Fragmenta in Matthaeum

It is asked for what reason the evangelist made mention of these men in this way. For it would have been necessary, if indeed he said that Joram begot, to say Ochozias: and Ochozias begot Joas, and Joas begot Amasias, and then in the true and proper order to say: and Amasias begot Ozias. But Theodore of Mopsuestia, rejecting the former explanation and approving this one, says: These things must be accepted according to my judgment. For the phrase "as was supposed" which is found in Luke, if one examines the words not according to their surface expression but according to the meaning and the purpose of the writers, is in no way inconsistent with what is found in Matthew. For just as the latter said "as was supposed," since he was not truly the son of Joseph but was supposed so by the many, so also Matthew, having said "begot" up to Joseph, no longer added that Joseph begot the Christ, but "Joseph the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus the Christ." Just as in this way he made it clear by the transition that he was born from Mary, not from Joseph, so also Luke showed this by the addition "as was supposed." For that is clear, that the phrase "as was supposed" is said concerning the Christ only and concerning Joseph, that he was supposed to be the son of Joseph but was not. However, it cannot be understood in the same sequence also concerning the rest. For he went up as far as David, and from there to Abraham, then to Adam. But who would say of the Christ according to the flesh that he was supposed to be the son of these?

Was it not possible to say that he was descended from there, that each one was considered to be the son of the one mentioned before him—for instance, Nathan of David, or David of Jesse, and the rest in succession—but they were not truly their sons? That the Holy Spirit is neither Father nor Son, but a third hypostasis besides these, thus called by the Savior, is clear from what he said to his own disciples after rising from the dead: Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. For it is clear that here too the Holy Spirit is signified, since it is impossible for us to speak of it and call it otherwise, unless we have received from the divine Scripture another name proper to its hypostasis. And the evangelist clearly made known to us its worth in these words, that it shares and takes part in the creation of all things, if indeed it also prepared the temple of God the Word. The Holy Spirit is one hypostasis of the Trinity, and is called neither Father nor Son, but has a distinctive name, to be called Holy Spirit, as the Savior says to his own disciples: Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. For just as it is a sharer with the Father and the Son in the creation of all things, so it also prepared the body of the Savior from the virgin. Instead of: he will make men immortal and free from change, releasing them from sin and from mortality. The patriarch Jacob accurately marks out this time:

For it will not fail, he says, a ruler from Judah and a leader from his loins, until he comes to whom it is reserved, and he himself. And he brought forward these testimonies so as to show also from these that all things came to pass according to the prophetic voices. For the one point, that the prophet spoke of Bethlehem; the other, that in the days of Herod the prediction of Jacob gave its sign. First of all, those from David, from the tribe of Judah, reigned, from Levi his brother, until the events at Babylon. And after these things the high priests themselves held both the leadership and the lineage. And these were indeed from the tribe of Levi, but they traced their lineage from Judah, since a mixing of the Levitical tribe—and especially of the high priests—with the royal tribe, I mean that of Judah, had taken place. And after these things, when Aristobulus and Hyrcanus the brothers came into strife and fought fiercely over the rule, finally the kingdom came round to Herod, who was not a Jew by race; for he was the son of Antipater, who happened to be an Idumaean. And at that time of his reign the Lord Christ appeared, when the kings and rulers from that lineage had ceased.

For this reason the magi proclaimed the Christ as being above suspicion and not being natives like the Jews, but having come from a distant land, so that they might make known to all, through the places along which they traveled, the reason for which they were setting out for Judea. He ordered not only the children in Bethlehem but also those in its borders to be killed, thinking that in the multitude of those who were chosen, the one being sought would also be killed together with them. But he ordered those from two years old and under to be slaughtered; for he suspected that so much time had passed since the birth of the Christ according to the flesh, partly because the magi had delayed on the journey, and partly because he himself had been occupied with royal concerns. Moreover, he also added to the time in order to attain his aim. But the birth of the Christ is not the cause of the killing of the children, but rather the exposure of Herod's child-murder, which then took the occasion to do evil, since indeed those who crucified the Christ did not become wicked then, when they took the Christ, but being wicked they then took the occasion to commit the murder. And on account of this, the children are going to obtain some good recompense, receiving a worth equal to that of the martyrs. For as much time as Herod suspected had passed since the birth of the Christ through the coming of the magi, for that many years he commanded children to be killed. Do not suppose, then, that the birth of the Christ is the cause of the unjust slaughter of the children, but rather the godlessness and impiety of Herod; for those who crucified the Christ did not become wicked then, but existing beforehand and seizing the opportunity, they revealed themselves as they were.

The form of the promise was exceedingly attractive and capable of persuading those who approached it with great eagerness, since from it they were about to receive complete forgiveness of sins. And this too was not without purpose, but as in a mystery and a type; for the camel is counted neither among the completely unclean animals nor among the clean, but holds a certain middle rank and is ambiguous in its characteristics. For to chew the cud, that is, to bring up the food once swallowed and again send it to the teeth and ruminate, is proper to the clean animals, and this is present in the camel; but to not have a cloven hoof belongs to the unclean. And the camel's gait is not divided in the striking of its nails. For this reason, then, John wore the hair of this animal, showing that the gospel call and the kingdom of God which he said was at hand would receive both those from Israel, the clean people, and those from the unclean nations, and that he proclaimed repentance to both alike with equal honor. The baptism of John was both perfect and imperfect: perfect according to the commandment of the law, but imperfect because it did not grant forgiveness of sins, but made people fit for the perfect. Therefore Christ also, being perfect according to the law, was baptized with this baptism, that is, the baptism of John. And he made this clear when he said: For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. It is asked by many, what then was the baptism with which the Lord was baptized? What then is it?

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ became man for the salvation of all, and when he was about to show himself the beginning of a strange new life (in which respect he is also called Adam, so that through him, and through the rest of mankind who rise again, he might become the beginning of that eternal life, just as Adam happened to become the founder of this present and mortal life), he prefigured in himself all things that pertain to us. For just as he died and rose again because we too were destined to do so, so also, since we were necessarily destined to be transferred by baptism, figuratively, from the present life to the life to come, he took care that this be fulfilled in himself first. And he, first of all, having received in the economy of salvation the baptism of adoption, which is through water and the Spirit, showed baptism to be great and precious, being himself truly the first to receive it. He also lived out the way of life that belongs to grace apart from the law, which we too were bound to live. It was fitting, then, that the Lord, humbling himself as one man from among the people, should submit to the prophet and baptist for baptism, in order that he might sanctify the waters and prefigure in himself the regeneration that comes to us through washing, and the adoption, and the forgiveness of sins, and all the other good things that he bestowed on us from our baptism—though he himself needed none of these, being God and the one who takes away the sin of the world. For this reason Christ was baptized by John, not as one guilty of sin, but so that as a man he might fulfill all righteousness; and secondly, so that he might testify to John that he had been sent from God to baptize.

Third, so that through the descent of the Holy Spirit he might sanctify the waters of the Jordan and all who are baptized in it might be sanctified. And the heavens are opened, and the Spirit descends after he was baptized, and a voice comes, so that no one might suppose John to be greater than he; for the one who baptizes is by no means better than the one who is baptized—for neither was Ananias greater than Paul. For this reason the Holy Spirit was likened to a dove, because of the affection it has toward us, since God, though rejected by men, nonetheless again draws near to men because of his own goodness; for in this way the dove also does not depart from its accustomed places, even if those men wrong it by snatching its young away from it. The Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove as being affectionate and loving toward mankind and, though often rejected by you, again cleaves to us and benefits us because of his goodness; for the dove, being an affectionate and philanthropic creature, when wronged by men who snatch away and eat its young, does not depart from its accustomed places but cleaves to them in every way. Through the Father's testimony and the descent of the Spirit the persons of the Holy Trinity are shown forth; for the Father testified from above that the one being baptized was God, while the one baptizing was man. And this, so that no one might suspect that John was greater than Christ because he baptized him. And the Father was the one testifying, the Son the one testified of, and the Holy Spirit the one pointing out the one testified of.

For since Adam, while in paradise and enjoying luxury, turned toward the worse through deception, necessarily he leads him into the wilderness, so that with greater endurance he might relax the devil's tension, and he fasts indeed forty nights and days. When Christ hungered, as it is written, then the devil attacks to tempt him, since he had not at all marveled greatly at the fasting of forty days, knowing that Elijah had fasted so many days. Therefore, taking courage, he assailed him, thinking him to be like that one and not God. We are instructed from the divine Scriptures that not only bread knows how to nourish the flesh, but also a bare word of God; for if he should declare and command me to live even without food, it is possible for him to do this too, if he wills. If Jesus as God had conquered the devil, he was doing nothing great in defeating an apostate angel fashioned by him, nor would the victory be credited to humanity; but as a man by forbearance he prevailed over him, teaching us that one must prevail over the devil not through signs but through forbearance and patience, and do nothing for display and vainglory simply. And the Lord endured the devil leading him here and there, as also those who drag him to slaughter as a sheep, so that through excessive humility he might cast down that one's prancing, being harmed not even in this in his purpose as he ran toward that to which he was challenged by him, yet not being defeated by him and obeying the things commanded by him.

This must be understood in an economic sense—that the devil led him away—since this was being arranged economically because Christ was eager to do it and was seeking it, for the clear defeat of the one who was attempting to tempt him in vain. For indeed in the case of Job it says that the devil spoke to the Lord; and yet who is so simple-minded as to suppose that the devil was conversing with God? But because he willed it, God permitted it, for the demonstration of Job's steadfastness. So too here he attributes to the devil what was being arranged economically for the sake of all, since that one willed it to happen. And he showed clearly that he was not showing it according to actual substance, since it is not even possible to find a mountain so high that through it one who wished could behold the whole world, but according to imagination, as for the most part it is the custom of demons to show—of which there is a clear token: those who are precisely skilled in sorcery show many things that are neither present nor happening as though they were present and happening. The devil is deranged in promising to the divine Word to give what he himself made. And the Lord speaks to the devil in a rebuking manner, saying that we have been taught to worship God alone, not another; for all are his ministering spirits, sent forth for service for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.

It is therefore proper to virtue by its own nature. Salt is useful for many things, but when it has been completely perverted it is entirely useless, since it cannot receive correction from anything else. Therefore it is also thrown outside. So too you, if you take hold of virtue, will also benefit others; but if you swerve toward things toward which no prudent person swerves, since there is no other thing able to correct you, you will also be punished. Just as through light one sees everything, so also those who obey you see through you the works of virtue. He called vice a bushel, and virtue a lamp. What then is it that the Savior says: a bushel under which some place the lamp? Here he calls vice a bushel, and virtue a lamp; and just as those who are about to do some unlawful thing walk in darkness, avoiding the light, so also those who work vice hide virtue under it, so as to seem not to be working evil, but rather good. By saying "to the judgment" and "to the council" and "to the Gehenna of fire," he brings upon them the same punishment; for he signifies neither one thing and another through the different words, nor a different punishment. If it is not permissible to call someone a fool, how did the Lord call people fools? It is not fitting to call a brother a fool; for the word is of anger and not of righteousness, but it is also impious when it is said against a saint. But the Lord rightly calls fools those who are in no way his own and not of righteousness, not out of anger, but out of truth. And Gehenna is the eternal place of punishment and Tartarean. 31 5, "Whoever looks with a view to desiring" in some way pierces the passions while they are at rest through the act of seeing.

Because he wanted to be with other women, he cast out the first, and through this device the men were taking other men's wives, and the women other women's husbands. And he joined the discourse about divorces to the fornicators; for those who dismiss their own wives at random because they want to have intercourse with other women were doing this. And the same applies to the women. Therefore he does not permit the woman who has been cast out to marry, but rather requires that the man who lives with her pay the penalty as an adulterer; for even if in appearance she is outside her husband, nevertheless in the understanding she is his body, once for all in the beginning joined by God in marriage and fitted together with the man as into one flesh. Therefore neither can the man marry another. Is it proper not to shrink from the rivalry against opponents? When it is for the sake of piety, one should rather endure even terrible things and rejoice in them; but if it is some other matter of daily life, one should gladly yield to the one who wishes it and not contradict at all. Mammon is not gold alone, but every fairest form of things on earth. Is the present day, then, one of maltreatment and toil and hardship and pain? The day is for what is needed, namely to be anxious about things to come. But others say that these things were spoken about false teachers and those who mix falsehood with the truth. And just as it is not possible to take the worst fruits from a tree that produces good ones, nor to receive a grape or a fig from those that bear thorns, so it is not possible to hear good words from an evil mind, nor indeed to receive evil teaching from a pious mind.

But having secured the rest so as not to be persuaded readily, he now also turns away those who attempt the teaching of worse things; for every tree, he says, that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Just as in the case of trees, he says, the fruitless one is thrown into the fire, so also in the case of men, the one who does not bear the fruits of piety through his mouth will receive the corresponding punishment. The foolish man building on sand is all those who do any evil, which these do without effort; and the sand is folly; and he calls the fall great, and of those who have been overturned as having fallen from the highest tower; for the unbelievers do not fall, but are always on the ground. Now he calls the servant a household servant, and Luke makes this clear by naming him a slave. And it was, he says, of understanding that from plausible reasonings according to his own measure he believed such things about Christ. For I too, he says, am a man, but nevertheless I am lord of those things whose authority I received. So that it is not unreasonable that you too, having received this authority from God, should by a word alone command the passions to be driven away. For the centurion did not approach him as to the Son of God and as being lord of all creation (for this was not even for the disciples to know at that time before the cross), but as to a man who through virtue had received from God authority greater than is according to man. Hence he says thus: for I also am a man. For since he had said to him, speak with a word, and this seemed to be of God alone, he well added, for I also am a man, in place of:

It is nothing wonderful if you, being a man, are able to do this, having received it from God, since I too, being such, receive obedient subjects, excelling in commanding as I wish. These things he who is customarily opposed to the holy fathers says; but to those who encounter them I leave it to discern the difference of the interpretations, and who is the one who more fully attains the evangelical and true meaning. Since, then, they had opportunity in the meantime to do what they wished against men, they cried out against the Lord as though he were forcing them before the proper time and subjecting them to punishments. It is asked for what reason the Lord permitted the demons, who wished to enter, to enter the pigs. The demons were bringing about the greatest evils for men. From this, many, as is likely, were inquiring among themselves: for what reason does God tolerate them while they do these things? Therefore the Lord, wishing to show to all both what power the demons have against men and that they accomplish far less evil against men than they wish and are able, being hindered by the power of God, provided this demonstration upon non-human creatures. And he permitted them to enter the pigs, so that from those both the rage of the demons and their power might be made evident; and that they who swiftly destroyed so many pigs are not unable to bring about the same things against men, dragging them down and doing to them all things whatsoever they wish. They entreated, then, to pass over to other places, as being unworthy to have so great a good in their own region, fearing lest perhaps they suffer something even greater from the power of the present one because of their own sins.

In terms of the utterance, both are equally easy to say; but what he means is this: you consider me a blasphemer, as one who promises what I am unable to do. So then, if you suppose the saying to be boastfulness, which has been judged by you to be easier to promise—the forgiveness of sins or the healing of the paralysis? But indeed this is harder to say for one who is unable, since the hearers are able to receive the proof of his weakness at close range. For to the degree that the healing happens to be believed under their eyes, to that degree it is easier to receive the demonstration from the speaker, whether he promises justly as one able, or even lies, promising these things which he is unable to do. But what he means is this: you consider me a blasphemer, as one who promises what I am unable—that is, the remission of sins. So then, if you suppose the saying to be boastfulness, which has been judged by you to be easier to promise—the forgiveness of sins or the healing of the paralysis? But indeed this is harder to say for one who is unable, since the hearers are able to receive the proof of his weakness at close range, inasmuch as the healing is under their eyes. So that you may not think that I promise the invisible to men, which it is possible to escape notice even if he does not provide it—which is difficult to promise for one who is unable—this I say and do, so that from this you may receive the proof of my power. They recognize the thing as divine, but they see the one who did it as a man. For this reason they marvel at it as a gift of God and not as his own power.

As he says, if a piece of unshrunk cloth is applied to an old garment, by its silent firmness it tears that garment too; and new wine poured into old wineskins by its own heat bursts the wineskins. They cannot serve the old laws. For you, following the old customs as is reasonable, keep the fasts of Moses, but these men, since they are about to hand down to men certain new and extraordinary ordinances, are in no way compelled to keep these. In due time, along with the rest of virtue, they will also display fasting, not keeping it by necessity under certain legal statutes and old customs as you do. For the fasting of those under the law differs from that of those who fast under grace in this: the former had fasts fixed, which they were obliged to fast whether they wished to or not, whereas the latter fast rather by their own judgment, as seems right to them, pursuing it by choice of virtue. And if the season of the forty days also seems to be fixed, for the remembrance of the Lord's days, yet let us pursue even this fasting rather by our own judgment. And this he said reasonably, so as both to bring down their boastfulness and to show that he does not lead his own disciples toward luxury and ease, but there is a time after which they will display their own courage and their endurance in hardships. And now showing also the difference of the

of the disciples to them, that for the present there is no necessity for them to fast as they do, he says. 49 Since the cities of the Samaritans were in the midst of Judea, through which they had to pass, he said: Do not enter, but pass by outside them; but the cities of the Gentiles were outside, for which reason he said: Do not go into the way of the Gentiles. The Samaritans inhabited cities in the midst of Judea, through which the apostles necessarily had to travel. Therefore he also prevented them from entering, and for this reason he said: Do not enter; but concerning the Gentiles he did not say: Do not enter, but: Do not go away. Through the incarnation he had drawn near, and always indeed Christ God was near. For this dove, even if someone takes away its nestlings, nests again in the same place. Thus, he says, you also, when plotted against by adversaries, do not withdraw; but remain among them until by your teaching you change some to the better. If someone takes away the nestlings of the dove, it nests again in that same place. Therefore you also, he says, when plotted against and persecuted, remain in my faith and do not withdraw at all. And just as the serpent, by fleeing and hiding itself, is saved, so you also, by fleeing those who are about to kill you, will live. He said this so that they might not be bitten by those who revile them. A disciple is not above his true teacher by nature; for what is so by position, being made like to that which is by nature, will never surpass it, but its utmost end is likeness. For this reason he says that the teacher is one, saying that he himself is the teacher.

For teachers among men are a type rather than the truth, since each imparts what he has first received. Therefore one who has become more closely united to the good that has been given would rather pass beyond it. There is no greater insult than this, if indeed they called me ruler of the demons, than which nothing is worse. But Beelzebul, as Aquila and his circle rendered it, means "one who swallows flies," or "ruler of the dead," as we find in the Books of Kings. Perhaps he speaks also of that time when God will judge the hidden things of men and will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And through Gehenna he indicated the perpetuity of punishment, calling it Gehenna as awaiting the penalty of those who receive their recompense through birth. And by the names he showed the great difference of manner, saying here "those who kill," but there "those who are destroyed," and there is no longer any salvation. But others say that John did not send the disciples out of ignorance nor because he wished to learn—I think this is clear even to one who has engaged however slightly with the divine Scriptures; for this was his work, to show to all that the Christ was present. And that too is foolish, that John, about to depart through death to those who had died, sent them to ask whether he himself was the one who was to come and to free those held by death, so as to proclaim the good news even to them; for the one who said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," clearly knew that the passion was being brought to God on behalf of all rather than for all. And in general, if he knew that he was the Christ, he was ignorant of nothing concerning the Christ.

For he knew accurately all the good things that would come to men through him, which things also, as he spoke them to men in various ways, one can see from what the evangelists said about him. How then could John be a mirror, who had such great knowledge about Christ as to say many things about him, and to point him out even when present now after the testimony and the multitude of those words—how could he be ignorant of the things concerning Christ, and suspect and wish to learn from him? And this very thing again is not consistent; for no one wishing to learn so great a matter would have used one of those around him as a witness and teacher for himself. In addition to these things, the present life is the time for conduct, but after death comes judgment and punishment. However, the death of Christ did not dissolve the sins of those who had died before; for the saying that the gates of bronze and the bars of iron were shattered was spoken for this reason, because when the body of Christ was then first seen as immortal, death was shown to have been destroyed. What then? Were those before the coming of Christ wronged? By no means. For it was sufficient for salvation not to worship idols, but to reverence the one only and true God. But now this alone is not sufficient, but the knowledge of Christ is also needed. Therefore one must not say, "Who in Hades will confess to you?" since all there repent and no one is punished. If John is judged according to his birth from a woman in comparison with the rest of men, he will be found greater than all, alone in his mother's womb filled with the Holy Spirit, so that he leaped, and his mother, having partaken of this, prophesied.

But if indeed he is compared, in this very respect, with those who are going to share in the Spirit in the kingdom of heaven, he will be found, he says, lesser—and lesser than the least of all—so as to say of those who are reborn into incorruption after the resurrection from the dead, that he had not yet partaken of so great a grace as to not taste death. But the abundance of the Spirit at that time will be so great among men that not even the one who has partaken of a lesser measure will any longer be able to fall under death. Just as Elijah at the consummation of the present life will come proclaiming my coming manifestation that will be from heaven, so also this man, having given an end to the old things, proclaimed my coming, at which a certain new condition and one in the type of things to come is going to take place. Those who look to the truth, he says, received the conduct of John and of Christ as having been ordered with wisdom—the exchange of lives—for the benefit of those who see; for this very thing he calls wisdom, the things that have come to be wisely. For even if the Jews did not believe in Christ, neither through John's fasting and desert life, nor through the condescending diet and economical conduct of the Master Christ himself, nevertheless he who accomplishes all things wisely, by omitting nothing of what contributes to their benefit and salvation, was justified by them. And no longer, then, do they have anything to accuse him of; for he fulfilled all his own works, leaving them not even a shadow of either ignorance or ingratitude. He calls the Jews wise, either because the oracles of God were entrusted to them, or because they were wise to do evil; and the apostles, infants.

If he is the master of all, those who did not obey and did not recognize the Lord of all are blameworthy. Demonstrating in general the equality of his nature and of his worth, he rightly added the phrase "to whomsoever the Son wishes to reveal"—for since he said above to the Father, "you have revealed these things to babes," introducing here his own knowledge, he declared that he himself is equally with the Father unknown to all, if indeed the Father reveals him to those to whom he also wishes. He added "to whomsoever the Son wishes to reveal," calling the Father to witness, so that through all things—even through what is incomprehensible—the equality and the authority of knowing might appear: the Father revealing the Son, and the Son the Father, to whom he wishes. How then is it that he also demands great exactness? You have not yet had experience of my ways, and for this reason you think these things so. But if you submit to my yoke and believe what has been given by me, you will find the difference between what is from me and what is from Moses to be very great; for from me there is much forbearance and kindness. For seeing how great a mass of sins—murders, and monogamy, and things more secret than these—I am long-suffering and bear with those who have done them, not giving up on them

but waiting, in case they might at some point repent and change their manner of life, I immediately forgive, granting them amnesty for all things together at once. But the law is not so, but as soon as one has sinned it also punishes the one who has sinned, not knowing repentance, and not promising from what follows to forgive one who has come beforehand. Again, when I require the disposition, I am not so much occupied with the examination of what is done, as I am satisfied with a soul that chooses the good with genuine intent. But the law brings punishment even for small things and subjects transgressors to a curse. So the yoke is good because of forgiveness, and the burden is light, because it is not a multitude of legal ordinances and various observances, but the choices of the soul; and before the good, to choose the better with truth and with a divine disposition. 68 He calls the earth here a house, and people the vessels. Since, then, people have become vessels of the demons and of the devil, having come through wickedness under his authority, it was impossible for the demons to be deprived of their own possession, unless they were first defeated and wrapped in bonds so as not to be able again to fight for their own possessions. But this would never have happened by the demons. But if these things, he says, seem to be an irrational rebuke and it is not truly the Holy Spirit that is being blasphemed, then, having entrusted the work to the demon, once for all say it, and declare whether the thing that is done is itself good, or call the thing that is done evil?

But if you do not say this (for it is the worst thing for humans to be ruled by demons, and a good thing for demons to be driven away from humans), how is it possible to ascribe so good a work to the demons, whom you would never say are not thoroughly evil? For the fruit is a mark of the nature of the tree. O, he says, most wicked of all humans and in no way removed from the wickedness of vipers, it is no wonder if you speak nothing good; for words follow the disposition of the soul; but how do you speak auspicious things, having once for all chosen the worse and inclining toward the worse? He said this not rejecting his mother and brothers, but showing that he prefers the kinship of the soul to every bodily kinship; for to the one who thought he was calling him to something more important than the company of his relatives, it was necessary to say this, at the same time also for the instruction of those present; for as he himself said to the disciples: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me," so understand Jesus to me as preferring the disciples over mother and brothers. His disciples asked him for what reason he makes his teaching through parables. And he, showing that it is because of the unworthiness of the hearers, says to you, "To know the mysteries of the kingdom," but to those it has not been given, so as to say that you, being worthy to learn all things that contribute to instruction, will learn also the clarity of the parables. And in addition to these things he speaks in parables, since they are not even worthy to learn because of the wickedness of their manner.

Then through the prophetic voice he convicts their wickedness, as being proclaimed from afar and sung among all—one might almost say—by the prophets. 73 13. For two reasons he was often accustomed to use parables: either because he speaks about obscure matters, so as to make the hidden things clear by the parable as far as possible, or because of the unworthiness of the hearers, when no benefit comes to them from what is said. And there is also a third reason for the parable: that when he says something by way of reproof, he often softens the severity of the reproofs for the hearers by the parable—as when he speaks the parable about the vineyard, and that he will destroy those wicked tenants with a wicked destruction, and will give the vineyard to others; for by saying these things to the Pharisees he plainly avoided the harshness of the words. 74. "Three measures of meal" he means Greeks, Jews, Samaritans; the leaven cast into these three made the whole nature one and its richness; for my teaching made humans, who were divided into these, one in practice; thus also the apostle says: "For in Christ Jesus there is neither Greek nor Jew," and the rest. "Three measures of meal" he names Greeks and Jews and Samaritans; the leaven cast into these three made the nature of all one lump. Since many of those wholly alien to piety suddenly, by divine grace, recognized the greatness of Christ, so as to despise all the old things and to look to this alone as being able to become for them the cause of truth and salvation, this he says (that is, of the treasure).

Then he adds again that many, even those who were exceedingly zealous for piety, having come to know the greatness of the preaching, will depart from the old things—such a one was Paul, who displayed great zeal for the law, but when he came to know its greatness, despising all those things, as he himself says: "What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ." And again: "I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse, that I may gain Christ." By the former statement he seems to refer to those from among the Greeks who are added to piety, and by this one to those from among the Jews. Wherefore he called them merchants, as those who profess zeal for piety through the discipleship of the law. One was Herod the king, and another was the tetrarch, being his son. For after Archelaus had held the rule for nine years after the death of Herod, and then had been dishonorably cast out of the kingdom, the Romans divided the kingdom into tetrarchies—that is, into four parts—whence each of them is called a tetrarch. It happened also that Herod, the son of Herod the king, became one of those, himself also ruler of a certain part, who, having beheaded John, paid the penalty not long after, as it is possible to learn more accurately from the writing of Josephus. Some also called him king, either from the custom of his father or because they used the term still more boldly, whence also Mark called him king without distinction, while Luke, like Matthew, called him tetrarch from his rank.

The reason for the murder, then, was that Herod had taken his own brother's wife—Philip was the name given to the brother—while he was still alive and had a daughter by her, and had lived with her; and John, unable to bear the pollution, reproached him for the transgression. But Herod, unable to endure the reprover and fearing the crowd, because it held the greatest esteem for him, did not dare to put him to death, though he very much wished to; instead he shut him up in prison. When his birthday was being celebrated and the daughter of Herodias danced and asked for the head of John as the reward for her impious deed, Herod at once fulfilled his own desire; for he orders the head of the blessed man to be taken. He made a pretense before those present by the compulsion of each oath, ostensibly grieved himself at what was about to happen. But if the evangelist did not say this, but the opposite—that he was grieved—one ought not to be surprised; for I have often said that it is the custom of the evangelists to tell everything as it happened; for they considered it their own task to interpret the deeds, not the motives. Indeed, by saying that, wishing to kill him, he feared the crowd, he made clear the opinion Herod held about this, since he could also have paid little heed to the oath, so as to have dared a far worse murder of so righteous a man. One Herod was the king, and another was the tetrarch, being that man's son; for after Archelaus had held the

in the beginning, and then fell shamefully from the kingdom, the Romans divided Herod's kingdom into tetrarchies, split into four, and each of them was called a tetrarch, as having rule over a fourth part. It happened that Herod, the son of Herod, became one of those, himself also ruling over some part, who, having beheaded John, paid the penalty not long after, so that one who wishes to learn all these things accurately can do so from the writing of Josephus. The evangelist, then, did not lie either when he spoke of that Herod's death or when he narrated about this one, but by clearly saying "tetrarch" he showed that he was different from that one. And yet some call him king, either from the customary usage of the matter, or because they used the term more boldly; whence also Mark called him king without distinction, while Luke, like Matthew, named him tetrarch from his rank, as it is possible to learn more clearly from Josephus, who speaks not only of the man but also narrates this deed of his and further adds the punishment which he paid for this. Hearing, then, of the Lord's wonders and knowing very well that he had killed John, a righteous man, in vain, he supposed that he had been raised from the dead and was doing these things. Herod the king is one person, and the tetrarch his son is another; for after the death of Herod the king, the Romans divided his kingdom into tetrarchies, and his son had one part of the tetrarchy. This was the one who beheaded the forerunner and for this reason paid the penalty not long after.

He calls the fourth watch of the night the three-hour period after the ninth hour of the night. They were entirely eager to do whatever else the Lord taught them—attending to the needs of the body as it happened, but taking great care for virtue alone. When the Pharisees saw that they took no thought for washing, they brought an accusation, because this matter was not a concern to them; for no one could say that it was altogether their practice to eat without washing. What then does the Lord say to this? Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? And he shows the charge there to be even heavier, not only in that they set aside a commandment of God, but also in that they make use of such a tradition. For whereas God commanded that parents be honored by their children, and that the honor be owed to them to such a degree that he condemns to death even the child who sins against them merely by a word, you say that it is left to the children either to honor their parents or not, and that the one born of him will say nothing improper to his own father by saying, "Whatever you might receive from me, this I bring as a gift and a favor, and no honor is owed to you," when he does not wish to fulfill it. Thus by your own traditions you dishonor the gifts of the greatest God. The apostles did not abolish the custom handed down to the Jews from the beginning, but kept the teachings they received from the Savior. And this too happened to be one of the traditions of Christ: to attend to the needs of the body as it happened and to take care for nothing except virtue.

He called a planting not known to God the offshoots of the Pharisaic traditions, which stubbornly and inopportunely cling to the letter and not to the Law itself that was given by God. Far be it! For let not the Manichaeans add their abominable and God-fighting tongues to this. Since it is also for this reason that he called them blind, as those who have fixed their eye on the letter and do not wish to look through to the spirit and the inner meaning. But the Manichaeans, wishing to show that the Law is not of the Father of Christ, have used this testimony, having gone astray from the truth as far as possible; for he is not speaking about the conduct according to the Law, but about the sect of the Pharisees, who by their own inventions taught those who obeyed them very many things contrary to it, just as the Lord himself above is clearly seen refuting them. This, then, he says: that their system was not established by the Father, but was established in a human way, in opposition to the ordinances of the Law, which the Father set for men through Moses, it will certainly be destroyed, even if they seem to fight against the truth in countless ways. But let not the multitude that follows them frighten you either; for they too are deceived, as is likely, since it is not possible to be taught the truth by one who is deceived; so that those who test what is true accurately ought not to pay attention to the multitude, but to despise both them and those who teach them, considering the truth to be more honorable than all things.

But the Lord, seeing the woman's faith and that she was of another race, appeared to delay the healing, at once showing to the Jews that he does not grant healing on equal terms to them and to foreigners, and at the same time making the woman's faith manifest to all. And observe, if you will, through the test itself her both her stubbornness and her faith. For to choose to be reckoned even in the rank of a dog by the Lord was a mark of reverence; but to think that even the least of his power—for this he calls a crumb—was sufficient to provide the healing of her daughter was a mark of surpassing faith. And to snatch from the reproach her own claim and make it her answer was a sign of understanding. For what does she say? That I give thanks even to be in the rank of a dog for you; for in this she is not a stranger, but one of the household, eating from the master's table—if not of the bread, at least of the crumbs. So great is the wealth of your table that even crumbs suffice me for the enjoyment of what I desire. When the woman saw that her advocates had failed, then again she asks through herself and did not desist, but as to a lord she says, Help me—not, rather, intercede for me. Then again the Savior says: It is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs. And he calls the Gentile woman a dog because of the uncleanness of her life and her greed for idolatry, and the Jews children because they seem to recline at God's table, and he calls bread not only the teaching through words, but also that which through signs nourishes the faithful.

The statement was brought forward for the condemnation of the Jews, since, when the life in the Lord had been given to them as bread, they did not receive it. Then the woman does not grow indignant even when insulted. What then does the Savior do? He made manifest what had been arranged from the beginning concerning the answer; for this reason he was delaying, so that the woman might cry out this saying and show herself worthy of countless crowns; for he was not putting off giving her the grace as though unwilling, but was providing for the unveiling of her faith. And he honors her with praises, since she holds the type of the Church from the Gentiles. And he did not say, "Let your child be healed," but, "Let it be done for you as you wish," in order to show that the power of her faith had forced the healing; and even if she was worthy of more, nevertheless what she wished was given to her. For if he had said this at once when she approached, he would have seemed rather to be granting a favor; but now, since by the delay this was shown from the woman's words, the praise also followed accordingly, being in agreement with what was said, and the healing confirmed both. And for the Jews no pretext for accusation was left behind, but the reproof became greater. The question was not from ignorance, but from his leading them to the perception of his own power. They had not yet understood his will, that the Lord wished once again to provide the miracle concerning food for the sake of faith; and yet the question stirs them up to this very thing, as John teaches, "From where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" And after a little: for he wished to exercise the soul of the disciples toward believing in his divine power, that not only in words but also in deeds those who follow

He was teaching them. Why did he give to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds? Because what is fitting is preserved both for the Lord and for the disciples; for it is fitting that God be served, and for those who serve, the service is a glory, as they accomplish the ministry according to what is proper to discipleship. And it is preserved that those of lesser rank be benefited through the holy ones as intermediaries, as it were, in some partial subordination. Observe also that the partaking extends only as far as need, not so that having received they might carry it away, although many fragments were left over. And this too is a good symbol, to measure enjoyment by need and not to be led away to greed beyond need. Why did he perform the sign of the loaves? To confirm the crowd, the flour of the widow of Zarephath. He reproves the rashness of their request, saying: You think the air is moved according to some order, so that from signs you discern when there will be fair weather and when storm, but concerning the signs you suppose there is no order at all, nor any appointed times in which it is fitting to perform or not to perform wonders, but that such a thing happens simply in disorder and without any reason, so that whenever someone asks for a temptation to no useful purpose, or makes the request, it must by all means happen, as in some game, just as the one asking thinks. He teaches, then, that their teaching is to be guarded against and that one is not to be led away by what is said by them. But they were reasoning among themselves, saying, that we did not take loaves. In a peculiar way they have supposed Christ to be Jeremiah.

Perhaps everyone, because he knew that the Lord possessed wisdom self-grown and teaching without a teacher, held something similar also concerning Jeremiah—that he was chosen as a child for prophecy and, without human training, following a greater prophet, was a prophet. This was not Peter's alone, but it has come to be for all people. But having called his confession a rock, he declared that on this he would build the church, speaking of the confession and faith in him. And for this reason, having first addressed the one who confessed this by the name derived from the confession, he attached to him also this authority as though it would belong to him, calling the common and exceptional good of the church upon him alone; for just as he gave him the name from the confession, which was to be common to those who believe, so also the church's exceptional privilege he speaks of upon him as though it would belong to him because of his confession, showing consistently that this is the common good of the church, since the confession was also to become common to it with Peter. This, then, he says: that with the church is the key of the kingdom of heaven; for as one stands toward this, so will he stand also toward heavenly things in every way; for the one who contributes to the church and is recognized as belonging to it is a partaker and heir of the heavens, while the one who has become alien to it in whatever way will have no fellowship with heavenly things. Following this saying to the present day, the priests of the church cast out those who are unworthy, and admit those who become worthy through repentance.

For when the disciples received the Spirit, then they displayed the complete teaching concerning the divinity of the Son, the Spirit bearing witness through the signs that were done in his name. But this had to be hidden also from the rulers of this age, the world-rulers, so that Christ, having suffered and risen, might reform in himself the life of man and rebuild it, setting it free from the corruption that was from the beginning. This is roughly the reason for the command that they should not yet speak. Therefore he will be the forerunner of his second coming around the time of the consummation, when he will also restore all things to true knowledge, restoring everyone who obeys him. But the scribes, deceiving the people, said that Elijah comes before the coming of the Christ. And this saying was circulated even among the countless people, which is what the disciples now ask about. How then does he resolve it? He well added also the words "whatever you loose," showing that if they loose those who have repented, what is done has force, since the church in heaven and on earth is one. The one who has not willed to be loosed from the bond of sin, but has even drawn upon himself the bond of estrangement from the saints—this man is a stranger also to the church in the heavens, and in this respect a prisoner even in its regard. But if he were eager for release, he would obtain also the loosing that comes from the saints, since they ratify love upon him, as Paul taught, and he will be a member of the household also of the church in heaven, loosed from the bond of judgment.

When he himself has risen from the dead, and the descent of the Spirit through the wonders that are performed has produced for all an exact faith in the resurrection, then you will see many, for the sake of what is to come, easily despising what is present. And this indeed happened, as Luke says in the Acts. For also to receive unending life, that is, to be always in enjoyment and in delight and never to be deprived of good things—for this is the true life, since even sinners live; for we all rise, but since they will be in unceasing torments, they are said to be in death, for whom death is far better than such a condition. Show great diligence, he says, so as to lead one of those alien to Israel to piety and make him a proselyte; but when you have made this one perfect and most closely attached to piety, then through your actions you make him a son of Gehenna. You are exact, he says, in demanding tithes, so as not even to concede the tithe of mint or cumin, but you make no account of the care of justice and of love toward one's neighbor and of having firm faith concerning the divine, which things one ought to do, and so, if anything, the small things. But now the opposite: you are excessively occupied with the cheap things of the law as lovers of gain, which is to strain out the gnat, but you pass over the great things, which is to swallow the camel.

They say that these things were spoken about the consummation of the world, not about that of Jerusalem. But providing near at hand the proof of the truth of the things that would come to pass after much time, he shifts also to the affairs of the Jews and the capture of Jerusalem; for having seen these things come to pass just as Jesus said, they would reasonably be able to believe also concerning the things spoken of for later times, that they would come to be. Therefore he adds, he says, when you see the abomination of desolation, calling also the images of Caesar an abomination of desolation. The wise men of the Greeks who introduce the conflagration of the world accept the things said about the sun and moon, but they no longer acknowledge the fall of the stars from heaven, as being ignorant of the power of God and that all things follow his will. Now the Lord has set down the saying of the wicked servant, that he delays, signifying that they do not sin otherwise than by supposing that the judge is not present nor that judgment will exist at all; but the beating of the fellow servants he says is the greatest harm to those who are ruled in soul through the errors of those who teach. He shows that not even one who has taken hold of virtue, if he is without sympathy toward his subjects, makes himself blameless.

Therefore, comparing them with those who, together with virtue, also display compassion toward others, he called both these and those virgins, as being equally virtuous; but those he called wise, who also brought oil, as understanding well that one ought to judge the failings of one's subjects with forbearance, bearing human weakness, since God in all things has dealt with those who have fallen in great love for humanity, as is best seen from all the facts; for those deemed worthy to preside over peoples ought above all to imitate the mind of God in these matters. Therefore he also declared their lamps to be bright, as having great confidence from every side; but these he called foolish, who did not understand that examining the failings of human beings bitterly and without forgiveness, under the pretext of exactness, is in no way pleasing to God. The rest he handled consistently with the hypothesis given by him, using the interpretation before him. He hides the talent, being senseless and slothful and having done nothing of what his lord commanded him. Therefore it will be taken away from him and given to the one who has and works.

And Theodore likewise says: With good reason he did not say, "This is a symbol of my body and this of my blood," but "This is my body and this is my blood," teaching us not to look to the nature of the things set before us, but through the thanksgiving that has taken place upon them to believe that they are those very things of which they are also the symbols, being fulfilled. Matthew and his companions used the plural verb in place of the singular; for it is often our custom, and that of many, to assign one person to one and many things to one. And it is likely that the thief himself who believed was also a Jew, and for this reason believed that he is the one about whom the prophets spoke, from what was said and seen. Luke says: Into your hands I commit my spirit. It was necessary that those present also hear at what moment the departure of the soul took place; for by "I shall commit" he indicated that he would receive it again. The one who doubted was Thomas, but having been fully assured, he believed firmly.