is to cease from sinning, I agree; For all have sinned and need the glory of God (Romans III, 23). But if anyone corrects his old error and transforms himself into that quality of life where he refrains from sinning, they deny that he abstains from transgressions, I cannot agree with their opinion; for we read: For so the Lord loved the Church...that He might present it to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it may be holy and immaculate (Ephesians V, 25 and 27). For when the Church is gathered from the Gentiles, that is, from sinners, how can it be immaculate from the defiled; unless first, through the grace of God, it is cleansed from sin: then, through the quality of not sinning, it abstains from sins? Thus, it is not immaculate from the beginning; for this is impossible for human nature: but through the grace of God and its own quality, because it no longer sins, it becomes as if it were immaculate.

18. And he did not say in vain that the just walk before God, observing the commandments and justifications of the Lord: in whom he comprehends the omnipotent Father and the Son. The Son is the one who gave the law, prescribed the commandments, as the holy evangelist Luke also declares (Luke 6:47). And rightly so, before God are the just; for not everyone who is just before men is just before God. People see differently than God: people see the face, God sees the heart. And therefore it is possible that someone, by affecting popular praise with pretended goodness, may seem just to me: but he is not just before God, if justice is not formed from the simplicity of the mind, but is simulated by flattery; for hidden in it, a person will not be able to perceive. Therefore, perfect praise is to be just before God. Hence the Apostle says: Whose praise, he says, is not from men, but from God (Romans 2:29). Truly blessed is the one who is just in the sight of God. Blessed is the one of whom the Lord deigns to say: Behold a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit (John 1:47); for a true Israelite is one who sees God, and knows that he is seen by God, and he reveals the secrets of his heart. Only the one who is approved by him is truly perfect, for he cannot be deceived. For the judgments of the Lord are true (Psalm 19:9), but the judgments of men are often mistaken; so that the unjust often attribute the grace of justice to themselves and persecute the just out of hatred or defame them with lies. However, the Lord knows the ways of the blameless (Psalm 37:18); He does not commend the sinner, nor does He condemn the praiseworthy sinner, but He judges each person according to the measure of their merits. For He is the judge of both the mind and the action. Indeed, the divine judgments measure the merit of the righteous based on the habit of the mind, not on the outcome of their deeds. For often a good intention is deformed by a reprehensible outcome, or an evil thought is concealed by the beauty of an action. But also what good you may do, if you think evil, cannot be justified by divine judgment. For it is written: You shall pursue what is just justly (Deut. XVI, 20). For unless it were possible to do what is just unjustly, it would never have been said: You shall pursue what is just justly. And certainly the Savior himself taught us that it is possible to do what is just unjustly, saying: When you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you. And, When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites (Matth. VI, 2 et 5). It is good to be merciful, it is good to pray. But it can be done unjustly if someone gives to a poor person for the sake of boasting, so as to appear to others.

19. Therefore the holy Evangelist not only says that the righteous are justified before God and walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord, but also says that they walk without complaint. This wonderfully agrees with the prophetic saying, which the holy Solomon used in Proverbs, saying: Always provide good things before God and before men (Prov. III, 4). Therefore, there is no complaint where both the goodness of the mind and the action agree. And often righteousness, being tougher, provokes complaints from people.


20. But pay close attention to how fitting the distinction and order of words is. In walking, he says, in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord. For the commandment comes first, and the justification is second. So when we obey the heavenly commandments, we walk in the commandments of the Lord; when we judge, and judge appropriately, we seem to hold on to the justifications of the Lord.

Therefore, a complete praise is one that encompasses lineage, character, duty, action, and judgment. Lineage in ancestors, character in fairness, duty in priesthood, action in command, judgment in justification.

(Vers. 8, 9, 10.)

(Verses 8, 9, 10.) Now it happened that while Zacharias was performing his priestly duties in the order of his division before the Lord God, according to the custom of the priesthood, it was his turn to enter the temple of the Lord and offer incense. And the whole congregation of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

Here the holy Zacharias seems to be designated as the high priest; because, as it is read concerning the former tabernacle into which the priests always entered, accomplishing the ministries, not only for one year did they enter into the temple: but in the second (one) the singular high priest (entered) once in the year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and the people's sins (Heb. X, 6 and 7). This is that high priest who is still sought by lot; because he is still truly unknown: for he who is chosen by lot is not comprehended by human judgment. So, that [priest] was sought, and another [priest] was represented. That [priest] was sought as the true priest forever, of whom it is said: 'You are a priest forever' (Psalm 110:4); who would reconcile the Father God to the human race, not with the blood of sacrifices, but with his own blood. But back then, blood was poured out in appearance, and in appearance the priest was ordained. Now, because the truth has come, let us leave behind appearances and follow the truth. And back then, there were changes, but now there is perpetuity. So he was, and certainly he was whose offices were also being carried out.

23. Therefore, by lot it was designated that the priest should enter into the temple. So, if no witness could be brought in the type, what else was being signified except that he would become a priest, whose sacrifice was not common with the others: who finally would not sacrifice for us in material temples, but would cleanse our sins in the temple of his body. Therefore, the priest was sought by lot. Perhaps for this reason, even the soldiers cast lots for the clothing of the Lord (John 19:24), so that since the Lord was preparing to offer a sacrifice for us in his own temple, they would also fulfill the command of the Law regarding the casting of lots around him. For this reason he says: I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). Certainly, he was the one who was expected in the Old Testament, and appeared as the chosen one by God's command. Finally, the lot fell on the apostle Matthew (Acts 1:26), so that the selection of the apostles would not seem to differ from the command of the old law.

(Vers. 11.)

(v. 11) And there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

24. The angel does not seem to appear in the temple without reason; for the arrival of the true Priest was already being announced, and the heavenly sacrifice was being prepared, in which the angels would minister. And it is said to have appeared well to him who suddenly caught sight of him. And this is especially true of angels or of God, as divine Scripture is accustomed to hold that which cannot be foreseen is said to appear; for you have it thus: God appeared to Abraham by the oak of Mamre. For he who is not present before, but suddenly appears in sight, is said to appear. For sensible things do not appear in a similar way, both in him whose will it is to appear and in him whose nature it is not to appear, to appear is of the will. For if he does not will, he does not appear; if he wills, he appears. For God appeared to Abraham, because he willed it; to others, because he did not will it, he did not appear. It was also seen by Stephen, when he was being stoned by the people, that the heavens were opened; Jesus was also seen standing at the right hand of God; and he was not seen by the people. Isaiah saw the Lord of hosts, but another could not see; because to whom it pleased, appeared (Isaiah 6:1).

25. And what shall we say about human beings, when we have also read about the celestial virtues and powers themselves, because no one has ever seen God (John 1:18)? And he added that beyond the celestial powers is the Only Begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has explained (Ibid.). Therefore, it must be agreed that if no one has ever seen God the Father, the Son was seen in the Old Testament; and let the heretics cease to attribute to him a beginning from the Virgin, who was seen before he was born of the Virgin: otherwise, it cannot be denied, either the Father, or the Son, or certainly the Holy Spirit, if indeed there is a vision of the Holy Spirit, is seen in the form that the will has chosen, not formed by nature; since we have also heard that the Spirit was seen in the form of a dove. And therefore, no one has ever seen God; because no one has perceived the fullness of divinity that dwells in God, no one comprehends it with the mind or the eyes. For it is seen in reference to both. Finally, when it is added: The only begotten Son himself has explained, it is more of a vision of the mind rather than of the eyes; for the appearance is seen, but the power is narrated: the former is comprehended by the eyes, while the latter is understood by the mind.

26. But what shall I say about the Trinity? When He willed, the Seraphim appeared, and only Isaiah heard His voice (Isa. VI, 6). An angel appeared, and now he is present, but he is not seen; nor is it within our power to see, but within his power to appear. Nevertheless, though the power of seeing is not ours, the grace of deserving to see is, so that we may be able to see. And therefore, whoever had the grace, obtained the abundance: we do not deserve abundance, because we do not have the grace of seeing God.


27. And what wonder if in the present age, unless He wishes, the Lord is not seen? Even in the resurrection itself, it is not easy to see God, except for those who have a clean heart. And therefore He says: Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God (Matt. 5:8). How many blessed ones He had already counted, and yet He had not promised them the ability to see God! Therefore, if those who have a clean heart shall see God, surely others shall not see Him. For neither will the unworthy see God, nor can one who does not want to see God see Him. God is not seen in a place, but is seen by the heart of the world; God is not sought with bodily eyes, nor is He bounded by sight, nor is He grasped by touch, nor is He heard by speech, nor is He perceived by smell. And when He is thought to be absent, He is seen; and when He is present, He is not seen. Indeed, not all the apostles saw Christ; and therefore it is said: For so long I am with you, and you have not known me (John 14:9)! For whoever knows the breadth, and length, and height, and depth, and surpassing knowledge of the love of Christ, sees both Christ and the Father. For we no longer know Christ according to the flesh, but according to the spirit; for the spirit of Christ our Lord appeared before us, who is worthy to fill us with his mercy unto the fullness of God, so that he may be seen by us. Therefore, the angel appeared to Zacharias on the right side of the altar of incense, because he appeared when he willed, and did not appear as long as he did not will.

But he appeared at the right side of the altar of incense; for he bore the emblem of divine mercy: for the Lord is at my right hand, that I may not be moved. (Psalm 15:8). And elsewhere: The Lord is your protector, your right hand. (Psalm 120:5). And I wish that when we, too, approach the altars and offer sacrifice, an angel would assist us, or rather, present himself to be seen. Do not doubt that an angel will assist, when Christ himself is present, when Christ is sacrificed. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:7). And do not fear that your heart will be troubled by the sight of angels (for we are disturbed and estranged from our own affection when we are dazzled by the encounter with a higher power), for the same angel who appears to us can strengthen us, just as he confirmed Zachariah's troubled mind, saying:

(Vers. 13, 14.)

Do not be afraid, Zachariah, for behold your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John, and it will be joy to you, and many will rejoice at his birth.

29. Full and overflowing are divine blessings: not restricted in number, but accumulated in an abundant heap of good things; so that here there is first the fruit of prayer, then the barrenness of a wife, then the joy of many, and the greatness of virtue. The promise of the Most High is also given to the prophet: indeed, to remove any doubt, the very word for the future is designated. Therefore, with such overflowing blessings beyond expectation, silence is the punishment of disbelief not undeservedly: which we will explain in the following. But there is solemn joy in the birth of saints; for a saint is not only a blessing to the parents, but also the salvation of many. Therefore, we are reminded in this place to rejoice in the generation of saints.

30. Parents should be reminded to give thanks not only for the birth, but also for the merits of their children; for it is not a small gift from God to give children as propagators of the race, heirs of succession. By the law of Jacob, there is joy in the generation of twelve sons (Gen. 49:28). The son is given to Abraham (Gen. 21:2). Zacharias is heard. Therefore, the divine gift is the fertility of the parent. Let fathers give thanks, because they have begotten; let sons give thanks, because they have been born; let mothers give thanks, because they are honored with the rewards of marriage; for the children are the rewards of their military service. The earth rejoices in the praise of God because it is cultivated; the world rejoices because it is known; the Church rejoices because the number of the devout people is increased. In the beginning (Gen. II, 24), the union of marriage was immediately joined by the command of God, so that heresy could be destroyed. For God approved of marriage in this way, that He might unite; He rewarded it in such a way that to those to whom sterility had denied children, divine mercy might grant them.

(Vers. 15.)

And he will be great before the Lord.

31. Here, not the size of the body, but the greatness of the soul is declared. The magnitude of the soul is in the presence of the Lord, the magnitude of virtue: there is also the smallness of the soul, and the youthfulness of virtue. For we count the ages of the soul and body together, not according to the measure of time, but according to the quality of virtue; so that that man may be called perfect, who lacks the errors of childhood, and does not feel the slippery nature of the mind in the maturity of youth: but he may be called small, who seems not to have made any progress in virtue yet. Where is that in Jeremiah, when the Lord showed mercy to Ephraim who was weeping and praying for his own sins: 'Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight?' (Jeremiah 31:20) For if he had not been a child in whom I delight, he would never have sinned. And rightly did he say both 'in whom I delight' and 'child'; for he is a child who does not sin: 'Behold, my servant whom I have chosen' (Isaiah 43:10). Therefore, he sinned through his delight, being so formed by the Lord that he knew not of error. Therefore, even if the boy had not been in pleasure and if he had advanced in age to become a complete man of virtue, he would never have stumbled; so that he would not have to seek forgiveness for his sins, when he should rather hope for rewards for his merits. What our Lord also seems to express in the Gospel, when he says: Do not despise one of these little ones (Matthew 18:10). But let more be preserved for their proper place. Therefore, the little one is opposed to the great. And if, according to the Apostle, a little child is under the elements: For when we were children, we were under the elements of this world (Galatians IV, 10): therefore, the great one is above the elements of the world.

Therefore, John will be great not in the virtue of the body, but in the greatness of the soul. Ultimately, he did not propagate the boundaries of any empire, nor did he prefer any triumphs of war; but what is more, preaching in the desert, he suppressed the delights of men and the indulgence of the body with great virtue of the soul. Therefore, small in the world, great in spirit. Ultimately, like a great person, he did not change his steadfastness of conviction in the desire to live, captivated by the allurements of life.


(Vers. 15.)

(Verse 15) And, he said, he will still be filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother's womb.

33. There is no doubt that this promise was true, for the holy John, while still in his mother's womb, recognized and received the grace of the Holy Spirit. For when neither his father nor his mother had yet done anything remarkable, he leaped in his mother's womb and announced the coming of the Lord to his mother. Thus you have what happened when the mother of the Lord came to Elizabeth, as she said: 'Behold, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.' (Luke 1:44) For he did not yet have the spirit of life, but the spirit of grace. Indeed, in other instances we were able to anticipate the grace of sanctification preceding the living substance, as the Lord says: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5). For another is the spirit of this life, another the spirit of grace: the former begins at birth, ends at death; the latter is not bound by times or ages, is not extinguished by death, is not expelled from the womb of its mother. Finally, the holy Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied (Luke 1:46, below); and Elisha, after his death, raised the lifeless body of a man by touching it (2 Kings 13:21); and Samuel, according to the testimony of Scripture, did not keep silent about the future after his death (1 Samuel 28:17 and following).

34. And, he says, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. For to whom the Spirit of grace is present, nothing is lacking. And to whom the Holy Spirit is poured out, there is the fullness of great virtues. Finally,

(Vers. 16.)

(Verse 16) He said, 'He will convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.'

35. We do not need testimony that Saint John converted the hearts of many, in which the prophetic Scriptures and the Gospel support us. For the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:6); and the frequented baptisms of the people declare that the converted people have made significant progress; because when John is believed, Christ is believed. For he preached not about himself, but about the Lord as the precursor of Christ. Et ideo

(Vers. 17.)

(Verse 17.) He will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.

36. Well, these things are connected; for the spirit is never without virtue, nor is virtue without the spirit. And therefore, perhaps in the spirit and virtue of Elijah; for the holy Elijah had great power and grace: the power to turn the hearts of the people to faith from wickedness, the power of abstinence and patience, and the spirit of prophecy. In the wilderness, Elijah; in the wilderness, John: the former was fed by ravens, the latter in the bushes; and while he trampled on all the allurements of pleasure, he preferred frugality and despised luxury: he did not seek the favor of King Ahab, but spurned Herod's favor; he divided the Jordan, he turned it into a saving bath: he dwells on earth with the Lord, he appears in glory with the Lord: he is the precursor of the first advent of the Lord, he is the precursor of the second advent of the Lord: after three years of drought, he watered the earth with rain, and after three years he poured the rain of faith on the ground of our bodies. You wonder what the three-year period is? Here, He says, there are three years, from which I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I do not find it (Luke 13:7); for a mystical number was expected, so that salvation would be given to the people. One year is in the Patriarchs: moreover, in regard to men the year's yield was then, such as it had not been after on earth. Another in Moses and the rest of the prophets. The third in the coming of the Lord and Savior: Here, He says, is the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of retribution (Luke 4:19). And that father of the family who planted a vineyard, not once but often sent forth the collectors of fruit: first the slaves, second other slaves, but third he sent his own son (Matt. XXI, 33 et seq.).

37. So John came in the spirit and power of Elijah. For one cannot be without the other, as is also found in the following, when it is said: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you (Luke 1:35). But perhaps this seems to be above us and above the apostles. For even he, under Elijah, the course of the divided river of the flowing waters turned back to the source of the river, as the Scripture says: The Jordan turned back (Psalm 114:5), signifies the future mysteries of the saving washing, through which, in the beginnings of their nature, those who have been baptized as infants are reformed from evil. Moreover, in addition to the power given to his apostles, the Lord himself promised that the power of the Holy Spirit should be attributed to them, saying: 'You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you' (Acts 1:8). Then, in the following passage, it is said: 'Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind' (Acts 2:2). Indeed, a great force, because by the Spirit of his mouth all their power is (Psalm 32:6). And that is the power which the apostles received from the Holy Spirit.


38. Moreover, the holy John will also go before the face of the Lord, who was born as a forerunner and died as a forerunner. And perhaps this mystery is celebrated in our life today. For a certain power of John goes before our souls when we prepare to believe in Christ, so that the ways of our souls may appear to our faith, and from the twisted path of this life, he may make straight pathways for our journey, so that we may not stumble in the winding of error; by which every valley of virtue in our soul may be filled with fruits, and all the height of worldly merits may prostrate itself to the Lord in greater humility, knowing that nothing can be lofty that is fragile.


(Vers. 18, 19, 20.)

(Verse 18, 19, 20.) And Zacharias said to the angel, \"How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.\" And the angel answered him, \"I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.\

39. The incredulity of the priest is condemned by silence, and the faith of the prophets is proven by an oracle. Cry out, he says. And I said: What shall I cry out? All flesh is grass (Isaiah XL, 6). You see the command of the one who orders, the obedience of the one who obeys, the affection of the one who questions, the response of the one who obeys. For he believed, who asked what he should cry out: and because he believed, he prophesied. But Zacharias, who did not believe, could not speak: but

(Vers. 22.)

(Verse 22.) He was nodding to them and remained mute.

40. It is not the mystery of only one, nor the silence of only one. The priest is silent, the prophet is silent. Unless I am mistaken, in one person the voice of the whole people has become mute: because in one person the entire people spoke to the Lord through Moses. The cessation of sacred things, and the silence of the prophets, the silence of the prophet, and the silence of the priest. 'I will take away', it says, 'the mighty power, the prophet, and the counselor' (Isaiah 3:1-2). And truly, he took away the prophets, from whom he took away the word that used to speak in the prophets. And truly, he took away virtue from those from whom the power of God departed. He took away their counselor, who was declared to be the Angel of great counsel. He took away the voice; for the voice of the Word is not the voice itself. For unless that Word operates in us, there is no sound of the voice. John is the voice; for the voice is that of one crying in the wilderness (Luke 3:4): Christ is the Word, this Word operates; and therefore, where it ceased to operate, immediately mute, lacking the spirit, as if a certain language of the soul, it was silenced. For the Word of God has passed over to us, and within us, it does not remain silent. Finally, a Jew cannot say what a Christian can say: because you seek a proof of the one who speaks in me, Christ (II Cor. XIII, 3).

And he himself was nodding to them. So Zacharias remained mute and was nodding to them. What is a nod, if not a certain non-verbal bodily gesture, attempting to indicate, yet not expressing, the will? A certain silent speech of the dying, with the voice suppressed by the last death? Does it not seem to you that the Jewish people are like this, so irrational that they cannot give an account of their actions? When they are at the final moment of their vital hope, they have lost the voice they had, which the unsteady movement of the body wishes to explain, not the word? Therefore, the mute people are without reason, without speech. For why does it seem to you that someone is more mute who does not know the sound than one who does not know the mystery? And indeed, there is a voice of works and a cry of faith, as it is written: The blood of your brother cries out to me (Gen. IV, 10). And he who cries out, cries out in his heart all day long. So, he who has lost the cry of the heart, has also lost the tongue. For he who does not hold the distinction of faith, how can he hold the words? And indeed, before, Moses had said that he could not speak (Exod. IV, 10): but afterward, when he spoke, he received the word and brought forth the clarity of good works. Therefore, just as Moses was a symbol of the people and a symbol of the Law, so too did Zacharias remain silent.

42. Therefore, it must be considered how each thing comes together. The Word in the womb. The Law in silence, called John, and Zacharias speaks. The Word is revealed, the Law is completed, but the completion of the Law is the explanation of the Word: And therefore, whoever speaks the Word, speaks; even if they had not spoken before. Zacharias is ordered to be silent by the angel, the voice of the Jews is suppressed by the angel. For this is not a human, but a divine command; that one should not speak to God, who does not believe in Christ. And therefore we believe, so that we may speak. Let the Jew believe so that he may be able to speak. Let us speak in the spirit of mysteries, let us understand the reason for the ancient sacrifices, the enigmas of the prophets. He is silent who does not understand the Law, he is silent who does not understand the Divine sequence of the Scriptures. For our voice is our faith, and therefore I prefer to speak five words in the Church with my mind, in order to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue... For tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers (I Cor, XIV, 19 and 22): but prophecy is for believers, not for unbelievers.


(Vers. 24, 25.)

(Verse 24, 25.) After those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying: Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men.

Great care is given to modesty by the saints, so that often shame is in their very desires; as we observe in this place the holy Elizabeth, who desired to have children and concealed herself for five months. What is the reason for this concealment, if not modesty? For there is a prescribed age for everyone's duty: and what is fitting at one time is not fitting at another; the change of age often changes the nature of an action. There are also certain times prescribed for marriage itself, when it is appropriate to devote oneself to having children: while the years are youthful, while there is hope of receiving children; while there is a need for procreation in the example, there is also a need for union in marriage. But when the mature age of old age has succeeded, and the age is more skilled in governing children than in creating them, it is modest to bear the signs of lawful intercourse, and to be burdened by the weight of another's age, and the womb swells not with its own offspring but with the fruit of someone else's time. For elderly people are concluded from their very age, and are restrained from engaging in the works of marriage by a sense of modesty. Indeed, young people themselves often cite the desires of their children and think that the heat of age, and the desire for offspring, excuses them. How much more shameful it is for the elderly, which is a matter of modesty for young people to confess? Moreover, even young people, who restrain their hearts with sober fear of the divine, often renounce the works of youth after having produced offspring.


And why is it surprising that men, if even animals in some way speak by means of a mute operation, show not a desire for mating but a desire for procreation? For once they have felt a heavy abdomen and have received semen in the genitalia, they no longer indulge in intercourse or the lasciviousness of a lover, but rather assume the care of a parent. But indeed, men spare neither the conceived nor God: they defile the former and infuriate the latter. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you: and in your mother's womb I sanctified you (Jeremiah 1:5). To curb your impudence, you are warned of the hands of your Creator forming you in the womb. He works, and you defile the sacred secret of the womb with incestuous lust? Either imitate a beast or fear God. And what of beasts? The very earth often rests from the work of procreation: and if it is frequently occupied by the thoughtless seed thrown about by impatient humans, the farmer punishes their impudence and changes fertility into sterility. So, for certain creatures, the sense of shame in not ceasing to reproduce is inherent in their very nature, both in the case of tame animals and in the case of wild animals.

45. Therefore, rightly, even Saint Elizabeth blushed with grace, although she did not acknowledge guilt. For although she had conceived by a man (for it is not right to believe otherwise about the birth of a human being), nevertheless her childbirth blushed in its maturity. And again, she rejoiced at having been freed from shame; for it is a shame for women to not have the rewards of marriage, of which this alone is the cause of marrying. Therefore, this shame, removed by her own modesty, comforts her, that modesty I mentioned, which embarrassed her on account of her age. From this, it can be understood that they were no longer joining together in conjugal intercourse; for what does not blush at an old person having intercourse, would not blush at giving birth; and yet, it blushes at the burden of being a parent, as long as it does not know the mystery of religion.

46. She who was hiding herself, because she had conceived a son, began to boast because she was giving birth to a prophet. And she who was ashamed before, now gives blessings; and she who was doubtful before, is strengthened. Behold, she says, how the voice of your greeting has become in my ears, the baby in my womb rejoiced with joy. Therefore, she cried out with a loud voice when she sensed the coming of the Lord; because she believed in the religious birth. For there was no cause for shame, when she bore a prophet, not acquiring faith in the generation by pretense.


Book Two

(Vers. 26, 27.)

(Verse 26, 27) At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent by the Lord into the city of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

Truly, divine mysteries are hidden and it is not easily within the grasp of humans to know the plan of God, as the prophecy says. However, we can understand from other events and the teachings of our Lord that it was part of a deeper plan that she, who was betrothed to a man, would bear the Lord. But why was this fulfilled before she was betrothed? Perhaps so that it would not be said that she had conceived out of wedlock. And the Scripture rightly placed both conditions: that she should be betrothed and a virgin. A virgin, so that she might appear free from man's companionship; betrothed, so that she might not incur the disgrace of a rashly violated virginity, and be thought to bring the mark of corruption upon a chaste conception. But the Lord preferred that some should doubt the origin of His birth rather than doubt the honor of His mother, for He knew that the modesty of a virgin is tender and a good name is easily tarnished. He did not think it necessary to confirm the faith in His birth by subjecting His mother to dishonor. Therefore, the holy Virgin Mary is preserved in both her purity of modesty and her inviolable reputation of virginity; for it is necessary for the saints to have testimony from those who are outside: nor is it proper for a veil of excuse to be left for virgin women who are living with a suspicious reputation, lest even the mother of the Lord appear to be dishonored.

But what could be attributed to the Jews, what to Herod, if they seemed to have persecuted ones born from adultery? And yet, as he himself said: I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:18); if it seemed that he had begun with an injustice against the Law, when the offspring of an unmarried woman is condemned by the Law (Deuteronomy 23:17)? Moreover, a wealthier witness of decency, the husband, is called upon, who could both grieve the injustice and avenge the disgrace, if he did not acknowledge the sacrament. Moreover, the credibility of Mary's words is further confirmed, and the motive for falsehood is eliminated. It would seem that being pregnant without being married, she wanted to cover up the blame with a lie. However, she had a reason to lie because she was not yet married, whereas married women have the reward of marriage and the blessing of childbirth.

Also, there is a significant reason why the virginity of Mary could deceive the prince of the world: when he saw her betrothed to a man, he could not suspect that she would have a child. The plan to deceive the prince of the world is confirmed by the words of the Lord Himself, when the apostles are commanded to be silent about Christ (Matthew 16:20), when the healed are forbidden to boast about the cure (Matthew 8:4), when the demons are ordered to keep silent about the Son of God (Luke 4:35). The plan of the fallen, as I said, was to be the ruler of the world, and even the Apostle declared, saying: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which none of the princes of this world knew. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (I Cor. II, 7 and 8), that is, they would not have caused me, the Lord, to be redeemed by death. Therefore, he deceived for us, he deceived in order to conquer, he deceived the devil when he was tempted, when he was prayed to, when he was called the Son of God, so that he would not confess his own divinity anywhere. But nevertheless, the prince of this world was more deceived; for the devil, although he sometimes doubted, as when he said: 'If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down' (Matt. IV, 6); yet he later recognized and departed from him. The demons also acknowledged, saying: 'We know who thou art, Jesus, the Son of God. Why art thou come hither before the time to torment us?' (Matt. VIII, 29) And therefore they knew that he had come, because they had foreknowledge of his coming. But the princes of this world did not know, which we can prove with even greater evidence than the testimony of the Apostles. For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of Majesty. The malice of demons can easily detect even hidden things: but those who are occupied with worldly vanities cannot know divine things.

But the Evangelists divided it well among themselves, so that the holy Matthew would indicate that Joseph was warned by an angel to take Mary as his wife (Matt. 1:20): Luke, on the other hand, would give testimony that they had not come to an agreement; this Mary herself would confess, when she says to the angel: How shall this be done, because I do not know man? (Luke 1:34). And the holy Luke himself declared the virgin saying: And the name of the Virgin is Mary. And the prophet taught, saying: Behold, a virgin shall conceive (Isaiah 7:14). And Joseph, who saw that she was pregnant and did not know her, wanted to divorce her (Matt. 1:19). And the Lord Himself, while hanging on the cross, revealed it, when He said to the mother: Woman, behold your son. Then to the disciple: Behold your mother (John 19:26-27). Both the disciple and the Mother testified, because from that hour the disciple took her into his own (ibid., 27). Surely, if it had been appropriate, she would never have left her own husband, nor would a righteous man have allowed her to depart from him. But how did the Lord command divorce, since it is his opinion that no one should divorce their wife except for the cause of fornication (Matthew 5:32)?

However, the holy Matthew taught beautifully what the righteous man should do if he discovers the dishonor of his wife, that he should strive to be free from murder and chaste from adultery: For he who joins himself to a prostitute is one body (1 Corinthians 6:16). Therefore, everywhere in Joseph the grace and person of the righteous man are preserved, that he may be adorned as a witness; for the mouth of the righteous does not know falsehood, and his tongue speaks justice, his judgment speaks the truth. And do not let it bother you that Scripture often speaks of a spouse; for it is not the taking away of virginity, but the testament of marriage and the celebration of the wedding that is being declared. In fact, no one dismisses what they have not received; and therefore, whoever wanted to dismiss, admitted to having received it.

6. Moreover, it should not be moved simultaneously as the Evangelist says: He did not know her until she gave birth to a son (Mat. 1:25); for that is a phrase of Scripture, as you have in another place: Until you grow old, I am (Isaiah 46:4). Did God cease to exist after their old age? And in the Psalm: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet (Psalm 110:1). Will He not sit thereafter? And since he who argues a case thinks it is enough to state the cause, he does not require redundancy; for it is enough for him to establish the cause he has undertaken, and postpone the incidental matters. Therefore he who undertook to prove the mystery of the Incarnation in its incorrupt state, did not think it necessary to pursue at length the testimony of the Virgin Mary's virginity, lest he should be thought to be a defender rather than an assertor of the mystery. Certainly, when Joseph had made lawful the marriage he was about to contract, he sufficiently showed that the temple of the Holy Ghost, the abode of the mystery, the mother of the Lord could not have been violated.


7. We have learned the series of truth, we have learned the counsel: let us also learn the mystery. Well betrothed, but a virgin; for she is a type of the Church, which is immaculate, but married. The virgin conceives us by the Spirit, the virgin gives birth to us without groaning. And therefore perhaps holy Mary is married to one, filled by another; for indeed individual Churches and souls are filled by the Spirit and grace; yet they are joined to the outward appearance of a temporal priest.

(Vers. 28, 29.)

(Verse 28, 29.) And the angel went in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

8. Learn the virgin in morals, learn the virgin in modesty, learn the virgin in prayer, learn the virgin in mystery. To tremble is for virgins, and to fear the approach of every man, to fear the speech of every man. Let women learn to imitate the purpose of modesty. Alone in the inner chambers, where no man could see, only the angel would find her: alone without a companion, alone without a witness; lest she be corrupted by any improper speech, she is greeted by the angel. Learn, O virgin, to avoid lascivious words: even Mary feared the greeting of the angel.


However, he said, thinking, what kind of greeting this was.

9. And therefore with modesty, because she was afraid; with prudence, because she marveled at the new formula of blessing, which had nowhere been read, nowhere before discovered. This greeting was preserved for Mary alone. For she alone is said to be full of grace, who alone attained grace which no other deserved, so that she might be filled with grace by the author. Therefore, Mary was ashamed, Elizabeth was also ashamed; and therefore let us understand what difference there is between the modesty of a woman and the modesty of a virgin. For that reason she blushed, for this reason out of modesty: in a woman, a measure of shame is applied, in a virgin, the grace of shame is increased.

(Vers. 30, 31, 32.)

(Verse 30, 31, 32.) And the angel said to her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great.

Indeed, it is said also about John by an angel, because he will be great (Luke 1:15): but he is great as a man, whereas this one is great as God; For the Lord is great, and exceedingly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable (Psalm 145:3). And truly, he is great; for among those born of women, there is no one greater than the prophet John the Baptist (Luke 7:28). However, he has someone greater; for he who is lesser in the kingdom of God is greater than him (ibid). But John is great; but in the presence of the Lord he is great. And John does not drink wine and strong drink, he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners. Let him accumulate merit through abstinence, to whom nature has no power: but Christ, to whom it was natural to forgive sins, why would he reject those whom he could make better than the abstinent?

11. At the same time, he does not disdain the mystical meal of those to whom he will give the sacrament. Here, therefore, he eats, there he fasts: the type of both people fasts in him, is nourished in this. But Christ also fasted, so that you would not deviate from the precept: he ate with sinners, so that you would see the grace, acknowledge the power. Therefore, John is great, but his greatness has a beginning, has an end: but the Lord Jesus is the same beginning as well as end, the same first and last (1 Tim. 6:16) . Nothing before the first, nothing after the last.

12. And let not the custom of human generation lead you to vice, so that you think that he is not the first, because he is a son. Follow the Scriptures, so that you may not err. He is called the First Son. It is also written that the Father alone, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in inaccessible light; as you have read: To the immortal and invisible God (1 Tim. 1:17): but neither first before the Father, nor alone without the Son. If you deny one, you establish the other, follow both and confirm both. He did not say: I am before, and I am after, but: I am the first, and I am the last (Rev. 1:17 and 22:13). The Son is the first, and therefore coeternal; for he has a Father, with whom he is eternal. I dare to say. The Son is the first, but he is not alone; and I say it well, and I say it with devotion. Why do you raise your ears to impiety, heretics? You have fallen into the snares you set. The Son is the first, and he is not alone: first, because he is always with the Father; not alone, because he is never without the Father. Not I say this, but He himself said it: And I am not alone, because the Father is with me (John 16:32). The Father alone, because He is one God: the Father alone, because He is the sole divinity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: and what is one, is alone. The Father alone, the Son alone, and the Holy Spirit alone; for neither is the Son the Father, nor the Father the Son, nor is the Holy Spirit the Son. Another Father, another Son, another Holy Spirit; for we read: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate (John 14:16). The Father alone, because He is one God, from whom all things; the Son alone, because He is one Lord, through whom all things. Only divinity makes, generation and testifies to the Father and the Son, so that the Son is nowhere without the Father, nor does the Father appear to be without the Son. Therefore, not alone, because not alone immortal; not alone inhabiting inaccessible light; because no one has ever seen God, except the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18), who sits at the right hand of the Father. And hence some dare to say that the light that the Father dwells in is inaccessible. Is the light better than the Father? But what inaccessible light is there for someone to whom the Father is not inaccessible? And He Himself is the true light and the begetter of eternal light, of whom it is said: He was the true light that enlightens every person coming into this world (John 1:9). See if that inaccessible light in which the Father dwells is also inhabited by the Son because the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father.


13. Therefore, God is great; for the power of God is poured out widely, and the magnitude of celestial substance extends widely. The Trinity has nothing specified, nothing limited, nothing measured, nothing defined. It is not enclosed by place, comprehended by opinion, concluded by estimation, or varied by age. Indeed, the Lord Jesus has given greatness to human beings: 'Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world' (Psalm 19:4); not to the boundary of the world, not to the boundaries of heaven, not beyond the heavens. But indeed, in the Lord Jesus, all things were created in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible... and He Himself is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17). Look to the sky, Jesus is there; gaze upon the earth, Jesus is present. Ascend to heaven with a word, descend to hell with a word, Jesus is present. For if you ascend to heaven, Jesus is there; if you descend to hell, He is present. Today as I speak, He is with me, in this moment, within this instant. And if a Christian now speaks in Armenia, Jesus is present: For no one says 'Lord Jesus' except in the Holy Spirit (I Cor. XII, 3). If you dwell in the depths, you will also see Jesus working there; for it is written: Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' that is, to bring Christ down; or 'Who will descend into the abyss?' that is, to bring Christ up from the dead (Rom. X, 6 and 7). So where is the one who has filled the heavens, the abyss, and the earth? Therefore, blessed is the great one whose virtue has filled the world, who is everywhere, and will always be; for his kingdom will have no end.

(Vers. 34.)

(Verse 34.) But Mary said to the angel: How will this happen, since I do not know man?

14. It seems that Mary did not believe here, unless you pay careful attention; for it is not right for the chosen one to be seen as unbelieving in conceiving the only-begotten Son of God. But in what way could it happen (although the prerogative of the mother is preserved, to whom it certainly had to be deferred to a greater extent: but as a greater prerogative, a greater faith should also have been reserved for her), therefore in what way could it happen, that Zacharias, who did not believe, was condemned to silence: but Mary, if she had not believed, would be exalted by the infusion of the Holy Spirit? But Mary neither should not believe, nor should she rashly usurp: not believe the angel, usurp divine things. For it was not easy to know the mystery hidden in God from the ages, which even the higher Powers could not know. And yet she did not refuse faith, did not reject the duty: but she adjusted her emotions, promised obedience. For when she says: How will this be done? she did not doubt the outcome, but sought the quality of the effect itself.


15. How much more temperate is this response, than the words of the priest? He says this: How will this be done? He replied: How should I know that? He now discusses this matter: he still doubts about the message. He denies that he believes, who denies that he knows; and as if he seeks another author of faith: he professes to do these things, and does not doubt that it should be done, he inquires how it can be done; for you have it like this: How will this be done; since I do not know a man? An incredible and unheard-of generation had to be heard of in order to believe it. To give birth as a virgin is a sign of divine mystery, not a human one. Finally, he said, receive this sign: Behold, a virgin in the womb will conceive and bear a son (Isaiah 7:14). Mary had read this, therefore she believed it would happen. But how it would happen, she had not read; for it had not been revealed to the prophets how it would happen or by what means. For the mystery of such a great command was not from a human being, but it was to be proclaimed by the mouth of an angel. Today it is heard for the first time: The Holy Spirit will come upon you. And it is heard, and it is believed. Finally:

(Vers. 36.)

(Verse 36) Behold, she said, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.

16. See the humility, see the devotion. She declares herself the handmaid of the Lord, who is chosen as a mother: and she is not lifted up by the sudden promise. By declaring herself a handmaid, she claimed no prerogative to such great grace, which would make her do what she was commanded. For she who was to give birth to the meek and lowly one, ought herself to have humility. Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word. You have obedience, you see a vow. Behold the handmaid of the Lord; it is the preparation of her office; let it be done to me according to your word, the vow is conceived.


17. How quickly, then, did Mary believe in this unequal conception! For what is more unequal than the Holy Spirit and a body? What is more unheard of than a pregnant virgin, against the law, against custom, against modesty, whose care is dearer to her than her own virginity? But Zechariah did not believe, not because of an unequal condition, but because of his old age; for the condition was fitting. The birth of a child is a normal occurrence from a man and a woman: and it should not be considered incredible where nature agrees. For while age belongs to nature, nature does not belong to age, so it often happens that age hinders nature. Nevertheless, it is not unreasonable for a lesser cause to give way to a greater cause, and for the higher prerogative of nature to exclude the use of the lower age. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that Abraham and Sarah conceived a son in old age, and Joseph was a son of old age. And if Sarah is rebuked for laughing (Gen. 18:13), it is even more just to condemn one who did not believe either the oracle or the example. However, when Mary says, 'How will this be, since I have not known a man?' (Luke 1:34), she does not seem to doubt the fact, but to inquire about the quality of the fact. For it is clear that she believed it must be done, and she asked how it would be done. Hence, she deserved to hear, 'Blessed are you who believed' (Luke 1:45). And truly blessed is she, who is more excellent than the priest; when the priest denied, the virgin corrected the mistake. It is not surprising that the Lord, who was to redeem the world, began his work with Mary; so that she, through whom salvation was being prepared for all, would be the first to receive the fruit of salvation from the pledge.


18. And he inquired well how it would be done; for he had read that a virgin would conceive, but he had not read how she would conceive. He had read, as I said: Behold, a virgin shall conceive in her womb (Isaiah 7:14): but how she would conceive, an angel first spoke in the Gospel.

(Vers. 39, 40.)

(Verse 39, 40.) But Mary, rising up in those days, went with haste into the hill country, into a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.

19. It is the duty of all those who demand faith to provide faith. And therefore the angel, when he came to announce in secret, announced the conception of the elderly and sterile woman to the virgin Mary, so that he might assert that with God all things are possible. When Mary heard this, she did not respond as one incredulous of the prophecy, nor as one uncertain of the message, nor as one doubting the example: but rather as one joyful for the desire fulfilled, as one devoted to her duty, as one eager for the joy, she hastened to the mountains. For how could he be filled with God, if he did not strive eagerly for higher things? The grace of the Holy Spirit does not know slow efforts.

Learn, you holy women, the diligence that you ought to show to pregnant relatives. Mary, who used to dwell alone in the innermost rooms, was not delayed by the public shame of her virginity, nor by the harshness of the mountains, nor by the length of the journey due to duty. The mountain-dwelling virgin, with haste and mindful of her duty, forgetful of injuries, with passion in her heart, not because of her gender, left her home and set out.

Learn, young women, not to run around in other people's houses, not to linger in the streets, not to engage in public conversations. Mary was serious at home, but quick in public. She stayed at her relative's house for three months. Indeed, she who had come for duty, clung to her duty. Therefore, she stayed for three months, not because she was delighted by someone else's house, but because she disliked being seen in public more frequently.

22. You have learned, young women, the modesty of Mary: learn humility. The near one comes to the neighbor, the younger to the older: not only does she come, but she also greets first; for it is fitting that the purer the virgin, the more humble she is. Let her know how to show honor to her elders. Let her be the mistress of humility, in which is the profession of chastity. It is also the cause of piety, it is also the rule of doctrine. For it must be understood that the superior comes to the inferior, so that the inferior may be helped: Mary to Elizabeth, Christ to John. Finally, also afterwards, in order to sanctify the baptism of John, the Lord came to the baptism. The rapid arrival of Mary also declares the benefits of the Lord's presence.

(Vers. 41.)

(Verse 41.) For when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

23. See the distinction and the properties of each word. Elizabeth heard the voice first, but John sensed the grace first: she heard it according to the order of nature, he rejoiced according to the reason of mystery: she heard it for Mary, he sensed the coming of the Lord: a woman of a woman, and a pledge of a pledge. The former speak of grace, the latter work within, and they worship at the maternal beginnings of piety; by a double miracle they prophesy, the mothers by the spirit of little ones. The infant rejoiced, and the mother was filled. The mother was not filled before the son, but when the son was filled with the Holy Spirit, he also filled the mother. John rejoiced, and the spirit of Mary rejoiced. While John was rejoicing, Elizabeth was filled: but we know that Mary's spirit rejoiced, not that her spirit was filled; for the incomprehensible (God) was working in the mother in an incomprehensible way. And she was filled after conception, while Mary was filled before conception.


(Vers. 42, 43.)

(Verse 42, 43) Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

The Holy Spirit knows his own word and never forgets it. And prophecy is fulfilled not only by miracles, but also by the accuracy of its words. Who is this fruit of the womb, if not the one of whom it is said: Behold, the inheritance of the Lord are his sons, the reward is the fruit of the womb (Psalm 126:3)? That is, the sons are the inheritance of the Lord, who are the reward, the fruit of him who came forth from the womb of Mary. He himself is the fruit of the womb, the flower of the root, of which Isaiah prophesied well, saying: There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root (Isaiah 11:1); for the root is the family of the Jews, the rod is Mary, the flower is Christ of Mary: who, like the fruit of a good tree, now flourishes, now bears fruit in us by the progress of our virtue, now is restored by the resurrection of the body.


And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

25. He does not say this as if he were ignorant; for he knows the grace and operation of the Holy Spirit, that the mother of the Prophet is greeted by the mother of the Lord for the progress of her pledge of salvation: but he speaks as if he knows that this is not a merit of human nature, but a gift of divine grace, saying: Why is this granted to me? That is, what good has happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? I do not recognize my own worthiness. Why is this granted to me, by what righteousness, by what deeds, by what merits? These are uncommon duties for women: That the mother of my Lord should come to me. I feel a miracle, I understand a mystery: the mother of my Lord, pregnant by the Word, is full of God.

(Vers. 44, 45.)

(Verse 44, 45.) For behold, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed.

26. You see that Mary did not hesitate, but believed; and therefore she obtained the fruit of faith. Blessed, he says, are you who believed. But blessed are you also, who have heard and believed; for whatever the soul believes, it conceives and gives birth to the Word of God, and recognizes His works. Let the soul of Mary be in each one of us, so that we may magnify the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each one of us, so that we may rejoice in God. If according to the flesh she is the one mother of Christ, yet according to faith Christ is the fruit of all. Indeed, the soul receives the Word of God, but only if it is immaculate and free from vices, preserving chastity with unblemished modesty.

27. Therefore, whatever kind of soul she could have been, she magnifies the Lord, just as the soul of Mary magnified the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior. For the Lord is magnified, as it is written elsewhere in the law: Magnify the Lord with me (Psalm 33:44); not that anything can be added to the Lord by the human voice, but because he is magnified in us. For Christ is the image of God; and therefore, if the soul does anything just or religious, it magnifies that image of God, after whose likeness it was created. And thus, while she magnifies him, she becomes more sublime by a certain participation in his greatness; so that she appears to express that image of splendid colors of good deeds, and a certain emulation of virtue in herself. But the soul of Mary magnifies the Lord, and her spirit rejoices in God; because both her soul and spirit, devoted to the Father and the Son, with a pious affection, worship one God from whom all things, and one Lord through whom all things.

28. The better the person, the fuller the prophecy, follows Mary. It does not seem idle that Elizabeth prophesies before John and Mary before the generation of the Lord; for the beginnings of human salvation are already taking root. For just as sin began with women, so too are good things initiated by women; so that even women, laying aside feminine works, may renounce weakness and, like Mary who knows no error, imitate chastity with devoted zeal.


(Vers. 56.)

(Verse 56) But Mary stayed with her for three months, and then returned to her own home.

29. Holy Mary was well prepared, and performed her duty, and kept the mystical number. For it is not only because of familiarity that she stayed for a long time, but also because of the great progress of such a prophet. For if such great progress occurred at the first encounter, so that the infant in the womb leaped for joy at the greeting of Mary, and the mother of the child was filled with the Holy Spirit, how much presence do we think Holy Mary added with the use of such a long time? However, Mary stayed with her for three months. And so he was conceived, and like a good athlete, he was exercised in the womb of his mother, the prophet. For his power was being prepared for the struggle. Finally, Mary remained until Elizabeth's time of giving birth was complete. And if you carefully consider, you will find this nowhere except in the generation of the righteous. Finally, the days were fulfilled for Mary to give birth; the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth; the time of life was fulfilled when the holy men departed from this course of life. The righteous have fullness of life, but the days of the wicked are empty.

30. Therefore, Elizabeth gave birth to a son, and the neighbors rejoiced. The edition of the saints has the joy of many, because it is a common good; for justice is a common virtue. And therefore, in the birth of the just, a sign of future life is anticipated, and the grace of future virtue is prefigured by the exultation of the neighbors. But the time when the Prophet was in the womb is described beautifully; lest the presence of Mary be silent: but the time of infancy is kept silent, because the presence of the Lord is confirmed in the mother's womb, who knew not the impediments of infancy. And therefore in the Gospel we read nothing more about him except his birth, his oracle, the exultation in the womb, and the voice in the desert. For he did not experience any age of infancy, who, being placed in the womb of his mother above nature, above age, began from the measure of the perfect age of the fullness of Christ.

(Vers. 60, 64.)

(Verse 60, 64.) And his mother answered and said: No, but he shall be called John. And they said to her: There is no one of your kindred who is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all marveled. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

31. The holy Evangelist thought it necessary to be sent before, because many thought that the infant should be called by his father's name Zacharias; so that you may understand that it was not the name of any degenerate person that the mother disliked, but rather the name infused by the Holy Spirit which had been announced by the angel beforehand to Zacharias. And indeed, he, being mute, was unable to communicate the name of the son to his wife; but through the prophecy of Elizabeth, he learned what he had not learned from his husband: his name is John, she said, which means, we do not impose a name on him, who has already received a name from God. It has its own name which we have known, not chosen. The saints have this merit, that they receive their name from God. Thus Jacob is called Israel (Gen. XXXII, 28), because he saw God. Thus our Lord Jesus was named before he was born: not by an angel, but by the Father. For it will be revealed, he says, that my son Jesus will be with those who will rejoice with him, who have been left behind for four hundred years. And after these years, my son Christ Jesus will die. . . and the age shall be transformed (IV Esdras VII, 28-30). You see angels announcing what they have heard, not what they have invented. Do not be surprised if a woman declares a name she has not heard; when the Holy Spirit, who had been sent by the Angel, revealed it to her. The Lord could not ignore the prophesying that had foretold Christ.

32. And it is well added that no one in his kindred was called by this name; so that you may understand that the name is not of his lineage, but of the prophet. Zechariah is also questioned by a sign, but because his unbelief had taken away both speech and hearing, which he could not do with his voice, he spoke with his hand and in writing; for he wrote, saying: His name is John. And this name is not imposed, but foreshadowed: and rightly immediately his tongue was loosed; because while unbelief had bound it, faith unbound it. Let us also believe, so that we may speak, that our language, which is bound by the chains of unbelief, may be freed by the voice of reason. Let us write with the spirit of mystery, if we wish to speak: let us write the foretelling of Christ not on stone tablets, but on the tablets of our fleshly hearts. For whoever speaks of John, prophesies of Christ. Let us speak of John, let us speak of Christ, so that our own mouth may also be opened, which in the priest of such great irrational manner, held back the reins of wavering faith, like a bridle on a wandering horse.


(Vers. 67.)

(Verse 67.) And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying.

See how good God is, and how easy he is to forgive sins: he not only restores what has been taken away, but also grants unexpected favors. He, who was silent for a long time, now prophesies; for this is the greatest grace of God, that those who denied him now confess. Therefore, let no one doubt, let no one who is aware of their past sins despair of divine rewards. The Lord knows how to change his sentence, if you know how to amend your offense (On Penance, Distinction 1, Chapter The Lord knows).

(Vers. 76.)

(Verse 76.) And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High.

34. Beautifully, when he prophesied about the Lord, he turned his words to the prophets, in order to show that this is also a gift of the Lord; so that, when publicly enumerating his own blessings, he would not seem ungrateful for having remained silent about the blessings he had received, which he recognized in his son. But perhaps some may consider it an irrational excess of the mind that he speaks to an infant for eight days. But if we hold to the truth, we understand without a doubt that the child born could hear the voice of his father, who heard the greeting of Mary before he was born. The prophet knew that the other ears of the prophet, which are opened by the Spirit of God, not by the age of the body. He had the sense of understanding, which had the capacity for rejoicing.

35. At the same time, note how few things Elizabeth prophesied, compared to how many Zechariah prophesied; and both spoke under the influence of the Holy Spirit. But the practice is observed that a woman should strive to learn more about divine matters than to teach. We do not easily find anyone who prophesied more abundantly than the mother of the Lord. The very prophetess Mary, the sister of Aaron, quickly concluded the words of the song (Exod. XV: 20 and 21)! And when she spoke at length with her brother, she did not escape the punishment of her speech (Num. XII: 1 and following).


(Chap. II. — Vers. 1.)

Now it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be registered.

36. Concerning the birth of the Savior, we do not think it irrelevant to inquire into the time of His birth. For what does the secular profession have to do with the birth of the Lord, unless we also note that this too is a divine mystery? For while the secular profession is maintained, the spiritual is fulfilled, not to be spoken of as belonging to an earthly king, but to heaven. This profession is a profession of faith; for with the old census of the Synagogue abolished, a new census was being prepared for the Church, which would not exact tributes but take them away, and spiritually the people were already giving Christ names according to the pattern. Not here are the spaces of lands, but of minds and souls: nor are boundaries described, but extended: nor is any age distinguished, but all are included; for no one is exempt from this census, because every age is generous to Christ, whom wandering children confess with martyrdom, whom those placed within the womb bear witness to with exultation. In this census, nothing is to be feared as terrible, nothing as harsh, nothing as sad; only faith marks each individual. Do you think the censors hear the voice of Christ? They are ordered to judge without rods: to seek the people not with fear, but with grace: to hide the sword, not to possess gold (Matt. X, 9 and 10). With such censors the world is acquired.

Finally, so that you may know that the census does not belong to Augustus, but to Christ, the whole world is commanded to profess it. When Christ is born, everyone confesses; when the world comes to an end, everyone is in danger. Who, therefore, could demand the profession of the whole world except the one who held the authority over the whole world? For the earth does not belong to Augustus, but to the Lord, and all its fullness, the world and all those who dwell in it (Psalm 24:1). Augustus did not rule, nor did he rule over the Armenians: Christ ruled. Indeed, they accepted the censor of Christ, who revealed the martyrs of Christ. And perhaps for this reason they conquer us, as they teach through their presence, because while they confessed him by offering their blood, the Arians posed a question of his nature to him.

(Vers. 2.)

(Verse 2.) 'This,' he said, 'is the first profession made.'

Moreover, many historical accounts speak of most parts of the world having already been described. This, therefore, is the first profession of the mind: one that all profess, because no one is exempt, not by a crier's summons, but by a prophet who predicted long ago: All people, applaud with your hands; shout for joy to God with cries of gladness, for the Lord is most high, awesome, the great king over all the earth (Psalm 47:2-3). Lastly, so that you may know the census of righteousness, Joseph and Mary come to him, that is, the righteous and the virgin: the one who would keep the Word, the one who would give birth. Where do the righteous and the virgin prophesy, unless where Christ is born? For every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God (1 John 4:2). But where does Christ, according to a higher reason, come into being, if not in your heart and in your breast? For the Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (Romans 10:8).

Moreover, it is beautiful that he also added the name of the governor in order to designate the sequence of time. He said, 'In the time of the governor of Syria, Quirinius, this first census took place.' So that it may seem as if the Evangelist assigned this book the name of a certain consul, for example. For if consuls are assigned to purchase records, how much more should the time of redemption of all be assigned? Therefore, you have everything that is usually found in contracts: the name of the one holding power, the date, the place, and the reason. Tests are also accustomed to be offered: Christ also used these for His birth and generation according to the flesh, who signed the Gospel, saying: You will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8)

(Vers. 6, 7.)

And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

40. Saint Luke briefly explained how, when, and where Christ was born according to the flesh. But if you inquire about His heavenly generation, read the Gospel of Saint John, who began in the celestial realm and descended to the earthly realm. There you will find information about when He was, how He was, what He was, what He did, what He was doing, where He was, where He came, how He came, when He came, and why He came. In the beginning, it says, there was the Word (John 1:1); you have when it was: And the Word was with God; you have how it was. You also have what it was: And God, it says, was the Word. What did it do: All things were made through Him (ibid., 3). What was it doing: It was the true light that enlightens every man coming into this world (ibid., 9). And where was it: It was in this world (ibid., 10). Where did it come: It came to its own (ibid., 11). How did he come, The Word was made flesh (Ibid., 14). When he came, John bears witness about him, saying: This is the one of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me because he was before me (Ibid., 30). The reason why he came, John himself testifies. Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (Ibid., 29). Therefore, if we know both of his genealogies, and the gift of each, and the cause for which he came, that by taking on himself the sins of the perishing world he might abolish the stain of sin and death in all, which he could not be conquered by: it follows that now also the holy evangelist Luke must teach us, and show us the ways of the Lord according to the growing flesh.


41. And no one should be moved by the fact that we have said that the infancy of John was passed over, but we assert that the infancy of Christ is described. For it is not for everyone to say, 'I have become weak to the weak, that I may gain the weak': 'I have become all things to all people' (1 Corinthians 9:22). Nor can it be said of anyone else in this way, 'He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities' (Isaiah 53:5). Therefore, He was a little child, an infant, so that you, a man, may become perfect; He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, so that you may be freed from the snares of death; He was in a manger, so that you may be on the altar; He was on earth, so that you may be in heaven; He had no other place in that inn, so that you may have many mansions in heavenly seats. He, being rich, became poor for your sake, so that through His poverty, you may be enriched (II Cor. VIII, 9). Therefore, my poverty is my inheritance, and the weakness of the Lord is my strength. He chose to be needy so that he might abound in all things. My tears washed away the sins of that infant crying, and my tears cleansed those sins. Therefore, Lord Jesus, I owe more to your injuries for which I was redeemed than to my deeds for which I was created. It would have been of no use to be born unless it was profitable to be redeemed.

42. But no one should include the entirety of divinity within the confines of bodily form. The nature of the flesh is different from the glory of divinity. Because of you, there is weakness and power within itself; because of you, there is lack and abundance within itself. Do not judge based on what you see, but rather recognize what you have been redeemed for. You see it in rags, but it is in heaven and you cannot see it. You hear the cries of an infant, but you do not hear the mooing of the Lord recognizing his ox. For the ox has recognized its owner, and the donkey the manger of its Lord (Isaiah 1:3). Or rather, I should say the feeding trough, as the one translating has written; for there is no difference in word with me that is not also a difference in meaning. For if that orator of theirs (Demost. Orat. pro Ctesiph.) who follows the trappings of words denies that the fortunes of Greece are placed in this or that word; but he thinks the thing itself should be considered: if the philosophers themselves, those who spend their whole days in disputation, have made less use of Latin and accepted words; so that they would use their own: how much more should we neglect words, look at the mysteries, by which the cheapness of speech is overcome, because the wonders of divine works have shone forth, not adorned by any beautiful speeches, but by the light of their own truth? Finally, they fed that irrational donkey not with fake delicacies, but with the juice of natural nourishment in holy feeders.

43. This is the Lord, this is the manger in which the divine mystery is revealed to us: the irrational nations, living within the confines of the manger like cattle, feeding on the abundance of sacred nourishment. Therefore, the donkey, a species indeed, recognized the manger of her Lord and said: The Lord feeds me, and nothing shall be lacking (Psalm 22:2). Is God proven by mediocre signs, that angels minister, that the Magi adore, that the martyrs confess? He is poured forth from the womb, but shines from heaven; He lies in a earthly inn, but flourishes with heavenly light. The married woman gives birth, but the virgin conceives; The married woman conceives, but the virgin brings forth. For the holy Matthew has taught us a profound mystery, which the holy Luke, because it had already been fully explained, thought it should be kept silent, believing himself to be rich enough if he claimed the manger of the Lord for himself among all others.

So, these Magi from the East, following for such a long distance that little one, whom you consider to be insignificant because you are unfaithful, come and worship, and call him king, and confess that he will rise again, offering gold, frankincense, and myrrh from their treasures (Matthew II, 1ff). What are these gifts of true faith? Gold for the king, frankincense for God, myrrh for the dead; for the insignia of a king are one thing, for a divine sacrifice are another, for an honor in burial that does not corrupt the body of the deceased but preserves it are another. Furthermore, let us also, brothers, present such gifts from our treasures that we hear and read about: For we have a treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7). Therefore, if you should not assess yourself based on what you are, but on Christ, how much more should you not assess yourself based on Christ, but on Christ.

45. Therefore the Magi offer gifts from their treasures. Do you want to know how great their merit is? They appear as a star: and where Herod is, they do not appear: where Christ is, they appear again, and show the way. Therefore this star is the way, and Christ is the way; because according to the mystery of the Incarnation Christ is the star: For a star shall rise out of Jacob, and a man shall rise out of Israel (Num 24:17). In conclusion, where Christ is, there is also the star; for He Himself is a bright and morning star. Therefore, he himself marks himself with his own light.

46. Take another example. The Magi came by one way, and returned by another; for those who had seen Christ had understood Him, and were better than when they came. There are indeed two ways: one leads to destruction, the other leads to the kingdom. The former is the way of sinners, which leads to Herod; the latter is the way of Christ, which leads back to the homeland; for here is a temporary sojourn, as it is written: My soul has been much a sojourner (Psalm 119:6). Therefore, let us beware of Herod, the earthly ruler for a time, so that we may obtain the eternal dwelling of our heavenly homeland.

47. Not only have these rewards been offered to the chosen ones, but also to everyone; because all things, and in all things Christ (Colossians 3:11). For you see that Abraham believed God not in vain, either among the Chaldeans, who are considered more skilled in numbers, or among the magi, who, although they dedicate themselves to the study of reconciling divinity through magical arts, believed in the birth of the Lord on earth; not, I say, in vain, but so that a testimony of the holy religion could be derived from opposing nations and an example of divine fear.


48. But who are these Magi, if not those who, as a certain history teaches, are descended from Balaam, from whom it was prophesied: A star shall come forth from Jacob? Therefore, these are no less heirs of faith than of succession. He saw the star in the spirit, they saw with their eyes and believed. They saw a new star, which had not been seen by any creature in the world. They saw a new creature, and not only on earth, but also in heaven, they sought the grace of the new man, as Moses prophetically stated: A star shall come forth from Jacob, and a man shall rise up from Israel. And they recognized this to be the star, which signifies man and God. They adored the child; certainly they would not have adored if they had believed only in the child. The wise man therefore understands his own arts to cease, do you not understand your gifts have come? He acknowledges another, do you not recognize the promise? He believes against himself, do you not think you should have faith in yourself?

49. Therefore, the magi announce the birth of the king: Herod is disturbed, he gathers the scribes and chief priests, and he asks where Christ is to be born. The magi only announce the king: Herod seeks Christ. Therefore, he confesses the king about whom he asks. Then, when it is asked where he is to be born, it is certainly shown that it has been foretold; for he could not be asked, who had not been announced. Oh foolish Jews, you do not believe that he has come, whom you see: you do not believe that he has come, whom you say is to come! He says, 'Tell me, so that I may come and worship the child' (Matt. 2:8). Indeed, Herod plots, but he does not deny God, whom he mentions to be adored. Then he orders the killing of the infants (ibid., 16). To whom else but God was such a victim owed? Though lacking in understanding, infancy confesses the God for whom it is destroyed. These few things we have offered from Matthew, so that it may be clear that the time of infancy was not devoid of divine works. But if the age of the flesh was idle in work, surely God was the one who exercised the age of the flesh in divine works: who also made the shepherds in that region stay awake, keeping watch over their flock at night.

See the beginning of the rising Church: Christ is born, and the shepherds have begun to watch, who gather the flocks of the nations, living like sheep in the court of the Lord, so that they may not suffer attacks from spiritual beasts in the dark shadows of the night. And the shepherds watch well, whom the good shepherd instructs. Therefore, the flock is the people, the night is the world, and the shepherds are the priests. Or perhaps also: let him be a shepherd, to whom it is said: Be watchful, and strengthen (Rev. 3:2); because the Lord has not only ordained bishops to protect the flock, but has also appointed angels.


(Vers. 9.)

(Verse 9) Behold, the angel of the Lord stood before them.

See how divine providence strengthens faith: the angel instructs Mary, the angel instructs Joseph, the angel instructs the shepherds. It is not enough to send once; for every word stands on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

(Vers. 13, 14.)

(Verse 13, 14.) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

52. The army of angels is rightly called, who followed the leader of the army. To whom, then, should the angels give praise, if not to their Lord, as it is written: Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the highest. Praise him, all his angels (Psalm 148:1-2)? Thus, the prophecy is fulfilled. The Lord is praised from the heavens, and he appears on earth. Concerning whom, Saint Mark says that He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him (Mark 1:13); so that in the one you may recognize the sign of mercy, and in the other the manifestation of divine power. What you suffer belongs to you, what is preached by angels belongs to them. And they say:

(Vers. 15, 16.)

(Verses 15, 16.) Let us go to Bethlehem and see this Word that has been fulfilled, as the Lord has shown us. And they came quickly.

53. You see the shepherds hasten; for no one seeks Christ with laziness. You see the shepherds believed the angel: and you, believe in the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the angels, the prophets, and the apostles. See how carefully the Scripture assigns importance to the words of each: They hasten, it says, to see the Word. For when the flesh of the Lord is seen, the Word is seen, which is the Son. Let this be no small example of faith for you, nor a lowly profession for the shepherds. Certainly, the more esteemed for prudence, the more precious for faith. The Lord did not seek out crowds of wise men in the gymnasiums, but rather the simple people, who had heard about adorning themselves with trinkets but did not know how to apply makeup. Simplicity is sought after, not ambition. And do not think that the words of the prophets are to be despised as worthless: even Mary gathers faith from the shepherds; through the shepherds, the people are gathered together in reverence for God; for they were amazed by what the shepherds said about them.


(Vers. 19.)

(Verse 19). But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.

54. Let us learn from the Holy Virgin in all things chastity, who was as modest in speech as in body, and who argued for the truths of faith in her heart. If Mary learns from the shepherds, why do you refuse to learn from the priests? If Mary remains silent before the apostolic precepts, why do you desire to teach rather than to learn after the apostolic precepts? Learn that vice is a characteristic of the person, not the gender; for gender is holy. Finally, Mary did not receive the commandment, but she set an example.


55. Therefore, the boy is circumcised. Who is that boy, if not the one of whom it is said: A child is born to us, a son is given to us (Isa. IX, 6)? For he became under the Law, in order to benefit those who were under the Law.

56. However, it is situated in Jerusalem. What it means to be positioned in Jerusalem for the Lord, I would say, if I had not already spoken about it in the commentaries of Isaiah. For he who is circumcised of sins was judged worthy by the Lord's gaze; for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (Psalm 33:16). You see that the entire series of the old law was a type of things to come; for even circumcision signifies the cleansing of sins. But since human weakness is entangled in inextricable vices with a certain inclination to sin, the future purification of the entire guilt was prefigured by the age of the eighth day of circumcision; for this is what was said: 'Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord' (Exodus 13:2); for in the words of the Law, the birth of the Virgin was promised. And truly holy, because immaculate. Indeed, the very one who is marked by the Law, the words repeated by the Angel declare: For what will be born, he says, will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). For he did not reveal the secret of the virgin's womb to a man's seed: but the immaculate seed was poured into the inviolable womb by the Holy Spirit. For only the Lord Jesus, who is holy in all things conceived of a woman, did not experience the corruption of earthly contamination, and he expelled it with heavenly majesty.


57. For if we follow the letter, how does it not escape notice that every male saint, although he might have been most wicked, is considered holy? Was Ahab holy? Were the false prophets who, at Elijah's prayers, the avenger of heavenly injury, were consumed by fire, holy? But he was holy, by whom the precepts of the divine law were marked as a figure of a future mystery, because he alone, by whom the genital secret of the Holy Church's virgin was opened for the purpose of producing the people of God of Immaculate Fertility. Therefore, He alone opened His own womb. It is not surprising; for He who had said to the prophet, 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; and before you were born, I sanctified you' (Jeremiah 1:5). Therefore, He who sanctified another's womb, so that a prophet would be born, is the one who opened His mother's womb; that He might come forth immaculate.

(Vers. 25.)

(Verse 25) And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel.

58. Not only from angels and prophets, from pastors and parents, but also from elders and the righteous, the generation of the Lord receives testimony. Every age, and both sexes, and the miracles of events confirm faith. A virgin gives birth, a barren woman bears, a mute speaks, Elizabeth prophesies, a wise man worships, a closed womb rejoices, a widow confesses, a righteous person waits. And truly righteous, who sought not his own, but the grace of the people: desiring to be freed himself from the bonds of bodily frailty, but awaiting to see the promised one; for he knew that blessed are the eyes that saw him.


(Vers. 29.)

(Verse 29.) Now, he said, dismiss your servant.

59. See the just one enclosed like in the prison of a bodily mass wanting to be dissolved, so that he may begin to be with Christ; for to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, is much better. But whoever wants to be dismissed, let him come to the temple, let him come to Jerusalem, let him wait for the Christ of the Lord, let him receive in his hands the Word of God, let him embrace with certain arms of his faith. Then he will be dismissed, so that he may not see death, who has seen life.

You see mercy poured out by the Lord's generation on all, and prophecy denied to unbelievers, not to the righteous. Behold, even Simeon prophesied that the Lord Jesus Christ has come for the ruin and resurrection of many, in order to discern the merits of the righteous and the wicked, and as a true and just judge, to either decree punishment or rewards according to the quality of our deeds.

(Vers. 35.)

(Verse 35.) And, he said, a sword will pierce your own soul as well.

61. Neither letter nor history teaches that Mary passed from this life by the bodily suffering of death; for it was not the soul, but the body, that was pierced by the material sword. And therefore, the prudence of Mary shows her to be not unaware of the heavenly mystery. For the living word of God, and sharp and piercing with every sharpest sword, penetrates even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and searches the thoughts and secret intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12); for all things are naked and open to the Son of God, to whom the secrets of consciences do not deceive.


62. Therefore Simeon prophetized, the Virgin had prophesied, the one united in marriage had prophesied, and so too should the widow; so that neither the profession nor the sex may be lacking. And for this reason Anna is introduced with both the wages of widowhood and the character of such; so that she may be truly believed to have been worthy to announce the redeemer of all. Since we have described her merits elsewhere, when we exhorted widows, in this place as we hasten to other matters, we do not think it necessary to repeat. However, she spent eighty-four years of widowhood not idly; because both seven decades and two forties seem to represent a sacred number.

(Vers. 42.)

(Verse 42.) And when those twelve years had passed.

63. In the twelfth year, as we read, the beginning of the Lord's discussion is taken; for here the number of evangelizers who were to preach the faith was owed. Nor is it unimportant that, mindful of his earthly parents, who were certainly filled with the wisdom and grace of God according to the flesh, he is found in the temple after three days; so that he might provide evidence that after three days of his triumphant passion on the heavenly throne, and with divine honor, he would offer himself as resurrected for our faith, who was believed to be dead.


(Vers. 49.)

(Verse 49.) What is it that you were seeking from me? Did you not know that I must be in my father's own house?

There are two generations in Christ: one is paternal, the other maternal. The paternal one is more divine, while the maternal one descends into our labor and use. And therefore, what is done above nature, above age, above custom, should not be attributed to human virtues, but should be referred to divine powers. Elsewhere, the mother impels him to a mystery; here the mother is accused because he still requires what is human. But when she is described here as twelve years old, there she is taught to have disciples; you see the mother having learned from the Son, in order to demand from the stronger one the mystery, which she marveled at in the younger one.

(Vers. 51.)

(Verse 51.) And he came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them.

65. For what teacher of virtue would not fulfill the duty of piety? And we wonder if he defers to the Father, who submits to the mother? This subjection is not one of weakness, but of piety; even if a serpent, released from its savage hiding places, raises its deceitful head and spews venom from its chest. When he says he was sent as the Son (John 8:29), he calls the Father greater; in order to say that the Son is imperfect, who is able to have someone greater; in order to assert that he is in need of others' help, does he also need human assistance; in order to serve under the authority of a mother? He showed deference to a man, he showed deference to a maidservant (for she herself says: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord'), he showed deference to a pretending father: and do you wonder if he showed deference to God? Is it devotion to show deference to a man, weakness to show deference to God? Consider from human things what is due to divine, and recognize what love is owed to a father. The Father honors the Son, do you not want the Son to honor the Father? The Father declares, in the voice of heaven, that he is pleased with the Son, do you not want the Son, clothed in the garment of human flesh, speaking with a human voice and human affection, to say that the Father is greater? For if the Lord is great and exceedingly praiseworthy, and His greatness has no end (Psalm 164:3), certainly a greatness that has no end does not have any increase. But why should I not receive with reverent ears the Son obedient to the Father in taking on a body, when I reverently receive the Father deferent to the Son?

66. Rather learn the teachings of your own benefit, and recognize the examples of piety. Learn what you owe to your parents, since you read that the Father and the Son do not differ in will, work, or time, although they are two in person and one in power. And certainly that heavenly Father has not experienced the labor of childbirth: you owe your mother the injury of modesty, the loss of virginity, the danger of childbirth, the long sufferings of a mother, the long trials of a mother, to whom in the very fruits of her desires there is even greater danger: and when she has brought forth what she wished, she is delivered from childbirth, not from fear. Why should I speak to anxious fathers about the progress of their sons and the multiplied resources for others, and the seeds of the farmer that will benefit future generations? Shouldn't at least some gratitude be repaid for these services? Why does the impious father's life seem longer and the community's inheritance seem narrower, when Christ does not reject coheirs?

(Chap. III. — Vers. 2.)

(Chapter 3, Verse 2) The word of the Lord came to John, son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.

67. The Son of God, about to gather the Church, works beforehand in a servant. And for this reason, the holy Luke rightly said that the word of the Lord came upon John, the son of Zechariah, in the desert, so that the Church did not begin from man, but from the Word. For she herself is the desert, because she is more fruitful than the one who has a husband (Isaiah 54:1). Finally, she is called: Rejoice, O barren one (Ibid.), and Exult, O desert (Isaiah 52:9), because she was not yet cultivated by the labors of any gathered people, nor did those trees, which were unable to bear fruit, yet bear the pinnacle of their merits. He had not yet come who would say: 'But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of the Lord' (Psalm 51:10). The heavenly vine did not yet supply fruit from its branches, through the transmission of certain words. And so, the word came to pass, that which was previously barren produced fruit for us on the earth. The word came to pass, and the voice followed; for the word operates within first, and the function of the voice follows. Hence, David also says: 'I believed, therefore I spoke' (Psalm 116:10). He believed first, so that he could speak.

Now it came to pass, as the word went out, that John the Baptist was preaching repentance. And for this reason, many consider John the Baptist to be a foreshadowing of the Law; for while the Law could denounce sin, it could not grant forgiveness. For the Law turns those who follow the ways of the Gentiles away from error and restrains them from crime; it exhorts them to repentance, that they may obtain grace. But the Law and the Prophets were until John (Luke 16:16): John, however, was the precursor of Christ. So the Law is a foreshadowing of both the Church and of grace in the Sacrament of Penance. Thus, Saint Luke makes use of brevity in order to declare John as a prophet, saying that the word of the Lord had come upon him: he would not add anything else; for he who abounds in the word of God has no need of his own testimony. He said one thing, and declared everything.

69. However, Saint Matthew and Mark wished to declare the Prophet by clothing, belt, and food; because he had clothing made of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey (Matth. III, 4; Marc. I, 6). For the precursor of Christ would not allow the impure remnants of beasts to perish: also indicating by the very sign of clothing that Christ would come, who, receiving the sins of unclean gentility, adorned with bestiality and filth for the deformity of our merits, would strip oneself of the garment of our flesh in that trophy of the cross.


But what does the wearing of a leather belt signify, except that the flesh which used to weigh down the mind before the coming of the Lord, now, after his coming, has become not an obstacle but a belt? Just as it is written of David: 'On the willows . . . we hung up our harps' (Psalm 136:2); and as it is written of the Apostle: 'We have no confidence in the flesh, but we have confidence in the Spirit' (Philippians 3:3). We have no confidence in pleasures, but we have confidence in passions; that is, let fervent love burn in our spirit, and let us be prepared for the performance of every heavenly command, with the devotion of our mind and the readiness of our body.


71. Food is also the prophetic indicator of duty and the messenger of mystery. For what could be more idle as a human duty than to seek locusts, and what could be more full as a prophet's mystery? For the more useless they are for fruit, the more inactive for use, the more fleeting to touch, the more erratic in their movements, the more shrill in their sound, locusts are all the more fittingly applied to the people's Gentile figure, who without any fruit of their labor, without any benefit from their work, without seriousness, without a voice, would emit the sound of complaint and be ignorant of the word of life. Therefore, this people is the food of the prophets; for the larger the number of the people gathered, the more abundant is the use of the prophetic mouth. The grace of the Church is also prefigured in wild honey, not found in the hive of the Jewish people's law, but diffused in the fields and leaves of the forest of the Gentiles, as it is written: We found it in the fields of the forest (Psalm 131, 6).

72. And indeed here the wild honey was eaten, announcing that the people were to be saturated with honey from the rock, as it is written: And he filled them with honey out of the rock (Psalm 80:17). Likewise, the ravens fed the prophet Elijah with food brought from afar and with profitable drink in the wilderness, in order to show that the nations, once disgusting and squalid in the color of their sins, who used to seek their food beforehand from foul corpses, would now provide imported nourishment to the prophets. For the food of the prophets is the effect of divine will, as the Lord himself declared, saying: My food is to do the will of him who sent me (John 4:34).

(Vers. 4.)

A voice crying out in the wilderness.

73. The voice of John the Baptist is well spoken of. For when John himself was asked, 'What do you say about yourself?' he replied, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness' (John 1:22-23). And therefore he said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me, because he was before me' (Ibid., 30); for the voice precedes the inferior, but the Word follows, which excels. Therefore he also wanted to be baptized by John, because in men the Word is consecrated by the voice of the teacher. Therefore perhaps Zacharias received the voice, because he spoke with a voice.'


(Vers. 7, 8.)

(Vers. 7, 8.) Generation of vipers, who has shown you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, produce fruits worthy of repentance. And do not begin to say, 'Our father is Abraham.' But I tell you, that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.

Indeed, the malice of the Jews seems to be blamed because, with the various poisonous venom of their harmful minds, they engage in serpentine deceptions and earthly dwellings, rather than seeking any divine mystery of knowledge. But when it is said, 'Who has shown you to flee from the coming wrath?', it is shown that they have been infused with the mercy of God's wisdom, so that they may bear the repentance of their sins, fearing the future terror of judgment with providential devotion. Therefore, the comparison of vipers is to be referred to generation, not succession. But perhaps they show natural prudence, who see what is profitable and ask for it willingly, but still do not leave what is harmful.

And therefore they are reminded to lay claim to the clarity of their work rather than the nobility of their lineage; for there is no prerogative in succession, unless inheritance is guaranteed by faith, which God's will revealed in prophetic speech to be transferred to the gentile peoples, saying: God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones. For although God can transform and change different natures, yet because to me mystery is more beneficial than miracle, in the prediction of Christ I should recognize nothing more than the edification of the rising Church; which, built not with rocky stones but with living stones, has risen as a dwelling place of God and the pinnacle of the temple through the conversion of our souls. For indeed God was preparing to soften the hardness of our minds and to stir up the worshippers of religion by means of stumbling blocks. For what else were they considered but stones, who served stones, similar indeed to those who made them? Therefore, it is prophesied that faith is to be poured into the stony hearts of the Gentiles, and the oracles promise future sons of Abraham through faith, to whom a certain insensible, irrational use of a stony mind had become ingrained. For if he compared men, firm in faith, strengthened by living stones, with the strength of the apostolic teaching, as it is written: 'And you as living stones are built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices' (1 Peter 2:5), here men seem to be compared more exaltedly with prophetic voice to stones, who had lost the sense of the human mind to such an extent that while they think some divine reason is present in stones, they themselves are transformed not by the use of the body but by the condition of the mind into the nature of stones. Finally, flowing from the succession of Abraham according to the flesh and being called the princes of Sodom (Isaiah 1:10), and being whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27), in this way, their likeness claims more of a privilege of character than the order of their ancestors (Acts 23:3). Moreover, in order for you to know that humans are compared to stones, the Prophet also compares humans to trees, subjecting them.

(Vers. 9.)

(Verse 9.) For now the axe is laid at the root of the trees.

76. However, the reason for this change is as follows: through this process of comparison, it is understood that a certain person has become more compassionate. For those who were previously deformed for use, naked for ornament, sterile for fruit, irrational for progress, are now being formed into the shape of trees, which, by a certain rational gift of nature, are beautiful for use, delightful to behold, bountiful in fruit, rising with their tops, spreading with their branches, filled with fruit, and clothed with leaves. And if only we could imitate the use of fruitful trees, and as our merits grow, being founded on the long-rooted humility, let us raise ourselves from the ground to the heights, adorned with the appearance of fruitful works; lest the Gospel axe of the farmer cut off the wild root. Woe is me, if I do not evangelize (I Cor. IX, 16). But that voice is apostolic. Woe is me, if I do not mourn sins, woe is me, if I do not rise in the middle of the night to confess to you; woe is me, if I deceive my neighbor; woe is me, if I do not speak the truth. The axe is laid at the root, let it bear fruit, it who can receive grace, who owes penance. The Lord is present, seeking fruit, to make the fruitful alive, to rebuke the barren. Three years have passed since it came, and it could not find fruit among the Jews: may it find it in us. He will command the unfruitful to be cut down, lest they occupy the land. But the one who still does not have fruit, let him strive to bring it forth in the future. That good tiller of the field may intercede for us the unfruitful, the fruitless; that space may be given, patience may be deferred; lest perhaps we too may be able to bear some fruit for God.


77. Saint John the Baptist assigns to each kind of people a suitable answer, one for all (Dist. 86, cap. In singulis): thus to tax collectors, not to demand more than prescribed; to soldiers, not to commit calumny, not to seek plunder; teaching therefore the established pay of the military; lest while expenses are sought, the plunderer may thrive. But these and other precepts of duties are specific to each person: mercy is a common practice, therefore a common precept; necessary for all duties, for all ages, and to be carried out by all. Neither the tax collector, nor the soldier, nor the farmer or city-dweller, rich or poor, all are admonished together, to contribute to the one in need. For mercy is the fullness of virtues. And therefore, the perfect form of virtue is proposed to all; that they may not spare their clothes and food. However, the measure of mercy itself is preserved according to the possibility of human condition; so that each one does not take away everything for themselves: but shares what they have with the poor.


(Vers. 15, 16.)

(Verse 15, 16.) But while the people were in expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying: 'I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'

78. Therefore John saw the hidden things of the heart. But let us consider whose grace this is. However, just as the hidden things of the heart are made known to the prophets, Paul shows, saying: The hidden things of his heart will also become manifest: and falling on his face, he will adore God, pronouncing that truly God is among you (I Cor. XIV, 25). Therefore, it is the gift of God that reveals, not the power of man, who is aided more by divine grace than by natural insight. But what profit is there in this Jewish thinking, unless it be proven that Christ came according to the Scriptures? For he was the one who was expected; and certainly the one who was expected, not the one who was not expected, has come. But what could be more foolish than that the one who is esteemed in another is not believed to exist in himself? They thought he would come through a woman, but they do not believe that he came through a virgin. What more worthy generation is there for God according to the flesh than for the immaculate Son of God to preserve the purity of his immaculate generation even in assuming a body? And certainly the sign of the divine advent is established in the birth of a virgin, not in a married woman.

79. 'I baptize you with water,' he says, 'but he who works with a visible office has proven not to be Christ.' For as man subsists from two natures, that is, from a soul and a body, the visible mystery is consecrated through visible things, and the invisible mystery through invisible things. For the body is washed by water, and the sins of the soul are cleansed by the spirit. We do one thing, we call upon another; yet also in the very font, the sanctification of the divinity aspires. For not every washing is with water, but these cannot be divided from one another, and therefore the baptism of repentance was one thing, the baptism of grace another. Both of these things, from both [of us]; because since the sins of the mind and body are common, the purification also ought to be common. And well did Saint John understand and indicate what they were thinking in their hearts, and as if he did not understand, declining the envy of majesty, he declared not by word, but by deed, that he was not Christ. For the work of man is to bear the repentance of sins; the gift of God is to fulfill the grace of the mystery.


But he came stronger than me.

80. He did not make a comparison so as to declare himself stronger than Christ (for there could be no comparison between the Son of God and a man), but because there are many who are strong; for even the devil is strong: 'No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man' (Mark 3:27). Therefore, there are many who are strong, but no one stronger than Christ. In fact, he did not make the comparison to the point of adding: 'I am not worthy to carry his sandals,' revealing the grace of the Gospel conferred on the apostles, who are shod with the Gospel.


However, it seems that for this reason he is saying this, because John often took on the role of the Jewish people. Hence, they refer to this when he says: 'He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30), which means that the Jewish people should become smaller and the Christian people should grow in Christ. Ultimately, Moses also took on the role of the people, but he did not wear the Lord's footwear, but his own. And these people may be wearing shoes that are not their own, but he is commanded to take off the footwear of his own feet (Exodus 3:5), so that the steps and thoughts of his mind, freed from bodily ties, may walk the spiritual path. But the apostles had laid aside their sandals, when they were sent out without sandals, without staff, without bag, without belt; but they did not immediately carry the Lord's sandals. Perhaps they began to carry them after the resurrection; for before, they were forbidden to tell anyone about the Lord's deeds. Lastly, it is said afterwards: Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15); so that, carrying the mark of the Gospel proclamation, they may spread throughout the world the whole series of deeds performed by the Lord. Therefore, the nuptial shoes are a preaching of the Gospel. But we will explain something more opportune about this in other places (Inf. cap. X).

(Vers. 17.)

(Verse 17) He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire: having his winnowing fork in his hand, he will clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

82. Having a fan in hand. The Lord is declared to have the right of distinguishing merits by the indication of the fan; because while the wheat is winnowed in the threshing floor, the full grains, fruitful as if by a certain breath of air, are separated from the empty ones. Therefore, by this comparison, it is shown that the Lord on the day of judgment will distinguish solid merits and the fruits of virtue from empty boasting and the unfruitfulness of deeds; he will place men of higher merit in the celestial dwelling. For he himself is a more perfect fruit, who has deserved to be conformed to him, who like a grain of wheat fell, so as to bring forth many fruits in us, despised by the chaff, not friendly to empty merits. And therefore, before him a fire will burn, not harmful by its own nature; as, one who burns up the evils of wickedness, accumulates the splendor of goodness.

(Vers. 21, 22.)

(Verse 21, 22.) And it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Therefore, the Lord was baptized not because He desired to be cleansed, but to cleanse the waters; so that those who were washed by the flesh of Christ, which did not know sin, might have the right of baptism. And therefore, whoever comes to the washing of Christ, lays aside sins. However, in those things which have been said by others, the holy evangelist Luke has taken a summary, and it is more to be understood that the Lord was baptized by John, than he explicitly states. But the reason for the Lord's baptism, the Lord Himself declares, saying: Permit it just now; for thus it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).


84. Therefore, since God has granted such great favor for the building of His Church, that the Son of God, after the patriarchs, prophets, and angels, would descend and come to the baptismal font, do we not truly and divinely know the saying about the Church: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain (Psalm 127:1)? It is not surprising if a man cannot build, who cannot guard: Unless the Lord guards the city, those who guard it stay awake in vain (ibid.). This is about a certain psalm. However, I dare to say that a person cannot embark on a journey unless they have the Lord going before them. Hence it is written: After the Lord your God you shall walk (Deuteronomy XIII, 4); and, The ways of a man are directed by the Lord (Proverbs XX, 24). Finally, that person is more perfect who understands that they cannot walk without the Lord: Teach me your ways, he says (Psalm XXIV, 4). And to come to the historical account (for we should not only draw from a mere recital of events, but also refer our actions for emulating the writers), the people went forth from Egypt, not knowing the way that would lead to the holy land. God sent a pillar of fire by night so that the people could find their way. He also sent a pillar of cloud by day so that they would not turn to the left or to the right. But you are not such a person, deserving of a pillar of fire. You do not have Moses, nor do you receive a sign. Now, after the coming of the Lord, faith is required, and signs are hidden. Fear God and rely on the Lord, for the Lord sends His angels to surround those who fear Him and He will protect them. You see, therefore, that the power of the Lord cooperates with human endeavors everywhere; so that no one can build without the Lord, no one can guard without the Lord, no one can begin anything without the Lord (Confessions of Saint Augustine, Book of Grace of Christ, Chapter 44). And for this reason, according to the Apostle: Whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do all for the glory of God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 10:31). In two other letters: elsewhere in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17); elsewhere he commanded you to do all for the glory of God; so that you may know that the Father and the Son have the same glory and the same power: and they do not differ in any way regarding their divinity, just as they do not differ in the protection they provide for us. Therefore, David taught me that no one builds a house without the Lord, and guards the city (Psalm 126:1).

85. Moses also taught me that no one but God made the world: In the beginning God created heaven and earth (Gen. I, 1). He also taught that God made man by his own work; and he did not do it in vain: God formed man from the dust of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life (Gen. II, 7); so that you may observe in the act of God some kind of bodily operation with regard to the building of man. He also taught that God made woman: For God sent a deep sleep upon Adam, and when he was asleep, he took one of his ribs, and filled it with flesh: and the Lord God built the rib which he took from Adam into a woman (Ibid., 21 and 22). Not in vain, as I have said, does Moses introduce God working with certain physical hands around Adam and Eve. God commanded the world to be made, and it was made, and the Scripture indicates that the work of the world was completed with one word: man is approached, and the Prophet of God himself has endeavored to show you the very hands of God laboring.

86. Moreover, I do not understand anything in these writings, than that the works of God compel me to read. The Apostle comes to my aid and reveals what I did not understand: 'Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man' (Genesis, 23). He proclaims to me with the divine spirit, saying: 'This is a great mystery' (Ephesians 5:32). What is this mystery? It is that the two shall become one flesh; and 'a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife' (Ephesians 5:31); and 'we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones' (Ephesians 5:30). Who is that man for whom a woman leaves her parents? The Church, which is gathered from the peoples of the Gentiles, leaves her parents, to whom it is prophetically said: Forget your people and your father's house (Psalm 44:11). For which man, unless perhaps him of whom John says: After me comes a man who has been made before me (John 1:27)? From whose side, while he was sleeping, God took a rib; for he is the one who slept, and rested, and rose again; for the Lord has received him. What is this side unless it is virtue? For then, when the soldier pierced his side, immediately water and blood came out, which were poured out for the life of the world (John 19:34). This life of the world is the side of Christ: this side is the second Adam. For the first Adam became a living soul, the last Adam became a life-giving spirit: the last Adam is Christ, and the side of Christ is the life of the Church. Therefore, we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. And perhaps this is the rib of which it is said: I feel virtue going out from me (Luke 8:46). This is the rib that came out of Christ, nor did it diminish his body; for it is not a bodily rib but a spiritual one; and the spirit itself is not divided, but it divides to each one as it wills. This is the mother of all the living, Eve. For if you understand that the living seek among the dead, you understand that those who are without Christ are dead, who are not partakers of life; for indeed not to be partakers of Christ is not to be partakers of life, since Christ is life. Therefore, the mother of the living is the Church, which God built on the very high corner stone of Christ Jesus, in whom the entire structure, being fit together, grows into a temple of God.

87. Therefore let God come, let him build a woman, indeed an assistant to Adam, but truly of Christ. Not because Christ requires assistance, but because we seek and desire to come to the grace of Christ through the Church. And now it is being built, and now it is being formed, and now the woman is being fashioned, and now she is being created. And therefore the Scripture has used a new word; because we are being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20). And now a spiritual house rises up in the holy priesthood. Come, Lord God, build this woman, build the city; let your servant come, for I believe when you say: He himself will build the city for me (Isaiah 45:13).

88. Behold the mother of all, behold the spiritual home, behold the city that will live forever; for it knows not death. For she is the city of Jerusalem, which now appears on earth, but will be taken up above Elijah; for Elijah was alone. She will be carried over Enoch, whose death is not found. For he was taken away, lest his heart be changed by wickedness: but she is loved by Christ as a glorious, holy, unblemished bride. And how much better it is for the whole body to be assumed, than for one to be assumed? For this is the hope of the Church. It will surely be taken up, assumed, and transferred to heaven. Behold, Elias was taken up in a fiery chariot: so too will the Church be taken up. Do you not believe me? Believe even Paul, in whom Christ spoke: We shall be caught up, he says, in the clouds to meet Christ in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (I Thes. IV, 16).

89. Therefore, many are sent to build this, patriarchs are sent, prophets are sent, Gabriel the archangel is sent, innumerable angels are directed, and the multitude of the heavenly host praises God; because the building of this city is approaching. Many are sent to it, but Christ alone builds it, but he is not alone; for the Father is present. And if he builds alone, he does not however alone take advantage of the grace of such a building. It is written about the temple, which Solomon built, in which there was a representation of the Church, because there were seventy thousand who carried burdens on their shoulders, and eighty thousand stonecutters, and three thousand six hundred overseers of the work (2 Chronicles 2:2). Let those angels come, let those stonecutters come, let the excess stones of ours be cut, let the rough ones be smoothed. Let those who carry burdens also come; for it is written: They will be carried on shoulders (Isaiah 49:22).


90. So he came to John, because you have learned the rest. He came to John's baptism: but John's baptism was for the repentance of sins (Matt. III, 13). And therefore John prohibits him, saying: I should be baptized by you, and you come to me (Ibid., 14)? Why do you come to me, who has no sin? For he who is to be baptized by me is the one who has sin: but why does someone who has not committed sin seek the washing of repentance? Without delay, he said, it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness while the Church is being built. What is righteousness, if not mercy? For he scattered, he gave to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. He gave to me, a poor man, he showed me kindness that I did not have before. Therefore, his righteousness endures forever. What is righteousness, if not that you begin by doing what you want others to do, and urge others by your example? What is justice, if not that he who assumed flesh would not exclude the sense or ministry of flesh as if he were God, but rather that as a man he would conquer the flesh, so as to teach me how to conquer myself? For he has taught me by what means I am able to bury the filth of the flesh, which is weighed down by earthly vices, with my sins, and to renew it with virtues.

91. Oh, truly divine providence in humility itself! For the lower the humility, the more divine the providence. God reveals Himself in the bitterness of His injuries, and He proves Himself through the use of His remedies, even though He needs no remedies. For what is more divine than to call upon the people so that no one shall refuse the bath of grace, when Christ Himself did not refuse the bath of repentance? Let no one say that he is free from sin, when Christ came as a remedy for sins. If Christ washed for us, rather he washed us in his body, how much more should we wash away our own sins? Therefore, by what work, by what mystery does God prove this more than by this (although God is in all things); when throughout the whole world, where the condition of the human race is spread, through the divisions and regions of separation, in one moment, in one body, God abolished the deceit of the ancient error and poured out the grace of the heavenly kingdom. For one person plunged, but he lifted up everyone: one person descended, so that we all might ascend, one person took on the sins of all, so that in him all sins might die. Therefore, purify yourselves, as the apostle says (James, IV, 8), because he purified himself for us, who had no need of purification. This is about us.

92. Now let us consider the mystery of the Trinity. We say there is one God, but we confess the Father and the Son as God. For it is written: You shall love the Lord your God and serve him alone (Deut. X, 20), and the Son denied that he is alone, saying: But I am not alone, for the Father is with me (John XVI, 32). And now he is not alone; for the Father testifies that he is present. The Holy Spirit is also present; for the Trinity can never be separated from itself. Finally, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove. So how do heretics say that He alone is in heaven, who is not alone on earth? Let us ponder the mystery: why like a dove? Grace requires the simplicity of the dove, so that we may be as simple as doves. Grace requires the peace of the dove, which in ancient times, as a type, brought to that ark alone which was immune to the flood (Gen. VIII, 11). He taught me what kind of dove that was, who has now deigned to come down in the form of a dove. He taught that in that branch, in that ark, there was a type of the peace of the Church, which the Holy Spirit brings fruitful peace to his Church amidst the floods of the world. David also taught, who, perceiving the sacrament of baptism with prophetic spirit, says: Who will give me wings like a dove? (Psalm 54:7)

93. Therefore the Holy Spirit comes, but behold the mystery. He comes to Christ. For everything was made through him... and in him it stands (Colossians 1:16-17). But see the benevolent Lord, who subjected himself to insults alone, sought not grace alone. And where did he build the Church? I will ask, he says, the Father and he will give you another Paraclete, so that he may be with you forever, the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him nor recognize him (John 14:16-17). He has shown himself clearly in his body, since the substance of divinity is not seen.

94. We have seen the Spirit, but in bodily form: let us also see the Father. But because we cannot see him, let us hear him. For God is present, he will not abandon his temple. He wants every soul to be built up: he wants to shape it for salvation: he wants to transfer living stones from earth to heaven. He loves his temple: and let us love him. If we love God, we will keep his commandments. If we love him, let us know him. For whoever says that they know him, but does not keep his commandments, is a liar (1 John 2:4). For how can one love God, who does not love the truth, since God is truth? Let us then listen to the Father; for the Father is invisible: but the Son is also invisible according to his divinity; for no one has ever seen God. Therefore, since the Son is God, yet he is not seen as God the Son; but he desired to show himself in a body: and because the Father did not take on a body, he wanted to prove to us that he is present in the Son, saying: You are my Son, in you I am well pleased. If you want to learn that the Son is always present with the Father, read the voice of the Son saying: If I ascend into heaven, you are there: if I descend into hell, you are there (Psalm 138:8). If you seek the testimony of the Father, you have heard from John. Therefore, believe in him to whom Christ, believing he should be baptized, entrusted himself, to whom the Father entrusted the Son with a heavenly voice, saying: This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17).

95. Where are the Arians, who do not believe in the Son, in whom the Father is pleased? I do not say this, nor has anyone else spoken; for God does not speak through man, nor through angels, nor through archangels, but the voice sent from heaven by the Father has spoken. Then elsewhere the same Father repeats, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: listen to him (Matthew 17:5), surely listen to him saying: I and the Father are one (John 10:30). Therefore, whoever does not believe in the Son does not believe in the Father. He is a witness about the Son: if there is doubt about the Son, the testimony of the Father is not believed. Then he says: In whom I am well pleased; he praises not something foreign in the Son, but his own. For what does it mean to say: In whom I am well pleased, if not because everything that the Son has, the Father also has: just as what belongs to the Father belongs to the Son? The Son said: Everything that the Father has, belongs to me (John 16:15); for the power of the undivided divinity does not separate between the Father and the Son, but both share one power with the Father and the Son. Let us believe in the Father, whose voice the elements have resounded: let us believe in the Father, to whose voice the elements have shown obedience. The world believed in the elements, let it believe in humans: it believed in lifeless beings, let it believe in the living: it believed in the mute, let it believe in the speaking: it believed in those who lack sense, let it believe in those who, having obtained sense, recognize God.

Book Three

(Vers. 23.)

(Verse 23) And Jesus himself was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph.

1. In speaking about the generations, some of which we see in the Gospel according to Matthew, or in this interpretation that we have in our hands, there is a difference; because it is not credible that holy men who oppose each other could have said, especially about the deeds of the Lord and Savior, with as much effort as possible, without showing any discrepancies.

And first of all, no one should be moved by the fact that it is written thus: Who was supposed to be the son of Joseph. For he was rightly supposed, not by nature, but because Mary, who was betrothed to her husband Joseph, had given birth to him; thus you have: Is not this the son of Joseph the carpenter (Matt. XIII, 55)? We have already said by what means through a virgin; we have also said by what means through a betrothed woman, and why the Lord Savior chose to be born at the time of the census; it does not seem out of place to explain by what means he had a carpenter as his father. For this reason, by means of this type, the Father who is the creator of all things demonstrates that he himself is the Father, according to what is written: 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth' (Gen. 1:1). For although human things cannot be compared to divine things, nevertheless the type is complete in that the Father of Christ works with fire and the Spirit, and like a good craftsman, he surrounds our vices, quickly bringing the axe to bear on unfruitful trees, skillfully pruning the insignificant, preserving lofty things at the summit, softening the rigid spirit of the mind with fire, and forming the entire human race into various uses with the diverse quality of ministries.


But why is the genealogy of Joseph described rather than Mary's, when Mary gave birth to Christ by the Holy Spirit, and Joseph seems to be unrelated to the lineage of the Lord? We might doubt this, unless the custom of Scripture, which always seeks the origin of men, instructs us. For you have this: Perez was the son of Judah, the prince of the Tribe. He begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Aram, and Aram begot Amminadab, and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon, and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed, and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David (Matt. 1:3 et seq.). For indeed the person of a man is sought after, who also asserts the dignity of his kind in the Senate and the other assemblies of the states. But how ugly it would be if, the origin of man being left behind, the origin of woman were sought after, so that he who did not have a father would be proclaimed to all the peoples of the world?

4. But also elsewhere let us show that the course of generation is different; so that here too the Evangelists may not seem to disagree, who have followed the old order. For you have it thus: There was a certain man of Arath, and his name was Elcana, the son of Hieremiel, the son of Heli, the son of Ozi, from Mount Ephraim (1 Samuel 1:1). You see both the description of origin from fathers to sons, and from sons to fathers, connected in the old way. You see everywhere that family is traced through the generations of men. Do not be surprised that Matthew traces the genealogy from Abraham to Joseph, and Luke from Joseph to Adam, and follows the order of generations to God. Do not be surprised that the origin of Joseph is described. For being born according to the flesh, he had to follow the custom of the flesh, and whoever comes into the world must be described according to the customs of the world; especially since in the origin of Joseph is also the origin of Mary. For when Joseph was a righteous man, he certainly took a wife from his own tribe and country: and as a righteous man, he could not do anything contrary to what was prescribed by the Law. For it is thus, that each one of the sons of Israel will cling to the inheritance of their tribe, and they will not pass from tribe to tribe. And every daughter who has an inheritance among the tribes of the sons of Israel, will be a wife to one of the people, and from the tribe of her father, from the people of her tribe (Num. XXXVI, 6-8). Therefore, Joseph also went up from the house and country of David (Luke II, 4 and 5), in order to be registered with Mary, his wife. She belongs to the same house and country, and she brings forth the profession from the same tribe and country, certainly designating herself to be of the same tribe and country.


5. Elizabeth is also related to Mary (Luke 1:36): first, because all Jews are related, as the Apostle taught, saying, For I could wish that I myself were accursed . . . for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites (Romans 9:3-4). Therefore, they are related because both of them were Israelites; they are also related because both of them were from the tribe of Judah. You have learned about Mary from the tribe of Judah, now learn about Elizabeth as well. But when Mary rose in those days, she went with haste into the hill country, to a town of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah (Luke 1:39-40). For just as Moses commanded each tribe to dwell in its own area (Numbers 2:2), surely Mary, when she stayed in the town of Judah, was also in the tribe of Judah; especially since Elizabeth and Zechariah were from the lineage of priests, whose portion is God. How beautiful it is that, while Mary proclaimed the coming of Christ, she herself gave birth to Christ, and the other, filled with the Holy Spirit, conceived by the Holy Spirit, prophesied. According to the flesh, they seem to have been relatives, who in the spiritual bond were not lacking according to God. But if the man is the head of the woman according to the holy Apostle (Ephesians 5:23), and they are two in one flesh according to divine law (Genesis 2:24): surely those who were one flesh and one spirit, how could it have happened that they appeared to have a divided homeland and tribe? Also, it is added that even the Angel Gabriel had foretold about the Lord that God would give Him the throne of David His father (Luke 1:32). Therefore, it is certain that Mary also descended from David's lineage. At the same time, we also learn that it does not matter in which order the series of generations is expressed, since the path is accessible from here and there.

6. However, why the holy Matthew started enumerating the genealogy of Christ from Abraham, while the holy Luke traced it from Christ up to God, seems to be in need of explanation. But first, why the holy Matthew, when he started with Abraham, placed the title 'The book of the genealogy of Abraham,’ and why he specifically mentioned these two, David and Abraham, I believe should not be overlooked. For indeed, the most faithful authors of the race are not chosen in vain; so that we may understand that in the very generation of the flesh, a spiritual succession is required more. For these two men are the ones to whom the divine promises have flowed.

7. Prior to Moses' law and before the Jewish people, Abraham, leaving behind his own possessions and knowing God, earned the testimony of faith; for he believed in God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Gen. XV, 6): who also received an oracle from God, saying to him: Get out of your country, from your family, and from your father's house, and go to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. XII, 1-3). Therefore, you see that the gatherings of the nations and the sacred assembly of the Church are first promised by divine oracle. And for this reason, the author of the race had to be designated, who first deserved the covenant of restoring the Church.

8. David also is rightly declared the author of the race; for when he received the answer by an oath, that of his body Christ was to be born, he said, as it is written, 'The Lord swore unto David truth and it will not repent Him: of the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne' (Ps. CXXXI, 11). And elsewhere: 'Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David; his seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me' (Ps. LXXXVIII, 36-38). And in Chronicles: And when your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you (1 Chronicles 17:11-13). Also, the Lord God revealed the generation of the Lord through Isaiah, saying: A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding (Isaiah 11:1-2). And below: And there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope (Ibid., 10). And elsewhere: For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom (Isaiah 9:6). In which, according to the interpretation of Aquila, we have seen the promise fulfilled, not as regarding a man, but as regarding one who would transcend man. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom.

9. All things come together concerning Christ, evidenced by clear oracles, and the fruit of divine power cannot be derived from the favor of Solomon, who was the son of David, whose end is undoubtedly known. For the end of Solomon's kingdom and peace is demonstrated by the readings of the Kingdoms. Christ is one, whose kingdom has no end. Furthermore, Solomon ruled over no nations, but Christ gathered the Church from all nations. Lastly, while David was still alive, Solomon was born and attained the kingdom. But the one who is promised is shown to rise after the death of David, as you have: 'When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever' (1 Chronicles 17:11-12). Did Solomon reign forever, who only reigned for forty years? I will be, he says, a father to him, and he will be to me a son (Ibid., 13). Who is this proper Son of God, except the one to whom it is said: You are my Son, this day I have begotten you (Psalm 2:7)? And, I will not scatter my mercy away from him... and I will keep him faithful in my house, and in his kingdom forever (Paradise 17:13-14). But indeed, we know from the series of divine readings that Solomon perhaps erred so gravely in order to prevent humans from erring, and that the promised future would be believed to have come to him. For he built a temple for the idol of Astarte because of his love for a woman, and the Lord was angry with Solomon (3 Kings 11:4 et seq.). Therefore, if Solomon began to reign while David was still alive (for when it was reported to David that Solomon was reigning, King David worshipped in his bedchamber and said: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has given me today one sitting on my throne, and my eyes see) - if he erred, if he offended, you see that the promised succession established Christ.


10. And for this reason the evangelist selected these two authors of the genealogy: one who received the promise from the congregation of peoples, and another who obtained the oracle concerning the generation of Christ. And for this reason, although he is later in the order of succession, he is described as prior to Abraham in the generation of the Lord, because it is greater to have received the promise from Christ than from the Church, since the Church itself is through Christ. Therefore, one is the prince of the generation according to the flesh, the other is the prince of the generation according to the spirit: one according to the grace of the seed, the other according to the faith of the peoples; for the one who saves is more powerful than the one who is saved. And therefore David is called the son: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David (Matthew 1:1). For in the first place, the son should be called to whom a son was promised; although the Apostle also says that Christ was promised to Abraham: For the promises were made to Abraham and his seed. It does not say: And to seeds, as if in many, but as in one: And to your seed, which is Christ (Galatians 3:16); so that to one the property of generation may be attributed and to the other the principality. He was announced, that Jesus would be called his son: to this one, as though a chief, the prerogative of the family and of the nations is preserved; so that from Abraham the beginning of the Lord's generation might flow forth. For he who is the author of faith ought also to assert the author of the divine generation in Scripture.

11. And so Luke thought that the origin of Christ should be referred to God; that the true generator of Christ is God, either according to true generation as Father, or according to the regeneration of the mystical offering as author. And therefore, he did not begin to describe his generation from the beginning, but later he explained his baptism, desiring to demonstrate that God is the author of all through baptism, and he also affirmed that Christ originated from God in the order of succession: weaving together everything, he showed that the Son of God is demonstrated both according to nature, grace, and flesh. But what clearer sign of the divine generation than that, when about to speak of the generation itself, he prefaces the speaking of the Father himself: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Luke 3:22).

12. Here too some people like to insert questions, because Matthew enumerated forty-two generations from Abraham to Christ, while Luke enumerated fifty; and because Matthew described the descent of the generation through other individuals, and Luke through others. In this you can now prove what we have said, that although Matthew wove in other ancestors of the Lord's lineage, and Luke wove in others in the order of the generation, both of them indicated Abraham and David as the remaining authors of the lineage.


13. But in truth, while Matthew thought the lineage was to be traced through Solomon, Luke seems to show the royal and priestly family of Christ through Nathan. This does not mean that one is truer than the other, but rather that both harmonize with equal faith and truth. For Christ's family was truly both royal and priestly according to the flesh: a king from kings, a priest from priests, although the oracle is not spoken of physical things but of heavenly things; for the king rejoices in the power of God, to whom judgment is given by the Father of kings, and the priest is forever, according to what is written: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). Therefore both of them held true; so that Matthew would prove the lineage traced through kings, and Luke by tracing the series of the divine lineage passed down to Christ through priests, would declare the holiness of that lineage itself. At the same time, in this also the figure of a calf is signified, because it believes that the priestly mystery should be preserved everywhere.

14. And do not be surprised if there are more successions from Abraham to Christ according to Luke, but fewer according to Matthew; for you admit that the generation has passed through other individuals: for it is possible that some may have lived a long life, while men of another generation may have died at a young age; for we see many old men living with their grandsons, while other men die immediately after having sons.

15. We also note that St. Matthew records that Jacob, who was the father of Joseph, mentioned that his son was Mathan (Matt. 1:15), while Luke describes Joseph, to whom Mary was betrothed, as the son of Heli, and Heli as the son of Melchi (Luke 3:24). How can one person have two fathers, namely Heli and Jacob? How can there also be two paternal grandfathers, Mathan and Melchi? But if you truly inquire, you will find that according to the prescription of the old law, two brothers had different sons by one wife who was a uterine sister (Deut. 25:5) (Euseb. Caes. Eccl. hist. lib. I, c. 7). For it is reported that Mathan, who married into the family of Solomon, begot Jacob as his son, and after his wife's death, he married Melchi's wife, from whom was begotten Heli. Again, when Heli died without children, he married his brother's wife and begot Joseph, who is called the son of Jacob according to the Law; for according to the ancient custom of the Law, a brother would raise up offspring for his deceased brother. Thus, he was called the son of two, not begotten by both, but because according to his genealogy he belonged to one, and according to the Law he was made the son of the other. The people of the Jews did not understand in what way, with this law, the perpetuity of the death of the seed was promised to us: but, taking it according to the letter, they corrupted the grace of the oracle. For there was another brother who would raise up the seed of the dead brothers, not a brother according to the carnal birth, but according to the purity of grace. And therefore perhaps, the Brother does not redeem, a man will redeem (Psalm 48:8); because that brother was not a blood brother, but the Lord and mediator of God and man, the man Christ Jesus, propagated the grace of resurrection. Although there may be another interpretation of this verse, which we will mention later (Enarr. in Psal. XLVIII).

16. However, it does not seem absurd that Saint Matthew thought that the holy generations, to be divided into fourteen, were to be divided into twice the mystical number, from Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonian exile, from the Babylonian exile to Christ, in which he also clearly indicated the cycle of changes. For from Abraham until David the Hebrew people existed without kings; for the just kingdom began with David. Then the whole lineage of the Hebrews was led by kings until the exile, and the kingdom remained intact until their exile. But after the transmigration towards the setting sun, the fallen nobility withered away. However, the mystical numbers are evident in the fifty successions that Abraham believed should be woven together by Lucas. For both the tenth and the seventh are mystical numbers, and both repeated three times signify a mystery. And Pentecost, followed by Lucas, and Tesseracost, followed by Matthew, revealed more than enough of the mystical number.


17. Many people also wonder why Matthew thought it necessary to include the mention of the notorious woman Thamar in the genealogy of Jesus. Why did Ruth, and also the woman who was Uriah's wife and went on to marry David after he had killed her husband, why did they both get mentioned, when there is no mention of the holy women Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel. It goes like this: Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers. Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar (Matthew 1:2-3). Therefore, it seems necessary to mention the name of this woman evangelist, about whom it appears we must now discuss separately.

18. Firstly, if you consider the truth, this woman was not as famous as she was just. For she did not seek the temporary use of lust, but rather desired the honor of succession. It was shameful not to have children, which was also punished by the authority of civil laws. Judas had promised her to his son, and the engagement of marriage had been delayed for a long time. The betrothed died before fulfilling his promise. Before the coming of Christ, she had not yet experienced the grace of virginity or widowhood. Feeling sorry for himself for remaining without children, he devised a plan out of a desire for offspring, and he surpassed Judas in cunning; he offered himself to him, adorned, after he learned of his wife's death. You can see that the life of a woman is approved, because she did not steal another's bed, she was not adorned with the dress of a prostitute as if she were a prostitute; for she did not capture wandering lust, but after being deceived for a long time by her father-in-law's promises, she wanted to obtain the fruit of inheritance from the family she had chosen by turning the deception. Who, therefore, is purer? She who awaited the promised one for so long, or he who could not bear the love offered? She who did not reject the family of her betrothed, or he who thought of her as a prostitute? She who did not allow the hour of union to those who wished, or he who, having begun with the desire for error, completed the grace of succession by the chastity of a woman? She who did not have children, and feared that the time of conception would be excluded by the delay of marriage, or he who preferred the seriousness of a mature woman to the age of a younger one? Finally, he himself confessed, saying: Tamar is more justified than I; for this reason I did not give her to my son Shelah (Gen, XXXVIII, 26). And so she wanted to experience the exactor of her own chastity. Finally, she never experienced another man, she took the garment of widowhood from intercourse: this impatient man of only one hour, who had spent years in the chastity of a girl, expelled mourning, changed clothes, shaved her head, left the funeral pyre, and ascended the bed of the lover.


19. But we do not defend her in such a way as to accuse him: rather, we excuse both; not ourselves, but the mystery that the union of the two expressed; for the woman gave birth to Phares and Zaram, she gave birth to twins. Therefore, Matthew marked both not in vain, when he only sought to mention Phares: for Phares begot Esrom, Esrom begot Aram (Matt. 1:3): and then each in order. But why, when Isaac begot two, Jacob begot more, does Scripture only mention the ones that were demanded by the succession of the Lord, and yet mention both of these, unless it is because there is a mystery in both?


20. We have discussed the moral aspect, because he did not engage in the work of the prostitute, but chose the gifts of fertility: let us discuss the historical aspect and investigate the mystical. For what he received, the ring and necklace, and the staff, cannot be without mystery. It is not a trivial person who deserves to receive an ornament, a seal, power: the seal of deeds, the ornament of the heart, the emblem of royal freedom. Therefore, to begin the story, when Tamar conceived, you read that one of the twins put out his hand, which the midwife caught and tied a scarlet thread around, saying, "This one shall come out first" (Gen. XXXVIII, 28). But when the boy drew back his hand into his mother's womb, his brother immediately came out. Then the midwife said, 'What a breach you have made for yourself!' So she named him Phares. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zara.' (Genesis 38:29-30). Do you see how many enigmatic mysteries are revealed? The hand extended, the scarlet thread tied, the hand withdrawn, the midwife's dual voice, the fact that one came out before the other, one breached while the other cut through the barrier.


21. But why did one send forth the hand from the womb, while the other preceded with the genitals? Is it not because through the mystery of twins the twofold life of peoples is portrayed: one according to the Law, the other according to faith; one according to the letter, the other according to grace? Grace is prior to the Law; faith is prior to the letter. And therefore, the type of grace sent forth the hand first; because the acts of grace preceded, which were in Job, Melchizedek, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who lived by faith without the Law: For Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). Melchizedek also showed the grace of the holy sacrifice as a prefiguration (Gen. XIV, 18); for the holy patriarchs, preceding the Law, freed from the constraints of commandments, shone forth with a free and similar grace of the Gospel.

22. He is the younger brother of these; second in the order of piety; for the first is among the patriarchs, the second among the kings and priests. Both lives are according to God; for even those who served in the religious and pious army according to the law of Moses, are not devoid of grace and honor: but the first fruit of piety is in the founders, rather than in the heirs. For Zara is the first, which in interpretation means the east; for the light of true piety is the splendor of the rising sun, certainly of Him who said: My name is East; of whom the first ray of light shone in the patriarchs (Zacch. VI, 12). For at the beginning of their own lives, they advanced in this age, in whose hands also our own actions, as if the figure of a fuller body, which we were still held in the womb of nature generating, came before. But the observance of the Law is like a middle hedge, and in a certain way the life of our ancestors seems to be cut off, from which the midwife, perhaps justice, who received us released from the womb of our natural mother, is said to have spoken: This one will go forth first. And truly that order of piety was wonderful, not from Moses, nor from any man, nor through man, but implemented by a certain gift of wisdom pouring itself out freely.

23. Therefore, the first discipline of piety according to the Gospel: because we believe in the cross and blood of Christ, which Abraham saw the day of and rejoiced (John 8:56); whose grace Noah foresaw prefigured in the type of the Church, with spiritual understanding; whose place Isaac did not refuse in sacrifice (Genesis 22:10); whom Jacob worshipped when he wrestled with him (Genesis 32:25); whose prophet Isaiah saw the redness of garments (for according to the Gospel, the life of prophets is also) (Isaiah 63:2); in whose blood, amidst the destruction of the world, the prostitute Rahab indicated, by a mystery, the future emblem of salvation for the public Church (Joshua 2:1); a Church that does not refuse the union of many strangers and, the more closely joined to many, is the more chaste: an immaculate virgin, without wrinkle, whole in modesty, lowly in love, chaste in prostitution, widowed yet barren, fruitful in virginity. The prostitute, because she is frequently visited by many lovers with the allure of affection, and without the pollution of offense: For he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body (I Cor. VI, 16). The barren widow, who does not know how to bear children in the absence of a husband: the man comes and begets this people and this tribe. The fruitful virgin, who has brought forth this multitude with the fruit of love, without the use of lust.

24. But let us return to history: what do the words of the midwife saying, 'He will come out first,' mean? Was it not because he bore the image of the one who, though born later in body, being first in virtue and truth, claimed the chief place for himself? Hence also John said, 'There comes after me a man who has been made before me' (John 1:17). What does it mean that he bound a red cloth in his hand, except that he was a figure of the one who, by the sign of his cross and shedding of his blood, illuminated the act of human redemption? Therefore, after he withdrew his hand, as if a fence had been made by cutting, his brother came out, whom the Apostle referred to as the middle wall or barrier (Ephesians 2:14), and he himself received his name from the cutting; for Phares means division: hence they were called Pharisees, because they separated themselves from the associations of many. However, it would have been happier and much better if the fence had not been cut, but had remained one and undivided. What could have happened if he, who sent his earlier life to ruin, that is, showed his actions, had followed the military life that came after. For it would have been much better if the circumcised people had wanted to imitate the life of their ancestors; for thus there would have been one fence, one barrier, one structure of the past and the future. But because the weakness of the latter life could not fulfill the actions of the former, without a doubt, the fence or barrier, which had been built according to God, was like a middle wall placed in between; so that that fence, that is, the continual and continuous construction of good morals, would be broken. For a boundary surrounds a fruitful field and keeps out the incursions of thieves. It sets apart what is cultivated from what is abandoned. Likewise, a wall encloses a house. If this wall remains, the house is safe. Finally, 'I will remove its wall,' says the Lord, 'and it will be a source of plunder.' (Isaiah 5:5).

25. I wish that this may be the intact wall of our house, the spiritual house that is within us, for it cannot be built by man, but by the living God, who says: 'I have surrounded the wall' (Isaiah 5:2). Therefore, those who have lost the wall have also lost salvation. Therefore, let the wall remain, let this hedge remain. Do you want to know how useful the hedge is? Hedge your ears with thorns and thistles, and do not listen to wicked language (Sirach 28:28). Indeed, this protects you from guilt.

Therefore, the Lord Jesus, who later came into the world in the flesh, restoring the ancient fortification and renewing us to the actions and ancient simplicity of faith. Hence, concerning him, the prophet said: You will be called the builder of the wall. For he removed the obstacle that divided the unity of mind and body, and the sequence of simple life; and he himself became our peace, who made both one and broke down the middle wall of the enclosure. The Apostle exposes that the enmities are in the flesh (Ephesians 2:14). Therefore, the Lord has borne these enmities and has restored peace, and he has abolished the law of commandments in decrees; in order to create two in one new man: in whom he signifies not only the external and the internal, but also the Jew and the Greek, so that Christ would be all in all. For the Lord of the Sabbath has removed the superstition of the corporal Sabbath, and as if through a medium he has broken down the wall of the Law: which prohibited us from the piety that is according to God due to the difficulty of the decrees, since it was not easy or possible for the Gentiles to serve God according to the Law of Moses, since the empty superstition of the Jews called back the pure affection of the nations from undertaking the observance. What then? Useless law? God forbid: but useful for the unbelievers, necessary for the weak, which restrains the slippery and wandering by the severity of salutary precepts, and concludes them with the attentiveness of observances. But the Law is good, because it is spiritual. Therefore, it is not good for those who do not consider it spiritual: those who, having become small in mind and humble, could not see the majesty of Christ, who is above the Law. Indeed, just as the sublime Isaiah, looking beyond that wall, saw the glory of God (Isaiah 6:1), which appears on the mountains, not on the hills.


27. Therefore the Church teaches us in the Song of Songs, that this wall could not stand against our Lord Jesus Christ, nor against the one who followed Christ, saying: The voice of my brother: behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills. My brother is like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of Bethel. Behold, he stands behind our wall, looking through the windows, peering through the lattice. My brother answered and said to me: Rise up, come, my neighbor, my beautiful one, my dove; for behold, winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard (Song of Songs 2:8-12). Flowers, apostles: the time of harvest is the fruit of Christ: the voice of the turtledove, the voice of the Church. Therefore, the Son of God, after seeing that earthly men were not walking towards heavenly things and were confined by physical constraints (for there was no one who did good, not even one), deigned to come down to earth himself; in order to remove that wall of the Law, that is, a certain burden and the superstition of the physical mind, which was weighing down and overshadowing the hearts of the people. Therefore, a wall is better than a fence. Finally, the wall is not a good one, it is not painted. This was not said without purpose to the high priests, because it was protecting the obstacles of the middle wall (Acts 23:3), which the Lord Jesus abolished like a hard military service, in order to give a clearer observance of religion; so that now not only one Jewish race, enclosed as it were by a certain physical prescription of the Law, but all nations would be called to the worship of God through the Gospel.


28. Therefore, there are two sets of twin lives, two sets of twin struggles; so that the first is better than the one that follows. And therefore what is better has been reformed. But who would deny that the Gospel surpasses the Law? However, the Law is good if you raise the mind above the literal sense: for the letter kills. (2 Corinthians 3:6) But what would this history of grace have if we did not see the light of such a great mystery? For the holy Apostle has taught us to seek the secret of truth in the simplicity of history, and to interpret certain discussions that are not intelligible according to the letter, writing: Tell me, you who read the Law, have you not heard the Law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman, and one by a free woman: but he who was born of the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but he who was born of the free woman was born according to the promise. Now these things are said by way of allegory. For these are the two covenants (Galatians 4:21-24). And further: But the Jerusalem above is free (ibid., 4:26).

Therefore, let us strive with the sublimity of our minds towards that which the middle wall could not cut or divide. For according to the corporeal understanding, that wall of the old Testament has been removed: the slave woman has been expelled, the free woman is held. We are free from the free woman; for the Church is free, the Synagogue has been expelled. For the people of the Jews were serving, the yoke of servitude has been removed, which was repressing the necks of our souls; so that we could no longer look beyond the wall of the previous life. We have a good and light yoke, which lifts up more than it weighs down those who have it, with the bonds of peace and grace. This is the Lord, whose type went before in Zara; for the Lord Jesus, according to the flesh, was not only born of a woman, but also under the Law, so that he might redeem those who were under the Law with the price of his blood. Therefore, his figure went before in the hand of that Zara, in order to promise us that he was coming, who would restore to us the use of the old life, and reform the liberty which he had given at first to that Adam, in the last Adam; so that now the human race might be without the yoke of the law.


30. Therefore, if we acknowledge that Thamar is described in the genealogies on account of a mystery in the Lord's generations, we must also certainly not consider Ruth to be overlooked for the same reason: about whom the holy Apostle seems to have had an understanding, when he foresaw through the Spirit that the calling of the Gentiles was to be celebrated by the Gospel, saying that the Law is not made for the just, but for the unjust (1 Timothy 1:9). For how did Ruth, being a foreigner, marry a Jew? And by what reasoning did the evangelist think that the mention of a union should be made in the birth of Christ, which was forbidden by the series of laws? Therefore, did the Savior not originate from a legitimate generation (Deut. XXIII, 3)? It seems to be contrary unless we adhere to the apostolic belief, for the law was not established for the righteous, but for the unrighteous. And since she is a foreigner and a Moabite (especially since the law of Moses prohibited these marriages, and the Moabites were excluded from the Church; for it is written: Moabites shall not enter the Church of the Lord even to the third and fourth generation, and forever), how then did she enter into the Church if not because she was holy and blameless in her conduct, above the law? For if the Law was given to the impious and sinners, certainly Ruth, who surpassed the definition of the Law, and entered into the Church, and became an Israelite, and deserved to be counted among the greater ones of the Lord's family, because of the choice of her mind and not her body, is a great example for us, because in her the figure of our entrance into the Church of the Lord, who are gathered from the nations, preceded. Let us therefore imitate her; so that because she deserved this prerogative of being admitted into her society by her manners, as history teaches: we also, because of the choice of our manners, may be counted among the Church of the Lord, with the support of our merits.


For when the Israelites were afflicted by famine in the earlier days of the Judges, a man named Elimelech from the city of Bethlehem in Judah, where Christ was born, went to live in the land of Moab with his wife and two sons. His sons took Moabite wives, one named Orpah and the other named Ruth, and they lived there for about ten years before they died. But after her husband and sons died, the woman, left alone and without her own family, heard that God had visited Israel and she decided to return home. She urged her daughters-in-law to go back to their families as well. One concession: but Ruth stayed with her mother-in-law. When her mother-in-law said to her, 'Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; go back with her,' Ruth replied, 'Do not press me to leave you and to turn back from following you. Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die—there will I be buried.' (Ruth 1:15, 17). And so the two arrived at Bethlehem. Therefore, when Boaz, the great-grandfather of David, learned of these customs, as well as the respect towards the mother-in-law, the devotion towards the deceased, and the religiousness towards God, according to the law of Moses, in order to raise up the offspring of the deceased, he chose her as his wife.

32. But it is worth noting that in a field full of harvest, she found sheaves, as it is written (Ruth 2:17), gathering them and reserving them for her mother-in-law. And she did not go after a young man, but followed a mature man, for which she deserved to hear: 'You are a woman of virtue', or 'Because you have done your mercy last, greater than the first' (Ruth 3:10). For the last mercy gathered by the Church surpasses the previous one. What we say briefly here, because we have set out more fully in the books that I have written about Faith (Book III on Faith to Gratian, ch. 5). But he who was far off has approached; because he who was nearest has distanced himself, and the neighbor's sandal he acquired by receiving the woman. For it was customary that he who was nearest, if he did not want to take his kinswoman as a wife, would loosen his sandal and give her to others (Ruth 4:7): in which there is not a small mystery, because the one who took an alien woman as a representative received the ability to proclaim the gospel.


33. Finally, the blessing of the elders testifies to these marriage in the type, saying: May the Lord give you a woman who enters your house, like Rachel and Leah, who built the house of Israel, and may you have power in Ephrathah. And may your name be in Bethlehem, and may your house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah. May the Lord give you descendants through this young woman. And Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife (cf. Ruth 4:11-13), and she bore Obed, the father of Jesse, the grandfather of David. Therefore, Saint Matthew rightly mentioned in the Gospel that the Lord Himself, the author of the gathering of the gentiles, took on the generation of foreigners according to the flesh, so that even then there would be an indication that this generation would produce a caller of the gentiles, whom we all, gathered from foreigners, would follow, leaving behind our ancestral ways and saying to the one who would call us to the worship of God, for example, to Paul or to any bishop: Your people shall be my people, and your God my God (Ruth 1:16). Therefore, Ruth, like Leah and Rachel, forgetting her own people and her father's house, breaking the bond of the Law, entered into the Church.

But he who does not accept the Church takes off his sandal. And it is said to Moses: Take off the sandals from your feet (Exod. III, 5); so that he himself may not be believed to be the spouse of the Church. Only he who is the true spouse does not take off. And therefore John says: Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. Therefore, this is a symbol, and he built the house of Israel.

35. But the higher expression of the mystery declares how the mention of His Lordly descent is to be inserted, when it is prophesied that Christ would be born of His lineage in Ephrathah, where it is said: The Lord will give you strength in Ephrathah, and let His name be in Bethlehem (Ruth 4:11). For what is strength, if not that which gathered together the peoples of the Gentiles through Christ? And what is His name, if not the name of Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Lord according to the flesh? Therefore, through the prophet it was said: 'And you, Bethlehem of Judea, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel' (Micah 5:2). Thus, we see the story, customs, and mystery of women fitting together.

Nevertheless, I do not reject defending Tamar and Ruth, who were also counted among the sinners in the lineage of the Lord: of whom, desiring to avoid their mention, the holy Luke held a different order of successions: nor did he think it necessary to mention Ahaz, Jehoiakim, or finally the wife of Uriah; in order to declare the unstained line of the priestly lineage. But just as their plan stands firm, so too does the plan of Saint Matthew not deviate from the justice of reason. For when he proclaimed the Lord to be born according to the flesh, who would take upon himself the sins of all, subject to insults, subjected to suffering; he did not even think it necessary to assert that he himself was exempt from the stain of original sin, so that he would not refuse the injury inflicted by a tainted origin: at the same time, so that the Church would not be ashamed to gather sinners, since the Lord was born of sinners. Finally, so that he would also initiate the benefit of redemption from his own ancestors; lest anyone think that the stain of his origin could be an impediment to virtue: and so that he would not boast insolently of the nobility of his own race, nor be more ashamed of the crimes of his parents, to whom the ability to cover up their origin was given by the flower of virtue.


37. But is it true that the holy David, even though many things were prefigured in him mysteriously, is not superior because he recognized himself as a human and believed that the sin committed with the taking of Uriah's wife should be washed away by tears of repentance, showing us that no one should trust in their own virtue? For we have a great adversary who cannot be overcome by us without the favor of God. And often you will find that serious sins were committed by illustrious and blessed men, as if to show that they have been subject to temptation as humans, lest they be regarded as more than human in their outstanding virtues. For if David, when lifted up in presumption of his own virtue, had said, 'If I have repaid those who did me evil' (Psalm 7:5), and elsewhere, 'But I said in my abundance, I shall never be moved' (Psalm 29:7), immediately he remembered that he had suffered the punishment of his arrogance, saying, 'You turned your face away from me, and I became troubled' (ibid., 8). If the author of this arrogance, being of the lineage of the Lord, experienced offense, how much more should we other sinners, who have no claim to the prerogative of merit, fear the rock of arrogance, in which the shipwreck of goods occurs, especially since such a great man is both our teacher and the example, who thought it necessary to sing a kind of apology to appease the Lord in his later years, saying, 'O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, neither are my eyes exalted' (Psalm 130:1), and 'The Lord is at my right hand, so that I may not be shaken' (Psalm 16:8); for he knew when he trusted himself that he had fallen. Finally, he pointed out that there is nothing else in man except that he knows God. For you have: What is man, that you are mindful of him: or the son of man, that you visit him? (Psalm 143:3) Therefore, if David condemns pride, he embraces humility, and rightly in the story of Uriah's wife, he adopts this lesson of aspiring to humility.

And yet, if Solomon, the peaceable one, was born from her, let us see whether perhaps it is a mystery that, with him removed from the midst, who before his marriage claimed the people of the nations for himself, the Church has married another man, namely David. For David has been called Christ, adopted into the name of his ancestor, as it is written: I have found David my servant (Psalm 88:21); to whom the Church has been married, which, filled with the seed of the Word and the Spirit of God, has brought forth the body of Christ, namely the Christian people. Therefore, the woman who is bound by law while her husband is alive is also considered dead to her husband, so that she would not be an adulteress if she were to be with another man. Thus, there is a mystery in the symbol and sin in the story: guilt through man, sacraments through the word. Since we have discussed this story more fully elsewhere, it seems necessary to pass over it here. And rightly so, Saint David wrote a mystical psalm about this story, the fiftieth, in reference to the marriage of Bathsheba, saying: Cleanse me exceedingly from my injustice, and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 50:4). If a friend of God acknowledges his own iniquity and his sinfulness obstructs his merits, and if he finally confesses to God that he has sinned, why should you be ashamed of confessing a crime when the commentary on the crime, not the confession, leads to shame?

Therefore, since David did not omit the story of Bathsheba in his Psalms, in order to teach us either a mystery or an act of perfect repentance, we rightly see it not omitted even in the generations of the Lord, because David himself, who took her as his wife, is claimed to be a predecessor of the Lord's generation according to the flesh. The special merit of which, as we have said, the Church saw arise in this mystery, and received the oracle that Christ would be born from his lineage. For one thing pertains to the Church, which is said: Behold, we have heard of it in Ephrata: we have found it in the fields of the forest (Psalm 131:6). For another thing specifically pertains to the espousal of the Lord's body, which is revealed by a most clear oracle, when it is said: I will set upon your throne from the fruit of your womb (Ibid., 11). However, do not be negligent of such a great promise; for it has not been given without definition. But if you keep the testament, and observe the testimonies of the Lord, which he promises to have spoken in the Gospel, the abundance of the eternal seat will also be open to you. These are about the wife of Uriah.

But it is well known about Ahab, whose wife was Jezebel (3 Kings 16:31); and about Jechoniah, of whom Jeremiah is a reliable witness, that he was guilty of a great crime: even his name was taken away from him. And for this reason, the one who is called Joachim in the Books of the Kings (4 Kings 24:1) is named Jechoniah by Jeremiah, who says, 'Jechoniah is a despised vessel, he is of no use.' Because of this, he himself was cast aside, along with his offspring. Earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord, write down this man as disinherited; for no one from his offspring will sit on the throne of David, ruling as prince in Judah (Jeremiah 22:28-30). During his reign, the Babylonians devastated Judah, and no one from his descendants could ever again hold the kingdom in Judah. After the people were released from captivity, they were under priests and tetrarchs. Even until the generation of Christ, tetrarchs remained, not even preserving the royal dignity of their lineage, as history teaches.


For it is reported by those who either argued, or simply taught, or truly asserted, to us, that Idumean robbers entered the city of Ascalon in Palestine, and seized Antipater, a certain son of Herod the Hierodulus, from the temple of Apollo which was near the walls, and took him captive among others, whom his father could not redeem due to poverty. Therefore, having been imbued with the teachings and mysteries of the Jews, he formed a friendship with Hyrcanus, the king of Judea, whom he directed as his representative to Pompey: and because he obtained the favor of the mission, he sought a part of the kingdom through that gratitude. But when Antipater was killed due to envy of his good fortune, his son Herod was later instructed to reign over the Jews under the senatus consultum of Antonius. This Herod and others were tetrarchs. We think that this should be transferred from the Greek histories in order to make it clear that Herod, with no affinity to the Jewish race, sought his kingdom through deceitful means. Finally, aware of his own ignoble birth, so that no investigation about his ancient lineage would be raised by his descendants, he burned their records, thinking that if he removed the evidence from the public, he would not be able to prove without any other testimonies that he did not come from the lineage of the patriarchs or the ancient converts. But as most human cares are, this could not prejudice the pursuit and investigation of truth.

42. However, lest we think that He can prejudice us, who we say is true and of royal descent, Christ, and through true and noble kings the race of the Lord was acted. But where an adulterous offspring affected the kingdom, it preserved the succession of its nobility, not of power, but of the order of generation. Yet we have not received Christ as king according to the honor of the world. Therefore, how then shall I set the fruit of your womb upon your throne? (Psalm CXXXI, 11)? And how does the angel say of Him that the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign in the house of Jacob (Luke 1:32)? How is He promised to reign but not shown? Or how is it said through the prophet that no one will reign from the seed of Jehoiachin? For if Christ reigns, but Christ is from the seed of Jehoiachin, then the prophet lied, and the oracles lied. But there it is not denied that there will be future descendants from the seed of Jehoiachin, and therefore Christ is from his seed. And that Christ reigned is not against the prophecy; for He did not reign with worldly honor, nor did He sit on the throne of Jehoiachin, but He reigned on the throne of David. 43. But when Jechoniah himself sat on the seat of David, how is it possible that what was said is fulfilled, that the descendants of David would not sit on Jechoniah's seat, since it seems that the same seat belonged to both of them? Therefore, we cannot deny that we also had the seat of David, although it was not the same seat that Christ, whom Jechoniah sat on; in fact, no one else from the lineage of David could sit on his seat, except Christ; because his seed is not eternal in anyone else, but in Christ, as God himself swore, saying: Once I have sworn in my holiness, I will not lie to David; his seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me (Psalm 89:36-38). So who does he say here? Certainly not Solomon, not Rehoboam, not Nathan, but the one of whom alone it can be said: I will stretch out my hand upon the sea, and my right hand upon the rivers. He himself will call me, 'You are my Father' (cf. Psalm 89:26-27); and I will establish his seed forever, and his throne as the days of heaven (cf. Psalm 89:30). Certainly Solomon did not sit on this throne, nor Rehoboam, nor Jehoiachin. Do you want to know who did sit on it? Here is what the angel said to Mary: Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end (Luke 1:31-32). If you do not believe the angel, at least believe the Lord himself when he says: You say that I am a king (John 18:37). Therefore, was he also lying when he said he would reign, who did not reign on earth? How is the Scripture resolved, which says he will reign, yet does not establish his reign?

In the midst of the debate, we have come to a deadlock, stuck in a whirlpool of truth. Let us then turn to Christ, let us ask Him, let Him answer. Let us consult the Scriptures. We find that the kingdom of the Lord is not of this world, for He Himself said, 'My kingdom is not of this world' (John 18:36). He who says that His kingdom is not of this world shows that it is above the world. Thus His kingdom both was and was not: it was not in this age, it was above the age. Therefore, there was another true kingdom of David, which only Christ received; and there was another seed of David, which abides forever, from which Christ alone was born, who alone is the true son of David, whose name alone he also received, as it is written: 'I have found David my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him.' (Psalm 88:21). Certainly, these things are said not about the prophet David, but about the Lord; for it is written: 'I have found help upon a mighty one, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.' (Ibid., 20). For only Christ is powerful, only Christ is chosen. For the seed of the saints is greater in faith than in generation. And therefore the Apostle says: For if those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7).

45. Moreover, we believe that it should not be overlooked that from the time of David until Jechoniah, that is, until the captivity, when there were seventeen kings of Judah, holy Matthew records fourteen generations; and again from Jechoniah until Joseph, when there are separately counted twelve generations, he mentions that fourteen generations have been described. For this is how it goes: All the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations (Matt. 1:17). And first it is necessary to know, as we have already said, that there can be multiple successions and fewer generations. For some can live longer and generate later, or certainly not exist at all for generations. Therefore, the times of generations are not the same as the times of kings. Hence, Matthew passed over those whom he did not consider to belong to the generation. For if it were his intention to describe successions, we could reasonably ask why, when it is consistent with the books of Kings and Chronicles, he states that after Joram, Ochozias reigned, and Jodam, and Amasias, but Amasias was succeeded by Ozias. Saint Matthew skipped over those three kings, Ochozias, Jodam, and Amasias, and added Josaphat after Joram. (2 Kings 8:22 and onwards; 2 Chronicles 22:1 and onwards). But, he did not subject him in the succession of kings, but in the generation. Finally, he mentioned that he was the recorder of the generations: it could have happened that Joram fathered children later, and Josaphat took the kingdom later; and thus Joram succeeded his father, whom he did not succeed in power, in the generation.

46. And indeed, if you carefully observe, the Evangelist seems to have counted twelve generations after Jechoniah, and here too you will be able to find a reason for fourteen generations. You will be able to find a reason for twelve generations. For twelve are counted up to Joseph, not up to Christ. The thirteenth is Christ. But it does not matter whether the lie is in two generations or in one. Yet, even here, you will not find any blind cliff or shipwreck of truth. The history indicates that there were two Joachims, that is, two Jehoiachins: one before the exile, and the other generated during the exile, that is, the father and the son. Therefore, the father is counted among the earlier generations, who succeeded Josiah; the son among the later generations, who succeeded his father, that is, the grandson of Josiah. The books of the Kings also indicate that there were two kingdoms. For it is written: 'And Pharaoh commanded over Israel, with Joachim the son of Josiah reigning in Judah in place of his father Josiah; and he changed the name Joachim when he began to reign, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem' (2 Kings 23:34-36). To whom Joachim subjected: And the rest of the words of Joachim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of words, and in the days of those who reigned in Judah? And Joachim slept with his fathers; and Joachim his son reigned in his stead . . . . Joachim was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: his mother's name was Mesola . . . . . And all that he did was done before the Lord's eyes, and he did it: and in his days Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came up into Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:5 et seq.). Therefore, you see that there was another son of Josiah, another grandson: that son to whom Jeremiah gave the name, and this grandson who was called by his father's name. And the holy Matthew wanted to differ from the Prophets, so that he would not call him Joachim, but Jechoniah. At the same time, as we have said above, he showed a greater fruit of divine piety, if the Lord did not seek nobility of lineage in all: but he wanted to be born fittingly from captives and sinners, who came to preach forgiveness to captives. Therefore, one Gospel writer did not omit the other, but both were indicated; each of them being called Jechonias. Thus, by adding the younger Jechonias, fourteen generations are counted. Therefore, that is what Matthew said.

However, Luke, because he could not comprehend all the sons of Jacob, so as not to appear to stray beyond the generations with an unnecessary series; although he deemed that the names of the patriarchs should not be passed over in other cases, that is, the far posterior ones, but should be chosen above the rest, Joseph, Judah, Simeon, and Levi (Luke 3:30). For we know that there were four generations of virtues in those of whom these men are descendants. In Judah, that is, in the upper one, it was prophesied through the figure of Judah that the mystery of the passion would take place on the Lord's Day (Gen. XLIX, 11): in Joseph, the example of chastity preceding (Gen. XXXIX, 7): in Simeon, the avenging of an affronted honor (Gen. XXXIV, 25): in Levi, the office of the priest (Num. III, 6). We also see the dignity of prophecy expressed through Nathan (II Sam. XII, 1), so that because Christ Jesus is one who encompasses everything, he would precede in each of the greater ranks of virtues with various differences.


48. The commemoration of Noah, a righteous man, should also not be omitted among the generations of the Lord's Day; so that since he was born as the builder of the Church, he may seem to have preceded the author of his own generation, who had established it beforehand in a type (Gen. VI, 14). For what shall I say about Methuselah, whose years are counted beyond the flood (Gen. V, 27); so that since Christ alone is he, whose life did not experience any age, he would also seem not to have experienced the floods in his forebears. But is not Enoch a clear indication of the Lord's mercy and divinity; for he did not experience death, and he returned to heaven, of which kind the author was taken up to heaven? Therefore it is evident that Christ could have chosen not to die, but He did not want to, so that His death would benefit us. And indeed, Enoch was taken up so that wickedness would not change his heart; but the Lord, whom the wickedness of the world could not change, returned to the majesty of His own nature from where He had come. Indeed, the murderer of his brother is silent; for it was not reasonable that he who had killed his brother should be counted among the authors of the Lord, since this one had saved slaves in order to honor them with the name of brother: he did not save them, nor did he spare his brother. But neither is it without purpose that Seth was not passed over, whom Adam conceived in the later generation; so that when there are two generations of people, the Lord Jesus Christ might be marked as being counted in the later generation rather than the earlier one.


49. Now since Adam himself, according to the Apostle's teaching (Rom. V. 14), received a foreshadowing of Christ, what could be more fitting than that the most holy generation should begin with the Son of God and proceed to the Son of God: the created preceding in figure, so that the begotten might follow in truth: made in the image going before, for whom the image of God would descend? And if we examine the mystery of the first error, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with the devil deceiving and Eve persuading, he tasted it; so that he, before knowing evil, might choose good, and, following the advice of the Church, might reject the treachery of the serpent, according to what is written: "For before the child knows how to choose the good or the evil, he will not believe in evil in order to choose what is good. And, before he knows how to call his father or mother, he will receive the power of Damascus, and the spoils of Samaria (Isaiah 8:4). For this is the child whose cradle the Magi brought back with eastern spoils (Matthew 2:11); because the unbelieving nation, before Christ, offered triumphal gifts to the Lord, already having changed their faith from the idols' spoils.

50. Brother, I thought I should explain these things to you more extensively about the birth of Christ, so that no one, reading the Gospel with less attentive mind, would be in any way confused. The holy evangelists, in their haste to move on to greater miracles and more divine deeds of the Lord, thought it necessary to touch on these things briefly rather than expanding on them extensively. Following their example of those who think it sufficient to point out certain familiar routes and paths to those who are unaware, by gathering the paths of the spiritual journey, I will see whether we strive towards the secrets of the mysteries with a second outcome of truth and certainly a religious guidance of faith: fearing that, when someone reads these things, they would handle things that are difficult for a child, as the saying goes, not knowing how to wield strong weapons in their infancy, and that they would feel more injury from ignorance than salvation from reading. For their weapons harm the weak, and one who does not know how to wield them cannot use them well. And therefore, a perfect man is required for faith, in whom infancy does not crawl on the ground of knowledge, nor does a certain weakness stumble in the age lacking senses of mystical understanding, which, having lost the strength of youth, does not seek the crown of glorious struggle, and like an aging eagle, which had been accustomed to snatch rabbits or geese with its feet, now seeks the featherless offspring of smaller birds, who are unable to provide a more substantial food.


Book Four

Certainly, I think that we have not made an absurd work concerning the generation of the Lord: certainly, it was not fruitless to dwell on the ancestors of the Lord for a longer time. For if those who prepare to cross the great sea by coastal navigation, seeking a shorter path, frequently visit the fields and cities located on the shore, avoiding the weakness of trust, how much more ought we, in such a deep longing for not the elements, but the celestial events, to choose the closer harbors and to frequently love excursions! No one, tired of long navigation, can endure the vomit of disgust. Certainly if anyone has seen the dangers of a treacherous boat, like a frequent port of books, it is allowed to take off the sails of the ears and set the anchor of reading. It does not seem to have abandoned the ship, but to have completed the journey, which descends into the port.

And in many places, the very beauty of the location may invite passers-by. For if that Ulysses, as the stories go (although the Prophet also said, 'The daughters of the Sirens shall dwell there' - Isaiah 13:21 - even if the prophet had not said it, no one would rightly criticize; since both the giants and the valley of the Titans are mentioned in Scripture), if therefore they were able to hold back Ulysses himself, after ten years of exile and ten years of wandering, hastening to his homeland, with the sweetness of the lotus fruit; if the gardens of Alcinous delayed him; if finally the Sirens, with the allure of their singing voice, had almost led him to that famous shipwreck of pleasure, were it not for the wax inserted to close the ears of his companions against the alluring sound of their song, how much more will religious men be delighted by the admiration of celestial works! And here, now, not the sweetness of berries is to be tasted, but that bread which descended from heaven: not the gardens of Alcinous are to be observed, but the sacraments of Christ. For he who is weak, let him eat vegetables (Rom. XIV, 2). Therefore, the ears are not to be closed, but to be opened: so that the voice of Christ can be heard, which whoever receives, will not fear shipwreck. Not to be bound, like Ulysses, with physical chains to a tree, but the soul must be bound to the wood of the cross with spiritual bonds; lest it be moved by the allurements of excess and turn the course of nature into the danger of pleasure.


For in poetic fictions a story is colored; for example, some girls are said to have lived on a rocky shore of the sea: if they had diverted any ships due to the sweetness of their voices, they would have been led into hidden shallows and deceived by an untrustworthy landing, and would have met a miserable fate of shipwreck. This composition is painted with a certain appearance and an ambitious comparison; so that the sea, the voice, the women, and the shallow shores are imagined. But why is the sea more treacherous than the age, so untrustworthy, so changeable, so deep, so tempestuous with the blasts of unclean spirits? What does the figure of girls mean, if not the allure of emasculated pleasure, which weakens the steadfastness of a captivated mind? And what are those reefs, if not the cliffs of our salvation? For nothing is as blind as the danger of worldly sweetness: while it soothes the soul, it overwhelms life and strikes the sense of the mind against certain bodily reefs.

4. Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ, by His fasting and solitude in the face of the allurements of pleasure, and by allowing Himself to be tempted by the devil, truly teaches us all to overcome. Let us therefore take note that the Evangelist, guided by the Lord, has described three things that are not without purpose. These three things are of great benefit to human salvation: sacrament, solitude, and fasting. For no one is crowned unless they have fought lawfully (2 Timothy 2:5), and no one is admitted to the contest of virtue unless they have first been cleansed of all the stains of sins and consecrated by the gift of heavenly grace.


5. Therefore the Lord came to the bath, so that by the grace of the mystery he might be proven to us both by sight and by feeling. And since the Law is proclaimed by witnesses in heaven and on earth, so that you might believe that the hidden mystery of divinity is more to be believed in God than the Law: now heaven is not called as a witness, but it serves as a witness when the voice of God is carried from heaven. At the same time, lest you stumble upon the mystery of faith with a doubtful mind, the invisible things are visibly shown to you working.


6. The Lord came to the bath; for everything has been done for you. To those who were under the Law, he seemed as if subject to the Law, though he himself was not under the Law, he was circumcised; so that he might profit those who were under the Law: he associated with those who were without the Law in common fellowship; so that he might gain those who were living without the Law. He became weak for the weak through the suffering of his body; so that he might profit the weak. In the end, he became all things to all people, poor to the poor, rich to the rich, weeping to those who weep, hungry to those who hunger, thirsty to those who thirst, overflowing to those who abound. He is in prison with the poor, he weeps with Mary, he feasts with the apostles, he thirsts with the Samaritan woman: he is hungry in the desert; so that the food of the first man, which he tasted by his transgression, might be satisfied by the fasting of the Lord. Adam, in our danger, broke the hunger for the knowledge of good and evil; this one took on hunger for our benefit.

(Chap. IV. — Vers. 1.)

(Chapter 4, Verse 1) Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

7. It is fitting to recall how Adam, the first man, was expelled from paradise into the desert (Gen. III, 24), in order to observe how the second Adam returned from the desert to paradise. For you should see how through his knots the prejudices are dissolved, and through his divine benefits they are reformed. From the virgin earth Adam (Gen. II, 7), Christ from the virgin: the former made in the image of God (Gen. I, 27), the latter the image of God: the former placed above all irrational animals (Ibid., 28), the latter preceded by all living creatures. Through a woman came folly, through a virgin came wisdom. Death came through a tree, life through a cross. He who was naked of spiritual things covered himself with the leaves of trees; he who was naked of worldly things did not desire the clothing of the body. Adam was in the desert, Christ was in the desert; for he knew where he could find the condemned one, whom he would recall from error to paradise. But since he, clothed in worldly garments, could not return, neither can he be an inhabitant of paradise unless he is naked of guilt; he put off the old man, he put on the new; so that, since divine decrees cannot be revoked, the person rather than the sentence might be changed.


But he who lost his way in Paradise without a guide, just as he could repeat a lost journey from the desert without a guide, where there are many temptations, difficult effort towards virtue, and easy fall into error: since the nature of virtue is the same as that of the woods; just as if they still rise up from earthly things to heavenly things, while their tender age grows with leaves, they can easily be cut down or burned by a cruel venomous creature; but if they have deeply rooted themselves and have been lifted up by the height of their branches, a strong tree is in vain tried by the bites of wild beasts, or by the arms of peasants, or by the blasts of different winds.


9. Therefore, who would oppose the leader against so many allurements of the world, against so many cunning devices of the devil; when he knew that for us there is first a struggle against flesh and blood, then against powers, against rulers of this dark world, against spiritual wickedness in high places? Would he oppose an angel? But even he fell, and legions of angels could scarcely help each individual. Would he direct a seraph? But even he descended to the earth in the midst of a people with impure lips, and with only one prophet's lips, touched with a coal, he was cleansed (Isaiah 6:6-7). Another leader had to be sought, whom we would all follow. Who could be such a leader, who would benefit everyone, except the one who is above all? Who would establish me above the world, except the one who is greater than the world? Who could be such a leader, who could rule male and female, Jew and Greek, Barbarian and Scythian, slave and free with one command; except the one who is everything and in all things, Christ alone?

10. For in every direction we are ensnared. There are snares in the body, snares in the Law, snares in the wings of the temples, snares in the corners of the walls stretched out by the devil. There are snares in the philosophers, snares in desires; for the eye of a harlot is a snare for the sinner: there are snares in money, snares in religion, snares in the pursuit of chastity. For in brief moments the human mind is inclined, and it is frequently impelled here and there by the cunning persuader. The devil sees a religious man, venerating God respectfully, and valuing what is sacred, incapable of any injury. In religion itself, he undermines him, making him not believe that the Son of God truly took on our flesh, this body of ours, this fragility of our members; even though there was certainly passion of the body, his divinity remained immune to injury. Thus, fault is made concerning religion; indeed, anyone who denies that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is not of God (2 John 7). He sees a man of intact and untarnished chastity, and urges that he condemns marriage; so that he may be expelled from the Church, and separated from the chaste body by the pursuit of chastity. Another hears that there is One God . . . . . from whom are all things, whom he adores and venerates (1 Cor. 8:6). The devil plots against him, closing his ears so that he may not hear that there is One God through whom are all things (ibid.): thus, excessive piety compels him to be impious; while he separates the Father from the Son, he confuses the Father and the Son, and thinks that one person is, not authority. Therefore, while he does not know the measure of faith, he incurs the torment of infidelity.

11. How then will we avoid these snares, so that we can say: 'Our soul was like a bird delivered from the snare of the hunters: the snare has been broken, and we have been set free' (Psalm 123:7)? David does not say: 'I broke the snare'; David did not dare to say this, but rather: 'Our help is in the name of the Lord' (ibid., 8), to show from where the snare would be broken, to prophesy that the one who would come into this life would break the snare prepared by the devil in deceit.


12. But the noose could not have been better used, unless it had shown some prey to the devil; so that while he hastens to the prey, he himself would be caught in his own snares, and I could say: They prepared snares for my feet, and they themselves fell into them (Psalm 56:7). What could the prey be, if not the body? Therefore, it was necessary for this deceit to be done by the devil, so that the Lord Jesus would take on a body, and this corruptible body, a weak body; so that He would be crucified out of weakness. For if it were a spiritual body, He would not have said: 'The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak' (Matthew 26:41). Therefore, hear both voices: the willing spirit and the weak flesh. 'Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me' (Ibid., 39): this is the voice of the flesh. But not what I want, but what you want: you have the devotion of the spirit and the strength. Why do you reject the grace of the Lord? It is by His grace that He has taken on my body, it is by His grace that He has endured my injuries and weaknesses, which the nature of God certainly could not feel, since even the nature of man has learned to despise or endure them. And therefore let us follow Christ, as it is written: After the Lord your God shall you walk, and to Him alone shall you cleave (Deut. X, 20, and XIII, 4). Whom shall I cleave to, if not to Christ, as Paul said: He who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit (I Cor. VI, 17)? Therefore, let us follow His footsteps, so that we may return from the desert to paradise.

13. And see by which routes we shall be brought back. Now in the desert Christ is, he acts as a man, he instructs, informs, exercises, anoints with spiritual oil: where he sees one more robust, he leads through cultivated and fruitful fields, when the Jews complained (Matthew XII, 2) that his disciples plucked ears of corn on the Sabbath day (for he had already placed his apostles in a cultivated and fruitful field); afterwards he established them in paradise at the time of his passion; for you have it this way: When Jesus had spoken these things, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into which he entered, he and his disciples (John XVIII, 1). For the fertile field teaches that a garden is better, as the Prophet says in the Song of Songs: My sister, my bride, is a enclosed garden, a enclosed garden, a sealed fountain, your shoots are a paradise (Song of Songs 4:12-13). For it is the pure and immaculate virginity of the soul, which is not led astray by any terror of punishment, nor by any siren calls of worldly pleasure, nor by any love of life. Finally, the Evangelist testifies that man is called back by the power of the Lord, above all others, who alone quotes the Lord saying to the thief: Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43).


14. Therefore, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led into the desert: by plan, in order to provoke the devil; for unless he had fought, that one would not have conquered me: by mystery, in order to free Adam from exile; by example, in order to show us that the devil envies those who strive for better things; and then it is all the more necessary to be cautious, lest the weakness of the mind forsake the grace of the mystery.

(Vers. 2.)

Forty days.

15. You recognize the mystical number. For you remember that the waters of the abyss were poured out for so many days (Gen. VII, 12), and so many days of fasting sanctified the prophet, the mercy of the clearer sky was withdrawn (III Reg. XIX, 8). For so many days of fasting the holy Moses obtained the perception of the Law (Exod. XXXIV, 28). For so many years, the fathers who dwelled in the wilderness obtained the bread of angels and the grace of celestial nourishment (Num. XIV, 32): and not before the time of the mystical number was fulfilled did they deserve to enter the land of promise. Until the day of the Lord's fasting opens to us the entrance into the Gospel. Therefore, if anyone desires to obtain the glory of the Gospel and the fruit of the resurrection, they should not be a transgressor of the mystical fast; for both Moses in the Law, and Christ in his Gospel, prescribed that it is a faithful contest of virtue.

16. But what does it mean that the Evangelist indicated that the Lord was hungry, when we do not see any such expression of fasting concerning Moses and Elijah? Is the patience of men stronger than God? But he, who could not endure to be hungry for forty days, showed that he hungered not for food of the body, but for salvation: at the same time, he provoked his adversary, already fearing him, who had been wounded by a fast of forty days. And therefore, the hunger of the Lord is a holy deceit; so that, in the very thing in which the devil, now fearing greater things, was taking precautions, being deceived under the appearance of hunger, he might tempt the man, so that the triumph might not be hindered. At the same time, learn this mystery: that the work of the Holy Spirit was a divine judgment, so that Christ would offer himself to be pursued by the devil.

(Vers. 3.)

(Verse 3) But the devil said to him: If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.

17. We are taught that there are three principal weapons of the devil, with which he is accustomed to arm himself to wound the mind of man: one is gluttony, another is boasting, and the third is ambition. Now, he began where he has already conquered. And therefore, I begin to conquer in Christ, where I was conquered in Adam; if indeed Christ is to me the image of the Father, the example of virtue. Let us therefore learn to beware of gluttony, to beware of luxury, because it is the weapon of the devil. The snare is set when the royal feast is prepared, which often inclines the constancy of the mind. For not only when we hear the words of the devil, but also when we see his forces, we must avoid the snare. Therefore, you have learned the weapon of the devil, take the shield of faith and the breastplate of abstinence.

18. But what does he mean by such a beginning of speech: If you are the Son of God; unless because he had known that the Son of God would come? But he did not think that he had come through this weakness of the body. It is one thing to explore, another to tempt; and he professes to believe in God, and he tries to deceive man.

19. But see the weapons of Christ with which He conquered for you, not for Himself. For He who showed that by the power of His majesty stones could be turned into bread by the transmutation of another nature, teaches you that nothing is to be done at the discretion of the devil, nor by the contemplation of declaring virtue. Learn at the same time in the very temptation the cunning of the devil as an artist. He tempts in this way, so that he may explore: he explores in this way, so that he may tempt. But the Lord deceives in such a way that He may conquer: He still conquers in such a way that He may deceive. For if she had changed her nature, she would have betrayed her Creator. Therefore, she responded in the middle, saying:

(Vers. 4.)

(Verse 4.) It is written that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

You see by what kind of armor he defends himself against the onslaught of spiritual wickedness, how he is surrounded and protected against the snares of gluttony? For he does not use his power as God (for what would it profit me), but he calls upon the common help of a man; so that being intent on the divine food of reading, he neglects the hunger of the body and acquires nourishment of the heavenly Word. Moses, being intent on this, did not desire bread; Elijah, being intent on this, did not feel the hunger of prolonged fasting. For one who follows the Word, cannot desire earthly bread, since he receives the substance of heavenly bread; for it is certain that God grants divine things to human beings, and spiritual things to corporeal ones. And therefore, one who desires true life should seek that bread which strengthens human hearts through imperceptible substance. At the same time, when he says, 'Man does not live by bread alone,' he shows that he himself, as a human being, was tempted, that is, our assumption, not his divinity.


21. It follows the weapon of boasting, by which one is inclined to go astray; because while people desire to boast of the glory of their virtue, they depart from the place of their merits and station.

(Vers. 9.)

(Verse 9.) And he led him, he said, into Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple.

Indeed, it is such boasting that while each individual thinks they are ascending to higher things, they are actually being forced down to lower things by the presumption of their accomplishments.

And he said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.'

Truly a diabolical voice, which strives to bring down the mind of man from a higher level of merits. For what is more characteristic of the devil than to persuade each individual to cast themselves downward?

24. Learn, therefore, to conquer the devil yourself. The spirit is at work in you, follow the spirit: do not let the allure of the flesh bring you back, filled with the spirit learn to despise pleasures. Fast, if you want to conquer. It follows that, through a man, the devil may think to tempt you: Christ, as the stronger, is tempted face to face, you through a man. And that word of the devil is, when a man says: You are strong, eat and drink, and the same in the morning. Do not trust yourself, do not be ashamed to need protections, which Christ did not need; and yet he did not neglect them, in order to teach you, saying: Take heed lest your hearts be weighed down with debauchery and drunkenness (Luke 21:34). Paul was not ashamed, who said: Surely, not as beating the air (1 Cor. IX, 26). The Apostle did not beat the air indeed: but he fought against the powers of the air. But I chastise my body, he says, and bring it into subjection; lest perhaps when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (Ibid., 27).

25. At the same time, the devil points to his own weakness and wickedness; because the devil can harm no one unless he sends himself. For he who, having abandoned heavenly things, chooses earthly things, runs headlong into a voluntary precipice of life. At the same time, since the devil saw that his weapon was dull, he began to judge more than man, who had subjected all men to his own power. But the Lord again did not think that even those things which were prophesied about him should be done at the discretion of the devil: but, preserved by the authority of his own divinity, he countered his cunning; so that he who had put forward the example of the Scriptures would be overcome by examples from the Scriptures. For God has the power to conquer, who conquers me.

26. Learn here also that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, and often prepares a snare for the faithful from the very divine Scriptures themselves. He makes heretics thus, he tears apart the faith thus, he attacks the rights of piety thus. Therefore let not the heretic capture you; for he can bring forth some examples from the Scriptures, nor should he assume for himself that he appears learned. The devil also uses testimonies of the Scriptures not to teach, but to circumscribe and deceive. He knew someone devoted to religion, distinguished by virtues, powerful in signs and works: he sets a trap for his boasting, inflating such a man with pride; so that he does not trust in piety, but in boasting; he does not attribute to God, but arrogates to himself. And therefore the apostles commanded the demons not in their own name, but in the name of Christ; so that they would not seem to claim anything for themselves. Thus Peter heals the paralytic, saying: In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk (Acts 3:6). Also learn to avoid boasting about Paul. I know, he said, a man, whether in the body, or outside the body I do not know, God knows, because he was caught up into paradise and heard ineffable words, which it is not lawful for a man to speak. For suchlike I will glory, but for myself I will not glory, except in my infirmities (2 Corinthians XII, 3-5).

27. Therefore, this devil, since he sensed strength, pretends to have arrogance, which also deceives the strong. But the Lord replied to him: You shall not tempt the Lord your God. In this, you recognize both the Lord and the God Christ: both the Father and the Son of the same power, according to what is written: I and the Father are one (John 10:30). And therefore, if the devil claims to be one, oppose him because it is written: I and the Father are one. And distinguish the One, so that you may not discern power: distinguish the One, so that you may not separate the Father and the Son.


(Vers. 5.)

(Verse 5.) And the devil led him again to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant.

28. In a moment of time, worldly and earthly things are shown to be good. For it is not so much the speed of appearance that is indicated, as the transient fragility of power is expressed; for in a moment all those things pass away, and often the honor of the world departs before it even comes. For what can be lasting of the world, when the very ages themselves are not lasting? Here we are taught to despise the empty gusts of ambition, because all worldly dignity is subject to diabolical power: meant for use, and empty of fruit.


29. But how does the devil have power here, when elsewhere it is written that All power comes from God (Rom. XIII, 1)? Can someone serve two masters or receive power from two? Is it therefore contradictory? No. But see that everything is from God; for the world is not without God; for And the world was made by Him (John I, 10): but although it was made by God, its works are evil, for the world is placed in the evil one; and the order of the world is from God, but the works of the world are from the evil one (John V, 19). So too the order of powers is from God: the evil ambition for power. Finally: There is no power except from God: those things however that exist are ordered from God (Rom. XIII, 1); not given, but ordered: and, Whoever resists the power, resists the ordination of God (Ibid., 2). Here too, although the devil may claim to give himself power, he does not deny that all those things are allowed to him for a time. Therefore, the one who permitted, ordained: and it is not the power that is evil, but the one who misuses power. Finally, can you not fear power? Do good, and you will have praise from it (Ibid., 3). Therefore, it is not power that is evil, but ambition. Finally, to such an extent is the ordering of power from God; that he is a minister of God, who makes good use of power: it is, he says, a minister of God for you unto good (Ibid., 4). Therefore, there is no fault in the office, but in the minister: nor can the ordering of God displease, but the action of the administrator. For as we derive an example from the heavenly to the earthly, the emperor gives honor, and it is received with praise. But if someone has made bad use of honor, it is not the fault of the emperor, but of the judge. They have their own crimes, not because power implicates everyone, but because of their own malice.

30. So, what then? Is it good to use power, to pursue honor? It is good if it is bestowed, not taken away. However, distinguish this very good itself. For one person is good in this age, another person is the use of perfect virtue; for it is good to be occupied with the study of divine things, impeded by no occupations. For although there are many good things, there is only one eternal life: And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3). And so the greatest fruit of eternal life, and the only God who rewards eternal life, is. Let us adore God alone, our Lord, and let us serve Him alone, so that He alone may reward us with the greatest fruit. Let us flee from all things that are subject to the power of the devil, so that he, like an evil tyrant, does not use the cruelty of his power against those whom he finds within his kingdom.

Therefore, power does not belong to the devil, but is nevertheless subject to the snares of the devil. However, the bad ordering of powers does not come from the fact that powers are subject to evil. It is good to seek God, but certain twists and errors can creep into one's search. For if an inquisitor turns to sacrilege through a harsh interpretation, the offense of the seeker is worsened, compared to if they had not sought at all. However, the blame lies not with the search, but with the seeker, and not with the search being subject to evil, but with the seeker's desires. But if he who seeks God is often tempted because of the fragility of the flesh and the narrowness of the mind, how much more so is he who seeks the world! And by this very factor, ambition is more pernicious, because it is a deceptive reconciler of dignities; and often it makes those who are not pleased by any vices, whom no luxury was able to move, no greed to overthrow, into criminals. For it has the charm of the courtroom, the wickedness of the household: and in order to dominate others, it first serves. He bends in compliance, in order to be honored; and while he desires to be higher, with feigned humility, he becomes lower and more lenient; for in power itself, what excels is foreign; for he rules by laws, but serves himself.

Someone may say that only the one who does evil is afraid; however, the one who sails the sea is more afraid. And, on the contrary, standing in a stationary position on land, one does not usually fear shipwreck; but if they board a moving element, they become more subject to frequent dangers. Therefore, flee from the sea of the world, and you will not fear shipwreck. And even if the blasts of winds whip the tops of trees frequently, as long as the roots are solid, there is no downfall. But in the raging winds of the sea, although it is not the shipwreck of all, it is the danger of all. For in this way, in the face of the spiritual winds of wickedness, no one is safe on land or at sea, and ships of Tharsis are often destroyed by violent winds. This has a moral significance.

33. Moreover, with regard to the mystical order, you see the bonds of ancient error released from their traces; so that firstly, the snare of gluttony, secondly, the snare of ease, and thirdly, the snare of ambition would be dissolved. For Adam was seduced by food: and by transgressing the command of the forbidden tree, he also incurred the crime of reckless ambition, while desiring to be like God. Therefore, the Lord first released the bonds of the old injustice; so that with the yoke of captivity cast off, we might learn to conquer sins with the help of Scripture.


34. But if the Lord Jesus did not desire his own possessions, why do you seek what is another's? If the creator of all things, by the virtue of embracing poverty, disregarded glory, why do you despise what you were born into and desire what is not owed to you? Why do you pursue things that cannot endure for your use but will endure for your punishment? Beware of snares, beware of deceit. And precisely because the cunning devil shakes the whole world by his deceit in order to overthrow man, let him engage in the allurements of the whole age, his flattery must be more guarded against by you. He had not inflected the grace of Eve or forsaken the commandments: but the alluring ambition of promised honor deceived him. If he had desired only to worship the Lord, he would not have sought inappropriate things. And therefore, the remedy is given so that you may blunt the weapon of ambition, let us serve only the Lord; for religious devotion lacks ambition.

(Vers. 13.)

(Verse 13) And when every temptation had been completed, the devil departed from him for a time.

35. These three types of vices are shown to be the sources of almost all crimes. For Scripture would not have called every temptation complete unless all the matter of sins was included in these three, the seeds of which must be avoided at their very origin. Therefore, the end of temptations is the end of desires; for the causes of temptations are the causes of desires. And the causes of desires are pleasure of the flesh, the appearance of glory, and the yearning for power. How religious it seems not to refuse the company of Christian women! But there is frequent temptation from it. If the devil sees you attentive to God, he suggests deceiving you: but even if you presume with good intentions, beware of temptation, knowing human nature. These three, if you remember, Paul also prescribes to be avoided, identifying them as three kinds of sins, from which the book of righteousness expects a crown. For we were not, he says, in a word of flattery, nor in occasion of covetousness, God is witness, nor seeking glory from men (I Thess. II, 5 and 6); and therefore he conquered the devil, and sought the crown.


You see, therefore, that the devil himself is not obstinate in his resistance, but usually gives way to true virtue. And even if he does not cease to envy, he still fears to persist; because he more often avoids being defeated. Therefore, having heard the name of God, he withdrew, saying, 'For now, but I will come back later, not to tempt, but to openly fight.'

Therefore, divine Scripture teaches you that your struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces. You see the magnificence of the Christian man who fights against the rulers of the world: although he is on earth, he prevails against the spiritual wickedness in heavenly places with the strength of his soul. For we do not strive for earthly things in order to fight on earth; rather, spiritual obstacles must first be overcome in pursuit of the spiritual rewards of the Kingdom of God and the inheritance of Christ. The crown is proposed, the battles must be undertaken. No one can be crowned unless they have won: no one can win unless they have fought before. The greater the labor, the greater the fruit of the crown itself: For the way that leads to life is narrow and difficult . . . but the way that leads to death is broad and spacious (Matthew 7:14 and 13). Therefore, we should by no means fear temptation; for it is the cause of victory and the material of triumphs.


38. That wealthy person, who did not experience temptation in this world, is in hell: that poor person Lazarus, who was afflicted and worn down by poverty and sickness, to the point that his sores were licked by dogs, in the misery of this life sought the crown of eternal glory. Many are the tribulations, not of just anyone, but of the righteous. Indeed, those whom the Lord loves, he often chastises. Peter was tempted to deny: he denied, so that he might weep (Luke 22:57 et seq.). And what shall I say about the others? Indeed, Job was tested by God: but although he was tested, he was not victorious (Job 1:12 and 2:6). Devotion was proven; however, it did not have the reward of virtue. And therefore, he is offered to be tempted, so that he might be made more glorious.

39. It also matters with respect to that contest that you should look at the steps. The devil does not have just one weapon, he frequents arrows; in order to conquer either by reward or by weariness. At first he wounds with desire, second with piety, third with health; for he fights both the mind and body with sores. Moreover, the very diversity of temptations is according to the diversity of those contending. The rich man is pressed by the loss of covetousness, the father by the expenditure of his children, the man by sorrows, the body by sores. How great these weapons are! From where the Lord did not want to have what he would lose; and therefore the poor man came here, so that the devil would not have what he would take away. Do you want to know how true this is? Listen to the Lord himself saying: The prince of this world comes, and he found nothing in me (John 14:30). He also did not want to be the father of a few, so that he would be the father of all. But in vain he was afflicted with the ulcers of the body, who despised all the sufferings of the body: at the same time to show us that victory, once the enemy of the body was driven away, would belong to him. But that one, as if a man, is tempted by his own, while this one by public things: to the former, his patrimony is taken away, to the latter, the kingdom of the world is offered. Nor is the whole devil without deceit, who fears to provoke the Son of God: he tempts him with insults, this one with rewards. The former, as if a servant, says: The Lord gave, the Lord took away (Job 1:21): the latter, aware of his own nature and disposition, laughs to see himself offered to himself. And to return to that, one message comes after another (Ibid., 14 and following): wounds are repeated; yet the strong athlete is not disturbed in mind. The snare of the first deception is applied by a woman: this one, being born of a virgin not subject to error, did not have. Friends are applied who oppress the reluctant with wicked advice. But in all that happened to him, Job did not sin with his lips in the sight of God.

40. For what he cursed the day, saying: Let that day perish wherein I was born (Job 3:3); and further: And let him curse that day who curses the day, who has the power to crush the great sea monster (Ibid., 3:8). This pertains to prophecy; because our Lord Jesus Christ, like a mighty sea monster of this tempestuous age, has crushed the devil, and desires the day of his carnal generation to perish, so that his day may be counted in regeneration. Let the secular day perish, he says, so that the spiritual day may arise. Therefore, in temptation, the holy Job spoke of mysteries; for he who conquers the world, sees Christ.

So let us not fear temptations, but rather let us glory in temptations, saying: When we are weak, then we are strong; for then the crown of righteousness is bestowed (II Cor. XII, 10). But that may perhaps be more applicable to Paul; however, we, because there are many crowns, should hope for whichever one. In this world, the laurel is a crown, the shield is a crown. But for you, the crown of delights is set before you: For the crown of delights shall overshadow you (Prov. IV, 9). And elsewhere: He will surround you with the shield of his good will (Psalm 5:13). Glory and honor also the Lord, whom he loved, he has crowned (Psalm 8:6). Therefore, whoever wants to give a crown, suggests temptations. And if ever you are tempted, know that a crown is prepared. Take away the struggles of the martyrs, you have borne the crowns; take away the tortures, you have borne the beatitudes.

42. Is not the temptation of Joseph the consecration of his virtue? Is not the injustice of the prison the crown of his chastity? How could he have attained a share in the kingdom of Egypt unless he had been sold by his brothers? This was done by God's appointment, that he might show himself just, as he said: \"This is how it shall happen today, that a great people shall be fed\" (Genesis 50:20). Therefore, we ought not to fear the temptations of the world as evils, since they are compared to good rewards; but rather we should pray, considering the nature of human condition, that we may undergo those temptations which we are able to bear.


(Vers. 14.)

(Verse 14) And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.

43. This prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in this place, saying: The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, along with the people who dwell by the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:1-2). For who is the great light but Christ, who enlightens every person coming into the world?

44. (Verse 17.) Then he took the book, in order to show that he himself is the one who spoke in the Prophets: and to remove the sacrileges of the faithless, who say that there is one God of the Old Testament and another of the New; or who say that the beginning of Christ is from a virgin: for how could he begin from a virgin, he who spoke before the virgin?

(Vers. 18.)

(Verse 18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.

45. You see the Trinity coeternal and perfect. The Scripture speaks of Jesus as both God and man, complete in both aspects: it speaks of God as the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is shown to be a cooperator when, in the form of a dove, he descended upon Christ; when the Son of God was baptized in the river, the Father spoke from heaven. Therefore, what greater testimony do we seek than the fact that the one who spoke in the Prophets, signed it with his own voice? He is anointed with spiritual oil and heavenly power, so that he may water the poverty of human condition with the treasure of resurrection, turn away the captivity of the mind, enlighten the blindness of souls, proclaim the year of the Lord spread through eternal times, which does not know how to return to the cycle of labor, and grant mankind the continuation of fruits and tranquility. And he so humbled himself to all obeisances, that he did not even despise the duty of the reader: but we, the impious ones, who denied the faith of divinity to be collected by the contemplation of his body's miracles.


(Vers. 24.)

(Verse 24.) Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

46. It is betrayed not insignificantly by envy, which, forgetting civic charity, bends the causes of love into bitter hatred. At the same time, by this example and also by a divine oracle, it is declared that in vain you expect the help of heavenly mercy if you envy the fruits of another's virtue; for the Lord despises the envious, and he turns away the miracles of his power from those who pursue divine benefits in others. Indeed, the actions of the Lord's Sunday flesh are an example of divinity: and through them the invisible things of him are demonstrated to us through visible things.


Therefore, the Savior excuses that he has not worked any miracles of virtue in his own country, so that no one might think that he should have a lower affection for his country. For he could not fail to love his fellow citizens, since he loved all. But those who envy have cast themselves out, through their lack of love for their country. For love does not envy... does not boast (I Corinthians 13:4). However, the homeland is not devoid of divine blessings. For what greater miracle is there than that Christ was born in her? Therefore, see what evil envy brings. A homeland is judged unworthy because of envy, where a citizen works, which was worthy for the birth of the Son of God.

(Vers. 25.)

(Verse 25) Truly I say to you: There were many widows in the days of Elijah.

48. Not because there were days of Elias, but in which Elias worked: or because he made days for those who saw the light of spiritual grace in his works, and turned to the Lord. And therefore the heavens were opened to those who saw eternal and divine mysteries: they were closed when there was hunger; because there was no abundance of knowing divinity. But we have written more about this when we were writing about widows (Book on Widows).


(Vers. 27.)

(Verse 27.) And there were many lepers in Judea in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them were cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.

49. Clearly this speech informs us of the saving Word of the Lord, and encourages us to study the venerable divinity, which no one is shown to be healed from, and those afflicted with the disease of the body are freed from the blemishes, except those who have devoted themselves to religious duty. For divine blessings are not bestowed upon those who sleep, but upon those who observe. And by a fitting example of comparison, the arrogance of the citizens is refuted by the envious, and it is taught that the Lord's deed is in agreement with the ancient Scriptures, which we also read in the books of Kings, that the Gentile man Naaman, freed from the blemishes of leprosy by the prophetic oracle, devoured many of the Jews with leprosy of both body and mind (2 Kings 5:14). Indeed, history relates that those four who were the first to approach the king of Syria's camp due to the pressing famine were lepers (2 Kings 7:3). So why did he not care for his brothers, not care for his fellow citizens, not heal his prophet companions? He healed those who were strangers, healed those who did not have adherence to the Law and participation in religion. Why? Because medicine is a matter of will, not of race; and the divine gift is chosen by wishes, not conferred by the right of nature. Learn, Christian, to ask what you desire to obtain: fastidious men do not follow the progress of heavenly rewards.

50. But although a simple explanation informs the moral sense; grace is not hidden from the mystery. For just as the later things are derived from the earlier, so the earlier things are confirmed by the later (Book of Widows). For we have said in another book, that in the widow to whom Elias was sent, the type of the Church is anticipated. The people agree with the Church, so that they may follow. That people gathered from foreigners, that people previously leprous, that people previously spotted before being baptized in the mystical river, the same after the sacrament of baptism, cleansed of the blemishes of body and mind, no longer lepers, but began to be an immaculate virgin without wrinkle. Therefore Naaman rightly appears great in the sight of his Lord, and is described as admirable in appearance; for in his case the future salvation of the Gentiles is declared, who, having come under the power of the enemy as a captive, with the advice of a young girl whose strength of the citizens had been broken, was informed to hope for salvation from the prophet (2 Kings 5:2), not by the command of an earthly king, but by the liberality of divine mercy, he is healed.

51. Why is one commanded to be submerged in the mystic number? Why is the river Jordan chosen? Isn't it true that the good rivers of Abana and Pharphar in Damascus are preferred over the Jordan (Ibid., 12)? But in anger, He preferred these; meditating, He chose Jordan. For anger does not know mystery, faith knows. Learn the grace of saving baptism: one who was submerged as a leper emerges as faithful. Learn to recognize the spiritual sacraments: bodily healing is sought, spiritual transformation is acquired. The flesh is washed, the affections are washed. For I see that not only the leprosy of the body, but also that of the mind, has been cleansed; since, after baptism, the filth of former error being washed away, he denies that he will offer sacrifices to foreign gods, which he had promised to the Lord.

52. Also learn the appropriate precepts of virtue: he who refuses rewards has proven his faith. Learn from both the teaching and the deeds what you should follow. You have the commandment of the Lord, the example of the prophet, to receive freely, to give freely: not to sell the ministry, but to offer it (Matthew 10:8). For the grace of God is not assessed by a price, nor is profit sought in the sacraments, but obedience to the priest.

53. However, it is not enough if you do not seek profit for yourself: your hands must also be restrained for the sake of your family. And we do not demand only this, that you alone keep yourself chaste and undefiled. For the Apostle did not say, 'yourself alone' but 'keep yourself chaste' (I Tim. V, 22). Therefore, not only your chastity from these kinds of business dealings is sought, but also the chastity of your household. For it is necessary that a blameless priest be appointed to his own household, having obedient children, with all chastity. But if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for the Church of God? Therefore, instruct your family, encourage them, and watch over them. And if a servant deceives you (for I do not consider human ability), let him be rejected as an example of prophecy. Quickly, a shameful leprosy follows a wicked reward, and ill-gotten money stains both the body and the soul. You have received, it says, money, and you will possess from it land, vineyards, olive groves, and flocks. And Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and your descendants forever. You see that the succession of the doer is damned by the heir. For the guilt of the sold mystery is inexpiable, and the heavenly punishment of grace passes to future generations. Finally, the Moabites and others will not enter into the Church of God until the third and fourth generation (Deut. XXIII, 3): that is, until (to interpret it more simply) the succession of the guilt of the doers of many generations is abolished.

54. But when those who have erred in the error of idolatry against God seem to be punished unto the fourth generation: surely, the sentence by which the offspring of Gehazi is condemned by prophetic authority forever for the desire of possession seems to be harsh, especially since our Lord Jesus Christ has granted forgiveness of sins to all through the regeneration of baptism; unless you understand it as the seed of vices rather than of lineage. For just as those who are children of the promise are regarded as good seed, so also those who are children of error are regarded as bad seed. For even the Jews, not by the succession of the flesh but by their crimes, are children of the devil. Therefore, all the greedy, all the covetous, possess leprosy along with their riches; and with ill-gotten wages, they have accumulated not so much an inheritance of wealth as a treasury of crimes, deserving eternal punishment and short-lived gain. For since riches are temporary, the punishment is eternal; because neither the greedy, nor the drunkard, nor the idolater will inherit the kingdom of God.

(Vers. 28, 29.)

(Verse 28, 29.) And all in the synagogue were filled with anger when they heard these things: and they rose up and drove him out of the city.

55. The sacrileges of the Jews, which the Lord had predicted much earlier through the prophet, and which he had declared in a verse from the Psalms what he would suffer in his body, saying: 'They repaid me evil for good' (Psalm 35:12), he teaches in the Gospel to have been fulfilled. For when he himself was spreading benefits among the people, they were inflicting injuries upon him. It is not surprising that they lost salvation, who expelled the Savior from their own borders. For the Lord is merciful, and he who had taught by his example that his apostles should become all things to all men, neither rejects the willing nor binds the unwilling, neither resists those who reject nor fails to attend to those who ask. So the people of Gerasa could not endure his powers and he left them as if they were weak and ungrateful.

56. At the same time, understand that it was not out of necessity, but a voluntary passion of the body: not taken by the Jews, but offered by himself. For indeed, when he wants, he is captured; when he wants, he escapes; when he wants, he is suspended; when he wants, he is not held. And here, he had climbed to the brow of the mountain to be thrown down, and behold, in the midst of them, with their minds suddenly changed or astounded, he descends; for the hour of his passion had not yet come. He preferred even to heal the Jews rather than to destroy them; so that they would cease to want what they could not fulfill with the fruitless outcome of their fury. Therefore, you see here both the divine work that he performed and the human will that he was subject to. For just as he could be held by a few, who is not held by the people? But he did not want to become a sacrilege of many; so that he could direct the blame of the cross to the authors and provoke envy; and he would be crucified by a few, but endure for the whole world.


(Vers. 33, 38.)

(Verse 33, 38.) And in the synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit. And below: But rising from the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon and Andrew. And Simon's mother-in-law was held by a great fever.

57. See the kindness of the Lord and Savior: not moved by anger, not offended by wickedness, not violated by injustice, he does not abandon the Jews; indeed, he, forgetting the injury, remembering the kindness, now by teaching, now by liberating, now by healing, soothes the hearts of the faithless people. And well did the holy Luke precede by mentioning the man freed from the unclean spirit, and he added the healing of the woman. For the Lord came to heal both sexes: and the one who was created first should have been healed first; nor should those sins be overlooked which were committed more out of the fickleness of the soul than out of wickedness.


58. (Verse 31.) The Sabbath signifies the beginning of the works of the Lord's healing; as a new creature begins where the old one ceases: not to be under the Law but to indicate above the Law in the very beginning: not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. For the world was not made through the Law, but through the Word, as we read: By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established (Psalm 32:6). Therefore, the Law is not dissolved but fulfilled, so that the renewal of fallen man may occur. And the Apostle also says: ‘Putting off the old man…put on the new, which is created according to Christ’ (Ephesians 4:22 and 24; Colossians 3:9 and 10). And He well began (His works) on the Sabbath day, in order to show that He Himself was the Creator; Who wove His works into one another, and proceeded from the work which He had begun to do: as a builder who undertakes to repair a house, begins not from the foundation, but from the roof to remove the decay: so in that case, He applies His hand again to it where He had left it off at first.


59. Then he begins with lesser things in order to reach greater things. To free people from demons is possible by the word of God; to command the resurrection of the dead is the power of God alone.

Verse 34. And it should not move anyone that the name of Jesus of Nazareth is mentioned by the devil in this book for the first time. For Christ did not receive his name from him, since an angel from heaven brought it to the Virgin (Luke 1:31). It is of this impudence that he first claims something among humans and presents it as something new to humans, in order to instill terror of his power. Finally, in Genesis, he first called God to man; thus you have it: And the serpent said to the woman: Did God indeed say, 'You shall not eat from any tree'? (Genesis 3:1). Both, therefore, were deceived by the devil and healed by Christ.

61. Follow the rest, and learn the mysteries of the Gospel reading, and recognize in the salvation sacrament of the public health of two. For as in Adam all die: so also in Christ all will be made alive (I Cor. XV, 22). Who is that one who in the Synagogue had the spirit of an unclean demon, except the Jewish people, who, bound with serpentine spirals and entangled with the snares of the devil, defiled the pretended cleanliness of the body with the filthiness of the inner mind? And well: In the synagogue there was a man who had an unclean spirit because he had lost the Holy Spirit. For the devil had entered, from where Christ had gone out. At the same time, the nature of the devil is shown to be not evil, his works wicked. For he who confesses the Lord through a superior nature denies Him through his works. And in this appears their wickedness and the wickedness of the Jews, that they so deluded the people with the madness of their blind minds, that the people deny Him whom the demons confess. Oh, the worst inheritance of the teacher of the disciples! He tempts the Lord with words, they with actions: he says, 'Throw yourself down' (Luke 4:9 above); they try to throw others down.

62. If we consider these things with a higher understanding, we must understand the health of the mind and body, so that the mind, which was troubled by the tricks of the serpent, may be set free. For the soul is never conquered by the body unless it is first tempted by the devil. For when the soul acts upon the body, enlivens it, and governs it, how could it be dragged captive into the snares of the devil unless it itself were bound by the chains of some higher power? In conclusion, Eve did not hunger until she was tempted by the cunning of the serpent; and therefore, the medicine of salvation should first work against the very author of sin.


63. Moreover, that woman, the mother-in-law of Simon and Andrew, was also wasted away by various fevers of crimes and was burning with insatiable passions of different desires. And I would not say that the fever of love was any less than the fever of heat. So, one [fever] afflicts the soul, the other inflames the body. For our fever is avarice, our fever is lust; because desires are inflamed. Hence the Apostle says: If they do not contain themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. (1 Corinthians 7:9) Our fever is lust, our fever is ambition, our fever is anger. Although these may be vices of the body, they still entangle fire in the bones, disturb the mind, soul, and senses. This primary temptation is stirred by the devil's art. Indeed, a fertile field, clothing, jewelry, the serpent's sweet words are enticing. For the sake of honors, the height of powers, the sweetness of feasts, the beauty of a prostitute is a snare of the devil, and like a kind of spiritual wickedness, he entices with seductive words that quickly soften the mind with the ease of a certain feminine levity, and also throws one's mind from its position. For the soul desires the beauty of a woman not before the eye of the body. Finally, what you have not seen, you will not love; but when the flesh desires, even the constancy of a compassionate soul weakens, and the mind is bent by the companionship of love (for two are one flesh) and thus death creeps in with the effect of wickedness, the devil tempting, the flesh persuading.

However, the mind is more vehement than the fever of the body: and therefore, for the pleasure of the mind, the health of the body is often disregarded, and it is not abstained from dangers. Hence it does not seem out of place to repeat how Theotimus, suffering from a serious eye ailment and loving his wife, being prohibited by the doctor from engaging in sexual activity, unable to control his desire and driven by the impetuosity of lust, was unable to moderate himself. Understanding and knowing that he would lose his eyes, before he met with his wife, in the very heat of fervent desire and the preparations of habit, he said, Farewell, dear light. Thus when fever is hotter, it is more severe and hastens and inflames.

But when someone returns from madness, then the inner sight of conscience is opened, and repentance follows, and each person is ashamed of their shameful deeds. Then God is feared, and the sinner desires to hide but cannot. Then the flesh is accused, the devil is accused. The former is like a pimp of vices, the latter like the author of error. Deformity is revealed; for every secret is bare before God, and not even the leaves of His fig tree, that is, the cover of the body, or the boasting of worldly secrets, can conceal the shame of sins. And each person, conscious of divine sin, fears the judgment in their mind, saying: 'The mountains will fall on me, in which will I hide myself, in the crevices of the rocks, when the earth is shattered?' Then the flesh generates thorns and thistles in the mind, that is, the bites of cares and the heat of anxieties, which the soul itself has surrounded itself with through the desire of the flesh. For indeed, the soul is attached to bodily pleasures like keys, and once it has adhered to earthly desires, it is difficult for it to return to the heights from which it descended without the favor of God. For she is now held captive by the chains of her actions, and subject to the enticements of worldly pleasures.

Therefore, the Lord came to save Adam and Eve: one of whom was made in the image of God, and the other, receiving the power of her man, as long as she was subject to the stronger, they both had one pleasing will in one Godly spirit: and placed in the paradise of God, they worked with heavenly food for their sustenance. But afterwards, when the flesh began to persuade them otherwise, and they started to not obey their own law, they became exiles from paradise and fell into this lower and submerged place of sin by their own fault. And let no one think it incongruous, if Adam and Eve are considered in the image of soul and body; since they are considered in the image of the Church and of Christ. For when the Apostle says that two are in one flesh, he added: This is a great mystery: but I speak in Christ and in the Church (Ephesians 5:32). In which, therefore, of the most high God, in that much more can our souls be a mystery.

67. But he is stuck, attached, captured, and overwhelmed by bodily fevers; he weakens with compassion for the suffering of the flesh. A doctor must be sought. But who is this great person who heals the wounds of a wounded mind? Who is this great person who can help others when he himself cannot? Who can give life to others when he cannot avoid death himself? For all have died in Adam; because through one man sin entered into this world, and through sin death: and thus death has passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned (I Cor. XV, 12). Therefore, death is the fault of all. (See Augustine, Book I against Julian of Pelagius, Chapter 3). In the end, saints were sent, prophets were also sent, to speak divine oracles, but they could not accomplish anything. Let us seek, therefore, a doctor among the angels or archangels. But how can they provide me with protection against sin when the archangel himself could not refrain from sin? How can an angel bring me back to paradise when Satan himself and his angels are unable to preserve the place they received?


(Chap. V. — Vers. 3.)

(Chapter 5 - Verse 3) And getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land.

68. When the Lord had generously bestowed various kinds of healings on many people, he did not begin to be hindered by the crowd's desire for healing, either by time or place. Evening fell, and they followed him; he came across a lake, and they pressed upon him. And so he got into Peter's boat. This is the same boat that, according to Matthew, was tossed by the waves (Matt. VIII, 24), and according to Luke, was filled with fish; so that you may recognize both the beginnings of the struggling Church and its later abundance; for the fish are those who navigate this life. Here Christ still sleeps for the disciples, but here he commands. For he sleeps for the fearful, he stays awake for the perfect. But how Christ sleeps, you have heard him say in the Prophet: I have slept, and my heart has stayed awake (Cant. V, 2).

69. And Saint Matthew rightly considered it necessary to not omit the demonstration of eternal power, where he commands the winds (Matt. VIII, 26). For it is not human teaching, as you have heard the Jews say, to command spirits with a word (Luke IV, 36): but it is a sign of celestial majesty. That the troubled sea is calmed, and the elements obey the command of the divine voice, and even the insensible things perceive the sense of obedience; the mystery of divine grace is revealed. When the waves of the world calm down, the unclean spirit is quieted by the word; one is not rejected by the other, but both are celebrated. You have a miracle in the elements, you have evidence in the mysteries.

Therefore, because Saint Matthew had mentioned that boat, Saint Luke chose it for himself, in which Peter was fishing. It is not troubled by the fact that it belongs to Peter, but it is troubled by the fact that it belongs to Judas. Although many disciples had merits there, still the faithlessness of the traitor was troubling it. In both cases, it is Peter who is troubled: but the one who is firm in his own merits is troubled by those of others. Therefore, let us beware of the faithless one, let us beware of the traitor; lest through one person, many people be tossed by waves. Therefore, this ship in which prudence navigates is not disturbed, treachery is absent, faith breathes. For how could it be disturbed, when he who is in charge, in whom the foundation of the Church is, is present? There, therefore, is turmoil where there is little faith; here is security where there is perfect love.

71. (Verse 4) Finally, although others are commanded to loosen their nets, only Peter is told: 'Cast into the deep,' that is, into the depths of discussions. For what is so deep as to see the heights of riches, to know the Son of God, and to assume the profession of divine generation? Although the human mind may not be able to fully comprehend through rational investigation, faith embraces fullness. For even though I am not allowed to know the manner in which he was born, I am not allowed to be ignorant that he was born. I am ignorant of the series of generation, but I acknowledge the authority of generation. We did not witness the Son of God being born from the Father: but we did witness the Son of God being called by the Father. If we do not believe in God, in whom do we believe? For everything we believe, we either believe through seeing or hearing: sight is often deceived, but hearing is in faith. Does the person asserting something need to be refuted? If good men were saying it, we would consider it wrong not to believe: God asserts, the Son proves, the sun, fleeing, admits, the trembling earth bears witness. In this lofty discussion, the Church is led by Peter; so that from here it may see the rising Son of God, and from there the Holy Spirit flowing forth.

72. But what are the nets of the apostles that are ordered to be loosened, if not the entanglements of words, and as it were certain folds of speech, and recesses of disputations, which do not allow those whom they have taken, to escape? And the apostolic instruments of fishing are indeed nets, which do not destroy those caught, but preserve them, and bring them from the deep to the light: they lead those who are wavering from the lowest things to the highest.

There is another apostolic way of fishing (24, q. 1, c. Est aliud), in which the Lord commands Peter alone to fish, saying: 'Cast the hook, and take the fish that first comes up' (Matthew XVII, 26). It is indeed a great and spiritual lesson (11, q. 1, c. Magnum quidem) that Christian men are taught to be subject to higher powers, so that no one may think that the constitution of an earthly king can be dissolved. For if the Son of God pays tribute, who are you, who do not think it should be paid? And he paid tribute, even though he possessed nothing: but you, who pursue the profit of the world, why do you not recognize the service of the world? Why do you carry yourself above the world with a certain arrogance of mind, when you are subjected to the miserable desire of the world?

Therefore, the didrachma is paid, which was the price of our redemption and body, promised in the Law and fulfilled in the Gospel, not in vain found in the mouth of a fish: For by your words you will be justified (Matt. XII, 37). Indeed, our confession is the price of immortality for us; for as it is written: With the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom. X, 10).

75. And perhaps this fish is the first martyr, having a didrachma in its mouth, which is the price of the census. Our didrachma is Christ. Therefore, that first martyr, namely Stephen, had a treasure in his mouth when he spoke of Christ in his passion. But let us return to the proposed place, and let us learn apostolic humility.

(Vers. 5.)

(Verse 5.) Teacher, he said, we worked all night and caught nothing: but at your word, I will let down the nets.

And I, Lord, know that night is for me when you do not command. No one has yet given their name, I still have the night. I threw out the spear of my voice, and yet I have caught nothing. I sent during the day, I wait for you to command: in your word I will let down the nets. O empty presumption, O fruitful humility! Those who had caught nothing before, in the word of the Lord conclude a great multitude of fish. This is not the work of human eloquence, but the gift of divine calling. The arguments of men yield: the common people trust in their faith.

77. (Verse 6, 7.) The nets are torn, but the fish does not escape. The companions are called for help, who were in another boat. What is that other boat, if not perhaps Judea, from which John and James are chosen? For Judea became his sanctification (Psalm 113:2). Therefore, these people gathered from the synagogue to Peter's boat, that is, to the Church, in order to fill both boats. For everyone bows in the name of Jesus, whether Jew or Greek: Christ is everything and in everyone (Colossians 3:11). But I suspect that this abundance is dangerous, lest the ships be almost sunk by their own fullness; for it is necessary that there be heresies, in order to prove the good.

78. However, we can also understand another Church, the ship of another; for from one many Churches are derived. Behold another care of Peter, whose own prey is already suspected. But the perfect one knows how to save the hidden, who knows how to capture the scattered. Those whom he captures in word, he believes in the Word: he denies his own prey, he denies his own duty.

(Vers. 8.)

(Vrs. 8.) Depart from me, Lord; for I am a sinful man.

For divine gifts were admired; and the more he deserved, the less he presumed. Say also: Depart from me, Lord; for I am a sinner; so that the Lord may answer you; Do not fear. Confess your sin to the forgiving Lord. Do not fear to offer even what is yours to the Lord; for what is his he has granted to us. He does not envy, he does not take away, he does not steal. You see how good the Lord is, who grants so much to humans; so that they may have the power to give life.


Book Five

(Vers. 12, 13.)

(Verse 12, 13) And it came to pass, when he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean.

1. When a leper is cleansed in a good place, a specific location is not expressed, in order to show that it was not just one people of a particular city, but all peoples who were healed. This is also well according to Luke in the fourth sign, from when the Lord came to Capernaum, he was healed; for if He illuminated the fourth day with the sun (Gen. I, 14), and made it brighter than the other days, when the elements of the world were shining forth: and we ought to consider this work as clearer. And according to Matthew, this is the first person healed by the Lord after the blessings (Matt. 8:3); so that because the Lord had said: I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17); he who was excluded from the Law (Lev. 13:3), presuming to be cleansed by the power of the Lord, would judge that grace is not from the Law, but above the Law, which could wash away the leper's blemish.

But just as in the Lord the authority of power is declared, so in him the constancy of faith is declared. He falls on his face, which is an act of humility and modesty; so that each one may be ashamed of the stains on his life: but modesty did not suppress his confession. He showed the wound and demanded a remedy: and the confession itself is full of religion and faith. If you wish, he said, you can make me clean. He attributed the power to the will of the Lord: but he did not doubt the will of the Lord as one who is incredulous of piety, but as one who is conscious of his own depravity, he did not presume. To a certain morally upright person, the Lord responded with holiness: I want you to be cleansed.

(Vers. 13.)

(Verse 13) And immediately his leprosy departed from him.

For there is no middle ground between the work of God and the commandment; for in the commandment is the work. Indeed, he spoke and they were made (Psalm 32:9). You see, therefore, that it cannot be doubted that the will of God is power. Therefore, if his will is power, those who affirm the Trinity of one will also affirm the unity of power. Thus, immediately the leprosy departed, so that you may understand the compassion of the healer, who added truth to the work.


4. Finally, the Lord had pity on him according to Mark (Mark 1:41): which is beautifully put. And the evangelists have put many such things, who wanted to establish us in both faith, describing signs of virtue for faith, and expressing the works of virtue for imitation. Therefore, He touches without disdain, and commands without hesitation; for this is an indication of power, because as if having the power to heal, and the authority to command, He does not reject the testimony of His works. I wish, therefore he speaks because of Photinus, he commands because of Arius, he touches because of Manichaeus.

5. And not only the leprosy of one person is cured, but of all to whom it is said: 'Now you are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you' (John 15:3). Therefore, if the remedy for leprosy is the word, certainly the leprosy of the mind is contempt for the word. But so that leprosy cannot pass on to the physician, each person should avoid boasting by following the example of the humility of the Lord. For why is it commanded that no one should speak, except to teach not our public benefits, but our hardships; so that we not only abstain from the reward of money, but also of gratitude? Perhaps also the reason for that silence is the command, because he believed that those who had faith based on spontaneity were better than those who believed in expected benefits.

However, according to the Law, it is commanded for one to offer oneself to the priest, not to bring another person; but to offer oneself as a spiritual sacrifice to God, so that through the knowledge of faith and the discipline of wisdom, the offering may be pleasing to God, with the stains of past actions cleansed away. For every victim will be seasoned with salt (Mark 9:49). Therefore, Paul also says: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).


7. At the same time the wonderful deed which he worked by the mere fact that he was besought to do it. If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. I will, he said, be thou made clean. Thou hast the will, thou hast also the effect of piety. And stretching forth his hand, he touched him. (Leviticus 13:3). The law forbids the touching of lepers: but he who is the Lord of the law does not obey the law, but makes the law. He did not, therefore, touch, because without touch he could not make him clean: but to show that he was not subject to the law, nor feared the contagion, like men: but because he could not be contaminated, who cleansed others: so, on the other hand, the leprosy was driven away by the touch of the Lord, which used to defile the toucher.


8. (Verse 14.) However, he is commanded to show himself to the priest and offer for his cleansing, so that while he offers himself to the priest, the priest may understand that he, being cured, was cared for not by the order of the Law, but by the grace of God above the Law; and while he commands the cleansed person to offer the sacrifice according to the precept of Moses, the Lord shows that he does not abolish the Law, but fulfills it; for in walking according to the Law, he seems to heal those whom the remedies of the Law were not able to heal. And he added: As Moses commanded; for the Law is spiritual (Rom. VII, 14); and therefore it seems that he commanded a spiritual sacrifice.

9. Finally he added: In order to be a testimony to you, that is, if you believe in God, if the leprosy of impiety departs, if the priest is knowledgeable about hidden things, if he is a pure and faithful witness: from this, that priest can be seen more clearly to whom secrets do not escape, to whom it is said: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 109:4).

(Vers. 18, 19.)

(Verse 18, 19.) And behold, some men carrying a man on a bed who was paralyzed, and seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; and not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his bed into the middle, in front of Jesus.

10. The remedy of this paralytic is neither useless nor limited, when the Lord is said to have prayed not for the sake of assistance, but as an example; for he gave an example to be imitated, not sought after for the sake of obtaining a favor. And the remedy of this paralytic is described as gathering together doctors of the Law from all Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem, among the other remedies for the weak. First of all, as we have said before, each sick person must use those who are to be prayed for the preservation of salvation, through whom the broken bonds of our life and the crippled steps of our actions may be restored by the medicine of the heavenly word. Therefore, there are some monitors of the mind who raise the soul of man, even when it is numbed by the weakness of the external body, towards higher things. By the support of these monitors, it is easy to both raise oneself up and humble oneself, before Jesus, worthy of the sight of the Lord. For the Lord looks upon humility: ’For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden’ (Luke 1:48).

(Vers. 20.)

(Verse 20) He said that he saw the faith of those people.

The Lord is great, who forgives some by merit and forgives others by testing others. Why does a man not have worth as a colleague with you, since a servant has both the right to intervene and the right to request from the Lord? Learn to forgive, you who judge: learn to obtain, you who are sick. If you doubt the forgiveness of serious sins, call upon the intercessors, call upon the Church which prays for you, by whose intercession the Lord may forgive that which He could deny you.


And although we should not overlook the credibility of the history, so that we believe that the body of that paralytic was truly healed, nevertheless let us consider the health of the inner man, to whom sins are forgiven, which, as the Jews assert, can only be granted by the Lord alone. They confess that he is God and reveal their own unfaithfulness in their judgment, so that they deny the work and reject the person. Therefore, the Son of God receives testimony from both his works and his voice does not need verification; for unfaithfulness can confess but cannot believe. Therefore, the testimony is not lacking for divinity, faith is lacking for salvation. For it is stronger evidence of faith when it is confessed unwillingly; and it is more harmful to sin when it is denied and those who deny it are refuted by their own assertions. So great is the foolishness of the unbelieving crowd that, even though it confesses that only God can forgive sins, it does not believe that God forgives sins. But the Lord, desiring to save sinners, reveals himself to be God through his knowledge of hidden things and adds wonder to his deeds.

(Vers. 23.)

(Verse 23.) Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say: 'Rise up and walk'?

13. In this place He shows the full appearance of resurrection, who heals the wounds of the mind and body, forgives the sins of the souls, and excludes the weakness of the flesh; for this is to have the whole man cured. Although, therefore, it is great to forgive sins unto men (for who can forgive sins except God only, who also grants the power of forgiving to those to whom He grants the power of forgiving); yet it is much more divine to give resurrection to bodies; since the Lord Himself is resurrection.


14. (Verse 24.) This bed which is commanded to be lifted up, what else is it, if not that the human body is commanded to be lifted up? He himself is the one who is washed by David every night, as we read: I will wash my bed every night; with my tears I will water my couch (Psalm 6:7). This is the bed of sorrow, on which our soul lay in heavy anguish of conscience. But if anyone behaves according to Christ's commandments, it is no longer a bed of sorrow, but of rest. For indeed by the mercy of the Lord, what was once death has begun to be rest: he who for us turned the sleep of death into the favor of pleasure. Not only to relieve the bed, but also to return to his own home, that is, to go back to paradise; for that is the true home, which first received mankind: not lost by right, but by deceit. Therefore, the home is rightly restored, since he came who would abolish the bond of deceit, restore righteousness.

15. (Verse 25.) And without any delay, a moment of healing arrives: it is the moment of the words and remedies. The unbelievers watch in astonishment as he rises, and marvel as he departs, choosing to fear the miracles of the divine work rather than believe. For if they had believed, they would surely not have feared, but rather loved; for perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). And so, because they did not love, they slandered. But to those who slandered, he says: Why do you think evil in your hearts? (Luke 5:22). Who says this? The high priest. He saw leprosy in the hearts of the Jews and showed them to be worse than the leper. He commanded himself to be cleansed to the priest: he rejects them; lest their leprosy also contaminate others.

16. (Verse 27.) The mystical calling of the tax collector follows, whom he commands to follow not with the steps of the body, but with the affection of the mind. Therefore, he, first turning from greedy earnings, harsh labors, and the profits of sailors' dangers, being called by the word, abandoned his own things, which he was seizing from others: and leaving that cheap seat, he walks in the whole footsteps of the Lord in his mind. He also presents the display of a great feast; for whoever receives Christ in their inner dwelling, is nourished with the greatest delights of overflowing pleasures. Therefore the Lord willingly enters and reclines with affection in the one who believes.

17. But again the envy of the treacherous is kindled, and the future punishment is foreshadowed. For while the faithful feast and recline in the kingdom of heaven, empty malice torments them. At the same time, it is shown how great is the difference between the adversaries of Law and grace, for those who follow the Law suffer eternal hunger of the mind; but those who receive the word in the depths of their soul, nourished by the abundance of heavenly food and the richness of the source, cannot hunger or thirst. And so those who were fasting in their spirit murmured, saying:

(Vers. 30.)

(Verse 30) Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?

18. That voice is deceitful. Finally, the serpent emitted this first voice, saying to Eve: What did God indeed say? You shall not eat from every tree (Gen. III. 1). Therefore, those who say: What indeed does it mean that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners? Thus, the poisons of her father are spreading, who say: By no means eat from every tree. From where the Lord, by eating with sinners, does not prohibit us from entering into a feast, even with the Gentiles, saying:

(Vers. 31.)

(Verse 31) Those who are healthy do not need a doctor; but those who are unwell do.

19. A new medicine a new master has brought. It did not sprout from the earth; for every creature of this creation is ignorant. Come, all who have fallen into the various passions of sins, to use this foreign medicine by which the poison of the serpent is expelled: which not only removes the scar of passions, but also cuts off the cause of the dire wound. This medicine does not induce hunger, but supplies food to the soul: For the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon' (Luke 7:34); and therefore our mind is not fasting: those who lack Christ and the abundance of good merits fast. But verily, the one whose virtue is sufficient for his will, who receives Christ into his home, offers a great feast, that is, a spiritual feast of good works, by which the rich people lack, and the poor are feasted. And therefore, he says, the children of the bridegroom cannot fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them.

(Vers. 35.)

(Verse 35) But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them.

20. Who are those days in which Christ is taken away from us, especially when he himself said: I will be with you until the end of the world (Matthew XXVIII, 20): he himself said: I will not leave you orphans (John XIV, 18)? For it is certain that if he leaves us, we cannot be saved. No one can take Christ away from you, unless you take yourself away from him. Let not your boasting take you away, let not your arrogance take you away, nor presume upon the Law; for he came not to call the righteous, but sinners.


21. So how then did the Lord love righteousness, and David did not see the righteous abandoned (Psal. 10:8)? Or what is this fairness of God if the just are abandoned and the sinner is included (Psal. 36:25), unless you understand that he calls those just who presume from the Law and do not seek the grace of the Gospel? But no one is justified by the Law, but is redeemed by grace. Therefore, there is righteousness in the Law, but righteousness is not through the Law; for the same Apostle says: A Hebrew of Hebrews, according to the Law a Pharisee, according to the righteousness which is in the Law, walking without blame (Philip. 3:5-6), who boasts of the Law: What was profit to me, he says, I considered these things loss on account of Christ (Philip. 9:7), that is, I have rejected the righteousness and glory of the Law; for the righteousness of the Law is empty without Christ, because Christ is the fulfillment of the Law. And therefore, though justice is in the Law, it is not by the Law: For if justice is by the Law, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21); for Christ died, that he might fulfill justice. Finally, to John who said: I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me, he answered: Allow it now; for thus it befits us to fulfill all justice (Matthew 3:14-15). Therefore, Christ did not die in vain: but he died for us; that the righteous might shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. But not the just Jews, of whom it is said: 'When you see the just entering into the kingdom of heaven' (Luke 13:28). These are the just who do not retaliate when struck and who love their enemy.

22. (Verse 32.) If we do not understand it thus, the opposite is found: I did not come to call the righteous. But he does not call those who claim to be righteous: For they are ignorant of God and seek to establish their own righteousness, they are not subject to the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:3). Therefore, usurpers of righteousness are not called to grace; for if grace comes from repentance, surely one who despises repentance rejects grace. Those who claim to be sanctified are thirsty, but the bridegroom will be taken away from them. However, Caiaphas did not take Christ away from us, nor did Pilate, and we cannot fast; for we have Christ, and we eat his flesh and drink his blood. For how can someone appear to fast, who is not hungry? For how can someone appear to fast, who is not thirsty? But how can someone be thirsty, who drinks Christ; since he himself said: Whoever drinks of the water that I will give, will never be thirsty (John 4:13)? Indeed, the following also declares with reference to the fasting of the soul.

(Vers. 36.)

(Verse 36) For he also spoke a parable to them: No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment.

23. He had said that the sons of the bridegroom, that is, the sons of the Word, who were received into the right of divine generation through the regeneration of baptism, cannot fast as long as the bridegroom is with them. Surely, not this fasting is referred to, by which the flesh is weakened, and carnal sensuality is chastised; for this fasting commends us. For, just as he forbade his disciples to fast here, when the Lord himself was fasting (Luke IV, 2); when finally he said that the most wicked spirits can only be vanquished by fasting and prayers (Matthew XVII, 21)? Finally, in this place the Apostle also called fasting an old garment, which he considered should be cast off, saying: Strip off the old man with his deeds; and put on him who is renewed in the sanctification of baptism (Colossians III, 9 and 10). Therefore, in the same manner, the order of precepts agrees, so that we do not mix the actions of the old and new man; when the former operates the external bodily works of the flesh, and the latter, who is reborn, should not have the multicolored appearance of past and new deeds, but should imitate Christ with a single-minded devotion, to whom he was reborn in the cleansing bath. Therefore, let the disguises of the mind, which displease the spouse, be absent; for they displease the one who does not have the bridal garment. But what can please the spouse, except peace of mind, purity of heart, and love of the mind?

24. The Lord Jesus, the good bridegroom, initiated a new nature through this birth. He is released from the corruptibility of the flesh that is betrothed to Him; He does not require mortal children, He does not take pleasure in the sorrows of Eve, He does not require a man subject to fault, He does not require the inheritance of a condemned father. For He saw the ulcers of the flesh, which He previously coveted; He realized that true beauty does not have the deformity of vices. And so, what do you need with such a bridegroom, woman? Search diligently, and in every body you will find a scar. Know another bridegroom, who is surrounded by light, whose appearance cannot perish. Take him in your mind, consecrate him in your temple, take him in your body, as it is written: 'Take the Lord in your body' (I Cor. VI, 20). Enter the chambers of this one, behold the strange beauty of this one, put on this one, see him at the right hand of the Father, and rejoice that you have such a bridegroom: he will clothe you with blessing, so that no harm may come from the tear of sin.


25. Therefore we guard the garment which the Lord vested us in, emerging from the sacred font. The garment is quickly torn if the deeds do not match; it is quickly worn away by the worms of the flesh, and stained by the error of the old man. Therefore, here we are commanded to join the new with the old; however, in the Apostle we are also forbidden to clothe the old with the new, but to cast off the old and put on the new; so that stripped, we may not be found naked (2 Cor. 5:2-4). For we are stripped in order to put on better things; we are laid bare, however, when the clothing is taken away from us through the deceit of others, not by our own will.


(Vers. 37.)

(Verse 37.) And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.

26. The fragility of the human condition is revealed when our bodies are compared to the remains of dead animals. And oh, that we could fulfill the use of both good wineskins, so that we may preserve the sacrament that we have received! Industry alleviates injury, if new wines are believed in with renewed wineskins. And therefore, we must always keep these wineskins full; for emptiness is quickly consumed by moth and rust, while grace preserves the full ones.

27. But these precepts suit well with this work: for it is the sixth work, by which a new light form is depicted (Luke 5:27). On the sixth day, however, man was made (Genesis 1:26): therefore, in the sixth work of Christ, the old is reformed into a new creature, and a certain foreign form. And therefore, as a new creature, it presents a feast to Christ; inasmuch as Christ would delight in it, and he himself would deserve to have a share of delight with Christ. Therefore, the Lord gave these instructions for teaching; for I now follow joyfully, eagerly, and exultantly, saying: I no longer bear the name Levin, I no longer carry Levin. I have shed Levin after putting on Christ. I hate my old way of life, I flee from my previous life; I follow only you, Lord Jesus, who heals my wounds. For who can separate me from the love of God, which is in you? Is it trouble, or distress, or hunger? I am bound by the key of faith and bound by the sweet chains of love. I will hold onto every commandment of yours like an engraved branding iron. And if the branding iron burns, it still consumes the putrefaction of the flesh, so that the infection does not spread to what is alive. And if it bites like a medicine, it still removes the defect of the wound. Therefore, Lord Jesus, with your powerful sword, remove from me the decay of my sins: while you have me bound with the chains of love, cut away whatever is faulty. Come quickly, cutting through hidden and latent things, and various passions: open the wound, so that the harmful humor does not spread. Cleanse everything that is foul with a foreign bath. Hear me, earthly men, who carry drunken thoughts of your sins. And I, Levis, was wounded by such passions. I found a doctor who dwells in heaven, and spreads remedies on earth. He alone can heal my wounds, who does not know his own: he can take away the pain of the heart, and the paleness of the soul, who knows hidden things.

(Chap. VI. — Vers. 1.)

(Chapter 6, Verse 1) Now it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

28. And not only in the understanding of words, but also in the use itself and the appearance of gestures, the Lord Jesus begins to strip man of the old observation of the Law and clothe him in the new garment of grace. Therefore, He now leads him through the sown fields on the Sabbath, that is, He brings him close to fruitful things. What the Sabbath signifies, what the field signifies, what the ears of grain signify, is not a trivial mystery. For this whole world is a field: the field represents the fertility of the human race in the cultivation of saints; the ears of grain represent the fruits of the Church in the field, which the apostles nourished by exercising their works, and which nourish us by their progress.


29. Therefore, the fertile field of virtues was standing, with the sprouting ears, by which our fruits of merit are compared; for they wither either with rain, or are parched by the sun, or are moistened by showers, or are destroyed by storms, or are stored away by the reapers in the granaries of the fortunate. Therefore, the earth had already received the word of God, and had brought forth rich offspring from the heavenly seed. The disciples were hungry for the salvation of mankind, and like fruits from the buds of their minds, they revealed to the light of faith through the miracles of their glorious works. But the Jews thought that it was not allowed on the Sabbath, but Christ was designating the rest of the Law as the gift of new grace, the work of grace.

30. And I believe that this is not without mystery, since the sabbaths were purely observed by the Evangelist Matthew (Matt. 12:1) and Mark (Mark 2:23), because the sabbaths are perpetual feasts of eternal resurrection. Either in this world, therefore, we observe the feasts and abstain from the superstitions of the Jews, or in the future we celebrate perpetual feasts ourselves, when we will eat the good things of the earth, as it is written: They shall eat, but you shall hunger (Isaiah 63:13).


31. However, according to Luke, he said 'the second first' instead of 'the first second' on the Sabbath, for it is written, 'the second first' in the sense that what excels should be preferred. It is called 'second' because it preceded the first according to the Law, in which the punishment was also prescribed (Exodus 31:14) for anyone who works. It is called 'first' because that Sabbath, which was the first, was abolished according to the Law, and this first was made which is established as second. For although it is permitted to work on the Sabbath, and there is no punishment for the one who works; the Sabbath is nevertheless from the Law which has been dissolved, and its name did not remain; but nevertheless it was first in order, this first in duty; and not therefore any less because it is second; for even Adam was first, and not to be compared with the second Adam: For the first Adam became a living soul, the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. . . . And the first man was of the earth, made of clay; the second man is from heaven, heavenly (I Cor. XV, 45 and 47). Indeed, the second is preferred over the first; for the former is the cause of death, while the latter is the cause of life. Thus, the second Sabbath is called as such; second according to number, first according to the grace of operation; for it is better to have a Sabbath with impunity than with prescribed punishment. The First Law, according to the Gospel; yet, fear is inferior to grace. Or perhaps, the first is here in the predestination of counsel, and the second in the sanction of decree.

32. (Verse 3.) But the Lord also demonstrates in the Law a type of the future in this place, and he rebukes the defenders of the Law for not knowing what the Law is, citing the example of David, when he and his companions were hungry, entering into the house of God and taking the bread of the Presence and eating it, and giving it to those who were with him (1 Samuel 21:1 et seq.). A great and truly prophetic example, by which solid usefulness is presented to us to be followed, not empty things of the Law. Then because David, fleeing with his companions from the face of King Saul, was prefigured here in the Law as Christ, who would hide as the ruler of the world with the apostles.

33. However, how did that observer of the Law and defender of the bread both eat and give to those who were with him, whom it was not permitted to eat except only for the priests, unless he was showing through that figure that the priestly food would come into use for the people? Whether because we all must imitate the priestly life: or because all the children of the Church are priests; for we are anointed into the holy priesthood, offering ourselves as spiritual sacrifices to God.


Therefore, I have already read that the teachings of Christ overflow, not abolishing the Law, but fulfilling it, for he does not abolish the Sabbath. For if the Sabbath was made for the sake of humanity, and the well-being of humanity required that a hungry person who had been deprived of the fruits of the earth for a long time should avoid fasting for an old hunger, then certainly the Law is not abolished, but fulfilled. Therefore, how is it that the Lord is accused of a crime for which a servant is not held responsible?

35. But what is more evident in this story, which runs throughout? David entered the house of Achimelech the priest: but not with the intention of danger of death, he refuses the host, nor does the holy soul of the priest avoid the exile (I Reg. XXI, 1). Such is the grace of hospitality, that we willingly transfer foreign dangers onto ourselves.

36. But this in moral history, in the mystery of prophecy, is true, that priests excluded David, who was truly religious in the hospitality of his mind, from the destiny of future death. And not only is Christ taught to find the hospitality in the house of every prophet, but also, in a figure, to take the spoils and weapons of spiritual wickedness; for he who receives Christ as a guest disarms the formidable Goliath with his own weapons.


37. What is clearer than this, that in the house of Achimelech David asks for five loaves of bread, and takes one (cf. 1 Samuel 21:3-6): indicating by this type that now not five books, but the body of Christ, is prepared as food for the faithful; so that Christ might assume a body, lest any of the faithful should hunger? Nor is Doeg the figure lacking, who was the keeper of the mules (cf. 1 Samuel 21:7); because no one else except the keeper of an unfruitful flock of Judah could fulfill the type of a betrayer.


Now that which Saul persecuted Achimelech's entire household, except for Abiathar the high priest, when he sought David's reception (1 Samuel 22:20), shows us by prophecy that no one can harm the true high priest, who is Christ alone.

39. (Verse 7.) From here the Lord Jesus goes on to other things. For he who had determined to save the whole man, ran through each member, so that he might truly say: You are angry with me, who have made the whole man sound on the Sabbath. (John 7:23). Therefore, in this place, that hand which Adam stretched out, and plucked the forbidden fruit from the tree (Genesis 3:6), was irrigated with the juices of good deeds, so that what had withered because of sin might be healed by good works. In which Christ rebukes the Jews who violated the precepts of the Law with evil interpretations, thinking that even good works should be avoided on the Sabbath, when the Law prefigured the form of things to come: in which surely the Sabbath will be a rest for evil deeds, not good ones. For although worldly works may rest, it is not idle to rest in the praise of good works for God.

40. (Verse 10.) So you have heard the words of the Lord saying: 'Extend your hand.' This is a common and general medicine. And you, who think that you have a healthy hand, beware of greed, beware of sacrilege. Extend it frequently, extend it to that poor person who pleads to you: extend it to help your neighbor, to provide assistance to widows, to rescue those who suffer from unjust injury that you see. Extend it to God for your sins. In this way the hand is extended, in this way it is healed. Just as Jeroboam's hand contracted when he sacrificed to idols, and again when he prayed to God, it extended (3 Kings 13:4 and 6).

(Vers. 12.)

(Verse 12) And it came to pass in those days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in the prayers of God.

Not everyone who prays, ascends the mountain (for there is a prayer that leads to sin), but rather the one who prays well, progressing from earthly things to higher things, ascends the top of the court. But the one who is preoccupied with the riches of the world or with honor does not ascend the mountain: the one who desires the rights of another's property does not ascend the mountain. He ascends who seeks God, he ascends who asks for the help of the Lord in his journey. All the great, all the sublime, ascend the mountain; for not to everyone does the prophet say: Ascend to the high mountain, you who proclaim Zion: lift up your voice with strength, you who proclaim Jerusalem (Isaiah XL, 9). You shall ascend this mountain not with many physical steps, but with higher deeds. Follow Christ, so that you yourself may become a mountain: For mountains surround it (Psalm CXXIV, 2). Search in the Gospel, you will find only the disciples ascending the mountain with the Lord.


42. Therefore the Lord prays not so that he may be obeyed, but so that he may obtain for me; for even though the Father has put everything in the power of the Son, nevertheless the Son thinks that he should pray to the Father for us, in order to fill the form of a human being; because he is our advocate. Do not open your ears to deceitful thoughts, so that you may think that the Son prays as if he were weak, so that he may obtain that which he cannot fulfill as the author of power. The master of obedience teaches us by the example of his precepts. We have an Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). If He is an Advocate, He must intercede for my sins. Therefore, He pleads not as weak, but as pious. Do you want to know that He can do everything He wants? He is both an Advocate and a Judge. In the former, He carries out the duty of mercy, in the latter, the authority of power.

43. And he was, he says, spending the night in prayer to God. A vision is given to you, a form is prescribed that you should strive to imitate. For what should you do for your own salvation, when Christ spends the night in prayer for you? What is it fitting for you to do, when you want to undertake some duty of piety; when Christ, who is going to send the apostles, first prayed, and prayed alone? And nowhere else, if I am not mistaken, is he found to have prayed with the apostles: everywhere he pleads alone. For the plans of God do not embrace human desires, nor can anyone share in Christ's inner thoughts. Do you want to know if he prayed for me, not for himself?

(Vers. 13.)

(Ver. 13.) He called, he said, his disciples, and he chose twelve of them:

44. Those whom He destined as sowers of the faith to propagate the aid of salvation throughout the world, He chose not any wise men, not any rich men, not any noble men, but fishermen and tax collectors, whom He directed; lest it appear that He drew anyone to His grace by human wisdom, by riches, or by the authority of power and nobility, so that the reason for truth might prevail, not for the sake of dispute.


45. (Verse 16.) Therefore, Judas was chosen not out of imprudence, but out of providence. How great is the truth, which not even the adversary's minister can weaken! How great is the morality of the Lord, who preferred his judgment to be in danger among us rather than his affection! For he had taken on the frailty of man, and therefore he did not refuse these parts of human weakness. He wanted to be deserted, he wanted to be betrayed, he wanted to be handed over by his apostle, so that you, deserted by your partner, betrayed by your partner, may moderately bear your judgment of having erred, and your kindness being lost.


(Vers. 17.)

(Verse 17) And he went down, he said, with them, and stood in a level place.

46. Pay attention to everything carefully, how both with the apostles he goes up and comes down to the crowds. For how can the crowd see Christ unless he is humble? He does not go up to lofty places, he does not ascend to the heights. Finally, where he comes down, he finds the weak; for the weak cannot be in high places. Likewise, Matthew also teaches (Matthew 8:1) that the sick are healed in lower places; for each one is healed first, so that gradually, as virtues advance, he could ascend the mountain. And therefore it heals each individual in lower things, that is, it calls back from desire, it averts the harm of blindness. It descends to our wounds, so that by some kind of use and abundance of itself, it makes us capable of heavenly nature. And indeed it healed these, but it left them in lower things.

But seeing the crowds, as you have read, he went up the mountain. And when he had sat down, his disciples came to him (Matt. 5:1). For he was about to proclaim the good news and ready to dispense the blessings from the treasury of divinity, he begins to become more sublime. And although he stood in humility here, he still lifted his eyes high. For even when he raised Lazarus, he groaned in spirit (John 11:33); and likewise he lifted up his head when he forgave the sins of the adulterous woman (John 8:10). For what is it to lift up the eyes, except to open the inner light?

48. Finally, the holy Matthew says: 'He opened his mouth' (Matt. 5:2), namely, he revealed the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God, hidden in the innermost sanctuary of his temple. He opened his mouth: therefore you too open your mouth, but first implore that it be opened. For if Paul implores help in the opening of his mouth, much more is it fitting for you to implore. He also shows you the key of knowledge, by which you ought to open your mouth, saying through the Prophet: 'Open your mouth for the word of God' (Prov. 31:9). The word of God is the key of your mouth: the key of knowledge is the key of your mouth, by which the chains of silence are loosened, and the locks of ignorance are opened.

(Vers. 20, 21, 22.)

(Verse 20, 21, 22.) Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst now, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are those who weep now, for they shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you.

49. Only four beatitudes were placed by Saint Luke on the Lord's Day, but eight were placed by Saint Matthew (Matt. 5:3, et seq.): yet in those eight, the four are found, and in those four, the eight. For he embraced the four as cardinal virtues; that other writer reserved the mystic number in those eight. For the eighth, many psalms are written (Ps. 6:1, and 11:1), and you receive the command to give a part of those eight, perhaps in blessings (Eccles. 11:2); for just as the eighth is the perfection of our hope, so it is the highest virtue in the eighth.


But first, let us examine what is more important. Blessed are the poor; for yours is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). Both evangelists placed this as the first blessing. For it is the first in order and is a parent and source of virtues: because whoever despises worldly things, he himself will merit eternal things; and nobody can attain the merit of the heavenly kingdom, who, being possessed by worldly desires, does not have the ability to emerge.


51. Second Blessing: Blessed are the meek, he says. Third, Blessed are those who mourn. Fourth, Blessed are those who hunger. Fifth, Blessed are the merciful. Sixth, Blessed are the pure in heart. Seventh, Blessed are the peacemakers (Ibid., 4-9). And indeed, the seventh is good; for on that day God rested from all the works of the world (Gen. II, 2); for it is a day of rest and peace. Eighth, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (Matth. V, 10).

52. Come, Lord Jesus, teach us the order of your beatitudes; for you did not speak without order, first the poor in spirit are blessed, second the meek are blessed, and third those who mourn. For although I know something, yet I know in part. For if Paul knew in part (1 Cor. 13:9), how much can I know? As much as life, as much also I am lower in word; for life demands and acquires word: but word without life is not the word of God. How much wiser than me is Paul! He boasts in dangers (2 Corinthians XII, 5 and 7), I in successes: he boasts because he is not lifted up by revelations; if any revelations were to happen to me, I would boast. But nevertheless, God can raise up men from stones, and bring forth a word from the closed, elicit a voice from the mute. If He opened the eyes of a donkey, so it could see an angel (Numbers XXII, 27); He is also capable of opening our eyes, so we can behold the mystery of God.


53. Blessed are the poor, he says. Not all the poor are blessed; for poverty is in the middle: both the good and the bad can be poor. Unless perhaps that poor person must be understood as blessed, whom the Prophet described, saying: For it is better to be a poor righteous person than a lying rich person (Prov. XIX, 1). Blessed is the poor person who cried out, and the Lord heard him: poor in crime, poor in vices, poor in whom the prince of the world found nothing: the poor person was envious of that poor person, who, although rich, became poor for our sake. Where Matthew fully revealed, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt. V, 3); for the one who is poor in spirit is not inflated, is not exalted in his fleshly mind.

54. Therefore, the first blessing is this: when I have put away all sin, and stripped away all evil, and am content with simplicity, deprived of evil things, it remains that I also temper my character. For what good is it for me to abstain from worldly things, unless I am meek and gentle? For the one who follows the right path, surely follows him who says: Learn from me because I am meek and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29). Therefore, put aside what is wicked, rid yourself of vices according to good poverty, moderate your affection so that you do not become angry, or at least when you are angry, do not sin, according to what is written: Be angry, and do not sin (Psalm 4:5). For it is praiseworthy to control one's impulses with reason: it is considered no less virtuous to restrain anger and suppress indignation than to not become angry at all; often, the former is seen as more difficult but the latter as weaker.

55. When you do this, remember that you are a sinner; lament your sins, lament your offenses. And the third blessing is for those who weep over their sins; for it is the Trinity that forgives sins. Therefore, wash yourself with your tears, and cleanse yourself with your weeping. If you weep for yourself, no one else will weep for you; for if Saul had wept over his sins, Samuel would not have wept for him (I Samuel 15:35). Each person has their own dead to weep for. We are dead when we sin, when we fill ourselves with the bones of the dead. Bad speech is dead that comes out of the mouth; for it comes out of an evil sepulcher: But the sepulcher is open to their throat (Psalms 5:11). Therefore, the Apostle says: Be imitators of me (1 Corinthians 4:16). He wants us to remember our sins. Paul had nothing to mourn, since he believed in Christ, and yet he wept for the past, saying: For I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God (1 Corinthians 15:9). Therefore, that sinner before faith, but we still sin after faith. Let the sinner weep and confess, so that he may become righteous: for the righteous is his own accuser (Prov. XVIII, 17).

56. Therefore, let us follow the order, for it is written: 'Order charity in me' (Song of Songs II, 4). I have abandoned sin, moderated my behavior, mourned my transgressions: now I begin to hunger and thirst for justice. For when a person is in serious illness, they do not hunger, because the pain of sickness excludes hunger. But what is this hunger for justice? Who are these loaves that the righteous hunger for? Lest perhaps those loaves are the ones of which it is said: 'I was young, and I have grown old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread' (Psalm XXXVI, 25). The one who is hungry certainly seeks an increase in strength. But what is a greater growth in virtue than the standard of justice?

57. Post these words: Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall follow after justice. Hence it is said: He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his justice remaineth forever. But even he who shows mercy to others loses his reward unless he does it with a pure heart; for if he seeks vainglory, there is no fruit. Cleanse therefore the secrets of your heart; and if you diligently purify your inner self, have compassion on those who are attacked, and understand how many people, how many of your brethren, seek your help.


But unless you first cleanse your inner self from all stain of sin, so that dissensions and contentions may not arise from your own emotions, you cannot bring healing to others. Therefore, begin peace with yourself; so that when you yourself are peaceful, you may bring peace to others. For how can you cleanse the hearts of others, unless you have first cleansed your own?

Therefore, you have profited for others, you have provided help for many; hurry, strive towards the end. Although there were many outcomes in life, only one was fitting for the Lord; for what was born according to the flesh, it was necessary to die according to the flesh. He chose to suffer in order to die for us; and you say about all that the Lord has repaid you: 'I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord' (Psalm 115:13), that is, suffering. Therefore, he also said to those who desired to sit at his right or left hand: 'Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?' (Matthew 20:22). It leads you all the way to the end, it follows you all the way to martyrdom, and it establishes the palm of happiness.

60. Therefore, see the order. It is necessary for you to become poor in spirit; for humility of spirit is the riches of virtues. Unless you are poor, you cannot be meek. He who is meek can lament present things; he who laments lower things can desire better things; he who seeks higher things avoids lower things; so that he may also be helped by higher things; he who has mercy cleanses his heart. For what is it to cleanse the soul, if not to remove the filth of death? For almsgiving delivers from death (Tob. IV, 11); but patience is the perfection of charity. But whoever suffers persecution, being tested in the final struggle, is crowned when he has competed lawfully. Some consider these to be the steps of virtues, by which we can ascend from the lowest to the highest.

61. Finally, just as there are increments in virtues, there are also increments in rewards; for it is greater to be the Son of God than to possess the earth and merit consolation. But because the first reward is the kingdom of heaven, and the last reward is the kingdom of heaven, is the reward equal for beginners and the perfect? Perhaps we are being taught mystically that the first kingdom of heaven is that apostolic saying: To be dissolved and to be with Christ (Philip. I, 23). You have the first kingdom, when the saints are taken up in the clouds to meet Christ in the air; for many of the sleeping will rise; these to eternal life, those to disgrace. Therefore, the first kingdom of heaven is proposed to the saints in the forgiveness of the body; the second kingdom of heaven is to be with Christ after the resurrection. When you are in the kingdom of heaven, then there is a progression of mansions; although it is one kingdom, there are different merits in the kingdom of heaven. After the resurrection, you will begin to possess your land, freed from death. For he to whom it is said, 'You are dust, and to dust you shall return' (Gen. III, 19), does not possess his land; for one cannot be a possessor who does not reap fruit. Therefore, being freed through the Lord's cross (if, indeed, you are found within the yoke of the Lord), you will find consolation in that very possession: consolation is followed by delight, and divine mercy follows delight. But he who the Lord pities and calls; who is called, sees the one calling; he who sees God is assumed into the right of divine generation: and then finally, as if a son of God, he delights in the riches of the heavenly kingdom. Therefore, he begins, here he is filled. For even within this world, there are many in the Roman Empire; but those who are closer to the emperor obtain greater favor of the empire.

62. Now let us speak about how in the four blessings, Saint Luke included eight blessings. And indeed, we know that there are four cardinal virtues: temperance, justice, prudence, and fortitude. Whoever is poor in spirit is not greedy. Whoever weeps does not boast; instead, they are gentle and peaceful. Whoever mourns is humbled. Whoever is just does not withhold what they know is given to everyone for common use. Whoever shows mercy gives from their own resources. He who gives his own, does not seek others', nor does he plot deceit against his neighbor.

Therefore, virtues are connected and intertwined with each other; so that one who possesses one seems to possess many: and one virtue is fitting for the holy ones, but a more abundant virtue has a more abundant reward. How great is Abraham's hospitality! How great is his humility! How great is his sanctity, that he would save his brother's son from his enemy! And how great is his abstinence, that he would not seek anything from the spoils! But because he displayed faith, he merited the leadership in faith above all others. Therefore, there are more rewards for each person, because there are more incentives for virtues; but what is more abundant in merit, is also more abundant in reward.

64. Blessed are the poor in spirit. You have temperance, which abstains from sin, treads upon the world, and does not seek earthly pleasures.

65. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst; for he who hungers, has compassion on the hungry, by showing compassion he gives, by giving he becomes just; for his Justice endures forever (Psalm 111, 9). Therefore, in Matthew, we understand hunger and thirst as spiritual, in which the food of justice is desired or the drink; because virtue is like a certain matter of virtues, that the just one excels himself to the inferiors, excludes deceit, and seeks the truth.


Blessed are you who now weep, for you will laugh. You have the wisdom to weep for things that pass away, and to seek those things that are eternal; to mourn for worldly things that contradict themselves: to seek the God of peace, who chooses foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and who destroys things that are not, so that those that are, may obtain.

67. (Verse 23.) Blessed are you when people hate you. You have strength, but not the kind that is bought with hatred from crime; rather, endure persecution for the sake of faith; for in this way the crown of suffering is attained, if you disregard the favor of men and follow the divine. Finally, in order for you to know that the consummation of strength is passion: According to this, he says, their fathers did to the prophets; for the Jews persecuted the prophets even to the death of the body. It is also to conquer the anger of fortitude and to restrain indignation; and through this, fortitude strengthens the mind and body, and does not allow them to be disturbed by any fear or pain; which, like perverse interpreters, we are often overcome by.

Therefore, temperance has the cleanliness of the heart and mind, justice has mercy, prudence has peace, and fortitude has gentleness.

(Vers. 24.)

(Verse 24) Woe to you rich, who have your consolation!

69. Although there are many temptations of vice in monetary wealth, most are also incentives for virtues. Although virtue does not require support and the giving of a poor person is more commendable than the generosity of a rich person, it is not those who have wealth but those who do not know how to use it that are condemned by the authority of divine judgment. For just as that poor person is more praiseworthy who gives with a ready affection and is not hindered by the obstacles of impending poverty, and does not consider himself poor because he has what is enough for nature, so this rich person is more criminal who should have expressed gratitude to God for what he received and should not hide the income given for common use and should not bury it in hoarded treasures. Therefore, it is not the census but the intention behind the crime that matters. And although throughout their whole lives, those who are under custody seek to guard their ill-gotten wealth with anxious fear, since there is no graver punishment than losing the gains of their successors, nevertheless, because the desires and cravings of greed are nourished by a certain empty pleasure: those who have found solace in the present life have lost eternal reward.

Yet here we can understand the rich people of the Jews, or heretics, or certainly the philosophers of the world, who, delighted with the abundance of words and a certain inheritance of ambitious eloquence, surpassed the simplicity of true faith and accumulated useless treasures. Doesn't it seem to you that someone is a heretic, when you hear him disputing about the generation of the Lord according to the usage of the world, rich in words, but poor in strength? He thinks that he has riches in this present time, but in the future he will recognize the poverty of his faith; and he will know that the food of his unfaithfulness, which he has belched forth in this present age, will be punished with eternal fasting of faith, and he will understand the cause of such great punishment. And there will come a time when those who now laugh at our words will mourn. To these, it will be said well:

(Vers. 26.)

(Verse 26.) Woe to you when all men speak well of you!

Does it not seem to you that these are the ones who, not long ago in the council of Ariminum, as authors of treacherous apostasy, lost the grace of God while following the favor of the emperor? Those who seek to please the powerful have subjected themselves to a perpetual curse.

72. Therefore, the holy Matthew incited the people to virtue and faith by the rewards: he also deterred them from crimes and sins by the threat of future punishments. He did not come to the place of blessings until he had advanced through the enumeration of many heavenly deeds, not in vain, so that he might teach the people, strengthened by divine miracles, to progress beyond the path of the Law and to follow in the footsteps of virtue. It is necessary to be cautious there, where the hearts of the weak people still wavered: here, virtue was to be aroused by the sound of the trumpet. This book teaches what is revealed in the prefaces and what is expounded in the course of the discourse. There, those who are weak are still nourished with a certain milk of the Law, and therefore are led through the path of the Law to grace: they hear what the Law is, so that by following the Law, they may go beyond the Law. Here, the more firmly established Church is not nourished with milk, but is nourished with food; for charity is a stronger food. Finally, among the three greatest virtues, faith, hope, and charity, charity is the greatest.


73. (V. 27.) Therefore, charity is ordained when it is said: Love your enemies, so that what is spoken in the Church may be fulfilled, which was said before: Ordain in me charity (Song of Solomon 2:4); For charity is ordained when the precepts of charity are formed. See how it begins from higher things and rejects the Law behind the blessings of the Gospel. The Law commands the cycle of vengeance (Exodus 21:24); The Gospel imparts charity in enmities, kindness in hatred, blessings in curses, help to persecutors, patience to the hungry, and the grace of reward. How much more perfect is the athlete who does not feel injury!

74. (Verse 31.) And so that the Lord may not appear to dissolve the Law, He keeps the principle of reciprocity in benefits, which He neglects in injuries. But nevertheless, by saying: As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them likewise, the reciprocity itself is more abundant when actions are equal to desires. For virtue does not know the measure of grace: nor is it satisfied to return what it has received, it desires to multiply what it has taken: so that it may not be inferior in bestowing kindness, even if it is equal in duty. For it is not only the quantity, but also the order and timing, that determine the value of benefits; for in equal benefaction, the one who begins first is considered prior; for the one who begins the act of kindness is the benefactor, and the one who returns it is the debtor. Therefore, the priority of benefaction is a different kind of benefit; for if someone returns the money, they do not pay back the favor, and they remain a debtor of favor, even if they no longer owe money: why do we think that the return of a favor can void gratitude, when its repayment is more a testimony of acknowledgement than an absolution?


75. (Verse 32.) Therefore, the Christian is imbued with a good example; so that not content with natural law, he seeks the grace of God. For if love is common to all, even sinners, then a profession of higher rank should also have a more abundant zeal for virtue, so that he may love even those who do not love him. For although no merits exclude the use of love, they do not exclude the virtue of love. Just as in the one who loves you, it is shameful not to return the favor; and through the love of gratitude, love for the person grows in you whom you did not previously love: so also in the one who does not love, you must love virtue; so that while you love virtue, you may begin to love the person whom you do not love: since rare and temporary rewards are for lovers, eternal rewards are for virtue.


But what is so surprising as to offer the other cheek to one who strikes the jaw? Does not every impulse of indignation break, is not anger appeased? Does not patience bring it about that, after your assailant has struck you, you strike him more with your own remorse? Thus you will both repel injury and seek favor. And often the greatest causes for love arise when patience is offered to insolence, when kindness is returned for injury. Indeed, as I remember hearing, we think that philosophy expresses this idea in that one raised eyebrow; that is, justice seems to have divided itself into three parts: one for God, which is called piety; another for parents, or the rest of the human race; and the third for the dead, so that due rites may be performed for them. But indeed, the Lord Jesus, having surpassed the oracle of the Law and the pinnacle of philosophy, extended the duty of piety even to those who had wounded him. For if an enemy who has fought with you in war and with weapons, having laid down his arms, obtains mercy for his own salvation, and this usually happens either by contemplating nature or by the right of war itself, so that life is granted to the conquered: how much more should it be extended with a better view of religion! For when the desire for preservation of health does not move the warrior, what should move the soldier of peace?

Therefore, that apostolic teaching, because love is patient, is kind, does not envy, does not boast... is perfected in these precepts. If it is patient, it must endure the one who strikes it: if it is kind, it must not respond to curses: if it does not seek what is its own, it must not resist the one who takes it away: if it does not envy, it must not hate the enemy. And yet the Apostles have an abundance of divine precepts of piety; for it is greater to give than to yield: it is greater to love enemies than not to envy them. All of this the Lord both said and did. When He was cursed, He did not curse in return; when He was struck, He did not strike back; when He was stripped, He did not resist; when He was crucified, He asked forgiveness for His persecutors, saying: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). He defended his accusers from the accusation. They prepared the cross for Him, and He repaid them with salvation and grace.

78. (Verse 35.) And yet, since the very pursuit of virtues becomes sluggish without reward, and He has set before us both an example and a promised reward from heaven, promising that we shall be the sons of God, if we are imitators of Him. For he who hastens to the reward ought not to despise the example, because the more excellent the reward, the more strenuous the duty. But what a reward is the mercy that is obtained through the right of divine adoption! Therefore, follow mercy, so that you may deserve grace.

79. (Verse 36.) The kindness of God extends widely: it rains on the ungrateful, the earth does not withhold its abundant produce from the wicked. The same sun of the world equally illuminates the sacrilegious and the religious. Or, to understand these things mystically, the Lord watered the people of the Jews with rains and shone with the rays of the eternal sun, even though they did not deserve it. But since they were soaked with worldly dew, the Church of God is admitted to the heavenly light, yet in such a way that the prerogative of mercy is preserved for them also if they believe.


He added, do not judge hastily, lest being conscious of your own guilt, you are forced to pass judgment on another.

81. (Verse 44.) It is also a great discipline not to seek fruitful things from unfruitful ones, nor to expect the produce of fertility from uncultivated ones. For to each one, their cultivation gives fruit. In the thorns of this world, that fig cannot be found which, because it is better with fruitful fruits, is well suited to the appearance of resurrection for it is written: They put forth their green figs (Song of Songs 2:13); which immature, useless, and perishable fruit preceded in the Synagogue: or because our life is immature in the body, mature in the resurrection. And therefore, we must distance ourselves from secular worries, which gnaw at the soul and burn the mind, so that we may attain the ripe fruits of diligent cultivation, which cannot be found in the uncultivated parts of this world. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor grapes from thistles. One is concerned with the world and resurrection, the other with the soul and body: either because no one acquires the fruit of their soul's sins, which, like a grape close to the ground, rots in the higher realms; or because no one can escape the damnation of the flesh, except for those whom Christ has redeemed, who hung on the cross like a grape. Therefore, let us distance ourselves from that flesh, which is commanded to bring forth thorns for the condemned man (Gen. III, 18), let us raise our spiritual eyes, let us stretch out our hands; so that we may be able to harvest Christ.

82. (Verse 46.) But it teaches that the foundation of all things is the obedience of virtues to heavenly precepts, through which our house cannot be shaken by the flood of pleasures, the assault of spiritual wickedness, the worldly rain, or the foggy disputes of heretics.

83. (Chapter VII - Verse 1) And when he had finished giving these instructions, he teaches his disciples to follow the example of their teachers. For immediately the servant of a Gentile centurion is offered to the Lord to be healed, in whom the people of the nations, who were held captive by the bonds of earthly servitude and tormented by deadly passions, are expressed to be healed by the grace of the Lord. But what he said about the servant dying did not deceive the Evangelist; for he would indeed have died if he had not been healed by Christ. Therefore, he fulfilled the commandment with heavenly love, who loved his enemies in this way: that he might rescue them from death and bring them into the hope of eternal salvation.

84. (Verse 6.) But how remarkable is the humility of the divine that the Lord of heaven did not scorn to visit the servant of a centurion! Faith shines forth in works, but humanity operates more in emotions. He certainly did not do this because he could not care for him in his absence, but to give you a form to imitate in humility, by teaching you to be submissive to those who are lower and deferential to those who are higher. Finally, in another place, he says: Go, your son lives (John 4:50); so that you may know both the power of divinity and the grace of humility. He did not want to continue there, lest he appear to have bestowed his riches more on his adopted son: he himself went ahead, lest he appear to have despised the lowly status of a centurion's servant; for we are all one in Christ, slave and free.

85. But see the faith as a prerogative of medicine. Also note that even among the pagan people there is insight into the mystery. The Lord continues: the centurion is excused, with his military command, due to his humbleness, and he shows reverence, and he is quick to have faith and honor. And Luke also mentions that friends were sent by the centurion to meet Jesus; so that his presence would not burden the dignity of the Lord, and to show respect for his duty. Haec moraliter.

But the people of the nations wished for the mystic one, whom the Jewish people crucified, to remain uninjured by injustice; and as for faith, they believed in the word, that is, in the power of God, and expected that healing would be given to people by Christ. But as for the mystery, they saw that Christ was not yet penetrable in the hearts of the still pagan people. And therefore, because he had not yet washed away the stains of past thoughts, he considered himself to be burdened rather than helped by the Lord's favor. So that widow of Sarepta considered herself unworthy of prophetic hospitality (III Kings 17:18). And for this reason the Lord preferred faithfulness of the Gentiles in that one.

87. (Verse 9.) And indeed, if you read it thus: In no one have I found such great faith in Israel, the understanding is simple and easy. But if you read it according to the Greeks: Nor in Israel have I found such great faith, this faith is even preferred to the chosen and to those who see God.

88. (Verse 10.) But consider the economy: the faith of the master is proven, and the health of the servants is strengthened. Therefore, the merit of the master can help the servants not only by the merit of faith, but also by the zeal of discipline. Also, observe another aspect of the Lord's humility: He does not promise, but He acts; for although He had not yet commanded healing, the servants who were sent found the servant boy in good health.

(Vers. 12-14.)

(Verses 12-14.) When he was approaching the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came forward and touched the coffin.

89. And this place is overflowing with both forms of grace, so that we may believe in the quickening divine mercy of the widow's mother through her lamentation, especially her who is broken by the toil or death of her only son; yet, the merit of the widow's sorrow is won over by the mass of funeral rites; and this widow, surrounded by the multitude of peoples, seems to be more than a woman, who has deserved to obtain the resurrection of her only young son through her tears; because the holy Church calls the younger people away from the pomp of the funeral and the ultimate rest of their graves back to life by contemplating tears; for they are forbidden to weep, since resurrection is owed to them.


90. He, who indeed was dead in the tomb, was carried to the grave with four material elements; but he had hope of rising again, because he was carried on wood. And although this did not benefit us before; yet after Jesus touched it, it began to advance towards life; so that it would be a sign of salvation to the people to be given back through the instrument of the cross. Therefore, upon hearing the word of God, those harsh carriers of that funeral stood still, who were pressing the human body, weighed down by the deadly flow of material nature. For what else do we lie lifeless, as if in a kind of bier, that is, the instrument of our final burial, when either the fire of excessive desire burns, or cold sweat overflows, or the strength of our souls is maintained by a sluggish state of the body, or our spirit, solidified by vice, nourishes the mind void of pure light? These are the bearers of our funeral.

But although the hope of life has been abolished for all by the finality of death, and the bodies of the deceased lie nearby in the tomb; nevertheless, by the word of God, the corpses that are about to die rise again, the voice returns, the son is returned to his mother, he is called back from the tomb, he is snatched away from the sepulcher. What is your tomb, if not evil morals? Your tomb is deceit, your sepulcher is your throat: For their throat is an open sepulcher (Psalm V, 11), from which dead words are uttered. From this tomb Christ liberates you, from this mound you will arise, if you listen to the word of God.

92. And if it is a grave sin that you cannot wash away with the tears of your repentance, let the mother Church weep for you, who intervenes as a widowed mother for each one as if for a single son; she sympathizes with a spiritual sorrow of nature when she sees her children urged towards death by deadly vices. We are her own flesh and blood; for there are also spiritual organs, which Paul says he has, saying: So, brother, let me have joy of you in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord (Philem. 20). Therefore, we are the organs of the Church; since we are the members of its body, of its flesh, and of its bones. Let the pious mother grieve, let the crowd assist: not only the crowd, but also let the good parent grieve with compassion. Now you will rise from the dead, now you will be freed from the tomb: your funeral attendants will stand, you will begin to speak the words of life, everyone will fear; for many will be corrected by the example of one. They will also praise God, who has granted us such remedies to avoid death.


(Vers. 19.)

(Verse 19.) And John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus, saying, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'

93. The understanding is not simple in simple words; otherwise, the present conflicts with the past. For how can John, whom he knew in the past by the revelation of God the Father, not know him here? How can he recognize someone there whom he did not know before, and not recognize someone here whom he already knew? 'I did not know him,' he says, 'but the one who sent me to baptize told me: 'On whomever you see the Spirit descending' (John 1:33).' And he believed what was said, and recognized what was shown, and worshipped what was baptized, and prophesied about what was coming. Finally, he said, 'I saw and testified that this is the chosen one of God' (Ibid., 34). So, how could such a great prophet be mistaken, that he would not believe that the one about whom he had said, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world' (Ibid., 29), was still the Son of God? For it is either insolence to attribute divinity to someone you do not know, or it is perfidy to doubt the Son of God. Therefore, there is no suspicion of such a great error falling upon that Prophet.

Therefore, if the form of simple intelligence conflicts, we should seek a spiritual figure. And because we have already said above (in Luke, chapter 3) that John is a type of the Law, which was a precursor of Christ, it is right that the Law, which held captive the hearts of the faithless as if in eternal prisons, was physically enclosed, with its fertile entrails of punishments and doors of madness restrained, would not be able to bring about the complete fulfillment of the testimony of the Lord's dispensation without the consent of the Gospel. Indeed, the Law prophesied the grace of baptism through the cloud and the sea in Exodus; it foreshadowed spiritual food in the lamb (Exodus 12:3); it designated an everlasting fountain in the rock (Exodus 17:6); it revealed the forgiveness of sins in Leviticus (Leviticus 25:10); it announced the kingdom of heaven in the Psalms; it most clearly declared the promised land in Joshua.

95. All these things are in agreement with the testimony of John as well: but nevertheless, they are suppressed by the tyrannical powers of this world, so that the light of the Lord's resurrection may not be shed abroad. Therefore John sends his disciples to Christ, so that they may attain the fullness of knowledge; for Christ is the fulfillment of the Law: so that, since often words are empty without actions, and faith is more fully shown by the witness of deeds than by promises of words, which were then wavering in the hearts of the Jews as if sealed up by the Law, it might be revealed by the very spectacle of the Lord's cross and the full testimony of his resurrection.


96. And perhaps these disciples are two peoples, one of whom believed from the Jews, the other from the Gentiles, who believed because they heard. Therefore, they wanted to see because of that: But blessed are your eyes that see, and your ears that hear (Matt. 13:16) . But we also saw in John: we perceived with our own eyes in the apostles: and we examined with our own hands the fingers of Thomas. For what was from the beginning, what we heard, and what we saw, we perceived with our own eyes, and our hands examined the Word of life, and life appeared (1 John 1:1-2) . When did he appear? When did we see. He did not appear like this before he was seen. Thanks therefore to the Lord, who was crucified for our faith, was crucified for our desires. My mind is fixed on that crucifix.

Therefore, those who study the Old Testament now, before they are acquainted with the Gospel, and read certain traces of the Lord's body, think that He is about to come, and they inquire whether He Himself is Christ the Son of God, who is to come. And when they read the passages where He spoke with Abraham (Gen. 18:20ff. and 22:1), or when He showed himself as the leader of the heavenly army (Jos. 5:14), they say, for sure: Are you the one who is to come, or shall we expect another? But when they come to the Gospel, and know that the blind are enlightened, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised, then they say: We have seen him, and with our own eyes we have beheld him, and we have inserted our fingers into the wounds of his nails. For it seems to us that we have seen whom we have read about, that we have looked upon him hanging, and, with the Spirit of the Church searching, have felt his wounds; for if demons are cast out by the finger of God, faith is also found by the finger of the Church. Perhaps, in a certain part of the operation of our body, we all seem to have investigated the sequence of the Lord's Passion; for faith reaches from a few to many. Therefore, the law announces the coming of Christ: the scripture of the Gospel confirms that he has come.

98. Moreover, some also understand about John himself in this way: that he was such a great prophet that he recognized and announced the future remission of sins, but not as someone who doubted, but rather as a devout prophet who believed that he would come, but did not believe that he would die. Therefore, he doubted not in terms of faith, but in terms of piety. Peter also doubted, saying: 'Be merciful to yourself, Lord, this will not happen' (Matthew 16:22). He, the leader of faith (to whom Christ had not yet called himself the Son of God, yet he believed in him regarding the death of Christ), did not believe in Christ. The feeling of piety is not a lapse in devotion. Finally, elsewhere he refuses to have his feet washed where he does not recognize the mystery, while burdened with the duty to the Lord (John 13:8). Therefore, the holy ones did not believe in Christ about to die: For what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, God has prepared these for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). Therefore, the lapse of love does not hinder the faith of the religious.


99. Finally, the Lord, knowing that no one can fully believe without the Gospel; because as faith begins from the old Testament, so it is fulfilled in the new: when asked about himself, he did not sign with words but with deeds.

(Vers. 22.)

(Verse 22.) Go, he says, and report to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news preached to them.

Certainly a full testimony by which the Prophet recognized the Lord; for it was prophesied about him, not about another: because the Lord gives food to the hungry, the Lord lifts up the oppressed, the Lord sets free the prisoners, the Lord enlightens the blind, the Lord loves the righteous, the Lord watches over strangers, he will take care of the orphan and the widow, and he will exterminate the way of sinners (Psalm 145:8-9). He who does these things, says the Prophet, will reign forever (Psalm 145:10). Therefore, these are not the signs of human, but of divine power: to open the darkness of perpetual night for the blind, to heal the wounds of eyes with poured light, to insinuate sound into the ears of the deaf, to rejoin loosened and broken limbs with firm joints, and to recall the dead back to the light with a renewed vigor for living.

101. These things happened before the Gospel, either rarely or not at all. Tobias received his sight (Tob. 11:12), he is one example; and yet it was an angel who provided the remedy, not a man. Elijah raised the dead: he, however, prayed and wept (3 Kings 17:20); Jesus commanded. Elisha cleansed the leper (4 Kings 5:14); yet there the authority of the command did not prevail, but it was a figure of the mystery. The flour did not run out for the hungry widow, multiplying itself according to the prophet's instructions (3 Kings 17:16); but that same flour, or rather the same species of the sacrament, was also preserved as a prefiguration. But still, those are small examples of the testimony of the Lord: the fullness of faith, the crucifixion of the Lord, his death, and burial. And so, after saying those things, she added:

(Vers. 23.)

(Verse 23) Blessed, he said, is the one who has not been scandalized by me.

Indeed, the cross could also cause scandal to the chosen ones, but no testimony is greater to the divine person: there is nothing that seems more beyond human than to offer oneself entirely for the world; this is fully declared by the Lord alone. Finally, he was designated by John in this way: Behold the Lamb of God: behold him who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). But this is not answered to those two men, disciples of John, but to all of us; so that we may believe in Christ if the actions are consistent. For there will come someone who will claim this name for himself, whom you cannot distinguish from a human by mere designation; nevertheless, you can discern him by the consideration of his actions.

(Vers. 24.)

(Verse 24) What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

103. When he had forewarned the disciples of John that they should believe in the Lord's cross, as they were returning, he turned to the crowds and began to provoke the poor to virtue; so that they, exalted in heart, unstable in mind, weak in counsel, might prefer things that are beautiful but fleeting to things that are useful and eternal. But instead they should take up the cross with a humble spirit rather than extol the decorations of this world; and as if they were blessed in their poverty, willingly exchange the life of the body for immortal glory. Therefore, it is not in vain that the persona of Saint John is praised here, who, disregarding idleness, did not change the form of justice for the fear of death, but rather preferred the love of life.

104. 'What,' he said, 'did you go out into the wilderness to see? The world seems to be compared to a desert, still uncultivated, still barren, still infertile, into which the Lord denies that we should go forth, so that we might consider the men inflated in mind and empty in internal virtue, and boasting with fragile worldly glory, as a certain example and image for us to imitate: those who are subject to the storms of this world, stirred by the unstable life, and rightly compared to a reed; in whom there is no fruit of solid righteousness; who, covered with lengthy robes, entangled with knots, resound with empty noise of their mouth, with no benefit to themselves, with frequent stumbling, internally empty, externally appearing beautiful.' We are reeds, rooted in no more stable nature. And if a light breeze of favorable success blows, we beat the nearby ones with a wandering motion: unable to support, eager to harm. Reeds love rivers, and we delight in the flowing and transient world.

However, if someone uproots this reed from the earth and plants it in the garden, and removes any excess, stripping off the old man with his actions, and tempers himself with the handwriting of a fast-writing scribe, it begins not to be a reed, but a pen, which imprints the precepts of celestial Scriptures in the depths of the mind, and inscribes them on the tablets of the heart. Concerning this pen, you have what is said: My tongue is the pen of a fast-writing scribe (Psalm 45:2), which some want to refer to Christ. Therefore, in one place both the word and the pen, and the scribe are read. The word, because it sprang forth from the mysterious birth of the Father: 'My heart hath uttered a good word' (Psalm xlv, 1). The pen, because the flesh of Christ expressed the line of paternal will, and fulfilled the divine commandments by the outpouring of sacred blood. The scribe, because with his pen he revealed to us the mysteries of the paternal disposition through a certain distinctness, either of the Old and New Testament, or of divinity and flesh.


106. Imitate this pen according to the temperament of your flesh. And dip your pen, that is, your flesh, not in ink, but in the spirit of the living God, so that what you write may be eternal. With such a pen, Paul wrote that letter, of which he said: 'You are our letter . . . written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God' (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). Dip your flesh in the blood of Christ, as it is written: 'That your foot may be dipped in blood' (Psalm 68:24). And so, let the imprint of your soul and the step of your mind be marked with unwavering confession of the crucifixion of the Lord. Immerse your flesh in the blood of Christ, if you want to wash away vices, erase sins, and bear the death of Christ in your own flesh, as the Apostle says: Carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus Christ (II Cor. IV, 10). Do not be inclined towards earthly things, lest you break your reed. And therefore, concerning Christ, who had no need to bow to earthly things, it was prophesied: A bruised reed shall he not break (Isaiah XLII, 3); for he strengthened the flesh which sins had bruised, by the power of the resurrection. The good reed of the flesh of Christ, which nailed the head of the serpent of the devil, and the enticing baits of worldly desires to the gibbet of the cross.

(Vers. 24, 25.)

(Verse 24, 25.) But what did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?

107. This is not the Lord's conversation about clothing; although the excessive concern for clothing often feminizes many, who cannot bear the weight of wool as if it were a burden, they sweep silk clothing on the ground with their footsteps, and by habit they make the garment a burden. But nevertheless, here it seems to signify other clothing, and unless I am mistaken, the human bodies with which our soul is clothed. In fact, even Joseph's robe was stained with the appearance of the Lord's body (Gen. XXXVII, 31). And the Apostle says: Stripping himself of flesh, he led all principalities and powers (Colossians II, 15). What else does he show, except that the body was like clothing, from which the Lord stripped himself in his passion, so that divinity remained free and immune to injury? Therefore, this whole passage encourages us prophetically by example to embrace the virtue of undergoing suffering. Finally, he added:

(Vers. 25.)

(Verse 25) Behold those who are in precious garments are in the houses of kings.

There are also soft garments of delightful deeds and manners: for which reason the Apostle exhorts us (Colossians 3:9-10) to strip off the old man with his deeds and put on the new, in which there is no sweet allurements or playfulness of lasciviousness, but rather the use of labor and its fruits; because the delicate care of the body, luxury, and the desire for indulgence will not in any way be received by the heavenly court, to which the ascent is made by the hard and laborious steps of virtue. Indeed, those who are dissolved by the flowing pleasures, exiles from the heavenly kingdom, grow old within the dwellings of this world, whom it is certain are the rulers of this world and inhabitants of darkness. For these are kings (Ephesians 6:12), because they dominate with a certain secular power, they have received the imitators of their works.

(Vers. 26.)

(Verse 26.) But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet is here.

109. Therefore, how did they desire to see John in the desert, who was confined in prison? The Lord proposes him as an example for us to imitate, who prepared the way not only for the Lord's birth according to the order of the flesh and the message of faith, but also by a certain precursor of his glorious suffering. Truly a greater prophet, in whom the end of the prophets is found. A greater prophet, because many desired to see the one whom he prophesied, whom he saw, whom he baptized.


110. But is not even He greater, of whom Moses said: 'The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet' (Deut. xviii, 15)? And of whom it is said: 'And every soul which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people' (ibid., 19)? If, then, Christ is a prophet, how is He greater than all? Do we deny that Christ is a prophet? Nay, we confess Him to be the Lord of the prophets. But I assert that John is a prophet, and I say that he is greater than all, but only among them that are born of women, not among those that are born of a virgin. For indeed he was greater than those with whom he could be equal by the lot of birth. That nature is different from this, and cannot be compared with human generations. There can be no comparison between man and God; each person is preferred to their own. In fact, to such an extent could there be no comparison between John and the Son of God; that he is even considered inferior to the angels.

(Vers. 28.)

(Verse 28.) For whoever is lesser in the kingdom of heaven, he is greater than that.

For since he had said 'angel' he is preeminent among men; and because he had declared that he is superior among those born of women, therefore he added: for the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he; so that you may know that angels must be yielded to. Moreover, John is rightly preferred to his equals, from whose days the kingdom of heaven is forced. This expression seems somewhat obscure, and therefore we thought it should be derived from another book of the Gospel. For if we follow the letter, the lower is necessarily compelled by the higher: but the kingdom of heaven surpasses human things. But when certain things are said to become denser through compression, it is not absurd that the kingdom is compelled when it is frequented by many.

And they forcibly take it (Ibid.). If we repeat that of the Lord which is written, with the Son of God saying: The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21); we observe that the heavenly kingdom is established within us, since Christ has rejected the kingdom of the worldly ruler and has driven away secular delights, and reigns within the secret depths of our souls. Therefore, the desire is brought to the human mind, which, being enticed by various allurements, avoids labor and seeks pleasure; when either restrained by the fear of punishment or enticed by reward, it strives to surpass itself: and as if its labors had been exhausted, it sought to snatch away the palm which, to the dismay of many opponents, was taken away from it, and it sought to claim it. For we snatch the palm of salvation from this world, and, like sentinels on guard, we gather the fruits, surrounded by lurking serpents, with unceasing effort; yet in such a way that it is not a stealthy theft, but a triumphant plunder. There is also another kind of plunder, when we plunder what has been taken from others. However, we do not labor to understand who those plunderers are, since we have learned that we are descended from the breed of the rapacious wolf, Benjamin (Gen. 49:27). John had preceded in order to justify the Jewish people; the Lord Himself had come to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; He had appointed the apostles to establish the faith of the Jewish people either by argument or by signs and miracles. But when they rejected the gifts offered to them, the tax collectors and sinners began to believe in God and to enter the faith. Therefore, in his apostolic preaching, the kingdom of heaven is proclaimed, and it is strengthened by the faithful people's desire.

113. She destroys the kingdom that was laboring under a flow of blood (Luke 8:44); for when the Lord went to the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, he secretly touched her and she tasted the remedy of health. She destroys the kingdom of the Canaanite woman, who, having gone out from her own borders, cried out, saying: Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David: my daughter is severely possessed by a demon (Matthew 15:22). Truly, this woman has compelled the kingdom, persistent in her prayers, wise in her responses, faithful in her words. He recalls the one passing by, asks the one remaining silent, worships the one making excuses, bows to the one denying. Does it not seem to you that he snatches away, when he elicits what is denied, snatches away what is reserved for others? For the Lord had denied that the bread of the children should be given to the dogs: but she consented, and by consenting she snatched away, saying: ‘Certainly, Lord; for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ (ibid. 27).

114. Have you learned how the heavenly kingdom is taken by force? Let us also strive, let us also seize it; for no one eats the Passover unless he hastens to do so (Exodus 12:11). But what is this that takes the kingdom? Not wickedness, not lust, not pleasure, but that which is spoken of: Your faith is great; let it be done for you as you wish (Matthew 15:28). Behold, she took it by force, she obtained what she desired; what she asked for, she compelled. She also took it by force, that widow who, by praying frequently, if not because of her innocence, at least because of her persistence in being heard, extorted it (Luke 18:3).


Therefore, the Church snatches the kingdom from the Synagogue. My kingdom is Christ: I snatch him away from the Jews sent under the Law, born in the Law, nourished according to the Law: so that he may save me who was without the Law. Christ is snatched away, promised to some, predestined to others: Christ is snatched away, born to some, supported by others: Christ is snatched away, killed by some, buried by us: Christ is snatched away by the schemers, snatched away by the sleepers. You have where they themselves confessed to have taken us while we were sleeping, saying: Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept (Matthew 28:13). Therefore arise, you who sleep; lest you also, while sleeping, lose Christ. Arise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead (Ephesians 5:14). Do you see that the dead are asleep? And therefore we do not envy others, but take care of ourselves; for the dead could not save the living.


116. Let those who have slept, or even those who have lost Christ, rise up, whether late or early. Christ is not lost in such a way that he does not return, if, indeed, he is sought after. Rather, he returns to those who are vigilant and is present to those who rise up. In fact, he is present to all, for he is always everywhere, he who fills all things. He does not fail anyone, we are the ones who fail. I say again, he does not fail anyone, he overflows for all. For sin abounded, so that grace might overflow. Christ is grace, Christ is life, Christ is Resurrection. Therefore, whoever rises, finds him to be present.


Therefore the kingdom of heaven is taken by force, when Christ is denied by his own and worshiped by the gentiles; it is taken when it is rejected by them and revered by us; it is taken when it is not acknowledged through inheritance, but acquired through adoption.

Book Six

(Vers. 29, 30.)

(Verse 29, 30.) And all the people, hearing and the tax collectors justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John: but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized.

In the Gospel of Luke, it is revealed with special additions what Saint Matthew had left somewhat obscure in more general terms. For he says: 'And wisdom is justified by her children' (Matthew 11:19). Here we see what that wisdom is: he says that they have justified God. Therefore, God is wisdom, because the Son of God is wisdom: wisdom by nature, not by progress. The power of God the Father is one wisdom, and the power of the soul is another wisdom: the former is begotten, the latter is created. There is one wisdom that is the author of works, and another that is the work itself; for it is a wise work to understand wisely, and to feel actively. These are the gifts of nature: but the one who works is not a creature, but a creator, that is, not a gift of nature, but a bestower of nature.

Therefore, God Himself is justified through baptism, as humans justify themselves by confessing their own sins, as it is written: 'Declare your iniquities, so that you may be justified' (Isaiah 43:26). He is justified in this, because He is not refuted by stubbornness, but His gift is acknowledged through His righteousness: 'The LORD is righteous, and He loves righteousness' (Psalm 11:8). Therefore, the justification of God is seen in this, that it appears not to unworthy and guilty ones, but to innocent ones made clean through washing and that His gifts have been transferred to the righteous. Let us justify the Lord, so that we may be justified by the Lord.

3. Let us inquire more diligently what it means to justify God. The Apostle says: Let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written: That thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou art judged (Rom. III, 4). David also says: To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee; that thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest overcome when thou art judged (Psal. L, 6). Therefore, he who sins and confesses his sin to God justifies God by yielding to Him who overcomes, and hopes for grace from Him. Therefore, in baptism God is justified, in which there is confession and forgiveness of sins.

4. Therefore we do not despise God's plan like the Pharisees. God's plan is in the baptism of John: who then would doubt that God's plan is in the cleansing of Christ? This is the plan that the Angel of great counsel found, which no one knew: For who has known the mind of the Lord (Rom. XI, 34)? No one despises the plan of man, who can refute the plan of God? Therefore, let us justify the mother as children, let us follow the mother. We know that a mother offers herself at risk for her children. By the counsel of the mother of wisdom, let us obey the command of the mother.

(Vers. 32.)

(Verse 32.) We sang to you, and you did not dance: we lamented, and you did not weep.

Even though these may not seem unsuitable for the role of children who engage in light physical activity due to their immaturity in more serious matters, I presume that they can be interpreted in a deeper sense because they appear to be Jews who did not believe in the psalms at first, nor in the later prophetic laments: provoked by the psalms to rewards, and recalled from error by the laments. David sang, that we may hang up our harps on the willows. He himself sang, and danced before the ark of the Lord, not for lasciviousness, but for religious devotion (2 Samuel 6:14). Therefore, it is not the movements of the actor's undulating body in leaps, but the energetic mind and the religious agility of the body that are portrayed. However, the correction that followed was not in triumphs or in the downfall of the Jews, who, provoked by the gifts of divine indulgence, should have eased their minds, lifted their bodies, abandoned earthly things, and sought heavenly things, and, worn down by the injuries of captivity, bewailed the sin that was the cause of the offense.


6. (Verse 35.) Therefore Wisdom is justified by all her children. Well by all, because justice is preserved around all, so that the reception of the faithful may be, and the rejection of the unfaithful. From which the majority of Greeks have it thus: Wisdom is justified by all her works; that is, the work of justice is to preserve the measure around the merit of each individual.

7. Therefore he says well: We have sung to you, and you have not danced (Exodus 15:1). Moses sang indeed when he made the waves subside in the Red Sea for the crossing of the Jews, the water stood up, and it submerged the horses of the Egyptians and their riders. Isaiah sang the song of his beloved vineyard, indicating that the people, who had previously been fruitful with abundant virtues, would become rough with wickedness (Isaiah 5:1). The Hebrews sang when their feet were moistened by the touch of the roasting flame, both inside and outside, while everything else was burning; however, the fire alone licked them harmlessly and did not burn them (Daniel 3:24). Habakkuk also, with a learned song, comforted the public sorrow, and prophesied that the passion of the Lord would be sweet to the faithful (Habakkuk 3:2). Therefore, the prophets sang with spiritual melodies, resulting in public words of salvation. The prophets wept with mournful dirges, soothing the hard hearts of the Jews.

Scripture has taught us to sing seriously and to sing spiritually (Psal. 46:8). It has also taught us to dance wisely, as the Lord said to Ezekiel: 'Clap your hands and stamp your feet' (Ezek. 6:11); for God, the judge of morals, does not require the loose movements of a dancer, or indecent noises from men, or the applause of women, in order to lead a prophet into the mockery of actors and the softness of women. The revealed mysteries of the resurrection do not fit well with the shameful actions of dancing. It is healthy for there to be a certain applause for good actions and deeds, whose sound spreads in all directions and results in the glory of well-done things. And honorable dancing, in which the soul rejoices, and the body is uplifted by good works, when we hang our musical instruments on the willow trees.

Therefore, the prophet is commanded to clap his hands and strike his foot; he is commanded to sing praises because he already saw the wedding of the bridegroom, in which the Church is espoused and Christ is loved. And good is the wedding when the soul is betrothed to the Spirit by the Word made flesh. In these wedding festivities, the prophet David wanted us to play, he invited us to them because he was joining his descendants; and therefore, happier than the others, as if placed in the very act of the wedding, he exhorts us to the celebration of the festive gift, saying: Rejoice in God, our helper, sing joyfully to God, Jacob. Take up the psalm, and give the timbrel, the pleasant psaltery with the harp (Psalm 80:2-3). Do you not recognize the certain act of the prophet dancing? Finally, elsewhere: I will sing to you on the harp, O Holy Israel. My lips will rejoice when I sing to you, and my soul which you have redeemed (Psalm 69:22-23). Do you hear the voices of those playing the harp, do you hear the sounds of those dancing? Believe it to be a wedding.

10. Take also your lyre, so that the struck chords of the interior veins make the sound of a good work. Take your psaltery, so that the harmony of your words and deeds may sing together. Take the timbrel, so that the instrument of your body may modulate the inner spirit, and let the sweetness of your behavior be expressed in your actions. Thus the prophet sang, when he said: Come here from Lebanon, my bride, come here from Lebanon (Song of Songs 4:8).


11. This song was sung by the boys, but they were not heard. Which boys? Of whom it is said: Behold I, and the boys whom you have given me (Isaiah VIII, 18). But this song was not sung in the marketplace, nor in the streets, but in Jerusalem; for it is the Lord's forum, in which the laws of heavenly precepts are established.

(Vers. 37.)

(Verse 37.) And behold, a woman who was a sinner in the city.

12. At this point, many seem to have a scruple and raise questions as to whether the two Evangelists appear to have disagreed about faith, or whether they wanted to indicate some diversity in the diversity of their words as a mystery. For you have in the Gospel according to Matthew that Jesus, when he had come to Bethany, into the house of Simon the leper, a woman approached him with an alabaster jar of precious ointment, and while he was reclining, she poured it on his head (Matthew 26:6-7). Then there: the Pharisee says within himself that if he were a prophet, he would know the sinner and should avoid her ointment (Ibid., 8). There the disciples complain about the spilled ointment. Therefore, both must be explained, but the one that is first in the order of the writings should also receive the first order of interpretation.

13. Therefore, the Lord Jesus came into the house of Simon the leper. It is clear that the stewardship does not shy away from the leper, does not avoid the unclean, in order to be able to remove the stains from the human body. But the house of the leper was in Bethany, which is called the house of obedience by interpretation. Therefore, all of Bethany is the portion of the house of Simon. Does it not seem to you that Bethany is a clean place, in which we must offer the service of obedience, but the house of Simon the leper is like the earth, which is a portion of the world? But the prince of this age is a certain leper named Simon. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ came from those higher places into this world and descended to the earth. He was not in this world, but by obedient piety, he was sent into this world. He himself says: As you sent me into this world (John 6:57). Therefore, this woman heard that Christ had come, she entered the house of Simon; for this woman could not have been healed unless Christ had come to the earth. And perhaps for this reason it also enters the house of Simon, because it has the appearance of a higher soul, namely, the Church, which descends to earth in order to gather the people to itself with a good fragrance.

14. (Verse 38.) Therefore, Saint Matthew introduces this woman pouring ointment on Christ's head (Matthew 26:7): and perhaps he did not want to say she was a sinner, as the sinner according to Luke poured ointment on Christ's feet. Therefore, it is possible that they are not the same, so that the evangelists do not seem to contradict each other. It is also possible that the question is resolved by the difference in merit and time, so that the former is still a sinner, while the latter is more perfect. For although the Church or the soul does not change its person, it does change its progress. Therefore, if you determine that the soul approaches God faithfully, not with shameful and obscene sins, but serving God's Word devoutly, having the confidence of immaculate chastity, you notice that it ascends to the head of Christ (and the head of Christ is God (I Cor. XI, 3)) and spreads the fragrance of its merits: for we are the good fragrance of Christ to God (II Cor. II, 15). For indeed, the good honours God, like a fragrant odor, the life of the righteous.

15. If you understand these things, you will see that this woman is very blessed, wherever this Gospel is proclaimed, her name is mentioned, and her memory will never fade away (Matthew 26:13); for she poured perfume on the head of Christ, the sweet fragrance of good morals and righteous deeds. Whoever approaches the head cannot be elevated; just as the one who is empty and swollen with the mind of carnal desires, and does not hold the head. But whoever does not hold the head of Christ should hold the feet; because the one body, joined and supplied, grows for the increase of God (Colossians 2:19).


16. The other person or departure is near to us. For we have not yet renounced our sins. Where are our tears, where are the sighs, where are the weepings? Come, let us worship and prostrate ourselves before God, and let us weep before our Lord, who made us (Psalm 94:6); so that at least we may come to the feet of Jesus. For we cannot yet come to the head, because the sinner is at the feet, the righteous at the head.

17. She has, however, the ointment which she sinned. Grant me and you also, after sin, repentance. Wherever you have heard that a righteous person has come either to the house of the unworthy or to the house of the Pharisee, strive: snatch away hospitality, snatch away the kingdom of heaven: For from the days of John the Baptist . . . the kingdom of heaven is forced, and those who force it lay hold of it (Matthew 11:12). Wherever you hear the name of Christ, hasten: knowing that Jesus has entered into the inner house of anyone, hurry there yourself. When you find wisdom, when you find justice residing in someone's innermost being, run to their feet, that is, seek the highest part of wisdom. Do not disdain their feet: that fringe touched them, and it was healed (Luke 8:44). Confess your sins with tears, and let that heavenly justice speak of you as well:

(Vers. 44.)

(Verse 44.) She washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.

And perhaps for this reason Christ did not wash his feet, so that we may wash them with our tears. Good tears, which can not only wash away our sin, but also water the heavenly Footprint of the Word, so that his steps may abound in us. Good tears, in which there is not only the redemption of sinners, but also the refreshment of the righteous, for the righteous voice says: My tears have been my bread day and night (Psalm 42:4).

19. And if you cannot approach the head of Christ, let Christ touch your head with His feet. And His garment heals, and His feet heal. Spread out your hair, lay down before Him all the dignities of your body. Not insignificant are the hairs that can wipe the feet of Christ. This is testified by him, who as long as he had hair, could not be conquered (Jud. XVI, 5 et seq.). Finally, it is not proper for a woman with her head uncovered to pray (I Cor. XI, 5). May she indeed have hairs with which she may surround Christ's footsteps, with which she may wipe her own locks of beauty and the feet of wisdom; so that at least the last drops of divine virtue may moisten them, she may fix her kisses on the feet of justice. This is not a minor merit, of which Wisdom can say:

(Vers. 45.)

(Verse 45.) Since I entered, he has not stopped kissing my feet.

20. So that he may know nothing except to speak wisdom, so that he may know nothing except to love justice, so that he may know nothing except to practice chastity, so that he may know nothing except to embrace purity. For a kiss is the sign of mutual love: a kiss is the pledge of charity.

21. (Vers. 46.) Blessed is he who can and desires to anoint the feet of Christ: for Simon had not yet anointed them. But more blessed is she who anointed them with ointment; for she spreads the various sweet fragrances of many flowers collected into one. And perhaps no one else can bear this ointment except the Church alone, which has countless flowers of different scents: which rightly receives the appearance of a sinner, since Christ also assumed the form of a sinner.


22. (Verse 47.) And therefore no one can love as much as she who loves in many. Neither Peter himself who said: Lord, you know that I love you (John 21:17). Nor Peter himself who was grieved because he was asked: Do you love me (ibid.)? For what was obvious, he did not want to be sought as if unknown. Therefore not even Peter himself, because he loved the Church in Peter. Nor Paul himself, because Paul is also his portion. And you, love very much, so that much may be pardoned to you. Paul has sinned greatly, who was also a persecutor: but he has loved greatly, who has persevered even to martyrdom. Many sins have been forgiven him; because he also loved greatly, who did not spare his own blood for the sake of God's name.

23. (Verse 39) Look at the economy: in the house of the Pharisee, the sinful woman is glorified, in the house of the Law and the Prophets, not the Pharisee, but the Church is justified; for the Pharisee did not believe, he believed these things. Finally, he said: If this man were a prophet, he would surely know who and what kind of woman is touching him. But the house of the Law is Judea, which is not written in stones, but on the tablets of the heart. In this the Church is now justified by a greater Law; for the Law of sins does not know forgiveness; the Law does not have the mystery by which hidden things are cleansed; and therefore what is lacking in the Law is completed in the Gospel.


(Vers. 41.)

(Verse 41.) "Two," he said, "were debtors to a certain moneylender: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

24. Who are these two debtors, if not two peoples: one from the Jews, the other from the nations, both subject to that heavenly treasurer, the moneylender? One, he says, owed five hundred denarii, the other fifty. This denarius is not insignificant, for on it the image of the king is formed, who bears the trophy of the emperor. We owe this moneylender not material wealth, but the scales of merits, the weight of virtues: the value of which is measured by the gravity of merit, the appearance of justice, and the sound of confession. Woe is me if I do not have what I have received: either because it is difficult for anyone to be able to repay this whole debt to the lender, woe is me if I do not ask: Grant me the debt (Matthew 6:12)! For the Lord did not teach us to pray in such a way that we ask to have our debts forgiven, unless he knew that there would be some suitable debtors who find it difficult.

25. But who is this people which owes more, if not us, to whom more has been entrusted? To them the sayings of God have been entrusted, to us the birth of the Virgin has been entrusted. You have the talent of the Virgin's birth: you have the hundredth fruit of faith. Emmanuel, God, has been entrusted to us; the cross, death, resurrection of the Lord have been entrusted. And if Christ suffered for all, He suffered especially for us because He suffered for the Church. Therefore, there is no doubt that the one who has received more should owe more. And perhaps, in the eyes of people, the one who owes more may offend more. But by the mercy of the Lord, the situation is changed so that the one who owes more may love more, if he attains grace. For both the one who gives grace and the one who receives it have it. And in having it, he pays off what he owes. For both by giving, it is held, and by having, it is repaid.


26. And therefore, since there is nothing that we can offer to God worthily, (for what can we offer for the injury of the assumed flesh? what for the beatings? what for the cross, death, burial?) woe is me if I do not love! I dare to say: Peter did not repay, and therefore he loved more. Did Paul not repay? He did indeed repay death for death, but he did not repay other things; because he owed much. Hear him saying himself that he did not repay: Who has first given to him and will be repaid (Rom. XI, 34)? We give back the cross for the cross, the funeral for the funeral. Do we not also give back what we have through it, and by it, and in it, all things? Therefore, let us give back love for the debt, charity for the gift, grace for the price of blood; for he loves more who is given more.

27. But let us return to that earlier matter, the plan of which the apostles still do not understand, hidden from ages in God: For who has known the mind of the Lord (Ibid.)? Therefore, the disciples complained because a woman poured ointment on his head, and they were saying: Why was this wasted? For it could have been sold for a high price and given to the poor (Matthew 26:8). What displeased Christ in their words, you will not be able to understand unless you perceive the mystery; the aroma of ointment is that of a luxurious man, or rather not a man. Certainly, even those who are lazy tend to anoint themselves, not to pour out. So then, what was displeasing because it was said: This could have been sold for a price, and given to the poor (Matthew 25:40)? Certainly, he himself had said before: Whatever you did to one of the least of these, you did it to me. But he himself offered his own death for the poor.

28. Therefore, it is not a simple matter; and therefore the Word of God responded to them: Why are you bothering this woman? . . . . . You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me (Matthew XXVI, 10 and 11) . Therefore, you always have the poor with you, and therefore do good. Should you then delay helping the poor; because they are always with you, as the Prophet says to you: Do not say to the poor . . . . Tomorrow I will give (Proverbs III, 28) ? But he spoke only of mercy: but here he preferred the faith of mercy, which at that time has merit, if it is accompanied by faith. For she poured this perfume on my body, and did it for my burial. (Matt. XXVI, 12). Therefore the Lord loved not the ointment, but charity; he received not the faith, but humility.

29. And if you desire grace, increase charity: send into the body of Jesus faith in the resurrection, the fragrance of the Church, the ointment of common charity; and thus, progressing, you will give to the poor. That money will benefit you more if you do not give it as if you were rich, but as if you were giving it for the sake of Christ's future: if you give it to the poor, you will bring it to Christ. Therefore, do not only receive ointment poured on your head literally: for the letter kills (2 Corinthians 3:6); but according to the spirit, for the spirit is life.


30. Therefore, what is the ointment of this woman? Who can hear this? Who has such ears, that he can grasp the word spoken by Jesus, which he received from the Father, rather, who himself is the Word, and can comprehend such a great depth of mystery? And the disciples understand in part, even if they do not understand the whole. Hence, some think that the disciples should have bought the faith of the Gentiles with the price of the ointment, which was owed only by the price of the Lord's blood; which seems plausible. Finally, John the Evangelist mentions in his narrative that the ointment of Judas Iscariot was valued at three hundred denarii, as you have: For it could have been sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor (John 12:5). However, the three hundred pieces of silver indicate the emblem of the cross, but the Lord prefers not the superficial knowledge of the mystery, but rather to bury the faith of believers in himself.

31. However, we understand from the words of the other apostles that Judas is condemned for his greed, who preferred money to the Lord's burial, who, although he felt remorse for his betrayal, went astray with such a costly sale: he wanted to be valued cheaply, like Christ, so that he could be purchased by everyone and not deter any poor person. 'Freely you have received, freely give' (Matthew 10:8). He does not seek money for the sake of wealth, but for the sake of grace. He redeemed us with his precious blood, he did not sell us. About which we would speak more fully, if we did not recall elsewhere the treatise by ourselves (Book 3, On the Holy Spirit, chapter 18).

Therefore, according to the words of the Lord, in whom the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden (Col. II, 3), which no one could foresee, I must work for his burial; so that his flesh, having rested, is believed to have seen no corruption: and let the death of his body fill our home with the scent of himself, so that we may believe that he entrusted his spirit into the hands of the Father, and that divinity, separated from death, did not undergo the participation of bodily passions.


33. Understand how the body of the Son is anointed with ointment. That body is what has been taken off, not what has been lost. The Scriptures are the traditions of that body. The Church is the body of that body. We are the fragrance of his body; and therefore it is fitting that we adorn the death of his body. Although he does not require our adornment, the poor require it. I will adorn his body if I become a preacher of his words and am able to open the mystery of the cross to the Gentiles. He adorned the one who said: Because we preach Christ crucified, to Jews indeed a scandal, and to Gentiles foolishness: but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God (I Cor. I, 23 and 24). The cross is adorned, when that which is considered foolish through ignorance is esteemed wiser through the Gospel; so that we can teach how the opposing power is destroyed through the Lord's cross. I sent ointment into the Lord's body, which was thought to be dead, and it begins to breathe.


34. Therefore, let each person worship by buying with their own labor, and by the effort of virtues, a jar of ointment, not some cheap and common one, but a precious ointment of a jar, and a pounded ointment. For if someone gathers flowers of faith and preaches Jesus Christ crucified to the whole Church, which is the body of Christ, dead to the world and resting in God, they pour out the ointment of their faith. The whole house of the Lord begins to smell of passion: it begins to smell of death: it begins to smell of resurrection; so that each person may say from this number of the sacred people: But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14). The Spirit is breathing, the ointment is fragrant on the body, if anyone can (and I wish I could) speak confidently: But to me the world has been crucified (Ibid.). Not loving riches, not loving the honors of the world, not loving what is one's own, but what is of Jesus Christ: not loving what is seen, but what is not seen: not desiring life, but desiring to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, the world has been crucified. For this is to take up the cross and follow Christ; so that we may die and be buried with Him; so that we may be able to smell the ointment that this woman sent into His burial. This ointment is not mediocre, by which the name of Christ is spread far and wide. Hence it is also prophesied: Your name is like an outpoured ointment (Song of Songs 1:2). Therefore, it is outpoured so that it may emit a greater fragrance of faith.

35. Therefore, from this woman, we understand what the Apostle meant: Sin abounded, so that grace might also abound (Rom. V, 20). For if sin did not abound in this woman, grace would not abound either; for she recognized sin and brought forth grace. And therefore, the Law is necessary; for through the Law, I recognized sin. If there had been no Law, sin would have been concealed. By recognizing sin, I seek forgiveness. Therefore, through the Law, I acknowledge the different kinds of sins and also the crime of transgression, I run to repentance, and obtain grace. Law therefore is the author of good, which directs towards grace.

(Chap. VIII. — Vers. 21.)

(Chapter 8, Verse 21) My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.

36. The moral teacher who offers himself as an example to others, is both the teacher and the executor of his own precepts. For, in order to prescribe to others that one must not leave his father and mother, unless he wishes to be unworthy of the Son of God, he himself first submits to this judgment: not because he rejects the duties of maternal piety (for it is commanded in Exodus XX, 'Whoever does not honor his father or mother, let him die the death'), but because he recognizes that he owes more to paternal mysteries than to maternal affections. However, parents are not rejected unjustly, but they are taught that the bond of the mind is more sacred than the bond of the body.

Therefore, those who were seeking to see Christ should not have been standing outside: for the word is near you, and in your heart (Rom. X, 8). Therefore, the word is inside, the light is inside. Hence, he also says: Approach the Lord, and be illuminated (Psal. XXXIII, 6). For if those standing outside do not recognize their own parents, and perhaps do not recognize the example for our sake: then how will we be recognized if we stand outside?

And let no one think that there is any offense to piety when the commandment of the Law is fulfilled: for if a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh, correctly, this sacrament is celebrated in Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:31-32). And therefore, parents could not be preferred to one's own body. Therefore, here the mother is not denied (as some heretics baselessly assert) who is also recognized from the cross (John 19:26), but is preferred to the bodily relationship according to the prescribed form of celestial matters. It is also worth understanding, because it demonstrates through the example of the parents to the Jews, from whom Christ came in the flesh, that the Church which believed is to be preferred.

39. Therefore, the one who understood himself to have come to the earth on account of the divine mystery, and to have joined the assembly of the Church, ascended the ship and left his parents. For no one can navigate this world without Christ, since even those whom the Lord accompanies are often disturbed by the storm of worldly temptations. And the economy is preserved in the apostles, so that you may understand that no one can depart from this course of life without temptation, for temptation is the exercise of faith.


Therefore, we are subject to the storms of spiritual evil: but like vigilant sailors, we rouse the helmsman. However, they themselves are also in danger. Therefore, who should we seek as a helmsman? Certainly, one who does not serve, but commands the winds, about whom it is written:

(Vers. 24.)

(Verse 24) But he, rising up, rebuked the wind.

What is rising? For it was at rest: but it was at rest with the sleep of the body, while it engaged in the mystery of divinity; for where there is wisdom, where there is word, nothing is done without word, nothing without prudence.

Above, you have that he spent the night in prayer (Luke 6:12): how could he sleep in the storm? But the confidence of his power is expressed, because while everyone else was afraid, he alone slept fearlessly. Therefore, he is not a partner in nature who is not a partner in danger. And if the body sleeps, divinity works, faith works. Finally, he says: O you of little faith, why do you doubt (Matthew 8:26)? And those who feared in the presence of Christ are rightly criticized, since certainly anyone who adheres to Him cannot perish.


Therefore, he confirmed the faith and repelled the tranquility. He commanded the wind to cease, not the north wind, not the south wind, but surely that wind to which the angel Michael said in the Epistle of Jude: 'May the Lord command you' (Jude IX). Therefore, even Saint Matthew said: 'He commanded the wind and the sea' (Matthew VIII, 26). And may he deign to restrain his harsh gusts in us; so that the tranquility rejected by the fluctuating life may remove the fear of shipwreck! And even if it does not sleep with the sleep of its body, let us be careful that the sleep of our body does not sleep and rest for us.

44. And since what we have discussed in the previous passage is enough, now we have come to know that in the book according to Matthew, two men possessed by demons in the region of the Gerasenes encountered Christ (Ibid., 28), but here the holy Luke introduces only one, who is also described as naked (for anyone who has lost the covering of their nature and virtue is naked), I think it is not to be overlooked but rather must be investigated why the evangelists seem to disagree on the number. And indeed, although the number may differ, the mystery remains the same; for that man who had a demon is a symbol of the Gentile people, covered in vices, naked with error, openly guilty. These two also symbolize the Gentile people; for when Noah fathered three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Gen. 9:18), only the family of Shem was chosen by God. From these two different nations, peoples sprang forth, one cursed because he did not cover his father's nakedness; the other blessed because, though facing away, he did not draw in the shame of his naked parent, but rather covered his father with piety and thus averted the curse of their shared lineage.


(Vers. 27.)

(Verse 27.) He says that he lived for many years.

45. Indeed, he who was tormented from the flood until the coming of the Lord, breaking the chains of nature with wild madness. And not without reason did the holy Matthew indicate that those spirits dwelt in the tombs (Matt. VIII, 28), since such souls seem to dwell in certain burial mounds. For what else are the bodies of the faithless, if not the burial places of the dead, in which the words of God do not dwell? Therefore, he wandered in deserted places, barren of spiritual virtues; a fugitive from the Law, separated from the prophets, removed from grace.


46. (Vers. 30-33.) For it was not by one demon, but by the attack of the whole legion, that she was troubled; and when she saw the Lord and knew that at the time of the Lord's coming she would be cast into the depths, she began to pray that she might receive the opportunity to enter into the pigs. And first we must note the mercy of the Lord, that he does not condemn anyone beforehand, but each one is the author of his own punishment. The demons are not sent into the pigs, but they themselves request it; because they cannot bear the brightness of heavenly light, just as those whose eyes hurt cannot bear the rays of the sun; but they choose the darkness and abandon the shining. Therefore let the demons flee from the splendor of eternal light, and let them fear the torments that are due to them at the appointed time, not foreseeing what is to come, but remembering what has been prophesied; for Zacharias said: And it shall be in that day, saith the Lord, that I will destroy the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered ... and I will take away the unclean spirit out of the land (Zach. XIII, 2). Therefore we are taught that they will not always remain; so that their wickedness may not be perpetuated among men. Therefore, fearing that punishment, they say: You came... to destroy us (Matthew VIII, 29). But because they still want to exist, already departing from men, for whom they know that punishment must be undergone, they ask to be sent into pigs.

Who are these pigs, if not perhaps those about whom it has been said: Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor cast pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet (Matth. VII, 6)? Namely, those who, devoid of the use of voice and reason, have defiled the ornaments of virtues with the dirty actions of their sinful life. They rush headlong; for they are not recalled by contemplation of any merit, but, as if pushed down from higher things to lower things by the downward slope of wickedness, they are suffocated in the waters, like strangled creatures amidst the waves of this world, their breath being cut off; for there can be no vital intercourse of the spirit in those who are carried back and forth here and there by the fluid heat of pleasures.


We see, therefore, that man himself is the cause of his own suffering. For unless someone had lived like a pig, the devil could not have gained power over him; or if he had gained power, it would not have been to destroy him, but to test him. Or perhaps, because after the coming of the Lord he could no longer corrupt the good, he seeks the destruction of not all men, but only the weak; so that a thief does not lay a trap for armed men, but for the unarmed; and he harasses the weak with insults, knowing that he can be either worn down by the strong or condemned by the powerful.


49. But someone may say: why is this allowed by God for the devil? But I say, so that the good may be tested, and the wicked may be punished; for this is the punishment of sin. Finally, it is written that the Lord sends fever, and trembling, and evil spirits, and blindness, and all scourges, according to the merits of sins (Deuteronomy 28:59ff). But let us return to the reading.

(Vers. 34.)

(Verse 34) They saw, says he, this shepherd's magicians, and they fled.

50. For neither can the professors of philosophy, nor the leaders of the Synagogue, provide a remedy for dying peoples. Christ alone is the one who takes away the sins of the people, if, however, they do not refuse the patience of being healed. Moreover, he does not deign to care for those who are unwilling, and quickly abandons the sick, whom he sees to be a burden to his presence, like the people of Gerasa, who, when they went out of the city in which the appearance of a Synagogue seems to exist, were begging him to depart.

(Vers. 37.)

(Verse 37) Because they were greatly afraid;

For a weak mind does not grasp the word of God, nor can it bear the weight of wisdom; it weakens and dissolves.

And therefore he was no longer bothersome: but He ascended and returned: He ascended indeed from the lower to the higher, from the Synagogue namely to the Church. He returned through the sea, as he says here: or as Matthew through the strait (Matth. IX, 1); for there is a great strait between us and them. Therefore, no one transitions from the Church to the Synagogue without danger to salvation. But even he who desires to transition from the Synagogue to the Church, let him take up his cross, so that he may escape the danger.


53. But why is the one who has been freed not received, but rather considered to return home, unless it is to avoid boasting and to serve as an example to the unbelievers, since that home is a natural inn? And therefore, the one who has obtained the remedy of health is commanded to return from graves and tombs to that spiritual home, so that it may become a temple of God, in which the tomb of the mind was.

(Verse 41, 42.) And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus' feet, begging him to come into his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying.

54. As we have said, Christ had left into the Gerasene Synagogue; and whom his own had not received, we received as strangers, we received whom we were expecting. Therefore, he was absent from those from whom he was expected for a long time; nor did he disdain to return to them, if asked. For this man, the leader of the Synagogue, whose daughter was the only one, was praying for the remedy of the perishing Synagogue, which was being pressed to death; because it was being abandoned by Christ. Whom do we think the leader of the Synagogue to be, if not the Law, by whose contemplation the Lord did not completely abandon the Synagogue, but reserved the medicine of salvation for those who believe? Therefore, as the Son of God hastened to save the sons of Israel, the holy Church, gathered from the Gentiles, who were perishing in the downfall of their lower sins, snatched away health prepared for others by faith.

55. Morally, we thought it sufficient to explain this place; and therefore we do not retract what has been said, but briefly wanted to touch upon the mystical meaning. Was it not done in this way, that when the Word of God came to the Jews, it was accepted by the Gentiles, and first believed in by those who did not believe in the Law, that they might receive grace?

56. (Verse 43.) For just as she who had spent all her substance on physicians, so the congregation of nations had lost all the gifts of nature, and had wasted its vital inheritance, holy, modest, religious, more prompt in faith, more hesitant in shame; for to recognize weakness is the mark of modesty and faith, not to despair of forgiveness. Therefore, she touched the fringe with modesty, approached with faith, believed with religious devotion, and the wise woman knew herself to be healed. Thus the holy people of the nations, which believed in God, blushed at sin in order to abandon it: it brought faith in order to believe; it showed devotion in order to pray; it gained wisdom in order to feel its own health; it took confidence in order to confess what it had stolen.

(Vers. 44.)

(Verse 44.) He approached from behind.

57. But why does Christ touch backward? Is it because it is written: You shall walk after the Lord your God (Deut. XIII, 4)? What also does it mean that the daughter of the prince, who was twelve years old, was dying, and that this woman had a flow of blood for twelve years; except that it may be understood that as long as the Synagogue existed, the Church labored? Her weakness is the power of this woman, because salvation came to the Gentiles through their fault (Rom. XI, 11); and the completion of that [Synagogue], the beginning of this [Church], not the beginning of nature, but of salvation: For blindness in part has come to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should enter (Ibid., 25). Therefore, the synagogue is older in appearance of health than the Church; because as long as the former believed, the latter did not believe, and it languished in various bodily and mental sufferings that cannot be healed. It heard that the Jewish people were sick, it began to hope for a remedy for its own salvation: it knew that the time had come when the physician would come from heaven, so it rose up to meet the Word, and it saw that it was being oppressed by crowds; for those who oppress do not believe, but those who touch believe. Christ is touched by faith, Christ is seen by faith: he is not touched by the body, he is not comprehended by the eyes; for he does not see, who does not see while seeing; nor does he hear, who does not understand what he hears; nor does he touch, who does not touch faithfully. Finally, to express the faith of the one touching, he says:

(Vers. 46.)

(Verse 46.) Someone touched me; for I felt power go out from me.

58. It is evident proof that wisdom, enclosed within the confines of the human condition and imprisoned within the body, is limited: it is not captured by bodily limitations, nor is it confined, but its eternal power surpasses the boundaries of our mediocrity. For the liberation of the people of the nations does not come through human effort, but rather it is the gift of God, the gathering of nations, which even in a short moment of faith inclines towards eternal mercy. Now if we consider how great our faith is, and understand how great the Son of God is, we see that in comparison we only touch the fringe, but we are unable to touch the higher parts of his garment. Therefore, if we also want to be healed, let us touch the fringe of Christ with faith.

59. He is not hidden from whoever touches the fringe, he who touches the back; for God does not need eyes to see, nor does he feel corporeally, but he has knowledge of all things within himself. Therefore, blessed is he who touches even the farthest part of the Word; for who can comprehend the whole? But let us return to that which is still sick, lest through our delay in dwelling with Christ for a long time, it be believed to have died:

(Vers. 49.)

(Verse 49.) They came, he said, the servants saying to the ruler: Do not trouble him, your daughter is dead.

And first let us consider that in order to raise the dead, he took care to create a hemorrhage to establish faith. And so that you may know, for example, blood flow was halted when it was sought, and what was sought was healed. In the same way, temporal resurrection is celebrated in the Lord's passion, so that the eternal resurrection may also be believed. In the same way, Mary, about to give birth, is indicated as barren, so that she may be believed to conceive as a virgin. Finally, Elizabeth heard that she would give birth and did not doubt her own ability to conceive.


61. The servants came, saying to the master: Do not trouble him. Even these unbelievers in the resurrection, which Jesus predicted in the Law, fulfilled in the Gospel. Therefore, when he came into the house, he chose a few witnesses of the future resurrection; for resurrection was not immediately believed by many. Finally, with the Lord saying:

(Verse 52, 53.) The girl is not dead, but sleeping. They mocked him, he said.

62. For whoever does not believe scoffs. Therefore let those who believe in the dead, flee from their dead: where there is faith in the resurrection, there is not the appearance of death, but of rest. Nor does what Matthew says seem strange, that there were flute players in the ruler's house, and a crowd making a commotion (Matthew 9:23): either because in ancient times flute players seemed to be employed to kindle and arouse mourning, or because the synagogue could not grasp the spiritual joy of the Law and the letter's melody.


63. (Verses 54-56.) So, holding the girl's hand, Jesus healed her and commanded that she be given something to eat. This is a testimony of life, so that it may be believed not to be a ghost but the truth. Blessed is the one whose hand is held by wisdom. May it also hold my actions, hold the hand of justice, hold the Word of God, lead me into its innermost chambers, turn away the spirit of error, convert to salvation, and command me to be given something to eat! For the heavenly bread is the Word of God. Hence also that wisdom which filled the holy altars of the divine body and blood with nourishments: Come, he says, eat my bread and drink the wine which I have mixed for you (Proverbs 9:5).

64. But what is the cause of such great diversity? Above, a widow's son is raised publicly (Luke 7:12), here several judges are removed. But I suppose that even in this the compassion of the Lord is shown, because the mother of the only begotten Son would not tolerate delay, and therefore, so that she would not be further burdened, maturity is added. It is also a wise arrangement, that in the son of a widow the Church would quickly believe, in the daughter of the archisynagogue the Jews would indeed believe, but fewer out of many.


(Chap. IX. — Vers. 5.)

(Chapter 9, verse 5) And whoever does not receive you, when you leave that city, shake off even the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.

65. The person who preaches the kingdom of God is described by the precepts of the Gospel: that he be without staff, without bag, without sandals, without bread, without money (Verse 3), that is, not seeking the support of worldly means, but dedicated to faith, and the less he desires temporal things, the more he hopes that they can be provided for him. Those who want to discuss this can derive the following principles from it: that this place seems to form only a spiritual disposition, that it appears to have shed a certain kind of clothing, not only rejecting power and despising wealth, but also renouncing the allurements of the flesh.


66. To them is first given the general command of peace and steadfastness (Verse 4); that they may bring peace, maintain steadfastness, and uphold the rights of hospitable relationships; warning against wandering through houses, preaching the kingdom of heaven, and disregarding the inviolable rights of hospitality. But if they are not received, they are to shake off the dust and leave the city. In order that not only peace be provided to guests, but also that any earthly shadows of offenses of levity be removed, after the footsteps of apostolic preaching have been received, the guests should be taught a not insignificant reward of kindness in hospitality. And according to the Gospel of Matthew, it is decreed that the house that the apostles enter be read (Matthew 10:12), so that there is no lack of reason to change the bond of hospitality and violate it. However, the same caution is not given to the recipient of hospitality, so that while a guest is chosen, hospitality itself is not diminished.


67. But this form of the precept is venerable, as it were, in the very letter of the religious observance: the heavenly meaning also appears thus. For when a house is chosen, a worthy guest is sought. Let us therefore see lest perhaps the Church and Christ be preferred. For what house is more worthy of the entrance of apostolic preaching than the holy Church (24, quaest. 1, cap. Quae dignior)? Or who seems more worthy to be preferred to all than Christ, who used to wash the feet of His guests, and does not allow those who defile His house to dwell in it, but deigns in the remaining time to cleanse the processes, although they may be stained by a previous way of life? Therefore, this is the only one whom no one should forsake, no one should change. To whom it is rightly said: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we believe in you (John 6:69-70). You see the executor of heavenly commandments: because he did not change his dwelling, he earned the heavenly fellowship of consecration.

68. Therefore, trust is entrusted primarily to the Church, in which if Christ is the inhabitant, without a doubt it must be read. But if the faithless people or the heretical teacher defiles the dwelling, the communion of heretics is to be avoided, and the synagogue is to be fled. The dust of your feet must be shaken off, lest the footprint of your mind be polluted by the cracks of faithlessness, like dry and sandy ground. For just as the Gospel preacher must take upon himself the bodily infirmities of the faithful people, and alleviate and abolish empty deeds like dust, according to what is written: Who is weak, and I am not weak (II Cor. XI, 29)? Therefore, if there is any Church that rejects the faith and does not possess the foundations of apostolic preaching, it must be abandoned in order to prevent it from spreading any stain of unfaithfulness. This is also clearly affirmed by the Apostle when he says: Avoid a heretical man after the first . . . . correction (Titus 3:10).

(Vers. 13.)

(Verse 13.) And he said to them: Give them something to eat. But they said: We have no more than five loaves.

69. (Verse 8). What is the reason that, while the passion of John is described in the later part, he is already shown as dead in the words of Herod? Lest, perhaps, it is because after the decline of the Law, the Evangelical food begins to feed the hungry hearts of the people? Finally, after she who received the symbol of the Church was healed from the flow of blood, after the apostles were destined to preach the kingdom of God, the nourishment of heavenly grace is imparted. But pay attention to whom it is shared with. Not to those who are idle, not to those who reside in the city as if in a synagogue or in secular dignity, but to those who seek Christ in the desert; for those who do not despise, they are received by Christ, and the Word of God speaks with them not about secular matters, but about the kingdom of God. And if anyone bears the bodily wounds of passion, he willingly provide them with his medicine.

Therefore, it followed that those whom he had healed from the pain of wounds, he also freed from fasting by means of spiritual nourishment. Thus, no one receives the food of Christ unless they have been healed beforehand. And those who are called to the banquet are healed first by being called. If someone was lame, they received the ability to walk in order to come. If someone was deprived of the light of their eyes, they could not enter the Lord's house unless the light was restored.

71. Therefore, everywhere the order of the mystery is preserved; so that first through the remission of sins medicine is given to wounds, afterwards the nourishment of the heavenly table abounds: although this crowd is not yet refreshed by stronger food, nor do the hearts of stronger faith feed on the body and blood of Christ while fasting. By milk, he says, I have given you drink, not food; for you were not yet able, but even now you are not yet able (I Cor. III, 2). In the manner of milk, there are five loaves. However, the food is the more solid body of Christ, the drink is the more fervent blood of the Lord. We do not immediately eat everything at once, nor do we drink everything. This is the first thing, he says, drink (Isaiah IX, 1). So there is a first, and there is also a second thing that you drink. There is a first thing that you eat, and there is also a second, and a third. The first five loaves are the first, the second seven, the third is the body of Christ itself.

72. Therefore, let us never abandon such a Lord, who is willing to provide nourishment for each of us according to our abilities; so that neither a strong food overwhelms the weak, nor meager food fails to satisfy the strong: For whoever is weak, let him eat vegetables (Rom. XIV, 2). And he who seems to have escaped the snares of weakness, let him eat of these five loaves and two fish. Certainly, if he fears to seek stronger food, let him himself leave behind all his things and hasten to the word of God. While beginning to hear, he begins to hunger. The apostles begin to see him hungry. And if they still do not understand what he is hungry for, Christ understands. He knows that he is not hungry for worldly food, but for the food of Christ. Let him say: I do not want to send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way (Matthew XV, 32). The good Lord demands studies, and gives strength.

73. I wish, Lord Jesus, that you would not send away these fasting people with empty stomachs, but that you would nourish them with abundant food from yourself; so that they may not fear weakness from fasting, but rather become stronger through your sustenance. I beg you, also say about us: I do not want to send them away fasting! And tell me the reason why you do not want to send them away fasting; indeed, you have already said that if you send someone away fasting, he will fail on the way, that is, he will fail either in the course of this life, or before he reaches the end of the journey, before he reaches the Father, and understand that Christ is from the Father, understand that Christ is from heaven, and understand that Christ who descends is the same as the one who ascends; so that, perhaps, when he learns that he is born of a Virgin, he may begin to estimate not the power of God, but the essence of man. Therefore, he said, lest they fail.

(Ibid.) They said to Him: We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes; unless perhaps we should go and buy food for all this multitude.

74. The apostles had not yet understood that the food of the believing people was not for sale. Christ knew, he knew that we should rather be redeemed: he freely gives his own feast. Therefore, the disciples did not yet have the food that could redeem us. However, they already had the food that could satisfy us: they had the food that could strengthen us: For bread strengthens the heart of man (Psalm 103:16). Therefore, may the Lord have mercy, so that no one may fail on the way. Therefore, if anyone fails, they do not fail through the Lord Jesus, but through themselves; and you have nothing to ascribe to the Lord, for he prevails even when he is judged. What can you say to the one who bestowed upon you all the foundations of virtue? Did he not beget you, did he not nourish you? His food is power, his food is strength. But if you have lost the virtue that you received through your own negligence, it is not the celestial nourishment that failed you, but the defenses of your own mind. Finally, the Lord rains upon both the just and the unjust, and feeds both the unjust and the just.

75. Did not the holy Elias, when he was exhausted on the journey, walk forty days, and the angel gave him food (3 Kings 19:8)? But if Jesus feeds you, and you keep the food received, you will walk not forty days and forty nights, but (I dare say, relying on examples from Scripture) forty years; and you will go out from the borders of Egypt until you reach the land flowing with milk and honey, which the Lord swore to give to our fathers. The virtue of this land must be sought by you, which is possessed by the meek. I do not mean that land which is dry, but that land which is nourished by the food of Christ, which is under the rule of the eternal king and is frequented by the inhabitants of the saints.

76. Therefore, the Lord Jesus divides the food. And indeed, He wants to give to everyone, He denies no one, for He is the steward of all; but when He breaks the bread and gives it to the disciples, if you do not extend your hands to receive food for yourself, you will go hungry on the journey; and you will not be able to blame Him, who has mercy and divides. But He divides for those who also remain with Him in the desert, who do not leave on the first, second, or third day. For you have it elsewhere: I have compassion on this crowd; for it is already three days that they continue with me (Matt. 15:32). How great is the dignity, how great is the humanity inspired by him in people! He does not want to send them away hungry, he does not want them to faint on the way.

77. Therefore, do not desert the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when you are rebuked by Him. Do not weary yourself now, lest you weary yourself later. For what will you answer Him, or how will you defend yourself, if you lose the strength that He provides? You cannot say that He did not give you food, for He gives to all. You cannot say that He did not want to do you good, for He placed before you good and evil; so that your good may not be a matter of necessity, but of free will. For there is a great difference between someone who does something unwillingly out of necessity, and someone who freely chooses what is good: For if I do this unwillingly, I have been entrusted with a stewardship; if willingly, I have a reward (1 Corinthians 9:17). Therefore, let us consider that we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and if our work is burned up, we will have nothing to excuse ourselves. For it is written through the prophet: 'My people, what have I done to you?' Or in what way have I been a burden to you? Answer me (Mich. VI, 3). And he who has failed on the way will say: In what way have you failed on the way? Have I not broken bread? Have I not blessed? Have I not commanded it to be given? But why did you not want to receive?

78. How many of the present will also fail on the way, and after these conversations, which, although they are ours, nevertheless because no one speaks the Lord Jesus except in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3), the loaves must be valued: how many, I say, will fail, and will go away fornicating on the transverse paths of the nations! And I wish it were one, and not many! But Jesus is not the author of failure, even if anyone fails; for he distributes to all who follow, whether there are five thousand or four thousand.


79. Not a useless number, not a useless order, not useless leftovers of those who ate. For why are more, that is, five thousand five with fewer bread loaves, that is, with a smaller number satisfied: but fewer, who are four thousand seven with more bread loaves, that is, with a bigger number are fed? For if we only follow the miracle that has been done, it seems more divine that the lesser amount has abounded for more. So why has what is less been added to what is more, as if it were superior? For we read in Matthew 14:19 that he fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread, and afterward in Matthew 15:36 we read that he fed four thousand men with seven loaves of bread. Let us therefore seek the mystery that he performs with this miracle.

So it seems that those five thousand have received from Christ, who is still in a bodily state, as it were, bodily nourishment, close to the body's senses; but the four thousand, though they are still in the body and in this world which consists of four elements, are not referred to in vain as having received the mystical food of rest; for now they are being made equal to the world, surpassing the world to come. For although they are in this world, they are not within the world to which the nourishment of mystical rest is imparted; for the world was made in six days, and on the seventh day He rested and sanctified it. Beyond the world, therefore, is rest; beyond the world is also the fruit of rest. Finally, blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God (Matthew 5:9). For since God is above the world, no one can see God unless they first transcend the world with a spiritual gaze. The seventh blessing of the peacemakers: also for them, four thousand fragments of loaves remain (Matthew 15:37). This bread is not ordinary bread, but the bread of the sabbath, the bread sanctified, the bread of rest. And perhaps if you have sensibly eaten the first five loaves, I will dare and say, after the five loaves and the third seven you will no longer eat bread on the earth: but above the earth you will eat eight loaves, just as those that are in the heavens. For just as the seven loaves are loaves of rest: so the eight loaves are loaves of resurrection. Therefore, those who are nourished by the seven loaves persevered for three days, and perhaps they achieved complete faith and steadfastness in the future resurrection. Finally, the voice of the saints is: For three days we shall walk, that we may feast the Lord our God (Exod. V, 3). But that is a matter for another time.

81. Therefore, Saint John taught me something about the five loaves of bread which I did not know, which Saint Matthew did not teach, which Saint Luke did not teach (for different graces were imparted to each); he taught, I say, that those five loaves were made of barley (John 6:9); and therefore we did not say incorrectly that this food is suitable for the body. Why barley first? Because first one is nourished with milk, then with solid food when one comes to faith; for we were not yet able to, and perhaps many of us still cannot. For when there are contentions and dissensions among us, are we not fleshly and walk according to man? Each food is adapted to its own virtues; and from there, first barley, then wheat is given to us for nourishment (3 Kings 17:13). But even more so, just as to Elijah, from the inner parts of the wheat, a bread made of fine flour is served, which sinners cannot consume.

82. Not only is there a difference in the bread and the numbers, but also in the way of reclining: some recline on hay, while others recline on the ground. There are over five thousand reclining on hay, and over four thousand reclining on the ground. It is more comfortable to recline on the ground than on hay; those whose bodily senses are still active prefer softer things, and therefore recline on hay: For all flesh is hay (Isaiah 40:6); but those who recline on the ground enjoy the food of grace, which produces wheat and wine and oil. They recline, those recline; for there is a certain greater rest for the one reclining. There, two fish, here without number; hence many have thought that the grace of the seven-fold Spirit, defined in loaves, is also to be understood as a figure in the fish of the two-fold Testament.

83. Therefore, it is not displeasing to estimate that four thousand, collected from the four parts of the world in which the Church is represented, partake of the food of greater grace, as it is written: \"For they will come from the East and the West and the North and the South, and will recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven\" (Matth. VIII, 11). Hence, here thanks are given to the Father by Christ; for not in vain is there only a blessing here, but also an action of gratitude. For the Church, indeed, her Lord used to give thanks to the Father; because what he hid from the wise, he revealed to the little ones. Therefore, blessing upon us who are lesser: thanksgiving upon those who have triumphed over the infirmities of their bodies with sacred sufferings. Now, we have already tasted of that for the higher ones, because when fifty were commanded to recline, even though a sacred number was specified; nevertheless, it seems that here is a people more foundational to the Church, who recline without a specified number.


84. It is also mystical that both the people who eat are satisfied, and the apostles who serve; for even in fullness, the sign of perpetual hunger is revealed; because the one who receives the food of Christ will not hunger: and in the ministry of the apostles, the future division of the Lord's body and blood is foreshadowed. Now, that divine thing, just as five loaves overflowed for five thousand people; for it is clear that the people are satisfied not with a small, but with multiplied food.


You would see that by an incomprehensible irrigation among the dividing hands, which they had not broken, particles would bear fruit, and the untouched fragments of the ones breaking would creep in spontaneously. Whoever reads these things, just as a judge marvels at the courses of waters, and is amazed at the continuous flow of clear springs: when even bread overflows, and the irrigated abundance of a denser nature overflows. Therefore, these things were done so that we would also perceive those things which we do not perceive. He clearly indicated that they also considered the author and creator of all material nature, which is not (as the philosophers would have it) discovered but made, providing the flowing courses for the generation of all things.

86. Indeed, it is strange that whatever you draw from rivers is not noticed as a loss: whatever you take from springs is repaired by a kind of usurious flow. But even if nothing goes away from rivers, it still seems that nothing is added: and as flowing waters are seen to increase when the sources are full, so when the currents diminish, they are revealed. But truly, this bread that Jesus breaks is mystically the word of God and a discourse about Christ, which, while it is divided, is increased; for from a few words, it provided abundant nourishment for all the people. He gave us words like bread, which, when they are tasted by our mouth, are multiplied. Moreover, this bread, in an incredible manner, while it is broken, while it is divided, while it is eaten, increases without any diminution of its substance.

87. And do not doubt that both in the hands of those who serve and in the mouths of those who eat, it grows; since everywhere the testimony of our work is added to the foundation of faith. Thus in the wedding at Cana, the water is changed into wine by the hands of the servants, and those who had filled the jars with water, drew out wine that they had not brought (John II, 5 and following). Grasp, if you can, such marvels of things. Here, as people eat, the fragments increase at their own expense, and more remains are collected from five loaves than the total amount; there, the elements are transformed into another appearance, and nature does not allow for its own deficiencies, nor does it recognize its own origins, yet it recognizes its proper use. Indeed, the nature of changed wine is even better than that of natural wine; because it is in the discretion of the Creator both to assign whatever uses He desires to natures and to impart whatever natures He desires to the act of generating. Consider the great works He produces: while the water-bearer pours in water, the infused aroma intoxicates, the changed color informs, and the tasted flavor also enhances faith.

88. Let the pagans compare, if they please, their fictitious deeds of their gods with the true benefits of Christ. They say that their stories included a certain king who turned everything he touched into gold. But even the feasts themselves were unnatural; for the serving utensils became stiff when touched by their fingers, and the food made a cracking noise in their mouths, causing wounds rather than nourishment. The drink remained stuck in their throats, neither going down easily nor coming back up. Such worthy blessings to be desired, such worthy gifts to be prayed for, such worthy generosity to be bestowed! Such are the benefits of idols, that although they appear to be helpful, they actually do more harm; but indeed, the gifts of Christ seem small, and yet they are the greatest. In short, they are not bestowed on one person, but on the people; for even the food of those who ate it increased in their mouths, and it seemed to be bodily nourishment, but it was taken for eternal salvation.

89. Why does it exceed by five thousand men, and fall short by four thousand? Because those four thousand were with Christ for three days; and therefore they received more heavenly food.

90. And the things that remain are not collected in vain from the crowd, for the divine things can be found more easily among the chosen than among the common people. I hope that I have the chance to hear: Collect the things that remain! If I hear and do, I will have many things that the crowd couldn't have, I will have many things that even boys and women couldn't have. Blessed is he who can collect what remains, even for the learned ones.

91. Let us see how he gathers [these statements]. The Law says: You shall not commit adultery (Exod. XX, 14). Christ breaks this bread, divides this word, not adding from elsewhere, but dividing from his own [teaching]: Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matth. V, 28). You have a fragment from his [teaching]. He added: If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out (Ibid., 29). You have another [teaching]. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off (Ibid., 30); and, Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery (Luc., XVI, 19). You see from one how many fragments. Moses says that Abraham had two sons, one from a slave woman, and one from a free woman (Galatians IV, 22). Paul said: These are two Covenants (Ibid., 24). He divides this word, and finds the mystery. Blessed therefore is the one who gathers, what Christ divides.

But in what way did Christ fill twelve baskets, except to fulfill that saying of the Jewish people: 'For his hands served in the basket' (Psalm 80:7): This means, the people who used to gather mud in baskets, now through the cross of Christ works for the nourishment of heavenly life; and it collects the food of faith where there was once the filth of Gentile infidelity. And is this the gift of a few? No, it is for all. For through the twelve baskets, it overflows as the foundation of each tribe of faith: For bread strengthens the heart of man (Psalm 103:16).


(Vers. 20.)

(Verse 20) But he said to them, 'Who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

93. Nor is the opinion of the crowds idle, because some thought that Elijah would come, others that John, whom they knew had been beheaded, or one of the earlier prophets had risen. But to seek this is beyond us: it belongs to one knowledge, to another prudence. For if for the apostle Paul it is enough to know nothing except Christ Jesus, and him crucified (2 Corinthians 2:2), what more can I desire to know than Christ? For in this name is expressed both the divinity and the incarnation, and there is faith in the passion. And therefore, although the other apostles know, Peter, however, responded above the others: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). He encompasses everything, both nature and name, in which the highest virtues are expressed. Shall we also engage in questions about the generation of God, when Paul judged that he knew nothing except Christ Jesus, and him crucified; and Peter believed that nothing more than the Son of God was to be confessed? We are amazed by the contemplation of human frailty, both when and how it was born, and how great it is. Paul knew that in these things, the question was more of a stumbling block than a source of edification; and therefore he judged that he knew nothing except Jesus Christ. Peter knew that in the Son of God, all things are: For the Father has given all things to the Son (John 13:3). If he has given all things, he has poured out eternity and majesty. But where do I go further? The end of my faith is Christ, the end of my faith is the Son of God. It is not permitted for me to know the succession of generations; it is not, however, permitted to be ignorant of the faith of generations.

94. Therefore believe as Peter believed, so that you may be blessed, so that you may deserve to hear: For it was not flesh and blood that revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:17). For flesh and blood cannot reveal anything except what is earthly: but he who speaks the mysteries with the spirit is founded not on the authority of flesh and blood, but on divine inspiration. Therefore, do not acquiesce to flesh and blood; lest you receive teachings from flesh and blood, and you yourself become flesh and blood. For he who is joined to the flesh, is flesh: and he who is joined to God, is one spirit (I Cor. VI, 17). My spirit shall not remain in these men forever, because they are flesh (Gen. VI, 3).

95. But I wish that those who hear are not flesh and blood, but are able to say individually, removed from the desires of flesh and blood: I will not fear what flesh can do to me. (Psalms 55:5) For whoever conquers the flesh is the foundation of the Church: if he cannot equal Peter, he can imitate him; for God's gifts are great, who not only restored to us what was ours, but also granted what is His own.

However, it is important to understand what they themselves believed, apart from the opinion of the crowd, namely either Elijah, or Jeremiah, or John the Baptist. Perhaps Elijah, because he was taken up to heaven. But Elijah is not the Christ: he is taken up, while the Christ returns. Elijah, I say, is taken up, while the Christ did not consider himself equal to God in robbery: Elijah is vindicated by fire, while the Christ preferred to heal his persecutors rather than destroy them. But why did they think Jeremiah? Perhaps because he was sanctified in his mother's womb. But this is not Jeremiah: he was sanctified, this one sanctifies: his sanctification began from the body, this one is holy from the holy. Why did the people think that even John, unless perhaps because he, being in his mother's womb, felt the presence of the Lord? But this is not John: he worshipped in the womb, this one was worshipped: he baptized in water, Christ in the Spirit: he advised repentance, this one forgave sins.


97. And therefore Peter did not wait for the people's opinion, but spoke out his own, saying: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (John VIII, 12). He is always and never began to be, and will never cease to be. But the grace of Christ is great, who gave to his disciples almost all of his own titles. I am, he said, the light of the world (Matthew V, 14): and yet he conferred the name upon his disciples, saying: You are the light of the world. I am the living bread (John VI, 1); and, we all are one bread... (1 Corinthians X, 17). I am the true vine (John XV, 1). And to you, he says: I planted you as a fruitful vine, all true (Jeremiah II, 21). Christ is the rock: for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians X, 4): he also did not deny his disciple the grace of this name (Matthew XVI, 18); so that he himself may be Peter, having the solidity of constancy and the firmness of faith from the rock.


98. Therefore, strive to be a rock yourself. Thus, seek the rock not outside you, but within you. Your rock is your actions, your rock is your mind. Upon this rock, your house is built, so that no spiritual wickedness can shake it. Your rock is your faith, the foundation of the Church is faith. If you are a rock, you will be in the Church, for the Church is built upon the rock. If you are in the Church, the gates of hell will not prevail against you. The gates of hell, the gates of death are: but the gates of death, the gates of the Church cannot be.

99. But what are the gates of death, that is, the gates of hell, if not each individual sin? If you have committed fornication, you have entered the gates of death. If you have violated faith, you have penetrated the gates of hell. If you have committed mortal sin, you have entered the gates of death. But God is powerful, who can exalt you from the gates of death, so that you may proclaim all His praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion. The gates of the Church, however, are the gates of chastity, the gates of justice, which the righteous are accustomed to enter, saying: Open to me the gates of justice and I will enter and confess to the Lord (Ps. 117:19). But as the gate of death is, so also is the gate of hell; and so also is the gate of justice, the gate of God. For this gate of the Lord, the just shall enter by it (ibid., 20). Therefore, flee the persistence of offenses, lest the gates of hell prevail against you; for if sin has dominion over you, the gate of death will prevail. Therefore, flee contentions, dissensions, clamor, and the tumult of discord; lest you fall into the entrance of the gates of death. For the Lord Jesus Christ did not desire to be preached first, lest any clamor should arise. He admonished his disciples not to tell anyone about this, because

(Vers. 22.)

(Verse 22.) The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the chief priests, and elders, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day rise again.

100. And perhaps for this reason the Lord added this, because He knew that the disciples would find it difficult to believe in His passion and resurrection. And therefore, He preferred to be the witness of His passion and resurrection, so that faith would arise from deeds, not from discordant hearing. Therefore, Christ did not want to boast, but rather chose to appear ignoble, so that He could undergo the passion. And you, who were born in ignoble circumstances, do you boast? You must walk the same path that Christ walked. This is his recognition, this is his imitation, through ignobility and good reputation; so that you may glory in the cross of the Lord, as he himself has gloried. Thus walked Paul, and for this reason he boasts, saying: But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:14).

101. But let us see why, according to Matthew, the disciples were warned not to tell anyone that he is the Christ, while it is written here that they were rebuked for telling anyone that he would suffer many things and rise again (Matt. XVI, 20). You see that in the one name of Christ, everything is included. He is indeed the Christ who was born of the Virgin, he is the one who performed miracles among the people, he is the one who died for our sins, and he rose from the dead. If you deny one of these, you have denied your salvation. For even heretics seem to have Christ for themselves; for no one denies the name of Christ: but he denies Christ, who does not confess all the things that are of Christ. Therefore, for many reasons, he commands his disciples to be silent; so that he may deceive the prince of the world, so that he may avoid boasting, so that he may teach humility; at the same time, so that the uneducated disciples, who are still imperfect, are not overwhelmed by the great burdens of preaching.


102. Now let us consider why even unclean spirits are commanded to be silent. But Scripture has also revealed this to us, because God said to the sinner: Why do you declare my justices (Psalm XLIX, 16)? So that no one may follow the one who preaches while he himself is erring; for the wicked teacher is the devil, who often mixes falsehoods with truths, in order to cover his testimony of deceit with the appearance of truth.

103. Also, let us consider whether he first commanded his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ, or whether he had commanded them before when he appointed the twelve apostles, saying to them: 'Do not go into the ways of the Gentiles, and do not enter the cities of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel . . . heal the sick . . . cleanse the lepers . . . cast out demons . . . and into whatever city . . .' . . . intraveritis, discite quis in ea dignus sit, atque ibi manete (Marc. X, 5-11) . Itaque nec hic mandatum videtur, ut Christum Dei Filium praedicarent.

104. Therefore, the order of the debate is the order of the treatise, and for this reason, when some people from the nations are called to the Church, we must form the series of precepts in such a way that, first, we teach that there is one God, the author of the world and of all things, in whom we live and move and have our being, and of whose kind we are; so that he may be loved by us not only for the gifts of light and life, but also for a certain kinship of species. Then let us destroy that opinion which exists concerning idols, so that gold, silver, or wood cannot possess divine power. Once you are persuaded that there is one God, then you will understand through Christ the salvation given to us; beginning from the things he did in the body and describing those divine things, so that it seems he was more than a man, conquering the power of death and being raised from the dead; for gradually faith grows, so that he is believed to have been above men, God, unless you prove that he could not have done those things without divine power, how can you prove that there was divine power in him?


105. But perhaps we are given too little authority and credibility: by the Law, we consider the discourse of the Apostle spoken among the Athenians, who, if he wanted to destroy the ceremonies of idols from the beginning, the ears of the Gentiles would have rejected his discourse. Therefore, he starts from one God, the operator of the world, saying: God who made the world, and all things that are in it (Acts 17:24). It could not be denied that there is one operator of the world, one God, one creator of all things. He added that the Lord of heaven and earth does not deign to dwell in man-made things. Then he said that it is not at all likely that the power of divinity is contained within the material of gold and silver boxes crafted by humans, teaching that the remedy for error is the study of repentance. Then he came to Christ, but he preferred to call him a man rather than God, saying: 'For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed' (Acts 17:31). For whoever speaks should consider the persons of the listeners; so that he is not laughed at before being heard. For how would the Athenians believe that the Word became flesh and the Virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit, who were mocking because they had heard of the resurrection of the dead? However, even Dionysius the Areopagite believed, and others believed in the man; so that they would believe in God. What difference does it make in what order one believes? Perfection is not sought in the beginnings, but it is achieved through the beginnings. Therefore, the Athenians taught us with such a precept: such an order must be kept among us Gentiles.

106. But when the apostles spoke to the Jews, they said that he (Christ) was the one who had been promised to us in the prophetic oracles: whom they did not name as the Son of God by their own authority, but as a proven man, a righteous man, a man raised from the dead, the man of whom it was said in the prophets: You are my Son, today I have begotten you (Acts 2:22, 3:14, 13:33, from Psalm 2:7). Therefore, also learn from the authority of divine speech for those things that are difficult to believe, and designate his promised coming by the voice of the prophets. Also, teach the resurrection, which has been understood long before by the testimonies of the Scriptures, not unusual and common like with others, so that in the assertion of the resurrected body itself, you may acquire the testimony of the eternal divinity. For when you have proven that the bodies of the others have undergone corruption after death, you certainly prove that this one, of whom it is said, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see corruption' (Psalm 16:10), is free from human frailty, surpassing the merits of human condition, to be attributed more to God than to men.

107. If the catechumen is to be instructed towards the sacraments of the faithful, it must be said that there is one God from whom all things are, and one Jesus Christ through whom all things are (1 Corinthians 8:6): not that there are two lords, but that the Father is perfect and the Son is perfect; but that the Father and the Son are of the same substance: the eternal Word of the eternal God, not spoken but active; begotten from the Father, not uttered by word. Therefore, the apostles are forbidden from preaching the Son of God so that they may preach the crucified one afterwards. This is the glory of faith, if you truly understand the cross of Christ. Other crosses are of no benefit to me, only the cross of Christ is beneficial to me, and truly beneficial. Through it, the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14). If the world has been crucified to me, I know that it is dead, I do not love it; I know that it is passing away, I do not desire it; I know that corruption consumes this world, I avoid it as something foul, I flee from it as a plague, I abandon it as something harmful.


108. But not everyone can immediately believe in salvation rejected by the world through the cross. Therefore, it is true that through the histories of the Greeks this was possible, as sometimes even the Apostle urges unbelievers (Act. XVII, 28): nor does he shy away from poetic verses, in order to destroy the fables of the poets. For if it is recalled that the Greeks assert that legions and great peoples were often liberated by offering the deaths of some, if it is remembered that the emperor's daughter was called to sacrifice for the sake of transferring the Greek army: if we consider our own experience, that the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on the defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh (Hebr. IX, 13), as it is written to the Hebrews: if it is asserted that a pestilence contracted by certain people in a region is resolved by the death of one person, which either prevailed by reason or was confirmed by arrangement, so that it could be more easily believed in the cross of the Lord: it will be inclined for those who cannot deny their own things, to confirm ours.


109. But since no man could be so great as to take away the sins of the whole world, neither Enoch, nor Abraham, nor Isaac, who, although he offered himself to death, was nevertheless saved (Gen. XXII, 9); because he could not abolish all sins, (for what man could be so great in whom the sins of all might die?) therefore not one from among the people, not one from the number, but the Son of God was chosen by God the Father, who, being above all, could offer himself for all: it was necessary for him to die, so that being stronger than death, he might free others, He became. Among the dead, free without help (Psalm 87:6), free from death without the help of man or any creature. And truly free, who has rejected the servitude of desires, has not known the bonds of death.

Book Seven

(Vers. 27)

(Verse 27) But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.

The Lord always raises future rewards as an incentive for virtue and teaches that the contempt of worldly things is useful. He also supports the weakness of the human mind with present rewards. For it is difficult to bear the cross and offer one's soul to dangers and death, to deny what you are when you want to be what you are not. And rarely, even though virtue is lofty, does it exchange the present for the future. It seems difficult for humans to purchase hope with dangers and to gain the profit of future life at the expense of the present. Therefore, a good and moral teacher should not be broken by despair or boredom; because the sweet allure of life also soothes a steady emotion, and promises continuous success for the faithful: for consolations freeze under the fear of death, and a great love for life with difficulty balances the blandishments of hope with the terror of desired salvation. Therefore, you have no reason to complain, you have no reason to make excuses: the judge of all has given both reward to virtue and remedy to weakness; so that weakness is sustained in the present, and virtue in the future. If you are strong, despise death; if you are weak, flee. But no one can flee from death, unless they follow life. Your life is Christ, He is the life that does not know how to die.

So if we want to not fear death, let us stand where Christ is, so that it can be said of us: Truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death. It is not enough to only stand, but rather to stand where Christ is; for only those who can stand with Christ cannot taste death. From the nature of His words, we can understand that those who seem to have deserved to be associated with Christ will not even have a slight sense of death. Certainly, the death of the body is tasted by being offered, while the life of the soul is held in possession.


But what is it to taste death? It may be that just as bread is life, so bread may also be death. For there are those who eat the bread of sorrow (Psalm 126:2) ; there are also peoples of Ethiopia who have taken the dragon as food (Psalm 73:14) . May it be far from us to devour the venom of the dragon; for we have true bread, that bread which descends from heaven. He who keeps the things that are written eats that bread. Therefore, there are those who do not taste death, until they see the kingdom of God. There are also those who do not see death, as it is written: Who is the man who lives, and does not see death? (Psalm 88:49)

4. But who is the person who does not die, since resurrection cannot happen unless someone has died? Although we have heard that Enoch and Elijah did not experience bodily death, and the Lord said about the evangelist John, 'So I desire him to remain until I come' (John 21:22), yet because we do not think that this is expressed only about John, but rather that it is a general commandment about many, here it is not the death of the body but of the soul that is denied. For there are those who are dead while still alive, because there are those who are alive but dead, like that widow who, while alive, is considered dead (1 Timothy 5:6), as it is written: 'Let death come upon them; let them go down alive to Sheol' (Psalm 55:15). If therefore someone who is alive descends into hell (for he descends into the dwelling place of hell by the sin of death), there are certainly those for whom the order of living is not interrupted even in the death of the body, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whom we know to live by the authority of divine judgment; for since God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:32).

5. Therefore, he speaks not of one, but of many; for neither did Peter die, of whom, according to the saying of the Lord, the gates of hell could not prevail (Matthew 16:18). Nor did James and John, the sons of thunder, die, who, being taken up for the use of heavenly glory, are not subject to earthly things, but rule over them. Therefore, be like Peter, devout, faithful, peaceful, so that you may open the gates of the Church and escape the gates of death. Be the son of thunder. You say: How can I be the son of thunder? You can be, if not on earth, but if you rest in the heart of Christ. You can be the son of thunder if earthly things do not move you, but rather you shake them with the power of your mind. Let the earth tremble, but not capture you; let your flesh fear the power of your soul and be subdued. You will be the son of thunder if you are a son of the Church. And let Christ say to you from the cross: Behold your mother (John 19:27). Let it be said to the Church: Behold your son (cf. John 19:26); for then you begin to be a son of the Church, when you see Christ as the victorious one on the cross. For whoever considers the cross as a scandal is a Jew, and is not a son of the Church; whoever considers the cross as foolishness is a Greek. But he is a son of the Church who regards the cross as a triumph, who recognizes the cross of Christ triumphant.

So that you may know that Peter, James, and John did not taste death, they deserved to see the glory of the resurrection; for only these three were taken up and led to the mountain after these words. What does he mean by saying 'eight days after these words'? Perhaps because the one who hears and believes the words of Christ will see the glory of Christ at the time of the resurrection; for the resurrection took place on the eighth day; hence many psalms are titled 'for the eighth day' (Psalm 6 and 11). Perhaps to show us that what he had said, that whoever would lose his soul for the word of God would save it, for he will restore his promises in the resurrection.

7. But Matthew and Mark after six days recounted that they were assumed to be these (Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:1). Concerning which we might say, after six thousand years; for a thousand years in the sight of God is like one day (Psalm 90:4): but more than six thousand years are calculated; and we prefer to understand six days as a symbol, because the works of the world were created in six days; so that through time we understand works, and through works we understand the world. And so, when the times of the world are fulfilled, the future resurrection is revealed: either because the one who has ascended above the world and surpassed the moments of this age, placed as it were on high, will await the eternal fruit of the future resurrection.

8. Therefore, let us transcend the works of the world, so that we may be able to see God face to face. Ascend to the mountain that proclaims Zion (Isaiah 40:9). If the one who proclaims Zion ascends to the mountain, how much more the one who proclaims Christ and the risen Christ? Perhaps many will see him in the body; for we have known Christ according to the flesh: but now we no longer know him.

9. We have known many, because we have seen many. We saw him, and he had neither appearance nor beauty (Isaiah 53:3). However, only three and three chosen ones are led onto the mountain. I would suppose that the three mystically represent the entire human race; because from the three sons of Noah the whole human race flowed, except for the chosen ones that I discern. Or perhaps because only those who have confessed Christ will deserve to reach the grace of resurrection out of all; because the wicked do not rise up for judgement, but are punished as if judgement has already been passed (Psalm 1:5). Therefore, three are chosen who would ascend the mountain; because also two are chosen who would be seen with the Lord. A sacred number on both sides. And perhaps for this reason, because no one can see the glory of the resurrection unless they have preserved the complete mystery of the Trinity with incorrupt sincerity of faith. Peter ascends, who received the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19): John also, to whom the Mother of the Lord is entrusted (John 19:2): and James also, who first ascended the priestly throne.


10. (Verse 10.) From this it is evident that Moses and Elijah, that is, the Law and the Prophets, are with the Word; for the Law cannot exist without the Word, nor can a prophet prophesy unless they prophesy about the Son of God. And those sons of thunder beheld Moses and Elijah with corporeal glory; but we also see Moses with the Son of God every day; for we see the Law in the Gospel when we read: You shall love the Lord your God (Deut. VI, 5). We see Elijah with the Word of God, as we read: Behold, a virgin shall conceive (Isaiah VII, 14). Hence Luke added well, because:

(Vers. 31.)

(Verse 31) They were speaking about his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

For you teach the mysteries of his departure. Today Moses teaches, and today Elias speaks, and today in greater glory we are able to see Moses. For who is not able, when even the people of the Jews were able to see him, indeed saw him? For they saw the face of Moses in glory (Exod. XXXIV, 30, etc.): but he received a veil, but did not ascend to the mountain. And therefore he erred, because he saw only Moses, he was not able to see the Word of God at the same time.


Let us therefore reveal our face; so that, with the face revealed, beholding the glory of God, we may be transformed into the same image. Let us ascend the mountain, pray to the Word of God; so that in its appearance and beauty it may appear to us, and be strengthened, and proceed prosperously, and reign. And these indeed are mysteries, and they are explained at a higher level; for, according to your ability, either the Word may diminish or increase, and unless you ascend to the summit of higher wisdom, wisdom does not appear to you, knowledge of the mysteries does not appear to you, nor does the great glory and beauty appear to you in the Word of God; but the Word of God appears as if in a body, not having its appearance or beauty, and it appears as if a man in wounds, who can endure our weaknesses; it appears to you as if a certain word born from a man, covered with the veils of letters, not shining forth with the power of the spirit. But if, while considering the man, you believe that he was generated from a Virgin, and faith gradually arises that he was born of the Spirit of God, you begin to ascend the mountain. If you see him placed on the cross triumphant over death, not destroyed: if you see that the earth shook, the sun fled, darkness covered the eyes of the unbelievers, the tombs were opened, the dead arose; so that it might be evident that the Gentile people who were dead to God, as if with the tombs of their bodies opened, rose again with light poured out from the cross: if you see this mystery, you have ascended the high mountain, you behold the other glory of the Word.


13. His clothes are different below, and different above. And perhaps the clothes of the Word are the words of the Scriptures, and some are garments of divine understanding; because just as he appeared to Peter, John, and James in another form, and his clothes shone white (Mark 9:29); so the senses of your mind are now turning white with the reading of divine lessons. Therefore, the words of the divine become like snow, the clothes of the Word are excessively white, such that a fuller on earth cannot make.


14. Let us seek this fuller, let us seek this snow. We read that the prophet Isaiah went up to the village of the fuller (Isaiah VII, 3). Who is this fuller, if not perhaps the one who is accustomed to wash away our sins? Finally, he himself said, 'If your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow' (Isaiah I, 18). Who is this fuller, if not the one who washes away the garments of our understanding, and clothes us in the garments of virtues, and having washed away the stains of the body, is accustomed to offer us alone to the divine.


15. I have also heard (in order to use an example to refute those who disagree) that the eloquence of two wise men is compared to snow and bees. I also found David saying: How sweet are your words to my throat, more than honey and the honeycomb (Psalm 118:103)! And below: Your word, O Lord, is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths (Ibid., 105). The Word of God is light, the Word of God is snow. The Word of God is also sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, which flowed from the divine mouth like honey, and clear, like snow, words fall with softer meanings. Truly, here is a discourse to be compared with snow, which, sent from heaven to earth, has fertilized the barren fields of our souls. This is not presumptuously assumed, but God himself testifies that it is derived from a series of readings, saying: Let my discourse be awaited like rain, and let my words descend like dew, as showers upon the grass, and as snow upon the hay (Deut. XXXII, 2).

16. I wish, Lord Jesus, that my mind may grow green with the moisture of your rain; I wish that you may sprinkle my land with the whiteness of this snow, so that the fields may not flourish with the hasty heat of a springtime body, but rather that the pressed seeds of the heavenly word may be fertile through snowy nourishment! When snow falls, the birds of the sky have no place to dwell, and the harvest of wheat is more abundant than usual.

17. (Verse 32.) Peter saw this grace, and they who were with him saw it, although they had been burdened by sleep; for the incomprehensible splendor of the divinity of our body pressed upon their senses. For if the physical eye is unable to sustain the bodily rays of the sun when they are directed toward the region of the eyes, how would the corruption of human limbs be able to endure the glory of God? And thus, when the impurities have been purged and the body's substance has been refined, the form of the body is transformed in the resurrection. And perhaps for this reason they were weighed down by sleep, in order to see the appearance of the resurrection after rest. So, waking up, they saw his majesty; for no one sees the glory of Christ except when awake. Peter was delighted, and the allurements of this world could not capture him, for the grace of the resurrection enticed him.

18. (Verse 33.) It is good, he says, for us to be here (hence even the holy Paul says (Phil. I, 23): For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain), not content with praising, but showing superiority in both affection and devotion of deeds, an eager and diligent worker of common service promises the duty of building three tabernacles. And although he did not know what he was saying, he still promised the deed: by an not ill-considered impetuosity, but by a premature devotion, he accumulates the fruits of piety. For what he did not know, was the condition: what he promised, was devotion. But human condition cannot contain in this corruptible, in this mortal body, a dwelling for God. Whether in the mind, or in the body, or in any other place, do not seek that which is not allowed to know. If Peter did not know, how can you know? If he did not know, who made the promise, and who did not know the limits of the body by the magnitude of the soul; how can we know, being enclosed within the limits of the flesh by a certain laziness of the mind? Finally, such great devotion to God was pleasing.

(Vers. 34.)

(Verse 34.) And as these words were spoken, a cloud came and overshadowed them.

19. This is the overshadowing of the divine spirit, which does not darken the affections of men, but reveals hidden things. It is also understood in another place, with the angel saying: And the power of the Most High will overshadow you (Luke 1:35). Its advancement is shown by the voice of God saying:

(Vers. 35.)

(Verse 35.) This is my beloved son, listen to him.

20. This is, not the Son of Elias, not the Son of Moses: but this is the Son, whom you alone see; for those others had departed, when the Lord began to be designated. You see this faith to be perfect, not only of the foolish, but also of the accomplished, yea even of the heavenly ones, to know the Son of God. But since we have already spoken about these things, understand that this cloud is not made of the misty humidity of smoking mountains, nor the pitchy darkness of condensed air, which covers the heaven with the horror of darkness: but it is a bright cloud, which does not wet us with rainy waters and the moisture of drenched rain; but from which the minds of men, through the voice of almighty God, have been watered by the dew of faith.


(Vers. 36.)

(Verse 36.) And while the voice was happening, Jesus was found alone.

Therefore, when there were three, one became. They appear as three at the beginning, but as one in the end; for in the end they are one and perfect. Finally, even the Lord prays to the Father that we may all be one (John 17:21). Not only Moses and Elijah are one in Christ, but we are also one body of Christ. Therefore, they are received into the body of Christ, just as we will be one in Christ Jesus. Or perhaps because the Law and the prophets are from the Word, and what begins in the Word, ends in the Word. For the end of the Law is Christ, for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).


(Vers. 58.)

(Verse 58.) Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, where they rest; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.

22. It does not seem reasonable that we should consider him a simple and faithful judge who is rejected by the favor of the Lord; when he had promised the unwearied service of his obedience; for the Lord seeks not the appearance of obedience, but the purity of affection. Finally, he says above:

(Vers. 48.)

(Verse 48.) Whoever receives this child in my name.

23. In the place where the Lord teaches that simplicity should be without arrogance, charity without envy, and devotion without anger: for even children are advised to receive this with a more advanced affection; because while a child claims nothing for himself, he follows the form of virtue: and if he does not know reason, he is ignorant of fault. However, because simplicity without reason seems like weakness to many, in order for you to receive true admonition, that is, to diligently fulfill the duty of nature, you are reminded. Et ideo ait:

(Ibid.) Whoever receives this child in my name, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives him who sent me.

For whoever receives the imitator of Christ, receives Christ; and whoever receives the image of God, receives God. But because we were not able to see the image of God, the presence was made to us through the incarnation of the Word; so that the divinity that is above us may be reconciled to us.

25. However, because John greatly loved and therefore was greatly loved due to his fervent devotion to charity, he believes that someone who does not make use of a favor should be excluded, is not rightly condemned, but rather instructed. They are not condemned because they acted out of love, but rather instructed, so that they may know the difference between the weak and the strong. And therefore, although the Lord rewards the stronger ones, He does not exclude the weak.

(Vers. 50)

(Verse 50) Allow them, and do not hinder them; for whoever is not against you is for you.

Well, Lord, for both Joseph and Nicodemus, hidden disciples because of fear, did not deny you their service in the time of your suffering. But nevertheless, because you have said elsewhere: Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters; reveal to us, lest it appear to be otherwise. And I believe that if anyone considers the examiner of minds, they should not doubt that the actions of each person can be discerned by the mind. Finally, some say, follow me; others, foxes have dens. He is compelled, that one is removed; so that you may know that the faithful are admitted and the unfaithful are excluded.

27. (Verse 53-59.) But in fact, he rebuked his disciples because they wanted fire to come down on those who did not receive Christ: it is shown to us that we should not always seek revenge on those who have sinned; because sometimes it is more beneficial to you to have mercy for patience, in order to correct the fallen (23, q. 4, cap. Quod Christus). Finally, the Samaritans believed more quickly, from whom fire is kept away in this place. At the same time, learn that he did not want to receive from those whom he knew were not converted with a sincere mind; for if he had wanted to, he would have made the unfaithful faithful. But why did they not receive him? The evangelist himself explains, saying: Because his appearance was disliked by everyone in Jerusalem. However, the disciples were eager to be received in Samaria. But it is God who calls those whom he deems worthy, and he makes whom he wills to be religious. The disciples are not sinning when they follow the Law; for they knew that Phineas was considered righteous for killing the sacrilegious and that fire came down from heaven at the prayers of Elijah in order to avenge the prophet's mistreatment. But the one who fears will be avenged; he does not seek vengeance, he who does not fear. At the same time, it is shown to us in the apostles that they had the merits of the prophets, since they presumptuously assume the same power that the great prophet earned to obtain by right. And they assume rightly because fire descended from heaven at their words; for they are sons of thunder.

28. But the Lord marvels at all things, and does not easily accept one who offers himself without reason; nor is He moved by those who impiously refute their own Lord, in order to show that perfect virtue does not have a desire for vengeance, nor does it have any anger when there is fullness of charity; nor is weakness to be excluded, but rather to be helped. Far from the religious is indignation; far from the magnanimous is the desire for vengeance; far also from the prudent is thoughtless alliance and careless simplicity. And it is also said of them: Foxes have dens: nor is the courtesy of one with whose duty is not approved of admitted. For the hospitality of faith ought to be cautious; lest while we open the innermost parts of our home to unbelievers, we fall into the snares of another's treachery with unthinking credulity.

29. But lest we seem to have imprudently passed over this, why here we deny that those who can command unclean spirits by the imposition of hands in the name of Jesus should be prohibited: but according to Matthew, he says to them: I never knew you: depart from me, all workers of iniquity (Matt. VII, 23). We must take note that there is no difference in meaning or disagreement in opinions: but it is considered that not only the duties of the clergy, but also the works of virtue are required; and that the name of Christ is so powerful that it can help even those who are not very holy for protection; although it does not help for grace. Where no one should boast, nor should a redeemed man claim grace for himself, in whom the power of eternal name, not some possibility of human frailty, has worked; for it is not by your own merit but by his own hatred that the devil is conquered.

30. A man can exhibit sincere faith and observe the commandments with a religious mind, so that he may not be told: foxes have dens. For indeed the deceitful animal, always intent on traps, exercises the plunder of deception. Nothing is safe, nothing is idle, nothing is allowed to be secure, as it seeks prey amidst the very lodgings of men.

31. He compares heretics to foxes. Finally, when he calls the nations, he excludes heretics. For the fox is a creature full of deceit, preparing a pit, and always desiring to hide in the pit: so are the heretics, who do not know how to prepare a home for themselves, but try to deceive others with their tricks. Jacob dwells in a house: the heretic is in a pit, always intending the deceitful scheme of that Evangelical hen, about which it is written: How often have I desired to gather your children together, like a hen gathering her chicks, and you were not willing? Behold, your house will be left deserted (Matt. 23:37-38). Therefore, they deserve to have ditches, because they have lost the house they had. This animal never becomes tame; hence the Apostle says, 'Reject a heretical man after one...rebuke' (Titus 3:10). He is of no use, or benefit, not even as food; for Christ did not say of this: 'My food is to do the will of my Father, who is in heaven' (John 4:34). Moreover, it also drives them away from its fruits: 'Catch the little foxes for us, the ones destroying the vineyards' (Song of Solomon 2:15); that is, those that destroy the smaller vineyard, not the larger. And that is why Samson tied torches to their tails and let them loose in the fields of the foreigners (Judges 15:4); because heretics attempt to burn the fruits of others, more with loud barking than with refined words (for whoever denies the Word does not have a voice), for the present they speak freely with their mouths, but in the future, with their tails bound and burning with torches, they signify the fiery end of themselves.


Moreover, the birds of the sky, which are frequently derived in likeness to evil spirits, construct certain nests within the hearts of the wicked. And for this reason, the Son of Man, because wickedness abounds, has no place to rest his head. Indeed, when cunning rules, there is no place for simplicity, and no possession can exist in the affections of individuals for divinity: For the head of Christ is God (1 Corinthians 11:3), who, when he approves a pure mind, in a manner reclines above it with the power of his majesty: which seems to be evident by the fact that a certain overflowing grace is implanted in the hearts of the good.


33. (Verse 59.) Therefore, understand that God does not reject worship, but rather fraud: he rejected the deceitful one and chose the innocent, saying, 'Follow me.' But he said this to whom he already knew the father was dead, the same father of whom it was said to him, 'Forget...the house of your father' (Psalm 44:11). So see that the Lord, whom he shows mercy to, also calls those who are unaware, and he responds to the one who asks for paternal forgiveness:

(Vers. 60.)

(Verse 60) Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.

Therefore, when we undertake the religious duty of burying the dead, just as here the burial of a father is also prohibited, unless you understand that human matters should be subordinate to divine matters. It is a good pursuit, but a greater hindrance; for whoever divides their pursuit, also divides their devotion (Acts 6:2 et seq.); and whoever divides their care, defers their progress (Luke 10:4). Therefore, the greatest things must be done first; for even the apostles, so that they would not be occupied with the pursuit of distributing, appointed ministers for the poor: and when they themselves were sent by the Lord, no one was prescribed the duty of administering salvation along the way: not because the duty of benevolence was displeasing, but because the intention of pursuing devotion pleased more.


35. However, how can the dead bury the dead, unless the body of one who has lost their heart and soul to infidelity is buried, so that their soul may be with God? Or is it because death is understood here in two ways, one as the end of nature, the other as the consequence of sin? There is also a third death, in which we die to sin and live for God, just as Christ died for sin. For he who died to sin died once, but he who lives lives to God (Rom. 6:10).


Therefore, death, by which the bond between body and soul is separated, is not to be feared, not to be dreaded; since it seems to be a departure of ourselves, not a punishment: not to be feared by the brave, desired by the wise, sought after by the wretched, of which it is said: Men will seek death, and shall not find it (Apocalypse 9:6).

37. There is also another death that brings the destruction of worldly pleasures: in it, not nature, but sins perish. We undergo this death when we are buried with baptism, and as dead with Christ from the elements of this world, we suffer the deeds of our former life to be forgotten. This death, when Balaam prophesied, he desired to live for God, and so he said: Let my soul die with the souls of the just, and let my seed be as their seed (Num. 23:10).


There is also a third death, when Christ, who is our life, is not known: but to know Christ is eternal life, which is now present to the just in shadow, but in the future it will be face to face; for the Lord Christ is the Spirit before our face (Lamentations 4:20), of whom it is said: In his shadow we live among the nations (Psalm 56:2). David hoped in the shadow of his wings, he longed for the shadow of him, and the Church sits in his shadow (Song of Solomon 2:3).


39. If only, Lord Jesus, does your shadow contribute as much as truth will bring? How will we live when we are no longer in the shadow but in life itself? For now our life is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ appears, our life, then we will also appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:3-4). That sweet life is the one that does not have death: but this life of the body has death due to the transgression of nature, which is often even desired. The soul itself often experiences the death of sin: For the soul that sins, it shall die (Ezekiel XVIII, 4). But when it begins to be strengthened by the firmness of blessedness and is no longer subject to sin, it will no longer be mortal, but will obtain eternal life.

40. Let us hasten, brothers, to this life, sorrowful in the world because we are strangers to the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6); for whoever is a stranger to the body is a stranger to the Lord. But it is much better to be released from the body and to be joined to God; so that we may be one with the almighty God, and may see the only-begotten Son of God, assumed into the glory of the resurrection and into the brightness of nature, and united by an everlasting pact of unbreakable harmony of souls, imitating the unity of lasting peace; so that what the Son of God promised about us may be fulfilled through praying to the Father: That they may be one, just as we are one (John 17:23).


Therefore, the burial of a father is not prohibited, but the piety of divine religion takes precedence over the obligation of kinship: the former is left to the relatives, the latter is entrusted to the chosen. Either because the open grave is the gaping mouth of the impious (Psalm 5:11), their memory is to be erased, whose merit dies with their body; nor is the son released from the duty of a father, but the faithful is separated from the communion of the treacherous.

For there is a special burial for the just, such as that one of which it is said: For she has poured this ointment on my body, to bury me (Matthew 26:12); and therefore he who sincerely buries Christ in himself, in order to rise with him, should not bury the perfidy of the devil in himself.

43. And also that prophetic passage, as we set forth above, must be understood as referring to the tombs of our forefathers (Tb 4:18); you, who reads this, should not be an unbeliever. It is not because food and drink are commanded, but because the sacred communion of offering is revealed. Therefore, it is not forbidden to give gifts, but the mystery of religion is revealed, that there will be no communion between us and the dead nations. For since the sacraments belong to the living, the dead, who have eternal life, are not seen.


(Chap. X. — Vers. 3.)

(Chapter X, Verse 3) Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

44. To the seventy disciples He says, those whom He designated and sent two by two before His face. And in what manner did He send them two by two? Because two animals were sent into the ark, that is, the female with the male: unclean according to number, but cleansed by the sacrament of the Church. This was accomplished by the prophecy which Saint Peter received, when the Holy Spirit said to him: What God has cleansed, do not call common (Acts 10:15). And it is understood that this was said about the Gentiles, who followed more the succession of bodily generation than of spiritual grace. He redeemed them and made them heirs of his passion.

45. Therefore, Jesus sent his disciples into their own harvest, which, though planted with the word of God, still required the laborious work and diligent task of the worker; so that the birds of the sky would not scatter the seeds that were scattered, thus: Behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves (Isaiah 65:25).

46. These animals are contrary to each other, so that some devour others. But a good shepherd does not fear wolves for his flock: and therefore these disciples are directed not to prey, but to grace; for the solicitude of a good shepherd makes it so that wolves cannot dare anything against the lambs. Therefore, he sends lambs among wolves, so that that may be fulfilled: Then the wolves and the lambs will feed together.

47. And since recently a not unpleasant discussion about a fox has occurred with us, if I have experienced your trustworthy judgment in the form of a small creature (In Luke 9), I presume that I can reveal the profound mysteries that are veiled in the guise of wolves by the support of your studies. We have already explained that heretics are signified in the guise of foxes, who promise by name to follow Christ, but renounce it through deceit. The Lord does not take these, but rather He keeps them away and forbids them from His nest. We must pay attention to what the wolves seem to signify.

Indeed, the beasts are those that lie in wait for sheep, they move around the shepherd's huts, they do not dare to enter the dwellings of houses, they examine the sleep of dogs, the absence or laziness of the shepherd, they attack the throats of sheep, in order to strangle them quickly: they are wild, greedy, and by nature more rigid in body; that they cannot easily be bent, they are carried forward by a certain impetuosity, and therefore they are often played with. Moreover, if they see any man before them, they are compelled, by a certain power of nature, to snatch away his voice: but if a man sees them first, they are said to be chased away. And so I must be careful lest, if in today's treatise on spiritual mysteries, the grace may not be able to shine forth, I may be believed to have seen wolves beforehand and forced a vote of approval.

49. Surely these wolves must be compared to heretics who lie in wait for the sheep of Christ, raging around the sheepfolds more at nighttime than during the day? For always to the treacherous ones night is preferable, those who attempt to cover the light of Christ with the cruel mists of interpretation, and to the extent possible, darken it. They turn around the sheepfolds; however, they dare not enter the stable of Christ. And for this reason they are not healed, because Christ does not want to lead them into His stable, in which He cured the man who, descending from Jerusalem, fell among robbers, whom the Good Samaritan, having bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on him, put on his own beast and brought to an inn, leaving him to be healed by the innkeeper (Luke X, 30 et seq.). They do not accept medicine, who do not seek a doctor; for if they did seek, they would not detract.

50. Exploring the absence of the shepherd, the shepherds of the Church strive either to kill or to exile them, because they cannot attack the sheep of Christ in the presence of the shepherds. Therefore, the robbers attempt to plunder the flock of the Lord, with a certain stubborn and rigid intention of their mind, never deviating from their error. And thus the Apostle says: Avoid a heretical man after the first . . . . correction (Titus 3:10), knowing that he is perverted, such as he is. Thus, Christ mocks these Scriptural interpreters, so that their empty attacks are poured out in vain, and they cannot harm.

51. If they anticipate anyone by the skillful circumscription of their argumentation, they cause him to become mute; for he is mute who does not confess the Word of God in the same manner as his glory. Therefore beware lest the heretic take away your voice, if you do not yourself first detect him; for his treachery creeps while it lies hidden: but if you recognize the discussions of his impiety, you will not be able to fear the loss of your pious voice. Therefore beware of the poisons of subtle disputation: they attack the soul, invade the throat, inflict a wound on the vital parts. Graves sunt morsus haereticorum, qui ipsis graviores et rapaciores bestiis, nullum avaritiae finem impietatisque noverunt.

Let it not bother you that they seem to present a human form: and if a man is seen on the outside, inside he rages like a beast. And therefore it is not to be doubted that they are wolves, according to the divine sentence of the Lord Jesus, who says: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are ravening wolves; by their fruits you shall know them (Matthew VII, 15 and 16). Therefore, if anyone is moved by appearance, let him inquire about the fruit. You hear that a priest is being called, you recognize his robbery. He has the appearance of a sheep, the actions of a predator. Outside he is a sheep, inside he is a wolf: one who has no limit to his robberies, who, like a body hardened by Scythian frost in the night, with a bloodied face, flies around seeking whom he might devour. Doesn't he seem to you to be a wolf, who desires to satisfy his insatiable cruelty in the death of faithful people?

53. That person howls, does not reason, who denies the author of the voice, and with blasphemous speech, makes a bestial murmur, who does not confess the Lord Jesus, the eternal ruler of life. We heard his howls, when the sword was sent into the world. He showed his sharp teeth, his swollen mouth, and thought that he had taken away the voice from everyone, which he alone had lost. And therefore, in order to escape from these wolves, the Lord teaches us what we should follow, saying:

(Vers. 4.)

(Verse 4.) Do not carry a bag, nor a money pouch, nor sandals.

54. What it means for a bag not to be carried somewhere else is clearly expressed; for Matthew wrote that the Lord said to his disciples: Do not possess gold, nor silver (Matthew 10:9). If we are prohibited from possessing gold, what are we to take away, what are we to steal? If you command to give what you have, how are you accumulating what you did not have? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who curse idols, do you commit sacrilege? Do you who boast in the law, dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, 'The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.' (Romans 2:21-24)

55. Not so did the apostle Peter, who was the first executor of the Lord's command, show that the commandments of the Lord were not given in vain; when asked by a poor man to give him some money, he said: I have no silver or gold (Acts 3:6). He boasts that he does not have silver or gold: is it shameful to you to have less than you desire? Therefore, poverty is both glorious and blessed, as it is written: Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3). Nevertheless, Peter does not boast so much about this, that he has no silver and gold, as that he keeps the commandment of the Lord, who commanded: Do not possess gold; that is to say: You see that I am a disciple of Christ, and you ask for gold from me? He has given us something much more precious than gold, so that we may work in his name. Therefore, I have not what he has not given, but what he has given I have: In the name of the Lord Jesus, rise up and walk (Acts 3:6).


56. Just as, therefore, one who wants to build barns for storing grain is criticized by the authority of the Lord's words (Luke XII, 26): so one who wants to acquire a bag by preserving gold incurs the blemish of reprobation.

57. I will not err, nor will I put on sandals. Both are usually made from the skin of a dead animal; however, our Lord Jesus wants nothing in us to be mortal. Finally, to Moses He says: 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground' (Exod. III, 5). Therefore, He commands Moses to remove his mortal and earthly sandals when he was sent to free the people; for the one who serves in this ministry should fear nothing, and should not be delayed by the danger of death from fulfilling his duty. For when he received voluntary defense of his brothers, that is, of the Jews, he was recalled from his beginning by the terror of false accusations, and fled from Egypt. And therefore when the Lord tested his disposition, and saw his condition feeble, He deemed it necessary to free his soul and mind from mortal bonds.

58. And if someone is moved by the fact that in Egypt they were commanded to eat the Passover lamb wearing shoes (Exodus 12:11), he should consider that even though he is in Egypt, he still needs to beware of the bites of serpents. For there are many poisons in Egypt, and he who celebrates the Passover in a symbolic way can be susceptible to injury. But the minister of truth dulls the poisons and does not tremble. Indeed, the viper bit Paul on the island of Malta, and when the inhabitants of that place saw the viper hanging from his hand, they thought he would die. But when they saw him unharmed, they said he was a god, to whom venom could not do harm (Acts 28:3ff). And so that you know this to be true, the Lord himself said: Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you (Luke 10:19).

59. The apostles were not commanded to carry staffs in their hands; for thus Matthew thought it should be written (Matth. X, 10). But what is a staff, if not a symbol of authority and an instrument of inflicting pain? Therefore, the humble disciples of the humble Lord (for in his humility his judgment was exalted [Esai. LIII, 8]), I say, the humble disciples carry out the commandment of their Lord through the duties of humility; for they were sent to sow the faith, not to compel but to teach; not to exercise power, but to elevate the doctrine of humility. In this place, he thought that even patience should be joined to humility; because he himself also, according to the testimony of Peter, did not revile when he was reviled: when he was struck, he did not strike back (1 Peter 2:23). Therefore, this is to say: Be imitators of me, set aside the desire for vengeance, endure the insolence of those who strike you not with a sense of injury, but with the magnanimity of patience. No one should imitate in another what he himself condemns: gentleness returns severer wounds to the contumacious. The Lord struck back by saying: Whoever strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other also (Matt. V, 39). For it happens that by his own judgement he condemns himself, and he is pricked by a certain sting of his own conscience, which prompts him to recognize the kindness that was shown to him in contrast to the injury he committed.

However, he had those whom he sent as apostles with a rod, as Paul testifies, saying: What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? (I Cor. IV, 21). The Apostle Timothy also received this rod, saying: Reprove, exhort, rebuke (II Tim. IV, 2). Or perhaps before the passion of the Lord, which strengthened the wavering hearts of the people, gentleness alone was necessary; after the passion, correction. Certainly the Lord rebukes, Paul incites. Let him who can persuade also soften hardened hearts, let him who cannot persuade all things rebuke. Therefore Paul had taken up the rod from the teaching of the Law. For he had read: 'He who spares the rod hates his son' (Prov. XIII, 24). He had also read that those who eat the lamb were ordered by the prophetic command to have a rod in their hands (Exod. XII, 11). And thus the Lord says in the old Testament: 'I will visit their iniquities with the rod' (Psal. LXXXVIII, 33). But in the new one, he offered himself for forgiveness to all, saying: If you seek me, let these go away (John XVIII, 8). And in another place you have that when the apostles wanted to ask for fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans, who did not want to receive Jesus the Lord into their city: He turned and rebuked them, and said: You do not know what spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy lives, but to save them (Luke IX, 55 and 56).


61. Therefore, the more perfect are governed without a rod, while the weaker ones eat with a staff. But even Paul threatens with a rod, but in the spirit of meekness he visits those who sin. Finally, in order for you to know that he is a gentle teacher, he seeks the will of those whom he accuses: What do you want, he says, should I come to you with a rod, or in love and the spirit of meekness? (I Cor. IV, 21). He mentioned the rod once, and twice he added milder things, adding meekness to love. However, he had previously threatened with a rod, but he showed gentleness; for in the second letter to the Corinthians, he writes: I call God as my witness, that I did not come to Corinth again to spare you (II Cor. I, 23). Listen to the reason why he thought it necessary to spare them: So that I would not come to you again in sorrow (II Cor. II, 1). He put aside the rod and took on the feeling of charity.

(Vers. 4.)

(Verse 4.) And you have not greeted anyone on the way.

62. Perhaps to some, this may seem harsh and proud, and not in accordance with the gentle and humble command of the Lord, who even ordered that one should give up their place at the table. In this place, He commands His disciples: 'Do not greet anyone on the road.' (Luke 10:4) Although this is a common practice of grace. In this way, those who are lower in rank have often sought to win favor from those above them. Even the Gentiles have such exchanges of courtesies with Christians. How does the Lord tear away this use of humanity?

63. But consider this not only: You shall not greet anyone; but it is not in vain added, 'On your way'. Moreover, when Elisha (2 Kings 4:29) sent his servant to lay his staff on the body of the dead boy, he commanded him not to greet anyone on the way; for he ordered him to hasten in order to perform the duty of celebrating the resurrection, so that he would not be turned away from his task by the conversation of any passerby. Therefore, even here, the zeal for greeting is taken away, but the hindrance to devoutness is removed, so that when divine matters are commanded, human matters are temporarily set aside. Greeting is beautiful, but the mature execution of divine matters, which often delays and offends, is more beautiful. Therefore, even honorable things are prohibited, so that the grace of the ceremony does not creep in as an obstacle to duty and hinder the ministry, for which delay would be a fault.

64. (Verse. 8.) Now another virtue is this, that one should not wander from house to house with ease; so that we may preserve constancy even in hospitable love, and not easily dissolve the bond of friendship once formed; that we may prefer the message of peace, and that the first entrance of peace may be celebrated with a blessing: that we should be content with food and drink offered, not suppressing the banner of faith, and that we should preach the Gospel of the heavenly kingdom, shaking off the dust from our feet if anyone does not think they should be received into the hospitality of the city.


65. (Vers. 13-21.) It also teaches that those who do not follow the Gospel will be subject to a more severe punishment than those who considered the Law to be loosened; because if Tyre and Sidon had seen such great miracles of heavenly operations, they would not have disregarded the remedy of repentance. This worldly abundance or insolence should neither be compared to heavenly gifts, nor should it be left without remedy, as there is assistance for everyone to repent. Finally, it reveals the heavenly mystery that it pleased God to reveal His grace to little ones rather than to the wise of this world. The apostle Paul explained this more fully, saying: 'Did not God make the wisdom of this world foolish? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of preaching to save those who believe.' (I Cor. I, 20-21).

66. Therefore let us accept the little one, who does not know how to exalt himself, and boast of his skill in lofty words, like many philosophers do. It was a little one who said: O Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor are my eyes lofty, nor have I walked in great things, nor in wonders above me (Psalm CXXX, 1). And to show that this little one was not young, nor wise, but humble in his humility, and with a certain turning away from boasting, he added: But I have exalted my soul (Ibid., 2). You see how high this little one has been, how lofty at the pinnacle of virtues? Such little ones does the Apostle want us to be, when he says: If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool, so that he may become wise; for the wisdom of this age is foolishness before God (1 Corinthians 3:18-19).

67. (Verse 22.) The most beautiful place is connected to faith when it says that all things have been given to it by its Father. When you acknowledge all the laws, you do not deny the all-powerful, unchanging Father; when you acknowledge the given laws, you confess the Son, to whom by nature all things are rightfully his own, not granted as a gift through grace. He added:

(Ibid.) No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

68. I remember that I did not mention this place in the books I wrote about Faith (Book IV On Faith, Chapter 6). But so that you may know, just as the Son reveals to whom He wills, the Father also reveals to whom He wills His Son, listen to the Lord Jesus Himself saying when He praised Peter for confessing Him to be the Son of God: Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:17).


69. (Verse 25.) This passage applies to those who consider themselves experts in the law, who grasp the words of the law but do not understand its meaning. From the very first chapter of the law, it shows that they are ignorant of the law, proving that in the beginning, the law immediately proclaimed the Father and the Son, and also announced the mystery of the Lord's incarnation. It says: You shall love the Lord your God... and you shall love your neighbor as yourself (Deut. 6:5).


70. (Verse 28.) So the Lord said to the scribe: Do this, and you will live. But he, who did not know his neighbor because he did not believe in Christ, answered: Who is my neighbor? Therefore, one who does not know Christ, does not know the Law either. For how can he know the Law, when he ignores the truth, when the Law proclaims the truth?

(Vers 30.)

(Verse 30.) A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers.

71. In order to better understand the place that has been proposed to us, let us revisit the ancient history of the city of Jericho. We remember that Jericho, as we read in the book called Joshua, was a great city surrounded by walls that could not be penetrated by iron or battering ram (Joshua 6:1). In that city, Rahab the prostitute lived. She received and provided shelter for the spies sent by Joshua, gave them instructions, and when the citizens asked about them, she hid them on her roof. In order to save herself and her people from the destruction of the city, she tied a scarlet cord in the window (Joshua 2:4ff). However, the invincible walls of the city itself fell down at the sound of the seven priestly trumpets and the shout of the jubilant people (Joshua 6:20).


See how each person keeps their own duty: the scouts guard, the prostitute has secrets, the conqueror has trust, the priest has religion. These do not fear danger for praise: she does not betray those she has taken on in danger: he is anxious to preserve trust more than to conquer, he entrusts his safety to the prostitute before the destruction of the city: but the weapons of religion are the insignia of the priest. Now, who would not think that it is a full miracle that no one from the whole city was saved, except for the one whom the prostitute freed?


This is the simple history of truth: which, if considered deeply, signifies wondrous mysteries. For Jericho is the figure of this world, into which Adam, expelled from paradise, that is, from celestial Jerusalem, descended through the transgression of his disobedience, that is, migrating from the spiritual to the earthly: to whom not a change of place, but a change of character, made exile from his nature. Far removed from that Adam, who enjoyed faultless bliss, when he fell into worldly sins, he fell into the hands of thieves: into whom he would not have fallen, if he had not made himself subject to the commandment of heavenly government. Who are these robbers, if not angels of the night and darkness, who sometimes transform themselves into angels of light, but cannot persevere? They strip us of the garments of spiritual grace, and thus are accustomed to inflict wounds; for if we keep the unblemished garments that we have received, we cannot feel the wounds of the robbers. Therefore be careful not to be stripped beforehand, as Adam was stripped beforehand, deprived of the protection of the heavenly commandment, and stripped of the garment of faith, and thus received a deadly wound: in which all of humanity would have perished, if that Samaritan descending had not healed his bitter wounds.


74. This Samaritan is not mediocre, who despised by the priest and the Levite, did not despise himself. Do not despise the name of the sect, for you will marvel at the interpretation of the word; for indeed, Samaritan is a term that signifies guardian. This is its interpretation. And who is a guardian, if not he of whom it is said: The Lord keeps the little ones (Psalm 114:6)? Therefore, just as one Jew is different in letter and another in spirit, so too is the Samaritan, one outwardly and another in secret. So who is this Samaritan descending? Indeed: He who descended from heaven, and who ascends to heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven (John 3:13)? Seeing the half-dead man, whom no one had been able to heal before, just as she who had spent all her inheritance on doctors in order to stop her flowing blood: he came near him (Luke 8:43-44), that is, he became close to us by taking on our compassion and became our neighbor through the gift of mercy.


(Vers. 34.)

(Verse 34) And he bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them.

75. This doctor has many medicines, with which he is accustomed to heal. His speech is a medicine. One of his speeches binds wounds, another soothes with oil, another pours wine. He binds wounds with a stricter command, soothes with the forgiveness of sin, just as he pierces with wine through the denunciation of judgment.

(Ibid.) And he placed, he said, on his beast.

76. Listen how he obligates himself: He carries our sins, and suffers for us (Isaiah 53:4): and a shepherd put a weary sheep on his shoulders (Luke 15:5). For a man has been made similar to a beast of burden; and therefore he has placed us on his beast of burden, so that we would not be like horses and mules; in order to abolish the weaknesses of our flesh by assuming our human body.

Finally, he led us into a stable, where we were animals. And indeed, it is a stable where the weary often take shelter after a long journey. Therefore, the Lord, who raises up the poor from the earth and lifts up the needy from the dung heap (Psalm 113:7), led us into the stable.

78. And he took care (Ibid.); lest the sick man should not observe those things which he had received. But the Samaritan had no leisure to stay on earth for long: he had to return to where he had come down from. Therefore:

(Vers. 35.)

(The Verse 35.) On the second day.

Who is this other day, unless perhaps that of the Lord's resurrection, of which it is said: This is the day which the Lord has made (Psalm CXVII, 24)?

(Ibid.) He brought out two denarii and gave them to the stable keeper, and said: Take care of him.

Who are these two denarii, if not perhaps two Testaments, which have the image of the eternal king expressed in them, by whose price our wounds are healed? For we are redeemed by precious blood; so that we may avoid the wounds of death.

81. Therefore, the stableman receives these two denarii (it is not unreasonable to understand the four forms of these books as well). Who? Perhaps he who says: I consider them as dung, that I may gain Christ (Phil. III, 8); in which he cares for the wounded man. Therefore, that stableman is the one who said: Christ sent me to proclaim the good news (I Cor. I, 17). Those stablemen are those to whom it is said: Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature; and whoever believes and is baptized will be saved (Mark XVI, 15 and 16), saved from death, saved from the wound inflicted by the robbers. Blessed is the stable boy, who can heal the wounds of others. Blessed is he to whom Jesus says:

(Vers. 35.)

(Verse 35.) Whatever you have supererogated, I will return to you when you come back.

82. Paul, a good steward, who even goes beyond what is required. Paul, the good steward, whose words and letters overflow as if he had received the same teaching as himself. By carrying out the moderate command of the Lord with almost excessive mental and physical labor, he has relieved many people from the burden of serious spiritual conversation. Therefore, he is a good stable master of the stable in which his Lord's donkey recognized the manger, and in which the flock of lambs is enclosed, so that there may be easy access to the sheepfold for the raging wolves.


83. Therefore, he promises that he will repay the reward. When will you return, Lord, if not on the day of judgment? For although you are always everywhere, and standing in our midst, you are not seen by us, yet there will be a time when all flesh sees you returning. Therefore, you will repay what you owe. Blessed are those to whom you are a debtor! May we be worthy debtors! May we be able to repay what we have received; may neither the office of priesthood nor ministry lift us up! Lord Jesus, how will you repay? You have indeed promised in heaven a plentiful reward for the good (Matthew 5:12). Yet you will also repay when you say: 'Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord' (Matthew 25:21).

Therefore, since no one is closer than the one who has cared for our wounds, let us love him as a master, let us love him as a neighbor, for nothing is as close as the head is to the members: let us also love him who is an imitator of Christ, let us love him who sympathizes with the poverty of another's body through the unity of our own. For it is not blood relation that makes one close, but mercy: for mercy is according to nature; for nothing is so according to nature as to help a fellow being of the same nature.


85. (Verse 38, 42.) Therefore, it has been said about mercy, but there is not only one form of virtue. The example of Martha and Mary is added: the active devotion of one through her works, the religious intention of the other towards the word of God, which, if it is in harmony with faith, is even preferred to the works themselves, according to what is written: Mary has chosen the best part for herself, which will not be taken away from her. Let us therefore strive to have something that no one can take away from us, not for the sake of being superficial, but for diligent hearing; for even the seeds of the heavenly word itself are known to be taken away if they are sown in a different way (Luke 8:12). Love wisdom as you love Mary, for this is a greater and more perfect work: let not the care of your ministry turn you away from the knowledge of heavenly doctrine, nor condemn those whom you see studying wisdom as idle judges; for Solomon, that peaceful man, admitted wisdom to dwell with him.

Martha, however, is not reproached for her good ministry, but Mary, because she has chosen the better part, is preferred; for Jesus abounds in many things and bestows many blessings, and therefore he is considered wiser; because he chooses what is essential. Finally, the apostles did not consider it best to abandon the word of God and serve tables (Acts 6:2). But both are tasks of wisdom; for even Stephen, a minister full of wisdom, was chosen (Ibid., 5). And therefore let the one who serves the teacher defer to him; and let the one serving the doctor invite and challenge him; for there is one body of the Church, although there are different members: one member needs the other. The eye cannot say to the hand: I do not need your works; nor again can the head say to the feet, nor the ear deny that it is part of the body; for although some parts are more important, others are still necessary. Wisdom is in the head, action is in the hands: For the eyes of the wise are in their head (Ecclesiasticus 2:14); for he truly understands, whose mind is in Christ, and whose inner eye is raised to heavenly things. And therefore: The eyes of the wise are in their head; but the fool walks in darkness.

(Chap. XI. — Vers. 5.)

(Chapter 11, Verse 5.) Which of you, having a friend, will go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread.'

87. Another precept is that prayer should be offered at every moment, not just during the day but also at night. For you see that this person who set out in the middle of the night, asking for three loaves from his friend and persisting in his request, will not be denied his prayers. Who are these three loaves, if not the nourishment of heavenly mysteries? If you love the Lord your God, you will not only be able to acquire it for yourself, but also for others. But who is more friendly to us than the one who handed over his body for us? From this middle of the night, David asked for bread and received it; for he asked when he said: In the middle of the night, I rise to confess to you (Psalm 118:62); therefore he deserved these loaves of bread that he set before us to eat. He asked when he said: I will wash my bed every night (Psalm 6:7); for he did not fear to awaken the One who sleeps, whom he knows is always awake.

88. And therefore, mindful of the writings, we who devote ourselves to prayer day and night, should seek forgiveness for our sins. For if that holy one, who was occupied with the necessities of the kingdom, praised the Lord seven times a day in his prayers, always attentive to the morning and evening sacrifices (Psalm CXVIII, 164): what should we do, who should ask even more frequently, as we more frequently fall through the weakness of flesh and mind; so that for those worn out by the journey and greatly exhausted by the course of this age and the twists and turns of this life, the bread of refreshment may not be lacking, which strengthens the hearts of men?


89. Not only in the middle of the night does the Lord teach us to be watchful, but at all moments near to it; for he comes in the evening, and in the second, and in the third watch, and is accustomed to knock: Blessed, therefore, are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, shall find watching (Luke 12:37). So if you desire that the power of God gird itself and minister to you, it is necessary to be always watchful: for there are many snares for the good, and a heavy sleep of the body; for if the mind begins to sleep, it loses the strength of its virtue. Therefore, awaken your sleep so that you may knock on the door of Christ; which Paul also requests to be opened to him, not only for himself, but also by the prayers of the people, imploring to be aided, so that the door may be opened to him to speak the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3). And perhaps that is the door that John saw opened; for he saw and said: After this I saw, and behold, a door open in heaven; and the first voice which I heard, as it were of a trumpet speaking with me, saying: Come up hither, and I will show thee the things that must be done (Revelation 4:1). The door was opened to John, the door was opened to Paul; so that they could receive the breads that we were eating. He persevered knocking on the door opportune, importune; so that he could refresh the peoples, who were troubled by the labor of the worldly path, with the abundance of heavenly sustenance.

Therefore, the prescriptive place of prayer, the hope of obtaining, the rationale of persuading, is first placed in the precept and then in the example. For whoever promises something, ought to offer the hope of the promise; so that obedience may be given to the admonitions, faith to the promises, which, by the human contemplation of piety, acquires a greater hope of eternal piety; if, however, they are demanded justly, lest prayer be turned into sin. Nor was he ashamed to ask for something frequently, lest he be seen to either lack confidence in the mercy of the Lord, or to arrogantly grieve because he obtained something through his first prayer. Therefore, he said, I asked the Lord three times (II Cor. XII, 8): and he showed that God often does not grant what is prayed for because he judges it to be useless, which we believe will benefit us.

(Vers. 17.)

(Verse 17.) Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house falls upon a house.

The reason for this saying is that it was said that in Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he cast out demons; in order to show that his kingdom is indivisible and eternal. And he even responded to Pilate: My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). And therefore, those who do not have hope in Christ but think that they cast out demons by the prince of demons, he denies them an eternal kingdom. This applies to the people of the Jews, who, in order to cast out demons in such passions, call upon the assistance of demons. For just as, when faith is divided, the kingdom cannot remain undivided, so too, since the people of the Jews are in the Law, and Christ was also generated according to the flesh from the Law, how can the kingdom of the Jews be everlasting, since it is from the Law, when the people themselves divide the Law, when Christ, who is owed to the people of the Law, is denied? Thus, from one side the faith of the Jewish people attacks itself, and by attacking it is divided, and by dividing it is dissolved. And therefore the kingdom of the Church will remain forever; because individual faith is one body: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all (Ephesians 4:5-6).

92. How great a sacrilegious madness is here; that when the Son of God undertook to crush unclean spirits and take away the spoils of the worldly prince by assuming flesh, and gave power for the destruction of evil spirits to men as well, dividing the spoils of his triumph, which is the emblem of victory, some should seek for themselves assistance and support from the power of the devil, while they exclude demons from the finger of God, or certainly according to Matthew, by the Spirit of God (Matt. 12:28)! It is understood that there is a certain individual, like a body of divinity and a kingdom; since Christ is at the right hand of God. And the Spirit, it seems, expresses the appearance of a finger, like one in the divine series of the body. Does it not seem that the individual is a kingdom, since it is like an undivided body? For, as you have read, the fullness of divinity dwells bodily in Christ (Colossians 2:9). Surely you cannot deny this of the Father, and you should not deny it of the Spirit. And so, may it not seem necessary for you to make a certain portion of virtue by comparison of our members; for there cannot be a division of an indivisible thing: and therefore, the naming of fingers must be referred to the form of unity, not to the distinction of power; as even the right hand of God says: I and the Father are one (John 10:30). But although the indivisible divinity is distinct persons.

93. However, when the word 'Spirit' is mentioned, it signifies the power of the operator, because just as the Father and the Son are operators of divine works, so too is the Holy Spirit. For David says: 'For I will behold the heavens, the works of your fingers' (Psalm 8:4). And in the thirty-second psalm: 'By the breath of his mouth, all their power' (Psalm 32:6). And Paul says: 'But all these things one and the same Spirit works, dividing to each according as he wills' (1 Corinthians 12:11). Et id cum dicit:

(Vers. 20)

(Verse 20) If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

94. At the same time, it shows that there is a certain imperial power of the Holy Spirit, in which the kingdom of God exists. We also, in whom the Spirit dwells, have a royal household. Therefore, we must consider the Holy Spirit as a companion of divinity, dominion, and imperial majesty, because the Lord is Spirit: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (II Cor. III, 17).


(Vers. 24)

(Verse 24) When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through dry places seeking rest, and finding none.

95. This statement about the Jewish people cannot be ambiguous, whom the Lord separated from his kingdom in the past. Therefore, understand that all heretics and schismatics are also separated from his kingdom and from the Church. And therefore, it is clear that all schismatics and heretics are not of God, but of unclean spirits. Therefore, the comparison of the entire Jewish people can be made to one man, from whom the unclean spirit had departed through the law. But because in nations and peoples they could not find rest through the faith of Christ (for Christ is a fire to unclean spirits, who in the hearts of the Gentiles, which were dry before, were afterwards moistened by the baptismal dew of the Holy Spirit, and the fiery projectiles of the adversary were restrained), therefore he returned to the Jewish people, which remains inwardly more defiled though adorned with an outward appearance of respectability. For he neither washed in the irrigating or extinguishing water of the sacred font, nor quenched the fire. And rightly the unclean spirit returned to it, bringing with him seven spirits more wicked than himself; for during the week of the Law and the mystery of the eighth day, he committed sacrilege with an impious mind. Therefore, just as the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit is multiplied for us, so the injury of all unclean spirits is accumulated for them; for the universe is encompassed by this number multiple times, because God rested on the seventh day after completing the works of the world (Gen. II, 2). Therefore, she who was barren gave birth to seven, and she who was populous with children was made weak (I Sam. II, 5). Finally, to show you how the people of the Synagogue are disfigured, where the beatitude of the Church is praised, he added:

(Vers. 29, 30.)

(Verse 29, 30.) This generation is a wicked generation: it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation.

96. In this also is clearly expressed the mystery of the Church, which is gathered from the ends of the earth, in the penance of the Ninevites, and in the seeking of wisdom by the Queen of the South: so that she may know the peaceful words of Solomon, the Queen, indeed, whose kingdom is indivisible, arising from diverse and distant peoples into one body. Therefore, this is a great Sacrament... of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:32): but yet this is greater; because that took place in figure before, but now the mystery is fulfilled in truth; for there the type of Solomon, here Christ in His own body. Therefore, the Church consists of two things, so that either you may not know how to sin, or you may cease to sin; for repentance removes the offense, wisdom avoids it. This is the mystery.

97. Moreover, the sign of Jonah is not only a foreshadowing of the Lord's passion, but also a testimony of the serious sins committed by the Jews. It is worth noting both the oracle of majesty and the indication of piety; for just as the punishment is announced by the example of the Ninevites, so too is the remedy demonstrated. Therefore, the Jews should not despair of forgiveness if they are willing to repent.

(Vers. 33.)

(Verse 33.) No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place, neither under a bushel basket, but on a lampstand.

Therefore, because in previous [passages] [he] preferred the Church to the Synagogue, [he] exhorts us to rather transfer our faith to the Church; for faith is a lamp, according to what is written: Your word, Lord, is a lamp to my feet (Psalm 118:105); for our faith is the word of God, the word of God is light, and faith is a lamp. [There] was the true light, which enlightens every person coming into this world (John 1:9). However, a lamp cannot shine unless it receives light from elsewhere. This is the lamp that is lit, namely the power of our mind and senses, so that it can find what was lost. Therefore, let no one establish faith under the Law; for the Law is within a measure, but grace is beyond measure: the Law shadows, grace illuminates. And therefore let no one confine their faith within the measure of the Law, but let them bring it to the Church, in which the grace of the sevenfold Spirit shines forth, which that Prince of priests illumines with the radiance of heavenly divinity, lest the shadow of the Law extinguish it.


99. Finally, that lamp which the high priest used to light at the times of morning and evening, according to the ancient rite of the Jews (Exodus 27:21), as if placed under a bushel, has disappeared: and that city, Jerusalem, which is on the earth, which killed the prophets, is hidden as if in a valley of tears: but that Jerusalem which is in heaven, in which our faith fights, placed on that highest of all mountains, that is, in Christ, the Church cannot be hidden by the darkness and ruins of this world: but shining with the brightness of the eternal sun, it illuminates us with the light of spiritual grace.


(Vers. 39.)

(Verse 39) Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish.

100. You see that our bodies, which are earthly and fragile, are marked by their outward appearance and easily broken by a brief fall. And easily the thoughts and actions of the mind are revealed through the senses and the movements of the body, just as the contents of a cup shine outwardly. Hence, in the latter (Luke 22:42) , there is no doubt that the passion of the body is indicated by the word "cup," when the Lord says: The cup which the Father has given me, do you not want me to drink it? (John 18:11) ? For he drinks his body, who absorbs bodily frailty with spiritual affection, and as it were pours it into his mind and soul, so that the weakness of the external is drawn into the inner. You therefore see that it is not the exterior of this cup or dish that contaminates us, but the interior. And therefore, like a good teacher, he has taught us how we should cleanse the contagion of our body, saying:

(Vers. 41.)

(Verse 41.) Give alms, and behold all things are clean for you.

101. Do you see what great remedies there are? Mercy cleanses us, the Word of God cleanses us, as it is written: Now you are clean by reason of the word, which I have spoken to you (John 15:3). Not only in this place, but also in others, you understand how great the grace is expressed: For almsgiving delivers from death (Tobit 12:9): and, Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee against all evil (Ecclesiasticus 29:15).


102. Therefore, this whole beautiful place is directed towards the fact that, since it invites us to the study of simplicity, it condemns the superfluous and earthly things of the Jews, who rightly compare what pertains to the Law, when understood according to the body, to glass and a dish due to the fragility of their nature; and they observe those things for which we have no use, but they neglect those things in which there is fruit for our hope; and therefore, they commit a great sin by despising better things; and yet, the forgiveness of their sins is promised to them if they obtain mercy.


103. (Verse 42.) However, he briefly exposes their many sins who devote all their effort to contributing the tithes of cheaper fruits: they have no fear of the future judgment or any love for God, since their works are worthless without faith; for they disregard the judgment and love of God: the judgment, because they do not bring everything they do under judgment; the love, because they do not love God out of devotion.

104. But so that it does not make us diligent in faith, neglectful of works, he concludes the perfection of a faithful man with a short discourse; so that he may be approved both by faith and works, saying: These things you ought to do, and not leave the others undone.

105. (Verse 43, 44.) He also criticizes the arrogance and boasting of the Jews, as they seek the places of honor at banquets. The sentence of condemnation is also pronounced against those who deceive others with a false appearance, like hidden tombs that are not visible and deceive by their outward beauty; they promise good things on the outside, but inside they are full of decayed bones. This is what many teachers do, demanding things from others that they themselves cannot accomplish. And therefore these are their monuments, as it is also said elsewhere: Their sepulcher is open throat (Psalms V, 11).

106. (Verse 47.) Also a good argument against the most foolish superstition of the Jews, who condemned the building of tombs for the prophets and their fathers; but by emulating their fathers' crimes, they turned the judgment upon themselves. Indeed, by constructing the tombs of the prophets, they were accusing those who had killed them of wrongdoing; and by imitating similar actions, they were also revealing themselves as heirs of their fathers' wickedness. Therefore, it is not the act of building, but the act of emulation that is considered a crime. For those who crucified the Son of God, which is the more serious offense, added to the heap of their father's crimes, cannot be absolved from hereditary wickedness. And therefore he rightly added elsewhere: Fill up the measure of your fathers (Matthew 23:32); because there is nothing more serious that they can sin beyond the injury against God.

107. (Vers. 49.) Therefore Wisdom sends apostles and prophets to them. Who is Wisdom if not Christ? Finally, in Matthew you have: Behold, I send you prophets and wise men (Matthew XXIII, 34).

108. (Verse 52.) They are still accused under the name of the Jews, and they are determined to be subject to future punishment; because while they claim for themselves the teaching of divine knowledge and hinder others, they themselves do not recognize what they profess.

(Chap. XII. — Vers. 6, 7.)

(Chapter 12, Verses 6-7.) Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.

109. The Savior has woven the most beautiful place of holding simplicity and emulating faith, so that we do not fall into the same affection as the treacherous Jews, who pretend one thing with their voice and another with their heart; for in the last days, the secret of our thoughts, accusing or even defending, is revealed as if it were opening the hidden part of our mind. For what is a greater allure of simplicity than for everyone to know that the hiding place of deceit cannot exist?

110. But since there are two causes of treachery, which either arise from ingrained malice or from fear of an unexpected event; lest anyone, terrified by the fear of power, should attempt to deny the God whom he knows in his heart, it has elegantly added that punishment is only to be feared by the soul, not the body; for death is the end of nature, not a punishment; and therefore death is the failure of bodily punishment, but punishment of the soul is eternal; and therefore God alone is to be feared, whose power is not prescribed by nature, but nature itself submits; but death is not terrible, as immortality will repay with more interest.


111. The Lord had inspired the feeling of simplicity, had elevated the virtue of the mind, and only faith faltered; He had strengthened the worth of the lowly; for if God does not forget the sparrows, who among men can? But if the majesty of God is so great and eternal, that not even one of the sparrows, or the number of our hairs, is beyond His knowledge; how unworthy it is to think that the Lord either ignores or spurns the hearts of the faithful, He who knows even the most humble things!


Perhaps someone may say: How did the Apostle say, 'Is it for God that he is concerned about oxen' (I Cor. IX, 9); when surely an ox is more valuable than a sparrow? But care is one thing, and knowledge another. In fact, the number of hairs is not taken in terms of actual counting, but in terms of the ease of knowing; for God does not intend a watchful care in counting; but for Him who knows all things, all things are as if they were counted. However, they are indeed said to be counted properly; because, those things which we wish to keep, we count.


113. However, we can discuss some mystery of spiritual intelligence here, especially since it seems absurd for humans to be compared to birds rather than to other humans. These five birds appear to have five senses of the body: touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing. But if these birds, now engaged in the filth of earthly impurities and seeking food from uncultivated and foul places, become entangled in the snares of their own sins, they cannot fly back to the fruits of higher works, on which their souls feast. For there is indeed a certain snare of pleasure, which fastens certain chains to the footsteps of our souls, so that if it dulls the fiery vigor and purity of nature, it establishes under a certain auction of vices, subject to the price of worldly indulgence.

114. There are also certain markets of our sins. Therefore, captivated by the various enticements of pleasures, we are either sold under sin or redeemed from sin. Christ redeems us, the adversary sells; the former is put up for auction to death, the latter redeems to salvation. Hence Matthew wisely placed two sparrows (Matt. X, 29), signifying both body and soul; because if the flesh also, in agreement with God's law, and casting off the law of sin, has passed into the nature of the soul, it is lifted up to heaven by spiritual wings. Therefore, we are taught that nature has given us the ability to fly, but pleasure has taken it away, which burdens the soul with the weight of evils, and inclines it towards the nature of corporeal mass.

115. And rightly he has stated that no one of them falls without the will of God (Ibid.); for what falls, tends toward the earth; and what flies, is elevated to the summit of immortality. And lest anyone should doubt what Matthew said, Luke clearly resolves it, because the will of man is known to God; for not everyone who falls, falls by the will of God; but whoever is crushed by the weight of his own sins, will not be able to escape the notice of God; for even Job is tested by the will of God (Job I, 12). He gave you an adversary, but he proposed a reward. Do not excuse your weakness, who have an image, you have received a fortification; therefore, this also contributes to salvation, so that you may know that the devil cannot harm without God's permission; do not fear the power of the devil more than the offense to divinity.

116. Now it is not doubtful that the soul is compared to a sparrow, as you read: Our soul has been snatched away like a sparrow from the snare of the hunter (Psalm 123:7). And elsewhere: How can you say to my soul, 'Flee to the mountain like a sparrow' (Psalm 10:2)? We also read that man himself is compared to a sparrow; for it is written: But I am like a lonely sparrow on a rooftop (Psalm 101:8); that is, formed from two sparrows into one sparrow, that is, the subtlety of spiritual substance, formed by the connecting structure of both wings. Therefore, a good sparrow is one to whom nature provides the ability to fly. There is also a bad sparrow, who has lost the skill of flying due to the fault of earthly vice: such are those sparrows that are sold for a small price.

117. Some are sold for a penny, others for two pennies (Matthew 10:29). How cheap are sins! For death is cheap, but virtue is precious. Indeed, the enemy assigns captured slaves a lower price of estimation, but the Lord, as the beautiful works that He made in His own image and likeness, redeemed us at a great price, as the holy Apostle said: For you were bought with a great price (1 Corinthians 6:20). And well great, not with silver or gold, but with blood; for Christ died for us, who freed us with his precious blood, as even Saint Peter mentions in his Epistle, writing to us: For you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your vain conversation according to the tradition of your fathers: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled (1 Peter 1:18-19). And it is rightfully precious, because it is the blood of an undefiled body, because it is the blood of the Son of God; who not only redeemed us from the curse of the law, but also from the eternal death of impiety.

In summary, therefore, the meaning here is: if the Lord has looked upon lowly birds and unbelieving humans, either in the rising sun or in the earthly fertility; if He imparts the gift of His mercy to all, there is no doubt that contemplation will be a source of merit for the faithful in His eyes. He has skillfully woven together faith and virtue, and he has laid the foundations of virtue in faith itself; for just as faith is an incentive to courage, so is courage a support for faith.


(Vers. 9, 10.)

(Vers. 9, 10.) But whoever denies me before men, will be denied before the angels of God. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.

Certainly, we understand Christ to be the Son of man, who was begotten by the Holy Spirit in a virgin, and that his parent on earth is the Virgin alone. Therefore, is the Holy Spirit greater than Christ, so that those who sin against Christ may obtain forgiveness, but those who sin against the Holy Spirit do not deserve to receive forgiveness? But where there is unity of power, there is no question of comparison, nor any controversy about greatness, since the Lord is great, and the end of his greatness cannot be reached. Therefore, if, as we believe, there is a unity of the Trinity, then there is certainly an indivisible greatness, just as there is an indivisible operation; as is demonstrated in the following. For when it is said elsewhere, 'The Father will give you what to say,' here it is added, 'For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you should speak' (Matthew 10:19). Therefore, if the operation is one, the insult is one.

120. But let us return to the subject at hand. Here it seems to some that we understand Christ as both the Son of Man and the Holy Spirit, while maintaining a distinction of persons and unity of substance. For Christ is both God and man, the same Spirit, as it is written: 'The Spirit of the Lord Christ before our face' (Lamentations 4:20); the same holy Spirit; for just as God the Father and God the Son are both Lord, so too the Father is holy, the Son is holy, and the Spirit is holy. Finally, the Cherubim and Seraphim cry out with tireless voices: Holy, holy, holy (Isa. VI, 3); in order that the Trinity may be denoted by the repeated third appellation. Therefore, if Christ is both, what is the difference, except that we may know that it is not permissible to deny the divinity of Christ to us? Finally, in persecution, what is sought, except that God Christ be denied? Therefore, whoever does not confess in Christ the God, and from God, and in God the Christ, does not deserve forgiveness. But whoever does not confess that Christ has come in the flesh is not from God; whoever denies the human nature denies the divine nature, because Christ is both God in human form and a human in God.

Most people, however, hold that blasphemy is not forgivable if someone says that Christ casts out demons by Beelzebul, not by divine power.

(Vers. 13, 14.)

(Verse 13, 14.) And someone in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' But he said to him, 'Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?'

122. This whole place is prepared for undergoing the passion of the Lord either with contempt of death, or with hope of reward, or with the declaration of intention to endure punishment, to which no forgiveness will ever be granted. And because greed often tempts virtue, there is also a commandment and example given for the abolishment of this, as the Lord says: Who made me a judge or a divider among you? He who descended for the sake of divine things wisely avoids earthly affairs; nor does he deign to be a judge of disputes or an arbiter of possessions, having the judgment of the living and the dead and the decision of deeds. Therefore, it is not what you seek, but from whom you request that must be considered; and do not think that you must object to those who are greater with an attentive mind in the presence of those who are lesser. Hence, it is not without reason that this brother is refuted, who desired to occupy the stewardship of celestial things with corruptible things; for among brothers, it is not a judge who should divide the inheritance, but rather piety should separate it; although the inheritance of immortality, not of money, should be sought by humans; for he gathers wealth in vain who does not know how to use it: just like that person who, when the granaries were bursting with new harvests, was preparing receptacles for himself to collect the overflowing fruits, being ignorant of how to use them (Verses 27 and following). For everything that belongs to the world remains in the world, and whatever is gathered together by heirs passes away from us; for those things are not ours, which we cannot take away with us. Only virtue is the companion of the dead, only mercy follows us, which as a leading guide of heavenly dwelling acquires eternal tabernacles through the cheap usury of money for the deceased, as the Lord's commandments testify, saying to us: Make for yourselves friends with the unjust steward, who will receive you into his eternal tabernacles (Luke 16:9). Therefore, it is a good and wholesome precept, and suitable to animate even the greedy, that they should seek to exchange perishable earthly things for everlasting divine things. But since devotion is often weakened by a lack of faith, and people are held back from giving generously by considering their own livelihood, the Lord added, saying:

(Vers. 22, 23.)

(Vers. 22, 23) Do not be anxious about what you eat or what you wear. The soul is worth more than food, and the body is worth more than clothing.

123. For nothing is more worthy of belief than that all things can be bestowed by God upon those who believe, with regard to the making of faith, than that airy vital breath, the binding link of the soul, united to the dwelling of the body, perpetuates itself without our labor, and the beneficial use of sustenance does not fail unless the day of final death arrives. Therefore, since the soul is clothed in the garment of the body, and the body is animated by the energy of the soul, it is absurd for us to think that the supply of food will be lacking, who obtain the constant substance of living.


124. Consider the birds of the sky, he says (Matth. VI, 26). Truly a great and fitting example for us to follow in faith. For even though the birds of the sky do not engage in the cultivation of crops, nor do they have any yield from the abundance of harvests, yet the unfailing divine providence provides them with sustenance. It is indeed true that our greed may appear as the cause of our poverty. For while these birds enjoy an abundance of unlabored food, because they do not know how to claim exclusive dominion over the common fruits as their own nourishment, we have lost the common provisions by asserting our own exclusive claims. For there is nothing that is truly our own where there is nothing everlasting, and there is no certain abundance where there is uncertain outcome. For why should you value your riches, when God wanted you to share even your food with other creatures? The birds of the sky do not claim anything special for themselves, and therefore they do not know how to be in need of food; because they do not know how to envy others.

(Vers. 27, 28.)

(Verse 27, 28.) Consider how the lilies grow. And below: If God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!

125. Indeed, it is a bonus and moral discourse, which contributes to the faith of divine mercy, either literally, because it relates to the stature of our body (verse 25), or spiritually, because without God's favor, we can add nothing beyond the measure of our stature. The discourse of the Lord, using the comparison of flowers and grass, is especially persuasive. For what could be more moral for persuasion than to see that even irrational things are adorned by God's providence, so that they have no need for usefulness or ornamentation? Much more so, you should believe that a rational person, if he puts all his use in God and never desires to change his faith, will never be in need; precisely because he presumes on divine favor.


126. However, let us consider these things more deeply; for it does not seem idle that a flower is given to a man, or certainly that it is preferred to men in Solomon, who deserved so much that he both built the temple for God in its appearance and represented the Church of Christ in its mystery; it does not seem foreign that we think the glory of the heavenly angels is expressed through the brightness of color, who are truly the flowers of this world; for the world is adorned by their brightness and they exhale the good fragrance of sanctification. Supported by the protection of which we can say: we are the sweet fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved (2 Cor. 2:15); who, hindered by no anxiety, exercised by no use of labor, are adorned with the grace of divine generosity in themselves and bestowed upon by the heavenly gift. From whence Solomon is rightly adorned with his own glory here, and elsewhere is shown covered (Matt. 6:29), because he clothed the weakness of his bodily nature, as it were, with the virtue of the mind and the glory of his works. But angels, whose nature is more divine and devoid of physical injury, rightly, though they are superior to even the greatest of men, are surpassed in consideration of our injuries. Therefore, since through resurrection humans will be like angels in heaven, we also, by the example of the glory of the angels, hope for an increase in heavenly glory which the Lord has also granted to them, until this mortal being is swallowed up by life. For it is necessary for this corruptible to put on incorruption, and for this mortal to put on immortality (I Cor. XV, 53).


127. Most people also consider this comparison, based on the nature and use of the proposed seed, more suitable; because lilies do not require the cultivation of any annual use, nor does the labor of farmers return solicitous towards the generation of this flower, as it does towards the yield of other fruits. For in any droughts, all that which nourishes into a flower, by a certain generative power from itself and in itself, is always animated; so when you see the stems of the young leaves withered, the nature of the flower still flourishes; for its greenness is hidden, not lost. But when spring has been enticed by its charms, the attire of the blossoming plant, the hair of the flower, resumes its adornment of lilies. As for the place now, since we recall that it has been sufficiently discussed elsewhere, it is enough to have briefly touched upon it; lest we repeat ourselves.

It must also be noted that lilies are not generated in the roughness of mountains and in the untamedness of forests, but in the pleasantness of gardens. For there are certain gardens of various fruitful virtues, according to what is written: A closed garden, my sister, my bride, a closed garden, a sealed fountain (Song of Solomon 4:12); because where there is integrity, where there is chastity, where there is piety, where there is faithful secrecy of secrets, where there is the brightness of angels, there the violets of confessors, the lilies of virgins, the roses of martyrs are. And it is not incongruous for anyone to compare angels to lilies, since Christ himself has mentioned the lily, saying: 'I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valley' (Song of Songs 2:1). And it is fitting that Christ is compared to a lily; for where there is the blood of martyrs, there is Christ, who is a sublime, immaculate, harmless flower; in him, the roughness of thorns does not offend, but the surrounding grace shines forth. For the thorns are like the roses, because they are the torments of the martyrs. Unoffended divinity has no thorns, which it has not felt the torments.

129. Therefore, if lilies or angels are clothed with glory surpassing that of humans, we must not despair of God's mercy in us, to whom the Lord promises a similar appearance of angels through the grace of resurrection (Matt. 22:30). In this passage, it also seems to address that question, which even the Apostle did not overlook; for the peoples of this world inquire how the dead rise again and with what kind of body they come (1 Cor. 15:35).


130. (Verse 31.) For when he says, Seek the kingdom of God: and all these things shall be added unto you; he shows that grace will not be lacking to the faithful, neither in the present nor in the future, if only those who desire divine things do not seek after earthly things. For it is inappropriate for men to be concerned with food, who are soldiers for the kingdom. The king knows how to provide for, nourish, and clothe his household; and therefore he said: Cast your care upon God, and he himself will nourish you (Psalm 54:23).


(Vers. 49, 50.)

(Verse 49, 50.) I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and what do I desire, if not that it be already kindled? I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?

In the past, he wanted us to stay awake, expecting at all times the coming of the Lord and Savior; lest while someone relaxes and neglects, delaying their works from day to day, on the day of final judgment, or prevented by their own death, they lose the merit of their commendation. And indeed, this general form of commandment applies to all; but the following series of examples seems to be proposed to stewards, that is, to priests; so that they may know that they will have to bear a heavy punishment in the future if, focused on worldly delights, they neglect to govern the household of the Lord and the people entrusted to them.


But because there is little progress and little merit, and the fear of punishment is not enough to turn us away from error, and because the prerogative of charity and love is greater, the Lord sharpens our desire to earn his grace, and inflames us with the desire to acquire divinity, saying: I have come to cast fire upon the earth. Not an all-consuming fire, but the author of goodwill, who improves the golden vessels of the Lord's house and consumes the hay and straw, and burns away all the worldly pleasures that have been gathered, and burns away the perishable work of the flesh. That divine fire, which burned within the bones of the prophets, as the holy Jeremiah says: For he has become like a burning fire, blazing within my bones (Jeremiah 2:9). For indeed the fire of the Lord, of which it is said: The fire shall burn before him (Psalm 96:3). And the Lord himself is the same fire, as he himself said: I am a burning fire, and I do not consume (Exodus 3). For the fire of the Lord is eternal light. By this fire those lamps are lit, of which it was said above: Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. And therefore because the night is the day of this life, a lamp is necessary. Amazon and Cleophas also testify that this fire was sent by the Lord, saying: Was not our heart burning within us as he opened to us the Scriptures? (Luke 24:32) Clearly, therefore, they have taught what the operation of this fire is, which illuminates the secrets of the heart. Perhaps, for this reason, the Lord is coming in fire, so that at the time of the resurrection he may consume all vices, fulfill the desires of each person in his sight, and ignite the light of merits and mysteries.


So great, therefore, is the Lord's desire to inspire devotion in us, to perfect us, and to demonstrate His passion for us, that even though He had nothing in Himself to grieve over, He was nonetheless afflicted by our sorrows and displayed sorrow at the time of His death, which He did not take on out of fear of His own death, but out of the delay of our redemption, as it is written: 'How long will I be anguished until it is accomplished?' Certainly, whoever is striving for perfection, is secure in perfection. And elsewhere he says: My soul is sorrowful, even unto death (Matth. XXVI, 38). Not because of death, but unto death the Lord is sorrowful; because the condition of bodily feelings affects him, not the fear of death. For he who took on a body, had to undergo all things that are of the body; to hunger, to thirst, to be angry, to be saddened: but divinity does not know how to be changed by these feelings. At the same time it shows that in the struggle of suffering, the death of the body is the release from anxiety, not an accumulation of pain.

(Vers. 51-53.)

(Verse 51-53). Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. For from now on, there will be five divided in one household, three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

134. Although in nearly all Evangelical places the spiritual intellect operates; nevertheless, for the present time, the series of senses must be moderated so as not to offend anyone with the harshness of naked exposition, especially since the sacred religion invites even the exiles of faith to reverence with moral disciplines and gentle examples of piety, kindly dissolving the hard superstitions with the meekness of its preceding discipline of faith, and compelling minds that are subject to errors to believe in faith, which it could soothe with piety. For indeed, since the lofty things of faith are not comprehended by weak minds, they are esteemed through the precepts, and the venerable things are considered; so that the just may testify about the just, and the holy about the holy, by the authority of their own goods.

135. Therefore, we will think now that the Lord, who embraced both reverence for divinity and the grace of piety, said: You shall love the Lord your God... and you shall love your neighbor (Luke 10:27); has it been changed so that we believe it commands the abolition of the names of relationships, the collision of feelings of piety, and the dissension of beloved family members? And how is He our peace who made both one (Ephesians 2:14)? How can he say, 'My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you' (John 14:27), if he comes to separate parents from children, and children from parents, to destroy the bond of family? How cursed is the one who does not honor their father (Deuteronomy 27:16), the one who abandons their religious devotion?

136. But if we consider that the first cause of religion is piety, we must also evaluate this question in the same way; for it is necessary to prioritize divine matters over human matters. For if duty must be shown to parents, how much more to the author of parents, to whom you also owe gratitude for your parents! Or if they do not acknowledge a parent at all, how can you acknowledge one? Therefore, it does not say that debts must be renounced, but that God must be preferred above all. Finally, you have in another book: Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me (Matt. X, 37). You are not forbidden to love your parents, but you are instructed to prefer them to God; for they are the pledges of the Lord's blessings: and no one should love the gift he has received more than God from whom the gift was received. Therefore, even according to the literal meaning, the religious explanation is not lacking for those who understand it piously; however, there is a deeper meaning which we should consider because He added:

(Ibid.) There will be five divided into one group in the house, three into two, and two into three.

137. For who are the five, when it appears that there is subjection of six persons, of father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law? Although the same mother that can be called mother-in-law, since she is the mother of the son, is the mother-in-law of his wife; so that according to the letter of the number, the reason may not be absurd, and it may clearly be shown that the bond of faith is not connected to nature, in which they are obligated by the duty of piety, yet they are free by faith.

138. It does not seem inappropriate either if we give the same meaning through a mystical interpretation. One house, one man. For each house is either of God or of the devil. Therefore, a spiritual house is a spiritual man, as we have in the Epistle of Peter: 'And you are being built up as living stones, a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood' (I Peter 2:5). In this house, two are divided into three, and three into two. We often read of two, the soul and the body (Matthew 18:19). If two come together on earth, both accomplish one. And elsewhere: I punish my body and subject it to servitude (I Cor. IX, 27). One thing is what serves, another is what it is subjected to.

139. If we have known two, we may know three also: which is easy to understand from those two. For there are three souls in the body: one rational, another concupiscible, a third irascible, that is, the reasoning, desiring, and angry. Therefore, not two into two: but two into three, and three into two are divided; for by the coming of Christ, man who was irrational became rational. Before, we were like beasts that do not have reason, we were carnal, we were earthly according to that saying: You are dust, and to dust you shall return (Gen. III, 19). The Son of God came, he sent his Spirit into our hearts; we have become spiritual children.

140. We can say that in this house there are five others, that is, smell, touch, taste, sight, hearing. Therefore, if we separate sight and hearing from the bodily pleasures that are generated by taste, touch, and smell, according to what we hear or read, we divide two into three, because the mind's disposition to vices is not captured by allurements, but is led away from the pleasures by the emulation of virtue. And so that there is not one consent of all, which would precipitate into error, but desires of the heart and obligations of virtue separate themselves by dividing. But if we receive five bodily senses, the defects of the body and sins are already separate. And perhaps there are five whom that wealthy and luxurious brother in the Gospel calls his brothers (Luke 16:28), who is described as tormented in hell, to whom he begs to be sent to know in this world the pleasures that must be renounced, so that they can have rest after the age, through the pursuit of virtue.

141. They may also be understood as the flesh and soul, separated from the odor, touch, and taste of indulgence, while residing in one house, dividing themselves against opposing vices, subjecting the flesh and soul to the Law of God, and removing them from the law of sin. Although their disagreement, due to the transgression of the first man, has converted into their nature so that they would not in any way agree with equal efforts towards virtue, yet through the cross of the Lord and Savior, they agreed in harmony after the enmities, as well as the law of commandments, were set aside. After Christ, our peace, descended from heaven, He made both one and broke down the middle wall of the barrier, abolishing enmities in His flesh by the law of commandments in doctrines, so that He might create peace, making both into one new man and reconciling both in one body to God (Ephesians 2:14-16). Who is each, if not one inside, the other outside? One looks at the strength of the soul, the other refers to the sensation of the body; although, by the agreement of separable affections, they harmonize, since the flesh is subject to the better, it obeys salutary commands: not because the soul descends into matter by the subtlety of its nature, but because, having cast aside pleasures, cleansed of every stain of vices, it walks the celestial path of obedience with an affection: no longer struggling against the law of the mind as before, but liberated by the law of the mind and the spirit of life from the law of sin; so that the flesh becomes an appendix to the soul, no longer the temptress of vices, but a certain rival and as though attendant to virtue.


142. And again, when the soul of the body does not yield to enticements, nor is overcome by the delight of carnal pleasures, but rather the pure and clean mind stripped of the service of this world draws the senses of the body into their own illicit urges and attract pleasures, so that it may feast on the fruits of virtue by the use of hearing and reading, and satisfy its hunger for spiritual nourishment with the unknown food of inner sap. For truly, prayer is the food of the mind, and a splendid nourishment of sweetness, which does not burden the limbs, nor turns itself into the shameful parts of nature, but rather transforms itself into the temple of God, and starts to be the lodging of virtues, the sanctuary of vices. Indeed, it is then that it does so when the flesh, having returned to its nature, recognizes the nourishing power and, with the audacity of contempt put aside, joins with the moderate soul's will: just as it was when it undertook to inhabit the secret places of the paradise before it became infected with the venom of the deadly serpent, and knew the sacrilegious hunger and passed by the memory of divine precepts adhering to the senses of the soul, in its eagerness for gluttony.

143. Hence it is evident that sin originated, as it were, from the flesh and the soul, while the nature of the body is being tested, the sickly soul suffers. If the soul restrained the desire of the body, the origin of sin would have been extinguished at its very birth. But as if infused into the body by a masculine movement, the soul, also corrupted by its own vigor, gave birth to heavy works of others. For, indeed, the more violent and stronger sex is carried by a certain powerful impulse, like a masculine affection: she desires to maintain a softer rather than a more vehement reasoning. From these, therefore, arose the movements of various desires.

But when the soul returns to itself, meeting its deformed offspring with shame, it disowns degenerate heirs, renouncing worldly passions, hating sin. The flesh, also weary from the burden of heavy labor and the shameful troubles of usury, where it grieves to be pierced by its own desires like thorns of the world, hastens to shed its old self; so that it may take itself away, lest it leave behind a heedless parent, a succession destined to perish. Again, attracting the irrational movements of desires, as if adorned with the beauty of a certain form, enticed by the allurements of pleasure, he has enrolled it for himself as if for the use of society: thus, like a certain pleasure of the body and soul, it joins the corrupt motion of desire.

Therefore, as long as it remained in one house, with vices conspiring, there seemed to be no division in the indivisible and inseparable agreement. But when Christ sent fire to burn the sins of the flesh, or the sword that signifies the drawn blade of power, by which the secrets of the spirit and the marrow are penetrated, into the world; then the flesh and the soul, renewed by the mysteries of regeneration, begin to be what they were not: and thus, it separates the fellowship of the old vice, although beloved before, and eliminates the bond of prodigal posterity. So that parents are divided from their children, when intemperate motion is expelled by temperance of the body, and the soul withdraws from the partnership of guilt, and there is no place left for external and foreign pleasure.


146. Moreover, children are divided among their parents, while the faults of old age are avoided by the renewed judgment of the human being, and the pleasure of youth, like a serious house, flees from discipline. It is not incongruous also if we think that they divide themselves for the purpose of becoming better than their parents; especially when he said in the following passage: 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father or mother, or children, and brothers, and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple' (Luke 14:26). And therefore, according to the simple form of understanding, a son who follows Christ is preferred to pagan parents; for religion surpasses the duties of piety.

147. Moreover, according to a deeper interpretation, because sin is born from the flesh and operates as it were in the womb of the flesh, as the Apostle says: For what I do, I do not understand; for I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate (Rom. VII, 20). When the Lord's blood, poured out for the life of this world, has eradicated vices, it is converted into grace from offense: For sin abounded, that grace might much more abound (Rom. V, 20); and it happens that repentance, arising from sin, impels one to conversion of purpose and desire for spiritual grace. So what was for me unto death, this will be unto salvation. Therefore, sin washed by the flowing fountain is separated from the flesh from which it was generated: and while everyone desires to redeem their sin, from the sequence of guilt comes the earnest pursuit of discipline.

148. The desire for evil things is also transformed into a fervent longing for God's word and is poured into the appetite for divine charity and love, and in the same nature, various disciplines are formed, and the desire for the heavenly mysteries of the body and soul acquires a much better pleasure than before. For the mind is nourished by knowledge of things, and when the promise of future things is discovered, the soul despises its old works. For the natural man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him (I Cor. II, 14); but the spiritual person judges all things, and he himself is not subject to anyone's judgment.


(Vers. 58, 59.)

(Verse 58, 59) While you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort on the way to be freed from him; lest he condemn you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last penny.

Matthew also included this (Matt. 5:25): but he specifically, this generally: for he thought that the former statement was about reconciling the peace of discordant brothers: the latter is about repentance and every amendment of sin. Therefore, let us discuss who the adversary is, who the magistrate is, who the judge is, or who the tax collector is, and who we may consider to be the debtor that, if he does not pay, should be sent to prison.

150. And according to Matthew, there is indeed an adversary with whom it seems you have least agreed in this life, who accuses you before the judge of future life and death, holding you guilty of enduring enmity towards the living and the dead. But according to Luke, our adversary is primarily he who sows the enticements of sin, so that he may have participants in punishment whom he had as companions in error; and therefore he seeks partners in guilt in order to expose them to punishment. The apostle Peter warns us, saying: Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

151. Our adversary, according to Matthew, is the use of all virtue, and the speech of apostles and prophets, which binds us to more rigorous commandments and more difficult lessons of life: it is fitting for us to agree with him, so that we may imitate him in deeds; lest we be found to have turned away from him due to any stubbornness on our part. However, according to Luke, no one is more of an adversary to us than our own lapses, which accuse us with evidence of our own lives: not that he seeks to be a judge of any accusation, but because he accuses us of our own actions in the presence of the knower of all, while we are found to be at odds with the use of virtue and the apostolic commandments.


Therefore, every use of vice is an adversary to us, lust is an adversary to us, greed is an adversary, every dishonesty is an adversary, every unjust thought is an adversary: in short, a guilty conscience is our adversary, which afflicts us here and will accuse and expose us in the future, as the Apostle testifies, saying: Their conscience bearing witness to them, and their thoughts accusing or even defending one another (Rom. II, 15). But if conscience exposes each person, how much more is our work before God evident, which will be reviewed in our body at the last moment and the secret script of our thoughts will be read in our hearts! Let us therefore make an effort, so that while we are in the course of this life, we may be liberated from evil action as from a malicious adversary; lest while we go with the adversary to the magistrate, our error condemns us on the way.


Therefore, Matthew also says: Be in agreement with your opponent while you are on the way with him (Matt. 5:25). But the Greek word εὐνοέων means benevolens, that is, well-disposed; for if, while we are in this life, we free ourselves from the bonds of the devil, he will not be condemned because of us, and we will be alien to his bonds. Hence the psalm is inscribed as seventy-fifth for the Assyrian. Therefore, you give good counsel to your opponent, and for that Assyrian, that is, vain, you do well if, freed from his snares, you offer this goodwill; so that both the punishment of your fall and death may be evaded. But if you adhere to his bonds, he will hand you over to the magistrate as a guilty person, the same accuser and betrayer.

154. Who is the magistrate, except the one in whose hands all power resides, and who claims for himself the lofty dignity of full and perfect authority? With confidence in his good works and without fear of an adversary, the holy Prophet hastens to say: My soul thirsts for the living God: when shall I come and appear before the face of God (Psalm 41:3)? For this magistrate will deliver the accused to the judge, that is, to the one to whom he has granted power over the living and the dead, a power bestowed by nature, not by grace. For he did not receive what he did not have, but rather, he assumed what he had from the substance of the Father when he was generated. He shows you this office and judge, who showed the accuser, and indicates when it should be revealed: 'On the day,' he says, 'when God will judge the secrets of men according to my Gospel through Jesus Christ our Lord' (Rom. 2:16). Therefore, Jesus Christ is the judge, through whom hidden things are convicted, and the punishment for wicked deeds is commanded.

155. Do you want to know Christ as a judge who hands over to the exactor and throws into prison? Ask him yourself, or rather read in the Gospel where he says: Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness (Matthew 22:13). He also showed his exactors in another place where he says: So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:49-50).


156. Now it remains for us to understand what the figure of a quadrant means. And it seems that the usual expression of the matter is called spiritual understanding. For just as those who pay money repay a debt and do not remove the name of the interest until the entire amount of the debt is paid in any form of payment whatsoever: so by the compensation of charity and other actions, or by any satisfaction, the punishment of sin is dissolved.


157. It is not idle either, because he did not put in two copper coins (as elsewhere, Luke 21:2), not a penny (Matthew 10:29), not a denarius (Matthew 20:2), but a quarter in this place; for the exchange of a quarter is like a kind of compensation, since something different is given and something different is paid: so here, either the injury is redeemed by the price of love, or the punishment is mitigated by the estimation of the injury.

Moreover, we remember that a quadrant used to be given in baths, by the offering of which everyone there receives the opportunity to bathe, so here they receive the opportunity to wash away their sins; because the sin of each individual is washed away with the same kind of condition as mentioned above; as long as the guilty one is punished with penalties, in order to make amends for the committed punishment of error.

159. (Chapter XIII - Verse 1) But of those Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, it seems that a certain figure touches them, who, compelled by the devil, do not purely offer sacrifice: their prayer is unto sin, as it is written of Judas (Psalm 108:7), the traitor, who, being placed among the sacrifices, was thinking of betraying the blood of the Lord.

(Vers. 6.)

He planted a fig tree in his vineyard.

160. What does it mean that in his Gospel the Lord frequently introduces the parable of the fig tree (Matthew 21:19 and Mark 11:13)? For elsewhere it is stated that by the command of the Lord, all the greenness of this leafy tree withered: from which you understand the Creator of all things, who can command nature to either wither suddenly or flourish. In another place, he mentions that the coming of summer is usually inferred from the tenderness of this tree and its leaves (Matthew 24:32), signifying both the empty glory that the Jewish people claimed, like a flower falling at the coming of the Lord, because it was unfruitful in works: and the day of judgment, like the coming of summer, in which the mature fruits of all the earth are gathered, to be measured from the fullness of the Church, into which the Jews also will believe.


So let us seek out some deeper meaning in this mystery. There is a fig tree in the vineyard: and the vineyard of the Lord Sabaoth, which He gave to be plundered by the nations. Therefore, He who made His vineyard a prey commanded that the fig tree also be cut down. The comparison of this tree is suitable for the synagogue; for just as this tree, overflowing with abundant leaves, disappoints the hope of its owner with the expectation of fruit: so also in the synagogue, while its teachers boast of unproductive works and wordy excess, the empty shadow of the Law flourishes, and the hopes of false reward mock the desires of the believing people.


162. There is also in the nature of a tree, which you will believe to have been expressed in comparison with the appearance of a synagogue; for if you inquire diligently, you will find the distinguished custom of this nature separated from the use of other trees. For other trees bear flowers before fruit, and they indicate the future fruit with the flower; this tree alone bears fruit instead of flowers from the beginning: in other trees the flower falls, and the fruit is born; in this tree the fruit falls so that the fruit may succeed. Therefore, those empty husks of fruits emerge in place of flowers: thus, early ripening by a certain use of birth, they cannot preserve the benefit of nature because they are ignorant of the order of nature. For that which is accustomed to push itself out from the bark in the middle, the smallest fruits of this kind burst forth. We read about them in the Song of Songs: The fig tree brings forth its green figs (Cant. 2:13). And so, while the rest of the white shoots whiten in early spring, the fig tree alone does not know how to grow gray with its own flower; perhaps because no fruit is more mature in them. As other shoots succeed, these degenerate shoots are rejected and wither with their weak roots, while the renewed shoots with more beneficial sap flourish. However, some very rare shoots remain and do not wither, for they have found favor in this environment. They emerge like a small key breaking through the middle of two branches, taking refuge in the nurturing embrace of nature, growing with the nourishment of a richer sap. Stimulated by a more gentle breeze and the longer days of maturity, when they have shed the wild nature of their previous sap, they stand out in appearance and are preferred for their maturity.


163. Now consider the customs and spirits of the Jews, who, like the first fruits of a barren synagogue, have fallen by the resemblance of a crumbling log, so that lasting fruits might succeed beyond the age of our race. For indeed, the first people of the synagogue, weak as the root of withered works, could not draw in the abundance of natural wisdom. And therefore, like useless fruit, it fell away, so that a new people of the Church might emerge from the same keys of the fruitful tree, enriched by the ancient religion. Therefore, he who existed ceased to be, so that he who did not exist could begin to exist. However, those from the first Israel whom the more powerful branch of nature had brought forth, shaded by the Law and the Cross, colored by the double juice of both, like the example of a growing fruit, excelled in the beauty of their fruits compared to the others, to whom it is said: You shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

Nor is it irrelevant that Adam and Eve, those first parents of our race and of our error, who covered themselves with the leaves of this tree (Gen. III, 7), deserved to be exiled from paradise when, aware of their transgression, they avoided the presence of the Lord walking in paradise, in order to signify what would happen in the last times when the Jewish people, upon the coming of the Lord and Savior who called them, recognizing that they had been stripped of virtues through the temptations of the devil and fearing the unhidden stains of their conscience, would go astray from the true religion, confused by their transgressions, and would depart from the Lord, concealed by the flattery of their words and the shameful deeds they committed.


Therefore, those who did not pick fig leaves, but apples, were eliminated from the kingdom of God; for they were in a living soul. The second Adam came, and he was no longer seeking leaves, but fruits; for he was in a life-giving spirit. However, in the spirit, the fruit of virtue is acquired, and the Lord is worshipped (I Cor. XV, 45). But the Lord was seeking not because he did not know that the fig tree lacked fruit, but to show in a figure that the Synagogue ought to have fruit already. Finally, from the following, it teaches that it did not come before its time, which it came for three years; for you have it thus:

(Vers. 7.)

(Verse 7) Look, it has been three years since I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I have found none. Cut it down, why should it even use up the ground?

166. He came to Abraham, he came to Moses, he came to Mary, that is, he came in the flesh, he came under the Law, he came in a body. We recognize his coming through his blessings. In one place there is purification, in another sanctification, in another justification: circumcision purified, the Law sanctified, grace justified. He is one in all, and in him are all things. For no one can be cleansed unless they fear the Lord: no one deserves to receive the Law unless they are purified from guilt: no one comes to grace unless they know the Law. Therefore, the Jewish people could not be purified because they had circumcision not of the heart but of the body, nor could they be sanctified because they were ignorant of the power of the Law and followed physical rather than spiritual things (but the Law is spiritual), nor could they be justified because they did not repent of their sins and therefore did not know grace.

167. Therefore, deservedly, no fruit was found in the Synagogue; and for this reason, it is ordered to be cut down. But the good cultivator, and perhaps he in whom the foundation of the Church lies, foreseeing that another should be sent to the Gentiles, but himself to those who are from circumcision, intervenes religiously so that he is not cut down, relying on his own calling and even asserting that the people of the Jews can be saved through the Church. And therefore he says:

(Vers. 8.)

(Verse 8.) Forgive her and this year, until I dig around it, and I will put a basket of manure.

How quickly did he recognize that the hardness and pride of the Jews were the causes of their barrenness! Therefore, he knows how to cultivate, who knows how to detect vices. He promises that their hard hearts are to be dug up by apostolic hoes; so that the long neglect may turn the hidden mind inside out with sharp speech, and with the heart cut open, it may awaken the sense already thriving with airy breath; lest the heap of worldly wisdom bury and hide the root of wisdom. He also says that the dung basket is to be thrown. Truly great is the power of dung, which is so great that it makes the infertile fertile, the dry green, and the barren fruitful. Job sat in it while he was being tested, and he could not be defeated (Job 2:8). And Paul considers it as dung, in order to gain Christ (Philippians 3:8). Finally, when Job had lost many things before, after he sat in dung, the devil had nothing more to take from him. Therefore, the good earth that is dug is a good dung that is spread. Finally, the Lord raises up the needy from the earth, and lifts up the poor from the dung. (Psalm 113:7).

Therefore, through the exercise of spiritual understanding and the affection of humility, that good worshipper of Christ considers even the Jews to be fruitful in the Gospel. For he remembers that the Lord spoke through Haggai, saying, 'On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the temple of the Lord Almighty was laid, I will bless the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree, and they will not fail to bear fruit' (Haggai 2:20). By this, it is revealed that at the very end of the year, that is, at the decline of an aging age, the holy temple of God, which is the Church, is to be built, so that by the sanctification of baptism, the Jews and the nations of the people may be able to have the fruit of their merits.


Therefore, by the nature of the tree, the image of the Synagogue is indicated, fruitful in secondary benefits; for we are from the seed of the fathers. And rightly the Jews are compared to fat slipping away because, with their hearts hardened and their necks stiff, they cannot reach the permanence of themselves. But if they die and seem to fall from this world, so that they may be reborn in the inner person through the grace of baptism, they will certainly be fruitful. However, the perfidy of stubborn people has rendered the Synagogue useless; and therefore it is commanded to be cut down as if it were barren.


I think that what is said about the Jews should be avoided by everyone, especially by us, so that we do not occupy a fruitful place in the Church through empty merits. We should be like blessed apple trees and bear internal fruits, such as the fruits of modesty, the fruits of unity, the fruits of mutual charity and love, all enclosed in the womb of the Church as one. We should not let any harmful breeze, hailstorm, heat of desire, or downpour of passions harm us.

172. However, some consider that this fig tree is not a symbol of the Synagogue, but rather a representation of evil and wickedness. The only difference is that they choose a specific kind for the genus. They say that they take caution in this matter because the Lord said to the fig tree, 'Let no fruit grow on you ever again' (Matthew 21:19), even though we know that many Jews believed, and will continue to believe. But those who believe are no longer the fruit of the Synagogue, but of the Church. And the one who is born again in the Church is not born of the Synagogue. Just as there are those who have gone out from among us, but were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us (1 John 2:19). So we say about those who believe from among the Jews, that if they were of the Synagogue, they would remain in the Synagogue. But they have gone out from the Synagogue so that it may be believed that they were not of the Synagogue. Then, in order to counteract the malice, someone intervened and said that it should be cultivated to bring forth fruit; for this reason the Lord came, to destroy the seeds of wickedness (1 John 3:5).

(Vers. 10, 11.)

(Verse 10, 11.) Now he was teaching in their synagogue on the sabbaths. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years and was bent over.

How quickly he indicated what he was saying about the Synagogue! He shows that he came to the same tree in which he was teaching. Finally, he assumes the form of the weak woman as a symbol of the Church, who, having fulfilled the measure of the Law and the resurrection, is raised to everlasting peace and cannot feel the inclination of our weakness. This woman could not have been healed in any other way, except that she fulfilled the Law and received grace: the Law in precepts, grace in baptism, through which we rise to Christ, who has died to the world. For in ten words, there is the perfection of the Law; in the number eight, there is the fullness of the resurrection. Therefore, the observance of the Sabbath is a sign of the future, in which each person, having fulfilled the Law and received grace through the mercy of Christ, will be freed from the troubles of bodily frailty. And so, in preparation for this, sanctification was established as a sign beforehand through Moses (Exodus 19:10), in order to be a practice of future sanctification and spiritual observance by abstaining from secular works. Finally, God rested from the works of the world (Genesis 2:2), but not from the works which are eternal and constant; as the Son says: 'My Father is working until now, and I am working' (John 5:17), so that our secular works, not our religious ones, would cease in resemblance to God.


174. (Verse 14.) But the ruler of the synagogue, not understanding this, was prohibiting anyone from being healed on the Sabbath, even though the Sabbath is a foreshadowing of future festivities. Therefore, the Sabbath is a holiday not for good works, but for evil works; and it is prescribed that we observe no Sabbath carrying the burden of sins, nor the Sabbaths of fasting and good works after death. Hence, the Lord seems to respond spiritually when he says:

(Vers. 15.)

(Verse 15.) Hypocrites, each one of you does not untie his ox or donkey on the Sabbath and lead it to drink?

Why did not another animal indicate, except to show, that even though the leaders of the Synagogue opposed it, it would still come to pass that the Jewish and Gentile people would abandon the thirst of the body and the heat of this world, due to the abundance of the Lord's fountain? For the ox knows its owner, and the donkey the manger of its Lord (Isaiah 1:3). Therefore, that people who before were sustained by the cheap hay that withers before it is plucked, received the bread that descended from heaven. And therefore, because of the calling of two peoples, he says that the Church will be saved, at the time when the Law is fulfilled, and in the age of the Lord's resurrection, he received the time of his redemption. How merciful, then, is the Lord, how pious in both, when he either has mercy or avenges! In the Synagogue, he orders the cutting down of a tree as a symbol, in the Church, he saves a woman. What a sweet parable! And yet, the solution is easy. He compares a bond to a bond, so that by the pretense of the Jews, their own actions may be refuted. For when they themselves release the chains from animals on the Sabbath, they criticize the Lord, who freed mankind from the chains of sin.

(Vers. 18, 19.)

(Verse 18, 19.) To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? What shall I liken it to? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when a man took and sowed in his garden, grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.

176. The present reading teaches us that we should consider the nature of comparisons, not just the appearance. So let us see why the sublime kingdom of heaven is compared to a grain of mustard seed: for I remember reading elsewhere about the grain of mustard seed, where it is compared to faith, with the Lord saying: If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: Move from here to there, and it will move (Matthew XVII, 19 and 21). And this is not a minor, but a great faith, which can command a mountain to move and be thrown into the sea; for the Lord does not demand a mediocre faith from the apostles, who know that they must strive against the height of spiritual wickedness. Do you want to know that great faith is required? Read in the Apostle: And if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains (I Cor. XIII, 2).

177. Therefore, if the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, and faith is like a mustard seed: then faith is certainly the kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of heaven is faith. So, whoever has faith, has the kingdom of heaven. And the kingdom of God is within us, and faith is within us; for we read: The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). And elsewhere: Have faith in yourselves (Matthew 16:19). Finally, Saint Peter, who had full faith, received the keys of the kingdom of heaven to unlock it for others.


Now let us consider the nature of mustard, and the power of comparison. The mustard seed itself is certainly a cheap and simple thing: if it is ground, it releases its strength. Similarly, faith at first seems simple, but if it is tested by adversity, it reveals the grace of its virtue; so that it also fills others who either hear or read with the fragrance of itself. The mustard seed of our martyrs is Felix, Nabor, and Victor: they had the fragrance of faith, but it was hidden. Persecution came, they laid down their weapons, bowed their necks, and with a broken sword spread the grace of their martyrdom throughout the whole world, so that it may rightly be said: Their sound has gone out into all the earth (Psalm 19:4).

179. But faith is worn in one way, pressured in another, and sown in another. The Lord Himself is the grain of mustard seed. He was blameless from injury, but as the grain of mustard seed which the people had not crushed, he did not know. He preferred to be worn, so that we may say: "For we are the good odor of Christ unto God" (II Cor. II, 15). He preferred to be pressured; hence Peter said: "The crowds press you" (Luke VIII, 45). He preferred to be sown, like the grain which a man took in his hand and sowed in his garden; for in the garden Christ was both captured and buried: in the garden He grew, where He also rose, and He became a tree, as it is written: "As a tree of evil among the trees of the forest: so is my brother among the sons" (Song of Songs II, 3).


So you also sow Christ in your garden. The garden is certainly a place full of various flowers and fruits, in which the grace of your work blossoms and the diverse scent of various virtues exhales. Therefore, let Christ be there where there is fruit. Sow the Lord Jesus. It is a seed when it is grasped, it is a tree when it rises again, a tree overshadowing the world. It is a seed when it is buried in the earth, it is a tree when it is elevated to heaven.

181. Press also with Christ, and sow faith. Faith is pressed when we believe in the crucified Christ. Paul pressed faith when he said: And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified (I Cor. II, 1 and 2). And because he taught to press faith, he also taught to lift, saying: Henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more (II Cor. V, 16). However, we sow faith when we believe in the Lord's passion from the Gospel and the apostolic and prophetic readings. Therefore, we sow faith when we work it as if on soft and tilled ground of the Lord's flesh, so that faith, like vapor and pressure from the sacred body, may scatter itself. For whoever believes that the Son of God became man believes that he died for us, believes that he rose again for us, believes that he ascended for us. Therefore, I sow faith when I bury him/her.

Do you want to know the grain of Christ, and the sown Christ? Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24). Therefore, we have not erred, for we have said what He Himself has said. And indeed, He is both the grain of wheat, for He confirms the heart of man, and the grain of mustard seed, for He ignites the heart of man. And although both apply to everything, the grain of wheat seems to refer to His resurrection: for He is the bread of God that came down from heaven (John 6:33); because the Word of God, and the example of resurrection, nourishes the minds, sharpens hope, and strengthens the emotions. And the grain of mustard seed, because it speaks of the Lord's passion, is bitter for weeping, and sharp for stirring emotions. Therefore, when we hear and read that the Lord fasted (Matt. 4:2), that the Lord was tired (John 4:7), that the Lord wept (John 11:35), that the Lord was beaten, and that He Himself said at the time of His passion: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation (Matt. 26:41); as if with the juice of a more bitter discourse, we temper the sweeter delights of bodily pleasures. Therefore, whoever sows the seed of mustard, sows the kingdom of heaven.


183. Do not despise this mustard seed: it is indeed the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the vegetables (Matt. XIII, 32) . If the mustard seed is Christ, how is Christ either the smallest or does he grow? Truly not by nature, but by species he grows again. Do you want to know the smallest? We have seen him, and he had neither species nor beauty (Isaiah XIII, 2) . Learn the largest: Beautiful in form among the sons of men (Psalm XLIV, 3) . For indeed, he who did not have appearance or beauty, became more excellent than the angels, beyond all the glory of the prophets, whom weak Israel had consumed like vegetables; for the bread by which hearts are strengthened, he had rejected one, he had not received the other.

184. Christ is the seed, because he is the seed of Abraham: for to Abraham were the promises made, and to his seed. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as if speaking of many, but as of one, 'And to your seed,' which is Christ (Galatians 3:16). Christ is not only the seed, but also the smallest of all seeds; for he did not come in power, nor in riches, nor in the wisdom of this world. But suddenly, like a tree, he poured forth the height of his power, so that we may say, 'I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste' (Song of Solomon 2:3). And frequently together, as I think, it seemed both the tree and the grain. The grain is when it is said: Is not this the son of Joseph the carpenter (Matt. XIII, 55)? But amidst these words, it suddenly grew, with the Jews testifying, because they could not understand the wisdom of this man, like the branches of a wide tree, saying: Where did he get this wisdom (Ibid., 56).

185. Therefore, the grain is a figure, the tree is wisdom: on the branches of which the night heron dwells in its dwelling, the solitary sparrow in its building (Psalms 101:7-8), he is snatched into paradise, to be caught up into the air and the clouds, and now he rests in a safe abode (2 Corinthians 12:4 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Even the powers and angels of heaven rest, and all those who have deserved to fly away in their spiritual deeds. St. John also rests, as he reclined on the chest of Jesus; indeed, he himself, like a branch, extends with the sap of the tree. Ramus is Peter, ramus is Paul, forgetting the things that come after and desiring those that come before.

186. In the bosom of these recesses, and in certain retreats of discussion, which we were, perchance, far from, we, namely, gathered out of tribes, whom, standing aloof long time the spirituality of iniquity hath urged, spread our wings, taking hold of the oars of virtues, as if flying: that the shadow of the saints may protect us from the heat of this world, flourishing under the security of a determined position: because our soul, bent down with strong temptations before, like that woman, when caught as a bird in the snare of the hunters, hath escaped upon the branches of the Lord, and hath passed to the mountains. Therefore, now that we are freed by the faith of Christ from vain and empty observances, and from the levity of flying about in unnecessary matters, we intend to devote ourselves to good works and are freed from the bonds of the Sabbath. And in these feasts, we have freedom while excluding excess. We do not want to be slaves to our desires while being free from the Law, for the Law bound itself in order to absolve us from our desires. Grace, which has taken away lesser servitude, has commanded much greater things. All things are lawful for us, but not all things are expedient. (I Cor. X, 22); For it is grave to use power, lest you fall under power. Cease to be under the Law, so that you may be above the Law by virtue.

(Vers. 21.)

(Verse 21.) To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.

187. This comparison about the questions to be asked only adds ambiguity, so that it has various opinions of many people. Therefore, we appropriately compared Christ to a grain of wheat, because the spiritual leaven was hidden in us, and many people think that the leaven elevates Christ, who received power. And just as leaven surpasses its own species in quality: Christ also surpassed the fathers, equal in body but incomparable in divinity. Therefore, may the holy Church, which is symbolized by the type of this evangelical woman, in whose flour we are, hide the Lord Jesus in the innermost part of our mind, until the warmth of heavenly wisdom covers the secret depths of our souls.

188. And because we read in Matthew that the leaven is hidden in three measures (Matt. 16:33), it seemed fitting that we should believe the Son of God to be hidden in the Law, revealed in the Prophets, and fulfilled in the preaching of the Gospel; so that he may acquire for us a perfect faith from all sources, and, formed in us by the comparison of the Scriptures, who are his body, all things and in all things may be fulfilled. For he himself was the Word of God and the mystery that was hidden from ages and generations: than which nothing can more clearly testify to the expression of his eternity (Col. 1:26). For indeed he was hidden from the wicked, but revealed among the holy, predestined before the ages, kept for glory. And this is the glory, brothers, that we may investigate the mystery hidden from the ages in God. Which is in God, certainly and from God; for God cannot possess a nature that is foreign.

Nec sum dubius animi, quod aliqui de hoc mundo dictum putent, donec fermentetur in Lege, Prophetis, Evangelio; ut Dominum omnis lingua fateatur. Itaque discutiamus omnia, et diligentius requiramus. Nemo invenit nisi qui ante quaesierit.Aedificemus turrim, computemus sumptus Scripturarum, conferamus impensas; ne quis etiam de nostrum aliquo dicat: Hic voluit aedificare, et non potuit consummare (Luc. XIV, 30) . Whoever builds a house must lay a good foundation. The good foundation is faith, the good foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephes. II, 20); for our faith arises from the two Testaments: and no injury is done to him who says that the measure of faith is perfect in both, since the Lord himself says: If you believed Moses, you would believe me also (John V, 46); for the Lord spoke in Moses. Therefore, in both there is a perfect measure, because he is perfect in both; and the faith of both is one, because it is the oracle and response of one virtue and understanding.


Nevertheless, it delights me to follow what the Lord himself taught, that the yeast of the Church is a spiritual teaching; for it is written: 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees' (Matthew 16:6); and the Apostle said: 'Not with the yeast of malice and wickedness' (1 Corinthians 5:8), showing that doctrine is yeast. But there is a different yeast for tares and a different yeast for wheat. Therefore, we agree with the good authors, to say that the Church sanctifies the reborn man, who is in body and soul and spirit, with spiritual yeast. For both body and soul are sanctified, and the very grace of the Spirit receives the increase of sanctification. Through the Church, as it were, a kind of fermenting agent, and the doctrine of the Scriptures, which grows and increases as it were by the heavenly comparison of words and the abundance of their meaning, is infused and mixed in with the whole man, so that they become one and the same ferment. This certainly happens when these three things agree with each other as if with an equal balance of desires, and an equal harmony of pleasures.


191. Therefore, this work of the Church is not tumultuous, nor random, but has been brought about by long meditation, so that these three may be one, free from the law of sin. Regarding this matter, we have the Apostle as its proponent, saying: May the Lord himself sanctify you in all things, so that your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—may be preserved blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23). This does not come about through worldly trials, except by that little bit of leaven, which is compared to the kingdom of heaven, that the woman mentioned in the Gospel hides in three measures of flour until it is all leavened (Matt. 13:33). For indeed, there are three measures, as I have said: of the flesh, of the soul, and of the spirit. But it is the spirit by which we all live in this body of thirst. This is true when the lust of the flesh does not overflow, and the soul is not bent by bodily errors, and the measure of living is preserved blameless in the whole person. But because the equality of measurements persists without the support of the Church and doctrine, therefore that woman, who bears the image of the Church, merges the virtue of spiritual doctrine with them until that whole hidden inner man of the heart is fermented and rises in the grace of heavenly bread. For the doctrine of Christ is rightly called the leaven, because Christ is the bread, and the Apostle says: Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body (I Cor. X, 17).


192. Therefore, there is one ferment when the flesh does not desire against the spirit, nor the spirit against the flesh: but we put to death the works of the flesh, and the soul, conscious of having received the breath of life from God, avoids the earthly contagions of worldly connections. Hence the Apostle instructs us to walk not in the flesh, but in the spirit: so that, sanctified by the washing of regeneration, having put off the old man with his desires, we may be clothed with the new man, who is created according to Christ, and may advance not in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit (Colossians 3:9-10); whereby in the time of resurrection there may also remain an incorruptible communion of the body, soul, and spirit for us: and then we may obtain all that we ask for (Romans 6:4). Which, it seems to most people, the Lord also signified when he said: If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven (Matt. XVIII, 19).

Therefore some people receive two things, the soul and the body; others receive the soul and the spirit; so that if on earth, that is, in the body, the soul and the spirit are in agreement with each other, and do not oppose each other with different desires, then it seems that everything can be accomplished through prayers. This happens when both are one, if enmities are removed, or dissolved, and the two are united into one new person, that is, the soul and the spirit: So let us pray with the spirit, let us also pray with the mind (I Cor. XIV, 15). Many people believe that two peoples, from Israel and from the Gentiles, will be gathered together at the time of the resurrection, so that a lasting perfection may be achieved and that which is partial may be destroyed. However, many also believe that a man and a woman, in mutual agreement and with love, should come together.

Therefore, if in this life three measures remain in the same leaven until they are fermented and become one, so that no difference of equality is seen, and we do not appear to be composed of three different things, in the future there will be an incorruptible communion with Christ for those who are diligent: and we will not remain composed, for even now we who are composed will be one, and we will be transformed into one substance. For in the resurrection there will be no one inferior to another, just as now the weakness of the flesh is fragile in us, and the bodily condition of nature is either subject to wounds or injuries, or is unable to raise the burden of itself higher above the earth than the foot can be raised: but we will be shaped into the grace of simple creatures, when what John said is fulfilled: Beloved, we are now children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we will be; but we know that when it is revealed, we will be like him (1 John 3:2). Therefore, since the nature of God is simple (for God is a spirit), we also shall be shaped into the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18), so that as He is heavenly, we too may be heavenly. Therefore, as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us also bear the image of the heavenly (1 Corinthians 15:48-49), which our soul must put on.

195. (Chapter XIV. — Verses 2-14.) And therefore, first of all, the dropsical person is treated, in whom an excessive flow of flesh burdened the functions of the soul and extinguished the ardor of the spirit. Then humility is taught, while in that wedding banquet the desire for a higher place is restrained; yet gently, so that the kindness of persuasion would exclude the harshness of compulsion, reason would lead to the desired effect of persuasion, and correction would amend the affected person. Humanity is linked to this as if to a neighboring border, which is distinguished by the definition of the Lord's sentence, if it is conferred upon the poor and weak; for the affection to be hospitable to those who can repay is a form of greed.

196. (Vers. 18-21.) Finally, to the man who has finished his military service, a reward of contemptible stipends is prescribed; because neither he who, occupied with lower studies, acquires earthly possessions, can attain to the kingdom of heaven, since the Lord says: Sell all your possessions, and follow me (Matthew 19:21); nor he who buys oxen, as Elisha did, and divides them among the people (1 Kings 19:21); and he who takes a wife should consider what is of the world, not what is of God. Not that marriage is to be condemned, but because chastity is called to a higher honor; for the unmarried woman and the widow think about the things of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and in spirit. But the married woman thinks about the things of the world, how to please her husband (1 Corinthians 7:34).

However, in order to please, just as we mentioned above with widows, now with wives as well, we do not reject the opinion that many follow, that three types of people are considered excluded from participation in that great banquet: the pagans, the Jews, and the heretics.

198. Therefore the Apostle says that greed must be avoided, so that, hindered by pagan customs, iniquity, malice, impurity, greed, we may not be able to reach the kingdom of Christ (Rom. I, 29). For every immoral person or greedy person, which is idolatry, does not have inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God (Ephes. V, 5).

199. But the Jews impose on themselves the yoke of the Law by means of bodily ministry, and therefore according to the Prophet: Let us break their chains and cast away their yoke from us (Psalm II, 3); for we have received Christ, who gently suspends the yoke of his mercy on our necks. However, there are five yokes, or rather, five books of the old Law, about which the Samaritan woman seems to say in the Gospel: For you have had five husbands (John IV, 18).


200. But true heresy, like Eve, tries to weaken faith with a feminine softness, slipping with slippery ease, it affects the allure of false beauty, neglecting the unblemished beauty of truth. Therefore, they excuse themselves, because the kingdom is not closed to anyone, except for those whom the profession of their voice has excluded: but the Lord invites everyone kindly, but we turn away either due to our sloth, or because of error.

201. Therefore, the one who buys a house is estranged from the kingdom; for those who bought and sold in the time of Noah, as you have read, were overwhelmed by the flood (Luke 17:21), and the one who chooses the yoke of the law rather than the gift of grace, and the one who makes excuses for not marrying a wife; for it is written: If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, and wife, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:21). Indeed, if the Lord renounces his mother for your sake, saying, 'Who is my mother, or who are my brothers?' (Matthew 12:48), why do you desire to prefer yourself to your Lord? But the Lord neither commands to ignore nature, nor to serve nature: but to indulge nature in such a way that you may worship the creator, and not stray from the love of God as a parent.

202. (Vers. 21-23.) Therefore, after despising the pride of the rich, he goes to the Gentiles and commands both the good and the bad to enter, in order to increase the number of the good and to change the disposition of the bad into something better. This is to fulfill what was read today: Then the wolf and the lamb will feed together (Isaiah 65:25). He invites the poor, the weak, and the blind, showing us that no physical weakness excludes anyone from the kingdom, and that those who are seduced by sin are rare if the allurements of sin are absent. Or it may be that the weakness of sinners is forgiven through the mercy of the Lord, so that one is redeemed from guilt not by works but by faith, and thus whoever boasts, let him boast in the Lord.


203. Therefore, he sends messengers to the exits of the roads, for prudence is sung at the exit. He sends to the streets because he sent to sinners, so that they may come from broader paths to the narrow one that leads to life. He sends to the paths and around hedges, because those who are fit for the kingdom of heaven, being occupied with no present desires, hasten towards future things, being established on a certain path of good will. They know how to separate the good and bad things, and to protect themselves against the temptation of spiritual wickedness by offering the defense of faith. Finally, the Lord, in order to show that he had fortified his vineyard, said, 'I have surrounded it with a hedge and dug a trench around it' (Matthew 21:33). And the Apostle says that the middle wall of partition has been removed, which interrupted the continuation of the fortification (Ephesians 2:14). Therefore, faith and reason are sought after, and they are sought after in the streets, that is, in the depths of the inner self; for it is written: 'Let your springs be dispersed in the streets' (Proverbs 5:16).


204. However, this is not enough, that someone is called to come unless he has the bridal garment, that is, unless he has faith and charity. And therefore, whoever does not bring peace and charity to the altars of Christ, will be taken, with feet and hands bound, and cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. XXII, 13). What are the outer darkness? Are there also prisons and punishments to be undergone there? No. But whoever acts outside the promises of heavenly commandments is in outer darkness; for the commandments of God are light. And whoever is without Christ is in darkness; for Christ is the light in darkness.

Therefore, there is neither a physical grinding of teeth, nor a perpetual fire of physical flames, nor is there a physical worm. But these things are mentioned because just as fevers and worms arise from a lot of impurity, so if someone does not purge their sins, but rather mixes sins with sins, as if they contracted a certain impurity of old and recent offenses, they will be burned by their own fire and consumed by their own worms. Therefore Isaiah says: Walk in the light of your fire, and in the torches that you have kindled. This is the fire that is generated by the sadness of sins: it is a worm, because the irrational sins of the soul prick the mind and senses, and some consume the depths of conscience: these are born from each one as worms, as from the body of a sinner. Finally, the Lord declared this through Isaiah, saying: And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men that have transgressed against me: and their worm shall not die and their fire shall not be extinguished.


206. Also, the grinding of teeth reveals the feeling of indignation; because it is late to repent, it is late to groan, it is late to be angry with oneself, because one has sinned with such stubborn wickedness.

(Chap. XV. — Vers. 4.)

(Chapter 15, Verse 4) Which one of you, he said, if he has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the one that has gone astray?

207. Didiceras in superioribus ablegare negligentiam, vitare arrogantiam, devotionem sumere, saecularibus occupationibus non teneri, caduca non praeferre perpetuis: sed quia fragilitas humanafirmum nequit in tanto saeculi lubrico tenere vestigium, etiam adversus errorem remedia tibi bonus medicus demonstravit, spem veniae judex misericors non negavit. Itaque non otiose sanctus Lucas (Vers. 8 et seq.) ex ordine tres parabolas posuit: ovis quae perierat, et inventa est: drachmae quae perierat, et inventa est: filii qui erat mortuus, et revixit; ut triplici remedio provocati, vulnera nostra curemus; spartum enim triplex non corrumpetur.


208. Who are these, father, pastor, woman? Isn't God the Father, Christ the shepherd, and the Church the woman? Christ carries you with his body, who has taken your sins upon himself, the Church seeks, the Father receives. Like a shepherd gathers, like a mother inquires, like a father clothes. The first is mercy, the second is intercession, the third is reconciliation. Each corresponds to the other: the redeemer helps, the Church intercedes, the author reconciles. The same mercy of divine work, but a different grace for our merits. The weary sheep is called back by the shepherd: the lost coin is found: the son returns to the Father following in his footsteps, and full of repentance, he returns from his condemned error. Hence it is well written: You will save men and animals, O Lord (Psalm 35:8). What are these animals? The prophet said: The seed of Israel in the seed of men, and Judah in the seed of animals (Jeremiah 31:27). So Israel is saved like a man, like a sheep Judah is gathered. Therefore, I would rather be a son than a sheep; for a sheep is sought by the shepherd, but the Son is honored by the Father.

209. Let us therefore rejoice, because that sheep which was lost in Adam is raised up in Christ. The shoulders of Christ are the arms of the cross. There I have put off my sins, there I have rested on the noble neck of the gallows. That sheep is one in kind, not in species: For we are all one body, but have many members. (I Cor. X, 17); and therefore it is written: But you are the body of Christ, and members of member (Ibid., 15). The Son of man came to save what was lost (Luc. XIX, 10); namely, all. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive (I Cor. XV, 22).


210. Therefore, the rich shepherd of whom we all are a hundredth part possesses both Angels and Archangels, Dominions, Powers, Thrones, and countless other hosts whom he has left in the mountains. And since they are rational, it is not without reason that they rejoice in the redemption of humanity. Although this also promotes the incentives of goodness, if each person believes that their conversion will be pleasing to the assemblies of angels, whose protection they should either seek or fear offending. And let the angels of joy rejoice at your return.

211. It is not insignificant that the woman rejoices when the lost coin is found. This coin is not of little value, for it bears the image of the king. And therefore, the image of the king is the wealth of the Church. We are the sheep, let us pray that He may be pleased to place us by the waters of refreshment. We are the sheep, I say, let us seek pasture: we are the coins, let us possess value: we are the children, let us hasten to the Father.

212. And let us not be afraid, because we have advanced in earthly pleasures, of having lost the received spiritual inheritance of dignity, which the Father, in the Son he had, bestowed as a treasure. The census of faith is never depleted: although he has given everything, he has everything; because what he has given, he does not lose. And do not be afraid that he will not receive you: For God is not pleased with the destruction of the living (Wisdom 1:13): even when he meets you coming, he will fall upon your neck: For the Lord raises up the fallen (Psalm 145:8). He will give a kiss which is a pledge of affection and love. He will command that a stole, a ring, and shoes be brought forth. You still fear injury, he restores dignity: you fear punishment, he offers a kiss: you dread reproach, he adorns a feast. But now let us discuss the parable itself.

(Vers. 11, 12.)

There was a certain man who had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that will belong to me.'

213. You see that the divine inheritance is given to those who seek it. And do not think that it is the fault of the father, that he gave it to a younger son: no age is weak in the kingdom of God, nor is faith burdened by years. Certainly, he judged himself suitable who requested it. And I wish he had not departed from the father, he would not have known the obstacle of age: but after he left his homeland and went abroad, he began to be in need. Therefore, he rightly wasted the inheritance, who departed from the Church. After leaving home, he said, he left his homeland.

(Vers. 13.)

(Verse 13.) He set out on a journey to a distant region.

214. For what can be more distant than to depart from oneself; not to be separated by regions, but by customs: to be discerned by pursuits, not by lands; and as if there were an intervening heat of secular luxury, to have divisions of actions? For indeed, whoever separates himself from Christ is an exile from his homeland, a citizen of the world. But we are not aliens and strangers, but citizens of the saints and domestic of God (Ephesians 2:19); for we who were far away have been made near by the blood of Christ (Ibid., 2:13). Let us not envy those returning from a distant region; for we also were in a distant region, as Isaiah teaches, saying: Those who sat in the region of the shadow of death, a light has arisen for them (Isaiah 9:2). Therefore, the distant region is the shadow of death: but we, to whom the Spirit of Christ is Lord, live in the shadow of Christ. And for this reason, the Church says: I have desired to sit in his shadow, and I have sat (Song of Solomon 2:3). Therefore, he, living luxuriously, has consumed all the ornaments of nature. Wherever you, who have received the image of God, who have his likeness, do not consume it with irrational abominations. You are the work of God, do not say to a piece of wood: 'You are my father' (Jer. II, 27); do not accept the likeness of wood; for it is written: 'Let those who make them become like them' (Psalm CXIII, 8).

(Vers. 14.)

(Verse 14) A famine occurred in that region.

215. Hunger is not for feasts, but for good deeds and virtues, which are more pitiable than fasting. Indeed, whoever departs from the word of God, hungers: For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God (Matthew IV, 4). Whoever departs from the source, thirsts: whoever departs from the treasure, lacks: whoever departs from wisdom, dulls: whoever departs from virtue, dissolves. Therefore, he rightly began to lack, because he abandoned the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God, and the height of heavenly riches. Therefore, he began to need, and to suffer hunger, because nothing is enough for prodigality. He always suffers hunger, who does not know how to be satisfied with constant nourishment.

(Vers. 15.)

(Verse 15.) So he went away and clung to one of the citizens.

216. For whoever clings, is in a trap. And that citizen seems to be the ruler of this world. Finally, he is sent to his villa which he bought, to excuse himself from the kingdom. And he feeds pigs: those in which the devil seeks to enter, those he throws into the sea of this world, living in filth and stench.

(Vers. 16.)

(Verse 16) And he desired, he said, to fill his belly with the pods.

For there is no other concern for the luxurious, except to fill their stomachs, which stomach is their god (Philippians 3:19). But what food is more suitable for people of this kind than that which, like a pod, is empty inside and soft outside: by which the body is not nourished, but filled; so it becomes more of a burden than a use?

There are those who accept pigs as herds of demons, husks as the power of empty men, and boastful words that can be of no benefit, with a certain seduction of empty philosophy, and demonstrating more the pomp of eloquence than any usefulness. But these pleasures cannot last long; and therefore,

Nobody gave to him; for he was in the region of one who has nobody; because he does not have those who exist. For indeed all people are considered as nothing (Isaiah 40:15): but God alone is the one who gives life to the dead, and calls things that are not, as though they were (Romans 4:17).

(Vers. 17.)

(Verse 17) But when he came to himself, he said: How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare!

He who turns back to himself turns well within himself. Indeed, he who turns back to the Lord returns himself to himself, and he who departs from Christ abdicates himself. But the mercenaries, unless they serve for wages, who are from Israel, do not pursue what is good out of a desire for honesty, nor for the sake of virtue, but are driven by a desire for utility. But truly, the son who has the pledge of the Holy Spirit in his heart does not seek the petty wages of this world, for whom he should serve. Heirs are also mercenary workers who are hired for the vineyard. Good mercenary workers Peter, John, James, to whom it is said: Come, and I will make you fishers of men (Matth. IV, 19). They do not have figs, but they have an abundance of bread. Finally, they gathered twelve baskets of fragments (Matth. XIV, 20). O Lord Jesus, if you take away our figs and give us bread! For you are the steward in the house of the Father. Oh, if you would also deem us worthy to be hired as mercenary workers, even if we come late! For you also hired workers at the eleventh hour (Matthew 20:9), and you deem it worthy to pay an equal wage, an equal wage of life, not of glory; for the crown of righteousness is not reserved for everyone, but for those who can say: I have fought the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7).

That is why I consider it necessary to mention, because I know that some people say that they reserve the grace of baptism or penance for their own death. First, how do you know if your soul will be demanded of you tonight? And then why do you think that everything can be put off until you have leisure? Suppose there is one grace, one reward; yet the prize of victory is different, to which Paul rightly aspired after receiving the reward of grace, pursuing it as his prize (Philippians 3:14). For he knew that although the reward of grace might be equal, the palm would still be for only a few.


222. And since we have come into the vineyard of the Lord, let us not depart empty-handed: for it is pleasing to gather the fruits and see His laborers. For what does it mean that workers are hired at different hours of the day (Matthew 20:1 and so on), if not because a thousand years are like a day in the eyes of the Lord, like yesterday's day that has passed, and an hour in the night (Psalm 90:4)? What is the night, except that which precedes, so that the day may draw near? And it is rightly called an hour in the night, because a thousand years are like one day (2 Peter 3:8). He who said, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. XIII, 8), knows the power of this day. He also knew that the day is manifold, who wrote, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created” (Gen. II, 4). For when he had described seven days above, he encompassed all things in one day, showing the entire time of the world in the sight of the Lord as one day. This is because from the unformed and darkened state of the world, it has proceeded by the brightness of the divine work. Therefore, if the day is the entire time of the world, it certainly also has its hours in the ages: or the ages themselves are the hours. However, there are twelve hours of the day; hence, Christ is rightly called the day, whose apostles, distinguished by celestial light, shone forth with the turns of grace in themselves.

223. Therefore, the father of the family came and hired workers at the first hour, perhaps those who deserved to be righteous from the beginning of the world until the flood, about whom he said: 'And I spoke to you before dawn: and I sent my servants, the prophets, to you before dawn' (Jeremiah, VII, 25). The third period begins after the flood, encompassing the times of Noah and the others who are destined to be good workers in the vineyard; therefore Noah was, as it were, drunk at lunch. The merits of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob distinguish the sixth and remaining days. The ninth day, as the century declines and the light of virtue pales, the Law and the Prophets note the colorless morals of men. The eleventh day, and what remains of the day, the sacred coming forth produces. Hence, he himself says in the Gospel: Walk while you have the light (John XII, 35).

224. But now let us return to the Father; though I do not fear that we may seem to have been absent for a long time by the example of this penitent (for we have never been absent, who were in the vineyard, in which if he had remained, he would not have departed from the Father), it must be carefully avoided that we delay our reconciliation to him, which the Father did not delay. He is easily reconciled when earnestly begged. And therefore let us learn with what kind of supplication the Father is to be sought. Father, he says. How merciful, how pious, who is not offended to hear the name of his homeland!

(Vers. 18.)

(Verse. 18.) Father, he said, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

This is the first confession before the author of nature, the bishop of mercy, the judge of guilt. But although God knows all things, he still expects the voice of your confession. For confession is made with the mouth for salvation (Rom. X, 10); because it lightens the weight of error, whoever himself burdens himself; and it excludes the envy of accusation, who anticipates the accuser by confessing: For a righteous man accuses himself at the beginning of his speech (Prov. XVIII, 17). But you are trying in vain to hide what deceives no one; and you are giving away without danger what you know to be already known. Confess more, so that Christ, whom we have as an advocate with the Father, may intercede for you; let the Church pray for you, and let the people shed tears for you. Do not fear that you will not obtain. The advocate promises forgiveness, the patron promises grace, the defender promises reconciliation through paternal compassion to you. Believe, because it is the truth; acquiesce, because it is virtue. He has a reason to intervene for you, so that he may not die for you in vain. He has a reason to forgive, Father, because what the son wants, the Father also wants.

226. (Verse 18.) I have sinned against heaven and before you. It is not surely the elements that are expressed, but the heavenly gifts of the diminished Spirit are signified by the sin of the soul; or because it was not fitting to stray from the bosom of the mother Jerusalem, which is in heaven.

(Vers. 19.)

(Verse 19.) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

For one who is dejected should not lift himself up; so that he may be rightfully elevated in his humility.

(Ibid.) Make me like one of your hired servants.

228. He knows the difference between sons, friends, mercenaries, and slaves; a son through baptism, a friend through virtue, a mercenary through work, a slave through fear. But even from slaves and mercenaries friends are made, according to what is written: You are my friends, if you do what I command you: I do not call you slaves anymore (John XV, 14).

229. She said this to herself; but it is not enough to say it, unless you come to the father. Where do you seek him, where do you find him? First rise up, that is, you who were sleeping while sitting. And for this reason the Apostle says: Rise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead (Ephesians 5:14). Iniquity sits on a leaden talent. To Moses it is said: But you stand here (Deuteronomy 5:31). Christ chose those who stand. Therefore, rise up, run to the Church; here is the Father, here is the Son, here is the Holy Spirit.


230. (Vers. 20, 21.) There comes to you one who hears you dealing with the secret thoughts of your mind. And even though you are still far away, he sees and comes running. He sees in your heart, he comes running so that no one can hinder you, he embraces you as well: in meeting there is foresight, in embrace there is kindness, and certain affections of paternal love. He falls above your neck to raise you up while lying down, and to bring back to heaven, burdened by sins and turned towards earthly things, in which he seeks his own author. Christ falls upon your neck, so that he may strip off the yoke of servitude from your neck and may suspend his sweet yoke upon your neck. Does it not seem to you that Christ fell upon the neck of John, when John was reclining on the breast of Jesus with his neck bent back? And therefore the Word saw with God, because he was raised up to the things above. He falls upon your neck, when he says: Come to me, all you who labor...and I will refresh you: take my yoke upon you (Matth. XI, 28 and 29). Therefore it falls in this way, if you turn.

231. (Verse 22.) And he orders that the robe, ring, and sandals be brought forward. The robe is the garment of wisdom, which covers the apostle's body, because each one wraps themselves in it; and for this reason they receive the robe, so that they may clothe the weakness of the body with the power of spiritual wisdom. For it is said of Wisdom: She will wash her robe in wine (Gen. XLIX, 11). Therefore, the robe is a spiritual garment and a bridal attire. And what is the ring, if not the seal of sincere faith and the expression of truth? But the preaching of the Gospel is the footwear; and therefore it receives the first wisdom. For there is another mystery which it does not know, unless it has received the seal of its words and deeds, and a certain protection of good intention and course; lest it stumble on a stone with its foot, and being tripped up by the devil, it may abandon the duty of proclaiming the Lord's message. This is the preparation of the Gospel, directing the prepared ones towards the course of heavenly things; so that we may not walk in the flesh, but in the spirit.


232. (Verse 23.) The fatted calf is also slaughtered, so that by the power of the spiritual grace of the sacrament of the mysteries, the Lord's flesh may be restored and enjoyed through the participation of communion. For no one should partake in the heavenly sacraments unless they fear God (which is the beginning of wisdom), unless they have either kept or received the spiritual seal, and unless they have preached the Lord. But whoever has the ring, has the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; because God has marked us, and Christ is His image: and He has given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts, so that we may know that this ring which is given in the hand is a seal, by which the inner depths of the heart and the ministries of our deeds are marked. Therefore, we are sealed, just as we read: 'In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.' (Ephesians 1:13) But the flesh of the calf is good, for it is a sacrificial victim that was offered for sins.

233. (Verse 23.) The son introduces the father as feasting, to show that the fatherly food is our salvation, and the redemption of our sins is the joy of the Father. And indeed, if you refer to the Father, because the Son is the sacrificial victim for sins, the Father is delighted by the return of the sinner: above all, the Son is delighted, having found the lost sheep; so that you may know that the joy of the Father and the Son is one, one operation in the foundation of the Church. But the father rejoices;

(Vers. 24.)

(Verse 24.) Because the son was lost, and he was found: he had died, and he came back to life.

That person perishes who has existed; for one cannot perish who has not existed. Therefore, the nations do not exist, but the Christian exists, according to what was said above: For God chose what is not, so that he might destroy what is (1 Corinthians 1:28). However, here the term 'the human race' can be understood. There was Adam, and in him we all were. Adam perished, and in him all perished (cf. Augustine, Against Julian of Eclanum, Book 1, Chapter 3). Therefore, humanity is reformed in that human who perished, and he is restored to the likeness of God and to the image of God by divine patience and magnanimity. What then is this: God has chosen what does not exist, in order to destroy what exists (1 Corinthians 1:28)? That is, He has chosen the people of the Gentiles who did not exist, in order to destroy the people of the Jews.

235. It can also be said about the agent of repentance; because only those who have lived at some point die. And therefore, the gentiles do not die, but they are dead; indeed, whoever does not believe in Christ is always dead. And indeed, when the gentiles believe, they are made alive by grace: but whoever has fallen, revives through repentance.

236. The place follows, so that we should favor sins by forgiving them after penance; lest while we envy another's pardon, we ourselves do not deserve it from the Lord. For who are you to contradict the Lord, so that he does not release guilt from whom he wishes; when you forgive whom you wish? He wants to be asked, he wants to be entreated. If there is justice for all, where is God's grace? Who are you, to envy God?

And therefore, here the brother is noted, to such an extent that it is said that he comes from the villa, that is, occupied with earthly works, ignorant of the things of the Spirit of God; so that in the end he never complains for himself or for the slaughtered goat; for he is immolated not out of envy, but out of forgiveness, as a lamb of the world. The envious one seeks the goat; the innocent one desires to be sacrificed for himself. He is also called senior; because someone quickly ages through envy. Therefore, he stands outside; because the ill-will of those with envious minds excludes him. Therefore, he cannot listen to the chorus and symphony, that is, not those theatrical incentives of luxury, nor the harmony of courtly sounds, but rather the harmony of the people singing together, which springs forth a sweet joy from the saved sinner.

238. Establish for me someone from among those who seem just to themselves, who do not see the beam in their own eye, and cannot bear the splinter of another's vice. How indignant he becomes when forgiveness is granted to someone confessing their sin and lamenting for a long time. How his ears cannot bear the spiritual symphony of the people. For this is the symphony, when in the Church the diverse actions and virtues are harmonized, like the undiscriminating concord of various chords, the psalm is responded to, and 'amen' is said. This is the harmony that Paul learned; and therefore he says: I will sing with the spirit, I will sing with the mind as well (I Cor. XIV, 13). We thought that this parable should be discussed here.

239. Nor do we envy if someone wishes to refer these two brothers to two peoples; so that the younger people, like the Israelites, who envied the greater brother for the benefit of their father's blessing. This is what the Jews were doing when they complained that Christ was dining with the Gentiles; and therefore they demanded a goat, a sacrifice with a foul smell. The Jew demands a goat, the Christian a lamb; and therefore Barabbas is released for them, and a lamb is sacrificed for us. Whereas among them there is the stench of crimes, among us there is the forgiveness of sins, sweet in hope, pleasant in its fruit. Anyone who seeks a kid (goat) awaits the Antichrist; for Christ is a sacrificial victim of good odor (Ephesians 5:2).

240. It seems that he is also complaining about the kid, because they have lost the ritual of ancient sacrifice: or because no one's blood has benefited them, just as the blood of Christ has benefited the Church; for the blood of the prophets could not redeem them. Shameless and similar to that Pharisee who justified himself with arrogant prayer, thinking that the commandment of God had never been violated, because he observed the Law in the letter. Impious is the one who accused his brother of squandering his father's substance with prostitutes, when he should have noticed that it was said to him: Prostitutes and tax collectors will enter the kingdom of heaven before you (Matthew 21:31).


241. (Verse 28.) But he stands outside, and is not excluded; but he does not enter, ignorant of God's will concerning the calling of the Gentiles, having become a servant from a son; for a servant does not know what his master is doing (John 15:15). When he came to know, he envies and torments the Church with its goods, and stands outside. For outside Israel he hears the chorus and harmony; but he is angry because here the grace of the people sings, and the joyful sound of the people resonates. But the good Father also desired to save him, saying:

(Vers. 31.)

(Verse 31.) Son, you have always been with me;

Whether you be like a Jew in the Law, or like a righteous person in fellowship; and you are, if you stop envying.

(Ibid.) Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Either a Jew holding the sacraments of the Old Testament, or even a baptized person possessing those of the New.

(Chap. XVI. — Vers. 13.)

No servant can serve two masters;

Because there is not two, but one Lord. For although there are those who serve money; nevertheless, they do not know any laws of dominion; but they impose the yoke of servitude upon themselves; for it is not just authority, but unjust servitude. And therefore he says.

(Vers. 9.)

(Verse 9) Make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth;

245. In giving to the poor, let us obtain the grace of the angels and the other saints. The steward is not criticized because in him we learn that we ourselves are not the masters, but rather the stewards of others' resources. And therefore, even if he has sinned, because he sought help from the lord's indulgence for himself in the future, it is preached. But beautifully and unjustly he said 'Mammon'; because with various allurements of wealth, greed was tempting our desires, so that we would want to serve riches. Unde ait:

(Vers. 12.)

(Verse 12) If you have not been faithful with someone else's, who will give you what is yours?

246. Alienae nobis divitiae sunt, quia praeter naturam sunt; neque nobiscum nascuntur, nequenobiscum transeunt: Christus autem noster est, quia vita est. Denique In sua propria venit, et sui eum non receperunt (Joan. I, 11). Ergo nemo dabit quod vestrum est; quia vestrum non credidistis, vestrum non recepistis.

Therefore, the Jews seem to be accused of both fraud and greed. And therefore, those who were not faithful in their possessions, which they knew to be someone else's (for the produce of the earth is given by the Lord God for the common use of all), should certainly have shared with the poor: and they did not deserve to receive Christ, whom Zacchaeus offered half of his possessions to acquire (Luke XIX, 8).

248. Therefore, we do not serve others because we must acknowledge no lord except Christ: There is only one God, the Father, from whom all things come, and we are in him; and there is only one Lord, Jesus, through whom all things exist (I Cor. VIII, 6). So, is the Father the Lord, or the Son God? But the Father is also the Lord, for the heavens were established by the Word of the Lord (Psal. XXXII, 6); and the Son is God, who is blessed above all forever (Rom. IX, 5). Therefore, how can one serve two masters? For there is one Lord, because there is one God; indeed, you shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone (Matth. IV, 10). Hence it is clear that the dominion of the Father and Son is one. But if it is not divided, let it be entirely in the Father, entirely in the Son. Therefore, because we profess the Trinity of one deity and one dominion, we confess one God and one Lord. However, those who speak of different powers of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit introduce many gods and many lords into the Church by the vice of Gentile error.


Book Eight

(Vers. 16.)

(Verse 16) The Law and the Prophets were until John.

Not because the Law has failed, but because the preaching of the Gospel has begun; for the lesser things seem to be fulfilled when the greater things follow. And therefore let us use force for the kingdom of heaven; for whoever uses force, hastens with strong zeal and does not grow sluggish with inactive desire. Therefore, the violence of faith is religious, while sloth is criminal. The Law established many things according to nature; so that it might call us to the pursuit of justice with a greater indulgence for natural desires; but Christ cut into nature, for He also cuts off natural pleasures; and therefore let us use force for nature, so that it does not sink into earthly things, but raises itself to heavenly things.


(Vers. 18.)

(Verse 18.) Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and the one who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

2. First, we must talk about the law of marriage, so that later we can discuss the prohibition of divorce. Some people believe that every marriage is from God, especially because it is written: What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate (Mark 10:9). Therefore, if every marriage is from God, then every marriage cannot be dissolved. But how did the Apostle say: But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so (1 Corinthians 7:15)? In this, he both wonderfully did not want the cause of divorce to reside among Christians and showed that not every marriage is from God; for Christian marriages are not joined together by God's judgment with pagans, since the Law forbids it.


3. But that which Solomon says comes to mind: Fathers divide house and wealth among their children, but a wife is prepared for a man by God (Prov. XIX, 14). And whoever reads it in Greek does not think it is contrary. For the Greek well said ἁρμόσεται; for harmony is said to be the fitting and appropriate joining together of all things. Harmony is when the pipes of an organ are connected in order, it holds the grace of a pleasing melody, and the proper arrangement of the strings maintains concord. So, there is no harmony in their marriage when a Christian man is unlawfully joined with a pagan woman. Therefore, where there is marriage, there is harmony; where there is harmony, God joins together. Where there is no harmony, there is conflict and disagreement; and this is not from God, because God is love (1 John 4:8).

Therefore, do not divorce your wife, lest you deny God, the author of your union. Moreover, if you are tolerant and correct the habits of strangers, even more so should you tolerate and correct the habits of your wife. Listen to what the Lord has said: 'Whoever divorces his wife makes her commit adultery' (Matthew 5:32). For if it is not permissible to change one's spouse while the husband is alive, the desire to sin can easily creep in. Therefore, the one who is the author of the error is also guilty of the fault. With whom is a woman who has just given birth abandoned? To what stumbling step is the ancient woman pushed down? Harsh, if you exclude the parent, you hold the pledge, so that you add an insult to charity and also an injury to piety; harsh, if because of the mother you also drive away the children together; when the children should rather redeem the fault of the parent. How dangerous, if you expose the fragile age of a young girl to error! How impious, if you abandon her old age, whose youth you have deflowered! Therefore, should the commander-in-chief dismiss with dishonorable pay the veterans, and thus remove them from the possession of their empire, and should a farmer push out from his land the exhausted worker? Is it wickedness when done to subjects, but righteousness when done to equals? (33 quaest. 2, c. An quod)

So you dismiss your wife as if it were a right, without any crime; and you think it is allowed to you, because human law does not prohibit it; but divine law does prohibit it. If you obey men, fear God. Hear the law of the Lord, to which even those who enact laws obey: What God has joined together, let no man separate (Matthew 19:6).

6. But not only this heavenly precept, but also a certain work of God is dissolved. Do you tolerate, I pray, your children, while you are alive, to live under a stepmother; or while their mother is unharmed, to live under a stepmother? Suppose she does not marry after being divorced. And should not these things displease you, to whom she keeps faith with an adulterer? Suppose she does marry. This is your crime of necessity; and the marriage which you imagine is adultery. For what does it matter, whether you allow it openly by confessing the crime, or admit an adulterer under the guise of a husband, unless that it is more serious to have made the law of the crime than the theft?


7. But perhaps someone may say: How did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to dismiss a wife? (Deut. XXIV, 1). He who says this is a Jew; he who says this is not a Christian. And therefore, because he objects to this, which is objected to the Lord, let the Lord respond to him: For the hardness of your hearts, Moses permitted you to give a bill of divorce, and to dismiss your wives: but from the beginning it was not so (Matth. XIX, 8). Moses permitted, he says, not God commanded; but from the beginning the law of God is. What is the law of God? A man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh (Gen. II, 24). Therefore, he who divorces his wife, tears his flesh, divides his body.

But this passage shows that the things that are written because of human frailty are not written by God. Hence also the Apostle says: I, not the Lord, declare that a wife should not separate from her husband (1 Cor. 7:10). And further on: To the rest I say, not the Lord: if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her (Ibid., 12). Therefore, where there is inequality in marriage, there is no law of God. And he added: But if the unbeliever separates, let him separate (Ibid., 15). At the same time, the Apostle denied that the law is divine, so that any marriage can be dissolved; he neither commanded nor gave authority to anyone who wants to leave, but he removed blame from the one who is abandoned. These are moral teachings.

9. (Verse 17.) However, because he had mentioned above that he came to preach the kingdom of God, and after saying that not one jot or tittle of the Law will fall, he added: Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery. The Apostle rightly admonishes, saying that this is a great mystery concerning Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:32). Therefore, you find a marriage which no one doubts is joined by God, since he himself says: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44); for only he could unite these marriages. And therefore Solomon said mystically: A wife is prepared for a man by God (Prov. XIX, 14). Christ is the man, the Church is the wife; by charity the wife, by integrity a virgin. Therefore, let not persecution separate whom God has drawn to the Son, let not lust turn them away, let not Philosophy plunder them, let not Manichaeism contaminate them, let not Arianism turn them away, let not Sabellianism infect them. God has joined them, let not the Jew separate them. All are adulterers who desire to adulterate the truth of faith and wisdom.


10. Who is that book, he says, of the divorce of your mother, whom I dismissed (Isaiah 50:1)? You have heard divorce, believe in marriage. You have heard what the man himself says to the Jewish people: Behold, you have been sold in your iniquities, and I have dismissed your mother in your sins (Ibid.). So stay in your father's house, stay with your husband, strive to please your husband. May your mind, which you have believed in God, be a strong woman, like that either of an ecclesiastical soul or of the Church, of which Solomon says: Who shall find a strong woman (Proverbs 31:10)? But more precious than precious stones is the one who is like this: her husband trusts in her (Ibid., 11). Let us see what she does for her husband, what is her work, what is her service, why Christ trusts in her.

11. A good wife dresses her husband. Let our faith clothe Jesus with her own body, let her dress her flesh with the glory of her divinity: just as that woman made two garments for her husband, so that she may honor him in the present and in the future age. This woman is not of average worth, as shown by her weaving; her husband shall find not soft wool threads in her hands, but the work of precious virtue. May her hands be lifted to the innocent, may her work be measured by the pound, may she weigh the burden of her character, and may she know how to keep the measure of her deeds. She weaves a glorious covering of labor, anxiously awaiting her husband's return, sighing and desiring to be with her husband, saying: My husband makes delay in coming, I will hurry to him myself; I will meet him face to face, when he begins to come in his glory.


12. Come, Lord Jesus, to find your bride, undefiled, uncorrupted, who has not violated your house, nor neglected your commandments. Let her say to you: I have found Him whom my soul loves (Song of Songs 3:4); let her bring you into the house of wine (for wine gladdens the heart of man) (Psalm 104:15), let her be intoxicated in the spirit, recognize the mystery, and speak the oracle.

(Vers. 19.)

(Verse 19) Now there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple.

13. The story seems more like a narrative than a parable, especially when a name is mentioned. But it is not in vain that the Lord depicted the wealthy man, who had indulged in worldly delights, as being in torment in the perpetual hunger of the underworld: to whom rightly belonged five brothers, that is, the five senses of the body, which were united by a certain natural relationship and were burning with excessive and countless desires. But Lazarus, he placed in the embrace of Abraham, as it were in a peaceful bosom and a retreat of sanctity; so that, not enticed by the pleasure of the present, we may not remain in vices; or, overcome by weariness, flee the difficulties of labor. Therefore, whether Lazarus is poor in the world but rich in God, or whether someone apostolic is poor in word but rich in faith (for not all poverty is holy, nor are wealth criminal; just as luxury defames wealth, so holiness commends poverty), therefore, an apostolic who holds true faith does not require the trappings of words, the deceit of arguments, or the ornate veils of ambitious sayings. Instead, he receives a borrowed reward, attacking the heretics Manichaeus, Marcion, Sabellius, Arius, and Photinus (for they are nothing but brothers of the Jews, bound by the bonds of treachery), and also restraining the desires of the flesh, which, as I said, are fanned by those five senses. He receives, I say, a borrowed reward, for which the compensation is the abundance of resources and the interest of perpetuity.


14. (Vers. 20, 21.) Nor do we consider it foreign, that we should believe this treatise to be about faith as well, which Lazarus gathered from the table of the rich man: the sores of which, according to the literal meaning, the fastidious rich man would have shuddered at, and could not bear the stench of the sores while the dogs licked them, as the odor was disgusting even to the air itself: although the insolence and pride of the rich can be expressed by appropriate signs, for they are so forgetful of their human condition that, as if surpassing nature, they take pleasure in the miseries of the poor as incentives to their own delights, they mock the needy, insult the destitute, and take away from those whom it is fitting to pity.


Therefore, both of them, if anyone wishes to do so, may collect like Lazurus. I consider him similar to the one who was beaten repeatedly by the Jews, for the patience of the believers and for offering the wounds of his body to be licked by certain ones like dogs, because it is written: 'They will turn at evening, and they will suffer hunger like dogs'. This mystery was recognized by that Canaanite woman, to whom it is said: 'No one takes the bread of children and gives it to dogs'. He recognized this bread, not as the bread that appears, but as the one that is understood; and for this reason he responded: Certainly, Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table (Ibid., 27). Those crumbs are from that bread. And because bread is the word, and faith is of the word, the crumbs are like certain doctrines of faith. Therefore, the Lord responded to show that what she said was faithful: O woman, great is your faith (Ibid., 28)!


16. O happy sores, which exclude perpetual pain! O abundant crumbs, which repel everlasting hunger, which satisfy the poor collector with eternal nourishment! The synagogue ruler cast you from his table, while he refuted the inner mysteries of the prophetic Scriptures and the Law (Luke 13:14), for your words are but crumbs of the Scriptures, as it is said: 'But you have rejected my words behind you' (Psalm 50:17). The scribe threw you aside, but Paul gathered diligently, reading the people in his injuries. They licked the wounds of him who had been bitten by a fearless serpent, and when the snake was shaken off, they saw and believed (Acts 28:6). The jailer who washed Paul's wounds also licked them, and believed (Acts 16:33). Blessed are the dogs into which the humor of such wounds drips, so that it may fill their hearts and fatten their throats: let them learn to guard the house, to protect the flock, and to beware of wolves.


Now place before your eyes those Arians who are devoted to secular studies, aspiring to the society of royal power, that they may attack the truth of the Church with military weapons: do they not seem to you to lie on certain purple and fine linen and on luxurious couches, defending what is false with painted falsehoods? They abound in rich speeches, boasting that the earth trembled under the body of the Lord, the sky was covered in darkness, the seas were stirred up or calmed by a word: yet they deny the Son of God. He established and that poor man, who knowing that the kingdom of God was not in words but in virtue, expressed in a few words what he felt, saying: You are the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16); do not these riches seem to you to be in need, this poverty to be overflowing? The rich heresy has composed many Gospels; the poor faith has held onto this Gospel alone, which it received. The rich philosophy has made many gods for itself; the poor Church knows only one God.


18. (Verse 24.) Between this rich man and the poor man there is a great chasm; because after death, merits cannot be changed, and therefore the rich man is led into hell, desiring to draw something of the poor man's refreshing spirit; for water is the nourishment of the soul in its afflictions, of which Isaiah says: And water will be drunk with delight from the fountains of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). But why is he tormented before judgment? Because punishment is to be deprived of luxuries for the one indulging in them. For the Lord says: There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of heaven (Luke 13:28).

19. (Verse 27.) And yet this late rich master begins to be; since he no longer has time for learning or teaching. In this place, the Lord clearly declares that the old Testament is the foundation of faith, refuting the unfaithfulness of the Jews, and excluding the wickedness of the heretics, by whom the weaker mind is deceived; for they themselves are small, who still do not know the advancements of virtue.

However, it is worth noting that in the comparison between the previous steward and the current rich man, the incentive for mercy is highlighted. Perhaps in the former case, he showed kindness to the saints whom he called friends and to whom he provided dwellings. But here, he teaches that the focus should be on helping the poor.

(Chapter 17, Verse 3) If your brother sins against you, rebuke him.

21. How good it is, after someone becomes rich and is tormented by punishments, to have the rule of granting forgiveness imposed upon them, especially those who turn away from error, so that despair does not keep them from repentance! How moderate it is, so that forgiveness is not difficult, nor indulgence lax; so that neither a harsh reprimand crushes anyone, nor leniency invites them to sin! Likewise elsewhere: If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him between you and him (Matthew 18:15). Indeed, friendly correction is more beneficial than harsh accusation: the former instills shame, while the latter provokes anger. Let what is feared to be revealed be preserved, for it is the one who is admonished. For it is good that a friend believes you who is being corrected rather than an enemy, for it is easier to accept advice than to succumb to injury. Hence, even the Apostle says: 'Rebuke, he says, as a brother, so that he may be ashamed, not so that you may consider him an enemy.' (II Thess. III, 15). For fear is a weak preserver of time: but modesty is a good teacher of duty; for he who is afraid is restrained, but not reformed; he who is ashamed to do wrong turns towards what is right by nature.

But He placed it beautifully: If he sins against you, the condition is not equal between God and man, for man is capable of sinning. Finally, the Apostle, who is the true interpreter of the divine oracle, says: Avoid the heretic after one correction (Titus 3:10), because perfidy is not equal to fault, and it is venial. And since error often arises from ignorance, he commanded that it be corrected, so that either obstinacy may be avoided, or a fall may be corrected. Verum quid est:

(Vers. 4.)

(Verse 4) If he sins against you seven times in a day, do you forgive him?

23. Is the number of forgiveness predetermined, or is it because on the seventh day God rested from all his works, after this week of the world, long-lasting rest is promised to us; so that just as the evils of this world will cease on the Sabbath, so too will the severity of vengeance rest? But the Sabbath is not only of days, but also of months; and therefore the tenth day of the seventh month is the Sabbath of Sabbaths (Lev. XXV, 9): not only of months, but also of years; not only of years, but also of generations, and finally of the world itself, which is a type of the great Sabbath; just as in the Law there is a seventh week, after which the Jubilee year is celebrated. What mystery the Lord wanted to reveal to us, when he says: Not only seven times, but also seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). Because in the seventh generation, as you have according to Luke (Luke 3:37), Enoch was taken away, so that wickedness would not change his heart (Wisdom 4:11); and in him the sting of sorrow found rest. But in the seventieth and seventh generation, the Lord, born of Mary, taking upon himself the sins of the human race, granted the forgiveness of all offenses.


Therefore, even though you may frequently learn to forgive according to the letter, and not hold onto anger (for there is nothing by which it can be offended, to which forgiveness is customary), still understand the mystery; for the Lord did not say to the woman in vain on the Sabbath: 'You are released from your infirmity' (Luke 13:12), showing to his people, who, like the called woman, would follow him, that he had forgiven their sins by his coming. Therefore, Lamech is condemned seventy-seven times (Genesis 4:24); for he commits a greater offense, who, while punishing a crime, commits one himself. But they forgive every excess of the crime of baptism. Therefore, learn to forgive your injuries; because Christ forgave his persecutors.

25. Nor is it idle that He suffered on the great Sabbath, signifying that there would be a Sabbath in which death would be destroyed by Christ. If the Jews celebrate the Sabbath in such a way that they consider the entire month and year as a kind of Sabbath, how much more should we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord! And for this reason, our ancestors handed down to us all the fifty days of Pentecost to celebrate Easter, because Pentecost marks the beginning of the eighth week. And the Apostle, as if a disciple of Christ, who knew that there is a diversity of times, writing to the Corinthians, says: I will perhaps stay with you and spend the winter (I Cor. XVI, 6). And below: But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a great door has opened for me (Ibid., 8 and 9). Therefore, he spends the winter with the Corinthians, who were troubled by their errors; their affection for the worship of God was growing cold. And he celebrates Pentecost with the Ephesians, and delivers to them the mysteries, refreshing his spirit; for he saw them fervent with the ardor of faith. Therefore, during these fifty days, the Church does not observe fasting, just as on Sunday, the day of the Lord's resurrection, and all days are like Sunday.

26. There will be another Sunday on which the Lord's body will rise again. Paul knows this, who says: But you are the body of Christ, and members each in their parts (I Cor. XII, 27). For this is the body of the Lord, and the bones will cleave to his own head: But the head of the Church is Christ (Ephes. V, 23). Then fasting will cease, for in eternal joy, fatigue, care, and weariness will cease. Then death will be destroyed: For the last enemy to be destroyed is death (I Cor. XV, 26). Although Enoch ceased to exist, and was not found because he was taken up, he was not destroyed; for he was conveyed away so that death might be escaped. (Gen. 5:24) Christ, being sacrificed, destroyed death; therefore He rightly said, 'Where is your victory, O death? Where is your sting?' (1 Cor. 15:55) Therefore, in this resurrection, Christ will rise again in His body, just as He rose as the first fruits of those who sleep. Blessed, therefore, is the one who will have a part in the First Resurrection; for just as Christ is the first fruits of those who sleep, so then the Church and His saints will be the first fruits of those who rise. (1 Cor. 15:20)


27. Peter could not know this mystery. Perhaps he knew about Enoch: but who could comprehend the hidden mystery in God with the human mind? Therefore, let the Lord come into my soul, into my mind, and subject it to Himself; so that when my mind is subjected to Him, I may say: I will not fear evils, for you are with me (Psalm 22:4).

(Vers. 6.)

(v. 6) If you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mulberry tree: Be uprooted and be thrown into the sea, and it will obey you.

28. It has been said about the mustard seed, now we must discuss the tree's death. I choose the tree, but I do not trust the tree. For what reason, what progress will there be if the tree that bears fruit for the laboring farmers is uprooted and thrown into the sea? We may judge this to be possible for the sake of faith's virtue, so that nature, which is insensible to sensible commands, may obey: but what does the very nature of the tree itself mean? I have read: 'I was a shepherd of goats, picking mulberries (Amos 7:14),' and I believe that the prophet signified to us that he himself, having turned from a sinner, was seeking fruit from a flock of sinners: although it is fitting that he, who would become a prophet of the Gentiles, should seem to have sought fruit in brambles and have extracted food from thorns, but would place the bleached and foul herds of the Gentiles, the peoples of the nations, in the pastures of his own writers, so that they might become fat from spiritual nourishment; he himself, however, would milk spiritual milk from a converted sinner.


29. But when it is said in another book of the Gospel (Matth. XVII, 19), that a mountain is called, the appearance of whose species is bare, giving birth to a defect in the fruit-bearing olive trees, barren in crops, suitable for the hiding places of beasts, and restless in the paths of wild animals, and it seems to express the height of spiritual wickedness, as it is written: Behold, I am against you, corrupt mountain, you who corrupt the whole earth (Jerem. LI, 25); it is fitting that we also understand this statement in this place, since faith excludes the unclean spirit, especially when the nature of the tree supports this opinion. And its fruit at first is white in bloom, then it grows and reddens, it blackens with maturity. The devil also, once radiant with the white flower of angelic nature and power, fell by his rebellion and grew horrid with the foul odor of sin. Behold, I give you the one who bites at the tree: Uproot it, and cast it into the sea, as he cast out a legion from a man and allowed them to enter into pigs: which, tormented by the demonic spirit, threw themselves into the sea.


30. Therefore, this is an exhortative place for faith, teaching morally that even those things which are established can be dissolved by faith. From faith, however, comes charity, from charity comes hope, and again they are poured back into themselves in a holy circle.

31. (Vers. 7, 8.) It follows that no one should boast in works, because we owe obedience to the Lord by right. For if you do not say to the servant plowing or to the one tending sheep, 'Pass by, recline' (where it is understood that no one reclines unless they have passed by; moreover, even Moses passed by in order to see a great sight); therefore, if you do not say to your servant, 'Recline,' but you demand something else from him and do not give thanks to him, likewise the Lord does not allow the use of works or labor to belong to you alone; for as long as we live, we must always be working.


Verse 17. Therefore recognize yourself to be a servant overwhelmed with many acts of obedience. Do not consider yourself superior because you are called the Son of God: grace must be acknowledged, but nature must not be ignored. Do not boast if you have served well, for you should have done so. The sun obeys, the moon complies, the angels serve. You are a chosen vessel of the Gentiles by the Lord. 'I am not worthy to be called an apostle,' he says, 'because I persecuted the Church of God' (I Cor. XV, 9). Then, elsewhere, not showing himself conscious of any guilt, he added: 'But I am not justified by this' (I Cor. IV, 4). And so let us not seek praise from ourselves, nor steal God's judgment, nor prevent the judgment of God, but let us reserve it for its own time, its own judgment. After this, the ungrateful are reprehended: and thus finally comes the discussion of the future judgment.

(Vers. 31, 32.)

(v. 31, 32) In that hour, whoever is on the rooftop, and their belongings are in the house, should not go down to take them; and likewise, whoever is in the field should not turn back. Remember Lot's wife.

33. Asked by the disciples when the kingdom of God would come, the Lord said: The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21); certainly by the truth of grace, not by the servitude of sin. Therefore, whoever wants to be free, let him be a servant in the Lord; for in the part in which we participate in servitude, we also participate in the kingdom. So He said: The kingdom of God is within you; but as for when it would come, He did not want to say, but He said that the day of judgement would come; so that He would instill fear in all about the impending judgement and not bring about a false sense of security through delay.


34. And so as not to appear to sadden the disciples if he denied them anything, he said in another book: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but the Father (Matthew 24:36). He wisely placed the Son in the middle, for he is both the Son of Man and the Son of God; so that we may consider it more fitting to say according to the Son of Man, because he knows the end of times not by the nature of man, but by the nature of God. Nevertheless, it is not contrary to faith if you understand the Son to be God. For what is it that the good Father has hidden from the Son, to whom He has given all things? Or how did He not give the knowledge of time, to whom He gave the power of judgment itself? But how can the Son not know what the Father knows when the Son is in the Father, and the Spirit searches even the depths of God (John 14:11), since the Son himself is the height of the riches of wisdom and knowledge of God (1 Corinthians 2:10)? But why does He refuse to say, He explains in another place: 'It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has set by His own authority' (Acts 1:7).


35. Do you see where he who denies the Trinity of one power tends, so that there is something that the Son does not know? For why would the Father hide his very own Son? For either out of envy we do not want to reveal to others what we know, or perhaps we will be betrayed: but neither does suspicion fall on the envious one from the Father, nor on the betrayer from the Son. Therefore they have the same knowledge, because they have the same power. Furthermore, he who knows the signs of the future judgment certainly knows the end as well.


36. (Verse 24.) For what is it that he does not know, as a shining lightning, since the Son of God, as the light, illuminates the inner mystery of heaven? In that, he says, hour. Therefore, he knows the hour: but he knows it for himself, he does not know it for me. But he correctly asserts that the cause of the flood, the fire, and the judgment has emerged from our sins; because God did not create evil, but our own merits have brought it upon ourselves.

(Vers. 27.)

(Verse 27.) For they ate and drank; they led wives and married.

37. Not because marriages are condemned, nor so that food is condemned; since in them there are successions, in these there are supports of nature; otherwise it must be departed from this world: but in all things a measure is sought; however, whatever is in excess is from evil. Let there be some agreement for a time, so that we may devote ourselves to prayer: let there be some balance between the anxieties of the world, and the sobriety of religion in contrast to the excesses of indulgence, and the truce of chastity (I Cor. VII, 5).


Therefore, because of the wicked, it is necessary for the righteous in this age to endure contrition of heart and soul, so that they may receive a more abundant reward in the future. They are equipped with remedies, in order that those who are in Judea may flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:16). What is this Judea? For I know another Judea according to the spirit, not according to the letter: For God is known in Judea (Psalm 76:1). But what are these mountains that can hold back the fear of the coming judgment, when it is written: The mountains quaked at his presence (Isaiah 64:3)? Heaven and earth will pass away (Luke 21:33): how can a portion of the earth remain immune, or be able to protect me, when it cannot even protect itself? Where then shall I hide from His wrath, He who stirs up the depths of the sea? If I ascend to heaven, there He is; if I descend to the depths of hell, there He is (Psalm 139:8). Therefore, one cannot deceive Him who is everywhere, but one can appease Him.

39. Therefore, the day of judgment is approaching: if you do not want to be apprehended, fear every day, flee every day. You ask how to flee? Ascend to the mountain where you proclaim Zion (Isaiah 40:9): so that you may rise above the heights of merits. For God is the God of mountains, and not the God of valleys (1 Kings 20:28). Ascend to where Christ sits at the right hand of God, whose foundations are on the holy mountains (Psalm 87:1), and the mountains are around Him (Psalm 125:2). Your mountain is Paul, your mountain is Peter. Place the footprint of your mind above their faith. In the law of God and the inheritance of faith, judgment day does not find punishment, but glory.

40. If anyone is also placed in a high position, that is, the upper part of his house, and he ascends the summit of lofty virtues, he should not fall back into the earthly works of this world. For I know the roof in which that prostitute Rahab (Joshua 2:1ff.), by a mystery, hid the spies whom Jesus directed. It is the Church joined to the Gentiles in the fellowship of the sacraments, bound together with the people, among whom the explorers, who had been sent to capture them, would have been killed if they had descended to the lower parts of the house. Therefore, the roof is the lofty office of the mind, and the pinnacle of the soul, by which the naked weakness of the body is covered. Hence it seems to me that even that paralytic was healed (Mark 2:3) because he was lowered from the roof by four young men; because he submitted himself in a certain way, by the support of the virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice, to the feet of Christ. For nothing is higher than humility, which, as if superior, does not know how to be exalted, because no one desires what he judges to be beneath himself.


41. But since we are in court, let us not leave the house; lest while we desire to take away the vessels that are in the house, we be seized. For not in every house are there golden and silver vessels, but in many there are wooden ones: nor is every house full; for there are also empty ones, as the prophet knows, who said: What has happened to you now, that you have gone up into empty houses? The city is filled with those who cry out (Isaiah 22:1-2). And he adds: All your princes have fled, whoever were wounded in you, and have fallen from faith to betrayal. Sabellius was wounded, Valentinus was wounded, Arius was wounded; for they were found in an empty house.

42. Do you want to see a house full? Follow Peter, when he was hungry, walking towards the upper rooms of the house (Acts 10:9): there he understood the mystery of gathering the Church; in order not to judge the Gentile people as unclean, whom faith could cleanse from every contamination. But the vessels are made of clay: therefore the vessel is the body. And therefore, be careful not to abandon the noble pursuits of the mind for the desires of the body. If Peter did not understand the mystery placed in the lower things, how will you understand it? He accepted, because he ascended, to evangelize the Lord, not fearing the passion of the body.

Therefore, let the one who is on the roof not come down, and let the one who is in the field not turn back. How can I understand what the field is unless Jesus himself teaches me, saying: No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of heaven? The idle one sits in the villa, the industrious one sows in the field; the weak one is by the fire, the strong one is at the plow. The scent of the field is good; for the scent of the field is like the scent of a field full of Jacob. The field is full of flowers, full of various fruits. Therefore, plow your field if you want it to be guided towards God's kingdom. May there flourish for you a fertile crop of good merits. May the vine abound on the sides of your house, and newly planted olive trees around your table (Psalms 127:3). Let your soul, aware of its fertility, say to Christ, and sown by God's word, also cultivated by spiritual practices: Come, my brother, let us go out into the field (Song of Songs 7:11). He responds: I entered into my garden, my sister, my bride: I gathered my myrrh (Cant. V, 1). For what is better than the vintage of faith, by which the fruit of resurrection is stored, by which the fountain of eternal joy is watered?

Therefore, since you are prohibited from looking back, you are even more prohibited from returning and removing your tunic; for you have understood that you should forgive the one who asks for your tunic and your cloak. (Matthew 5:40) Therefore, in your direct pursuit of God's kingdom, do not seek wealth and worldly possessions. Scripture also knows another tunic, of which the Apostle exhorts us, saying: Put off the old self with its practices and put on the new self. (Colossians 3:9-10) Let us not seek the garment of error from the previous tunic. And she also said: I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on again? (Song of Solomon 5:3) You should not only renounce your sins, but also erase all memory of your previous actions. Indeed, Paul, forgetting the past, cast off guilt and did not neglect repentance. (Philippians 3:13).

45. And therefore the Lord said: Be mindful of Lot’s wife; who, because she looked back, lost her natural gift; for Satan is behind, Sodom is behind. Therefore flee intemperance, avoid licentiousness. And that you may know that not all can flee to the mountain, remember that he who did not turn away from old ways (for he had chosen Sodom before) escaped, because he reached the mountain (Gen. XIX, 30): she who was weaker, because she looked back, could not reach the mountain with the help of her husband’s support, but she remained.


(Vers. 34.)

(Verse 34.) In that night there shall be two in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

He said 'Good night,' because the Antichrist is the hour of darkness; because he spreads darkness in the hearts of men, when he claims to be Christ. There are false prophets who assert that Jesus now lives in the deserts, in order to deceive those who are wandering in error of opinion. And now, in secret, those who have heard are restrained by the high name of authority. But Christ, shining like a lightning, scatters the balls of his light throughout the whole world. And so, he does not wander in the deserts, nor is he confined to any places, because I fill heaven and earth, says the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24); but he shines with the brightness of his glory, so that we may see the glory of the resurrection in that night. Therefore, what does he mean when he says:

(Vers. 35.)

(Verse 35.) Two in one bed. . . . two grinding in a mill. . . two in the field: one will be taken, and the other left?

47. Is God unjust, that he distinguishes by equal zeal and society of living, and indiscriminate in quality of actions, by the reward of merits? It is not so, but the quality of the reward is according to the actions of man. Therefore, the merits of human union and the use of it are not equal: for both the Father and the Son rise up in the zeal of religion; because not all who begin are made perfect: But he who perseveres to the end, he shall be saved (Matthew 10:22). Then the Lord examines not the outward obedience, but the inner affection; for if you offer justly but do not divide justly, the sacrifice is not accepted by God (Genesis IV, 7). Therefore, from one bed (for it is the bed of human weakness, as it is written (Psalm XL, 4): You have turned all his bed in his sickness), one is left behind, the other is taken up: the one who is taken up is carried towards Christ in the air; but the one who is left behind is disapproved.


48. Two women grinding at the mill. Indeed, it seems that they symbolize those who seek hidden nourishment and bring forth what is within. However, what these two women are grinding needs to be investigated. Unless, perhaps, it is what we read in Isaiah: 'Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting' (Isaiah 1:13). Let us therefore discuss what they grind, what they grind, and what the mill represents. And perhaps this world is like a mill, in which I think the form of the human body is better represented, in which our soul is imprisoned like in a physical prison, producing celestial bread if it consults the good. In this mill or synagogue, or the soul subject to sins, the wetted and corrupted wheat, cannot separate the inner from the outer; and therefore it is left behind because its likeness displeased. But the holy Church, or the soul untainted by any contamination of sins, which grinds such wheat that it is parched by the heat of eternal suns, which God has clothed as he willed, and angels have purified from every stain of impurity, offering a good likeness to God of the innermost parts of mankind, commends the libations of its sacrifice.

49. Not only will there be two grinding, but also two working in one field, from which one will be taken. The good sower, who sows not only on the roads, but also on the plowed and cultivated soil, so that he may multiply the fruit pressed by humility, not scattered by boasting on the earth. However, there remains the sower of weeds, from which an easily refutable likeness is produced. We can find out who these different farmers are if we consider in what way the Apostle said that there are two νοῦς, that is, two minds in us; perhaps because one is external, belonging to the corruptible man, and the other is internal, renewed through the sacraments. And he, perhaps worse off, who is vainly puffed up in his mind, not holding the head; because he deviates from the observation of the salutary precepts of our Lord Jesus Christ; for He is the head of all, who is the author of all. The other is more excellent, who loves humility, seeks wisdom, does not neglect mercy; the good sower, in particular; For he dispersed, he gave to the poor, his righteousness endures forever (Psalm 111:9). Therefore, here is the spiritual one, that is the carnal one. For just as we understand from the words of the Apostle that he praises himself, the deceiver, with an inflated mind of the flesh (Colossians 2:18); so also we show that the holy man is renewed in the spirit of his mind, as the same author says: But be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:23). Therefore, he demonstrates that there are two minds; one, which becomes the mind of the flesh, is bound by sin; the other, which is united to the spirit, renounces the allurements of the flesh.


50. There are not only two minds but also two laws within us, both of which the Apostle explained to us, saying: For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members (Rom. VII, 22 et 23). Therefore, there is a law of the inner man and also a law of the outer man; the former prohibits sin, the latter persuades it; the former condemns error, the latter suggests it; the former instructs the mind, the latter tempts it. There are also two other laws within us, one of God and the other of sin, according to the same Apostle who says: Therefore, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin (Ibid., 25). And it is shown that if you only mention the mind, you reveal the contrary of the flesh; for when Paul says that he serves the law of God with his mind, he certainly demonstrates that the mind, if not overcome by the flesh, is good and created by nature to resist error. Therefore, when the flesh is conquered, it is the mind that is conquered, not having its origin in nature, but in the flesh, which is prone to failure; and as if in the name and property of the conqueror, it yields to the conquered; however, the nature of the flesh is opposed to the mind. In conclusion, we serve God with our mind, and sin with our flesh. But the mind will be better if it does not cease to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in its religious duty.

So these are the ones working in our field, of whom one gives good fruit through diligence, while the other loses it through neglect, which the Lawgiver calls blood, saying: 'The life of all flesh is its blood' (Leviticus 17:14). This is also the reason why some interpret the words: 'You shall not eat flesh with its blood' (Genesis 4:9); so that we may consider the pleasures of the body, stained with wounds of the soul, as food for nourishment rather than as a guilt for blood, which should be restored by the word of God. Therefore it is the food of nourishment, it is the food of blood; for just as the flesh of the Lord is truly food, so our blood is truly drink (De Consec. dist. 2, cap. In quibus, § Est cibus). Therefore, let us offer to the Lord a good food from our works; lest when He comes again, and does not find fruit on that fig tree, He turns away from the barrenness of our merits, fasting from the intended piety, saying to that soul which He finds naked of fruits, and stained with bloody blood: May there never be fruit born from you forever (Matthew 21:19). Therefore, the soul is in every part of the body. The soul is also superior, of which God said: All my souls are: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son (Ezek. XVIII, 4).

Nor let us pass over this, that we interpret two peoples, that is, which is most frequently compared to this world's field, as two peoples, one of believers, the other not believing, who are about to report the work of their merits; and thus let the one who is faithful be assumed; let the one who is faithless be abandoned. But those two women, two souls, or rather the Church and the Synagogue; for it is wont to be not only one figure, but manifold in divine writings, so that one discourse can comprehend multiple meanings. Therefore, the mind of the flesh, and the soul of the flesh, and the synagogue collect that wheat and grind it into a similar form, which is offered in vain. However, the mind that is joined to the soul, and the soul that is the receiver of the saving word, or the Church of God, cultivate and grind the true likeness of the spiritual law. From this, the loaves of presentation are made, which only priests eat, to whom it is prescribed to eat the purer bread (Leviticus 24:8), that bread, certainly, which came down from heaven (John 6:31). But we are all, if our merits endure, priests of righteousness, who are consecrated by the anointing of joy into the kingdom and priesthood.

So let us work and cultivate our field in this task of cultivation that we have been assigned; so that in that higher Jerusalem, where the true observance of the law is celebrated, we may have a likeness of our sheaves, which the blessed ones who are able to gather may bring in joy, carrying their sheaves (Psalm 126:6). These, therefore, are spiritual fruits, and the happy true yield of labor, which are not soaked with any useless rain: but the fruit of the flesh is subject to corruption; and therefore, whoever sows carnal things will also reap carnal things (2 Corinthians 9:6). But what should I say about the field, when it is evident in the work of the farmer whether it is praise or blame?

(Vers. 36)

(Verse 36) And they answered, saying: where, Lord?

54. The disciples spoke this: But the Lord, when he warned them both where to flee and where to stay, and what to avoid, encompassed the whole with a general definition, saying:

(Vers. 37)

(Verse 37) Where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Therefore, first let us consider what eagles are, so that we can define the body. For the souls of the just are compared to eagles, because they seek the heights, leave behind the lowly, and are said to live a long life. Hence, David says of his soul: Your youth will be renewed like the eagle's (Psalm 103:5). Therefore, if we understand eagles, we cannot doubt the body, especially if we remember that Joseph received the body from Pilate (John 19:38). Do not the eagles seem to you to be around the body of Mary Cleophae, and Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of the Lord, and the gathering of the apostles around the burial of the Lord? Do not the eagles seem to you to be around the body, when the Son of Man comes with intelligible clouds: And every eye shall see him, and those who pierced him (Apoc, I, 7)?

56. There is also (De Consecr., dist. 2, cap. In quibus, § Est etiam) a body of which it is said: my flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink (John VI, 56). Concerning this body there are eagles, which fly around with spiritual wings. There are also around the body eagles that believe Jesus came in the flesh; because every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God (I John IV, 7). Where there is faith, there is sacrament, there is a place of holiness. The Church is also a body, in which we are renewed in spirit through the grace of baptism, and the old age of senility is restored to renewed youth.

(Chap. XVIII. — Vers. 16.)

(Chapter 18, Verse 16) Allow the children to come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

57. However, this age is weak in strength, lacking in intelligence, immature in wisdom: therefore, it is not preferred over another age, otherwise it would hinder growth. What need is there for wishes to obtain maturity of life, if heavenly reward is going to take away the merit of the kingdom from me? Therefore, God has given the course of life to vices, not to the growth of virtue. And why did He choose the apostles not in their childhood, but in more advanced age? And why does He say that children are fit for the kingdom of heaven? Perhaps because they do not know wickedness, they do not know how to deceive, they dare not to report, they are ignorant of wealth, honor, and ambition. But virtue is not to ignore these things, but to despise them; praise for self-control is not where there is integrity of weakness. Therefore, it is not childhood, but the goodness of emulating childlike simplicity that is indicated. For it is not the virtue of not being able to sin, but of not wanting to, and thus holding steadfastness of will, so that the will imitates infancy, as use imitates nature. Finally, the Savior himself expressed this, saying: Unless you are converted and become like this child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:8).

58. Who then is the boy to be imitated by the apostles of Christ, perhaps one of the little ones? Therefore, is this the virtue of the apostles? Who then is the boy? Perhaps he is the one of whom Isaiah says: 'For a child is born to us, a son is given to us' (Is. IX, 6)? For this boy himself said to you: 'Take up your cross and follow me' (Matt. XVI, 24). And so that you may recognize the boy: When he was cursed, he did not curse in return; when he was struck, he did not strike back (I Pet. II, 23); for this is perfect virtue. And so, in childhood there is a certain venerable old age of character, and in old age there is an innocent childhood. For old age is venerable, not because it is long-lasting or calculated by the number of years, but because the senses of a person are wise, and the life of old age is blameless. Therefore it is written: Praise the Lord, O children, praise the name of the Lord; for no one praises the Lord unless they are perfect. For no one can say 'Lord Jesus' except in the Holy Spirit.


59. It seems to be prophesying about the people of the Church, who surpassed the older people of the Jews in their zeal for virtue. And therefore it says: Behold, I and the children whom you have given me (Isaiah VIII, 18). These are the children who, following the Lord riding on the foal of a donkey with prophetic voices, said that the redemption of the nations had come (Matthew XXI, 15): these are the children or infants who drank from the breasts of Christ with a fuller draught of wine. From the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have established praise. (Psalm 8:3).

60. Therefore, it can seem harsh and unkind to some that the disciples were prohibiting the little children from approaching the Lord, unless you understand either the mystery or the affection; for they were not doing this out of a harshness of mind towards the children, but out of diligent obedience, they were offering services to the Lord so that he would not be overwhelmed by the crowds. Finally, it is written elsewhere: Master, the crowds are pressing in on you (Luke 7:45). Our usefulness must indeed be rejected when it is an injury to divinity. Therefore, let us flee pride and embrace childlike simplicity; for truth is the adversary of pride, while simplicity aligns with truth and is exalted in humility itself. For God does not dwell in a haughty heart, as the prophets have taught us: 'The throne of power is exalted' (Jerem. XVII, 12), namely, in one whose wisdom is elevated to the heights of truth. Let us not hide deceit in the guise of a brother, like Cain; rather, let us be a brother outwardly and inwardly. These things are in effect. However, in the mystery, because they were eager to save the Jewish people, from whom they were also born according to the flesh, they even pleaded for the Canaanite woman (Matt. XV, 23). Therefore, they knew the mystery, that the call would be given to both peoples, but perhaps they still did not know the order.

Now pay attention to the distance between the words. When He commands infants to approach so that He may bless them either by preaching or by the laying on of hands, He calls them children. When He instructs us not to cause them to stumble (Matt. XVIII, 6), He calls them little ones; for those who are touched by Christ are not caused to stumble, and those who draw near to Christ do not falter; but those who are little not in age but in virtue stumble. At the same time He also teaches that the weak should not be tested; lest their sins be turned against us, for though they themselves may be weak in virtue, they are raised up by the prayers of the angels. Therefore, let no one mock the poor, for it angers the one who created them: let no one test the weak, lest they harm the angels: let no one cause the helpless to fall, lest they undo the work of the Redeemer's grace. (Prov. XII, 5).

And therefore he said: Woe to this world because of scandals (Matthew XVIII, 7); because many judged the cross of the Lord as a scandal, when the humility of the Lord's passion is the sacrament of salvation; so that we may adore the function of virtue, let us take the example of humility. Therefore, woe to him who does not believe in the cross of the Lord, by which the weak are scandalized: It is expedient for him that a millstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew XVIII, 6).


63. In the divine Scriptures, we must examine not the order of words, but the weight of things; for it is more effective to restrain sins by a certain strange and deformed pomp of punishment. Nevertheless, lest also a scandal be generated for the weak from this, we consider the donkey mill placed alongside as not being placed there in vain, the neck of a man in the depths of the sea. For when the Gentile people have received the figure of a donkey, does it not seem to you that they continue to turn the donkey mill as long as they are twisted in the error of their ignorance, bound indeed by the chains of their nature, seeking the word, seeking God: but they are suffused with the blindness of a covered mind; they do not know how to raise the face of their soul towards God, and to open the eyes of their heart? And therefore, without any eagerness of speed, often returning to its own footprints, it reluctantly labors for the use of others. However, the one who turns the millstone, sometimes has an end to their work and carries the hope of removing blindness; but the millstone that is hung around the neck carries the stone of him who refused to bear the yoke of the Lord. Therefore, the donkey to the mill, the blind to the stone, the pagan to the rock, he worships him whom he does not see, nor recognize: for God does not dwell in things made by hand, nor is He known in stone, but in the spirit.


64. Therefore, both the people and the Gentile and Jewish nations are exposed to a certain parade of this discourse, but a more severe punishment is decreed against the Jews. For the memory of the Gentiles in this age will be overwhelmed by the waves, and they will be obliterated by the filth of this world, who wanted to exist among things that do not exist, and being alienated from the knowledge of God, they are as if drowned in the deep sea. But the Jews, who were chosen through the patriarchs, marked by circumcision, and educated through the Law, will not perish as unknown, but will be punished as sacrilegious. For truly, the unknown God to the Athenians, known but not accepted in Judea (Acts 17:23). And therefore, he who is ignorant will be ignored; he who transgresses will be condemned; and he who is unaware of his own author will not be freed from guilt, and he who does not receive the Lord will not be granted forgiveness. However, it is more tolerable to not offer faith to Christ than to bring harm upon him (Psalm 75:2).

(Vers. 18, 19.)

(Verse 18, 19.) Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

65. A clever question and therefore a sharp response. For that chief tempter said that the good teacher should have said that God is good. For even though goodness is in the divinity, and divinity is in goodness (for no one is good except God alone, but every human being is a liar (Psalm 116:11), and whatever is a liar, is certainly not good), nevertheless by adding, 'Good teacher,' he said good in part, not in entirety; for God is good in entirety, but human beings only in part. Therefore the Lord says: What good do you say about me, whom you deny as God? What good do you say, when no one is good except God alone? Therefore he does not deny himself as good, but designates himself as God. For what is good, if not full of goodness? But when it is written: There is no one who does good, not even one (Psalm 14:2), it is certainly spoken of humans, not of God; for God is one, not one among many (Deuteronomy 6:4); so too the Son of God is taken as unique, not as one among many; he is the only begotten, not one among the begotten. And for this reason, no one who is good does harm to Christ; because no one judges Christ. For no one is called in common with us, but nothing is common to Christ with us.

66. And if anyone is moved because No one is good except one God, let him also be moved by this, that no one is good except God. And if the Son is not excluded from God, certainly Christ is not excluded from the good. But since in God the Son is another person, but one in power, for there is one God from whom are all things, and one Lord through whom are all things (1 Corinthians 8:6); and yet God and Lord are not two gods, but one God, for your Lord God is one Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4); certainly since according to majesty God is one in both persons, and one good in both. For how can one who is not good be born from the good? For a good tree produces good fruit (Matthew 7:17). How can one who is not good, when the substance of goodness assumed from the Father does not degenerate in the Son, which did not degenerate in the Spirit? And therefore, your good Spirit will lead me on the right path (Psalm 143:11). And if the good Spirit who received from the Son is good, surely the one who handed it over is also good. And since the Father is good, surely he is also good who has all that the Father has. But if you deny that the Son has goodness, you also deny the Father (John 17:10).

67. Clear reasoning does not need examples, yet you should also follow the authority of the Scriptures; for it is written: 'The Lord is the righteous judge of the house of Israel' (Isaiah 33:22). Does it speak of the Son or of the Father? But the Father judges no one; for He has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). Therefore, the Son is the righteous Lord. Consider another thing: those who come to baptism confess the Trinity; for they are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they confess the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when it is said: Confess to the Lord, for he is good (Ps. 135:1), he is truly good Father, good Son, good Holy Spirit, but God is one; for the Lord is good to those who wait for him (Lam. 3:25). Is he not good who gives good things to the soul that seeks him? Is he not good, who satisfies your soul with good things (Ps. 103:5)? Is he not good, who says: I am the good shepherd (John 10:11)?

68. But do you think God is good for this reason, because he has no need to take revenge? (Above, no. 67). Although it has already been said that the judge is good for the house of Israel, elsewhere you have: How good God is to those with upright hearts! (Ps. LXXII, 1)! Therefore, about whom do you think this is said, about the Father or about the Son? If about the Father, then he is not good to everyone. Why then do you diminish the Son? If about the Son, then you confess that God and the Son are good; for he is the Blessed God of Israel, because he has visited and accomplished the redemption of his people. (Luke I, 68). He is the king and God of Israel, to whom it is said: Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel (John 1:49). Therefore, he says here: Since you cannot understand my goodness, which you test, why do you call me good? I am indeed good, but to the righteous in heart, to whom it is natural to be good, not through cunning. Therefore, the Son is good, for he is the brightness of eternal light, and the spotless mirror of God's majesty, and the image of His goodness (Wisdom 7:26). Therefore, how can someone be not good, who is an image of goodness? Just as God is the image of God, but one God, so too is the divine image of goodness, good, but one goodness. It is certainly useful for me to believe in the good God, whom I will have as the judge of my sins. Let those who do not want to believe in the good God see for themselves. Therefore, because this person who is testing is knowledgeable in the law, as is shown in another book, he rightly said: No one is good, except God (Mark 10:18), to remind us that it is written: You shall not test the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 6:16), but rather confess to the Lord, For he is good (Psalm 136:1).


69. (Verse 21.) Finally, he often criticizes him, for he boasts in the law that he has kept everything since his youth; in order to expose his empty boast, he shows him that he still lacks what the Law requires. And therefore, he is led to the command of mercy with sadness, so that a certain natural form of judgment is given against him.

(Vers. 25.)

(Verse 25.) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

70. Great power, great weight in words. For with what other words could one express more vigorously that one should not boast of being rich in one's wealth than with such words by which it is defined as against nature to be a wealthy merciful person? Take away from me the allurements and deceit of words, which usually weaken the meaning. That person should not have been pleased but broken, who rejected mercy. However, if some people are more delighted by the embellishments of words than by a strong and natural meaning and form, which seekers of good do in choosing a wife, in order to examine their character, not their beauty; nor are they turned away by appearance, when they are provoked by virtue of character: even they should seek a mystery in words, which is a certain mind and soul of words; nor should they separate words in the mystery.


Therefore, the camel is accepted as a symbol of the Gentile people, whom that lion is seeking to devour, burdened with the treasure of prophetic visions into the desert: for in tribulation and distress, the lion and the lion's cub, asp vipers and the offspring of flying asps, were carrying their riches on donkeys and camels (Isaiah XXX, 6). And the camel is well represented as a figure of the Gentile people; because degenerating with the deformity of superstition, before the people of the nations believed, it presented the appearance of a beastly ugliness, absurd footprints, and disgusting faces. Therefore, that sinner entered more easily through the narrow way (which is the way of Christ, who, by the passion of his own body's death, opened again like a needle torn pieces of our natural garment) than the rich people of the Jewish law, poor( in faith, steeped in rage, disgraceful in crime.

72. It can also be understood morally about every sinner and about the arrogant rich man. Does it not seem to you that the publican, burdened by the consciousness of his sins, when he did not dare to lift his eyes to God (Luke 18:13), entered the remedy of his own confession more easily, like a camel through the eye of a needle, than that Pharisee entered the kingdom of God, arrogant in prayer, boasting of his innocence, presuming on glory, reproaching mercy, preaching himself, accusing others: who would be more fitting to come before the Lord than to ask? Therefore, if someone is disgusted by a camel, let them be disgusted by someone who is even more hideous than a camel.

(Vers. 20.)

(Verse 20) Honor your father and mother.

73. Today the beginning of the Law is read beautifully to me, as it is the anniversary of my ordination; every year the priesthood seems to begin anew when the age of time is renewed. It is also good that it is read: Honor your father and mother (Exodus XX, 12). For you are my parents, who have brought me to the priesthood: you, I say, are both children and parents: children individually, parents collectively; for I am glad to call you either my children or parents, because you hear and do the word of God: children, because it is written: Come, children, listen to me (Psalm XXXIII, 12): parents, because the Lord Himself said: Who is my mother or my brothers? My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it (Luke 8:21).

So then the Law which had foretold: You shall love the Lord your God and you shall love your neighbor, added: Honor your father and your mother. For this is the first step of piety; for God wanted these to be your authors. Honor them with obedience, in order to abstain from insults, because even by a look piety towards parents is hurt. But it is not enough to not hurt, because the Law foresaw that they should not suffer injury: for whoever curses his father or mother, shall be put to death (Exod. XXI, 17): honor them, that you may be good. It is one thing to receive the benefit of the law, another to fulfill the duty of piety. Honor your own, because the Son of God honored His own. For you have read, 'And he was subject to them' (Luke 2:51): if God, being a servant, obeyed His parents, how much more should you obey yours? Therefore, Christ honored Joseph and Mary not out of obligation of nature, but out of the duty of piety. He also honored God the Father, as no one could honor Him, by being obedient even unto death. Therefore, you should also honor your parents.


But honor is not only for honor, but also for generosity: Honor widows who are truly widows (I Tim. V, 3). For honor is to give due to merit. Feed your father, feed your mother. And if you have fed your mother, you have not yet paid back the pains, the torments she has suffered for you: you have not repaid the services she has borne for you: you have not repaid the nourishment she has given you with tender affection of piety, nourishing your lips with her breasts: you have not repaid the hunger she has endured for you; so that she would not eat anything harmful to you, nor drink anything harmful to milk. She fasted for you, she ate for you, she did not accept the food she desired for you, she took the food she did not desire for you, she stayed awake for you, she wept for you: and do you allow her to be in need? Oh son, how much judgment you take upon yourself if you do not feed your parent! You owe to her what you have, to whom you owe what you are. How much judgment, if the Church feeds those whom you refuse to feed! If anyone is faithful, he says, or if anyone has widows, let him assist them; so that the Church may not be burdened, but may suffice for those who are truly widows (1 Timothy 5:16). This is about strangers: what about parents?

76. We spoke recently not without reason, because we were touched by our mother's complaint: but we preferred to admonish publicly rather than to punish privately. And if he is not exposed by our voice, he is ashamed at least by his own affection. Do not pity, my son, that other people's hunger feeds your parents: do not pity, my son, that the poor seek food from your parents' fasting. Whether for the sake of gratitude and salvation, or for the sake of shame, feed yourself, my son, or you, my daughter. Are you not ashamed that when you enter the Church, an old mother extends her hands for alms, while you pass by with your head held high, casting glances with your eyes, trailing your clothing, wearing earrings, and rings, and all the other things that Isaiah mentions (Isa. III, 16 et seq)? What if she were to turn her talk towards you, demanding the debt of nature, the price of nourishment, that which is owed to a mother's hand? Quid respondebis?

Will you give to others? What if they say to you: Go, first feed your mother. For even if they are poor, they do not seek impiety in exchange. Have you not heard above that the rich man, reclining in fine linen and purple, from whose table Lazarus gathered crumbs, is tormented with eternal punishment for not sharing food with the poor (Luke 16:19 et seq.)? If it is not burdensome to give to strangers, how much more burdensome is it to exclude parents? But you say that you prefer to confer with your parents, you would rather contribute to the Church. God does not seek a gift from the hunger of parents. Therefore, in response to the Jews who criticized the disciples of the Lord for not washing their hands, Jesus said: Whoever speaks: Whatever gift is from me, it will benefit you, it will not honor the father or mother (Matthew XV, 5 and 6).

78. Therefore, we wisely avoided the obscurity of meaning. For the Jews, when they follow the tradition of men, neglect the commandments of God; but the disciples, preferring the tradition of God, neglected the commands of men, such as washing their hands when they ate bread. For, the one who is completely clean does not need to wash his hands (John 13:10). Jesus had washed them, they did not seek another washing; for by one Baptism, Christ has done away with all baptisms. Therefore, whoever is washed in the Church has no need to be washed again. Thus the disciples were focused on the mystery, seeking not the cleanliness of the body but of the soul. The Jews criticized this, but they are cleverly rebuked by the Lord for observing empty traditions while neglecting things that are beneficial. And so He says to them: Why do you say to your father or mother, whom the Law commands you to honor: Whatever gift you would have received from me is beneficial to you (Exodus 20:12); that is, when a father or mother, fearing the Law, asks for something from their son because they are in need of support, the Jew typically seeks an excuse for not giving and says: Whatever gift you would have received from me is beneficial to you, so that a religious father might refrain from accepting money given to God from his children. This tradition of men is an excuse for those who conceal their greed. But the tradition of God is that you should first feed your parents. (Dist. 86, chap. Caeterum) For if, according to the divine oracle, insult to a parent is paid for by death (Exod. XXI, 17), how much more so hunger, which is a graver death!

In what place does the Lord rein in the insolence of boasting? For many, as they are preached by men, contribute to the Church, which takes away from their own possessions; whereas mercy should proceed from domestic duty of piety. Therefore, first give to your parent, also give to the poor, give to that priest what earthly things abound to you, so that you may receive from him spiritual things that are lacking to you; for he who honors will be honored. Therefore, see that when he receives, he hands over: and he receives not as one in need, but as one who will repay with a greater measure. Give rest to the poor, so that you, communicating of your own poverty, may obtain rest. But as the Scripture says about feeding one's parents (Luke 14:26): so for the sake of God, parents should be left behind if they hinder the affections of a devoted mind.

(Vers. 35.)

(Verse 35.) And it came to pass, when he was near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road.

80. In the second book of Matthew, two instances are mentioned (Matt. XX, 30), one here: as Jericho is being left, another there: as Jericho is being approached. But there is no difference; for although in this one instance the representation is of a Gentile people who receive the light of lost sight by means of the Lord's sacrament, it makes no difference whether he receives the healing in one instance or in two instances; since the authors, who trace their descent from the sons of Noah, Ham and Japheth, show two instances of their own kind in two blind men.


81. What Luke also seems not to have omitted, when he mentions Zacchaeus, who was of short stature, that is, lacking in the innate dignity of nobility, insignificant in merits, like the people of nations, desired to see the Lord's Savior, whom they had not received. But no one easily sees Jesus, no one can see Jesus as established on earth. And because he did not have prophets, he did not have a kingdom, he ascended in favor of his natural beauty among the sycamores, trampling on the vanity of the Jews, and correcting the errors of the previous age: and for this reason, he received Jesus in the inner house as a guest. And he went up a tree to make the good tree produce good fruits, and being naturally cut out from the wild olive tree, and contrary to nature, grafted into the good olive tree, he was able to bring forth the fruit of the Law; for the root is holy, and if the branches are useless, the people of the Gentiles surpass their fruitless glory by faith in the resurrection, as if by a kind of elevation of the body.

(Chap. XIX. — Vers. 2.)

(Chapter 19, Verse 2) And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus.

82. Zacchaeus in the sycamore, a blind man on the road. The Lord expects to have mercy on one, he honors the other with the glory of his dwelling: he interrogates the one he is about to heal, he invites himself to the one he will not be invited to; for he knew that there would be a generous reward from his host, but even if he had not yet heard the voice of the inviter, he had heard his affection.

83. But lest we seem to have quickly abandoned that blind man, as if he were a despised beggar, and passed on to the wealthy man, let us wait for him, because the Lord has waited for us: let us question him, because Christ has questioned us. Let us question him, because we do not know: he questioned, because he knew: let us question, so that we may know from where this man has been healed: he questioned, so that we may learn from many in one how we may deserve to see the Lord; he questioned, so that we may believe that the unconfessing cannot be healed.


And immediately he saw him, and he followed him, magnifying the Lord. . . . And he went about in Jericho (Chapter 18, verse 43).

84. For he would not see otherwise, unless he followed Christ, unless he preached the Lord, unless he passed by the world. Let us also return to favor with the wealthy; for we do not want to offend the wealthy, because we want, if possible, to heal all; so that, not being preoccupied with the comparison of a camel, and not having abandoned Zacchaeus too quickly, they may not have a legitimate cause for offense.

85. It is not a crime to have abilities, but to not know how to use them; for wealth, like obstacles for the wicked, is a support for the virtuous. Certainly, Zacchaeus was chosen by Christ as rich; but by giving half of his wealth to the poor, and even by repaying four times what he had obtained by fraud (for one is not enough: generosity does not have grace if injustice persists; because gifts, not spoils, are sought), he received a more abundant reward than he bestowed.


86. (Verse 2.) And the prince is well introduced to the tax collectors. For who despairs of themselves when even he, who obtained his wealth through fraud, has arrived? And he himself says he's rich. So that you may know that not all rich people are greedy.

87. (Vers. 3.) What does it mean that Scripture expresses the stature of no other person except this one, because he was of low stature? See, lest perhaps he was of low malice or still of small faith; for he had not yet promised when he ascended, he had not yet seen Christ, and he was still of low merit. Finally, John was great because he saw both Christ and the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon Christ, as he himself says: I saw the Spirit descending like a dove, and remaining upon him (John 1:32).


88. But what crowd, if not the foolish confusion of the multitude, who cannot see the pinnacle of wisdom? Therefore, as long as Zacchaeus is in the crowd, he does not see Christ; he ascends above the crowd and sees; that is, surpassing the ignorant mob, he deserved to behold the one he desired. Moreover, he added beautifully:

(Vers. 4.)

(Verse 4.) Because the Lord was going to pass through that part.

89. Whether he was under a fig tree or whether he was about to believe, in order to preserve the mystery and sow grace: for he had come to pass through the Jews to the Gentiles.

90. So Zachaeus looked up high; for now, by the height of faith, he stood out among the fruits of new works like a tree flourishing in its abundant altitude. And since we have shifted from type to moral meaning, it is pleasing to the many desires of believers to ease their minds on the Lord's day and mix in festivities. Zachaeus in the sycamore tree, indeed the new fruit of the new time, so that this may also be fulfilled: The fig tree has produced its thick branches (Song of Solomon 2:13); for this reason, Christ came, so that not fruits, but men would be born from trees. We read elsewhere: When you were under the fig tree, I saw you (John 1:48). Therefore, Nathanael was not under the tree, that is, above the root, because he is just; for the root is holy. However, Nathanael was under the tree, because he was under the Law; Zacchaeus was above the tree, because he was above the Law: the former hidden defender of the Lord, the latter public preacher. The former still sought Christ from the Law, the latter was already above the Law, leaving behind his own things and following the Lord.

(Verse 16) Behold, your mina has acquired ten minas.

91. As a good order, so that he would call the nations and order the killing of the Jews, who did not want Christ to rule over them, he sent this comparison ahead, so that it might not be said: He had given nothing to the Jewish people, from where could he become better; or what is demanded from someone who has received nothing? This is not a small amount, which the woman in the Gospel because she did not find, lit a lamp, and with the light, she searched, rejoicing when she found it (Luke 15:8).


92. (Verse 18.) Finally, out of ten minas one made another, and another five. Perhaps these have a moral meaning, because there are five senses of the body: those ten, being double, that is, the mystical and moral teachings of the Law. Hence, Matthew placed five talents and two talents (Matt. 25:15): the five talents to represent moral teachings, and the two talents to represent both mystical and moral teachings. Thus, the lower number is more productive. And here we can understand the ten minas as ten words, that is, the doctrine of the Law: the five minas as the teachings of the master's discipline. But I want the law to be perfect in all things; for the kingdom of God is not in speech but in virtue.

93. But indeed, because he speaks about the Jews, two alone are carrying multiplied money; not certainly of bronze, but of a dispute's interest. For the money of interest is one thing, the interest of heavenly doctrine is another.

Finally, when the Lord says, 'Why did you not put my money on the table?' (Matthew 25, 18), he seeks interest not on our money, but on his own.

95. One person hides himself within the earth, because he overwhelms the reason that was given to us, which leads to the image and likeness of God, with the pursuit of pleasure, and he hides himself like a pit of flesh. As for others, they are silenced, who, like spendthrift debtors, have lost what they received. (Luke 20:10). In those two instances, there are only a few who have been appointed as vineyard workers twice: in the rest, all are Jews. (Matthew 24:18). Matthew also wanted to apply this comparison to us, that just as the rich person who does not share his wealth with the poor is likewise guilty, so too is the person who does not share the grace of his teaching with the inexperienced, even though he is able to teach, guilty of no small fault. (Book 5, On Faith, Chapter 1). Of which, since we have already spoken about in the books written concerning faith, it would be better to move on.

However, there can be ten cities, unless perhaps the souls to whom the Lord entrusts money and who have approved chaste words like silver, have lent money to the minds of men. For just as Jerusalem is said to be built like a city, so are peaceful souls. And just as angels preside, so do those who have earned the life of angels.

Book Nine

(Vers. 29, 30.)

(Verse 29, 30.) And it came to pass, when he came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying: Go into the village opposite, in which when you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat.

1. Beautifully, the Jews having been left behind, the Lord ascended the temple, in which the Lord is worshipped not in letter, but in spirit. This is the true temple, in which the series of faith, not the structure of stones, founded. Therefore, those who hated are abandoned, and those who were loved are chosen.

2. And therefore he came to the Mount of Olives, to plant new olive trees with sublime virtue, whose mother is she who is above Jerusalem. In this mountain is that heavenly farmer, so that all planted in the house of God may be able to say individually: But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of the Lord (Psalm 51:10). And perhaps this mountain is Christ himself. For who else would bear such fruits of olive trees, not with the fertility of withering berries, but with the fullness of the Holy Spirit of fruitful nations? He himself is the one through whom we ascend, and the one to whom we ascend. He himself is the door, he himself is the way, who is opened and who opens, who is knocked upon by those entering, and adored by those departing.

Therefore, he was in the castle, and a colt was tied with a donkey: it could not be untied, except by the command of the Lord: the apostolic hand untied it: such an act, such a life, such grace. Be such that you can also untie the tied.

Now let us consider who those were, who, after their error was detected, were cast out of paradise and are confined in a castle. And you see how those whom death had expelled, life has restored. (Matthew 21:2). And therefore, according to Matthew, we read about both the donkey and the foal, so that just as both sexes were expelled in two individuals, both sexes are restored in two animals. Therefore, there, in the mother donkey, the error is figuratively represented as Eve; but here, in the foal, the universality of the gentile people is expressed; and therefore, the foal is placed upon the donkey.


5. And well: In which no one has sat; because no one before Christ called the nations to the Church. Finally, according to Mark, you have this: But no one has yet sat of the human race (Mk. XI, 2). However, he was bound by the chains of perfidy, held captive by injustice, serving in error to a false master: but he could not claim dominion over himself, whom he had made guilty not by nature, but by fault. And therefore, when the Lord is said to be one, he is understood to be alone; for there are many gods and many lords, but in a general sense: yet for us, there is only one God and one Lord. Therefore, although not explicitly expressed, the Lord is defined not by the addition of a person but by the totality of nature.

But Marcus brought the bound man before the door (Mark. XI, 4); for whoever is outside Christ is on the way: but whoever is in Christ is not outside. In passing, he added, where there is no certain possession, there is no crib, no nourishment, no stable. Miserable servitude for whom the right is uncertain; for he has many masters who has none. They bind others to possess; he sets free in order to hold; for he knows that gifts are more powerful than chains.


And not idle is that which the two disciples are directed, Peter to Cornelius, Paul to the others (Acts 10:23 and 13:3). And therefore he did not designate persons, but defined the number; however, if there is someone who demands persons, he can consider Philip whom the Spirit sent to Gaza (Acts 8:26), when he baptized the eunuch of the queen Candace, and from Azotus he sowed the word of the Lord in Caesarea through all the cities. And not to be overlooked is what he asserts should be sent back soon; because there were those who needed to be directed to preach the Lord Jesus in the territories of the Gentiles.

8. (Verse 34.) So they went and brought the colt: but they used not their own words, but that which Jesus had spoken. That you may know, that they did not infuse faith to the people of the Gentiles by their own speech, but by the word of God; and that the powers which claimed obedience from nations yielded to the divine command, not to their own authority, to the name of Christ.

9. (Verse 35.) And therefore the apostles also extended their own clothing to Christ, either so that they would prefer glory by preaching the gospel: for in divine Scriptures, clothing is often virtues, which also softens the hardness of the gentiles to some extent with its own virtue; so that they would offer diligent submission to the service of a blessed journey without offense. For the Lord of the world did not delight in being carried on the back of an ass in a public appearance: but in order to spread the hidden mystery within our minds, and to enter into the inner assembly of souls, as if infused with a certain body of divinity, governing the footsteps of the mind, restraining the recklessness of the flesh; so that, by the guidance of piety, he would subdue the accustomed affection of the Gentile people. Happy are those who have received such a guide in their inner heart! Truly happy are those whose mouths are not loose in endless speech, but are restrained by the reins of divine words!

10. What is this bridle, brothers? Who will teach me how to either restrain or release the mouths of men? That person showed me the bridle and said: 'Let speech be given to me to open my mouth' (Acts 9:5). Therefore, speech is a bridle, speech is a spur. And that is why it is hard for you to kick against the spur. This person taught us to open our hearts, to endure the spur, to bear the yoke. Let someone else teach us to endure the restraints of language. For the virtue of remaining silent is rarer than that of speaking. Let that one teach, who, like a mute, did not open their mouth against deceit (Psalm 37:14), prepared for scourges and not refusing beatings, in order to be a pious offering to God.

11. (Verse 36.) Learn to carry Christ from the home of God; for he carried you first, when as a shepherd he brought back the wandering sheep (Luke XV, 6): learn to earnestly lay down the burdens of your mind, learn to be under Christ, so that you can be above the world. Not everyone who easily carries Christ, but he who can say: I am greatly bowed down and humbled: I groaned because of the moaning of my heart (Psalm XXXVII, 9). And if you desire not to be moved, fix your footstep upon those garments of the saints that have been washed. Beware lest you walk with muddy feet, beware lest you leave the paths of prophetic ways with wayward steps; for in order to make the approach of future generations safer, those who went before Jesus to the temple of God paved the way with their own garments. So that you may walk without stumbling, the disciples of the Lord, stripping themselves of their own bodily habits, cleared a path for you through the obstacles of the crowd with their own martyrdom. However, if someone wishes to receive it in this way, we do not object, because that foal already walks on the garments of the Jews.

12. However, I would doubt what the scattered branches of trees (Matt. 21:8) mean, which certainly used to entangle the steps of those walking; unless the good farmer had taught me in earlier things, that now the axe has been placed at the roots of the trees, which, under the coming of the Lord of Salvation, cuts down the unfruitful ones and overthrows the empty glory of the nations, to be trampled underfoot by the feet of the faithful; so that with the spirit of a renewed mind, nations, like shoots of new trees, can sprout from the old with twigs.


13. So do not despise this donkey; for just as in the clothing of sheep there are rapacious wolves, so also within there is hidden a man of one heart under a bestial appearance; because within the outer garments of the body, which we share in common with animals, the mind, filled with God, prospers. That which pertains to the form of men was more clearly declared by the holy John, adding that they took palm branches for themselves: for the just man blooms like a palm tree. And therefore with the coming of Christ, the banners of righteousness were already being raised above the shoulders of men, and the emblems of triumph. Why does the crowd marvel at what it works? Even if it does not know what to marvel at; it marvels nonetheless because in that work wisdom sits, virtue remains, and justice adheres.

14. Also, do not despise that donkey, which once saw the angel of God (Num. 22:23), whom a man could not see. And she saw, and she reported, and she spoke; so that you may recognize that in later times, under the coming of the great angel of God, those Gentiles will speak before donkeys.

15. (Verse 37.) But we read that the crowds praised God beautifully according to Luke, as they ran to meet Him as He descended the mountain, in order to signify to themselves that the worker of the spiritual mystery had come to them from heaven. Therefore, the crowd recognizes God, calls Him king, repeats the prophecy (Psalm 117:24): Hosanna to the Son of David, that is, it declares that the long-awaited redeemer of the house of David, also according to the flesh, has come as the son of David; and the crowd said this just a short time before the crucifixion. Truly memorable is the mark of divine operation, that testimony is wrested from those who deny God with their emotions but confess Him with their words. Hence, that saying of the Lord:

(Vers. 40.)

(Verse 40.) If these remain silent, the stones will cry out.

16. For it is not surprising if the rocks, against their nature, respond with praise to the Lord, whom the unyielding cliffs proclaim to be omnipotent. Or perhaps because the Jews, who were mute after the Lord's passion, were living according to Peter, they will cry out as stones (1 Peter 2:5). Therefore, even though their affections conflict within them, the crowd still leads God to their temple with praise.

17. But God does not want His temple to be a marketplace, but a dwelling place of holiness: not informed by the business of selling religion, but by the free service of the priestly ministry. Therefore, consider what the Sunday events prescribe to you as an example of living.

18. And he cast out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves (Matthew 21:12). Therefore, he taught above all that secular contracts should be kept away from the temple of God; specifically, he expelled the money changers. Who are the money changers, if not those who seek profit from the money of the Lord and do not distinguish between good and evil? For the money of the Lord is divine scripture; for he distributed denarii to his servants before departing, and he divided talents (Matthew 25:14), and for the healing of a wounded man he left two coins with the innkeeper (Luke 10:35); for our wounds are healed by the two Testaments. But you, like a good money-changer, store up the pure words of the Lord, words that have been tested by fire, purified by the sevenfold Spirit (Psalm 12:6). Do not accept the adulterated image of the king (for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light) through impious interchange. Do not mix the diminished likeness of your prince with the deceitful fraud of Arius in your treasure. Do not tempt the ears of the faithful with the sound of money, so that the ringing of bronze excludes the hearing of the religious Scriptures or the desire to possess affects religious emotions. So not all moneylenders should be excluded; for there are also good ones. Finally, 'You should have given my money to the moneylenders,' he says, 'and when I came back, I would have received it with interest.' (Matthew 25:27) Now if money is of the Scriptures, so is interest of the Scriptures.

But why the money-changers overturned the chairs of those selling doves, I do not understand according to the literal sense; for the bird-traders, who could not claim for themselves the honor of a booth at the markets, could not have the dignity of a throne. What prerogative of dignity is there in doves? However, the form of baptism of Dominic reminds us, when the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove (Luke 3:22), of the expulsion of such merchants from the temple, that those who traffic in the grace of the Holy Spirit cannot have a share in the Church of God. Freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8). Finally, when Simon thought that the power of conferring the gift of sanctification could be bought, Peter responded: Your money perish with you, because you think that the gift of God can be obtained with money. You have neither part nor share in this matter of faith (Acts 8:20-21).

Also, I think those who profit from the labor of others or from simplicity, repulsive merchants, seize certain markets: either because sheep and cattle are expelled, or because doves are commanded to be taken away, it seems that the Jewish people are excluded; for just as a dove, because their Lord and successors hates their toils.


21. And this he did not do by some concise hand or by means of wealth, but he struck down the crowds with a whip made of cords, and no one dared to resist. And now he uses a rod, now a whip (for the rod is the straight scepter of your kingdom): the rod, to correct; the whip, to persuade. There, it is direct; here, it is a moral precept as if bent, with which the conscience of the sinner is lashed like a slow whip; for there are some terrifying prophecies, and there are some apostolic exhortations: yet in both, there is discipline of one word. And therefore He made a whip out of ropes, because 'the cords have fallen to me in pleasant places' (Psalm XVI, 6); for my inheritance is glorious to me; for the cords are said to be the ones with which surveyors measure the boundaries of divided fields. And therefore, like a good surveyor, He distinguished the boundaries of the Synagogue and the Church, and He ordered the sacrilegious ones to leave the temple. For a new surveyor of fertile souls had come, who would measure the kinds of fields, not the spaces.


However, a mode of possession is not enclosed by beautifully stretched ropes, nor are the boundaries of a defined thing limited by the limits of faith, but the boundaries of the Church extend freely in all directions like a whip: the Jews are eliminated, not by any prescribed exile, but without end; so that no place for a synagogue remains anywhere in the world.

(Chap. XX. — Vers. 9.)

A man planted a vineyard.

23. Most derive various meanings from the name 'vineyard': but clearly Isaiah referred to the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, the house of Israel (Isaiah 5:7). Who else but God established this vineyard? He is the one who planted it and then went on a journey: not because the Lord, who is always everywhere, has journeyed from place to place, but because he is more present to those who are diligent and absent from those who are negligent. He has been absent at many times; not because he was slow in collecting the harvest. The more indulgent the generosity, the more inexcusable the stubbornness.

24. Therefore, according to Matthew, you have the following: 'And often it surrounded (Matt. XXI, 33),' that is, it was fortified by the divine protection, so that it would not easily be exposed to the attacks of spiritual beasts. 'And He dug a winepress in it (Ibid.)'. How do we understand what a winepress is, unless it is perhaps because the psalms are inscribed for winepresses (Psalm VIII, LXXX and LXXXIII); because in them the mysteries of the Lord's passion, like must fervently boiling with the Holy Spirit of the prophets, overflowed more abundantly? Finally, they were considered drunk, those on whom the Holy Spirit poured down (Acts 2:13). Therefore, here He dug a winepress, in which the reasonable fruit of the grape would flow out by a spiritual infusion. He built a tower (Matthew 21:33), raising the pinnacle of the Law: and thus He placed this vineyard fortified, equipped, and adorned for the Jews.

25. (Verse 10.) And in the time of the fruits, he sent his servants. He placed the time of the fruits well, but not the produce; for there was no fruit of the Jews, no produce of this vineyard, of which the Lord said: I expected it to bring forth grapes, but it brought forth thorns (Isaiah 5:2). Therefore, it overflowed with the blood of the prophets, not with the joy of wine or the spiritual must, but with the bloody bloodpresses. Ultimately, Jeremiah was thrown into a pit (Jeremiah 38:6); for these were now the winepresses of the Jews, not filled with wine, but with blood. And although the prophets seem to be generally described, however, the reading (3 Kings 21:13) gives us reason to believe that the one who was stoned is Naboth: for although we have not received any prophetic words from him, we have nevertheless received a prophetic action; because he prophesied many martyrs to come for this vineyard with his own blood. But who is the one who is wounded on his head? Undoubtedly it is Isaiah, whose body was more easily divided by a saw than his faith was inclined, his steadfastness was destroyed, or the strength of his mind was executed.


Therefore, it happened that when he had sent many others, whom the Jews dishonored and found useless, from whom they could do nothing, they finally also sent the only begotten Son, whom they treacherously killed by crucifixion, desiring to remove him as an heir, and cast him out by denying him.

27. Therefore, let us consider briefly how great, how numerous are these blessings. First, because it is natural goodness that often believes in the unworthy. Secondly, because Christ came as the ultimate remedy for all evils. Thirdly, because whoever denies the heir despairs of the author. But Christ is the heir, the same as the testator, because he survived his own death and, as the one who established the Testaments, receives the benefits as if they were hereditary gains in our own transactions.


28. (Verse 15.) He interrogates well, so that his own judgment condemns himself. However, he says that the Lord of the vineyard will come, either because the paternal majesty is also present in the Son, or because he aspires more strongly to human affections in the final times. Therefore, they themselves pronounce judgment upon themselves, so that the evil ones perish and the vineyard is transferred to other tenants. So, let us consider who these tenants are, and what the vineyard is.

29. Our vineyard is the type because the people of God, founded on the root of the eternal grapevine, rises above the earth and covers the lowly soil, now covered with budding flowers, now dressed in verdant green, now taking on the gentle yoke, when with its more mature branches it grows like the second shoots of the grapevine. For the all-powerful Farmer is Christ (John XV, 1 et seq.): but we are the branches, who, if we do not bear fruit in Christ, are cut off by the eternal cultivator's sickle. Therefore, the vineyard of Christ is rightly called the people, either because the sign of the cross is displayed on their forehead, or because their fruit is gathered at the last age of the year, or because in the Church of God there is an equal distribution to all orders of the vineyards, to the poor and the rich, the humble and the powerful, the servants and the masters, with no discrimination: just as the vine is joined to trees, so the body to the soul, and the soul to the body: just as the vine is lifted up when it is pruned, and it is not diminished but increased when it is cut, so the holy people, while they are bound, are set free, while they are humbled, are exalted, while they are cut off, are crowned. Moreover, just as a tender shoot, cut off from an old tree, is inserted into the fruit of another root, so too this holy Church, with its wounds healed, grows from the scars of the old shoot, nurtured in the bosom of the pious Parent on the wood of the Cross; and the Holy Spirit, descending from the heights of heaven to the depths of the earth, is poured into this earthly body like living water, cleansing whatever is foul, and elevating the state of our members to heavenly discipline.


30. The diligent farmer is accustomed to dig, plow, and work this vineyard: and having dug out the mounds of earth, used to expose them to the scorching sun and drench them with rain, accustomed to weed the field; lest the gem be harmed by thorns, lest the shadow of leaves cause it to grow too luxuriantly, and lest the boasting of unproductive words overshadow its virtues, hindering the maturity of its natural potential. But far be it from us to fear anything adverse to this vineyard, which the watchful guardian of the Lord of Salvation has fortified with the wall of eternal life against all the lures of worldly wickedness, and has extended its branches even to the sea (Psalm 79:12): for the earth is the Lord’s (Psalm 24:1). Everywhere God the Father is worshipped, everywhere Christ the Lord is adored.

31. This is our harvest. Therefore, joyful and secure, let one part load their gentle bosom with the clusters of grapes, let others pour forth heavenly gifts with their mouth, and many, by the steps of good desires, extract the divine fruit of the gift, their barefoot steps having been stripped of sandals, let us dip them in the flowing must; for the place in which we stand is holy ground, and therefore our shoes must be loosed (Exod. III, 5), so that, ascending the spiritual path to the sacred tribunal, we may be freed from earthly attachments; for it is proper that here the harvest of the entire world should take place, since here is the vineyard of the entire world.


32. Behold the acceptable time, when the year is not frozen by the treacherous frost of winter, nor is the crust of blasphemy formed by the shapeless clouds of the sky, but, freed from the storms of sacrilege, the earth now brings forth new fruits. Truly it brings forth; for the storm of all dissensions has calmed, and all the heat of secular desire, and all the waves by which the people of Italy were formerly burned with the fires of Jewish and Arian cruelty, are now tempered by a calm breath. The storm has subsided, harmony navigates, faith breathes: eagerly the sailors seek those of faith whom the ports have left behind, and affix sweet kisses on their native shores, rejoicing in being freed from dangers, absolved from errors.

33. Hello, vineyard worthy of such a keeper: you were consecrated not by the blood of one Naboth but by the precious blood of the Lord, who also consecrated countless prophets. Although he, not frightened by royal threats, was pressed down by fear, and not enticed by abundant rewards, sold his religious affection; yet he resisted the desire of the king, so that in his vineyard no vegetable, cut vine, would be sowed, when he could not do anything else, he extinguished the prepared fires with his own blood; he defended the temporal vineyard; but you, in perpetuity, have been planted among us as the destruction of many martyrs: the cross, rival of the passion of the Apostles, has spread to the ends of the whole world.


(Vers. 24.)

(Verse 24) Whose image and inscription does it have?

In this place, the Lord teaches us that we should be careful in responding to heretics or Jews. He said elsewhere: 'Be as shrewd as snakes' (Matthew 10:16). Many understand this passage to mean that, just as the cross of Christ was proclaimed by a hanging serpent, in order to abolish the spiritual venom of evil, one should be shrewd like Christ and simple like the Spirit. Behold, here is the serpent who always guards his head, excluding the deadly wound. When asked by the Jews whether he received his authority from heaven, he replied: 'Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?' (Luke 20:4) In order to prevent them from denying that it was from heaven, which would prove their foolishness in denying its author to be from heaven. When asked for a denarius, he inquires about the image; for there is one image of God and another image of the world. (Matthew 22:20) Therefore, he also admonishes us: 'Just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.' (1 Corinthians 15:49)


35. Christ does not have the image of Caesar, because he is the image of God. Peter does not have the image of Caesar, because he said: We have left everything and followed you (Matthew 19:27). The image of Caesar is not found in James or John, because they are sons of thunder (Mark 3:17): but it is found in the sea, where those dragons with crushed heads are over the water, and the great dragon himself with his head crushed is given as food to the people of Ethiopia (Psalm 74:14). Therefore, if he did not have the image of Caesar, why did he pay tribute? He did not pay from his own, but he paid the world what belonged to the world. And if you wish not to be subject to Caesar, do not possess the things of the world. But if you have wealth, you are subject to Caesar. If you wish to owe nothing to the earthly king, leave behind all your possessions and follow Christ.

36. (Verse 25.) And he rightly determines that what belongs to Caesar should be rendered to Caesar: for no one can be the Lord's unless he has renounced the world first. But we all renounce with words, but not all renounce with affection; for when we receive the sacraments, we renounce. How serious it is to promise God binding bonds and not to fulfill them! It is better, he says, not to vow than to vow and not to render (Ecclesiastes 5:4). The contract of faith is greater than that of money. Give the promise, while you are in this body, before the collector comes, and sends you to prison. Truly I say to you, you will not get out of there until you pay the last penny (Matthew 5:26).

(Vers. 28.)

(Verse 28) If someone's brother shall have died.

37. The Sadducees, that is, the more detestable portion of the Jews, in this place test the Lord: whose open stupidity is reproached, but their mystical meaning is twisted back; because they excluded from themselves the example of chastity, since a woman is compelled to marry according to the letter and unwillingly, in order to raise up offspring for the deceased brother (Deut. XXV, 5). Therefore, the letter kills as a pander of vices: but the spirit is the teacher of chastity (II Cor. III, 6).


Therefore, let us see if this woman is the Synagogue, who had seven husbands, as it is said of the Samaritan woman: For you have had five husbands (John 4:18); for the Samaritans only follow the five books of Moses. The Synagogue, however, primarily follows the seven, and because of its unbelief, it has not received the hereditary posterity of the seed. And for this reason, she will not be able to have a part with her husbands in the resurrection, because she turns the spiritual precept according to the sense of the flesh (Revelation 20:6). For no bodily brother has been called to raise the seed of the deceased brother; but rather, he who, after the death of the Jewish people, took upon himself the wisdom of divine worship and raised seed from it among the apostles. These, like the shapeless remains of the deceased Jews left behind in the womb of the Synagogue, deserved to be preserved according to the election of grace, through the admixture of the new seed.


However, the synagogue often receives a stole, which is a symbol of marriage, as if it were the authority of believers: but it is often rejected, because it is the mother of faithless people: to whom the Law kills physically so that they may spiritually rise. Therefore, the holy people of God, if they have loved the five books of the Law with a certain love of marriage and have obeyed its marital commands, will have heavenly communion in the resurrection, not confused by the shame of bodily impurities, but enriched by the gifts of divine grace.


Book Ten

(Verse 42) The Lord said to my Lord.

The Lord, about to fulfill his precepts, also concludes faith and mercy, which prepare the way for his passion, at the end of his Testament: faith, in that we believe in Christ as our Lord and God, and that he sits at the right hand of God, not that he physically sits, but because he is everywhere. Finally, he is in the Father; because he is in the substance of God, one power, one majesty. He himself, therefore, is in the Father, and the Father is in him; because the Word is in God, and God is in the Word: he himself is in the Father, because he is the Word; he himself is at the right hand of the Father, because he is a partner to the Father, second to none: he himself is sent by the Father, because he descends from heaven to fulfill the Father's will. Take away from here the questions of treachery, and fullness is found in religion. It is not preferred, because it sits at the right hand: nor does it suffer injury, because it is sent. The degree of dignity is not sought, where there is fullness of divinity.

2. (Verse 44.) It is also worth considering that he reproaches those who say that Christ is the son of David. And how did that blind man, by confessing David's son, deserve healing? (Luke 18:43) How did the children, saying 'Hosanna to the son of David' (Matthew 21:9), give glory of sublime preaching to God? But they are not reproached in this place because they confess David's son, but because they do not believe in the Son of God. For it is not one thing, but the other that is true in the true faith: for although at first we judged that we knew nothing but Christ Jesus, and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2): now, however, as if by the judgment of our neighbor, we no longer know Christ who is crucified, but we are covered by him who is coming in the clouds. Incredulus vulnera -citit asp fidelis obviam Christo in aera raptus occurrit.

Therefore, let us believe that Christ is both God and man: not one or the other, but both. The enemies are subjected to Him by the Father, not by the weakness of His power, but by the unity of His nature; for in one He works, and in the other, the other works. For the Son also subjects the enemies to the Father, who glorifies the Father above the earth (John 17:4). And the Father gave the Son a Name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9-10). But the Son also says to the Father: I have manifested Your Name to men, which You gave Me (John 17:6). But giving the name that is above every name, he did not give more than he had; but he gave all that he had. And he gave this name, so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philip. II, 11).

Therefore, consider each thing separately. The Father submits to the Son, the Son submits to the Father. The Father raises the Son, and the Son raises himself. Hence he says: 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19). And the Father is Lord, and the Son is Lord. The Lord said to my Lord. And not two Lords, but one Lord; because both the Father is God, and the Son is God: but one God; because the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father. One God, because one divinity: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness, therefore God, your God, has anointed you (Psalm 45:7-8). But there is only one God, in whom the teaching of both the Old and New Testaments agrees. For it is also written in the Old Testament: You shall love the Lord your God, and you shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone (Deuteronomy 6:5, 13). In the New Testament: There is one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:6). Thus, both the Father is Lord and the Son is Lord, but there is only one Lord. Finally it is written: 'You should not serve two masters' (Matt. VI, 24); this is in the New Testament. In the Old Testament it is written: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one' (Deut. VI, 4). Therefore, the Apostle admirably, so as not to speak of two Gods or name two Lords or derogate from the Son or the Father, says: 'There is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus, through whom are all things' (I Cor. VIII, 6). For he who is God is also Lord, and he who is Lord is God. Finally it is written: Know that the Lord himself is our God (Psalm 99:3).

5. Therefore, all that the Father has, the Son also has. God the Father according to the nature of generation: God the Son according to the unity of image. The Son is Lord, because He could subject all things to Himself by power; the Father is Lord, because He is the root of the Son. Thus, the Father is distinguished from us in the definition of persons in the Son, and is connected by the unity of power. Therefore, each is in the other, and one in the other. For the glory of the Father is in the Son, if it has not degenerated; and the grace of the Son, if the Father is seen in the Son. Therefore, he is not degenerate, in whom the highest majesty of unity is; not alien, in whom the property of generation is, the expression of truth.

(Chap. XXI. Vers. 6.)

Not one stone will be left upon another that will not be thrown down.

6. The place of the widows follows (Verse 1 and following), which since we have already preached about in the book we wrote about widows (Book of Widows), we now separate. But it is true according to what was said about the temple that Solomon built, and it should be destroyed at the time of judgment, for there is nothing made by work and hand that old age does not wear out, force does not overthrow, or fire does not burn. However, there is another temple built of beautiful stones, and adorned with gifts, which the Lord seems to indicate the destruction of. The synagogue, namely of the Jews, whose structure is old, dissolves with the rising Church. There is also a temple in each person, which crumbles with the failing faith; especially if someone falsely claims the name of Christ, in order to attack the inner disposition.

7. There can also be an interpretation that benefits me more. For what benefit is it to me to know the day of judgment? What benefit is it to me to be aware of such great sins, if the Lord comes, unless he comes into my soul, returns to my mind, unless Christ lives in me, unless Christ speaks within me? Therefore, Christ must come to me, his coming must happen for me. And the Lord's second coming takes place in the defection of the world, when we can say: But as for me, the world is crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14).


But if this man finds such defects of the world in the higher realms, so that the conversation of this man is in heaven; then the physical and visible temple is destroyed, the physical Law, the physical Passover, and the visible Passover, physical unleavened bread, and visible unleavened bread, I dare to say, Christ is temporal, as he was to Paul before he believed; because in him to whom the world fails, Christ is eternal. To this man belongs the spiritual temple, the spiritual Law, and also the spiritual Passover; for Christ is sacrificed once. Here we feast on unleavened bread, not from earthly grain, but from the grain of justice. Therefore it is the presence of wisdom, the presence of virtue and justice, the presence of redemption; for Christ indeed once died for the sins of the people, but he redeems the sins of the people daily.

(Vers. 9.)

(Verse 9.) But when you hear of battles and reports of battles.

9. The Lord, being asked when the destruction of the temple would happen, and what would be the sign of his coming, teaches about the signs but does not think it is necessary to disclose the timing. However, Matthew added a third question (Matt. XXIV, 3), so that the disciples would inquire about both the times of the temple's destruction and the sign of his coming, and the end of the age. Luke considered it enough to know about the end of the age if it was spoken about the coming of the Lord.


10. But we are witnesses of heavenly words more than anyone else, whom the end of the world found. For what great battles and what opinions of battles we have experienced! The Chunni rose up against the Alans, the Alans against the Goths, the Goths against the Taifali and the Sarmatians. We too, exiles in Illyricum, have made a homeland for ourselves in the exile of the Goths, and there is no end yet. The famine and plague of all, equally of cattle and men, of other livestock; so that even those of us who did not endure war, the pestilence has made us equal to those who were defeated! Therefore, because we are in the decline of the age, certain afflictions of the world precede. The affliction of the world is hunger, the affliction of the world is pestilence, the affliction of the world is persecution.

However, there are also other wars that a Christian man endures, as well as conflicts of various desires and struggles of studies, and much more serious domestic enemies than foreigners. Now greed stimulates, now lust ignites, now fear frightens, now anger agitates, now ambition moves, now they try to terrify with spiritual wickedness, which are in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Therefore, he is pressed as if by certain battles, and he is shaken by certain earthquakes of the moving and wavering affections of the soul.


12. But the stronger one says: If camps rise up against me, my heart will not fear; if battle arises against me, in this I will hope (Ps. 26:3). He stands in the battle line, bearing his chest against the enemy, even if someone like Goliath rises up, fierce and lofty (1 Sam. 17:4); while others fear, he will rise up humble like David, casting aside the weapons of the earthly king, taking up the lighter weapons of faith, and hurling the triple-pointed spear of pure confession, he wounds the audacity of the persecutor, scorns threats, disregards powers, and becomes worthy for Christ to speak through. Elsewhere Christ speaks, elsewhere the Father, elsewhere the Spirit speaks of the Father. These things are not conflicting, but they are consistent. What one speaks, the three speak; for there is one voice of the Trinity. To this victor, who has slain his Goliath with his own sword, while he suffers death for Christ, the Allophyles are put to flight, and young women come to meet him, even those who are like eagles, saying: Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands (1 Samuel 18:7). This is evidence that the victors of the world are preferred to the princes of the age. Finally, to dead kings, the martyrs succeed with the honor of the eternal kingdom of heavenly grace; and those become supplicants, these are patrons.

13. There is also another sword of Goliath (1 Samuel 21:9), another weapon of the devil, namely the speech of heretics, which a man skilled in singing takes up in order to conquer the adversary, hearing his wars, not enduring, nor moved by any wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14), not knowing the hunger for the word (Amos 8:11), and being satisfied with the abundance of heavenly Scripture, who does not hesitate to provoke the heretic who echoes empty voices. Then let the weak one wait, so as not to cause disadvantage to the others in unequal encounter. Let David come, to whom Christ may open his mouth for speaking of mysteries. Let that Nazarene come, whose hair does not fall, having nothing superfluous that can fall, or nothing to lose from his higher virtues, whole in sobriety, strong in peace, who keeps all his senses and words until the end.

14. The Gospel shall be proclaimed, so that the world may be destroyed. Just as the preaching of the Gospel went forth into the entire world (Matthew 24:14), to which the Goths and Armenians have now also believed, and therefore we see the end of the world: so also the Gospel is preached by a spiritual man, when he executes all the progress of wisdom and all virtues, with a singing mind and spirit, destroying the final death; for then the end will be, when Christ delivers the kingdom to God the Father, and when this man will be subject to Him who subjected all things to Himself, so that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:25). And the Gospel will be preached in all cities, that is, the cities of Judea; For God is known in Judea (Ps. 75:1). For then the cities of Judea are built, when the foundations of virtues are laid.

(Vers. 20.)

(Verse 20) When you see Jerusalem surrounded by an army.

15. Truly, Jerusalem was besieged by an army, and conquered by a Roman leader. Hence the Jews believed that the abomination of desolation was then done, because the Romans, mocking the Jewish rite of observance, threw a pig's head into the temple. Which I would not say even in madness. For the abomination of desolation is the accursed arrival of the Antichrist; because it contaminates the innermost parts of minds with sacrilegious and unfortunate practices: sitting next to history in the temple, in order to claim for himself the divine throne of power alone. But the spiritual interpretation is beautifully supported, because by discussing from the Scriptures that he is Christ, he desires to confirm the trace of his own unfaithfulness in the emotions of each individual.

Then the desolation will approach, because many who have strayed from the true religion will fall into error. Then will come the day of the Lord, which the Apostle clearly explained, saying (II Thess. II et seq.), that we should not be afraid as if the day of the Lord is imminent; let no one deceive us in any way: because unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God.


Therefore, he will sit in the temple, and in the inner temple of the Jews who deny Christ: in a temple not inviolable, but susceptible to corruption, which either the downfall of infidelity will involve, or the force of anger will overthrow, or the fire of desires will consume. And then the day of the Lord will come, and the days will be shortened for the sake of the chosen ones (Matthew 24:22): because just as the first coming of the Lord was for the redemption of sins, so the second is for the reprimand of offenses, lest more people should be led astray by the error of infidelity.


18. Then pseudo-prophets, then famine. Recall to me the times of Elijah, and you will find then prophets of confusion, then Jezebel, then famine, then the dryness of the earth. By what reason? Because iniquity had abounded, charity had grown cold (Matt. XXIV, 12). In short, the just man is in the desert, the unjust man is in the kingdom.

19. Another Antichrist is the author of this, the devil indeed, who seeks to besiege my Jerusalem, my soul, certainly the soul of God, the peaceful soul, with the army of his legion. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world, of these dark powers (Ephesians 6:12). Then there is a departure when the soul departs from itself: and again when it considers the Lord, it trembles and is troubled. Then when Antichrist holds sway over the hearts of men, injustice exults, iniquity reigns. Then faith is rare, so much so that the Lord himself, as if doubting, will ask: 'When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?' (Luke 18:8), either in our own land or throughout the world. Similarly, elsewhere it is written: 'The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God' (Psalm 14:2). Not because God doubts, but because faith will be so rare among men that it will, according to human opinion, appear to be in doubt.


Therefore, when the devil is in the midst of the temple, there is the desolation of abomination, according to the prophet Daniel (Dan. IX, 27): but when the spiritual presence of Christ shines upon everyone who labors for Him, the wicked is removed from their midst, and begins the reign of justice which empties the minds of the faithful of all dominion.

21. There is also a third Antichrist, either Arius or Sabellius; indeed, all who deceive us with their corrupt interpretation are Antichrists. And therefore, let him who reads understand (Matt. XXIV, 15): whoever understands, will not be deceived, so as to believe falsehoods instead of truths, just like the Jews who denied the true Christ; hence it follows that those who are false will believe him to be true: similarly, the Arians will not deny that Christ is the Antichrist.


(Vers. 23.)

(Verse 23) Woe to those who are pregnant and nursing infants in those days!

22. Therefore, is conception criminal? But the rewards of marriage are children. And how did the Lord bless Sarah, and she gave birth? How did Hannah pray, and she conceived? How did Rachel receive blessed children? Did the prophets make mistakes, since the Lord cannot err? But the Lord also spoke in the prophets, and therefore they could not err. So, who will be able to reconcile the discord of letters?

23. But because there is war there, let us turn to the spirit of peace; For Pax has said: A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow because her hour has come; but when she has delivered the child, she remembers the sorrow no more. You have again what follows: And now, indeed, you have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice (John 16:21-22); that he might show that the perfect should rejoice, the weak should tremble, as if still uncertain and fearful. But even here in what was said before: They ate and drank, they married and led wives (Luke 17: 27), namely binding themselves to this life and binding themselves with secular anxieties. These, therefore, are the pregnant ones to whom woe is said, who stretch the field of their own flesh and in whom the steps of the innermost souls grow sluggish, exhausted of virtues and fertile in vices.

24. But not all of them who are pregnant with condemnation are able to give birth yet to the processes undertaken in good deeds. For there are also those who conceive of the fear of God, who say: 'We have conceived and given birth because of your fear' (Isaiah 26:18). But not everyone gives birth, not everyone is perfect, not everyone can say: 'We have given birth to the spirit of salvation on earth.' Not everyone is like Mary, who conceives Christ from the Holy Spirit and gives birth to the Word. For there are those who exclude the Word as an abortion before giving birth: there are those who have Christ in the womb, but have not yet formed him, of whom it is said: My little children, whom I am in labor with again, until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19). Therefore, those who are still in the womb, give birth as if imperfect: but those already more perfect, to whom it is said: I have begotten you through the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15).

25. Many fathers through the Gospel, and many mothers who give birth to Christ. So who, then, will show me the parents of Christ? He himself showed, saying: Who is my mother or who are my brothers? . . . Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother (Matth. XII, 48 and 50). Do the will of the Father, so that you may be the mother of Christ. Many conceived Christ, but did not give birth. Therefore, she who gives birth to justice, gives birth to Christ; she who gives birth to wisdom, gives birth to Christ; she who gives birth to the Word, gives birth to Christ.

26. There is also she who gave birth to injustice, and brought forth iniquity. Woe to these pregnant women who are burdened in body and are too lazy to escape danger! Woe to those in whom the future birth, in which the entire body is shaken, is accompanied by pain. These are the signs of the beginning of the pains of judgment (Matthew 24:8).

27. Moses also taught that if a pregnant woman is trampled by two fighting men, she should quickly have an abortion (Exod. XXI, 22). Therefore, a virtuous woman should avoid litigation and seek peace so that she can complete her pregnancy. She should not wait for the full nine months, for the timing of childbirth depends not on time but on the fullness of diligence. On the other hand, an unfinished soul is quickly trampled and loses the word it conceived (Sap. IV, 13). But woe to him who scandalizes one of these little ones! Woe to him who tramples upon a pregnant woman! For if he has expelled an as yet unformed offspring, there is loss of money; but if it is formed, he shall render life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand.

28. But why, when the fetus has both a hand and an eye, does it matter if it is expelled? From this it is clear that each one should be condemned in the same way that they harm. For if someone expels a catechumen or a heretic or a schismatic as if from the womb of the soul or the Church, they are punished less severely: if it is a believer, more severely. And therefore, one must be careful not to trample on the Church when contending with such people; for foolish fights and pointless arguments should be avoided, knowing that they give rise to lawsuits, by which the Church, like a pregnant woman, is crushed by the trampling of the whole body (2 Timothy 2:16).


So quickly fill your stomach, so that you can give birth faster. Listen to how you fill it, and with what you fill it: He says, 'A man filled his stomach with the fruit of his mouth: but he will be satisfied with the fruit of his lips.' (Prov. XVIII, 20).

30. He also taught me that sublime judgment of Solomon and that contention between two women, namely that even though they have already given birth to their children and have experienced the pain of childbirth, they still fear for the safety of their offspring. This is because the sleep of the nourisher can be overtaken by drunkenness and the mother, in her stupor, may accidentally smother her little one, denying her own child and seeking another's. But even she who does not kill her son is still in danger because her judgment remains uncertain (III Kings 3:25).


31. Therefore, let us also, so that the day of judgment or death does not find us like unfinished parents of our works, we hasten to wean our little ones. Isaac, when he was weaned, was not subject to the sleep of his mother; and therefore Abraham prepared a great feast when he weaned his son (Gen. XXI, 8). David, when he was weaned, hopes for the reward of his soul (Psal. CXXX, 2); for he was not, like the Corinthians in the beginning of faith, still weak with stronger food, but had already grown up with solid bread to the fullness of perfect age (I Cor. III, 2). Therefore, it is not enough to have care for procreation unless there is the ability to nourish.

Therefore, let the word of God grow in you, just as it did in Mary, and may wisdom and age advance. This happens when you keep all the words of righteousness in your heart and do not wait for the time of old age. Instead, in your youth, be betrothed to a righteous man and quickly conceive, quickly give birth, quickly nurture wisdom without the corruption of your body. See for yourself Paul, who was persecuting yesterday, believing today, and preaching tomorrow (Acts 9:21).


33. Pray that your flight may not be in winter, or on a sabbath (Matthew, XXIV, 20). Since the Lord will come on the day of judgment, before whom the fire will burn; but fire either burns the same or more quickly in summer: how then does He advise us to pray that our flight may not be in winter; unless it be because one who flees to the mountains ought to fear the cold and ice, the storms and hailstorms of his sins, and desire the calmness of the summer light, lest the unsteady steps of his weak body slip on a slippery path.


34. And then she, now secure in her progress, now rejoices supported by firm roots, saying: Winter has passed, the time of pruning has come (Song of Songs 2:11-12); for in the winter the wind strips the trees of their honor, and the harshness of the cold kills the delicate leaves like the appearance of death; but in truth the seeds rise again, and like a new summer, the youth of the flourishing nature grows. In truth, Easter is when I am saved; Pentecost is in the summer, when we celebrate the glory of the resurrection as if it were the future.


35. It should also be prayed that on the Sabbath, that is, coming upon you while you are at rest from work, the Lord may find you. And therefore, according to the Law, work day by day, and be fervent in spirit, and diligent in labor. Do not consider it idle, because it is written: On the Sabbath you shall humble your soul (Lev. 16:29); and because the people endured captivity for seventy years, then religion was violated, liberty was crushed, and chastity was wounded. Therefore, it is then that you must migrate from this life, when virtues flourish, vices are held captive; not when the soul is captive, the body lacks strength and virtue, and sins reign.


(Vers. 25.)

(Verse 25) And there will be signs in the sun, and moon, and stars.

36. And the true series of prophecies, and the complete cause of the mystery, that both the captive Jews will be led for the second time into Babylon and Assyria, and captives will be in the whole world, because they denied Christ: and Jerusalem, which is visible, will be trampled by a hostile army, with the Jews falling by the edge of the sword: and all of Judea will be subjected to the nations believing in the spiritual sword, which is the sharp word: and different signs will occur in the sun and moon and stars.


37. The signs that are expressed more clearly according to Matthew are: Then, he says, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall (Matt. 24:29). Indeed, with many people lacking religion, the clear faith will be obscured by the cloud of unbelief; because for me that heavenly sun is either diminished or increased by my faith. Just as if many people were to look at the rays of the worldly sun, it appears either paler or brighter according to the capacity of the viewer: so for each believer, a spiritual light is infused according to their devotion. And just as when the moon is in opposition to the sun, it disappears through the regular flow of the menstrual cycle or through the alignment of the earth, so too the holy Church, when the vices of the flesh oppose the heavenly light, cannot receive the divine radiance of Christ's rays. For in persecutions, the love of this life often excludes the light of God alone.

38. The stars will fall, those certainly shining with the glory of resurrection, those men like luminaries in the world holding the word of life, those men of whom it was said to Abraham, 'For as the sky shines and the stars, so shall his descendants be' (Gen. XIII, 16). Therefore, the patriarchs will fall to men, the prophets will fall, if the bitterness of persecution increases: which must happen until the Church is filled with all virtues and fullness in each; for in this way the good are proven, the weak are revealed. Therefore, the various passions of the soul will be so heavy that with the multitude of sins, the guilty conscience and the fear of the future judgment, the sacred dew of the fountain within us will dry up; for deceit drips, faith drips.

(Vers. 26, 27.)

(Verse 26, 27.) For the powers in heaven will be shaken, and then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.

Perhaps, just as the coming of the Lord is awaited, so that his presence may be experienced in the whole world or in the whole human race, which certainly happens in individuals when they receive Christ with all their feelings, in the same way, with the coming and return of the Savior, the virtues of the heavens must necessarily obtain an increase of grace, for the Lord is the source of virtues, and they must be moved closer by the overflowing of divinity in order to reach their fullness.

There are also virtues of the heavens that declare the glory of God (Psalms 19:1), which are moved by a more complete infusion of Christ, spiritual virtues, which see Christ. David taught us how these virtues are moved, saying: Come to him, and be enlightened (Psalms 33:6). Paul also taught us how to see Christ (2 Corinthians 3:16); for when you are converted to the Lord, the veil is taken away, and you see Christ.


You see him in the clouds. Indeed, I do not think that Christ comes in a dark gloom and rainy horror; for when clouds are seen, they certainly obscure the sky with a terrifying gloom. And how can he place his tabernacle in the sun, if his coming is rainy?

But there are clouds which, because it is necessary, cover the brightness of heavenly mystery: they are clouds from which the moisture of spiritual grace is sought. Behold the cloud in the Old Testament: In a pillar, it is said, the cloud spoke to them (Psalm 98:7). It certainly spoke through Moses, through Joshua, who stopped the sun (Joshua 10:12); in order to receive the brightness of fuller light. Therefore, Moses and Jesus are clouds. Behold that holy men are clouds, who fly like clouds and like doves with their young. Super me nubes sunt Esaias, Ezechiel, qui mihi per Cherubim et Seraphim sanctitatem divinae Trinitatis ostendunt (Esai. LX, 8). Nubes sunt omnes prophetae: in his nubibus venit Christus. Venit in nube in Canticis canticorum, serena nube, et Sponsi refulgens laetitia (Cant. III, 11). Venit et in nube levi incarnatus ex Virgine; vidit enim propheta sicut nubem venire ab Oriente (Esai. XIX, 1). And he said that he would lift up a cloud, which earthly things would not weigh down. See the cloud, into which the Holy Spirit came upon, and the power of the Most High overshadowed (Luke 1:35).

43. Therefore, when Christ appears in the clouds (Matthew 24:30), the tribes of the earth will fall; for there is a certain order of crimes and a series of sins that will be dissolved by the advent of Christ.

(Vers. 29, 30.)

(Verse 29, 30) Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they already bear fruit from themselves, you know that summer is near.

Indeed, in different ways, the opinion of the Evangelists seems to converge on one point; for Matthew spoke only of the fig tree, when its branch is tender (Matt. XXIV, 32): here it is about all the trees. But whether the fruit grows in all the trees and the fig tree is already fruitful and blooming, so that every tongue confesses to God, including the people of the Jews confessing; we should hope for the coming of the Lord, in which, like in the summer seasons, the fruits of resurrection will be harvested: or whether the branch of the synagogue, like the leaves, will put on a light and fragile boasting of the man of iniquity, we should conclude that the judgment is approaching: for the Lord rewards faith and is eager to bring an end to sinning.


Therefore, this fig tree has a dual nature, either when the harshness softens or when sins abound. For through the faith of the believers, which was withered before, they will flourish, and through the grace of the sins, the sinners will boast: here is the fruit of faith, there is the lasciviousness of unfaithfulness. The cultivation of the Evangelical fig tree promises fruit to me, the farmer: we must not despair if sinners have covered themselves with the leaves of deceit, so as to veil their conscience: therefore, suspicious leaves without fruit. And they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. (Gen. III, 7).

(Chap. XXII. — Vers. 10.)

Behold, as you enter the city, a man will meet you carrying a jar of water.

It is good to consider where the Lord makes the Passover. According to Matthew, you have: Go into the city to a certain (Matt. XXVI, 18). First, consider the majesty of divinity. He is speaking to the disciples, and already knows what will happen elsewhere. Then consider his condescension; for he does not choose the person of a rich or powerful man, but seeks out the poor, and prefers a cramped lodging of a poor man to the spacious mansions of the noble. Go, he says, to a certain (man). You knew, O Lord, his name, whose ministry you knew, you knew the ministry of him whose encounter you knew: but he is designated without a name, so that he may be considered ignoble. Nothing here is contrived, where the person is not expressed, but the cause. According to Mark, however, he carries a jar of water (Mark 14:13). Therefore, here he is commanded to be followed by the apostles.

47. (Verses 11, 12.) And how is the head of the household? In order for you to recognize that the definition of holiness is not wealth. And how does he have a large bed in the upper room? So that you may notice his great merit, in which the Lord would rest with delight in the company of his disciples, enjoying his sublime virtues. Oh, if only I could have the opportunity to carry a jar of water, to carry a pitcher of water, like the head of the household who has a large bed in the upper room. For what is an amphora, if not a more perfect measure? Those who have a measure are not ordinary. Finally, the Lord says: They will give you a good measure, shaken together, overflowing.

48. But what shall I say about water? Over the water, before the very birth of the world, the Holy Spirit, as it is written, was borne (Gen. I, 2). O water, which, sprinkled with human blood, to prefigure the present baptisms, washed the world! O water, which deserved to be the sacrament of Christ, which washes all things, and is not washed! You begin first, you complete perfect mysteries. From you comes the beginning, in you is the end; or rather, you make us ignorant of the end. Through you, the foul odor of decaying flesh is removed, and the decaying organs, besmirched with filth, are preserved for a long time through the sprinkling of salt. Through you, a sweet beverage is poured into parched and hot bodies, bringing delight, health, and pleasure. You have given your name to prophets and apostles, you have given your name to the Savior: they are the clouds of heaven (Isaiah 60:8), they are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13), this is the wellspring of life (John 7:38). You, who are not confined by mountains or shattered by cliffs or depleted when poured into the earth: but gushing forth from within, you either breathe in vital breath, or provide nourishing sap when infused, or supply beneficial moisture when poured over. Do not let the vital energies dry up or deny the customary productivity of the earth. The substance of all elements, the sky, air, sea, and earth, attest to you. Struck by a prophetic touch, you made the hearts of the thirsty people cold; the rock gushed forth water (Exodus 17:6). When you burst forth from the Savior's side, the witnesses saw and believed (John 19:34). And this is why you are one of the three witnesses of our regeneration; for there are three witnesses, water, blood, and spirit (1 John 5:8). Water for washing, blood for redemption, and spirit for resurrection.


(Vers. 29.)

(Verse 29) And indeed, I appoint to you, just as my Father appointed to me, a kingdom.

The kingdom of God is not of this world. Therefore, the equality of man to God is not possible, but rather an emulation of similarity. For only Christ is the perfect image of God, because of the unity of the expressed glory of the Father in Him. But a just man is in the image of God, if, for the purpose of imitating the likeness of divine conduct, he despises this world through knowledge of God and looks down upon earthly pleasures through the perception of the word of God, by which we are nourished unto life. And so we partake of the body of Christ, that we may be partakers of eternal life. For it is not food and drink that are promised to us as rewards and honors, but the sharing of heavenly grace and life. And the twelve thrones, as described (Ver. 30), are not physical receptacles for sitting, but because just as Christ, according to his divine likeness, judges by the knowledge of hearts and not by questioning deeds, rewarding virtue and condemning impiety, so too the apostles are formed in spiritual judgment by the reward of faith and the condemnation of perfidy, refuting error with their power and pursuing sacrilege with hatred.


Therefore, let us be converted and let us beware lest any contention can arise among us regarding preeminence; for if the apostles contended, it is not an excuse, but a caution. If Peter, who followed the Lord's first voice (Matt. IV, 20), is ever converted, who can say that he was converted quickly? Therefore, beware of boasting, beware of the world; for he is commanded to strengthen his brothers, who said: 'We have left everything and have followed you' (Luke XVIII, 28).


51. Then it should be considered that not all honor is defined by the pursuit of humility; for you can defer to someone for the sake of worldly favor, the fear of power, and the view of usefulness. Your growth is sought, not someone else's honor: and therefore the same form of thought is given to everyone, so that there is no boasting about preeminence, but rather contention about humility; and thus the Lord presents himself as an example to be imitated. We needed everyone, he needed no one; and yet he presented himself as the author of humility when he served his disciples. He was certainly not doing it for the sake of utility, but for the exercise of virtue.

52. (Vers. 31.) Peter, though ready in spirit, was still weak in the body and was being prepared emotionally to deny the Lord; for he could not match the steadfastness of divine intention. The passion of the Lord has imitators, but not equals. Thus, I do not criticize him for his denial, but praise him for his tears. It is one thing to share in a common human condition, and another to possess a special virtue. And therefore, he is instructed to be cautious, not forced to deny.

(Vers. 36.)

(Verse 36) He said, “Whoever has a money bag should take it, and also a sack; and whoever has no sword should sell his cloak and buy one.

53. O Lord, why do you command me to buy a sword, which you forbid me to strike with? Why do you tell me to have what you forbid me to draw? Unless perhaps it is for the purpose of defense, not necessary vengeance; and I may seem able to be avenged, but unwilling. However, the law does not forbid retaliation, and therefore perhaps you offer two swords to Peter: 'It is enough' (Luke 22:38), you say, as if it were allowed until the Gospel; so that there may be instruction in the law of equity, and perfection in the Gospel of goodness.


54. (Verse 37.) Many consider this unfair: but the Lord is not unfair, who, when He could avenge Himself, preferred to be sacrificed. For it is a spiritual sword, to sell your property, to buy the word by which the naked innermost thoughts are clothed. There is also the sword of passion, to divest the body, and with the stripped-off garments of the slaughtered flesh, a sacred crown of martyrdom is bought for you: which you can gather from the blessings of the Lord, who preached the highest crown of all, if anyone suffers persecution for righteousness. Finally, to let you know that he was talking about his passion, so as not to disturb the minds of the disciples, he gave an example of himself, saying: Because this that is written must be fulfilled in me, that is, he was reckoned among the transgressors.

However, it still moves me that the disciples have brought two swords; lest perhaps one is new, the other of the old Testament, with which we arm ourselves against the snares of the devil? Finally, the Lord says: It is enough, as if nothing is lacking to him whom the teaching of both Testaments has fortified.

(Vers. 42, 43.)

(Verse 42, 43.) Father, if it is possible, take this cup away from me.

56. Most people cling to this argument in this place, who are inclined to sadness at the evidence of unfamiliar salvation rather than at the time of their own weakness, and desire to twist the natural meaning of the statement. However, I not only do not think that he should be excused, but I also admire his piety and majesty nowhere more so; for he did not confer less on me, unless he had undertaken my feeling. Therefore, he grieved for me, who had nothing to grieve about for himself; and removed from the delight of eternal divinity, he is afflicted by the weariness of my weakness. For He took on my sadness, so that He could give me His joy: and He descended to the suffering of death in our footsteps, so that He could call us back to life in His footsteps. Therefore, I confidently name sadness, because I proclaim the cross; for He did not assume the appearance of the Incarnation, but the truth. Therefore, He had to also take on sorrow, so that He could overcome sadness, not exclude it. For those who endure the astonishment of wounds more than the pain do not have the praise of strength: for indeed, the Man on the wound, and knowing, says, 'Surely He has borne our infirmities' (Isaiah 53:3).


57. He wants to teach us, so that because in Joseph we learn not to be afraid of prison, we may learn to conquer death in Christ: and what is more, how to conquer the sorrow of future death. For how could we imitate you, Lord Jesus, unless we followed you as a human, unless we believed you were dead, unless we saw your wounds? How could the disciples believe that you were going to die, unless they had experienced the sadness of those who were about to die? But they still sleep, and do not know how to grieve for those for whom Christ was grieving; for so we read: Because he carries our sins, and he grieves for us (Ibid. 4). Therefore, Lord, the wounds are not yours, but mine; the death is not yours, but our weakness. And we thought that you were in pain, when you were not suffering for yourself, but for me; for you were weakened, but because of our sins. It was not because that weakness was assumed by you from the Father, but it was taken on for me; because it was beneficial for me that the instruction of our peace be in you, and that you heal our wounds with your passion.

58. But what is surprising if he grieved for all, who wept for one? And what is surprising if he, who was about to die for all, grew weary of them, since he wept for Lazarus whom he was going to raise from the dead (John 11:35)? And there he is moved by the tears of his pious sister, because his human mind was touched; and here he works with deep affection, so that just as he was destroying our sins in his flesh, he might also abolish the sorrow of our soul, his own soul's sorrow. And perhaps for this reason he is sad, because after the fall of Adam it was necessary for us to depart from this world by such a passing, that it would be necessary to die: for God did not make death, nor does he delight in the destruction of the living (Wisdom 1:13); and therefore, he despises what he himself did not make.


59. Finally he says: Take away from me that cup, as if a man refusing death, as if God preserving his own judgment; for it is necessary for us to die to the world, so that we may rise to God; so that according to the divine judgment the law of curse, being dissolved into the earthly slime of the end of nature, may be loosened (Gen. III, 19). But what he says:

(Vers. 42.)

(Verse 42.) Not my will, but yours be done.

60. He brought it back to his ad hominem argument: the will of the Father to divinity; for the will of man is temporal, the will of divinity eternal. The will of the Father is not different from the will of the Son; for there is one will where there is one divinity. However, learn to be subject to God, so that you do not choose what you yourself desire, but what you know to be pleasing to God.

61. Then let us consider the nature of the words themselves: 'My soul is sorrowful,' he says, (Matt. XXVI, 38). And elsewhere: 'Now my soul is troubled greatly,' (Psalm VI, 4). Therefore, not receiving, but the one received is troubled; for the soul is subject to passions, divinity is free. Finally, the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, (Matt. XXVI, 41). But it is not the Spirit that is sorrowful, nor wisdom, nor divine substance, but the soul. He took my body; he did not deceive me, so that it would be one thing, and appear to be another. He seemed sad, and he was sad, not for his own suffering, but for our dispersion. Finally, he said: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered (Matthew 26:31). He was sad because he was leaving us as little ones. Moreover, Scripture declares how steadfastly he offered himself to death (John 18:4); for when they were seeking him, he presented himself to them, he confirmed the troubled, he provoked the fearful, he welcomed the betrayer with the dignity of a kiss.


62. And it is not far from the truth, if he was sad for his persecutors, whom he knew would suffer terrible punishment for their sacrilege. And for this reason he said: Remove this cup from me (Luke 22:42); not because the Son of God feared death, but because he did not want even the wicked to perish. Finally, he said: Lord, do not hold this sin against them (Luke 23:34), so that his passion would be salvific for all.

(Vers. 48.)

(Verse 48.) Juda, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?

63. The great significance of divine power, the great discipline of virtue. And the plan of betrayal is revealed, and yet patience is not denied. You have shown, Lord, who would betray, while you reveal hidden things. You have also shown whom he would deliver, while you say: Son of man; because flesh, not divinity, can be understood. However, the fact that he handed him over contradicts even more the ungrateful, that he, although being the Son of God, yet wanted to be the Son of man for our sake. As if to say: Because of my kindness, ungrateful one, you betray me. Behold the hypocrisy. Therefore, I think it should be pronounced as a question, as if a loving person rebukes a traitor: Judas, do you hand over the Son of Man with a kiss? This means, you inflict a wound as a pledge of love, and you shed blood in the duty of charity, and you inflict death with an instrument of peace? The servant betrays the master, the disciple betrays the teacher, the chosen one betrays the author? This is that which is said: The wounds of a friend are more valuable than the kisses of an enemy (Prov. XXVII, 6). What does this traitor say? Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth (Song of Solomon, 1:1).

64. And he kissed him, he said (Matthew 26:49). Not that he teaches us to pretend, but so that he does not seem to avoid betrayal and to affect the traitor more, to whom he would not deny acts of love; for it is written: I was peaceful with those who hated peace (Psalm 119:7).

65. And when the sign was given, he said, 'Those who came with swords arrested him' (Matt. 26:50); but they did not seize the mysteries of the Lord, only weapons. Finally, he spoke and they fell backward (John 18:6). Where are the legions of angels to me, where is the heavenly army? The voice of the Lord alone terrifies more. He chose it as a sign to demonstrate divine majesty, who reclined in the heart of Christ. Therefore, the crowd lays hands on the one who is willing, and chains are bound. Oh, you madmen! Oh, you traitors! Wisdom is not understood in this way, justice is not upheld in this way.

66. (Vers. 49-51.) And the disciples did not lack zeal. Finally, Peter, knowledgeable in the Law and filled with emotion, struck the servant of the ruler, knowing that Phineas was considered righteous for killing the sacrilegious (Psalm 105:31). But the Lord healed the wounds and revealed divine mysteries; so that the servant of the ruler of the world, not by the condition of nature but by the fault of sin, the servant of worldly powers, could receive the wound in his ear; because he had not heard the words of wisdom: Truly, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin (John 8:34). You have been sold because of your sins (Isaiah 50:1). The sale is due to our sins; but the redemption of sinners is due to the goodness of God. And if Peter, willing (24, question 1, chapter If Peter), struck the ear, he taught that they should not have an ear in appearance that they did not have in mystery. But the good Lord Himself restores their hearing, as shown by the prophetic words (Isaiah 35:10), and demonstrates that they can be healed if they repent, those who were wounded in the passion of the Lord; because every sin is washed away by the mysteries of faith.


67. Therefore, Peter raises his ear. Why, Peter? Because he himself is the one who received the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19): he condemns and absolves; for he has obtained the power to bind and to loose. But he raises the ear of one who hears poorly: he raises the inner ear of one who understands badly with a spiritual sword.

68. Let us beware that no one takes away the ear. The Passion of the Lord is read: if we attribute the weakness of bodily suffering to His divinity, the ear is cut off, and it is cut off by Peter, who did not allow Christ to be considered merely a prophet: but by faithful confession, he taught that He is the Son of God. Therefore, when we read that Jesus was taken captive, let us beware that we do not hear from anyone and think that He was taken captive according to His divinity, taken captive against His will, taken captive as if He were weak. Indeed, he is bound according to the truth of the body, as John said (John XVIII, 12): but woe to those who bind the Word! For those who think only of Christ as a man bind him: those who do not think he is prescient, who do not confess he is omnipotent, bind him. The evil bonds of the Jews do not bind Christ, but bind themselves. And he is bound not in the house of any pious and just person, but in the house of Caiaphas (John XI, 50), that is, in an impious house; where he is also prophesied to die for all. How crazy, therefore, are those who confess divine blessings and pursue the author of blessings!

69. They lose their ear because they have lost the power of hearing. Many do not have the power of hearing, who think they have it. In the Church, all have it; outside the Church, they do not have it. Or perhaps the ear was taken away so that those who could not keep what they heard would not sin further by listening. And sometimes God confused the languages of those building the tower, so that they could not hear each other and increase the work of their impiety (Gen. XI, 7).

70. Understand, if you can, how the pain of a healthy right hand escaping touch flees, and wounds are healed not by ointment but by touch. The clay recognizes its potter, and the flesh follows the hand of its Master; for as he wills, the Creator restores his work. Thus elsewhere does sight return to the blind man, when mud spread over his eyes as if it had returned to nature, is reformed (John 9:6). He could have commanded, but he preferred to work; so that we may know that it is he who from the clay of the earth fashioned the various organs of our body with different functions, and infused them with the vigor of the mind.


So they came and arrested him, who were about to perish with a more severe loss of their pursuit: neither did they understand the unhappy mystery, nor did they worship such a compassionate affection of piety, which even allowed their enemies not to be wounded. They were inflicting death justly: he was healing the wounds of his persecutors.

(Vers. 54, 55.)

(Vers. 54, 55.) Peter, however, followed from afar.

72. And he followed from a distance, about to deny it; for he could not have denied it if he had joined Christ closely. But perhaps in this we should greatly admire him, that he did not leave the Lord, even when he was afraid. Fear is natural, concern is piety. He fears what is foreign: he does not flee what is his own. What he follows is devotion: what he denies is deception. What is shared is what slips away: what is of faith is what he regrets. Now a fire was burning in the high priest's courtyard: Peter approached to warm himself; because with the Lord locked away, the heat of his mind had also cooled in him.


73. (Verse 56.) What does it mean that the first witness proclaims him, when men could certainly recognize him more; unless it seemed that this sex had sinned unto the death of the Lord, so that this sex might be redeemed through the passion of the Lord? And therefore, the woman receives the first mystery of the resurrection (John 20:17), and she keeps the commandments; in order to abolish the ancient error of transgression.

74. (Verse 57.) Therefore, Peter, betrayed, denies; let us suppose that Peter denies, because the Lord said: Thrice you will deny me (Matthew 26:34)? And I would rather have Peter deny than the Lord be deceived. What did he deny? What he promised rashly. He considered devotion, not the condition. He was punished because he said he would lay down his life (John 13:37): which is not a weakness of humanity but a power of divinity. When he paid such a heavy penalty for his imprudent words, how great is the punishment for his betrayal!


75. Where, however, did Peter deny? Not on the mountain, not in the temple, not in his own house: but in the praetorium of the Jews, in the house of the high priest. There he denies, where the truth is not: there he denies, where Christ is captured, where Jesus is bound. What, if not he who was led in by the doorkeeper, questioned by the doorkeeper (John 18:17), and by the doorkeeper of the Jews? Eve led Adam astray, and the woman led Peter astray. But he falls in paradise, where there is no venial sin: here in the praetorium of the Jews, where innocence is difficult. That mistake was forbidden, this error was predicted. That was entrusted to this, this one resolved it.

76. Let us also consider in what state he denied. 'It was cold,' he says (cf. John 18). If we consider the temperature, it could not have been cold: but it was cold where Jesus was not recognized, where there was no one to see the light, where the consuming fire was denied. Therefore, it was cold of the mind, not of the body. In the end, Peter was standing by the coals, because he was chilled by emotion (cf. Mark 14). The Jewish flame is wicked: it burns, not warms. It is an evil hearth, which sprinkles a certain soot of error even on the minds of the saints, by which Peter's inner eyes were also darkened. Those eyes were not of flesh and blood, but eyes of the mind, with which he saw Christ.

Someone will say: Do you also condemn the elements of the Jews? I do not condemn the elements, because they are not Jewish, but Christ's: but there is one thing I condemn, the flame of perfidy. This flame I condemn in the Jews, following the divine oracles; for the Lord says: Your silver is worthless (Jerem. 6:30). If the silver of the Jews is worthless, then the fire of the Jews is also worthless. Finally, the head of the calf formed from the fire and gold of the Jews represents sacrilegious leadership (Exod. 32:24).


78. But let us see the sense of denial, which I see to be different among the evangelists. Thus it was that Peter could sin, such that his sin could not be understood by the evangelists. Therefore, when Peter was accused by the servant girl of being one of those who were with Jesus of Galilee, Matthew recorded that he answered first: 'I do not know what you are talking about' (Matt. 26:70). Mark also recorded this (Mark 14:68), as he followed Peter and could therefore know the truth more accurately. The first voice of denial is Peter's; by which, however, he does not deny the Lord, but seems to have separated himself from the betrayal of the woman.

79. However, consider why he denies. Certainly, he denies himself to be one of those who were with Jesus of Galilee, or, as Mark put it, with Jesus of Nazareth. Did he deny that he was with God as His Son? This is to say: I do not know Galilee, I do not know Nazareth, whom I know as the Son of God. Let people have the names of places, the homeland of the Son of God cannot be named, as no place can contain His majesty. And so that you may know this to be true, it is also proven by example; for elsewhere, when the Lord asked his disciples: Whom do men say that the Son of Man is? Some said Eliam, others said Hieremiam, or one of the prophets (Matt. XVI, 13). But Peter said: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (Ibid., 16). Did he deny it there, because he preferred to confess Christ not as the Son of man, but as the Son of God? Surely what ambiguity do we think exists here, which even Christ approved?

80. And take another thing. For when Peter was questioned: And you are one of those who were with Jesus of Galilee (Matthew 26:69)? He shied away from the word of eternity; for those who began to exist were not, that is to say: He alone was, who was in the beginning (John 1:1). Finally, he said: I am not; for the existence belongs to him who always is. Hence Moses also said: He who is, has sent me (Exodus 3:14).

Again, when he was accused of being one of them, according to Mark, he denied it (Mark 14:70); so that you may know that the evangelist gave more to the truth than to grace: but he denied being one of them, he did not deny Christ. He denied the company of men, not the grace of God. He may have denied being one of those who were with Galilee, but he did not deny being with the Son of God.

82. Finally, according to Matthew, when it was revealed that he had been with Jesus of Nazareth, he said: 'I do not know the man' (Matt. 26:72). The same thing is said by both evangelists in the third voice, as we have mentioned; for they both responded with an oath, saying that they did not know the man. And he rightly denied the man whom he knew to be God. Finally, when an oath is made, the response is cautious. For although Peter denied, he did not perjure himself; for the Lord had not mentioned that he would be perjuring himself. But if there is doubt in Peter, how dangerous is an oath!

But John said this because, when questioned by the servant girl, Peter, whether he was one of that man's disciples, he answered straightaway: I am not (John 18:17). For he was not an apostle of a man, but of Christ. And even Paul denied being an apostle of man, saying: Paul, an apostle not from men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father (Galatians 1:1). But lest he seem to bring some ambiguity to the incarnation, he added: Who raised him from the dead (ibid.); so that you may believe that he is not only God, but also man, since you believed in him as God before. He maintains the same meaning elsewhere when he says: For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). He certainly called him the mediator between God and men before he called him the mediator between God and men; for it is not enough to believe both unless the order of faith is preserved.

84. Therefore, the response is consistent everywhere; for the one who said, 'I do not know the man,' it was fair that when questioned whether he was a disciple of the man, he would say, 'I am not.' Therefore, he denied being a disciple, not of Christ, but of the man. Therefore, both Peter and Paul denied the man whom they confessed to be the Son of God. What Peter felt, and Paul expressed; from this, that one made progress. Peter's mistake is the teaching of the righteous: and Peter's stumble is the rock of all. Finally, he wavers upon the waves, but extends his right hand to Christ: he falls on the mountain, but is lifted up by Christ. Indeed, Peter wavered on the sea, but he walked (Matt. XIV, 30). Peter's wavering is stronger than our steadfastness. There he falls, where no one ascends: there he wavers, where no one walks. And yet, even though he wavers among the waves, he does not fall: he wavers, but does not fall: he floats, but does not plunge. And if he falls, he falls on the mountain: but he fell more favorably than others stood: he fell more favorably, whom Christ lifted up.


Again, when he was questioned about his disciples, John wrote that he denied it (John 18:25). And he denied it well, because it was said that he was one of his disciples, whom they had spoken of earlier. For a third time, when he was seen with him, he denied it, and this is derived from the earlier conversation: 'I was not with him, the man you call him, but I have not abandoned the Son of God.'

86. Luke also wrote that when Peter was asked whether he was one of them, he replied in the first voice, 'I do not know him.' And he said well. It was rash, indeed, to say that he knew him, whom the human mind cannot comprehend. For no one knows the Son except the Father (Matthew 11:27). Again, in the second voice, Peter himself says the same thing according to Luke: 'I am not.' He clearly preferred to deny himself rather than Christ. Either because he seemed to deny association with Christ, he certainly denied himself. Certainly, when he denies concerning the man, he sinned against the Son of man, so that it may be forgiven to him, not against the Holy Spirit. Also, when he was asked for the third time, he said: I do not know what you are saying, that is, I do not know your sacrileges.

87. But we excuse ourselves, he himself did not excuse himself; for it is not enough to give a hidden answer, confessing Jesus, but an open confession. What use is it to wrap words if you want to appear to have denied? And therefore Peter is not shown to have responded deliberately; because afterwards he remembered, and yet he wept. For he preferred to accuse his own sin, in order to justify himself by confessing, rather than burden himself by denying: for the righteous man is his own accuser at the beginning (Prov. XVIII, 17); and therefore he wept.


88. Why did he weep? Because guilt overtook him: I am accustomed to weeping, if guilt is lacking to me, that is, if I do not avenge myself, if I do not obtain what I wickedly desire. Peter was grieved and wept; because he erred as a man. I do not find what he said, I find that he wept: I read his tears, I do not read satisfaction: but what cannot be defended, can be washed away. Tears wash away the sin, which shame is too modest to confess with words. And tears seek both forgiveness and modesty. Tears speak of guilt without horror; tears confess a crime without causing offense; tears do not ask for forgiveness, and yet they deserve it. I found out why Peter remained silent, so that a quick request for forgiveness would not cause further offense. Before we cry, we must pray like this.

89. Good tears, which wash away guilt. Finally, those whom Jesus looks upon, weep. Peter denied at first, and did not weep; because the Lord had not looked upon him. He denied a second time, did not weep; because the Lord had not yet looked upon him. He denied a third time, Jesus looked upon him, and he wept bitterly. Look upon us, Lord Jesus, so that we may mourn our sin, wash away our transgression. Hence the usefulness of the fall of the saints: what Peter denied did me no harm, what he corrected benefited me. I learned to beware of the conversations of traitors. Peter, among the Jews, denied, and Solomon, deceived by the company of the Gentiles, erred (1 Kings 11:4).

90. Therefore, Peter wept very bitterly, he wept so that he could wash away his sin with tears: and you, if you want to deserve forgiveness, wash away your guilt with tears: at the same moment, at the same time, Christ looks at you. If you perhaps stumble in any way; because the witness of your secrets is present, he looks at you so that you may remember and confess your error. Imitate Peter saying elsewhere for a third time: Lord, you know that I love you. For indeed, because he had denied for the third time, for the third time he confesses: but he denied at night, he confesses in the day (cf. Augustine, Book I on the Grace of Christ, chapter 45).

However, these things are written so that we may know that no one should boast; for if Peter fell, because he said, 'Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble' (Mark 14:29), who else has the right to presume about himself? And indeed, David, because he had said, 'I said in my prosperity, 'I shall never be moved'' (Psalm 30:6), openly admits that this was boasting, saying, 'You hid Your face, and I was troubled' (Psalm 30:7-8).


92. Where shall I summon you, Peter, that you may instruct me what you were thinking while weeping? Where, I ask, shall I summon you? From heaven, where you have now been joined to the choir of angels; or even from the tomb, because you do not think there is any injury in being there, from where the Lord rose again? Instruct us what benefit your tears have been to you. But you have instructed us immediately: for you, who had fallen, before you wept, after you wept, were chosen to rule others, whom you yourself had not ruled before.

93. Therefore, Peter had tears, which he poured forth with pious emotion: the traitor did not have tears with which to wash away his guilt, but torments of conscience with which to confess his sacrilege; so that while he is condemned by his own judgment and his crime is atoned for by voluntary punishment, the mercy of the Lord, who did not wish to avenge himself, is demonstrated, and the divinity is proven, who examines the conscience of the mind with invisible power.

94. He said: 'I have sinned in betraying innocent blood' (Matthew 27:5). Although the repentance of the traitor is in vain, since he sinned against the Holy Spirit, there is still some shame in acknowledging guilt in the crime. And although he is not absolved, the impudence of the Jews is refuted: when the confession convicts the seller, the wicked still claim the rights of the contract for themselves, and they believe themselves to be free from guilt, as they say: 'What is it to us?' You seem (Ibid.). Truly insane are those who think they are more released from the author's crime than held. In monetary cases, the law is dissolved by the price being paid: these people receive the price, and they pursue sacrilege, and with persistent efforts they claim for themselves the deadly auction of blood, when the seller repays the reward of sacrilege.

Therefore, while the price of blood is separated from the treasuries of the Jews, and the field of the potter is compared to the money with which Christ is sold (Ibid., 7); while that place is dedicated to the burial of the remains of foreigners, and the prophecy is fulfilled (Jeremiah XXXII, 44), and the mystery of the rising Church is revealed. For this whole world is the field according to divine precepts (Matthew XIII, 38); but the potter, he who formed man from clay, as you have in the Old Testament, 'For God formed man from the clay of the earth' (Genesis II, 7), having the power by nature to form and by grace to reform according to his own will. For even though we fall through our own vices, by his mercy, we are renewed in spirit of mind, according to the oracles of Jeremiah.

96. The price of blood is also the price of the passion of the Lord. Therefore, the world is redeemed by Christ at the price of his blood; for he came to save the world through himself (John III, 17): in which, according to the work of the author, it is right. He came, therefore, to preserve through baptism those who were buried and dead to Christ for the grace of eternity. But not everyone has a place for burial, for although the whole world includes everyone, it does not reserve everyone: and if it is a common habitation, it is a legitimate burial for those who now are God's household through faith, but who were strangers under the law. Who are these unless it is said of them: Remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh, separated from the conversation of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise (Ephesians 2:11-12)? But now these are no longer strangers and foreigners; because they have deserved to be citizens of the faith of the saints.

97. There follows an admirable place, where the patience to bear moral harm is poured into the human breast. The Lord is accused, and he is silent (Matthew XXVII, 11): and he is right to be silent, who does not need to defend himself. Let those who fear to be conquered, roam around seeking to be defended. Therefore, he does not confirm the accusation by fearing it, but he despises it by not refuting it. For what would he fear, who does not seek salvation? He betrayed his own salvation for the salvation of all, that it may be acquired by all. But what can I say about God? Susanna remained silent and prevailed; for a better reason is one that is not defended and is proven. And here Pilate absolves: but he absolves by judgment, he crucifies by mystery. But this is specific to Christ: the human aspect, that with unjust judges it seemed more a matter of unwillingness than inability to be defended.

98. But why did the Lord remain silent? He himself gave the answer, saying: If I tell you, you will not believe me; if I ask you, you will not answer me (Luke 22:67-68). However, the most remarkable thing is that he preferred to prove himself as a king rather than to speak; so that those who accuse him could not have a reason to condemn him, as they confess what they object to.

Vers. 8. But Herod, desiring to see some miracles done by him, kept silent and did nothing; for neither did his cruelty deserve to see divine things, nor did the Lord desire to indulge in boasting. And perhaps in Herod all the wicked are symbolized: who, if they do not believe in the Law and the prophets, are unable to see the miracles of Christ's works even in the Gospel.

100. (Verse 11.) He is sent to Herod, sent back to Pilate. And although neither of them pronounce him guilty, they still comply with the desires of someone else's cruelty. Indeed, Pilate washed his hands, but he did not wash away his deeds; for a judge ought not to yield to envy or fear, so as to deliver the blood of an innocent person. His wife warned him: grace shone in the darkness; divinity was evident; yet she did not temper the sacrilegious sentence in this way.


101. Similarly, I think that this is a prototype of all judgments that they would condemn those whom they believed to be innocent. However, it is evident that the Gentiles are more tolerant than the Jews, as Pilate's association with them demonstrates, and they are more persuaded by divine works. But what about those who crucified the Lord of majesty?

102. (Vers. 18.) It is not without reason that murderers seek absolution, as they sought the destruction of the innocent. Such unjust laws have the quality of hating innocence and loving crime. However, in the interpretation of the name, it gives the appearance of a figure; for Barabbas is translated to mean 'son of the father' in Latin: therefore, those to whom it is said, 'You are of your father the devil' (John 8:44), are shown to prefer the son of their father, Antichrist, over the true Son of God.


(Vers. 11.)

And he clothed him in a white garment and sent him away.

103. It is not idle that he is dressed in a white robe by Herod, giving clear indications of his passion; for the great God, without spot, with glory, received the sins of the world. In the figure of Herod and Pilate also, who became friends from enemies through Jesus Christ, the figure of the people of Israel and the Gentile people is preserved, so that through the passion of the Lord there will be future harmony between them both: in such a way, however, that the pious people of the nations receive the word of God and transmit their faith to the Jewish people with their devotion; so that they too may clothe the body of Christ with the glory of their majesty, whom they had previously despised.


104. Moreover, soldiers put on a scarlet cloak and a purple tunic (Matthew 27:27), indicating in one the palms of the martyrs, in the other the insignia of royal power: that his flesh, shed throughout the whole world, would receive our blood for us, and his passion would give birth to a kingdom from us.

105. Also, the crown of thorns attached to His head (Ibid., 29) serves to show nothing other than the gift of divine work, which sought the triumphant glory of God through the thorns of the world, like the thorns of the world, as it were. Nor are there any lack of whips, for he himself was whipped, so that we might not be whipped. For the man, being wounded and knowing how to endure weaknesses, sorrows for us (Isaiah 53:3-4), for us who previously fled from God, turning the whips of fugitives. So patient is the Lord that he would offer his own hands in the chains of fugitives and his own body in the whips of fugitives. Therefore, they reveal an honored outcome for the Jews despite their detestable state of mind; for although they crown the tormentors and adore the mockers, although they do not believe in their hearts, they confess the one they are killing. They lacked the desire for good deeds, but they did not lack honor before God: they are hailed as king, crowned as conqueror, worshiped as if they were God and Lord.

106. The reed is also included according to Matthew's account, when it is taken in his hand (Matt. 27:29); so that human weakness, no longer being moved like a reed by the wind, may be strengthened by the works of Christ and established, and the ancient sentence that was against us may cease with the crucifixion of the handwriting that was contrary to us; or according to Mark's account, when they strike his head (Mark 15:19), so that our condition, being fortified by the touch of divinity, cannot be shaken.

107. (Vers. 26.) But now let the victorious one raise his own trophy. The cross is placed upon the shoulders as a trophy, which either Simon or he himself carried; and Christ is in the man, and the man carried in Christ. The statements of the evangelists do not contradict when the mystery agrees: and the good order of our progress is this; that he himself would first raise the trophy of his cross, and then hand it over to be raised by the martyrs. It is not a Jew who carries the cross, but a foreigner and a stranger: he does not lead, but follows, as it is written: Take up your cross and follow me. For Christ ascended not his own cross, but ours. Nor was that death of his a divine death, but, as it were, human; whence also he himself saith: My God, my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew XXVII, 46)

108. Beautifully ascending, he laid aside the royal garments, so that you may know that he suffered as a man, not as a God-king: although Christ is both, he was affixed to the cross as a man, not as a God. But the soldiers, not being Jews, do not know the time or what kind of clothes are suitable for Christ. He stands in judgment as a conqueror: he comes to his passion as a defendant, humbly.

Now since we have already seen the trophy, let the triumphator ascend his chariot: not seeking spoils from the trunks of trees or from four-horse wagons obtained from a mortal enemy, but hanging the captured spoils from the triumphal gibbet. Here we do not see nations with their arms bound behind their backs, nor the images of sacked cities, nor the likenesses of captured towns, or the bowed necks of captured kings, as is customary in human triumphs; nor the boundaries of victory marked by the end of a region: but we see rejoicing peoples of nations, not sought out for punishment, but for reward, adoring kings with affection for their children, cities devoted to voluntary pursuits and reformed for the better, images of towns that have not been depicted by makeup, but have been colored by devotion to the faith: arms and the rights of victories flowing throughout the entire world, the captive prince of the world, and the spiritual wickednesses which are in the heavens, obedient to the command of the human voice, subject to the dominions of various virtues, shining forth not in silk, but in morals. Chastity shines, faith gleams, and devotion to fortitude rises now, having stripped off the robes of death. The triumph of God has made all men near to triumph, the cross of the Lord.

110. Therefore, it is worth considering how one ascends. I see it as naked: let such a one ascend who is prepared to overcome the world; so that they may not seek the help of the world. Adam was defeated when he sought clothing; he who discarded covering was victorious. And such ones ascend as we, created by God as their author, nature formed: such a one dwelt in paradise as the first man, such a one entered paradise as the second man. And in order to conquer not only for oneself but for all, he extended his hand, so that he might draw all things to himself; so that, having stripped off the bondage of death, suspended by the yoke of faith, he might unite heavenly things with earthly things that were previously terrestrial.


111. (Verse 38.) Also, a title is written: the victors are accustomed to lead the procession; but indeed, a good procession of the rising dead preceded the triumphal chariot of the Lord. Also, a title is accustomed to indicate the number of subjugated nations. In those triumphs, a pitiful order is arranged of the conquered, the contemptible captivity of nations perishing: here, the grace of the redeemed nations flourishes: fitting slaves for such a great triumph, that heaven, earth, seas, and the underworld are changed from corruption to grace.


112. However, a title is written and placed above the cross, not beneath the cross; for the beginning is on his shoulders. And what is the beginning, if not his eternal power and divinity? Therefore, when he was asked who he was, he replied: The beginning, who also speak to you. Let us read this title:

Jesus, he says, the Nazarene, king of the Jews.

113. The title is rightly placed above the cross; because the kingdom that Christ has is not of a human body, but of divine power. The title is rightly placed above the cross; for although the Lord Jesus was on the cross, he shone with the majesty of a king above the cross. A worm on the cross, a beetle on the cross: and a good worm that clung to the wood, a good beetle that cried out from the wood. What did he cry out? Lord, do not hold this sin against them. He cried out to the thief: Today you will be with me in paradise. He cried out like a scarab beetle: God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And the good scarab beetle, who with the tracks of his feet used to turn the shapeless and sluggish clay of our body; the good scarab beetle who raises the poor from the dung. He raised Paul, who was considered as dung; he also raised Job, who was sitting in dung. Therefore, not an insignificant title.

114. But the very place of the cross, either in the middle, as visible to all, or above Adam, as the Hebrews argue, for burial. For it was fitting that there our first-fruits of life should be placed, where the beginnings of death had been.

115. The garments are divided, each is carried away by a different fate; for the spirit of God is not grasped by human opinion, but rather it glides in like an unexpected event. And perhaps these soldiers had the type of the four Evangelists who wrote the title that we all read. I read the title of the king of the Jews, when I read: My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). I read the cause of Christ written above his head, when I read: And the Word was God (John 1:1); for the head of Christ is God.


116. Therefore they were keeping Jesus and today they keep him, so that he may not happen to stumble, so that he may not descend from passion, which the Jewish people sought. To me it is clear that Christ dies in passion, so that he may rise after the passion. He did not want to descend for himself, so that he may die for me. Therefore Christ is already kept for us: for us his garments are divided. Individuals cannot possess everything, and therefore the lot is cast over the tunic; because the division of the Holy Spirit is not made according to human will. For there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;

117. Look now at the divided garments of Christ. Where shall I find them? Look in Matthew, you will find the scarlet cloak alone with Him (Matt. 27:28); with John, the purple robe (John 19:2); with Mark, only the purple (Mark 15:17); with Luke, the white garment (Luke 23:11), for this one He was content with as His portion. How many soldiers, then, did Christ clothe with His garment? But I believe not just four, but He clothed all the soldiers and abundantly provided for all. But let us return to the evangelists.

118. Therefore, these mystical parts, not parts of garments, but qualities, seem to me to be virtues. For one has written more sublimely about the kingdom, another more extensively about the training of the individual, Luke has chosen the brilliance of priestly garments for himself, but Mark did not desire the text of words, finally John wove certain sentences with which he clothes our faith. Does not that which is woven seem to you: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: this was in the beginning with God, and all things were made through it (John 1:1-3)? But Marcus, content with the brilliance of purple, without any embellishment of words, says: The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1).

Therefore, the garments of Christ are divided either by action or by grace; for the tunic could not be divided, namely, faith, because it is not for the portion of individuals, but for the common right of all; for what is not divided remains whole for each.

And the cloths from above are good; for the faith of Christ is covered in such a way that it descends from the divine to the human; because he who was born from God before the ages, took on the assumption of flesh in the later times. Therefore, it is signified to us that faith should not be torn apart but should remain solid.

(Vers. 43.)

(Verse 43.) Amen, amen I say to you: Today you will be with me in paradise.

121. The most beautiful example of a desired conversion, which is so quickly granted to a thief, and grace is more abundant than prayer; for the Lord always gives more than is requested. He asked the Lord to remember him when He came into His kingdom, and the Lord said to him: Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise (Matthew 27:44). For to be with Christ is life; therefore, where Christ is, there is life, there is the kingdom. Therefore, the Lord quickly forgives (Mark 15:32), because he quickly turns back.

122. (Verse 39.) And hence it seems that this is resolved, because others bring in two accusing thieves, but this one accuses one, and one asks. Perhaps this one was accused first, but suddenly he was converted. It is not surprising if he forgave the fault when he turned against those insulting him, he who granted pardon to the insulters. He could also speak in the plural about one, as in this case: The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Anointed (Psalm 2:2); for only Herod the king and Pontius Pilate the governor are said to have conspired against Christ by the voice of Peter in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4:27). Thus, you have it in Hebrews, they walked about in goat skins, they were sawed in two, and they were stuffed into the mouths of lions (Heb. XI, 37); while only Elijah is said to have had a hairy mantle, Isaiah is said to have been sawed in two (IV Kings I, 8), and Daniel is shown to have remained unharmed by the lions (Dan. VI, 22).

123. (Verse 40) How execrable is the injustice of the Jews in the act of crucifying the Redeemer as if he were a thief! However, the good thief is mystically cunning, who deceived the devil in order to take away his vessels. But mystically, the two thieves represent two groups of sinners to be crucified with Christ through baptism: their disagreement signifies the diversity of believers. Finally, one was on the left, the other on the right (John 19:30). The reproof also reveals the future scandal of the cross even among believers.

124. And the Jews offered vinegar (Matthew 27:48). Indeed, corruption of sincerity is drawn from all things that are consumed, so that all things that were tainted would be fixed to the cross. Therefore vinegar is drank, wine with gall is not drank (ibid., 34), not because of the gall, but because the bitterness mixed with the wine is rejected. For the bitterness of our life has been taken on for the sake of the condition of the body. Finally, he himself says: They gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:22). But bitterness should not be mixed with sincerity, so that the future immortality of those who rise may be shown without bitterness: and since immortality had formed in the human vessel, it is separated in Christ. Therefore vinegar is drunk, that is, the vice of corrupted immortality by Adam is erased on the cross, so that it may be absorbed from the human body. We also should pour our vices, which have concreted through the carelessness of mind and body, into Christ: pour them through baptism, so that we may be crucified in Christ: pour them through repentance, so that from Him the pure sincerity of heavenly wine and blood may be restored to us.


Finally, when he had tasted the vinegar, he said, 'It is finished' (John 19:30); because the fullness of assumed mortality had fulfilled every mystery, and with all vices exhausted, only the joy of immortality remained. And for this reason he said:

(Vers. 46.)

(Verse 46.) Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

126. And the spirit that is reserved is well commended; for what is commended is certainly not lost. Therefore, the spirit is a good pledge, a good deposit. Hence it says there: O Timothy, guard the good deposit (2 Timothy 1:14). For the spirit is commended to the Father; and therefore it says: For you will not abandon my soul in Hades (Psalm 16:10). But observe the great mystery. Now he commends his spirit into the hands of the Father, now he sits in the lap of the Father; for no one else can fully contain Christ. Finally: 'I am in the Father, and the Father is in me' (John 14:10). Therefore, the spirit is commended to the Father. But since it is in higher things, it illuminates both the heavens and the depths, so that all things may be redeemed; for indeed, Christ is all and in all, although Christ works in each individual (Colossians 3:11). The flesh dies so that it may rise again; the spirit is commended to the Father so that even heavenly things may be released from the bondage of iniquity, and peace may be made in heaven, which earthly things may follow.


(Ibid.) And saying this, he gave up the spirit.

127. And he handed over well, who did not unwillingly breathe out his spirit. Finally Matthew says: He breathed out his spirit (Matt. XXVII, 50); for what is breathed out is voluntary: what is lost is necessary. Therefore he added: With a loud voice. In which either there is a glorious declaration that he descended for our sins even to death (so, should I be ashamed to confess what Christ was not ashamed to proclaim with a loud voice), or there is a clear manifestation of God testifying to the separation of divinity and body. For thus you have it: Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: My God, My God, look at me: why have you forsaken me? A man about to die separated from divinity cried out. For since divinity is free from death, death could not possibly exist unless life departed; for life is divinity.

128. (Verses 44-47.) Now, what follows shows that the end of the age will come because of the impiety of men. Therefore, the present is signified by the Lord's passion, so that the future may arise. Darkness is therefore cast over the eyes of the faithless, so that the light of faith may rise. The sun sets or retreats from the sacrilegious, so that the horrifying spectacle of crime may be obscured. The rocks split, so that through the steep rocks, it may be shown that the power of the word penetrates the hard hearts of sinners; thus, more easily, those hunters, whom Jeremiah predicted, would hunt for the Lord in the hollows of the rocks. But the opening of the monuments (Matthew 27:52) signifies nothing else than the breaking open of the gates of death, the resurrection of the dead, whose faith in appearance and their example in process, by going forth into the holy city, declared in the sight of those present, that eternal dwelling which will be the abode of the risen. Also, the veil is torn, by which the separation of the two peoples or the desecration of the mysteries of the Synagogue is declared. Therefore, the old veil is torn apart; so that the new Church may hang the sails of its faith. The covering of the synagogues is removed; so that we may see the internal mysteries of religion, with the mind's gaze revealed. Finally, even the centurion who crucified the Son of God confesses. O, the hearts of the Jews are harder than stones! The rocks are split, but their hearts remain hardened. The judge condemns, the executioner believes, the traitor condemns his own crime with death, the elements flee, the earth quakes, the tombs are opened: Yet the hard-heartedness of the Jews remains unchanged amidst a shaken world.


129. (Verse 49.) And there were also standing women who were seeing this: the mother was also standing, when her piety put aside her own dangers. But the Lord, hanging on the cross, who despised his own dangers, commendeth his mother with pious affection. This was not without purpose that John followed Him in many things (John 19:25); for others described the world shaken, the sky covered in darkness, the sun fleeing. Matthew and Mark added, who more fully pursued the human and moral aspects: My God, my God, look upon me (Matthew 27:46); why hast thou forsaken me (Mark 15:34)? But in order to believe that we have reached the acceptance of the cross of Christ, Luke clearly asserts that forgiveness was granted to the thief through priestly intercession, and that the same mercy was requested for the persecuting Jews (Luke 23:45).

Therefore, John, who more deeply penetrated the divine mysteries, rightly labored to declare that she who gave birth to God remained a virgin. He alone teaches me what others did not teach, how, while on the cross, he called her mother (John 19:26), considering it of greater value that, as the victor over tortures and punishments, the victor over the devil, he divided the obligation of piety than that he bestowed the heavenly kingdom. For if it is pious that the thief is granted forgiveness by the Lord, it is much more pious that the mother is honored by the Son.


131. Nor should it be considered out of order that I wrote the absolution of the thief before the mention of the mother; for he who had come to save sinners, it is not absurd if he first fulfilled his mission in my writings to redeem the salvation of the sinner. Finally, he himself says: 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' (Matth. XII, 48). For he had not come to call the righteous, but sinners. But there, in that place; here, even on the cross, not forgetful of his mother, he addresses her, saying: 'Behold, your son'; and to John: 'Behold, your mother' (Joan. XIX, 26 and 27). Christ was being tested on the cross, and John proclaimed his testament, worthy to bear witness to such a testator. The good testament is not of money, but of life: it is written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God: My tongue is the pen of a swiftly writing scribe (Psalm 45:3).

But neither did it befit Mary, who was not less than the mother of Christ, to flee from the cross; she stood by, and with pious eyes beheld the wounds of her Son; for she looked not for His death as the payment, but the salvation of the world. Or perhaps because she knew that through the death of her Son the redemption of the world would come, she considered herself and her death as adding something to the public gift. But Jesus needed no assistance for the redemption of all, who said: I am become like a man without assistance, free among the dead. He did indeed receive his mother's affection, but he did not seek the help of man. Therefore, we have a master of kindness: the reading teaches what maternal affection should imitate, what reverence should follow from children; so that those mothers offer themselves in the dangers of their children, that their maternal concern for them should be more than their own grief for their own death.

133. In this passage, the most abundant testimony is given to the virginity of Mary. For a wife is not separated from her husband, since it is written: What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate (Matthew 19:6); but she who, on account of the mystery of marriage, put on a veil, no longer needed marriage after the completion of the mysteries. Or if we follow moral teachings, purity is commanded in times of mourning.

134. However, it is a mysterious thing that is commended to John among the others who are younger: that we should not receive it with idle ears. For the union of a young man with a woman is dangerous, as is the appearance of youth; lest perhaps some inquisitive woman, neglectful of the mysteries, desiring to luxuriate in Christ, may present the appearance of Mary but not imitate her devotion, as the common people now malignantly speak ill of women who, abandoning their older husbands, follow younger ones. Therefore let the Church learn that it is a mystery, which, having been joined to the elder people in appearance before, not in practice, after giving birth to the Word, and having sown in the bodies and minds of men through the faith of the cross and the burial of the body of the Lord, has chosen the society of the younger people by the command of God.

135. I also wonder why before death we do not find that he was struck, but after death we find it (John 19:34). Unless perhaps it is taught that his death was voluntary rather than necessary, and we know the mystical order; for not before the sacraments of the altar, but before baptism: and likewise the cup. Then let us observe that although his body had a mortal nature, although it had a similar quality, it had a different grace. For surely after death the blood freezes in our bodies; but from that incorruptible yet dead body, the life of all flowed forth. For water and blood came forth: the one to cleanse, the other to redeem. Let us therefore drink our redemption, that by drinking we may be redeemed.

136. (Verse 50.) What does it mean that it is not the apostles, but Joseph and Nicodemus who bury Christ? One is righteous and steadfast, the other in whom there was no deceit (John 19:38-39); for such is the burial of Christ, which has no deceit or wickedness. Therefore, the opportunity for evasiveness is closed, and they are refuted by the testimony of their own Jewish people; for if it had been buried by the apostles, they would surely say that he was not buried, whom they said was buried and taken away.


Just as the body of Christ is covered with a shroud, innocence anoints with ointment (John 19:40); for we find these things distinct not without purpose; because righteousness clothes the Church, innocence supplies grace. Therefore, clothe yourself with the glory of the Lord's body, so that you may also be righteous: even if you believe it to be dead, still anoint it with the fullness of its divinity. Anoint it with myrrh and aloes, so that you may be the good odor of Christ. Joseph, that righteous man, sent the good linen cloth, and perhaps that which Peter saw descending from heaven to him, in which were depicted the species of quadrupeds, wild animals, and birds, in the likeness of the nations (Acts 10:11). Therefore, the Church, which has united the diversity of peoples in the communion of its faith, is buried with that mysterious and sacred ointment.

138. Concerning this, in the Gospel of John alone, I find that Joseph came secretly to Pilate out of fear of the Jews (John 19:38). How did the righteous seek refuge? However, I think that he sought it secretly in order to obtain the body, not to avoid danger. And yet, what is surprising if the righteous were hidden, when the apostles, the masters of the righteous, were also hidden? Come, you as well: whether late or at night, or at whatever hour you come, you will find Jesus ready to receive you, not delaying to give a generous reward even to those who come late; for even the one who comes at the sixth hour is not cheated of his reward, and the one who comes at the eleventh hour receives the fullness of the reward (Matthew 20:4ff). But Nicodemus also came by night (John 3:2). It was night, because the resurrection had not yet occurred. Finally, Christ arose, and the righteous one said: The night has passed, and the day is approaching (Romans 13:12).

139. Joseph, a just man, is called a rich man in Luke (23:50), while Matthew calls him a rich man (Matthew 27:57). And rightly is he called rich in this place where he received the body of Christ; for by receiving the rich man, he did not know the poverty of faith. Therefore, he is rich who is just. Therefore, the just man wraps him in a linen cloth (John 19:39): but the Israelite mixes various fragrances of virtues, and sends aloes as if a hundred pounds, that is, the quantity of perfect faith. And they bound the body of Jesus according to the custom of the spiritual Jews, not with knots of treachery, but with ties of faith. And they placed it in the garden (Ibid., 41), which is often compared to the Church, which has various fruits of merits and flowers of virtues.

140. And another new monument he said, the monument of Joseph (Ibid. and Matthew 27:60). Therefore, Christ did not have his own tomb; for tombs are prepared for those under the law of death: the victor over death does not have his own tomb. For what communion does a tomb have with God? Finally, Ecclesiastes says of the one who meditates on good things: 'And he has no burial' (Ecclesiastes 6:3). Therefore, the death of Christ is special besides the common death of all: and therefore he is not buried with others, but is enclosed alone in a tomb; for the incarnation of the Lord had everything in likeness to men, but with a difference. He was born of a Virgin, similar in nature, dissimilar in conception. He healed the sick, but commanded. John baptized with water, but He with the Spirit (Luke III, 16). And therefore, the death of Christ is common according to the nature of the body, but special according to His power.

141. (Verse 53.) But who is Joseph, in whose tomb is he placed? Surely he is the righteous one. Therefore, Christ is fittingly believed to be in the tomb of the righteous one, so that the Son of Man may have a place to rest his head and find repose in the dwelling of righteousness. And it is fitting that, according to the literal sense, it is not said that another raised from the dead was spoken of by the unfaithful ones; mystically, truly, what can we understand if not perhaps because we read: Their throat is an open sepulcher (Psalm 5, 11)? Therefore, the open tomb is the throat of man, in which deadly treachery and lifeless words are buried, which through age and the attack of some beasts weaken and fall apart. Therefore, on the other hand, it is a monument in the secrets of men, which righteous hardness in their hearts is penetrated by the penetrating word of the Gentiles, polished by the works of faith and doctrine, so that it may present the virtue of Christ among the nations.

142. To whom a most beautiful stone was placed (Matt. XXVII, 60), so that it would not be open; for whoever has buried Christ within themselves, should carefully guard him; so as not to lose him, nor enter into faithlessness. For you see that Peter and John deserved to enter first. Finally, John himself entered before he believed (John. XX, 6 and 8).

143. And it is said that it was carved well in rock (Matt. 27:60), that is, in the firmament of faith, from which the true Israelites sucked the sweetness of honey and the spiritual oil. But the just man, and he who has seen God, burial Christ; for Christ is not buried except by those who believe in God.

Finally, not all were able to bury Christ: although religious women stood from afar, they diligently observed the place in order to bring ointments and pour them out. However, they are both anxious and depart from the tomb and return to the tomb: although constancy is lacking, diligence is not. The gender falters, devotion burns.

Finally, at the time of the resurrection, they are present, and while the men were fleeing, only the women are admonished by the angel to not be afraid (John 20:1-2). The disciples call Peter and the others in earnest, but the later ones come with confidence. Finally, he comes without fear, and the one who came later enters first, as if he had received the keys of the kingdom to open them for others.

146. The shaking of the earth (Matthew 28:2) is a resurrection for the faithful, but a fear for the wicked: for the former, because the lazy body stirs from the sleep of death; for the latter, because they are disturbed by the shaking of the body and the earthly movement, they turn away from the faith and trust in the resurrection.

But early on the sabbath, they came to the tomb.

147. There is a great doubt that arises from this passage; for although the evangelists do not seem to have said contradictory things, they have said different things. For here: 'In the morning, very early' (Mark 16:1); Matthew, 'In the evening of the Sabbath' (Matthew 28:1); John, 'Early in the morning, while it was still dark' (John 20:1), they said that the women came to the tomb. Then here, Mark mentioned two men, one young man sitting in white clothes (Mark 16:5); Matthew mentioned one angel (Matthew 28:2); John mentioned two angels sitting in white clothes (John 20:12) who were seen. Lastly, what seems scarcely explicable, John wrote that Jesus said to Mary Magdalene, 'Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father' (John 20:17). Matthew wrote that the Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, and that they came and held his feet, and worshiped him, as he described in the clearest terms (Matthew 28:9).

148. How then can it be solved, unless the four evangelists are believed to have spoken at different times; so that they mention different women and different visions? Finally, some come with ointment on the first day of the Sabbath, others without ointment on the evening of the Sabbath. The name of these women is expressed, they signify those who followed the Lord from Galilee.

In order that no harsh difficulty of a thorny interpretation may offend at the end, where pleasant things may have been presumed; now consider us about to lower the sails of our completed discourse, since we have come to port: and the ship which has crossed the seas with a swift course, when it begins to approach the shore, is hindered by hidden rocks in its course. Therefore, let the discussion not cling to me like a sluggish helmsman on the sandy shores, as if the journey should be made slowly in the blind shallows rather than swiftly; so that the speech may not open up to us with too many cracks.


First of all, that which is written must be considered: 'In the evening of the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, the Lord rose' (Matthew 28:1). This is how it goes: 'In the evening of the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake. For it was not on the Sabbath day (since they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment) (Luke 23:56); but after the Sabbath day, during the night, he rose again.' Finally, those who came in the morning, although very early, already knew that the Lord had risen.

Thus, it must be observed that the resurrection did not take place on Sunday morning, the first day after Sabbath, nor on the Sabbath itself. For how could the three days be fulfilled? He did not rise in the evening of the last day, but in the evening of the night, as the Greek says, which means 'late.' And 'late' signifies both the hour at sunset and the slowness of any event; just as if you were to say, 'It was suggested to me late,' that is, 'slowly.' He arrives late, that is, he arrives after the appointed time has passed: and even if he arrives in the early morning of the following day, it is still late, when the time for action has already been wasted. It is also late in the deep night, so that if you say: He rose late to work at night, that is, not at evening time, but in the deep night.

152. Therefore, women have the authority to approach the tomb, especially when the guards are resting; and the guards themselves are even more frightened because they woke up from sleep. Finally, even the assembled chief priests confirm that this happened at night, saying to the guards: Say, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we were asleep' (Matthew 28:13). For they immediately seize upon the excuse of fraud based on what they learned from the guards. For John, early in the morning, while it was still dark, indicates that Mary Magdalene had come to him and to Peter, and yet she is unaware of the resurrection (John 20:2); for surely if it had happened when the day was growing late, it could have been made known immediately.

153. It is morning, and still Peter does not know, John does not know. Did the Lord tolerate the disciples' uncertainty about His death for a longer time, to whom immediately an angel, immediately the Lord Himself, sent the message of the accomplished event? And so that you may know what happened during the night, some women do not know, others know: those who observed during the nights and days know, those who withdrew do not know. One Mary Magdalene does not know, according to John (John 20:15): the other Mary Magdalene knows, according to Matthew (Matthew 28:9); for the same person could not both know beforehand and then not know afterwards. Therefore, if there are many Marys, perhaps there are also many Magdalenes, since that is a personal name of places.

Finally, recognize that the other is different. She is allowed to hold the feet of the Lord; touching the Lord is prohibited for her. She deserved to see an angel, but when she first came, she saw no one. She told the disciples that the Lord had risen; she signifies that he has been taken. She rejoices, but she weeps. Christ has already appeared to him in his glory, but she is still seeking the dead. She saw the Lord and believed, but she could not recognize him when she saw him. She worshiped with faithful spirit, while this one was troubled with doubtful sorrow.

155. Indeed, it is rightly forbidden to touch the Lord; for we do not touch Christ with physical touch, but with faith: For I have not yet ascended to my Father (John 20:17); that is, I have not yet ascended to the position that you seek as one who seeks the living among the dead. And therefore, he is sent to the stronger ones, whose example he may learn to believe, so that they may proclaim his resurrection.

156. Just as in the beginning, woman was the author of sin, man the executor of error: so now she who had tasted death first, saw resurrection first, in the order of guilt and remedy. And lest perpetual guilt should bear reproach among men: she who had transferred guilt to man, transferred also grace, and compensated for the ancient downfall with the evidence of resurrection. Through the mouth of woman, death had progressed before, through the mouth of woman, life is restored.


But because constancy is necessary for preaching, and the female sex is weaker for carrying out tasks, the duty of evangelizing is entrusted to men. For just as through Jesus the guilt of women is not only dissolved but also grace is multiplied, so that she may persuade many, whom she had deceived before as one person, so also the man, who had believed rashly before, should recover the entrusted office; so that he who had been unstable in believing in himself, would become suitable for preaching to others.


158. But let us turn to the words of the mandate: Do not touch me; for I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God (John XX, 17). How have you not ascended, Lord Jesus? How have you departed, who entrusted your spirit into the hands of the Father? Or when can you be absent, who are always in the Father, with the Father always? In fact, you yourself said: If I descend into the underworld, you are there. If I should take my wings before dawn, and dwell at the end of the sea, even there your hand would lead me. (Psalm 139:8 et seq.) Or how do you ascend, who are always everywhere?

159. You did indeed descend, O Son of man, and when you descended, you did not separate from the Father, but you descended for us, so that we may see you with our eyes and minds, so that we may believe in you. Therefore, you also ascended for us, so that we may follow you with our minds, whom we cannot see with our eyes. You ascended to the apostles, to whom you said: 'He who sees me, sees the Father' (John 14:9). Finally, when John was searching for you, he knew that you were with the Father. He sought you in the Father, and he found you, and therefore he said: 'And the Word was with God' (John 1:1). You ascended and Paul, who was not content to follow you alone, also taught us how to follow you and where we can find you, saying: If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (Col. III, 1). And lest we think this pertains more to the eyes than to the soul, he added: Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Ib., 2).

So we should not seek you above the earth, nor in the earth, nor according to the flesh, if we want to find you; for now we no longer know Christ according to the flesh. Indeed, Stephen did not seek you above the earth, who saw you standing at the right hand of God; but Mary, because she sought on earth, could not touch. Stephen touched because he sought in heaven; Stephen saw you absent among the Jews: Mary did not see you present among the angels. But why she could not touch him, the evangelist himself has taught us, saying, 'For when she saw you, she did not know that you are; thus you have it: she turned back, and saw Jesus standing, and she did not know that it is Jesus' (Ibid., 1). She rightfully could not touch, what she could not see; for one who sees, touches.

Therefore, Scripture distinguishes between her and Mary. Mary goes to meet Jesus, this one turns back: Mary is greeted, this one is rebuked. Finally, this is how it goes: Jesus says to her: 'Woman' (John 20:14). The one who does not believe is a woman, and is still referred to by the designation of the female body: for the one who believes, she encounters the perfect man, in the measure of the fullness of Christ's age, lacking now the name of the world, the sex of the body, the slippery nature of youth, the verbosity of old age. Therefore, Jesus says: Woman, why are you weeping? As if to say: God does not require naked tears, but faith. Good tears, if you recognize Christ. Whom are you seeking? He says. For the Lord condemns late efforts. But he added well: Whom are you seeking? Not that he doubts whom he is seeking, but because she does not know whom she is seeking; for she is not seeking Christ, whom she thinks has been taken away. Christ is present, how is he sought? Therefore he is not known who is sought, when he is not recognized, although he can be seen.

162. Finally, she saw Christ and thought he was the gardener; for thus it is written: Thinking that he was the gardener, she said to him: Lord, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him. Although her faith was uncertain, her words were not slippery: although she thought he was the gardener, she designated him as the Son of God: although she still did not believe, she desired to believe; for he himself, who raised him, took his body. Therefore, the woman's venerable mistake, who, although she should not have doubted that Christ's body was taken up through the glory of the resurrection, still desires to be taught by Christ, and devoutly pledges her faith to him; so that she herself may now take him away from the earth, and seek him at the right hand of God.


163. Finally, after these words, she is not called a woman, but now she is called Mary (John 20:16); for one thing is the common name of the people, another is the special name of this person who followed Christ. And to the disciples, although they have not yet believed fully, she is nevertheless sent as a messenger. But she is forbidden to touch, because she has not yet experienced in a bodily way the fullness of the divinity dwelling in Christ, as Paul had understood (Colossians 2:9); she has not yet emptied herself of the slippery world, the ambiguous flesh; she has not yet lived the life of Christ. Finally, he stands, not worshiping the Lord, nor holding his feet, like that Mary: in whom, surely, not so much physical obedience is indicated, as the affection of full faith; that he believes Christ to be both man and God: for it is God who is worshiped, and man who is held (Matthew 28:9).

Therefore, the Lord does not disdain to be touched by a woman, as both Mary and Martha anointed His feet with ointment (Luke 7:38); nor does He refuse to be touched, but rather teaches progress; for not all can touch the risen Christ, whom they touched in this life while He dwelled in a body. If one desires to touch Christ, they should mortify their own members and put on the inward parts of mercy like the one who will be resurrected, and not hesitate to renounce earthly things.

165. So what does 'Noli me tangere' (John 20:17) mean? Do not touch me, but go to my brothers, that is, to the more perfect ones. For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:50). Because the resurrection can only be understood by the more perfect, the foundation of this faith is preserved specifically by the more grounded: But I do not permit women to teach in the Church, let them ask their husbands at home (1 Corinthians 14:35). So they are sent to those who are at home: and she received the written commands (I Tim. II, 12).

And it is not without reason that some have understood that Christ did not want to be touched in this place, because he had not yet received the sign which he had entrusted to the Father, as if he should not yet be touched.

I ascend to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your God (John 20:17). He distinguished well because he was speaking to a woman; for our nature is not common with Christ, except in human condition. To Him the Father by His own generation, to us by voluntary adoption; to Him by nature, to us by grace; to Him God by the unity of the mystery, to us by heavenly power.

Someone says: How, then, did Thomas, though he did not yet believe, touch Christ? (Ibid., 27) But it seems that he doubted not about the resurrection of the Lord, but about the quality of the resurrection; and he required to touch with his own hand, just as Paul taught; For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality (II Cor. XV, 53); so that the unbeliever may believe, and the doubter may not be able to doubt: for we more readily believe what we see. However, Thomas had a reason to admire when he saw a body inserted inside all the closed and impassable structures, with no damage; and therefore it is amazing how the corporal nature has penetrated through an impenetrable body, with an invisible entrance but a visible appearance: easy to touch, difficult to estimate.

169. (Vers. 37, 39.) Finally, the disturbed disciples believed that they were seeing a spirit; and therefore the Lord, in order to show us the appearance of the resurrection: Touch, he said, and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have. Therefore, he penetrated not through an incorporeal nature, but through the quality of a resurrected body, impermeable to use and closed. For what is touched is a body: what is felt is a body: but we will rise in a body: For there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body (I Cor. XV, 44); but the former is more refined, the latter more dense, since it is still concreted by the quality of earthly corruption.


170. For how could He not offer to touch the body in which the marks of wounds remained, the traces of scars which the Lord displayed? In this body He not only strengthens faith, but also sharpens devotion; He chose to bear the wounds inflicted for us, He did not choose to abolish them; so that He could show to God the Father the price of our freedom. The Father places such a one at His right hand, embracing the trophies of our salvation: there He will show us such martyrs with their scars as a crown.


171. And since our discussion has reached this point, let us consider for what reason the apostles believed according to John, who rejoiced (John 20:20), whereas according to Luke they were rebuked as unbelieving (Verse 25). There they received the Holy Spirit, here they are commanded to wait in the city until they are clothed with power from on high (Verse 49). And it seems to me that the former, as an apostle, touched on greater and loftier things, while the latter dealt with what follows and is closer to human matters. The former used a concise style, since there can be no doubt about him who bears witness concerning those events in which he himself was present (John 19:35), and his witness is true. From this also it is reasonable to ward off any suspicion of either negligence or falsehood from the one who merited to be an evangelist. And therefore we think both are true, not distinguished by a variety of opinions or a diversity of persons. For although in the beginning Luke says that they did not believe, he later demonstrates that they did believe: and if we consider the first [accounts], they are contrary; if we consider the following [accounts], it is certain that they agree. Let us therefore consider the very words of Scripture.


172. (Verses 35-37.) Thus says John: And the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. He said to them again: Peace be with you, as the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you retain, they are retained (John 20:20, et seq.). But Luke says: And how they recognized him in the breaking of the bread. But while they were speaking these things, he stood in their midst and said to them, \"Peace to you, it is I, do not be afraid.\" But they were troubled and frightened, thinking that they saw a spirit. And there could have been more here: but because this was late in the day of the resurrection (for in the evening of that day when those who had entered remained with the Lord, where He suddenly disappeared, those two were reported to have returned to the disciples at the same hour when the Lord presented Himself to be touched) and according to John on that late day, on the first day of the week, He appeared to the disciples and showed them His wounds to be touched (John 20:19); in order to remove any ambiguity, we thought it necessary to investigate more diligently.


For it seems that he showed them separately to these eleven, just as he had shown himself separately to Ammaon and Cleophas in the evening; and just as these two, so also those eleven seem to have been able to come together to confirm the others. In the end, they were also confused, as you have according to Luke; and therefore, he opened their minds so that they understood the things that were written. It is without a doubt that he wrote this more extensively, and that one more succinctly. For how could they say that only Cephas saw him, if he was seen by everyone? But just as from the women: first Mary and then the other Mary; so too from the men: Peter was seen in the early morning. And Paul says: For I delivered to you first of all, that Christ died according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he was seen by Cephas (I Cor. XV, 3 et seq.). And therefore, Mark specifically mentions a young man instructing the women to tell Peter and the disciples that the Lord has risen (Mark XVI, 5 et 7).


So Peter, therefore, saw the Lord alone; for he always believed that devout and ready devotion, and therefore he strove to gather more frequent signs of faith. Sometimes with John, sometimes alone, yet he ran eagerly everywhere, either alone or first: not satisfied with seeing what he had seen, he repeated the things to be looked at, and inflamed by the love of seeking the Lord, he is not satisfied with seeing. He sees him alone, he sees him with the eleven, he sees him with the seventy, he sees him even when Thomas believed, he sees him while fishing: but not content with having seen, impatient of desire, neglectful of capture, unmindful of danger, but still not forgetful of reverence; where he saw the Lord on the shore, he covered himself with a garment, considering it late if he should arrive with the others by boat. Thus, as the Lord walked on the waves, forgetting the nature of the sea, he appeared (Matthew 14:28): thus, as the Lord was being held by the Jews, he alone wielded a sword against the crowds (Matthew 26:51): thus, even now, as the Lord stood on the perilous shore, he hastened the religious duty with prompt obedience (John 21:4).

175. There is therefore no doubt that Peter believed, and believed because he loved, and loved because he believed. Wherefore he is saddened also because he is questioned a third time: Lovest thou me? For he is questioned about whom there is doubt. But the Lord has no doubt, who asks, not that he may learn, but that he may teach, him whom he was raising up to heaven, leaving to us his love as it were a pledge. Thus thou hast it: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Surely thou knowest, Lord, that I love thee. Jesus said to him: Feed my lambs (Ibid., 16). Peter, being well aware of himself not being chosen for the moment but already known to God, testifies to this affection. For who else can easily profess this about himself? And therefore, because he alone professes it out of all, he is preferred before all; for charity is greater than all.

Furthermore, this is to be looked at more closely: why, when the Lord said, 'Do you love me?' did Peter respond, 'You know, Lord, that I love you.' In this, it seems to me that love has the affection of the soul, a certain ardor of the body and mind, and I believe that Peter's fervor not only marks the devotion of his soul, but also of his body in worshiping God. Finally, the third time, the Lord asked not, 'Do you love me?' but 'Do you love me?' (John 21:17). And now, he is not commanded to feed infants, as before, with a kind of milk, nor young sheep as before, but to feed mature sheep, so that he may govern the more perfect ones as he is more perfect.


177. And therefore, as if having been perfected in all things, which the flesh could no longer recall from the glory of the passion, a crown is awarded: 'When you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go' (John 21:18). A good old age is not weak for the use of long life, but prepared for martyrdom by the maturity of virtue: which restrains the lasciviousness of bodily pleasures, does not indulge in desires, avoids sweet things, does not seek what is attractive; for the flesh desires against the spirit, and finds for itself crooked paths to walk in the diversity of pleasures (Galatians 5:17). Truly, old age of the mind, which chooses not what is pleasant for the body, but what is useful for the mind: it is not carried away by the pleasurable appetite of the body, but is recalled by the restraint of resisting as if unwilling.

Therefore, even Peter, although he was prepared in his mind to undergo martyrdom (Luke 22:33), nevertheless when danger approached, he was swayed from his steadfastness; for the sweetness of Christ captivates us, the enjoyment of a heavenly gift. For who among us would not choose martyrdom if they could gladly die? Therefore, Peter also seems not to want it, but he is prepared to overcome. And what is surprising if Peter does not want it, when the Lord says: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours be done (Matthew 26:39)? Finally, after the temptation of his presumption, Peter no longer dares to promise constancy of will: but, as if for his own consolation, he seeks the company of another.

179. (Verse 37, 45.) Therefore, we believe that Peter could not have doubted, having been convinced by so many examples of virtue. It is also clear that John believed (John 20:8) when he saw the Savior, who believed at that moment, after he saw the empty tomb. So why does Luke mention that several were troubled? First of all, because the opinion of a few includes the sentiment of the majority; secondly, even though Peter believed in the resurrection, he could still be troubled when he saw the Lord suddenly appear with his body in a place that was locked and enclosed by walls. So Luke, in his historical account, pursued each particular event: he considered the end, while here he focused on the sequence. For, by saying: 'Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,' he confesses that the disciples themselves came to believe what was written.

180. (Vers. 49.) However, he breathed the Holy Spirit on the eleven, who were considered more perfect, and promised that the rest would also receive it later (John 20:22): either he breathed on them there, or he promised it here. And it does not seem contradictory, since there are different gifts: To one is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Therefore, one bestowed another operation there, while here another promises; for there the grace of remitting sins is given, which seems more august: and therefore it is bestowed by Christ, so that you may believe in the Spirit of Christ, and believe in God's Spirit; for God alone forgives sins. However, Luke describes the grace of tongues poured out. Finally, there you have: Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven (John, cited place). But in the Acts of the Apostles you have this: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in different languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4).

The diversity of visions signifies the multitude of angels serving, as it is written: 'And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven' (Matthew 28:2), and 'Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man' (John 1:51). And I hope that with the end of the Gospel, our discourse may also come to a close!

Why does he command the disciples according to Matthew and Mark: I will go before you into Galilee (Matt. XXVI, 32), there you will see me (Mark. XVI, 7); but according to Luke and John he also offered himself to be seen inside a room (Luke XXIV, 36)? And indeed we have proven by the testimony of more than five hundred brothers, and of Peter, and of James, even apostolic, that he frequently offered himself to be seen (John XX, 19) (I Cor. XV, 6). And Luke in the Acts of the Apostles taught that Jesus showed himself to his disciples after his passion, appearing to them in many ways and discussing the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). Therefore, because he appeared more often and in different ways, though he was seen in Galilee, the Scripture did not designate a specified and definitive time: when he presented himself in Jerusalem, he specified both the day and the hour. The more timid ones returned to the inner rooms, while the stronger ones gathered on the mountain.


183. Finally, within the locked doors of the chamber, John brings in the disciples who had gathered because of fear of the Jews (John 20:19), whom Luke wrote were not just eleven, but more (Verse 33); however, Matthew did not remain silent about these eleven alone having gathered in Galilee. Finally, you have it like this: But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them, and seeing him, they worshipped him; but some doubted (Matthew 28:16-17). To whom he gives the power to teach and baptize. He also writes that he appeared to the eleven disciples and Mark at the end (Mark 16:7), when he likewise commanded them to preach this duty throughout the whole world.

184. Therefore, I think this is more fitting, that indeed the Lord commanded the disciples to see him in Galilee: but while they were staying in fear within the locked room, he first appeared to them, and later, with their hearts confirmed, the eleven went to Galilee. Or certainly (I also find that this pleased diligent writers) it is not objectionable if we say that fewer were in the locked room, and a number were on the mountain.


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