Sermon 92

SERMO 92

ON THE SAME WORDS OF THE GOSPEL MT 22, 42-46

A question made to the Jews concerning Christ.

Christians must solve the question posed to the Jews. For the Lord Jesus Christ, who posed it to the Jews, did not solve it himself, but left it to the Jews, whereas he solved it for us. I will remind your Charity, and you will find that he solved it. First, see the crux of the question. He asked the Jews what they thought of the Christ, whose son he was. For they too hope for the Christ. They read in the Prophets, expected him to come, and killed him when he was present. For where they read that Christ was to come, they also read that they were to kill Christ. But they hoped for his future coming as told by the Prophets; they did not see their future crime. So he asked them about Christ, not as if he were unknown, or as if they had never heard his name, or as if they had never hoped for his coming. For since they still hope for him, they err. Indeed, we too hope for him; but as a judge to come, not as one to be judged. However, the holy Prophets foretold both things: that he would first come unjustly to be judged, and afterwards justly to judge. What then, he said, do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he? They answered him: David's. Perfectly in accord with the Scriptures. But he said to them: How then does David, in spirit, call him Lord, saying, "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool"? If then David, in spirit, calls him Lord, how is he his son?

Christ does not deny that he is the son of David.

Here one must beware not to think that Christ denied being the son of David. He did not deny being the son of David, but he questioned the manner. You said he is the son of David, I do not deny it: but he himself calls him Lord; tell me how he is the son, who is also the Lord: tell me how. They did not say, but remained silent. Let us speak, with Christ himself explaining. Where? Through his Apostle. First, how do we prove that Christ himself explained? The Apostle says: Do you want to receive proof of the Christ who speaks in me? Therefore, he deigned to solve this question in the Apostle. First, what did Christ say to Timothy through the Apostle? Remember that Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, is from the seed of David, according to my Gospel. Behold, Christ is the son of David. How is he also the Lord of David? Speak, Apostle: Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. Recognize the Lord of David. If you recognize the Lord of David, our Lord, the Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord of Angels, equal to God in the form of God if you recognize: from where is he the son of David? Observe what follows. The Apostle shows you the Lord of David by saying: Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. From where is he the son of David? But he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant; being made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man: he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. For this reason also God exalted him. Christ rose from the seed of David, son of David, because he emptied himself. How did he empty himself? By taking what he was not, not losing what he was. He emptied himself, he humbled himself. Being God, he appeared as a man. He was despised on earth walking, who made heaven. He was despised as a man, as of no power. Not only despised, but also killed. He was a stone lying, the Jews stumbled upon him, and were crushed. What did he himself say? Whoever stumbles upon this stone will be broken: but on whomsoever it falls, it will grind him to powder. First, he lay, and they stumbled; he will come from above, and will crush those who are broken.

Christ, whole and entire, God and man.

You have received both the Son of David and the Lord of David: always the Lord of David, the Son of David in time: the Lord of David born from the substance of the Father, the Son of David born from the Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit. Let us hold to both. One of these will be our eternal dwelling; the other is our deliverance from exile. For our Lord Jesus Christ would not have deigned to become man, and man would have perished. He became what He had made, so that what He had made would not perish. True man, true God: God and man, the whole Christ. This is the Catholic faith. He who denies that Christ is God is a Photinian; he who denies that Christ is man is a Manichaean. He who confesses that Christ is God equal to the Father and true man, truly suffered, truly shed His blood: for truth would not liberate us if a false price were paid for us: whoever confesses both is Catholic. He has a homeland, he has a way. He has a homeland: In the beginning was the Word; he has a homeland: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. He has a way: And the Word was made flesh; he has a way: He emptied Himself, taking on the form of a servant. He Himself is the homeland to which we go, He Himself is the way by which we go. Through Him to Him let us go, and we shall not err.