Expositio Quatuor Evangeliorum [Incertus]

The Mantissa of the Works of Saint Eusebius Jerome, Priest of Stridon, Containing Supposititious Writings.

Part Three, Commentary on the New Testament.

Exposition of the Four Gospels

On the Short Proverb Published.

Prologue.

First of all, the time, place, and person of all books must be inquired into; and why only four Gospels are received rather than twelve: because the whole world consists of four elements, that is, heaven, earth, fire, and water. By heaven John is signified: because just as heaven surpasses all things, so too John, who said: In the beginning was the Word. By Matthew, earth: who said: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ. By Luke, fire, who said: Was not our heart burning within us? By Mark, water: who said: The voice of one crying in the wilderness. That is, four streams from one fountain signify the four evangelists, that is, Christ. Pishon, "insufflation," signifies John; Gihon, "swiftness," signifies Matthew; Tigris, "felicity," signifies Mark; Euphrates, "fertility," signifies Luke. They water the world, that is, the Church, and they signify the four virtues, that is, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice: and just as four rivers water paradise, so also these four virtues water our heart. And man consists of four elements: of air, fire, water, and earth. Of air, breath; of fire, blood; of water, phlegm; of earth, the body. For the head is heaven, where there are two lights; the breast, air; the belly, water; the feet, earth.

Likewise, Adam received his name from four stars, that is, Arctos, Dosis, Anatole, Mesembria, or the four which signify the four evangelists. And just as every man is born from Adam, so through the four evangelists all come to the faith. Likewise the ark of Noah, therefore, made square from wood, its length three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty, its height thirty, and finished in one cubit, signifies the Church; through the four evangelists, the length is the hope of eternal life, the breadth is charity, the height is the faith of the Trinity, the one cubit is the one Lord of all. The bitumen within and without signifies the love of God and of neighbor. Likewise the ark of the testament, where were the two tablets and the rod of Aaron, was carried by four golden rings; and the poles covered with gold signify the four evangelists; the ark signifies the Church, the poles the teachers. Just as they were surrounded by rings, so are the priests in the Old and New Testament, the teachers. The four evangelists protect the Church by defending it from heresy. By the rod the cross is shown: and just as squared wood, on whichever side it is turned, stands firm, so a man taught by the four evangelists becomes firm against heresy and tribulation. Likewise Matthew means "given": Mark "exalted gift": Luke "rising": John "the grace of the Lord." Likewise the wheel within the wheel, the spirit within the wheel: the preaching of the Gospel revolving in the world; the Spirit within the wheel, the Holy Spirit in the Gospel.

Likewise the linen vessel, and upon it the four lines signify the four evangelists: these are clean and unclean, Jew and Gentile. Likewise the four living creatures have eyes before and behind, crying, Holy: the four evangelists, Matthew. Likewise Jacob supplanted his brother three times: first by the blessing, second by the lentil dish, third by the blessing. Esau signifies the devil, Jacob Christ, who conquered and supplanted him three times; so we too ought to supplant our brother the devil three times: in thought, in word, and in deed. Therefore he is our brother, because God created him, who also has God as Father; and God created him good, but by his own pride he deprived himself. The four evangelists signify: Matthew the face of a man, Luke that of a calf, Mark that of a lion, John that of an eagle. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled all things: a man by being born, calves by sacrificing, a lion by rising, an eagle by ascending. A wheel within a wheel, law within law, the old within the new. Why are the four evangelists not written through four apostles, but through two disciples and two apostles, because the sons of Jacob were born of two free women and two handmaids. Matthew honey; Mark milk; Luke oil; John wine.

ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. He names two fathers for this reason, because it is said of David: Of the fruit of your womb I will set upon my throne. It is said of Abraham: In your seed all nations shall be blessed. Therefore David is written before Abraham, because he is nearer to Christ, who was to be born from that stock. Jacob begot Joseph—he spoke according to creation; Luke spoke according to the law, that he might be the son of Heli. Therefore women are in the genealogy of Christ, because they come to eternal life just as men do; and therefore sinners are named in the genealogy of Christ, because he himself said: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Luke, speaking of Christ from Adam, shows that through Christ's generation Adam is loosed from sin, or that those who come forth from Christ are they who return to the Father. The figure of forty-two in the genealogy of Christ is this: the forty-two dwelling places of the children of Israel from Egypt up to the land of promise, that is, from the world to heaven; which signifies coming to Christ through three kinds of things: through faith, hope, and charity. What is meant by the fourteen, except through the words of the Law and through the four virtues? The first is prudence, to serve God, not with unwashed hands; the second is temperance, not to covet; the third is justice, not to commit adultery; the fourth is fortitude, to let go, not to kill.

Through four things came the destruction of the world: through a man, through a woman, through a tree, through a serpent; and through four things it is restored: through Christ, through Mary, through the cross, through the man Joseph. The serpent that was in Israel signified Christ: it was made of bronze, with four round wheels; those who looked upon it were healed. And he lifted it up on the head of a pole, so that all might see it, and the beasts of the desert might flee for fear of the wheels; and so each one was healed if he looked upon Christ on the head of the pole, that is, on the cross. The four wheels signify the four evangelists; thus the devil flees from the Gospel when it resounds in heaven.

Now the generation of Christ was thus. That is, according to the flesh, they said. Therefore he is called Christ, so that from this derivative word Christians may be named; by etymology again Christ, that is, anointed, because through that very anointing of chrism after the washing we have received it. Thus it was through eternity. Mary sounds as star of the sea; for a star is sweet, the sea is bitter; so Mary was in the sea of the world among sinners like the star of the sea; for as the star brings men to the harbor, if they follow it, so Mary in the world where Christ was born, who leads all to life, if they follow him. His mother espoused, that is, for four reasons: so that she would not be stoned as an adulteress, and so that she might have solace in flight, and that the genealogy of Christ might be through Joseph, so that the birth might be hidden from the devil.

Before they came together, that is, before they had been in the dwelling where they would be: she was found by Joseph to be with child in the womb—not in the womb as a woman, but as a virgin—having it of the Holy Spirit, that is, the Spirit was made from the Spirit, just as he himself makes the fruit upon the tree, and Eve from the bone of Adam.

But Joseph her husband: he is called her husband for this reason, and righteous for this reason, lest others should suspect a joining of human intimacy. He was unwilling to expose her: that is, in judgment, lest he should transgress the law; because he knew she was a virgin, so that the devil might be hidden from her childbirth. But while he was thinking this, that is, he was deliberating whether to send her away or to keep her. Here the prophecy is fulfilled: A helper in times of need, in tribulation. The angel of the Lord said in dreams—not in sleep, because the angel came to him rather often in dreams. Not once, because the mystery of God cannot be known at once: Joseph, son of David, that is, the prophecy fulfilled in Joseph through David: Of the fruit of your womb, and the rest. Do not fear, that is, love and rejoice in your spouse—not a nuptial spouse, nor a creation, but a living together: he called her yours, so that he might believe that the child was conceived not by another, but of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, that is, so that his joy over the son might be greater, as is the custom among men. And you shall call his name—likewise, so that it might be for his joy—Jesus, and he had said Savior: he will save his people—he did not say all, but those who believe in him—from their sins: that is, what no other physician could do.

Now all this was done, that is, what the angel said: that what was spoken by the Lord might be fulfilled, that is, through the prophet Isaiah concerning Christ—this only according to the letter. Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb and shall call his name Emmanuel: therefore this name is interpreted, because in both languages it is said to be “God with us,” that is, God and man in one faith. He did as the angel commanded him: he shows that he himself merited to see the vision of the Lord, who did as he was commanded.

And he did not know her until she brought forth her son. “Until” is said for “never.” In the law, the firstborn is called the one who first opened the womb—not the one whom sons follow, but the one who is born first. Christ is called firstborn for three reasons: in the resurrection from the dead, and from Mary, and from creatures. When therefore Jesus was born, he confirms three causes: place, time, and person. In Bethlehem: it was fitting, because it is interpreted as “house of bread,” so that there the living heavenly bread might be born. “Judah, look to Bethlehem of the nations.” In the days of Herod the king, that is, he refers to the kings and leaders of Judea, as it was said: “The prince shall not fail from Judah, nor the leader from his thighs, until he comes to whom it was promised; he will be the expectation of the nations.” Therefore he said “Herod the king” against the Jews, because they themselves said at the cross, “We have no king but Caesar.

Behold, the magi come from the East: since it is the East that is sought, therefore it is indicated from the East; he himself leads us to himself. They came to Jerusalem, because out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Saying, where is he that is born king of the Jews? That is, king of confessions. They add the reason for those asking, Who told you? for we have seen his star in the East: a silent star, but bright; the light leads to the Word. Likewise his star—not of heaven and earth, nor was it theirs, but the Son of God's. Nor was there afterwards nor before anything like Christ in the flesh; therefore the star led them, so that a heavenly thing might lead heavenly men to the heavenly one: and therefore not another creature but a silent one, so that a silent thing might lead the silent to the silent one. They brought gifts, who used to adore idols. Herod the king was troubled, that is, through envy lest he should surpass himself and his sons: or all feared, lest it not go well for them. A just king, while he is with an unjust king, so that they are not so dear to another king as the companions of the king: or for this reason they were troubled, that they had pleased the king. Likewise according to the letter, trouble becomes a good showing to the wicked, and the evil eye is troubled at the rising of the sun.

And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people: that is, hoping that when they had come, or he had received counsel, as God, Ask thy father, and he will declare to thee, thy elders and they will tell thee, the fathers, the chief priests of the elders and the scribes. Where Christ would be born. He did not say where he was born, where is he? But they said, In Bethlehem of Judaea, they say in words what they deny in deeds, blind men grope like Isaac for Jacob: while they neglect to go, they point him out by adoring. Three magi, three sons of Noah, with three gifts, signify the Trinity to be adored. Then Herod, secretly the places, here the history fails, while he indicates the secret time of the star, on account of this opinions differ as to when the magi came. For after one or two years, others say: not in Bethlehem, but in Egypt, they find him; and if within twelve days, how could the Persians or the Evilae, of Arabia or Cedar, have been able to come from a distant land in twelve days? But God can do this, at whose word stones fly, mountains will move, for whom it is natural to become what he commands. Carefully, however, he learned from them the time of the star, that is, so that he might know at what time: perhaps he thought that the son had been born from himself, or from his own line.

Those who, having heard the king, departed. When he sends them to seek Christ, he is to be heeded; and when he commands them to return to himself, he is to be despised. For when he was leading the Savior on high, he refused, but He did not refuse; yet when he sends them down and commands them to adore him, he legally refused: Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and the rest. Thus those departing know how to go out, but do not know how to return. And behold, the star which they had seen, and the rest. It becomes doubtful where he hid himself, when these departed. Something of human counsel: because the Lord hides from our hearts, so that He may even be sought. The star—is it faith, or the law? The compunction which leads us to Christ was going before them; when they came to Christ, the star led them; for the star did not lead them to Herod. Herod signified the devil, because one who goes forth from the devil's suggestion goes to Christ by the star of faith. Seeing the star, they rejoiced, and the rest. because it is the custom of all to rejoice when his perdition is found. Therefore he showed the child to be more exalted than his own mother.

And entering the house, and the rest: was it a house or an inn? And falling down they worshiped him; before the star they were worshiping: creation ceased while the Creator was being worshiped. And having opened their treasures, and the rest: gold for the king, frankincense for God, myrrh for the tomb. Whether one offered gold, another frankincense, and a third myrrh is not known; whether each one offered the three gifts is not plainly stated, but both are in figure. They do not disagree, because the three faithful are one, and in one there would be three fruits: the thirtieth, the fortieth, the hundredth—the thirtieth in the faith of the Trinity, the fortieth in the perfection of the active life, the hundredth in the contemplation of eternal life. Each one was offering three things: through gold, a pure conscience; through frankincense, right prayer; through myrrh, the mortification of the will. Likewise the three gifts: holy thought, good word, and perfect work. The star appeared thus only at his birth, as the dove did at his baptism. For when the star was going before them, it was not far from the earth.

And having received a response in dreams, and the rest. Therefore in dreams, with the eye closed, so that they might worship the invisible and incomprehensible God, and their waking eyes might not be opened to creatures but to the Creator. That they should not return to Herod, that is, after repentance to the devil. They returned by another way into their own region. The region is paradise. He returns by another way who amends his whole life and comes from wickedness to holiness.

When they had withdrawn, behold the angel of the Lord, and the rest. Gabriel is called the strength of God. It was fitting that the strength of God should strengthen the weakness of humanity. And otherwise: because then the angel draws near to us when we have withdrawn from Herod the devil. He fled into Egypt: the flight shows victory, as when Joshua said, Divide yourselves, and go in flight until the citizens of Jericho come out, then turn back, and you will conquer. Christ first flees until afterward he conquers the devil. So Joseph in Egypt fled from his illustrious mistress, and afterward he himself was safe over Egypt. And, that I may tell you briefly: this shows that the devil is not always to be fled from, as the apostle Paul says: Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Night here shows that the darkness of the letter of the Law departed among the Jews after Christ until today. And until the death of Herod: he waits, that is, three years: he signifies the Gentiles who will believe in the Trinity. And he did not come all the way to death.

Herod indicates the Jews, who come to Christ after the death of the letter of the Law. Out of Egypt I have called my son: Moses and Aaron first provoke Christ.

Then Herod, seeing that he had been mocked by the magi. Here the prophecy is fulfilled: this dragon whom you formed to mock him. And he sends and kills all the boys, so that he might find the king who was born: here he is mocked all the more, for those whom he thought destroyed, he sent living into paradise. From two years old and under, that is, from the year past and the following, because the name of infancy is [the age] of two years. A voice in Ramah, and the rest. Rachel is interpreted as "she who saw God"; Ramah means "high." Rachel is the Church, which weeps in the valley of tears for those whom she has lost, who sinned beforehand, for whom she does not wish to be consoled, because they are not Christians. Rachel was the mother of Benjamin, either because she died and was buried there, where the little ones were killed. For they are dead, and the rest. Therefore by synecdoche, the part for the whole.

He came to the city of Nazareth, that is, the flower of purity; it was fitting for him to dwell there, who said, I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys. Archelaus, the searching lion; the Nazarene, the holy one. Rise, take the boy and his mother. First rise from the earth, you who leave earthly things behind. And the boy, then the mother, he commands to be taken. Rather to love God, then neighbor. Archelaus, heresy, those who think themselves to be what they are not, and are not.

In those days. It must not be referred to Archelaus the king, but to the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar; because in that very year the word of the Lord came upon John, before Christ, the voice before the word, the lamp before the sun, the flower before the fruit. Repent and do not work, because works are said to be outside the body; act in the inner man, let it be done from the heart. True repentance is to bewail what has been lost, and never to commit what is to be repented of.

For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near: that is, baptism, or the Gospel of Christ, martyrdom, or the Church. The voice of one crying in the desert: John's cry on behalf of Christ is made in three ways, if he is far off: first, far from sinners; second, to the deaf, Like the deaf asp, and the rest; third, he is indignant, that is, your fury was indignant. In the desert, that is, without law, without king, without priest, or prophecy, the Jews pray. As those who love to join a friend's wife as a bride: so John joined the Church to Christ. Therefore he is called the friend of the bridegroom.

John had a garment of camel's hair; he was born in fasting, and he had the clothing and food of fasting. It was fitting that, while he taught repentance, he should first fulfill it in himself, so that everyone who preaches the word may confirm it by example. John's garment of camel's hair signifies the Church of the Gentiles, or the riches of those whom Christ gathered, and it becomes the Church. The belt, that is, the mortification of vices; around the loins, that is, where the fornication of men and women is checked in the navel. His food was locusts, most wretched birds; they point to the Jews, who use the letter of the law like locusts; wild honey signifies the sweet words of God, or the Jews who received the sweet preaching and came to Christ.

Then Jerusalem went out to him, and the rest. That is, the land of Judea is spoken of in place of its inhabitants. Jerusalem, vision of peace, indicates the peaceable, who come to Christ through confession. The Jordan, that is, descent, signifies those descending in humility to Christ.

And they were baptizing in the Jordan. He shows that through their descent the humble came to baptism. Confessing their sins; he shows that one ought to confess sins before coming to communion. The Pharisees, that is, the divided, or they are called Sarabatae; the Sadducees, justified in their own eyes.

And he said to them, Brood of vipers. The same venom is only in the tongue; for the Pharisees and Sadducees feign themselves vipers, parricides and matricides, who killed their mother the synagogue, and the fathers and the prophets. Who has shown you, and the rest: that is, who, not according to possibility but according to difficulty, is said to one, do good fruits, that is, lay aside every vice; or do a fruit worthy of repentance, that is, he who has two tunics, let him give to him who has not; let those who do unlawful things abstain from unlawful things.

God is able from these stones, and the rest. They were stones, because they worshiped stones, but many from there came to the faith of Christ. That is, he likens them to stones, because they are heavy and hard and cold in faith. The axe is laid, that is, the Gospel, at the root of the trees, that is, to the Jews. The axe consists of iron and wood: so Christ of divinity and humanity; the roots, thoughts; of the trees, of sins; or the roots of the fig tree, of the trees, of the wicked.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down: that is, it will be separated from the Church. It will be thrown into the fire: that is, into the fire of judgment. He is mightier than I: that is, Christ is mightier not only than John but than all; mightier for this reason, that he baptizes in the Holy Spirit and in fire. Carry the shoes: for this reason I cannot more fully explain his incarnation.

He himself will baptize you with fire: that is, in judgment, or in the Holy Spirit and fire. Whose winnowing fan, and the rest: that is, his just judgment; in his hand: that is, in his power; the threshing floor: that is, the world or the Church; the wheat: that is, the saints; into the barn: into the kingdom of heaven; the chaff: sinners, who are light like chaff, and are carried off by the wind, and fire burns them; thus sinners themselves keep the fire, because the fire does not fail, though the wood may fail.

Then Jesus came to Galilee, to be baptized, and the rest. Christ came to John: that is, the bride kisses the bridegroom, because through the Church the bridegroom belongs to John. Here she says, Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth; or for this reason Christ is baptized by John, so that the servant may not excuse himself from being baptized by his Lord, or so that the Lord may not disdain to be baptized by his servant. I ought to be baptized by you. By this cause John recognized Christ among many, when the Jordan fled from him, and the mountains exulted: because the creature recognized the Creator; and for this reason he came to John, that he might cleanse the waters, and that he might be shown forth by the Holy Spirit. Four causes.

Only in this way, that is, until both had been baptized. That is, Christ came up from the waters, or by martyrdom, to you. All righteousness, and the rest, that is, the law of nature, or the law of the letter, because it was the custom among them to honor the elders. The baptism of Christ. So that they would not distinguish the baptism of John from the baptism of Christ. Because water washes and extinguishes; therefore baptism was through waters: thus John washes and extinguishes sin, gives life and satisfies; thus is the baptism of the sea. And because they are baptized in two substances, that is, water and the voice of the priest, the visible and the invisible, body and soul. He ascended from the water, meaning, afterward to ascend through good works, and to descend by a step of humility: because the Jordan is called a descent. Behold, the heavens were opened, that is, he showed his baptism: heaven is opened to each one after the guilt of Adam. And he saw the Spirit descending like a dove; he showed that it was only in the form of a dove, because he received a body from the Holy Spirit: the likeness of a dove was made for this purpose, for it did not exist before. Therefore the Spirit came upon Christ in a dove, because the bird is gentle: thus Christ is gentle without blemish. For otherwise, the dove has seven figures, by which the sevenfold Spirit is signified; and therefore the Spirit came upon Christ through a dove, like the star which neither existed before nor afterward. Or therefore because the Son was in the body, because men could not have endured the presence of the Son of God, whether in the body; so neither could they have endured the Spirit without the appearance of a dove.

Why the Spirit appeared over the apostles in fire, but over Christ in a dove, they show must be explained according to the letter. And the voice from heaven, here… is compared. The voice of the Father declares the Son; the Spirit is shown through the dove. This is my beloved Son, and the rest, because previously he was displeasing as the son of man, but in Christ he was well pleased.

Then Jesus was led, that is, led by the Holy Spirit into the desert after baptism: they show that by fasting and prayer the devil is conquered. We too ought to be led into the desert from vices, and conquer them. That he might be tempted by the devil, that is, that he might conquer the devil. For forty days and forty nights, lest the heretics say that he ate by night. Forty is the sign that Moses fasted on the mountain, and forty Elijah: and he was with his disciples forty days after the resurrection: and the flood lasted forty days, because through these the sin of Adam had to be wiped away. Afterwards he hungered, which indicates a true man; so that the devil might be deceived by his birth.

The tempter approaches, that is, like a fish he tries the hook and is conquered, so that he who first conquered man through gluttony may be conquered by the second man through abstinence. If you are the Son of God, tell these stones, and the rest: by etymology, bread from feeding, so that he might see whether he could do this from a rock; or because mystically the devil's food is men, stony and hard in sin; but he who produced wine from water and water from a rock could have done this if he had wished.

Man does not live on bread alone, and the rest, that is, man would not have lived if God had not willed it, and he had already eaten bread, and if he had not eaten bread, he would have lived if he had willed it, just as Moses and Elijah did for forty days. The word of God is the life of the soul, that is, eternal life. In the holy city, that is, Jerusalem; upon the pinnacle of the temple, that is, upon the wall of the court's enclosure, they signify pride: it is not as if he allowed himself to be tempted from the head, who permitted himself to be crucified by Pilate in his member. These three temptations the devil first demanded of Adam: through gluttony he said, taste; through vainglory, you will be like gods; through avarice, knowing good and evil; but through these three he tempted Christ again: by gluttony, that bread be made from a rock; by vainglory, cast yourself down; by avarice, I will give you all these things, and the rest. But he who leads him into the abyss by the word of preaching shows that through these three he conquers the devil. Here he shows the true God and true man: the man whom the devil tempts, and God, to whom the angels ministered.

The forty days are the tenth of the year, so that just as we ought to give tithes from all things, so too let us strive to give to God the tithes of the days of our life.

For he will give his angels charge over you, and the rest: so that he might conquer Christ by example, this one—just as Christ conquered him by his own example through Scripture. But the devil does not understand that psalm rightly concerning Christ. Jesus says to him: You shall not tempt the Lord your God. Here he says: since I am the Lord your God, why do you tempt me?

And he showed him all the kingdoms of the world: that is, gold, silver. All these I will give you, and the rest. Truly he falls who adores the devil; whoever, being a monk, has served a prince for the sake of reward, hands himself over to the devil. Get behind me, that is, your kingdom now, or in judgment into hell.

You shall adore the Lord your God, and the rest, through three examples from Deuteronomy, by which the Gospel is signified, that is, the repetition of the law; the Lord conquered the devil. It likewise signifies, that is, the temptation in David and Goliath. Five stones, five books of Moses, by which he slew the devil, that is, one book as a stone. Through the three temptations, that is, suggestion, delight, consent; but he tempted Christ through suggestion alone, because suggestion comes from the devil.

But when Jesus heard that John had been handed over, he withdrew into Galilee: that is, from the Jews he went to the Gentiles, or, leaving the synagogue with its Law, he established the Church and the Gospel. Galilee is called "rolling change": he came to those who turn from evil to good; and because he came for the health of the girl, and healed the woman in [her illness], it signifies the synagogue and the Church. Leaving the city of Galilee, he came to Capernaum: the fairest village figures the Church. Nazareth is called "flower": because the fruit comes from the flower; Capernaum is the village of richness: light illuminates, and richness lacks blood. He shows that Christ came from the flower of the letter of the Law to the fruit of the richness of the Gospel, that is, of knowledge. In the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: Zebulun is called "dwelling of beauty"; Naphtali is called "forgetfulness." Here he shows that the one who forgets his sins, he himself dwells in beauty. Beyond the Jordan, and the rest: because for fear of the Gentile peoples, this one remained in the field by night. He saw a great light, as it says: A light has risen for them who sat in darkness, that is, in the darkness of the ignorance of sins, a light has risen for them, that is, Christ.

Do penance, that is, put wine into the wound; for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near, that is, oil into the wound: he gives consolation, because in the five hundred of the clergy they used to sacrifice flocks, in the New each one will offer to the Lord. He was walking—he shows us that we are in this present world by passing through, not by loving. Beside the sea, worldly flesh, the Sea of Galilee—it is itself the pool of Gennesaret, the lake of salt-works, and the Sea of Tiberias, and the lake of Chinnereth.

He comes after me, and the rest: that is, to draw souls from the deep of sin to the shore of eternal rest, because it is the custom of fishermen to have a boat and a net in the sea: so the apostles [have] the Church, the Gospels, and the world; the fish, men: casting nets into the sea, preaching into the world.

They, leaving behind the nets and their father, followed him. The same [father], the devil: the nets of dwelling, and the business of the world. Peter and Andrew cast nets into the sea: they show that the Lord chose others who were desiring, clinging to the things of the world. James and John mended their nets, so that they might cast them into the sea—that is, that he chose others desiring to cling to the things of the world. Who left more of these four? Peter and Andrew left more, because their own things were theirs; for to these two, to the others it was not their own.

I will make you, and the rest. He changed their affection, not their office, but twice four, this is the first fourfold team: now they are sent two by two into the Church, as in Noah's ark. Two by two, the animals signify four virtues: justice, prudence, fortitude, temperance. Through three callings the peoples were called: the first through John, to friendship, behold the Lamb of God; the second, to belief, John saying, This first sign Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, that his disciples might believe in him; the third calling to apostleship, Come after me, and the rest.

Jesus was going about all Galilee, and the rest. As Gideon conquered the Philistines, so Christ conquered demons. Teaching, that is, the things that belonged to the law: preaching, that is, the Gospel. Every sickness, that is, he was a physician of the people, that is, of Israel: sickness of the body, infirmity of the soul.

And his fame went out into all Syria: that is, into all the nations. All who were ill, that is, who were insane with many sins, or of evil faith. And because they had demons: that is, in the soul one believes in idols: lunatics, that is, the lunatic were thought to have infirmities from the rising of the moon.

They brought to him the paralytic: that is, the sluggish toward doing good. And great crowds followed him: that is, first the disciples for faith; second the sick for healing; third the experts in the law, for reproving; fourth the poor, for alms; fifth the women, lest they themselves despair; sixth the little children, as he said: Suffer the little children to come. From the Decapolis: that is, those who observe the words of the Law, and from Jerusalem: that is, those who, seeing peace, would follow Christ, and from Judea: that is, those who followed Christ through confession.

But Jesus, seeing the crowds. Likewise four crowds followed Christ, and these same four follow the Church; the first, that they may follow Christ through fear and love, likewise come to the Church; the second, who for greed of food or drink; the third, for envy, that they may have something to accuse; the fourth, teachers. Christ had three refuges, that he might flee the crowds: on the mountain, in the desert, in a boat upon the sea; these three he left to us: to descend into the height of the commandments, in the desert to forsake vices, and to enter into the unity of the Church. The boat signifies the Church: so that those who have a helmsman and sailors, and the water, who are tossed about, these are from the boat. The same are bishops, and laborers, and those who perform ministries within, and they offend against three boats, danger in the waves, in the wind, in the rock: so the Church's danger in the waves, of the devil's temptation, in the wind of sins, in the rock, from false brothers.

When he was ascending the mountain, it signified theoria, that is, the contemplative life; when he descended, he teaches practica, that is, the active life. And when he sat down, he judges that his incarnation did not appear, because he who sat down defended his body with a garment.

His disciples came to him: that is, body and soul. And opening his mouth, that is, he who opened the mouths of the prophets. Blessed are the poor in spirit, that is, those who are poor for the sake of the Holy Spirit, when they could be rich. Blessed are the meek, that is, those who return evil to no one for evil; for they shall possess the land, of which it is said, I believe he would see, and the rest. Blessed are those who mourn now: he does not say this of every weeping, but of three kinds which the world ought to have: first, weeping for one's own sin; second, for a neighbor's sin; third, for heavenly love. Tears have three natures: bitter, not to weep for sin; warm, to weep for a neighbor's faults through the warmth of charity; flowing from heaven, to weep for love of him. Tears are poured out for three causes: for remembrance, for fear of the future, for pilgrimage.

Blessed are those who hunger, and the rest: that is, to whom whatever good he does is not enough, unless he wishes to do more. They shall be satisfied, that is, in the kingdom of God. Blessed are the merciful: that is, those who show mercy are freed from misery, and with their gift they shall go into heaven. Blessed are the pure in heart, that is, those who are pure of heart; they are not touched by any consciousness of sin, because God, being pure, looks upon the pure in heart.

Blessed are the peacemakers: that is, in four parts; between God and man and neighbor, between man and his friend. One must hate the vice and love the man.

Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, that is, in Christ. Woe—the eight beatitudes pertain to the eight men who were in the ark, and now they ought to be, because seven women had one man, Christ: that is, in the resurrection. These eight beatitudes are fulfilled in Christ. Blessed are the poor in spirit: the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. Blessed are the meek: Learn from me, for I am meek. Blessed are those who mourn: Seeing the city, he wept over it. Blessed are those who hunger: My food is to do the will of my Father. Blessed are the merciful, that is, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. Blessed are the pure in heart, that is: Be holy, for I am holy. Blessed are the peacemakers: I give you my peace, and the rest. Blessed are those who suffer persecution, that is: If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

You are the salt of the earth: that is, the apostles and teachers are called the salt of the earth, that is, of this world. But if the salt has lost its savor, and the rest. If a teacher has erred, by what is he corrected? Salt gives savor, kills worms. Let it be cast out and trodden under foot by men, that is, let them go outside the Church and be reckoned among the Gentiles. You are the light of the world: that is, because a hidden light reveals and illuminates the darkness, so also you illuminate the darkness of sins. But in another sense, just as the sun always remains in heaven, so also remain there.

A city cannot be hidden: that is, the Church, upon a mountain, that is, upon Christ. Nor do they light a lamp, that is, the apostles and teachers. They do not put it under a bushel, that is, under fear or love. The apostles have four similitudes: salt, sun, lamp, city. Upon a lampstand, that is, the Church. That it may shine for all who are in the house: that is, in the Church, or in the world. So let your light shine, that is, your teaching or good works. And let them glorify your Father, that is, in your good deeds.

Do not think that I have come to dissolve the law: that is, whatever work was done, he himself fulfilled. When the children of Israel sinned, Moses and Levi took three swords for vengeance upon them, which Christ did when he said: I have not come to send peace, but a sword. And to fulfill, that is, what was lacking, because the old Law commanded that if anyone had committed adultery, he be punished: now however it is not dissolved, but fulfilled, when it is said: Whoever has looked upon a woman to lust after her, and the rest: and again: For every idle word, to give an account on the day of judgment. Behold, I have not come to dissolve the law, but to increase what the old did not say.

Amen I say to you. Amen, that is, truly, or faithfully. One iota, the name of a letter, which is made with one stroke: from the letter deca is made, that is, the ten words of the Law, among the Greeks letters, which we have called one. One apex, one point, according to the letter; according to the sense, however, the least commandments of the Law. Until all things come to pass, because the things that were least in the law are full of mysteries; the iota is the old Law, the apex the New.

For whoever dissolves one of these least commandments—that is, who teaches much and fulfills very little. The Pharisees strain out a gnat and swallow a camel—that is, he who preaches very little to others and commits greater things for himself. He shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven—that is, in the Church. Unless your righteousness abounds more than that of the scribes and Pharisees—because they taught great things and did little, or because they rejected other commandments of the law: those they did not love, they did not speak of, and those they loved, they spoke of.

You have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not kill; that is, not to dissolve the law. Whoever is angry with his brother—that is, anger in the heart without voice—shall be liable in judgment, that is, on the day of judgment. Racha, that is, empty or vain. Fool, that is, without brain: he shall be liable to the fire of Gehenna, that is, Gehenna is a double punishment, in that it punishes both soul and body.

If you offer your gift at the altar, and the rest: go, be reconciled to your brother—that is, you offer a gift, a prayer, an offering, or yourself for communion: one must never come to the Church until you are reconciled to your brother. Leave your gift there: how will this be fulfilled? He rebukes both alike; if he is nearby, well, and if far away, he must nevertheless be reconciled in mind, and, as has been said, to have peace with all men.

Be agreeable to your adversary, that is, the Gospel, while you are on the way with him, that is, in this life; or to your adversary the devil, so that you do not do what he suggests to you, lest your punishment be increased for your sin. If a child asks for a sword, do not hand it to him, lest he wound himself with it; and in this way you are agreeing with him. Lest perhaps the adversary hand you over to the judge, that is, lest the law of the Gospel hand you over to Christ the judge, because you did not agree with the Gospel; to the minister, that is, the angel who sends souls into punishment, into prison, that is, into hell.

You will not come out from there, that is, because no one comes out of hell, until he pays back the last quadrans; "until" is taken to mean "forever." A quadrans is a fourth part of a coin, which is given as payment for washing, or it is said to mean the least sin; to pay back the quadrans is to be sent into hell, or because man was made from the four elements. You have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not commit adultery, that is, you shall not commit adultery. Whoever has looked at a woman to lust after her. There are two kinds of lust: the first, which, if the opportunity follows, does not follow the act; the second, which is consummated if the opportunity is available: adultery is committed in the body and in the heart.

If your right eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and cast it from you. That is, if your prince or teacher prevents you from the service of God, remove him, that is, separate him from you; it is better for you that one member of yours, that is, that the prince perish, than that you go with him into hell. The eye, that is, your desire, because through it the body is sent into Gehenna. The right hand, that is, a servant, or your anger: if it causes you to stumble, that is, if it is to be loved by you; the hand, that is, an evil work, cut it off.

Do not swear: that is, do not commit perjury: do not swear at all: that is, never swear: neither by heaven, because it is the throne of God. Let your yes be yes, and your no, no: that is, let the word be spoken in the mouth and in the heart. What is more than this is from evil: that is, from the unworthiness of him to whom it is believed.

An eye for an eye: that is, not to return evil for evil. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, that is, if a heretic strikes you in the doctrine of evil scripture, offer him the other doctrine of divine Scripture, for living. Whoever wants to take your tunic, that is, to strip you of the accusation that men sharpen against you concerning you: give him your cloak also, that is, give him confession of the sin of which you alone are conscious. And if anyone compels you to go one mile, go with him another two, that is, if you have gone out from the body, shave also in mind. Give to the one who asks of you, that is, to the one who questions, say to him, or give alms to the poor.

It was said to the ancients, You shall love your neighbor, and you shall hate your enemy. How does he say that he does not abolish the law, but rightly fulfills it, since in the old covenant it was said concerning the devil, to hate the enemy; here however it is said concerning both. In three ways we love our enemies: in heart, those who devour us in heart; in deed, to do good to the one who persecutes us in deed; in word, to pray for those who accuse us in word. To those who slander you, that is, with false accusation. That you may be sons of your Father, and the rest: that is, as if someone had brought us gold and silver, and even if he had cursed us and struck us, we would have loved him, and when those things failed, we too would have failed; therefore life is promised as not failing. Who makes his sun rise, and the rest: and he rains upon the just, because the whole world is contained in both: in heat, dry and hot; in rain, moist and cold: from these four the world was made: so we ought to give our enemies food and drink, clothing, and a word of love.

For if you love those, etc. He is called a publicanus because he practices public vice, or because he conducts public affairs; ethnics means gentiles. Be perfect, that is, so that you fulfill these things perfectly in almsgiving, in fasting, in prayers: lest you be seen before men, that is, that good works not be done for the sake of human praise.

Therefore when you give alms, that is, do it for the priest, and the poor, and the enemy. A hypocrite is called one who is feigned. They have received their reward, not God's: Let not your left hand know, that is, vainglory; the right hand, do all things for God's sake. Enter into your chamber, that is, into the secrets of the heart; with the door closed, that is, against vainglory.

Do not speak much, that is, do not make many petitions, or say many words, or pray to God with a lofty voice. For the Father knows what you need; therefore pray thus, Our Father, that is, let us live on earth in such a way that we may have a father in heaven; we show charity and brotherhood when we say our. The emperor says this, and the beggar; the master says it, and the servant; together they say: Our Father. Therefore those who have one father are brothers; hence let not the master disdain to have his servant as a brother, whom the Lord Christ willed to be a brother. And thus let us act, and we can be heirs of the Father; for human law also makes sons heirs.

May your name be sanctified: here we ask that it be sanctified in us, that is, in our works; for his name is always holy. May your kingdom come, that is, just as sons desire the kingdom for their father, so we also pray that it may come in us, and not the devil; that is, not sin, whether the Church or the Gospel.

May your will be done, and the rest. Just as the angels in heaven serve you, so also may we; or just as in souls, so also in the body; or just as Christians, so also heretics; just as the Church, so also the Synagogue; just as righteousness, so also sin. May they be converted, so that your will may be done in them.

Our daily bread: that is, every day until the end of the year; today, that is, always; the bread, that is, Christ. We ought so to act that we may be able to receive him daily as a remedy. And forgive us, and the rest: here we make a covenant with God: if you forgive, it will be forgiven you.

And lead us not into temptation: as you led men astray in the flood, or those in Sodom, or Pharaoh in the sea, or in the temptation of the devil, or the snares of men.

But deliver us from evil: that is, from the devil, from sin, from an evil man. These seven petitions are as the seven graces of the Holy Spirit: four are common to all; three petitions pertain to heavenly things—that is, may your name be sanctified, may your kingdom come, may your will be done; four pertain to this present life.

But when they fast, and the rest, they disfigure their faces: that is, they transform themselves, that is, so that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Anoint your head, and wash your face: that is, what you give to the Lord, who is your head, give to your neighbor. Do not lay up treasure on earth, that is, in heaven; where rust, that is, vainglory, or wrath; moth, envy or pride; thieves, demons; gold, the senses; the world, a garment; for food is divine preaching.

Your lamp is your body: that is, your teacher or ruler; your body, that is, of the inner man, if it has been single, of one thing. No one can serve two masters; where your treasure is, and the rest: either he will hate the one, that is, the one who is not good even to himself; he will love the other, who is good to himself: that is, to despise the devil, to love God. Whoever serves riches serves the devil. Riches are called mammon, or else it is the name of the devil.

Is not the soul more than food? That is, he who gives the lesser things to God, and the greater to the devil. Consider the birds of the air, and the rest. Because it is the custom of birds to fly on high, and to sing a song, and if they have wanted anything for themselves on earth, they receive it from the Lord: so also men ought to think on heavenly things, and to praise God: and when they need food, they receive on earth from the Lord the restoration of divinity. How much more will your Father, who is good by nature, give good things to those who ask him, that is, the same things through love. Enter through the narrow gate, where sinners will not be received, unless they lay down the burdens they are carrying. Two, that is, the love of God and of neighbor: two lights, the Gospel above, the old Law below, where anyone renders a return, he does not enter. How broad the gate, and the rest: that is, those serving riches and their own will.

Take heed to yourselves, that is, beware of false teachers; in sheep's clothing, that is, of a good teacher; ravening wolves, that is, they snatch souls into perdition. By their fruits, that is, from their works, you will know them, that is, do they gather from thorns, that is, from heretics, grapes, that is, virginity; from briars figs, that is, a spouse from heretics. A good tree, a good man; a bad tree, a bad man: who does evil works.

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, and the rest. He speaks of those who love to stand in corners, all of them. But he who does the will of my Father; that is, who keeps the commandments. Many say to me, Lord, that is, many are those who enter through it: Because I never knew you, that is, the good, or the heretics. Depart from me, that is, you who hope there is no remission of sins. Everyone who hears my words, and the rest; who does not act against the preaching, is likened to a wise man; who built his house upon the rock, that is, upon good work, lest the rain enter into it, that is, the doctrine of heretics: the rivers, the persecutions of heretics; the winds, demons. The clouds receive rain from the sea; heretics receive doctrine from the world. And his house did not fall, that is, he does not fall, who stands upon faith in Christ.

And everyone who hears my words, and does not do them. That is, it was the custom in the Law that there should not be among the people one who was not clean, and if he had received healing, he should show himself to the priest: and a gift was offered for him: two turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And there was with them, according to this rite, the wood of hyssop, and scarlet twice-dyed, at the tip of that wood, and the blood of the other bird was sprinkled upon this wood: upon the other bird, and it was sent away into the air. The wood is the cross of Christ; the scarlet, his passion. And it is necessary to go to martyrdom through the passion of Christ, and our blood is sprinkled upon his cross, for it ascends to the Church, after the passion of our body in martyrdom.

For a testimony to them. That is, that he had not dissolved the law, or that they had seen that he had been cleansed from leprosy. The centurion figures the teachers, the paralytic servant, contracted, signifies the human race, shut up in sins. Jesus found in the centurion three mysteries: first humility, where he says: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; second faith, where he says, only say the word, and he shall be healed; third, that is, prudence, where he said, a man under authority. Jesus marveled at the centurion, that is, he found in him the wisdom by which he had been taught through divine preaching. From the east they come, that is, from infancy; from the west, that is, from old age; from the south, from youth; from the north, that is, from the power of the devil, they come to the faith, they shall recline, that is, they shall dwell.

Why with only three, that is, for the sake of remission. Those who lust will weep there; for them there is gnashing of teeth, whose god is the belly. Peter's mother-in-law sick with fever: that is, the doubt of the synagogue.

He touched her hand. He provided help, the fever having been dismissed, that is, unbelief ceases. She ministered to him, that is, she blessed him; through the evening, he shows the end of the world. Demons, that is, sins; through foxes, that is, unbelieving men; through birds, rich men. He does not lay his head where there is no Hades. To let the dead bury the dead, that is, the body the soul; otherwise, if a sinner, to praise a sinner.

The boat, that is, of the Church; the motion and the waves, that is, temptation; you are sleeping, that is, incarnate, or crucified; the wind, that is, sudden temptation. The demoniac, the Gentile, the nation with faithlessness. Through the tombs, these are bodies; he does not pass through the way, that is, through the Gentile world to the kingdom. The herd of pigs shows men before conversion; drowned in the sea, that is, in the deep. Through the herdsman he shows the philosophers.

He rose: that is, he was healed: he returned to his own house, that is, to the first creation. The bridegroom is Christ: the bride, the Church: the sons of the bridegroom are the Apostles. New cloths: the teaching of the Gospel: old cloths, that is, old men. New wine, and old wineskins, the new preaching to old men. The ruler holds the figure of the prophets, or of the patriarchs. This girl is the synagogue. Jesus took her hand: that is, he gave her help. The harvest is great; that is, hearts made ready: the reapers, the teachers. Not two tunics, that is, not a double measure, nor a double trust, in the New or in the Old Testament. Not a sandal, that is, not the testimony of evils: nor a staff, that is, not strength, but patience. Peace returned, that is, the reward received: through the dust, uncleanness. This is so; because dust hinders in two ways, it binds the steps, it darkens the eyes, it stains the garments. The serpent, tortured, hides its head: that is, the apostles, tortured, not denying Christ. Persecutions, that is, heresies, from city to city, that is, through the individual questions of the books.

Nothing is hidden that shall not be revealed: that is, the passion of Christ and of all teachers. What I say in darkness, that is, to the Jews, you shall speak in the light, that is, in the Church. Two sparrows, that is, body and soul, or Christ and Barabbas. An assarion, that is, faith: by the sword is meant the word of preaching. Otherwise, two sparrows, that is, the two Testaments. The assarion, that is, Christ. To separate father from son, that is, the faithful from the unfaithful. He takes up the cross, that is, crucify yourself. To be scandalized in Christ, that is, to deny Christ. A reed shaken by the wind, that is, flattering men: empty without fruit. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, that is, because through the torments of the flesh and of penance one comes to the kingdom of God. He is Elijah, who is John, because the same spirit was in Elijah at the second coming which was in John at the first coming. Children sitting in the marketplace, that is, the prophet: We piped to you, and you did not dance; that is, we announced to you the coming, and you did not believe. We lamented, and you did not mourn: we announced to you penance, you were afraid of confession. There are four kinds of praise: Of the Lord: I will confess to you, Lord, Father of heaven; of faith: I believe in God the Father; of martyrs: Whoever confesses me before men; of sinners: Confess to the Lord, for he is good. You have hidden from the wise, that is, from those who use the wisdom of this world; and revealed to little ones, that is, to the disciples.

The calling was made in four ways in the new: Come to me, all you who labor. In the old: Come, children, hear me: in the future, Come, blessed ones.

The yoke, that is, the teaching, is light to those who will it, heavy to those who will it not. Perfection is understood in three ways, that is, of disciples, through baptism: of sinners, through remission: of the Jews, through the renewal of the new Testament. Through the crops, that is, the harvest, which signifies the old Law. The Sabbath is the rest of the new Testament; the disciples plucking ears of grain, that is, drawing testimonies from the old, to confirm the new: rubbing them in their hands, that is, expressing them in the spiritual sense. The man having a withered hand shows avarice, who is eager in receiving, greedy in giving. He who was wont to seize, let him learn to give. He stretched out his hand, that is, with the heart cleansed, it was restored; it signifies conversion to the faith. The smoking flax, that is, the hearts of the Gentiles prepared for the faith. The man with demons, mute and blind, signifies the human race. In the house he bound the strong man, that is, Christ bound the devil. His vessels, these are the hearts of the Gentiles. Offspring of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? Through the viper he shows the synagogue: the offspring, that is, the Jews; just as the offspring of the viper kills its mother, so the Jews killed Christ, who is the wisdom of all, their mother. An evil and adulterous generation, the same, forsaking the Lord, clinging to idols.

The queen of the South came from the ends of the earth: this signifies the Gentiles, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, that is, the teaching of Christ. The unclean spirit goes out from the man, that is, from the Jews; it went away through dry places, that is, through the Gentiles; it returned to the house, that is, to the Jews; it found it swept clean, that is, by ancestral traditions; it took with it seven spirits more wicked, that is, all their days turned to evil works; entering into the house, that is, into the hearts of the persecutors, because they persecuted Christ and the prophets. The mother and brothers, that is, the synagogue and the Jews; standing outside, that is, outside the Church; seeking to speak with you, this shows the future conversion of the Jews to the faith. Jesus went out from the house; he was sitting by the sea, which is understood in two ways, that is, from heaven into the world, from the Jews to the Gentiles. He went up into a boat, that is, into the heavens; the crowds on the shore, by which the present life is signified. In a likeness, that is, in parables; he himself sows who preaches: he sows, that is, the word of God: along the path, that is, the one who hears the word of God and does not understand: on rocky ground, that is, the one who hears the word of God and receives it, and when temptation comes, denies it; among thorns, that is, he hears the word, and because of riches chokes it; on good ground, that is, the one who hears and understands.

And it bears fruit thirtyfold: he shows the order of the married, who follow the commandment of God; the sixtieth fruit, the order of widows, who persevere in the Lord; the hundredth fruit, these are the orders of martyrs, monks, or virgins. "To him who has, it shall be given": he shows the apostles; to those who have Christ, understanding also shall be given. And "from him who has not, even what he has shall be taken away": he shows the Jews; the very Law which they had shall be taken away from them. "Seeing, let them not see": these are the Jews, who saw with their eyes but did not believe in their heart; "hearing, let them not hear": he shows the cares of the body; they heard but with hard hearts did not understand. "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field": he who sows is the Son of Man; the seed is the word of God in the hearts of believers; in the field, that is, in the world; the tares, the sons of wickedness, that is, the workers of iniquity. The enemy who sowed, that is, the devil. The harvest is the consummation of the age; the reapers are the angels. Why is it called a bundle? Because not all are judged equally, but adulterers with adulterers, and all alike equally. The grain of mustard seed signifies Christ; the man sowing is God the Father; in the field, that is, in the world. The smallest of all seeds: it signifies Christ, rejected by the Jews.

But when it has grown, that is, has risen up, it becomes a tree, that is, it ascends to heaven; its branches are the apostles; the birds in its branches are the saints, who despise earthly things and desire heavenly things. Otherwise, the grain of mustard seed is the word of the holy Gospel; the man sowing is Christ, in the field, that is, in the world. The least of all, that is, kept in the hearts of the faithful, by comparison with the wisdom of the philosophers; it becomes a tree, that is, it ascends above all worldly wisdom; its branches, he shows the expositions of the individual teachers; the birds, that is, the lovers of knowledge, from the seed received, that is, from the teaching of the Gospel.

The woman, that is, wisdom, hides in the flour, that is, in the hearts of the faithful, three measures, he shows the three sons of Noah; until the whole was leavened, that is, until the Gospel was preached throughout the whole world. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden, the treasure, that is, Christ or wisdom: in the field, that is, the Church, or in the divine Scriptures. He sold all things, that is, he abandoned worthless things, or earthly things: he bought the field, that is, the kingdom of heaven. The merchant man, who seeks divine teaching, finds one pearl, that is, the wisdom of Christ; he sold all things, that is, vices. The kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea; by the net, the word of preaching is shown; into the sea, that is, into the world; gathering from every kind of fish, that is, every kind of humanity.

He hears the word of God beside the shore, that is, near the end of the world; the householder is Christ, the scribes are the teachers, the apostles. He came into his own country, that is, to the Jews. The tetrarch, that is, one who rules a fourth part of the kingdom.

He bound John and sent him into prison: this shows the end of the old Law. Herodias signifies the synagogue; the girl danced at the banquet, which shows the Gentiles dancing before idols; the head of John on a platter signifies the body of Christ on the altar, his head in the hearts of the faithful; it was given to the girl, that is, to the Church from among the Gentiles; she brought it to her mother, which shows the conversion of the Jews, in the future; those who followed show the foot-soldiers; it shows that a man ought to follow God not with money as before, but with his own labor. He healed the sick, that is, he washed them clean from sins and from idols. The hour was already late, that is, the letter of the Law; the five loaves, that is, the five books of Moses; the two fish, that is, the two Testaments, or the two orders, that is, of priests and prophets, or the two books of Joshua. The crowd reclined on the grass, that is, on dry hearts, or reclined on vices. And having taken the loaves, he looked up to heaven, that is, he withdrew the sense; he broke them, that is, he expressed the history of the Law in a spiritual sense, and the understanding appeared; he blessed them, that is, he multiplied them.

The twelve baskets full, that is, the twelve apostles from the holy teaching; for this reason women and children are not counted like men, because children cannot fight against their own vices; so too women, because the female sex is imperfect. He ordered them to go up into the little boat, that is, into the Church; to go before across the sea, that is, from the Jews to the Gentiles. He is called in four ways: first by nature; second by kinship; third by nation; fourth by affection. Man is spoken of in four ways: what is said, that is, the good man well, "do penance," and the rest; the evil man evilly, "his blood be upon us"; the good man evilly, where it is said of the blind man, "are you alone his disciple?"; the evil man well, where the Apostle says, "I have handed such a man over to Satan for destruction, that the spirit may be saved." But when evening had come, he was alone, which shows the end of the world. He came alone to redeem the human race.

The ship in the middle of the sea: that is, the Church in the middle of the world; it was tossed by the waves, that is, it was suffering persecutions; the contrary wind, that is, the devil; at the fourth watch of the night Jesus came, which shows in the fourth law, that is, of the Gospel. Jesus walking on the sea, that is, treading the bitterness of the world; Peter walked on the waters, over the bitterness, or treading on the vices of sins. As Peter was sinking into the sea, that is, into doubt of faith; so everyone who doubts in faith sinks into sin. Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, that is, he gave him the help of faith.

These are the four laws: first, the law in nature; second, the law of the letter; third, the law of the prophets; fourth, the law of the evangelists. When he had crossed over, that is, when he had passed across, they came into the land of Gennesaret, that is, from the Jews to the Gentiles; they brought to him those who were sick, that is, those serving idols.

The Canaanite woman: she signifies the primitive Church; her daughter vexed by a demon, that is, the Church of the Gentiles, corrupted by idols. The girl was healed from that hour: it signifies the conversion of the Gentiles, from that hour in which they believed in Christ. I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: it signifies literally to the Jews; otherwise, because all who believe are called Israel of God. To take the bread, that is, the teaching; of the children, that is, of the Jews; it is harsh to give it to the dogs, that is, to the Gentiles. The little dogs eat, that is, the Gentiles; they receive from the crumbs, that is, from the lesser commandments.

I have compassion on the crowd: it signifies that God is wholly merciful; they have continued with me three days: it signifies faith in the Trinity; they have nothing to eat, that is, they have not the word of preaching; I do not wish to send them away fasting, lest they fail on the way, that is, lest they perish on the way of error in the present life, because faith without works is dead. By the seven loaves he signifies the sevenfold law, by the few fish he signifies the order of the prophets, or of the priests. Reclining on the ground signifies those more perfect who have already trampled upon their vices; by the seven baskets, the seven teachers of the Holy Spirit.

The Pharisees, being divided, and the Sadducees, being justified: a clear sky, that is, the resurrection of Christ; a red sky, the shedding of blood; a gloomy sky shows the passion of Christ; a glowing storm signifies persecution. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, that is, of their teaching. Simon, that is, obedient, that is, the son of Jonah, that is, a dove, which is interpreted as the Holy Spirit: flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, that is, father and mother did not show it to you. The gates of hell are the sins of men: the keys of the kingdom of heaven are the power of binding and loosing, that is, through repentance they shall be opened. To suffer many things from the elders and scribes—saying this, Jesus shows his passion and resurrection. He says to Peter, Go behind me, showing himself crucified. Let him deny himself behind me, that is, let him despise the pleasure of the flesh. He who loves his own soul, that is, pleasure, loses it: here soul is put for pleasure: he who loses his soul will find it. In two ways a man loses his soul, through martyrdom and through the denial of the body: he will find it, that is, in the kingdom of God: he gives an exchange for his soul who crucifies his flesh and nourishes his soul.

After six days, now on the seventh, he shows the ages of the world, the seventh of which is understood as rest. In Peter, James, and John he shows the whole Church here; he leads them up a mountain, that is, into the kingdom of God. His face shone like the sun, that is, the saints in the glory of the Father; otherwise, the Old Testament shone forth in the New. His garments white as snow, that is, the congregation of all the faithful. Through Moses he shows the letter of the Law; through Elijah, the order of the prophets. Christ with his disciples shows the New Testament. A dark cloud, that is, the letter of the Law. A bright cloud, that is, the preaching of the Gospel. A rain-bearing cloud, that is, the preaching of the apostles, who bore the fruit of repentance after the ascension of Christ.

When he had come to the crowds, that is, when he had descended into the world. The man kneeling on his knees shows the order of the prophets, who prayed for himself, as it were the Church; his son, a lunatic, shows the people of the Gentiles, worshipers of idols. He falls into the fire, that is, into lust; frequently into the water, that is, into debauchery.

Pass from here, from the Jews to the Gentiles: go to the sea, that is, to the nations. Cast the hook, that is, the word of preaching. The fish that comes up first, that is, the first of the nations, shows the firstfruits: in its mouth you will find a stater, that is, the confession of faith, his humanity and divinity. Give it to them for me and for you, that is, for me, faith, and for you, an excuse. The little one enters the kingdom of heaven, that is, not small in age, but pure in mind: whence the Apostle says, Be little ones in malice. Whoever has scandalized one of these little ones, that is, either by bodily injury or by the adversity of a title. Let a millstone be hung, that is, care, or the circuit of this world: on his neck, in the labor of the world: let him be sunk into the sea, that is, into the world. Your hand, that is, your parent: your feet, that is, your servant: your eye, that is, your bishop, or priest, or teacher and elder. And do not despise one of these little ones, lest you act against their innocence. The sheep that went astray shows the human race: the shepherd is Christ; the sheep left on the mountains shows the orders of angels, who stand in the heavens.

If your brother sins, rebuke him between you and himself, so that the sin may not become known and reproach may not arise against your brother. Tell it to the Church, that is, to the congregation of the faithful. The heathen, that is, the Gentile, and the publican is one who sins publicly. Do not hold their image in hatred, but their works. If two have consented together, that is, the flesh and the soul. If the flesh has consented to the soul, the one who asks receives through faith.

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was a king, who wished to settle accounts with his servants. The one who owed ten thousand talents is the one who sins against God. The one who owed a hundred denarii is the one who sins against his brother; the fellow servants who judged are the angels. When Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed into Galilee, that is, to the ends of the world, and from the Gentiles to Judea.

A man leaves father and mother: this shows the one who leaves Christ, the Father in heaven; yet he leaves in such a way as not to forsake. Mother, that is, the synagogue. He shall cleave to his wife, that is, Christ to the Church. They shall be two in one flesh: this shows that Christ is the head, and the Church truly his body. A wife is forsaken by her husband, that is, when someone has departed from Christ, then he joins himself to heresy in one crime. Four souls perish, that is, the one who puts away his wife for a reason other than the lawful one, and the one who marries the divorced woman. It is difficult for a rich man to enter, and the rest: he says this of those who possess under avarice; the eye of a needle is called the little gate of Jerusalem.

In another sense, the eye of the needle is the confession of faith, or of penitence; the rich are called the Jews; the camel is the people of the Gentiles. In a third sense, the eye of the needle shows the passion of Christ; the camel, that is, he who bears the sins of the human race. In regeneration, that is, through the resurrection.

The last shall be first, and the first last. The last were the people of the Gentiles; the Jews were first, and have been made last. So too concerning Peter and the thief; so too concerning the infant and the elder. The householder hired laborers into his vineyard; the householder is Christ; early in the morning shows the beginning of the world; the laborers are the keepers of God's commandments; the vineyard, that is, the Church; in the old vineyard, the law, or the synagogue; the daily denarius, eternal life. In the marketplace, that is, in the world. At the first hour came Abel; at the third hour Noah and his sons; at the sixth hour came Abraham; at the ninth hour came Moses and David; at the eleventh hour came the people of the Gentiles. In another sense, the first hour, that is, infancy; the second hour, adolescence; the sixth, youth; the ninth, old age; the eleventh, decrepit age. At whatever hour a man is converted and groans from his whole heart, he receives the daily denarius. "Late in the day," that is, at the end of the world. The steward of the vineyard is Christ; those who murmured are the Jews, saying, "We have borne the burden of the day," that is, bearing the law and the prophets.

Jericho is interpreted as "moon": it signifies the defection of the people. The two blind men signify the Jews and the Gentiles; sitting by the way, that is, in the present life beside the road; that Jesus passes by, that is, through the incarnation and his humanity he passed through the world; that Jesus stands still shows his divinity. When he drew near to Jerusalem, that is, when he had come into the world. Bethphage, that is, the house of the mouth, or of the jaw; the Mount of Olives, that is, the name of three lights, that is, the refreshment of labor, the consolation of work, the knowledge of the true light. The village that is against you, that is, Jerusalem, which was resisting against the law of the Gospel. Loose and bring to me, he shows the conversion of the Jews, or of the Gentiles, through the preaching of the apostles. The Lord has need, of nothing else than faith: to Zion, that is, the watchtower: daughter of Zion, that is, the congregation of the faithful: by the garments he shows doctrine: they made him sit upon them, that is, Christ in the hearts of the faithful; they spread their garments on the way, it shows the conversion of humility. Branches from the trees, that is, the doctrine of the Gentiles: the crowd that goes before shows the Jews: the crowd that follows signifies the Gentiles. Hosanna, save me, or make safe: as you save the Jews, save also the Gentiles: as you save the angels, save the human race. In another sense, branches from the trees, that is, simple teachers, who through simplicity cut off the doctrine of the fathers like shoots.

Jesus entered the temple, that is, into the Church; he cast out those selling and buying, that is, those who sell and buy the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whether baptism or any consecration. The chair, that is, teaching; the table, that is, the commands of the Law; the children crying out in the temple, that is, in the Church. Leaving them, he went outside, showing the Jews left behind; he went to the Gentiles. Bethany, that is, the house of obedience. There he stayed, showing that Christ remains in the heart of the obedient; he returns to the city, showing that in his first coming he came to the Jews. What did he hunger for but the faith of the Jews? The fig tree, that is, the synagogue; beside the road, according to the letter. He found nothing in it but leaves, that is, the substitution of the Jews and the traditions of the fathers. The fig tree withered, showing the synagogue without repentance. The mountain, that is, Christ. Take it up from here, that is, from the Jews; cast it into the sea, that is, into the hearts of believers.

A man had two sons: the man is Christ; the two sons, the Jews and the Gentiles. Which of them did the will of the Father, he who said to him "I will" and did not? He points to the Jews; and he who said "I will not" and did? He points to the people of the Gentiles, who did through the confession of faith. A householder planted a vineyard: the householder is God the Father; the vineyard, the synagogue. He surrounded it with a hedge, that is, with the guardianship of angels. The winepress, that is, the temple or martyrdom; the tower in the midst, he shows the teaching of the Law; the farmers are the teachers. But when the time of fruit drew near, that is, the coming of Christ; the servants sent, they are the prophets: whom they first killed, that is Jeremiah and Isaiah; whom they stoned, that is Stephen. They cast him out of the vineyard, that is, Jerusalem, onto the mount of Calvary. Here the vineyard, and the other farmers, he shows the Church of the Gentiles, who render fruit, that is, the confession of repentance and faith. The stone, that is, Christ: cut from the mountain without hands, that is, without the act of a man and without intercourse; from a mother without seed, from a father without [such] time. Made the head of the corner, joining two walls, he shows the New and the Old Testament, Jews and Gentiles. Whoever falls on the stone will be broken, signifies the Gentiles upon Christ, from fidelity broken to pieces upon him, that is, into humility. But upon whomever the stone falls, it will crush him, he shows the superstitious Jews.

A man, a king, who made a wedding for his son. The man is God the Father; through the wedding he shows the union of Christ and the Church. Just as Eve came from the rib of Adam, so the Church was redeemed from the side of Christ; and just as Adam came forth from the virgin earth, so too Christ was born from the virgin Mary. He sent his servants, that is, the patriarchs; again he sent others, that is, the prophets. The dinner was prepared, that is, the Holy Scripture; the oxen slain, he shows those who shed their blood for Christ; the fatted fowl, that is, the fattened. They went away to their farm, that is, to covetousness; others to their business, that is, into the world, as the Apostle says: No one serving as a soldier for God entangles himself in secular affairs, so as to please him to whom he has proved himself. The rest laid hold of his servants, he shows the onslaught of persecution. He says to his servants, that is, the apostles. The wedding was made, that is, the hearts of believers joined with Christ for the love of charity. Go to the exits of the roads, that is, to the Gentiles. They gathered together good and bad, he shows the present life. The king entered among those reclining at table, he shows the second coming. The man not having a wedding garment, he shows charity, as it is written, faith without charity is dead.

The woman, that is, the synagogue, is understood through the seven men as the Septuagint. The woman is dead, that is, the letter is dead, passing from the Old Testament into the New. In the resurrection, whose will she be? That is, of the Church of Christ. The Lord said to my Lord, that is, God the Father to Christ: until I make your enemies your footstool, he shows that he has humbled the Jews, and the nations through patience under his feet, so that by vengeance the persecutors may be punished, and in the future as well. Upon the chair of Moses, that is, upon his teaching; phylacteries, that is, the words of the Law written on a small scroll, which the Pharisees wore on their forehead.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem: by repeating it he shows the affection of God, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, in the folds of her feathers, that is, with wings lifted up, so too Christ spread out his palms on the cross, that he might gather his sons, as the song of Deuteronomy declares: He spread out his wings, and took them up upon his shoulders. Behold, your house shall be left desolate, he shows that they have been forsaken by their law and by prophecy and by the priesthood. You shall not see me until you say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, he shows that at the second coming all flesh shall see him, and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over themselves, who pierced him. Not one stone shall be left here upon another, he shows the dispersion of the Jews. Then many shall be scandalized, he shows that through the greatness of persecution they will deny Christ.

The abomination shows the statue of Antichrist set up in the temple; the desolation, that is, the consummation. Those who are in Judea, that is, in confession of the faith. Let them flee to the mountains, that is, to the teaching of the apostles; he who is on the roof, that is, in the contemplative life, let him not go down into the house, that is, into the active life; he who is in the field, that is, in the preaching of the Gospel, let him not take up his tunic, that is, let him not return to his former manner of life.

Woe to those who are pregnant, that is, to those who covet the goods of others; and to those who are nursing, that is, to those who persist in evil works; by the desert he shows persecution, by the sabbath the end of the world. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will gather: the body is Christ; the eagles are the souls of the saints. Otherwise, in the resurrection each soul will receive its own body: by the sun he shows the preaching of the Gospel; by the moon, the Church; by the stars, the saints, or the preachers. The powers of the heavens will be shaken, that is, the hosts of angels for judgment: a sign will appear in heaven, that is, the cross of Christ; by the trumpet he shows the sound of angels. There will be two in the field, that is, in the preaching of the Gospel: one will be taken, that is, he who fulfills the preaching in deed; the other will be left, that is, in works of righteousness; at the mill, in the world: two grinding, that is, in the catholic Church, and of heretics.

The kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins, who took their lamps, that is, in the resurrection, their bodies. They are virgins in that they did not deny Christ. Five are wise, in that they labored for the kingdom of God; five are foolish, whom he shows to have acted for the reward of human praise. To slumber is to grow faint before death; but to sleep is to rest in death. At midnight, that is, in error, or in careless security. I know you not, that is, I do not know your good works.

The man setting out is Christ; gone abroad, that is, from the world to the Father. He called his servants, that is, the teachers; he gave them his goods, that is, the teaching of the Gospel; five talents, that is, the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch; which by habit he was wont to stir, that they might turn transitory things to the eternal. Thus of sight it is said, Turn away my eyes, and the rest. Of hearing, Stop your ears, lest they hear the tongues of blasphemy. Of smell, We are a good odor to God, in those who are saved; of taste, Do not curse, but bless; of touch, Let him who was stealing now steal no more, but labor with his hands, so that he may give to the needy. Therefore ten talents are made: two talents, that is, understanding and action; he who has these, and fulfills them by examples, and teaches by words, saves himself and instructs others. Therefore the talent is doubled: one talent shows understanding.

He hid it in the earth—that is, the one who teaches the preaching of the Gospel in exchange for earthly things; but after a long time, that is, at the end of the world. He reaps where he did not sow, that is, where there was no preaching: take away the talent, that is, the understanding: give it to the one who doubled it in good work. The five senses, as the Apostle says, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law in their hearts. To the one who has faith and love, understanding and the working of virtues will be given; from the one who does not have it, even what he has will be taken away from him, that is, the one who has faith and does not have love—that faith itself will die in him. Majesty, that is, power, dignity. The goats are the Jews; the sheep, however, the peoples of the Gentiles. The right, that is, the prosperous, or the upright; the left, adverse, or penal, because with God nothing is left.

But when he was in Bethany, that is, in the house of obedience; here the house is put for the world. The woman, that is, the future Church: the alabaster jar, that is, the body of a human being: through the ointment, she shows the faith of confession: the head of Christ is God the Father; he who reclines, the same Christ upon the Church: The poor you will always have, that is, spiritually those who need teaching, or corporally those who need food. But me you will not always have—he shows this according to the flesh. Joseph is sold into Egypt for twenty pieces of silver, to satisfy the hunger of the body: Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver, for the sins of men, and the hunger of faith.

Opportunity, that is, the fitting time; by the unleavened bread of sincerity he shows the sincerity of the mind. I will drink it in the kingdom of my Father with you, that is, with his members; in the kingdom, that is, in the Church. I will strike the shepherd, that is, Christ; the sheep will be scattered, that is, the apostles. I will go before you into Galilee: that is, leaving the Jews behind, he went to the Gentiles. If it is possible, let this cup pass from me, that is, the passion; he said this on the part of the flesh; by the sword he shows the divine word. He cut off the ear, that is, the cut-off hearing of the Jews; he would purge their uncleanness; he endured being scourged, so that he might free us from the scourges of sins. As Adam stretched out his hand toward the tree of life, so also the Jews stretched out their hands against Christ; and accordingly Christ also stretched out his hand on the tree of life; so also the Jews stretched out their hands on the wood of the cross, so that he might free us from every sting. By the crowing of the cock he shows the refreshment of the Holy Spirit; bound he was led, so that he might loose the bonds of our sins.

Corbana in Hebrew, Gazophylacia in Greek, in Latin is called the treasury of riches. By the shedding of Christ's blood the human race was redeemed; by the price of his blood the field was bought for the burial of strangers. Hyrus is Pompeius, Barabbas was led into the desert, that is, into hell; the other was sacrificed, that is, Christ, for the sin of men. They stripped Christ, that is, despoiled him, of the faith of the Jews. They clothed him in a scarlet cloak, that is, Christ clothed in the faith of the Gentiles; otherwise, through the scarlet cloak he shows the shedding of his own blood, or martyrdom. They stripped him of the cloak and put his own garments on him: he shows the conversion of the Jews at the end of the world.

The soldiers divided his garments among themselves: this holds the figure of the Gospel, that they divided the teaching of Christ among themselves. Through the tearing of the veil he shows the tearing apart of the kingdom of the Jews. In another way, the veil was torn: he shows the tearing of the letter of the Law through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, or through the ascension of Christ the heavens were torn open for the human race. The earth was moved: he shows the grace of God, moved from the Jews to the Gentiles; the rocks were split, that is, the hearts of the Gentiles were split for the faith; the tombs were opened, that is, hearts for the faith.

The tomb, that is, the Church from the Gentiles: he shows it to be new, because the word of God was not previously preached to the Gentiles; the tomb cut out in rock shows the Church hewn from the hardness of the Gentiles; the stone rolled to the entrance of the tomb shows the hardness in the heart of the Jews.

The evening of the sabbath: that is, the end of the world; the first day of the sabbath shows the day of resurrection; with the stone rolled back, it signifies the hardness of the Jews rolled back in the future; by the brightness he shows terror: by the whiteness of the garment he shows the consolation of the resurrection; in Galilee, on the mountain, he shows [the transition] from the people of the Jews to the Gentiles.

ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK.

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. That he says "of the Son of God" shows his birth according to divinity; he shows it according to the flesh when he says "Jesus," "Behold, I send," that is, the voice of the Father: "my angel," that is, John: "before your face," that is, the forerunner of Christ, making him known. The voice is John's, "crying" is Christ's. "In the desert" signifies the Jews, abandoned by the Law, by the kingdom, and by the priesthood; "prepare the way," that is, your hearts or your works; "make straight his paths," that is, the thoughts of your heart. Through the baptism of water he shows the washing of body and soul: the baptism of repentance is the forgiveness of sins.

He came into the house of Simon and Andrew, that is, to the Jews; rising very early at daybreak, he shows the coming of Christ and the beginning of the New Testament; he went out into a desert place, that is, to the Jews; and there he was praying, that is, there he was preaching.

He could not enter into the city. This is because of the crowd; through the paralytic he shows the human race: through the bed, the body. He was carried by four, that is, the four elements of which man consists, or the four orders of the Gospel, or the four virtues of the soul, namely: fortitude, justice, prudence, and temperance. Fortitude is to fight against vices: justice is to love God with the whole heart, and one's neighbor as oneself: prudence is to provide for the future: temperance is to set a limit to all anger. They uncovered the roof, that is, laying open the history of the Law; they lowered the mat, which shows the unveiled letter of the Law, the manifest sense of the Gospel.

He commanded them to serve him in the boat, that is, that the Church should preach. He went up into the mountain: this signifies his ascension in the flesh into heaven. The thunderer is Christ; the sons of thunder are the apostles; the clouds are the prophets; the rain is preaching. The lamp under the bushel, that is, one who teaches out of desire for the world; under the bed, that is, in the obscurity of those who sin. Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest: the hidden law of the Jews, which has been made manifest to the Gentiles. The man who sowed shows the teacher; what he sowed, that is, the divine word; in the earth, in the heart of men; the one sleeping, that is, the one not knowing; through the night he shows adversity, or ignorance; through the day, prosperity, or knowledge; through the sprout, compunction of heart; through the grass, faith of works; through the ear of grain, perfection of working; the full fruit in the ear shows the completion of works; through the sickle, the cutting off of the present life and the consummation of the age.

Dismissing the crowd of the Jews, he went into the boat, that is, into the Church from the Gentiles. Other boats were with him, that is, the various churches of the heretics. By the storm of wind he shows the persecutions against the faithful; he sent increase, so that the boat should be filled, which shows the persecution of Antichrist, or the most savage one, so that many come near to denial; the beloved of God persevere in the faith. That Christ sleeps in the stern shows the testing of the faithful in persecution. They wake him, that is, they invoke him in persecution as a help to themselves. There was made a great calm, that is, after the persecution of Antichrist, and after the resurrection. The man having an unclean spirit signifies the human race; breaking the chains shows the nations transgressing the law of their nature, or the teaching of the philosophers. So too the Jews breaking the letter of the Law, or the prophecy. He fell among the stones, which shows the people of the Gentiles worshipping stones.

The man sitting, clothed for faith in Jesus, shows that he is clothed in faith and love; sound in mind, that is, pure and sincere in mind. He had spent his substance on physicians, that is, because he had placed all his faith, conduct, and hope in the philosophers. He sent them two by two: this shows the two Testaments, that they should preach the same things everywhere; likewise also because love does not consist in fewer than two. By the rod he shows consolation, or discipline, as Paul says: What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in the spirit of gentleness and consolation? Shod with sandals, for three reasons: because of thorns, that is, because of the entanglement of riches or the anxiety of the world; because of cold, that is, because of the desire of the mind or unbelief; because of serpents, that is, because of the teaching of heretics. Not with two tunics, that is, not with a double mind, nor with doubt between the same things and unbelief, not with a double confidence in the new or in the old. Not like pretenders, who seek praise from men; by the supper which breakfast does not follow is meant the consummation of the world, which saw its consummation when Christ came. The hour has already passed, that is, the letter of the Law, whence he says: The old things have passed away, and behold, new things have been made.

The boats in the middle of the sea, that is, the Church in the tossing of the world. Jesus alone on the sea signifies that he alone was born on earth without touch; the contrary wind shows the persecution of the devil against the apostles after the ascension of Christ. He wished to pass by them; this shows that it was to test them. Genesareth is interpreted as a suitable harbor. He departed into the parts of Tyre and Sidon, that is, to the Gentiles; having entered into a house, that is, into the world.

He wished no one to know, which shows humility. He could not be hidden, that is, because his works are always manifest. By the woman is understood the primitive Church. She fell down before the feet of Jesus—these are the apostles—except that the children, that is, the Jews, should first be filled, so that they might receive the commandments of the law of the Gospel; and if they have judged the kingdom of God unworthily, then the Gentiles shall receive it. He found the girl lying on the bed, that is, he found her in the former state of her body. By the deaf and mute man he shows the human race; deaf was he who did not hear the commandments of God; nor could he speak, being mute, because he was unable to render the confession of praise, and did not have the confession of faith. He leads him out beyond the crowd, showing a withdrawn life, because in withdrawal a man always recognizes the blindness of sins in relation to the former conduct of good nature. He put his fingers into his ears, of his heart; and he opened his mouth, in the confession of faith. Looking up into heaven, he showed that all should give praises to God; he groaned, that is, for the sins of the human race, which were prominent in the world.

Otherwise, to give us an example, that we should pray to God with supplications.

By the blind man he shows the human race: those who brought him to Jesus show the teachers. Taking him by the hand, that is, he gave the power of working. He led him out of the village, showing the removal of the contemplative life, or outside his former manner of life. Spitting into his eyes, through the spittle he shows the incarnation of Christ, through which the human race was enlightened: by the laying on of hands, that is, he gave the help of working.

I see men like trees, here he showed the example of humility, that no one should exalt himself over virtues, but should consider himself lesser and lower than all. Again he laid his hands upon his eyes: and they were opened, showing that he opened the hearts of men, that they might see the knowledge of God clearly and believe without doubt: he was restored, that is, in good works.

He sent him to his own house, that is, he recalled him to the former state of worldly nature: the descent of Christ from the mountain shows his descent from heaven. Here the disciples hold the order of the prophets or patriarchs. The crowds inquiring of them shows the coming of Christ: that the crowds were seeking the law from the prophets and patriarchs. They will greet him, here he understands salvation in place of humility. He who brought his son holds the order of the patriarchs: his son shows the human race: through the foam he shows pride: through the gnashing of teeth, through withering, he shows avarice.

The disciples could not cure him. Here the disciples represent the patriarchs, because neither the prophets nor the patriarchs could cure the human race, unless Christ, coming, redeemed it by his blood, as the prophet says: A brother does not redeem, that is, Moses through the Law; a man redeems, that is, Christ. From infancy, that is, from the first age of the human race: he said, Father, I believe; help my unbelief—he shows that he had said: if faith is lacking, increase it. Tearing him much: he shows that when the devil saw that he was to be driven out of the land of the world, then power is given to him to do as much as he wishes on account of the elect of God; when he saw himself being expelled from each individual man through confession and repentance, then he stirred up vices against them all the more, and the most cruel assaults. He became as if dead—here he shows the example: a man cleansed, that is, one who through confession and repentance puts himself to death. Here Jesus is seen to have performed two miracles: he cured him of a demon, and raised him as if dead; so he raised up the human race from the death of sins, and freed it from the demon of slavery. By the millstone, the circuit of the world is shown; by the ass, the uncleanness of sins.

To be submerged in the sea, that is, to humble oneself in sackcloth through penitence, or to perish in one's own sin: because it is lighter to endure punishment for oneself alone than that one should also disturb others from the kingdom of God. By the worms he shows those who repent too late; he always devours him in punishment, because while he had time he did not amend. Every one shall be salted with fire: by fire the kindling of the Holy Spirit is understood, because just as every flesh perishes without salt, so every man without the knowledge of the word of God is made foolish. Have salt in yourselves, that is, have the wisdom of God in you. They come into the borders of Judea: he shows that the Jews will in the future return to faith in Christ.

Beyond the Jordan, that is, to the grace of baptism. Suffer the little children to come to me: here the little children hold the figure of the Gentiles; the disciples who were forbidding them hold the figure of the Jews. That camels cannot pass through the eye of a needle unless their burdens are laid down: so also the Jews, unless the burden of sins, or of riches, is laid down, cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What does Peter leave, who said, We have left all things? He shows that a man leaves much who puts himself last. Let them go before them, that is, let him go before his sheep by examples; by the cup he shows the passion; by the baptism, the mortification, or the sleeping, of the Church.

Just as Adam sinned through three things—that is, he lusted, he transgressed, he acted proudly—so too Christ was three days in the tomb; and similarly, for the same reason, a man is three times submerged beneath the wave of baptism. Whence the Apostle says: For we have been buried together with Christ through baptism; for we were baptized into his death. Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be the servant of all: here he points to the teachers of the Church; the blind man holds the figure of the Gentiles. He was sitting by the way, that is, by the faith.

He cried out to Jesus, Have mercy on me. The moral sense: when we devote ourselves to prayer, then the crowd, the phantom, the minds of the faithful rebuke them to be silent, while they wish to exclude us from prayer as we persevere. Then Jesus stands, near us: for to stand is of divinity, but to pass by is of humanity. He commanded them to be called, that is, through the preaching of the apostles; he calls the Gentiles to the faith. He threw off his garments, that is, his former manner of life; leaping up, that is, from ignorance to knowledge, from unbelief to faith. You will find a colt tied, he shows the Gentiles bound, with the guilt of sins; upon which no one has sat, that is, where no teacher has preached. Loose it, and bring it to me, that is, through preaching bring it to the faith.

He saw a fig tree; he showed that the Jews were far from Christ in their faithfulness. It was not the time of figs, that is, it was not the time for the Jews to believe, because they judged themselves unworthy of the kingdom. He did not allow vessels to be carried through the temple, that is, the hearts of the faithful. Christ does not wish any other work to be done, or anything to pass through, except what is holy: to be handed over to the tenants, that is, to guard the Law; the winepress, that is, the temple of Solomon; otherwise he shows forth martyrdom. He came to the synagogue—the synagogue is often a guard of angels; the tower, that is, the Law; they cast him out of the vineyard, that is, from the Jews to the Gentiles. Otherwise, from the city of Jerusalem to the mount of Calvary.

The widow gave two mites, that is, a quadrans, by which he understands the man as a quadrans, who offered himself to God. Whatever you ask, believing in prayer, shall be done for you: how does the holy Paul say this: Three times I asked the Lord concerning the thorn, and it did not depart from me. The devil asked to tempt Job, and God permitted him. Paul was not heard, so that through that very thorn he might be crowned; the devil was heard, so that through his temptations Job might be crowned. Accordingly the Apostle says, We do not know what we should ask, except Christ, who intercedes for us. Nation against nation, that is, of the pagans against the Christians. Morally, the flesh against the soul: the kingdom of the devil against the kingdom of Christ: the vices of the flesh against the spirit of good works.

The earthquake, that is, from unbelief to faith, that is, the body or the soul, of hearing the word of God. Standing before me as a testimony to them, that is, if they have believed, your testimony will be for them unto life; and if they have not believed, it will be for them unto punishment.

Concerning the day and the hour no one knows except the Father, he shows this in part with respect to the body, because the Church is the body of Christ. What he says, you do not know the time, that is, the departure of each one, or the consummation of the age.

A man going on a journey, that is, Christ going from the world with his flesh to heaven; he left his house, that is, the Church; to teachers of each work, that is, of each grace and virtue; by the doorkeeper he indicates the bishop, or the teacher. At evening he rained fire and sulfur from heaven upon Sodom; at midnight Egypt was struck in its firstborn; in the morning Sodom was overthrown, and its ashes rose up to heaven. Lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping, that is, in ignorance, or in the careless security of negligence.

He broke the alabaster jar, which signifies the body of Christ, wounded on the cross; through the ointment the confession of faith is shown; the head of Christ is God the Father. He was seeking an opportunity to betray him; this shows that the opportune time had come for the destruction of the Jews, or of Judea, and the opportunity of the redemption of the Church. On the first day of unleavened bread, that is, the day of Thursday; the Church was made unleavened bread of sincerity. The passage is spoken of in four ways, that is, from the world to the Father, from the Jews to the Gentiles, and us from unbelief to faith, from death to life.

The man carrying a pitcher of water holds the figure of the apostles, or of their successors or of the baptized, through whom baptism is effected; the pitcher signifies the baptism of the Trinity. To eat the Passover with his disciples, he shows himself with his disciples to the Jews; otherwise he eats in his members, which is the Church. Through the upper room the higher way is shown; through the large furnished room the breadth of the Church is shown. The lamb sacrificed in Egypt shows the mystery of his body and blood sacrificed in the New Testament; because the old sacrifice of the Jews has receded, that is, the blood of goats and bulls; our sacrifice, which is called the offering of Melchisedech, was offered when Abraham returned from the slaughter. As for why they asked him individually, he shows that no one should trust in his own conscience.

Leaving the linen shroud behind, he fled naked from them; this shows the malice of the Jews left behind. He fled naked, showing that the Apostles went naked—stripped of Jewish superstitions—to the Gentiles. Peter warmed himself at the fire; this signifies the lukewarmness of the apostles, and his own denial, and the faithlessness of the Jews.

They will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power; this shows that Stephen saw him, and Saul also saw him when he was struck down on the road; and many others saw him. Pilate is interpreted as "mouth of the hammerer": he who forms, not is formed; so too the persecutors form the souls of the righteous for the kingdom of heaven, while they themselves remained unformed by the grace of God. The Lord took upon himself the crown of thorns, that he might wash away the thorns of our sins; whence it was said to Adam: Thorns and thistles shall spring up for you. As for the statement that Jesus was crucified at the third hour, this shows that he was judged in order to be crucified; at the sixth hour he was lifted up on the cross. Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani, that is, God, God, my God, why have you forsaken me—this shows that he was forsaken in respect of the flesh, not according to his divinity, because there is unity of power. He left the flesh of his Son for a time in the passion, so that through his own Son he might have adopted sons. As the sponge was full of holes and vinegar, so the Jews were full of superstitions and bitter doctrine. Joseph holds the figure of the primitive Church from the Gentiles.

He bought a linen shroud; by the price of the shroud he shows the confession of faith; by the shroud he shows the mortification of the Church, or the grace of the baptized; the body of Jesus wrapped in a new shroud—that is, Christ surrounded by the Church, and the recalling of regeneration; by the tomb and the shroud he shows the altar on which the body of Christ is placed. Otherwise the Church, those who received Christ through faith in their hearts; or his body is to be eaten, and his blood to be drunk. The rock is Christ.

The tomb cut out of rock shows the Church built from the side of Christ. He rolled a stone to the entrance of the tomb: he shows Christ hidden in the law and the prophets; by the stone rolled back, he shows the open history of the law, Christ, in the New Testament. He is not here, that is, he is not among the Jews, but among the Gentiles. Go, tell his disciples and Peter: he names him because of his denial, so that he would not despair, and because of the primacy of the apostleship.

Mary, from whom he had cast out seven demons. By the seven demons he shows that her whole life was defiled, because it is rolled around through seven days. Preach the Gospel to every creature, that is, to every human being: because man has a part with the rest of creation—with the angels, to understand or discern; with the beasts, to see and feel; with the trees, to live: a tree lives by its greenness, and so too does a man by his youth; to be with the stones, because men who believe are also like stones.

They will cast out demons: whether spiritually or corporally; they will speak in new tongues, whether in different languages; the new tongue is the preaching of the Gospel: they will take up serpents, that is, serpent venom, or the doctrine of heretics; if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them, nor will the doctrine of heretics; they will lay hands on the sick, that is, whether of the body or of the soul. We read of three taken up from the world into heaven with their bodies: the Lord was raised up by his own power, because he was neither conceived through intercourse nor begetting through intercourse, but was born of a virgin; Enoch was taken away, because he was begetting through intercourse; Elijah was caught up in a chariot, because he was conceived through intercourse, not begetting through intercourse, since he remained a virgin.

IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE.

Luke himself, rising up, a Syrian by nation, of Antioch, a physician by trade, a disciple of the apostles, followed Paul, serving God without blame, never having a wife, died at the age of eighty-four in Bithynia, full of the Holy Spirit, buried in Constantinople. In Achaia, he wrote the Gospel in the Greek language; Matthew wrote for the faithful Jews; Mark for the penitent; John for the perfect; Luke for the faithful Greeks.

There was in the days of Herod, and the rest. Here he fulfilled the order: he spoke of the king and the region in which he was, the priest, and his people, and he indicates his wife: of the course of Abijah, that is, in the days of the Lord. Zacharias is interpreted as "memorial of the Lord"; to whom the angel of the Lord appeared at the right side of the altar, showing him that because the fear of the Lord is in him, the mystery of God is revealed to him. Abijah is interpreted as "father of the Lord"; it was fitting that in the time of his office this man should be chosen, who would proclaim the Father, the Lord. Elizabeth is interpreted as "abundance of my God"; she bears the figure of Mary, who was full of God; and both were righteous before the Lord, not before men, because formerly the barren woman was cursed in the law: walking in all the commandments, that is, they observed the whole law.

There was no son for them, because Elisabeth was barren; and both persevered in their days. Therefore these two causes are mentioned: the testimony would have been greater than the virtue. Zacharias entered into the temple, that is, Christ into Mary: the people pray, the same people first rebuke Zacharias, that is, freedom from captivity: the angel appeared to him, he did not say "he came," because he was there before. Zacharias was troubled, that is, because the Jews will be troubled at the coming of Christ. Your prayer has been heard, that is, more than you asked: you asked for the liberation of the people, and the Forerunner was given to you. And many will rejoice at his birth, because after perdition they will rejoice in eternal life.

Because he himself said, behold the Lamb of God, and the rest: he precedes Christ, is baptized before, and preached, before the sight, before he was born, and died: six causes, because there were six months between them. I am Gabriel, that is, the strength of God. Elisabeth conceived, he did not say concerning Zacharias: he knew his wife: because the will of desire failed from them: and she hid herself, on account of modesty: so that she might prove what she had conceived, if it had been true; for five months, that is, five thousand of the age, or the five books of Moses.

To take away my reproach, that is, the reproach of barrenness, and conception in old age: among men, because there was no reproach before God. Just as in the sixth month Gabriel was sent by the Lord into the city, so in the sixth millennium of the world Christ was sent. Joseph is interpreted as savior, who saved Egypt from famine; or blessed Mary, that is, from the flesh of Christ: but she was troubled because she did not know whether what the angel said referred to the past or the future: The Holy Spirit has come into you: Spirit is the name of all grace, when it is inspired, just as Mary recognized what the angel said, or while she was full of the Spirit, she knew what the angel had spoken to her. The power of the Most High will overshadow you, that is, it hid you in Egypt by fleeing. Your kinswoman, therefore it is said, because Elisabeth was from the tribe of Levi, that is, from the tribe of God: behold the handmaid of the Lord, as he says, the son of your handmaid.

He went into the hill country with haste, because everyone who would fulfill the will of God ought to hasten. The infant leaped in his mother's womb, that is, the son honored the son, just as the woman honored the woman. He cried out with a loud voice. This was fitting, because it was said of John, the voice of one crying in the wilderness. John is his name; why did he not say "John will be"? Because he was named by the angel before he was conceived. And they marveled, that is, the agreement between father and mother. Blessed be our Lord for his goodness, while Zechariah prayed for the deliverance of the people, the Forerunner was given to them. He raised up a horn of salvation, that is, Christ, because a horn is neither flesh nor bone; so too Christ is neither bone nor flesh, but only divinity. He grew, that is, in body. This first description was cast, that is, by the Romans, because Julius was the first to reign over the Romans, but he did not hold the whole world; and after him Augustus reigned; after Augustus, Tiberius. In the time of Augustus and Tiberius the time of Christ's baptism is completed, because in the fifteenth year of Augustus's reign, Augustus and his son Tiberius came in one chariot to their city. After they had beheld the lamb of the world, he showed that in his kingdom would be born the one who would reign over the whole world, and the Father the unity of his Son's will.

At that very time a bronze ring appeared around the sun, showing that he is born in the time of him whose power and beauty, and light, and wisdom had encompassed all power: the first beauty, light, and wisdom. At that very time a spring of oil flowed from a tavern for hire all day long, until evening: it showed that he is born in the time of him from whom the spring of oil had flowed, that is, the spiritual anointing through the whole Gospel until the end of the world. Augustus figuratively [represents] the Father, Tiberius the Son. For this reason the census is given, so that the king might know the number of men and their greatness. By the governor of Syria, it shows the place from which Christ was: that each should register in his own city shows that no one should render the census to God outside the Church. He was placed in the manger, that is, the body of Christ upon the altar: the ox and the ass in Christ's manger show that the Gentiles and the Jews share at the altar: the place in the inn, that is, a house between two walls, has two doors: a figure of the Church, between paradise and the world. The army of soldiers shows that they follow Christ as their leader. The shepherds were speaking—it was fitting that shepherds should speak; it was fitting that shepherds should bear witness concerning the true lamb. Let us cross over to Bethlehem—it shows us not to look back, nor to the right, nor to the left, but only to Christ. They found Mary, Joseph, and the infant; through these three the world was healed.

Mary kept all these words, that is, what the angel said to her. After eight days were completed, so that he might be circumcised: and in the eighth beatitude he shows the passion of Christ when it is said: Blessed are those who suffer persecution. The circumcision of Christ on the eighth day shows the blood of the martyrs, until the day of judgment: or because he fulfilled the law, and did not dissolve it. After the days of her purification were completed, that is, twelve days for a boy, thirty for a girl, as it was in the Law, so that a woman might not enter the Church. A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons: through the fierceness of the turtledove he shows that there is prudence like that of a serpent; through the dove, that they are simple: a pair, he shows, so that man may offer himself wholly to God. A revelation to the nations, that is, the glory of faith. Behold, he is set for a fall, that is, for those who do not believe; for a resurrection, for those who believe in him: and for a sign, that is, the Gospel. I have come to separate a man against his mother, and the rest: as he himself said: Who is my mother? Blessed is that womb which bore you, and the rest, that is, so that many may ponder good thoughts: while Mary alone is not the mother of Christ.

And your own soul a sword shall pierce, that is, the word of God, or the passion of Christ. She had lived with her husband seven years, that is, the synagogue with the heptateuch; and she did not depart from the temple, that is, because the Church ought not to depart from heaven. But the child grew, that is, in body. And he was strengthened, that is, in spirit. When he was twelve years old, that is, the twelve tribes which came to Christ: after three days they found him: the father, that is, the Church, and the mother, that is, the synagogue: who were seeking him through the three Laws: and they did not find him except through the Gospel. And he was subject to them, which shows that the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.

From the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, the first king, the first governor are mentioned at the nativity of Christ, that is, while they had not yet begun to teach; but now a fourth king, a tetrarch, is commemorated, when he comes to preaching and to baptism. The king signifies Christ, and the four tetrarchs show the four Gospels: two priests, that is, the two laws: through the number of six, the world was made.

The first king from the Romans shows the unity of the Roman kingdom, and the fourth tetrarch over the Jews shows the division of the Jewish kingdom. The word of the Lord came upon John: go and preach baptism. The valley shall be filled, that is, the Jews and the Gentiles; the mountains and hills shall be brought low, that is, he who humbles himself is exalted; and the crooked shall become straight, that is, he who was lustful shall be chaste; and the rough ways into smooth paths, that is, he who is proud shall be humble. All flesh shall see the salvation of God, that is, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; he shows that the Church in which he was brought up, man should not forget; and he rose to read—here he shows that if it has been revealed to the younger, the elder should be silent, that is, the Evangelist and the Pentateuch; Peter also rises in the midst of the disciples; he stood—he shows that it is not to be concealed but preached; because he has anointed me, that is, not with common oil, but with spiritual; to preach the gospel to the poor, that is, that the poor in spirit may be blessed, and to the captives redemption, that is, to the Jews from Pharaoh, and to the Gentiles from the devil; to the blind.

seen, that is, to Jews and Gentiles: to release the broken, that is, the Jews, by making mud, and the Gentiles by supplicating idols: the year of the Lord, that is, because a year has four seasons, he shows the four evangelists: and twelve months, he shows the twelve apostles: and the day of retribution, that is, the day of judgment: literally, today the Scripture is fulfilled in your ears.

Many widows were in Israel, that is, the Church; Elijah signifies Christ: Naaman the Syrian signifies the Gentiles: the lime tree, that is, the synagogue: Gehazi, that is, the Church: having a demon, that is, by believing in idols. What have we to do with you? that is, torments for us, glory for you. Beside the pool, that is, beside the law: two boats, that is, the two Churches: launch into the deep, that is, Christ ascending into heaven: laboring all day, we have caught nothing, that is, through the old Law we have led no one to life. They filled both boats, that is, because through the Church and the synagogue he converted: so that they were sinking, that is, the man who cannot endure riches and poverty. Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinner, shows, that is, the Lord did not depart, because he does not forsake true humility.

Do not fear, that is, let not the sinner fear the physician. The report about him was spreading more widely, that is, of his healing and teaching. When he was praying, he showed the contemplative life; when he was sitting, he showed the active life. By the rules, that is, by the divinity: rise and walk, he shows the resurrection of all. He went out onto the mountain to pray, and came down to the crowds; he shows the contemplative and the active life together.

Four beatitudes are read, because the four cardinal virtues are contained: from caudes, which in Latin is said of the heart; these four gentle ones are shown to be the four parts of the world. Likewise eight pertains to the eight souls who were in Noah's ark, through whom he showed the whole human race. Your reward is great in glory, that is, in preaching, in persecution, and in patience. According to these things their fathers did to the prophets, that is, they rebuked them and cast out their names. Woe to you who are rich! because you have your consolation, and you do not give thanks, not to God, but to your riches. Woe to you! when men have blessed you, that is, your enemies. Hoping for nothing from it, because you have given, so that you may receive a reward from the Lord in glory.

Can a blind man lead a blind man? That is, can a fool teach a fool: both will fall into the ditch, that is, into perdition. He was going into the city that is called Nain; he shows that after the sick man was healed, he raised the dead, because infamy precedes death. The only son of his mother, that is, Adam is carried from the earth by four, that is, by the four elements, from which man is made. The place is touched by God, that is, the wood of the cross, because Adam perished through wood. Man is carried by the earth when he thinks only earthly things, or when he is sick and cannot walk; he is carried by water when he thinks of luxury, or when because of excessive cold the body cannot be touched; he is carried by air when he does everything for human praise, or when because of sickness he cannot breathe; he is carried by fire when because of excessive fever he cannot be touched. The Lord raised three dead: that is, the only son of his mother, and the daughter of the ruler, and Lazarus. The first in the house, that is, in thought; the second at the gate, that is, in word; the third from the tomb, that is, in deed. He who is greater in the kingdom of God is greater than he, that is, Christ, because the angels were made: as it says, You have made him a little lower than the angels: yet Christ is greater than John, reigning with the Father. Wisdom is justified by her children; that is, the people and the publicans justified God.

Alabaster. The ointment is the body with faith. Standing: afterwards, after the Lord's ascension. At his feet, that is, the apostles': she was wetting them with tears, that is, with eternal charity in God. With her hair, that is, with superfluous cares, to give him a garment. She was kissing his feet, that is, to have peace with all. One owed five hundred denarii, that is, the sins of the Gentiles committed through the five senses; the other fifty, that is, the sins of the Jews. This was Mary Magdalene, from whom seven demons were cast out. Who is it that forgives sins, that is, divine power and virtue. This Mary figures the Church, from which he cast out seven vices, because man sinned in seven days. A certain man, that is, the people of the Gentiles, for many times, that is, from the beginning of the world, was not clothed with a garment, that is, with faith, nor was he remaining in the house, that is, in the Church, but in the tombs, that is, in the habit of sinning; with chains and fetters, that is, the law of nature and of the letter. Sitting, that is, in faith, after baptism; clothed, that is, in immortality; at his feet, that is, at the apostles'. He sent him away and said, Return to your house; he shows that from the contemplative life one comes to the active.

Woman, that is, the Church: the flow of blood, that is, the law of nature: for twelve years, that is, two ages. She touches the fringe of his garment, that is, she believed in the least commandment of Christ. Who is it who touched me, that is, who believed in me: power has gone out from me, that is, to the one proved to have faith. Peter, and John, and James, that is, faith, hope, charity: the father, that is, the bishop: the mother, the Church: the villages and cities, that is, servants and masters. They told him what they had done. The day began to decline, that is, to become night. Send the crowd away, the Jews. You give them to eat, that is, preach to the Gentiles. He blessed, that is, the Gospel: he broke, that is, according to the letter. It is necessary that the Son of Man suffer many things, that is, die: those sailing from the city, from the danger of the voyage, who afterwards saw tranquility after danger: his departure to suffer many things.

On the following day, that is, in the second law: a man from the crowd cried out, that is, Abraham: his only son, that is, every kind: suddenly crying out, that is, growing angry: and he dashes him down, in flattery of a neighbor: he tears him apart, that is, in despair: with foam, that is, with folly. Hand upon the plow, that is, work upon the Gospel: backward, that is, to the unclean: plowshares, that is, charity: four oxen, that is, the four evangelists.

The Lord appointed another seventy disciples, just as Moses chose seventy elders from the twelve tribes, that is, so that the seventy languages which had been divided through pride might be united into one tongue through humility. Two by two, the animals in the ark, and two disciples for preaching, charity: he shows the New and the Old Testament: body and soul, man and woman, and two disciples.

I send you as lambs among wolves: I am the shepherd, you are the sheep; the wolves, that is, the scribes and Pharisees. The demons are subject to us, that is, what was not in the Law, in the mouth: over serpents, that is, over the Gentiles, because the serpent is not killed, but the poison of doctrine, and scorpions, whose tail and head alike kill: the same devil, who wishes to deceive in the beginning and in the end. A man was going down, that is, the world, which is called accursed: into robbers, that is, demons: they despoiled him, that is, of good faith: they scourged him, that is, they made him sin: they left him half-dead, that is, the living body, with the conscience and soul dead. The priest, that is, Aaron: the Levite, that is, the tribe of Levi with its law: the Samaritan, that is, Christ, who is from the outskirts of Samaria; he is interpreted as guardian, because of Christ, the Lord guarding the little ones.

He bound up his wounds, that is, he restrained sins through penance; he pours in oil and wine, severity and sweetness of Scripture, reward and punishment; onto his own beast, that is, onto his own body, because through his passion he led the human race to the stable, that is, to the Church; two denarii, that is, the two laws, he gave to the innkeeper, that is, to the order of teachers; whatever you spend over and above, that is, whatever you do through your diligence from the teaching of men: I, returning, that is, at the judgment, will repay you.

Martha, that is, the active Church. Mary, that is, the contemplative Church, which always hears the words of Christ. Martha said that her sister should help her, because it is the work of the active life that the contemplative ought to be helped. Friend, that is, the teacher: at midnight, that is, at an inconvenient time: three loaves, he shows faith in the Trinity. My friend, that is, another doing penance: from the road, that is, from the world: I have nothing to set before him, that is, I do not know how to teach him: the door closed, that is, the door of heaven, which charity alone opens: my children are with me, that is, the heavenly virtues. What is outside and inside, that is, he made the body, he himself made the soul. Give alms, and all things are clean: and if you do not give, all things that you have are unclean.

Fear not, little flock: these are the Jews, because they believed that he was cursed in the law, who became poor. Let your loins be girded: he shows chastity; lamps burning, that is, good works; so that when he comes, that is, in pain, and knocks, that is, the soul through death, and they open immediately, that is, to be always ready; passing over he will minister to them, that is, after judgment, eternal life. I came to send fire on the earth, that is, charity. And those eighteen Galileans signify those on whom the tower fell, that is, the Holy Spirit, because Siloam is said to mean "sent." Let it alone also this year, that is, the Gospel; I shall dig around it, that is, I shall preach; a basket of dung, to confess sins; in the future, that is, on the day of judgment. The woman, that is, the human race; by a spirit of infirmity, that is, in faith and works; eighteen years, that is, the two laws, or those who have not fulfilled the ten words of the law, and have not believed in the resurrection, because it takes place on the eighth day; through three sixes, he shows that she was weak before the law, under the law, under grace. Bent down to the earth, that is, to earthly desires; to look up, that is, because she did not seek heavenly things through penance; he called her to himself, that is, through confession; and he laid his hand on her, that is, good examples; she was healed, the hope of health; the first day of the Sabbath, that is, into future rest.

And he says to that fox, that is, to Herod, because the devil is an animal, it dwells within, it destroys the vineyard: thus Herod the devil destroys the vineyard, as it is said, you transplanted a vineyard out of Egypt.

The dropsical man, that is, the human race, is fornicated: having taken him, he healed him; he showed that then the violence of fornication is healed. A man, that is, a foot-soldier: a great supper, that is, the Gospel: he called many, that is, the Jews: he sent his servant, that is, Christ in the flesh: all things are ready, that is, because the things prophesied of Christ are. I bought a farm, that is, for avarice I did not come to Christ: yokes of oxen, that is, pride: otherwise yokes of oxen, the five senses, or the five books of Moses: I married a wife, that is, luxury. The poor and the weak, that is, those who recognize their sins: go into the highways, that is, to the Gentiles: compel them to come in, that is, through confession. To build a tower, that is, to follow Christ: the cost, that is, to renounce the world. What king, that is, the apostles: to wage war, that is, the recompense of works: against another king, that is, against Christ: with ten thousand, that is, with the works that a man feels: with twenty thousand, that is, with works that are in secret and in the open: he sends an embassy, that is, by having mercy, by giving alms: he asks for the things that are for peace, that is, do not enter into judgment with your servant, Lord. In the land, that is, in riches: in the dunghill, that is, in poverty.

A certain woman, that is, the wealthy: a lamp lit, that is, the Gospel: a drachma found in the house, that is, a sinner converted in the Church.

A certain man, that is, God the Father. Two sons, the Jews and the Gentiles, because the law was first given to the Jews: give me my portion, that is, the present life: he divided the substance, that is, he gave freedom of will to both peoples. He set out for a far country, that is, away from God: living luxuriously, that is, by worshipping idols; a severe famine, that is, of the word of God: to one of the citizens, that is, to a philosopher: on his estate, that is, in the world: to feed pigs, that is, that he lived after the manner of pigs: and from the husks, that is, to fill the belly and not grow fat: the pigs, that is, the foolish. The hired servants of my father, that is, those who are more lowly servants of God: are satisfied with bread, that is, with doctrine. I have sinned against heaven, they themselves say this, who have the devil as their father, who sinned in heaven. Moved with mercy, that is, he came in the flesh: to his servants, that is, to the apostles: the first robe, faith, which Adam lost: the ring, that is, the cross on the forehead: the shoes, that is, the Gospel: the fatted calf, that is, Christ from the two laws. He was dead, that is, Adam: he came to life again, that is, through baptism: he had perished, that is, in despair; he was found, that is, in hope. The elder son, that is, the Jews: in the field, that is, in unclean desire: the music and dancing, that is, prophecy and the Gospel: the two servants, that is, Isaiah, etc.

Lazarus the beggar: the name is given to the poor man, and not to the rich man; good men are written in heaven, and evil men are not. Full of wounds, that is, of sins: the rich man signifies the Jews; the poor man, the Gentiles; the dogs, the teachers, who heal wounds by their tongue. In the bosom of Abraham, that is, in rest: buried in hell, that is, in the letter: lifting up his eyes, because the Jews were eyes, that is, good by living until Christ: he saw Abraham: so it will be after judgment concerning hell, they will see the kingdom of God, so that they may have greater punishment, from greater joy. The tip of his finger in water, that is, those who give small alms: I am tormented in this flame, that is, in their own punishment: a great chasm, that is, the confusion of all things, or the old Law, You received good things in your life, that is, you did good, you received: Lazarus evil things, that is, because he did not receive vengeance for his evils in his life. Five brothers, that is, the five books of Moses, they were observing the sign: he has risen from the dead, that was done, when Christ rose again: others of the Jews believed. If the stone moralia, that is, if the Gentiles, as the horse grinding does not see the one whom it serves, so the philosopher teaches philosophy, which does not profit him, but the holy Church: increase our faith, that is, while you increase the commandment.

To this tree, that is, the mulberry, which is the Gospel that proclaims the red cross of Christ, just as the mulberry is red: to uproot, that is, from the Jewish people: and to transplant into the Gentile people, that is, the mulberry tree: its fruit is first white, afterward red, then black: so the devil, while he was a white angel, became black at the occasion of Adam, red in the murder of Cain and Abel. The two women grinding show the two Churches, or the two Testaments: the judge and the widow concerning the half-full measures, and he will have patience with them, but they will not always be silent. Two went up, one magnified his holiness and had lost it: the other magnified his sins, and they perished: I fast twice in the sabbath, that is, without food and woman. What shall I do, that I may have eternal life? that is, as was said above, the kingdom of God belongs to such as these: and so Nicodemus likewise was thinking, how can a man be born again? Thou shalt not kill, and the rest: why did he say these things, because in him it fell. When he drew near to Jericho, that is, when he came to the incarnation.